《Munitions Empire》


 Chapter 1: 1. All fears stem from insufficient firepower

    "Mr. Tang Mo, the Baron is still napping," the servant whispered as he felt the coins in the cloth pocket in his pocket. He smiled and spoke softly to Tang Mo who had already been waiting there for thirty minutes.


    Since he had taken the man''s bribe, he felt obliged to think more on behalf of him, so with a smile, he added to the somewhat embarrassed man, "He was very busy this morning, so he needs a long rest."


    "It''s okay," Tang Mo said with an awkward smile. Being a businessman, seeking an audience with the Baron was not an easy task. He had already made two appointments before and had barely made it to today when he was finally granted permission, earning him the right to sit there and wait.


    He had just seen the "Romantic Rose" four-wheeled carriage in the courtyard, so of course, he knew what Baron St had been busy with that morning.


    Probably tussling with a little harlot who cost two Gold Coins for a night until dawn, at this time, no one would bother putting on trousers to deal with a businessman who hade from afar.


    Businessman, huh! Lowly businessman. Tang Mo inwardly mocked himself, stood up to send off the servant who took money to ward off disaster, and then slumped back into the chair in the parlor after thetter had left.


    He had spent 25 Silver Coins and 75 Copper Coins just for the privilege of sitting here and drinking cold water and was certainly not inclined to leave easily. He did not want that money to go to waste.


    So after sitting down, he just quietly stared at his old leather boots that were so worn out the edges were about to split, lost in thought.


    Even though he had adapted to this world and epted the fact that he had suddenly traveled here, he still wasn''t quite used to it, not quite used to this dreamlike life.


    No wifi, no inte, no electric lights, no phones. No taxis, no airnes, the entire world suddenly had no convenience to speak of.


    Back then, they said being able to make a living in the 21st century was impressive, and they wouldn''t trade it for an Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, which turned out to be true... since the Emperors of the Tang Dynasty had never even eaten fried potato chips.


    This world didn''t even have flies on trousers... Tang Mo looked at his own trousers and once again fell into endless criticism.


    The current world is at the very beginning of the industrial civilization, an era where even steam engines are unheard of by most! Gasmps are just beginning to be popr along the streets ofrge cities, and four-wheeled carriages are still the most important means of transportation.


    Wars rely on flintlock guns and muzzle-loading cannons. Soldiers depend on courage as they form neat lines and march to the beat of the drum,unching fierce charges against the enemy...


    The Nobility, ranked in the order of duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron, oppress knights, freemen, and ves alike. Kingdoms are scattered across the world like a jigsaw puzzle¡ªall very different from the era Tang Mo was familiar with.


    Tang Mo, having traveled to this ce, had be the owner of a weapons manufacturing workshop. His reason for sitting here was to pitch his new weapon.


    After what seemed like an eternity, the servant returned once more. This time he didn''t enter the room but stood at the door and delivered the news that excited Tang Mo: "The Baron has woken up, and he wants to see you."


    "Thank you, thank you!" Tang Mo, who was almost dozing off, immediately stood up, straightened his clothes, and followed the servant out.


    Passing through the corridor and past two sets of armor with a sense of age, Tang Mo followed the servant to the courtyard. On the stone-paved path lined with manicuredwns, Baron St, dressed in hunting attire, was conversing with two Guards. They asionally burst intoughter and only stopped when Tang Mo approached.


    "Baron," Tang Mo said, bowing his head as a greeting, his attention drawn by the hound the Baron was holding.


    It was a slender hunting dog, which began to bare its teeth at the sight of Tang Mo, showing strong aggression and seemingly starved for a day.


    The Baron, yawning casually, mentioned to his guest in a listless tone, "My time is very precious, ah... very precious! So I hope you don''t waste it. What exactly is your purpose in seeking an audience with me this time... Let''s hear it."


    It was very impolite indeed, but the fact that a Baron was willing to take the time to meet with amoner was already a gracious act.


    I''ve already tried to see you twice and even paid money! And you damn well don''t even nce at the letter of request I sent? Bastard! Tang Mo cursed inwardly but his smile remained unchanged as he spoke humbly, "It''s like this, Baron. I''ve invented a new type of gun..."


    "Ha ha!" The two guards standing behind Baron St burst into contemptuousughter.


    They were the Baron''s Guards, wearing on their waists a very finely made flintlock pistol. The handle was carved with patterns, with the flintlock mechanism exposed.


    Baron St''s face was full of amusement as he looked back at hisughing subordinates and said to Tang Mo, "I thought it was something serious... At present, almost the entire world is using the Shireck Flintlock Gun, which has virtually no drawbacks!"


    "My Lord! My new gun uses modern ammunition! It''s hardly affected by weather and shoots farther and more urately!" Tang Mo decided to enlighten the arrogant fool in front of him about what is called progress of the era.


    Although the flintlock gun had been the main armament for military troops for over a hundred years, Tang Mo knew that this weapon was far from the end-all of armaments.


    This weapon was destined to be reced by something more advanced and powerful, bing a thing of the past, and Tang Mo firmly believed his weapon represented the future.


    "I know what you merchants are thinking... I know! You alwayse up with something shy but impractical, then fantasize about nobility paying for your greed. Humph!" Baron St said with a face full of disdain.


    The hunting dog at his feet began to bark restlessly and lunged at Tang Mo with force. Baron St, his body hollowed by debauchery, struggled to hold back the leash.


    Tang Mo really wanted to remind the damn fool to control his dog because the vicious hound was just inches away from biting his trousers.


    ```


    "My lord! I assure you¡­" Tang Mo finally managed to speak up after the dog had stopped, starting his exnation.


    "Hmm... Come here!" Baron St called out, and a servant nearby approached with a bowed head. Once the servant was close enough, St pointed at Tang Mo, "Bring over the things this fellow has brought. If I''m not satisfied, fine him one gold coin!"


    "Yes, my lord." The servant nced at Tang Mo, full of pity for this poor sod, thinking that their master was about to swindle someone again. This one gold coin was certainly not going to be spared.


    Tang Mo was actually quite confident in his sample, for it was a fine product he and the old craftsmen in his household had toiled over for seven days and nights to create!


    It was good enough to influence the oue of wars... truly a remarkable thing.


    When the servant returned, he was carrying a wooden box over a meter long in his arms. Although the boxckedvish decoration, it possessed an indescribable sleek beauty.


    Prepared and knowing the importance of packaging, Tang Mo had personally overseen the box''s construction. Each of the eight corners had been smoothed, and all six faces waxed and polished to a shine.


    At least, the box showed effort, so when Baron St saw it, he did pause for a moment.


    Then, snapping back to reality, he handed off the hunting dog''s leash to a guard and expertly signaled another guard toe over.


    The guard proceeded as usual, pulling out the flintlock gun from his waist, swiftly packing the gunpowder, inserting the bullet, and cocking the flintlock mechanism, then handed the weapon to the baron.


    "I''ll give you a chance to demonstrate. If you mess around, I''ll kill you. If you do not satisfy me, pay up and get lost!" the baron said, taking the pistol and pointing it at Tang Mo, clearly in a good mood, which suggested he often yed this game.


    "This is mytest designed Tang''s K1-type Quick Gun!" Tang Mo quickly opened the box that the servant was holding, and took out the long gun he had meticulously prepared.


    In Tang Mo''s era, before he was transported to this world, this weapon had a renowned name: the Dreyse Needle Gun! It was the mighty weapon that made flintlock guns obsolete, defining the basic form of rifles for the next hundred years!


    So, Tang Mo was very confident in this weapon. It was just that he had little faith in the numbskull of a baron before him.


    But he didn''t have many good alternatives. These days, the higher the status of the person you wanted to meet, the more difficult it was to get an audience, not to mention the wasted time and travel. Tang Mo really didn''t have much money left for bribes or to prepare visiting gifts.


    Calmly, he picked up the rifle, inserted the cartridge wrapped in paper into the chamber, turned it, and pushed the bolt forward, closing it swiftly and with practiced ease.


    He then shouldered the rifle, aimed at a distant thicket, and pulled the trigger, sending a sharp report echoing through the skies above the estate. A flock of birds startled from the trees, their wings fluttering as they flew into the distance.


    In the midst of the onlookers'' stunned silence, Tang Mo opened the bolt again, ejecting the partially burnt paper cartridge, and blew into the barrel.


    There was no helping it, smokeless gunpowder had not been invented yet, so cleaning the barrel after every shot was a cumbersome task.


    However,pared to the flintlock gun, Tang Mo''s needle gun already represented a significant improvement.


    In almost half the time it took to prepare a flintlock gun for firing, Tang Mo had reloaded another paper cartridge, pushed the bolt in ce once more, and was ready to shoot again.


    "Bang!" Another shot rang out into the open sky. Tang Mo waved his hand, dispersing the residual gunpowder smoke hovering around them for Baron St, and waited quietly for him to speak.


    "The box is nice." Baron St lowered the pistol that had been pointed at Tang Mo and fired it into the sky, discharging a third shot.


    As the sound of the gun dissipated and the barking dogs echoed around them, the baron handed his firearm to his guard and casually said to the servant carrying the wooden box, "When you leave, just give him the gold coin."


    "My lord!" Tang Mo, not ready to give up, tried to speak again, but Baron St silenced him with a gesture.


    The baron walked over to the box containing the needle gun, examined it thoroughly, and then continued, "The bullet I just fired won''t be charged to you separately. This box is nice, it''ll be perfect for holding my fishing gear."


    "It''s gettingte; I must attend Viscount Hel''s dinner." Looking back, he dismissed Tang Mo, "You may leave now."


    That marked the end of the audience. The servant handed the box to another guard, then walked over to Tang Mo, gesturing for him to leave.


    Tang Mo forced a smile, bowed slightly, and with his new-style Quick Gun in his arms, he took two steps backward, following the servant towards the estate''s main gate.


    He knew he had failed this time. Who could have imagined... that he would actually encounter a fool with poor judgement?

 Chapter 2: The speaker is unintentional, but the listener takes it to heart.

    ```


    "My lord, that Quick Gun the fellow took¡­ indeed seems valuable¡­" After Tang Mo left, a guard who had just witnessed Tang Mo''s demonstration spoke up beside Baron St.


    The other guard standing on the opposite side, who looked more ordinary, didn''t say a word but stood there as if deep in thought.


    "It is indeed nice, just the firing speed makes it very appealing," Baron St casually replied while loading his flintlock hunting gun, responding to the guard''sment as if making small talk.


    These guards offered him loyalty, so he had to show them some deference at certain moments. It was a means of controlling subordinates, a survival skill that every member of the nobility would study carefully.


    "Then why¡­" The guard didn''t understand; if his master recognized the merits of the item, why did he so easily let it go?


    In his view, possessing stronger weapons seemed to be extremely crucial in these turbulent times. After all, having some advantage when facing the enemy was always aforting thought.


    The other guard just touched his nose and maintained an attitude of being above the fray.


    "The Kingdom has four Shireck Flintlock Gun workshops, which each year produce nearly 2000 new guns and repair another 800 old ones. Do you realize how much profit there is in this, and the interests involved?" The Baron, having finished loading, searched for his prey at the edge of the forest.


    Without looking back, he continued to speak, "From the top to the bottom, I still get 150 Gold Coins! That''s no small amount."


    Shireck is the name of a consortium; the Shireck Consortium''s name truly reverberates like thunder across the continent.


    This consortium monopolized weapon production in dozens of countries, setting up workshops to produce firearms, artillery, and various ammunition and equipment within these nations.


    Through various means, Shireck established intricately intertwined influences in these countries, controlling the bulk of the military weapon acquisition, raking in substantial profits, and even influencing the decisions of these countries to some extent.


    "A few months ago, Viscount Hel just invested in shares and contributed to building a new Shireck Flintlock Gun workshop¡­ Once that workshop ispleted, it will be able to produce over 300 new flintlock guns a year!" He muttered to himself as if speaking to nobody in particr, "How could it go down the drain?"


    "How many of these flintlock guns does the Kingdom have in reserve, and how many soldiers are undergoing shooting training with flintlock guns? Do you know how much money would be wasted if all this mess were to be scrapped and started over?" Baron St raised his gun and aimed at a distant hare, still asking questions without turning around.


    "If I were to stir this ho''s nest, who would be pleased?" He pulled the trigger, and after a gunshot, he let the rifle emit a puff of white smoke from the muzzle and flintlock mechanism by his side.


    "No one would thank me! No one! It would only bring a world of trouble¡­" He handed his hunting gun to the guard who wanted to speak up and, watching the hunting dogs chase after the prey in the distance, he said coldly.


    What''s the point of meddling in affairs when you can lie back and make money? That''s the choice a noble should make, isn''t it? Baron St cracked a smile as if everything went ording to his calctions.


    Tang Mo tossed his rifle into the carriage, then closed the door, and climbed onto the co-driver''s seat at the front of the coach.


    The coachman, who had been waiting for him, raised his hands slightly before abruptly whipping downward, making a snapping sound with the reins.


    The two horses, which seemed in fairly good condition, began pulling the carriage forward as Tang Mo felt the warm wind rush towards him.


    "This is the third one¡­" As he controlled the horses galloping forward, the bearded old coachman, who was also Tang Mo''s steward, cksmith, and half a technical engineer, said to Tang Mo, "Still no deal?"


    The old man had been Tang Mo''s father''s confidant and had helped him establish the now Tang weapon workshop from scratch.


    Called a weapon workshop, most of the time what they made the most were kitchen knives and various farming tools; their best sellers were a series of hunting guns that imitated Shireck Flintlock Guns.


    When Tang Mo''s father was alive, the weapon workshop had even received orders to repair flintlock guns for the Kingdom, and during its heyday, the workshop supported over two hundred people.


    Unfortunately, the good times didn''tst long. After the sudden death of Tang Mo''s parents, Tang weapon workshop also declined, maintaining only a struggling existence until now.


    "No!" Tang Mo shook his head and found afortable position on the bumpy coach, "These bastards have no idea about good merchandise, either they are truly stupid, or they are truly malevolent. In any case, not one of them seriously considers that they could win a war."


    He couldn''tprehend why these people would reject him. If only they were willing to spend the money to purchase a batch of new weaponry, in the future they could earn it back tenfold or a hundredfold on the battlefield.


    A soldier''s life is still life, and a soldier''s life or death is also money¡ªwasn''t such a simple concept obvious? Didn''t these noble lords understand that?


    Were they too indifferent to the lives of the soldiers, or did they know themselves too well, aware that they were incapable of winning even a single battle?


    Tang Mo silently criticized them in his mind, then full of resentment, heined to his old steward, "He even extorted a Gold Coin from me! Dammit!"


    "Don''t lose heart, selling things is always like this, getting someone to part with even a penny isn''t easy," replied old Roger, handling the carriage with caution,forting the somewhat disheartened Tang Mo.


    He knew that this young orphan of the Tang family actually had good ideas, because the new model of weapon at the back was the fruit of theirbined efforts, painstakingly manufactured bit by bit.


    However, it now seems that the workshop''s luck is ill-fated, and there is clearly no hope ofpeting with thoserge weapon factories.


    "Failure is the mother of sess." Tang Mo sat at the front, chinning into the back of his hand while he gazed at the distant road, absentmindedly responding to old Roger''s constions.


    The roads of this era were not so smooth; though there was a spring under the carriage, it still bumped along. Tang Mo''s body swayed gently with the swift motion of the carriage, and the two of them fell silent for a good while.


    The woods on both sides rapidly receded into the background, framing the road with their primeval beauty. They had already left the edges of the town, and the carriages and pedestrians they passed became increasingly sparse.


    "Believe me, there will eventuallye a day when the whole world will use our weapons," Tang Mo suddenly spoke up again after a long pause, telling Roger, "The rest are mediocrities, only fit to follow in our footsteps and treasure the trash we discard as precious gems."


    "I believe it, I believe that day wille," Roger chuckled, echoing Tang Mo''s sentiment.


    Though he had confidence in Tang Mo, their current situation was indeed dire. Tang Mo had just handed over hisst Gold Coin, and the money that remained seemed hardly sufficient to keep the workshop running normally.


    There were over one hundred and fifty people to support in the workshop, most of them craftsmen who had to be paid every day for their work. These people also had apprentices who, though unpaid, still represented a significant daily expense with their meals and needs.


    If the entire workshop were profitable, these craftsmen and apprentices would undoubtedly be Tang Mo''s valuable assets, but if the workshop were losing money, they would be the nooses tightening around Tang Mo''s neck.


    ...


    "Hey! Reiner..." Not long after Tang Mo''s carriage departed, in the manor of the Baron, a Baron''s personal guard armed with a flintlock gun walked into the servants'' resting room, toying with a silver coin in his hand.


    As he entered, he greeted everyone, and several servants and maids resting in the room nodded their acknowledgements to him. This man was indeed the same silent guard who had stood beside Baron St earlier.


    "Hey! Wes!" It was the shift change time, and a servant who had juste to rest greeted him, then bent his head down again to continue polishing his boots.


    The room bore no decorations, only a few worn chairs and a battered table covered in scratches.


    The guard named Wes pulled over a chair and sat down next to him, crossing his legs as he inquired with a smile, "Who was that demonstrating the new gun just now?"


    He had remained silent during the Baron''s enthusiastic talk earlier and afterward, excusing himself to take care of a sick elder at home, he had asked to leave. After obtaining the Baron''s permission, he didn''t leave immediately but came here instead.


    "Him? A businessman from Brunas Province." The boot-polishing servant answered without lifting his head, "A country bumpkin, probably hasn''t seen much of the world."


    A freckled-faced maid bowed slightly and approached the two men; it was time for her to start her shift and take over from someone else.


    "Brunas? Isn''t that by the sea?" Wes made room for the maid to pass between them and then continued to chat aimlessly, without any particr direction to the conversation.


    "Yeah, yesterday they sent over two fish from there... stinking to high heaven. Hahaha." Reiner, the servant, burst intoughter as he spoke.


    "Hahahaha!" Wes joined in theughter, as if he could imagine the smell of the fish after being transported here, "What about that bumpkin, what''s his name?"


    "Tang Mo, and he gave me this." Reiner set down the boot he had been polishing halfway, took a small piece of paper from his pocket with the hand that had been propping up the boot, and handed it to the guard.


    Serving as a servant for the Baron naturally required a certain level of perceptiveness. The servant had figured out the guard''s purpose foring here, which was likely rted to the young man named Tang Mo.


    So he decided to extend a courtesy; after all, everyone worked under the Baron, and building a good rapport was always beneficial.


    Wes frowned slightly, but still epted the paper, reading the bold words on it: "Tang''s Weapon Workshop."


    In those times, the scale of production facilities was strictly denoted by certain terms; those with under a hundred people could only be called small workshops, those with more than a hundred could be called workshops, and those with over a thousand,rge workshops, were referred to as factories.


    Wes turned the paper over and saw a rather detailed address on the back, along with a name in somewhatrger font¡ªTang Mo.


    "No problem taking this, right?" Wes pressed the silver coin in his hand onto the table and asked, as a matter of form.


    "Of course! No problem." Reiner shrugged his shoulders, indicating the paper was of no real significance, "To see such a shabby paper used for a calling card, that''s a first for me."


    "Yeah, an interesting person," Wes said as he stood up, tucking Tang Mo''s name card into his pocket and walking towards the door.


    "Thanks!" Pocketing the silver coin, the servant looked towards the guard who had reached the door and spoke."


    Wes, with one foot already outside, seemed preupied with his thoughts and, without turning his head, waved a hand, "You''re wee."

 Chapter 3: 3 secret weapons

    Brunas was a small seaside town, with a dock where many fishermen from the vicinity woulde to exchange their daily catch for cash. Thus, the town bustled with activity most of the time, appearing quite prosperous.


    Tang Mo''s weapons workshop was situated on the edge of this small town, producing a variety of products by relying on coal dug from the nearby mountains and iron that was purchased.


    The best-selling items had always been longswords, as most of the mercenaries as well as the City Defense Forces within the kingdom still used cold weapons, and longswords were their weapon of choice.


    Next were not military products, but rather items such as hoes, farm tools, iron pots, and kitchen knives. These items might seem to have little profit, but they were another significant source of ie for the weapons workshop.


    That was the reality, a fact Tang Mo was reluctant to admit but had to face¡ªrather than calling his ce an armory, it would be more urate to say it was a cksmith shop!


    Originally, such a cksmith shop could just about maintain itself, continuing to survive in calm and stability. However, recently, rtions between the Leite Kingdom and the Suthers Kingdom on the northern border had grown tense, causing steel prices to soar.


    The clouds of war cast a shadow over thend, people became anxious, orders began to decrease, and the public started to watch the situation cautiously¡ªall of which led to Tang Mo''s weapon store experiencing growing difficulties.


    After enduring another sleepless night and dragging his tired body back to his own territory, Tang Mo was too exhausted to want to speak anymore.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to spend a night in the city ande back the next day; it was just that he simply couldn''t afford the cost of amodation. So, he and Roger had traveled throughout the night, arriving back at the workshop by dawn.


    "Ha..." Yawning widely, Tang Mo slumped into his chair. The ledger on the table was still open to the page it was on when he left.


    In one corner of the desky a lonely ink bottle and a somewhat old dip pen, and in another corner, a gasmp.


    This device, when used inside a room, required opening the windows. It was dangerous but cheap. At least until Tang Mo could invent a tungsten fmentmp, this thing was irreceable.


    He was not like those nobles who could afford to use precious candles. Maybe he could afford them in the future, but for now, he belonged to the category of the pathetically poor.


    This office was actually Tang Mo''s bedroom as well, containing a single bed and arge closet full of clutter.


    When the workshop couldn''t pay out sries and was facing bankruptcy, Tang Mo had to choose between selling the workshop and selling his home, and he chose thetter. He kept the workshop and sold the beautiful house that once housed a happy family of three.


    Things had deteriorated to an extreme point before his arrival, with the workshop having little working capital. Fortunately, he had arrived!


    "It''s not my style to sit around and wait for death, Roger! We should try again; is there any way we can get an audience with the King if we go to the King City?"


    "That''s impossible; why would the King meet with amoner for no reason at all?" Roger said, shaking his head at Tang Mo as he massaged his somewhat stiff legs.


    Tang Mo was stunned, then looked at the new rifled gun he had propped against the corner of the wall, and with a hint of surprise in his voice, retorted, "Isn''t this a reason?"


    "People from Shireck won''t let us see the King. I can say with responsibility that once our technology bes known to them, they will not hesitate to immediately copy it, then easily crush us with pricing," Roger continued shaking his head.


    "Alright! You haven''t slept all night; go rest first," Tang Mo sent old Roger out of his room, then twisted his neck a couple of times and waved at a young apprentice peeking around not far off, "Did you finish the things I arranged before I left?"


    "Yes, sir." The young apprentice, upon hearing Tang Mo''s question, ran over and presented a part in his hand to Tang Mo as if offering up a treasure.


    It was a cylindrical part, just a tad smaller than a fist. Anyone familiar with it could tell at a nce that it was the cylinder of a Left-Wheel Handgun.


    Tang Mo examined the smooth cylinder with an excited smile on his face. His secret weapon, the final part, was finallyplete!


    He returned to his room, sat back at the desk, opened a drawer, and took out a package wrapped in oil paper. Unwrapping it, various disorganized parts wereid out before his eyes.


    Fighting off sleepiness, he began to assemble the parts, joining the seemingly unrted pieces one by one, sometimes using a small hammer to pound rivets and firmly connect the moving parts.


    Of course, things were not as easy as he had thought. By the time the Left-Wheel Handgun was nearingpletion, it was already well into the afternoon.


    When he picked up the Left-Wheel Handgun from the desk once more, it had be aplete product in the truest sense.


    Tang Mo held the handgun level, looking through the notch of the rear sight past the front sight, and aimed the barrel toward the direction of the door.


    Whether it was the needle-fire gun or the Left-Wheel Handgun in his hand that had never before appeared in this world, both were the results of concurrent advancements in firearms and ammunition.


    Tang Mo had created mercury fulminate in his crudeboratory, manufacturing a small amount of this more advanced and stable ignition device.


    With this innovation, the firing mechanism of flintlock guns became excessively cumbersome, as mercury fulminate could be easily processed into apletely new firing device: the "percussion cap."


    The reason Tang Mo was able to master all this was because he had transmigrated with aputer. After arriving in this world, his mind inexplicably gained a supeputer capable of searching the for any information.


    With the help of this "golden finger," Tang Mo improved upon the existing technology to upgrade the weapons¡ªthus came the needle-gun, and thus came the left-wheel handgun he now held; a weapon that nearly overturned the entire era.


    Today''s firearms could only shoot once at close range, which severely limited the tactical use of guns inplex situations.


    Therefore, like many old movies, the majority of armed forces of this era were equipped with both firearms and cold weapons like longswords.


    Who could have imagined that a weapon capable of breaking these shackles had appeared and was already in Tang Mo''s hands?


    The terrifying firepower of shooting six consecutive shots, as Tang Mo''s secret weapon, was enough to give him a certain self-preservation ability when facing any enemy.


    This weapon used paper cartridges, making its firing speed and reloading faster and more convenient than all existing weapons. While facing flintlock guns, the opponent would have time to fire three shots, which was enough for twelve shots from Tang Mo''s handgun¡ªan intensity of firepower that could certainly be described as terrifying.


    Just as Tang Mo was about to try stuffing the bullets he had prepared in advance into his handgun, a little boy arrived, wiping his greasy hands on his apron, and stood at the doorway looking into the room: "Boss! Someone is looking for you! He said, he''s here to buy a gun."


    Tang Weapons Workshop might be called a workshop, but in fact, its scale was already a bitrger than a small factory. Just as the saying goes, "small as a sparrow is, it still possesses all its internal organs"; this described this small enterprise perfectly.


    There was a smelting and metallurgy workshop capable of producing its own suitable steel. There was also a production workshop for forging, grinding, and processing.


    Of course, because they had also repaired muskets before, there was some woodworking equipment and machinery along with the corresponding operators, plus several women cooking for these workers and apprentices; indeed, it counted as quite a few people.


    Apart from the apprentices, everyone depended on Tang Mo for their livelihood, and of course, these people had skills. Many were craftsmen who could hold their own, which was the main reason Tang Mo decided to keep working with them.


    What''s the most expensive thing these days? Talent, of course! After more than ten days of contact and work, Tang Mo felt these workers truly were top talent!


    It was relying on these skilled workers that Tang Mo was able toplete the design and manufacture of that needle-gun, and dare to challenge Shireck, the arms behemoth that stood before him!


    After passing through the manufacturing workshop anding to the fiery furnace of the smelting workshop, Tang Mo met the man who hade from afar, dusty from his journey.


    Among them, Tang Mo recognized one at a nce; he was the guard who had been by Baron St''s side when he test-fired the gun.


    "Sir!" Upon recognizing the other party, Tang Mo stretched out his hand and shook hands with him in a symbolic gesture: "Wee to Tang''s Weapons Shop."


    "My name is Wes! We''ve met before at Baron St''s ce." Wes introduced himself: "I followed you all the way here, not expecting that you would hurry back overnight."


    Tang Mo signaled for the onlooking workers to continue their tasks, then turned with a smile to ask Wes, "So, what is it that you''ve chased all this way to do?"


    "I''m here to buy weapons." hearing Tang Mo''s question, Wes immediately responded: "I''m interested in that..."


    "K1 Quick Gun." Tang Mo reminded.


    "I''m interested in the K1 Quick Gun," Wes took off his gloves: "Or rather, one of my old patrons... would certainly be interested in the K1 Quick Gun."


    Tang Mo nodded slightly: "That''s good news for us. Can we talk about this old patron of yours? I need to know who to collect the final payment from, don''t I?"


    "Hahaha!" Wesughed loudly, then nodded: "I used to work for Earl Ronin Fisallo, andter I was employed by Baron St... But I prefer Earl Fisallo a bit more than that profligate."


    He paused for a moment and continued: "As you know, rtions between our kingdom and Suthers Kingdom have been increasingly tense... Situated at the northern border, Earl Fisallo''s territory has be perilously unsafe. The pressure of warpels him to be prepared, but the Lord Earl, who loves his people like his own children, does not wish to conscript civilians to die."


    "Regrettably, relying solely on well-trained regr troops, the Lord Earl has to face the dilemma of insufficient manpower. Therefore, he urgently needs some means to resolve the current difficulties." Wes spoke: "I believe that the K1 Quick Gun in your hand might be the answer."


    "Then you''ve indeede to the right person!" Tang Mo snapped his fingers and pointed at himself: "Believe me, the rate of fire for the K1 Quick Gun is three times that of the Shireck Flintlock Gun! Those invading Earl''s territory will experience what''s called a steel storm head-on!"


    "I have no doubts about that, which is why I quit my job to find you... I hope you can apany me to the Northern Ridge. Take your new weapon! The Earl''s bounty is not low, 500 Gold Coins... I take thirty percent." After saying this, Wes looked at Tang Mo, waiting for his decision.


    "Twenty percent." Tang Mo thought for about ten seconds and finally could not resist the great temptation, ready to take a risk.


    ----------


    New book, please collect and vote for rmendations!

 Chapter 4: 4 Who isnt a smart person?

    "Deal!" Wes thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement to Tang Mo''s bargaining, "However... on the way there, if we encounter bandits or any other trouble, I can''t guarantee your safety."


    "I am an adult now." Tang Mo wasn''t counting on the other party to protect him at critical moments; the two of them had not yet established sufficient trust.


    In fact, Tang Mo was more concerned that this seemingly strong man might get the idea to kill and rob him along the way, so he continued speaking while looking at the man, "I will bring my own people."


    "Actually, I came here with two purposes," Wes nomittally said, "The first purpose is to facilitate cooperation between Lord Earl and you."


    "The other purpose..." he drew out his voice, looking at Tang Mo, "I am also quite interested in you. How about it? Do you need a mercenary with a bit of skill to serve you?"


    "Aren''t you one of Count Fisheo''s men?" Tang Mo didn''t take the bait but slightly raised his eyebrows, looking into the other man''s eyes as he asked in response.


    "No, no, no! I am a free man, sir." Wes made an innocent gesture, "Count Fisheo gives me gold coins, and naturally, I do things for Count Fisheo. After seeing you, I think you''re a person with potential, and if you''re willing to give me gold coins, I am even more willing to offer you my loyalty."


    "Your loyalty sure is cheap," Tang Mo sneered andmented.


    "Maybe," Wes tilted his head unconcernedly, "but as long as I take the money, I can assure you of my loyalty."


    "We''ll see. If Count Fisheo truly intends to purchase my weapons, then I think giving you a reward is only right." Tang Mo was nonmittal, neither agreeing nor rejecting Wes''s offer to join.


    "It doesn''t matter, Lord Tang Mo," Wes bowed slightly, then turned and walked out, "I''m going to feed my horse... It''s been running all night, my poor little horse..."


    In the evening, having slept for just over three hours, Tang Mo knocked on Roger''s door. The man who a bit resembled an uncle to Tang Mo was just getting up from bed at this time.


    "Northern Ridge?" Roger looked somewhat surprised as he met Tang Mo''s gaze, starting to warn Tang Mo to be careful, "The northern part of the kingdom is vast and sparsely popted, and the roads there are not easy."


    "I''ve looked at the map. There are iron, coal, and copper mines, along with various other minerals, most of the materials we bought are transported from there... If we can cooperate with Count Fisheo, all difficulties will be easily ovee." Tang Mo caressed the Left-Wheel Handgun at his waist, full of confidence in his new weapon.


    "Then, old man, I will apany you on this trip!" Roger pondered for a moment, then opened his mouth to speak, "When do we leave?"


    "We leave tonight," Tang Mo touched the Left-Wheel Handgun at his waist, saying to Roger, "We need to hurry, otherwise the workers will all be starving."


    "Let''s go then!" Old Roger went looking for his clothes without further ado. Knowing he had to prepare the carriage, Tang Mo went to the stables to find Wes.


    Theposition of the three-man squad wasn''tplex: Wes acted as the coachman, responsible for driving the carriage. Meanwhile, Tang Mo and Roger were inside the carriage, conserving their energy.


    This time, due to the urgency, Tang Mo wasn''t able to prepare an exquisite box and had to hastily make a regr wooden box for the carefully crafted K1 Quick Gun sample.


    When getting on the carriage, Tang Mo saw the flintlock pistol at Wes''s waist and a longsword at the other side¡ªthis was about the best weapon configuration for a ranger wandering the world alone, and these details hinted that Wes might have good skills.


    "I didn''t expect you to travel at night. Honestly, Northern Ridge and the border here, that piece of Vicious Forest, the roads at night are not that easy to traverse."


    Wes lit the gasmps hanging on both sides of the carriage, warning the elder and the younger Lee as they prepared to board, "The thieves there don''t talk about honor, and they''re desperately poor, they''ll rob anything."


    "You''d better pray we reach Northern Ridge safely," Tang Mo looked up at Wes on the coachman''s seat, "Otherwise, your twenty percent will go down the drain."


    Having said that, he climbed into the carriage, followed by Roger, who then closed the carriage door. Wes disyed a smile on his face and, unconcerned, shrugged his shoulders. He then let out a loud shout and simultaneously whipped the reins, driving the two fast horses to gallop along the road stretching to the horizon.


    The carriage left the town at supper time, speeding north under thest rays of sunlight. The road was not very smooth, causing the carriage to jostle slightly over the bumps and pits.


    After entering the carriage Tang Mo promptly fell asleep; he had been on the move for too long these past few days and needed time to recover and rest.


    The Vicious Forest stretched across the central and northern parts of the Leite Kingdom, reaching all the way to Northern Ridge. Thisplicated terrain and vast forest nurtured countless lives. It was precisely because of the minerals in Northern Ridge that the Suthers Kingdom nned to annex it through war, redrawing their border with the Leite Kingdom along the Vicious Forest.


    The roads that traverse this forest are few, and often troubled times befall those who travel them. Bandits lurking in this area frequently rob passersby, so most of the time, the trade caravans would stick together when passing through.


    Tang Mo''s party did not have the time to waste waiting for other trade caravans to assemble before crossing the forest, as over a hundred people at the workshop were waiting for him to bring back good news.


    Soon, when the sun finally dipped below the horizon, the Vicious Forest loomed like a giant beast with its maw agape at the end of the road.


    Alongside the road, trade caravans gathered to set up camp. They didn''t n to navigate the forest at night, so they stopped at its edge, lit bonfires to rest for the evening, and waited for daybreak to depart together.


    A carriage lit by two gasmps raced past these caravans on the road, and Wes, as the carriage began to slow down slightly, once again snapped the whip, the crack resonating sharply through the air.


    His eyes, though not particrly sharp-looking, were fixed ahead. The road, under the gasmps'' illumination, only allowed visibility of the conditions about ten meters ahead. In this era, traveling by night was actually very dangerous, a risk stemming from various factors.


    The road ahead grew increasingly narrow, and even Wes had to slow down the carriage''s pace. He tapped lightly on the carriage body twice and only when the small window beneath his feet was pulled open from the inside, did he warn, "The road ahead is rough; we''ve slowed down! There might be danger, stay alert."


    "What a nice moon tonight," Tang Mo remarked from inside the carriage, having just awakened from sleep. The previous three to four hours of jolting had somewhat rejuvenated him.


    The carriage moved on, its two gasmps bing increasingly conspicuous in the dim forest. Meanwhile, atop a high ground, a pair of eyes were fixated on the fleeting lights in the forest, now hidden, now visible.


    As the saying goes, distance is deceptive when gazing at mountains; what seemed close took half an hour to approach.


    On the rugged mountain trail, a burly man suddenly rose, nocked an arrow to his bow, and aimed at the man driving the carriage.


    Wes, at the reins, felt an eerie cold touch him out of the blue. His seasoned sixth sense, honed by years of living on the edge, kicked in, and he reined in the horses subconsciously.


    "ng!" A strong arrow thudded into the side of the carriage, its feathered tail still trembling unstoppably.


    Shooting at a moving target like the carriage was a hit-or-miss affair reliant on luck since these days there weren''t many Robin Hoods who practiced archery to the extent of hitting a target a hundred paces away.


    The bandits used bows and arrows mainly because they could not acquire firearms, and even if they did, in the deep woods away from civilization, they wouldn''t be able to produce bullets or have the parts for maintenance, making the maintenance-friendly bow and arrow the preferred choice.


    However, due to humidity and poor storage, these bows and arrows oftencked uracy. Hitting a target asrge as a carriage was about the best they could manage.


    Wes was forced to stop the carriage because arge fallen tree blocked the road ahead. Such obstructions in the forest were easy to produce¡ªsimply sawing down a roadside tree would do the trick.


    As he dismounted from the carriage, he cautioned Tang Mo and old Roger inside, "Bandits! Don''te out; it''s too dark to see how many there are."


    "Swoosh!" Another arrow whistled through the air, embedding itself in the carriage door. Tang Mo, inside the carriage, found an appropriate angle to peer through the somewhat murky ss and survey the surroundings, "Can''t see the target, but there are at least two people."


    The first arrow came from the front at an angle, and the second came directly from the left¡ªthe positions were too far apart, so it couldn''t be just one person attacking in session.


    They could only rely on the gasmps'' light to see about ten meters away, while their adversaries hid in the darkness, well-concealed.


    But Tang Mo knew that turning off the lights would actually put them at a greater disadvantage. The enemy, ustomed to this terrain and with more experience in nightbat, would have the upper hand; he and old Roger were less ustomed.


    So he said to old Roger behind him, "Take out the gun for the Earl too, load it with ammunition... keep an eye on Wes..."


    He still didn''t trust Wes, so his first instinct was to have Roger prepare for battle while also keeping an eye on this neer who was closer to them.


    After taking the Quick Gun K1 from old Roger, positioned at a handy spot, Tang Mo carefully unlocked the carriage door and cautiously pushed it open.


    Operating the over one-meter-long Quick Gun K1 was no easy feat inside the carriagepartment. Tang Mo couldn''t open the door wide lest Roger lose the protection of the carriage door, nor could he manage everything inside.


    Thus, he could only protrude the rifle barrel through the door''s gap, ready to shoulder and aim. In fact, in such circumstances, it would seem more logical to draw his handgun, but that was his secret weapon, which he did not intend to reveal to Wes unless absolutely necessary.

 Chapter 5: Forest Gunfight

    The situation suddenly became a deadlock. It seemed that the other side had no good approach to a carriage and was reluctant to waste arrows, so no more were loosed.


    Wes, after warning Tang Mo and Roger, also fell silent, presumably hiding in the dark, observing everything around them.


    From time to time, strange insect noises could be heard, and even the howls of wild beasts in the distance. The forest at night was not silent, on the contrary, it was noisier and more bustling than during the day.


    Time ticked away, and after reloading another rifle, Old Roger found a suitable angle to help guard the other side of the carriage with Tang Mo.


    "Wes?" Tang Mo seemed to see a faint figure at the edge of the light and called out, unsure whether he was identifying friend or foe, or simply calling to hisrade.


    Quickly, the first man carrying an ax with an ugly face charged out of the darkness, heading straight for Tang Mo, already shouting to boost his own morale.


    Kicking the carriage door open with his foot, Tang Mo made a slight adjustment to aim the rifle, targeting his assant. With the carriagemps burning outside, the inside of the carriage wasn''t clearly visible from the outside.


    The man, who was charging with the ax raised above his head, saw the carriage door suddenly open; the arrows stuck in it were even broken off. His footsteps hesitated for an instant.


    Then, he saw a sh of fire in front of him and heard a crisp gunshot by his ear. He felt a hammering impact on his chest, his legs lost strength and tangled, and his body involuntarily fell forward.


    Tang Mo, having shot his target, tossed the rifle behind him and picked up the second one.


    "Bang!" Outside the carriage, a second gunshot rang out immediately afterward. It was unclear whether it was Wes firing or one of the bandits also armed with a firearm.


    "Ah!" A second bandit emerged from the darkness, holding a ragged longsword. He wore an iron helmet on his head but no armor on his body.


    "Bang!" Tang Mo didn''t bother with pleasantries and pulled the trigger again, aiming at the man. A bullet flew out of the barrel, and the man''s roaring instantly turned to a scream as he tumbled down in front of the carriage, much like the first fool.


    Tang Mo reached out, and Old Roger passed him the engraved, custom-made K1 rifle that was supposed to be presented to Earl Fisheo.


    The next second, Tang Mo was ready to shoot for the third time, peering through the rolling white smoke in themplight, vigntly watching the darkness not too far away.


    Unnoticed, the creepy insect buzzing and animal growls could no longer be heard, and everything went terribly quiet.


    "Hmm..." Outside the carriage, amidst the stillness, a muffled groan was heard. Tang Mo even detected the faint sound of a longsword puncturing a body and shing with bones.


    It was unclear whether Wes had been taken down or if he had eliminated another bandit attempting to nk them. In any case, after the rustling noise ceased, there was no more movement behind them.


    To say there was no movement was, in fact, not quite right. Old Roger, who had been guarding the other side, was nervously trying to push a paper cartridge into the chamber of his rifle.


    "They''re reloading! Charge now!" In the woods, a voice loudly barked orders¡ªit was obviously the leader of these thieves.


    In his morous call to action, another man approached with a longsword. But this time he didn''t shout or run; he came closer cautiously and deliberately.


    Of course, Tang Mo didn''t give him a chance. He aimed directly and pulled the trigger.


    "Bang!" Another gunshot resonated in the jungle, making the night even more silent and terrifying. It seemed as if the whole mountain forest was echoing the shot, which slowly faded into the distance.


    Tang Mo handed the used rifle back to Old Roger behind him, only to find that the other man had failed to load the first rifle due to his jittery hands.


    If judged by the loading speed of a well-trained soldier, Old Roger''s speed was too slow. This caused a gap in what should have been a continuous gunfire.


    Tang Mo, knowing the importance of keeping one''s powder dry until it mattered most, realized that there was no point in holding anything back now. So he discarded the K1 Quick Gun and pulled his secret weapon from his waist¡ªthe only Left-Wheel Handgun in the world.


    Although it was just a cap-and-ball revolver, and it only had six bullets, in that era, there was no more ferocious close-range firepower.


    It was his biggest reliance and a weapon he trusted. Tang Mo felt that by the time he emptied the six bullets from his handgun, Roger should at least have loaded three Quick Guns.


    By that time, he could fire three more shots! With the previous three shots and possibly the one fired by Wes, the continuous shots should take down at least 13 bandits. Even by the standards of a merchant convoy''s guards, that was a formidable firepower that bandits would be reluctant to provoke.


    Moreover, even in this era, it was absolutely rare to have a bandit gang of 13 people. Even if they had twenty men, it was more likely that they would choose to flee immediately after half theirrades were continuously shot dead.


    Troops that didn''t retreat after losing a third of their number were already considered iron armies in these times, so how could mountain bandits possibly possess the discipline to fight to the death without retreating after losing more than half their number?


    The bandits could only be med for choosing to attack at night. The closebat distance ensured the uracy of the muskets. Had the battle taken ce from afar, firearms of the era were so inurate that it was already considered very lucky to hit a target once out of ten shots.


    As Tang Mo was making these calctions in his head, the bandits made another move. Driven perhaps by hunger-driven madness, or convinced that Tang Mo and his group couldn''t possibly have that many guns prepared, two more men waving their weapons charged out.


    Tang Mo was unapologetic. This time, since he had a rtively short Left-Wheel Handgun in hand, it allowed him more room to maneuver.


    However, it wasn''t without disadvantages, as the smoke billowing from three consecutive shots had already begun to obscure his vision somewhat.


    There was no helping it; the gunpowder of the age was just that unreliable, and Tang Mo had already made up his mind that if he could get out alive this time, he would definitely get to work on smokeless gunpowder technology first.


    Narrowing his eyes, he peered through the sulfur-tinged white smoke and spotted the two rushing bandits. Both men were tall and seemed to be using the spreading smoke to their advantage, silently charging with their weapons in different directions.


    "Bang!" A crisp shot echoed through the woods once again as Tang Mo saw, through the gap of the aiming notch, the man beneath his gun muzzle fall down clutching his chest.


    By the time he aimed at the other bandit, he saw Wes emerge from a diagonal direction with a bloodied Longsword in hand.


    His movements were agile, the Longsword striking like a serpent''s tongue. With a sneak attack, he managed to wound the bandit''s arm.


    But the bandit, with a fierce and ruthless strength, swung his Longsword, forcing Wes, who tried to entangle him, to retreat.


    And just as Wes pulled back, Tang Mo''s gun fired once more, and, as fate would have it, the bullet struck right through the neck of the robust man.


    Blood sttered instantaneously as the man''s artery was pierced. Trying to cover the gaping wound in his neck, he realized he could do nothing to stem the gushing blood.


    He tried to speak but could only cough up blood. When he turned to face Tang Mo, he had already copsed to the ground uncontrobly.


    Hidden in the shadows just moments before, Wes saw Tang Mo fire a shot and presumed he had no chance to reload, so he revealed himself for closebat, stopping the burly man from nearing the carriage.


    But he could never have imagined that Tang Mo had a second handgun hidden away! After the second shot rang out, he stood there, stunned, reassessing the danger level of the young man in the carriage.


    Who would have thought a weapon shop owner with little world experience would carry not one but two handguns on his person while traveling? When he had boarded the carriage, Wes had checked; from the bulkiness, it seemed Tang Mo had one handgun at his waist, but he never guessed Tang Mo had another handgun concealed on him!


    Of course, he could never have guessed that Tang Mo had in his hand a gun capable of consecutive firing. Even though he was a master in his own right, it was impossible for him to overturn his own experience.


    While he was still in shock, a bandit hiding in the darkness, with Longsword in hand, crept closer to his side, attempting to ambush and take out this fat sheep on the perimeter.


    Tang Mo wafted away most of the smoke before his eyes and saw everything clearly. He decisively raised his handgun once more, aimed beside Wes, and pulled the trigger again.


    "Bang!" The sound was like a cannon, hammering into Wes'' mind. He watched, eyes wide, as Tang Mo''s handgun fired twice in session!


    As the sound of the shot echoed, the bandit attempting the ambush paused like he''d been electrocuted, then curled up and fell with a muffled groan. Wes, shocked by all this, was momentarily bbergasted.


    By then, six gunshots had sounded from within the woods. Even if these bandits were slow to catch on, they could sense that things were going awry. The other side''s firepower was strong; this was definitely not an ordinary merchant convoy!


    The whole affair had clearly gone beyond the bandits'' ns for robbery; the continual gunfire was eerie and out of ce in this era.


    Who could have imagined? The very first real-world application of the Left-Wheel Handgun would erupt in an unknown grove, in the dark of midnight...


    -----------


    This book has been signed. mendation tickets, monthly tickets, and rewards... Uh, shamelessly asking for a wave, rolling around acting cute...


    (Also, apologies... Dragon Spirit got too excited and didn''t count the bullets right, sorry, it''s been corrected now, please be understanding.)

 Chapter 6: Evil never ends

    Of course, Tang Mo couldn''t possibly think about such far-reaching implications and their rtion to him at this time. He was beginning to feel a little tense.


    Keep in mind that his Left-Wheel Handgun had already fired three shots! Three bullets remained in the chamber, and these were his only significant source of firepower for the short term.


    He also didn''t have the time to check how many rifles old Roger had managed to reload behind him, so the only confirmed firepower he could rely on was the three live rounds in the handgun he was holding.


    Moreover, to be honest, who would know if one of these era''s paper cartridge bullets might malfunction? So Tang Mo was also full of worries about the current battle situation, which had begun to exceed his expectations.


    Because he really had no idea how many men the bandits had, the risk on the battlefield was evidently bing higher and higher as the readily avable bullets for immediate firing diminished.


    For Tang Mo, this situation was awful, as the more he killed, the more he fanned the mes of the bandits'' animosity.


    If he were to be capturedter, he guessed that to appease their underlings, the enemy would probably make an example out of him, chop him into pieces, and feed him to the dogs...


    "Yah!" A bandit with bloodshot eyes appeared again, and this time he burst out of the roadside bushes with a loud shout.


    Clearly, he wasn''t trying to intimidate Tang Mo but was bolstering his own courage. Even though he didn''t believe Tang Mo''s weapon could fire continuously, the fact that so many of his men had already died meant these mountain thieves were now in too deep to retreat.


    In such deep mountains and dense forests where they made their living by ambushing and robbing, numbers were fundamental to their survival. After losing arge number of theirbatants, their likely fate was nothing short of annihtion.


    So, at this point, these men almost entirelycked the will to flee. Instead, driven by desperation, they were preparing to muster all their courage and take down these strangers who had appeared from nowhere.


    Of course, Tang Mo wasn''t about to surrender without a fight. Even though he increasingly felt that the situation was slipping out of his control, just sitting back and epting his fate was not in his nature.


    Therefore, when the bandit burst from the bushes, at the very first sight of him, Tang Mo swiveled the muzzle of the gun and took aim.


    When the bandit was still five or six paces away, Tang Mo pulled the trigger once more. This time, he made some aiming adjustments beforehand, so the bullet struck the bandit in a vital area.


    The man''s head was instantly pierced by the bullet, and he toppled backward, crashing next to a corpse.


    His longsword fell to the ground with a nking sound, and apanied by that crisp noise, another bandit, slinging a bow and arrows, finally charged into the lighted area.


    This bandit was muscr, with bulging arms visible underneath his clothes, wearing an iron helmet, and astonishingly, he even donned a hauberk.


    Obviously, this was the chief bandit. Tang Mo confirmed this the moment he saw his attire and the momentum with which he charged forward.


    The bandit was well equipped and strong. He closed in on Tang Mo in just a few strides. Tang Mo didn''t hesitate to greet the burly man with another pull of his trigger.


    "Bang!" A gunshot and a puff of white smoke from the muzzle appeared almost simultaneously, and a bullet flew out of the barrel, relentlessly smashing into the man''s hauberk.


    It turned out that hauberks really couldn''t stop bullets fired from close range, not even te armor could!


    However, due to the deflection by the hauberk, the burly man staggered from the impact but still managed to raise his longsword high and charge at Tang Mo.


    Bathed in the gasmp''s light hanging from the side of the carriage, Tang Mo could even see the cold, sharp gleam reflecting off the point of the bandit''s de.


    Feeling the pressure from the man and the coldness seeping from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, Tang Mo didn''t hesitate to pull the trigger again.


    As Tang Mo pulled the trigger, the cylinder started rotating and the linkage mechanism reliablypleted the work of reloading and firing.


    The next second, amidst the bandit''s horrified gaze, a cloud of white smoke enveloped his vision, and a bullet struck his body.


    He had already been hit hard by the first shot, was in fact already injured, with the blood soaking the shirt under his hauberk and streaming down the cold armor.


    The interlocking rings of the hauberk were severely deformed by the tremendous force at the point of bullet impact, with many of the links having fallen off. In the center of these twisted rings was a bleeding hole.


    And this second shot had made another hole in that hauberk, this time striking the left side of his chest. After prating the hauberk, the bullet plunged into his heart.


    To his dying breath, he never imagined what Tang Mo held in his hands, able to fire five shots in one go and thus let him and his brothers fall in a fatal encounter like this.


    Of course, Wes was also astonished, standing there gripping his own longsword, his hands uncontrobly trembling.


    This wasn''t because he was scared by the bloody scene at hand; as a ranger, he had seen more gruesome sights than this.


    He was shaken by shock¡ªhe felt that his own quick reflexes and extensivebat experience had be a joke in front of this young man.


    He had endured countless fierce battles, but now, looking at Tang Mo, he felt that this young man was an even more terrifying demon than the bandits.


    Even if he were to face ten more bandits, Wes would have the courage and confidence to contend with them, even to risk his life to kill these bastards one by one.


    However, when he saw the weapon in Tang Mo''s hand, he began to waver and doubt his own strength. To some degree, Tang Mo had overturned everything on which he relied for survival!


    It was like an old master who had taught the theory of a t earth his whole life suddenly encountered the concept of a round earth; it was like a physician who had bled patients for years suddenly learning the correct medical theories.


    In any case, this paradigm shift made Wes''s breathing be erratic; he subconsciously tugged at his cor, not even caring when the buttons popped off.


    A divine weapon capable of firing five shots in closebat! A treasure that could quickly end a fight regardless of how the enemy dodged.


    From now on, the existence of Rangers might be in question, any child or elder who held such a weapon in hand could easily kill an experienced, battle-hardened mercenary Ranger!


    Tang Mo could smell the blood scent growing ever stronger in the air, a stench of sulfur that could hardly cover it.


    His nerves remained taut, but the sudden, continuous silence made him more aware of the details around him.


    Around the carriage, bodies of various kindsy scattered about. There were seven bandits that Tang Mo had personally shot dead within sight!


    Even though Tang Mo had seen dead bodies before crossing over, he now couldn''t help feeling his stomach churning involuntarily.


    Since Wes was still alive, there should be at least two more bodies behind the carriage, meaning that nine of the thieves had be cold corpses.


    "Wes! Stay hidden," Tang Mo ordered, holding his Left-Wheel Handgun, waiting for the white smoke in front of the carriage door to disperse. The lingering smoke from the gunpowder, illuminated by the gasmp, tumbled about as if it had a life of its own.


    He issued a reminder, and Wes immediately snapped back to his senses, quickly taking cover behind the carriage, vigntly observing his surroundings.


    The atmosphere suddenly turned eerie, and apart from the sounds of insects beginning to chirp again, there was no other noise around.


    Either the bandits had all died at the hands of Tang Mo''s gun, or the remaining bandits, seeing theirrades dead in droves, had finally lost the courage to flee.


    Either way, the situation for Tang Mo and hispanions was gradually improving, at least after Roger had finished reloading the third Quick Gun, he gave Tang Mo a slight signal.


    Although there were no more bullets left in Tang Mo''s revolver at the moment, counting the three rifles Roger had just reloaded, he now had the capacity to fire three consecutive shots.


    Meanwhile, with the light of the gasmp, Wes had also reloaded his flintlock pistol, which meant that Tang Mo''s side had almost regained about half of itsbat strength.


    Under such circumstances, should the bandits rashly attack again, they would definitely suffer another major loss¡ªperhaps the lives of four more men, or maybe even more...


    "Wes... go clear the roadblock!" After waiting for approximately five minutes, with still no sounding from the woods, Tang Mo finally knew that the danger seemed to have passed.


    But he didn''t show any sign of rxation because he knew that their battle had not been thoroughly carried out.


    At the start of the fight, two arrows had struck the carriage from different angles, which meant there were two archers among the opponents.


    Tang Mo got out of the carriage to check the seven bodies nearby, only to find that only thest big man had a bow and arrows on him.


    Bandits poor enough to rob here wouldn''t just throw away their weapons for no reason, so the other bow must be with the one who fled.


    At least one person had escaped! Tang Mo was almost certain of it. And the one who escaped had almost witnessed the entire battle process!


    This person had seen the Left-Wheel Handgun in Tang Mo''s hand and knew that the weapon was a divine weapon that could rewrite the mode of war¡ªfor Tang Mo, letting go of such an unstable threat was far from a good thing.


    But this was the Vicious Forest, and it was night. If the person just stayed quiet in one spot, finding him would be nearly impossible.


    Tang Mo certainly didn''t have the courage to spread out and search for a bandit at the risk of his life in such low visibility. So he could only suppress the unease in his heart and prepare to continue on the journey.


    Fortunately, the opponent definitely did not know the identity of the three of them, so even if they knew about the Left-Wheel Handgun, they wouldn''t be able to find Tang Mo for a while.


    ---------


    Dragon Spirit is stockpiling manuscripts, there''s no helping it, Dragon Spirit indeed didn''t have a stockpile before, and this book started quickly, so it was destined not to have many chapters in reserve¡ªbut stockpile is a must to cope with the outburst during the new book period, so Dragon Spirit could only write more, release less, and slowly umte.


    Don''t worry, don''t be impatient, when the editor demands an outburst, Dragon Spirit will surely burst forth, releasing more chapters.

 Chapter 7: 7 Ranger Assassin

    Wes had just managed to move the tree trunk that blocked the way when he returned to find the bandit lying on the ground, having suffered serious injuries, no longer making any sounds.


    It wasn''t that Tang Mo had delivered a finishing blow; rather, the other had bled out too much and quickly lost consciousness. In this era, with a shortage of doctors and medicine, being shot through the internal organs by a firearm meant that, even if one didn''t die immediately, there was little hope for recovery.


    This wasn''t a battlefield, yet there lingered a nauseating smell. The sound of insects resumed all around, everything seemingly returning to silence.


    The smell of gunpowder had faded, no longer masking the scent of fresh blood scattered on the ground. Wes, looking at the bodies strewn haphazardly under the light, hadn''t yet managed to shake off the shock.


    In the past, he would have disdained such menialbor as moving roadblocks, an activity suitable only for minions.


    Yet today, upon hearing Tang Mo''smand, his legs had moved on their own ord, sweating profusely as he moved the log without even considering calling for Tang Mo and Roger''s help.


    At this moment, as he returned and saw the corpses at his feet, he still felt a sense of unreality.


    A terrifying weapon that fired five shots! Damn it... he had evene up with a name for the weapon while moving the trunk¡ªRanger yer!


    If such a weapon were to spread, people like him would probably be out of options. Mercenary work could be done by anyone in the future¡ªjust buy one of these guns, and that''s all it would take!


    "Wes!..." It was Tang Mo who spoke first, breaking the night''s silence, "I hope you won''t share today''s events with Lord Earl."


    "Why... why not." Wes was taken aback, and as he looked towards Tang Mo, he suddenly found this young man to be rather unfathomable.


    In the script that had hazily formed in his mind, shouldn''t it have gone like this: Tang Mo''s actual intention was to present this secret weapon capable of firing five shots¡ªLord Earl would surely be overjoyed, and their cooperation would unfold smoothly.


    Was there even a need for him to y out the rest in his head? Such weapons would immediately appear on the battlefield, and with the outbreak of war, they would proliferate. Shireck would start mass-producing them immediately, selling them at low prices to dominate the market and crush allpetition.


    Though the ending was already written, Tang Mo would have made enough Gold Coins before being crushed tost several lifetimes... Wasn''t that his purpose?


    But what he never expected was that Tang Mo... Tang Mo actually requested he not tell the Earl about this secret weapon. What kind of move was this?


    "I only came up with this thing a few days ago, and it''s not yet a mature product ready for sale," Tang Mo exined. "My visit to Lord Earl is to sell the K1 Quick Gun, so I don''t want anyplications."


    "You said earlier that you were willing to stay and work for me... I think it''s time to talk about that," Tang Mo nced at Wes and continued, "Since you say you have loyalty, I hope now you can give it to me."


    If it had been earlier when taking on such a deal, Wes would have been very casual. He would have thanked his employer with a smile, saying he wouldn''t let them down or something along those lines.


    In fact, he did have a reputation for reliability, a principle upon which his survival depended. But now, he fell silent, staring fixedly at the young man standing in front of the carriage under the faintly trembling gasmp light.


    "What''s wrong? Weren''t you quite eloquent earlier?" Tang Mo again broke the silence, taking the lead in asking.


    "It''s a very dangerous job, but I suspect the rewards must be enormous," Wes spoke gravely, his gaze locked on Tang Mo, "I''m wondering if I have the luck to receive the share of bounty that''s rightfully mine."


    "I can wait a bit longer," Tang Mo shrugged.


    "Very well, I am at your service!" Wes ced his hand on his chest and bowed slightly, speaking solemnly, "From this moment on, I am no longer a Ranger; I shall be your Knight."


    "Excellent! My Knight, let''s go. We need to reach Northern Ridge by tomorrow morning, and the journey of over a hundred miles is no easy task." Tang Mo turned, leapt onto the carriage, and then shut its door, which still had an arrow lodged in it.


    If someone in this world could really determine another person''s future by reading their face, Tang Mo didn''t believe it.


    He was more inclined to trust data analysis, aprehensive evaluation based on facts and interests.


    So Tang Mo knew that Wes''s willingness to stay and work for him was definitely not because he saw anything the likes of a ruler''s aura in Tang Mo. Instead, the other had stayed on, betting on a prospect, a future.


    No matter how one looked at it, the K1 Quick Gun developed by Tang Mo was certainly a pointer towards the future direction of weapons development; and the secret weapon, the Left-Wheel Handgun, was also a bargaining chip.


    By joining Tang Mo''s forces early on, one would be sure to reap greater benefits when Tang Mo rose to power. That was why Wes was tempted, and ultimately why he decided to join.


    This behavior of "burning the cold stove" is actually not hard to understand. Just like investing, as long as everything goes smoothly, you can make a fortune.


    So... what if Tang Mo failed?


    Of course, there''s nothing to be surprised about; it''s just an investment gone wrong. Tang Mo felt that when that time truly came, Wes would certainly not hesitate to disassociate himself from Tang Mo and throw his so-called loyalty into the trash¡ªby then, he wouldn''t face any issues or be implicated in any way.


    For Wes personally, this was a no-lose deal, and as for Tang Mo, he actually didn''t care either.


    After all, he also needed someone like Wes who was well-informed and skillful to help out. Besides, Tang Mo had always wanted to find a security guard for the workshop, and since Wes offered himself up for the role, it can be considered making the best use of him.


    As for loyalty, what a joke! Tang Mo was no child; he didn''t believe in so-called loyalty. He just needed Wes to provide him with some safety against thieves¡ªjust like a moment ago.


    Old Roger was a cksmith, a decent engineer, but he was not a qualified warrior. This much was crystal clear from the recent skirmish, as Old Roger, who was only in charge of loading the ammunition, had trembling hands!


    Having such a trusted person manage the enterprise, arrange production, or even personally participate in the work is reassuring, but it is a bit too much to expect him to face danger alongside oneself.


    If Tang Mo had another option, he would not have brought Old Roger to the Vicious Forest for an adventure. But there was no help for it; Tang Mo really couldn''t find any other suitable candidates to be his attendant.


    Although Wes was still not up to the task in the short term, it was evident that with Wes by his side, some minor conflicts could be handled without troubling Old Roger anymore.


    Wes gave a slight bow, watching Tang Mo get onto the carriage before going to prepare the carriage again. It was then that he remembered, during the recent gunfire, neither of the horses pulling the carriage had be nervous or neighed in panic.


    But then he figured it out; the horses at the munitions workshop were used to the sound of gunfire, they were probably limatized by now...


    He guessed right. When Tang Mo experimented with weapons, he often did it near the stables. On one hand, it was to train the horses to be ustomed to the sound of gunfire, and on the other hand, it was because there really was nowhere else in the workshop suitable for him to carry out his tests.


    The carriage hit the road once again, leaving the bodies by the roadside that no one cared about. The world was such a ce: the unfortunate were everywhere in the wilderness¡ªsome were of passing merchants, some were of bandits who blocked roads... who cared about them?


    Sitting on the slightly bumping and shaking carriage, Tang Mo reloaded his Left-Wheel Handgun with new ammo, all the whileughing at the somewhat blushing Roger.


    Despite Roger''s boasts about his youth when he could stare down three robbers without a change in expression, it now seemed that such talk was not very truthful.


    The recent battle had revealed Old Roger''s true capabilities; he had never truly experienced realbat. His hands had trembled so badly that he couldn''t even load the bullets into the gun.


    You should know, his hands were actually very steady, reliable as athe when it came to polishing parts. But those hands were shaking terribly a moment ago.


    "Leave such matters to us from now on," Tang Mo said, pushing a bullet through the predefined slot into the cylinder and then using the rod underneath the barrel to firmly seat the ammo.


    Then he rotated the cylinder, starting to clean another emptied chamber, which still contained bits of paper casing and unburnt residues.


    Before the invention of metal cartridge cases, loading ammunition into firearms was actually a very troublesome affair. Even though Tang Mo could create a revolver that fired continuously, this fact could not be changed.


    Only with the development of smokeless powder that burned quickly and left almost no residue, packed into a metal fixed cartridge, did weapons be truly capable of meaningful rapid fire inbat conditions.


    That kind of rapid firing followed by immediate reloading of new ammunition was nearly synonymous with suicide at the current time¡ªresidues in the chamber or cylinder could affect the bullet''s ignition, causing misfires, backfires, barrel explosions, or duds...


    Throughout history, the care of weapons has always been an aspect of military training; the more carefully one maintains their weapon, the more it can help its owner gain an advantage on the battlefield.


    Thus, ancient warriors polished and oiled their Longswords, andter Soldiers had to maintain their bolts and barrels with oil and brushes.


    "I''m old. It will be your young people''s world from now on," said Old Roger, somewhat embarrassed.


    "No, Uncle Roger, you will soon find that you are busier than you are now," said Tang Mo, joking with Roger while repeating the tedious process to load new bullets into the chamber.


    In a sense, this new Left-Wheel Handgun was like enjoying twenty seconds offort for half an hour of difort¡ªit was a semi-finished product.


    Because of the immaturity of the ammunition, it couldn''t yet be a true epoch-making weapon. However, Tang Mo would soon use his golden touch to develop smokeless powder, so updated weapons would soon appear, changing the existing rules of warfare.

 Chapter 8: 8 Fisheo

    When the sky began to lighten, Tang Mo finally saw the end of the Vicious Forest. The earth suddenly felt more expansive, with smoke curling up from the roadside, where trade caravans were gathering, awaiting departure.


    All desired to traverse the dangerous forest together during daylight, so when Tang Mo made it through the Vicious Forest overnight, curious merchants on both sides of the road sized up the hurriedly passing carriage.


    Soon, sharp-eyed merchants noticed a broken arrow shaft still lodged in the carriage door.


    "Look! They were attacked! Who knows how many died..." a merchant, holding a steaming lunch box, chewed and spoke to those nearby.


    Another, pinching a slightly moldy piece of bread, crammed it into his mouth while cautioning hispanion, "Get ready and stay sharpter! Beware of bandits!"


    Tang Mo sat in the coach''s co-driver''s seat, enjoying the cool breeze of the early morning¡ªnights in the forest were extremely cold. However, the slightly cool morning air made Tang Mo more awake and more appreciative of the moment.


    "Don''t worry, once we get back, I''ll get you a revolver like this," Tang Mo chatted at length with Wes, having taken the co-driver''s seat ever since the first glimpse of sunlight, and talked about everything from then on.


    They discussed Wes''s past, Tang Mo''s weapons workshop, and Count Fisheo, even delving into flintlock guns, the intricacies of longswordbat, the ranger lifestyle, and Tang Mo''s new weapon.


    "Hopefully, all goes well. With Count Fisheo''s backing, at least you won''t be alone when facing Shireck," Wes said to Tang Mo while focusing on driving the carriage.


    "I know what you''re worried about, but as you know, I have my secret weapon," Tang Moughed, a smile that had hung on his face ever since he''d taken the co-driver''s seat, inscrutable to Wes.


    Having lived two lifetimes, Tang Mo was far moreplex than Wes could imagine. In another world, he trafficked arms, skirting the edge of thew, and straddling the line between ck and white. How could someone who had wed his way through such an environment for over thirty years be a simple character?


    "Can you really get me one of those ranger killers?" Wes finally couldn''t resist the temptation to ask.


    He truly wanted to know how dramatically one of those ranger killers strapped to his waist would increase hisbat effectiveness.


    To simply draw near a target and guarantee a kill, then use the remaining bullets to create chaos and retreat with ease¡ªagainst such an unprecedented weapon, who could anticipate and defend against his movements?


    Even now, he was already calcting in his mind how much he would charge for assassinating a king...


    "Ranger killer?" Tang Mo was taken aback, almost failing toprehend what Wes was talking about. But soon, his smile grew more brazen: "Hahaha! You''re hrious, Wes! Hahaha!"


    Knowing what rangers in this world were like, he also understood the meaning behind Wes''s words.


    The era was advancing; the chivalrous fighting style of musketeers who shoot once before dueling with longswords was destined to be swept into the dustbin of history.


    But would the rangers, or simr figures, disappear? Clearly not. Their fighting style would be more systematic and scientific, eventually evolving into professionals such as espionage agents or even special forces.


    The rough method of battling with longswords would be utterly eliminated, reced by apact PPK pistol tucked under the arm!


    Before Wes, baffled by theughter, could erupt, Tang Mo finally stoppedughing and said, "Don''t worry, by my side, you''ll see sights you''ve never seen before, and naturally find a path you can follow forever."


    "But, before that," he patted Wes''s shoulder with interest, "This gun isn''t called a ranger killer. It''s called a revolver because it hasn''t been mass-produced, so it doesn''t have a number yet."


    "After we return, can you truly get me one of those... revolvers?" Wes asked for confirmation, his yearning for the weapon palpable; just holding it in his hands, he felt an invincible power.


    "Better than that," Tang Mo felt that equipping his people with a few better weapons wasn''t a difficult task.


    "You''re joking..." Yet, it was clear that with Wes''s limited imagination, he couldn''t possibly conceive of a weapon superior to the revolver in this world.


    Just as even a top ace pilot like Hadman couldn''t imagine a future where nes could lock onto dozens of enemy aircraft beyond visual range and attack eight targets simultaneously.


    Tang Mo couldn''t be bothered to exin to Wes and simply leaned against the carriage, glimpsing the city on the horizon, and softly stated, "You''ll understand once we''re back."


    ```


    The Northern Ridge is the territory of Earl Ronin Fisallo, and thergest city here is also the seat of the Earl''s power¡ªWolf City.


    The Ronin Family uses the wolf as their emblem, just like the Stark family from the television series familiar to Tang Mo. Families that rose to power through military force often worship wild beasts primitively, and their emblems are either a wolf''s head, an eagle, a bear, or a lion, which is why the likelihood of having the same emblem is quite high.


    It was only when Tang Mo saw clearly the wolf banner hanging on the city wall that he also noticed the cavalry brandishing their banner, approaching his carriage.


    Thirty knights d in breasttes and helmets, holding high the Northern Ridge Wolf Banner, galloped towards him and quickly surrounded the carriage he was in.


    Escorted by these knights, the carriage entered the city, and at the city gate, they met a significant figure waiting there¡ªEarl Ronin Fisallo.


    Wes visibly rxed upon seeing these knights, and when he saw the Lord Earl at the city gate, he immediately broke into a smile.


    After tightening the reins, he didn''t wait for the carriage toe to aplete stop and leaped off. However, the Earl''s guards remained loyally between him and the Earl.


    "Lord Earl," Wes said with a smile, nodding slightly to the visibly wrinkled face of Fisallo as he bowed.


    "Wes! The things you mentioned in your letter... are they true?" Fisallo lifted his hand, signaling the guards not to be so tense, "If he wanted to attack, you wouldn''t be able to stop him. Stand down."


    "Of course, you know my reputation. Once I''ve taken your money, I definitely won''t botch the job," Wes said, spreading his hands and giving Fisallo a light embrace, then stepped aside to introduce Tang Mo, who was behind him, "This is the man you''re looking for, I''ve brought the firearms... I witnessed their powerst night, and they''re better than you could imagine!"


    "Oh?" Fisallo was obviously more interested in the firearms, and without moving his feet, he questioned immediately upon hearing this.


    Wes immediately exined, "The Vicious Forest isn''t very peaceful."


    "Those bandits who dared to mess with you really are quite unlucky. Ha ha ha ha," Earl Fisallo paused thenughed heartily as if he had guessed the truth.


    "..." Wes rubbed his nose but didn''t correct the Lord Earl. He was now a knight of Tang Mo''s, so he had to keep some things to himself.


    "Well then! What are we waiting for? Let''s go inside to talk!" Fisallo said with an excited smile, gesturing to Tang Mo before leading the way, "Let''s have breakfast first! Although the food here is not so great, it''s still quite substantial!"


    "That''s wonderful, Lord Earl. We''ve been exhausted on the way here," Wes said with a smile as if he had returned home.


    Fisallo was also quite hearty,ughing out loud and then speaking to Tang Mo, "Come on, kid! Northern Ridge folks are warm and weing. Don''t be shy here!"


    He led the way to the castle, and Tang Mo followed behind him, seeing the bustling market and the crowds of merchantsing and going.


    To be honest, as the administrative center of the Northern Ridge, this ce was much livelier than Brunas, which Tang Mo was familiar with. Not far from the market, he could see cattle carts loading and unloading goods, and fruits were chaotically strewn in baskets all over the ground.


    Tang Mo even detected a faint, unmistakable scent of cow dung¡ªan aroma present in every city, while in Brunas, it was the stench of fishiness.


    Such was the era, and Tang Mo was powerless to change it, much like how in the 21st century on Earth, big cities often had suffocating smog.


    The Earl''s castle wasn''t particrly impressive, far less grand than the medieval castles Tang Mo had seen as a tourist in his previous life.


    It was more like a manor built within the city, not even as good as Baron St''s residence. From this detail, one could tell that Earl Ronin Fisallo was not as pompous as Baron St.


    However, on this not-sorge Earl''s Mansion, one could see seven or eight officers and no fewer than thirty guards, each armed and dressed in the unique light yellow military uniforms of the Leite Kingdom.


    As the Earl passed these officers and soldiers, they would solemnly stand erect and salute, cing their hands over their chests and greeting loudly.


    "You''ll have to excuse us," the Earl said a bit sheepishly to Tang Mo, exining, "The border cavalry activities of the Suthers Kingdom are bing more frequent, and I have had to consider assembling troops and making necessary defense preparations, which is why this has been turned into a temporarymand center, so it appears a bit crowded."


    "Has the situation be so critical?" It was Tang Mo''s first time arriving at the Northern Ridge, and he felt the oppressive atmosphere emanating from the front lines for himself.


    ```

 Chapter 9: Its too late.

    "Based on my estimation, if nothing goes wrong, war is likely to break out within half a year," Count Fisheo said to Tang Mo with a worried expression, "Unfortunately, Shireck might side with Suthers this time."


    "Why?" Wes furrowed his brows and interjected.


    "If Suthers captures Northern Ridge, then the coal and iron there can be supplied to Shireck''s factories at a low cost," the Earl exined, then pushed open the door to the makeshift dining hall and led several people inside.


    Sure enough, a table of food was prepared¡ªtrays, not overly exquisite, were filled with game from Northern Ridge. Rabbit and deer meats were ced in conspicuous positions.


    "Come, let''s sit," the Earl took off his cloak, folded it, and casually hung it over the back of his chair.


    It was then that Tang Mo noticed that on the other side of the longsword hanging at the Earl''s waist was a beautifully crafted flintlock gun, obviously fine-tuned with care.


    It was a familiar style, a Shireck flintlock gun whose borate exterior could not conceal its essence.


    "I think you must havee here with Wes because you''ve heard about my situation," Fisheo began to eat, cutting a piece of meat and putting it into his mouth, talking while he chewed.


    "I heard there were people here in need of weapons, so I came," Tang Mo said straightforwardly, picking up his utensils and addressing the man across from him who hardly resembled an Earl, "Your lordship''s reputation precedes you."


    "Anyone can tter, I don''t need you for that. You know what I want, so let''s cut the small talk. I want to see a weapons firing test right away. Can you arrange it?" Count Fisheo, more eager than the arms-dealing Tang Mo, pressed for action.


    One could imagine just how ominous the war clouds looming over the border had be to make a lord withnds on the frontier so desperately seek any chance for victory.


    "Of course, the goods are in the carriage!" Tang Mo wasn''t going to deprive himself of a good meal; since the other party was eager to see the merchandise, the deal was as good as halfway done.


    Confident in his new model breech-loading rifle, he was certain that anyone in genuine need of weapons would make the right choice upon seeing this new firearm.


    Lord Earl''s urgency to see the new firearms matched Tang Mo''s own to sell his product, thus breakfast was, naturally, a brief affair.


    "Tagg, all of you,e over here." As they passed by thewn, the Earl signalled to a group of officers in the distance to join them for the new weapons firing demonstration, "I''ve found a new arms dealer who ims his weapons can greatly enhance the fighting strength of our troops."


    "My lord, we''ve seen at least three cheats like this," an officer, equipped with a longsword and matchlock, approached with a few others, looking at Tang Mo with a menacing gaze.


    Tang Mo, for his part, didn''t pay any attention to such looks. He took from Wes the specially prepared K1 Quick Gun intended for Baron St.


    He expertly worked the bolt and took two cartridges from Wes''s hand, gesturing to everyone.


    He then handed one cartridge to the Earl and loaded the other into the chamber of the K1 Quick Gun.


    Next, he rotated the bolt to close the breech and fired into the sky. The sharp report echoed, and a faint smell of gunpowder lingered in the air.


    The entire process took just a few seconds, leaving everyone ustomed to the slow loading time of flintlock guns staring, dumbfounded, at Tang Mo''s subsequent actions.


    Tang Mo opened the bolt again, quickly cleared the chamber, took the second paper cartridge from the still-stunned Count Fisheo, loaded it, pushed the bolt back in, twisted it to close the breech,pleting the reload.


    He raised the rifle once more, aimed at the sky, and calmly pulled the trigger a second time. The ensuing report, loud as a cannon, struck at the hearts of all the officers present.


    This performance had been given before Baron St, but the impact on him was clearly not as great as that on these officers who truly led troops into battle. The shock of the new weapon on them was simply indescribable.


    "Need a few more shots?" Tang Mo asked with a faint smile, then passed the K1 Quick Gun to the Earl, who had yet to fully recover his senses.


    The other subconsciously epted the rifle from Tang Mo, caressing the metal iys on the wooden frame as if touching a lover.


    Count Fisheo handled it with extreme care, as if fearful of damaging the marvel before him. A few secondster, he looked up at Tang Mo, "May I try it?"


    "Not a problem, but this gun is priced as brand new," Tang Mo replied with a smile, agreeing to the Earl''s request.


    "Good, very good," the Earl nodded appreciatively at Tang Mo, then watched as he took a few more paper cartridges from Wes.


    As he sought advice from Tang Mo, he mimicked Tang Mo''s actions to simply clean the barrel, then inserted a bullet and simply closed the bolt.


    This process was incredibly simple and convenient, to the point where it gave him an unbelievable feeling.


    The flintlock guns that the troops were equipped with previously already seemed simple to him when going through these steps. However,pared to the needle gun before him now, there was really noparison.


    This weapon at hand could truly change the rules of warfare! Its simplicity and operability were downright revolutionary.


    After pushing the bolt into ce and sealing the barrel, Lord Earl even felt a bit timid; he was afraid of damaging the precious item before him.


    Once he got everything ready, raised the rifle, aimed at the distant sky, and then carefully pulled the trigger, he felt a huge recoil from the butt of the rifle on his shoulder.


    "Bang!" The third gunshot reverberated in everyone''s ears, including the officers who hade to watch.


    The officer named Tagg, who had just been advising Lord Earl to watch out for swindlers, was now left with nothing but to swallow hard.


    If it weren''t for Lord Earl busily trying out and firing this new rifle, he would have snatched it to examine closely this ultimate killing weapon whose rate of fire was more than thrice that of a flintlock gun.


    Yes, he didn''t yet know what this thing was called, so like Wes, he had also given this nameless weapon a rather dramatic and powerful name: "The Ultimate Rifle."


    Following Tang Mo''s instructions, the Earl pulled open the bolt again, stared and gently blew out the ashes and residue inside the barrel as if he were rocking a newborn child.


    After repeatedly making sure there was no significant debris left inside the barrel, he then took another bullet from Tang Mo and inserted it into the chamber.


    This time, his movements were much smoother, which made him think of an exciting detail¡ªthe cost of training with this weapon would be much lower than with flintlock guns!


    With this type of new rifle, even if he conscripted some farmers and gave them a bit of training, they could almost reach the standards of a regr army.


    The previous fear of sending farmers into battle and needlessly increasing casualties virtually vanished with the fourth shot of the rifle.


    For a moment, Lord Earl was in high spirits. He looked at Tang Mo to speak but momentarily couldn''t recall the name of this new weapon. "This¡­"


    "The K1 Quick Gun, Lord Earl," Tang Mo helpfully interjected with understanding.


    "K, K1 Quick Gun... how much for one?" Lord Earl felt somewhat unustomed to Tang Mo''s naming convention since the Shireck Flintlock Gun was clearly named after the Shireck Consortium.


    "Five Gold Coins each, with aplimentary brush and ammunition bag!" Tang Mo introduced his weapon smoothly. "Bullets are three silver coins each, and we can offer a further discount for bulk orders."


    "How many of these K1 Quick Guns do you have?" The price seemed reasonable, since it was a better firearm than the Shireck Flintlock Gun, so it was understandable if it was a bit more expensive. After hearing the price, Lord Earl''s face showed an eager expression as he asked.


    At this moment, he was determined to buy 500¡ªno, a thousand¡ªeven if it cost him his entire fortune!


    "Ten," Tang Mo regrettably provided an answer that greatly disappointed him.


    Tang Mo''s financial situation had been very poor before, so he didn''t have the means to produce arge number of rifles in advance. He was only writing checks in the air, able to start production as soon as he got the orders. Even the capital needed for expansion had to be squeezed out of the profits from sales.


    "That''s too few, I need at least 600... no, 700!" Lord Earl was visibly taken aback by Tang Mo''s answer before shaking his head and voicing his own expectations.


    Hearing his request, Tang Mo naturally hoped to fulfill it. Making 700 rifles a year was a challenge, but also an opportunity.


    If Tang Mo could achieve such production numbers, then his capacity could take over the entire Kingdom''s firearm business.


    By that time, he would be able topete with the Shireck Consortium within the Leite Kingdom. It''s only at that stage that he would have the basic capability to protect himself.


    So Tang Mo said to the Earl, "Lord Earl, that would take a very long time, since the biggest firearm workshop in the Kingdom can only make 300 rifles a year."


    "It''s time weck. How good it would''ve been to have met you a few years earlier." The Earl''s face turned ashen, seemingly more discontent with the dangerous situation of his own territory.

 Chapter 10: 10 requirements

    ```


    He also knew that even if he ced an order with Tang Mo now, it would still be toote. Even Shireck''s workshop would need a long time to produce over a thousand rifles.


    Tang Mo, however, was unwilling to give up this order that was within his grasp. Thus, he opened his mouth and said to the Earl, "It''s not toote, Lord Earl. Time can always be squeezed out a bit, if you have the money, I think I can expand my production scale and meet your demands as soon as possible."


    In fact, weapon performance was only one aspect, Tang Mo knew that what truly changed the times was the transformation of the mode of production. Shireck might be able topete with him in terms of weapon technology, but in terms of production technology, they were not even in the same league!


    The Earl didn''t know what Tang Mo was pondering in his mind; he just really wanted to know how soon he could get these weapons.


    These weapons were very important to him; if he could equip his troops with them quickly, he was confident he would be able to calmly face the uing war.


    He needed his troops to be able to enter the battlefield in a state ofpleted training, so he had to leave himself plenty of time.


    Therefore, the production time he could give Tang Mo was actually very limited¡ªhe thought, at most, two to three months.


    Thinking about this, he couldn''t help but look towards Tang Mo and asked, "Like you said, how quickly can it be done? We have less than half a year left."


    Tang Mo calcted in his mind. If he went back, worked with several engineers and old Roger to create standard industrial mother machines, and then quickly produced a few steam engines ording to the blueprints, making weapons would be much simpler.


    As long as there was a continuous power source, boring gun barrels would be simpler. He wasn''t trying to produce extremely precise sniper rifle barrels; the basic requirement for a gun barrel of this era was simply that the bullet could fly out of the barrel.


    So, if he really had steam engines and the associated equipment, then Tang Mo could instantly increase the production capacity to ten times, or even a hundred times the current level.


    And the design drawings that restricted him were already in his mind at this very momentpared to those engineers who had to start from scratch, his advantage was simply too obvious.


    These were the key to expanding his production and also his future money-making cornucopia! As long as Lord Earl was willing to foot the bill for these production facilities, then the subsequent business would really be as lucrative as robbing a bank.


    So, after calcting the time, he answered Lord Earl, "If Lord Earl can meet my demands, I might be able to provide you with 500 K1 Quick Guns in up to three months."


    "Are you joking?" Hearing such a satisfying answer, the Earl was caught off guard. He looked at Tang Mo incredulously, afraid he had heard wrong.


    "I''m not joking." Tang Mo shook his head and once again gave a firm reply to Lord Earl, "Within three months! As long as you give me everything I need."


    Unlike other technicians, or rather Tang Mo had a greater advantage than other technicians, he had thepleted blueprints in his mind!


    He didn''t need to experiment or take any detours. He just needed to get various standard parts and then assemble them together.


    What others needed a lifetime, or even generations to umte experience, and then the sudden inspiration of some genius, he only needed to flip through the materials to understand all the results clearly.


    When others were still wondering what use this thing had, he had already foreseen the technical difficulties of the subsequent improved models in his mind.


    While those poor engineers were still pondering which type of bullet represented the future development direction, Tang Mo was already considering whether to use Type 95 or M4 for the assault rifles.


    This was Tang Mo''s advantage; in this field, no one could match his speed, no one could defeat him.


    "..." Looking at Tang Mo''s confident eyes, Count Fisheo finally decided to give it a try.


    After all, the Quick Gun in his hand was not fake; if Tang Mo seeded, then his troops could indeed achieve a huge advantage on the battlefield.


    So, Count Fisheo gripped the rifle in his hand tightly, as if making a huge decision, and stared at Tang Mo, asking, "Alright, tell me, what do you need?"


    In fact, he had indeed made a decision¡ªas long as Tang Mo''s demands weren''t too outrageous, he had decided to give it a try. If he won this war, then he might be able to get more elsewhere.


    Tang Mo roughly estimated that he didn''t need too many work hands, but those he did need must be the elite of the elite.


    ```


    In this era, most tools still had to be handcrafted, and certain parts of Tang Mo''s also had to rely on craftsmen with skillsparable to those of seventh-level artisans.


    If he could somehow manage to manufacture the master machine, he would be able to immediately produce steam engines and other anciry equipment. Once the manufacturing of these devices was on track, the production of firearms and ammunition would be much easier.


    By then, with sufficient machinery, he could produce several hundred gun barrels in a day, andplete the order from Lord Earl within two days.


    Therefore, Tang Mo extended a hand and said to Lord Earl, "I need manpower, very skilled craftsmen. The kind that can truly work on their own. You could find the best from cksmiths, watchmakers...at least ten of them! And including apprentices, other workers, at least 70 people."


    Upon hearing Tang Mo''s first request, the Earl nodded slightly¡ªdemand for manpower was quite reasonable, after all, these people represented productive forces.


    He also felt that in order to produce enough firearms, expanding the workforce was necessary, and he even thought that Tang Mo was asking for too few people.


    Because he had heard that in Shireck''s firearms workshop, there were two to three thousand workers responsible for producing firearms. With that scale, they could only manufacture three to five hundred rifles a year.


    Hence, he thought Tang Mo would ask for 1,000 people, but to his surprise, Tang Mo only asked for 70! So he breathed a sigh of relief and continued to inquire, "What else?"


    As the actual owner of Northern Ridge, Count Fisheo was confident in his capabilities. He could definitely find 70 craftsmen, and he could even be choosy about it, getting a group with substantial skills.


    Since the Earl asked again, Tang Mo continued, "Raw materials, top-quality raw materials, including steel and coal, and of course, enough food, vegetables, and meat to feed all the apprentices and workers in the workshop during this period."


    He was here to make money, or at least to keep the whole workshop afloat. So, he must secure supplies to sustain his workers.


    "Anything else?" This request was also reasonable, and Lord Earl nodded again in agreement with Tang Mo''s demands. He then continued, "What else do you need?"


    "Funds to purchase other raw materials, a deposit of 2,500 gold coins, at least a 20-man security troop to protect me and my workshop, to help us handle troublesome issues so we can produce peacefully... and of course, to save you the worry of us running off," Tang Mo pointed at himself.


    "Hahaha! I like you,d!" The Earlughed heartily, patting Tagg on the shoulder beside him, and everyone followed suit withughter.


    After theughter, the Earl looked at Tang Mo again with some difficulty and said, "I might not be able toe up with that many gold coins right away."


    "You can use the ores and coal from Northern Ridge to settle part of it¡ªthe part that is my actual profit. I have no choice but to take cash for the workers'' wages, but I can exchange my profit for materials, that''s not a problem," Tang Mo did not insist on cash but was willing to take materials in ce of his profit.


    After all, he needed to expand production, and whether it was steel or coal, he would soon be demanding them inrge quantities. These resources could never be too much, as they would be consumed again very swiftly.


    This flexible trade-off also meant that Count Fisheo didn''t have to worry about having to raise that many gold coins¡ªit was a win-win concession that naturally left everyone content.


    The Earl nodded slightly, readily agreeing to this arrangement, "That sounds reasonable. If I do all this, then... within two months, I can get 500 Quick Guns identical to this K1 model?"


    This time Tang Mo shook his head, and just as everyone was prepared to change their expressions, he continued, "Certainly not the same, there would be no carvings on them."


    The Earl nced at the sample of the K1 Quick Gun in his hand, saw the decorations added specifically to please the nobility, and once again a smile appeared on his face, "Hahaha! Good! I will help you prepare all these as soon as possible."


    "Additionally..." he paused, looking at Tagg and the other officers beside him, his voice trailing off.


    After drawing out his words, he exined to Tang Mo, "Changing weapons on the battlefield actually entails some risks!"


    "You see, teaching soldiers to operate your weapons, familiarize them with their maintenance, and then taking these weapons onto the battlefield... is not an easy task." As he spoke, he pointed to two rows of soldiers conducting drills a short distance away.


    "So, what would you ask of me, Lord Earl?" Tang Mo asked with a smile upon hearing the Earl''s lead-in, guessing he had more to say.


    Looking towards the distant soldiers, the Earl made his request, "So I hope that after selling the weapons, you can personallye to Northern Ridge, to act as a consultant to help train the soldiers equipped with the new rifles."


    "That would be part of after-sales service, you''ve reminded me, Lord Earl," Tang Mo said earnestly. "Rest assured, our after-sales standards are the highest worldwide, without question, guaranteed to satisfy the customer."

 Chapter 11: Happy cooperation

    "After-sales service? That''s a new term...but very urate. I need you to provide more services after selling these weapons." Seeing Tang Mo agree to this request, the Earl''s mood seemed to improve. He handed the weapon in his hand to an officer named Tagg, then gestured for Tang Mo to walk with him.


    So, shoulder to shoulder, the two of them walked in the courtyard. Tagg, holding the K1 Quick Gun, couldn''t help admiring it while following closely behind the Earl. And Wes, behind Tang Mo, followed him every step of the way.


    As they walked, the Earl said to Tang Mo, "You''re a smart man, and it saves trouble to talk to a smart person. In fact, we both need support¡ªthe support of each other! This coboration is actuallyprehensive for both of us."


    He pointed at Tang Mo, "You need the coal and iron mines of Northern Ridge to expand your production scale, and you also need Northern Ridge''s military to purchase the weapons you produce."


    Then he pointed at himself, "And I, on the other hand, need your new weapons to help me win victories on the battlefield and secure my title and territory."


    "Simrly, your support could grant me more than I''ve dared to dream of, such as honor and status previously unimaginable." Then he continued, pointing at himself.


    Next, he pointed at Tang Mo, "And in return, you...after being fully exposed to the Shireck Consortium, also need an ally, one to support and protect you from being devoured by the behemoth..."


    After finishing, he stopped walking, looked at Tang Mo, and asked, "Right?"


    "Your analysis is thorough, I have nothing to add, Lord Earl," Tang Mo nodded, feeling that working with a smart person was indeed a very pleasant thing.


    He didn''t need to say much; the other party could figure out many things on their own, making the coboration very stable and everything under control.


    The smarter the person, the easier it is to predict their actions, allowing a basic judgment of both sides'' reactions. This provides a sense of security for everyone, and it''s also in everyone''s best interest.


    The Earl obviously was also very pleased with Tang Mo, his new business partner, so he extended his hand and said, "Then...I hope we can support each other and work together happily."


    "Pleasure to coborate!" Tang Mo reached out his hand and shook hands with the Earl.


    "I will return to Brunas today and then start to work on expanding production, but I need to take back an advance to maintain the normal operation of my workshop." Tang Mo felt there was no need to stay for lunch.


    Count Fisheo also felt it was better to get on with the matter at hand sooner rather thanter. He nodded and said to Tagg, "Lead 30 soldiers and apany Mr. Tang Mo back to Brunas...ensure production, and if there are any troubles, help him solve them. I''ll write a personal letter for you in a bit, show it to anyone who causes trouble, and they will have to give me some face."


    "By yourmand, Lord!" Tagg ced his palm on his chest, solemnly promising, "I will do my utmost to bring back the new guns for you!"


    "I happen to know an old Dwarf, who is the best craftsman I have ever met." Then, Lord Earl turned to Tang Mo, "I will go and find him shortly, and then for the remaining personnel, I''ll select the best from those who repair firearms."


    After finishing, he made a weing gesture, "Let''s go back inside. I will take out all the Gold Coins from the Lord''s Mansion, around 450...I''ll get the rest ready as soon as possible and have it sent to you."


    "As for food and vegetables, that''s easy to manage. I have some reserves here, and I''ll allocate a batch to you for now." He pointed towards the distant granary then looked at Tang Mo again, "It''s not that I''m stingy with a meal, but our time...is very precious."


    "Indeed! We need to fix the roof before the storm hits, and have the hunting guns ready before the wolves break into the yard..." Tang Mo said with an implication, "Since Mr. Tagg will join us on our return, I think the three K1 Quick Guns I brought can be left behind."


    "You can use them to let your personal guards familiarize themselves with this kind of weapon." Tang Mo followed the Earl inside, then saw several soldiers ordered to leave and fetch the Gold Coins from the cer.


    The coboration was going very smoothly. While waiting for the Earl to allocate resources and select artisans, Tang Mo drafted a contract. Both parties signed their names on two identical contracts, then they even had a bit of barley wine.


    Yet, in his heart, Tang Mo was constantly thinking about his next series of work: now that he had agreed on the coboration with the Earl, he needed to supply the requested armaments within the agreed timeframe.


    This was his devotion as an arms dealer, or rather, his return to his first client who was willing to trust him.


    This time back, he had to do more than produce rifles; he also needed to produce the bullets for the rifles, including the soldiers'' ammunition belts, corresponding bays for the rifles, and tools for firearm maintenance, among other things.


    First, to maintain and clean the bores and barrels of guns, one needs brushes made from pig bristles¡ªthese are not easy toe by, as they require arge amount of pig bristles as raw material.


    During World War II, Huaxia, as a producer of pig bristles, provided arge quantity to allies like the United States, and in exchange received a massive amount of weapons and ammunition, highlighting the significant role of pig bristles in modern warfare.


    It wasn''t until synthetic brushes began to be widely adopted that pig bristles gradually started to phase out from the military supplies scene. And even by 2021, this recement process was still ongoing.


    Fortunately, the demand for pig bristles in this world was not so great, so acquiring some was not such a difficult task.


    Tang Mo was quite confident he could at least equip 500 rifles with brushes and other maintenance tools. So he simply made a mental note of this detail, nning to hurry back and set up a pig farm to store some pig bristles for future use.


    Of course, he also needed to improve the furnaces in his workshop and add some equipment, which would increase the speed of metal smelting to keep up with subsequent firearm production.


    Thinking of this, he could not help pinching the bridge of his nose¡ªthe plethora of troubles really gave him a headache.


    Besides, he needed to prepare arge amount of leather, whether for the holsters and weapon belts of the handgun series he nned to develop, or for the rifle outrements and ammo pouches, all requiring a lot of leather to make.


    He had no intention of rolling out metal-jacketed bullets directly, nor did he have the capital and financial resources to do so; he had to honestly start with paper cartridges to make do.


    These bullets were obviously very fragile and not easy to store. It was fine in the rear ammunition boxes, but especially on the battlefield, where the fighting was fierce and the environment was harsh, protecting these paper cartridges relied on durable and sturdy ammo pouches.


    Making ammo pouches that could be strung along a belt also required workers, but Tang Mo felt that this kind of manualbor was actually easy to find workers for; the women of the era were very idle, and as long as there was a wage, they were willing to offer their diligent hands.


    Everything depended on the steam engine he had toe up with himself. This was the most crucial; as long as he had it, all subsequent challenges seemed solvable.


    Moreover, he could also start with a generator; this was not much more difficult to produce than a steam engine, as long as he had the appropriate blueprints and theory.


    The technical difficulty of the two was roughly equivalent, so it was very possible that Tang Mo''s workshop might have electrical facilities within a month.


    With electricity, he could produce more metals familiar to him, including electrolytic aluminum. It was only a pity that Tang Mo did not need these for the time being, as he was trying to figure out how to produce breechloading guns and corresponding paper cartridges.


    As Tang Mo was considering which part of the steam engine to draw first, the door was pushed open again. A burly man of about one and a half meters strolled into the Earl''s dining hall.


    He wore a thick beard, looking just like the dwarves Tang Mo had seen in the movies. The burly man approached the table, pulled out a chair himself, and hopped up to sit down on it with a plop.


    "Lord Earl, I heard someone is looking for Northern Ridge''s finest craftsman?" he asked, grabbing a wooden cup, pouring it full of ale, and surveying Tang Mo and Wes with a resounding voice.


    "Yes, old fellow, I need your help," Count Fisheo nodded and then introduced Tang Mo, "This is Mr. Tang Mo, who hase up with a weapon even better than the Shireck Flintlock Gun."


    "Huh..." After gulping down arge swig of ale, the dwarf whom the Lord Earl had called an old fellow let out a breath of beer, blowing his thick beard aside, and said, "I am really curious to see what the design that surpasses the Shireck Flintlock Gun looks like..."


    "Hahaha! You''ll see it soon enough!" Count Fisheoughed heartily, then pointed to the old dwarf, introducing him to Tang Mo, "This is the finest craftsman from Northern Ridge, Mr. Mathews."


    "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Mathews!" Tang Mo nodded in greeting, then raised his ss, "We are returning to Brunas this afternoon, you should get ready."


    "Old man, I have nothing to prepare, just a set of tools I''m used to," Mathews took another big sip of ale, then wiped the froth from his beard and said.


    Tang Mo quite liked Mathews''s straightforward nature, as the easier Mathews was to serve, the easier it was for him to entertain. So he said with a smile, "Then please wait a moment, Mr. Mathews, we will be setting out shortly."

 Chapter 12: 12 Brunas workshop

    Soon, after having eaten the food they brought on the carriage, Old Roger, who saw Tang Mo and Wese out of The Earl''s Mansion, approached Tang Mo and asked with some nervousness, "How did it go? Did it work out?"


    He didn''t expect Tang Mo toe out so soon, so he thought Tang Mo had failed again. But soon, Tang Mo''s reply made him overjoyed: "It''s settled, we''re heading back to Brunas right now! Production starts tonight."


    "That''s... really great." Old Roger excitedly punched his own palm, and then saw... arge group of people.


    Yes, Earl Fisello''s trusted officer Tagg was leading fifty fully armed soldiers, ten cavalrymen, along with a total of thirty carriages. The convoy was, to say the least, impressively grand.


    These weren''t luxury carriages that could only amodate three or four people; they were true transport carriages that could carry ten people each.


    The carriages were full of people, most of whom were looking at Tang Mo and Roger standing by the side with curious eyes.


    Many carriages were also loaded with supplies including food, coal, iron ingots... In short, most of the carriages were heavilyden, and the bustling activity also drew the residents of Wolf City to join in the excitement.


    Earl Fisello stood by Tang Mo''s side, looking at the long line of carriages, and said to Tang Mo, "Finding so manyrge carriages on such short notice wasn''t easy. I have done my best. There might be a shortage of food, but in a few days, when these carriages return, I will have them make another trip."


    "Thank you for your support, Lord Earl! I will repay your trust with a plentiful supply of ammunition and weapons," Tang Mo said, watching carriage after carriage pass by, unable to calm his excitement.


    This was the first deal he had made sinceing to this world, and it was also a critically important one.


    Once he returned to Brunas, everything would get better! His workshop would surpass Shireck''s and be the very first "factory" in the true sense in this world!


    "I am very much looking forward to it!" Earl Fisello nced at Tang Mo and nodded.


    He had no reason to worry, as Tang Mo was apanied by his trusted officer Tagg and thirty soldiers left in Brunas. If Tang Mo still managed to slip away, then Tagg would surely be aughingstock.


    The caravan set off, a truly majestic spectacle. With so many soldiers in tow, not even the most brazen bandits would dare to target such a convoy.


    Besides, there were knights bearing the wolf g of Northern Ridge, clearly visible even from a distance as they traversed the Vicious Forest.


    However, such a troop could not travel too swiftly. Tang Mo had made the journey here in just one night, but returning to Brunas would take two days and more.


    It couldn''t be helped, carriages could not move quickly, which is why a knight could cover three hundred miles in a day, but a military force that could advance 120 miles in a day would be described as descending like heavenly soldiers.


    So, when Tang Mo returned to Brunas once again, it was already the afternoon of the third day.


    As his carriage appeared at the workshop''s main gate, a young apprentice with an apron hanging around his neck excitedly ran back into the workshop and loudly told everyone he passed, "The boss is back! The boss is back!"


    Tang Mo jumped down from the carriage and waved to several older workers from the workshop and the apprentices following them. Then he heard their excited cheers, for they saw the carriages carrying vegetables and food just entering the workshop yard behind Tang Mo.


    "I''m back! How have things been these past two days? You all haven''t been cking off, have you?" Tang Mo patted the clever little apprentice and asked with a smile.


    "Of course not! I and my master made three qualified lock mechanisms! Exactly to your specifications," boasted the little apprentice proudly.


    "Haha! Come boast to me when you can drill rifle barrels by yourself!" his master, a burly middle-aged man,ughed heartily upon hearing his apprentice''s boast.


    The master was in charge of drilling rifle barrels in the workshop, and he was very skilled, considered one of the more formidable workers there.


    Gradually, theughter quieted down as everyone saw not only the carriages transporting vegetables, but also knights bearing gs and wearing armor entering the yard.


    Then followed soldiers carrying matchlock guns jumping down from the carriages, led by an officer who was directing a bunch of people in various outfits, queuing up beside the carriages with their luggage and bedding.


    Noises rose and fell in confusion; Old Roger was even too busy to exchange words with the old friends in the workshop.


    Wes, on the other hand, was at leisure, heading straight to the stables to check on the fine horse he had ridden there. Having been responsible for driving the carriage on the previous trip to Northern Ridge, he had to leave the horse here.


    The workshop, originally with a little over a hundred people, suddenly saw an influx of an additional hundred-plus, immediately throwing the scene into chaos.


    The new workers looked around curiously at their new living environment, while some were helping the soldiers carry all kinds of supplies from under the wagons.


    Baskets of coal were lifted from the wagons and haphazardly piled in the yard, alongside messy sacks that contained various bottles and jars of alchemical materials that Tang Mo had purchased in Wolf City.


    Tang Mo wanted to experiment with smokeless gunpowder, so he had procured some chemical reagents and experimental sks and the like.


    Chemistry isn''t quite like mechanical engineering, where you just need the blueprints and the corresponding materials to make it work. Chemistry requires experimentation, so Tang Mo could only grope his way forward.


    He wanted to quickly produce smokeless gunpowder so he couldpletely crush thecent Shireck Consortium in the fields of cannon and rifle technology.


    Once his weapons were the only ones that could sweep through the battlefield, he could be the undisputed King of Arms in this world.


    Tang Mo didn''t know if there were other transmigrators like him who could create weapons far beyond their time, but he felt he should forge ahead and inject new energy into this world in his own way!


    Watching the yard grow increasingly noisy, Tang Mo felt he should do something to end the chaos. He shouted at Roger, "Roger! Clean out those unupied dormitories, four to a room... let them find familiar people to bunk with."


    He needed to arrange amodations for these workers who hade from afar to ensure they could work for him with peace of mind in theing days.


    The workshop had over two hundred workers and apprentices at its peak, so there was enough space here.


    In this era, workers didn''t have any kind of union organization, and their private lives were squeezed to almost nothing. Most of them lived in the factory all year round, and those who had families could only afford to go home for a day each month.


    For localborers, it wasn''t so bad, but for those who worked in other ces, it was quite miserable. Many times, after being away from home for over five years, they finally saved enough money to return in prosperity just to find their child had turned three...


    While issuing orders, he pointed at the wagons full of vegetables, "Have the soldiers help; take the vegetables and grain to the cafeteria! Tell Aunt Cui Xi to prepare a good dinner, treat everyone!"


    "Understood!" A plump woman who looked to weigh about 200 pounds beamed with a smile and affirmed, "Yes!", before going to tend to her vegetables and grain.


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo continued tomand everyone, "Tagg! Take care of the money matters for now... Roger! Hey! Roger! Sorry, let Boris take them to the dormitories!


    Andter, you and Tagg distribute this month''s pay to everyone!"


    "No problem," Tagg, dressed in the bright yellow military uniform of Leite Kingdom, immediately responded.


    Then Tang Mo continued speaking to Tagg, "The remaining money will be mostly used for purchasing raw materials; leather from Northern Ridge, timber, coal, steel, and even bristles¡ªI need it all! Have these returning knights ry to Lord Earl that we can offset the bill with these goods, either way, I want them."


    Tagg nodded slightly again and promised, "Alright, I will have them convey this to the Earl after they return."


    He approved of Tang Mo''s approach to buying raw materials in abundance because that was the sign and process of a workshop that wanted to expand its production.


    If Tang Mo was only distributing money, he would doubt Tang Mo, worrying that he might deceive the Earl and run away with the funds.


    Now, by converting as much gold as possible into materials, Tang Mo wouldn''t be likely to run away withrge quantities of supplies. So, Tagg felt reassured and a smile appeared on his face.


    When it came time to allocate the dormitories, Tang Mo showed an embarrassed expression, "Let your soldiers stay in the dormitories too!... It might not be enough, and if that''s the case, set up tents near the open field used for target practice! Have them take turns staying in tents... I will find a good location and expand the dormitories as soon as possible. For now, they''ll have to endure.


    We''ll give priority to the workers since our main task is production, and we have no other choice."


    "There''s no problem on my side. I will take care of the people I''ve brought," answered Tagg, who was rather indifferent, as during military campaigns, everyone used to stay in tents; seldom did anyonein.


    The soldiers he brought this time were all well-trained and fiercely loyal elites, each known by name, considered as his own trusted forces.


    Watching the Dwarf engineer stagger over, Tang Mo continued, "Mathews! You will share a room with Roger! I''ll give you the blueprintster, familiarize yourself with the tools and equipment here as soon as possible. We''ll be starting work soon."


    "Ha! I am still more eager to see your needle guns," Mathews replied, a bit car sick and thus appeared slightly groggy as if drunk, but he answered quickly, still with a strong nasal tone.


    Tang Mo smiled, "You can take a look at the needle guns producedter on, but for now, we only have seven guns left here, and soon they will all be handed over to the Earl''s knights!"


    "Alright then! I hope you won''t disappoint me," Mathews said, standing next to the disorderly line of workers.


    "Rest assured! I never let people down," Tang Mo affirmed confidently and continued to busy himself directing the chaotic scene.

 Chapter 13: 13 craftsmen

    "I''ve never seen such parts before; they look veryplex, and the requirements seem a bit too demanding," Mathews said, looking at the drawings Tang Mo handed him, his brow furrowed and his voice resonant. "To handcraft these parts, it would take several days."


    Seeing Tang Mo''s drawings again, he even began to deeply doubt his own skills: Had he strayed too far from mainstream industrial production, to the point of not understanding anything at all?


    Watching Dwarf Mathews looking somewhat perplexed, Tang Mo rubbed his sore eyes and said, somewhat wearily, "I need you to make this as soon as possible because we''ll need to use it very soon."


    He had spent the previous night drawing under the damned gaslight until his eyes ached. The lighting in this era was truly dreadful, and Tang Mo''s chair was nothing like thefort of an ergonomic chair.


    But his efforts were not in vain; on the contrary, he had achieved a lot¡ªthe dozens of drawings wereplete, and today they had been distributed to the workers below.


    The most difficult piece among them was the one prepared for Mathews, who needed to exhibit his superb skills to create it.


    Unfortunately, Mathews was clearly not one of those workers who had gotten used to Tang Mo''s methods. He was more like a schr who liked to rify things he didn''t understand immediately.


    Moreover, he was a highly capable, experienced worker who possessed manufacturing experience that Tang Mo could not match. His experience had even reached the point where it couldpensate for his ownck of insight, which Tang Mo found somewhat terrifying.


    Yesterday, Mathews understood the working principle of a small machine tool that Tang Mo had improved at a nce and guessed the working precision of this man-powered machine tool.


    Then, he helped Tang Mo make two small parts, which improved the machining precision of the machine tool a bit more. In Tang Mo''s eyes, this was all skill, the capability that the talent he desperately needed should have!


    Sure enough, after scrutinizing the drawings in his hands once more, Mathews offered his opinion, "No problem from my end, but if you intend to install a torsion bar here, you should increase the thickness of the stressed part a bit more."


    "Are you afraid it''s going to break?" Tang Mo blinked, staring at Mathews curiously¡ªthe drawings were copied down from the ones in his mind, and the design should have had no ws.


    However, at that moment, Mathews nodded. He pointed to the part on the drawing and told Tang Mo, "The existing materials are not up to standard, sir. Your design is very innovative, but I doubt our iron resources can meet the design specifications."


    "Can you tell the specific purpose of what I''ve designed?" This time, it was Tang Mo''s turn to be surprised, because he hadn''t yet told Mathews what the part was for.


    "It''s just a linkage device, sir. I''m not a fool! However, I am puzzled about what you n to use to drive such a... heavy part," Mathews asked, seemingly unconcerned.


    "I like you! Mathews! I like you! Hahaha!" Upon hearing Mathews''s question, Tang Mo was first taken aback, then suddenly burst into uproariousughter, patting Mathews''s shoulder as if he were patting an ASML lithography machine jubntly.


    Mathews looked quite annoyed at Tang Mo patting his shoulder, and somewhat dissatisfiedly reminded him, "You still haven''t shown me your needle-fire gun, sir."


    One of the reasons he left Northern Ridge and came here was to see the new type of rifle that Lord Earl had mentioned.


    But until now, he still had not seen that kind of rifle¡ªTang Mo had only made ten K1 Quick Guns, and three were left in Northern Ridge when he brought them there.


    The remaining seven K1 Quick Guns were given to the departing caravan, allowing Lord Earl''s troops who had departed to bring them back to Northern Ridge.


    So, there are only ten K1 Quick Guns in the world now, and all are in Northern Ridge. Therefore, Tang Mo truly didn''t have a spare rifle to satisfy the curiosity of the Dwarf artisan before him.


    Tang Mo smiled awkwardly, withdrew his hand, and finally told Mathews, "Come on then! Since I can''t show you the actual new rifle, I ought to at least show you the drawings, right?"


    "Alright, but I''d still prefer to see the real thing... I''ve seen too many drawings in my lifetime..." Mathews rolled up the drawing he was holding into a tube, held it in his hand, and followed behind Tang Mo to where Tang Mo worked.


    The tools he had used for drawing the previous night were still messily left on the table, with some finished drawings scattered beneath these tools. Tang Mo had been working all night, and after just going out to distribute the drawings, he didn''t have time to tidy up his own desk.


    Dwarf Mathews nced at the drawings on the table and didn''tment¡ªtruth be told, he had never seen suchplicated steam engine structures, so for a moment, he couldn''t guess what Tang Mo was aiming to make.


    Tang Mo twisted his neck a couple of times, then went behind the table, opened a drawer, and took out several finished drawings.


    He spread out these blueprints andid them on the table, gesturing for Mathews toe over and take a look for himself. Mathews didn''t stand on ceremony and walked over to the table to carefully examine Tang Mo''s blueprints.


    "Exquisite design... notplicated at all, I even think this thing is very mature," Mathews was quickly drawn to the blueprints, staring at the lines on the paper, imagining just how beautiful the real K1 Quick Gun must be.


    "Actually, the design of these things isn''t the difficult part, the difficulty lies here," Mathews quickly discovered the trick, pointing to the real core technology of the pin-fire gun as he spoke to Tang Mo.


    He was pointing to the ce where the gun''s firing pin pierced the cap, "This little device can ignite the gunpowder, it''s the foundation of the new rifle''s design! You''ve actually created such a small ignition device! Incredible!"


    As the saying goes,ymen watch the show while experts examine the technique, and Mathews had recognized at first nce that Tang Mo''s entire firearm design revolved around the new fulminate of mercury ignition device.


    Indeed, it was precisely because of this reliable ignition device that a series of individual weapon firearms could break free from the constraints of flintlock guns and evolve into a truly modern shape!


    Of course, the current caps, or rather the fulminate of mercury that formed their main body, were not the ultimate solution. There would be more alternativester on that were safer, more reliable, more efficient, and more powerful.


    "I''ve taken a look at your workshop, and in fact, apart from this new design, you virtually have nothing," Mathews said without lifting his head from the blueprints as he spoke to Tang Mo, "I even doubted for a moment that you had deceived Lord Earl."


    "Unfortunately, I haven''t deceived Lord Earl," Tang Mo knew Mathews was right; if he hadn''t really had the ability to create the K1 Quick Gun, it would have been an utter scam.


    Of course, the main reason Lord Earl fell for it was that he did produce a weapon like the K1 Quick Gun¡ªnobody is a fool, nobody would be easily deceived.


    Mathews nodded in agreement with what Tang Mo had said, but he continued speaking, making Tang Mo blush a bit, "I know, I''ve seen your people manufacturing these new bullets, but actually, the production speed isn''t very good."


    "Compared to Shireck''s gun workshop, you have no advantage here... tell me, do you really think you have even a one in ten thousand chance of winning?" Mathews looked up at Tang Mo and asked earnestly, word by word.


    "If you can help me manufacture these parts, I think I have a chance, a big one," Tang Mo pressed his hands against the blueprints and said to Marcus, "Believe me, it''s not one in ten thousand, but a hundred percent!"


    Mathews stared into Tang Mo''s eyes, unyielding, "If you want to convince me, then you''re going to have to show some real skill."


    In the end, Tang Mo decided to reveal his secret weapon to Mathews, after all, Wes had already seen it.


    He had already decided to get himself a better handgun for protection as soon as possible, but designing a new Left-Wheel Handgun also required the help of the man in front of him, Mathews.


    So he sighed, pulled out the Left-Wheel Handgun in its holster from the drawer, "All right then! Come with me! I hope you''ll stay, Mathews. I need someone like you, very much so."


    "If you really show me something that astounds me, I''ll stay up all night to help you make the parts!" said Mathews, following Tang Mo to the modestly sized shooting range.


    Tang Mo stood at his usual firing spot, drew the Left-Wheel Handgun from its holster, then from a small pocket on the outside of the holster, he poured out several small primer caps.


    He fitted each primer cap into its corresponding position, cing the Left-Wheel Handgun into a ready-to-fire state.


    Mathews knew this was the special ignition device Tang Mo had developed. If this device was real, then everything Tang Mo had said could be possible.


    So he watched in silence as Tang Mo fitted the caps onto the rear of the cylinder, then waited for Tang Mo to lift the handgun, aiming at the distant target.


    "Bang!" Tang Mo pulled the trigger, a puff of white smoke erupted from the barrel, and the bullet hit the target about 15 paces away.


    Tang Mo did not lower the handgun, but maintained his shooting pose, pulled the trigger again, the cylinder rotated following his movement, and simultaneously, the hammer swung back. And then, the device at its furthest position from the primer cap suddenly broke free of restraint, mming forward rapidly.


    "Bang!" Another gunshot resonated over the shooting range, Mathews opened his eyes wide, and without realizing it, his hands, applying force, had crumpled the rolled-up blueprints into a wrinkled tube.


    "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" Tang Mo didn''t lower the handgun, but continued to fire, the sound of gunshots unceasing, as if knocking on the doors of history.

 Chapter 14: 14 qian is a catalyst

    After watching Tang Mo''s continuous shooting performance, Mathews''s aloof demeanor hadpletely dissolved.


    He was like a curious baby, wanting to touch but hesitant to reach out, craning his neck with curiosity as he examined the left-wheel handgun in Tang Mo''s hand.


    While looking, he kept muttering incessantly, "It looks like a veryplex rotating structure... You use it for continuous shooting?"


    "Yes," Tang Mo said as he fired six shots in a row, only beginning to clean the gun''s chamber after the bullets were all spent.


    The process was actually quite annoying, but it had to be done¡ªTang Mo felt more and more that developing smokeless powder was necessary.


    He really missed that feeling of continuous firing, then easily ejecting the magazine, coolly reloading, and fiercely strafing the enemy once more.


    Standing there, trying to get a better look at the left-wheel handgun in the spotlight in Tang Mo''s hand, Dwarf Mathews kept whispering in admiration, "What a genius idea! You are simply a genius!"


    It seemed he couldn''t properly express his reverence for this exquisite design without speaking out, yet he feared being too loud and disturbing Tang Mo, making him annoyed, so he could only murmur quietly.


    Finally, he couldn''t resist any longer; he carefully pointed to the left-wheel handgun in Tang Mo''s hand and asked, "Could you tell me what this is?"


    "I call it a revolver," Tang Mo replied, picking up the handgun and responding to Mathews.


    Mathews looked like a child who had seen a beloved toy but didn''t have the money to buy it. He just stared at the gun, continuing to mutter to himself, "My God! Incredible! Gods above... it''s unbelievable."


    "You see? This thing represents the future!" Tang Mo said to Mathews with a smile.


    "You''re right, we are destined to win... no, we are destined to win!" Mathews corrected himself subconsciously, "Clever linkage... how did you think of this?"


    Tang Moughed, with an unrestrained grin. He handed the handgun to Mathews, "Take a closer look."


    In fact, as long as one takes a good look at the structure and disassembles it, replicating it is almost effortless.


    The only technical difficulty was with the fulminate. Without the percussion cap, the thing was almost worthless.


    But with the percussion cap, it became the most advanced king of closebat of the era, and without a doubt, even Wes described it as the bane of the Rangers!


    "Stay and work for me, and you will see a different world," Tang Mo offered as he watched Mathews handling the handgun.


    "I will go make the parts you need right now! I can finish them before dark! As long as you don''t send me away, I''ll stay here until I die," Mathews said to Tang Mo earnestly, looking up.


    As he spoke, his eyes shone with sincerity; Tang Mo knew that this old dwarf truly saw this ce as his lifetime workce.


    "We have a lot to improve, but the first thing to do is to automate production as much as possible!" Tang Mo snapped his fingers and said to Mathews.


    "Automate?" Mathews didn''t quite understand the word.


    "It means making the machines work on their own!" Tang Mo exined.


    "Are you the god of craftsmen?" Mathews stopped in his tracks, incredulously looking at Tang Mo.


    "No, I''m just a businessman..." Tang Mo motioned for him to keep up, "Come on! We have a lot to do."


    The early development of bullets was actually full of imagination. In the space-time familiar to Tang Mo, someone even linked bullet production with sausage making.


    A well-known weapons manufacturer once filled animal intestines with gunpowder like sausages, using this method to produce ready-to-use ammunition.


    Interestingly, this merchant also cleverly thought of coating the intestines with a type of glue, making them thin and fragile. In this way, the intestines from the animals would shatter and dissipate upon firing, along with the explosion of gunpowder.


    The human intellect truly sparkled with brilliance at that moment¡ªusing sausage-making methods to produce ammunition, and even solved some of the issues with ejecting spent rounds!


    Although this type of skin-based round was eventually phased out as humanity progressed and evolved, the cold numbers recorded on paper could prove its poprity at the time.


    Yes, during the American Civil War, there were orders for more than 60 million of these rounds! Heaven knows how many animal intestines were used up in the war that broke out in the ''beautiful country'', leaving the face of the American Animal Protection Association thoroughly pped...


    Tang Mo, familiar with all of this, naturally would not take such detours, so in the process of bullet production, he still directly chose the most correct path.


    However, the most correct path isn''t necessarily the one that can be taken right away. Due to theck of smokeless powder and the current industrial foundation not allowing for the direct production of metal-cased cartridges, everything had to be done honestly ording to the existing technical conditions.


    He did not have a witch with magic at her disposal, nor did he have a goddamn tree in his head that could solve everything, so he could only honestly take things step by step.


    Paper cartridge ammunition was a realistic type of ammo he could handle at the moment. And to give himself an insurance policy, he dug himself a big hole.


    In fact, paper cartridge ammunition,bined with the new invention of the percussion cap, could still offer a variety of innovations.


    For example, when choosing the type of cap assembly, Tang Mo had two mature options to use¡ªone was the long-needle gun paired with bullets that had caps installed in the middle and the other was the short-needle gun with bullets that had caps installed at the bottom.


    History had actually already provided an answer to which method was superior. In fact, in the world Tang Mo was familiar with, the French light weapons of this era''s technical level were truly the pioneers at the forefront of the world.


    At that time, Prussia used long-needle guns while France used short-needle guns, and eventually, metal-cased cartridges were invented. Primers became the most mature, most convenient, andmonly adopted method for metal-cased cartridges, and long-needle guns were instantly thrown into the dustbin of history.


    So why did Tang Mo still bring out the long-needle gun? Actually, there were many reasons for this. One was that Tang Mo wanted to buy some time for his own development, and another was that his resources were extremely limited.


    In this era, there was no such thing as patent protection, so Tang Mo could only protect his own technology from being stolen by others.


    Everyone knew that the Shireck conglomerate, which had infiltrated the Leite Kingdom, was a monstrous super arms dealer. Once they got their hands on a sample of Tang Mo''s new weapon, it would be very easy for them to mass-produce replicas.


    And since Tang Mo had been showcasing his weapons around, no one could guarantee that the information wouldn''t reach the ears of those at Shireck.


    Tang Mo first brought out the needle gun actually as a way of deliberately setting a trap for Shireck, this potential adversary. Once the opponent fell into the big pit of the needle gun, it meant they were led astray and would naturally waste arge amount of resources.


    By the time Shireck realized what was happening, Tang Mo would have had a brief respite and could calmly respond and bring out better weapons for yet another leap forward.


    What if Shireck yed fair and did not copy Tang Mo''s needle gun design? Wasn''t the needle gun still more advanced than Shireck''s flintlock? The superiority was obvious at a nce, and Tang Mo wouldn''t suffer, would he?


    Besides this insurance, there was another very direct reason¡ªTang Mo was just the owner of a handicraft workshop, and he really could not mass-produce paper cartridges with caps at the bottom in any proper sense at the moment.


    Although this item was not too sophisticated, it still demanded higher requirements than the cap that was simply wrapped in the middle of paper cartridge powder, so Tang Mo could not ensure quality control.


    If he had the support of Count Fisheo, Tang Mo could expand his production line and hire more workers. Then he probably could mass-produce paper cartridges with primers at the bottom, but he did not currently have the capability.


    Therefore, the more rudimentary, and the easier to manually produce ammunition for the long-needle gun, became Tang Mo''s temporary choice.


    He really had no other choice, as his small workshop of about a hundred people truly had limited productivity, which couldn''t keep up with Tang Mo''s demands.


    Among these hundred people, there were seventeen or eighteen traditional cksmith and smelting workers who operated the furnaces and processed metals into usable materials.


    There were also less than twenty parts manufacturing workers, who were true craftsmen. They operated simple equipment and relied almost entirely on handicraft to create some parts, drilling out expensive gun barrels!


    Do you know how many days a proper worker in this era, using a semi-automatic method, needs to drill a qualified gun barrel? About three days!


    How many guns could Tang Mo''s small workshop produce each day? Roughly one-third of a gun! It took him about three days to make a rifle, and equipping an infantrypany with weapons would keep him busy for a year!


    Therefore, his trip to the Northern Ridge to meet with Lord Earl was actually not just for a weapons production order but also for a full support from Lord Earl and a series of ns to expand the workshop''s capacity!


    He intended to consume almost all of the steel output of Northern Ridge in the future and then begin by making two coal-fired steam engines in his own workshop. With these modern machines, he would manufacture perfect gun barrels.


    In short, everything needed time, effort, technology, and talent to umte...


    And before all of this, before anything was ready, Tang Mo needed to prepare another catalyst for these "chemical reactions"¡ªmoney!


    Yes, he needed a lot of money! Everything needed money for support, without money everything was just a dream.


    Now he had money, so everything could start to be deployed and implemented¡ªand that was indeed what he was doing. At present, the parts for the steam engines were still under manufacture, but soon Tang Mo would have two boring machines that could work day and night!


    With this equipment, his production speed could be multiplied, and Lord Earl''s order would no longer be an unattainable goal.

 Chapter 15: Assembly 15

    The morning sunlight was always beautiful, and when Tang Mo opened his eyes, warm rays were streaming through the grimy ss onto his feet.


    He sat up in bed, stretchedzily, and the bustle of recent days brought back the feeling he had when he was working in the past, a sense of fulfillment and the wonderful experience of reaping rewards every day.


    Yesterday, after several experiments, he had mastered the correct method for producing smokeless gunpowder, or at least the preparation process in aboratory setting had be very familiar to him.


    However, to produce this stuff on arge scale, it would still take some time. Although he had acted as a hands-off manager for a day yesterday, the production of steam engineponents had not paused for a moment.


    A few days ago, Roger, Mathews, and others who had received the blueprints, started working around the clock.


    Tang Mo estimated that theponents should have been mostly manufactured by now, and once assembled ording to the blueprints, he could start mass-producing various firearm parts.


    In reality, without electricity, it was impossible for machine tools to perform cutting tasks perfectly. Thus, most of the work still relied on the support of workers, but machinery saved arge amount of manpower and stabilized the quality during critical steps.


    The continuous days without producing a single Quick Gun had left Tagg looking quite unpleasant. Yesterday, he sought out Tang Mo and expressed his dissatisfaction.


    However, this poor military officer was clueless about weapon manufacturing, so he really didn''t understand what Tang Mo was doing. In the end, Tang Mo dismissed the loyal officer with just a few words.


    Since there were Soldiers belonging to Lord Earl at the door, and the rest of the Gold Coin was in Tagg''s hands, he wasn''t worried about Tang Mo running off with the materials and money.


    And over these days, although Tang Mo hadn''t produced a single Quick Gun, he had indeed been busy in the workshop the entire time and wasn''t cking off, so Tagg could only wait honestly, waiting for the miracle Tang Mo promised to appear.


    The principle of the steam engine was actually very simple, just a process of boiling water. However, it could also be veryplicated, as it had been improved countless times in the hundred years after its inception.


    This thing was indeed veryplex, but for Tang Mo, who could query all internal structure assembly methods, it wasn''t tooplicated.


    Tang Mo was unable to develop the most advanced steam engine all at once, but he could skip past the immature designs and start with the mature ones.


    Sometimes, these designs were improved through the umtion of experience rather than a technical leap. Thus, Tang Mo could use current materials and technology to make a small leap forward.


    After washing his face, he walked out of his room and saw Dwarf Mathews leading a few workers, together with old Roger, installing a massive machine nearly five meters long.


    To minimize the problems caused byponent discrepancies, the first steam engine Tang Mo built was quiterge. He had no choice but to ensure the machine''s output strength, to allow it to directly participate in work.


    This waspletely different from an experimental model because this machine was not just meant to be turned on; it needed to run steadily and maintain a powerful output. After all, Tang Mo was also counting on it for drilling gun barrels!


    "ording to the blueprint, we should use the long screw here!" With a pencil behind his ear, old Roger bent over aponent, gesturing where it should roughly be ced, and consulted the blueprint.


    Mathews, holding the blueprint, looked down at the assembly sequence marked out by Tang Mo, then raised his head topare it with theponent in Roger''s hand, seeming to confirm their positions.


    Then, he nodded and pointed at the specially annotated screw with length notes on the blueprint, asking, "Where did you put that screw just now?"


    "Damn it, find that screw! Quick!" The workers immediately descended into chaos, rifling through trays filled with screws and otherponents, murmuring anxiously.


    Roger also rummaged through his pocket with the other hand, yawning andining as he searched, "I''m already so sleepy I can''t keep my eyes open, and now you''re making me look for a screw? To hell with it!"


    "Shut up! I found it!" Dwarf Mathews found the previously machined screw in his own pocket and rebuked in a low voice.


    "Quick, screw it on fast!" Roger didn''t bother to correct Mathews''s tone; he took the screw and then realized he didn''t have a screwdriver in hand.


    "Where''s the screwdriver? Where did the screwdriver go?" Then came another round ofmotion. Everyone began searching for the screwdriver, making a ruckus as they rifled throughponents.


    "I say, Old Roger, what''s got you so tense?" a worker asked with augh as he moved arge iron te that would serve as the casing for the steam engine.


    It wasn''t just Roger, Mathews was nervous as could be, too. He hadn''t imagined himself creating something so colossal; at first, he thought it was going to be a small device, simr to athe.


    Who could have guessed that a pile of parts, whenbined with massive torque rods and bearings, would result in something so huge?


    No wonder theycked imagination, for the main bulk of the parts had been made in the foundry workshop next door. They hadn''t been to see them, thus they had no clear concept of the machinery they were to assemble.


    When the foundry workers finally joined together the parts, which had taken a tremendous amount of steel to produce, what emerged before everyone was this colossal contraption.


    Even though it wasn''t operational yet, its sheer size was already overwhelming everyone present.


    Inparison to other objects of the era, this thing was simply massive, so much so that even the workers constructing it were feeling extremely tense.


    The force of impact thates from a leap in technology is immense. Without any cushion or disguise, once it''s presented before people, it''s naturally astoundingly shocking.


    If Tang Mo had started with a small tea kettle, showing everyone a lid jumping from the boiling water... then experimented with a small model, a craft roughly two feet long, making it move for everyone to see... followed by arger one, a prototype that could drive a loom, exining the principles to everyone... then finally calmly unveiling this giant, certainly, they wouldn''t be so nervous.


    But now, he had directly brought out this enormous piece of machinery, of course, everyone was feeling out of their element. This era, although it had already seen steam engines, those were merely... toys inparison.


    As for thrust, the steam engines of this era could barely rotate on their own, let alone provide continuous power. So these engines were still experimental, just conceptual, really.


    But right now, the colossal contraption before Tang Mo was not just a demonstration prototype; it really could provide powerful energy capable of changing the production of the era!


    Roger pointed at the huge machinery in front of them, already linked to a drill press with chains, and said, "How can I not be nervous? Look for yourself, who would have thought we''d be building such a behemoth?"


    "What on earth is it for?" the worker felt that having such arge metal device in the workshop was somewhat... rather terrifying.


    Just look at this thing; it even had several gauges on it, nearly the size of the palm of a hand, their needles pointing at zero, with no clear understanding of their purpose.


    While it looked odd, some clues could still be discerned from the details: a few days ago, the workshop boss, Tang Mo, had opened a hole at the back of this room, and then erected a huge chimney.


    Combined with abustion chamber underneath the machine for burning fuel, thoseing from the smelting workshop immediately realized that this contraption, too, required coal.


    In any case, some guessed it was a device for burning something, but with those huge moving parts added, everyone became perplexed: they all knew that to fully understand what this thing was for, they only needed to wait for Tang Mo to start it up.


    Roger finally found a screwdriver, tightened theponents, then took another part from Mathews, "No idea, but the boss thinks this thing is very important."


    "Enough talking, get back to work!" Mathews worked with a very serious focus.


    It was at this moment that Roger asked him, "I say, you Dwarfs... do you all keep such big tufts of beard?"


    "If you showed the slightest bit of respect for your elders while working, your skills wouldn''t be so poor!" Mathews, visibly irritated, puffed out his beard and red as he shouted.


    Just as Roger was about to respond and continue teasing him, he looked up and saw Tang Mo approaching, and with a somewhat embarrassed smile, he said, "Boss! You''re up?"


    "Yeah, I''m up," Tang Mo replied as he walked beside Dwarf Mathews, looking up at the steam engine that was eightyersplete, and then asked Mathews, "Been busy all night?"


    "Pretty much," Mathews said, wiping his greasy hands on his clothing before handing over equally greasy schematics to Tang Mo: "We followed your instructions and rigged up a simple lever to barely get this thing installed."


    He was full of anticipation to see this device in motion, so much so that even when talking, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards the huge machine nearby: "You used so much top-quality steel, surely it won''t be a failure in the end, will it?"

 Chapter 16: The footsteps of the 16th era

    ```


    "To be honest, I don''t know either," Tang Mo sighed, "Whether this thing can operate depends entirely on the precision of your workmanship."


    He wasn''t confident about seeding on the first try either, but he could follow the diagram to find and fix whatever might be wrong with the machine.


    As long as it wasn''t too badly damaged, he was confident he could patch it up and get it running.


    And as long as it started moving, it would be hundreds, if not thousands of times better than the so-called steam engines being produced nowadays.


    "Do you know how much steel it used? The first batch of steel we delivered was almost entirely used for this thing!" Tagg, approaching from behind, said with a dark expression.


    The officer from Northern Ridge was filled with resentment towards the steel behemoth before him. So far, Tang Mo had yet to produce a single gun, and nearly all the steel had been used on this intricately built, strange contraption.


    If Tang Mo failed, it would mean that he had just stood by and watched a swindler squander all that Lord Earl had painstakingly saved.


    But he didn''t dare stop Tang Mo, as he was just an officer with absolutely no understanding of technical production.


    The problem was that on the second day after his arrival in Brunas with his men, the most technically knowledgeable of them, Mathews, had shown utmost admiration for Tang Mo and was willing to believe that he was truly innovating production technology.


    There was nothing he could do; if those who were knowledgeable about technology said so, Tagg could only shut his mouth and be careful not to jeopardize Lord Earl''s grand ns.


    Nheless, when he saw the smelting workers pouring almost all the steel ingots into molds to cast what looked like steel rods with no apparent use, his whole being felt unwell.


    For the past few days, he had been lingering around this workshop, closely watching as the workers gradually assembled the strange device.


    You should have seen it; two days ago, this device was still just a rough prototype, but today, after Mathews and Roger worked overtime, it had be incrediblyplex.


    "Trust me, if it really starts moving, everything, everything will be worth it," Tang Mo continued to reassure the confidant of Lord Earl.


    Sometimes Tang Mo felt that personal charisma was truly fascinating and interesting. Lord Earl Fisello had reduced taxes in his territory and seldom conscripted civilians, and this had indeed yielded greater benefits in some respects.


    Think about it, Wes, the Ranger from Northern Ridge, was willing to resign from his post under Baron St to send secret information to Lord Earl and seek new weapons; Tagg, far away in Brunas, was also loyally carrying out Fisello''s orders. Weren''t these people, living in their own way, endearing?


    So, Tang Mo did not resent Tagg''s dissatisfaction; he even had a small liking for it. Who wouldn''t like such loyal people?


    "Alright! Boss! This is thest internal part; I''ve just reinforced it!" Roger climbed down thedder and reported to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo nodded, smiled, and directed a familiar-looking worker who was standing aside, "Go, get the coal-burning workers! Let''s experiment and see if this steam engine can actually start turning!"


    "I hope it can start¡­" Mathews walked over to the machine and looked at theplex transmission that connected to the drilling machine, his heart filled with nervousness.


    Most of this device was made and assembled by him¡ªto connect the power supplied by the steam engine to the drilling machine, this set of transmission gears was perhaps even moreplex than the steam engine itself.


    First came aplicated gearbox made of gears and chains, which was definitely not the precise design found in car engines. But even though it was simplified to some degree, it still posed a challenge to the world''s limits of precision crafting.


    As they waited for the workers and coal, Tang Mo wasn''t idle either; he directed the workers on the scene to start pouring water into the steam engine''s tank. Since it was a steam engine, steam was the medium for transfer, and it was imperative to have water.


    Watching bucket after bucket of water being poured into the tank, Roger became nervous again. He climbed back up thedder he had just descended and started checking theponents he had installed by hand.


    He touched each one to ensure there were no issues and that they were all fixed ording to the blueprints. Only then did he start to feel somewhat relieved.


    Actually, Tang Mo was very anxious too because this was the first step in building his industrial empire. Only if he got past this step would things start to look up.


    The steam engine, the hallmark of the first industrial revolution, elerated the advancement of human industrial civilization. What was that saying again? Human civilization is all about constantly improving the boiling of water and throwing stones! And the steam engine was when humanity truly began to boil water with rity...


    "Boss!" Two workers whose clothes were almost ckened by coal dust stood hesitantly behind Tang Mo.


    Next to them were two apprentices pushing a cart. The skinny kids dressed in patched-up clothes could probably shake out half a pound of coal dust if they tried.


    "You''ve worked hard," Tang Mo, not minding the dirt, smiled at them and started giving them serious instructions.


    ```


    Actually, it''s quite simple, because Tang Mo is using improved technology, even the automatic shut-off linkage fire door has been manufactured, so the work of the coal-burning workers has be very simple.


    All they need to do is to keep shoveling coal into thebustion chamber, ensuring that the heat of thebustion chamber of this steam machine is maintained.


    "Keep a close eye on the pressure! For safety''s sake, I''ve designed three pressure gauges here, here, and here... They will reflect the pressure inside the boiler, and if any one of them reaches the red zone, we must stop! Do you understand?"


    "Understood." Roger nodded and stood in front of one of the pressure gauges.


    "Leave this to me." Mathews also took his ce in front of another gauge.


    "I, I''ll watch this one." Tagg felt he should do something to avoid wasting the Earl''s money, so he found himself a spot as well.


    As the mes in thebustion chamber began to leap fiercely, Tang Mo saw the pressure gauge closest to him tremble slightly.


    His heart also involuntarily shuddered¡ªhope was now in sight, whether they could change the world was about to be decided.


    As time passed, the huge steam machine began to turn slowly. The gigantic flywheel, like a cartwheel, alsomenced its operation.


    The piston mechanism finally went into a reciprocating cycle, and the entire machine emitted a deafening roar, making the whole workshop extremely noisy.


    In fact, the workshop had never experienced such loud noise before, but what truly amazed people wasn''t just the overwhelmingly loud noise, but theplex interlocking gear mechanisms that also began to function.


    The first gear started turning, driving anotherrge gear interlocked with it, then transmitting to yet another gear, and afterward, the chains started rotating rapidly.


    Driven by these gears, the drill bit that was supposed to bore into the gun barrel began to rotate smoothly, and without deviation.


    Amidst the noisy sounds, Mathews saw the needle of the pressure gauge in front of him pointing close to the red warning zone, but it did not increase any further. The needle jittered at the edge of the highest number as if it had a life of its own.


    Everyone was astounded by what they saw; they truly hadn''t expected that the monster they had built could move so agilely.


    The rotating flywheel was spinning rapidly, and the safety valve also spurted out a jet of steam to reduce the boiler pressure when it became too high. The entire machine''s motions were under control, as if it had its own program running smoothly.


    This is the charm of industry, the aesthetic of mechanics. When all parts move along their pre-designed trajectory, an unstoppable powerful force is transmitted, eventually bing the power needed by mankind!


    "Let it run for a while... maintain lubrication on the moving parts!" Tang Mo saw that the safety valve he had designed was functioning normally, and knew that the device wouldn''t suffer a major problem.


    It was possible that some part might break, causing the device to stall, but a dangerous explosion was definitely not going to happen.


    So he slightly rxed, then approached the drill press that was spinning steadly, and looked at the middle-aged worker standing there: "How is it?"


    This worker was the one who had scolded his apprentice earlier; he was the best drill press operator in the factory, also mentoring five apprentices.


    "It''s much better than the speed at which I drill. Manual rotation requires rest, and after a while, we have to take a break... thene back and realign, so the work process is very troublesome." The middle-aged worker said somewhat uneasily: "This machine... if it can keep rotating like this, then it really can, can rece me."


    "No, you can never be reced." Tang Mo heard the conflict and despair deep in the other''s words, patted his shoulder, and said, "Your experience is irreceable. Soon there will be many machines like this in the factory, and the quality of the gun barrels will need your oversight."


    He smiled and looked at him, seeing the other''s somewhat panicked eyes: "I''m nning to make you the production supervisor for this process."


    The man didn''t know exactly what a production supervisor was, but he knew he wouldn''t be out of a job, which was definitely good news.


    So, his face regained its shine, and he opened his mouth to say thank you to Tang Mo, but found himself choking up a bit.


    "The 10 new workers, as well as your apprentices, will all be under your management. From today on, you report to me!" Tang Mo exined the meaning of being a supervisor, immediately shocking the middle-aged man so much he forgot his sob...


    ----------


    Thank you for the Emperor''s support! Thank you very much!

 Chapter 17: 17 The real craftsman

    "Alright, Uncle Roger, Mathews! Just get a few apprentices to keep an eye on the dashboard, and you can go about your business!" After briefly delegating the tasks, Tang Mo left the newly promoted production manager to his own devices.


    This middle-aged worker named Parker had been working at the drill press for nearly ten years. Such a worker could understand the power of this automatic drilling machine even more easily than Tang Mo had imagined.


    All he had to do was mp the qualified gun barrel in the fixture, then he could wait for the drill bit toplete the work that used to take three days.


    Nothing could excite him more, especially when he knew that not only would he not be unemployed, he was about to be a "foreman," his frown turned into a foolish grin.


    Having called Roger and Mathews back, Tang Mo took them to his office. The ce was still spartan, but for Roger and Mathews, who were visiting again, it seemed to be shining with a great brilliance everywhere.


    As they entered Tang Mo''s room, Mathews described his shock to old Roger, "Can you believe it? The boss even designed a governor... With rotation and springs, precise control can be achieved... Who would believe that..."


    Mathews was truly shocked by Tang Mo''s design, because with his experience, he could tell it was an absolutely mature design once the machine started to move!


    What is a mature design? A mature design is one that has been polished and improved in every detail through long-term use and understanding!


    Theoretically, these improvements in details shoulde from discovering problems in use, then spending time to solve them, and only gradually reveal the most reasonable prototype.


    Yet the design Tang Mo presented had every one of these details considered without a single miss. It even included some ingenious designs that Mathews had never heard of, all of which were presented before his eyes!


    This situation shouldn''t have been possible, but there it was, abruptly appearing before Mathews'' eyes! So, Mathews had already begun to worship Tang Mo as the god of craftsmen in this world.


    Roger had just emerged from his shock, too, his mind still filled with the turning flywheel and the pressure relief valve that asionally emitted a puff of white steam.


    So, as he walked into the room, he eximed, "All I know is... it can keep working like this, needing just four people to shovel coal, three to watch the pressure gauge..."


    "See that? It can drive five drilling machines... By the gods above... Five apprentice workers, with just one hour of training, can easily produce gun barrels... and they can make two a day," Mathews said, stretching out his short, yet incredibly flexible and steady hand, and showing five fingers.


    "What if... we had two steam engines?" Tang Mo walked over to the corner, took a cup from the box of ale shipped from Northern Ridge, and ced it on the pile of steam engine blueprints.


    Mathews didn''t know whether tough orin, his humming voice changing in tone, "Damn it... Let Shireck go to hell... I''m spending my life here, not going anywhere else! He''s the god of craftsmen, I really mean it."


    "We just need to make dozens of these steam engines, and we could monopolize the entire Kingdom''s weapon production... not to speak of producing 300 gun barrels a month, as long as we have enough machines, I can make 1000!" Roger added excitedly.


    "You all need to take a break." Tang Mo continued to bend over, lifted a bottle of ale from the wooden crate in the corner, and pulled off the wooden stopper: "Take the day off, get a good night''s sleep! Then we''ll replicate today''s sess!"


    "I feel like I don''t need any rest at all! I''ve never felt as good as I do now," Mathews said with a resonant voice.


    He was brimming with energy, having witnessed the birth of a miracle with his own eyes.


    "Things don''t happen overnight." Tang Mo poured ale into three cups and handed one to Roger and another to Mathews, "Rest well, for better work tomorrow."


    "I''ve quit," Mathews didn''t take the cup of ale from Tang Mo. Although from the look in his eyes, Tang Mo could tell he actually quite wanted to take that cup.


    Tang Mo readily retracted the cup, simply asking curiously, "When?"


    "Just now! I need to make sure my hands are still this steady in five years," the old Dwarf waved his two hands in front of his eyes, "I''ve seen too much in my life, but none so marvelous as these past few days! I don''t want to miss anything, so I need to keep myself in shape."


    "Ha, not a bad idea," Tang Mo chuckled, raising his own cup in a toasting gesture to the two men, "To today''s sess!"


    "To the workshop!" Roger lifted his cup in front of him, swishing it a bit, then downed the ale in one gulp¡ªhe really felt like drinking something, his heart full of excitement.


    ```


    "Whates next will be much easier, as long as we can produce enough steam engines, we''ll be able to save onbor and manufacture more parts at a faster pace." The industrial mother machines that Tang Mo needed, driven by steam engines, would soon be able to produce moreponents.


    By assembling these parts, more machines could be made. With more machines, Tang Mo could expand his production at an even faster rate.


    This is the self-reproduction of industry, which can be described as geometric growth! Once this trend starts, it won''t stop until it elevates the''s productive capacity to the limits of industrial production.


    "After a good rest, let''s figure out how to use the current steam engine power to connect more sophisticated machine tools and produce steam engineponents at an even faster rate," Tang Mo also drained his ss in one go and then shared his vision of a bright future with the two men.


    "Compared to workers, these machines are the true artisans of this era! They don''t ck off, don''t need rest, just proper maintenance and they can keep on working! As long as we have plenty of coal and water, enough raw materials like steel, we can continuously produce the products we want!" He ced the wine ss back on the table and excitedly said, "Soon you will find...


    the times have changed!"


    When Tang Mo saw his own steam engine truly in motion, all his ns fell into ce.


    He could nowfortably produce his own industrial mother machines,fortably produce more mechanical equipment, and effortlessly fulfill Lord Earl''s orders.


    With a never-ending stream of orders, he would have even more resources to invest inrger production¡ªa virtuous cycle was beginning, and Tang Mo''s power would grow stronger over time!


    Roger was startled when he heard this, but then he understood all that Tang Mo was saying. These machines, increasingly agile, would make production easier and quality control more precise.


    Although hand-crafted items actually have higher precision, their production speed limits the scale of handmade manufacturing! Once machines be widespread, manufacturing bes simple.


    Mathews also understood Tang Mo''s words. Bing an artisan wasn''t a threat to him because he knew his hands were much more flexible than any machine.


    And the machinery of this era was not yet as revolutionary as five-axis machine tools; no matter how exquisite, they were simply rotating and cutting¡ªultimately, it was still human hands that were needed to create individualponents¡­


    "Oh!" While they spoke, the workers outside let out cheers. After several minutes of uninterrupted rotation without any malfunctions, they finally confirmed a fact: the device before them was indeed a sess.


    The cheers formed a continuous wave that made the workshop even louder. The roaring of the machines, coupled with the workers'' cheers, filled the workshop with life.


    Next, it was time to tackle the issue of bullets, Tang Mo thought tentatively. Bullets in this era were actually quite dangerous, prone to idental discharge, often wounding the user before anyone else, and were not widely embraced.


    The fool willing to tuck a pistol under their arm had not yet appeared, naturally, there wouldn''t be madmen who stuffed their pockets full of bullets either.


    Besides the risk of idental discharge causing injury, the bullets of the time were also unreliable. Apart from the carefully hand-crafted high-quality control bullets, mass-produced rounds frequently failed to fire.


    On the battlefield, if a unit of 1000 soldiers with flintlock guns could fire only 900 bullets, it wasn''t something embarrassing; on the contrary, it was a glory that suggested well-trained troops and well-maintained weapons!


    Every soldier on the battlefield was tense, so it was no surprise that idents could happen. Some soldiers had bullets get stuck in their gun barrels with the first shot, then kept loading and firing until the barrel was jam-packed with bullets.


    However, Tang Mo felt it was time to change this state of affairs. He nned to teach these simpletons from another world a lesson with the force of mechanical industry, showing them what near wless quality control really meant!


    Once machinesrgely reced human hands, it would be possible to control the quality of products, and the bullets would be reliable.


    Northern Ridge had coal, Northern Ridge had iron! With coal and steel, Tang Mo was confident in building a qualified army for this era!


    Once Earl Ronin Fisallo won the imminent war with the K1 Quick Gun, the fame of Tang Weapons would be well known to all.


    By that time, opponents would genuinely take his existence seriously, and likewise, by then, Tang Mo would be able to boldly stand before the Shireck Consortium and face the uing storm.


    ---------


    Um, thanks to Teacher Zhang... um, I''m feeling so bashful...


    ```

 Chapter 18: 18 confidential

    When Tang Mo saw Tagg again, the military officer dressed in bright yellow was somewhat shyly bowing his head as he admitted his mistake, "I have to admit, I misunderstood you; I''m sorry, Mr. Tang Mo, I''m here to apologize to you."


    He was a confidant of Lord Earl Fisheo, so he had always stood from Lord Fisheo''s perspective, monitoring Tang Mo''s every move.


    Previously, he didn''t understand the technology at all, so even if he had doubted Tang Mo''s actions, he didn''t have a good way to deal with him.


    Now, having witnessed with his own eyes how the enormous machine Tang Mo had created could indeed rece manualbor in drilling gun barrels, he realized he had misunderstood the young weapons manufacturer.


    Tang Mo smiled and waved his hand, indicating it didn''t matter to him, "That''s nothing; you were just being loyal to your duty."


    He actually really liked the soldier before him¡ªloyal and honest; he was the perfect subordinate.


    It was unfortunate that this subordinate belonged to Earl Fisheo; he could only admire him, but not possess him. However, Tang Mo still believed that one day he would have a group of subordinates as loyal as Tagg.


    Tagg, looking at Tang Mo''s smile, nodded slightly in gratitude, "Thank you for understanding, sir. I think with such... such a magnificent machine, you will definitely be able to fulfill your promise to the Earl."


    The steam machine that was constantly operating had driven two machine tools, which had drilled two qualified gun barrels in the past day.


    It should be noted that this was still the experimental stage; if the machine were to operate at full capacity, it was estimated that it could produce ten gun barrels a day.


    However, there were also problems. The estimated smoke emissions were somewhat miscalcted, and the chimney had been built too short in the rush to finish, causing the entire factory to be filled with the strong smell of coal smoke.


    Tang Mo pointed to the steam machine that was still working tirelessly nearby and said to Tagg, "Yes, I n to continue manufacturing such machinery in the next half month, and then start producing the weapons that Lord Earl needs."


    Tagg was taken aback as he had thought that as soon as Tang Mo had manufactured this machine, he would start building the weapons required by the Earl the next day.


    But from Tang Mo''s words, it seemed he nned to continue making simr machines before producing the weapons and equipment that the Earl needed.


    This oue almost made him want to say something, but looking at Tang Mo''s face, he opened his mouth and ended up saying as if possessed, "Then, that''s really great."


    "I hope everything goes smoothly." Tang Mo saw that Tagg did not criticize his production n, and the smile on his face grew even more.


    He pped Tagg on the shoulder and began to persuade gently, "I hope you can help me with some things, Tagg."


    "I will do my best," Tagg said, taken aback. Then he nodded and supported Tang Mo. For him, helping Tang Mo start production as soon as possible was his greatest loyalty to the Earl.


    "First, I need a sufficient supply of steel. Although I have bought up almost all the steel thates from the sea, the quality of these metal materials varies... We needrge quantities of high-quality steel, an unending supply of it." Tang Mo raised a finger as he spoke to Tagg.


    Tagg knew that Tang Mo''s production of new equipment had already used arge amount of steel; if he didn''t get enough steel soon, there wouldn''t be enough steel for producing gun barrels.


    To ensure that Tang Mo could start production quickly and supply the Earl with high-quality weapons, Tagg decided he must aid in acquiring what he wanted right away, "I understand; I will immediately send people to contact Lord Earl to arrange for as much steel as possible."


    "Also, I need some Gold Coins. As you have seen, I need to purchase thend around us to build more factories," Tang Mo said while hooking Tagg''s shoulder, walking out of the factory, pointing at a row of wooden houses that had begun construction.


    In those times, everyone''s economic situation wasn''t very good; having a row of wooden houses to live in was actually quite a decent situation.


    But these were just the workers'' dormitories, temporarily built wooden houses in the pursuit of progress. What Tang Mo really wanted was bigger factory buildings that could amodate more equipment.


    So he continued to say to Tagg, "The old factory is no longer suitable. The new factory needs more space and taller chimneys... cough cough... The chimneys are too short. If we don''t want to be suffocated here, we need morend and taller chimneys."


    Feigning a cough, Tang Mo expressed his firm determination to improve the living environment andmit to an environmental revolution.


    Before Tagg coulde to his senses, Tang Mo continued on his own, "And I want to build more dormitories. If possible, I hope to bring all the families of the factory over and settle them together! This is to let our workers work better! It''s one of our factory''s welfare benefits."


    "These good welfare benefits require more buildings; constructing houses costs money, a great deal of money," he concluded after a lengthy exnation. With one hand hooked over Tagg''s shoulder, he made a gesture of counting money in front of Tagg, speaking with deliberate exaggeration.


    "I don''t understand, my lord. If we expedite the work, maintaining the current pace should suffice. Why should you need to build so many houses?" Tagg felt he was struggling to keep up with Tang Mo''s line of thought and posed the question.


    Tang Mo was taken aback; he hadn''t expected the other party to raise doubts after such a spiel, so he continued to persuade with earnestness, "Tagg! Tagg! My dear Tagg! Everything here is new¡ªmy equipment, our secrets... Sooner orter, people outside will find out. What do you think we should do to keep it a secret, to have outsiders learn of it aste as possible?"


    As soon as Tang Mo brought up secrecy, Tagg instantly understood¡ªit was closely rted to his military expertise, making it easy for him to grasp what Tang Mo was getting at.


    Of course, that was what he thought, and Tang Mo certainly wasn''t going to reveal his true intentions, so Tagg nodded in agreement, believing he had figured it out, "I understand, my lord. You want to keep things secret! Alright then, I will do my utmost to fulfill your request."


    "Purchasingnd requires Gold Coins, building houses requires Gold Coins, and paying workers'' sries requires Gold Coins, so we may not have enough Gold Coins," Tang Mo listed his financial needs while counting on his fingers.


    Tagg felt a bit sheepish but still did his best to satisfy Tang Mo''s requests, "I will convey your requests to Lord Earl as soon as possible."


    "There''s no need to rush that. Where were we? Oh, right¡ªI need to purchase the surroundingnd, a vast amount of it," Tang Mo abruptly returned to discussing the matter ofnd acquisition, "I hope to buy up arge tract of cheapnd closer to the Vicious Forest, since that area isn''t considered particrly desirable, being far from Brunas andrgely wastnd."


    Tang Mo wanted to expand his factory, which required extensivend. He intended to build his own arsenal empire, thus needing a moreplete industry chain.


    ording to Tang Mo''s n, his first step was to ensure safe passage between his location and the Northern Ridge, so he prepared to buy the needednd in the direction of the Northern Ridge.


    On one hand, he required the port of Brunas to serve his needs¡ªtransporting and stocking up on more goods, including a considerable amount of steel from sea transport and fishery products.


    On the other hand, he also nned to explore timber resources of the Vicious Forest. With this timber, he could further expand his production and build more factories.


    Between these raw material sources and the port, he needed a lot ofnd to construct his industrial empire¡ªincluding numerous dormitories, factory buildings, and agriculturalnds.


    He would nt cotton here; the climate was very suitable for it. Previously, due to the sparse poption and the cost of cultivation, nobody supported the venture, but now he was ready to spare no expense to transform the ce into a genuine utopian retreat.


    These empty spaces would be pig bristle farms,rge smelting centers, and factory areas with chimneys lined up in session.


    In the midst of these factories would be schools for cultivating talent, markets filled with stockpiled goods, and worker dormitories that were tidy and hygienically maintained.


    He wanted to turn this ce into an industrial base even more spectacr than Germany''s Ruhr district, stretching north to Wolf City, south into the mountains, backed by the Endless Sea, and facing the vast Leite ins.


    Enveloped by Tang Mo''s embrace and overwhelmed by his requests, Tagg responded subconsciously, "I think that could be possible."


    "You had bettere with me. The Sheriff and Mayor of Brunas may not be so easy to talk to," Tang Mo continued.


    Tagg naturally nodded in agreement, "I will make them see reason."


    "That would be most fortunate. Additionally, I need leather workers, pig bristle processors, and it would be best to have doctors...," Tang Mo spoke excitedly.


    "Are you nning to build your own town, my lord?" Tagg felt he might have agreed to too much, giving Tang Mo an incorrect estimate of the Earl''s support.


    In fact, the Earl''s influence really was quite limited beyond the Vicious Forest, so using his name might not carry much weight here.


    Of course, he couldn''t possibly tell Tang Mo that the Lord Earl''s name essentially carried no weight here, and that it would be better to be forthright...


    "Roughly speaking, I want my workers to be able to buy food and necessities in my factory, to see their wives, to raise their children..." Tang Mo felt Tagg was quite astute; he had even thought of a town.


    At that point, Tang Mo paused abruptly, and then he found a new angle, "Speaking of children... I should build a school here. The children should learn to read; they should be educated. If you can find some teachers, that would be better yet."

 Chapter 19: 19 expansion plan

    "How could I possibly find you a suitable teacher? Even the Earl can''t handle everything for you! The amount of money you''ve estimated for your rifle purchases is unlikely to support such a vast n."


    "You''re right, I may have been a bit too optimistic." Tang Mo also felt that expecting a poor officer to manage all these affairs was asking too much.


    Even though Lord Earl does have a high reputation in Northern Ridge and strong ruling power, Tang Mo knew that he was in Brunas¡ªLord Earl''s influence couldn''t reach that far.


    Moreover, for his own considerations, he didn''t want toy all his cards out under Lord Earl''s eyes.


    Although their current cooperation was indeed stable and pleasant, who knew what it would develop into in the future?


    At this thought, Tang Mo realized there were still so many tasks he needed to concern himself with, and many things he had to start preparing for right now.


    After all, some things could be expedited, while others had no choice but to rely on time to build.


    For example, if Tang Mo wanted to establish apetent intelligencework, he would need to discreetly recruit people and patiently build it bit by bit.


    Inparison, building a primary school was a much simpler task for Tang Mo. It didn''t require a huge investment; just some wooden houses and a few recruited teachers would suffice.


    These days, the pay for elementary school teachers was rather ordinary, and education formoners wasn''t highly valued, so poaching a few teachers to instruct wasn''t difficult.


    Tang Mo had already made up his mind to build a school because he knew that to make a stand in this world, he needed to nurture a group of people who could understand him!


    In his n, establishing factories required arge number of talents, a vast quantity of literate people capable of evolving themselves into modern industrial talents!


    Moreover, it wasn''t just about manufacturing talents, but also a multitude of management talents to run his factories and keep up with his thought process.


    Plus, intelligence talents to build the informationwork he needed, andbat talents to protect his industries...


    All these talents needed to be nurtured by himself. This wasn''t the 21st-century Earth, an era where college graduates were abundant and easily called upon.


    So, he could only cultivate these talents himself, carefully nurturing them, patiently watering them, and waiting for these seeds to take root and sprout, eventually growing into towering trees that could weather any storm.


    Tang Mo did not wish, years or even decades from now, when he was selling fighter jets, to have to go to the customers himself to serve as a training instructor.


    His military empire would continue to develop and at some point, advance rapidly¡ªthis world couldn''t keep up with his pace of development, so he had to drag the entire world forward in a sprint.


    But he couldn''t cover everything by himself, so he needed countless people who could act on his behalf, and right now, he didn''t have a single one of them!


    Whether it was Mathews or Roger, none met Tang Mo''s criteria. Such people might be highly loyal subordinates in the future, but like the rest of the world, they couldn''t keep pace with Tang Mo''s progress.


    Tang Mo was confident he could pull them forward. He could personally turn Dwarf Mathews into a technical master, and he could transform Roger into a trusted lieutenant, but he didn''t have the time to mold everyone he encountered into the shape he needed.


    Therefore, he needed schools¡ªa lot of them, of various kinds¡ªto help him quickly train the talents he required.


    He muttered quietly to himself, no longer demanding Tagg help him build the school: "However, I should get a school set up. That''s something I must do! In my factories, everyone should be literate and understand various principles!"


    After making up his mind to establish a school, he turned to look at Tagg as if he were looking at a fat sheep ready for ughter: "Come with me, Tagg! The first thing we need to sort out is thend! Once we have that, most issues can be easily resolved!"


    Now, he was going to, under Lord Earl''s banner, acquire arge expanse of cheapnd between Brunas and Vicious Forest, to be used for future expansion and growth.


    He even wanted to buy a piece ofnd by the sea, to build his own port if possible in the future, and expand overseas trade.


    In short, what he needed to do now was to spend lots of money briskly to expand his power as fast as possible, even if just a little bit!


    "Wes!" Tang Mo called for his current head of security before leaving. This Ranger from Northern Ridge might not have a very high degree of loyalty, but to Tang Mo, he was a much better option than Tagg.


    At least Wes was nominally his person, while Tagg was, nominally, one of Earl Fisello''s subordinates...


    "Boss!" Wes, chatting with a few soldiers of the Earl at the doorway, immediately rushed over upon hearing Tang Mo''s summons.


    "We''re going to visit Brunas''s mayor and the sheriff... Prepare the carriage!" Tang Mo instructed Wes.


    "All right! I''ll go now." Wes nodded and headed toward his house to fetch his weapon, guessing that Tang Mo was preparing to impress others through borrowed authority when he saw Tagg, hence his action.


    If the intent was to intimidate and show off, then surely one must bring the appropriate props. Clearly, in this era, the most terrifying prop was none other than the musket.


    "You lot, follow me!" Tagg too realized that if this was merely a business talk, Tang Mo wouldn''t have needed him toe along. He might be straightforward, but he wasn''t foolish, so he quickly grasped Tang Mo''s intent.


    Attempting to acquire arge amount ofnd and building materials with the existing gold coins was clearly an impossible task.


    Therefore, it was necessary to fly the Lord Earl''s banner and find a way to make one Gold Coin seem like two or even three in value.


    Since one of his purposes here was to help Tang Mo settle some troubles, Tagg felt it was time to make his presence known.


    All the previous requests from Tang Mo could only bemunicated to the Earl by writing letters, but this time it was clear he had the capability to settle matters himself, which invigorated him greatly.


    Before long, Tang Mo''s carriage appeared on the streets within Brunas Town, but what was different this time was the six soldiers bearing flintlock guns following behind the carriage.


    Tagg rode on his warhorse, with two subordinates carrying wolf banners behind him. The whole procession wasn''t exactly monumental, but it certainly attracted attention in the bustling town.


    Seldom would such a troupe grace Brunas; in some ways, the town was almost defenseless.


    Most of the Leite Kingdom''s Navy was deployed near therger southern ports, with Brunas serving more as a fishing task force.


    The Suthers Kingdom, hostile to the Leite Kingdom, could not attack Brunas from the sea, so the Kingdom didn''t station heavy troops there either.


    Even from a distance, one could hear the raucous cries from the market: "tbreads! Get your cheap tbreads!" "Apples! Delicious apples!"


    These cries were endearing and lent the town a vibrant atmosphere. Leaning in his carriage, Tang Mo closed his eyes and seemed even more peaceful and at ease.


    Tagg, atop his warhorse, nced sideways at the marketce''s lush activity. People hawked their wares under the low stone buildings, not very tall and cobbled together from piles of stone.


    Dried salted fish hung from wooden racks, these itemsing from the nearby coastal viges. Also visible were traders from distantnds, hawking tropical fruits in their hands.


    Some led livestock, others pulled carts; the crowded streets nked by stone-built buildings¡ªbefore his transition, Tang Mo had seen these kinds of narrow streets in Western cities, disorganized and antiquated.


    A typical city design constructed for the sake of defensive alley fighting, which after years of development, was crammed with many meaningless civilian buildings.


    Mainly made of stone, walls and houses had wooden extensions for residences. Some windows were draped with drying furs, and some walls had protruding carvings¡ªsimple faces or beast heads, not at all refined.


    People crowded together, steps were densely packed and not very practical; sanitary conditions were subpar. The odorous ditches stretching along the walls on either side of the street were enough to spot rats scurrying by swiftly.


    As the crowd on the streets saw Tang Mo''s procession, the atmosphere seemed to turn heavy.


    The cloud of war had been hanging over everyone''s heads recently, filling them with fear of the impending conflict.


    The sudden appearance of a troop of soldiers in town naturally put the folks on edge. Everyone was on tenterhooks, fearing the soldiers hade to conscript or bring bad news.


    The townsfolk curiously watched the striking procession stop in front of the town''s most well-appointed greyish-white stone office building.


    Called an office building, it was but two stories tall and not overly impressive. The tax office and sheriff''s office were crammed in here, and the town mayor handled official business as well.


    In fact, there was a jail behind it for temporarily detaining criminals. A corridor connected the jail to the office building, overlooking a T-shaped structure.


    When the wolf banner, representing Earl Fisello, stopped at the entrance, the two town guards were clueless about what was happening.


    They watched, somewhat bewildered, as Tagg dismounted from his horse and then opened the carriage door, following which they saw a familiar face step out of the carriage.


    "Whatever I sayter, don''t interject, understand?" Tang Mo once again cautioned Tagg.


    ---------


    Thanks to the potato who likes coffee, thank you for your support!

 Chapter 20: 20" Fox borrows the tigers might

    "I understand." Tagg knew he wasn''t cut out for business dealings, so he felt that in this situation, it was more reliable to listen to Tang Mo.


    After all, he had witnessed Tang Mo negotiate with the Lord Earl, and it was truly the epitome of a merchant''s demeanor. Penny-pinching, unbudging...


    "Mr. Tang Mo..." The guards at the door wanted to scold Tang Mo as usual, but when they saw Tagg, dressed in an officer''s uniform, standing by Tang Mo''s side with a respectful demeanor, they immediately swallowed what they were about to say. Thetter half of their sentence naturally transformed into the word "sir."


    "I wish to see the town mayor¡­" Tang Mo waved at the guards at the door, an indifferent expression on his face.


    This was his first encounter with them since crossing over. It seemed these two guards hadn''t refrained from causing trouble for the original owner of Tang Mo''s body.


    He was now representing the Lord Earl, so there was no reason to be pleasant to two little gatekeepers. Sometimes, a superior''s arrogant and indifferent attitude could instill a sense of reverence in the petty.


    If Tang Mo were genial to these two guards, how would he manage to... ahem! How would he negotiate when meeting with the town mayor?


    Sure enough, after seeing Tang Mo''s imposing manner, one of the guards didn''t show any sign of annoyance and obligingly went to pass on Tang Mo''s message.


    When the town mayor of Brunas heard of Tang Mo''s visit, he was clearly taken aback. Of course, he recognized Tang Mo who had been rooted in Brunas for a long time, but he truly couldn''t fathom what Tang Mo would want with him for no good reason.


    Keep in mind, the taxes for this year were exacted from Tang Mo several months ago, and it was said that the weapon workshop wasn''t doing well. As the town mayor headed to the reception room where Tang Mo was waiting, he pondered the purpose of Tang Mo''s visit.


    When he saw Wes and Tagg standing beside Tang Mo, his perplexity reached its peak.


    He really couldn''t figure out why Tang Mo woulde to him bringing an officer and a ranger who appeared somewhat disreputable.


    However, he quickly adjusted his demeanor and sat down next to Tang Mo with an expressionless face, asking, "So it''s you, I heard that an officer from Wolf City had arrived and wondered who it could be."


    "Indeed it''s me. This is Captain Tagg from Wolf City, and this time, Ie on behalf of Lord Earl Fisello of Wolf City to discuss some matters with you," Tang Mo said casually with a smile, carelessly unting Earl Fisello''s name.


    The town mayor wasn''t easily intimidated by this show of strength, for most of the time the area was under Baron St''s control and had little to do with the Lord Earl of Northern Ridge.


    Since he wasn''t governed by the Lord Earl, he didn''t need to show deference, so the town mayor also spoke in a casual tone, "Since you''re here on behalf of the Lord Earl, speak up. What exactly brings you here this time..."


    "I want to purchase all thend in the southern part of the town, farmhouses, estates, and some of the residences within the town," Tang Mo stated calmly, ncing at the town mayor and then at Tagg, who stood by.


    No sooner had he spoken than Tagg''s hands, sped behind his back, began to tremble involuntarily ¡ª because he was acutely aware that the money in Tang Mo''s possession was nowhere near enough to buy arge expanse of proper farnd.


    If he bought only a few pieces of farnd that couldn''t be connected to the weapon workshop, wouldn''t that money be squandered?


    Therefore, he looked towards Tang Mo, making an effort to hold back a look of surprise, fearing that the town mayor sitting next to Tang Mo might notice his expression and uncover Tang Mo''s lie.


    Nevertheless, he overestimated the town mayor, who was immediately startled by Tang Mo''s words and had no time to observe the expressions of Tagg, his attendant.


    The town mayor contradicted with rm, "That''s impossible, much of thatnd is privately owned!"


    "The Earl hopes to acquire some properties here... so he entrusted me with full authority... to negotiate with you..." Tang Mo nced at Tagg, who was resting his hand on the hilt of his firearm, and at Wes standing beside Tagg, seemingly threatening implicitly.


    Both men were veterans of bloodshed, with lives on their conscience, and the murderous aura they exuded made the town mayor swallow hard.


    The further south in town, thend naturally became more expensive. After all, the south was home to fertile fields and tnds worth investing in.


    Although some had been bought by the nobility, there was still plenty belonging to the town, or rather, to the kingdom.


    But whether it was the town mayor or other local officials, none were willing to sell thesends to the Earl of Northern Ridge because if thends were left vacant, freemen who cultivated them would have to pay taxes ¡ª and these taxes were the main source of illicit ie for them.


    If thesends were sold to a powerful Earl, then they wouldn''t dare to exploit, extort, or ckmail. The difference between the positive and negative amounts would be much too significant.


    That''s why if there is even the slightest chance, neither the town mayor, the sheriff, nor the tax collector would sell thesends of interest to nobility with whom they have weak ties.


    Moreover, to maintain the Kingdom''s basic structure of stability, there is an unspoken understanding among the nobility that once one possesses about half of the fertilend in a ce, other nobles will no longer purchasend there.


    This doesn''t mean that these greedy nobles understand the destructive impact ofnd consolidation; it''s that they want to ensure they leave a share of the benefits for the local governing officials to secure their support and maintain their rule.


    Therefore, in this world, most peasants are still tenants, the only difference being whether they till thend for nobles or for officials.


    As for the free men who own theirnds, either they have long been pushed to inferiornds to eke out a living, or they can only hope to encounter a good noble lord.


    Northern Ridge is a good example, where Earl Fisello has been managing through generations withoutnd consolidation. With his good governance and exemption from harsh taxes and levies, the standard of living for the farmers there is notably higher than in other territories.


    "You know, Lord Earl''s Northern Ridge is right at the center of the conflict. Once the Suthers Kingdom''s army marches southward, Northern Ridge will be the first to bear the brunt and will surely be a battlefield. If we win, that''s one thing, but if we lose...


    Lord Earl needs a ce to seek refuge¡­" Tang Mo continued to persuade with his reasoning, as if he hadn''t heard the town mayor''s refusal at all.


    "I understand all you''re saying, but as you''ve seen, there really isn''t any excessnd avable to sell to Lord Earl here," the town mayor said resolutely, clenching his teeth.


    Ridiculous, to sell out interests that are already in his grasp for the sake of a noble far away in the sky¡ªthat would be the real foolishness.


    "Town Mayor¡­" Tang Mo intentionally nced at Tagg standing beside him, as well as at the equally formidable Wes, and called out to the town mayor.


    "What is it?" The town mayor nced at Tang Mo and asked.


    He deliberately lowered his voice, as if to let Tagg and Wes overhear, and whispered into the town mayor''s ear, "Let''s not beat around the bush; do you know how much money I spent to get thismission from the Earl?"


    "What''s that got to do with me...?" The town mayor snorted coldly and counter-asked.


    Tang Mo then continued, as if threading a threat into the statement of fact, "Making it hard for me means I can''t recover my investment, resulting in a lose-lose scenario and we''ll all struggle to save face."


    "Hmph! Do you think you can actually do anything to me?" The town mayor said with disdain. The Lord Earl was not someone he could afford to offend, but a mere hanger-on in Brunas, wasn''t he easy to deal with?


    "I indeed can''t do anything to you¡­ But you''ve seen it yourself, I didn''te here to carry out the Earl''s errand alone; I also brought the Earl''s soldiers... If I can''t aplish the task, then I won''t be able to share the rewards with them¡­" Tang Mo tightened his fist, raised his thumb, and gestured at Wes and Tagg behind him, speaking word by word.


    After saying that, he added, "Being unable to share the rewards means everyone will report yourck of cooperation to Lord Earl. While the Earl may not be able to trouble you directly, if things turn sour, it will be easy to dig up some dirt on you... You know how easy that is, and then to escte the matter to the King. I presume, Mayor, that wouldn''t be pleasant for you, right?"


    "You! You dare to threaten me?" The town mayor furrowed his brow, ring at Tang Mo, with a semnce of grinding his teeth.


    "No, no, no! How could this be a threat? I am simply stating some facts," Tang Mo exined waving his hands.


    The town mayor''s heart eased slightly, but his facial expression remained unchanged, still displeased he asked, "Then what do you propose?"


    "I''m just here on an errand; what Lord Earl wants... is a piece ofnd." Tang Mo said, pointing at himself, "Whether thend is good or its location, Lord Earl can''t see it, and won''t likelye to inspect it himself anytime soon... It''s only me, and these soldiers who can see¡­ understand?"


    "Hmm?" The town mayor, also keenly astute in matters of greed, caught on and with an elongated voice, nced at Tang Mo.


    "If we buy only goodnd and grand houses... the money the Earl gave us will barely suffice, even slightly short... Where''s the benefit in that? And how could these brothers get their share?" Tang Mo hinted under his breath at the stiff and frustrated Tagg, speaking softly to the town mayor.


    The town mayor nodded to indicate for Tang Mo to continue. He sensed an aroma ofpromise, a vor of operability, in Tang Mo''s words.


    ---------


    Thank you, Your Majesty~~ Hmm, continue with the awkward smile, hehe, hehehehe...

 Chapter 21: 21 not a single word of truth

    ```


    "So naturally, I would pick some of the less desirablends to purchase, you would get a cut, I would get a cut, and the soldiers below us would have something to skim...naturally, everyone would be overjoyed, right?" Tang Mo continued to exin.


    "Hmm... Now that you put it that way, I understand." The town mayor''s expression eased considerably, and he nodded slightly in praise of Tang Mo, "I could tell from the start that you are very sensible, young man with boundless potential."


    You just heard about the cut, so now I''m the young man with boundless potential, huh? Tang Mo cynicallymented to himself in his heart.


    However, he still maintained a smile, extended a finger, and made a promise, "Once the job is done, I''ll give you this amount!"


    "..." Seeing the gesture Tang Mo made with his lips, the mayor''s heart skipped a beat. That was a hundred Gold Coins! He''d have to...no, he''d have to struggle for an entire year to make that much in under-the-table ie!


    It wasn''t as though the Shireck Consortium only gave Baron St a yearly profit of 150 Gold Coins. As the mayor of this small town, he could barely scrape together 100 Gold Coins after a year of hard work. Now he had a chance to double that ie; how could he not be tempted?


    "Let''s hear the specifics, see if I can help the Lord Earl resolve his dilemma..." The mayor implied something more in his remarks.


    "I''ll buy to the north! Towards the direction of the Vicious Forest, buying up the wastnds, forestnds... How about it?" Tang Mo finally revealed his true purpose.


    The mayor was taken aback for a moment, then his face showed a satisfied smile, "Good! I knew since you were paying to sort out this matter, you definitely had a way to make that money back..."


    If it were the fertilends to the south, the manors and such, he could not ept. Because that was his profit, and it was also for him to control the Sheriff and the tax officials, and to support himself.


    But thends to the north were different; mostly non-arable and untible, and too unsafe being next to the Vicious Forest, so few people were interested in them.


    Suchnds being idle were just as well; being able to sell them for a good sum, he was like turning waste into treasure, gaining an advantage other mayors couldn''t.


    He paused, then feigned contemtion before continuing to agree with Tang Mo, "Sure, if it''s those ownerlessnds to the north, I can decide to sell them to the Lord Earl."


    As he spoke, he nced at the man dressed as a military officer standing behind Tang Mo, who had remained quiet. Seeing no dissatisfaction on the man''s face, he knew that these soldiers had apparently been "bought over" by Tang Mo, the cunning businessman.


    This made him even more reassured because it meant that those below were in collusion, and under such circumstances, the nobility above were often deceived by their subordinates for a time.


    "Just one thing!" But he leaned towards Tang Mo and raised a seemingly worrisome question, "What if the Earl finds out about this...?"


    "Don''t you worry... Mr. Mayor." Tang Mo didn''t give him the chance to drive up the price and assured boldly, "By the time the Earl loses Northern Ridge and has to flee here... will he still have the mood to trouble us?"


    "Err... Haha!" The mayor was startled, then burst into loudughter. He pointed at Tang Mo and praised satisfactorily, "Why didn''t I realize earlier that you''re such an interesting person?"


    "Now tell me, how much does the Lord Earl n to spend to buy this wastnd... ah no, to buy thisnd?" After hisughter, he asked Tang Mo.


    Hearing the mayor''s question, Tang Mo stretched out six fingers, "600 Gold Coins! To purchase... all thend between Brunas and the Vicious Forest!"


    Tagg, standing to the side, was truly impressed this time. Since Tang Mo hade in, he had been beating around the bush, talking nonsense, and till now, there wasn''t a single truth in his words!


    Even the earnest "600 Gold Coins" that Tang Mo had just mentioned was, in fact, aplete lie!


    Because what others didn''t know, Tagg knew very well! Tang Mo had at most about 500 Gold Coins in hand that he could use, where would he find another 100 to buynd?


    How much in Gold Coins does Tang Mo have in his hands? Or rather, how much money does he truly have now? Let''s do a simple calction.


    Logically, he went to see Ronin Fisallo, the Earl, and received an offer on the new weapons bounty, totaling 500 Gold Coins. Out of this, he promised Wes two-tenths, which meant he had 400 Gold Coins left in hand.


    On the other hand, he also signed an agreement with the Earl to sell the K1 Quick Guns, in which the Earl would purchase 500 Quick Guns, and potentially another 1000ter.


    This deal included 100,000 rounds for the K1 Quick Guns, plus an additional agreement that might see a further 100,000 rounds ordered.


    ording to Tang Mo''s pricing, this batch of arms was actually quite a sum ¡ª just the K1 Quick Guns and their equipment amounted to 7500 Gold Coins, and with bullets valued at 3000 Gold Coins, Tang Mo would see an ie of over 10,000 Gold Coins in one go.


    ```


    If this were the past, such arge sum of money would have been enough for Tang Mo to support his entire workshop for a very long time.


    But in fact, this money was not Tang Mo''s profit; it was only gross profit, not profit¡ªproducing these munitions required raw materials andbor costs, so Tang Mo''s actual ie had to be discounted.


    Even so, this was already a considerable ie. However, up to now, the amount of gold coins Tang Mo had actually received was only a little over 1100.


    Previously, the gold coins Tang Mo brought back from the Lord Earl were actually less than 600. Afterwards, the Earl pieced together some funds and sent the money to Tang Mo.


    ording to the letter that came with the gold coins from the Lord Earl, in about ten days, the Earl would gather another 1000 gold coins and send them to Brunas.


    However, after those 1000 gold coins, it would be a short while before the Earl could find more, and most of the remaining money would only be payable after a month.


    Of course, even then, Tang Mo could not receive 10,000 gold coins¡ªmost of this money was actually converted into materials, paid to Tang Mo through a barter settlement of debt.


    That included the food, leather, timber, coal, and steel that came back with Tang Mo, as well as the subsequent provisions of food, meat, timber, coal, and steel that Northern Ridge was to supply to Tang Mo!


    So, although Tang Mo appeared very wealthy, in reality, the capital he could maneuver was not that much.


    It was unavoidable because Count Fisheo was not greedy, so he could note up with so many gold coins at once, and therefore Tang Mo could not possibly receive all the goods payment at once either.


    Actually, Tang Mo was already quite content. Being able to bring back over 1000 gold coins at once had greatly exceeded his expectations.


    Over time, a good deal of this money had already been spent. On one hand, Tang Mo had purchased arge quantity of steel and food from the port, as well as a substantial amount of leather and bristles.


    In addition to recruiting construction workers, buying construction materials, acquiring somend nearby, and paying his workers¡ªhe had already used about 300 gold coins.


    The remaining gold coins, of course, could not all be spent, as he needed to keep around 300 gold coins to hire teachers, build schools, construct new factories, and procure more steel materials.


    Therefore, the funds he could use amounted to roughly around 500 gold coins. Considering the need to reserve some gold coins for potential risks, the amount he could spend without any concerns might only be between 300 to 400 gold coins.


    It might sound like a lot, but it definitely was not. Inparison to therge plots ofnd he wanted to purchase, this money seemed somewhat insufficient from any point of view.


    The town mayor on the other side didn''t know about this, and upon hearing that there was a big spender like Tang Mo willing to help the Lord Earl buy arge piece of wastnd, he had already begun to calcte just how much he could embezzle from the deal.


    Afterward, the two of them began discussing the specific size of thend, as the gold coins in Tang Mo''s hands were not enough to buy all thend between Brunas and Vicious Forest directly.


    Therefore, which parts to take and which to leave out needed careful deliberation. Tang Mo was very familiar with the area, and the town mayor knew it like the back of his hand, so the two of them marked up the map and quickly decided on the size and location of thend.


    Tang Mo didn''t fuss about the quality of thend; he needednd to build factories and expand production. Thus, he only chose a piece ofnd next to his weapons workshop, so vast that it could truly be described as ''huge'' due to its barrenness.


    After pondering for a moment, the mayor looked up and nodded in agreement, "All right! We can sign thend sale agreement immediately!"


    "Hold on!" Of course, Tang Mo couldn''t possiblye up with 600 gold coins, so naturally, he stopped the mayor in his tracks from getting up to draft thend purchase contract and ughtering him like a fattened pig.


    "Hmm?" The mayor frowned and looked at Tang Mo.


    "My lord, part of the Earl''s gold coins are still on the way¡­ so, it will be ten dayster before I can pay you the other half of the gold coins!"


    "I thought it was something serious! You can issue an IOU! If the gold coins don''t arrive, our contract will simply be null and void¡­" The mayor said carefreely, waving his hand. He had no reason to disagree with such an arrangement; if Tang Mo couldn''t produce the final payment, he would simply take back thend and pocket a few hundred gold coins, naturally making a bit more profit.


    As expected, once he had said this, he immediately revealed a greedy smile, "However, if you are the one who breaches the contract, the first half of the payment you''ve already made is non-refundable, you know!"


    "Of course! That''s perfectly reasonable!" Tang Mo had no intention of defaulting on these 300 gold coins, so he smiled and extended his hand, shaking hands with the other party, and spoke the phrase he knew all too well, "It''s a pleasure doing business with you!"

 Chapter 22: Numerous Difficulties

    Having witnessed Tang Mo''s negotiation tactics, Tagg thought he must be wary of this man full of cunning and deceit, or as the trendy phrase goes, a "heart"-less fellow.


    This sly businessman had, from the beginning to the end, never revealed his true intentions, and eventually acquired a vast expanse of urgently needednd at an extremely low price.


    In the process, the businessman shamelessly demonstrated his bribery skills¡ªafter gifting the mayor 100 Gold Coins, he secretly handed the sheriff and the tax officer 30 Gold Coins each, making both of them readily agree to the deal.


    Then, after covertly offering another 50 Gold Coins in bribes to the mayor, His Honor "identally" misaligned a boundary on the map, giving Tang Mo arge piece of unimednd!


    The result was that, in addition to the 260 Gold Coins he paid in bribes, Tang Mo spent only 860 Gold Coins to purchase arge tract ofnd.


    Although thesends were wastnds, unsuitable for farming, for Tang Mo, who urgently needednd for expanding his factories, the sheer size of the newly acquired property enabled him to nearly do whatever he wished.


    Sitting in his carriage, holding thend deed that indicated the acreage in his trembling hands, Tang Mo was still slightly shaking.


    Indeed, he had not anticipated such arbitrariness in the handling ofnd in this world, that he had actually managed to obtain such an immense plot ofnd at such a bargain price.


    Moreover, thisnd was adjacent to the sea; if Tang Mo wished, he could even build his own private port.


    Furthermore, the remainingnds near the Vicious Forest were even farther from the town and would be even cheaper¡ªonce Tang Mopleted the arms deal with the Earl, his profits would sufficiently support his acquisition of these unimednds.


    With thisnd as support, his factory now had room to expand, and once connected to the Vicious Forest, he could even conduct business as a trading merchant, directly logging from the Vicious Forest... The advantages were numerous.


    In short, his development was now on the fast track; if all went smoothly, he could soon be thergest weapons manufacturer in the Leite Kingdom.


    But that was only if everything went smoothly... in fact, Tang Mo''s expansion was not going smoothly, because while theputer in his head could look up information, it couldn''t help hime up with a sensible development n.


    After spending his limited funds on a vast expanse ofnd, Tang Mo encountered a series of problems. Among them, the most significant was a shortage of workers.


    His development was too rapid, having swallowed too many resources he couldn''t immediately utilize¡ªthose familiar with real-time strategy games understand this well: you''ve saved up a lot of Gold Coins, only to realize you have too few people, and you''re short on corresponding lumber and oil, so your pile of Gold Coins can''t be converted into the troops you want...


    When Tang Mo returned to his office, he convened all the slightly capable subordinates under him: Old Roger, Parker, Dwarf Mathews, Tagg, and Wes.


    He reported the good news to them, "Gentlemen, we have purchased arge amount of nearbynd, which makes our future development very easy!"


    "As long as we build our factory buildings on these barrennds, we can produce our products at rates ten to a hundred times faster!" he announced excitedly to all his subordinates, as if he never worried that his products would be unseble.


    However, while everyone was buoyed by the good news, very quickly the meeting turned into a session for airing grievances.


    Roger coughed twice before saying to Tang Mo, "Our workforce is severely insufficient. The workers who came from the Northern Ridge have actually spent most of their time not engaging in production, but doing other things."


    Tang Mo listened to Roger while fiddling with the freshly signednd deed contract in his hand, thinking about how to get production on the right track as quickly as possible.


    In reality, both Dwarf Mathews and Roger were busy making the second batch of parts, preparing to use these newly madeponents to assemble the workshop''s second steam engine production equipment.


    Now that they had the experience of assembling the first one, they were confident about building the second steam engine. It''s just a shame they knew that with the current raw materials, creating another steam engine was the limit.


    There was no way around it; there was hardly any steel left, and Tang Mo had spent all his money. Getting iron ingots from the port was no longer possible; they could only wait for the second batch of supplies from the Northern Ridge.


    "Some of the workers have been diverted to build wooden houses. We offer good provisions and food, and the wages agreed upon are not low, so their enthusiasm for work is still very high," Roger continued, looking at the pondering Tang Mo.


    These are the issues they must face now, and in fact, there are many more details to be dealt with. Just assigning people to settle down the new workers from the Northern Ridge and get them started on work had already left Roger feeling overwhelmed.


    Moreover, he was actually expending great effort with Dwarf Mathews in manufacturing a second steam engine.


    Therefore, within Tang Mo''s initial team, the person with the highest loyalty spoke in a somewhat weary voice, "The children they brought, along with the apprentices, are all helping out with the work. In fact, they have already built a row of nk houses in the past two days and are now constructing a second row of the same houses."


    As he reached this point, he paused to lick his slightly dry lips, then continued, "However, although it''s not cold here in the winter, these nk houses are very poorly insted, and if we light a fire for warmth, they can easily catch fire. So, the people living in these houses will have a hard time in the winter."


    Tang Mo had juste to his senses and noticed this detail. He stood up and rummaged around his office, managing to provide a cup of water for everyone.


    In fact, the beer had already been doled out by him¡ªone part as a reward to the workers who had been working hard, and another part to the soldiers brought by Tagg.


    After all, while they assisted with standing guard and keeping watch, they also had helped the workshop a great deal. Hence Tang Mo was not stingy at all in giving them many additional rewards.


    Therefore, Tang Mo could only pour a cup of water for each person attending this temporary meeting, allowing everyone to continue the meeting with a cup in hand.


    After taking a sip of water, Roger''s nearly smoking throat finally felt much better, and he continued speaking, "Additionally, the wood you had us stockpile is almost used up, and what''s left is the air-dried wood... That''s meant for producing the K1 Quick Gun, so it can''t be repurposed."


    "If you redirect some people to gather more wood, then we''ll have even fewer hands for building houses. We need more people..." Roger expressed his worries, reminding Tang Mo of all the difficulties that were imminent.


    As one of Tang Mo''s elders, he truly did not want to see Tang Mo, in a situation where everything seemed to be going well, mismanage the business his father had left him.


    So without waiting for Tang Mo to say anything, Roger continued, "A more serious problem is that we''re currently building nk houses within our own workshop grounds, which are leveled, so they can be used directly."


    Tang Mo knew that this kind of expansion was irrational. If he were a genuine businessman, the most appropriate thing for him to do now would be to allocate his ie reasonably and ensure the safety of the cash flow as much as possible.


    But Tang Mo also knew he was not a true businessman. He preferred to take risks, to expand rapidly, to break free from the current passive state of relying on others.


    Compared to the madmen he was familiar with fromter generations, who started fundraising after making a few PowerPoint presentations, dared to seek bank loans of millions with a couple of hundred thousand on hand, and who, upon securing loans, dared to seek financing, and with financing sess dared to borrow even more money, and then with more money began working toward going public, his current development could indeed be described as conservative.


    In fact, Tang Mo really had considered the issue of subsequent development, and he had his own set of solutions.


    The first step was to establish his factory and then sell the weapons to the other nobility of the Leite Kingdom.


    As long as Northern Ridge secured a victory in the imminent war and showcased its might, he would neverck customers. Those nobles, unless they were fools, would certainly choose Tang Mo''s weapons!


    Even if they were fools, as news of the war spread further and further, more distant ces, more distant countries, would be supporters of the weapons he produced.


    Soon, the outdated weapons produced by the Shireck Conglomerate would be phased out, and he would take their ce, bing the new world''s arms supplier!


    Of course, this was just his strategic n. In practice, he had many details to fill in and perfect, and it certainly wouldn''t be so simple.


    Roger wasn''t aware of Tang Mo''s n. He was just deeply concerned about the current situation, so he kept talking incessantly to Tang Mo about the uing difficulties, "But if we use up these levelednds, we''ll need even more manpower and much more time to level the uncultivatednd outside, and that''s going to be even more problematic."


    Mathews, who was sitting beside him, was clearly also dissatisfied with the situation, his demeanor one of wanting to speak but holding back. ording to him, Tang Mo should let the workers do what workers are supposed to do. As for expanding the factory, Mathews thought Tang Mo could wait to hire proper construction workerster.


    "We can''t afford to hire people to level thend now, because ording to our ounts, our profits aren''t much. To be precise, like before, we don''t even have enough money for next month''s wages for the workers!" He paused at this point because he knew he had already said enough, and Tang Mo should have realized the seriousness of the problem by now.

 Chapter 23: 23 Future Blueprint

    Indeed, Tang Mo was also genuinely aware of the current situation, which was not much stronger than before when he had gone to Earl Fisello.


    Before, he was truly impoverished, but although he was no longer destitute now, he had even fewer resources at his disposal.


    At that time, despite not having much money, not even enough to pay the workers'' wages, he at least was not in debt.


    But what about now? In reality, he had incurred a significant amount of debt¡ªhe had spent all of the money advanced by the Earl for the ordered firearms, yet had not produced even a single rifle.


    It was only because the military officer Tagg, sent by Lord Earl to supervise him, had witnessed the K1 Quick Gun and knew Tang Mo was not a fraud that Tang Mo had not yet been arrested and sent back to Northern Ridge.


    How to use everything at his disposal to rapidly produce a sufficient number of weapons to supply the Earl was a problem Tang Mo had to solve.


    Or to put it another way,e hell or high water, Tang Mo must pacify Tagg to continue tolerating his reckless actions. Otherwise, he would be bankrupt, losing everything he had.


    "We''ll make use of our current shooting range and the adjacent vacantnd for now! Let''s start constructing a factory here," Tang Mo thought and then offered his solution.


    Thend within the factory was well-leveled, and thanks to the previous arrangement, there was actually plenty of surplus space. For example, there was a small weapons firing range inside the factory, which was not small and fully usable for the construction of a new factory building.


    Additionally, there were spaces designated for storage of materials and an open space right at the factory entrance¡ªall well-paved and evenpacted. Building on these sites could indeed save a significant amount of time in leveling the ground.


    Immediately following, Tang Mo said, "Then, use the wastnd outside for a shooting range. Anyway, it''s just for testing and training, so it doesn''t need to be leveled!"


    At this point, he looked towards the quietly standing Tagg, holding a cup of water, and made a request, "Tagg, please have your soldiers lend a hand as well. I need to hire some workers to construct the factory, but for making temporary wooden structures, not so many skilled craftsmen are required¡ªit could be pulled off with some rough work."


    While speaking, he gestured with his hands, attempting his best to exin to Tagg, "In truth, all the temporary wooden structures don''t necessarily need to house people. They could be used for storing materials, or to ce some useless junk. So, they don''t have to be particrly sturdy¡ªjust enough to shield from wind and rain."


    "Besides the ones on guard duty, and two others resting, the remaining four will help! They''ll clear thend and then assist my workers in building the houses," Tang Mo almostmanded as he finished his words.


    Tagg actually had no objections to having soldiers help with the construction. In fact, it was quitemon in this era for soldiers to be ordered to repair their barracks on a regr basis.


    Many soldiers before enlisting were craftsmen; some worked in workshops, some were farmers, poets, and some were construction workers.


    Therefore, having these soldiers assist was not at all unsuitable, but what Tagg cared about were other matters.


    Hence he spoke up to remind Tang Mo, "That''s possible... however, I must remind you, sir, you''ve nearly used up all the initial funding and raw materials without producing a single K1 Quick Gun!"


    "If you continue in this way, I will fulfill my duty and report everything that happens here to Lord Earl," he said with firm conviction, eyes fixed on Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo let out a wry smile, then equally affirmed, "I realize the issue! Tagg! That''s why I''m nning to start production soon."


    "The workers from the original workshop will keep up the production. With the help of the steam engine, they''ll quickly be able to make enough barrels..." He quickly offered a quite reasonable arrangement.


    "Although we don''t have much steel left, it''s enough to produce a few dozen barrels. So, in the short term, we can manufacture more than 20 K1 Quick Guns. That should be enough to satisfy Lord Earl, right?" Tang Mo asked Tagg with a smile as he looked at him.


    Tagg was a bit nervous because this was the first time since arriving in Brunas that he heard a n from Tang Mo about producing K1 rifles.


    So he nodded subconsciously, agreeing with some uncertainty, "Yes, that''s right."


    "When these raw materials run out, the Earl''s second batch of supplies should arrive! By then, I promise you, I will go all out to produce K1 Quick Guns. I can make over 200 in a month. By then, everything will start to improve," Tang Mo breathed a sigh of relief, for as long as he could soothe Tagg, he could continue his own endeavors.


    "Let''s hope so," Mathews murmured softly from the sidelines, believing that having the steam engine was sufficient.


    His remaining slight dissatisfaction stemmed from Tang Mo not dedicating all his energy immediately to improving and developing the steam engine.


    In his eyes, perfecting this epoch-making machine was definitely the most worthwhile pursuit at the moment. As long as the steam engine could truly be poprized, the whole world would surely witness a grand revolution!


    To be frank, as a skilled worker, Mathews''s vision was indeed sufficient. He recognized at a nce the importance of this steam engine in the history of industry.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t know that in Tang Mo''s repository of information, this machine was just the most primitive one that marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.


    "Now, let''s continue to talk about clearing and developingnd! I need your people to build simple shelters on the newnd and reim as much of the wastnd near the border as possible." After cating Tagg with a few words, Tang Mo once again shifted the topic to the development of the factory.


    "I will build a weapons testing range in this newly purchased area, where all our weapons can be adjusted for shooting uracy and tested." He began nning the factoryyout, making use of every piece of wastnd as much as possible.


    "On the other side, I want to build a dormitoryplex. I need arge number of workers, along with their families! Every person will be able to work for me, and I will provide them with corresponding wages." As he spoke, he became engrossed in his grand blueprint once again.


    To be honest, everyone here was somewhat unable to keep up with Tang Mo''s pace, because they didn''t yet realize what a truly huge factory, akin to a city, actually looked like!


    Inter generations, Huaxia had many such factories,plete with hospitals, schools, and an entire residential area, where a single factory could have tens of thousands, or even tens of thousands, of employees.


    Moreover, often times, factories would encourage employees to marry and have children, and provide nearly perfect welfare benefits for such dual-worker families.


    The factory would provide dormitories for the workers, raise their children, and provide necessary medical care. The factory would even reimburse heating costs and provide employees with a cooling-off subsidy.


    As long as the products produced by the factory maintained their marketability, such benefits would stimte employees'' productivity and create more economic benefits for the factory.


    Of course, in this other world, the reason why Tang Mo was so eager to promote these benefits had a deeper significance.


    He had to cultivate his own foundation, umte arge number of talents before he could promote technological development and make the whole world adapt and keep up with his pace of development.


    This was no joke, but a real problem that needed to be solved! Because only by training arge number of drivers could he sell more cars. The logic was simple and easy to understand.


    Tang Mo certainly didn''t want a day in the future where he could produce cars, but nobody in this world could repair them...


    In Tang Mo''s n, even spending money to support the workers'' families was a very cost-effective move.


    Listening to him articte his ns one by one, the more intelligent Wes and Roger had their eyes light up: "Women can help me raise pigs, process leather, operate sewing machines, and carry small goods, as well as raise chickens, ducks, and other livestock."


    This arrangement would utilize the role of families, firmly keeping the workers within his factorypound! And such a stable social structure would also save Tang Mo a lot of production time!


    So, everyone listened to Tang Mo describe the embryonic form of his future factory, and his words seemed quite feasible.


    Tang Mo certainly knew his ideas would seed because all of these were proven practices in the world before his transmigration.


    So, he spoke fluently and eloquently: "As long as we use these female workers well, our production will be even more smooth. Rest assured, the factory in the future won''t only need male workers."


    "Some jobs are more suitable for female workers, as their hands are softer and they are more meticulous when installing certainponents." When he got to the passionate part, he even gestured with his hands to make his speech more rousing.


    He was working hard to convince everyone in the office, getting them to agree to his ambitious expansion ns.


    Even if these ns couldn''t bepleted now, not even one-tenth of them, they at least represented the future, the future of this weapons workshop!


    As he spoke, Tang Mo even remembered the kindergarten from his childhood, so he improvised and added this content to his speech: "Moreover, they can also work on quality control, cook for the increasing number of workers, and even help with newly born infants!"


    When it came to children, he excitedly announced to everyone: "Children can act as apprentices. I won''t only have my school teach crafts to the workers but also teach subjects like mathematics and reading. They all have to be literate and understand principles! Of course, this is a welfare benefit for my workers'' families! A guaranteed benefit!"


    Almost everyone was immersed in his vision for the future, with only Tagg startled awake from this grand dream. Because he realized that Tang Mo seemed to be nning to spend money and hire people again!


    So, instinctively, he spoke up with a skeptical tone: "Do you still have money to hire teachers?"

 Chapter 24: 24 What is this?

    Tang Mo was stunned, then, disbelieving, pointed at himself, then at Tagg and Roger, and began to speak, "Me, you, old Roger... We all can spare some time to educate these children! Don''t worry, I''ve got it all nned out!"


    "Furthermore, if possible, I''ll still go look for a few real teachers to educate the children, after all, I don''t have to pay them immediately, right? Soon, my next batch of supplies and another part of the profit will arrive, and I think I can afford to pay a few teachers'' sries," then he continued with augh.


    "..." Tagg really wanted to give a good punch to this young man who kept smiling, and then remind him sternly to remember how much he owed Lord Earl!


    Now he was even counting the money that hadn''t arrived yet! And still, he was spending recklessly, simply a ssic case of a spendthrift!


    At that thought, anger finally surged in Tagg, and he red at Tang Mo, grinding his teeth as he reminded, "What''s the use of doing all these things? The Earl only wants to buy the Quick Gun! Now that you''ve created that... that steam engine, and you can deliver on time, why are you still messing with these odds and ends?"


    Because of his unprecedentedly grim tone, Tagg''s anger was apparent to Roger, Mathews, and the others.


    Wes and Parker might have heard it too, but Wes had nomon cause with Tagg, so he didn''t care about Tagg''s mood, and Parker, another firm supporter of Tang Mo in the room, certainly didn''t think Tang Mo was wrong.


    In any case, everyone fell silent, looking at Tang Mo, waiting for Tang Mo''s response.


    Tang Mo also knew that with just his smooth talking, he had diverted thousands in Gold Coin payments, yet to this day not a single rifle had been produced. It seemed he could no longer keep Tagg at bay.


    So he sighed lightly and said to Tagg, "It seems, I must convince you with something tangible."


    As he spoke, he went back behind his desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out the revolver that had apanied him in the Vicious Forest, iming the lives of several people.


    Tagg, not knowing what he was talking about, saw Tang Mo pulling out an unfamiliar firearm from the drawer, frowned and subconsciously asked, "What?"


    "Wes! Would you exin to our new friend, Tagg?" Tang Mo asked with a smile, waving the revolver that Wes had seen before in front of Wes.


    "I think, if you''re really willing to tell him about that thing, why not go to the firing range and let him witness it himself..." Wes''s face showed a mischievous smile as he shook his head.


    "I think you''re right," Mathews had also seen the device and was very interested in it. Still smiling, he agreed with Wes.


    Without any hesitation, Tang Mo said to everyone, "Let''s go! To the shooting range, it is soon to be a factory, so let''s use it onest time, and let it witness the changing times."


    With that, he was the first to leave the room. Wes couldn''t wait and followed Tang Mo out. Mathews, pushing a confused Tagg, and with Roger''sughter lingering behind, followed suit. Parker, also curious, followed suit and then turned back to close the door.


    Suddenly, the noisy room became exceedingly quiet, leaving only the wind blowing in through the window, lifting a corner of the blueprints on the table.


    Standing at the firing range, Tang Mo began to fiddle with his revolver. He calmly loaded the bullets one by one, the others remained silent.


    Wes, Roger, and Mathews knew about this thing, so they weren''t in a hurry, standing aside. Parker, who knew nothing, was just like a temp worker counting numbers in a corner.


    Only Tagg, quietly watching Tang Mo y with his revolver. Being a soldier, he was all too familiar with such things.


    He could tell, it was a weapon, and Tang Mo was loading ammunition into it. And from Tang Mo''s repetitive actions, it seemed like this was a weapon that could fire continuously!


    Even though he had guessed everything, he couldn''t believe what was happening before his eyes! He simply couldn''t believe that there could be a handgun that fired continuously in this world!


    So, even though he had guessed it, he still couldn''t trust his own conjecture, he could only stand there foolishly waiting, waiting for everything to truly appear before his eyes.


    But his hands had already started to tremble slightly, even the handle of the flintlock at his waist couldn''t stop trembling.


    He really couldn''t stay calm anymore, standing here, he was even more nervous than when he was on the battlefield. He didn''t even notice that sweat had unknowingly broken out on his forehead.


    As if a century had passed, he finally saw Tang Mo raise his arm, lifting the oddly-shaped revolver that didn''t show a flintlock mechanism.


    Then, he saw Tang Mo pull the trigger, a puff of white smoke came out of the barrel, and the sound of the gunshot echoed in his ears.


    Almost in the next second, Tang Mo pulled the trigger again, firing the revolver for the second time, another puff of white smoke dissipated the smoke in front of him, and another bullet flew out of the barrel.


    Tagg''s eyes widened for he saw Tang Mo''s coherent action¡ªthis young man simply pulled the trigger continuously, and the handgun fired a second shot!


    Of course, in this world, there were flintlocks that could fire two shots in session, but thoseplex, expensive, and cumbersome weapons couldn''tpare to the handgun in Tang Mo''s hand!


    As a military officer, Tagg had, of course, seen flintlock pistols with two barrels before. These kinds of handguns were not just cumbersome, but they alsocked significant practical value in actualbat¡ªfar inferior to single-barrel flintlock pistols.


    Yet the handgun before his eyes was clearly single-barreled, and it was a single-barreled handgun capable of firing two shots in session! This left him utterly shocked.


    Unfortunately, before he couldplete his short-lived astonishment in his mind, Tang Mo had already pulled the trigger for the third time.


    "Bang!" Another gunshot echoed across the drilling ground, and in that moment, Tagg feltpletely undone.


    His understanding was overturned, his experience was erased¡ªall his prior knowledge seemed meaningless in an instant.


    The impact of this third gunshot,pared to the second, was more than tenfold. Tagg just stood there, forgetting what he was supposed to do next.


    Parker, who had spent his life rifling barrels, was also stunned in ce. He had never seen such a weapon that could fire repeatedly.


    However, having never been to battle, his amazement at seeing such a weapon was mere novelty, without the profound shock that engulfed Tagg.


    Tagg truly was shocked, his mind filled with questions¡ªchaotic questions that he didn''t even know where to begin asking.


    So, when Tagg saw Tang Mo continue firing, hitting the fourth shot, he had already be numb.


    At this moment, there was only one thought in his mind¡ªwhether the handgun in Tang Mo''s hand was a weapon of the gods, whether it had infinite bullets, whether it could keep firing like this without end.


    In fact, when Tang Mo fired again, shooting the fifth round, Tagg truly thought he was encountering a deity, a weapon belonging to the gods.


    He truly believed that the weapon in Tang Mo''s hand contained endless bullets, capable of ceaseless fire, continuing indefinitely.


    At that moment, he seemed to understand many things. No wonder Tang Mo could bring out a powerful weapon like the needle gun, no wonder Tang Mo could create marvelous steam engines.


    In any case, he felt he had found all the exnations, he felt as if he was touching the truth. Therefore, he felt his knees go weak, and inexplicably felt an urge to worship the War God.


    And there stood Tang Mo, still holding the pistol aimed at the distant target, pulling the trigger once more.


    "Bang!" The sixth shot was fired, and in front of Tang Mo, a white fog had shrouded his view. In fact, by the fourth shot, he could hardly see the distant target. The two shots that followed werepletely unaimed.


    If you looked closely at the target, you would find only a scattered four bullet holes, because Tang Mo had missed the target with two shots.


    On one hand, he truly couldn''t aim properly, and on the other, the uracy of this handgun was indeed limited.


    The distance of the shooting range targets was set with long guns in mind, making it somewhat far for a handgun, and therefore, the uracy of the pistol Tang Mo was using seemedcking.


    But at this time, who would care about such details? Tagg was utterly astounded by this novel weapon, he was even clenching his fists tightly, unable to utter a word even after Tang Mo stopped firing.


    Six shots! There actually existed a weapon in this world that could fire six consecutive shots without any need to reload in between!


    Tagg swallowed, his eyes fixed on the revolver in Tang Mo''s hand, and subconsciously, he took a small step forward.


    He really wanted to reach out his hand, take the gun, then inspect it closely, study it carefully, and without hesitation, try it for himself.


    As a soldier, a military officer, he really wanted to know what it felt like to fire continuously.


    He even began to fantasize¡ªfantasize that with such a weapon, the enemies before him would turn into nothing more than sitting ducks.


    If two armies were arrayed in battle, when the opponent''s volley of fire had spent its bullets, what would meet them would be a storm of six consecutive volleys.


    No one could withstand such rapid fire, any powerful military would copse instantly. Victory would be easily achievable, and war would turn into an outright ughter!


    He liked it... liked the ease of victory, liked the one-sided ughter...


    So, he raised his head, looking directly into Tang Mo''s eyes, his gaze bing fervent, his bloodshot whites turning slightly red: "What... is... this?"

 Chapter 25: 25 new weapons

    "This is the secret weapon I''ve developed! It''s called a Revolver, which can fire six shots in one go without any need for cumbersome operations in between; you just need to pull the trigger... It''s a powerful closebat handgun," Tang Mo replied.


    "A Revolver..." Tagg muttered subconsciously, looking again at the weapon in Tang Mo''s hand, not knowing what to say.


    He wanted to see the weapon, but didn''t dare to make such a request, so he stood there, not knowing how to speak up.


    "Hahaha! I looked pretty much the same when I first saw this thing," Dwarf Mathewsughed heartily, speaking to Roger beside him.


    Roger shrugged his shoulders; he knew that Wes, who stood there pretending to be profound, had a simr reaction when he first saw the Revolver.


    They were all astonished by the Revolver before them because it truly overturned the understanding of the era.


    After Wes saw the weapon, he stuck by Tang Mo''s side and refused to leave; after Mathews saw it, he stayed to help out without even drawing a sry... Now, it was Tagg''s turn.


    "Believe me, Tang''s Weapon Workshop won''t disappoint you! Our future is boundless, so I will definitely fulfill the promises I''ve made to you," Tang Mo said, walking up to Tagg and patting him on the shoulder.


    "Can, can this thing be sold... sold to Lord Earl?" Tagg swallowed, finally suppressing the excitement in his heart, and asked with trepidation.


    He never considered seizing the item by force, because he knew that this was not a one-time deal, and ughtering the goose thatys the golden eggs was not something he should do.


    Besides, he was an upright, righteous man. Wasn''t he working for Lord Earl because the Earl was benevolent and kind, and acted openly and honorably?


    "No," Tang Mo shook his head.


    "Why... why not?" Tagg was startled, and the next second somewhat indignant, staring at Tang Mo and asking.


    "Because although this weapon is powerful, I still cannot mass-produce it. I wouldn''t mind giving Lord Earl one for self-defense, but as you should know, it isn''t cheap to make," Tang Mo said with a smile, expressing his regret.


    "I''ll trust you for a goblin''s fart! Do you ever speak truth?" Tagg frowned and cursed inwardly.


    He thought Tang Mo was about to demand an exorbitant price, so he didn''t believe Tang Mo at all. He pondered internally whether he could decide on behalf of Lord Earl and offer a price Tang Mo couldn''t refuse.


    Indeed, he knew that Lord Earl''s savings had been significantly depleted by the purchase of the Quick Guns. After all, Lord Earl wasn''t like other lords who exploited their people, so his wealth wasn''t that vast.


    But this weapon... but such a weapon was an irresistible temptation for Tagg. Seeing this weapon was like a tiger seeing beef, like a gourmet seeing delicious food!


    Before Tagg could figure out an appropriate price, Tang Mo took the initiative to exin, "It actually doesn''t have a high technical difficulty; in fact, we handcrafted it. However, what really limits its production is this firing mechanism."


    "This firing device can only be handcrafted by me, so the output is very low! It''s fine for personal use, but supplying troops on arge scale is currently beyond our reach." As he spoke, he handed a small primer cap to Tagg.


    "Weapon manufacturing is inherentlyplex, and it is naturally costly. Without ammunition, these expensive weapons would be scrap iron, so right now, we can only manufacture them on a small scale for personal use." He smiled as he passed the handgun to Old Roger beside him.


    Hearing Tang Mo''s exnation and realizing he had been wrong, Tagg blushed with regret and said, "I understand; I can understand."


    When he realized that the weapon truly couldn''t be mass-produced, he could distinctly feel his mood plummet.


    However, within theplexity of his emotions, there was also a hint of relief. He breathed a sigh of relief because he no longer had to make a desperate decision on behalf of Lord Earl.


    He truly hadn''t considered seizing anything by force, because his own moral integrity simply wouldn''t allow it. If Lord Earlmanded it, he might have struggled and felt distressed but would have obeyed, but making such a decision on his own was entirely out of the question.


    Since Tang Mo had revealed his hand, he naturally didn''t n to continue hiding this outdated Revolver any longer.


    He continued speaking to Tagg: "So, I can make a few more of these weapons, and you can have someone take them back to Lord Earl... But you must be careful. If word of this gets out, it could lead to a disaster..."


    "Really? Is that possible?" Tagg, with newfound hope igniting in his eyes, looked at Tang Mo and asked.


    Without answering him, Tang Mo went on: "I can''t produce them inrge quantities, but Shireck can, as long as they have enough craftsmen. They could replicate it, and then Lord Earl''s advantage would vanish! While I don''t think they can duplicate the ammunition for these weapons, there''s always an exception..."


    Tagg immediately nodded and solemnly said, "I understand. I''ll make a trip back to Northern Ridge myself and tell Lord Earl everything. Trust me, I will bring back more support from Lord Earl, including materials and manpower!"


    In fact, during the past few days, he had seen too much in Brunas. He had written some of it in letters to the Earl, but there was much he hadn''t had time to write down or dared to include in the letters.


    Therefore, he also wanted to return to Northern Ridge to recount everything he had witnessed to Lord Earl. He felt that Northern Ridge should work closely with Brunas to establish a stronger partnership.


    Even just considering Tang Mo, this young man, he wasn''t mediocre¡ªhe was definitely worth being recruited and won over by Lord Earl, not to be made an enemy of¡ªthis was Tagg''s conviction, a firm one at that.


    "I hope you can bring more manpower. You''ve seen it¡ªwe need people here." Knowing that once Tagg returned, he would clearly convey the strength of the Tang Weapons Workshop, Lord Earl would certainly value their cooperation even more. Thus, Tang Mo decided to ask for more from the Earl.


    As the saying goes, might as well ask for the moon. He was a businessman, after all, and naturally had to seek maximum benefits for himself.


    "I can have Lord Earl gather all the beggars, serfs, ves, and anyone willing toe here from Northern Ridge..." After giving it some thought, Tagg nned to use these as an exchange for the new type of weapon in Tang Mo''s possession.


    In Tagg''s view, the cost was worth it to acquire these weapons since they were the best lifesavers for warriors on the battlefield and essential for victory in the war.


    As long as they won this war, Northern Ridge could continue to prosper and recoup the money and resources spent!


    And what Tang Mo wanted, or rather, the manpower and some supplies that he cared about, were all costs that Northern Ridge could afford... in exchange for advanced weapons.


    "You also need to bring tents and food! Otherwise, I can''t settle so many people." Tang Mo wasn''t particr about who came; he wasn''t even afraid of Lord Earl nting spies in his workshop. At this time, he needed to quickly increase his strength, so weing allers was indeed what he should do.


    Tagg nodded seriously and promised, "Understood! I will return with this batch of K1 Quick Guns, and then bring as much of these things as possible."


    "Excellent! I will prepare a good number of K1 Quick Guns for you! Also, I will make a few of these weapons and prepare some ammunition to send to Lord Earl with you. With these, his safety should be even more assured," Tang Mo said generously, providing Tagg with the reassurance he wanted.


    "Thank you, thank you! I will do my best to get enough manpower, tents, food... Basically, I will bring back everything you need!" Tagg said excitedly¡ªprovided that Tang Mo was willing to cooperate, he felt Lord Earl wouldn''t mind supplying more resources to Tang Mo.


    After Tang Mo presented this weapon, he knew he had to provide Lord Earl with the same kind of weapon.


    Because once Tagg knew, Lord Earl would know; and once Lord Earl knew, he would certainly want such a weapon.


    Instead of waiting for a request, better to be proactive. After all, he was now a weapons merchant¡ªhow could he possibly not sell a weapon?


    Since such weapons would eventually be sold anyway, making sales pitches now wasn''t uneptable.


    The reason Tang Mo was so generous was actually because he had already started making small quantities of smokeless powder. With that substance, he could create metallic cartridge bullets.


    Even with a very limited production, handcrafting metallic cartridge bullets could allow the Revolver to evolve into a true Left-Wheel Handgun¡ªalthough they were the same type of weapon, Tang Mo knew there were differences in the way they were loaded.


    There are no wrong names, only misspoken nicknames. The Left-Wheel Handgun reced the Revolver as the unofficial official name for this type of handgun for good reason.


    The early Revolvers could only be loaded one bullet at a time, and loading them required using the gun''s ramrod to tamp down the powder¡ªa process that was quite cumbersome.


    Even though the paper-cartridge Revolvers he developed were more advanced, the actual pre-loading speed was still very slow.

 Chapter 26: 26 versus battle

    However, the Left-Wheel Handgun is somewhat different, it''s called a Left-Wheel Handgun because the cylinder of this revolver can be detached towards the left from the frame, moved to a more convenient position for reloading, thereby making rapid reloading possible!


    With the addition of metallic fixed ammunition, the firing rate of the brand-new Left-Wheel Handgun couldpletely crush the previous arms and equipment, bing the new king!


    One could say that ever since Tang Mo introduced paper-fixed ammunition, an old era of muskets had begun to decline, and the concept of a new, systematic Individual Self-defense Weapon System started to emerge.


    From that point on, the development of firearms included the development of ammunition as well as improvements to the firearms themselves. In fact, they began to diverge into two paths, and only by advancing concurrently on both paths could one design the perfect weapon and thereby achieve superiority in war.


    It was also from this time that the manufacturing of individual weapons involved chemistry, materials science, metallurgy, physics, ergonomics... even aesthetic optimization of the exterior appearance, among other disciplines.


    Equipping a soldier became easy, while manufacturing the arms for an equipped soldier becameplicated. Arms dealers became increasingly important, to the point where they could even hold a nation hostage.


    Indeed, Tang Mo was crafting his new "Individual Self-defense Weapon System," which was the world''s first real Left-Wheel Handgun!


    A type of handgun that could be rapidly reloaded using a speedloader, far more powerful than any weapon before it! He could fire continuously catching the enemy off-guard, and while the foe thought his ammo had run out, he could rapidly reload in a few seconds and once again unleash a torrent of firepower to show the enemy true despair!


    Carrying two handguns could achieve something simr, but having two guns on hand was very inconvenient on many asions.


    Moreover, if Tang Mo needed powerful firepower, couldn''t he just design a submachine gun for himselfter on?


    Because Tang Mo had already decided to craft a Left-Wheel Handgun with metallic fixed ammunition for himself, he therefore sold his first-generation revolver as if it were just any othermodity.


    Clearly, at this moment, after seeing the mighty power of the revolver, Tagg couldn''t imagine that Tang Mo had an even more advanced weapon in hand, so he truly believed that the handgun before him was the best in the world!


    Tagg was very pleased with Tang Mo''s attitude towards selling weapons, but he still was curiously captivated by the revolver¡ªhe really wanted to take a closer look at the excellent weapon he might soon be equipped with.


    "Right, Wes!" Tang Mo, smiling, turned to Wes who stood to one side, pretending to be unfathomable, and said, "Remember? I said I''d give you a revolver?"


    "Of course!" Wes''s eyes lit up instantly; he had coveted that handgun for a long time, and upon hearing Tang Mo bring it up again today, naturally, he became excited.


    "It seems that Officer Tagg likes this handgun very much¡­" Tang Mo said with a smile to Wes, "How about it? Interested in using it as a stake for a game?"


    "What kind of game?" Tagg''s spirits lifted immediately, looking at Tang Mo excitedly and asking. He really wanted that handgun, very much so!


    Wes, seeing the smile on Tang Mo''s face, knew that things wouldn''t be so simple, and could only offer a bitter smile, "I guess it''s nothing good."


    "I really want to see just how formidable you Guard are¡­" Sure enough, Tang Mo nced at both of them and then said to Wes.


    "I knew it." Wes looked at Tagg, sizing up his opponent: "So, you want Tagg to be my opponent?"


    "No problem!" Tagg was eager to try, already fantasizing about grabbing that handgun after beating Wes.


    "Sigh¡­" Seeing Tagg''s appearance, Wes knew that today''s contest was inevitable. In fact, he wasn''t willing to give up the handgun that had brought him such a shock just like that.


    "Do we need practice swords?" Not one to shy away from amotion, Tang Mo asked as the two men began to distance themselves from each other.


    "No need!" Wes nced at Tagg and said, "It''s just for fun, everyone just be careful, that''s all."


    He had long coveted that revolver, and now that Tang Mo was finally willing to put it up, he was not about to miss this opportunity.


    Moreover, in his subconscious, he didn''t believe Tagg could beat him in a duel. So he wanted to show Tang Mo his exquisite swordsmanship.


    The more days he spent with Tang Mo, the more he felting to Tang Mo was the right decision. The more he saw Tang Mo as a worthy choice to serve, the more he needed to demonstrate his capabilities in order to secure a good position.


    "Then let''s begin!" Tagg was no lesspetitive, equally eager to get his hands on that ultimate prize and closely study the revolver.


    He was also full of confidence; as a confidant of Earl Fisello, his swordsmanship was formidable, not in a shy way, but lethal in the crucible of the battlefield.


    So the two men took their positions, silence spread across the range, and without anyone dering a start, both of them moved almost simultaneously.


    "ng!" Wes''s longsword left its sheath, emitting a sound akin to a dragon''s chant, and with a stretch of his long arm, the blood-stained de struck straight for Tagg''s face.


    Tagg had been on guard against Wes, and seeing him draw the longsword, he too unsheathed his own to parry. Their swords shed, letting out a grating sound of metal on metal.


    Neither man backed down but instead diffused the force and drew back their longswords tounch fierce attacks at each other.


    The speed of their swordy was incredibly fast, sparking a shower of sparks in front of them. Their des collided once again, the clear ringing sound sending shivers down the spine.


    Wes took a step back, creating distance, but this did not mean he was cowed. On the contrary, it was a precursor to closing the distance for another onught, a habit he had developed from years ofbat.


    As the saying goes, one must pull back their fist to strike out again. Wes''s experience in bloodiedbat taught him how to better exploit his advantages.


    His longsword pointed at Tagg, then suddenly lunged forward, the de stabbing through the air with a whistling sound.


    Tagg blocked with his sword horizontally, once again knocking Wes''s de aside. However, as he was adjusting his stance, Wes kicked him fiercely in the abdomen.


    The two collided, and being an officer, Tagg''sbat experience was from the battlefield, so he didn''t have much of an unorthodox skillset.


    Taken by surprise, he was kicked hard in the stomach by Wes. Relying on his sturdy physique, Tagg sidestepped Wes and, though he staggered, he did not fall.


    Just as Wes thought he had secured the win, Tagg avoided the kick and counterattacked with his elbow, smashing into the back of Wes as he passed by him.


    Wes grunted, clearly affected by Tagg''s hit. Despite the pain, he quickly turned around to maintain vignce, watching Tagg holding his stomach.


    Tagg, clutching his belly and wielding his longsword, stood shakily opposite Wes. He had wanted to follow up on his advantage with a fierce attack on Wes, but hadn''t expected his opponent to remain so agile after being struck.


    "Huff... huff..." Wes gasped for air, regting his breath. The burning pain in his back severely disrupted his breathing rhythm.


    Keeping familiar breathing patterns inbat is vital; once the rhythm is lost, it spells the beginning of defeat.


    Deeply aware of this, Wes did not rush to attack, even though he knew his opponent was also attempting to recover.


    Tagg was also gasping, his belly throbbing painfully. The imprint of Wes''s boot on his uniform served to fuel his anger and humiliation.


    He knew Wes was a renowned Northern Ridge Ranger, but he hadn''t expected him to be this formidable.


    In his opinion, the so-called Ranger mercenaries were nothing more than gangsters and riffraff, not fit to bepared with a regr army.


    However, the Ranger named Wes had delivered a profound lesson. His agility, ruthless tactics, and unpredictable angles of attack rendered him nearly indefensible.


    At this point, Tagg had set aside the notion of sparring, consumed with the desire to measure himself against such a worthy opponent, as the saying goes, "a good chess matches with a good opponent."


    Wes shared the same sentiment ¡ª let that damned revolver go to hell! He thought bitterly, "I''m going to teach this guy named Tagg a lesson!"


    "Ha!" Tagg made the first move, lifting his longsword and charging at Wes.


    "Ha!" Wes, not to be outdone, roared as he brandished his sword to meet the assault.


    Their longswords shed once more, creating sparks that had yet to fade when they drew back their swords and swung at each other again.


    Roger, watching from the side, was terrified. This was the first time he had witnessed such a ferocious battle between masters.


    Tang Mo, however, watched with great enjoyment, not wanting to miss a single detail as the two men on the training ground entangled once more in an intractable fight.


    Finally, Wes seized an opportunity andnded a punch on Tagg''s face, smack on his nose.


    Tagg, in pain, stumbled back several steps, covering his nose with his hand and furrowing his brow as he stared at Wes.


    His hand tightened subconsciously around the hilt of his longsword, and his eyes unwittingly filled with murderous intent. The pain in his nose brought back memories of war, igniting his innate instinct to kill.

 Chapter 27: 27 available hands

    "Enough! That''s enough!" Tang Mo loudly stopped the duelists'' deadly intents, pping his hands to halt the fight, "This is just a game, don''t really get angry!"


    Tang Mo didn''t actually wish for them to fight to a life-and-death conclusion; he was merely looking for a reason to give away the first-generation revolver, which was no longer that important to him.


    He walked between Tagg and Wes, tossing the blood-stained revolver to Wes, "It''s yours now!"


    Wes subconsciously caught the revolver thrown by Tang Mo, and at the instant of catching it, he was ecstatic. He examined the weapon in his hand closely, no longer caring about Tagg, who was rubbing his nose.


    "Don''t take it too hard, I know you''re an officer; leading troops in battle is your forte, a duel is a bit of underusing your abilities," Tang Moforted as he looked at Tagg holding his nose.


    "I know I lost, when you lose, you lose," said Tagg as he released his nose, and Tang Mo saw it had turned purple and blue.


    It seemed Wes had thrown a heavy punch with no intention of holding back. Tang Mo felt somewhat disdainful of Wes for such behavior in a duel; it indeed seemed a bit shameless to aim for the face.


    "I will make some of these revolvers soon and send them to Lord Earl," Tang Mo said with a smile, "I''ll save one for you too."


    "Thank you, thank you¡­" Tagg, who had been somewhat dejected, suddenly didn''t know what to say upon hearing Tang Mo''s offer.


    Indeed, as Tang Mo said, Tagg excelled at leading troops into the fray and at making the right decisions in the smoke of battle, resisting the enemy stubbornly for final victory. Though he was strong in personalbat, it truly was a waste of his talents.


    For a moment, Tagg felt a surge of emotional connection to Tang Mo. However, his attention soon returned to the revolver capable of consecutive shots.


    He really wanted to know, if a troop could fire six times consecutively after breaking into an enemy formation on the battlefield, what kind of panic it would cause the enemy.


    Even as a veteran military officer, he dared not imagine such a scene. In his mind, if he faced enemies who could fire continuously at close range, he would certainly be frightened and then retreat.


    At this moment, he was even convinced that Count Fisheo had already won the next war! Because Tang Mo''s weapon hadpletely changed the way wars were fought!


    Receiving the revolver from Tang Mo, Wes''s face broke into a smile again. He caressed the cold metal of the gun, feeling for a moment like he was the most formidable man in the world.


    "Come to my officeter, I''ll teach you how to load it. It''s quite valuable and needs upkeep, oiling, or it might jam," Tang Mo reminded him.


    It was then that Wes snapped back to reality, realizing he actually didn''t know how to use this mysterious weapon.


    "Youe too," Tang Mo then invited Tagg, "You''ll need to learn as well, I''m not going to teach it twice."


    The current state of the revolver was nothing like that of the simple and easy-to-use Left-Wheel Handgun; it was merely a prototype!


    Percussion caps, paper cartridges¡ªthese new contraptions had overturned the old flintlock system but also introduced their own set of problems.


    To ensure that the revolver would fire when needed, preliminary preparations were extremely important. You couldn''t just pull it out and shoot; it required careful preparation before battle to be effective!


    The separate percussion caps that fitted on the cylinder were easy to dislodge, so they were usually ced on the rear of the cylinder just beforebat erupted.


    And the paper cartridges also required careful loading, using the lever under the barrel to pack them tightly, ensuring the bullet would stay in the chamber and be fired when necessary.


    In short, it was a very troublesome matter, and Tang Mo himself practiced for a long time in his office before he mastered thisplex pre-battle procedure.


    Halfway to his destination, Tang Mo seemed to recall something and said to the men, "You go ahead, I need to speak with Roger about something."


    Watching the two men''s retreating backs, he remarked to the old Roger beside him, "Both are quite formidable."


    Having faced life-and-death struggles and lived a precarious existence before crossing over, Tang Mo could naturally tell that Tagg and Wes were exceptional fighters, even by his old world''s standards.


    But such people¡ªone had already pledged loyalty to someone else, and the other''s loyalty remained a question¡ªmade Tang Mo increasingly feel the scarcity of reliable men at his disposal.


    Roger''s loyalty was unquestionable, but when it came tobat ability, he definitely was not a match for Wes or Tagg.


    This sensation of his life being in the hands of others irked Tang Mo, who had been a kingpin in his former life. He wanted to change the current situation, at least to cultivate a more loyal force.


    "Yes." Roger nodded, not quite prating what Tang Mo was really trying to say.


    "The more formidable they are, the more I feel constrained by others," Tang Mo spoke frankly in front of old Roger.


    "Now that you mention it... that''s true," Roger agreed, nodding slightly, and then looked at Tang Mo: "What do you want to do?"


    "The people we''ve used before, those with good character and high loyalty..." Tang Mo said, looking at Roger: "Can we get them back?"


    "A few of them are still making a living in Brunas, shouldn''t be a problem," Roger said confidently: "Luff, Bernard, Joy, they should all be there."


    "Get them back as much as possible, then we''ll pick some young people with clean backgrounds. We need to strengthen the workshop''s defense," Tang Mo dered, emphasizing after he finished, "Our own... strength!"


    Old Roger pondered, then nodded again: "Okay, leave it to me!"


    Tang Mo did not look at Roger again but went straight to his office where Tagg and Wes were waiting for him. He needed to discuss his ns with them.


    As the workshop was establishing its armed forces, it was natural to inform Wes, Tang Mo''s personal guard this stage; it was necessary to let Tagg know too, as he was themander of the current workshop defense forces.


    It couldn''t be helped; the workshop was only so big. Suddently recruiting over a dozen people and training them in shooting andbat could not be hidden from anyone.


    Therefore, Tang Mo felt it was better to be upfront and tell everyone, to foster understanding and prevent baseless suspicions.


    ...


    Days went by, and with the efforts of Tang Mo and everyone, the workshop underwent rapid changes.


    The second steam engine was assembled, exhausting all Tang Mo''s resources but also speeding up his production rate to an unimaginable degree.


    With the two steam engines for power, tenthes achieved mechanical linkage, making part manufacturing faster and more convenient. Dozens of workers gathered around thethes daily, figuring out how to operate these new machines.


    Leaving the second steam engine, returning to his office, Tang Mo washed his face with cold water and asked Roger, who had followed him, "Uncle Roger, how is it going with the people I asked you to find?"


    There was a well in the workshop, and a set of canvas equipment for collecting rainwater. If it rained, workers would set up the tent-like equipment to catch and store the rainwater.


    It couldn''t be helped, because the groundwater near the sea was not that tasteful, a result of the geographical environment.


    Tang Mo had grown ustomed to the taste of the water here¡ªafter all, there were no high-end devices like water purifiers back then.


    And in that era, there weren''t any real toothpastes, so many people''s teeth looked as horrific as those of monsters.


    Tang Mo found some fragrant nts and used the ancient method of cleaning the mouth. He nned to make some toothpaste for himself since he could find the information butmented theck of materials and had to endure for the time being.


    This was not a convenient time because many things Tang Mo was familiar with had not yet appeared.


    And Tang Mo, a merchant with not much capital, could not turn what he had into reality immediately¡ªhe had a steam engine, but couldn''t even dare to think of trains, which were closely associated with steam engines, for a while!


    Where would he get the steel toy as tracks? Where would he find arge number of railway ties? How would he ensure that the railsid on the ground wouldn''t be ripped up and sold by the destitute people of this era?


    A series of problems had no immediate solution, so for Tang Mo, cars might be more suitable than trains for him at present.


    Roger threw his dirty gloves onto a chair beside him, found another chair to sit down, and began to speak to Tang Mo: "Truth be told, I don''t know many Rangers. However, there are a few people who roamed the south with your father back in the day."


    "They all worked with your father before, you know. After all, a weapons manufacturing workshop without several guards would definitely not do," he said with self-deprecatingughter, leaning back in his chair, as if reminiscing.


    Tang Mo also knew that the workshop indeed had a few ''security guards'' who usually protected the premises to prevent troublemakers. When there were dealings, they escorted the goods, resembling couriers at that time.


    However, when the workshop''s business was declining, all these people left. They were not production workers, so naturally, they were of no use during tough times.

 Chapter 28: 28 old acquaintances

    ```


    They didn''t leave because Tang Mo dismissed them, but of their own ord¡ªpeople need to eat, they can''t just squat here and starve.


    "I''ve found you two people as per your request, both of whom are quite skilled and have no issues with their character. They''re old acquaintances and have worked with your father before; they can be trusted.


    In addition, there are a few neers with a clean te, but their skills are mediocre." As Tang Mo seemed to be reminiscing, Roger continued, "They are quite satisfied with the remuneration we offer and are willing to give it a try."


    In these times, with war looming and the economy in a slump, life is not easy for anyone. Now that the workshop has need of them again and can guarantee a sry, these old-timers naturally wish toe back to their familiar work.


    The young people feel the same. They don''t have any particr skills and are just starting out as mercenaries. They always need to umte some work experience and hone their skills in order to acquire a respectable track record.


    Tang Mo nodded. He urgently needed to establish his own team to ensure his safety.


    After all, he only had Wes, which could be considered an armed force at his disposal, and this seemed far too meager.


    Moreover, Wes, a Ranger from the Northern Ridge, hade to him and offered his services voluntarily, which meant his loyalty wasn''t particrly high. He was only using him because there was no one else avable¡ªthis was the plight Tang Mo was in!


    Therefore, he naturally approved of old Roger''s work and agreed, "Good! They don''t need to be extremely skilled; they just need to be loyal to us."


    While speaking, he sighed with a touch of helplessness, "As you can see, the people here are bing more and more mixed."


    The truth was, Tang Mo had always been thinking about establishing his own protective forces, but he simply hadn''t had sufficient energy or strength to do it.


    On one hand, he was rushing to resume production and to start turning a profit in the workshop. On the other hand, he had to expand production to ensure the speed of his own development... As a result, the manpower and resources he could spare for setting up a private armed force were very limited.


    Now that he could let Roger find a few reliable hands, it meant that he had exhausted hisst bit of "private funds," without keeping any profit for himself.


    Tang Mo hung up his towel and then turned back to sit in his own ce, continuing to speak to Roger, "You know, our security is all handled by Earl''s men, and while there''s nothing wrong with Tagg''s character, we can''t always depend on the soldiers he brings. We must change this situation, which is also why I asked you to bring back some reliable old-timers."


    "You''re right. Although Wes is not bad, his loyalty isn''t very reassuring." Roger also felt uneasy about the chaotic rtionships in the entire workshop and agreed, "So, I brought Luff and Bernard back. With them around, I think the workshop''s safety is guaranteed."


    "I knew you could handle it." Recalling the appearances of these two from his memory, Tang Mo''s smile grew wider.


    Both men were old-timers in the workshop. Bernard began following Tang Mo''s father at the age of seventeen or eighteen and was now in his prime at thirty. Luff, on the other hand, was almost forty, experienced and steady with a strong swordsmanship skill, making him a reliable old acquaintance.


    After acknowledging these two, Tang Mo looked at old Roger and continued, "That''s why I hope you will focus more on training our own armed forces in the future. Soon we''ll be mass-producing breechloaders. Combined with our handcrafted revolvers, arming a dozen or so people and establishing a defense force loyal to us won''t be difficult."


    In Tang Mo''s view, the tactical advantage built upon advanced weaponry could easilypensate for deficiencies inbat experience.


    As long as this independent armed force belonging to him could be outfitted with revolvers, the advantage in firepower would easily allow them to defeat enemies several times their number in closebat.


    Moreover, he had even more weapons to develop, which he could equip his Personal Guard with first. With such weaponry, even if they faced off against the soldiers brought by Tagg, they would easily emerge victorious.


    "I''ve already brought them here, and all of them are under Luff''s management. ording to your instructions, I''ll issue them weapons and have themmence training as soon as possible," old Roger said, relieved that Tang Mo was satisfied with his work.


    He wasn''t young anymore, forty-three this year, and running around with old limbs wasn''t easy every day.


    For half a month straight, he had been running around for the workshop''s business, assembling new steam engines on one side and on the other, dealing with Tang Mo''s raw material affairs, so tired that he was almost falling apart.


    It''s no small feat to keep the whole workshop running, especially now as Tang Mo was also expanding and upgrading equipment, which made all the work even more disorganized and finicky.


    "Use those junk flintlock guns left in the warehouse first! Let them train simply! No matter, there will soon be breechloaders." Tang Mo was not going to short-change his own people. Letting his armed forces use the most advanced weapons first was clearly in his fundamental interest.


    However, Tang Mo didn''t n to have these individuals leave production. He wasn''t wealthy enough yet to support a full-time military force.


    ```


    So, he continued, "Additionally, I want them to level somend in their spare time... After all, I''ve paid them, they can''t be idle! First, they should clear a range in the wastnd so they can practice shooting during their regr routine!"


    "Understood!" Roger nodded, thinking of Luff''s expression upon hearing this order, a hint of a smile appeared on his face.


    Tang Mo was aware that, theoretically speaking, the most suitable person to lead this Troop was Wes, but Wes''s loyalty was clearly not as strong as old Roger''s.


    Moreover, Roger was already old and had no children; he had always been alone, so he wasn''t really suited to continue working in the factory anymore.


    Tang Mo intended to let old Roger retire and be his butler, simply having him assist with minor errands. Indeed, Roger was already moving in that direction, handing over his work responsibilities to Mathews and Parker.


    "Later, have Luff and Bernarde see me, and... allocate wooden shacks for these people... let them live asfortably as possible," Tang Mo thought for a moment, then instructed old Roger.


    "Alright! I''m going to rest a bit, then I''ll go check with Mathews about the parts for the third steam engine and see if there''s anything I can help with..." Roger stood up and said to Tang Mo.


    "Thank you for your hard work!" Tang Mo also stood up, sending out the elder who had been taking care of him like an uncle since his arrival in this world.


    "It''s nothing," Roger said without looking back.


    The avable talent, from any perspective, was still too scarce; even with some old hands from the workshop recalled, the shortfall was ring... Tang Mo sighed inwardly, walked out with his hands behind his back.


    He passed the factory building he had just left, the only one currently in operation within the entire workshop. He checked on Parker and his few apprentices at work.


    To his relief, the apprentices were all grateful, aware of how precious their job opportunities were, so they worked meticulously, studied hard, and the parts they finished were of quite high quality.


    At least there was a decent beginning now, wasn''t there? Tang Mo consoled himself internally, encouraging himself to quickly step out of the negative emotions.


    In reality, Tang Mo now had over three hundred people in his hands. By numbers, his workshop''s scale was already significant. Of those three hundred, about one-third were original workshop workers, roughly a hundred people.


    Including the workers from Northern Ridge, the number was over a hundred. There were not supposed to be that many, but the Earl, eager for weapons, rounded the number up to one hundred for Tang Mo, and actually, a hundred and six arrived.


    Additionally, there were workers and construction workers recruited intermittently, as well as workers'' families who had arrived, roughly seventy to eighty people in number.


    Tagg and his big-headed Soldiers, a total of nine, and the seven or eight "security" personnel Tang Mo had hired for the factory.


    All in all, this was a workshop with aplexposition and a now quiterge number of people. Of these people, about two hundred and twenty had wooden shacks or dormitories to stay in; the remaining eighty-plus could only live in tents.


    Of course, wooden shacks were also being built, and some space in the warehouse had been freed up, but it still had never been inhabited.


    Because Tang Mo was converting that ce into a workshop for producing smokeless gunpowder; a few carpenters were inside building long tables and some stools.


    Since the workshop could produce firearms, it naturally could also process wood. But no one ever thought that Tang Mo would use carpenters who were supposed to make gunstocks and barrels for such menial tasks as crafting simple tables and stools...


    Now the entire workshop looked like a giant construction site, with construction scenes everywhere. The factory building originally used for smelting iron was also half under renovation; the only one still maintaining production was the one housing the steam engine.


    There, Parker was leading his apprentices, working hard with the steam engine, and other workers learning by their side.


    The drilling machines were running day and night, producing barrel after barrel. In fact, it wasn''t right to say that Tang Mo hadn''t been producing the Quick Gun, because he was indeed stockpiling the barrels needed to manufacture firearms.


    After a few days, he had umted thirty barrels. This number was actually quite frightening because in other workshops that would virtually equal a month''s total production.


    Tang Mo knew that once his workers got going, they could use up these umted barrels in a matter of days to supply Tagg with over thirty K1 Quick Guns.

 Chapter 29: Step 29 towards the future

    In the past few days, Tang Mo had been contemting and was ready to start the real production. He estimated that at this rate, he would arrange manpower in a few days to start making gun stocks and barrels with the dried wood¡ªdragging it on indefinitely didn''t fit his style.


    He also took the time to umte some blueprints, nning to set up new machinery directly after the factory was built in the future.


    Meanwhile, he was preparing to have Roger train the factory''s own security while cing arge order for materials at Brunas Port. Once the next amount of money from Lord Earl arrived, he could deliver the goods directly to Lord Earl!


    Thanks to Tang Mo''s efforts, the whole workshop had already changed a lot¡ªthergest warehouse in the factory had been transformed into a chemical nt.


    The venttion here was not very good, so Tang Mo had some workers breaking walls to make several windows for this warehouse.


    There was no choice; he didn''t have venttion equipment¡ª and even if he did, he couldn''t afford to install it, and if he could afford it, there was no electricity... after all, he could only honestly use the most primitive methods to barely meet the requirements or standards.


    Next to this warehouse was a passageway. After all, a warehouse must be fireproof and also theft-proof. Therefore, around thisrge warehouse, there were actually roads designed to stop the spread of possible fires and also to provide some theft protection.


    On the other side of the road was another warehouse. This one was smaller and had thicker walls; it was originally used for storing gunpowder and other dangerous goods.


    Now, this ce had been emptied out and converted into aboratory that Tang Mo used himself as his own personal space. It was usually locked, and only Tang Mo had the key.


    Beside it stilly another passageway, with a water room on one side containing a well, a water tank for storage, and somerge buckets for firefighting.


    This area was filled with wooden barrels for water, and the ground was built higher to make it easier to transport water for extinguishing fires in case the gunpowder store caught fire.


    Tang Mo walked through, passing the water room, to reach another two warehouses that were separated by only one wall and were not deliberately isted. Their structures were wooden and clearly not meant for storing valuable goods.


    Previously, these warehouses stored wood, leather, and other misceneous items from the workshop. But now, Tang Mo had transformed them into a school!


    Now, all the goods were cleared out and moved to some newly built wooden huts with poorer quality further away. Those were barely cobbled-together buildings, almost useless except for storing misceneous items.


    The hastily constructed wooden huts barely differed from pavilions; they were open on all sides, making them unfit for living, and once they were filled with junk, they resembled houses more.


    At this moment, the space was neatly arranged with makeshift tables and benches, making it look like a rudimentary meeting room.


    To fit as many tables and chairs as possible, the tables were obviously narrowed, and the chairs did not even bother with backrests. Most of the furniture that the workshop was producing was in demand here.


    All in all, everything here was simple, so simple that this so-called school didn''t yet have a teacher.


    Nevertheless, Tang Mo had already started nning to recruit new students and get the school operating as soon as possible. He couldn''t wait, for he needed many more people who could understand him, and whom he could utilize!


    Tang Mo couldn''t help but mock himself internally about how many capable students he would be able to recruit and continued walking forward.


    In the corner was the most leisurely ce in the entire weapon workshop¡ªthe shooting range, or rather, the weapon testing field.


    From a distance, Tang Mo saw Wes with a revolver, repeatedly drawing the handgun from the holster on his waist and pretending to fire.


    Standing to one side was Tagg, looking enviously at Wes practicing, without even wearing the flintlock pistol he hardly ever kept away from his side.


    "I''ve seen the neers," Wes greeted with a smile and holstered his pistol as he saw Tang Mo approaching.


    "How are they?" Tang Mo asked Wes directly, smiling back.


    "Not bad," Wes replied. "I am your guard; I don''t care about other things. It''s good to have them around; it means I can rx a bit."


    He always imed to be Tang Mo''s guard, seemingly having defined his own role. But Tang Mo felt that if there were better choices, he certainly wouldn''t keep such a mysterious person by his side.


    "I''m already making the second revolver; it should be ready in a few days," Tang Mo said, looking at Tagg, trying to console the poor child who had missed out on the toy.


    After all, Tang Mo had begun producing smokeless gunpowder, and he was already having a few apprentices handcraft the world''s first true "Left-Wheel Handgun" that used metal-cased cartridges.


    With this kind of gun, he would have the first modern firearm in the world and would therefore have aplete and uncatchable overwhelming advantage over the old weaponry.


    Once his men began to equip themselves with these small, rapid-fire handguns that could be quickly reloaded, opponents armed with flintlock guns would bepletely unable to defend against them.


    However, given Tang Mo''s current resources, he was incapable of mass-producing such weapons¡ªhecked sufficient copper to produce the cartridge cases, and he did not have enough chemical reagents to produce smokeless powder.


    All he could do was produce and equip on a small scale, incapable of withstanding the consumption of war, let alone rapidly replenishing supplies.


    However, in small-scale local conflicts, these new weapons were already enough to establish an advantage for Tang Mo. What he now sought was not to equip troops en masse, but to arm himself first!


    After exchanging a few idle words with Tagg and Wes, Tang Mo went on to inspect his domain. The workshop was his home, and he cherished everything in it dearly.


    As he returned to the bustling factory along the path, he caught sight of Mathews''s short but sturdy figure.


    The second steam engine started to work, making the only factory in operation even noisier. The noise was already so loud that anyone wanting to speak had to shout at the top of their lungs.


    The flywheels of the two steam engines rotated ceaselessly, filling the entire factory with energy. Mathews stood beside a rapidly spinningthe, polishing an irregr part.


    With this perpetual power source, polishing became an incredibly simple task. Mathews quickly finished a part in his hands, set it aside, and twisted his neck.


    Then he saw Tang Mo standing beside him and broke into a wide smile, "This thing is just so useful, I''m liking it here more and more."


    "You''ll like it here even more." Tang Mo, thinking of the several drawings he had sketched in his rare moments of leisure, smilingly said to the old dwarf, "The matters of the school have recently gotten on track, so when you have time, you could go and teach the kids how to operate machinery."


    "No problem, but for apprentices, it''s better if the children are over ten years old. Younger onesck concentration, and teaching them would be a waste of time," Mathews reminded Tang Mo.


    "It''s okay, just teach them. I can''t send the younger ones out, so they''ll have to listen to the lectures together," Tang Mo casually remarked, shaking his head without agreeing with Mathews''s suggestion.


    He was indeed desperate for talent and turned away no one. He was even willing to train girls because he knew that in the industries of the future, female workers and managers could y a very important role.


    Lacking talent, he was unwilling to pass up any possibility. Since he could not immediately increase the number of personnel, using women in the same roles as men was clearly a good strategy for rapid expansion.


    Mathews didn''t argue and agreed with Tang Mo, "Alright! Since you insist, I have no objections."


    "Also, I have some more work for you... to make some parts for me... I have a use for them," Tang Mo casually added as he was leaving.


    "No problem." Mathews''s eyes lit up, and he immediately agreed.


    ...


    Soon, a strange storm began to brew within Tang''s Weapons Workshop. A worker, while polishing a part in his hand, asked his colleague, "Did you hear? Our workshop has started a school for the kids..."


    The colleague, without putting down his work or looking up, replied, "Of course I heard. I also heard that they haven''t found a teacher yet, and temporarily it''s our boss and a few old master craftsmen teaching..."


    "That''s not bad, sending the kids to learn some skills is good. Better than doing nothing at home," the inquiring worker blew on the part in his hand to remove the iron filings, and continued to ruminate.


    He had a son who was just 13, the perfect age to learn, and sending him here to learn some skills for free was a great option.


    The colleague who kept his head down tossed the polished trigger into a box of finished products and stretched out, "Yeah, who would have thought...our boss is even willing to teach kids stuff, it''s really..."


    "Exactly, and I heard it''s for free... I wonder if that''s true or not..." Another worker joined the conversation, visibly excited.


    He had two children at home, both of whom were very bright. If they could learn something, they might well have a worry-free future.


    In those times, it was rare to find a boss willing to provide benefits to his workers, let alone a lunatic like Tang Mo who was ready to provide education to all of his employees'' children.


    Upon hearing this news, almost all the workers became excited. They spread the word and began to figure out how to bring their children over.


    ---------


    Here''s the second update, seeking monthly tickets, rmendations, rewards, and favorites...

 Chapter 30: 30 hearsay

    "It must be true, my child is already going there. Just yesterday, the boss himself came looking for us... and even gave my kid a notebook." More and more workers joined the conversation, one excitedly offering proof that Tang Mo indeed intended to do just that.


    The news had been circting among the workers for not just a day or two. Tang Mo had released the information some time ago because, in this era, the families of most workers were usually not living by their side.


    To get these workers to bring their children over and enroll them in school would still take some time.


    Moreover, Tang Mo needed time to prepare, to set up the school, to prepare the teaching ns, and to ready a whole host of things.


    So, it was only natural that word spread far and wide, and Tang Mo had intentionally dispersed this news in order to gauge everyone''s reactions. He didn''t know whether the workers would support or oppose the idea of their children attending school, so he needed to test the waters.


    As a result, everything went very smoothly, and Tang Mo received the feedback he was hoping for, so the school was indeed established.


    It was at this time that the worker who first brought up the topic excitedly said, "That''s really great, I''ll bring my boy over too when I go back!"


    Many other workers also started to be interested¡ªafter all, they had children at home, too, many with more than one child. It would definitely be a good thing to bring those wild kids over for proper education.


    Even better, it was said that Tang Mo was also nning to provide amodation for these children. Although it was only a wooden hut, that was not unbearable.


    Compared to living apart, being able to live with one''s family, even under tough conditions, was definitely the better choice, wasn''t it?


    "I wonder if it''s okay for girls too¡­" mumbled a worker under his breath, as he had no sons, only a daughter at home.


    In those times, the thinking that boys were more valued than girls was deeply ingrained, and this was evident in the severe male dominance within Tang Mo''s workshop. Apart from Auntie Cui Xi in the canteen, there were only a few elderly women who did farm work.


    The reason for recruiting these femaleborers was simple: these older women demanded low wages, and that was it.


    A few dozen women came over from Northern Ridge, most of whom had followed their husbands, giving it a bit of a migratory vor.


    Many of these workers from Northern Ridge had families in tow, and Earl Fisello, in choosing people to send to Tang Mo, had deliberately selected households where every family member could work.


    This showed the benevolence and attention to detail of Earl Fisello, a nobleman who didn''t act like one, whose attitude towards themon people could truly be described as kind.


    However,pared to Tang Mo, Earl Fisello''s old-fashioned thinking still limited his vision. Tang Mo had no discrimination against female workers and was even willing to employ them in more areas.


    Moreover, from Tang Mo''s perspective, he hoped that the school he was building would have a more bnced ratio of boys to girls, which would align more with his stereotypical image of a school.


    It couldn''t be helped, Tang Mo was a time-traveler, and he had his own set ideas and stubborn notions about certain things.


    That''s why when Tang Mo was preparing to send Tagg back to Northern Ridge to report on his duties, he nned to bring back even more women with him. He wanted married women, he wanted unmarried women. As long as they were willing toe to Brunas to work, he was epting them.


    Farmers or workers, the husbands and children of these women should alle too. He was not turning anyone away; he could arrange amodations and provide them with jobs. Now, with vastnds at his disposal, Tang Mo was in great need ofbor¡ªdesperately so!


    When someone asked about girls attending school, a worker who knew the details promptly spoke up to clear up the question, "Of course! Why not? The boss said he wants girls too! As long as they are children, he will teach them, and it''s free of charge!"


    "I heard the boss is also building houses for us, so that in the future, the whole family can live together?" The workers talked more and more animatedly as they brought up the issue of housing once again. Lately, due to the influx of workers from Northern Ridge, the workshop''s dormitories had be increasingly crowded.


    Tang Mo was building more houses, but due to the rush, most of these houses were made of wood. However, even among the wooden houses, there were differences.


    The wooden houses meant for living were constructed with more care, with thicker wood, and coated on the outside with ster, giving them somewhat of a decent appearance.


    In such wooden houses, there were bunk beds, a temporary solution to the housing issue. ording to Tang Mo''s ns, all these were to be renovated in the future, transformed into apartments.


    After more than ten days of hard work, one could hardly see tents in Tang Mo''s workshop anymore. Even the eight soldiers brought by Tagg now had their own rooms, though all eight of them had to squeeze into one room with standard bunk beds.


    A few workers who had seen the progress of the wooden houses spoke confidently and in various tones, "But of course..."


    Good days were just around the corner, and everyone''s spirits were clearly soaring. Just a month ago, they were worrying about whether the workshop would continue to exist and whether they''d be unemployed, but now, they were witnessing the rapid development and growth of the workshop.


    Arge expanse of barrennd to the north had been purchased by the boss, Tang Mo, and the wilderness had already been cleared for use as a school yground and a testing range.


    The original shooting range was being reced by a new factory building, and countless simple wooden shacks were being constructed in every avable space next to it. Most of the wooden shacks served as storerooms, with the names of the goods stored inside hanging on the walls, which were full of cracks.


    Far from the source of the noise, another busy construction site was taking shape, this one for dormitories made of wood, significantly better in quality, lined up in row after row, just as densely packed.


    In short, starting a month ago, this ce had been bustling with life¡ªconstruction was happening everywhere, imparting a very reassuring feeling.


    With moods lifted and future prospects bright, naturally, there were more jokes among everyone, and so, someone started to stray: "Great! My wife can move here and live with me!"


    "You have a wife?" His words no sooner fell than someone, with a mischievous grin, set a trap for him.


    The young worker retorted indignantly: "Nonsense! Of course, I have a wife! I haven''t been back for a year... I miss her."


    "You have a wife but no kids?" A few middle-aged workers with wicked smiles joined the teasing circle. Many othersughed along, and the atmosphere became extremely lively.


    "Once I bring her here, won''t there be kids?" The young worker''s face turned red, and it was only after a long pause that he managed to squeeze out this sentence.


    At these words, many workers burst intoughter. Amidst the roaringughter, the worker who had just spoken about sending his two children to school quickly said, "I heard the soundproofing in those wooden shacks is super bad, and the wooden beds aren''t sturdy. Don''t let the creaking and groaning be heard by the neighbors."


    As soon as he stopped speaking, more people joined in theughter, drowning out the young worker''s annoyed rebuttal: "Hahaha!"


    Inside the office, Tang Mo was also making final preparations for recruiting students. He rubbed his shoulders and looked at Tagg, who had been asked to join: "I n to give you lot some extra lessons too. What do you think, do you want toe and listen?"


    "Us? We need to take sses?" Tagg couldn''t believe his ears, repeated Tang Mo''s words, then asked, "What sses are we taking?"


    "The soldiers you brought with you, along with you, Luff, Bernard, and some of the mercenaries I''ve recruited¡ªwe''ll all take sses together," Tang Mo replied. "Tactical sses, including artillery theory, infantry tactics, cavalry tactics..."


    "Me, a teacher?" Tagg asked uncertainly, feeling as if he was the only one qualified to teach such courses. After all, there were no talents under Tang Mo''smand who had seen battle¡ªhe was the only one!


    However, he didn''t quite understand Tang Mo''s intentions¡ªwhat was an arms dealer doing training officers for no reason?


    With this thought, he looked at Tang Mo somewhat warily, but thetter replied with something unexpected: "Of course not, you are here to learn! I''ll teach you thetest, most cutting-edge tactics!"


    "You... you can''t be serious?" Tagg was taken aback.


    "Of course I''m serious," Tang Mo said, looking at him with a somewhat helpless expression¡ªhe really needed to save time now, so he was indeed making use of every able-bodied man he could. If he had a choice, he still preferred to train his people.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have the money to recruit and sustain arge private army; Bernard and Luff with their dozen men were already the limit he could currently nurture.


    So he had no choice but to grab Tagg and the others to make up the numbers¡ªafter all, he had a bit of confidence that one day in the future, he''d be able to pull this ferocious tiger, Tagg, under hismand.


    "But you..." Tagg felt he couldn''t ept such a thing.


    "Haven''t been on the battlefield?" Tang Mo interrupted his doubt and asked with augh.


    "Yes, that''s right," Tagg internally admitted that he knew Tang Mo hadn''t been to battle. Without battlefield experience, to dare to teach veterans tactics? What a joke.


    But Tang Mo was unfazed: "There''s nothing strange about that. Because I''m a weapons merchant, the future modes of warfare will be determined by me, not by you."


    After a slight pause, he continued questioning in one breath: "You''ve been on the battlefield, but so what? Have you ever seen a revolver? If you haven''t seen a revolver, how could you understand the tactics it suits? Without having seen a revolver, what kind of experience do you have with future warfare?"


    "..." Tagg''s face clouded over, his mind roaring in protest: "So what if I haven''t seen a revolver? Do you have to keep saying it over and over again?"

 Chapter 31: 31 School

    "Line up in three rows, regardless of gender, and arrange yourselves by height, with the shorter ones in front and the taller ones in the back." Roger barked orders at a group of kids who were inplete disarray.


    Upon hearing Roger''s shout, some of the older children who apprenticed at the factory immediately started to form lines, while those who came from civilian homes nearby were still a bit chaotic.


    However, as some children began to line up, driven by curiosity, others too followed and stood in three rows.


    The few girls, who were in the minority, were quite shy and didn''t speak, only standing there with bowed heads among the crowd, getting pushed around by the boys passing by, looking very much like little oppressed creatures.


    Tang Mo frowned as he looked at the sparsely lined-up children before him. To tell the truth, he was not pleased with these children, as theck of education in this world meant these kids, who were not young anymore, had absolutely no sense of discipline.


    They were sloppy and incredibly sluggish, and even getting them to assemble had wasted a good fifteen minutes before they stood together in a scattered fashion.


    And after these children finally settled down, Tang Mo waited another three to five minutes in silence. Fortunately, the children still possessed an innate fear of Tang Mo, so after a long silence from their teacher, they eventually recalled that fear and quieted down.


    The original n, to have the children bathe in the river and then clean up as much as possible, was thus abandoned amidst the waiting.


    "I am Tang Mo! From now on, I''ll be your teacher... My requirement for you is simple, remember! It is I who have given you everything!" Tang Mo said, with his hands behind his back, looking down at the children on the ground.


    "Got it..." The younger ones, only seven or eight years old, and the older ones, who were already about as old as Tang Mo, responded cautiously and somewhat unevenly. Clearly, discipline would be the first thing Tang Mo intended to teach these children.


    "From now on! You only need to answer ''yes'' or ''no''!" Tang Mo scolded sharply.


    "Yes... I mean... yes," a group of children responded, somewhat confused, but fortunately, a few smart ones began to reply as Tang Mo had instructed.


    "Your voices must be loud! Otherwise, I can''t hear!" Tang Mo emphasized.


    "Yes!" the children immediately yelled in response.


    Tang Mo nced at Old Roger beside him, who had been briefed in advance, so he immediately stood with his hands behind his back and stood tall as he had rehearsed before.


    "Roger." Tang Mo nodded at him.


    Roger took out the school rules written by Tang Mo, stepped forward with a stern face, unfolded the paper, and read ording to the content: "Rule number one, Principal Tang Mo''smands must be followed."


    The children watching nervously fixated on Roger, as he listed the rules they only vaguely understood, unsure of what to do.


    Looking around was out of the question, since they didn''t know whether their slight movements could cause them to lose this free opportunity to learn. They were even more cautious than Tang Mo imagined and seemed almost on edge.


    Although theycked discipline, Tang Mo could feel their eagerness to learn. Given some time, Tang Mo was confident that he could turn them into the elites of this era!


    Tang Mo watched as Roger shook his head and babbled on, and he couldn''t help but smirk internally. Roger had spent three days memorizing these words since he waspletely illiterate; he was only pretending to read from the paper. Yet the children didn''t know this, and seeing Roger mutter to the paper instilled a sense of reverence and fear in them.


    The school rules,prising just over two hundred words, were not very long, so by the time Old Roger finished reading them, some of the older apprentices had realized that they were about to begin a new and terrifying journey. The rules were not particrly special; they were just severe enough to instill fear.


    Each rule was followed by strict punishment measures, ranging from being hit on the palm with a cane to being put in solitary confinement. They covered everything.


    For example, Rule seven stated: "Anyone who refuses to execute Tang Mo''smands will be ced in solitary confinement for three days and expelled from the school never to be re-admitted."


    And Rule nine was: "Those who steal ormit other illegal acts will be ced in solitary confinement for one day and expelled from the school."


    The reason for repeated reference to expulsion was that Tang Mo did not want any harmful elements in his school.


    On the one hand, this provision was intended to deter students and parents; on the other hand, it allowed him to promptly remove any bad influences, ensuring the quality of his students.


    Since he hadn''t yet had the opportunity to implementpulsory education, he took advantage of this rather self-indulgent opportunity to heavily discipline these unruly kids, letting them experience the warmth of ''spiritual infusion therapy''!


    The older children who were factory apprentices knew Tang Mo''s temperament, so they understood that the rules recited were not to be taken lightly, as many of these regtions had already been reflected in the factory''s discipline code.


    "We''ll assemble again tomorrow, and I''ll give you just one minute! Do you understand?" Tang Mo said with his hands behind his back, his tone strict.


    "Yes!" The older apprentices answered loudly once again.


    "We''ve already wasted too much time today." Tang Mo did not show the satisfaction he felt inside. He nced at Old Roger beside him and ordered, "I''ll leave the rest of the time to you! Memorize these school rules! Only after you''ve memorized them may you leave! Roger, Wes... make sure they memorize them.


    Those who leave without doing so don''t need toe back ever!"


    A group of children stood frozen on the spot, utterly clueless why they had to memorize the school rules to leave. They watched Tang Mo leave indifferently and then realized they might be in deep trouble.


    Having been sent here by their elders to study, they obviously couldn''t just go back¡ªif they couldn''t deliver the goods, they would undoubtedly get a beating.


    The problem was, if it were just a beating, they could endure and get past it. But if the school didn''t go down in mes one day, theparative mindset of the family elders wouldn''t fade, and they''d have no good days ahead!


    So, deserting was not an option; they had no choice but to stay, no matter how much they dreaded it. After all, they were only teenagers¡ªhow many of them truly had the guts to rebel?


    But memorizing these things was clearly a tall order¡ªsome of them could barely recognize a few characters!


    However, it was obvious that Roger and Wes were prepared. They split the group in half, leading each half to a rtively quiet corner.


    Then they exined the rules and began to read the school rules aloud, over and over, like a chant.


    After reading aloud five times, they would pause and ask if there were any students who had memorized them. Seeing no response, they would start again, tirelessly repeating the process.


    Back in the office, Tang Mo began toy out the data Roger had collected door to door the day before, carefully nning everything.


    Getting these kids to study was not an easy task. Besides promising free education, he also had to arrange a reasonable study schedule for them.


    This wasn''t an era where education was universally valued¡ªchildren were also a part of the workforce for a family. Many kids apprenticed in factories or helped with farm work at home, all with lots of work to do.


    Moreover, Tang Mo didn''t have a full set of qualified teachers to establish a full-time school for these children. Hecked adequate space, enough teachers, and even he himself didn''t have enough time!


    Thus, the best solution was to stagger their schedules, and arranging such timing was now his responsibility.


    Plus, ording to Tang Mo''s n, it wasn''t just about learning cultural knowledge for these kids. They needed to carve out time for physical training, and for those with great talent, Tang Mo even nned to train them intently, turning them into his trusted aides.


    In short, everything was just a beginning, and they all had to keep working hard towards the set goals for the future.


    Tang Mo rubbed his neck, turned his head, and nced at some blueprints beside him. He sighed in frustration and bent over his desk to busy himself with work once more.


    On the temporarily leveled ground, a test for these children was still ongoing. Wes felt his throat going dry, and yet, none of the youngsters in front of him had memorized these damned school rules.


    Roger was not faring much better, but the smarter thing he did was to bring a water bottle...


    "Article, article fifty-one, unity,radeship... mutual assistance, one must not, must not abandon ssmates..." Finally, after another hour or so, the little apprentice who helped Tang Mo make cartridge nests was the first to recite the school rules, finishing the first assignment set by Tang Mo.


    He became the first candidate for ss leader selected for Tang Mo by Roger. Then a young girl also managed to recite the entire school rules, bing the second ss leader candidate.


    When Roger and Wes finally watched those new students memorize the school rules and, exhausted, returned to Tang Mo''s office, Tang Mo was discussing the new factory details with Mathews.


    "The lines for the new factory need to be redone. Renovating the old ones is simply a waste of time. We aim to do our best and find a way to avoid any changes for two years at least," Tang Mo pointed at the blueprint and emphasized to Mathews.


    "Two years?" Mathews was taken aback, then looked at Tang Mo with full confidence.


    "What, too long?" Tang Mo was also startled, thinking Mathews was even more aggressive than himself.


    Mathews scoffed at Tang Mo and corrected what he saw as Tang Mo''s "erroneous" thinking: "I mean it''s too short! You know Shireck''s factory, it might not see any changes in ten years."


    "Ten years? You''ve got to be joking. Believe me, Mathews! The machines you treasure now will be museum pieces in ten years," Tang Mo put an arm around Mathews''s shoulder, persuasively urging.

 Chapter 32: 32 Classroom

    "Cough..." Roger signaled that he had alreadye in and then nced at Wes, saying, "All the children have memorized it, they are all very bright."


    "The first three to memorize were your favorite apprentice Galsa, a little girl from the northern part of Brunas, Yulin, and Dino from Northern Ridge." Wes licked his dry lips and reported to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo nodded, jotting down the three names, thenpared them with the roster he had organized to see if he could ce these three children in the appropriate sses.


    That these three children were able to memorize the school rules in the shortest amount of time at least proved that they were clever enough. Tang Mo nned to focus on observing them first and, if possible, provide targeted training for these three children.


    First, to establish role models, and then to allocate resources preferentially, Tang Mo calcted in his mind and instantly made a decision.


    He looked up at Wes and said, "Do you remember the task I assigned you? The children''s physical education, follow my lesson n, plus your swordsmanship ss! I want to ensure every child has a strong physique."


    "As you wish." Wes bowed slightly, agreeing to Tang Mo''s request.


    In the following days, Tang Mo was extremely upied. He taught the children during the day, and when Mathews and Roger took over the handicraft sses, he would inspect the factory and return to his office to draw blueprints.


    In the evening, after finishing his sses, he would go to theboratory to conduct experiments and verify the preparation process ording to the forms in his mind.


    He would go to bed on time around eleven o''clock, without any nightlife or social obligations, honestly climbing into bed to enjoy the most unadorned sleep under the clean starry sky.


    He knew that in another half a year, it might not be easy to see such clean skies, as he watched the chimneys in the workshops grow more numerous and taller...


    The workshop had already umted some gun parts, at least the production and speed of the barrels had essentially met Tang Mo''s requirements.


    These days, Tang Mo had been thinking about how to produce cement to elerate his construction pace¡ªunfortunately, whether Brunas or Northern Ridge, neither was a source of raw materials for cement. Arge-scale preparation of cement remained an unrealistic dream for him.


    Purchasing raw materials through sea transportation wasn''t possible either, because no one would transport something as cheap as lime over such long distances. Therefore, for Tang Mo to produce cement, he would still have to wait some time.


    Moreover, his current production focus was not on cement; part of it was on steam engines and gun parts, and another part on improving gunpowder.


    After all, he needed to create products and find willing buyers to bring the workshop into a healthy operational state; obviously, the factory''s internal infrastructure was not profitable.


    ...


    "Here, we need to simplify! Yes, simplify the fractions... Come, I''m going to check your calctions!" Tang Mo was writingboriously with a homemade chalk on a ckboard made with a simple coat of ck paint.


    His ckboard was pitted and not very smooth, and his chalk was not very user-friendly either, just a makeshift substitution.


    Even the ssroom didn''t have electric lighting, only a few pitiful gasmps emitted a dim light.


    If judged by 21st-century standards, the lighting conditions here were terrible, even risking causing myopia in children. The ssroom was filled with a faint kerosene smell, which wasn''t great for their health either.


    But it was within this rudimentary environment that 70 children were packed, in shabby clothes, with a third of them d in garments dusted with coal ash.


    There was no helping it. Among the students attending sses here, half were the children of workers who, being employed in the workshops, were among the first to hear the news.


    These workers entrusted their children, or rather, young apprentices to Tang Mo, letting them receive a new style of modern education in the ssroom.


    Then, things got a bit out of Tang Mo''s control¡ªafter his first ss teaching the children literacy and mathematics and exining simple mechanical principles with examples, more children arrived the next day for the evening ss.


    Tang Mo had ultimately underestimated the eagerness of people in this era to acquire knowledge. The workers were very aware of the significance of aplete set of knowledge in this age.


    This wasn''t an era of information overload; acquiring knowledge was a luxury. Tang Mo''s willingness to share knowledge was an extremely unconventional act.


    The production experience that these workers summed up over a lifetime, Wes managed to systematically theorize and teach it to the children, shocking the impoverished who had tobor every day just to have a meal.


    Soon, news spread like wildfire in Brunas. People carefully shared with their friends that there was a school in Tang Mo Weapons Workshop that taught children to read and write for free.


    Shortly thereafter, within just a dozen days or so, the simple school established by Wes far exceeded his expectations, gathering more than 180 children...


    Yes, nearly 200 children! During the day, Wes didn''t even have time to umte his smokeless gunpowder due to his craftsmenship. He had to teach more than one hundred and ten children during the daytime.


    The same course content, in the morning one ss of more than 50 children, in the afternoon another ss of more than 50 children... and in the evening, he still had to teach the remaining 70 children again.


    His throat was hoarse from talking so much, he grabbed the cup of water on the lectern and gulped down a big mouthful, which relieved him somewhat.


    His mouth was parched and his tongue was dry, but he didn''t stop talking ceaselessly. He needed to quickly impart some knowledge to these children, to help them grow up quickly.


    In fact, age-wise, he wasn''t much older than these children. The older ones among these children were fifteen or sixteen, the younger ones only seven or eight, all watching Wes at the lectern with wide eyes.


    Seventeen-year-old Wes was actually very sturdy, standing at a height of one meter eighty, his presence behind the lectern was indeedmanding. However, his face still retained a youthful innocence, his voice not yet deep and powerful.


    Yet standing there, in front of these children, Wes''s figure seemed to grow taller. After he finished drinking water, he walked off the lectern with his hands behind his back, checking each child''s homework book at their desks.


    These homework books were also given out for free, and they actually didn''t cost much. The son of the owner of Brunas'' paper shop attended the morning sses. So, Wes bought the paper at cost price.


    The children in the evening were generally older because they were old enough to help with chores at home, so they only had time to attend lectures at night.


    Half of the students were apprentices in the workshop, some were children of workers, and the rest of the children''s backgrounds were rather mixed.


    Since these children were generally older, Wes would move faster through the lessons with them. Many of the apprentices already had a basic understanding of math, so Wes increased the difficulty and taught them moreplex material.


    "Hunter! Stop looking at Fanny''s answers! You little rascal!" Wes shouted at a child in the distance, startling the kid into quickly tucking in his neck.


    "If I catch you trying to take shortcuts again, I''ll have you spend some time in the solitary room to reflect!" Wes scolded sternly, then began pacing along the desks.


    "Correct... correct... yours is wrong, think about it... one-half! Four-eighths! Can these be simplified...


    right! You''re so smart, Bl!" Wes corrected each child''s mistakes, then walked back to the ckboard and continued to exin the lesson.


    Studying here was free, they could even receive notebooks and had toplete homework; Wes even prepared snacks for the children to stave off hunger during breaks.


    And the children were more sensible than Wes had expected; they truly cherished this hard-earned opportunity to learn.


    They paid close attention during ss, diligentlypleting their homework after school, and there were study groups helping each other out, reviewing the previous day''s material in their spare time.


    Wes had even seen an apprentice who shoveled coal murmuring the multiplication table with each shovel, never stopping for a moment.


    "You need to understand these fractions because they might appear in your future work, applying these numbers will make your job easier!" Wes said to all the students after returning to the ckboard: "Next, let''s continue practicing! If you don''t understand, raise your hand¡­ twenty-four thirty-sixths, thirty-five forty-ninths¡­"


    After going through a few example problems, Wes stepped down from the lectern, and as he walked towards the door, he instructed the smartest apprentice in the workshop, "Galsa! Keep the ssroom in order! Wait for me for two minutes!"


    By the time he finished saying this, he had reached the ssroom door. This ssroom was actually arge wooden shed that used to serve as a warehouse; all the items had been moved out and reced with simple, long desks and chairs to convert it into a ssroom.


    Most of the goods originally stored here had been used up, and the rest had been moved to a makeshift wooden shed.


    Next to this warehouse-turned-ssroom was another room with even more interesting upants.

 Chapter 33: 33 sand movers

    Tagg led a group of soldiers he had brought with him, along with Wessley Huff Bernard, and their security personnel. Altogether, there were 20 of them, neatly sitting there, looking down at the grass paper in front of them.


    "How''s it going?" Before Tang Mo even entered the room, his voice had carried inside. Everyone looked up with a frown and shook their heads at Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo knew that this couldn''t be aplished overnight and needed a significant amount of time to build up, as well as ample patience, so he wasn''t discouraged. He walked to the front of the ckboard and began to exin to them.


    These were essentially the foundation of Tang Mo''s current military ss, so he didn''t hold back and shared some of the tactical thinking he knew with them.


    These were the distilled essence of battlefield experience umted over thousands of years in the future, where each detail had been repeatedly validated and refined to remain.


    "I don''t understand why you want us to memorize this stuff¡­ trajectories? angles of fire? And then calcting parabs, right! Parabs¡­" Tagg furrowed his eyebrows, looking at Tang Mo who had walked in, and started toin.


    A soldier, equally perplexed, asked, "This makes no sense at all, sir. Each cannon has to be reloaded after firing, and the amount of gunpowder varies, making urate firing impossible."


    In this era, cannon loading was still an incredibly tedious process, with each step beingplicated and requiring professional gunners, taking a long time for just one firing sequence.


    Simrly, due to theck of metal cartridge cases and precise powder charges, the range and uracy of each cannon shot were matters of fate.


    Each artillery team could only adjust the firing parameters based on the gun captain''s experience, making each shot random and the uracy far frommendable.


    It was only because the opposing lines were densely packed and there were many troops that the precision of the artillery fire did not have to be high to hit the enemy positions; otherwise, these cannons would basically be just for show.


    "In fact, if we could produce fixed ammunition, we could resolve this issue," Tang Mo exined with a smile, outlining his n.


    Of course, he couldn''t possibly be content with producing only breechloading rifles for a lifetime; he also had to produce more, better, and more powerful weapons¡ªthose war machines embodying human intellect! As artillery, the literal God of War, it naturally was one of the first pieces of weaponry he intended to produce.


    However, he wouldn''t manufacture the current muzzle-loading cannons, but design and make brand new breech-loading rifled cannons from the start, redrawing the standards of artillery weaponry for the world!


    With such a n in mind, he naturally needed to prioritize training officers who genuinely understood artillery, couldmand artillerymen, and were familiar with the operations of the artillery.


    The soldiers in front of him, including Luff and others, were his sparks, the modern soldiers he had to educate and develop for the advancement of modern weaponry!


    "Fixed ammunition is avable now, but it''s still impossible to get the propent weight exactly the same..." Another one of Tagg''s subordinates, equally puzzled, actually had experience with cannon operation before arriving and considered himself quite familiar with artillery.


    "I know! But in the future! Our ammunition will be almost identical! What we''re learning now is the tactics of the future! Do you understand?" Tang Mo found himself needing to continue exining.


    As an old-style officer, Tagg was stubborn as a rock in a pit, stinky and hard, "I think we''re still doing unnecessary things. It would be more appropriate for us to practice our shooting skills."


    "Think whatever you want! Think of that revolver! If weapons truly transform in the next few years, by giving up the chance to learn today, you''ll always be left behind, bing obsolete soldiers, buried by the times," Tang Mo sighed, reminding Tagg for thest time.


    Hearing Tang Mo say this, Tagg actually became serious¡ªrevolvers were indeed a tangible reality. He suddenly realized that Tang Mo might truly be offering them an opportunity, a chance to keep up with the changes.


    "Study earnestly! That''s an order!" Tagg looked at his subordinates, gritted his teeth, andmanded.


    In contrast, the younger mercenaries brought by Luff and Bernard were devoid of any reluctance. They were naturally very curious about some aspects of the military and were overjoyed at the chance to learn directly.


    Since theycked any old, outdated experience, they naturally didn''t oppose the teachings and had much enthusiasm for learning.


    At this moment, they were all recording an equation that Tang Mo had hastily scribbled on the ckboard, and, following the method Tang Mo had previously taught them, they inserted this equation into the data to calcte a numerical value.


    "Alright! Check it with each other! I need to go back and teach the children! Try making up problems for each other! Request the opponent''s artillery to hit a certain point, and then have them calcte the firing parameters!" He rushed toward the doorway, assigning homework without looking back.


    More than twenty mature students sighed and turned their attention back to understanding the equation they had just worked through.


    Tang Mo hurried back to the adjacent ssroom but did not witness any roughhousing. Everyone was quietly practicing fraction problems, and the ssroom was indeed so silent you could hear a pin drop.


    Moved by the sight, Tang Mo remembered hearing in his past life about how dearly children in impoverished areas cherished the opportunity to learn, yet he had never felt it so acutely.


    However, now that he had seen a group of children who, no matter how difficult the conditions, loved learning and saw it as their lifeline, he suddenly realized that what he could bring to this world was not just modern weaponry, there might also be a brighter future.


    At the very least, he felt with his abilities he could ensure peace in the region, provide bright ssrooms for a group of children, giveborers their own houses with new clothes and tasty meals...


    In that moment, he thought of many things.


    Looking into the eyes of these pure-hearted children, he even felt a bit ashamed.


    How wonderful would it have been if he had provided these children with electric lights? If he had prepared better workbooks, more appropriate desks and chairs, more beautiful ssrooms, smoother ckboards, more professional teachers... how great that would have been...


    "Alright, kids! Now let''s calcte the next problem..." he grasped the makeshift chalk that coated his hand in white dust and continued writing on the ckboard.


    ...


    "Hey! It''s time for a break!" yelled a construction worker carrying sand, shirtless under the sun, his muscled body reflecting a healthy glow.


    In these times clouded by the threat of war, finding any job was difficult, let alone one with the decent conditions offered by Tang''s Weapon Workshop.


    He had to haul sand to the designated spots and then help nail wooden boards, lifting the cut nks above his head to hand off to the professional builders.


    The work wasn''t hard, just requiring strength, which he had plenty of. The pay Tang Mo gave him wasn''t meager; the key was that working here came with a meal.


    The food wasn''tvish but was certainly ample, which was quite rare. Bosses who didn''t pinch pennies on workers'' meals were umon these days.


    Considering the boss''s kindness, he was willing to work harder, returning good for good as an expression of his gratitude.


    Buttely, he discovered that his working attitude could hardly match those of a few builders. Those despicable fellows started hammering nails at the crack of dawn, unwilling to stop for even a moment.


    "We still have some time to work..." said a worker climbing adder with a wooden board, positioning it where it belonged.


    A half-built roof held a wooden box filled with nails, a hammer beside it, and a crumpled piece of paper.


    "I say, the boss here may be generous, but you don''t have to work yourself to death, right?" The sand-carrying worker looked up, squinting in the sun at the builders on thedders.


    "My son can read! Hahaha! Can you believe it? For that, I should work harder, show Tang Mo that we''re grateful folks too! Teach my son more, won''t that be another skill for him?" The worker on thedder proudly boasted to the one below, picking up a nail, sizing it up, then deftly hammering it into the nk.


    He had been thrilled about this fromst night until now. The paper in the wooden box with the nails wasn''t anything special but was his son''s test from yesterday!


    The paper had thirty characters written on it, all crooked and uneven, but to an old carpenter and builder, it was more delightful thannding a big contract.


    In this world, being literate was truly valuable. You could run errands for the nobility, work as a bookkeeper, or even apply for a position in public service.


    Even if he continued to be a carpenter like his father, being literate would make it easier to understand blueprints and calcte profits¡ªat least he wouldn''t be easily cheated, right?


    He had spent his life illiterate, relying on experience to interpret blueprints, barely recognizing any words. For him, a life disadvantaged by illiteracy had now changed because his son could write dozens of words!


    How could that not excite him? How could it not fill him with gratitude toward the person who educated his son? Sotely he worked even harder, elerating the progress of the construction project.


    "I don''t even have a son!" The sand carrier muttered his weak protest upon learning the reason, then went on to mind his own business.

 Chapter 34: Cant straighten up at the waist

    There was no helping it; any further conversation with these people, already mired in their fervor, would likely provoke hostilities. In the workshop now, there were far too many who thought the world of the boss, Tang Mo.


    Many of the workers with children could hardly contain their adoration for Tang Mo. In this era, people''s simplistic values made them devotedly loyal to a nobleman who truly had their best interests at heart.


    Haven''t you seen how, with his benevolent governance in Northern Ridge, Count Fisheo''s reputation has soared to tremendous heights? What he''s aplished there is still less than what Tang Mo is doing here.


    Tang Mo nned to implement an entire set of modern societal reforms in this ce. How could these unsophisticatedmoners have ever seen such exaggeratedly terrifying "welfare treatment"?


    They could never guess that Tang Mo was indeed cultivating a social environment for himself; instinctively, they saw him as a "benevolent ruler" truly worthy of their loyalty!


    After seeing the huge changes in their children over just a few days, not only the fathers and mothers but even the grandparents started to regard Tang Mo as the savior of this miserable world.


    Yesterday, there were even workers attempting to return the wages Tang Mo had paid them, feeling they ought to contribute in any small way they could to what Tang Mo was doing.


    After Tang Mo insisted on not taking the wages back, the progress of the projects in the workshop substantially sped up to the naked eye.


    For Tang Mo, this was probably another unforeseen boon, akin to "nting willow trees by chance and finding shade" that arose from establishing his school and cultivating his own talent.


    Even Tang Mo himself had not expected such a windfall so soon and to such a staggering effect.


    At noon, as the sand carrier¡ªwho had already been scorned by several workers¡ªqueued up for his lunch, he was once again astonished by the scene before him.


    The cantina auntie, Cui Xi, whose hands always trembled rhythmically, feverishly, profoundly, and deeply¡ªenough to shake meat right out of a spoon¡ªtoday miraculously had hands steady as a rock!


    The carrier blinked, hardly believing his eyes. After repeatedly verifying the reality before him, he panickedly lifted his head to meet Cui Xi''s displeased gaze.


    "My goodness, Auntie Cui Xi, howe you''re giving me so much today..." he began, gazing incredulously at the sticky pumpkin soup in the wooden tray that actually contained bits of minced meat.


    Pointing her soup-drencheddle at him, Auntie Cui Xi scolded ungraciously, "You idiot, work properly! Don''t slouch aroundzily! You''re dying our boss''s project! Do you know how rare it is these days to find such a good boss? If you don''t appreciate it, then scram! Don''t cause trouble for others!"


    "Hahaha!" A few old women from the leatherworking group behind him burst into raucousughter, revealing their yellow teeth.


    "You dog thing! If you don''t work hard this afternoon, your wife will deal with you when you get back!" Since everyone here was from neighboring viges and knew each other quite well, Auntie Cui Xi didn''t hold back in her remarks.


    The sand carrier quickly nodded and bowed, "I would never, I would never! I''ll definitely give it my all this afternoon! I''ve got plenty of strength! Just watch me! I won''t dy the boss''s schedule, rest assured, rest assured!"


    As he walked away, he eyed the pumpkin soup with its bits of meat in the wooden tray, swallowing his saliva with mixed feelings.


    If only his wife had been a bit more ambitious and given him a son or even a daughter earlier on, he too could have sent his child to that school, couldn''t he?


    Walking and pondering, his frustration grew¡ªthe thought hit him, maybe tonight he''d try again at home, perhaps then he might be sessful? Lost in thought, he unconsciously bent his back further...


    There was no choice, in such circumstances, he had to appear polite, or else everyone might witness an entirely different kind of enthusiasm from him. Perhaps by tomorrow, the whole worksite would buzz with unsavory tales about him.


    "So-and-so can even get excited over a pile of sand..." The thought of such gossip was thrilling... But when applied to oneself, it didn''t seem quite so amusing.


    Lately, Parker had been in an increasingly good mood, as he now had 20 workers under hismand, bustling around every day, which gave him a great sense of fulfillment.


    He no longer had to work so hard each day; now, he just needed to sit beside the machines, watching as apprentices secured gun barrels in ce before using uniform-speed drills to process them.


    Because these drilling machines were extremely precise, there was a high standard of quality control. This was far superior to manual or water-wheel-driven techniques, and it opened up a whole new world for Parker.


    As a worker, he fully understood the importance of mass production. By standardizing technical movements, parts could be produced quickly and well!


    Traditional manual craftsmanship wasn''t necessarily inferior to machines, at least not before the industrial age¡ªultra-precise microchips had yet to appear, and practically all parts could be manually produced.


    The only difference was, manual work couldn''t guarantee the quality of products, nor could it be spread on arge scale to less skilled workers.


    The inability to poprize meant exorbitant prices, and exorbitant prices meant extremely long production times. Long production times meant that even if these things were manufactured, they were nothing more than toys for the nobility.


    But now, the steam engine before him could truly change the current situation and make production a standardized affair!


    This was absolutely epoch-making because once production could be standardized, products could be manufactured continuously. The time workers spent learning their crafts would be greatly reduced, and training a qualified worker would be rtively simple.


    At this moment, he already felt the immense changes brought about by this shock¡ªpreviously, his apprentices were a far cry from reaching his own level of rifle barrel drilling.


    A few months ago, training a qualified, steady-handed worker for drilling rifle barrels was a veryplicated and lengthy process.


    But now? The apprentices that Parker brought with him, along with some from Northern Ridge, could easily learn the work of drilling rifle barrels.


    All they had to do was operate the machinery¡ªthis didn''t require much cleverness because their operating procedures were predetermined by the machines, and they just had to follow the steps.


    They had no room for personal improvisation, for the angle of the machines was fixed, and the rifle barrel mps had also long been set in ce, under such conditions it would take quite a skill to mess things up...


    Moreover, after receiving guidance from Tang Mo, Parker also discovered a deeper benefit of machine production¡ªthepany needn''t worry about workers cultivated with much effort being poached, taking their learned skills and the cost of training with them once they left.


    For without this ce, without Tang Mo''s factory, what they knew would be worthless! They wouldn''t find such machines elsewhere to use, hence they were like ivy clinging to Tang Mo''s great tree, utterly incapable of independent survival.


    Consequently, even the apprentices from Northern Ridge began learning to operate the machines, and Parker had no objections whatsoever.


    He treated all the children equally, imparting the technology to them, enabling them to handle machine production with ease and simultaneously enhancing their own efficiency.


    The noise of the machinery made the entire workshop very noisy. Many of the machines originally ced in this workshop had been moved to a temporary shed for the use of the old workers.


    What remained here now were the new machine tools driven by steam engines, which were more precise and, being directly linked with the steam engines, very convenient to use.


    No joking, he felt he could train hundreds of qualified workers within a month, allowing them to operate the machinery andplete the task of drilling rifle barrels.


    Such speed was iparable to that of old consortia like Shireck; the two were not even on the same starting line.


    If he knew the term "dimensional strike," he would have unreservedly applied it to describe the overwhelming pressure Tang Mo''s machinery was exerting on Shireck at this moment.


    "Get your spirits up! Pay attention to the depth! Don''t mess up the order!" he shouted loudly at the apprentices, prompting them to handle the valuable steel materials with even greater care.


    "Got it!" the young apprentices immediately responded, each more attentive and serious than thest. This work was ten times simpler than what they had learned before¡ªif they still made mistakes, they might as well not continue in this profession.


    The mechanical noise echoed throughout the workshop as the steam engine tirelessly operated, driving around five machine tools constantly in motion.


    Countless parts fit together perfectly, coordinating the most scientific structures and ultimately, with a constant speed drill, rotating rapidly, causing the metal friction to emit a sharp, piercing sound.


    ...


    "March!" On the training ground, only recently leveled a few days prior, Luff was educating more than a dozen children ording to Tang Mo''s teaching n.


    These children were to receive not only cultural education in school but also physical training. The content of the physical education was actually the militarized drill regimen drafted by Tang Mo.


    Each child, ording to different ages, was divided into several squads, each undergoing strict quasi-military training daily.


    The younger ones were taught drill formation by Luff, practicing every day, including basics like pairs and threes, epassing fundamental disciplinary training.


    Marching and drill walking were the most basic. Under Luff''s guidance, the children had to runps to strengthen their physique, and daily engage in climbing and wrestlingpetitions.


    The children formed neat rows, each kick they took had to be at exactly the same height.


    Apanied by Luff''smands, they all simultaneously lifted their left foot and swung their right arm, maintaining the posture until they heard the nextmand.

 Chapter 35: You are training the military.

    After Luff shouted "Two!", the children let their left foot strike the ground, making a neat pping sound. Then they stepped forward with their right foot while swinging their left arm.


    Days of training had already made their formation look very professional, which pleased Tang Mo greatly. Tang Mo''s training requirements for these children were so strict they nearly bordered on the perverse, even demanding that they stand still in the zing sun for over ten minutes at a time.


    If there were enough time for sses, Tang Mo would have even liked to have them practice standing still for hours ¡ª but unfortunately, these children only had a little more than an hour of training each day, so Tang Mo had no choice but to give up on that idea.


    Even so, such training was considered harsh in this era! It was known that even the less strictly trained Northern Ridge Legion of Earl Fisello was already called a strong force.


    The slightly older children, after basic formation training, would follow Bernard for tactical drill practice. Every day they had to practice with wooden rifle models, drilling in firing and baybat.


    "Stab!" Right now, Bernard, with his hands behind his back, watched a group of teenagers holding rifles, following Tang Mo''s training illustrations, step by step, methodically practicing stabbing.


    Every time they thrust their rifle forward, they would shout loudly as if facing an enemy right in front of them: "Kill!"


    Apanied by their shouts, the formation of seven or eight people simultaneously lunging with their rifles immediately appeared ferocious.


    "Continue! Stab!" Bernard, with hands still behind his back, looked at these young children who were starting to exert a sense of pressure, and ordered loudly.


    "Kill!" Hearing themand, the children stabbed with their long rifles once more, lunged forward, slightly sidestepping as if dodging an oing bay.


    Compared to studying, these children clearly found this kind of drill more interesting; they earnestly executed all sorts ofmands, imagining with their youthful souls that they were fighting valiantly on the battlefield.


    Which child doesn''t have a dream of bing a hero? Which young person doesn''t fantasize about going into battle and killing enemies? Therefore, on the drill ground, these children had an extraordinary enthusiasm for bay fighting training.


    Meanwhile, not far away, other students, generally over fifteen years of age, were spreading out in front of Wes, practicing with wooden swords they had whittled, as they followed Wes''s movements, slowly rotating their bodies.


    Wes demonstrated in front of these children with his real longsword, loudly instructing them to turn and thrust out their longswords.


    "Thrust it out! If your longsword does not strike at your enemy at this time, they will seize the opportunity and hit you from behind! That''s very dangerous!" while speaking, he reminded everyone.


    "So! At this time, you must thrust it out! With all your strength! As long as the enemy thinks they''ve got an opportunity, you will gain the advantage!" Afterpleting a turn and delivering a retaliatory stab with his longsword, he returned to a guarded stance.


    All the students, following his example, also turned and thrust out their wooden swords, then, mimicking Wes, returned to a defensive posture.


    Wes, reasonably satisfied with these apprentices, nodded and once again began a new round of demonstration: "Good! Turn!"


    The students in front of him also began another round of turning like his, their movements a bit rough but proper.


    "Right! After turning... maintain your sword holding posture!" Wes, holding his longsword, corrected the students'' postures after they turned.


    "Be on guard!" He walked over to one of the children, adjusted the child''s shoulders, making the longsword in the child''s hand cover most of his body.


    Years of fighting had given him many life-saving techniques, and passing on these experiences to the children was themand given to him by Tang Mo.


    Wes didn''t know if Tang Mo was testing him, so he dared not hold back, teaching with utmost seriousness.


    And these children were also very serious learners, for they were all teenagers, very sensible, and knew that this was their only chance to reach higher and further.


    "Watch your eyes!" Wes pointed at his own eyes and then pointed ahead: "Intimidate the enemy! Fierce! Be very fierce! Make the enemy fear you!"


    The new mercenaries were also busy; they were repeatedly performing the tactical movements required by Tang Mo at Roger''smand.


    Roger stood at the edge of the uneven field, ignoring the passing Tagg, and ordered the mercenaries on the field loudly: "Hit the deck!"


    The mercenaries who heard the order immediatelyy down, using the uneven mounds of soil to conceal their figures as if there was a heavy machine gun firing at them from Roger''s position.


    Tagg stopped in his tracks, looking at these mercenaries who were doing something he couldn''t understand, then at the children far away practicing marching, swordsmanship, and bay fighting, and his brow involuntarily furrowed.


    Then, Roger''s shoutedmand brought him back to reality: "Crawl forward!"


    The mercenaries following the order thus began to crawl carelessly through the uneven mud, looking as awkward as one could imagine.


    Actually, soldiers of this era didn''t need to practice crawling forward at all, and even lying prone was explicitly prohibited.


    Since the tactical requirements of the age eliminated the need for crawling forward, if soldiers were to attack, they were to do so in tight formations, charging at the enemy with steady strides.


    In Tagg''s view, soldiers crawling on the groundcked courage, and soiling their uniforms was a disgrace! Even if shot and sacrificed, such behavior should never be used!


    As he brooded over these dissatisfactions, he heard Roger''s even more outrageous shout, "Stay down! Stay down! The bullets will fly right over your asses if you don''t!"


    As he walked toward these prone mercenaries, he loudly scolded them, "Every obstacle is an excellent hiding spot; leap up only to immediately hunker down! Dodge any iing bullets!"


    Tagg felt he simply couldn''t bear to watch any longer; he crossed the factory area, which resembled a construction site, without even checking on the progress of gun production, and went straight to Tang Mo''s office.


    As soon as he entered, he began to express his dissatisfaction, "What you''re doing isn''t teaching a bunch of students! You''re training a group of warriors!"


    He felt deceived as Tang Mo wasn''t aiming to cultivate workers at all, but to train a corps of highly skilled and efficient soldiers!


    "No, they are just a bunch of students!" Tang Mo disregarded Tagg''s words, continuing to ount for the workshop''s expenses while speaking to Tagg.


    Although he was indeed nurturing followers who were both literate and martially apt, he absolutely wouldn''t admit to any ambitions.


    Tagg red angrily at Tang Mo, deeply dissatisfied with his dismissiveness, "You teach them swordsmanship, you teach them to fence; each one of them can read, has been educated, can do calctions! They know more in this regard than even I do!"


    "What''s wrong with that?" Tang Mo put down the expense report for the past five days, looked at Tagg, and retorted.


    Caught off guard, Tagg then answered Tang Mo''s question, "In a few months, they will be the best soldiers, even capable of serving as officers! To be honest, even the officers of the Suthers Kingdom might not have such cultural refinement!"


    Tang Mo smiled, feeling affirmed by Tagg''s acknowledgment of the children''s potential, and reassured that his efforts were in the right direction.


    So he continued to defend his training methods, "They''re still children, the youngest just eight or nine years old..."


    "If you keep training them like this! In ten years, you could arm 30,000 people at least! Equipped with your K1 Quick Gun, these 30,000 could be invincible." Tagg clenched his teeth and emphasized to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo was taken aback, then shook his head decisively, rejecting Tagg''s hypothesis, "How could I possibly equip them with needle guns... What a joke... Not only will I not issue needle guns to them, but I also won''t give them revolvers..."


    Needle guns still in use ten years from now? I''m going to equip them with grenadeunchers, MG42 machine guns, and AK47 assault rifles! Stop joking, why stick with Left-Wheel Handguns? Aren''t Glocks and Berettas more appealing? Tang Mo scornfully criticised in his mind.


    "You wouldn''t really do that?" After hearing such assurances from Tang Mo and seeing his resolute eyes, Tagg muttered doubtfully.


    Tang Mo truly wasn''t lying, so his expression was as candid as can be. It''s just that although he spoke the truth, he skillfully avoided Tagg''s question. Thus, the candid Tang Mo that Tagg saw was already miles away from the topic at hand.


    "Are you insane? Equip them with needle guns in ten years? I swear to heaven, that will never happen." Tang Mo "sincerely" emphasized again, even stressing the phrase ''needle guns''.


    This sincerity made Tagg feel like he was wrongfully misjudging a good person, and he fell silent for a long while, as if to deliberate the tone of his subsequent words.


    "...Alright, I''ll trust you for now." Eventually, Tagg''s tone softened as he spoke to Tang Mo. His words embarrassed Tang Mo, giving him the ufortable feeling of having conned a simpleton...


    Therefore, Tang Mo took out a Revolver he had assembled from his drawer and handed it to Tagg, "This is the Revolver I promised to give you."


    "You''ve finished it?" Tagg looked at Tang Mo in surprise, stepped forward, and took the exquisite Revolver from Tang Mo''s hands.


    "Yes, it''s done, but the bullets will take a little while longer; as you know, I''ve been a bit busy recently," Tang Mo apologetically exined.


    In fact, he did have some bullets, but he needed to share some of them with Wes, so Tagg would have to be inconvenienced for now.


    Clearly, Tagg wasn''t bothered by this detail; he held the Revolver, caressing it gently, as if it were the tender skin of a maiden.


    The allure of this object was tremendous for him; holding the handgun, he even felt a surge of power course through his body.


    ----------


    Extra chapter, seeking monthly votes and rewards, don''t forget to bookmark and rmend!

 Chapter 36: 36 examinations

    Since the revolver was no longer a secret weapon, it was imperative for Tang Mo to make himself a true "Left-Wheel Handgun".


    In fact, he had already umted some smokeless powder and had several apprentices help him use the steam engine to stamp out some copper bullet casings. With the steam engine, stamping became very simple, especially stamping the soft metal, copper.


    Using the time squeezed from his busy schedule, he handcrafted some metal fixed ammunition in his ownboratory ¡ª bullets specifically designed for the use in the Left-Wheel Handgun!


    This might have been the first batch of true metal fixed ammunition in the world,plete with primers and made of copper, closely resembling the appearance of modern bullets.


    Tang Mo always had the habit of keeping an ace up his sleeve. Since he had already revealed the revolver, producing another secret weapon was only natural.


    After bidding farewell to a jubnt Tagg, promising to deliver some ammunition to him in a few days, Tang Mo strolled leisurely to the workshop where Mathews was.


    In the noisy workshop where the roar of machinery could almost be described as deafening, the workers were busy with their tasks and greeted Tang Mo only when they saw him.


    Walking up to Mathews, Tang Mo waited until he had finished polishing a new part before asking loudly, "How are the new parts I wanteding along?"


    "You mean this? It looks like a cylinder... Like a brand new cylinder for a revolver." Mathews handed over a beautifully polished cylinder to Tang Mo.


    Unlike the old-fashioned revolver''s cylinder, this new cylinder had some interlocking grooves on the side to lock the position during the automatic rotation of the cylinder.


    Meanwhile, in the center of the cylinder, there was an extremely precise spring mechanism that could, after all the bullets had been fired, use a push rod to eject all six shell casings from the cylinder, allowing for a swift reload.


    The overall precision of the cylinder''s design wasparable to the most precise parts on a steam engine. Such craftsmanship could only be achieved by Mathews; even Roger might not have been able to make it.


    "This is a veryplex structure! Without the steam engine-driven drill press and other machines, I might not be able to make it myself," Mathews honestly admired. "It''s enchanting, even just the part of its function I''ve guessed, it can already be said to be a revolutionary product."


    Mathews was a very experienced weapon manufacturing worker. He had once worked at Shireck and was dismissed after talking back to his supervisor and ended up wandering to Northern Ridge.


    He was very familiar with the structure of weapons and equally experienced in manufacturing them. Had it not been for this, he wouldn''t have had the temperament to talk back to his boss ¡ª those with talent often have a bit of a quirky temperament, or conversely, it''s the ones with no talent who are meek andpliant...


    "Oh? What have you figured out?" Tang Mo was very interested in Mathews'' professional capability. If there was one person in the workshop who could follow some of Tang Mo''s weapon design ideas, it was this old Dwarf from Northern Ridge.


    From this perspective, Lord Earl was quite generous. He was willing to let a master weapon maker with so much experience work for him, a gesture that certainly deserved praise!


    "Are you testing me?" Mathews looked at Tang Mo, also harboring a thought to gauge Tang Mo''s worth.


    Truth be told, he was eager to find out whether Tang Mo was worth his allegiance, for as a skilled old craftsman, he believed he had some value.


    The morepetent a person is, the more cautious and careful they are, unwilling to easily offer their loyalty. Wes was like that, and it was evident that the old Dwarf Mathews felt the same.


    "More or less. If you guess right, I might consider finding some new things for you to work on," Tang Mo said with a smile, making a promise that would surely interest Mathews.


    Mathews was startled, then burst into heartyughter, augh that could be heard far away even amid the roar of machinery in the workshop: "Ha! I like your ideas."


    It was the truth; he really liked Tang Mo''s ideas about the Quick Gun and the design of the steam engine had also shocked him.


    Moreover, Tang Mo had showcased a design for a revolver capable of continuous fire¡ªdesigns that had never appeared in this world before.


    For a craftsman who had spent half a lifetime in a weapon workshop, dealing with machinery every day, the allure of these fascinating mechanical designs was simply irresistible.


    "You won''t be disappointed," Tang Mo assured with a smile, filling Mathews with anticipation.


    Since it was an exam, Mathews began his assessment. He pointed at the ammo cylinder that Tang Mo was fiddling with in his hand and said, "I can tell that at the center of this thing is a mechanism for quick ejection! The indented part should have an almost identical piece that, together with a spring, would allow you to push all six bullets out of the cylinder!"


    "Completely correct." Tang Mo was surprised. He nodded his head, full of interest in Mathews'' response. He really wanted to know just how much potential a craftsman from this world could have, how much they could infer just from a singleponent.


    Mathews continued, "Furthermore, I believe these odd engravings are not for decoration. You intend to use these marks to fix the cylinder in ce... to increase its stability..."


    Indeed, there were many grooves and engravings on the cylinder of the Left-Wheel Handgun, none of which were designed for aesthetics but were intentionally made from a practical standpoint.


    Some indentations were made to reduce weight, and some engravings served their own purpose¡ªTang Mo of course knew this, as what he was creating was indeed a truly modern left-handed revolver!


    But Mathews couldn''t possibly know that, so his ability to deduce so much from these engravings alone really made him a remarkable weapon craftsman.


    So Tang Mo nodded in acknowledgment and said to Mathews with approval, "Hmm, you are impressing me more and more, Mathews."


    Hearing Tang Mo''s approval, Mathews knew his conjectures were right and continued, "If I guessed this correctly, then it proves thatpared to the previous revolver''s cylinder, this one might be less stable, so I can be sure that it is a moving part... The pivot in the middle of this cylinder won''t be fixed to the frame of the gun!"


    Inferencing from such minute details, Tang Mo felt once more that Mathews was indeed a talent.


    The other actually managed to guess that Tang Mo nned to use a movable cylinder! That was the fundamental difference between a left-handed revolver and a revolver, as well as the key distinction between modern left-handed revolvers and traditional, outdated ones!


    Traditional revolvers could not eject the cylinder to speed up reloading¡ªthey had to be loaded one bullet at a time, a w that modern firearms could not tolerate!


    The modern left-handed revolver, improved upon, had a cylinder that could swing out of the frame, thereby allowing for quick loading. The speed and convenience of loading were several times better than those of old-fashioned revolvers!


    Moreover, thereter appeared speed loaders designed specifically for left-handed revolvers, which could load six bullets at once, greatly increasing loading speed!


    "Hahaha..." Upon hearing Dwarf Mathews'' spections, Tang Moughed heartily, feeling that keeping such a talent would definitely be a major gain for him.


    Unexpectedly, Mathews continued to surprise Tang Mo¡ªonly to hear the old dwarf continue, "Alright, such a precise structure can''t use paper cartridge anymore, because the gunpowder residue from the paper would definitely clog these nearly gapless mechanisms."


    Tang Mo was taken aback, he really hadn''t anticipated that Mathews could deduce so many design details from just the cylinder.


    If Mathews'' previous conjectures could be described as professional, then what he was saying now could almost only be described as uncanny.


    Actually, this was also because Tang Mo wasn''t truly a craftsman in the strictest sense, so his impression was somewhat exaggerated. Real craftsmen have an intimate understanding of the structures they''re familiar with.


    Clearly, Mathews'' technical skills were nearly impable, so what limited him was only the direction. He didn''tck the keen probing power a weapon craftsman should have regarding the development of weapons.


    "Such a delicate structure itself can''t withstand the impact of gunpowderbustion! So you definitely need to figure out a solution for the bullet issue." Quickly, he shared his view¡ªwhich was due to these details, that he could infer so much about Tang Mo''s new weapon.


    As he had said, the ejection structure and even the more delicate cylinder couldn''t withstand the erosion of gunpowder.


    If it weren''t for the use of metal cartridges, just the gunpowder residue alone would turn the delicate ejection mechanism into a malfunction-riddled joke.


    By a different line of reasoning, if paper cartridges were still to be used, there would be no need for an ejection mechanism, would there? Cleaning the bore would suffice, with no need for aplicated structure at all.


    "Let me guess, you n to use metal cartridges, right?" After such spection, Dwarf Mathews looked up at Tang Mo with an almost certain tone and asked.


    Tang Mo did not answer him, but instead smiled in response to Mathews'' confident gaze and counter-asked, "Is it only you who has such talent, or are all you dwarves so clever?"


    The roar of machinery grew noisy again as steam-poweredthes, after a brief pause, started spinning cheerfully once more.

 Chapter 37: 37 Surprises

    Upon hearing Tang Mo''s counter-question, a smile appeared on Mathews'' face. He was very confident in his expertise and began with augh, "I think, maybe it''s just me? Hahaha! Did I guess right? What an interesting little fellow."


    "Close enough. Anything else to add?" Tang Mo did not conceal anything and nodded in acknowledgment of Mathews'' guess. He too was curious to see how far Mathews could get relying solely on experience.


    Mathews continued, "The idea of using metal cartridge cases isn''t unique to you."


    He nced at Tang Mo, and upon seeing a hint of surprise in the other''s eyes, he continued with a smile, "Don''t underestimate the craftsmen of this world; they are much stronger than you think. They are very creative and haven''t confined their own thinking."


    "Even the Shireck Consortium has invested arge amount of money in true firearms reform. They have a dedicated assault team, brimming with new ideas every day." After exining, Mathews pointed at himself, "I was once part of such a team, but I soon left."


    "Oh?" Tang Mo was indeed interested in this gossip and looked at Mathews, eager for him to continue.


    "My philosophy didn''t quite align with theirs, so ultimately, I was driven out," Mathews said with a self-deprecating smile before returning to the topic of firearms design, "In fact, ten years ago someone had already proposed using metal cartridge cases to achieve fixed charges, allowing soldiers to reload as quickly as possible inplex battlefield environments."


    As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, "Metal cartridge cases have many benefits. They can be reloaded quickly, allow for breech loading, and even waterproofing¡ªpractically a perfect choice for bullets."


    Tang Mo nodded. It seemed that Mathews knew quite a bit about fixed ammunition, and he mentioned many of its advantages.


    Yet, he still mischievously asked a rather infuriating question, "Then why abandon it?"


    Mathews did not show the slightest timidity, and said directly, "If you want me to say it, then I''ll tell you."


    He stretched out his hand, making a number one gesture, "First, the problem lies in processing¡ªmanufacturing metal cartridge cases is very troublesome. Under normal circumstances, to produce qualified bullets, you need a veryplicated manufacturing process."


    As he spoke, his eyes filled with regret, "This limited the production of bullets... Of course, what also limited the production was the production of metal itself... Using expensive metal cartridge cases meant definitely higher costs, and coupled with the difficulty in processing, the price was unbearable!"


    This is the helplessness of weapons developers¡ªsometimes, not every advanced weapon will be purchased by everyone.


    Most often, the people or nations using weapons will pay more attention to cost-effectiveness and other aspects. Hence the inevitablepromise: soldiers consider the Tiger tank the best, while generals believe the best tank is the T-34.


    "Anything else?" Tang Mo looked at Mathews as if he were a pile of glistening gold, asking with augh. He was no longer evaluating Mathews; he was mining, excavating the most dazzling treasure in the world.


    Mathews was ready to answer any question and continued, "There''s also the issue of gunpowder! The gunpowder currently in use, no matter how finely it is ground and impurities removed, still leaves behind a small amount of residue afterbustion."


    "This residue remains in the gun chamber and gun barrel, severely affecting a firearm''s second shot! If we do not improve the gunpowder, and only enhance the cartridge cases, it''s simply a waste of time!" he exined with a sense of resignation.


    Improvement in firearms entails simultaneous advancements in propent, bullet design, firearm design itself, and the evolution of tactics.


    The innovation in propents has spurred the development of bullets, which in turn has resulted in changes in firearm design. And the constant evolution of tactics has also indirectly determined changes in firearms.


    The development of weapons is often constrained by stagnation in several aspects at once. Therefore, making a breakthrough in just one aspect usually ends in vain.


    To achieve progress in these areas requires a great deal of time umtion and countless experimental explorations. Without this buildup, real evolution cannot be achieved.


    The arrival of Tang Mo caused progress in so many aspects all at once, which was the fundamental reason he was able to get ahead of the Shireck Consortium!


    "Muskets can jam due to the residue in the chamber and barrel after repeated shooting; they can burst! The final experimental result was that the action of cleaning the chamber still had to be maintained. The steps of loading the firearm were not significantly simplified, and the rate of fire did not increase markedly.


    Compared to the massive investment, such an improvement was too minor," Mathews concluded with an expression of destion in his eyes.


    "Hmm, you''re right," Tang Mo agreed with Mathews''s series of analyses because he knew they were correct. As a "future man" who had witnessed everything, Tang Mo certainly wouldn''t doubt Mathews''s words.


    "Another thing, the primer ignition device of the metallic cartridge... This is the fundamental reason why metallic cartridges have not be widespread! You''re well aware that you invented fulminate of mercury, and before this substance existed, dreaming of a simple, safe, and effective bullet firing mechanism was just that¡ªa dream!" Finally, Mathews looked at Tang Mo again and said earnestly.


    "Hahahaha!" Tang Mo burst intoughter, knowing that Mathews was praising him because the primer device he had invented was truly the ultimate in simple and convenient bullet primer solutions!


    It was an absolute certainty; even over a hundred yearster, the basic design of firearm primers remained essentially unchanged. The only difference was that the primer material had been switched from the rather unsafe fulminate of mercury to other substitutes.


    After Mathews urately guessed a series of weapon design schemes, he looked at Tang Mo with admiration and said, "Honestly, I really want to lift your skull and see what''s inside your head... You''re truly a genius, a... great genius."


    With the tone of an adorer, he evaluated Tang Mo''s feats, "Before I met you, I had never seen someone with such a terrifying ability to improve in the field of mechanics. People like you simply shouldn''t exist. Even if a team was given one of your steam engines to disassemble and study carefully, it would take them at least a year to fully understand it!"


    "Thank you for thepliment!" Tang Mo made a gesture that belied humility, epting the heartfelt worship from Mathews.


    Mathews clearly hadn''t nned to stop there and continued, "But I also know that you''re extremely skilled in the field of chemical alchemy! I know you''ve produced many remarkable things in that little storeroom of yours that no one is allowed to enter! So I''m even more baffled by you. Normal people often need years or even decades to master a skill, but you... are only seventeen!"


    "You could also consider me a monster..." Tang Mo said, smiling as he made a wing gesture.


    "I''d rather believe you''re the god of craftsmen," Mathewsughed and pointed at Tang Mo, saying, "Do you know? I always had faith that someone could make a weapon capable of continuous firing... That''s why the designers at Shireck thought I was crazy, and indeed, I didn''t have the ability to convince them.


    They drove me away, believing I was a madman, because they felt that rapid-fire weapons were divine arms, technologies that were impossible for mere mortals to master."


    "Now, you can," Tang Mo pointed at Mathews, telling him.


    Mathews waved dismissively, unconcerned with the thought of going back to convince those fools, "But I don''t deign to persuade them anymore! One day, they will see with their own eyes Tang''s weapons crushing their junk on the battlefield, and at that time, they''ll realize that everything I said was right!"


    "Mm-hmm." Tang Mo very much agreed with this point of view; if debates were useless, then let the guns argue on the battlefield. The louder the voice, the more convincing it would be.


    Looking up at Tang Mo, Mathews''s eyes were filled with fervor, "Honestly, for an old man like me to meet a patron like you at my age, it''s truly a very fortunate thing. If you''re willing, please ept this misguided fool. I will serve at your side and be your most loyal servant."


    "Can I trust you?" Tang Mo asked Mathews in the noisy workshop.


    Mathews swore solemnly, "Of course, I swear upon the name of Mathews, willing to be your follower until the end of my life. From today on, you, Tang Mo, are my master!"


    "Then, Mathews, wee to officially joining Tang''s Weapon Workshop," Tang Mo smiled down at the robust old man who might be just over four feet tall and said with the same gravity.


    "Thank... thank you..." Mathews was a bit shy, his face covered with a beard, so Tang Mo couldn''t see the Dwarf blushing.


    However, Tang Mo had initially nned to show Mathews the new drawings he had finished, so he turned his head, signaling for Mathews to follow, "Since you''re willing to offer your loyalty, thene with me, I''ll show you something good."


    "Sure thing, Master," Mathews responded heartily to Tang Mo and started to follow him.


    Now it was Tang Mo''s turn to feel a bit awkward; he still wasn''t quite used to being called "Master." So he halted, beginning somewhat ufortably, "Uh... that title..."


    "What''s wrong with that title?" Mathews looked at Tang Mo, puzzled, and asked back.


    "Nothing, nothing... Come on!" Tang Mo adjusted for a moment and finally decided to make use of the title with a historical air, gesturing again for Mathews to follow.

 Chapter 38: 38 new drawings

    Tang Mo, apanied by Mathews, made his way through the bustling workshop to his small office.


    He walked over to his desk, pulled out several blueprints, spread them out on his desk, and gestured for Dwarf Mathews toe and have a look.


    Mathews excitedly walked over, bent down to look at the blueprint on top, and was immediately startled by the perspective drawing it contained.


    For he saw an intricate feed mechanism¡ªby simply pulling the extended trigger guard by hand, the bullets from the ammunition cylinder below the barrel could be continuously pushed into the chamber''s feed structure!


    Mathews''s eyes widened as he carefully examined theplex springs and action mechanisms, unable to say a word for a long while.


    He knew that contemting how to enable a rifle to shoot continuously wasn''t something Tang Mo had only been thinking about for a day or two.


    Such a clever design also required improvements and support in ammunition¡ªindicating that Tang Mo had made significant strides in enhancing ammunition.


    Adding to that, theponents of the new Left-Wheel Handguns Tang Mo had him make before, he could even be certain that Tang Mo indeed had the capability to create a mature, mass-producible gunpowder form! Simrly, he undoubtedly also had a simple and inexpensive technology for manufacturing the relevant bullets!


    Realizing this, he suddenly paused, then seemed to grasp something.


    Consequently, he raised his head, looked at Tang Mo and said, "My God! You have a steam engine! Damnation! My God, you''ve built a steam engine! With that, making cylindrical bullets is a piece of cake! I should''ve thought of this sooner!


    st it!"


    Only then did he fully realize just how terrifying Tang Mo''s nning was. Improvements to bullets could directly lead to the advancement of rifles, and advancements in rifles could change the patterns of warfare!


    If everything went ording to Tang Mo''s n, then in the future, Tang''s Weapon Workshop would be the next Shireck, a colossal entity leading the future of warfare!


    "So, Mathews, the future belongs to us..." Tang Mo''s hand rested on the lever-action rifle blueprints as he said to Mathews.


    Mathews nodded in agreement, saying assuredly, "Master, you''re right, the future belongs to you!"


    "Take this! Look over it here before you go, and don''t take it out! Remember to keep it a secret! Don''t let others find out!" Tang Mo pointed to the blueprints of the lever-action rifle on the desk, instructing Mathews, "I''m not nning to mass-produce this thing yet, so keep it confidential for the time being!"


    "Understood, Master!" Mathews excitedly took the blueprints and immersed himself in examining them.


    ...


    Early the next day, a supply caravan from Northern Ridge crowded in front of Tang Mo''s weapon workshop.


    Lord Earl had kept his word, amassing materials and Gold Coins and sending them to Tang Mo without waiting for the first batch of weapons to be delivered.


    This was on one hand due to the straightforward nature of the people of Northern Ridge and Lord Earl''s personality, and on the other hand, due to Lord Earl''s trust in Tagg.


    Although Tagg hadn''t brought weapons back, he had written several letters and had them sent back. There has always been frequentmunication between Northern Ridge and Brunas, which was also the reason Lord Earl dared to send the second batch of supplies.


    This time, Lord Earl brought mainly materials and Gold Coins; the number of people was not nearly as impressive.


    Beyond the knights and infantry who transported materials, there were few craftsmen''s families. Since news of Tang Mo running a school hadn''t reached Northern Ridge yet, no craftsman''s family could have foreseen such a need.


    Thus, only a few women with children arrived with the caravan at Tang Mo''s ce, merelying to join their husbands. Their traveling with the caravan was just for safety''s sake.


    Frankly, these supplies came at just the right time, greatly relieving Tang Mo''s pressure. The Gold Coins from Lord Earl could be used to settle the cost of acquiringnd and to purchase even morend for further development.


    The remaining money could be used to pay the craftsmen''s wages, recruit more workers, hire teachers, and purchase other materials.


    And the high-quality steel and other metals sent from Northern Ridge would allow Tang Mo to extravagantly build the third steam engine and start truly mass-producing firearms to supply Lord Earl.


    "Assign the neers to their houses, let them live with their husbands! It''s okay if the conditions are poor, but at least let them be reassured." Tang Mo, observing the workers hugging their wives and children at the gate, instructed Roger beside him.


    "We''ve built quite a few houses these days; some were given to the old workers and their families, and we still have some left, just enough for them." Old Roger nodded and said to Tang Mo.


    ```


    Tang Mo looked at the chest of gold coins being carried down from the carriage by Tagg and his men, and the smile on his face could no longer be concealed, "Your timing is impable."


    "I hope your guns will also arrive at Northern Ridge in a timely manner," Tagg said, his tone still somewhat stiff, but it had softened significantlypared to before.


    The reason was that Tagg had been fiddling with the revolver Tang Mo had given him in the past few days. Its power convinced Tagg that Tang Mo was a true weapon design genius, not a swindler out to cheat people.


    He was still fantasizing that one day Tang Mo would be able to mass-produce this new type of revolver and issue them to Lord Earl''s troops, making them invincible on the battlefield.


    Of course, Tang Mo hadn''t been idle these days either; with the scant amount of metal he had left, he had made two identical revolvers for Tagg, one of which was meant as a gift for Lord Earl.


    Now, with more metal at his disposal, including the high-quality steel smelted at Northern Ridge, he would be able to produce weapons and equipment much faster.


    Tagg looked at Tang Mo and allowed a few soldiers carrying iron ingots to pass before he continued, "These men will stay behind to escort the first batch of weapons back to Northern Ridge. They have orders to follow, so you''d better prepare what they want as soon as possible."


    "That won''t be difficult, right, Mathews?" Tang Mo turned towards the old dwarf.


    Mathews nodded, "Actually, the weapons are already in production. It will only take a day, and they will have what they want!"


    "I hope all goes well." Tagg watched as a soldier carried another metal chest from the carriage. Seeing the locks, he knew it contained another chest of gold.


    "Send what I owe to the town mayor; I don''t want him causing me troubleter," Tang Mo said, chuckling as he patted Tagg''s shoulder, "No problem, right?"


    "No problem!" Tagg nodded slightly, aware that Tang Mo hadpleted the contract for hisnd purchase. If he couldn''t repay the outstanding bnce on time, all the money he had paid so far would have been for naught.


    So, the first thing to do after getting the money was to repay the debt and genuinely take control of thend.


    "Additionally, send another 50 gold coins to the mayor, and 30 each to the sheriff and the tax officer," Tang Mo generously produced arge sum of money, nning to give these officials a pleasant surprise.


    "Why? You know, more than a hundred gold coins isn''t a small amount," Tagg said, somewhat stunned, as he had never seen such a spendthrift maverick before.


    If one had tens of millions and gave out a hundred thousand as a bribe, it would be reasonable. Tagg had seen such bribery before; Shireck was quite generous, too.


    But for someone who only had a few hundred gold coins to gamble with one-fifth, or even one-fourth of it as a bribe, such madness was something Tagg had never encountered before.


    "We have started a school, are preparing to raise a private army, and may need to do many things in the future. At such a time, smoothing things over with Brunas''s officials is very beneficial to us," Tang Mo exined. "If they are willing to turn a blind eye, we can save a lot of time and effort."


    "I... I hope... you''re right," Tagg hesitated, then nodded and asked, "Why don''t you go yourself?"


    "Why? I am the spokesperson for Lord Earl, do you understand the art of using one''s position to bully others? If I handle everything myself, it would be a disgrace to Lord Earl," Tang Mo remarked with a tinge of jest, pointing to himself.


    "We all know you''re not really..." Tagg looked at Tang Mo, feeling that this young man''s ideas always smacked of provocation.


    "No, I am," Tang Mo gestured dismissively, "at least for now I still want them to think I am," he shrugged. "Besides, I have to personally supervise the assembly of the first batch of K1 Quick Guns soon, so I really can''t find the time."


    "Fine! I''ll take care of it for you," Tagg said, although he knew Tang Mo might just be making an excuse, he readily agreed.


    "Remember, when you go, do it with pride! Don''t be afraid they will ask for more, fear they won''t ask at all. By tomorrow morning, I guarantee you will have a batch of Quick Guns to take back to Lord Earl," Tang Mo instructed.


    Tagg nodded and began counting out a considerable sum of money, then set off toward Brunas town with four guards.


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo turned to Roger, "Check all the materials! Don''t get the numbers wrong! Mathews,e with me. We''re going to make a batch of K1 Quick Guns to send to Lord Earl."


    "Haven''t you already prepared the parts?" Mathews asked as he followed Tang Mo, recalling how he had poured over the blueprints untilte the previous night. It had been a marvelous experience.


    For many years, Mathews had been searching for a method of continuous firing for weapons, and the epiphany hade to himst night. It meant that his lifelong pursuits were correct, so now Mathews was positively glowing.


    "Yes! I have prepared them!" Tang Mo said, nodding with a smile full of pride. "But we need to rush to produce at least 50 Quick Guns, to surprise Lord Earl!"


    ```

 Chapter 39: 39 Better to do less than to do more

    The small town of Brunas, inside the mayor''s room, the sheriff and the tax officer were both present. The three of them were discussing matters rted to Tang Mo''s weapon workshop.


    Lately, the biggest topic in the tranquil town of Brunas was likely this very weapon workshop of Tang Mo.


    At this moment, the tax officer was sitting in a chair, looking over a rolled-up tax document. Seemingly indifferent, he casually mentioned, "I heard another delivery of supplies was sent from Northern Ridge to Tang Mo''s weapon workshop?"


    "That''s right," the sheriff was aware of this, for he had sent someone yesterday to observe the caravan from Northern Ridge. His subordinate reported back that he had personally witnessed dozens ofrge wagons entering Tang Mo''s weapon workshop.


    This clearly affirmed that Tang Mo indeed had a close rtionship with Lord Earl and had secured his support.


    The appearance of the caravan, as well as the soldiers of Lord Earl, corroborated one thing: Tang Mo was not bluffing but genuinely had the support of the mighty Earl, sheltering him from storm and stress.


    From this perspective, Tang Mo surely wasn''t someone they could provoke at will. At least until Lord Earl fell from power, it would be better to avoid meddling.


    It wasn''t that they feared Tang Mo or Lord Earl, but rather they all adhered to an official''s creed: Better to avoid trouble than to seek it. Everyone living in peace was truly the best oue.


    Sometimes, the goings-on in official circles were not as dark as imagined. Most officials actually had very clear thinking; they simply preferred not to take action out of indolence.


    Not causing trouble or seeking action wasn''t always about epting bribes or intentionally coddling transgressions, but often a result ofzy inertia. However, regardless of the reasons, such a mentality was in fact erroneous, and utterly detestable to the people they governed.


    While tending to his fingernails, the mayor drew out his words in a prolonged tone, "I heard that Tang Mo''s weapon workshop has been setting up a school recently?"


    "Yes, that is indeed happening," the sheriff, well-informed as he was, nodded in confirmation to the mayor.


    The tax officer furrowed his brow unhappily and questioned, "Are we just going to let him mess around like this? You know, while the Kingdom''sw does not forbid private schools, the management of this is very..."


    He had always believed that all activities within his jurisdiction should pay taxes. Tang Mo establishing a school privately would naturally require a payment. If he didn''t pay, that would be an offense.


    The mayor understood quite clearly and pointed out directly, "You know, private schools are not forbidden because the Shireck Consortium also has schools. However, everyone is well aware of this; just because Shireck is allowed to operate schools doesn''t mean the Kingdom will tolerate others doing the same so casually..."


    Upon mentioning this, they involuntarily recalled the School Wars that urred decades ago. The Shireck Consortiumunched a war to fight for the right to operate schools, leading to the annihtion of three Kingdoms and forcing the remaining nations to capitte, allowing the Consortium to run schools within their territories without any restrictions.


    The warsted for three and a half months. Tens of thousands died because of it, and millions were disced, leaving a chilling memory that lingers to this day.


    Back then, they were all young or rather just children, but the war was indelibly imprinted on their childhood memories, starkly vivid.


    It was during this war that Shireck''s infantry artillery gained famed, bing a sought-aftermodity in the arms market. And as a result of the war, the Shireck Consortium became a distinguished guest among nobility across various nations.


    Thus, the mayor continued, "Nevertheless, many among the nobility have their own schools to cultivate talent for themselves, even to train officers."


    The sheriff, ever cautious, nced at the mayor and then at the tax officer beside him, speaking to smooth things over, "We also have to consider... if this school is something Count Fisheo instructed Tang Mo to establish, the matter bes ratherplicated."


    All of them had received favours from Tang Mo, and at the time, Tang Mo had also promised more benefitster on. As the saying goes, "Beware of harming the innocent mouse when smashing the pot," the officials present handled the matter with great care.


    After all, the gold coins promised by Tang Mo were tangible benefits to them, while the Kingdom''s quasi-prohibition could not restrain them.


    Technically, the Kingdom does not explicitly ban the establishment of a small-scale school. Even were the King to order a thorough investigation, they would, at worst, be used ofx supervision and probably let off with a mere reprimand.


    But if they were to offend Tang Mo, they would likely lose the monthly payments of respect, and if the situation became tense, with swords drawn on both sides, theplications would intensify should an Earl decide to wreak havoc in the mix.


    "Has Fisheo truly fallen on hard times in Northern Ridge? So much so that he''se to Brunas to trouble us..." the tax officer muttered resentfully.


    He surely did not wish for an Earl to suddenlye to Brunas and lord over them.


    Although Brunas had nominally been under Baron St''s control for years, in practice, it was the domain of the mayor, sheriff, and other Kingdom officials, allowing the three of them to collect a fair share of profits.


    An unwee presence,ing to slice up the cake ¡ª it was essential, then, to find a way to unite beforehand and drive away the invader.


    Or, at the very least, to let this outsider know who really ruled the roost! A mistake in identifying that could cost lives!


    "Isn''t it obvious? Count Fisheo''s Northern Ridge has long been coveted by the Suthers Kingdom; a war could break out at any moment. How confident is he that he can hold Wolf City?" the Sheriff sneered, clearly doubting the Earl of Fisheo''s prospects.


    After all, everyone knew that Count Fisheo was an anomaly within the Kingdom. Although he was an Earl, he preferred to fraternize withmoners.


    Unlike the rest of the nobility, he opposednd umtion and corporate politics and was also against raising taxes.


    His behavior had a severe impact on the management of other lords and nobles, increasing the difficulty of managing their territories. Therefore, Fisheo was almost the enemy of all the Kingdom''s nobles.


    Under this premise, everyone wished that Northern Ridge, this ursednd, would vanishpletely, as no one desired a renegade amongst them, constantly casting a shadow over their own status.


    This was probably a ssic case of "bad money drives out good," or in more literary terms, "The stand-out wood in the forest is the first to be brought down by the wind."


    "Uh... there''s not even a thirty percent chance! The Kingdom has made no preparations for war up to now; any clear-eyed person can see that..." The Mayor was equally pessimistic about the Earl of Fisheo.


    Such Kingdom officials had, more or less, heard some rumors from certain connections. This war could likely be a political reshuffling, primarily aimed at Count Fisheo.


    The Sheriff, well-informed as ever, nodded in agreement, "Exactly, that Fisheo will definitely need to find himself a way out if he wants to survive! There are only two ways for him to live!"


    The Mayor nonchntly suggested the first option, "Hmm, go above, beg for mercy, and he probably ends up losing the Earl title, demoted to Viscount or Baron or something."


    Stripping away his noble title to reduce Fisheo''s influence and then marginalizing him was probably the Kingdom''s most reasonable arrangement in dealing with him.


    After all, Fisheo was a capable man; at least in the eyes of the ruling King, it was still not desirable to kill him outright. The Kingdom needed nobles who were willing to shoulder the state''s backbone, and Fisheo was clearly such a noble.


    So, the most sensible setup was to pin the me for a defeat on Fisheo, to let him atone for his "crimes" and scoot off to a corner where no one could see him, scraping by day after day.


    When needed one day, they would summon him back, assigning him an appropriate role to y. When he was superfluous, he''d better be content being invisible, hunkered down in that corner without any more moments in the spotlight.


    "The other option is to lead his troops through the Vicious Forest, retreat to Brunas, and then, armed to the teeth, he can sustain himself here," the Mayorughed, casually adding to the conversation.


    "Most likely, he''ll attempt to take both paths, and this Tang Mo, along with those elite soldiers apanying him, they are definitely here for the second option!" the Sheriff continued.


    "That makes sense indeed!" the Tax Officer, clearly enlightened, nodded in agreement with the two.


    With a trace of regret, the Mayor said, "So think about it, Fisheo is probably going to spend some time in Brunas eventually; crossing him now wouldn''t be wise."


    "And what about the King?" the Tax Officer turned to the two, voicing his most pressing concern.


    "Feign total ignorance of this affair, and isn''t that the end of it?" the Sheriff nned to revert to his tried-and-true method of dealing with his superiors.


    "Right, just vehemently deny any knowledge, and who could do anything to us? Offend neither side and simply wait for the higher-ups to decide; we''ll carry out the King''s orders once they arrive," the Mayor concurred, readily agreeing.


    "Uh..." The Tax Officer had no better solution, so he nodded along.


    The avaricious Mayor''s eyes glinted with greed as he added with a sly grin, "Actually, we could wait and see whether this youngster Tang Mo is going to y ball..."


    The Tax Officer''s eyes brightened, and he nodded, "If he ys ball, then we''ll do as you say, Lord Mayor. If he doesn''t, we''ll warn him off this school business!"


    "Makes sense!" the Sheriff also approved of this approach.


    "My Lord!" Just as the three had reached an agreement, a servant hurried through the door, and bowing his head, he greeted them.

 Chapter 40: You are absolutely right.

    "What is it?" the mayor looked at the other impatiently and asked. He hated when someone interrupted his train of thought, especially when he was contemting how to embezzle money.


    "An officer wishes to see you..." The servant, knowing his master''s habits, immediately exined.


    "An officer?" both the mayor and the sheriff were surprised.


    "The one who camest time, the one with Tang Mo, the officer from Northern Ridge..." the servant quickly added.


    "Oh... let him in!" The mayor came to a realization and immediately ordered. He nced at the sheriff and the tax officer, his eyes clearly conveying the message¡ªit seemed that the visitor was worthwhile.


    Sure enough, his spection was confirmed. Tagg had indeede to offer them benefits. Tang Mo was true to his word and delivered the promised benefits to them.


    Tagg arrogantly handed the bribe to the three main officials of the small town, and this attitude further solidified the mayor''s and sheriff''s and tax officer''s belief¡ªTang Mo was likely a man of Count Fisheo, and an important confidant at that.


    Therefore, after the mayor and his colleagues received the second installment of bribe from Tagg, they put the matter of the school on hold.


    After all, such matters were usually ignored if themon folk did not report it, and there were no usations to field. They naturally wouldn''t meddle needlessly¡ªand even if someone did use, they would let it slide for sake of the Gold Coin and help Tang Mo take care of the fool who dared to use...


    ...


    In the workshop, Tang Mo was assembling the first batch of K1 Quick Gun with Mathews and others. Currently, this was the gship product of Tang Mo''s arms workshop and the source of its ie.


    The smelting furnace, after resting for seven or eight days, finally started belching ck smoke again, enlivened by the raw materials transported from Northern Ridge.


    In fact, Tang Mo had not deceived Tagg; he truly nned to produce a batch of arms and send it to Lord Earl.


    He was an arms dealer, and his ultimate goal was to supply Lord Earl with sufficient weapons and to establish a reputation for his weapons in future wars.


    If he did not provide Lord Earl with weapons and set aside ample training time, the effectiveness of these weapons on the battlefield would decrease, and Tang Mo would suffer great losses.


    Therefore, this time, Tang Mo nned to provide as many K1 Quick Guns as possible and transport these weapons to Northern Ridge.


    And Tagg, returning with this batch of arms, would personally bring Tang Mo''s demands back. As long as Earl Fisello was willing to continue providing support, Northern Ridge would receive a steady supply of arms.


    Tang Mo was confident about Earl Fisello''s continued backing, for he was very certain that, once Tagg brought the Revolver back to Northern Ridge, the Earl would definitely recognize its immense significance.


    This was no joke¡ªif the Earl truly had ambition, with Tang Mo''s weapons, he could even surge out of Northern Ridge, vie for the Kingdom''s throne, and im the seat right beneath the King''s posterior!


    In fact, Tang Mo''s n was roughly the same¡ªhe would supply Lord Earl with enough military arms, enabling the Earl to aim for a higher political status.


    And in return, Tang Mo would get his share of the benefits¡ªbing the new Earl, controlling vastnds, and turning into the "Shireck" of Leite Kingdom! A deal where both parties helped each other and grew together... Doesn''t that sound tempting?


    As for whether Earl Fisello would betray him, Tang Mo was also prepared. Before the Earl truly imed that position, he would build his own military, arm it with more powerful weapons, and be ready forbat!


    If Fisello turned out to be a good King, Tang Mo wouldn''t mind following Shireck''s path, staying behind the scenes to be the new arms syndicate and shadowy overseer of the world''s order.


    If Fisello turned out to be a greedy bastard, then Tang Mo wouldn''t hesitate to teach him a severe lesson with his long guns and heavy artillery, letting him know that times have changed.


    However, all these ns were still just ns... What Tang Mo needed to do at the moment was to ensure quality andplete the current production.


    So, at this very moment, he was leaning over an assembly table, watching a worker nervously piece together theponents.


    He was careful to remind the worker in as gentle a voice as possible, "Alright, follow the production procedure! Hang the part in its designated spot! Pay attention to their positional rtionships!"


    The worker was also a bit nervous because this was his first time assembling such a weapon¡ªhe was more familiar with the structure of flintlock muskets, but theseponents had nothing to do with flintlocks.


    This thing had a rtivelyplex firing mechanism in order to pierce the primer of the paper cartridge, and a long firing pin protruded from the front of the mechanism.


    To be honest, this was apromise in design, since there wasn''t a real rimfire cartridge, so they had to create this long firing pin, which, under theplexity of battlefield conditions, was highly susceptible to damage.


    Soldiers had to be just as cautious when loading paper cartridge ammunition, so the increase in rate of fire was not significant.


    However, for the flintlock gun, it was already the prototype of the modern rifle¡ªan advancement that was epoch-making, progress that flintlock guns could not hope to catch up to.


    In fact, if you disassembled a firearm, its internal structure was not tooplicated. The pin-fire gun Tang Mo brought out was not any more difficult to manufacture than a flintlock. Any workshop capable of producing a flintlock could easily replicate it.


    All it took was assembling a few specific parts, including springs, into a bolt action mechanism for the firing mechanism. The rest of the structure was actually very simple.


    So, under Tang Mo''s guidance, the worker quickly assembled those parts together toplete a firing mechanism.


    Following Tang Mo''s instructions, this worker did not move on to the next step of instation but instead handed the firing mechanism he had made to another worker next to him.


    This was the assembly line method, with every worker only responsible for one step of the gun production process. There were actually many advantages to this arrangement, which was also a unique technological innovation by Tang Mo.


    With such technical arrangements, each worker could specialize in one step of the production, minimizing the likelihood of mistakes and improving manufacturing efficiency.


    Another reason Tang Mo favored this production method was its security system¡ªeach worker only knew about one phase of the new gun production, so none of them knew theplete process of the whole rifle if they were to go off on their own.


    While it wasn''t possible to keep thingspletely confidential, it could effectively dy the opponent''s progress, buying Tang Mo some breathing room.


    "Very good! Now, screw it tight, secure them... There, the internal structure of the K1 Quick Gun isplete! Pretty simple, right?" Finally, after a not-too-long wait under Tang Mo''s supervision, the workerpleted the entire procedure.


    Aplete firing mechanism was created and then passed to the next worker, who would be responsible for installing it and assembling the rest of the rifle.


    With the addition of the front barrel, the entire rifle was put together to be a true K1 Quick Gun.


    "Yes, I think all the workers should have mastered it." Parker nodded and assured Tang Mo, "The rest can be left to me, I will watch over them and let them familiarize themselves with the whole process."


    "Good! Get started!" Tang Mo nodded his head and then stood aside, watching the workers assemble the already polished parts one by one ording to the steps he had outlined.


    This was his weapon workshop''s first time producing the K1 Quick Gun on such arge scale. Previously, the prototypes were entirely handcrafted, with production cycles so long they were almost tear-inducing.


    Now was different, for as the workers in front of him assembled their parts, in another workshop, two steam engines continued to work non-stop.


    Over thirty apprentices were operating the machines, drilling barrel after barrel¡ªby tonight, the workshop would have produced at least 50 high-quality barrels, almost perfectly identical!


    These barrels were uniformly high quality, far more reliable than those drilled by workers using hydraulic windmills or purely by hand.


    "Click!" Tang Mo cocked the bolt of an already-manufactured K1 Quick Gun to reveal its smooth bore and nodded in satisfaction.


    Though still far from the advanced military hardware Tang Mo dealt with before his transmigration, this weapon was quite ahead of its time for this era.


    "It''s truly very beautiful!" Tang Mo said, smiling at the weapon in his hand while speaking to Parker and Mathews beside him.


    "Indeed, after mechanical processing, this is more like a work of artpared to Shireck''s flintlock guns," Mathews agreed.


    Then, he continued to reflect on everything, "Compared to such results, it should be said that the entire process is even greater."


    With that, he, along with Parker and Tang Mo, looked towards the other side where the finished K1 Quick Guns, identical except for the production numbers, were being packed into wooden crates one by one.


    "I''m back! Everything is settled. They won''t trouble you anymore and are willing to sell you some morend... Also..." Tagg was rambling as he walked into the factory, but when he saw the neatly stacked K1 Quick Guns in the wooden crates, he found himself at a loss for words.


    He swallowed, his gaze fixed on the workers as they ced each freshly-made, rustproof-oiled gun into crates one after the other.


    Then he nced at the severalrge sealed boxes not far away and couldn''t utter a word for a long moment.


    "Exactly, you arepletely right, those boxes contain the K1 Quick Guns you will take away," Tang Mo nodded.


    Then everyone couldn''t help but burst intoughter.

 Chapter 41: 41 new secret weapons

    "Can I really take all of these away?" Tagg, hardly believing his own eyes, pointed at the sealed wooden crates and asked Tang Mo.


    These wooden crates were simply boards that had been cut and nailed together, with a basic structure inside: some crossboards with grooves, across which the firearms were securely fit in tidy rows.


    Above and below, each wooden crate contained ten brand-new K1 Quick Guns, still smelling of oil.


    Apanying ammunition pouches made of leather, along with the gun belts, were crammed into the wooden crates, serving as packing material.


    This new type of gun belt was quite borate, with a ce for attaching a bay, with two ammo pouches fixed securely on either side¡ªeach side having two independent ammo pouches.


    Four ammo pouches could hold 40 paper cartridges, and the sturdy lining ensured that even if the pouches were struck, they wouldn''t easily deform, thus protecting the bullets inside in theplex conditions of a battlefield.


    Now, these ammo pouches were filled with bullets, all of which Tang Mo had his workers rush to produce.


    The ammunition factory that Tang Mo was setting up was not highly automated yet, and it would take the introduction of the third steam engine before they could mass-produce bullets more quickly.


    There was no helping it because, at the moment, he was truly short of raw materials andcking the energy resources to support full-scale production expansion.


    Coal was indeed avable from Brunas, and Northern Ridge wasn''tcking either... but to get enough coal took time to mine, not to mention enough funds to afford the purchase.


    Once again, there was no way around it; the Gold Coins in Tang Mo''s possession were earmarked fornd, steel, gunpowder, a whole variety of misceneous raw materials, and to hire workers¡­ It simply wasn''t enough!


    Nowadays, even if Tang Mo were given 10 million Gold Coins, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that he could almost spend it all within a few days.


    The reason Tang Mo could maintain his current operations was partially because Lord Earl provided many raw materials to Tang Mo''s weapon workshop in a timely fashion and partly because Tang Mo, under the name of Lord Earl, went around bluffing and deceiving to cut down on expenses.


    "Yes, I''ve prepared 50 Quick Guns for Lord Earl. How about that? Don''t you think it''s more than worth it?" Tang Mo, patting Tagg on the shoulder with a smile, was fulfilling the promise he had made to Tagg earlier.


    In less than 20 days, Tang Mo had produced 50 Quick Guns, effectively creating a miracle that could shock the world.


    Keep in mind, this production rate had to be further elerated¡ªduring these twenty-some days, Tang Mo spent most of his time not on weapon production.


    Tagg had seen with his own eyes that after returning to Brunas, the first thing Tang Mo began working on was that thing called a steam engine.


    Afterwards, Tang Mo mainly focused on purchasingnd, setting up workshops to build wooden huts, and starting schools, along with a slew of other trivial matters.


    It can be responsibly said that Tang Mo didn''t focus on producing the K1 Quick Guns. It was only after the second steam engine started operating that Parker began to supervise, using the steam engine to drill gun barrels.


    Still, within only ten days, Tang Mo managed to assemble and produce 50 new Quick Guns, a feat even Shireck''s weapon workshops in the Kingdom, trying their hardest, couldn''t achieve!


    "It... It does seem a bit like that," Tagg admitted, looking at the fourrge crates in front of him, and the fifth one that contained only one gun, nodding subconsciously.


    "Stop kidding, just a bit? This production speed is such that Shireck''s four gun-making factories in the Kingdom,bined, might not even catch up with me!" Tang Mo said confidently.


    Mathews added with augh at the side, "Even if they catch up now, they won''t be able to in half a month."


    "If nothing goes wrong¡­ by tomorrow morning, we should be able to produce 10 more K1 Quick Guns like these," Parker said confidently to Tang Mo, Mathews, and Tagg, who was nearby, revealing even more astonishing news, "Trust me, it can really be done!"


    The production progress actually exceeded Tang Mo''s estimate; he had originally nned to send 50 K1 Quick Guns to the Earl all at once. But if the workers'' enthusiasm for production remained high, by the time Tagg left with the shipment, the workshop could have produced about 65 Quick Guns.


    For the entire era, such a heaven-defying rate of production was revolutionary¡ªthose workshops capable of producing 30 flintlock rifles a month usually had thousands of workers!


    Yet, Tang Mo''s current workshop, all things considered, including the workers building houses, had barely five to six hundred people.


    Not all of these five or six hundred people were producing rifles; there were also children in school, Soldiers leveling ground, and other various craftsmen.


    In short, if Tang Mo started to focus entirely on producing the K1 Quick Guns, given abundant resources, he might within two to three months, overtake the production speed of all of Shireck''s workshops inside the Kingdom.


    "Have you prepared the inventory list?" Tagg looked at Tang Mo with eager anticipation, already imagining the scene of escorting 60 K1 Quick Guns back to Wolf City.


    A new troop is about to be born, and thebat power of Wolf City will increase manyfold. Those fools nning to unt their power at Northern Ridge will definitely piss their pants in fear of the power of the K1 Quick Gun.


    "Of course!" Tang Mo nodded.


    "I will return as quickly as possible with everything on the list!" Tagg promised solemnly.


    "I believe you can do it!" Tang Mo said with a smile, pping Tagg on the shoulder, then nced at Mathews: "I''ll leave this ce to you. I''m going to swing by theboratory."


    "No problem, Master," Mathews nodded, then he turned to Tagg, who looked somewhat bemused, and said, "Mr. Tagg, when you return to Northern Ridge, please convey to Lord Earl that this old man has decided to follow Mr. Tang Mo and be his servant."


    Tagg was taken aback, then he nodded with understanding: "For a craftsman, this is indeed a good ce. I understand your decision and will convey it to Lord Earl."


    "Thank you!" Mathews smiled, then lowered his head to resume working on a mechanical part Tang Mo couldn''t understand.


    "My Lord!" On the way, a construction worker who saw Tang Mo passing by took off his hat, bowed slightly, and greeted him with a smile.


    Tang Mo also nodded with a smile and quickened his pace toward his so-calledboratory. Inside theboratory, you could see jars and bottles everywhere; upon opening the door, you could smell the strong odor of chemicals.


    After closing the door and walking over to the desk, Tang Mo pulled out a drawer, took out a box, and from it, retrieved an assembled Left-Wheel Handgun.


    This was a true Left-Wheel Handgun of the era, truly capable of flipping the entire cylinder out to the left for quick reloading and continuous firing.


    Tang Mo then took out a yellow metal object from the drawer and casually scattered it on the table.


    The metal parts clinked together, producing a pleasant sound. These were all crafted one by one by Tang Mo using a manual bullet press in front of him.


    To be honest, these metal cartridge bullets, the first of their kind in this world, still fell a bit short of those produced by fully automatic bullet production equipment.


    In fact, they were still rough, and the bullets still had the first generation Mini¨¦ ball design, stuffed with wood!


    Nevertheless, they were still the most advanced bullets in the world because inside them was the smokeless gunpowder Tang Mo had made himself, which still was not able to be mass-produced!


    This was a Colt 1907 model pistol, except the caliber used was the 9mm rimmed cartridge bullets crafted by Tang Mo himself.


    For ease of production, Tang Mo''s bullets had a primitive design with a rim slightlyrger than the diameter of the bullet body, which also facilitated the pistol''s ejection mechanism for quick cartridge ejection.


    Of course, this design wasterpletely phased out, but Tang Mo, constrained by production technology, had toe up with this kind of retro design.


    Despite this, these bullets handcrafted by Tang Mo were still advanced, advanced to the point of being expensive¡ªso expensive that Tang Mo was reluctant to use them for shooting practice.


    Tang Mo was not going to use the idiotic imperial measurements, so he directly introduced the concept of millimeters. Now that he was the standard setter for the entire industry, he naturally had no reservations.


    As for why he chose aplex structure like the Colt 1907 Left-Wheel Handgun instead of the more stable and easier to produce "Grip-Handle" Left-Wheel Handgun... Well, the reason is quite simple: because it''s cool.


    Since Tang Mo was making a handgun for himself and there was no significant technical challenge, of course, he''d choose whichever looked cooler. After all, he wasn''t concerned with expanding production scale or manufacturing costs.


    So, this unusual, peculiar Colt 1907 Left-Wheel Handgun was thus created.


    Tang Mo used his thumb to push the mechanism on the gun body, and with a light flick, the pistol cylinder flipped out from the left side of the gun. The whole process was incredibly smooth, without any dy. There was no helping it; in this era, they couldn''t produce afortable dampening effect, so there was a strong cheap, loose feeling.


    But Tang Mo didn''t care about that. He picked up a bullet from the table and easily inserted it into the cylinder, one after another, wlessly.


    After filling the cylinder with six bullets, he habitually brushed over the cylinder, and the oiled cylinder began spinning rapidly.


    Mathews'' craftsmanship was really strong, relying on simple machinery to produce such high-precision parts.


    Tang Mo internally praised, and with a flick of his wrist, the cylinder snapped back onto the gun body with a crisp sound.

 Chapter 42: 42 lever

    He extended his arm, aimed at the scenery outside the window, and felt an unprecedented ease. For this was the first the he had created a truly "modern" weapon since crossing into this world.


    It was a weapon he was familiar with, a weapon he understood! The ones before, including the needle-gun he had mass-produced, were merely hazy memories in his mind and data calcted by the system.


    Only this Left-Wheel Handgun in front of him was designed in a way he was familiar with, was operated in a way he was familiar with!


    After fiddling with his new secret weapon for a while, Tang Mo began to lower his head to the desk, drafting designs for new machinery.


    He needed to quickly get steam engines to power more equipment, to ensure that the entire factory could operate at night¡ªtherefore, he needed a new type of energy: "electricity".


    With electricity, many industrial products could be developed, including aluminum electrolysis, electroting technology, and even including lighting technology, radio technology, and so on.


    After obtaining electricity, Tang Mo would also be more convenient to use electric motors and other equipment to drive machine tools, making production more convenient.


    In short, he had to produce electricity as soon as possible, for electricity represented a brighter and more efficient future for any factory, for anyone!


    With electricity, Tang Mo would be able tomunicate with Northern Ridge in real-time via telegraph, coordinating and raising production materials more quickly... All of this was extremely important to him.


    However, electric motors were not so easy to produce, and a whole set of power generation equipment was also extremelyplex¡ªthe more advanced and powerful the modern industrial civilization, the more supporting production technologies were required, which seriously restricted Tang Mo''s development.


    To give the simplest example¡ªif Tang Mo wanted to use electricity to strengthen his lighting system, he would need something like an electric light bulb, but besides electricity, electric light bulbs also required the support of factories such as ss factories, necessitating that Tang Mo had to build a ss factory himself.


    He couldn''t even sell advanced technologies to existing factories, because those technologies were only needed by him. The workshops and factories existing in this era wouldn''t spend a lot of money on technologies they couldn''t use.


    Therefore, Tang Mo could only honestly fill in the gaps in his industrial system bit by bit, which was the main reason why he spent a lot of money but made slow progress.


    However, many of the technologies in Tang Mo''s hands didn''t rely solely on himself. He was currently negotiating with a Brunas construction materials merchant, preparing to sell the cement technology to the other party, so they could improve their own stone adhesives.


    The negotiation was making some progress, and the other party was indeed willing to pay Tang Mo 200 Gold Coins for the technology. However, Tang Mo''s demand that the other party provide Tang''s weapons workshop with 200 tons of cement at a priority discount price was met with refusal.


    This was also understandable; after improving the process, it made more sense to prioritize nobility, letting them pay more Gold Coins for the new cement. As a result, the negotiations had reached a deadlock, and Tang Mo hadn''t received those 200 Gold Coins yet.


    Sometimes things are just helpless, and not all developments run towards the best direction as nned.


    Having no other choice, Tang Mo had to sell a more advanced sea salt production technology to the salt merchants of Brunas, in exchange for a technology transfer fee of 70 Gold Coins.


    Moreover, they demanded that Tang Mo must not enter the sea salt manufacturing business for the next ten years, in exchange for providing him with some salt products for free.


    Just like that, Tang Mo was calcting in his mind how much money he could still make and what he could do with it. When he realized time was slipping away, the sky had already turnedpletely dark.


    "Ding ding ding..." Mathews knocked on the door of Tang Mo''sboratory, holding a tray with today''s still-warm dinner.


    "I lost track of time," Tang Mo said somewhat embarrassedly, putting down the Left-Wheel Handgun in his hand and speaking to Mathews.


    "Well, anyone ying with a groundbreaking weapon would lose track of time," Mathews replied with a smile as he ced the dinner on Tang Mo''s desk, looking at the metal bullets scattered across the tabletop and saying to Tang Mo.


    "How''s it going?" Tang Mo grabbed a spoon and suddenly looked up, asking Mathews abruptly.


    Mathews knew what Tang Mo was asking and immediately responded, "Production is going very smoothly. Tomorrow morning, Tagg will be able to leave with 60 K1 Quick Guns."


    As he spoke, he pulled a chair over and sat next to Tang Mo, "By tomorrow afternoon, we will have just about used up the previously umted gun barrels and enter into a normal production speed."


    "What about our own use?" Tang Mo continued to ask while chewing on Auntie Cui Xi''s not-so-tasty dinner.


    "Hmm, by tomorrow afternoon, Bernard and Luff''s men will all be equipped with K1 Quick Guns," Mathews replied, pursing his lips. "ording to your arrangements, after Tagg leaves, each of them will also receive a Revolver."


    Although the Revolver couldn''t be mass-produced yet, manually making them was no longer a difficulty.


    Tang Mo had given Tagg 5 revolvers, and he prepared about 300 rounds of ammunition for these guns.


    Although it wasn''t much, the few bullets were already enough to showcase to Lord Earl a weapon capable of rapid fire.


    Therefore, Tang Mo was now brimming with confidence, waiting for Lord Earl to have Tagg bring back enough supplies and arge order.


    "By the way, Wes took another revolver with him, so now he has two of such handguns," Mathews added.


    Tang Mo, still wolfing down his food, asked with his mouth full, "Hmm, how is he doing teaching physical education at school? Is he serious about it?"


    "Apart from going to the new shooting range to practice shooting, he spends the rest of his time teaching at the school. Bernard and Luff, as well as all the mercenaries you''re recruiting, including those kids, are learning swordsmanship from him," Mathews answered. "The results are... very good."


    "Worth every penny," Tang Mo swallowed a mouthful of dinner and said excitedly to Mathews, "How''s the research on the lever-action rifle going?"


    "I tried making one, and it''s practically a work of art. It''s incredible! It''s almost unbelievable," Mathews said, his eyes shining with excitement.


    It was the first time he had seen such a precise and efficient bullet-feeding mechanism; such a weapon would surely be a nightmare for enemies on the battlefield.


    Tang Mo, as if talking about something trivial, continued eating while asking, "How about it? Isn''t the lever-action rifle much better than the needle gun?"


    In fact, the lever-action rifle he had in his possession was indeed just an ordinary weapon, not even a mainstream one.


    After being sifted through the harsh selection of the battlefield, the lever-action rifle was reced by bolt-action rifles and became more of a ything in hunting and collecting realms.


    After all, this type of weapon had too many ws, making it difficult to be a true favorite in warfare. However, Mathews didn''t know this and still thought that the lever-action rifle was the ultimate personal weapon equipment for Tang Mo''s next generation.


    Therefore, Mathews answered earnestly, "There''s noparison at all! If metal cartridges be widespread, then such a weapon couldpletely revolutionize warfare!"


    During the past couple of days, Mathews had really been researching the lever-action rifle, and in his view, the weapon could only be described as perfect.


    The incredibly fast loading speed and the almost continuous firing capability made the advantages of this weapon very clear.


    After Mathews tried making a linked mechanism for the lever-action rifle, he immediately developed a keen interest in this type of bullet-feeding method.


    The more he studied this bullet-feeding mechanism, the more he was impressed by Tang Mo''s innovative ideas. To him, thebination of these mechanisms in front of him was nothing short of miraculous.


    He felt that choosing Tang Mo as his master and serving him might just be the best decision he had made in his lifetime.


    Therefore, he shared some of the concerns he had before entering the room with Tang Mo. "Actually, metal cased cartridges will indeed be widespread! But for now, it seems that this technology is too..."


    Tang Mo of course knew Mathews'' worries, as he had worried about the same things. So he nodded and agreed, "Too advanced, isn''t it? That''s why it only exists on our blueprints and isn''t being mass-produced by us."


    At this time, the Tang Weapon Workshop, not in control of mines andckingplete production capabilities, obviously couldn''tpete with the resources of the Shireck Consortium.


    And, precisely because of this, bringing out more advanced weapon designs at this time would be digging a hole for themselves.


    Reminded of this, Tang Mo felt helpless, but he could only continue, "We don''t have arge supply of metal ore resources; these are currently in the hands of the kingdom''s nobility and the Shireck Consortium. Once we start mass distribution of metal cased cartridges and new rifles, our weakness will be even more evident."


    "You''re right, Master. We should first stock up on some materials to prepare forter weapons development," Mathews suggested.


    Tang Mo shook his head. "There''s no time, the money we are currently making is too little to stockpile resources. What we can do now is to cling to Lord Earl''s coattails and strengthen ourselves as much as possible."


    "Take control of our destiny as soon as possible..." After finishing his thought, he put the spoon back into the empty bowl. "Arm ourselves to avoid being devoured by Shireck in an extreme counterattack that they may choose!"


    "That won''t be easy, with just the dozen or so mercenaries we''ve recruited to confront the tens of thousands of troops Shireck might deploy," Mathews said, worriedly looking at Tang Mo, reminding him.


    "There''s no other way, we can only take things one step at a time because we simply don''t have the money to invest in armed forces," Tang Mo said with a helpless shrug. "Every penny we earn now must be invested in production as much as possible.


    We need a chemical nt for producing new propents, a building materials production nt, arger metallurgy factory, leather factories, breeding farms... schools, hospitals..."


    He sighed and looked out the window. "There are so many ces in need of money, and what weck the most right now, is money! Gold Coins, arge number of Gold Coins!"

 Chapter 43: 43 Alice

    A row of soldiers dressed in bright yellow military uniforms, neatly lifted their rifles to their shoulders at themand, aimed at the distant targets, and pulled the triggers under their index fingers.


    "Bang!" A concentrated volley of gunshots echoed across the drill field, with white smoke spewing out from the barrels, rolling in front of this line of soldiers and refusing to dissipate for a long time.


    "Reload!" The officer standing beside this row of soldiers shouted themand, lifting his chin high.


    The soldiers set down their rifles, pulled the bolts on the sides of their rifles, and began to clean the gunpowder residue and the partially burnt paper cartridge from the barrels.


    Their movements were somewhat awkward, but it was clear that they had already developed some familiarity with these new type of rifles.


    This weapon was more powerful than any flintlock gun they had ever seen and would give them an advantage in the imminent war.


    Therefore, every one of them trained very diligently and cherished the rifles they held.


    "My lord!" An officer with a longsword at his waist approached the middle-aged man dressed in a ck cloak, standing at the edge of the drill field, and bowed slightly.


    "Mhm. They performed very well," Fisheo lowered the monocr he was holding, very satisfied with the rifle volley.


    Tang Mo had brought three sample Quick Guns when he had presented them to him, and all these samples had been left behind in Northern Ridge.


    Count Fisheo, a veteran of many campaigns, made immediate use of the three Quick Guns to train all the officers first.


    He personally exined to these officers the skills of shooting. Then he let these officers try out the new guns, learn their structure, and familiarize themselves with the new operating methods.


    Subsequently, Tang Mo returned to Brunas with supplies. The convoy he escorted brought back ten more Quick Guns from the stockpile to Northern Ridge. Thus, the lord earl had thirteen of Tang Mo''s manufactured Quick Guns at his disposal.


    Also brought back was the confirmed news that Tang Mo could produce Quick Guns! This information reassured Lord Earl and he also ordered a new batch of production materials to be sent to Tang Mo.


    In the past month or so, Lord Earl had been using these Quick Guns to train his guard. He hoped to immediatelymence widespread military adoption once the next batch of Quick Guns arrived at Northern Ridge.


    The earl tucked the monocr back into the leather case at his waist, gesturing to the officer before him to rx a bit.


    The officer eased up slightly, no longer so stiff, and beganining to Lord Earl, "We still have too few Quick Guns on hand, sir. It''s really troublesome for the soldiers to train in turns."


    Fisheo was also somewhat anxious, but he didn''t show it, exining, "There''s no helping it, we were only provided with thirteen of these Quick Guns. I can only use the weapons at hand to rotate training so that every soldier can master the new weapon."


    The officer looked at Fisheo with some anticipation and asked, "So, my lord, when will the new weapons arrive?"


    "Tagg''s letter said he will soon be escorting a batch of new guns back to Wolf City," the earl said, patting the officer''s arm to soothe his own officer, smiling as he spoke.


    "Again with ''soon'', but we''re running out of time," the officer muttered quietly, somewhat dissatisfied with Tagg''s dy.


    Earl Fiselloughed lightly, masking a hint of bitterness, "There''s not much we can do; all we can do is wait. The good news is, the war won''t break out immediately. We still have a bit of time..."


    Recently, the neighbors to the north had been restless but had disclosed some issues¡ªtime was not on the side of the war because winter was approaching.


    Once in winter, warfare would be gued with difficulties. The best solution would be to wait until the arrival of next spring.


    That way, on the one hand, they could use the war to destroy Northern Ridge''s farnd during the busy farming season, wreaking havoc on Northern Ridge''s agriculture; on the other hand, the weather would also be more suitable forbat, favoringrge troop movements, which would benefit Suthers Kingdom with its superior military forces.


    "The Suthers Kingdom''s military is moving frequently; we should start conscripting new soldiers," the officer suggested.


    "Having those peasants pick up weapons is nothing but a desecration of life; they know nothing and would only be heading for a one-way ticket to death on the battlefield," Earl Fisello still opposed to expanding the army, for hecked both the ample military supplies and the time to train peasants into soldiers.


    Each soldier in the Northern Ridge Legion had undergone at least two years of rigorous training; in Earl Fisello''s eyes, new recruits trained within three to four months were no different from cannon fodder.


    The officer who was more supportive of the expansion of the military and war preparations spoke up once again, persuading Lord Earl, "But they can halt the enemy''s advance and win us enough time for our elite soldiers."


    Ultimately, Earl Fisello still did not agree to his suggestion and shook his head, saying, "I''ll think about it some more! If Tagges back, you must inform me at once!"


    "Certainly!" Though reluctant and clenching his fist in private, the officer still nodded slightly to Fisello.


    At that moment, a voice as clear and pleasant as that of a yellow oriole rose from behind the two men: "Father!"


    Fisello turned around and saw a dashing youngdy standing there, dressed as a noblewoman rider, wearing riding breeches and long riding boots, without aplicated hat, her hair tied back in a long ponytail.


    This spirited youngdy had delicate eyebrows and clear, beautiful eyes, resembling a paintinge to life. Herrge eyes and upward-tilting eyebrowsplemented her bright red lips, which were made even more enticing by her fair skin.


    A smile immediately spread across his face, and he stretched out his arms to embrace her: "Oh! My dear Alice, you''ve returned from the copper mines, eh? How was it? That ce is a great spot for hunting."


    After embracing her father, Alice got straight to the point with some annoyance, "If I hadn''te back, Lord Father, you might have gone bankrupt by now."


    "What do you mean?" Fiselloughed awkwardly, scratching his head as he feigned ignorance.


    Alice nodded slightly to the officer beside her father in greeting, then continued to look at Fisello: "I noticed that arge sum of money has gone missing recently, so I''vee to discuss with you how our already slender ie has been squandered."


    The mention of this made Fisello even more embarrassed¡ªhis wife had passed away early, leaving him with just one daughter. And this daughter had clearly inherited her mother''s intelligence, managing the Earl''s estate since the age of twelve.


    Now, this 17-year-old beauty had be a well-known financial officer in Northern Ridge Wolf City. Under her management, Lord Earl, known for his tax reductions and paternal love for his people, had been able to maintain development and stave off bankruptcy.


    So now, facing his own daughter, Lord Earl could only offer an embarrassed exnation: "It''s like this, we''ve been purchasing a batch of munitions recently..."


    "Munitions? Lord Father, the Shireck Flintlock Guns are centrally purchased by the Kingdom! We don''t need to spend money on that! I''d just allocated funds before I left for the purchase of 30 cannons in preparation for war! And to my knowledge, acquiring a batch of munitions wouldn''t need such arge sum of money!" Alice pressed, gazing into the Earl''s eyes, word by word.


    Earl Fisello put on a strained smile and continued to exin, "Yes, but what I bought is a type of new munition."


    "New munition?" Alice frowned, and for a moment, she even considered the possibility that her father had been duped. Nowadays, who didn''t know that the weapons and munitions from Shireck were the best?


    The Earl immediately went on to exin to his beloved daughter: "You were away at the copper mines for an audit, and didn''t return to Wolf City, so you might not know. We''ve purchased a batch of new rifles to counter the threat from Suthers to Northern Ridge."


    Alice was almost amused by her father''s words, asking with irritation, "So, the 1,400 Gold Coins in our reserves, and all of the gunpowder, steel, copper, silver, leather, and nearly all the other materials we had gathered privately for the war, have disappeared?"


    In her view, her father, who didn''t concern himself with household affairs, seemed to have no idea what that money and materials truly represented.


    Once war broke out, all resources were vital, with every little bit being used. Under such circumstances, stocking up more wealth and goods was beneficial and necessary from any perspective.


    Earl Fisello added somewhat sheepishly, "Pretty much, though there are maybe 300 more workers."


    Alice sighed helplessly, "You''re really quite generous."


    "Would you be interested in seeing the new weaponry?" asked Lord Earl, shifting the topic somewhat embarrassingly.


    "Let''s take a look then, see what has impressed you so much, Lord Father, to willingly... spend such arge amount of money." Alice looked over to the shooting range, where a row of soldiers stood awaiting new orders.


    "Continue the training, let my guards demonstrate the rapid fire!" Earl Fisello ordered with some remorse.


    The number of paper cartridge bullets transported from Brunas wasn''t very high; with thest return of the Earl''s convoy, they had brought back 500 bullets urgently assembled by Tang Mo.


    These bullets were for training, containing only two-thirds the normal charge, thus their power was considerably low! However, they were not without merit: on one hand, the reduced charge meant less barrel pressure, causing less wear to the barrels, and on the other hand, they were cheaper, allowing the Earl to buy more bullets with less money.


    Upon receiving the order, the officer nodded slightly, walked over to the soldiers cleaning their barrels on the shooting range, andmanded loudly, "Prepare for rapid fire!"

 Chapter 44: 44 debt

    The soldiers perked up noticeably at thismand, for it was their favorite training exercise. Firing the new muskets in rapid session was undoubtedly a great way for them to dpress and vent.


    What else could excite them more than firing two volleys in quick session? After cleaning their barrels, they stood at attention, waiting for themand to start the drill.


    So, as these soldiers raised their K1 Quick Guns following the familiar procedure, everything proceeded into their favorite part.


    They pulled the triggers, producing a magnificent volley, then once again set down their rifles. Their actions were not entirely smooth but were exceptionally swift as they began to clean their barrels again.


    Soon, they were stuffing paper cartridge bullets back into the barrels and then sliding the bolts into ce, sealing the barrelspletely.


    As these soldiers once again took aim with their weapons, Alice furrowed her brows, this was all happening too fast, so fast that it made her feel somewhat bewildered.


    As Earl Fisheo''s daughter, she had certainly seen muskets before. She had not only seen those exquisitely crafted flintlock guns, she used them often.


    As the "Little Princess" of Northern Ridge, she enjoyed hunting and often personally tracked and killedrge game such as grizzly bears and wild boars.


    Therefore, she was very well aware of the numerousplex steps involved in loading a flintlock gun and knew very well how long it took to ready a flintlock gun to fire.


    She hadn''t noticed anything unusual when the soldiers fired the first shot, so she thought that the so-called new weapon must be a damn merchant''s ploy to deceive her father using some trick.


    But when the soldiers swiftlypleted their reloading and once again raised their weapons, she realized that there might indeed be a new type of weapon that had emerged in this world.


    Not from Shireck! Not that detestable, bone-sucking Shireck Consortium''s newly developed weapon!


    "Bang!" Another round of gunfire echoed over the parade ground, and Alice watched the soldiers as they began cleaning their barrels again, seemingly deep in thought.


    "Let them fire once more!" Suddenly, Alice parted her red lips andmanded the distantmander.


    Themander nced at Earl Fisello and, seeing thetter nod, once again raised his hand and loudly gave themand to fire: "Load!"


    Upon hearing hismand, the soldiers once again excitedly went about their tasks. They opened the breaches and began meticulously cleaning out the residual debris inside.


    Incredibly quickly, Alice once more saw the soldiers taking aim with their weapons, pointing them at the distant targets.


    "Bang!" Another salvo of gunfire rattled through the parade ground, lingering for a long time.


    Alice turned to Fisello and asked earnestly, "If, our military all switched to weapons like these, could we win the uing war?"


    "Without a doubt! Our enemies will be caught off guard and then routed. Just one battle, and I might march into the Suthers Kingdom¡­" said Fiselllo confidently to his daughter, "Northern Ridge shall be spared the sufferings of war."


    "No matter how much it costs, it''s worth it¡­" Alice muttered to herself, then walked over to the soldiers awaiting orders.


    She extended her fair hand and took the K1 Quick Gun from a soldier, seeing the ornate, showy metal patterns embedded in it. Her fingers brushed along these patterns, feeling nothing but the smoothness from the fine polish, not even a slight bump or ridge.


    To be honest, these decorative patterns were fromputer reference images in Tang Mo''s mind, naturally extravagant¡ªthis aesthetic standard surely surpassed the average level of this world, making it love at first sight.


    This gun was the same one Tang Mo had demonstrated previously for the nobles, and it had naturally been left at Northern Ridge.


    Fisello did not treasure this sample gun but rather treated it like any other, issuing it to his men for training.


    "Which idiot wasted so much effort on decorations?" Alice looked up at Fisello, who had approached her, and asked in a displeased tone, "Does he know how much extra this will cost?"


    "Heh, heh heh¡­" Fisello chuckled. He understood his daughter well; she waspetent and straightforward, the sessor he had groomed.


    If Ronin Alice had been a boy, she would surely be the heir to Northern Ridge. Even now, Fisello was considering handing over Northern Ridge to her, to take charge.


    Unfortunately, Alice was a daughter, destined to marry. Fisello thus had to consider whether his future son-inw would be capable enough to handle a share of Northern Ridge''s power.


    "It couldn''t be helped. He even marketed his new gun to nobles like Baron St before," Fisello exined for Tang Mo, taking the somewhat old-looking sample gun from his daughter''s hands and passing it to a nearby soldier.


    "He marketed it to others too?" Alice nearly instantly considered the issue of confidentiality, but then, as if having thought of something, her brow which had not fully furrowed smoothed out again.


    She looked at a few other K1 Quick Guns and, seeing no decorations, nodded, "Right. Those shortsighted fools wouldn''t want to trouble themselves; they would turn a blind eye, especially at this time."


    "Tell me about this weapons dealer," Alice said to her father, fanning herrge, eyshed eyes and smiling.


    "His name is Tang Mo, and he''s only a little older than you, a very handsome young man. ck hair, ck eyes, it''s very likely he''s a criminal from across the sea..." Earl Fisello shared with his daughter the details about the young man he had only met once.


    As they spoke, they walked toward The Earl''s Mansion not far away. The Earl gestured for the training to continue as usual, and the officer in charge started organizing a rotation of personnel.


    Allowing a troop of soldiers to fire so many shots in session was a very extravagant affair already. Bullets cost money, and such a barrage of gunfire was by no means cheap!


    Because of Tang Mo''s bullets, which were moreplex to produce, their price was even higher than that of the flintlock gun. Each bullet was as valuable as silver, making every shot painful for the not-so-wealthy Earl Fisello!


    Along the way, the Earl talked about his meeting with Tang Mo, all the way to their agreement: "We signed a contract, and he thinks he can provide me with more than 1000 of these K1-type Quick Guns within half a year."


    "You agreed to support him?" Already back in the house, Alice turned her head, toying with her ponytail casually as she spoke.


    "Yes, I had no reason to refuse," nodded Fisello.


    "He has virtually nothing, and isn''t qualified to be our ally just yet," Alice gave a more pragmatic assessment.


    Earl Fisello smiled indulgently at his intelligent daughter and shrugged, "If he can fulfill his promise, he will definitely be an ally worth supporting."


    "That''s assuming he can fulfill his promise..." Alice shook her head, "Without a huge workshop with over three thousand workers, how is he going to produce over a thousand new guns in such a short time for you?"


    "Tagg''s reply to my letter said that he had created a machine that could keep turning, which should speed up weapon production," the Earl exined.


    "Watermill? Windmill?" Alice, after all, was someone from that era, and she certainly couldn''t immediately guess something as exotic as a steam engine.


    "I don''t know, Tagg wasn''t very detailed in his letter, but with Dwarf Mathews by his side, he certainly wouldn''t be deceived on technical matters... Since they say so, this interesting young fellow, Tang Mo, must have some extraordinary skills," Fisello touched his nose, trying to be as clear as possible.


    "You even sent Dwarf Mathews away?" Alice sighed, seemingly resigned to her father''s actions.


    However, she quickly perked up, looking at Fisello and tentatively asking, "Could there be a possibility... that we send someone to grab that guy, along with his technology, and bring it all to Northern Ridge?"


    Watching his daughter, who was keen on maximizing Northern Ridge''s interests, the Earl hesitated for a moment and then shook his head, "That... might be difficult."


    Alice knew the adage that a forced melon isn''t sweet. Leaving aside the feasibility of using force to abduct Tang Mo to Northern Ridge, even if they did manage to capture him, what if he refused to cooperate? Not only would they lose an opportunity and an option, but they would also turn an ally into an enemy, which wasn''t in Northern Ridge''s interests.


    So, Alice gave up on the n to abduct him, saying with some regret, "Alright! Alright! Since you didn''t even keep an eye on old Dwarf Mathews, there''s no hope of going to Brunas Port and kidnapping him back."


    She understood her father. The upright Earl would certainly not be willing to do such a thing and if he really had the intention, he wouldn''t have allowed the skilful old Dwarf Mathews to leave.


    "Hehe... my daughter understands me," Fisello didn''t mind ttering his daughter, nodding in agreement.


    Alice sighed helplessly again, "Then we''ll have to think of another solution."


    "What other solution could there be?" Earl Fisello, worried his daughter might have thought of some other cunning n, paused for a moment before asking.


    "My dear father... If you''re willing to do it yourself, then I might as well go back to the copper mine to hunt," Alice replied unceremoniously, looking back at her father.


    "Oh, no no no, I''d rather you handle it, I feel more at ease that way," Fisello quickly waved his hands, readily acquiescing.


    "Let''s withhold the taxes to be sent to King City in a few days. Send a message there, tell Your Majesty that we won''t have enough money to pay taxes until next spring," Alice said with a fierce look, appearing stern yet cute.


    Fisello, who started to speak, trailed off, his voice growing quieter as his eyes shone brighter: "But we actually..."


    He was not a foolish man, so he didn''t think that withholding a portion of the taxes wasn''t an option at a time like this.


    Alice nodded, "If we don''t owe Your Majesty, we''ll have to owe Tang Mo... Since you think owing Tang Mo isn''t good, then we''ll have to owe Your Majesty, Father!"


    --------


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    Also, thanks to the Emperor for the reward, a long-time friend who has supported Dragon Spirit for many years, truly grateful!

 Chapter 45: Greater than 45

    When Tagg saw the Banner of the Northern Ridge hanging above Wolf City, he was so excited that he almost shouted out loud.


    He swore that in his whole life, he had never so eagerly anticipated returning to Wolf City. He almost wanted to spur his horse furiously and race toward the gates of Wolf City.


    Simrly, it was also his first time, despite already seeing the majestic walls of Wolf City, to be thinking of another ce not so far yet suddenly so important¡ªBrunas.


    It was a strange feeling, an experience Tagg found awkwardly indescribable. He looked forward to bringing a surprise to the Earl upon returning to Wolf City, yet he wished he could immediately set off to deliver the supplies that Tang Mo needed to that small workshop billowing with ck smoke.


    However, he knew that if he acted so rashly, the convoy following him would be startled, so he could only forcefully resist the impulse to gallop to the city, walking step by step alongside the vehicles toward the familiar city gates.


    "Commander!" A young soldier at the city below, upon seeing Tagg approaching on his high-headed horse, stood at attention, saluted, and raised his forehead in greeting.


    On his shoulder, he carried a beautifully maintained Shireck Flintlock Gun, gleaming and obviously well taken care of.


    However, Tagg didn''t even nce at that broken ything before nodding his head slightly, and asked, "Is Lord Earl in Wolf City?"


    "Yes!" The soldier guarding the gate immediately replied: "Miss Alice has also returned! Just yesterday."


    "All right! Have someone arrange for the convoy to disband! The remaining soldiers escort this carriage! Follow me!" Tagg yanked the reins of his battlehorse, making the high-headed beast turn around on the spot, and followed by a group of soldiers, he escorted a heavilyden carriage towards The Earl''s Mansion.


    "My lord! Sir! Captain Tagg has returned escorting a carriage full of goods!" A guard reported to Earl Fisheo with a face full of surprise, knocking excitedly at his door.


    The door was suddenly pulled open, and Fisheo emerged without even putting on the ck cape he was fond of, hastily walking toward the doorstep.


    By the time he reached the entrance, he saw Tagg just dismounting, and the heavy carriage had already stopped in the courtyard of The Earl''s Mansion.


    "Lord Earl! I havepleted my task without disgrace! I''m back! And I''ve brought back what you asked for!" Tagg said with a smile to Earl Fisheo.


    "Excellent! Tagg, your loyalty is beyond doubt!" Fisheo excitedly pped Tagg''s arm, unable to hide the smile on his face.


    Atst, he would have another batch of Quick Guns, which meant he could train his soldiers even faster.


    Thinking of this, he looked again at the dusty Tagg, smiling as he asked, "How many Quick Guns did you bring back? Fifteen? Or twenty?"


    Seeing Tagg''s somewhat embarrassed expression, he suddenly realized that maybe he had been too anxious. It hadn''t even been a month, and it seemed unlikely for Tang Mo''s small workshop to produce one rifle a day.


    So, he took a deep breath, adjusted his mood, and after thinking, he finally spoke: "It''s all right, Tagg! It''s all right... Even five is not too few, at least it''s a good start, isn''t it?"


    While saying this, he also looked toward Alice, who hade out upon hearing the news: "As long as there are plenty of training bullets, I''ll be very satisfied."


    "S-sir... I''ve brought back 62 Quick Guns this time..." Tagg nced at Alice approaching and bowed slightly, saying, "Mydy."


    "It''s fine, it''s fine! Tagg... There''s nothing to be upset about bringing back only 62 Quick Guns..." Fisheo began, but he was at a loss for words.


    He looked at Tagg, his eyes wide with shock, and then he suddenly turned to the carriage, unable to help but take another nce at Tagg.


    In the end, he fixed his gaze on the carriage and walked quickly over, pushing aside the soldiers guarding it to personally open the carriage door.


    Then, he saw that the cargo box of the carriage was neatly filled with seven crudely nailed wooden crates.


    The splinters on these boards had not even been cleaned, and in a grimy, nauseatingly crooked handwriting scrawled in ck soot, they werebeled: "Handle with care."


    "How many guns did you bring back?" Earl Fisheo couldn''t believe his ears, nor could he trust his eyes at the moment, so he asked Tagg again, his voice trembling.


    He was afraid this was all a dream, scared that everything before him was a hallucination caused by the fatigue of days filled with longing and contemtion.


    A feeling simr to the fear of approaching home, in the face of these munitions and arms, made him timid, fearful that his joy might turn out to be in vain.


    "I''ve brought back 62 new K1 rifles, Lord Earl! Tang Mo''s production has started to get on track, and his workshop now has the capacity to produce more than 10 K1 Quick Guns in a single day!" Tagg looked earnestly at Earl Fisello as he exined.


    "62 rifles... 62 rifles!" Fisello stepped forward to pull out the topmost box, and Tagg hurried to help when he saw this. He didn''t think the Earl''s actions at this moment were reckless at all because when he saw so many of the new Quick Gunsid out in front of him, he was almost in the same embarrassing state.


    Ignoring the ungroomed splinters on the wooden box, the Earl put the box down at his feet, and then he turned to the helpful Tagg, pointing excitedly to the box below andmanded, "Open it, open it!"


    Tagg took a crowbar from the carriage and inserted it into the gap at the edge of the wooden box. Earl Fisello, somewhat conflicted but unable to wait, stepped forward and pressed down on the crowbar himself, prying open the lid.


    The wooden lid, nailed together, wasn''t sturdy and was mostly twisted, distorted, and damaged. But now the Earl didn''t have the patience to care about the useless wooden box, as his eyes were fixed on the brand-new, freshly oiled K1 Quick Gun barrels and couldn''t be moved.


    "Gulp..." He swallowed, staring at the neatly arrayed K1 Quick Gunsid in the box, his hands trembled slightly.


    Eventually, he reached out and grabbed a brand-new K1 Quick Gun from the box, examining the meticulous, polished wooden stock.


    His hand brushed over the cold bolt and caressed the smooth, elongated barrel, as if he were fondling his beloved woman.


    Then, through the haphazardly piled leather weapon straps on the loweryer, he spied the second row of K1 Quick Guns, and the smile on his face was uncontroble.


    "Are there ten guns in this box?" he asked Tagg excitedly.


    "Yes! There''s one box with only two guns, but..." Tagg replied nervously for the first time, seeing such excitement in the Earl''s eyes.


    "But what?" Fisello asked, already calcting the training of 75 soldiers with the new K1 Quick Guns.


    "But it includes 1,500 bullets specially for training, with reduced charges," Tagg replied.


    "I knew it! Thatd won''t let me down!" Earl Fiselloughed as he handed one of the brand-new Quick Guns to his daughter Alice and grabbed another from the box, ying with it as he talked.


    Alice had tried shooting the K1 Quick Gun yesterday, and after taking the new gun from her father, she skillfully pulled back the bolt, looked down, and saw that the entire bore seemed to be manufactured so perfectly it was as if it was naturally made, with captivatingly beautiful curves!


    She could tell the gun in her hands was a fine piece, far superior to the Shireck Flintlock Gun.


    However, no matter how good a weapon''s craftsmanship was, it was still just a matter of technique. What truly caught her attention were some other details.


    "Tagg... you went to Brunas for only about 20 days, right?" Alice shifted her gaze from the firearm to Tagg, who was smiling simply, and asked in a calm and unhurried manner.


    "23 days, Miss!" Tagg immediately answered Alice''s question with rity, because he had been counting the days while in Brunas, waiting for the time to return to Northern Ridge.


    However, it was only in the moment of returning to Northern Ridge that he realized a part of his heart had been left behind in Brunas...


    "Producing three rifles a day... This is no longer just a weapons workshop; this is a weapon factory... And a superrge one at that," Alice said, holding the K1 Quick Gun and speaking to Tagg.


    She gracefully handed the rifle to Tagg, and without a pause, she said, "I''ve read all the letters you wrote, which took up all of my time after dinner yesterday. Can you talk about it? Tell me about that interesting factory and the fascinating machinery inside?"


    "Of course, Miss!" Tagg took the K1 Quick Gun and looked at Earl Fisello, who was moving boxes out of the carriage with another guard.


    In fact, he had much more he wanted to tell the Earl, but it seemed the Earl was currently immersed in the joy of having received 60 Quick Guns and was unlikely to approach him for a conversation for the time being.


    So, he sighed and followed behind Alice to a shady area under a tree.


    "You mentioned in your letter that Tang Mo created a new kind of machine... It''s not a windmill, not a watermill, right?" Alice stopped under the shade of the tree, turned to Tagg who was following, and asked her first question.


    "Yes, that''s right, Mathews said that thing is called a steam engine," Tagg replied seriously.


    "A steam engine? You''re joking, right? The useless toy the nobility uses for blowing whistles?" Alice, well-traveled and well-informed, had heard of such superficial contraptions.


    "Yes, Miss," Tagg nodded, then pointed to a small woodpile not far off, "But Lord Tang Mo made two that are evenrger than that warehouse..."

 Chapter 46: He is very good at giving gifts.

    ```


    A steam enginerger than a house... Isn''t that just a toy that can only blow a deafening whistle? Alice tried hard to piece together the fragments of her memories about steam engines and then decided to skip over this topic for now.


    She continued to ask Tagg, "So, Mr. Tang Mo, can he supply us with about 70 of these new rifles each month?"


    "I can assure you that his production speed might be even faster," Tagg thought for a few seconds and made a statement he believed to be urate.


    Because he knew that on the day he left, Tang Mo had already started building the third steam engine and, judging from the content of the private conversations with Mathews, he felt Tang Mo might build a fourth or even a fifth steam engine.


    What he didn''t know was that, in fact, Tang Mo was already nning to build seven steam engines at the same time. He nned to reduce the size and increase the technical precision of one, to experiment with some train technology.


    As for the remaining six steam engines, Tang Mo had ns for each of them. He was ready to build two workshops directly in the new factory site he was pioneering, to produce new weapons and equipment!


    Yes! He was an arms dealer, not just a gun manufacturer! It wasn''t just a rifle factory he ran, but a super military industrialplex producing all kinds of munitions!


    In this era, Tang Mo himself found it unbelievable to produce rifles without producing cannons. Hence, Tang''s Weapon Workshop was set to challenge the production of even bigger weapons¡ªcannons!


    These were the things unknown to Tagg, who had left Brunas, so his estimate on Tang Mo''s expansion rate was still conservative.


    In Tagg''s view, since Tang Mo had more steam engines, it was certain he could increase the production speed of the K1 Quick Guns.


    In fact, his guess waspletely correct; Tang Mo nned to raise his K1 Quick Gun production to 500 pieces per month!


    These rifles were not entirely for Northern Ridge; they might also be sold far away in other areas. Even Tang Mo would arm some of his own people to counter Shireck''s unreasonable annexation tactics.


    "Even faster?" Alice found it hard to believe, but she had no doubt about Tagg, a loyal Northern Ridge man, steadfast as a pine tree.


    "At least... twice the current production speed," Tagg deliberated a little and decided to boast for Tang Mo. He thought that with a bit of effort, Tang Mo should be able to reach that number.


    Alice didn''t say a word, shocked by this production speed. She had previously studied the small weapon workshop in Brunas and could roughly estimate its scale.


    Northern Ridge had supported the workshop with about 300 people, and even judging by that number, the total number of people in Tang''s Weapon Workshop would reasonably not exceed six hundred.


    Her estimate was actually very urate; Tang Mo had roughly that many people, and those truly engaged in weapon production were less than 300.


    Alice, who had visited Shireck''s workshop, knew exactly howrge a 1,000-person scale workshop was. She still remembered the rows of chimneys belching ck smoke at the metal smelting furnaces there.


    The workers in those workshops sat densely packed along the long tables, heads down assembling the snaphance structure of flintlock guns in the not-so-bright factory.


    These workers engaged in weapon production were covered in grease, filthy and scrawny, their eyescking any luster, indifferent to Alice as she passed them by, like zombies.


    Despite this, these vast and overcrowded weapon workshops could only produce a few hundred flintlock guns a year, and a kingdom''s production of flintlocks totaled no more than about two thousand.


    Yet this young arms merchant named Tang Mo was capable of producing 120 better needle guns every month with a few hundred people...


    This meant that this arms merchant named Tang Mo not only improved the weaponry but also thoroughly enhanced the production speeds, revolutionized the production process, and controlled a production technology far beyond the times!


    To be honest, Alice, who had always been in charge of Northern Ridge''s economy, wasn''t too concerned about the emergence of a new weapon, but she astutely picked up on this detail of the innovation in productivity.


    She had even begun to think about whether this new method of production could be replicated in Northern Ridge to improve its productivity.


    In this era, an increase in productivity meant being able to produce more with fewer people, and the added profit was a temptation Alice could not resist.


    However, before her thoughts could wander that far, she saw her father with a beaming smile walking towards her.


    As the hero who brought back so many K1 Quick Guns, Lord Fisello naturally wanted to have a good chat with Tagg.


    "It seems we can ce even more trust in this young man named Tang Mo, can''t we?" Earl Fisello was very enthusiastic, ready to generously send another batch of supplies to Tang Mo.


    ```


    This time, Alice did not object, but she brought up a suggestion that Fisheo had already rejected, "Can''t we really pull this talent to Northern Ridge? Whatever he wants¡ªgold coins... power! All can be offered!"


    "I''m afraid that won''t work, Miss. He cares a lot about his own property and probably won''t be Lord Earl''s subordinate," Tagg cautioned carefully.


    "Kidnapping him is also an option," Alice said seriously, looking at Tagg, "Tagg, if you personally lead a squad, 100 soldiers... are you confident you can capture him?"


    "I''m afraid there''s no guarantee, Miss," Tagg shook his head and then looked at the Earl, saying, "I''ve brought something else for you this time, Lord Earl."


    "You''ve brought a gift for me too? Hahaha! Tagg! You''ve never been this thoughtful," Fisheoughed loudly, pping Tagg on the shoulder.


    Because the weapon at Tagg''s waist was mostly covered by a holster, Fisheo didn''t immediately notice what made this weapon different from amon flintlock pistol.


    "To be honest, this gift was prepared by Tang Mo for Lord Earl," Tagg said sheepishly, scratching his head and then looking towards Alice, "This is also why, I mentioned that controlling Tang Mo is not an easy task."


    "He''s good at giving gifts?" Alice raised an eyebrow, sarcastically teasing Tagg. She was surprised, feeling that there seemed to be no necessary connection between being good at giving gifts and whether he could be captured.


    "Yes, he''s very good at giving gifts! Bribery... buying over... drawing in..." Tagg nodded in agreement subconsciously at Alice''s words, having experienced it himself.


    Immediately after, he shook his head quickly, correcting himself, "No, I mean, even though he is indeed very good at giving gifts... but there are other areas where he''s also very good! So good, that I don''t even know how many aces he has up his sleeve now."


    He thought of the pistol at his waist, a type he had never seen before, which still gave him an uneasy feeling.


    "What do you mean?" Fisheo asked Tagg with interest, really wanting to know what sort of aces the business-focused young man possessed that Tagg would be wary of.


    Although Fisheo had never considered the idea of capturing Tang Mo to serve him, he truly did not think that Tang Mo''s small weapons workshop was a force that 100 soldiers from Northern Ridge couldn''t handle.


    Tagg opened his long military coat, revealing the dark brown leather weapon belt at his waist, and also the delicate-looking pistol hanging there.


    "My Lord, this is the gift that Tang Mo gave to me. There are five more of the same pistols in the hiddenpartment of the carriage," he said.


    "A pistol? Did Tang Mo turn the Quick Gun into a pistol?" Fisheo asked with interest.


    "No, my Lord! He created an even more terrifying weapon!" Tagg said to the Earl, "We should go somewhere secluded, and I shall demonstrate the... future to you!"


    Earl Fiselloughed again, patting Tagg on the shoulder, mocking his own subordinate with some disdain, "Ha! Sinceing back from Northern Ridge, you sound more like thatd Tang Mo! All this talk about the future, terrifying weapons... Are you trying to sell me another type of weapon on his behalf?"


    "My Lord, please believe me... I''m not exaggerating at all," Tagg''s face flushed with embarrassment as he earnestly exined.


    Alice was quite interested in Tagg''s unprecedented caution and stepped back to clear a path, "Let''s go! To the backyard, to see what kind of future our Northern Ridge''s bravest warrior has brought back for us."


    "I think sending Tagg to Brunas may have been a mistake," Fisheo said, gesturing to Tagg and then walking with Alice down the path towards the back of the house.


    Behind them, the soldiers Summoned by Fisheo were distributing newly delivered Quick Guns, 20 of which were to be used for training weapons for each battalion!


    With these weapons, the troops of Northern Ridge would rapidly master the use of this weapon, and once more Quick Guns were avable, the military of Northern Ridge could form abat force, a more powerfulbat force!


    Once they had avoided everyone''s sight, the three of them arrived at a deserted courtyard where Tagg could hardly wait to draw the revolver he had prepared from his waist.


    Fisheo stood beside him and noticed that the weapon didn''t have a beak-like hammer on the side and that there was an odd protrusion on the barrel.


    Alice too had never seen a pistol like this and looked curiously at the weapon in Tagg''s hand, anticipating its performance momentster.


    Tagg leveled his arm, took a deep breath, and finally mustered the feeling to fire. His eyes focused through the notched rear sight on the gun''s spine, aiming at the trunk of arge tree.


    Then, holding his breath, he steadied his gun hand.

 Chapter 47: I want to know all 47

    "Bang!" Finally, Tagg, with a pang in his heart, pulled the trigger and fired the first shot. A gunshot echoed through the courtyard, but Alice and Fisheo couldn''t discern anything significant from it.


    They both waited, expecting Tagg to reload the pistol. Given their experience, Tang Mo, who had designed a breech-loading rifle that could be loaded quickly, must have endowed this pistol with a special feature in the reloading aspect.


    Indeed, they were not disappointed... or rather, they were greatly surprised. For they hadn''t seen Tagg perform any reloading action at all.


    "Bang!" Tagg pulled the trigger again, firing another bullet, and the second gunshot abruptly resounded through the sky.


    A pistol that could fire two shots in session? Alice suddenly felt that the young arms dealer she had yet to meet seemed rather interesting.


    Standing beside Alice, Fisheo''s eyes widened as he stared at Tagg''s arm that had not lowered, seemingly anticipating something.


    True to form, Tagg did not keep them waiting; he pulled the trigger a third time and discharged the revolver, firing a third bullet.


    The bullet struck deep into the tree trunk, shattering the bark and sending wood chips flying everywhere in an instant.


    With the third gunshot, a thick smoke had begun to roll in front of Tagg, giving an impression of a mountain obscured by mist.


    After Tagg fired the third shot, Count Fisheo''s expression changed dramatically. Just like the first time he had seen this weapon, he suddenly had the feeling that it was a weapon only a god could possess.


    The seeminglypact pistol appeared to have an endless firing capability, able to shoot three bullets rapidly without the slightest need for preparation!


    You must understand, opportunities on the battlefield are fleeting. A military armed with such pistols could, at a critical moment, be as effective as an army of thousands!


    Alice was also stunned. She had traveled far and wide and had never seen a pistol that could fire three shots in one go!


    Thus, she curiously observed the pistol in Tagg''s hand through the haze of white smoke, her interest greatly piqued.


    Even without being a seasonedmander like Fisheo, she could easily imagine the vast market potential for this new kind of weapon that could fire three consecutive shots!


    Nobility would carry such a weapon for self-defense, and kingdoms would pay top dor to arm their elite troops... Just the Leite Kingdom alone, purchasing ten thousand such pistols for their troops was not an impossible scenario.


    If one looked at the whole world, countless countries would want such weapons. Tang Mo would soon be wealthy enough to rival nations and a distinguished guest of all countries!


    Of course, he might also be killed by an assassin''s bullet from one country or caught by Shireck and imprisoned in a basement, his legs sawed off and interrogated daily...


    As Alice''s thoughts wandered and Fisheo was overwhelmed with shock, Tagg pulled the trigger and fired the fourth shot.


    "Bang!" The fourth gunshot echoed through the courtyard, as thunder rolls across the sky. This thunderp nearly stunned Fisheo and pulled Alice back from her fantasies to reality.


    A weapon that could fire four consecutive shots... This had exceeded their understanding and plunged them into utter shock.


    It was not only them. Whether it was Wes, Tagg... Anyone who saw this weapon for the first time was astounded by its terrifying capability for continuous fire.


    Unconsciously, Fisheo''s hands had clenched into fists, and they were trembling slightly beyond his control. He was eager to snatch the pistol from Tagg''s hands and examine it thoroughly.


    For him, it was the artifact he had dreamed of throughout his military career, the ultimate weapon that could bring him victory!


    Just as he was about to step forward and take the pistol from Tagg''s hand for closer inspection, Tagg pulled the trigger a fifth time.


    "Bang!" The fifth gunshot sounded, and the tree with already four bullet holes splintered once more with a loud cracking noise.


    And it was only in that moment that Alice realized Tagg had not moved his arm at all. He was still aiming the terrifying pistol at the tree that served as their target.


    Huh? There seemed to be a familiar word that shed through her mind like a shooting star, something Tagg had said... Yes! Terrifying! That was the word!


    The word "terrifying" was an absolute understatement for the handgun in Tagg''s grip! It truly deserved such a description and might even epitomize the very term itself!


    At this moment, Alice couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe towards the weapon in Tagg''s hands; it indeed invoked an almost instinctive reluctance to touch.


    Standing beside Alice, Fisheo''s eyes zed with fervor. Yes, he was just too eager to test this weapon himself! It was literally the epitome of ughtering armament, the ultimate weapon that all warriors dreamed of!


    For him, what concept did a handgun that could fire five consecutive shots embody? It was almost tantamount to equating with victory!


    What it felt like to hold victory in one''s hands, to secure victory without battle... Fisheo really, really wanted to experience it.


    If Tang Mo had seen the fervent look in Fisheo''s eyes at that moment, he would have certainly sneered at such naivety.


    You haven''t yet seen Maxim, haven''t beheld Vulcan, tanks, or nes... You haven''t seen the gigantic mushroom clouds rising from the horizon... Is it not too early to be chanting ''ultimate weapon'' in your mind already?


    Indeed, it was premature, because just as Fisheo had settled on naming this new weapon, "Mad Quint Killing," Tagg fired the sixth shot!


    In an instant, the beautiful number five vanished into thin air. Fisheo stared nkly at Tagg amidst the swirling smoke, unexpectedly filled with anticipation.


    He truly felt, at that moment, an inexplicable expectation, hoping to hear a seventh shot¡ªafter all, seven was also a wonderful number.


    However, when he was full of hope, yearning to witness a miracle, Tagg lowered the gun in his hand and turned towards the two people not far away.


    "Lord Earl! This handgun can fire six consecutive shots if prepared in advance," he said, and handed the handgun to the Earl, who still stood there in a daze.


    Fisheo subconsciously took the handgun Tagg handed him and then instinctively looked down at the seemingly delicate weapon that defied the heavens.


    Only then did he notice the revolver in his hand had a cylinder that could rotate.


    He shifted the angle slightly and saw the chambers for bullets, noticing some detailed structures of the handgun. To be honest, this object was much more sophisticated than the flintlock pistol hanging on his waist.


    "This¡­" Fisheo was silent for a long time before finally speaking, uncertain of what to call the weapon in his hand. The embarrassing name "Mad Quint Killing" had already dissipated with the sixth shot.


    "It''s called a revolver, and it''s a new type of handgun developed by Lord Tang Mo," Tagg immediately took over the conversation and began to exin.


    "This revolver... Does Tang Mo n to sell it?" Lord Earl asked, gazing at the weapon in his hand, almost as soon as his thoughts were organized.


    "He can''t mass-produce this weapon yet. He''s only made a few to give to you, Lord Earl," Tagg unreservedly repeated Tang Mo''s exnation and concluded.


    Alice breathed a sigh of relief. She felt that if Tang Mo could mass-produce such a terrifying weapon at this moment, it would have been too exaggerated.


    However, she quickly discerned something from Tagg''s words: "You mean, as long as he has enough raw materials and some time to prepare, he could mass-produce this weapon?"


    "Yes, that''s what he said," Tagg nodded. "Miss, that''s why I think the n to coerce Tang Mo won''t be easy to execute."


    He gestured towards the weapon in the Earl''s hands and exined to Alice, "If we send too few people, he and his men could use this weapon to break through and escape... but if we send too many... marching hundreds of soldiers through the Vicious Forest, isn''t that tantly inciting a civil war?"


    "I understand now. Such a partner... is not suitable to be coerced with force," Alice conceded at that moment, truly giving up the notion of capturing Tang Mo to force him to serve Northern Ridge.


    "I think, Father. Since we''ve found a more suitable partner than Shireck, we should show our strength and help Mr. Tang Mo clear his current troubles," Alice said, looking at her father Fisheo and suggesting.


    "What''s your n?" Fisheo turned to his daughter and asked.


    "Mr. Tagg, please bring out Mr. Tang Mo''s list of required supplies. We need to help him gather the materials he wants as quickly as possible... and the manpower he needs," Alice said earnestly. "And Captain Tagg!


    Tell me all of Tang Mo''s actions in Brunas! The more detailed, the better! What he eats every day, how many times he goes to the restroom, when he rests... I want to know it all!"


    "Before that! Where are the revolvers that Tang Mo had you bring back? Where are they?" Seeing the two moving farther away, Fisheo, who had finallye back to his senses, shouted and hastened after them.

 Chapter 48: 48 so will he buy it?

    Tang Mo met with the merchant who had previously wanted to buy his cement form in his office the day after Tagg had left. The merchant had finally chosen to cooperate, as the performance of the samples Tang Mo provided was simply too tempting.


    This material could effectively bond bricks together and was extremely sturdy. Seeing the profit potential, there was no reason to ignore it.


    In the end, after several days of consideration, the local building materials merchant decided to purchase Tang Mo''s form with a sum of money and provided Tang Mo with a considerable amount of cement products at cost price.


    As a result, Tang Mo had finally saved arge sum of money and obtained enough building materials from the new channel to construct his new factory.


    On the other hand, good news came in session. In the afternoon of that day, before Tang Mo had the chance to inspect the foundation of his fifth new workshop, two teachers who had applied for jobs arrived before him.


    Yes, the news of Tang Mo hiring teachers had finally paid off. Two teachers, both around fifty years old and slightly anxious, took over most of the work previously done by Tang Mo and Roger.


    One taught mathematics, and the other taught literature; they relieved Tang Mo, who was already stretched thin, from the time-consuming task of teaching.


    The entire factory had begun to take shape, and Tang Mo''s efforts over nearly a month were finally showing results. In the new factory workshop, 50 workers and a newly built steam engine took over the production of paper cartridge bullets.


    This newly established workshop could produce 700 bullets per day. Once another steam engine was installed, the daily production of bullets would increase significantly, reaching a terrifying scale of 2,000 rounds per day.


    Another workshop had also begun production, which was the first factory workshop Tang Mo had built outside the original walls of the workshop!


    This workshop was for producing gunpowder and various chemical substances, so for safety reasons, it was situated a distance away from the main building of the factory.


    The corresponding fire-fighting facilities were under construction, but Tang Mo was too impatient to wait and had already started production in this workshop.


    Dozens of female workers, from Northern Ridge, from Brunas, from various ces, were carefully manufacturing some odd and curious items here, including various formtions and strange powders.


    To keep them healthy, Tang Mo mandated that every worker wear a mask during production and limited their working hours to only 4 hours per day!


    The things produced here were not much now, but they would be the foundation for Tang Mo''s future expansion. These female workers would gradually be the backbone of production in the future expansion of the factory, bing the technical talents Tang Mo had cultivated.


    In the old workshop, the production of Quick Gun K1 had already scaled up. Under Parker''s supervision, nearly 100 workers were producing new Quick Guns every day.


    Of the two steam engines, one had broken down, but the production in the factory had not halted. Mathews was fixing the steam engine, which needed new parts, and that was inevitable.


    Because when the steam engines were initially produced, whether it was levers or rotating shafts, they were used directly after casting.


    These parts weren''t allowed sufficient time to set, and considering the stress during operation, damage was actually a natural urrence.


    Since Tang Mo was in a hurry to give Tagg confidence and perform a miracle for all the workers, there was bound to be a cost¡ªdamage to steam engine parts was indeed part of that cost.


    Mathews had started to build more spare parts and was preparing to rece those powerponents that might fail in the future.


    The new steam engines weren''t rushed and could thus have most of their parts more polished and allowed time to set.


    The engines currently in production, including one that was broken, one used for drilling gun barrels, and another for manufacturing bullets, were all hastily put into operation and were bound to have some faults.


    However, this was all part of Tang Mo''s n; these steam engines were also rushed into production to elerate output. Soon, the new steam engines meticulously crafted by Tang Mo would be the true main force in production.


    More haste, less speed, as the saying goes. Since Tang Mo wanted both speed and results, he naturally had to pay a price in some details.


    "The parts that are reced should be melted down and recycled as much as possible..." Tang Mo noticed that Dwarf Mathews had lost quite a bit of weight when he saw him again.


    "I know that. I came here to report to you. The fourth and fifth steam engines have been made, and ording to your instructions, they will not be put into production until Tagg brings back the new materials," Mathews said in a deep voice and then plopped down into a chair in Tang Mo''s office.


    He twisted his neck a couple of times, looked at Tang Mo, and reminded him, "If it''s just to fulfill Lord Earl''s order, you actually don''t need to expand the production scale that much."


    As Tang Mo''s chief technical consultant, he was obviously more interested in technological innovation than in expanding production¡ªtechnical talents were all alike; Mathews now had lever-action rifle blueprints on his mind and had grown somewhat indifferent to steam engines.


    "The steam engine isn''t just for driving a fewthes and drill presses, Mathews! You might not be able to fully understand the power system in your lifetime, but don''t underestimate this thing," Tang Mo smiled and continued to sketch an aesthetically pleasing line with the pen in his hand.


    "I''m not underestimating it, it''s just... I just really want to make a prototype of the lever-action rifle! I love seeing the surprised expressions on people''s faces, just like... just like Tagg''s expression when he saw the revolver!" Mathews defended himself.


    "You still don''t understand..." Tang Mo shook his head, a smile on his face known only to him: "The history of mankind, in essence, is nothing but boiling water and throwing stones."


    As he spoke, he lifted his head to look at Mathews: "When you understand the true meaning of this phrase, you''ll realize that what you''re doing is the greatest endeavor in this world."


    Tang Mo actually knew that the joke he was making would surely go over Mathews''s head. But he still looked forward to Mathews''s response, hoping to hear the answer he was anticipating.


    But he was destined to be disappointed because Mathews did not smile, nor did he realize any connection between throwing stones and boiling water with the history of mankind.


    Mathews wasn''t amused by Tang Mo''s joke; in fact, he was more curious about the drawing that Tang Mo was working on... what was this new contraption?


    So, he stood up and walked over to Tang Mo''s desk,ing close enough to the paper without having to bend down.


    It was only then that Mathews realized that Tang Mo wasn''t drawing blueprints but something more like a sketch of an effect diagram.


    He stared with one eyerger than the other for quite some time, making out a smoking steam engine and a bunch of identical carts, winding along two long straight lines.


    Consequently, he turned to Tang Mo with a curious tone: "What is this?"


    "This is a steam-powered mining system. It can help the miners haul the coal and iron ore they''ve dug out of the mines... saving their strength, so they can mine three times as much ore in the same amount of time," Tang Mo replied with a smile as he added to the lines above.


    Mathews asked incredulously, "Are you joking?"


    "Of course I''m not joking! The steam engine is our product too, Mathews! We''re definitely going to sell them to those who need them," Tang Mo answered, pleased with the effect diagram he had drawn.


    "But... but how can a steam engine... possibly haul coal out of the mines?" Mathews continued his puzzled inquiry.


    Tang Mo countered with a question: "Isn''t its power sufficient?"


    "Of course not... Of course, it is! It''s practically inexhaustible in strength... but, Master! The roads in the mines are rugged and uneven, it''s not easy to get the coal out," Mathews contemted and answered Tang Mo''s question.


    "That''s why I designed a brand new mining system," Tang Mo said, pointing to his effect diagram, hoping to use it to sell his steam engine products.


    "This..." Mathews was still not getting it.


    "These are mine carts, their structure is very simple, this is a dump car, just tipping it can pour out the coal..." Tang Mo pointed to the neatly aligned mine carts, exining to Mathews.


    He couldn''t, of course, bring out a train just yet because that was too advanced and ahead of the time for him.


    He didn''t have enough talent to support such advanced creations, nor did he have enough resources ornd toy sufficient lengths of railway for his steam trains.


    However, he could certainly start by providing his allies with more advanced mining technology, boosting their mining speed, and thereby securing more mineral resources for himself!


    Following this, he pointed to the wheels beneath the mine carts and continued to exin the key to the whole system: "Each has four wheels, and beneath the wheels are sections of iron tracks! Made of iron, very smooth, very straight... so that the mine carts on top can be pulled along."


    Mathews looked at the two smooth iron tracks on the table and suddenly had an epiphany: "...this, this is truly a genius design."


    Tang Mo certainly knew it was a genius design, so what concerned him more was another matter: "So, do you think... Lord Earl would buy this steam engine and one kilometer of railway track, and thirty mine carts?"


    "..." Mathews looked at his master speechless, feeling that recently Tang Mo seemed to have developed a new quirk, wanting to sell everything for cash or materials...


    -------


    After working through the night, I''ve finally written another chapter, so I''m posting it, so no one worries. Goodnight... or rather, good morning.

 Chapter 49: What are you doing?

    Tagg still returned his own handgun, but at this moment, before the Lord Earl, five identical revolversy side by side.


    Before seeing these weapons, the Lord Earl did not believe in the existence of a handgun that could fire six times in a row.


    However, once he confirmed this fact, the smile on his face became unrestrainable. Even though Tagg said that Tang Mo was not yet able to mass-produce these weapons, even though he knew that even if Tang Mo could mass-produce, he couldn''t afford them...


    In reality, as the Earl of Northern Ridge and the actual owner of Wolf City, he felt he already had victory in his grasp.


    To be frank, he had never longed for war toe as he did now, because he was ready for everything; he had already seen the dawn of victory!


    At this very moment, he truly hoped the war would break out on schedule, for in this war he would triumph and have the chance to amass a greater fortune during the conflict.


    With a powerful ally, Northern Ridge would achieve unprecedented development. Using the war reparations and potentially newnds to be upied, he could buy more weapons and grow the power of the Earl of Northern Ridge.


    In summary, a new worldy before him, and the revolvers on the table were like the gates opening up to this new realm.


    Of course, what he did not know was that his daughter by his side was thinking about the steam engine she had never seen, wondering if it could be put to work for her mines.


    She also pondered over everything about Tang Mo, including the school he was building in Brunas, thend he was tilling in the southern part of the Vicious Forest, his new factory workshops, and his private armed forces that were still small in scale.


    She even thought about what Tang Mo ate daily, and had even deliberately chosen an apple, a fruit he liked, as her dessert after lunch.


    What she didn''t know was that Tang Mo in Brunas had simr thoughts, only that the focus of his thoughts was slightly off: Tang Mo was considering how to sell steam engines to Northern Ridge...


    For Northern Ridge, Tang Mo was nothing short of a prodigy who appeared at the most crucial moment to solve their biggest problem.


    "We should get together whatever he needs and send it over," Alice finally spoke up, addressing her father seated behind the desk, "If we can''t suppress or coerce, then we must woo..."


    "He''s building arger factory in Brunas, so we should give him what he needs most urgently." Alice moved to the front of the desk and picked up one of the heavy revolvers, ying with it in her hand.


    In fact, the weapon was not as miraculous as imagined, as after firing six times consecutively, it needed aplex sequence of actions to reload before it could be used again.


    Therefore,pared to the K1 Quick Gun, which fired and reloaded one shot at a time, these revolvers did not significantly increase the overall shooting speed of the military.


    After weighing the options, including Earl Fisello, Alice, and Tagg all felt that widespread adoption of the revolver wasn''t very meaningful.


    Under this sentiment, Fisello abandoned the idea of equipping the entire military with revolvers, only nning to arm his personal guard with a hundred of such firearms.


    "He needs a lot,borers, materials, andnd..." Tagg repeated Tang Mo''s demands with a bit of a headache: "Tang Mo''s weapon workshop produces at a fast rate, so he needs arge quantity of raw materials to sustain his consumption. Lots of iron ingots, copper ingots... these are materials he urgently requires."


    "It''s unlikely that our mining operations can get any faster; you must realize our mines are already running at full speed," Alice said, shaking her head, "So, we need to squeeze out some resources for him from somewhere else."


    "Northern Ridge has tworge iron mines, and correspondingly, tworge ore smelting nts," said the Little Princess of Northern Ridge, reciting as if listing treasures: "We own one, and the Shireck Consortium owns the other..."


    "Every month, half of the iron we produce has to be sent to King City for the Kingdom''s unified use, and the iron from Shireck''s mine is also taken away..." As she spoke, she looked toward her father, Earl Fisello.


    Without waiting for him to speak, she continued, "The portion for the Kingdom, we''ve already held back, which can subsequently be given to Tang Mo... I''ll also try to recruit more hands to increase the mining speed as much as possible."


    "But this will only solve part of what Tang Mo needs," Alice nced at Fisello, her slender fingers caressing her perfectly curved chin, "So, is there a possibility of going after Shireck''s iron factory?"


    "What do you mean?" Tagg looked at Alice, somewhat unable to follow her train of thought¡ªhe could not think of any way that would make Shireck''s iron factory give up their ingots.


    "We arrange a robbery! Steal all of Shireck''s steel for this month, and frame the mountain bandits..." Alice began, "A single heist should suffice to meet our short-term needs."


    "This... this isn''t really appropriate, is it...? We, we are the defenders of order in the Northern Ridge," Tagg said with some disbelief.


    "Both of us know that Shireck has been trying to destroy our Ronin Family, to destroy Northern Ridge!" Alice frowned as she said to Tagg, "If we still cling to honor in a time like this, it would truly be idiotic."


    Having made up her mind, she turned her gaze to Count Fisheo, "Father! We only have one chance. Once they lose a month''s worth of mined iron, Shireck will increase their guards, change the route, and it will not be easy for us to make another move."


    "In fact, they don''t really have any means to deal with us. With war imminent and border security out of control... Under such circumstances, they would not dare to provoke us unprepared!" Alice concluded based on intelligence previously gathered, "The military of Suthers Kingdom hasn''t finished assembling yet, and their efforts to weaken us in Northern Ridge aren''tplete.


    A mishap now, and they can only stand by and watch!"


    "You are right, they wouldn''t disrupt their entire n over a batch of ingots," Count Fisheo nodded, then looked at Tagg, "What are our chances if I leave it to you?"


    "With fifty soldiers armed with K1 Quick Guns and revolvers... it would likely be a sess. But the people escorting the goods and the convoy... they are innocent," Tagg considered before speaking to Fisheo.


    "What if we prearrange some moves... Can we substitute our own people?" Alice knew this operation was a one-off and thus had no qualms about utilizing the forces they nted inside Shireck''s ironworks.


    "Sure, we''re bound toe into open conflict sooner orter, it''s not an issue to make a move now," Fisheo also felt that while openly taking control of the ironworks would be frowned upon since they hadn''t openly broken rtions, arranging for their men to escort the shipment and then disappear with the convoy held definite practical possibilities.


    "The rest should be easy, all we need to do is send all the goods to Brunas to offset what we owe, and that''s it," Alice concluded the conspiracy with a smile.


    After leaving the room, she let Tagg and Fisheo discuss the specifics while she walked back to her own room alone.


    She sat down in the chair, pondering in the mirror the various details about Tang Mo that she had heard described by Tagg.


    That young man in Brunas seemed to have a gift for business¡ªhis cunning techniques disyed during negotiations under Lord Earl''s banner with the town mayor truly exemplified the ssics ofmercial bargaining.


    Alice, who has always been engaged in this field, couldn''t help but smile lightly after picturing the process in her mind.


    Then, she thought of Tang Mo expanding the factory in Brunas, establishing schools, and recruiting private armies.


    Expanding factories and hiring Ranger mercenaries made sense, as everyone did these things, so they became the norm. Shireck raising armed forces was not new either; sometimes, these forces were even stronger than the Kingdom''s regr military.


    Alice even understood Tang Mo''s approach: ensuring one''s own safety before proceeding was a prudent choice.


    If Tang Mo needed security, Alice was even willing to provide some necessary protection for him, like having Tagg stationed with some soldiers near Tang Mo''s weapons workshop to ensure that this Northern Ridge arms supplier couldplete his production on time.


    The private army and factory expansion were understandable, but Alice couldn''t see through Tang Mo''s purpose in establishing a school within his factory, offering better amodation, and improving the welfare of his workers.


    Furthermore, ording to Tagg, Tang Mo taught the students some strange things, including various obscure chemical theories, and offered many management courses.


    It seemed that Tang Mo wished to cultivate these children into well-rounded talents¡ªhe apparently wanted these children to be capable of managing a factory or an army in the future.


    Considering the K1 Quick Gun and the revolver, two brand new weapons products, Tang Mo''s weapons workshop''s R&D capabilities seemed to be a notch above the old weapons merchants.


    Adding that mysterious, enormous steam engine, along with a plethora of apanying machinery as described by Tagg... it appeared that the workshop Tang Mo wished to establish would definitely surpass the colossal Shireck workshop.


    Could Northern Ridge alone sustain such a behemoth? Alice couldn''t help but contemte.


    After much thought, Alice finally gave up. She looked at herself in the mirror, at the radiant beauty reflected there, and muttered to herself, "What exactly do you want to do, Mr. Tang Mo?"

 Chapter 50: I personally witnessed 50

    Hunger tormented his stomach, making the man lying in the street corner, who looked like a beggar, suffer immensely. He struggled to stand up from the ground, his eyes filled with a sinister glow of hatred.


    He should not be so disheveled, not supposed to be like a beggar, watching dignified people drinking fragrant ale in the taverns around the bustling streets.


    If it wasn''t for that ident, he should still be in the Vicious Forest, living the good life with his few aplices.


    But that night, the sound of gunfire, as ifing from the abyss, screamed like the howl of the devil, echoing in his ears, not fading in the slightest even now.


    It was a terrifying sight! His strongpanions fell one after another to the sound of gunfire, and a vicious band of thieves that had settled in the Vicious Forest was exterminated in an instant.


    The Vicious Forest is not a paradise, but a hell! Without aplices, bandits are basically the targets of other bandit groups'' robberies.


    Under normal circumstances, it''s unlikely that a group would incorporate an unfamiliar thief, as it would bring many troubles. Thus, killing is the easiest option.


    He who had escaped the Vicious Forest by luck had not yet regained his courage and had degenerated to this state, bing a vagrant.


    I must have revenge! The man, tormented by hunger and weakness, began to harbor unrealistic fantasies in his muddled mind.


    Again, for the fifth time this month, he lifted his head to look at the grandiose gate not far away, guarded by soldiers.


    Ultimately, the empty stomach churning with acid dissipated the lingering fear. He staggered forward, heading towards the magnificent gate.


    "Stop! What do you want?" A guard spotted the approaching beggar, his eyes full of disdain and mockery, and he began to scold from afar.


    "I! I have business, I want to, want to see... see Mr. Gis!" said the man, who resembled a begar, his voice weak.


    "Hahaha!" The gatekeeperughed loudly, turning back to hisrade, "Did you hear that? He says he wants to see Mr. Gis! Hahaha!"


    "Hahaha!" Another guard alsoughed, as they didn''t believe that a beggar had any right to meet the Shireck Consortium''s chief representative in Leite Kingdom.


    "I, I saw with my own eyes, saw someone using a firearm! A terrifying firearm that could fire five shots in session!" The beggar shouted excitedly, staring at the guard, "If you dy Mr. Gis''s important matters, you might die very miserably!"


    "Have you gone mad?" The guard frowned, not at all believing that there was a gun in the world that could fire five consecutive times.


    The other guard standing by also wore a look of contempt, feeling that the Shireck Flintlock Gun he was carrying was the best firearm in the world.


    However, at this moment, a man passing by heard the beggar''s shouts. He was about to enter directly, but now he stopped in his tracks.


    He nced at the beggar, sizing up the man who was dressed in rags, looking utterly wretched. For some reason, he felt that the man''s words were credible.


    Different from those beggars whoe to cheat meals and drinks, this man didn''t seem to be seeking death¡ªhe had a desire for life in his eyes,pletely different from thosepletely despaired beggars.


    So without really understanding why, he spoke up, ordering the two guards who were ready to chase the man away, "Bring him in! Watch him, don''t let him wander around! I will speak with Mr. Gis, see if he has time..."


    "Yes, sir!" The two guards instantly recognized that the man before them was their superior officer and hurriedly lifted their chins to respond.


    "Give him something to eat." The man ordered without looking back, then walked through the grand gate, across the courtyard, towards the resplendent building.


    "After the Harvest Festival passes and the ice and snow begin to melt, we canunch the attack... Perfect for disrupting Northern Ridge''s farming ns." A man sitting down assured the well-built man with blond hair and blue eyes at the head of the table.


    "I can guarantee Suthers Kingdom''s share, but you better be careful... All the mines of Northern Ridge and Wolf City are ours," the leading man said without lifting his head, looking at a stack of contracts in front of him.


    "Rest assured, sir! As a representative of Suthers, His Majesty the King has authorized me tomand all the front-line military forces... All properties of the Shireck Consortium will be the best protected," the man immediately guaranteed, "We just want thend and people of Northern Ridge, nothing more."


    "Since you can guarantee this, our cooperation will be very pleasant!" The middle-aged man finally lifted his head and nced at the other party, giving a friendly smile, "Stay and have a drink with me tonight, how does that sound?"


    "It would be an honor, Lord Gis," the envoy from the Suthers Kingdom hurriedly stood up, expressing his gratitude.


    After the envoy from the Suthers Kingdom had left the room, Gis, the regional head of the Shireck Consortium, stood up and stretched his chest before walking over to the liquor cab, from which he grasped a bottle of wine engraved with patterns.


    He removed the wooden stopper and poured the fine wine into a simrly intricate ss cup, pouring as he spoke, "How are things over at Northern Ridge?"


    The man who walked in stood at the center of the room and bowed slightly toward Gis, "My lord, Northern Ridge is just dying the Kingdom''s tax collection, no other obvious actions."


    Before Gis could speak, he continued, "Fisheo is still the same, stubborn as a bull. He''s not willing to conscript more soldiers, and the Northern Ridge Legion remains at around 1500 in size."


    "If he weren''t so obstinate, he wouldn''t be in this situation today." Gis snorted in disdain, "Hisnd is the only one unwilling to cooperate with us, so he is doomed to be washed away by the times."


    "I just think it''s a pity that he''s a good man,"mented the man subordinate to Gis.


    "There are only two types of people in this world! Our friends and our enemies! To kill an enemy, there is no need for pity," Gis said, touching the tip of his nose with disdain.


    The world is full of good people, but good people do not necessarily receive good things in return. What decides the life and death of a good person is not the word "good."


    "Anything else? If not, go and order preparations for the banquet, I want to treat our friends from Suthers to some special dishes from the Leite Kingdom." Seeing that his subordinate had nothing more to say, Gis was ready for his afternoon nap.


    "My lord, just now at the door, I saw a person... a person who wanted to see you. I thought his words were very important, so I had someone take him to wait outside," the subordinate said timidly, bowing his head, as he heard his immediate superior preparing for a nap.


    Indeed, upon hearing his subordinate''s words, Gis''s brows furrowed. He put down the now empty wine ss in his hand and looked at him impatiently, "Have you lost your mind? Is anyone allowed to see me, to waste my time? If I were to meet everyone who wishes to see me, I wouldn''t even need to sleep."


    "My lord, that person said he has seen a new type of weapon." Sensing his superior''s displeasure, the subordinate quickly began to exin.


    "Ha, every day, there are madmen who make their living by bringing their so-called inventions, queuing up here, in Shireck King City! Here! They line up to present their treasures to our evaluators," Gis said coldly, pinching the wine ss and looking at his subordinate.


    Without waiting for a reply, he then spoke again arrogantly, "And the result? The result is that the Shireck Flintlock Gun is still perfect! Still impable, while those inventions iming to revolutionize the concept of weaponry are proven to be nothing but trash. Remember Mathews? I gave him enough trust, and yet, didn''t he still fail?"


    "But, that guy at the door just now was insistent, iming he saw a new weapon... I was afraid he would spread rumors, so I let him wait outside," his subordinate said somewhat guiltily, justifying himself.


    Gis was silent for a few seconds, then decided to give face to his mostpetent subordinate, andmanded, "Fine, since it''s your rmendation, let him in then."


    "Yes, my lord!" Indeed, upon hearing Gis''smand, the subordinate''s face glowed with relief.


    Soon, a ragged escapee from the Vicious Forest was brought into a guest room carpeted with thick rugs.


    He swore that this was the first time in his life he had seen such a splendid and imposing ce. He knelt on the ground very carefully, worried that he would dirty the ce and displease the nobleman before him.


    Even after having eaten a little and regained some energy, the man began to stammer, "My... my... my lord!"


    Out of boredom, Gis poured himself another ss of wine and asked with dragged interest, "So it was you... who said... you witnessed a brand new weapon?"


    The escapee immediately prostrated himself on the ground, answering with a trembling voice, "Yes, my... my lord..."


    "Don''t be nervous... I, and I don''t eat people, right?" Gis shook his wine ss with a slight smile.


    The prostrate escapee lowered his head even further, replying in an even more humble manner, "Yes, my lord."

 Chapter 51: 51 Worrying and Calculating

    Gis gazed down at the groveling man and continued tomand, "Speak carefully, tell me where you encountered this new type of weapon you''ve mentioned¡­"


    He didn''t expect this man to bring him any useful information, considering seeing this person merely as a favor to save face for his capable subordinates.


    At this moment, he found himself a tad interested in the beggar kneeling on the ground, as he had noticed something telling¡ªthis man didn''t seem like trouble.


    There was a yearning in the other''s eyes, as if he truly intended to extort money from him. Gis had seen this look too often; a person with no cards up his sleeve wouldn''t have such a gaze.


    The beggar kneeling on the ground, now somewhat less tense, began to describe his past with caution, "My lord, I, I used to make a living in the Vicious Forest."


    Gis interrupted the man''s recollections with some displeasure, speaking bluntly, "There are no outsiders here, so speak inly. I don''t have the time to entertain nonsense from people like you, understand?"


    "Yes, my lord, I used to be a bandit in the Vicious Forest, the deputy leader of a bandit gang. Our group..." The surviving bandit on the ground hastily started anew.


    "Get to the point!" Gis interrupted him with growing impatience, his voiceden with authority.


    "We ambushed a carriage, a carriage to the Northern Ridge... There were three people on the carriage, and we, buoyed by our superior numbers, charged," the bandit blurted out, intimidated by his imposing presence, and began to recount what he had witnessed that day.


    His thoughts, along with his memory, raced back to that windy, moonless night. He drew his bowstring and released an arrow towards the distant carriage, initiating the prelude to a brutal battle!


    He could even hear the reverberation of the bowstring in his ears, and he vividly remembered the glow from the gasmps on either side of the carriage, resembling two watching eyes.


    The battle was so horrific that he swallowed his saliva subconsciously to steady his mind before continuing, "Then, the people on the carriage fired continuously, first shooting three rounds from rifles, followed by drawing a pistol!"


    A single carriage... with three rifles? Gis''s subordinate, standing beside him, furrowed his brows¡ªat his knowledge, such a carriage either contained important cargo or was transporting someone of high status.


    It was beyond his understanding why any dignitary would need to have three rifles and a pistol for self-defense in a carriage.


    If one truly valued their life that much yet needed to travel at night, why not simply hire guards? If it were several carriages, with strength in numbers, these bandits would likely not risk attacking, would they?


    As he pondered these questions, he heard the bandit on the ground continue, "A young man fired five shots with that pistol in rapid session! I saw it clearly; there was no reloading, nor did he switch his pistol!"


    "Hmm?" Gis''s hand, which was holding his wine ss, paused mid-air, and his facial expression turned quite unnatural.


    Such a weapon should not exist in this world, as Shireck''s decades of research had pretty much proven that developing a multi-shot weapon was nearly impossible.


    Previously, because a weapon designer named Mathews had persistently been researching rapid-fire weapons, Shireck had invested a lot of money without any significant return.


    The dwarf had been expelled from Shireck''s armory and, as Gis heard, could only find work repairing weapons in the Northern Ridge.


    Hearing Gis''s questioning tone, the bandit quickly started to exin, "I, I truly saw it with my own eyes! That young man fired five shots in one go! Themp light beside the carriage wasn''t that bright, but I saw it all clearly!"


    "Our leader was killed by two shots from that young man, right beside the carriage! It''s true! I swear it!" As he spoke, he instinctively pointed to his side as if the muscr man who had been shot was lying there.


    That dreadful scene from that night surfaced again in his mind¡ªthe sounds of gunfire, one after another, mingling with hisrades'' screams and grunts, lingering long in the night.


    He had seen with his own eyes how the muscr bandit leader, his boss, had fallen to the ground, bing a corpse.


    The next day, he went back to check the battlefield and found some bodies that were so mutted by the wild beasts of the mountain that they were beyond recognition, yet he still found bullet holes pierces in those corpses.


    "You are the most interesting lunatic I''ve ever met," Gis remarked, intrigued as he walked up to the beggar, looking down at the ragged fellow and praising him.


    He toyed with the ss in his hand, wearing an almost imperceptible smile, "I must say, your story is quite captivating."


    As he spoke, his lip curled, "Youe before me in tattered clothes without even a so-called blueprint, iming you have ''merely seen'' a new type of weapon."


    "What''s more interesting is that the weapon you saw can apparently fire consecutively, shooting five bullets in one breath¡­" His words were dripping with sarcasm, and the bandit kneeling on the ground didn''t dare interrupt Gis''s speech.


    All he could do was kneel there respectfully, listening to Gis continue overhead, "You can''t prove you''ve truly seen this thing, nor can you verify its existence... Interesting, very interesting indeed."


    Feeling that things were taking a turn for the worse, the bandit survivor finally mustered the courage, preparing to defend himself, "My, my lord¡­"


    ```


    Unfortunately, just as he began to speak, he was interrupted once again by Gis''s muttering to himself, "So, in this world, someone has actually managed to create... a pistol that can fire five shots in a row... Hahaha!"


    "This is too interesting, I am really getting a bit impatient!" Gis looked at his trusted subordinate next to him, his tone filled with mirth.


    It was as if he already believed everything the bandit at his feet had said, and he eximed, "It''s been so long since I''ve been out and about, and now there''s someone who can make a pistol that fires repeatedly... Shireck doesn''t have it, other arms dealers don''t have it, yet it exists in the godforsaken Vicious Forest..."


    "Hahaha!" After saying this, he burst intoughter, heedless of the somber atmosphere in the room,ughing recklessly.


    After he finishedughing, he looked at his subordinate again and asked, "Do you now understand why I hate meeting these riffraff?"


    "Yes, yes, my lord." The subordinate felt somewhat embarrassed and could only bow his head and admit his mistake.


    "Crash..." In a sudden movement, Gis smashed the ss in his hand onto the back of the bandit''s head, turning the thick ss into shards in an instant as blood mixed with the liquor trickled down the bandit''s oily stuck-together hair onto the expensive carpet.


    "Ugh!" The bandit groaned and slumped to the ground, motionless.


    Gis scolded his subordinate harshly, "Next time! If you bring in another idiot like this, I''ll let him go and kill you instead!"


    "I''m sorry, my lord." The subordinate, silenced like a cicada in winter, immediately responded.


    "Drag him out! Make sure he''s dead... then send him over to the sheriff, and say we caught a bandit trying to extort us!" Gis ordered, wiping his hands with a handkerchief.


    "Yes, my lord!" The subordinate bowed even lower.


    "You, take a couple of people, go check out the Vicious Forest, ask around Baron St''s ce, see if anything interesting has happened." Gis threw the handkerchief onto the bandit''s corpse, and it was quickly soaked through with the crimson blood.


    "My lord, aren''t you..." The subordinate was taken aback, somewhat disbelieving of Gis''s order.


    "Am I not disbelieving what he said? No, on the contrary! A madman showing up with blueprints looking to swindle, of course, I wouldn''t believe that. But so far, no one has dared toe here without any evidence and talk nonsense." Gis exined arrogantly, "So, I think there might actually be truth in what he said..."


    "Then... My lord, why did you..." The subordinate was even more puzzled.


    "Why did I kill him? Because I don''t want him taking my money and then going elsewhere to repeat what he just said!" Gis sneered coldly, "I hardly think that there''s any new weapon appearing at St''s... What worries me is Fisheo scheming behind the scenes!"


    "Your subordinate understands." The subordinate immediately nodded in agreement.


    "Go!" Gis waved his hand dismissively, "And have someone rece the carpet..."


    "Yes!" The subordinate bowed and exited.


    ...


    "Achoo!" Tang Mo sneezed, rubbed his nose, and continued to inspect his production workshop with his hands behind his back.


    In thest two days, his production had gradually gotten on track, with boxes of bullets being produced; he already had prepared thousands of rounds of ammunition for the Earl!


    At the same time, he had also made another 30 K1 Quick Guns, and if Tagg were to return, he might once again be shocked by Tang Mo''s production speed: within a month, Tang Mo could almost turn out more than 200 Quick Guns, and this production speed was truly frightening.


    Roger, standing beside him, reminded, "The weather is getting cooler day by day, you''d better wear more clothes."


    Continuing to watch his workers produce paper cartridge bullets one after another, Tang Mo muttered without lifting his head, "I''m fine... I figure, it''s either a girl thinking of me or some bastard plotting against me!"


    "Rest assured, it''s definitely neither." Roger nced at Tang Mo and shook his head.


    "Maybe it''s both?" Tang Mo offered a handsome smile he considered dazzling.


    ---------


    About yesterday''s update, Dragon Spirit would like to exin: There are indeed stockpiled chapters, quite a few, in fact. But Dragon Spirit writes them non-sequentially... Just so happens that there was a block in the story right at this part, so couldn''t write, hence took the day off yesterday. Actually, there are chapters written for after this part... This is true.


    ```

 Chapter 52: 52 new deals

    Just as Tang Mo was feeling good about himself, convinced his handsome smile could charm thousands of young girls, Yulin, a young girl who helped in the factory because there was no school today, rushed over in a hurry.


    "Principal! Mr. Tagg has returned!" The young girl stood in front of Tang Mo and spoke in a voice that was just a bit louder than the machinery next to her, looking somewhat unnatural.


    "Oh? Have him sort the items first and deliver them to the corresponding warehouses. I''ll head over... to see him in a bit," Tang Mo casually instructed without much concern.


    "You... You bettere and see..." The young girl didn''t turn and leave as before but hesitated as she reminded Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo looked at the young girl, feeling that the situation might not be as simple as it seemed. He stood up, dusted his hands, and said to Roger, "I''ll go take a look! The ce is in your hands."


    As he walked out of the workshop, Wes followed him. He had always been by Tang Mo''s side, diligently doing his duty as a bodyguard.


    The two made their way to the factory gate and saw Tagg overseeing soldiers unloading items from the wagons.


    What rendered Tang Mo somewhat incredulous was the number of Northern Ridge civilians helping with the unloading¡ªit was overwhelmingly many.


    He strode to Tagg, who was busy directing soldiers familiar with the ce to move items to the warehouses, and tapped Tagg on the shoulder.


    "My lord!" Tagg''s face lit up with joy when he saw Tang Mo. He proudly pointed to the unloading convoy and boasted to Tang Mo, "I brought everything you wanted!"


    As he spoke, he went on to introduce, "Look over there, those seven carts are all Northern Ridge leather! Boar bristles! Lord Earl has collected quite a lot for you!"


    Then he pointed to the lively crowd that looked like beggars, taking luggage from the wagons, and said to Tang Mo, "Look! Look here! These are all workers! To support the expansion of your workshop, Lord Earl sold one of his own workshops and sent all its workers to you!"


    "All, all of them were sent to me?" Tang Mo asked in rm.


    "And there''s more! Our youngdy has specially found you a group of craftsmen, some cksmiths and some apprentices. In short, all are valuable hands that can directly contribute to production," Tagg boasted obliviously.


    He pointed further away, "Their families havee along too. I told them about the rules here, and many craftsmen are willing to move here. Everyone is eager to work for you. Now I realize how clever your strategy was to build dormitories!"


    "Their families came too?" Tang Mo looked at Tagg, torn betweenughter and tears, feeling as if he had been sent by the heavens to torment him.


    "Indeed! More than 700 craftsmen came, and along with rtives and children, there are roughly 1600! With so many people, your ce can be directly promoted to a workshop!" Tagg thought Tang Mo''s stunned expression must be out of sheer happiness.


    In fact, Tang Mo was worried about taking in so many people all at once! He truly did not have enough food to support so many.


    Then, as he stood there stupefied and frowning, Tagg announced something even more devastating to him.


    "Hmm, Lord Earl heard about the school you''re running and has sent you two teachers as support... and he thinks your idea is right, education is of paramount importance for development. He''s decided to invest in your school," Tagg said, taking out a contract.


    As he unfolded the contract, Tagg continued, "Lord Earl is ready to put in 300 Gold Coins... cough... to be paid in five installments, to fund your school and to send... 300 students to your school."


    "You''re joking," said Tang Mo, not intending to take in 2000 people all at once. He knew what kind of scale 2000 people were!


    That was almost the poption of a vige! The total poption! The monthly consumption of food and necessities for that many people was enough to bankrupt him.


    Moreover, he had no way to increase his ie in the short term, and obviously, supporting so many workers for free was irrational.


    The situation was not developing in the direction Tang Mo had hoped for. What he really wanted was elite workers and arge amount of materials, as well as currency that would allow him to buy things at will.


    But the reality turned out to be that Tang Mo hoped to eat a watermelon, but Lord Earl was ready to dump a cartload of apples on him...


    "No joke! Over two thousand people! It was exhausting walking all this way here. You have no idea, I could have returned yesterday if I had only brought the convoy," Tagg twisted his neck and said with a serious expression.


    "Two thousand people!?" Tang Mo''s eyebrows danced, he could amodate two thousand people here, but he certainly couldn''t afford to keep two thousand people.


    This was a matter of two thousand people! He wasn''t a phnthropist, was he crazy? To take care of two thousand people! Moreover, with his current production capacity, even if he truly took in two thousand people, and the entire Leite Kingdom came to purchase Tang''s K1 Quick Guns, he could barely manage to sustain his own factory.


    Tang Mo had ways to increase the production capacity of his factory, he also had countless new weapons that could be produced, that could be gship products, ensuring that these weapons were the most advanced in the world.


    But what he couldn''t guarantee was how many customers would show up at any given time; he couldn''t be certain that after increasing his production capacity, he would be able to sell the weapons promptly.


    Without being in contact with definite buyers, he didn''t dare to expand the production capacity to a level beyond his control.


    The earlier expansion was based on investing in the Earl, on the prediction that the Earl would win the battle at Northern Ridge, which was different from the present situation.


    In fact, Tang Mo had already increased the production capacity to a level he was quite satisfied with. To stretch it any higher would be courting disaster.


    "How am I supposed to feed these two thousand people?" Tang Mo, somewhat annoyed, looked at Tagg and questioned, "Not to mention providing housing for them, just finding food for them, do you know how much that would cost?"


    He didn''t wait for Tagg to respond and continued, "The problem is, so much food at once, Brunas may not even be able to buy it¡­"


    "You don''t have to worry about that!" Tagg said with a smile. "The food reserves in Northern Ridge are quite abundant because Lord Earl values agricultural production and doesn''t impose high taxes on farmers, so we have always been exporting our food."


    "Recently, the King targeted Lord Earl by purchasing arge amount of food from other Kingdoms and the Shireck Consortium, deliberately suppressing Northern Ridge''s food selling price, resulting in a massive surplus of food," Tagg recited the message Alice had instructed him to deliver: "Therefore, the young mistress has directly brought the food to you along with everything else¡­"


    As he spoke, more people and more carts poured into the yard, the noisy scene frightening a group of children who hade to see what was happening.


    They had truly never seen so many people all at once. Although Brunas City, as a port city, was bustling, it was rare to see such a crowd in the suburbs.


    With an ample food supply, Tang Mo breathed a sigh of relief¡ªhe saw dozens of carts belonging to Northern Ridge, which were likely reserved for troop deployment and transport of supplies. Now these carts had all been brought out ahead of time to bring arge amount of supplies to Tang Mo.


    When Tang Mo received the list of supplies from Tagg and saw the figures, he abruptly looked up at the dust-covered Tagg: "What is Lord Earl up to? He''s sent me all his reserve supplies?"


    "No!" Tagg lowered his voice. After Wes wisely took a few steps back, he spoke to Tang Mo: "We raided a steel convoy of the Shireck Consortium¡­"


    "¡­" Tang Mo, looking at Tagg who had always been honest, was nearly tempted to reach out and see if he could peel off atex mask from the other''s face. He had no idea this loyal soldier could actuallymit an act akin to highway robbery.


    "We didn''t kill the Guards; they were all our own people. We set it up in advance, so that''s how we managed to deliver so many carts undetected here," Tagg knew what Tang Mo was thinking and exined with a wry smile: "For this purpose, we''ve exposed the spies we had nted; we can only do this once..."


    "Once is enough, how many times do you think you want to do it?" Tang Moughed and patted Tagg''s shoulder: "When these convoys go back, they can take an additional 170 newly made K1 Quick Guns! Our production speed is very fast! But the raw materials are also used up quickly."


    He gestured Tagg to follow him to a slightly quieter corner, looking at the crowded crowd in the yard, he said: "But you have brought enough steel, so delivering more K1 Quick Guns on time will certainly be no problem."


    "Lord Earl has already given more than enough, far surpassing the payment he owed! Now, can we talk? What is it exactly that Lord Earl¡­ wants to take from us?" Tang Mo''s smile grew wider as he asked, not bothering to conceal it.


    Tagg was nervous because this time he indeed hade with a request to buy more things¡ªthe request of Miss Alice.


    This included the most core machinery used by Tang Mo to produce new weapons, the power system as big as a house: the steam engine.


    ording to Tagg and Fisheo''s thinking, the steam engine was definitely something Tang Mo would be least willing to sell. It was Tang Mo''s capital, the core technology of his development. To buy such technology was challenging Tang Mo in every possible way¡­


    So, after considering for a moment, he looked at Tang Mo and struggled to speak, testing the waters by asking, "We, we would like¡­ the steam engine."

 Chapter 53: Take what you need from the 53 available options

    Capitalists are referred to as such because they are a group of people who havemand over the means of production.


    However, from the perspective of profit, controlling the means of production is not the ultimate goal of capitalists; their ultimate goal is to make money!


    Whether it''s the means of production, the production process, or even the products, all are part of the process of making money.


    Tang Mo is currently in the rough stage of capital expansion, so he needs money and arge amount of materials; there is nothing in his possession that he cannot sell.


    He can sell K1 Quick Guns, revolvers, the form for cement, steam engines, and of course... if the price is right, he can even part with the only two Left-Wheel Handguns in his hands.


    The premise is, as long as the price is right.


    "You want a steam engine? What do you need a steam engine for?" Tang Mo looked at Tagg and asked curiously.


    He didn''t think that steam engines were unseble; he just found it interesting that buying a steam engine without knowing its specific applications was quite an amusing matter.


    "We have many workshops, and some can make use of it..." Tagg exined carefully.


    "Hmm," Tang Mo nodded, "Indeed, a steam engine can power many devices, which would enable the production of numerous products, including pots, pans,dles, and even firearms and ammunition... all are possible."


    "Yes, so we n to purchase a steam engine," Tagg gestured backward and said to Tang Mo, "Lord Earl has a lot of grain, leftovers from the grain price crash. The Earl ns to use grain and some metal materials as payment for the goods."


    "Price... is all negotiable!" Tang Mo put his arm around Tagg''s shoulder, speaking as if to an old friend, "We are old friends now. If Northern Ridge needs a steam engine, naturally I can sell it to you."


    "Really, really?" Tagg was visibly ttered and looked at Tang Mo, "Then, that''s really very kind of you."


    "Of course, it''s true," Tang Mo nodded and said to Tagg, "Not just the steam engine itself, but if Lord Earl needs it, we could even sell you the blueprints for the steam engine."


    He nced outside at the crowded courtyard, adjusted his mood, and continued, "I can even send consultants, technical advisors, to help Northern Ridge produce steam engines, design environments for their use."


    As he spoke, he gave examples, "There are actually many uses for a steam engine, more than you might think. For instance, steam engines can increase mining efficiency, and that''s what we need most right now!"


    "With more steel, more coal mines, we can produce more machinery, create more industrial jobs, and help the entire Northern Ridge develop faster." He persuasively marketed his equipment, "Believe me, Northern Ridge indeed needs steam engines, and in fact, the whole world needs them."


    "My lord, you, you are right," Tagg was totally enchanted by Tang Mo now, because all he could think about was the joy ofpleting his task once again.


    Beforeing here, he had been worried that Tang Mo might not sell the technology for steam engines. But now, Tang Mo seemed to have no idea how powerful steam engine technology was and was casually willing to sell it to Northern Ridge.


    What he didn''t expect was that Tang Mo was willing to sell the relevant technical drawings, and was willing to sell all the supporting technologies for the steam engine to Northern Ridge...


    Thus, if Northern Ridge was willing, they could even produce their own K1 Quick Guns, anything that Tang Mo''s workshop could manufacture.


    "You still don''t understand! Only by erging the te can you make the cake bigger," Tang Mo didn''t bother to exin all the profound knowledge to Tagg; he only needed to know that Northern Ridge has people of vision who wanted steam engine technology.


    "I have already prepared a prototype. If it works well, it can immediately be sold to Lord Earl, to be ced in the minefield to increase mining speed," Tang Mo eagerly promised Tagg, "If needed, we can produce two or even three more of the same steam engines."


    He was in urgent need of acquiring arge amount of mineral resources; only by having these resources would he be able to continuously obtain steel and produce arge number of products.


    "However, apart from manpower and grain, I also need Gold Coins, as well as corresponding mineral resources," Tang Mo stretched out his hand and said to Tagg, "Write to Lord Earl, I want a ten percent share of the mineral output to rece my ie, how about it?"


    "Ten percent? You know, the output of the mine is veryrge; ten percent is really quite a lot," Tagg quickly shook his head and exined to Tang Mo, "Apart from the workers'' wages and various other expenses, the profit of a minefield for a year is only about one-third of the output."


    "What if... we add metallurgy technology to the mix?" Tang Mo revealed his ace, "I can improve the design of the furnaces, supply the ironworks with newer equipment, better technology, and increase production¡­"


    "As long as Lord Earl leaves the corresponding output to me, allowing me to continue expanding production, I will design a steel nt for Lord Earl¡ªa new, high-production steel nt." While he spoke, he pped Tagg on the shoulder, "Believe me, this is a bargain not to miss."


    "I... I can''t decide on that." Tagg hesitated, feeling the deal was beyond his ability to handle.


    "Don''t be hasty in your decision," Tang Mo continued to dangle tempting bait, a lure that stirred Tagg''s desire even more, "What do you think¡ªare the cannons you are currently using a match for the K1 Quick Gun?"


    "Of course... they are not. The K1 Quick Gun is the best rifle, it will definitely rece all Shireck Flintlock Guns and be the standard issue for every soldier in this era," Tagg replied confidently.


    "With the new, better-performing steel, Northern Ridge will soon have cannons far surpassing Shireck Automatic Cannons!" Tang Mo promised further, "Only better quality steel can produce more powerful cannons... Isn''t that obvious?"


    "I, I understand¡­" Tagg nodded subconsciously, his mind already racing on how to get Count Fisheo to ept Tang Mo''s offer.


    Being a military man, naturally, he could not reject newer weapons¡ªhe truly believed in Tang Mo''s weapon development level, he was convinced of one truth: If Tang Mo said there were newer cannons, then there definitely would be newer cannons!


    As a result, he unconsciously started believing that establishing a steel nt in Northern Ridge, then mass-producing weapons using steam engine technology to make more muskets and cannons, seemed like a brighter future.


    But before he could continue discussing this topic with Tang Mo, Tang Mo had already shifted his attention to those robust, leather-d Northern Ridgemoners.


    These Northern Ridgemoners were generally very strong and were all between twenty and thirty years old. More interestingly, they weremonly armed, some with longswords, some with bows and arrows, looking like a big group of bandits.


    The troop was far from orderly. In Tang Mo''s eyes, these people gathered together were less like a military force and more like a scattered mess.


    Compared to the children who had been training for a month at Tang Mo''s school, these people almost had no discipline, probably not even a few literate among them. They crowded together chaotically, like a swarm of flies.


    "They are the ''students'' Lord Earl has sent to me?" Tang Mo narrowed his eyes, frowning, feeling like he had just inherited a pile of work.


    "Yes, Lord Earl believes that relying solely on the 1,500 regr soldiers of Northern Ridge is still too few in number, so he had no choice but to conscript some volunteers, forming a new troop," Tagg exined seriously to Tang Mo.


    "These beggars?" Tang Mo curled his lip, feeling that the noisy crowd nearby had nobat strength whatsoever.


    "Although they haven''t received formal military training, most are hunters, rangers, andmoners who have served as soldiers," Tagg exined gravely to Tang Mo, "They may not look like much, but just give them weapons and these people are no worse than Suthers'' soldiers."


    "What a joke¡­ What''s the use of being richer than beggars," Tang Mo scoffed disdainfully, "What they need is strict training and advanced weapons!"


    "So, Lord Earl has sent them to you," said Tagg to Tang Mo, "This troop... they''re all for you!"


    "For me?" Tang Mo was taken aback, not quite understanding the meaning behind Tagg''s words.


    Tagg smiled, finally having a day when he could surprise Tang Mo. After his smile, he began to exin, "You arm them, you train them, as long as you take them to battle on future battlefields, after the war, these men, they will all be your troops!"


    "You mean¡­ they will be under mymand and loyal to me?" Tang Mo rified.


    "Yes," Tagg nodded, "Officers appointed by you, training handled by you, and their sustenance obviously also managed by you, but they are your soldiers now, Sir Knight Tang Mo."


    "Sir Knight?" Tang Mo furrowed his brows again, looking towards Tagg.


    "Private armies aren''t exactly legal, but Lord Earl has the authority to appoint knights under hismand." Tagg pointed first at himself, then at Tang Mo, "Now, at least within thews of the Kingdom, you can legally possess your own retinue... As for the number, who''s going to check that? As long as the sheriff doesn''t raid you and catch 500 armed prisoners, you''ll be fine."


    Tang Moughed heartily, "The sheriff of Brunas... has the guts to catch 500 prisoners?"

 Chapter 54: 54 Knights

    Actually, Brunas City''s Sheriff did not dare to capture 500 prisoners; he even had to turn a blind eye to the slightly influential gangs within Brunas City.


    The Kingdom''s rule was built upon the support of the Nobility and conglomerates, and to maintain the privileges of the Nobility and conglomerates, the entire Kingdom had always maintained a ratherx management system for private militaries.


    The Nobility had knights under them, knights who were originally mountedbatants from the noble Soldier ss and had now developed into a title.


    These noble lords had their own Guardian Knights, appointed by the Nobility themselves with only a restriction on the number, not requiring any registration.


    ording to the Kingdom''sw, a Baron should have three knights under him, a Viscount should have ten, an Earl could have thirty knights, and a Duke would have one hundred knights as his private military.


    In ancient warfare, knights were never lone fighters. Aplete knightly formation included a squire to handle the horse and chores, two cavalrymen to cover the knight''s nks in cavalry battles, attendants to maintain the armors, and various servants responsible for taking care of horses and food...


    Therefore, one knight included arge number of misceneous followers; at that time, roughly one knight was expected to support seven retainers.


    Therefore, this system of knights had developed to its current state, and with the passage of time, it had undergone significant changes.


    Firstly, in terms of numbers, the retinue of a single Guardian Knight no longer simply constituted a seven-person squad. These Guardian Knights would typically lead 30 to 50 soldiers, considerably overstaffed.


    On the one hand, the Kingdom''s leadership wanted to reserve troops that the nation couldn''t afford through the knight system, keeping the nation''s war readiness intact; on the other hand, the Nobility also needed private militaries to protect their own interests, so this system indistinguishably mixed public and private interests has continued to this day.


    However, as years went by, this seemingly mutually beneficial system gradually decayed over time.


    The Nobility became increasingly wealthy and more inclined to maintain arger private military to consolidate their power and suppress the discontentedmoners.


    The status of merchants also rose, and with more resources in their control, they equally needed armies to protect their business interests.


    Hence, private militaries increased in number and the management became more chaotic, leading to the increasingly uncontroble private armed forces under everyone''smand.


    Of course, this wasn''t a universal phenomenon; many Nobility who were not adept at management actually couldn''t afford so many knights and private armies. So they often only had a few guards.


    By the same token, some knights were fromrge, noble families and could have hundreds of private soldiers under them. In contrast, some knights were impoverished and perhaps even unable to afford a wife.


    In such an environment, many knights originally belonging to the Nobility became mercenaries specialized in managing private militaries for the conglomerates.


    For instance, the Shireck Consortium had thousands of private soldiers within the Leite Kingdom''s borders, protecting Shireck''s interests and industries. This private military was so massive that even the King could notmand it.


    Moreover, some exceptions regarding the military within the nation made the management system of the military appear even more chaotic.


    Taking the Leite Kingdom as an example, the nation''s armed forces were diverse, including several categories. Thergest was the "Central Military" under the King''smand, followed by the behemoth that was the Shireck Consortium''s private military, then the "Border Defense Forces" assigned to various territories near the borders, and also the private militaries of various noble knights.


    The Northern Ridge Legion of Count Fisheo was a "Border Defense Force" from a border territory. This Troop was trained by Fisheo and financed by Count Fisheo himself, and it was responsible for coborating with the King''s "Central Military" during wars.


    On the other hand, the behemoth that was the Shireck Consortium''s private military did not answer to the King; it was merely a malignancy outside of thew, existing to uphold Shireck''s interests.


    In summary, the entire social system had be corrupt; many of the originalws and old customs had been damaged beyond recognition, but everyone still somewhat ustomed themselves to certain frameworks of this system.


    However, if someone were looking for trouble, there were stillws to refer to. This was also why Count Fisheo gave Tang Mo a knight''s title.


    If there indeed were troublemakers, Tang Mo could rely on this title of an Earl''s knight to avoid many unnecessary issues.


    Tang Mo certainly hoped to be a Guardian Knight of the Nobility, for it was the first step into the noble ss.


    Only by bing a true Knight could he be knighted as a Baron by the King for his service or for some other chaotic reason -- in a sense, he was now only one rank away from the once-unattainable Baron St.


    "Then, please convey my thanks to Lord Earl for his recognition," Tang Mo smiled as he epted the disposition: "I appreciate his support."


    "Lord Earl knows that you will be nobility sooner orter, so he deliberately instructed me to tell you that he never had the intention of treating you as his subordinate," Tagg added another sentence.


    "Hmm... it''s just an empty title," Tang Mo said. Although he had been unting the Earl''s banner to deceive others, he never thought that one day he would depend on others and truly be a subordinate to the Earl. So, when he heard the Earl''s instructions, the smile on his face deepened.


    He pointed in the direction of the factory and introduced to Tagg, who had juste back: "I have prepared a batch of new firearms. You will be responsible for boxing them up and sending them to Lord Earl as quickly as possible."


    "As for you, it happens that you should stay! Take over training these countrymen from Northern Ridge," he said, walking towards the iing workers and robust men.


    "It seems that we have a lot of work to do today," Tang Mo said, smiling at Wes.


    Wes''s face was filled with somewhat unnatural expressions, obviously he had not yet figured out why so many people from Northern Ridge had suddenly arrived.


    However, he quickly refocused his attention on Tang Mo: "Yes, it isn''t easy to settle so many people."


    "On the new recruits'' side, quite a few people know how to set up tents. We camped a few times on the way here... we have tents," Tagg immediately got into the swing of things.


    Tang Mo nodded and said helplessly again, "Then they have no choice but to put up with living in tents for now. Wes... try to arrange for the women and children to stay in the wooden houses, it''s safer."


    There was no way around it. Although the number of wooden houses around the workshop had visibly increased over the past few days, they couldn''t amodate so many people all at once.


    Moreover, it wasn''t just people; there was also arge amount of supplies transported from Northern Ridge, including enough food to feed two thousand people for an entire month!


    Bags of food were being moved off from the wagons, and this food not only reassured the workshop''s workers, but also stabilized the mood of the immigrants who had followed them.


    Since they had enough food, everything could continue as normal¡ªdaily life,bor, the in repeating cycle of weeks.


    Subsequently, some wagons that followed began to unload, including heavy ingots of iron and cartloads of coal.


    Also, there were some valuable chemicals, specifically requested by Tang Mo for Tagg to bring, including some petroleum and other misceneous items.


    Of course, modern industry also epasses the chemical industry. Only by developing chemical processing technologies can many aspects of modern industry be further advanced.


    Tang Mo did not want to be stuck due to the backwardness of a particr link when he needed it; he didn''t have the time to waste.


    "In a while, I need to make a trip to Brunas. With so many immigrants arriving at once, it''s necessary to report to the mayor." Tang Mo decided it was best to address the most pressing issue first.


    The arrival of so many people in Brunas to work for him and the establishment of a factory district on arge tract of wastnd was definitely no small matter.


    If such a thing could be kept secret, then Tang Mo might as well apply for a job at the KBG. In fact, there wasn''t much he could do, except to rely on distance, use bribes, and other means to dy the response time from the Shireck side as much as possible.


    "I brought a personal letter from Lord Earl. If the mayor reads this letter and then sees all these people under yourmand... and still dares to make trouble, then I would really admire his courage." Tagg pulled an envelope from his chest, sealed with red wax bearing the imprint of the Earl''s wolf head crest.


    Because Northern Ridge had decided to coborate with Tang Mo, Alice tried her best to consider every detail of dealing with local officials for him. She was an old hand at this and knew they of thend much better than Tang Mo.


    This saved Tang Mo a lot of trouble, allowing him to invest more energy in his "inventions and creations."


    "Huh? Where''s Luff? Where did he go? What about the mercenaries you recruited? Why is only Wes left now?" Tagg, who had trained for nearly a month with Luff and Bernard, now asked about his friend Luff.


    Tang Mo shrugged and vaguely replied, "I sent him out to the wilderness for survival training. He probably won''t be back for the next ten days. I hope they enjoy living in Vicious Forest a bit more."


    "Alright..." Tagg didn''t probe further. Seeing amotion in the distance, he shouted loudly at the subordinates unloading at the back of a wagon: "Hey! Be careful with those barrels! Are you crazy? That''s gunpowder! Be careful!


    If you don''t want to live, just say so!"


    "Let''s avoid any idents! That''s all money!" Tang Mo reminded Tagg, "Have your men settle down as quickly as possible. Tonight, we''ll throw a wee party, prepare a slightly morevish dinner for everyone... Wes, go tell Auntie Cui Xi about this decision..."


    "No problem." Wes nodded, gave a slight nod to Tagg, and then turned away, walking off imposingly with the two revolvers at his waist.

 Chapter 55: 55 things are out of the ordinary

    "How dare he! How dare he touch my things!" A delicate ss was hurled to the floor without warning, its crimson wine sttering against the wall, resembling human blood.


    With a gloomy expression, Gis red at the messenger who had brought the news and bellowed, "Does he think that without evidence, I can''t do anything to him? Does he believe that because he''s about to die, he can do whatever he pleases?"


    The messenger had to bow his head even lower, for the message he carried was not good news at all.


    The convoy from the Shireck Consortium that started from the Northern Ridge iron mines had been raided on a road nearly devoid of bandits, and not even a single survivor returned.


    The perpetrator remained unknown, but those invaluable goods, the steel that was extraordinarily costly during wartime, had vanished into thin air.


    The entire convoy disappeared without a trace. Earl Fisello of Northern Ridge personally led his troops in the search, putting a wide area around under martialw, which prevented the investigators organized by Shireck himself from gaining ess.


    Everything seemed logical, yet so bizarre; in short, Shireck was unlikely to unravel, in a short span of time, where exactly the soldiers escorting the shipment and those pricey ingots of iron had gone.


    Of course, they also didn''t know that these iron ores had already been mixed into a group heading for Brunas, departing Northern Ridge with over two thousand migrants, and arriving undetected at a small coastal town.


    "My lord..." Upon seeing an enraged Gis about to smash another new ss, the messenger tentatively spoke with a twinge of distress, "Should we, on our end..."


    With a dark countenance, Gis ultimately refrained from immediately throwing the ss in his hand to the floor. Instead, he muttered ominously, "Fisello! I will make sure you learn, you learn exactly what befalls those who offend the Shireck Consortium!"


    "Convey my message to the envoy from Suthers Kingdom! Tell him I want Ronin Alice alive! After they''ve captured Wolf City, have them bring her to me! I want to personally ''educate'' her! Then sell her off to a brothel! Bastard!" He ordered sternly to his confidant standing by.


    Everyone knew that Lord Earl of Northern Ridge had a beloved daughter. She was unparalleled in beauty and extraordinarily intelligent, managing many of the Earl''s enterprises.


    Many noblemen coveted Alice''s beauty, but no one had ever broached the subject of marriage to the Earl of Northern Ridge. It was a strange affair in the Leite Kingdom, with tangled truths far deeper than most realized.


    Since the Earl of Northern Ridge sided with themon folk and refused to engage in the corruption of the nobility, the established nobles were unwilling to associate with Fisello.


    Although their children lusted after the Earl''s daughter''s beauty and also coveted the property of Northern Ridge, they all knew it was not the time to get involved with Northern Ridge.


    Forming a marriage alliance with Northern Ridge, which was bound to be a target of collective reproach, would surely bring trouble upon oneself¡ªindulging in lust is one thing, but recklessness ispletely another.


    These young nobles weren''t fools. Although they were shameless and lecherous, they were extraordinary in certain respects and had clear logic... Even if they were not the brightest, their elders would ensure they behaved within reasonable bounds, dominating men and bullying women, instead of losing their minds to lust and bringing unnecessary trouble upon their families.


    In fact, these young nobles knew well what they took pride in amounted to nothing in front of Ronin Alice.


    Their so-called dashing looks were mere fireflies to the moon whenpared to the far and wide renowned beauty of Alice, not even in the same league.


    And their considerable wealth, their usual method of attracting women by unting their riches, obviously wouldn''t move Alice, for as the sole heiress of Earl Fisello, managing the family enterprises, she was far richer than them.


    As for bullying others and resorting to force, these young nobles didn''t even dare to contemte it. The elite and formidable reputation of the Northern Ridge Legion was well known; to force themselves upon Alice on Northern Ridge territory, they would need more brazenness and capability than their parents could probably dream of.


    Thus, they all waited, for the demise of the Earl of Northern Ridge. Then, they wouldfort the Earl''s daughter in her time of vulnerability and fragility, scheming to coax Ronin Alice into their beds and inherit all of Northern Ridge, bing the new Lord Earl¡ªthat was the respectable thing to do.


    Thinking of the portrait showing Alice''s profile, a lewd expression emerged on Gis''s face: "I will let every man in this world taste his daughter''s vor! I will ensure that whenever the Ronin Family is mentioned, all thates to mind is a prostitute!"


    His confidant, lowering his head slightly as if consenting to an easily aplished task, replied simply, "Yes!"


    In his view, those marked by Gis, the venomous snake, were nearly as good as dead. There were no nobles the Shireck Consortium couldn''t topple, no one they couldn''t kill.


    Gis, having regained hisposure, sat in silence with a dark expression, pondering what this matter represented.


    Earl Fisello had always beenw-abiding, which was precisely why he could be schemed against¡ªthe saying "a gentleman can be deceived by righteous means" applied to him.


    And now, this very Earl, who had seemingly always acted honorably, started to resort to unsavory methods. It just showed that out of desperation, even a rabbit will bite, and a dog cornered against a wall will leap over it.


    A confidant stood by the side and spoke, "He actually hijacked all the iron ore we mined... It seems he also knows that if he doesn''t take some action now, it will be toote."


    With a great war imminent and dark clouds gathering, Earl Fisello, who was very sensitive to warfare, could surely sense theing crisis.


    In such a circumstance, it made sense for him to take actions to save himself. But what use was there in plundering some steel ingots and copper ingots at this time?


    Although Northern Ridge had small workshops for repairing firearms, they did not have the capability to mass-produce firearms. Besides arming some peasants with illicit weapons, such arge quantity of metal didn''t appear to have much use.


    However, from another perspective, using these metals to make some shells and bullets was indeed feasible. Perhaps Fisello''s hijacking of these materials was to stockpile more ammunition.


    But even with ammunition, what good would it do? Once Suthers''s grand army arrived, what waves could Fisello, who had lost the backing of his kingdom, possibly make?


    Even if Fisello conducted warfare like a deity, once the war reached a stalemate, the agriculture of Northern Ridge would copse due to the dy, the stockpiled ammunition would be exhausted, and with just 1500 men, what could he do then?


    After much contemtion, Gis believed that Fisello was simply struggling in vain at this point, with no real hope of turning the situation around.


    Yet, for some reason, he felt restless, always sensing that something was amiss with Fisello acting out of character.


    As he wracked his brain, trying hard to piece together all the details, one of his subordinates walked in, bowed slightly, and reported, "My lord, we just received news from the Minister of Taxation. Fisello... has not paid the taxes due to the capital on time!"


    "Taxes? He''s dyed his taxes? This isn''t normal either..." Gis, stroking his chin and squinting, muttered once again.


    Fisello did not often dy his kingdom''s taxes. In fact, he only stood up for the farmers by temporarily withholding some taxes during the autumn harvest. Even so, Fisello had always paid the kingdom''s taxes in full, which is why his reputation had always been good.


    But now, in this critical period, Gis still smelled something unusual in this dy.


    "He''s preparing for war... and it''s more urgent than before!" Gis muttered to himself, "He now has a hefty sum of money in hand and many strategic materials... iron ingots, copper ingots, as well as pig bristles, leather, in addition to the food from Northern Ridge... surprisingly not a small amount."


    "If he manages to put these to use, won''t we have to ren everything? That won''t do! How could you not die..." Gis paced the room as he walked.


    "You! Go to the workshop and have them tamper with a batch of firearms! Ensure that none of these firearms work!" he quickly stopped pacing, turned to his subordinate who had just reported the news, and gave his orders, "Then pull some strings to make sure this batch of goods definitely ends up in Northern Ridge!"


    "So you''re preparing for war? Then I''ll provide you with a batch of unusable firearms! Hehehehe... I want to see what you''ll use to fight against the grand army of Suthers Kingdom!" Gis ced the wine ss he had been holding onto the table with a sense of smugness, wearing a self-satisfied smile on his face.


    He knew that Fisello had been requesting new firearms and various materials for some time, even writing to His Majesty the King, iming that the border situation was tense and Northern Ridge was actively preparing for war.


    The kingdom had previously not agreed to Fisello''s requests, so no new weapons had been allocated to him.


    Now, Gis nned to give Fisello a surprise: He intended to supply Fisello with a batch of defective weapons, to teach him what "adding insult to injury" truly meant.


    Meanwhile, at the same time, one of Gis''s trusted men dismounted from his carriage in front of Baron St''s estate not far from Brunas, straightened his clothes, and handed his name card to his attendant.


    The gatekeeper at Baron St''s estate nced at the name card with Shireck''s insignia, did not dare to neglect, and immediately hurried off to find Baron St, who had not yet awoken, "My lord! My lord! Someone from the Shireck Consortium is here, just outside the door! He wishes to see you!"

 Chapter 56: 56 You are right

    "Indeed, there was a madman who came here to disy his own weapon, but that was just a madman," Baron St answered nonchntly while dressing, responding to the question posed by the Shireck messenger standing before him.


    Behind him, a womany naked on the bed, her body still bearing the frenzied marks of the previous night.


    The pure white bedding was wrinkled and half-covered, entuating the woman''s skin which was as smooth as satin. Yet, both the dressing Baron St and the Shireck messenger Beiji standing there seemed uninterested in this beautiful scene.


    As for the fact that another man had seen the woman he had spent half the night with in her entirety, it seemed the Baron paid it no mind at all.


    He was only concerned with describing the event that he could barely remember: "His weapon was nothing special and not as useful as the Shireck Flintlock Gun. So I sent him away and fined him a Gold Coin," he said.


    He had some recollection of the new weapon, but the young man who had sold it waspletely forgotten in his appearance. For him, these things were far less important than his business in King City and the women.


    As the person involved, his first reaction was to deflect and deny responsibility before recounting some details in order to dismiss the envoy sent by the Shireck Consortium.


    "What was his name?" Beiji asked, standing there.


    Baron St, knowing all too well, recalled, and finally remembered a distant and unfamiliar name: "Tang Mo..."


    "Where is the sample he brought?" Beiji continued to inquire.


    "I''ve already sent someone to fetch it. I didn''t keep the original sample but did retain something else," he said, and just as he spoke, he saw his butlere in holding a wooden box.


    He pointed to the box held by the butler and introduced it to Beiji: "This is the box that man brought. I only kept this... If Lord Gis is interested, you can take it directly."


    Beiji reached out and touched the simple box, polished to a smooth finish, aesthetically pleasing in a unique way, his brows furrowing in contemtion.


    The box looked quite nice, which meant that the other party must really care about the contents inside to craft such a carefully fashioned container.


    It seemed the situation was turning out to be rather interesting¡ªthis fellow named Tang Mo might indeed possess an improved weapon.


    With this thought, he turned to look at Baron St, who was now sitting on the bed, almost fully dressed, and asked the question that concerned him: "Where is he?"


    "I''ve forgotten... I didn''t ask where he was from..." Baron St tried to recall the conversation of that day but found he couldn''t remember where Tang Mo was from.


    "Did he leave a name card? Was it not he who sought an audience with you?" Beiji asked somewhat irritably.


    "My lord, I have already inquired, and the name card left by the visitor has been lost," the butler spoke up,ing to his Baron''s defense.


    "Lost?" Beiji was very dissatisfied but knew that he, in his position, could only be so imposing in front of the Baron because of the weight of the Shireck Consortium.


    Therefore, he had to leave Baron St''s room without another word, casting a nce back at the Baron before departing.


    "What a pest," Baron St muttered under his breath when the door closed firmly behind him, expressing his discontent. A Baron himself, he had been inconvenienced by a mere mercenary civilian in his own bedroom, interrogated like a criminal.


    "My lord, please calm down, after all, it was a person from the Shireck Consortium..." The butler, a smile stered on his face, began to appease him: "We should not bother about such trivial characters. As long as Lord Gis knows of our undivided loyalty, that is enough."


    "How did he know... that the one named Tang Mo had been here?" Baron St took his waistcoat from the butler, draped it over his body, and while he rarely did, he began to fasten the fancy buttons himself, murmuring softly.


    ...


    "My lord! We''ve lost our lead, what else can we do?" A follower nced at the closed door behind and asked with some dissatisfaction.


    "Our lead actually hasn''t been lost; I was merely confirming with that dandy," Beiji said, standing before Baron St''s door, speaking coldly.


    He sneered and pointed towards the east: "The beggar said he''d seen that kind of weapon in the Vicious Forest... Now Baron St has also confirmed someone had indeed presented a new weapon to him... Isn''t that matching up?"


    "But, my lord, these two weapons are clearly not the same," a subordinate said, puzzled. "The person presenting weapons to the Baron offered a rifle, whereas the uncertain news from the Vicious Forest spoke of a pistol..."


    "There''s no difference; when rumors about new weapons keep popping up around here, we need to investigate seriously!" Beiji took another nce at the gate of Baron St''s mansion and signaled his subordinates, "Let''s go! We''re off to Brunas!"


    "Brunas?" His follower mounted his horse, asking with some confusion.


    "Brunas! It''s the closest to the Vicious Forest! We''ll start there, and if we don''t find anything out, then we''ll take a trip through the forest!" Beiji also mounted his horse, squeezed his legs into its nks, and galloped ahead toward the distant horizon.


    In Brunas, next to Tang Mo''s weapons workshop on what used to be an empty piece ofnd, a group of people were toiling away.


    They werepacting the poor soil, leveling the ground to make it as suitable as possible for construction. Behind them, a group of children were having their physical education ss, and there were more of them than when the school had just started.


    A short distance away from the uneven yground where the children were taking their ss, construction workers were adding roofs to fourrge factory buildings, right next to the original workshop''s courtyard wall.


    The foundations of these fourrge factory buildings had beenid for quite some time, and workers from the Northern Ridge were making concerted efforts to markedly speed up the entire project.


    "From today onwards, we shall officially rename ourselves the Great Tang Weapons Group!


    Within these four factory buildings, one will be a chemical workshop, one a gunpowder workshop, one dedicated to railway production, and the final one will be a brand-new industrial manufacturing workshop!" Tang Mo stood in front of a stone, addressing the core members of the current workshop: "We are no longer a workshop, for our scale exceeds that of a mere workshop.


    Those old words used to measure industrial scale are clearly outdated! From this point forward! This world will gradually have to abide by the standards we set for ourselves!"


    "For now! We have the scale of just two workshops, so I think we can certainly call ourselves a factory! In the future! Great Tang Group will own more factories, employ more workers, and be... thergest group in the world!" Tang Mo clenched his fist and announced loudly.


    "p p!" Dwarf Mathews and the old factory''s manager Parker were the first to start apuding, their faces brimming with excitement, for this was the result they had been busily working towards recently!


    They had strived to expand the factory, finally transforming Tang''s Weapon Workshop into today''s Great Tang Weapons Group.


    Now, this group included two workshops that produced gunpowder, arge workshop that smelted metal, along with a chemical nt and the corresponding steam engine workshop.


    Together with the surrounding small leather factory and the agricultural production teams, the industries under the Great Tang Weapons Group could definitely be described as diverse andprehensive.


    What satisfied Tang Mo even more was that the old industrial production workshop within thepound had already produced most of the equipment needed to be installed in these four factory buildings.


    Once these new factory buildings werepleted, Tang Mo could immediately start production. And the products manufactured therein would be the main products with which Tang Mo would make money in the next phase.


    On the one hand, there was the steam engine equipment that Tang Mo had just designed to increase mine productivity, including the corresponding railway tracks for the mines.


    On the other hand, the technology for these mine steam engines was actually also a technical reserve for Tang Mo''s own train technology. As soon as the Northern Ridge mines began to purchase Tang Mo''s steam engines on arge scale, he could quickly build his own steam lotive.


    With this steam lotive, Tang Mo would be able to elerate the exchange of materials between his mines and their sources. The Vicious Forest between Northern Ridge and Brunas was an ideal ce for testing railway tracks.


    As long as the bandits in the area were eradicated, there would be no need to worry about residents along the railway stealing the tracks and causing idents or transport dys.


    As the factory grew in size, workers from Northern Ridge and local workers from Brunas all wore happy smiles.


    They had never met an employer as generous as this, willing to provide them with decent meals, pay them a good sry, and give their descendants the opportunity to go to school.


    What made them equally happy was that within the factory area, they could purchase many things, including ironware, grains and vegetables, leather goods, and cloth clothing...


    In short, the small shop in the factory had a fairlyplete range of goods, and after receiving their sries, many workers spent a good portion of them here.


    "Where on earth did Luff and the others go? They''ve been missing for several days," Tagg pped while asking Wes beside him.


    Wes nced at Tagg, a mischievous smile on his face: "Who knows? Maybe they''re off killing people..."


    "You never tell the truth," Tagg nced at Wes with disbelief and retorted.


    "Hmm, you''re right," Wes didn''t deny it, nodded in agreement, and said no more.

 Chapter 57: 57 Phantom of the Forest

    In the dense jungle, a group of bandits were seated around a fire. They were tearing into chunks of meat cut from a half-roasted wild beast, expressions grim on their faces.


    Nearby, the mountain forest was still filled with all kinds of strange sounds, alongside the crackling of wood burning fiercely in the fire. In this not-so-silent environment, it wasn''t considered jarring.


    "Boss, it''s confirmed that Jack''s group has been wiped out... Although they weren''t with us, their deaths... were too gruesome," a middle-aged bandit with a scar on his forehead said, sitting beside the fire with a bow and arrows on his back, chewing on a piece of meat streaked with blood as he spoke.


    Sitting there, the burly bandit leader Dos''s face darkened, ignoring the noise of his men, merely bowing his head and eating his roasted meat.


    These men had been truly rampant in the Vicious Forest for some years. Back in the day, Count Fisheo even sent troops to clear out the northern part of the forest''s bandits, but with only moderate sess.


    The bandits, who came and left without a trace, hid in the mountain forests. When they encountered the military, they would scatter, making them hard to find.


    Deploying troops into the mountains to search for these highwaymen was an unprofitable venture, so the officials of the Leite Kingdom were always reluctant to spend money and mobilize troops to deal with these ruffians.


    Over time, the bandits lurking in the Vicious Forest had be true lords of their domain, and the Vicious Forest had turned into awlessnd.


    Here, everyone had their own territories and, under normal circumstances, did not attack or annex each other''snds, because they all knew that if any group grew toorge and managed to truly cut off the Vicious Forest''s supply line, then they would all have no livelihood.


    So, concerning the scale of their robberies, there was an unspoken agreement among them, and most of the bandit groups only had about ten members.


    This size had been tested by long-term experience: too small, and they were easily betrayed or eliminated by their peers, or unable toplete their raids; toorge, and they would draw official attention and military action, leading to trouble.


    Among these bandits, therger, more notorious, and more vicious groups were Jack''s and Dos''s.


    One operated on the east side of the main thoroughfare in the Vicious Forest, the other on the west. With the route as their boundary, they usually kept out of each other''s way.


    The size of their groups had actually grown quiterge; Jack had 25 seasoned bandits, and Dos had 28 equally nefarious criminals.


    In the Vicious Forest, their fierce reputations were known to all, and smaller bandit groups did their best to avoid their main areas of activity.


    However, recently, some bandits who had chance encounters began spreading what seemed like aughable rumor, iming that ghostly gunfire echoed through the Vicious Forest, and many bandits died mysteriously, making everyone very tense.


    To confirm what was going on, Dos sent people to contact Jack, hoping to glean information from the other side.


    The result¡ªthe returnee brought back shocking news¡ªJack''s bandit group had beenpletely annihted!


    There were signs of bullets flying everywhere, and the bodies had gaping, torn wounds. Jack''s body, which hadn''t been consumed by wild beasts, was found along with his two ever-present Shireck Flintlock Guns, which had vanished without a trace.


    Events seemed to be spiraling out of Dos''s control, because the tragic evidence from the scene indicated that arge military force, as adept in mountain warfare as they were, was operating in the Vicious Forest.


    Traditionally, when the military entered the mountains, they made no secret of it, marching along the main routes, with cumbersome wagons, transporting vast quantities of gunpowder and supply materials.


    At that time, if the bandits stayed away from the main routes and hid deep in the forest, they could avoid military sweeps and preserve their strength.


    Moreover, given the fire rate of the Shireck Flintlock Guns in the hands of the soldiers, after a single volley, the bandits had ample time to scatter and flee, making it almost impossible for them to be annihted.


    So, Dos had been unable to fathom why the military would take great pains to secretly cultivate a force that could operate in mountainous terrain, nor why they had suddenly taken an interest in exterminating the bandits in the Vicious Forest.


    "Once we''re done eating, clean up this ce! Try to erase all traces as much as possible," Dos finally swallowed what was in his mouth and looked at a trusted subordinate, giving orders, "Ghosts definitely don''t exist, I think it must be the work of the soldiers."


    "I think so too," the second-inmand of the bandit group, also a burly man, sat across from him, nodding in agreement, "Not just Jack¡ªremember the ce we passed byst evening?"


    Upon learning of Jack''s bandits'' total demise the previous evening, they dared not camp at the same ce and instead moved to an alternate hideout.


    On their way to the hideout, they had encountered a small group of ughtered bandits. These bodies had been dead for some time, most of them swarm with maggots, exposing ghastly white bones.


    Those who saw the scene felt sick to their stomachs, for although these bandits murdered and plundered, they never made it a habit to return to the scene of the crime to watch.


    There were many white bones in the Vicious Forest, but there was a fundamental difference between skeletal remains and half-rotten corpses...


    Especially this time, these corpses were not those of past merchants, but of their fellow bandits¡ªunder the sorrow of their loss, everyone sitting here inevitably harbored many pessimistic emotions.


    "Damn it! Once this whole mess blows over, I must find out which bastard brought the military here, and I''ll make sure he won''t die whole!" one of the bandits cursed angrily in the distance.


    Soon, such sentiments spread amongst the bandits, another with a longsword at his waist also had a fierce expression as he ground his teeth staring into the firelight, "And those officers and soldiers who came into the mountain, they deserve to die too!"


    "Bang!" As the bandits were united in their hatred, cursing the soldiers, a sudden gunshot echoed through the forest.


    Dos instinctively rolled on the ground, avoiding where he had been sitting and then barely raised his head to scope out his surroundings.


    A bandit who had been shot slowly copsed, clutching his chest, and suddenly the gunfire on the other side became more intense, like endless thunder.


    One by one, bandits hit by bullets screamed as they fell, and in a sh, seven or eight were out of the fight.


    The bandits'' second-inmand drew his longsword with one hand, and with the other pulled a musket from his other side.


    In such a ce, it was actually very difficult to preserve gunpowder, so having a few muskets already made a bandit group outstanding.


    As thergest bandit group in Vicious Forest, they had 29 people and four muskets¡ªthe size of their group was not insignificant.


    However, after that first precise volley of gunfire, they already had seven or eight men lying on the ground. And these poor bandits had yet to fully recover from the shock of being ambushed.


    They were always the onesying ambushes; how could theree a day when they were the ones ambushed? Dos hid behind arge tree, half his face peeking out, stealthily observing everything around him.


    He had to find the enemy shooters¡ªthe soldiers of the Leite Kingdom, who wore bright yellow uniforms, were actually very easy to recognize in the jungle.


    But this time, he didn''t see anyone in a bright yellow uniform. What surprised him even more was that he didn''t see the conspicuous clouds of smoke that would spread near the muzzle of a gun after firing.


    In this way, after a short silence, the second round of musket fire came again in dense volleys, crackling and echoing through the jungle.


    It was then that Dos saw a blurry green figure sh past behind a clump of bushes.


    He lifted his pistol, aimed at the bushes, but his hand shook, not daring to pull the trigger under his finger,cking the courage to shoot back.


    Before he could fire, the second-inmand of the bandits, who was hiding not far from the fire, sounded his musket. A loud "bang" abruptly echoed in the forest, followed by a plume of conspicuous white smoke where he hid.


    This was the reason Doscked the courage to return fire¡ªthe white smoke was so visible that it was impossible to hide.


    But what shocked him was that the terrifying figures who were continuously firing didn''t emit any thick smoke at their firing positions! This made Dos involuntarily recall the legends about ghosts and spirits.


    Suddenly, he saw his subordinate, the second-inmand who always charged at the forefront of battle, struck by a bullet from behind and fell to the ground with a scream.


    He watched his second-inmand''s blood soak his ragged leather armor, saw him struggle on the ground for a few moments, then breathe hisst.


    The third volley of gunfire reached Dos''s ears, snapping his consciousness back to the gruesome battlefield.


    Upon careful observation, he finally saw a faint muzzle sh and the almost imperceptible rolling smoke.


    For the second time, he raised his musket, pointing at the direction where he had just seen the sh, and then hesitated again.


    Because the screams and shouts had gradually subsided, in the bandit group of more than twenty, there were not many left standing.


    Just before, an impatient coward tried to escape, only to fall to the ground after a few steps when a gunshot rang out, and without so much as a moan, died outright.


    The scene gradually calmed down, fewer bandits returned fire or hid, while more and more bodiesy scattered in all directions.


    After a moment, no further gunfire was heard, and in the silence that followed, a man dressed in gray-green military attire, with a bay-mounted rifle, pushed through the grass in front of him and slowly stood up.

 Chapter 58: the twenty-ninth 58

    To Dos, the man''s attire was somewhat unfamiliar because he had never seen anyone dressed in such equipment before.


    The man who had pushed aside the underbrush wore a gray-green soft hat adorned with a wreath-like arrangement of grass and twigs on top. The grass on his head nearly blended him into the surroundings, making him very difficult to distinguish.


    Under the man''s ribs were leather ammunition pouches strung through with a belt on both sides. Hanging from his left side was a slim bay scabbard, and on the right was a holster for a revolver.


    The man''s coat was a bit long, with the hem covering his knees. Below that, he wore a pair of tall leather boots. This outfit made Dos think the man looked quite dashing.


    The man stepped up to the fire and used the bay in his hand to impale one of the bandits who was still whimpering, silencing the screams in a second. The abrupt cessation of noise frightened Dos into quickly retreating back behind the tree where he was hiding.


    That was because he saw the man, while pulling the bay out of the body, lift his head to look toward Dos''s hiding ce.


    He was familiar with that gaze, very, very familiar.


    It was the same kind of look he gave to the women curled up in the carriages and to the merchants hiding among the corpses.


    He had never felt pity for these prey; he would use the children in the women''s arms to threaten the women into submitting to him and his aplices. After venting his animalistic lust, he would kill both the women and children without exception.


    He wouldugh unrestrainedly at the merchants who knelt and begged for mercy, promising to let them go before, after taking the money hidden on their person, piercing their throats with a longsword and watching them writhe in agony on the ground until theyy motionless.


    In the past, he relied on killing and cruelty to cover up his inner weakness and fear, using bloody methods to maintain his position among the mountain bandits.


    Yet, at this moment, he saw something different in the man who was cleaning up the battlefield. The man was indifferent, calm, as if he were simply clearing away a pile of unwanted rubbish.


    Yes, it was now that he felt an unsettling sense of desperation from the other''s calm aura.


    He didn''t even have the courage to raise his gun and shoot, knowing that there were some fearful ghosts lurking around this battlefield, watching over it like vindictive spirits.


    "29..." Another brush was parted, and a man in simr attire emerged with a gleaming bay, speaking in a deep voice, "It''s Dos''s band of bandits for sure."


    "There are only 27 bodies here." The man whose bay was still dripping with blood, who had made himself known first, said, "Letting these blood-debtden fellows escape will greatly displease the master."


    "Don''t worry! None of the prey within the encirclement will escape," the third man who appeared ghostlike from the underbrush dered, tossing a young bandit back by the fire.


    The young bandit begged loudly, his voice tinged with sobs, "Please spare me! Please spare me! I know I was wrong! Yes! Yes! I was forced!


    Please spare me!"


    While he was pleading, he surreptitiously reached toward the dagger inside his shirt. Despite his youthful appearance, he had already stained his hands with the blood of dozens, a vicious felon.


    His forte was feigning pitifulness in front of enemies and, when they let their guard down, would suddenly counterattack, either killing them or taking hostages.


    Unfortunately, his n seemed to falter this time, because as soon as he touched the dagger hidden in his shirt, he heard a terrifying voiceing from above and behind him.


    "I''m sorry! You''ve done too much evil, and now you must die here." The man who was finishing the job held up his bay and easily pierced the young bandit''s chest, "Go to another world and atone! Go and repent for the old people, children, and women you''ve killed!"


    The young bandit, in disbelief, watched the sharp bay protrude through his chest, and even as he breathed hisst, he couldn''t believe that he had met someone who, like himself, killed without hesitation.


    "28!" The man who was clearly the leader had removed his bay from the barrel of his gun and with swift and neat movements, reinserted it into its scabbard, securing the loosened buckle.


    He turned around, his back perfectly aligning with the ce where Dos was hiding. Just then, as Dos peeked out to look for an opportunity to escape, he noticed that these people''s belongings were scattered all over the ce.


    The leader carried a canvas backpack reinforced with wear-resistant leather at the corners. Fixed to the belt below the backpack were a water sk and a short-handled iron shovel.


    In this era, no military would bother to equip its soldiers so thoroughly with misceneous gear, let alone that each person was armed with a revolver at their side!


    So, Dos could be very sure that these people who hade looking for trouble were not military but a private army of someone!


    These terrifyingly armed private troops meticulously checked every corpse on the scene, clearly not wanting to spare a single survivor.


    "Ah!" Atst, a bandit feigning death could no longer bear the pressure and leaped up, drawing the longsword at his waist, and charged towards the man in the gray-green military uniform closest to him.


    The result was that the man, both hands holding guns, took a nimble side-step to avoid the iing longsword. Then, he lunged forward in a crouch, as quick as lightning he thrust out his rifle, and the bay stabbed into the bandit''s stomach.


    The bandit struggled to raise the longsword in his hand, but his strength rapidly drained away. Ultimately, he released his hold on the longsword, and after the bay was withdrawn, he knelt down, curled up, and copsed to the ground.


    "Damn it!" The blood spurting from the blood groove stained his sleeve, and he cursed, stepping back half a step to avoid the spreading pool of crimson blood on the ground.


    "Dos hasn''t been seen... He''s still nearby," remarked a man not far away, who had just finished checking thest bandit corpse and stood up to give a reminder.


    "He won''t escape," said the leading man, who was Luff. He carried out Tang Mo''s orders, taking the well-trained Mercenary Squad into the Vicious Forest for livebat training.


    They had the most systematic equipment provided by Tang Mo, aplete set more perfect than they had imagined. Each of them had tents, water bottles, lunch boxes, and also special, processed flour-based convenient foods.


    These things brought great convenience to their jungle warfare, and also increased their trust in Tang Mo''s designs.


    The H-shaped harness, designed sensibly, allowed them to carry more items with ease, including ample ammunition and weapons like bays and revolvers.


    And speaking of weapons, we have to mention the bullets that Tang Mo had tailored specially for them on this mission!


    Though these bullets didn''t differ in design from those provided to Earl Fisello, the core "gunpowder" within had been thoroughly improved.


    Tang Mo had crafted smokeless gunpowder into a batch of bullets, specially supplied to his own trusted warriors.


    The smokeless gunpowder produced very little smoke, which was even more useful in junglebat. It could reduce the risk of exposing firing positions and marginally increased the safety of the gunpowder.


    Luff and his men, equipped with the K1 Quick Guns and also revolvers, could be said to be exceptionally well-armed.


    Dos, seeing this well-equipped and never-before-seen private army with seemingly no intention to search for him, slightly rxed.


    He thought their numbers had to be limited, hence no guts to spread out and look for him, the one that got away. But he was also puzzled about how such a small number of men could fire such a dense volley of bullets.


    "Alright! Stop messing around!" Just then, Luff, from a distance, shouted loudly at someone.


    Upon hearing this yell, Dos was startled, then he dared not move, thinking that the enemy was trying to deceive him with words; he certainly couldn''t walk into death by himself. As long as he endured until these people lost patience and left, he would be able to reim his little life.


    "I say... do you think... you''re well hidden?" Just when Dos thought he might have made it out alive, a voice suddenly rang out behind him.


    Dos was instantly scared stiff, his whole body shuddering, his instinct was to raise the musket in his hands.


    Unfortunately, his hand was pinned mid-air by another hand, while a dagger horizontally slit a bloody gash across his throat.


    Blood immediately sprayed out, staining the front of his shirt red. His left hand instinctively dropped the other handgun he was holding and clutched at the gash on his neck.


    He desperately tried to stem the gushing blood from the wound, but due to the blood pressure, his efforts seemed extremely futile.


    Like a fountain, blood spurted through his fingers, tumbling down into his cor. Because he had killed so many merchants and women, he could even imagine what he looked like now.


    He felt he must look incredibly disheveled, hideously so. His expression must be one of utter despair, unable even to cry out.


    With a mouthful of blood, he began to spit it out, he noticed the hand holding him had gone, so he staggered forward a few steps.


    Almost out of strength, he turned his head only to see a young man, dressed like those others, standing next to the tree where he had hidden himself.


    "The twenty-ninth one! Not a single one missing, they''re all here!" This was thest sound he heard in this world.


    Then, he felt no more and went to the endless hell.

 Chapter 59: 59 being an official

    Solon went to work and returned home on time every day. He had a wife and a concubine, and together with his three children, they lived happily in the small town of Brunas.


    Under hismand, there were over a hundred City Defense Forces soldiers. Their job was simr to that of armed police, maintainingw and order while also taking on some of the responsibilities of the stationed troops.


    In reality, that was just on paper. Brunas only had 36 soldiers; the rest were "nonexistent" personnel who were just names to collect pay without actually being present.


    After all, on ordinary days, there were no real life-or-death matters to contend with, and only a fool would keep that many soldiers idle.


    Yes, Solon was the Sheriff of Brunas. Together with the Mayor and the Tax Collector, they managed this little town called Brunas.


    He hardly had any social obligations and would return to his home on time every day to enjoy peace and tranquility¡ªthere really wasn''t any need for socializing, as the Mayor and Tax Collector would deliver his share of the profits regrly each year, so he didn''t need to worry about anything.


    If there were no ruffians fighting at the docks, there was no need for him to concern himself with the problems of the boatmen and fishermen. Merchants from afarplied with the taxws, and no one would easily stir up trouble in such a ce.


    Thus, his life was both peaceful and full of pleasant surprises, much like recently when he received a new share of profits¡ªas if by a miracle, a weapon workshop on the verge of bankruptcy in the northern outskirts of the town had sprung back to life and was providing him with a profit of 3 Gold Coins each month.


    Although it wasn''t arge sum, it was a steady monthly ie. He had already received it for the third time and felt extremely at ease and natural about it.


    That young man named Tang Mo never caused any trouble or disturbances, and seemed to almost never enter the town.


    He didn''t care about what Tang Mo was doing on thend he had bought. Even if Tang Mo wanted to build a castle with twenty cannons mounted on it, it would have nothing to do with him.


    Besides, all Tang Mo did was build a school and expand some workshops, nothing more. Receiving such bribes in the form of profits made him very pleased, so he naturally developed a favorable impression of Tang Mo.


    Even though in recent days, the workshop that had inexplicably changed its name to the Great Tang Group suddenly became overcrowded, he had no intention of inquiring into it.


    After all, they had paid him. As long as they weren''t rebelling, or even if they did rebel, as long as they didn''te after him, he wouldn''t bother himself withplications.


    Especially since Tang Mo himself hade to Brunas one day, invited him along with the Mayor and Tax Collector to a feast. After rounds of wine and a variety of dishes, Tang Mo had shown his Guardian Knight credentials to everyone present.


    Now, it was beyond question that Tang Mo was a confidant of Earl Fisello. In this case, who would be foolish enough to cause trouble for Tang Mo?


    Perhaps one day, this Guardian Knight would transform into a new Baron, and wouldn''t he then seek revenge on those who had troubled him?


    So it''s best to keep one''s distance and stay out of it when dealing with a rapidly rising young man like Tang Mo¡­


    Today, Solon sat in his office, basking in the glorious sunshine outside. Since Brunas was a coastal town, he just had to open the window to immediately feel the salty sea breeze on his face.


    It was a reallyfortable feeling, sofortable that it made him feel drowsy. He couldn''t help but softly exim, "Ah... what a splendid afternoon."


    "Sir!" A soldier from the City Defense Forces knocked on Solon''s door and, after receiving permission, opened it to report, "A person iming to be a messenger from the Shireck Consortium wishes to see you."


    "Oh? Show him in¡­" Solon managed his facial muscles to brighten his smile further, stood up, and walked to the door, just in time to greet the man who had just entered.


    "Sir," Solon greeted the man with a beaming smile and a slight bow, devoid of any pretense of his position as Sheriff, "I apologize for not being able to wee you personally."


    "My name is Beiji!" Beiji was straightforward, taking off his leather gloves and casually dusting his riding breeches as he briefly introduced himself, "I serve under Lord Xiuyi Jisi."


    After his introduction, he looked at the respectful Sheriff Solon and asked, "I''vee to inquire if anything has happened here recently?"


    While asking, he handed an embossed business card from the Shireck Consortium to Solon, who instinctively received it and bowed even lower.


    Even influential nobles wouldn''t dare to offend someone from the Shireck Consortium, let alone the head of the Shireck Consortium in the Leite Kingdom, Xiuyi Jisi.


    "Sir, may I ask which matter you are referring to?" Solon handed the business card back to Beiji and asked somewhat nervously.


    "I heard there''s someone here who has seen a new kind of firearm?" Beiji asked as he looked around the office, which seemed quite well-decorated.


    The solid wood flooring made a pleasant cking sound under leather shoes. Decorative paintings hung on the walls, and one side boasted a practical bookshelf.


    Some nails were hammered into the wall by the door, from which hung belts with holsters and a longsword sheathed in its scabbard.


    "Firearm? My lord, we only have one weapon forge here on the brink of bankruptcy, and all of our City Defense Forces'' firearms are issued Shireck Flintlock Guns from the kingdom... I''ve never heard of any new kind of firearm," Solon said as he remembered Tang Mo''s bizarre weapon forge ofte.


    "A forge? Oh, I remember now, that Tang Qi who died a few months ago, his little forge?" Beiji faintly recollected the somewhat obscure small weapon forge in Brunas.


    "Yes, my lord, that''s the one," Solon hastily nodded and said, "Where did you hear about this new weapon appearing here?"


    "What do you think, could it be rted to Tang Qi''s weapon forge?" Beiji continued to inquire without answering Solon''s question.


    "How could it? My lord, as you know, that was just a small shop. The one who inherited the forge is just a teen, how could he possibly have such ability?" Solon answered as if it were obvious.


    "Tell me everything you know about that weapon forge," Beiji strolled over to where Solon worked, plopped down onto Solon''s chair, and gestured for Solon to sit wherever he liked.


    Solon''s brows knit almost imperceptibly before his smile quickly masked his displeasure. Not taking a seat, he immediately said, "After the shop couldn''t survive any longer and Tang Qi died, his son Tang Mo dismissed half of the workers, which left us all in Brunas town on edge."


    "Tang Mo..." Beiji muttered the name as though he intended to memorize it.


    "Afterward, he went everywhere asking for help, trying to meet with Baron St... I heard he wanted to curry favor with Lord Baron," recalled Solon, appearing to share everything he knew: "Later on, when he couldn''t find a way through Baron St, I heard he went to the Northern Ridge."


    "Northern Ridge?" Beiji''s interest piqued at the mention of this sensitive term, and he looked at Solon, dragging out the question.


    "Yes, the Northern Ridge! I don''t know how he fooled Lord Earl, but he got Earl Fisello to buy some wastnd north of Brunas, right by the Vicious Forest. It''s all uselessnd. Lord Earl would surely kill him if he found out."


    "Weapon forge... Vicious Forest... Northern Ridge... Earl... Wastnd..." Beiji repeated each keyword, his grim smile growing more pronounced.


    All these familiar words seemed unconnected, yet they showed up in Solon''s narrative. Was this a coincidence? No! It definitely wasn''t a coincidence!


    It was clear now that Tang Mo must have created some new weapon, first visiting Baron St, only to be driven away¡ªwhich was understandable, as Baron St was certainly capable of such a reaction.


    Then the damned Tang Mo, with his new weapon, went to try his luck with Earl Ronin Fisallo of the Northern Ridge.


    And recently under great pressure, Earl Fisello decided to invest in this new weapon type. Thus, Tang Mo escaped his fate of bankruptcy and became ackey under the Earl''smand.


    As for those unlucky bandits, they must have stumbled upon the carriage transporting the new weapons, witnessed the power of these weapons, and then went to seek a fortune from Lord Gis.


    Linking it all together, Beiji felt he had almost guessed the entire sequence of events. In fact, he was spot on, as if he had witnessed the development himself.


    "That''s right, he''s even expanding his factory, recruiting many workers," Solon continued to disclose, knowing that withholding information was futile. He wasn''t close enough to Tang Mo to cover for him.


    These were indeed details that could be readily obtained by asking around on the streets or simply visiting the site. If Solon concealed them for Tang Mo, it could easily implicate himself.


    "Very good! It was a pleasure meeting you, Solon Sheriff! You are a good officer, and I will speak well of you to Lord Gis," Beiji said, standing up and patting Solon''s shoulder, having obtained the information he needed.


    Then, he left Solon''s office, taking his trusty subordinates with him, heading toward the north side of Brunas town.


    Watching them depart, Solon returned to his office, wrote a note, and called over one of his men, instructing, "Change into these civilian clothes and deliver this note to Tang Mo."


    Watching his subordinate hurry off, Solon''s expression darkened, "They really take me for a dog? If I don''t cause some trouble for these Shireck bastards, what am I even doing as an official?"

 Chapter 60: Dont mess it up

    "Achoo!" Tang Mo rubbed his nose and, frowning, looked toward the bustling construction site and then toward the wilderness not too far away. He felt like someone was watching him, hidden in the shadows with malicious intent, akin to a poisonous snake.


    "Medicine isn''t cheap these days, you''d better be careful," Roger said from behind Tang Mo as he watched several smokestacks being built higher and higher in a spiraling fashion. He reminded Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo nodded but took another look at the distant wilderness and replied, "I''ll be careful. However¡­ do you have the feeling that someone is watching us?"


    "No feeling. This is the wilderness, who would be out here watching us for no reason?" Roger shook his head and answered.


    Wes, who stood to the side, nced at Tang Mo and then toward the distance, a hint of alertness appearing on his face: "I too sense danger, vague though it may be... Maybe, we are being watched."


    "It could be people from the mayor''s office, or other nobility, or Shireck''s men, or even those sent by information brokers collecting rumors¡­" Wes analyzed, "Whichever it is, we should be prepared for any oue."


    "That''s why I had factories built on the perimeter and training grounds and bases inside¡­ Always better to be cautious," Tang Mo said in a muffled voice while still rubbing his nose.


    "All this pomp and circumstance, no amount of care will do when such a thing cannot be helped," Wes shrugged helplessly and sighed, "You are building a city, how could you possibly keep it unseen."


    "I don''t expect them not to know," Tang Mo quirked his mouth, "I just hope they find outter rather than sooner."


    "In fact, them sending someone to watch you now is already a sign of their sluggish response and being behind the times," Wes admired Tang Mo for his various cunning schemes of bribery, deception, disguise so skillfully performed that even an old hand like himself was left agape.


    "I do envy these people with big families and businesses¡­" Tang Mo sighed, walking towards another part of the construction site with a sense of resignation.


    His development had just begun, and while some issues could be solved using his "golden hand," others could only be umted over time.


    For instance, training talents¡ªhis "golden hand" couldn''t help with that. He had to take to the field himself, teaching those soldiers who knew nothing about adapting to a newbat environment.


    Simrly, he didn''t have an intelligencework spread out in every corner like Shireck''s established syndicate, thereby rendering him practically blind even with eyes open.


    Topensate for this shoring, on the one hand, he had the school children help gather intelligence during their time off, and on the other hand, he could only rely on bribery to encourage those in the know to as much as possible dy the spread of rumors.


    Fortunately, this world had neither the inte nor camera phones, allowing him to use time differences as an advantage to secure a bit more time to react or prepare for his expansion.


    Tang Mo''s factory kept expanding, and he had established a new chemical production factory for making smokeless powder that might be needed in the future.


    At the same time, he was constructing a bullet manufacturing facility for producing more powerful and advanced metal-cased ammunition in the future.


    These factories were huge, upying vast areas, and along with the storerooms and employee dormitories being constructed at the same time, the roads connecting these buildings stretched as far as the eye could see uponpletion.


    With the soon-to-be-operational steam engine workshop, Tang Mo''s original workshop space had expanded to five times its original size!


    Of course, the number of workers hemanded had also grown to more than ten times the original number! When he had gone to see Baron St, he only needed to support 200 workers, but now, he needed to support a whopping 3,000!


    Most workers were currently moonlighting as construction craftsmen, and Tang Mo knew that many of them were capable of other tasks.


    If it were in the era he lived in before crossing over, these versatile, willing to work overtime, low-paid workers would be treasured by any boss.


    But now, their existence indeed brought great pressure to Tang Mo. He needed to create more ie quickly to support these people.


    Shearing wool from just Count Fisheo would likely strip the earl bare¡ªhence Tang Mo had been trying to sell more technologies recently.


    A brand-new, improved cement technology had already been put into production in Brunas, who was very satisfied with this new building material; Tang Mo was also able to secure some production capacity to support his new factory construction.


    This was also why Tang Mo could quicklyy out construction for so many factories: he was able to getrge amounts of cement at a low price!


    Another partnership with a businessman from Brunas was unfolding; Tang Mo offered the technique for sun-drying and boiling sea salt and squeezed a substantial amount of money from that salt merchant.


    As a result, having to purchase industrial salt and also ensure the intake of salt for 3,000 people, Tang Mo had to spend a portion of the money he had just earned.


    Anyway, no amount of money was ever enough for Tang Mo, so there was truly no need for some nonessential items to appear.


    Tang Mo didn''t build new walls, which directly caused the secrecy level of his factory to plummet to almost zero.


    Because he continuously expanded, taking up morend and constructing more buildings, he himself wasn''t even sure where to build the walls of the factory.


    On the other hand, he simply didn''t have enough workers to build such a long wall while constructing several buildings at the same time.


    So, he gave up on building the wall altogether, considering that his factory was nned to keep expanding northward, right up to the boundaries of Vicious Forest. By then, he would just build walls along the forest.


    But although he gave up on the walls, Tang Mo didn''t abandon secrecy. He split the new recruits brought by Tagg into twenty squads, with two assigned to patrol the perimeter each day.


    They were temporarily not issued Quick Guns, but equipped with bows and Longswords instead. However, Tang Mo didn''t expect much from them; their only task was patrolling.


    The real core defensive force consisted of the twenty-odd regr Soldiers from Northern Ridge brought by Tagg and the two squads led by Luff Bernard who were out training.


    Of course, those hunters and farmers from Northern Ridge, the ones not patrolling, were all punctually training at the new training grounds by the seaside. The training regimen was drafted by Tang Mo, led by an officer selected by Tang Mo, named Redman.


    Under Tagg''s training, these Soldiers were gradually taking shape. At least now, when they gathered together, they were no longer as disorderly as a swarm of flies.


    Watching a patrol squad with bows slung over their shoulders and Longswords in hand, passing through the distant wastnd, Tang Mo felt unusually at ease. He redirected his gaze, focusing on the concrete foundations that had been leveled.


    These foundations could ensure machines remained level, which was beneficial for improving the precision of the machinery. To make the factory floors more durable, Tang Mo had also purchased some stones for reinforcement.


    Meanwhile, at a spot past where the patrol squad had just moved through, behind some inconspicuous weeds, Beiji was motionlessly holding a monocr and watching Tang Mo''s every move.


    "If we hadn''te here, we wouldn''t have known that someone was building such arge workshop in Brunas," remarked Beiji with a coldugh while surveying the distant construction site through his monocr.


    "Heh heh heh heh, those fools will never know that the factory they''re building with so much hope will ultimately just help Shireck build their house," sneered an attendant next to Beiji with a sly expression.


    Shireck didn''tckpetitors, and there have always been those who challenged Shireck, aiming to monopolize an industry, naturally facing up-anding rivals all the time.


    Over the years, the number ofpetitors that Shireck eliminated or absorbed using underhanded methods was truly countless.


    In a sense, Shireck no longer bothered with conventionalpetition to take down those fledgling new challengers. With just a simple move beyond thew, it could plunder other people''s workshops and destroy everything they had painstakingly built.


    "I have to admit, this guy hugging Count Fisheo''s thigh is somewhat smarter than the other fools," Beiji put away his monocr: "Look at the hunters that just passed by¡­ they''re probably disguised as members from the Northern Ridge Legion."


    "They are in disguise?" The attendant seemed puzzled and looked towards Beiji for an exnation.


    "Just from their marching formation, one can tell that these individuals are more trained than even the regr Soldiers from Suthers. Since they''ve received training, how could they possibly be hunters?" Beiji felt as if he had seen through everything.


    "So, what do we do now?" whispered the attendant.


    "We go back¡­ bring more people, and turn this ce into another workshop for Shireck!" said Beiji mercilessly.


    In the distance, Yulin handed a note to Tang Mo at the construction site; upon opening the note, a smile spread across Tang Mo''s face.


    He handed the note to Wes, then instructed Roger, "Roger, make a trip to Brunas for me, take 5 Gold Coins to our dear Sheriff¡­ to thank him for everything he''s done for thew-abiding citizens."


    Then, he turned to Wes, "Can you find them and resolve this trouble?"


    "Beiji¡­ an old acquaintance. A thug of the southern Kingdom, I''ve encountered him before, just a big name with little substance," Wes handed the note back to Tang Mo, his hand resting on his Revolver on his hip: "He wasn''t a match before, and now¡­ he''s even less of an opponent."


    "I''ll leave it in your hands," Tang Mo said with a satisfied smile, "get some men from Tagg¡­ and don''t mess it up!"

 Chapter 61: 61 Im not a good person.

    Wes didn''t immediately turn around to leave. Instead, he looked at Tang Mo and asked, "I don''t understand. With Beiji''s cunning, he won''t leave today or tomorrow. He will secretly observe you, collect all your information, then..."


    "There''s no need for that much trouble. An hour after you depart, I will immediately take action. He won''t be able to stay here and will have to find a way back to King City," Tang Mo said, confidently smiling at Wes.


    Wes didn''t catch on and asked Tang Mo in confusion, "Huh? How can you be sure that he will definitely leave here and return to King City?"


    "I will gather all the remaining recruit troops andunch aprehensive search nearby! You guess, will he be a bit nervous?" Tang Mo gave his answer.


    As he walked back, he continued, "In fact, I will give him a choice. If he''s innocent or willing to meet with me, we can still talk. I''m willing to sell my weapons, blueprints included, to the Shireck Consortium. As long as both parties are happy with the cooperation, that Beiji can leave Brunas safely."


    Tang Mo hadn''t nned to kill Beiji right off the bat. If the other party wanted to cooperate, Tang Mo wouldn''t mind going to war with Shireck right away.


    Over a month ago, he had put out the rifle as bait to trap the Shireck Consortium.


    Since it was a trap, he wasn''t afraid of Shireck stepping into it. That''s why he was willing to use this bait to lure the other party''s resources in this direction.


    This was a safety mechanism, so he wasn''t worried about Beiji''s arrival. In fact, he knew that sooner orter Shireck would send someone over.


    In fact, ording to his earlier thoughts, Shireck''s dy in sending someone over at this time was actually a sign of slow reaction and was a bitte.


    ording to his n, Shireck would have sent someone half a month ago to negotiate, and he would have tearfully made tens of thousands of Gold Coins by handing over the blueprints for the steam engine and rifle in one go.


    However, although the Shireck Consortium waspletely unqualified in terms of reaction speed, when it came to shamelessness, Shireck clearly exceeded Tang Mo''s expectations by arge margin.


    The other party clearly did note with an attitude of cooperation. Otherwise, they would havee to the door directly to cooperate using money, rather than sneakily making other moves.


    That''s why Tang Mo spoke the way he did, and why Wes replied with disdain, "But they won''t choose that. They are used to their own way of doing things. They will capture you and take over your factory, bringing everything back to square one."


    "Don''t get me wrong, I''m not a good person." Tang Mo shrugged his shoulders and said indifferently, "So, before theye to capture me, I''ll bury them in the ground."


    "Hahahaha! I love it! I find myself liking this ce more and more. Now there''s just one thing left, which path he will take." That sentence from Tang Mo, where he said he was not a good person, really struck a chord with Wes. He followed Tang Mo,ughing heartily before asking another question.


    At that moment, he felt that Tang Mo was very much to his taste, even his way of speaking and acting felt extremelyfortable.


    Laughing along, Tang Moid out his n, "You and Tagg, with two teams, no matter which path he takes, he will be blocked by you."


    "I''m setting out now. By nightfall, you will see Beiji, the whole of him, or his head," Wes promised.


    Tang Mo stopped walking and looked at Wes, "We are civilized people... Wes... What do we need a head for? You just need to make sure that he won''t bring back any messy news to disrupt my ns."


    Wes nodded as if it were a matter of course, "I understand."


    A few minutester, in the Great Tang Group''s barracks near the sea, Wes and Tagg stood in front of twenty Northern Ridge Legion soldiers who had gathered.


    Wes exined the mission in a seemingly casual manner, "We may have to kill... Don''t be too hopeful, because the other side won''t show mercy! The slightest mistake and you could be done for... Of course, that''s not important. What''s important is that if you mess up Lord Tang''s n, that would be a grave error."


    After Wes finished exining Tang Mo''s mission, Tagg then asked, "Did you hear that? Lord Earl sent us here to protect Lord Tang, and now we''re being asked to go out and kill... so it has to bepletely voluntary."


    These soldiers of the Northern Ridge were Lord Earl''s soldiers; theoretically, they were not Tang Mo''s hired guns. Therefore, they had the right to refuse such a mission; as long as they protected Tang Mo''s factory from destruction, they would havepleted Lord Earl''s orders.


    However, it was clear that these soldiers, who had been trained here, showed little resistance to Tang Mo''smands. A young soldier looked at Tagg and asked in a low voice, "So Captain, are you going?"


    "I can only speak for myself," Tagg turned to the young soldier, and after a moment''s thought, reminded him.


    Wes nced sideways at Tagg with a disdainful smile on his face. He thought Tagg was really too boring, always acting high and mighty, as though everything had to follow rules.


    As a Ranger, his code of conduct was very simple. Whomever he liked, to whom he pledged allegiance, whom he was responsible for... those were all his own thoughts. As long as he followed his heart, there were no burdens.


    Compared to the rigid Tagg, Wes preferred Tang Mo because there were fewer rules when working with him, giving him not the slightest feeling of being bound.


    Just when Wes was incredibly satisfied with his decision to follow Tang Mo, soldiers from the Northern Ridge Legion asked Tagg, "What''s your decision then?"


    Tagg didn''t hide anything and replied directly, "I''ll go. I''m willing to deal with unnecessary trouble for Lord Tang Mo."


    The Northern Ridge soldier in the crowd spoke to Tagg solemnly, "Then, that''s my decision as well."


    "Yes! That''s my decision too!" "I''ll go as well!" "Lord Tang Mo treats us well, we can''t let him fall into danger!" The Northern Ridge soldiers mored all at once.


    "We don''t need so many people. Those who are good with firearms and can ride a horse, step forward. Five people will do. Counting me and Tagg, seven is enough," said Wes, stretching out a hand with five fingers extended.


    The soldiers looked at each other, and eventually, those who couldn''t ride horses sadly hung their heads. Among the rest, after some mutual nces, five soldiers recognized for their good shooting stepped forward.


    Tagg looked over his men and nodded, "Grab all your weapons and gear and prepare to set out."


    "Wait a second, how do you know for sure that he will run away instead of staying hidden among us?" Tagg looked at Wes with some uncertainty, voicing his own doubts.


    Wes teased a bit before ncing at the revolver at Tagg''s waist and said, "That''s for the lord to worry about, not you. What we have to do is block that Beiji who''s trying to escape here."


    "One more thing, are you sure you can recognize Beiji? The roads into the hearnd of the Kingdom, though not overcrowded, aren''t sparse either," Tagg confirmed as he followed Wes out of the barracks, "If you don''t recognize him, or get it wrong... things will getplicated."


    "Don''t worry! I''ve seen him and even fought against him," Wes, resting his hand on the pistol at his waist, headed for the stables where his mount was, "He''s cunning and formidable. You and your men should be careful... don''t lose your lives."


    "I will!" Tagg went to the other side of the stable, picked up the reins of his warhorse, and almost simultaneously, mounted his steed along with Wes.


    "Actually, we don''t need to go too far, we just need to wait for them at the crossroads west of Brunas. There''s nowhere else for them to go," said Wes, mping his legs around the horse''s belly and pulling the reins toward the gate as he spurred his horse forward.


    Tagg followed behind him, and then came the five mounted soldiers, all carrying their firearms, specifically the K1 Quick Guns produced by Tang Mo and issued to them.


    Not long after these seven men left, Tang Mo ordered the new soldiermander Redman to lead three hundred soldiers to pour out and start arge-scale search and patrol.


    The patrol teams, every twenty soldiers forming a group, each group having several members armed with K1 Quick Guns, repeatedly scoured the nearby wastnd.


    "Damn it! How did he know I was here?" Beiji, hiding in a pit, narrowly avoided a patrol team carrying longswords and firearms, his face turning colors in frustration.


    Originally, he came here just to secretly investigate and then was nning to gather forces before striking back a deadly blow to Tang Mo.


    But who could''ve expected Tang Mo to preemptive them, suddenly sending out so many patrol teams to trouble him.


    You should know, there was still a long way to go before nightfall, and escaping under the cover of darkness wasn''t going to be so easy.


    What frustrated him even more was that the horses he and his attendant rode were hidden not far away. If these patrols kept searching, they might or might not discover him and his attendant, but they would surely find those two warhorses.


    So Beiji made a decision after ncing at his attendant: "Once this patrol team has gone far, we''ll go back for the horses! Shake off these patrols on foot, and head straight back to King City!"


    "Why not go to Brunas... to find someone to escort us..." The attendant felt that going to a more popted area would be safer.


    "Shut up! It must have been Brunas that leaked our whereabouts! We''re as good as dead if we go back now," Beiji cut off the attendant''s suggestion and scolded, "Alright! Follow me! And run if we''re spotted!"


    Bent at the waist, they dashed out from their hiding ce, heading straight for where they had hidden their horses, without looking back as they ran wildly.

 Chapter 62: 62 No need to break in iron shoes

    "Hurry! There are two horses here!" Just as the two men sprinted towards their mounts, a shout from afar filled them with despair.


    They were startled for a moment before realizing that their means of escape might have been discovered.


    "Go! Run fast!" Beiji quickly pointed south and, with his entourage, started running towards Brunas.


    "You run towards the main road! Give me the flintlock gun!" Beiji came up with a n to escape as he ran, "No one recognizes you. Just act like a passerby on the road, and they won''t trouble you!"


    "After you get through, head immediately north! Do not go south... to Northern Ridge, find the people at Shireck Iron Mine, release the news! Whether I can return or not... None of Brunas''s men shall be spared!" Beijiid out his n and stopped in a rather concealed location.


    His attendant also thought it unwise to carry a longsword and flintlock gun at this time. Without hesitation, he undid his armed belt and handed it over to Beiji.


    When Beiji took the belt and drew the flintlock gun from inside, he turned and ran in the opposite direction.


    With the flintlock gun in one hand, Beiji parted the weeds in front of him with the other and continued to crouch and flee southward.


    Rather than disguising himself to run, he trusted the flintlock gun in his hand more. He had confidence in his swordsmanship and his marksmanship, and he did not believe the enemy would easily find him.


    Tang Mo was beside the road to Vicious Forest, watching the passing merchants with odd suspicion towards his own search party.


    Having just emerged from the bandit-ridden Vicious Forest, the sight of so many armed personnel naturally made them very wary.


    Acting as if it had nothing to do with him, Tang Mo, with Roger and Redman, continued northward along the road, "Once they discard their weapons and blend into a caravan, we will not be able to find them."


    "The problem is, only Wes has seen one of them, which makes it difficult." Redman, a middle-aged man, looked neither strong nor tall and somewhat lean.


    Speaking with a Northern Ridge ent, he seemed mature andposed. With his hand on the flintlock gun at his waist, he said to Tang Mo, "With three teams deployed along the road, we can only hope they can stop them from escaping into the wilderness."


    "Do our utmost and leave the rest to fate," Tang Mo conceded, feeling the difficulty of capturing two spies without photographs in this era.


    The spies could easily blend in with a simple disguise, making them hard to differentiate. Furthermore, they could split up, increasing their chances of breaking through the encirclement.


    Regardless, it was always easier and less conspicuous for one person to move and disguise himself. If they were just a bit unlucky on their side, the enemy could indeed escape to freedom.


    "Commander! We''ve found two horses! And this!" A soldier ran up and handed something to Redman.


    Redman took the object, which turned out to be an armed belt with a longsword hanging from it, but the flintlock gun was missing from the holster.


    "It seems our opponents have chosen the most correct path to escape," Tang Mo revealed a smile, "They''ve disguised themselves as merchants, instead of choosing to fight us."


    "So what should we do?" asked Redman anxiously.


    "Do our utmost and leave the rest to fate," replied Tang Mo with a sense of helplessness. His opponents were not fools; it would be unreasonable to expect them to cooperate entirely ording to their ns.


    Watching the carriages and pedestrianse and go on the road, Tang Mo could only hope that the Shireck Consortium would not rashly assemble a private army ande looking for trouble with hundreds of men.


    If the enemy did not y by the rules, Brunas might erupt into a kingdom-wide civil war. His 500 private soldiers might create an astonishing history¡ªdefeating the highly trained Shireck private army in one go and bing a notable armed force within the Leite Kingdom.


    By then, his K1 Quick Gun might be a bestseller, highly sought after by everyone, forcing even Shireck to bow and negotiate a partnership with him.


    Alternatively, he might face an evenrger Shireck private army, with thousands of men and cannons, initiating an all-out arms merchant war, deciding everything with a real battle.


    Tang Mo didn''t believe he would lose; he even felt a direct war might be a good option.


    But he had to consider the cost of the war¡ªhis painstakingly built factory and the nearby facilities might be destroyed, and the troops he had cultivated could suffer significant losses.


    Of the 500 private soldiers he had assembled, how many would survive this protracted war? 200? Or just 100?


    Reflecting on this, Tang Mo pulled back from his thoughts. After all, none of this was within his control.


    The choice was now in the hands of the Shireck Consortium. How they chose seemed to determine the fate of both powers.


    "That way... is that the caravan heading back to Northern Ridge...?" Tang Mo decided not to concern himself with matters beyond his control and resolved to handle things one step at a time, focusing only on whaty directly before him.


    Roger nodded and spoke, "Yes, this time they are taking away 100 K1 Quick Guns, one of our experimental mining steam engines, one thousand meters of matching steel rails, and twenty mine carts."


    "Starting tomorrow, let''s shift our production focus to the K1 Quick Guns..." Tang Mo let out a long sigh and said to Roger, "On the basis of satisfying Lord Earl''s weapons supply, strive to equip our new recruits with an additional 100 or more K1 Quick Guns each month."


    Redman was taken aback, then quickly realized that this young man in front of him had already started shifting his focus to arming the troops.


    In fact, Tang Mo was thinking even moreprehensively than he imagined. Tang Mo, who asked Roger to go back to discuss shifting the production focus with Mathews, was already scheming about how to establish his own intelligencework.


    At the very least, he felt he should establish a sophisticated intelligencework near Brunas to ensure he had enough time to respond to emergencies.


    Now he was suffering from theck of an intelligencework, having remained passive and reacting only when the enemy was nearly upon him, which led to today''s events.


    He also knew that building an intelligencework required time, extensive investment, and a considerable amount of money, but if he didn''t proceed with it, the losses could be even more substantial.


    "Go check the front, see the caravan heading to Northern Ridge..." Tang Mo mentally noted the task of creating his own intelligence agency and gestured to Roger and Redman with a wave of his hand.


    ...


    Without his horse and weapons, the attendant didn''t dare cross the Vicious Forest alone; hecked the guts to face those bandits by himself. So after steering clear of those searching for him, he climbed onto the roadbed with lingering fears and approached a fairly substantial-looking caravan.


    "Hey, I say... Are you heading to Northern Ridge?" he asked a guard next to the carriage, feigning nonchnce.


    The guards were carrying Shireck Flintlock Guns, which brought a sense of familiarity to the attendant. He approached them and pulled out a few silver coins from his chest, "I want to go to Northern Ridge, could you give me a lift?"


    "You want to go to Northern Ridge?" A man sitting on the carriage jumped down, brushing off the dust as he curiously asked.


    "Yes, I n to go to Northern Ridge to seek out a rtive," the attendant of Beiji concocted a story and said, "It''s too dangerous to travel alone, so I hope you can take me along."


    He gestured with the silver coins in his hand, "This is all the money I have left, just consider it travel expenses, I beg you, please help me out."


    In fact, he was already very cautious, keeping in mind the principle of not unting his wealth, while trying to bribe as naturally as possible.


    Normally, the caravan''s guards would agree to sneak such passengers into the caravan without inquiring about their background.


    Sure enough, the man who seemed to be among the guard leadersughed as he took the silver coins from the attendant''s hand and slipped them into his pocket, patting the attendant''s shoulder with a smiling face, "We are the caravan going to Northern Ridge! You''re in luck, kid!"


    While patting, the guard leader nced at the attendant''s muddy high-quality boots and once expensive but now filthy riding breeches.


    Under normal circumstances, the guard leader''s dirty hands would never have touched his shoulder. However, the attendant restrained himself from showing a look of disgust and nodded with a forced smile, bending over to say, "Thank you! Thank you!"


    "Not this carriage! It''s carrying important parts... very important," the man who took the money, proving to be very conscientious, led the attendant past several resting carriages and even started to act as a tour guide, "Come with me, I''ll arrange a carriage for you..."


    "Parts, parts?" the attendant from Beiji seemed puzzled.


    The guard leader nodded, "Yes, important parts."


    As he spoke, he seemed to arrive at the spot and pointed at a nearby carriage, "Here are the steel rails, they''re heavy... a carriage can only transport two!"


    "Steel, steel rails?" the attendant from Beiji started to sense that something was amiss.


    "Lord Roger, Lord Redman..." Just as the attendant from Beiji was feeling uneasy, the guard leader, who had led him on a tour all the way here, saluted respectfully towards three individuals next to the carriage, "Lord Tang Mo... this youngster, d in fine riding breeches without a horse and offering money to bribe the guards, ims he wants to go to Northern Ridge..."


    "Oh?" Tang Mo carefully scrutinized the attendant from Beiji, his eyes brimming with amusement. Even Roger, standing beside him, couldn''t help butugh out loud.


    With a growing sense of dread, the attendant from Beiji suddenly turned to flee, only to crash into two Soldiers of the Northern Ridge Legion disguised as mercenaries in in clothes who were following close behind.


    "Let me go!" the attendant from Beiji struggled fiercely, continuing his act while trying to resist, "Who are you? It''s robbery! I''m just a woodworker going to join rtives in Northern Ridge! Let me go!"


    Redman rested his hand on his Longsword and approached, a single kick subdued the attendant, "Take him away!"

 Chapter 63: 63 The Warlords

    Beiji trudged along the uneven roadbed, alternating between deep and shallow steps, pistol in hand. He was cursing Tang Mo, cursing everything he had encountered that day.


    The rugged road didn''t allow for horseback riding, which made Beiji extremely ufortable. ustomed to a life of luxury, he naturally loathed the idea of traveling such a long distance on foot. Hence, he hated Tang Mo, hated the damned patrol team that had found his horse.


    "If I get back, you''ll all have to die! Die! Die!" he muttered viciously, clutching his pistol.


    He felt that his tactics had been wless, splitting up from his trusted attendant, which, no matter what, would win him more chances to escape.


    If that attendant were exposed, the enemy would shift more attention to the north, giving him a better chance of getting away.


    And if the attendant wasn''t exposed, even if he was captured, there would be someone to carry a message back to King City. This could cause the enemy to hesitate, increasing his chances of survival. In any case, he was very satisfied with his arrangements; his steps even became a bit lighter.


    Since he no longer worried about being caught, Beiji even felt like taking in the surrounding terrain, which was ideal for setting up an ambush.


    The absence of troops here to block his path showed that the young man named Tang Mo really had no true skill.


    He''d simply happened upon intelligence and rushed out to encircle Beiji. So, he was just a reckless young man, an easy target!


    "Ha! Haha!" he snorted derisively,ughing to express his contempt¡ªif the enemy had set up an ambush here, he reckoned it would have been tough for him to escape!


    At this thought, he felt aggrieved about his horse once more, ruminating that if he''d retreated a bit more decisively back then, he wouldn''t have to be trekking so miserably along this bumpy road now.


    This damned Kingdom''s infrastructure! Which bastard had embezzled the funds meant for road repairs? How could they turn a perfectly good roadbed into such a mess!


    Just as he was cursing the Minister in charge of road maintenance, a gunshot suddenly rang out, and a man stood on the essential path before Beiji, holding a pistol and firing a shot into the air.


    The sound echoed in the sky, startling the nearby birds. It was then that Beiji realized something¡ªthis crossroads from Vicious Forest to Brunas seemed a bit too quiet.


    The passing merchant caravans seemed to have all been intercepted, leaving only him and a stranger he had never met before on this stretch.


    "Who are you?" Beiji frowned, gun in hand, eyeing the man in civilians'' clothing who was still holding his pistol.


    "My name is Tagg." Tagg, pistol in hand, stared at the man in front of him and confirmed, "Beiji? Shireck''s mercenary?"


    "I''ve never seen you before! You''d better step aside!" Beiji didn''t deny his identity, knowing that the other party must be waiting here for him.


    "Sorry, but I have orders to take you back... and if you resist, I''ll bring back your corpse," Tagg stated firmly, leveling the flintlock gun at Beiji.


    Beforeing here, he had prepared himself to kill, and as a mid-levelmander of the Northern Ridge Legion, he was certainly not new to taking lives.


    Beiji was taken aback, then a look of disdain appeared on his face. He didn''t even bother to raise the flintlock gun in his hand, instead offering Tagg a friendly reminder, "You know, did you forget that you just... fired a shot into the air?"


    Tagg feigned remembering, then refocused his attention on Beiji, answering seriously, "I haven''t forgotten, I did fire a shot just now."


    "Pointing a gun at me with no bullets? Are you joking?" Beiji''s expression chilled. He had no pity in his heart; killing a fool and stepping over his body to continue his journey posed no moral burden for him.


    However, just as he was about to lift the weapon in his hand and calmly shoot the man, he recalled what the beggar had said in Gis''s room.


    "Then, the person on that carriage fired continuously, first with a long gun, three shots, then pulled out a pistol!"


    "A young man, with that pistol, fired five shots in a row! I saw it clearly, he didn''t reload, nor did he switch pistols!"


    "I, I really saw it with my own eyes! That young man fired five shots in one go! Although the carriage''smp wasn''t so bright, I saw everything clearly!"


    "Our gang''s boss, he was shot dead by that young man with two shots, right next to the carriage! It''s true! I swear it!"


    These words, like a series of hammer blows, struck at Beiji''s heart. The flintlock gun in his hand felt like a thousand pounds, impossible to lift.


    Only then did he seriously and closely examine the gun Tagg was holding. He saw the dark muzzle and the unusual shape of the gun.


    The peculiar shape of the gun had chambers on either side, hidden from view¡ªsomething that simply didn''t exist on the standard Shireck Flintlock Gun.


    It wasn''t until that moment that he realized the beggar might have been telling the truth, that the man in front of him might be holding a fearsome weapon capable of firing five consecutive shots!


    The next second, however, he was suddenly thrilled¡ªif he could kill the man before him and seize this brand-new weapon, would he not¡­ soar to great heights?


    So he saw before him a glittering golden path, at the end of whichy and heaped with gold.


    The only thing that stood on this path, blocking his way to the far-off goal, was the demon before him.


    Once he disposed of this demon, everything glistening with gold at the end of the road would be within his reach, all his for the taking!


    He longed for these things, so he fantasized about reaching out and grabbing them all for himself.


    "Bang!" A gunshot echoed in his ears, slowing down all his movements. For a moment, he was befuddled, unable to determine whether the sound was a figment of his imagination or reality.


    Then he snapped back, and the golden path before his eyes vanished, leaving only a man with a gun, looking at him with an indifferent gaze.


    Beiji found that his sight was tilting, everything in his eyes seeming to copse to one side. Then he felt his body hit something, followed by a piercing pain.


    He reached for his chest and touched a warm liquid. He brought his hand to his face and saw a bright red patch.


    He saw a pair of leather boots walk by his side and kick the Shireck Flintlock Gun he had dropped far away.


    Then he saw a familiar face drawing close to his, seemingly to confirm his identity.


    "You''re starting to impress me, Tagg." Wes got to his feet, looked towards Tagg with a smile full of amusement, "You really didn''t hesitate to shoot."


    "I owe it to Mr. Tang Mo." Tagg,menting the two bullets he had just wasted, looked at Beiji who was still bleeding on the ground, and asked, "Isn''t killing him like this going to put Shireck on alert?"


    "That depends on the gentlemen''s subsequent actions." Wes pointed at Beiji, who was barely breathing on the ground, "After all, the order I got was to silence this guy forever."


    "He definitely can''t speak now." Tagg looked at Beiji, whose lungs had been pierced¡ªan injury unheble in this era¡ªand shook his head, "But we should wait for him to rest in peace before leaving."


    "You''re right." Wes drew his pistol from his waist and aimed at Beiji, who still held a breath, "You''ve shown your loyalty, and I haven''tpleted my mission yet."


    After that, he pulled the trigger: "Bang!"


    "Is this what they call joining the bandits?" Tagg asked knowingly, watching Wes fire an additional shot.


    "Mind your words¡ªwhat do you mean ''joining the bandits''? I''ve found a worthy lord, okay?" Wes reholstered his gun and made a beckoning gesture, "Care to lend a hand?"


    "Damn it, you''ve made such a ghastly mess of the body, what if it stains my trousers?" Taggined as he stepped forward and picked up Beiji''s feet.


    Wes carefully grabbed Beiji''s shoulders and dragged his heavy body to the bushes beside an already dug pit.


    "One, two, three!" they counted softly together and then let go simultaneously, tossing Beiji''s body into the pit.


    Then, each grabbed a shovel nted by the pit, and they began filling the hole with soil, one shovelful at a time.


    Meanwhile, on the southern edge of the Vicious Forest, at the border of a piece of barrennd that Tang Mo had just purchased, a man covered in dust was digging arge pit.


    Behind him, Tang Mo was examining a deed in his hands. This was the evidence of his newly purchasednd from the mayor, connecting hisnd to the Vicious Forest.


    From now on, from the south of the Vicious Forest to the northern outskirts of Brunas, there was only one master.


    The Guardian Knight, Tang Mo, was thewful owner of thisnd, its master.


    "I don''t have time to waste on such boring things as executions." After confirming that the terms of the document were as he expected, Tang Mo rolled up the deed and said to Roger beside him, "Give him two more minutes¡­"


    Upon hearing Tang Mo''s words, Redman pulled out his pistol and aimed it at the man digging the pit.


    "Whates around goes around¡­" Tang Mo muttered under his breath, turning away to ignore the fool in the pit, "We must start causing trouble for Shireck... Otherwise, they will definitelye looking for us!"

 Chapter 64: 64 come again

    A few minutester, deep in the wilderness, Redman was shoveling soil into a pit, working away merrily.


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo stood within sight of Redman, his face a mask of unpleasant contemtion. He had decided to let the person he trusted most take control of the intelligence organization he nned to establish.


    So, he said to old Roger, "Uncle Roger, we need our own intelligence system! I think that you are the most suitable for this task."


    "But, I really know nothing about this kind of thing," Roger said awkwardly, scratching his head.


    Tang Mo was aware that tasking old Roger with building an intelligence system was indeed a bit too challenging.


    Because Roger was clearly not the ruthless type, merely an ordinary businessman, ill-suited for a position that might involve many dark deeds hidden from public view.


    Yet the position was so important that Tang Mo did not dare entrust it lightly to anyone else¡ªafter all, on this job, loyalty seemed more useful than capability.


    Therefore, Tang Mo reluctantly had Roger start the work, nning to find someone more suitable to take over eventually.


    He spoke again, "No choice, Uncle Roger. You''re the one I trust the most right now. First, help me find some people. Later, I''ll write a manual for you, and you train them ording to its requirements."


    "For now, you can talk with parents who have kids studying at schools. When Brunas''s children are not in ss, they can help gather information, and their parents can get involved too," Tang Mo decided to make use of his resources.


    In the era he hade from, teachers seldom dared to trouble parents, but this era was different; parents were still filled with reverence for the school.


    As Tang Mo spoke, he was already calling up relevant spy training manuals in his mind: "You''ll be responsible for consolidating these reports. This task can be handed to Yulin; the girl is more meticulous... Then sort out the useful... the urgent... you teach her..."


    He was speaking when he saw Wes and Tagg riding their horses at full speed along the road toward him. The two dismounted one after the other, leading their horses by the reins to Tang Mo.


    "It looks like good news," Tang Mo smiled.


    Some people may seem formidable and smart, but they still die humbly in a corner¡ªlike Beiji, for example.


    A notorious figure, he was quite capable. Unfortunately, his hesitation and greed led to his abrupt death in the wild, without even putting up a fight.


    Even Tagg and Wes felt a bit regretful; during the process of ambushing Beiji, they hadn''t had the chance to exhibit the superiority of their secret weapon, the Revolver...


    The thrill of crushing an opponent at a crucial moment with a secret weapon wentpletely unexperienced, diminishing their enthusiasm for boasting about killing Beiji.


    So, Wes simply nodded, "We each fired a shot and took care of the nuisance that was Beiji."


    "However, we don''t know where the other servant went; we might have a lot of trouble following up," Tagg added, sounding bored.


    "Look over there," Tang Mo gestured with a nod of his chin. Following the direction of Tang Mo''s gesture, they saw Redman filling the pit with soil.


    "The other one is there. He came to us on his own ord. It''s quite interesting; I''ll tell you about it when we have time," Tang Mo then said, "Within five days at most, Shireck will notice Beiji and his servant are missing."


    "It will probably take them ten days to realize something is wrong and send someone to investigate," Wes said nonchntly, "Whether the investigator can uncover the truth is anyone''s guess."


    "We can''t base our safety on the stupidity of others," Tang Mo was no fool; he knew that caution was always in fashion.


    In fact, when he decided to eliminate Beiji, the investigator from Shireck Consortium, he was already plotting how to cause trouble for Shireck Consortium.


    Just as he said, he was no saint; if Shireck was a viper, then Tang Mo certainly considered himself a foul dragon, capable and ferocious. Even if he hadn''t yet grown or transformed into a behemoth, he was bound to be carnivorous!


    "Do you have a way to get information about Shireck?" Tang Mo looked at Wes, posing a question.


    "Yes," Wes nodded. Over the years of wandering, in addition to developing hisbat skills, what made him proudest was the helpful friends he had made.


    "I''m nning to seize an opportunity to raid a Shireck transport convoy. Got the guts to join me?" Tang Mo continued to ask Wes.


    Clearly, some ideas, once they start, always tend to lead to wild thoughts. A bold, somewhat thrilling idea began to linger in Tang Mo''s mind unshakably.


    Since Lord Earl was able to rob the Shireck Consortium once, Tang Mo naturally could also seek some benefits from the already hostile Shireck. After all, if he didn''t act, the Shireck Consortium would trouble him sooner orter, so why not start earning some interest now?


    War was imminent, and Tang Mo felt it was worth trying to hit Shireck again at this time, to find some supplies to boost his own development.


    "Robbing the convoy is no problem, but, you know, boss... they have just been robbed once, they will definitely be more cautious, more careful," Wes answered with augh, obviously someone who wasn''t afraid to stir up trouble.


    Tagg, on the other hand, was much more cautious. He thought that robbing a convoy clearly required long-term nning.


    Earl Fisello was able to make a convoy vanish without a trace, the resources he must have used were obviously immense.


    The intelligencework painstakingly built over the years against the Shireck Consortium was almostpletely lost, resulting in Lord Earl''s now very sluggish reaction to the movements of the Shireck Consortium.


    The good news was that Lord Earl received armaments aspensation from Tang Mo and, with the enhanced productivity from new equipment, it was clear that Lord Earl''s losses were sustainable.


    But now Tang Mo wanted to rob a Shireck convoy as well, and whether it was worth it needed to be recalcted.


    "You don''t need to worry about that because I can assure you that no matter how cautious they are, they won''t escape our calctions," Tang Mo promised confidently with a smile.


    Wes nodded, "I''ll make a trip to Brunas, and if nothing goes wrong, I should be able to find out some information."


    "No problem, if you need money, go ask Roger," Tang Mo ordered, then saw Redman walking over with a shovel.


    "All taken care of?" Tang Mo asked, looking at the sweaty Redman.


    Redman nodded and replied, "All taken care of. The search squads have returned, the convoy has already set off again... and we''ve lifted the checkpoint we set up in the Vicious Forest."


    "Let''s go! Back we go! We still have a lot to do," Tang Mo was very satisfied with Redman''s efficiency and led the way to the distant construction site.


    After being busy for so long, they were all hungry. Aunt Cui Xi probably already had food ready, and Tang Mo was even a bit impatient.


    He always ate at the canteen with everyone, the only difference was that Aunt Cui Xi''s hand holding thedle barely trembled when she served Tang Mo''s food...


    Two men were killed and buried in the damp soil, yet none of the people following Tang Mo seemed to think there was anything amiss.


    Wes was d that he had pledged his allegiance, now irrevocably tied to Tang Mo... Tagg was thrilled to be able to help, and murder was nothing new to him... Redman followed behind with his shovel, only he felt somewhat nauseous.


    After all, this was his first time killing someone, so his face was pale, but he still stubbornly followed the others.


    He was a hunter from Northern Ridge, but he had earned Tang Mo''s favor. The moment he was chosen by Tang Mo, like many from Northern Ridge, he offered his most precious loyalty to his master.


    Just now, he had proven his loyalty with two bullets and a shovel!


    "Redman!" As he was lost in thought, Tang Mo''s voice came from ahead. He instinctively stopped and realized he almost bumped into Tang Mo.


    "Well done!" Tang Mo patted Redman''s shoulder. An eighteen-year-old youth patting a man in his thirties¡ªit might have seemed a bit awkward, but no one present felt it was out of ce.


    As if everything were as it should be, after praising Redman, Tang Mo continued, "The new recruits are doing very well! Don''t rx; I hope you can do even better!"


    "Yes, my lord!" Redman, having received Tang Mo''s praise and affirmation, straightened up like a childmended by a teacher, lifted his chin, and promised, "I will do even better!"


    Unnoticed, the group had returned to the construction site, where Mathews was assembling a brand-new, justpleted device with several apprentices.


    Seeing Tang Mo, Mathews curiously inquired, "How did it go? No hups?"


    "Obviously not," Tang Mo replied with a smile, "How about things here?"


    "Everything is smooth," Mathews responded, "But with all the copper wire you got, and this strange device, what exactly are you nning to do?"


    "To light up the world," Tang Mo said with a mysterious smile.

 Chapter 65: 65 Silver Fox Tavern

    There are several taverns in Brunas, but there is only one called the Silver Fox. Ubiquitous here are the brawny and fierce mercenaries and bandits, along with some fishermen and riffraff with tattoos covering their faces.


    "You''re a rare visitor, Wes!" The bartender, wiping a ss in his hand, spoke to the man who had just walked in looking very spirited.


    A somewhat ufortable smell lingered in the air, and the light from the gasmps cast an unhealthy glow over the entire tavern.


    "I''ve been a bit busytely, after all, you know, I''ve always been teaching people lessons." Wes pulled out a chair and sat at the bar, scattering some copper coins on the table: "A mug of ale!"


    He didn''t hide what he had been doing recently because he knew that the bartender opposite knew a lot of things.


    The bartender poured the ale into a mug and pushed it towards Wes, still smiling and not bothering to greet anyone else, he said with a boastful air, "Of course, we''ve always been quite well-informed over here."


    As he spoke, he stacked a not so shiny, wiped ss on top of another that had already been cleaned and picked up yet another ss to continue wiping: "Recently, Tang Mo''s weapon workshop has been making quite a bit of noise. I''ve heard he bought arge tract ofnd, and now it stretches all the way to the Vicious Forest..."


    The tavern wasn''trge, nor was it noisy. The thugs with ferocious demeanors sitting around seemed afraid of disturbing other formidable characters, so they kept their voices low.


    Most of those who came here were looking for information, some bandits hoping for merchant caravan news, some pirates wanting fleet news, and some cuckolds working hard hoping for news about their wives.


    "Recruiting people, building houses, and even starting a school..." The bartender''s smile did not fade as he watched Wes take a sip of his ale: "I hear there are nearly 300 kids attending for free now?"


    "He''s really splurged, enough to keep the mayor, the sheriff, and the tax collector all tight-lipped. Must''ve cost him a pretty penny, right?" The bartender leaned in closer, his body resting on the bar, fixing his gaze on Wes as if waiting for an answer.


    "Maybe." Wes set down his mug with an indifferent shrug: "Who knows."


    "Your lips have never been that tight before. Last time, you bbed all about Baron St''s private life without a second thought." The bartender stood straight again and kept his eyes down on the ss in his hand: "What''s the matter? This time, are you truly giving your loyalty to that young man Tang Mo?"


    "Sort of." Wes grabbed his mug and swirled it in front of his eyes, staring through the not-so-clear ss at the pale yellow liquid, looking somewhat preupied.


    "Then congrattions to you, finding a master worth serving isn''t easy these days." The bartender stopped wiping the ss he''d been handling, propped his elbow on the bar, and rested his chin on his hand as he looked at Wes: "What did he give you?"


    "Who?" Wes sipped his ale with apparent interest, feigning ignorance.


    Without pausing, the bartender blurted out that name: "Tang Mo."


    "My boss? What he gives isn''t cheap." Wes''s eyes caught a glimpse of the two "Ranger Killers" revolvers hanging from his waist as he yed with his mug.


    But at this moment, a mocking smile appeared on the bartender''s face. He watched Wes with amusement, casually bringing up a few terms that made Wes frown: "Hm... I can imagine. I''ve heard... there''s something called a steam engine? And some guns...


    different guns..."


    "You do like to pry..." Wes''s expression darkened as he set down his ss, lowered his face, and stared at the bartender through the rim of hisshes, speaking in a hushed tone: "Let''s get to the point, I''vee here for two things."


    "I really don''t like it when you talk to me in that tone," the bartender said, no longer wiping the ss, cing his hands where Wes couldn''t see them, with a palpable warning in his tone.


    Unfortunately for him, Wes took no notice of his threat, but continued on his own trajectory: "First, get your stupid men out of my boss''s workshop, and then, including yourself, forget these things... all things rted to my boss."


    He spoke while resting his hand underneath the bar, on his waist, atop the handle of one of the revolvers.


    This was where his confidence came from, touching the smooth handle that fit his hand perfectly filled him with a bold sense of control.


    "Well, I''m starting to doubt you want to walk out of my shabby ce today," the bartender said with a hostile tone, raising his voice. Behind Wes, several sturdy men standing by the door straightened up and looked in his direction.


    Wes had no intention of backing down. He now had two revolvers at his waist, each loaded with six bullets, enough toy everyone in here t on the ground.


    So, without turning his head, he continued to speak to the bartender: "Second, tell me about the Shireck Consortium''s Northern Ridge Iron Factory..."


    "Ha, it seems you don''t care about your life anymore." A myriad of expressions danced across the bartender''s face as he looked at Wes, as if seeing the Ranger for the first time.


    The Wes before him was indeed different from the man he knew¡ªa Ranger that once ran around solely for Gold Coins. Yet, now, this man was asking about the Shireck Consortium.


    Any person inquiring about the Shireck Consortium was either suicidal or utterly insane.


    Wes nced back at the burly men wanting to surround him and looked towards the bartender, cracking a smile and deliberately wed in his disguise, "Who says I have a death wish? I''m just trying to find out where I can buy more steel."


    The bartender sneered, giving a signal to several of his brawny underlings approaching Wes, then helplessly spread his hands under the counter, "Nowhere to buy, because Shireck spent a lot of money half a year ago to purchase all the steel. The Earl might have some left, but definitely not much."


    Wes shifted his grip on the handle of his gun and pulled out a handful of coins from his pocket, lining them up on the bar in front of the bartender.


    It was a gleaming row of Gold Coins, some old, some very new. Wes arranged them one on top of the other, his fingertip lightly brushing over, "Here are ten Gold Coins. Imagine how nice it would be if you use that little head of yours to think hard about how you could earn more from me..."


    "You''re insane, Wes," the bartender frowned, his temper ring up once more.


    "Maybe," Wes tilted his head, eyes lowered as if in self-reflection. Then he suddenly looked up at the bartender, matter-of-factly, "Crazy people are capable of anything, right?"


    "¡­" The bartender didn''t speak; he just stared at Wes as if weighing something.


    After a long moment, he finallypromised, "I''ll tell my men to keep quiet, to keep your boss''s secrets... However... Now! I''m very interested in the person you''re so devoted to, willing to risk your life for..."


    He stretched out his hand, pressing it onto the Gold Coins, fixing his gaze on Wes, "Can you arrange it? I want to meet him."


    "No problem," Wes nodded, pushing the empty ss towards the bartender, "I will get you the information as soon as possible."


    The bartender nodded as well, seeming to ept Wes'' words, "I''ll instruct my men to keep a tight lip."


    "A good start, isn''t it?" Wes let a smile appear on his face.


    Then he heard the bartender muttering to himself as if talking to no one, "The Shireck Consortium has been purchasing arge amount of metal from the Northern Ridge in thest six months. Their intention is clear¡ªto bleed Count Fisheo dry and make sure their next move is on solid ground."


    As he spoke, he twisted open a beer bottle and poured another ss for Wes. Then he sealed the bottle and slid the ss back across to Wes.


    "I heard that recently some of Shireck''s steel was robbed, and even the assants haven''t been found. It wasn''t you, was it?" As if Wes wasn''t before him, the bartender finished arranging everything then continued to wipe the sses, "This has made them very cautious; getting reliable information will take time... and we can''t guarantee we''ll even get it."


    "You could just take the information straight to my boss to negotiate, I don''t mind," Wes said, lifting the ss and lowering his voice.


    The bartender didn''t look at him but replied without the slightest hesitation, "Alright, I''ll try to find the relevant information. One should always bring a gift for introductions, shouldn''t they?"


    "Thanks," Wes took a sip of his drink, giving the bartender a nce.


    "Humph! Don''t thank me! I haven''t said anything!" The bartender huffed, correcting Wes.


    "Perhaps, but I hope you will have a pleasant chat with my boss," Wes shrugged nonchntly with a solemn assurance to the bartender.


    "Fine then, I still insist I know nothing and said nothing," the bartender, unconcerned with anything else, pushed the ten Gold Coins back to Wes, "Take your filthy money and get out of here."


    "To you!" Wes drained the remaining drink, raised his empty ss in a toast to the bartender, then mmed it down on the wooden bar with a bang, "Wait for my message!"


    "No need to see you out!" The bartender took the empty ss, continuing to scrub persistently with his cloth.


    Wes walked towards the door, hand resting on the gun at his waist like a Western cowboy, eyeing the burly men who''d just tried to encircle him. A single nce sent a chill down the tough guys'' spines.


    "What are you looking at! You only have two guns! We are seven men!" A bald man red at Wes fiercely, unwilling to be outdone in show of force.


    "Pfft... Hahaha." Wes couldn''t hold back hisughter, then like looking at a fool, he eyed the bald man while swaggering out the door.

 Chapter 66: 66 hurts feelings

    "He said that?" Tang Mo''s face wore a yful smile as he put down his pen and looked up at Wes, "The owner of the ce you often buy intelligence from wants to cooperate with me?"


    "It seems so, and he also agreed to help find the intel we want from Shireck," Wes shrugged, "He hopes to talk to you."


    "No problem, I have all the time in the world!" Tang Mo felt that Lady Luck was truly perched on his shouldertely, bringing him pillows just as he fell asleep.


    The attendant of that Beiji, had inadvertently presented himself at his doorstep, and now that he was thinking of setting up an intelligence agency, another agency conveniently showed up...


    He even felt that this might be the legendary protagonist halo; capable underlings around him seemed to have a tendency to bow their heads in allegiance.


    At that moment, Tang Mo was even a little impatient because for him, still so fragile, every increment of strength heralded a transformation.


    Reflecting on this, he tapped his fingertips twice on the blueprints in front of him and spoke to Wes, "Although letting them dangle a bit longer, whetting their appetite, seems more in our interest... the current situation is, we don''t have the luxury to waste time on such pointless psychological games."


    After saying this, he issued a directmand and instructed Wes, "Go again, tell the manager of the Silver Fox Tavern that I''ll treat him to dinner tonight."


    "That''s a good idea. Do we have anything tasty for tonight?" Wes perked up, agreeing while asking.


    "Perhaps... you could bring back a fish when you return?" Tang Mo knew there wasn''t much spare cash in his hands; in fact, he never really had any to speak of.


    Wes''s expression suddenly deted, and he shrugged his shoulders, saying helplessly, "I really wish you''d treat yourself better."


    "Don''t worry, once I have money, you''ll see what it means to throw gold around," Tang Moughed and then bent down to continue drawing on the blueprint.


    Wes couldn''t make head or tail of the blueprint Tang Mo was drawing, because it was aplex part in a three-view drawing.


    If someone familiar with these parts saw it, they would realize that Tang Mo was drawing theponents of a machine tool.


    Tang Mo had always been trying by all means to enhance his industrial production capacity, and these precision machine tools, which had undergone countless improvements and had been developed over a hundred years, were a crucial support for his industrial revolution.


    "I hope so." Wes nodded and then turned to leave Tang Mo''s room. Just before the door closed, Dwarf Mathews walked in with an odd expression on his face.


    He shut the door behind him, then walked over to Tang Mo and said, "Indeed, that thing started spinning, and I can''t wrap my head around it, so I came here to discuss it with you."


    "There''s nothing surprising about that; it''s just an application of electricity," Tang Mo replied nonchntly, as he had grown ustomed to electricity before crossing over to this world.


    "Electricity... to me, it''s an unfamiliar word," Dwarf Mathews uttered in his resonant voice, "but... it truly is something grand."


    The apparatus which used to require a jumble of chains, transmission devices, and a mess of gears toe together in aplex system, seemed downright primitive in front of Tang Mo''s novel electric energy transmission method.


    Now, with just a few special magic wires and some equipment, all thethes and drill presses in the two workshops could be automatically started up, obviating the need for the steam engine boilers originally required.


    That meant the future factories that Tang Mo would build needed only to be connected with these magic-like cables to operate. And the steam engines and other power-generating equipment could be centrally arranged.


    This would not only save a massive amount of steel needed to manufacture steam engines, but it would also spare power transmission devices, extend the range of power transmission, and expedite the construction of the factories.


    Such an incredible invention even filled Dwarf Mathews with fear¡ªfor he could no longer see just how distant the future that Tang Mo spoke of was.


    The peculiarly coated copper wires elerated the pace of building new factory buildings for Tang Mo, making his ns to expand the factories even more ambitious.


    "The lightbulb isn''t ready yet, which is a shame; otherwise, we could make this ce a lot better," Tang Mo sighed with some regret and continued working on the blueprint.


    His original hope was to set up an electrical lighting system in his factories at the same time. But things didn''t go as smoothly as he had imagined, for he couldn''t just hand-make an incandescent bulb.


    Tang Mo could awkwardly carry out some simple chemical designs ording to the data called up from the supeputer in his mind and follow the steps on a blueprint to assemble parts into a handgun.


    ```


    But his manual dexterity was indeed limited; he truly had no way of making ss himself, blowing a light bulb, andpleting the filling with krypton or xenon gases...


    In the small town of Brunas, he also couldn''t find a workshop that could produce such items for him. There were only ss workshops here, and none that could mass-produce tungsten fments...


    Although he could make some tungsten fments himself, it was clear that in terms of quality and quantity, he couldn''t reach the level he desired.


    So, he had no choice but to continue using the frustratingly inefficient gasmps, filling the entire room with a hopelessly unpleasant odor.


    "Regarding... the Shireck Consortium''s matter..." Mathews didn''t leave but carefully chose his words as he broached the subject of Shireck to Tang Mo.


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo lifted his head with interest, looking at the old dwarf who always called him master.


    "I hope we can defeat them! No matter what happens, justmand me if you need anything! I am willing to work for you into thete night every day..." Although he obviously prepared beforehand, Mathews was still somewhat nervous as he spoke, bing somewhat incoherent.


    Tang Mo finally understood what he was getting at. A smile appeared on his face as he reassured Mathews, "Don''t worry! I won''t be defeated by Shireck. Moreover, one day we will ovee this seemingly powerful but actually feeble and corrupt opponent! We will im victory and then trample them into the dirt!"


    "I will be hosting friends tonight, so I won''t be going to the cafeteria. Do me a favor and tell Aunt Cui Xi to cook a few dishes and send them over here," said Tang Mo as he ced apleted blueprint on the other side of the table, then continued drawing on a new sheet of drafting paper.


    Because he was merely tracing, Tang Mo drew very quickly, but the task still consumed much of his time, always reminded him of a protagonist in a boring novel he had read in his previous life.


    That unfortunate protagonist was jokingly referred to as a "human-shaped self-propelled drafting machine," who also dedicated himself to the innovation of technology every day, creating many advanced blueprints, heralding many technological breakthroughs.


    Compared to that fellow, Tang Mo''s situation was clearly worse. He wasn''t a lord, had no military or territory of his own, and didn''t even have enough funds for development.


    How he wished for some madman to discover this potential stock and invest a hefty sum of billions all at once, allowing him to immediatelyplete the umtion of initial capital.


    Unfortunately, he wasn''t that lucky and could only expand his factory bit by bit, train new recruits in stages, and start teaching little by little...


    "Alright! May I ask, those strange substances wrapped in copper wire, are they a new material you invented?" Mathews bowed and then headed for the door; after opening it, he looked back and asked.


    Without lifting his head, Tang Mo replied, "That''s rubber. We had some stocked up in the warehouse before. A part of it was used for the steam engine''s gas valves, and the rest were made into electrical wire instion."


    With his question answered, Mathews''s mood clearly brightened. Although he still didn''t understand the series of questions about electricity, at least he could be sure of one thing¡ªTang Mo would definitely tell him all about it in time.


    What he didn''t know was that, in the room, Tang Mo, whose thoughts had been prompted by him, sat with a face full of worry.


    As soon as Tang Mo mentioned rubber, he suddenly felt immense pressure for raw materials: Brunas, where he resided, did not produce rubber.


    This precious rubber material had to be shipped over the sea, avable in limited quantities and not cheaply priced.


    Tang Mo, aiming to develop industry, was extremely sensitive to these crucial industrial materials. He immediately realized that Brunas, the ce he started from, was actually not suitable forrge-scale industrial production.


    While it had coal and iron, itcked other things: rubber from the south and the so-called industrial blood, oil!


    Without these two materials, Tang Mo''s industrial expansion couldn''t bepleted, or rather, he couldn''t truly establish a self-sufficient industrial base in Brunas in the short term.


    Games were more convenient, Tang Momented in his mind. If this were a game, just deploying a base vehicle would solve all problems!


    Tang Mo rubbed his temples and started pondering how to potentially (co)operate borate) with the representative from the Silver Fox Tavern he would meetter.


    Even a mosquito''s leg is meat; any force that can be united or incorporated is too precious for him right now.


    To face the uing waves, he felt he should enjoy this dinner thoroughly. If the Silver Fox Tavern proved useful, then he would recruit them.


    As for the cost... isn''t talking money too upsetting? Right?


    ```

 Chapter 67: 67 criminal civilians

    When Tang Mo encountered the head of the Silver Fox Tavern, even he was startled by the other''s appearance.


    If Tang Mo''s arrival in this world was an ident, then seeing the "Silver Fox" in front of him was an even greater surprise.


    The other was an old man with a head of white hair, a beard, long facial hair, and a face covered with wrinkles.


    He was hunched over, leaning on a cane that looked quite ordinary, followed by a burly man, whom Wes had told Tang Mo was known as the bartender.


    Due to his frailty and hunched back, the old man seemed to be about the same height as Mathews; however, the two old men had apletely different presence.


    Dwarf Mathews was strong. Though short, his build was broadly solid. But the old man before him just seemed to exude a sense of pure and straightforward frailty¡ªthe kind you''d associate with someone in their twilight years.


    An old man isn''t anything unusual, but what was special about this old man was that he was somebody just like Tang Mo, with a pair of ck eyes¡ªthe same kind of person as he was.


    He saw the surprise in Tang Mo''s eyes and with a smile said, "Really, I didn''t expect that Tang Qi''s child would grow up so much in the blink of an eye."


    The man next to him, who acted like a bodyguard, helped him walk over to Tang Mo. The old man sized up Tang Mo from head to toe.


    "What''s the matter? Curious? Curious how a sinner ends up here, bing the head of the Silver Fox Tavern?" The old man brought up the topic Tang Mo was interested in but offered no exnation.


    The old man simply gestured with his hand toward the factory buildings behind Tang Mo and asked, "Won''t you invite me inside to sit down?"


    Tang Mo was seeing another "Chinese person" for the first time in this world, so it took him a moment to adjust his emotions.


    He smiled, made a weing gesture, and chuckled as he replied, "Of course, pleasee in! I have yet to ask for the gentleman''s name."


    "Hahaha! This old man is named Li''ao," the white-haired, bearded old manughed as he said, "I''m also a sinner, nothing much to speak of, just running a tavern in Brunas."


    Tang Mo actually knew that the ocean next to Brunas was named the Endless Sea, and naturally, there were many countries on the other side of this sea.


    And sinners were those exiled by an ancient kingdom on the other side of the Endless Sea.


    These sinners, havingmitted crimes in that kingdom, were thus exiled and became homeless wanderers.


    Most sinners were directly cast away on an ind, left to fend for themselves, which is why many would try everything to escape the inds, fleeing to other countries to scrape by.


    The mortality rate of sinners was extremely high, with over ny percent dying from hunger and cold. Only a few survived the escape and ended up in other ces, such as the Leite Kingdom.


    In this world, it was only the sinners who had names in a pattern familiar to Tang Mo, and such names weren''t particrly strange even in a country like Leite Kingdom.


    After all, there were dwarves here, as well as the asional elf or orc passing through; names, surnames, even appearances, no matter how odd, didn''t attract too much attention.


    "Mr. Li''ao hase to see me, do you have some business?" After the initial surprise, Tang Mo began to seek regaining the initiative of the meeting. He did not want to be led by the nose by an old man and end up conceding the dominance of the cooperation.


    The old man named Li''ao had a smile on his face, ncing at the noise in the nearby factory and, answering a question with a question, he mused, "Tang Qi''s workshop has grown so big under your hands, really... Quite impressive."


    "Um... You didn''te here just for a tour, did you?" Tang Mo led the way to his own office and invited the two men in.


    The office was clearly well-kept; the messy blueprints on Tang Mo''s desk had been organized and put away, leaving only some of Aunt Cui Xi''s specialty dishes on the table.


    Two bottles of newly purchased beer were ced upright on the table, clearly showing the modest standards of the evening meal.


    Clearly, Li''ao, who had followed Tang Mo into the room, didn''t mind the less than thorough hospitality.


    He waved his hand with a chuckle and said to Tang Mo, "Of course not, I''m here for cooperation. I find you, young man, quite interesting, and at least, I think your actions are very good."


    "If we''re talking about cooperation, what does the elder think we can cooperate on?" Tang Mo walked back to his chair, plopped down into it, and assumed afortable position.


    Just before he went out to wee the old man and his group, he had inspected his factory; he was so busy he almost forgot about the dinner engagement.


    A brand-new workshop had been put into operation, with hundreds of workers starting work there. Tang Mo''s factory had begun mass-producing paper-encased cartridges, and the supply of ammunition to Northern Ridge was no longer a concern, at least for the moment.


    "You could pay me a sum of money each month, and I would provide you with many... the kind of news you''re interested in. Whatever kind, as long as you find it interesting," the old man named Li''ao pointed to himself as he spoke.


    The bartender beside him pulled out a chair for him, and then stood behind the old man Li''ao.


    Although Tang Mo seemed to be developing rapidly at the moment, he was actually so poor he might as well use poverty as pants¡ªeven though Northern Ridge was very satisfied with his steam equipment, the goods he could get in the short term would probably be limited to the various items abundantly produced by Northern Ridge.


    Some were food, the supplies stockpiled by Northern Ridge, intentionally depressed in price; others were ores mined from Northern Ridge, the quantities of which were only set to increase!


    Regrettably, while bothmodities were valuable, they really weren''t shiny coins, the Gold Coins coveted by all.


    Therefore, Tang Mo had no choice but to momentarily forget about Gold Coins, and changed the subject, "That sounds great, but, old sir... did youe here just to do a trade? If that''s the case, there''s no need for you toe personally, I could simply have Wes pay for the information at your tavern."


    Negotiations were his forte. It was all about blustering and finding a way to bring the other party into his rhythm; that was victory, wasn''t it?


    "You''re right, my personal visit isn''t just to clinch a deal. As you know, information in the hands of someone who understands its importance is truly valuable. I''m here to verify if you are such a person..." The old man remained even-tempered as he exined to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo, seeing that the other party had sidestepped the Gold Coin transaction for now, quickly agreed, "Actually, I ce a high value on all kinds of information."


    He pointed at himself and began boasting with the airs of a go-between: "However, I am a businessman, an honest businessman involved in producing and selling products; I don''t have much time to pay attention to some very important information."


    "Then, let us provide you with this service, as long as you can afford the corresponding price," Li''ao steered the topic back to the matter of price.


    He couldn''t help it; while he had other considerations, his professional habit made him more concerned about the profit aspect.


    Tang Mo dered with apparent magnanimity, as though he had abundant funds: "I''ve said it before, it''s a good proposal, and as long as thepensation is suitable, I have no issue with it."


    "So, how much do you n to offer?" Li''ao asked eagerly upon hearing Tang Mo speak like this.


    Upon the question from Li''ao, Tang Mo began his performance: "In fact, remuneration can be divided into many aspects, can''t it? It might be beneficial for both you and me if we avoid using Gold Coins."


    "Weck for nothing..." Li''ao furrowed his brow, unsure what Tang Mo nned to pay with.


    "Don''t be so sure; the things I can provide might enable you to work much more efficiently in many situations," Tang Mo boasted.


    In fact, he did have many things that organizations concerned with intelligence gathering would adore: the telegraph machine was one of them!


    Tang Mo was currently working on his own power generation system, and once operational, it would light up many paths on the technology tree.


    One aspect was technologies like electroting, and the other was the corresponding application of radio waves. Given that the blueprints and technology were allplete with Tang Mo, he would soon be able to produce wireless radio equipment.


    With such a device, the speed of information transmission would increase exponentially. When information became timely, it also became more valuable.


    Unfortunately, Tang Mo''s telegraph was still in the database of the supeputer in his mind; he hadn''t even managed to produce a light bulb yet, let alone a wireless telegraph.


    Therefore, Tang Mo had no way to use the telegraph to bamboozle Li''ao in front of him; he had to think of something else.


    In the blink of an eye, Tang Mo had already brainstormed a whole mess of things, like telegraph tampers, C4 explosives, and more, but he couldn''t produce any of them at present.


    He surely couldn''t act like an insurance salesman, brandishing a few PPT charts and start boldly envisioning the future, could he?


    Across the table, the old man Li''ao wasn''t much interested in Tang Mo''s ideas but politely voiced his curiosity: "Oh?"


    "You see, we are producing new weapons, better than the ones provided by Shireck Consortium," Tang Mo was ready to bring out the Revolver, his "gship product" currently in hand.


    However, Li''ao seemed uninterested: "Although we sometimes need weapons, most of the time, we''re just gathering intelligence and don''t require so many weapons..."


    "What about food?" Tang Mo asked again.


    "What do we need food for? To distribute as rations to our informants?" Li''ao frowned.


    "I also have salt, backpacks made of leather... even pots and pans, kitchen knives... shovels and bays..." Tang Mo rattled off a list of his Consortium''s products in one breath.


    Li''ao''s expression turned incredibly vivid: "Are you joking? What use do you think I have for this jumble of items? To hand them out as benefits to my subordinates?"


    Tang Mo feigned shock in response, "What''s wrong with that? Isn''t improving employee benefits something you should consider?"

 Chapter 68: Happy cooperation 68

    "I hope you''ll stop talking nonsense, do you not intend to contribute a single penny to our cooperation?" Li''ao looked at Tang Mo, seemingly trying to discern something from Tang Mo''s face.


    But Tang Mo''s face showed nothing but calmness; no hints could be discerned. It seemed that he indeed did not n to pay a penny for the intelligencework of the Silver Fox Tavern.


    This feeling made Li''ao very ufortable. In reality, the assets of the Silver Fox Tavern were his pride and joy, the sum of all his hard work, and he was reluctant to let anyone belittle his creation.


    It was as if you had spent months painting a picture, and in the end, someone offered to trade it for two buns and a bottle of c...


    Thus, Li''ao even felt that Tang Mo was humiliating him, which irritated him as a patron of many unemployed wanderers in Brunas.


    Tang Mo also felt that if he continued to tease the old man in front of him, he might ruin the deal thaty before him.


    He did not want to give up this ready-made intelligencework; the second he saw Li''ao, the old man, he felt that thework should be under his, Tang Mo''s, control ¨C to be his eyes and the power in his darkness.


    For some reason, he just had this feeling, so he changed his tone and said to Li''ao, "Actually, I think it''s more appropriate for us to establish cooperation first, before we discuss such vulgar things as gold coins."


    Li''ao got somewhat angry and shook his head at Tang Mo, saying irritably, "If that''s the case, I don''t think there''s any need for us to continue this conversation."


    "Before you go, may I ask, what exactly brought you here this time?" Tang Mo was not annoyed but simply looked at Li''ao and asked curiously.


    He knew that if it were merely a matter of cooperation, the other party would definitely not havee forward. Even the big bartender wouldn''t have had to personally visit Tang Mo''s weapon workshop.


    Therefore, Tang Mo knew there had to be a motive, something he could use as leverage to facilitate their cooperation.


    Li''ao stared at Tang Mo and scoffed coldly, "I don''t think it makes sense to have a heart-to-heart with a madman."


    "At least you don''t have to worry about a madman''s nonsense leaking your secrets, right?" Tang Mo pointed at himself, saying with self-mockery.


    He also knew that his behavior of not offering money was actually quite insincere. The fact that the other party was still sitting here, listening to so much of his nonsense, was already quite restrained.


    So, adopting a tough attitude, he self-deprecated and then continued to Li''ao, "Let''s hear it. Perhaps, I can manage whatever it is you need?"


    "Well, I don''t know why, but I might be crazy too. I actually think you might help me realize a desire buried deep in my heart." After contemting for a while, Li''ao finally sighed and spoke to Tang Mo, the pauper.


    In fact, he had guessed Tang Mo''s current situation: on the one hand, Tang Mo indeed needed an intelligencework very much; on the other, he genuinely didn''t seem to have much money.


    He could tell from Tang Mo''s eagerness, which he tried to mask with jokes but couldn''t hide, that Tang Mo desperately needed the power of the Silver Fox Tavern to support him.


    He could also judge from the endless construction sites outside Tang Mo''s office that Tang Mo''s expansion pace was definitely not saving up much money.


    Just a nce was enough to make it clear that, given Tang Mo''s rate of expansion, he probably had fewer gold coins left in his pocket than Wes''s private funds. Although Tang Mo was trying hard to hide it, he couldn''t conceal such obvious facts.


    After all, Li''ao was an old fox; he had lived so many years and wouldn''t havee this far without such insight.


    Actually, one of the main reasons he stayed seated and hadn''t left was because he saw Tang Mo''s shamelessness, the tenacity in trying to mask his weaknesses until the very end.


    "Let''s hear it, perhaps I really can be of help?" Tang Mo, a man who had lived two lifetimes and weathered many storms, knew that the other party had likely already seen through his disadvantage, so he tantly began to y hardball.


    Since both parties had their own needs, and neither one had any right to look down upon the other, why not talk it through with the spirit of mutual benefit?


    Old Li''ao sighed, seemingly measuring his words, while Tang Mo did not disturb him, letting him perform his face-saving maneuvers.


    Finally, Li''ao spoke, looking at Tang Mo with a hint of destion, "Alright... Alright... Before I came here, I thought that one day, you could take me, or at least my corpse, back to my homnd."


    Tang Mo strained to search his memories for that distant, mysterious ce, but found nothing.


    He knew that his father, Tang Qi, and his mother were from there, convicted residents of that ce, never entitled to return.


    For him, other than the people there having oriental faces, which gave him a sense of kinship, he truly had little longing for that so-called homnd.


    So, he spoke, asking for confirmation, "The eastern side of the Endless Sea?"


    "Yes, take me back there and bury me in my homnd," Li''ao coughed twice and pointed to himself, "It''s just a pity that, as things stand now, you don''t seem to have the capacity to do it."


    "Let''s not beat around the bush, old man," Tang Mo''s smile faded, and he changed his tone, "Even though you''re getting on in years, you''re still far from passing on your legacy. The informationwork of the Silver Fox Tavern is very valuable to me, and merely sending you back to your homnd for burial is not worth such a high price."


    "That''s why I said you might not be able to handle an enterprise asrge as the Silver Fox Tavern," Li''ao sped his hands together, propping his chin on them.


    "Actually, I can handle it, but I need a bit of time," Tang Mo thought for a few seconds and then said to Li''ao.


    "Oh? How long do you think it will take for you to umte enough Gold Coin to support the entire messagework of the Silver Fox Tavern? Six months? A year? Or ten years?" Li''ao grinned and mockingly said.


    After pondering earnestly, Tang Mo gave an answer that left Li''ao agape: "About three months, maybe five at most¡­"


    This time frame wasn''t whimsically given by Tang Mo but was a very reasonable estimation based on meticulous calction.


    In three months, his steam engine could be making a significant impact in Northern Ridge, potentially resulting in a considerable number of orders.


    If these orders came through, Tang Mo felt he would definitely have the money to properly expand his intelligence operations. So, the shortest time he offered was three months.


    As for the six-month time frame, Tang Mo thought that if Northern Ridge won the war, he stood to receive arge sum of war dividends.


    Once Earl Fisello was victorious in the war, he would get a substantial amount of money, along with swathes ofnd and vast resources¡­


    With these assets, he could embark on unbridled expansion and forge himself into a group in the truest sense.


    At that time, he would possess various forms of wealth, including mines, roads, fields, and factories, and then have these assets generate even more wealth for him.


    "Do you really need only three months to get the money?" Li''ao asked incredulously.


    Tang Mo nodded and said, "In fact, I was being conservative. If we go by the fastest estimate, I could probably have the money in two months to start our cooperation."


    "Plus, I have many technologies rted to intelligence transmission that I can share," Tang Mo, still not forgetting his telegraph system, proposed, "Once my experiments here are sessful, I can also use the technology to increase my investment in the Silver Fox Tavern in a shareholding manner."


    "Well then, I will spend the next two months thoroughly investigating Shireck''s steel transportation. Rest assured...I''ll give you a conclusive report," Li''ao thought about it and promised Tang Mo.


    He had been considering cooperation all along. Since Tang Mo only needed two months, he was willing to wait patiently.


    "I can provide you with two revolvers! With these for self-defense, your people might be safer in certain operations," Tang Mo naturally wouldn''t decline nor waste his Gold Coin, so he took out the revolver as a product to sway the Silver Fox Tavern''s people.


    "We have many of Shireck''s matchlock guns." Old Li''ao said confidently.


    "Believe me, Shireck''s weapons are all garbage!" Tang Moughed heartily, "Wes! Bring your weapon, go to the shooting range, and show Mr. Li''ao just how fearsome our revolvers really are!"


    "No problem!" Wes, upon hearing themand, appeared at the door, opened it, and made a weing gesture.


    "So, shall we say the cooperation is going well?" Tang Mo began to relish his meal, not wanting to waste Aunt Cui Xi''s borate dinner preparation.


    "The cooperation is going well!" Li''ao nodded his head, not staying for the meal, and stood up, letting the bartender support him as they left Tang Mo''s factory.


    Exiting Tang Mo''s office, the bartender who saw Wes waiting there saw him make another inviting gesture, leading the two to the new shooting range.


    By the time the bartender, who was assisting Li''ao, and the old man himself left Tang Mo''s factory, their expressions were grave.


    Because the bartender was carrying a wooden box, and inside the box were two mass-produced revolvers made by Tang Mo.


    Without fancy engravings or any other unnecessary decorations, the two unremarkable revolversy quietly in the box, apanied by dozens of percussion caps and bullets.


    Having seen these weapons fire continuously, both Li''ao and the bartender seemed to gain a new understanding of Tang Mo.

 Chapter 69: The most pleasant sound is 69

    Northern Ridge, thergest iron mine controlled by Earl Ronin Fisallo, was also thergest iron mine on Northern Ridge.


    After years of development, the area was riddled with wounds, and mining entrances everywhere could be seen, some abandoned and others still in use.


    Everywhere, workers rested, these mine workers'' jobs were dangerous and very busy every day.


    They entered the dim mines, then mined the iron ore, ced the ore into their bamboo baskets andrge baskets, and carried it out of the mines with effort.


    Then they carried the ore to a fixed collection point, received the corresponding voucher, and after umting enough vouchers, they could exchange them for their daily wages.


    Such a system ensured the miners'' efficiency and, to some extent, ensured the reasonable allocation of time to maintain the high efficiency of the mine.


    A miner sitting by the roadined while wiping his sweaty neck with a towel covered in grime, "Lately, work really seems more and more hopeless. Although Lord Earl pays well, the work in the mine is definitely getting more exhausting."


    Now they were required to work 12 hours a day, which could be said to be a very harsh work duration.


    However, these workers did nothing butin, for if they went to work in the mines of other nobility, it was not surprising to work 14 hours a day.


    Another miner alsoined, gasping for air, clearly having just carried a basket of ore out, "Right? Just yesterday we were made to work an extra hour... when I got home, I just copsed to the ground."


    An old man sitting nearby with graying hair snorted, leaving his clothes open in the already cold weather, showing off his muscles inside, "You think you had it bad? My son and the others worked till midnight yesterday! Descending the mine with carbidemps! Nearly worked to death."


    Many of the people here were third-generation miners, their grandfathers were miners, their fathers were too, and naturally, their sons as well.


    They did the same work, and generation after generation rarely left thisnd, watching with their own eyes as the mountains were dug into a honeb, losing their shape.


    While speaking, the old man sighed, "There''s nothing we can do. Lord Earl needs a lot of steel, so we can only do some extra work to help him out."


    What he said resonated with many miners. They knew how the Earl looked after them, which is why at times like this, they helped the Earl increase the steel production.


    Even if unwilling, even if exhausted and covered in grime, they still responded with their simplest actions to the ruler''s slight, inadvertent kindness.


    This is the simple people, these are the kind people, this is the power that resides within themon folk¡ªjust a glimpse of it is enough to change dynasties!


    "Ah, this damn life, when will it end?" someone voiced what was on everyone''s mind amidst the crowd.


    Thus, more sighs resounded, unwittingly merging into a chorus.


    "Have you heard? Another mine copsed yesterday. It took over an hour to dig out a passage and rescue people, with 7 injured. Scared everyone half to death," a new topic began at someone''s inquire.


    Another miner next to him nodded, still shaken, "Of course I heard. That mine shaft was dug temporarily in the first ce, and now with constant mining, how could there not be idents?"


    Ever since people learned to use minerals and started extracting them by digging, mining disasters have always been the miners'' nightmare who rely on mining for a living.


    Once a disaster strikes, a copse buries lives under the mine, paralyzing the miners'' livelihood, leading to utter despair.


    Fortunately, this time the copse of the vein at Northern Ridge wasn''t severe. Work soon resumed, and there was no substantial loss of life.


    An old miner sighed for himself and for everyone around him, "Ah, the old mines keep getting deeper, and new mines keep increasing. That''s just how it is, there''s no other way imaginable..."


    The foreman came over with a carbidemp, reminding the resting miners as he walked, "Stop talking, take a good rest, and get ready to go down the mine soon."


    His words brought about more sighs, as everyone felt oppressed by life, unable to breathe freely, "Ah..."


    Suddenly, not far from next door, a roar like a tidal wave suddenly erupted, "Oh!"


    Everyone heard it clearly, they all got up from the ground, and looked in the direction from where the shouts came.


    Then, they heard even more distinct shouts, as if the people over there had all gone mad, "Long live!"


    The miners here also started to show signs of minor unrest, with everyone bustling around and curious questions asionally emerging from the crowd, "What are they shouting about over there?"


    "No, no idea... Why did they suddenly start cheering?" More people were in a state of confusion, looking around at each other, clueless about what had happened on the other side.


    So, aside from those asking questions, even more people could only exchange puzzled nces and join in asking, "Strange, what''s going on?"


    "Over there, isn''t that Mine No. 3? What on earth is happening?" An old miner, having discerned the direction, asked the foreman standing by his side.


    The foreman did know something and responded, "This morning, quite a few carriages came by, saying they brought some kind of, some kind of machine."


    He tried hard to recall what the machine looked like, only remembering parts resembling a chimney, along with some wheels and metal rods.


    In any case, with his experience, he couldn''t figure out what the thing was. All he knew was that many workers apanied it, and there were over a dozen carriages just for transport.


    He then saw those unfamiliar workers unloading manyponents from the carriages, some gears appeared to be quiterge.


    As he reminisced, he described everything he had seen: "Those workers were constantly assembling the machine, though I have no clue what it''s for."


    "Old Jamie took some people to look, and they saw lots of individuals carrying segments of steel into the mine, clueless as to what they were doing," another miner with some knowledge of the situation joined the conversation.


    In short, Mine No. 3 had been wrapped in mystery since this morning. Now, with a day having passed and cheersing from there, it wasn''t so surprising after all.


    "Anyway, it''s all a big confusing mess, andter they started burning coal, still no idea what it''s all about." The partially informed worker gesticted, then feeling baffled by his own words, shook his head, pursed his lips, and fell silent.


    The old miner frowned, looking towards the direction of the cheering, and muttered, "But, what''s the cause of those cheers?"


    "Who, who knows? Maybe, maybe there was a mine copse, and there''s no more work to do?" A young miner felt he was onto something brilliant.


    "Are you stupid? Cheer for no more work? What will you eat if there''s no job? Idiot!" The foreman by his side looked at the fool with disdain.


    The old miner also thought the ''brilliant'' young one beside him was beyond help: "We just don''t want to work an extra 3 hours a day, not that we don''t want to work at all! You dimwit!"


    "What am I to say about you? Pig-brained... No, no, no, pigs are much smarter than you, hahaha!" The well-informed miner also took a look at his colleague and let out a slyugh.


    Meanwhile, in front of Mine No. 3, a not-so-huge machine was spinning rapidly.


    Its flywheel was rotating at a dizzying speed, making spectators extremely nervous. Under the swift operation of this machine, a series of gears transferred motion, causing the metallic chains nearby to begin turning bit by bit.


    Before the watchful eyes of the crowd, one mining cart after another was sent into the mine, and not long after, emerged on the other side filled with heaps of ore.


    On the connected iron rails, these carts were efficiently unloading ores, requiring only a few workers to continuously empty the contents onto the adjacent ground.


    It was like a tireless bull capable of recing humans, tirelessly hauling ore out of the mine.


    From now on, the miners of Mine No. 3 wouldn''t need to frequently travel between the surface and the depths; they just had to keep mining within the mine.


    With this machine, the miners no longer had to work overtime to achieve their previous outputs. If they were willing to do extra work, they could even triple their production speed.


    Just install such machinery at every mine, and the Earl''s mining fields would extract ores at several times the pace of other fields!


    Alice stood by the side, her beautiful eyes shimmering with excitement. When she saw the equipment finally assembled and starting to operate, a new thought crossed her mind, a desire to visit Brunas.


    She was genuinely curious about the kind of person who could design such a sophisticated device.


    As she watched the machine tirelessly spinning before her, it seemed nothing short of a colossal money printer, ceaselessly working.


    That feeling was simply too marvelous¡ªat that moment, she envisioned countless scenes: looms shuttling back and forth under the drive of the steam engine, millstones rotating ceaselessly, hammers repeatedly striking the anvil... And the sounds of friction, pounding, and nking mingled together in her ears, transforming into the sound of coins shing...


    For her, that was truly the most delightful sound in the world.

 Chapter 70: 70 times better than poetry

    The steam engine was working, its rotating flywheel driving a series of gears, which pulled the ore carts, chained together, one after another, out of the mine shaft.


    The miners waiting nearby, under the guidance of workers from Tang Mo''s Great Tang Group, easily flipped the lever above, disengaging the rotation of the steam engine from the entire mechanism, and thus the carts came to a stop.


    On the other side, workers by the tracks stepped forward, tipping the ore carts filled with ores to one side, dumping the contents out.


    The remaining miners hurriedly shoveled the ores to a farther location, the whole process flowing smoothly, with unimaginable speed.


    This was but the first revolution of the mine, and with more mining equipment toe, the speed at which humans mined ore would soon increase tenfold or a hundredfold, fast to a terrifying extent.


    Look at those huge pits in Siberia, like meteorite craters, where humans before their own massive excavations stand as insignificant as dust.


    "Miss! We''ve done a test. As long as this machine keeps running, our mining speed will be three times faster than before!" reported a foreman to Alice, who stood silent with a pocket watch in hand.


    "Very good! At least our money wasn''t wasted, was it?" Alice said with a smile, without turning her head.


    She was admiring a piece of art, an art she had dreamed of owning. This machine, with just a few people shoveling coal and lighting fires, could do the work of giants.


    Here, she had watched for over ten minutes and the machine showed no signs of stopping, rotating incessantly, emitting steam intermittently as if it were alive.


    This was Northern Ridge''s greatest reliance, the future of Northern Ridge! With such machinery, her father would own more industries, more money, and more power to revitalize the Ronin Family!


    Standing here, she suddenly remembered that Tang Mo had even sent her the steam engine blueprints.


    Those precious blueprints, dazzling more than jewels, were lying on her dressing table at this moment, each inscribed with neat handwriting.


    A man she had never met presented the world''s most luminous pearl¡ªit felt too good. This feeling made her restless, her cheeks as flushed as a ripe apple.


    Compared to that young man in Brunas, those noblemen who had once pursued her were nothing but trash.


    They had only their fathers'' shadows, only clich¨¦s, only wealth and status that didn''t truly belong to them...


    The poetry purchased with money, praising her beauty, was just a pile of useless text before those blueprints.


    When she saw the note on the stack of blueprints from Tang Mo that read "To the beautiful Miss Alice," she found those words so beautiful that she couldn''t help but touch them.


    "Hiss..." The steam engine''s safety valve released excess steam once more, blowing against the scarf around Alice''s neck, brushing against her slender neck, ticklish and extremelyfortable.


    "Order five more steam engines from Tang Mo! And by the way, have our workers take a good look at these things," Alice ordered, setting aside her girlish fancies. She brushed her temple hair with her hand, tucking the slightly disheveled strands behind her ear.


    She strutted toward her carriage with her long legs, the smile on her face impossible to conceal. "Where''s father? Has he gone to the military barracks again?"


    "Yes, Miss!" the guard following Alice bowed slightly and opened the carriage door for her.


    Many noble girls could ride horses, but few went out riding frequently. Riding might affect the shape of their legs, so noble daughters preferred carriages.


    They only chose to ride horses during gatherings or journeys, as a fashionable sport or for social interaction.


    Alice was no exception. She too was a girl, one who loved beauty and cared about her figure, so although she asionally cut an impressive figure on horseback, she was more often the demure and gracefuldy.


    That''s women¡ªthey could be sultry, sexy, adorable, or cute, but they wished only to reveal these different images to the one man.


    ...


    On the training field, Ronin Fisallo rode his warhorse, watching the first infantry battalion of the Northern Ridge Legion do its firstrge-scale live-fire exercise after rearming with new weapons.


    Rows of soldiers were neatly arranged, facing the harsh northern wind in the wide fields, chins up, awaiting orders.


    The soldiers, in their bright yellow uniforms, shouldered newly acquired, a total of 410 Great Tang Group K1 Quick Guns.


    The Great Tang breechloader had been in service with the Northern Ridge military for more than a day or two, and the primary forces under Earl Fisello had already trained with this weapon in batches.


    Many people had already trained with this weapon at the target range multiple times and gone through dozens of simted loading exercises.


    Lord Earl was no fool; although he could not procure arge number of the actual breechloading rifles, he could use wood to make models for training purposes.


    After training with the props, soldiers could then be acquainted with the real thing, strengthening their muscle memory and thereby speeding up the training process.


    The soldiers of the Northern Ridge Legion were already among the elite, chosen from hundreds, and obviously, they were more perceptive than the makeshift troops.


    So, after over two months of training, the soldiers of the 1st Battalion hadpleted their rearmament, which filled Lord Earl with immense pride.


    "Raise your guns!"manded an officer, surrounded by a group of knights and holding high the wolf banner of Northern Ridge, his voice echoing loudly.


    Upon hearing themand, the soldiers promptly lowered the breechloading rifles from their shoulders, assuming the ready-to-fire position.


    Though they all wore the standard bright yellow uniforms of the Leite Kingdom, there were some apparent differences in their attire. Their equipment belts were more scientific, and the ammo was ced in a more essible spot on either side.


    All the soldiers were issued standardized bays and identical water canteens at their backs; thanks to Tang Mo, whose mass-produced gear elevated the military bearing of the Northern Ridge Legion up a notch.


    "Fire!" Along with the officer''smand, the first row of soldiers squeezed their triggers, and the dense sound of gunfire startled birds in the distance.


    An entire row of soldiers fired almost in unison, and a cloud of white smoke instantly filled the space in front of their formation. Behind that white smoke screen, soldiers set down their rifles at almost the same moment, bending their heads to quickly clean their barrels.


    Secondster, they skillfully extracted a new cartridge¡ªa paper-wrapped Mini¨¦ ball¡ªfrom the ammo pouches at their sides.


    Because it fit the rifling better, Tang Mo''s breechloading rifles were more urate than flintlocks, with rifling utilization fundamentally increasing the effective range of firearms for the first time.


    Soon after a volley of gunfire and before the smoke had even cleared, these soldiers of the Northern Ridge, having fired their first shot, raised their rifles again.


    Their confidence was nearly boundless, for they knew they had been equipped with the most powerful rifles of the era; they were now much stronger than their enemies!


    They had no reason tock confidence, as their enemies'' rifles had a firing rate only a third of the Quick Gun''s!


    No one could withstand the barrage of a Quick Gun like a torrential storm! Furthermore, Lord Earl had formed a "Revolver Team"!


    Elite cavalry armed with Northern Ridge revolvers could slice into the enemy''s weakest point at the critical moment, shattering their formation in an instant.


    Ronin Fisallo, who had fought battles all his life, knew that even the troops trained under him could not withstand the crushing firepower of six simultaneous volleys.


    Once this cavalry force entered the battlefield, the enemymanders would only have a multiple-choice question before them: tomit suicide or surrender, or rally their fleeing troops and thenmit suicide or surrender...


    "Second row, step forward!" Not far away, the officer called out the order, and the wolf g snapped in the fierce wind.


    Fisheo, however, was thinking about his daughter. He had heard that Tang Mo had given all the steam engine blueprints to his daughter, and upon hearing this, he felt a sense of indignity as if he had been robbed.


    How did that rascale by such dumb luck to engage his daughter''s greatest interest? And that scoundrel had the audacity to offer up his most prized invention...


    To think of it was maddening! His most cherished, most precious... untouched by any for over a decade... was now suddenly in jeopardy. Who could remain calm about that?


    "Dream on!" he railed internally, then heaved a powerless sigh¡ªknowing that if that Tang Mo continued to rush down the path of money-making, his own daughter might actually fall for him.


    After all, who doesn''t know the value of their own cabbages...


    In the distance, a knight sped on his horse until he slowed as he approached. The rider on horseback nodded in respect, delivering the report, "Lord! The weapons sent from King City have arrived! 1,000 Shireck Flintlock Guns! They''ve sent 100 extra... but..."


    "But what?" Earl Fisello raised an eyebrow, momentarily setting aside thoughts of his daughter.


    "But the 30 cannons they promised to give us, they said we''d have to wait two more months..." The messenger knight reined his horse, turning it in a circle, and spoke with some annoyance.


    "No matter! The great battle approaches, and we hope they will deliver the cannons on time!" Fisheo looked over at the troops of the 1st Battalion and said with full confidence.

 Chapter 71: 71 visits

    "Are you sure I look like a noble in this outfit?" Tang Mo looked down at the clothes he was wearing, standing in front of Roger.


    The suit was custom-made in the most respectable tailor shop in Brunas town. The owner''s child was Tang Mo''s student, so he received a rather generous discount.


    Putting on the vest, Tang Mo even felt his breathing be a bit heavier. Clothing of this era was far from simple, with sleeves adorned with intricate patterns.


    "Now that you''re Lord Earl''s Guardian Knight, you naturally need to dress more presentably," Roger said, picking up Tang Mo''s coat and looking at the impably ironed grey suit on him with slight dissatisfaction, "But why did you choose grey? This fabric really does look rather dowdy."


    "It hides the dirt," Tang Mo didn''t wish to exin to old Roger why he had chosen such an inconspicuous grey over bright yellow, azure, or bold red.


    In the world he was familiar with, those who opted for suits in red, blue, yellow, or green were either cheap performers ying to the gallery or foolish show-offs shot dead by random gunfire in the afternoon.


    So, he made up a reason that left old Roger bothughing and crying before putting on his coat, slipping a specially made triangr gun holster under his arm.


    He inserted the Colt Left-Wheel Handgun that neither Wes nor Tagg had seen yet into the holster and adjusted it to afortable position before stretching out his arms, allowing Roger to help him put on the coat.


    "How does it look? You can''t tell there''s a gun under there from the outside, right?" Tang Mo spread his arms and showed Roger with a smile.


    Old Roger shook his head and said confidently, "Believe me, kid! In this world, there isn''t a handgun that can be hidden under the armpit yet."


    "Now there is," Tang Mo lowered his arms and, feeling it was ratherfortable, smiled contentedly, "Take good care of the ce for me and tell Auntie Cui Xi that I want chicken for dinner tonight."


    "No problem! Hope everything goes smoothly for you." Roger patted Tang Mo''s arm, his pride in the dashing young man before him evident in his beaming smile that he couldn''t hide.


    At the door, Wes leaned against the wall, his waist still adorned with the two revolvers he almost never parted with. He was very satisfied with his current life, seeing Tang Mo''s business grow everrger.


    Luff, who had just returned from the Vicious Forest the day before yesterday, and a young warrior with a face chiseled like carved stone, were already waiting not far away.


    Each of them carried a wooden box in their hands, polished to a beautiful finish.


    Inside Luff''s box were two revolvers, while the box in the hands of the young man contained a Tang K1 Needle Gun.


    Almost identical to Wes, both men wore two revolvers on their waists covered by long coats, making their attire look a bitical.


    The four of them headed towards the factory gate where two carriages awaited. Four mighty destriers snorted loudly, their hooves restlessly making a dull thumping noise.


    Tang Mo stopped in front of the carriage upon seeing a lone figure standing ufortably at the door, hesitating and seemingly embarrassed to approach.


    "Tagg? What''s the matter?" Tang Mo walked towards the shadow with a smile, showing no intent to avoid, "Why are you standing here?"


    "I¡ªI don''t know, my lord." Tagg rubbed his nose, his face flushing as he didn''t know where to start.


    Tang Mo didn''t rush him, simply standing in front of him, waiting for him to organize his speech.


    Soon, Tagg lifted his head again, awkwardly scratching his head, "My lord, why? Why sell such weapons to others? Aren''t they meant exclusively for the Northern Ridge''s military?"


    After asking, he felt embarrassed because even someone as straightforward as he knew that the Shireck Flintlock Gun wasn''t exclusive to the Leite Kingdom, nor was it only supplied to the Suthers and Leite kingdoms.


    "Northern Ridge only needs 2000 K1 Quick Guns, Tagg," Tang Mo exined earnestly, "Relying solely on the orders from Northern Ridge, both I and the workers behind me would starve."


    "I''ve tried my best to avoid dealing K1 Quick Guns nearby, already taking into consideration the Earl''s concerns," Tang Mo continued without waiting for Tagg to speak, "Today is an important day. When Ie back, we can have a good chat, alright?"


    "I know it''s an impertinent request, my lord. I''m sorry! I''ll wait here for you to return," Tagg managed to stand here thanks to mustering all his courage.


    He had the guts to face an enemy force twice his size on the battlefield, but such a matter truly exceeded his bravery.


    "Don''t be so formal, Tagg! It''s good that you''re considerate of Northern Ridge," Tang Mo said, patting Tagg''s shoulder with a demeanor of mature assurance.


    In fact, he was only 18 years old, while the Tagg standing before him was already a thirty-year-old adult.


    "Let''s go," Tang Mo soothed Tagg and took the lead to get into a carriage, while Luff and his men slipped into another. Wes mounted the front carriage''s passenger seat, nodded slightly to Tagg as a gesture of respect.


    Subsequently, the sound of reins cutting through the air rang sharply, and the noise of the hooves, apanied by the horses'' whinnies, grew fainter as the two carriages disappeared into the horizon, one after the other.


    Tagg stood still, watching until the carriages vanished from sight before he heaved a long sigh.


    "The Elf Race''s merchant fleet onlyes to Brunas once a year, so he has to try his luck," Roger said, appearing beside Tagg without notice, looking toward the distant horizon as he spoke.


    "I understand," Tagg replied, somewhat disheartened; he truly hoped that the Quick Gun and Revolvers would be the secret weapons for Earl Ronin Fisallo''s conquest for dominion.


    He had genuinely fantasized that Tang Mo would supply these weapons solely to Earl Fisallo, rather than sell them to others indiscriminately, as was the case now.


    ...


    "Hurry up and sell these damned bast iron ingots and spices and such... Ah, I''m in a rush to get back," a handsome man casually flipped through a travel journal, not even lifting his head as he ordered the subordinate at the doorway.


    "Yes, Lord John!" The subordinate bowed respectfully and reported, "The taxes have been paid in full, and the workers are currently unloading the remaining cargo from the ship."


    Along the journey, they had sold about eighty percent of their goods, with the remainder to be unloaded here, then exchanged for Gold Coins or othermodities.


    Truthfully, Elven merchant ships did not need to do business in Brunas, but they required supplies, fresh fruits, and vegetables to prevent death due to vitamin deficiency on the vast sea.


    So, since they had to stop here, it made the most economical sense to trade some goods while they were at it.


    On this trip, they had brought a total of fifteen merchant ships, all armed with cannons, making them a daunting target for pirates in normal circumstances.


    Moreover, these were ships of the Elf Race; if any trouble arose within the waters of the Leite Kingdom, it could even rm the King. The Elves, nearly ruling the seas, were a mighty force that no one wished to offend.


    Now, the cargo aboard these fifteen merchant ships had dwindled to a mere fraction, while a mishmash of other purchased itemspletely filled two of the ships.


    Most of the merchandise had been converted into Gold Coins, which, piled up in the hold, exuded an enviable and jealous charm.


    "Their wine is too inferior, sour and harsh, not delicious at all," the fleet leader standing by the window turned around and remarked to his partner, "That''s why I''m not too fond of this ce."


    "Make do for now! If you don''t drink the ale, then you won''t have any booze at all," the Elf sitting at the table shifted his gaze from the journal, his pointed ears twitching, "The rtions between Leite Kingdom and Suthers Kingdom are increasingly tense, which is good news for us."


    "How so?" the fleet leader inquired curiously.


    "From a national strength perspective, Leite Kingdom is unlikely to defeat Suthers Kingdom... Therefore, having lost Northern Ridge, Leite Kingdom seems to rely even more on maritime transport," John, the Elf called Lord, closed his travel journal and exined with a smile.


    "Our business will be easier, isn''t that good news?" He ced the book on the table and stretched his neck.


    "What if Leite Kingdom wins?" The leader asked again, out of curiosity.


    "What loss would that be to us?" John shrugged, unconcerned, "If Leite Kingdom wins, doesn''t everything just stay the same, no changes? That''s not bad news for us either."


    "I finally understand why you always make a profit in business," the fleet leaderughed heartily, emptying the cup of inferior ale in his hand.


    "Sir! There''s someone at the harbor dock hoping to have a word with you," an Elf Sailor pushed open the door and reported after nodding in respect.


    "The tax officer? The sheriff? Or that greedy mayor? Didn''t I already give him a share? What? Does he want more?" Frowning, John fired off a rapid series of questions.


    "No, not that, sir..." the Sailor replied with a slight embarrassment, for he had just epted a bribe from the other party, "It''s a person named Tang Mo, he... he ims to be an arms dealer..."


    "Oh?" John stroked the travel journal in his hand, raising an eyebrow and letting out a meaningful, elongated sound.

 Chapter 72: 72 good

    Tang Mo walked across the slender gangway and onto the deck of this massive armed merchant sailing ship, where a group of well-dressed elves had already set up a dining table andid out many fine foods.


    In the sea breeze, the pristine tablecloth gently rippled. Under the yellowing, huge sails rolled up in sections resembling lotus roots, a handsome and charming elf was smiling, holding a wine ss, watching him.


    In this world, who isn''t obsessed with good looks? When John saw Tang Mo''s handsome, youthful face, his mood improved by a good two points¡ªabout the score of filling in the nks on a quiz.


    "Hello! My name is Tang Mo, and I am the owner of an enterprise on the outskirts of Brunas City." Although the two weapon-bearing attendants weren''t allowed on board the ship, Wes had been permitted to follow.


    After all, everyone still cares about appearances these days, and having a guard with you wasn''t something that made people particrly apprehensive.


    Upon meeting, Tang Mo used a fresh term that puzzled John, and the Elf captain standing beside John also repeated with displeasure, "Enterprise?"


    "Yes, enterprise. Or, you could think of it as a superrge workshop," Tang Mo said, very rxed, as negotiating was one of the situations he was most familiar with.


    In such moments, he felt like a deity who had expanded his domain, where he was everything, an invincible being.


    At this time, he was not speaking nonsense but showing off his strength, subconsciously enhancing the opponent''s recognization of Tang Mo''s enterprise.


    Unconsciously, the other party would cleverly dismiss some of Tang Mo''s descriptions, while simultaneously epting other parts he characterized.


    "Hahaha! A workshop? Forgive my frankness, but something evenrger than a workshop is still just a workshop after all," the captain standing beside John replied disdainfully right then.


    Tang Mo did not argue because he had achieved his goal. As long as the other party did not question his workshop''s production capability, that paved the way forter negotiations.


    Therefore, Tang Mo immediately took the chance to concede, admitting, "Alright, if you prefer, you can consider me the owner of the Great Tang workshop."


    "Well then, do tell, what valuable thing have you brought here to sell to me?" John did not want to be led by the nose by Tang Mo and asked directly.


    "Uh... actually, it''s a type of rifle. A new model rifle, better than the Shireck Flintlock Gun." Tang Mo didn''t y coy and revealed his intentions straightforwardly.


    "What did you say?" Hearing Tang Mo''s words, the Elf captain standing there leaned forward in disbelief and eximed.


    "Are you joking?" John nced at his captain, motioning for him to regain hisposure, before turning back to Tang Mo to ask.


    "I''m not joking! Sir, I''m not joking! I truly have a new model rifle design, and I have a physical model on disy," Tang Mo sincerely replied to John''s question.


    "..." John fell silent because he already believed what Tang Mo had said. Because they were meeting face-to-face, and Tang Mo mentioned he had a physical model on disy. Whether it was true or not, they would know as soon as they tried.


    Such a lie could notst for long, so there was no need for Tang Mo to lie. In this situation, what Tang Mo said was very likely true.


    Now it was John''s turn to feel at a loss¡ªbecause if this was true, what should he do?


    Therefore, he could only speak while contemting a strategy, "Mr. Tang Mo, I understood the purpose of your visit, forgive my bluntness but you im to have a brand new weapon, and I can verify it at any time... so, I believe you are telling the truth."


    He paused for a moment then continued, "However, I still can''t imagine why, after developing a new weapon, you would..."


    "Sell it to you elves?" Tang Mo took the initiative, spreading his hands innocently.


    He truly missed the days when cigarettes were avable; if he had one, he could casually flick off some ash, pretentiously exhaling a plume of smoke, creating an air of mystery and exuding an expert''s demeanor.


    Unfortunately, tobo was not so popr in this world, so he could only stand there honestly, like a high school student.


    John nodded, affirming Tang Mo''s statement, "Yes, although I''m reluctant to admit it, I must remind you that in a global context, the rtionship between the Elf Race and humans isn''t all that great."


    "It doesn''t matter... I''m an arms dealer, and elves'' gold coins are still gold coins, aren''t they?" Tang Mo replied with utmost naturalness.


    However, he actually cut a lot out of the middle of his statement; what he was really thinking was: Gold coins from the elves, orcs, or humans are all gold coins, with no difference whatsoever, right?


    John nced at the captain standing beside him, and the elven captain immediately gave orders to the sailor standing behind Tang Mo and Wes, "Someone, let those two men he has broughte in! I want to see for myself what this new type of rifle, which you call an advanced weapon, really is like."


    "I haven''t even had water on my way here... Do you... mind?" Tang Mo nced at the departing sailor and then, amidst the unfriendly gazes of the other sailors, walked over to the table, extended his hand, pointed at the beer on the table, and asked.


    "Help yourself, Mr. Tang Mo! As long as everything you say is true, I can get you better wine and more gold coins," John said indifferently, gesturing to Tang Mo that he could take all the beer if he wished.


    Tang Mo smiled, pulled out the wooden cork from the bottle, and poured himself a cup, as naturally as if he was in his own home.


    His actions caught John''s eye, and the elven noble momentarily felt as if he was facing his own father, an odd sensation indeed.


    Effortlessly charming, imposing, full of nobility, like an abyss... These strange qualities were oddlybined in an eighteen-year-old young man, which John couldn''t help but find peculiar.


    This inscrutable pressure made him feel very ufortable. Fortunately, just when he was getting somewhat irritated, Luff came onto the deck with his men, cing a wooden box on another table.


    Two elves stepped forward, opened the wooden box, and after seeing the firearms and ammunition inside, they stepped back to give Tang Mo a little space.


    Tang Mo, unbothered, set down his cup and walked over, casually taking out the K1 Quick Gun from the box, "Then, please allow me to formally introduce to you... Tang''s K1 Quick Gun! A better weapon than the Shireck Flintlock Gun!"


    He pulled the bolt, took out a bullet from the box, inserted it into the chamber, closed the bolt again,pleting the entire loading process.


    Next, he handed the rifle to the elf standing by his side, signaling that he could use the weapon to conduct a firing test.


    The leading captain took the rifle from Tang Mo''s hands. Of course, he had used rifles before, so he easily understood the operating principle of this device.


    Although he was not quite clear on the loading process, he knew where the trigger was, where the sights were, and which part was the muzzle.


    So, after taking the weapon, he raised the K1 Quick Gun and aimed at a seagull soaring over the distant sea, then squeezed the trigger in his hand.


    "Bang!" A sudden gunshot echoed over the sea, and the seagull plummeted, crashing into the water and creating a small ssh.


    Tang Mo looked at several stunned elves, then stretched out his hand, making a gesture seeking something. The leading elven captain subconsciously returned the weapon in his hands to Tang Mo.


    Taking back his needle gun, Tang Mo pulled open the bolt and quickly cleared away the remnants of the paper-cased ammunition that had been fired.


    Then, he naturally took a new bullet from the ammunition box, reloaded, and closed the bolt again.


    "You see, there''s no need forplicated loading, nor is there an exposed snaphance mechanism, making the firearm safer and more convenient to use..." Tang Mo, like a sales representative, was pitching his weapon in front of a group of elves.


    He handed the reloaded rifle sideways to the leading elf John, "How about it? Would you like to try this brand-new weapon?"


    John instinctively stretched out his hand, taking the K1 flintlock gun from Tang Mo, and, in shock, made a ready-to-shoot gesture.


    His status in his own country was not low, for being able to lead such a sizable fleet meant he had true capability.


    Having seen much and knowing wide, he had no idea until now that there really were more advanced weapons in the world, weapons so advanced they made him shudder.


    Although elves are powerful, in ces much farther away, the elf race is also in conflict with orcs. Both sides are probing, each wary of the other''s formidable military.


    Clearly, whaty before John might be a heaven-defying treasure that could alter the bnce of power in war, possibly even more important than a mountain of gold.


    In theory, this was not something he could, or should, be dealing with, but as it stood, he seemed to be the highest-ranking person present.


    So, despite his hands trembling slightly, he still suppressed the mechanism, pointing the muzzle towards the distant sea.


    He pulled the trigger and, as expected, heard a gunshot. The recoil transmitted through the butt of the gun caused his shoulder to ache a bit.


    But still, heughed, his boisterousughter somehow remained clear amidst the sound of the wavespping against the shore, "Hahaha! Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! How much for this thing?"

 Chapter 73: 73 Exaggerated Promotion

    Tang Mo heard John''sughter and knew that his business deal was sessful, so a smile also appeared on his face as he responded with a smile, "15 Gold Coins, one Tang''s K1 Quick Gun, the price for the matching equipment and bullets will be calcted separately!"


    "The price is very fair, at least it''s not exorbitant," John said with a smile, nodding his head. Surprisingly, he agreed without even attempting to bargain.


    This made Tang Mo feel a little ufortable; he thought he might be overcharging and acting somewhat "unscrupulous."


    However, he also knew that if these elves could take the K1 Quick Guns back to their country, they would definitely make a profit off this price.


    Moreover, once they presented these weapons to their country, the benefits they could receive from the upper echelons would likely be even greater.


    "Then, how many of these rifles would you like to order?" As a businessman, Tang Mo immediately cast his conscience aside and asked.


    "I hope to order 1000 of these rifles," John pondered and gave a number. "Could you deliver these weapons within a reasonable time frame?"


    "What do you consider a reasonable time?" Tang Mo uncorked the bottle and poured himself another cup of barley wine before asking in return.


    John extended three slender fingers, giving a very short time frame, "I can only stay here for up to three days, so is it possible for you toplete the order within that time?"


    "That is indeed a bit difficult..." Tang Mo felt that these elves really did have money, to actually order 1000 expensive weapons.


    The total price of these weapons would be at least 20000 Gold Coins, not a small sum which could potentially be the entire earnings from this maritime journey: this might even include the gross profit covering the cost.


    John actually hadn''t nned on spending so much money on so many K1 Quick Guns; he intended to take back a sample and then get more Gold Coins from his father.


    If his father was happy, he might even be rewarded with an estate, which would be an asset far more enviable than 1000 Gold Coins.


    John thought that Tang Mo could produce at most a few dozen Quick Guns in three days, and including inventory, it wouldn''t exceed fifty guns.


    Since firearms like these were costly and expensive, it was unlikely for a merchant to stockpile arge quantity of the product without securing buyers first.


    So, with confidence, he asked, "Then, how many rifles can you give me within three days? Three? Thirty?"


    "I could deliver about 500... and if you are willing to pay for overtime production costs, then I might deliver around 700 rifles," Tang Mo calcted carefully and replied.


    "Hmm, seventy rifles'' production rate is still... what did you say?" John was about to continue speaking when he was suddenly startled by the number Tang Mo had mentioned.


    "I said, if you are willing to pay the overtime production fee, I might be able to deliver around 700 rifles," Tang Mo emphasized with a smile.


    Tang Mo''s factory had justpleted an expansion; he had three workshops that could produce K1 Quick Guns. If he had the necessary materials, he was indeed confident that he could produce 700 K1 Quick Guns within three days with overtime work.


    However, Tang Mo knew that when it came to weapons, the higher the technology, the better the price it could fetch.


    The reason why the K1 Quick Gun could be sold at such a high price and why the wealthy elves across from him didn''t even bargain was also that Tang Mo''s weapons were technically far superior to Shireck Flintlock Guns.


    Therefore, Tang Mo wanted not only to sell the K1 Quick Guns but also hoped to sell the outdated revolvers to these elves before him.


    Because the production speed of a revolver wasn''t much slower than a K1 Quick Gun, yet the price could be inted to more than ten times.


    Of course, if possible, he even wanted to sell steam engines to the elves of the Elf Race: including weapon blueprints, steam engines, and the full set of production technology.


    "Are you joking?" John furrowed his brow and spoke with some displeasure as he looked at Tang Mo, "Do you know how long it takes for a worker to make a single gun barrel?"


    "I know, a worker can produce about four gun barrels a day," Tang Mo gave a conservative figure, although in reality, his workers could produce five or even six gun barrels a day.


    "That''s impossible! A worker can''t even drill one barrel a day for Shireck Flintlock Guns!" John stood up and emphasized as he stared into Tang Mo''s eyes.


    "I have a new technology, sir," Tang Mo exined as if it were a given, "That''s why I said earlier that I am the owner of apany... there is a difference between apany and a workshop."


    "Even with technology, can you ensure that all the barrels you produce are up to standard?" The elf captain standing behind John continued to question Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo shrugged and retaliated, "You can ce an order, can''t you? If I can''t fulfill it, you can receivepensation."


    "You!" The captain wanted to step forward but was stopped by John extending his hand.


    "Do you really have the means to produce 200 of these K1 Quick Guns in a single day?" John looked at Tang Mo again and asked, word by word.


    Tang Mo nodded and replied, "This would require the workers to do overtime, but under normal circumstances, producing about 100 K1 Quick Guns a day is a more economical choice."


    "I''ll take 100! With all the apanying... equipment!" After some thought, John gave a well-considered figure.


    "Didn''t you say you wanted 1000..." Tang Mo nearly blurted out the words¡ªbut at the crucial moment, he swallowed them back.


    He knew that John''s earlier im of wanting 1000 K1 Quick Guns was obviously a bit of a bluff.


    When it came time to ce the actual order, John was clearly more serious, and the figure he stated was also much more realistic.


    "No problem!" Tang Mo didn''t feel that 100 K1 Quick Guns was a small deal at all because he knew that John certainly wouldn''t just buy 100 rifles.


    If a kingdom purchased 10,000 or even 100,000 rifles, and if the whole world took up Tang-style K1 Quick Guns, Tang Mo might be the richest man on the.


    After hearing Tang Mo''s response, John nodded slightly and continued to speak earnestly, "Let''s reintroduce ourselves. My name is Augustine John..."


    "Tang Mo. The owner of Great Tang Group." Tang Mo also reintroduced himself.


    "May I be so bold to ask? If¡­ we give you sufficient profits, would you be willing to move your... enterprise... to my kingdom?" John chose his words carefully and said, "We can grant you a title, and your craftsmen will be rewarded handsomely. Elves are never stingy..."


    "I''m afraid that''s a bit difficult." Tang Mo politely declined John''s offer, "Because we have other businesses here."


    John sat back down in his chair, seemingly having realized the key issue: Since these damned humans had againe up with a brand-new weapon, they would certainly immediately sell it to neighboring nobility, to their own kingdom¡ªit was a certainty.


    So Tang Mo must have the official backing of the Leite Kingdom, he might even be a confidant of the King¡ªtherefore, the Elves'' solicitations, especially his own informal one, were clearly not very tempting.


    Unfortunately, he had guessed entirely wrong...


    John, who thought he''d grasped the key point, could only temporarily give up on the idea of directly recruiting Tang Mo and instead said, "Draft a contract immediately for us to produce 100 K1 Quick Guns¡­ You can take 10 percent as a deposit, but these two guns you have to leave behind!"


    "Two guns?" Tang Mo feigned bewilderment, then asked with a puzzled look, "Which two guns?"


    "Didn''t you bring two K1 Quick Guns?" Pointing at the case Luff was holding, John asked, puzzled.


    "Oh! Mr. John! Obviously, you are mistaken." Tang Mo quickly used his talent, pointed at the case in Luff''s hands, and said, "These are not K1 Quick Guns."


    "Then what? A box for money?" John asked with a smile.


    "This is another entirely new weapon I was nning to pitch to you!" Tang Mo, feigning profundity, turned to the side and pointed at the case in Luff''s hands, loudly saying, "Prepared for you, for your brave officers, for the noble knights¡­ the very best! Weapons!"


    "Officers?" John frowned again. He struggled with Tang Mo''s exaggerated salesmanship because he had never encountered such a "merchant" before.


    The merchant, in excitement, introduced his product, "Yes! Inside are two pistols! Specially designed and made for officers, the most outstanding and effective personal defense weapons!"


    "You don''t need to be so... over the top," John raised his hand, intending to stop Tang Mo''s mboyant speech.


    However, Tang Mo''s following words made the Elf nobleman forget what he wanted to say...


    Because he heard Tang Mo solemnly dere, "This is a type of pistol that can fire continuously! While your enemies are still loading their rubbish-like Shireck Flintlock Guns, you could already have fired a second shot, even a third!"


    "Let me introduce it to you! The world''s most advanced pistol in a hundred years! The Tang-style Revolver! An epoch-making firearm!" He took the case from Luff''s hands, ced it in front of John with the front of the box facing him, opened the case and said, "Once you try it, you won''t want to put it down¡­ Trust me! This is the ultimate weapon you''ve been dreaming of owning!"


    As he spoke, he pushed the case towards John. And at that moment, John involuntarily looked down into the case.


    Then, he saw two shiny silver, odd-looking pistols lying t in the case, alongside the ammunition and caps.


    -----------


    Today is my birthday, but I am reminded of my mother, missing her so much.

 Chapter 74: 74 Changes in Self-Introduction

    Luff was seeing this side of Tang Mo for the first time, because when Tang Mo taught him tactics and trained them, that serious expression was just like that of a devil.


    So, he stood there dumbfounded, watching Tang Mo''s exaggerated actions as if he were venting something.


    Wes was also seeing Tang Mo in such a state for the first time, because thest time Tang Mo had gone to Baron St to pitch the K1 Quick Gun, he had been noticeably more restrained andposed.


    Therefore, if possible, Wes really wanted to cover his own eyes and pretend he didn''t know this silly Tang Mo.


    Even John, who had just felt that Tang Mo had aplex and deep-hidden temperament, was now frowning, thinking that he might have misjudged the person.


    But Tang Mo waspletely oblivious, stretching out his hand to take a revolver from the box, weighing it in his hand, and handing it to John in front of him.


    Then, he began demonstrating how to load this type of handgun, loading bullets with one hand and pressing them one by one into the chamber with the lever under the barrel with the other hand.


    His movements were smooth, and it didn''t take long for John to watch his series of actions, then watch him skillfully put a percussion cap on the column at the rear of the chamber for each bullet.


    "Six bullets! You get to fire six times in a row! If both guns are loaded, I alone could sweep all the people on the deck!" shouted Tang Mo, raising the gun and aiming it at the sky, introducing it seriously.


    "Of course, it has its drawbacks, requiring a long preparation before firing! But! To be able to provide you with continuous firepower to shoot six times at a critical moment, it''s not too much to say it''s a groundbreaking weapon for individualbat!" Tang Mo pointed the handgun towards the sea and asked, "Want to give it a try?"


    "I can deduce some clues from yourplex loading process, but... can it really fire six times in a row?" asked John, a bit incredulous, or perhaps he found the idea truly astounding.


    If Tang Mo had really invented such a weapon, it would overturn all the weapons in the world! Every country''s arsenal would have to be reced, and a vast market that would astonish people was about to emerge.


    And the man in front of him, known as Tang Mo, was holding the pass to this market, the key to the door to this market!


    "Bang!" Tang Mo pulled the trigger, firing a shot, and smoke billowed from the barrel, rolling like an ethereal ink painting.


    "Bang!" Under everyone''s gaze, Tang Mo immediately pulled the trigger a second time without any preparation. The pistol''s hammer was driven, eventually striking the percussion cap, igniting the gunpowder in the chamber.


    The smoke tumbled out again as another bullet flew from the barrel, and this second shot left almost all the elves present dumbstruck.


    "Bang!" Tang Mo didn''t pause and fired another bullet smoothly and naturally. It was as if he had released a spell that had frozen all the elves standing on deck.


    "Three shots!" Tang Mo pulled his arm back, turned the barrel around, and offered the handgun sideways to John, as though he were rmending an old friend to try some newly grilled kebabs, "Three more to go, do you want to have a go?"


    "This is magic! It must be... it must be magic..." remarked the captain standing behind John, swallowing saliva, repeatedly reminding himself not to believe what was happening before his eyes.


    And John, seeing the revolver Tang Mo handed to him, subconsciously took it, yet for a moment did not know what he should do.


    He looked at Wes, who stood somewhat awkwardly behind Tang Mo, and then at the simr handgun hanging from Wes''s waist.


    Then he looked at Luff, at the handgun hanging from Luff''s waist, and at the handguns hanging from the waists of the young soldiers beside Luff...


    It turned out the three men Tang Mo brought up were armed with such dangerous weapons that they could, with just amand from Tang Mo, draw their guns and wipe out the more than twenty elf sailors standing on the armed merchant ship to take over the deck.


    Indeed, such a dangerous troop was standing right in front of him, and if he, John, had such weapons, he could also surprise his adversaries.


    Thinking this, he transitioned from fear and caution to excitement in an instant¡ªat that moment, he even somewhat understood Tang Mo''s earlier exaggerated self-indulgence, because if he had gotten his hands on such weapons, he too would be very excited and want to share his joy with others.


    For instance, going to meet an adversary with this kind of handgun and excitedly sharing one''s new weapon, three people against ten, counter-killing the opponents, pointing the gun at their heads and watching their eyes fill with fear and despair.


    Or maybe, using twice or even thrice exaggeratednguage to present the "treasure" to His Majesty the King, with a fool''s bodynguage¡ªundoubtedly, one''s status would simrly skyrocket, wouldn''t it?


    In short, the adrenaline even began surging in John, who adjusted his grip on the handgun and made an aiming posture.


    Then, just like Tang Mo, he aimed at the sea and pulled the trigger.


    "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" He pulled the trigger repeatedly, the weapon in his hand responding to his actions, one shot after another.


    "Click! Click!" The bullets had been expended, yet the cylinder continued to rotate under the action of the mechanism, and the hammer kept striking the firing pin. The simple and reliable mechanism worked seamlessly, much like a clock.


    However, without bullets, the sound of the gunpowder exploding no longer echoed. Only the mechanical clicking noise remained, blending unobtrusively with the sound of the sea.


    After carefully cing the pistol into the grooved wooden box, John looked up and said to Tang Mo, "I know this thing isn''t cheap, but I''m not short on Gold Coins... Ready to make a fortune, Mr. Tang Mo?"


    "The only thing I''m always ready for," Tang Mo replied humorously as he once again picked up the bottle of beer and, overstepping bounds, poured it into the cup in front of John. He then set down the bottle and raised his own cup.


    John didn''t mind at all and naturally picked up the ss in front of him, clinking it against Tang Mo''s, "You are the most valuable visitor I have met since I led the fleet here."


    "I hope our business can grow bigger and our friendship can grow deeper!" Tang Mo toasted and then drained the beer from his cup in one gulp.


    The smile on John''s face deepened, as he raised his ss, "Indeed! You are my friend now, Mr. Tang Mo! My best friend in the Leite Kingdom!"


    He too downed the beer in his ss in one gulp, set down the cup, and said, "Next time Ie, I will bring the best Moonlight Wine from the Elf Race! I''ll treat you to some real fine wine!"


    Then, this Elf noble, who also held a significant status in his own country, ced his hand on the box that Tang Mo had brought, which contained the Revolvers, and continued, "Do you have enough carriages... to carry Gold Coins, my friend?"


    "Carriages?" Tang Mo nced at the massive armed merchant ship docked at the harbor, equipped with muzzle-loading cannons, waved his hands dismissively, and said with augh, "My friend, are you selling your ship?"


    "Hahaha!" John burst into heartyughter, "That''s a good deal! I can sell you my ship! As long as the price is right!"


    "That''s excellent!" Tang Mo rubbed his hands together as if anticipating a feast, "How many ships do you have?"


    "Fifteen," John replied with a smile.


    "I want to buy ten," Tang Mo threw out a number.


    "That''s not going to be cheap, my friend," John didn''t refuse but remarked, "I suspect you''ll need to give me some extra Gold Coins for that."


    "I can trade with other things." Tang Mo spread his hands and offered, "In exchange for your ships and all the Gold Coins on them."


    "Are you joking? Do you know how many Gold Coins I have here?" John was taken aback and then kindly reminded Tang Mo, "The value of this sea transport is almost enough to buy you an Earlship in Brunas!"


    "What if I sell you the production technology for the K1 Quick Gun and this Revolver?" Tang Mo pointed at the wooden box and smiled, "You won''t just be taking a few guns, but aplete... production technology!"


    "..." John looked at Tang Mo as if he were seeing a monster, staring at him for a long time. The smile had vanished from his face, reced by a serious contemtion.


    "Why?" In the end, not refusing or agreeing, John inexplicably asked what seemed like an absurd question.


    "Making money together is what friends do, right?" Tang Mo of course did not n on being brutally honest.


    "You know that reason won''t convince me," John pressed on with his questioning.


    Tang Mo pondered for two seconds and phrased it differently, "I''m facing the Shireck Consortium alone, and as you know, that''s a lot of pressure... So, I want more money, more materials, and the support of various friends."


    "..." John fell silent as well. Of course, he knew about the enormous pressure Tang Mo faced for daring to challenge Shireck.


    "So, if someone in another Kingdom also stands up and challenges Shireck... it could alleviate a lot of my pressure," Tang Mo pointed at himself, "Of course, I''m sharing the profits, tempting profits... It''s an exchange of interests. Making money, of course, involves taking some risks, doesn''t it?"


    "Let me introduce myself again... I am Augustine John, son of Earl Augustin Tural, the second in line to the Augustin Family of the Por Kingdom!" Once again, John reintroduced himself.


    "Tang Mo!" Tang Mo felt there was nothing impressive about stating his own title, so he simply repeated his name.


    John stretched out his hand in a weing gesture, "Now, we can discuss the details of our cooperation!"

 Chapter 75: 75 Negotiations

    The negotiation process wasn''t exactly smooth, but it wasn''t because Tang Mo''s products were subpar; on the contrary, Tang Mo''s weapons were too good.


    These weapons had astonished the Elf Race and made the sensitive Elf Noble John realize that an era of change was about toe.


    With the sea breeze apanying him, Tang Mo sat opposite John, sharing delicacies that only the Elf Nobility could enjoy, including fresh vegetables just purchased from Brunas, and meat and fish.


    Of course, there was also a bottle of inferior moonlight wine from the Elf Race, a rarity in Brunas that many nobles found hard toe by.


    Tang Mo continued the earlier topic, discussing the sale of the production process and theplete manufacturing technology for Tang''s K1 Quick Gun, something utterly unbelievable for the Elf Noble John.


    Because he truly knew how much profit it could bring him once mass production began! He wouldn''t even have to venture into dangerous sea trade anymore; he could just lie at home and count his money.


    "You can build a weapon workshop in your kingdom and produce Tang''s K1 Quick Gun ording to the standards I''ve set! For each rifle, I will take a design fee of 1 Gold Coin..." Tang Mo said while chewing on the vegetables he had forked into his mouth.


    "But how will you know how many rifles I produce?" Although John didn''t think a fee of 1 Gold Coin per gun was too expensive, he was still curious.


    Because he knew that the profit from a Shireck Flintlock Gun was actually much higher than one Gold Coin, and every kingdom could only rely on buying them!


    If they could produce it themselves, then the price would be transparent. Therefore, John felt Tang Mo''s cooperative model was the most reasonable and beneficial for both sides.


    Tang Mo gave a reasonable exnation, "It''s simple. I only charge design fees for the first 100,000 units. If you produce more than 100,000, you won''t have to continue paying my design fee."


    In an eracking effective regtory measures, this kind of lump-sum deal was more rational. Tang Mo only needed to take the share he wanted, and the rest could be discounted, reducing his own personal pressure.


    Making money for an arms dealer like Tang Mo was really too easy, as long as he could produce weapons, he could sell them and make money!


    What truly put Tang Mo at the top of the arms dealers was the power to set the rules! As long as the whole world manufactured and used weapons ording to his rules, he could make money that was ten, a hundred, a thousand, a million times more than just producing weapons!


    John was taken aback, then thought he found a loophole in Tang Mo''s n, reminding him, "100,000 units? Do you know how long it takes to produce that many? It could take twenty years! How many rifles can Leite Kingdom produce in a year? 3,000?"


    "That''s all in the past! My friend! My specialized production equipment could let you produce more than 20,000 rifles within a year! If you expand your capacity, producing 100,000 rifles a year would be no trouble at all!" Tang Mo was actually prepared to sell his entire set of production equipment too.


    After all, steam engines were no high technology, and Tang Mo had much better technologies at hand to use; thus, he didn''t really consider such transitional equipment important.


    John didn''t think the so-called production equipment was within his purchasing ns, but he was still very interested in the production technology of the K1 Quick Gun. After some thought, he started his haggling journey from another angle, "I''m beginning to think your word is unreliable. My friend!"


    "You can visit my factory! I promise that once you pay, I can provide the same equipment," Tang Mo said, indifferent. He thought that having John visit his factory was a much stronger argument than boasting here.


    As long as John took one look, he would know exactly what he was dealing with. By then, the Gold Coins would make their way into his pocket without Tang Mo needing to extort them.


    "Not a problem, I am very interested in your fac... factory! Since you are willing to let me visit your secret, I am quite happy indeed," John replied, thinking that a visit to Tang Mo''s ce was a good idea.


    After all, he couldn''t possibly hand over countless Gold Coins to Tang Mo just because of a few words, could he? That would make him a fool.


    "A secret? This is hardly a secret! As long as you pay, my friend, I can sell these things to you!" Tang Mo said, waving his hand dismissively, feigning magnanimity.


    Life is like a y, all about acting. Tang Mo was ready to extract the greatest benefits from John, so his acting was certainly on point, moving John deeply.


    Of course, as for how much of John''s emotion was genuine and how much of their newly established fragile friendship was real, only heaven knew.


    However, John also took a stance, whether sincerely or under pretense, he made his promise, "If the equipment you mentioned can increase the production speed of rifles, then I will definitely buy it."


    Tang Mo made a toasting gesture and announced a price that made the Elf captain standing behind John gasp, "In fact, if you purchase the weapon production technology, including the design fee that should be paid to me, the total amount of this transaction has already exceeded 120,000 Gold Coins."


    "These devices aren''t cheap, plus the design fees, I estimate that it will cost around 50,000 Gold Coins for me to break even," he continued to speak, adding more to the enormous sum.


    "You earn way more than I do from toiling away at sea trade! Do you realize that you''re now proposing a transaction of 170,000 Gold Coins with me... This is no longer something I can decide on my own," John said with a look of shock on his face, then he smiled wryly and shook his head.


    "Indeed, this transaction is too big, or... we could also start with just a part of it!" Tang Mo was also aware that, at the current price, this was definitely the biggest deal he could find.


    So, he started listing the numbers as if reciting treasures from his household, "One hundred Tang''s K1 Quick Guns, 15 Gold Coins each, including theplete kit and the corresponding one hundred ammunition, the total price is 2,000 Gold Coins!"


    After finishing, he stretched out two fingers, "Two hundred revolvers, each at 72 Gold Coins, including the matching gun belts and 300 bullets and caps, total up to 19,000 Gold Coins!"


    Finally, he took a sip of fine wine and added a number that made his own heart bloom with joy, "The total price for the two kinds of weapons is 21,000 Gold Coins, not a small sum at all."


    "Rest assured, a 20,000 Gold Coin transaction will be settled in cash! There is no problem with that," John knew that offering 20,000 Gold Coins was not difficult for him.


    As long as he took these weapons back to the Por Kingdom, he could earn back ten times the profit. Moreover, the political benefits that these items brought him were absolutely unattainable for just 20,000 Gold Coins.


    "As for the remaining 150,000 Gold Coins, in reality, I don''t have the means to settle them in Gold Coins, because although we have just sold all our goods, we don''t have that much cash!" Saying this, John spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.


    At this point, he pointed to a sailing ship moored in the distance and said to Tang Mo, "ording to what you said, you want ships, and I can also use our family''s ships aspensation. The price of such a sea ship generally ranges between 3,000 and 7,000 Gold Coins, depending on the size."


    "Like this ship we''re standing on... the Evesting Iris, it''s arge sailing ship, and its construction cost exceeds 6,000 Gold Coins!" While saying this, he really started calcting the prices of these ships.


    In this world, the price of armed merchant ships is no small sum, especially those ofrge tonnage, designed for cargo transport and equipped with cannons for armedmerce.


    They are behemoths capable of resisting pirates, and can even be considered as warships in times of war. Any maritime nation possesses such ships and is willing to build these versatile vessels.


    John exined theposition of his ship fleet to Tang Mo, which was also part of his bargaining strategy, "But I only have 15 ships here, and these ships don''t belong to me alone. They also include assets owned by the King of the Por Kingdom."


    "The approximate price of the sailboats I can sell to you... is only around 30,000 Gold Coins," he finally cited a rather conservative number.


    After all, no matter what, even for the sake of safety, he had to maintain a certain fleet size to guarantee absolute safety at sea.


    ording to his idea, he should at least keep fiverge merchant ships for his own use, and the other ten ships he could sell to Tang Mo.


    These ships varied in size and condition, so their prices also differed. Some small and old ones could be sold for just under 2,000 Gold Coins, while some new ones could fetch prices as high as 5,000 Gold Coins and still be in high demand.


    However, all things considered, ten ships for 30,000 Gold Coins was actually a very generous offer. John''s candidness had a simple purpose¡ªI''m discounting the ships on my end, can''t you also make the firearms and equipment cheaper for me?


    True to form, his next words made clear the purpose of his previous candor, "Also, the design fee of 100,000 Gold Coins is really too high... I was hoping for something cheaper... Like, how about 30,000 Gold Coins?"


    "Thirty thousand? My friend, at that price, I might end up losing even my pants," Tang Mo declined with augh and a wave of his hand.


    It was a joke, the price he charged for these weapons was outrageously inted, to the point that even Wes, standing next to him, found Tang Mo''s asking price somewhat exaggerated.


    But even so, if the price were shed by seventy percent all at once, then Tang Mo really wouldn''t make much money. He knew that, in the entire transaction, the most valuable part was his "design innovation"¡ªalthough, in truth, that research and development cost waspletely fictitious.

 Chapter 76: The world is very boring at 76.

    It seemed even John himself felt he had bargained a bit too harshly, so he feigned contemtion before stretching out four fingers, "Forty thousand! We are the best of friends in this world, aren''t we? Our friendship willst forever! The Por Kingdom will always have fine wine to wee you, I assure you! Next time youe here, I''ll give you the finest wine, the most beautiful girls!"


    "John! What woman is worth sixty thousand Gold Coins? You should know, 5,000 K1 Quick Guns could let your nation sweep the battlefield, crush your enemies, and double the size of your country!" Tang Mo dismissed with a wave of his hand.


    What a joke, he was no King Zhou of You, he couldn''t fathom who would give up their career for a woman. Getting drunk on luxury was something forter in life, who indulges in love and luxury during their entrepreneurial phase?


    But speaking of Elf sisters... Tang Mo, a seasoned veteran of people-watching from hisst life, was indeed eager to see them, after all... no man doesn''t like to collect, right?...


    Seeing Tang Mo as unmoved as an old monk in meditation, John couldn''t help but give him a mental thumbs up! He really admired such a man who could keep hisposure, so he couldn''t resist taking another look up at Tang Mo.


    After a moment of silence, he had no choice but to throw out another offer, "If... I promise you, next time youe to Brunas, I will bring you an appointment, personally signed by His Majesty the King of the Por Kingdom, appointing you as a Baron of the kingdom... Would you consider giving your friend an even lower price?"


    His words left Tang Mo stunned for a second, because while nobility sometimes wasn''t very useful, other times it was indeed as good as gold.


    With a noble title, many things might be easier, and you could even avoid the harassment from other nobles.


    Moreover, with the backing of nobility, he could negotiate with other nobles on equal footing when selling weapons, and not be looked down upon.


    Of course, the higher the title, the more seriously the other party would take you, which would benefit the negotiations. Tang Mo certainly wouldn''t overlook such potential advantages.


    Furthermore, rising from amoner to nobility wasn''t easy, and in some countries, nobility could be extremely valuable.


    In short, having the title of nobility was very necessary for Tang Mo, so he was quite willing to pay a certain price to get an impressive title for himself.


    "Hmm... I''ll consider it," Tang Mo pretended to be deep in thought and didn''t immediately agree, knowing that the price he had offered was not something John could easily afford right now.


    As long as he didn''t nod his head, the other party would definitely offer more ¡ª he hadplete confidence in his weapons and the steam engines and other rted equipment required to produce them.


    As expected, it wasn''t long before John grew impatient and said, "I can leave behind some Sailors to be your men! They can operate ships for you and do anything... Even if Shireck really makes it impossible for you to stay here, they will protect you and ensure you leave safely."


    Tang Mo nodded slightly; getting some Sailors, especially Elves, was definitely good news for him.


    As John had said, these Elf Sailors could at least provide Tang Mo with another escape route, should Count Fisheo fail and the Shireck financial house decide to settle scores with him, a "Believer," here, he would have a decent way out.


    So, Tang Mo painfully agreed to give up arge chunk of profit, "That does interest me... At least, you''ve given me some options. My friend, let''s do this, eighty thousand Gold Coins! I''m willing to waive a whole twenty thousand in profit for you!"


    Wes, standing by the side, almost covered his face; he knew how much it cost Tang Mo to make one rifle, and for Tang Mo, who had nearly spent all his funds, eighty thousand Gold Coins was an astronomical figure.


    The actual situation was that Tang Mo already owed quite a bit of money, including the cement he had put on credit from a Brunas cement nt, and the payments for the leather goods weren''t settled either...


    So, if John knew Tang Mo''s current predicament, and insisted on giving only ten thousand Gold Coins, Tang Mo would have to think about it and might be forced to agree in the end.


    But John didn''t know about Tang Mo''s situation, and he really wanted to get his hands on Tang Mo''s goods ¡ª the technology was too tempting, even Wes had to admit it.


    At least when he first saw the Revolver, Wes couldn''t resist the temptation. He was even willing to give up his Ranger identity to be a household retainer for Tang Mo for just two Revolvers.


    In the end, John helplessly offered the highest price he could afford, "Fifty thousand! That''s all the Gold Coins I cane up with now! Even a sailing ship is yours! I really only have that much!"


    After finishing his sentence, he leaned back in the chair, lookingpletely exhausted, "That''s the highest price I can offer."


    "Then you''re not buying the production equipment? It''s also priced over fifty thousand Gold Coins!" Tang Mo asked with a smile.


    After several minutes of thought, John looked at Tang Mo with the most sincere expression he could muster and said, "If you''re willing to trust me, I have another solution."


    Tang Mo guessed John''s idea, but he didn''t rush to refuse. Instead, he said, "Let''s hear it, my friend."


    Indeed, John brought up themon business practice of installment payments. "The design fee for producing the rifles can be paid in installments. The next time Ie, I will bring the Baron''s certificate, along with another portion of the Gold Coins."


    In fact, Tang Mo had also considered such a method, but he had to admit, Tang Mo was still very weak, so such a payment method was quite risky for him.


    Then, Tang Mo asked John, "But what if you don''te? Where do I find you then? My friend."


    "So, this requires your trust, and a reasonable price. If you''re willing to wait four months, I can promise to recognize your design fee at the price of 80,000 Gold Coins!" John made his offer. "After I return, I will start collecting the Gold Coins and the fleet. You won''t have to wait a year. In at most four months, my fleet will arrive at Brunas!"


    "A pie in the sky is still a pie in the sky, my friend! Even if you promise me 200,000 Gold Coins... if you break the promise, I won''t be able to im that money back, right?" Tang Mo remarked, swirling the inferior moonshine in his ss as he spoke mockingly at John.


    "You should not question the promise of nobility, nor should you doubt an Elf''s sincerity!" John felt offended by Tang Mo.


    "Then... let me repeat what you n to pay." Tang Mo pointed at the fleet in the distance. "You want to use ten armed merchant ships, along with all the sailors on them, and all the Gold Coins you currently have, a Baron''s title, which together are worth about 70,000 Gold Coins... plus another 80,000 Gold Coinster...


    to buy 100 K1 Quick Guns and their matching equipment, 200 Revolvers and their matching equipment, and the rted production technology, plus a set of production equipment..."


    "About right! That depends on whether your machines are as miraculous as you say," John nodded, looking at Tang Mo.


    "Deal!" Tang Mo said with a smile, "You and your men can set off at any time to visit my factory! We can sign the contract there, anytime."


    "Buy these samples! Count the Gold Coins for him!" John instructed the captain behind him. "Take the sailors, and let''s follow... my new friend... Mr. Tang Mo to see his factory!"


    As he spoke, he stood up and adjusted his cor. "We haven''t brought our own carriage, so we''ll have to use yours, my friend!"


    "It would be an honor!" Tang Mo also stood up, making an inviting gesture. "I guarantee this visit will not disappoint you."


    Two carriages slowly moved out of the docks with two teams of sailors, who had been transferred from the ship, following by their side.


    These sailors were carrying Shireck''s flintlock guns, and they weren''t moving quickly. Many workers and City Defense Forces on the dock saw everything clearly.


    "Hey! Isn''t that a carriage from Tang''s Workshop? How did they get involved with the Elves from the Por Kingdom?" a worker stepping on a bup sack said, looking at the Elves Guards beside the carriage, muttering puzzledly.


    "Hey... who knows..." another worker shouldered a sack. The heavy burden made speaking difficult. "I say, what business do these high-flyers'' matters have with you..."


    In a bright and clean office, the Mayor waved at a confidant who had just delivered a message, his brow furrowed involuntarily.


    As the Mayor, he couldn''t ignore the arrival of the Por Kingdom''s fleet at Brunas. Even though he was a greedy and negligent official, often inactive... that didn''t mean he was stupid.


    He had arranged for someone at the docks to keep an eye on the fleet, which naturally brought back news of Tang Mo boarding the Elf''s ship, as well as the report of Tang Mo''s carriage leaving with the Elves.


    For him, that "Tang''s Workshop" located in the suburbs of Brunas was bing more mysterious and problematic ¡ª things might have already gone beyond his control, and this put pressure on him.


    Meanwhile, inside the carriage, Tang Mo was answering Wes about his mboyant sales persona. "Why exaggerated? Because what I sell are weapons used for killing! Wes! If you''re not a bit cheerful and self-indulgent, you could very well drive yourself insane! The weapons I''m selling now can make a Soldier kill at five times the speed!


    The weapons I''ll sell in the future could enable killing at ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, a million times faster...think about it... am I being mboyant? No! I''m already being quite restrained!"


    He leaned against the carriage, not sure whether he was speaking to himself or Wes. "This world is so dull, if one doesn''t find some joy for oneself, then what''s the point?"


    ---------


    Thank you to the Emperor for rewarding~ Very much appreciated~~~

 Chapter 77: Great 77

    "This is what you call a ''factory''? This is nothing but a construction site." John hopped off the carriage and looked around before raising an eyebrow at Tang Mo, "You n to swindle arge sum of money from me with this stuff?"


    "To use the word ''swindle''... that''s clearly a bit much," Tang Mo waved his hand, then made a weing gesture: "Believe me, those who judge only by appearances are truly superficial."


    "Come! Come in and see, and you will know just how great the factory I spoke of really is." As Tang Mo spoke, he gestured to the gatekeeper to open the gate.


    In reality, Tang Mo''s factory was only made up of a single stretch of courtyard wall, so the significance of this great gate was purely symbolic, far exceeding its practical function.


    Just by looking into the distance, one could see that not far away, the courtyard wall simply "disappeared," reced by a construction site that looked nothing short of spectacr.


    And indeed, that was exactly what John did, for he saw the construction site and the workers who were helping to dismantle the wall bricks.


    Since Tang Mocked construction materials, the workers had to dismantle one part of the wall to repair another, a task they faced daily. The stretch of wall that had once spanned several hundred meters was now less than twenty meters, just enough to serve as a facade for the entrance.


    So, going through the main gate was, in truth, just a custom reluctantly retained for the sake of ritual, as many workers had actually trodden paths elsewhere for convenience...


    "It may be a bit rudimentary, but this ce is destined to be the hub of future world development, believe me, John, my friend! Compared to what this ce is fostering, everything you''ve seen before pales into insignificance!"


    He strolled leisurely ahead, watching a group of children with backpacks pass by. When John saw these children marching in a military-like stride on the smooth path as if leaving school, he suddenly felt an illusion¡ªthat what marched before him was an army!


    To be honest, he had never seen a group of schoolchildren maintain such neat formation, nor had he seen a crowd that never engaged in yful noisy banter.


    Even the most elite troops couldn''t guarantee such order outside of training environments, yet here and now, before him stood only a group of children.


    Even more astonishingly, upon seeing Tang Mo, the children immediately stopped by the side of the road. They held their chins high, lifted their right hands to Tang Mo, opened their palms, and touched their fingertips to their temples.


    Tang Mo also raised his right hand, passing the neat formation like a general. Although the entire procession was silent, the impact it had on John was truly immense.


    From that moment on, even without seeing the devices Tang Mo had mentioned, John began to believe that something was indeed being nurtured here, something that could be described as either great or terrifying.


    He no longer dared take it lightly, and followed Tang Mo with a solemn gaze, looking at the children who stood there as if on a pilgrimage.


    "Are you training them to be your soldiers?" The Elf captain behind John asked curiously, addressing Tang Mo who walked ahead.


    "No, they are all my students!" Tang Mo replied proudly. He didn''t lower his voice, but introduced the children loudly, "They are my proudest students!"


    Upon hearing Tang Mo''s words, the children held their heads even higher, seemingly indifferent to John, the Elf noble. It was as if they were sizing up John and the others with nothing more than their nostrils.


    It was apparent they were proud, proud of the education they had received in the past few months and the many strange pieces of knowledge Tang Mo had imparted to them.


    "It shows." John nodded and continued following Tang Mo past the children. Only when Tang Mo had passed the end of the line did the queue begin moving forward again.


    As one child''s voice rang out clearly, the children resumed their march, still without noise or confusion; their footsteps seemed to grow prouder after being praised by Tang Mo.


    Yes, pride, the word kept repeating in John''s mind¡ªpride. For some reason, he always felt that these children had a touch of nobility in their bones...


    And this time, John confirmed something: When the children heard themand to march in step and then started moving, they all began with their left foot and swung their right hand, their actions uniform and synchronized.


    He no longer spoke, but followed Tang Mo, step by step, along the not-so-spacious road until they reached Tang Mo''s first workshop.


    The so-called first workshop was the factory where Tang Mo initially mass-produced the K1 Quick Gun. Here, it still served as the main production workshop for the K1 Quick Gun.


    Because the workshops Tang Mo had newly built included one for producing revolvers, one for steam engines, and another for producing steel rails and other matching parts, only the original two workshops continued producing the K1 Quick Gun.


    This actually also illustrates Tang Mo''s attitude towards the K1 Quick Gun from another perspective¡ªthis was merely a transition product, hardly worth too much investment.


    Of course, the most important function here, which was why Tang Mo had brought John here for a visit, was to make John happy to pay.


    Indeed, upon hearing the rumble of the machinery and seeing dozens of barrels being manufactured at the same time, John and the Elf captain following behind him werepletely dumbfounded.


    Even though John had prepared himself mentally before entering the workshop, when he saw the steam machines and thoseplex transmission mechanisms, his poor little brain just crashed.


    Yes, his poor brain simply couldn''t process what he was seeing at the moment, just like a graphics card of 710 trying to handle the game ''Cyberpunk 2077''...


    He just stood there foolishly, continuously watching the steam engine''s flywheel spinning and the torsion bars reciprocating.


    Finally, when he closed the redundant processes in his mind and allowed that small processor to start directing his body again, John suddenly turned around to face Tang Mo.


    "You''re using this machine to manufacture barrels fully automatically?" he asked eagerly, pointing at the steam engine that had broken down twice.


    Actually, no negotiation tactics were needed anymore, because from his voice, which had already started to falter, it was clear that he wouldn''t miss out on everything before him.


    If he were at an auction at that moment, he''d never lower his bidder''s sign; this might be the first time in his life that he truly, from the bottom of his heart to the fiber of his being, believed in spending money like water.


    He even dared to boldly shout the slogan he had longed for, yet never easily voiced, "ce your bets! No matter what you offer, I''ll add a Gold Coin!"


    "Not exactly," Tang Mo felt some distance from his im of full automation, so he somewhat embarrassedly said shyly, "In fact, each barrel still requires the operation by a worker."


    "So... what you said about one worker being able to drill four barrels in one day, it''s true!" John suddenly remembered some of the "advertisements" Tang Mo had previously mentioned to him.


    "Of course it''s true, you can see for yourself... These drills spin at a constant speed and can keep rotating," Tang Mo walked over to the machine and pulled a lever, causing the drill bit to detach from the half-drilled barrel and start idling: "And they can be stopped at any time!"


    At that moment, the Elf Race captain standing on the side came to his senses, his eyes noticing the wooden rack in the corner designed to support new guns.


    He swallowed hard because on the rack there was a row ofpleted Tang''s K1 Quick Guns, the wood gleaming with a polished shine.


    "You said... that this... machine... is also for sale?" John asked uncertainly to confirm with Tang Mo. He certainly remembered Tang Mo saying that these machines and technology were for sale, but after seeing them, he really didn''t dare to expect such good fortune anymore.


    "Yes, they are all for sale," Tang Mo pointed to his steam engine and said with a loudugh apanied by its roaring sound, "The steam engine! The transmission! Including the machine tools! All are for sale!"


    "And moreover! The manufacturing technology, the production process! All are clearly priced," Tang Mo continued while shaking his head, "But you don''t have that much money anymore! My friend!"


    "You go back... collect everything valuable from every person! Rings, gold teeth, jewelry, nes, pocket watches, private possessions... promissory notes ornd deeds... In short, anything and everything will do! Then total up the price!" John looked at his subordinate, the captain whose mind wasn''t fully clear yet: "Understand?"


    "I, I understand." After hearing thismand, the captain swallowed nervously and subconsciously nodded.


    "Here, take this!" John slid off a ring set with a sapphire from his finger and handed it to Tang Mo without hesitation: "400 Gold Coins!"


    He seemed to remember something else, digging out a pure gold case from his pocket, a pocket watch engraved with exquisite patterns: "And this! A master''s treasure! You know this thing is precise, making one isn''t cheap! 300 Gold Coins! No less!"


    "Actually..." Seeing John was about to start disrobing, Tang Mo felt his own sky-high price was a bit like taking advantage of an honest person.


    And John, having seen the steam engine, couldn''t even bother to haggle. Or rather, he still remembered, but he didn''t dare.


    He didn''t dare to speak, didn''t dare to profane the greatness before him. In fact, it was with great effort that he suppressed his intense urge to worship these things.


    In just a few minutes, John confirmed something¡ªthe path to the rise of the Por Kingdom was right in front of him...

 Chapter 78: 78 comes at a fortuitous time

    The continent was so distinct, so vivid that John didn''t even want to move his steps. His original n to purchase some K1 Quick Guns and revolvers waspletely disrupted by the mechanics before his eyes.


    Now, a difficult choicey before him: what to buy and take back that would serve his own best interest.


    Yes, his own best interest: at this moment, it seemed that the interests of the Por Kingdom werepletely aligned with his own.


    "Uh... my friend... there''s no need to take off your clothes..." Finally, Tang Mo stopped John from his intention to streak. He extended his hand, gesturing, and said, "With that kind of gathering of gold coins, you might not even be able to raise 3000 Gold Coins."


    For John, a nobleman with a background, it wasn''t strange that he could have expensive rings and other trinkets on him.


    But for those poor sailors, the lower-ranking officers, it was very doubtful how much valuable property they could carry on them when they went out.


    Who would be full enough to carry around the deeds to theirnd or house, or promissory notes, while setting out to sea? And how many soldiers could afford to get a gold tooth or something simr?


    "I''ve already offered everything I have... the sailors, ships, the gold on the ship, even the rest of our cargo... But, what I wish to take with me is just too much," John said, somewhat dejected, gazing at the working steam engine with an unwilling look on his face.


    He truly wanted to take it all. He wanted all the firearms here, he wanted to take away the equipment used to produce these firearms, and the blueprints for these machines, all the design parameters and material data...


    Unfortunately, taking all that would require at least 160,000 Gold Coins, and now he couldn''te up with more than 80,000, even with his pants off.


    The shortfall was exactly half, which left John feeling despair¡ªhe dared not bargain because he thought everything before him was sacred and should not be desecrated by money.


    It was like some rich man going to the United States with money to buy an F-35 fighter jet; if the United States agreed to sell, it was already like a gift, and he had no courage to raise any objections about the price.


    "My friend! I swear on the Elf Name, as long as you agree to let me take them all, I''m willing to pay 100,000 Gold Coins! Four months! In four months, I wille back with the money! Whether you want ships, timber, horses, medicinal herbs, saltpeter, leather, sulfur... iron ore, copper ore...


    anything!" In near supplication, John once again spoke with difficulty.


    After saying this, he added earnestly, "I swear to you, you are my best friend, Augustine John! My friendship is not for sale for any amount!"


    "I understand how you feel, John. After developing such a great device, I know it''s priceless..." Tang Mo lowered his head to examine the exquisitely made pocket watch, looking at the por tree on the watch cover, made of crushed gems.


    Honestly, it might be the most beautiful pocket watch he had ever seen, not to mention that the Elves'' taste in aesthetics is definitely spot on.


    As he spoke, he flicked open the watch cover with his thumb. The white dial with its ck, slender hands, made into a vine-wrapped style, was still moving precisely, and Tang Mo could even feel the subtle vibration. It was as if it were a living elf, breathing rhythmically in the palm of his hand.


    "A fine pocket watch, I like it very much." Tang Mo smiled and looked up at John, "I n to buy it for 20,000 Gold Coins, what do you think?"


    "..." John was stunned and then his face lit up with ecstasy, "Tang Mo! My friend! When youe to Por Kingdom, I''ll take you to find the best women! I promise you! I will return in four months with everything you want!"


    He was overwhelmed with excitement, almost lunging forward to hug Tang Mo, but Tang Mo didn''t have the habit of being hugged by men, so he quietly stepped back, leaving John with his arms open awkwardly.


    "80,000 Gold Coins?" Tang Mo asked, not embarrassed in the least.


    "Yes! 80,000 Gold Coins! Or you can also take goods! Steel, copper ingots, any kind of ore, leather wool, horses, timber... anything!" John retracted his hands, offering to procure anything in the world, as if there was nothing he couldn''t acquire.


    "Well then, let''s go! Let''s take a look at the revolver production workshop, and then see the steam engine... production workshop! I think you''ll be interested in these."


    "Of course! Of course, I''m interested!" John nodded excitedly, feeling that today must be his lucky day.


    "Come on! This way, please!" Tang Mo made a weing gesture and continued to lead John towards Workshop Number Two not far away.


    This was where the bullets were made, with paper cartridge bullets being manufactured one by one, then neatly arranged in boxes, packaged, and then pushed out of the factory by workers on carts to be loaded onto carriages heading to Northern Ridge.


    Recently there had been almost no bandit activity in the Vicious Forest, so there was no need to wait to form a convoy, just two carriages could set off directly to deliver the much-needed supplies to Northern Ridge.


    ```


    Of course, the Northern Ridge would also transport the gunpowder and other materials they''d produced¡ªmoney transactions in Gold Coins had almost ceased between the two parties, since Lord Earl Fisheo''s Gold Coins had been nearly spent in Brunas.


    "I''ll sign the contract with you as soon as I get back, and you have my word! There can''t be any mistake!" John, like a drunken reveller, assured Tang Mo with a p on his chest.


    "Among the sailors, the ves and a few who have signed long-term contracts can be given directly to you, but the rest will depend on their own will," he had already begun preparing a contract to sell to Tang Mo any of his sailors that could be sold: "I''ll promise their families a sum of money so that they''ll serve you... But if they don''t want to stay, I don''t have a better solution."


    Actually, he felt quite helpless because most of these sailors weren''t his personal property. About one-third of the sailors were born ves, which meant they were assets that could be disposed of at will, and John could decide to sell all of those to Tang Mo.


    But the other sailors, officers, and the apanying merchants weren''t his to give away to Tang Mo at his convenience. All he could do was offer money to those sailors willing to leave their homes behind to stay, for he had no other choice.


    After having seen Tang Mo''s machinery, John had made up his mind toplete the transaction. Now all he could think about was how to convince as many sailors as possible to stay.


    "I''ll also need a copy of your sea charts; otherwise, there''s no point in keeping such a fleet," Tang Mo finally added.


    "That..." John seemed troubled because the sea charts, the umtion of any country''s or fleet''s experience, were a valuable treasure.


    And obviously, the maritime trade routes of the Por Kingdom ovepped considerably with Brunas; if Tang Mo entered the maritime trade, he would inevitably be cutting into the Por Kingdom''s share of the pie.


    "We are friends, aren''t we? Don''t worry, we can sign an agreement, and I promise I''ll avoid selling Por Kingdom''s products as much as possible," Tang Mo vowed, then emphasized forcefully, "We''re friends, right?"


    "Alright! I''ll send over the sea chartster!" John gritted his teeth and said, "But that will be priced separately! 10,000 Gold Coins!"


    "Hahaha! Not a problem! My friend!" Tang Mo agreed generously, without haggling. This made John somewhat regretful, thinking he might have asked for too low a price.


    Tang Mo patted John on the shoulder as if 10,000 Gold Coins were a trivial amount to him. Then, he continued, "We can assemble a steam engine in a day, but transportation is a hassle."


    "Under normal circumstances, transporting the parts and assembling them on site after delivery is the safer option." Tang Mo gestured to a worker nearby covered in grease toe over.


    Then, once the worker approached, he raised his voice and asked, "How about it? Fancy a business trip? To the far-off Por Kingdom, with a subsidy of 2 Gold Coins a day."


    While speaking, he pointed at John beside him, "He''ll give you 2 Gold Coins a day, and you can take your wife with you."


    "Really, sir?" The worker''s eyes shone bright when he heard about the 2 Gold Coins, and he couldn''t hide his excitement.


    Tang Mo then looked towards John and said, "He can help you assemble and adjust the steam engine, and can also assemble the new parts produced from the blueprints... What do you think? Do you want this kind of service?"


    "Of course! If he knows how to make... steam engines... I am willing to pay his wages! When can he start?" John nodded joyfully, without any reason to refuse.


    "Tonight would be fine," Tang Mo dered magnanimously.


    "Sir, are you really willing to let me go with him?" The worker asked Tang Mo timidly. Here, he was nothing more than an average technician, and he never dreamt he''d one day be able to earn over a thousand Gold Coins a year.


    "Yes, take good care of yourself over there. In four months, you cane back with him," Tang Mo assured with a smile, pointing again at John in a gesture ofplete trust.


    While the group was touring the factory workshop, a carriage stopped in front of the factory gate.


    An elegantly dressed old man opened the carriage door, and a tall young girl jumped out.


    "This is Tang Mo''s weapons workshop, Miss," the butler said, looking at the partially demolished wall and then turned to the girl to exin.


    The girl nced at the workshop gate and then at the construction site not far away, with a radiant smile on her face. Even in the cooling weather, her smile was stunning, as if carrying the fragrance of flowers.


    "Miss?" The guard standing at the gate became intensely nervous upon seeing the girl, greeting her with a stutter, "You, howe... you''re here?"


    "Where is Tagg? Have hime out to introduce me. I want to meet this Mr. Tang, the man of legend," Alice said with a blooming smile, gracefully stating her purpose.


    ```

 Chapter 79: Small Business of 79

    ```


    "Boss, the carriage of Lord Earl''s daughter, Ronin Alice, has just arrived at the main gate," a guard hurried over, lowered his voice, and whispered into Tang Mo''s ear.


    Tang Mo was startled, then looked at the other party, "What is she doing here? Are you sure it''s her?"


    "Yes! As soon as she arrived, she sent someone to find Tagg, so it definitely must be her," the guard replied immediately.


    Hearing this, Tang Mo nodded. Since she asked for Tagg right away, it certainly ruled out the possibility of an imposter.


    Therefore, he made an apologetic gesture of indiscretion towards the excited John and then looked at the guard who came to deliver the message, "Just in time. Let Tagg apany her around; there are no secrets here anyway! Have Bernard guard myboratory closely. No one is allowed to approach it!"


    "Yes, sir!" The guard saluted in the same manner as the students and turned on his heel to run off into the distance.


    "Miss!" Having received the notice, Tagg rushed out immediately, hurrying toward the entrance, and upon seeing Alice, he called out to her loudly.


    "Tagg! How are you? Are you doing well here?" Alice pulled her hand from her glove and casually handed the glove to her butler, then smiled and asked.


    "Of course, miss! Everything is great here!" Tagg stood at attention, chest puffed out, proudly showcasing his strong physique, "What brings you to Brunas?"


    Alice tilted her head, ncing at Tagg, "What? Can''t Ie here?"


    "No! I mean, miss...er, of course, you cane here!" Tagg said in a fluster. He didn''t know what he was so nervous about, just that he was indeed very nervous.


    "When did he start getting involved with the Elves of the Por Kingdom?" Alice, about to walk inside, suddenly noticed a group of sailors standing within the gateway.


    These sailors'' uniforms were clearly not the bright yellow of the Leite Kingdom''s navy, so Alice recognized immediately where they were from¡ªthey all came from the Por Kingdom.


    "They arrived today. Tang Mo sold his K1 Quick Guns to the Elves..." Tagg blushed slightly as he replied, as if it were his fault that he couldn''t prevent Tang Mo from making the deal.


    "Why not?" Alice pondered for a few seconds and then looked at Tagg with a smile, "You should know, those Elves have plenty of money."


    As someone who had always been involved in economic matters, she was aware that neither Northern Ridge nor Tang Mo needed K1 Quick Guns or any other weapons; what theycked was Gold Coins!


    Guns can''t solve all problems. Only with food, economy, money, and guns can one form a perfect closed loop.


    The transactions between Tang Mo and Northern Ridge could not form such a perfect loop because slow development couldn''t support Tang Mo and Northern Ridge against the enemies they would soon face.


    Therefore, if Tang Mo could secure additional funds or more resources from the Elves, this would certainly be beneficial for both Tang Mo and Northern Ridge.


    Thus, Alice, considering Tang Mo''s actions from an economic perspective, naturally understood him.


    Tagg nodded gloomily, "I know. We in Northern Ridge have always wanted to establish rtions with these Elves, but they are not short of resources. Every time theye here, it''s to sell ore and lumber."


    As Alice walked toward the gate, she said to Tagg behind her, "However, Tang Mo has what they like. They need weapons, they need machines... These are things they previously couldn''t buy with Gold Coins."


    "Yes, Tang Mo has what they want," Tagg followed Alice helplessly, not feeling there was anything inappropriate about Alice making her own way into the factory.


    The butler following Alice chimed in, taking over the conversation, "So this time Tang Mo is probably going to extract a lot of money from those Elves."


    With a quick calction, Alice guessed how much money Tang Mo could possibly make, "The Elves'' ie is roughly between 20,000 and 40,000 Gold Coins, and Tang Mo should be able to get them to fork over at least half of that."


    Unfortunately, she guessed wrong because she didn''t predict what Tang Mo had actually sold. However, the uracy of her estimate, inparison to Tang Mo''s revenue from gun sales, was quite precise.


    Hearing this figure, Tagg was slightly startled, his steps even faltering, "That much?"


    The butler, grinning while following Alice, looked at Tagg and said, "A lot? If he offers the K1 Quick Guns, the Elves would probably be willing to pay 10,000 Gold Coins! No less!"


    Tagg, at a loss for words, could only force a dryugh to show his awkwardness, "Heh-heh!"


    ```


    Alice walked forward, speaking her analysis, "If he even brought out that revolver, it could probably make these elves fork over 20,000 to 30,000 Gold Coins..."


    "Then he can be said to be very rich now," the butler reminded Alice unconsciously.


    The economic situation in Northern Ridge wasn''t very good at the moment due to the overstock of grain and the Shireck Consortium''s covert operations, making the Northern Ridge economy quite difficult all along.


    And with the additional expense of purchasing Tang Mo''s weapons, Lord Earl''s ie had decreased¡ªmost of the output was bartered directly to Tang Mo, which was why Alice came personally to Brunas to see if it was possible to take away more than five sets of steam engine equipment on credit from Tang Mo.


    Thinking of these things, Alice nodded absent-mindedly, "Yes, very... very rich. The Elf Race''s profits from one maritime trade were almost half in his pocket."


    At this moment, she truly considered the idea of getting a loan from Tang Mo, along with some mechanical equipment, to alleviate Northern Ridge''s economic pressure in winter.


    Thus, she muttered to herself, "If things don''t go well, I might need to borrow some Gold Coins from him to survive the winter."


    Suddenly, she came back to her senses and turned to Tagg, "Where is he? Take me to him!"


    Alice didn''t mention who ''he'' was, but Tagg knew whom she was referring to. So Tagg immediately took Alice toward the number three workshop, where revolvers were made.


    Tang Mo and John had just finished visiting the workshop where Tang Mo produced bullets, and now they were inspecting the factory that manufactured revolvers.


    The environment here was noticeably better than that of the two older workshops, surrounded by ss windows, it appeared much brighter.


    Simrly, the machines here were also newer, and the facilities were moreprehensive, John could tell the difference between this and the previous two older workshops at a nce.


    Clearly, the standards were higher here, and theyout was more rational. The workers here also had higher proficiency, assembling each revolver at a pace that made John''s head spin.


    As he fantasized about building a factory like this in his own country, watching his workers produce revolvers so quickly, he saw a beautiful girl stride in with vigor.


    Her long legs were truly impressive, and her graceful gait as she walked made John involuntarily swallow his saliva.


    Tang Mo followed John''s gaze and saw the stunning Alice. To be honest, he had seen countless people before his transmigration, but had rarely seen such a beautiful girl.


    Just with her figure and her looks, the pre-transmigration Tang Mo wouldn''t mind promoting her to a movie star. In fact, the instant he saw Alice, Tang Mo thought of the delightful life of keeping a beauty in a golden house in the years toe.


    She''s really only 16 years old? Tang Mo silently criticized, then heard John next to him start with ingratiating ttery, "Ah! Such a beautifuldy, you must be the brightest pearl in this Kingdom."


    "Thank you!" Alice, who had approached them, curtsied properly with an air of high ss and grace, "I''m delighted to meet you. My name is Alice, Ronin Alice. I am the eldest daughter of Earl Ronin Fisallo."


    "I am equally delighted to meet you! My name is Augustine John, my father is Duke Augustine William of Por Kingdom."


    "I didn''t expect the honor of Miss Alice''s visit; not being able to greet you is truly apse of manners," Tang Mo said with a smile, extending his hand to lift the back of Alice''s hand and made a symbolic gesture of kissing it.


    Alice smiled and nodded to Tang Mo, speaking politely, "I hope you won''t mind my uninvited disturbance, Mr. Tang."


    Although she said so, she turned to John, "Mr. John,ing here, I suppose you are looking to do business? I wonder if you both wouldn''t mind letting me listen in?"


    "In fact, we''ve just finished talking, Miss Alice," John shrugged, "I should have invited you to dinner, but now I''m penniless, I even gave him my favorite ring. So... the meal will probably have to be on Mr. Tang Mo''s tab."


    "It would be my pleasure," Tang Mo didn''t mind treating his two major clients to a nice meal, "What would the two of you like to eat?"


    "I don''t mind whatever we eat; I''m very curious, how much money did he spend here that he even gave you his personal ring," Alice looked at Tang Mo curiously, probing with her question.


    John seemed to intentionally set a trap for Tang Mo, promptly seizing the chance to answer, "I spent tens of thousands of Gold Coins here... Not just my ring, I even pledged my fleet to him!"


    "What, what?" Alice, despite being wellposed, hadn''t expected this oue, and she widened her beautiful eyes, fluttering her eyshes as she looked at Tang Mo, "What fleet?"


    "Cough..." Tang Mo coughed artificially, putting on a mock humble demeanor that was asking for a p, "Just a small business, nothing but a small business."

 Chapter 80: Does he want to die at 80?

    "My father doesn''t make 20,000 Gold Coins a year!" Alice spoke with a bit of resentment, "If you consider this a small business, then what I do can hardly be called business, right?"


    "Miss Alice''s family has a big enterprise, naturally, she''s in the big business league," Tang Mo chuckled and then looked towards John with a smile, asking, "What''s for dinner tonight?"


    "Of course, I''ll go with whatever the host decides. What do you usually eat here?" John asked curiously, his interest piqued.


    Wes looked up at the sky, and in that moment, he remembered Aunt Cui Xi''s specialty, the small fish stewed with green cucumber. That dish had left numerous martial arts masters vomiting once it was introduced; it could truly be described as something that could shock the heavens and move the spirits.


    Wes prayed silently in his mind that today''s meal wouldn''t be one of Aunt Cui Xi''s signature dishes.


    "Indeed, I also believe there must be some delicacies here that I''ve never tried," Alice said as she gently swept her temple hair aside, equally eager to give it a try.


    "Actually, I don''t have any special meals here, I eat the same as the workers," Tang Mo made an indifferent gesture before saying to Alice, "If you two are interested, would you like to take a tour of the steam engine workshop?"


    "Yes!" John and Alice eximed almost simultaneously, and they nced at each other, each seeing a wary look in the other''s eyes.


    The steam engine workshop had apletely different feel to it; everything here seemed very fresh.


    In this ce, Tang Mo didn''t just produce steam engines, he also manufactured numerous mother machines for machine tools. The workers here needed to be more skilled, and all the equipment exuded a cutting-edge, epoch-making aura.


    Under Parker''s supervision, the workers toiled diligently, and in the center of the workshop stood a newly manufactured machine tool, waiting for its tests.


    This machine tool, designed for producing drill presses, incorporated some new technologies and was made from metal materials produced with novel smelting techniques.


    Just seeing these things was enough to guess how high-end this ce was. Both Alice and John hardly dared breathe a word, holding their breath and concentrating so as not to miss any important detail.


    Unfortunately, they had nothing to fear from looking around, as it was Tang Mo''s reliance on high-precision technology that allowed him to create such sophisticated equipment.


    Moreover, Tang Mo wasn''t worried at all that they would realize that the machine tools in this workshop were using a specially made transmission device known as an electric motor.


    Because in this world, electricity wasn''t an energy source that humans could easily harness, and people didn''t know the working principle of electric motors.


    Including Alice, all the visitors could only notice that the machinery equipment was clean and well-kept, not as interconnected andplex as the other workshops they had seen before.


    Naturally, they weren''t aware that beneath their feet, metal wires were buried in the ground. Neither did they know thatpared to the previous workshops, this one represented a higher level of technology.


    "If you order steam engines, they will be produced right here," Tang Mo gestured widely with open arms to everyone.


    "Can I take home aplete set of equipment?" John leaned in towards Tang Mo, inquiring in as low a voice as he could manage.


    The environment was quite noisy, so his so-called low voice could, in some respects, be considered shouting.


    Meanwhile, Alice, standing beside a machine, pretended not to have heard anything, and worked hard to put on a look of being engrossed in observing the workshop.


    She examined a processing machine tool and watched a worker gently push a wrench in his hand. The piece attached to the wrench was grinding brightly on the fast-moving grinder.


    Then, she saw a familiar face, Dwarf Mathews, engaged in discussion with a technical worker.


    Because of the distance, she couldn''t tell what they were talking about, but she swore she had never seen such a radiant smile from Mathews in Northern Ridge.


    "As long as you sign the contract, we can have a whole set of equipment ready for you before your fleet sets sail! Trust me! This equipment would enable you to establish your own weapons production factory in the Por Kingdom!"


    "The Elf Race will always remember your kindness! My friend! The Por Kingdom will surely keep in mind your generosity!" John, overwhelmed with emotion, grabbed Tang Mo''s hand without noticing the ring on Tang Mo''s finger that was quite an eyesore to him.


    His favorite ring was now just an ornament on Tang Mo''s finger, and his most cherished pocket watch sat quietly in Tang Mo''s pocket at this very moment.


    "Mr. Tang, do you have a moment? Could youe over here?" Alice waved at Tang Mo from beside a machine.


    "You see! Being handsome is always popr, isn''t it?" Tang Mo made an apologetic gesture and said regretfully to John.


    "Believe me, my friend! She''s not looking for you because you''re handsome," John scoffed, gesturing for Tang Mo to hurry up, "It''s because you are rich now! Go on! Maybe tonight you''ll be battling untilte. Hahahaha!"


    "Hahahaha!" Tang Moughed while pointing at John, then backed away, turned, and headed towards Alice.


    "I had never thought that I''de here and, in the end, could only take four ships, maybe even three, to leave," John said as he gazed at the distant figure of Tang Mo, speaking to his own captain stationed behind him.


    "However, we brought back something more important," dered the captain of the Elf Race, confidently.


    "Indeed! Today is really our lucky day," John eximed with excitement.


    "Yes, sir!" the captain continued, nodding.


    To one side, Tang Mo stood watching Alice''s beautiful visage, waiting for the young girl to speak first.


    Alice did not keep Tang Mo waiting long; after pondering for a few seconds, she spoke, "I''vee here with several matters in mind."


    "It would be my pleasure to serve you, my beautifuldy," Tang Mo''s voice was as sweet as if dipped in honey.


    "I would like to borrow ten steam engines from you and will repay the cost around September, next year," Alice said, carefully stating her first request.


    "This... My capital is also quite fragile, miss. If I just give away ten steam engines to you, what will I use to continue expanding my factory?" Tang Mo wasn''t quick to agree.


    He had passed the age where a young girl''s flirtatious nces could make him nod eagerly like an obedient dog. Now, he was more calctive, weighing the pros and cons of the entire situation.


    "I know this request may seem a bit overmuch, but you know, the economic situation in Northern Ridge has really not been good recently. If we take out so much capital to buy your goods, our economy might very well copse," Alice exined.


    "May I ask what you are nning to do with so many steam engines?"


    "I''m nning on increasing ore output and building a workshop to produce bullets," Alice revealed truthfully: "We''re using up your bullets too quickly, so I hope to secure a more stable backup supply."


    "That makes sense. Making bullets yourself could potentially be cheaper, aligning with Northern Ridge''s long-term interests," Tang Mo nodded in approval, admiring Alice''s approach: "The entry point is quite good."


    "But have you considered why I would give you the machines, only to create apetitor for myself?" Tang Mo spread his hands, voicing his concern.


    "You''re not afraid ofpetition! You even sell machines to the Elves!" Alice called out Tang Mo''s bluff.


    Tang Mo gave no direct response, continuing instead, "The Elves are wealthy; they paid one hundred and sixty thousand Gold Coins. Though half has yet to arrive, I can receive the other half immediately."


    "That''s impossible, how could they have so much money?" Alice eximed in surprise.


    "That''s the answer to the question you just asked. I can tell you... they''ve sold their fleet to me, including all the ve sailors," Tang Mo replied casually.


    He wasn''t worried at all about Alice knowing his strength; after all, disying it appropriately was part of the negotiation.


    "We, Northern Ridge... we don''t have that kind of money," Alice felt the pressure instantly, as she could not afford for the region''s economy to deteriorate further over these machines.


    Although the machines could eventually increase Northern Ridge''s output, that would take time. The region couldn''t afford to pause for a month, waiting for the deployment and initiation of production from these machines.


    "However, Northern Ridge has been a longstanding client of mine, and the Lord Earl is a good friend," Tang Mo changed his tone as Alice began to feel slighted, speaking to himself.


    After saying this, he turned his hopeful gaze back to Alice: "We can have a good talk. After dinner, when the Elves return to the docks, you cane to my room."


    In an instant, Alice''s face flushed red; she stared at Tang Mo, observing his now detestably sly and handsome face, and fell silent for a long while.


    Tang Mo smiled, pointing towards the distant machines: "I need to demonstrate the operation of the steam engines to John in a while... Miss Alice, please feel free to look around and consider this ce as your own home, there''s no need to be a stranger."


    After finishing his words, he turned and walked towards John, who was waiting for him, without looking back.


    Alice watched Tang Mo''s retreating figure, huffing in indignation, careful not to let him hear her. She felt utterly powerless against Tang Mo''s rudeness and thought him utterly detestable at that moment.


    At night... A girl like her... How dare that scoundrel entertain such thoughts?


    Using these machines as bargaining chips? ckmailing her? It was despicable!


    Did he really... want to die? Alice thought angrily to herself.

 Chapter 81: 81 Have you ever thought about

    Dinner time arrived quickly, and since Tang Mo had promised to treat his guests, he wouldn''t stint. After all, he had just extorted a huge sum from the Elf Race; it would not be in character for him not to share some of the spoils.


    He wasn''t a stingy man¡ªrather, to some degree, he was used to being generous with his spending¡ªit was just that his new enterprise had just started, so it wasn''t all that apparent yet.


    Therefore, he sent word to Auntie Cui Xi to prepare a good dinner. He also ordered some beef and pork to be purchased, intending to give all his employees a solid meal.


    When Cui Xi sent word that dinner was ready, Tang Mo led the two groups of guests towards the staff canteen, which wasn''t luxurious at all.


    As they walked, Wes asked Tang Mo, who was leading the way, "Boss, do you really think these nobles will return the Gold Coins they owe you on time?"


    He saw Alice and Tagg trailing behind, seemingly discussing something. They deliberately stayed at the end of the group and showed no inclination to catch up.


    John and his captain also kept a distance, appearing more interested in the over fifty trainee Soldiers on the roadside.


    Tang Mo looked back at the two groups and knowing they couldn''t hear his conversation, smiled at Wes and said, "I must say, sometimes a noble''s reputation is quite valuable. Isn''t that right?"


    "Forgive my frankness, boss, but most nobles'' reputations aren''t worth 80,000 Gold Coins!" Wes kindly reminded Tang Mo.


    "You''re right," Tang Mo said seriously, nodding in agreement with Wes. Indeed, 80,000 Gold Coins were not a trivial amount, and it wouldn''t be surprising for someone to do anything for that sum.


    "So how do you know Mr. John, whom you are meeting for the first time, will definitely return the 80,000 Gold Coins to you?" Wes, immediately growing anxious after hearing Tang Mo''s response, pressed on.


    As his recognized master, Wes really didn''t want to see Tang Mo naively tricked out of 80,000 Gold Coins.


    Tang Mo looked at Wes with amusement and counter-asked, "When did I say he would definitely return the money?"


    "Then..." Wes was taken aback, his eyes widening as he looked at Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo didn''t stop walking and asked softly, "Have you ever considered... that I might have purposely given him those machines?"


    "..." Wes halted in his tracks, nearly tripping over himself. Watching Tang Mo walk into the distance, he felt he didn''t understand Tang Mo''s intentions at all.


    When he caught up again, Tang Mo continued, "In fact, in a short amount of time, we''ve obtained over 28,000 Gold Coins, bought 10rge ships with an additional 52,000 Gold Coins, gained over 200 willing Sailors, and a bunch of junk... and all we''ve spent were three sets of blueprints and two steam engines... isn''t that still profitable?"


    "But..." Wes still didn''t understand Tang Mo''s reasoning.


    "But what?" Tang Mo asked, not in a hurry, just inquisitive.


    "But originally, those items were valued at 160,000 Gold Coins." Wes felt his math desperately needed improvement.


    Tang Mo nodded, not denying the fact: "That''s right, they did sell for 160,000 Gold Coins."


    "But we might not recover 80,000 Gold Coins... You didn''t really need to be so hasty in selling everything to John," Wes was even more confused.


    "You still don''t understand, Wes," Tang Mo''s smile deepened.


    As he spoke, he absentmindedly reached into his pocket for cigarettes and a lighter, only to find they weren''t there.


    So he could only awkwardly withdraw his hand: "Nobody can owe me money and just walk away... nobody... If he pays on time, I gain a friend and an extra 80,000 Gold Coins. If he doesn''t, that''s when things get interesting."


    "Int, interesting?" Wes felt he was struggling to follow Tang Mo''s train of thought.


    Tang Mo continued nodding, his expression serious, "Yes, interesting."


    Soon, a shabby shack appeared before everyone. The shack looked pitiful, with worn-out seats and benches, while some looked fairly new.


    There was no choice¡ªTang Mo didn''t have the energy or surplus money to create a proper staff canteen. Thus, this might be the most shabby ce in the entire Great Tang Group.


    There was no proper lighting, and even the forks prepared for guests were hastily assembled.


    The dinner was far fromvish, with just simple vegetables and some pork cut into cubes. Tang Mo, John, and Alice had an additional piece of steak, cut into easy-to-eat pieces and served by Auntie Cui Xi for convenience.


    Unfortunately, the only avable dinner knife was Tang Mo''s own¡ªeven Roger didn''t have his own knife, let alone one to offer the guests.


    "I should probably have someone prepare some dinnerware," Tang Mo said as he pierced a piece of beef with his fork and stuffed it into his mouth, speaking to Roger by his side.


    John, sitting opposite, noticed Tang Mo''s modest means in this regard but didn''t care. What he truly cared about were those machines and weapons; whether Tang Mo was truly poor or pretending, he had no interest in finding out.


    Nevertheless, he decided to demonstrate the generosity of the Por Kingdom in front of another buyer, Alice. He speared some veggies with his fork, gave it a shake, and addressed Tang Mo, "You should indeed prepare some food, and silver candlesticks, order yourself some nice clothes... Nobles should look the part."


    "What nobles?" Alice put down her fork and wiped her lips with a handkerchief, asking with curiosity.


    She hade from the factory without saying a word to Tang Mo. The two were not acquainted, and while Alice kept to herself deliberately, Tang Mo naturally didn''t seek the difort of a conversation.


    It was John who spoke first, and due to her curiosity, Alice finally asked him a question.


    John immediately responded with a smile, "I have promised to help Mr. Tang Mo secure a barcy in the Por Kingdom... So, when I return with Gold Coins four months from now, he will be a Baron of the Por Kingdom."


    "Oh." Without offering congrattions, Alice went back to looking at the beef on her te. Although she cared about the possibility of Tang Mo siding with the Por Kingdom, Tang Mo''s recent impoliteness had embarrassed her, so she suppressed her concern and maintained her silence.


    "In fact, Mr. Tang Mo will soon join the ranks of the most favored and wealthiest nobility in the Por Kingdom with his new ventures. If he''s willing toe with me to the Por Kingdom, even Your Majesty the King might personally bestow upon him a higher title," John added, seeing that Alice remained silent.


    Upon hearing this news, Alice''s heart felt as if it were about to leap out of her throat. She really hadn''t thought it through¡ªwhat she and her father''s Northern Ridge would face alone if Tang Mo really epted John''s offer.


    "So, has he agreed?" Alice forced a faint smile, maintaining the basic etiquette of nobility.


    "I have not considered developing in the Por Kingdom, Miss Alice," Tang Mo didn''t wait for John to continue and smiled as he gave his answer, "As I see it, my ventures in Brunas have just begun, so I''m not nning on leaving anytime soon."


    Being at someone''s mercy was not afortable position, and Tang Mo knew this all too well. Forget the worth of his pure friendship with John¡ªperhaps not even valued at twenty Gold Coins; even if they were sworn brothers, Tang Mo would not consider abandoning his achievements in Brunas to follow John to the Por Kingdom at such a time.


    Of course, if his industries here werepletely destroyed, he certainly wouldn''t mind trying his luck in the Por Kingdom, seeking a chance for aeback.


    "This meal is truly unforgettable," John realized by now, finally understanding why Tang Mo was so eager to sell him many important assets.


    Because Tang Mo was out of money, in the rough stages of capital umtion. What Tang Mo needed now was time, not cherishing the valuable technology he possessed.


    If Tang Mo''s technology were swallowed whole by Shireck or simply obliterated, then no matter how valuable it was, it would be worthless.


    That''s why Tang Mo was so eager to liquidate, so eager to sell the technology he held to the Elves.


    In fact, John had guessed only half right, because the technology Tang Mo was offering was so advanced partly for the reason he imagined¡ªindeed, Tang Mo hoped to buy himself time. On the other hand, it was also because Tang Mo had even more advanced technology on hand.


    Right at that moment, hidden beneath Tang Mo''s somewhat odd suit, was an even more sophisticated Left-Wheel Handgun, another ace up his sleeve for daring to negotiate with John and Alice.


    "Yes, the bandit problem in the Vicious Forest has been reduced by more than half recently, and trade routes between Brunas and Northern Ridge are flourishing... It would indeed be a pity to leave at this time," Alice said, not looking at Tang Mo, as if talking to herself.


    Tang Mo didn''t understand how he had offended the young beauty before him. Wasn''t it just a little joke about the timing of the negotiation? Surely the reaction shouldn''t be this intense?


    He knew Alice had guessed that the Great Tang Group''s private army was clearing out the Vicious Forest, training troops while securing their trade routes.


    Though she too found the thieves holed up in the mountains an eyesore, her attempts to send troops for eradication hadn''t been very effective.


    This time it was Tang Mo''s turn to send troops, and no one knew how many soldiers he deployed, but he truly made a surprisingly effective strike.


    Therefore, by making such a statement, Alice was reminding Tang Mo that she knew he was training troops and stirring things up in the Vicious Forest.


    Tang Mo, of course, also picked up on Alice''s insinuation andughed it off, feigning indifference, and began to chat with John about the customs of Suthers.


    -------


    The Dragon Spirit book goes on sale next month. Dragon Spirit mentioned two things:


    1. There will be a burst of activity, so everyone can read more.


    2. The updates will return to the regr twice-daily schedule.


    Thank you for your support.

 Chapter 82: Gave it all at 82

    The Suthers Kingdom is actually not as exquisite as the Leite Kingdom because the King of Suthers is not as wise as the King of Leite.


    This is a country that is crude and careless, one that, though established on military might, has somewhat degraded into a state of disrepair and decadence. The ease with which the Shireck Consortium could convince them to send troops to the Northern Ridge is indicative of a myriad of issues inherent within the kingdom.


    Fortunately, the country has some capable generals, such as Earl Ti, who shines inparison to Count Fisheo, and Duke Montbar, the Prime Minister of the Suthers Kingdom.


    Tang Mo did not have a deep understanding of the Suthers Kingdom, so he treasured the intelligence he obtained from John. To his new friend Tang Mo, John was quite forting with everything he knew.


    He spoke of the rxed military preparations at the northern ports of Suthers and also mentioned that the Suthers Kingdom was indeed reinforcing its southern borders, a very dangerous signal.


    Since John''s intelligence was roughly a year old, it also meant that the war preparations of the Suthers Kingdom had actually begun over a year ago.


    From this perspective, it was evident that the Suthers Kingdom''s war preparations were more thorough, and with Shireck''s financial and arms support, the war was clearly to the advantage of Suthers.


    Of course, if it weren''t for Tang Mo, the transmigrator bearing the golden finger, it is very likely that the tale would end with Count Fisheo''s bitter defeat.


    But now that Tang Mo had arrived, bringing with him his advanced breech-loading rifles, the oue of the war seemed to have quietly shifted.


    "In fact, before meeting you, I did not think Count Fisheo has a chance of winning," John said candidly to Tang Mo without avoiding Alice by his side, "Suthers Kingdom has been preparing for over a year, and no matter what, the oue of the war would not be subject to change."


    "Even if Count Fisheomands his troops like a deity, he won''tst long in front of an enemy force that is more than three timesrger," he shook his head, then continued, "However, after getting to know you and seeing your weapons, I think that if Count Fisheo is truly as remarkable in hismand as the legend says, then Northern Ridge may well be the victor of this war."


    "You, or rather your father, encountering Tang Mo, might have been the only chance you had throughout the year," he said to Alice with a smile, "Cherish this only variable. If it weren''t for Mr. Tang Mo, Northern Ridge would be destined to lose."


    "Since he has already sold the K1 Quick Guns to you, there''s no need for me to hide anything. You know full well the power of the weapons I possess, and now Northern Ridge holds the winning ticket!" Alice dered defiantly, her beautiful eyes fixed on John.


    "It''s still too early to say you hold the winning ticket, Miss Alice! Who can be sure about matters on the battlefield," John shrugged, "Tang Mo''s K1 Quick Guns have merely pulled you back from the edge of a cliff. Now, this war can finally be said to have a winner and a loser, as opposed to the oue being decided... "


    "I truly wish we could decide the oue of the war over dinner, but unfortunately, I''m not yet capable of that," Tang Mo toyed with his fork, nced at the two, and said, "However, as a gambler, I''ve decided to ce my bet on Count Fisheo''s side."


    As he spoke, he turned to Alice, "I hope Miss Alice, and Lord Earl, do not disappoint me."


    "Rest assured! My father will defeat that bunch of fools from the Suthers Kingdom!" Alice clenched her teeth, and finally managed to say the words as she looked at Tang Mo.


    "I think it''s time to end dinner!" John was eager to go back to gather funds and hand over the ships, so he wanted to leave halfway through the meal.


    He took a nce at the captain standing by his side, then apologetically gestured to Tang Mo, stood up, and cheerily said his goodbyes, "It''s gettingte, I won''t disturb you two any longer. I''ll have my men bring the collected treasurester on."


    He waved the contract signed before dinner and stepped back, "Thank you for the hospitality. I hope my goods will be delivered on time to the dock in three days."


    "Of course!" Tang Mo also stood up, responding in kind, "Would you like an escort from me?"


    "No need, I''ll just borrow your carriage for a bit, and have it returned to youter. Goodbye." John, ever so graceful, bowed slightly and then left the tent with the Elf captain.


    Meanwhile, Alice, who had been taken aback by John''s words "I won''t disturb you two," inexplicably blushed a deep red.


    "Scoundrel!" She cursed John under her breath, venomous and silent, "I curse, curse you, you bastard, to never have... have... offspring in your life! Bastard! Son of a bitch!"


    "Miss Alice, what are you muttering?" Tang Mo, after watching his major client John leave, turned and looked at Alice with concern.


    "It''s nothing..." Alice, upon hearing Tang Mo''s question, immediately became flustered, shaking her head and looking down at her shoe tips.


    She had just nced subconsciously when she noticed the outfit Tang Mo was wearing today, which seemed quite rare. It was very proper and entuated Tang Mo''s slender figure.


    "This is so baffling¡­" Tang Mo nced at the distracted Alice and then at Tagg standing beside her before giving his order, "Miss Alice has just arrived and might not be used to this ce. Take her around for a walk. I will be upied with the inventory of the Elf''s assets for a while. After Miss Alice has adjusted, bring her to my room."


    "Understood, Lord," Tagg nodded slightly and then watched as Tang Mo departed. To be honest, during the meal, Alice was the only one who ate absentmindedly, as her te still had quite a bit of beef left.


    Alice felt like a startled little animal; it was only well after Tang Mo had left and several workers had started to eat in the corners of the tent that she lifted her head, having adjusted her state of mind.


    She touched her cheek, feeling a slightly abnormal warmth. It was only after that warmth had also warmed her small hand that she looked up, somewhat bewildered.


    For many years now, there had been no shortage of suitors chasing her. However, those true scions of great families and fitting members of the nobility always maintained a nebulous distance from her.


    She was not foolish, but very intelligent; she knew she might not marry a desirable groom like the other daughters of Earls.


    All this time, she had been searching for her other half in Northern Ridge, often resigned to her fate, thinking she might end up marrying a young officer and controlling the Wolf Banner and her father''s estate as the female Earl of Northern Ridge.


    She did not dislike this oue, but as she grew older, the pressure on her shoulders increased¡ªover the past year, with war on the brink of breaking out, her dream of marrying one of her father''s officers and inheriting the family business seemed to be shattering.


    Even with the most optimistic assumptions, Alice knew she might end up as a trophy, given to some Suthers noble who would take over Northern Ridge, or even die inexplicably in some room in Wolf City...


    However, when she saw Tang Mo''s K1 Quick Gun, the revolver, and the smile that had appeared on her father''s usually furrowed face, a glimmer of hope suddenly arose within her.


    A prince on a white steed, bearing an artifact capable of changing the Ronin Family''s fate, had appeared out of nowhere and entered her life.


    She felt this was divine will, or rather¡­ this might be herst chance to break free from her destiny.


    Compared to marrying some frivolous heir, or a dull-witted officer in order to continue controlling the family business, or being treated like a trophy and throttled in some dark corner¡­ perhaps this somewhat handsome man in front of her wasn''t so bad¡­


    "Miss¡­" Tagg, who had been watching Alice sitting there as if lost in thought since Tang Mo''s departure, finally couldn''t help but speak up. Suddenly, Alice lifted her head, startling Tagg.


    "I''m fine! I was just¡­ just thinking¡­ thinking about how to negotiate with Mr. Tang Mo, to get him to agree to Northern Ridge''s terms¡­" Alice lied, covering up her unease, then stood up and looked in Tang Mo''s direction: "Take me to him!"


    As she spoke, Alice had a determined look about her. She straightened her clothes, which were not at all disheveled, and only then did she realize her hands were trembling slightly from nervousness.


    "I''m doing this for Northern Ridge¡­" She didn''t even believe her excuse, yet she tried to convince herself with it in her mind.


    "Say¡­ miss¡­ are you feeling unwell?" Tagg, observing Alice''s unusual demeanor, inquired kindly.


    Alice, like a startled rabbit, quickly shook her head in denial: "No, I''m fine! I''m just a bit, a bit nervous."


    "Nervous?" Tagg was even more puzzled now; in his memory, as the sole daughter of the Earl, Alice had never shown nervousness during business negotiations.


    Alice, whose thoughts had been read, took a deep breath, lifted her chin as if in defiance, and walked toward the building not far away.


    However, upon reaching the door, she began to get nervously jittery again. Tagg, as well as the old butler following her, both noticed Alice''s hesitation.


    "Miss, perhaps we should do this tomorrow¡­" The old butler weighed his words carefully before suggesting.


    "No need!" Alice bit her lip and then instructed deliberately, "Tagg, stay here; no one¡­ well, no one is toe in!"


    Then, finally¡­ after several minutes of hesitation at Tang Mo''s door, Alice clenched her teeth and knocked. "The worst that could happen is like getting bitten by a dog! I''m going all in!"

 Chapter 83: 83, do you have a stutter?

    By the time she pushed open the door, she was slightly startled. It was her first time seeing such a simplistic bedroom, or, to be exact, the first time seeing such a ¡­ pdash office.


    Tang Mo''s office and bedroom werebined, with his desk followed by a chair, and right behind the chairy a single bed.


    As a man, Tang Mo''s quilt was messy on the bed¡ªbecause for the past two days, Tang Mo had been so busy that even his sleeping time had been cut by 2 hours.


    He now only slept six hours a day, which, if calcted based on the standard eight hours of sleep, showed his current lifestyle was extremely unhealthy.


    But he couldn''t manage these concerns now. He had to spend 4 hours a day in theb, another 4 hours drawing blueprints, and the rest of his time was taken up with business dealings, inspecting the workshop, supervising construction progress on the site¡­


    So, for such a career-driven man, folding the quilt seemed trivial.


    Tang Mo hadn''t realized this, forgetting to make his bed. As soon as he returned, he busied himself with the ounts, then looked at the list of factory personnel changes Roger had left in his room.


    When Tang Mo picked up these documents, hepletely forgot that he had asked Alice toe to his room to discuss business with Northern Ridge.


    However, the moment Alice rather violently barged into his room, he remembered that he had arranged a meeting.


    Within roughly a second, he had his thoughts in order: the cooperation with Northern Ridge should deepen, just as he had said during the dinner, he didn''t have the capital to ce bets on both sides, he had already sided with Northern Ridge!


    In about the same amount of time, Alice too had managed to recover from her initial indignation. She saw the slovenliness hidden beneath a man''s bright exterior¡­


    And then, she discovered that the room wasn''t quite what she had expected. There were no romantic curtains, no soft,rge bed, but there was a pile of empty bottles in the corner and a bunch of old clothes hung haphazardly on the clothes rack.


    Clearly, the room she was in was likely Tang Mo''s office, and Tang Mo, who had made so much money from Northern Ridge and the Elves, was regretfully sleeping in his office¡­


    Speaking of sleeping¡­ what on earth are you thinking? Alice cut off her own wild thoughts, finally regaining herposure as Tang Mo realized his room was a bit messy.


    "Uh¡­ sorry, Miss Alice¡­ the room''s a bit messy," Tang Mo said awkwardly, putting down the pen in his hand¡­


    Honestly, because of the weather, the room was definitely not warm, so Tang Mo hadn''t taken off his coat upon entering, which meant he still had a left-wheel handgun hanging under his arm.


    In this world, besides James Bond, probably nobody would bring a handgun when meeting a beautiful woman¡­ Tang Mo sarcastically thought to himself.


    This must be the worst date ever, wasn''t it? Nothing memorable about it, utterly embarrassing! Alice also helplessly criticized in her mind at this time.


    Then, the habits that she had developed over the years made her say the most gracious words despite mentally criticizing: "No, no problem¡­"


    "As you can see, I''m quite busy, there''s a lot to do, so¡­ let''s get started right away," Tang Mo changed the subject, setting aside the documents in his hand, turned around, went to the bed, and started to fold his quilt.


    Despite the awkwardness, despite the embarrassment, he ultimately had to maintain some semnce of image¡ªespecially in front of a beautiful woman.


    As Tang Mo finished folding his quilt, he turned around and said to Alice, "Make yourselffortable, there''s no need to be so stiff."


    When she heard Tang Mo say to get started right away, Alice almost cried¡ªshe really didn''t want to give away the best of herself so sloppily to a man who¡­ to a man who couldn''t even fold his quilt.


    However, when she saw Tang Mo folding the quilt, she finally realized that he apparently didn''t n to enact a romantic love story with her.


    Because who would fold the quilt when a girl had just entered the room? Wouldn''t you just have to unfold itter? Wasn''t that superfluous?


    But once she confirmed this fact, the anxiety and unease in her heart immediately turned into the shame of feeling neglected¡ªher looks, her body, her heart, everything ignored.


    These were the intricate thoughts of a woman, something Tang Mo naturally wouldn''t know.


    He proudly folded his quilt into a tofu block; it might not have been perfect, but it looked the part. When he turned back around, satisfied, Alice had already settled herself in the chair reserved for guests.


    "I''ve brought a batch of goods this time, hoping to offset some of the debt Northern Ridge owes you," Alice muttered to herself, calling Tang Mo a pigheaded man, then continued to channel her emotions through business: "The goods are already on their way¡­"


    Tang Mo knew that Alice had been angry ever since he made that joke and didn''t take it to heart, directly asking, "What kind of goods? Leather? Grain? If it''s these, I have no problem with it here."


    He nned to ept whatever junk Northern Ridge brought, just to soothe Alice''s anger¡ªhe hadn''t realized that the girls in this world were so coquettish that even a joke was forbidden.


    "It''s 700 Shireck Flintlock Guns!" Alice said, irritated.


    Tang Mo repeated, his eyes widening, "700 guns, flintlock guns... Shireck Flintlock Guns..."


    Selling other people''s weapons, he had been doing that for two lifetimes... but buying others'' antiquated weapons, that wasn''t something he often dealt with.


    Seeing Tang Mo''s expression, Alice finally felt a sense of satisfaction as if she had avenged a great wrong. She nodded and confirmed to Tang Mo, "Yes, I hope to use these weapons to offset part of the debt."


    "What use do you think these Shireck Flintlock Guns could possibly have for me?" Tang Mo sat back behind his desk and asked Alice with a wry smile.


    "I don''t know, but the only thing I have lying around that''s of no use to me are these flintlock guns," Alice said bluntly, beginning to y the rascal.


    Tang Mo was amused by Alice''s demeanor. He habitually wanted to reach for a cigarette, then realized he didn''t have any and merely rubbed his chin, "Ha! You''re asking an arms dealer to buy someone else''s weapons... Interesting."


    "I know it puts you in a difficult position, which is why, why I... I came here personally." After the thrill of revenge passed, Alice still felt somewhat embarrassed.


    She knew that Tang Mo would find Shireck''s flintlock guns utterly useless, especially since this batch of guns... they couldn''t even be fired.


    The barrels of these flintlock guns produced were seriously wed, risking explosion upon firing. The Northern Ridge Legion''s troops that hadn''t upgraded their equipment injured a dozen soldiers due to barrel explosions during training.


    It was only because the Northern Ridge Legion now had new weapons that the old ammunition was despised, so they increased the training intensity, otherwise, it might not have been discovered that these guns were defective.


    Clearly, this was a sly scheme by the Shireck Consortium; they were hoping that the Northern Ridge Legion using these new guns on the battlefield would copse due to weapon malfunctions.


    But no one had expected that Count Fisheo, who had upgraded from old-fashioned muskets to cannons, would use the new guns for training¡ªa move even the wealthy Shireck Consortium themselves rarely afforded to indulge in.


    Hearing Alice''s exnation, Tang Mo then realized that not only was Alice trying to use outdated flintlock guns to settle her debt, but they were a batch of faulty guns...


    Tang Mo suppressed the urge to curse and instead let his mind wander through a series of unrted props like candles for lighting and whips for horse-riding. Finally, he sighed in resignation, "This is indeed a headache..."


    "You... if you''re willing, willing to ept this condition... I, I..." Alice mumbled with her head lowered, feeling justified in her embarrassment.


    It was risky for her to have confidently sent these scrap weapons to Tang Mo without getting his agreement first.


    Because if Tang Mo refused her terms, Northern Ridge might have to foot the bill for the transport costs.


    She felt a sense of regret: Couldn''t this situation just follow the script? Her dithering and coy approach, and the dashing Tang Mo going for a suave wall pin followed by a lingering, romantic kiss¡ªwhy was that so hard to achieve?


    She could take a little loss, shed a couple of tears, and a panicked Tang Mo would nod in agreement¡ªwouldn''t that have solved everything? Why make it soplicated¡­ Isn''t it tiring?


    However, while Alice was daydreaming about a romantic scenario, she heard Tang Mo''s curious voice asking, "Do you have a speech impediment?"


    "Wha... what?" Alice stuttered, taken aback.


    "I asked, do you naturally stutter when you speak? Or are you just very nervous?" Tang Mo asked without even looking up.


    Then, just as Alice was on the verge of indignantly erupting again, Tang Moid out his terms: "I can keep these weapons and help you sell them... As to how much they''ll fetch, that''s hard to say, but the money can certainly be used to settle Northern Ridge''s debt, no problem there."


    "Moreover, I can provide Northern Ridge with 20 steam engines on credit, and also offer to sell them the bullet production line."


    "Really?" Alice felt overwhelmed by the sudden turn of happiness. Could it be... was Tang Mo a boorish brute who would forcefully have his way after generously agreeing to the terms?


    "It seems your speech impediment is quite serious," Tang Mo said with a hint of pity, feeling that the gods were indeed fair, bestowing a woman with beauty but depriving her ofmunication skills. What a pity.


    "I don''t have! No speech, speech impediment! I''m not, not stut, stuttering!" Miss Ronin Alice, the only daughter of Lord Earl, finally lost her temper.


    ------


    It might be listed tomorrow, so please support me. Dragon Spirit thanks you in advance.

 Chapter 84: What else could it be?

    Alice was brimming with fury, staring at Tang Mo as if she wanted to devour him. Unfortunately, she was just too beautiful, so these actions and expressions really had no intimidating power.


    The instant Tang Moid eyes on her, he thought of a funny inte video he had seen before he crossed over, where the child''s naive voice kept echoing in his ears: "The dragon roars! Ao! Aowu!"


    Therefore, Tang Mo naturally let out a snort ofughter, causing Alice''s defenses to crumble in an instant as she sat back down in her chair, dejected and covered in metaphorical dust.


    "I''m not stuttering!" Alice, realizing she had indeed be somewhat speech-challenged in her anger, surged up with ire again and emphasized her point resentfully.


    "Alright! Alright!" Tang Mo gave her a look that said ''I don''t believe you one bit,'' intending to gloss over the subject.


    He didn''t wait for Alice to get stuck on the topic and steered the conversation back to the terms of cooperation: "I''m willing to supply these products, but the prices will have to float upwards. You know, the Elf Race paid over one hundred thousand Gold Coins for these devices, and Northern Ridge also requested deferred payment, so the price will have to rise somewhat."


    "Twenty steam engines, priced at 20,000 Gold Coins, with the deferred surcharge, set at 30,000 Gold Coins¡­ Payment can be made in installments." As Tang Mo spoke, he began calcting how much Northern Ridge was due to pay, looking like he deserved a good punch.


    After considering further, he added: "Moreover, if you want the bullet production line, you''ll have to pay me the design costs of the bullets: starting from 10 million bullets, at 30 copper coins each¡­ the pricees to 30,000 Gold Coins... There''s no extra charge for this, so you can produce more bullets to dilute the cost."


    At this point, he remembered something about the Elf Race¡ªthe cost of bullets hadn''t been ounted for¡­


    So, in his mind, he reminded himself to have a good discussion with his new Elf friends tomorrow about increasing the bullet prices.


    Having reminded himself, he continued, causing Alice to lose any remaining semnce of temper: "If Northern Ridge wants the production rights to the K1 Quick Gun and the Revolver, there''s an additional cost of 20,000 Gold Coins¡­ Believe me, it''s a real bargain¡­"


    This youngdy now realized that in front of Tang Mo, the formidable dragon, she was nothing but a naive little bunny.


    Her expression numb, she watched as Tang Momented to himself: "The Elves paid over one hundred thousand Gold Coins for these devices, and you¡­ only spent about 80,000 Gold Coins¡­ and you can pay in installments too¡­ My, I''m hardly making any money¡­"


    As he spoke, Tang Mo suddenly paused, raising his voice and addressing Alice: "However, there''s obviously no such thing as a free lunch, so I want somepensation. That''s not too much to ask for, right?"


    "Compensation?" Clearly, Miss Alice, our protagonist, once again misunderstood the word.


    And Tang Mo, relentlessly charging ahead with steely determination, nodded and went along with Alice''s misunderstanding: "Yes! Compensation! After Northern Ridge secures victory in the war against Suthers Kingdom, I expect you to look after the interests of Great Tang Group, meaning mine¡­ personally."


    "I expect to get at least a stake in 2 iron mines and 1 copper mine, and I want at least thirty percent of the ore output!" Tang Mo boldly stated, nning to take over the Shireck Consortium''s industries in Northern Ridge after the war.


    Alice, for her part, felt that such a demand wasn''t too unreasonable¡ªafter all, she could worry about these headache-inducing matters after the war.


    However, Tang Mo''s next demand seemed a bit excessive. He continued, "Additionally, for war reparations, I want thirty percent."


    "Impossible! That''s like saying you''d take all the benefits of Northern Ridge''s war effort by yourself! The most I can give you is two percent!" Alice immediately rejected the proposal.


    Tang Mo, aware that he was asking for the moon, wasn''t afraid of Alice''s counteroffer. Without considering, he retorted: "Are you joking? You think a few thousand Gold Coins will do? I want twenty-nine percent!"


    "Heh! Three percent! Not a coin more! War reparations also need to provide for our soldiers'' families, not to mention stabilizing Northern Ridge''s economy. I''m worried there won''t be enough to go around!" Alice didn''t insist and immediately topped up Tang Mo''s offer.


    But this increase seemed somewhatcking in sincerity, a mere one percent was clearly not enough to satisfy Tang Mo''s appetite.


    So Tang Mo waved his hand dismissively, looking like he really wasn''t interested in continuing the negotiation: "You clearly have no sincerity!"


    His acting was far from Oscar-worthy, even quite crude, for he really had no need to put on a show in front of Alice; he was merely bargaining for what he deserved.


    Alice''s eyes widened in response, her face flushing red like an apple: "You''re taking advantage of a crisis!"


    Tang Mo spread his hands in feigned innocence: "You can choose not to ept."


    Stewing in anger, Alice pointed a single finger: "Ten percent! That''s the most generous offer I can make."


    That slender finger distracted Tang Mo for a moment; seldom had he seen such beautiful hands and long attractive fingers.


    When he came to his senses, he couldn''t help but cause Alice to see red once more: "Eh? You''re not stuttering anymore?"


    "I never stuttered in the first ce." Alice immediately cried out loudly.


    "¡­Alright then, ten percent it is! Within half a month, I''ll send the corresponding machinery and equipment to Northern Ridge." Tang Mo readily agreed to the terms Alice had offered.


    Alice breathed a sigh of relief, "Pleasure doing business with you!"


    Tang Mo had alsopleted his negotiation n for the day¡ªafter that, he still had to wait here for the Jingling Race to deliver part of their shopping payment.


    Smiling, he said, "Pleasure doing business! I really don''t have a room to host you, so tonight, I''ll have Tagg take you to the harbor. You can find a ship and sleep in the captain''s quarters¡­"


    "You called me over just, just to talk about these?" Alice recalled her series of misunderstandings, looked down blushing, and asked softly while staring at her own toes.


    The next second, Tang Mo answered as a matter of course, "What else? What did you think I asked you here for? Don''t expect me to find a hotel for you in Brunas when you''ve just racked up a debt of tens of thousands of Gold Coins'' worth of machinery from me¡­I''m broke! Not a penny left! Pay back what you owe, and then we can talk about other things!"


    Tang Mo thought Alice was preparing to borrow money from him, because Alice knew he now had arge sum of Gold Coins. He had other uses for that money; he had to purchase cement, buy steel and other materials¡­ Plus the payments he owed made his reserves not that substantial indeed!


    The remaining tens of thousands of Gold Coins (well, not that many really), were also needed to acquire the intelligencework of the Silver Fox Tavern, to continue developing factories, and to support a private military¡­ His money wasn''t blown in by the wind, after all!


    "Tang Mo!" Alice suddenly eximed Tang Mo''s name.


    "Hmm?" Caught off guard by being called by his name, Tang Mo was somewhat unused to it.


    "Has anyone ever told you that you''re a pig¡­" After calmly saying this, Alice suddenly felt a refreshing sensation throughout her body.


    Like a proud swan, she turned around with a swirl and, carrying a fragrant breeze, she left without looking back.


    Tang Mo watched her retreat until the door blocked his view, only then did he shift his gaze elsewhere, "It''s a bit messy¡­ I should clean up a bit."


    Outside, Alice walked up to Tagg, fuming, and said to her butler, "Let''s go! To the dock! Pighead! Pighead! Jerk! Fool!


    Pighead!"


    Tagg nced at the butler, who gave Tagg a helpless look, and together they followed Alice out, walking towards where the carriages were parked at the factory entrance.


    Wes leaned against a tree, a yful smile on his face. He waited until the three of them had gone far, then sauntered carelessly as he pushed open Tang Mo''s door.


    "Something up?" Tang Mo was cleaning up some bottles by the wall, nced at Wes, and asked absent-mindedly.


    "Could it be¡­ you like men?" Wes got straight to the point, asking curiously.


    "Ah? How could that be¡­ Why do you ask?" Tang Mo stopped what he was doing and looked back at Wes, "Are you interested in me?"


    In the art of grossing someone out, he was behind no one. At least he managed to disgust Wes, whose face instantly showed a priceless expression.


    However, he still understood from Tang Mo''s words that Tang Mo wasn''t interested in men¡ªhe was a normal man who liked women.


    "Oh, stop it! I like women," Wes snorted disdainfully, then asked, "That youngdy is the pride of Northern Ridge, and so pretty... didn''t you feel anything?"


    "Hmm¡­ an Earl''s daughter sounds quite tempting." Tang Moughed, put down the bottles, and stood up, only to realize with frustration that he didn''t have any cigarettes in his pocket.


    "Then why did you let her leave just like that?" Wes was quite intrigued and started to pry further, "You should be able to tell that she mustered a lot of courage toe see you."


    "Do you think there''s a possibility¡­ it''s because of her hair color?" Tang Mo seemed like a suave dude, not at all like an 18-year-old boy.


    For an instant, Tang Mo''s mind conjured the image of a long-haired silhouette, but that figure was too blurred to make out clearly.


    "I''m being serious!" Wes didn''t buy it: "Why, didn''t you keep her? A beautiful Earl''s heiress, isn''t that enough?"


    "Ha-ha! Maybe I''d prefer a queen instead." Tang Mo brushed away the ethereal image in his mind, making a joke out of it.


    Wes was taken aback by the response; he contemted for a moment, then nodded earnestly, "That''s a good idea!"


    ----


    It''s New Year, and Dragon Spirit is asking for: monthly tickets, donations, rmendation votes, subscriptions, favorites¡­ rolling around and acting cute!


    Wes: "That''s a good idea!"

 Chapter 85: Divide the spoils 85

    When night fell, the elf captain delivered a cartload of odds and ends, which truly opened Tang Mo''s eyes.


    The haphazardly stacked jewelry and some books in the cart, along with other items, indeed made a full cartload.


    Tang Mo organized the various books and ced them along the wall, leaving behind a pile of trinkets that appeared even more valuable.


    At that moment, on his desk, there were gold-framed sses, several false teeth, quite a few rings, and seven or eight nes of varying thickness.


    What was more interesting is that John had also sent over a pair of pistols, which at first nce were clearly not meant for use but were specially crafted ornaments.


    Both pistols had ivory handles, carved with assorted reliefs, and metal-iid barrels. They were the first-generation Shireck flintlock guns, with red muzzles at the ends.


    As Tang Mo fiddled with a ring that did not seem too expensive, he saw Roger push the door open. He gestured for him to sit wherever he liked, "Uncle Roger... feel free to look around, whatever you like is yours to take."


    "What do I need these things for, they''re not useful," Rogerughed as he declined, "I came here to tell you, just now, the fourth steam engine prepared for Northern Ridge has been assembled."


    "Thanks for everyone''s hard work," Tang Mo said, looking at the less valuable trinkets on the desk. He pointed with a finger and suggested to Roger, "Take 20 of these... to reward the 20 workers who have performed the best recently!"


    "They are all very grateful to you. They work overtime every day making steam engines, partly because they really think the machines are great, and partly to repay you for everything you''ve done for them. So, giving them these ispletely unnecessary."


    "A reward system must exist at all times! To make a horse run, you need to feed it properly and whip it in a timely manner. Both are indispensable," Tang Mo''s management principles were much more advanced than what Roger knew, so in this regard, he preferred to stick to his own views.


    "I''ll take your word for it," Roger went over to the office desk, picked through the trinkets, and pocketed a few truly worthless ones.


    "The elves have started the transfer of ships. Bernard and Redman have taken 150 men over; there shouldn''t be any problems."


    "Be cautious and keep a close eye on our Gold Coins! Those ships have tens of thousands of Gold Coins; it would be safer for you to go and watch over them yourself tonight."


    "Alright, I''ll head to the dock now."


    "Starting from tomorrow, remove half of the ship''s cannons and bring them here to be remelted... We are still too short on steel, so we have no choice but to do this."


    "Also, starting from tomorrow, use carts to bring back the Gold Coins from the ships! Keeping them at the dock all the time, I don''t feel at ease."


    "Understood! Leave it to me."


    Suddenly, Tang Mo switched topics, picking up a ring that looked rather expensive, and handed it to Roger, "Ah... Uncle Roger! Do you like this one?"


    "I, I don''t need..." Roger hastily waved his hands to decline.


    "Take it!" Tang Mo insisted. As he spoke, he slipped the ring on Roger''s somewhat thick finger, "It fits well, quite suitable."


    "This ring is worth at least 10 Gold Coins... even though we have money now, we can''t just..." Roger tried to slide the ring off to give back to Tang Mo, but Tang Mo stopped him.


    Tang Mo''s hand rested on Roger''s, smiling as he persuaded, "Things will get better and better, trust me, Uncle Roger. Someday, we shall be the wealthiest people in this world, so this ring... is just a memento."


    "I will always wear it," Roger moved Tang Mo''s hand away, but did not attempt to remove the ring from his finger, instead, he fixed his gaze on the rather small gemstone on the ring and insisted softly.


    "Don''t be so quick to say such things, Uncle Roger! We''ll have better things in the future!" Tang Mo said with a smile to Roger, "Call Luff in for me! Oh, and Wes too!"


    "Alright!" Roger turned and walked out, and soon Luff came in. Seeing the items on Tang Mo''s desk, he paused slightly.


    "Which do you like? Pick one for yourself," Tang Mo gestured toward the gold nes and rings on the desk, said to Luff, "I am very satisfied with the training of the new recruits, thank you for your hard work."


    "How could I possibly ept this, boss?" Luff scratched his head and hastily declined.


    "Don''t be shy! We are family, aren''t we?" Tang Mo pointed to the gold ornaments on the desk, "I called you here today so you could take something. No need to be formal, Roger just took one."


    "Alright, thank you," Luff finally picked up a pocket watch that seemed to be well-made from the desk, "Thank you, boss! I will definitely work... harder."


    Tang Mo pointed to another pocket watch of simr quality, "Take this one to Bernard, he probably wants a nice pocket watch too."


    "Yes, boss!" Luff picked up that pocket watch, tucked it into his own pocket, and then turned and walked out.


    Next came in Wes. Without needing Tang Mo''s introduction, Wes walked up to the table, picked up a gold ring and slipped it onto his finger, admiring it. "So beautiful! Must be from a mate, the average sailor couldn''t afford such a good-looking ring."


    The reason these pieces of jewelry could be carried around by the elves was obviously because they all had some value. Some were family heirlooms, while others were quite expensive. On the whole, there were indeed quite a few nice items.


    Hence, being selected by Tang Mo as rewards for those around him, they were clearly very decent. Just like the gold ring on Wes''s finger, it was probably worth at least 10 Gold Coins.


    However, having said that, since all these items were personal belongings of the sailors, there wouldn''t be anything too valuable¡ªafter all, they were just personal items...


    "If you like it, take it," Tang Mo said indifferently.


    "Can I pick a few more? You know, I am quite greedy," Wes asked unabashedly.


    "Hmm, whatever catches your eye, take it," Tang Mo continued nonchntly.


    Wes grabbed a pure silver pocket watch next and hung it on himself. "I knew I followed the right person. Making a fortune with you is really fast."


    While he spoke, he hung a gold ne around his neck and began to eye the books in the corner.


    "Don''t take the books, after all, I need them to decorate the study," said Tang Mo, following Wes''s gaze.


    "Alright then!" Wes seemed a bit reluctant but eventually picked up several gold buttons and pocketed them. "That''s it for now. I hope to get even better things next time."


    "No problem," Tang Mo pointed at a ring on the table and spoke to Wes, "Give this ring to Auntie Cui Xi as thanks for her care all this while."


    "Hey! This one looks pretty good too! Haha!" Wes picked up the gold ring,pared it with the one on his finger, then nodded. "Thanks, boss! I reckon Auntie Cui Xi''s hands won''t tremble when she dishes out my food anymore."


    "Tomorrow,e with me to the docks and then head to the Silver Fox Tavern," Tang Mo ordered him to leave.


    "Just me, or should I bring a few others?" Wes asked seriously, putting away his joking demeanor.


    "Take two people. After all... we''ll be carrying a lot of money," Tang Mo said after some thought.


    "Got it!" Wes nodded and walked out.


    Tang Mo leaned back in his chair, starting to sort through in his mind the things he needed to do tomorrow: he wanted to check on his fleet and then start moving the Gold Coins, and meanwhile, he needed to take a trip to the Silver Fox Tavern.


    There really were quite a few things to do. It seemed he''d have no time tomorrow to work on his chemical formtions in theb, nor to visit the construction site... a bit of a shame, really.


    Besides these tasks, he also needed to distribute the remaining scraps, including ironware and misceneous items, to the workers as rewards¡ªthis too was a big project, likely taking more than two hours to do...


    Moreover, he had to figure out what to do with the few hundred outdated Shireck Flintlock Guns sent from Northern Ridge... As he thought about this, he rubbed his temples with his fingers, really quite a pile of headaches.


    Thinking of those 700 flintlock guns, Tang Mo suddenly realized that Earl Fisello probably had more than 1800 Shireck Flintlock Guns in the process of being phased out.


    With what he just received, it meant he had to deal with not just a few hundred, but indeed more than two thousand flintlock guns!


    Considering the ones in reserve and possibly hidden, the total he might have to contend with could well be 3000!


    "Ah..." Tang Mo sighed, feeling truly unfortunate¡ªother transmigrants in simr times would probably be using artificial satellites by now, and here he was still stuck on muskets, really, nothing kills morale likeparisons...


    "I am desperate too!" Tang Momented¡ªcan you believe this mess? As an arms dealer of needle guns and revolvers, since his crossing to this era, he sold less than 2000 needle guns yet might end up selling around 3000 flintlock guns... bloody hell...


    When he finally felt sleepy, he stood up, turned around, and saw the nket he had just neatly folded not long ago...


    At that moment, he was flustered... What was he even thinking? Wouldn''t it have been nicer to have a girl to warm his bed? Why make it like this.


    "Ah..." He sighed again, pulling back the nket he had just folded, feeling almost like he wronged the nket. Knowing that he''d still sleep alone, what was the point in fussing over the nket...


    Tomorrow will certainly be exciting... And work, it seems, is gradually getting on tracktely. Thinking of these, Tang Mo stuffed his pistol under his pillow and heavily fell into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 86: Buy and Sell 86

    The harbor was still bustling in the early morning, and not far away, anotherrge ship leisurely anchored at its mooring. The Elf Race''s ships still boldly flew the g of the Por Kingdom, but everyone had noted an inconspicuous fact.


    On most of the Elv ships, there were a few additional humans, while the legitimate Elf sailors andmanders were conctrated on the fourrgest ships in the fleet.


    The morning sun shone feebly on people''s bodies, and the cool sea breeze, carrying the sound of crashing waves, brought with it a hint of winter''s chill to Brunas.


    The doz or so carriages docked at the pier made the tire wharf seem crowded. Teams of Elf sailors struggled to lift wood crates off the carriages and stack them beside the ships.


    Transporting cargo via narrow nks was clearly not easy, so moving wood crates onto the ships was no simple task.


    Moreover, the expressions of the Elvmanders standing by were serious, and the Elf soldiers, armed with matchlock guns and live ammunition, were as cautious as if in a state of war.


    "Watch your step! Be careful!" the Elf captain, leading the group, called out loudly to the cautious Elf sailors, his hands sped behind his back.


    These sailors carefully worked in pairs, each group moving wood crates stamped with the words "Great Tang" onto the ships.


    Those in the know were aware that those crates contained  K Quick Guns, and most of them were diverted by Tang Mo from a consignmt intded for Northern Ridge.


    After all, a two-day dy in arming Northern Ridge wasn''t too problematic, whereas the Elf Race had paid a substantial sum and they were leaving in two days.


    So, Tang Mo prioritized supplying the Elf Race with 0 K Quick Guns, while in other crates, there were 00 revolvers along with the corresponding ammunition.


    Merely transporting these goods had required more than a doz carriages, and Tang Mo would bring at least three steam gine parts and rted blueprints, as well as metallurgical specifications the following day.


    While the Elves'' dock was busy loading cargo, at the dock where Tang Mo''s fleet was moored, cargo was being unloaded.


    Alice had se her fair share of big ships, but this was her first time leaning on the ship''s railings, watching sailors carry heavy boxes off the ship onto the pier via narrow nks.


    She curiously felt the sea breeze against her face and watched those ragged-clothed Elf sailors move iron boxes, heavy and unwieldy, onto the carriages.


    Because the boxes were so weighty, each time a container was stacked on a carriage, a dull, heavy thud sounded.


    "How much money did you extort from the Elves?" Alice asked, leaning on the railing next to Tang Mo as he approached.


    "Not too much, I suppose. They made about 30,000 Gold Coins in gross profit from this sea trade, all of which are here with me," Tang Mo said with a modestugh and a downyed expression.


    "Ld me some?" Alice was predictably eyeing those Gold Coins again.


    "Trust me, this money is far more useful in my hands than if I were to ld it to you," Tang Mo refused the beauty''s request.


    "Has anyone ever told you that you''re quite annoying?" Alice nced at Tang Mo, feeling that this man was truly inssible.


    "Ha! You''re the first, but definitely not thest," Tang Moughed heartily. He looked into the distance, seeing the ninth crate being loaded onto a carriage, his mood growing increasingly better.


    Money in hand! The hardest part is getting started, and after receiving the Elf''s Gold Coins, he had finally earned his first pot of gold in the truest sse.


    "What are you in such a hurry to do with all these Gold Coins?" Alice eyed Tang Mo curiously, hoping to discern the answer from his expression.


    "Charity work, distributing the money to the poor," Tang Mo replied naturally, without batting an eye.


    "Your lies are like holding a mouthful of feathers, ready to fly out the momt you speak," Alicemted with a snort of disdain.


    Tang Moughed out loud and th made his way to the nk, "I have matters to attd to and won''t be able to join Miss Alice for breakfast... You can stroll a Brunas; I''ll have Tagg apany you."


    As he spoke, he walked down the gangway and made his way.


    Watching Tang Mo board a carriage, Alice withdrew her gaze, speaking wistfully, "Elev merchant ships, and half of them are unloading their cannons... he''s really gerous. Those Shireck cannons wer''t cheap wh bought."


    "Not just that, he''s tak all the Gold Coins from our ship and two others... probably about ,000 in total..." Behind her, the butler watched Tang Mo''s departing carriage and spoke to Alice.


    "I can''t fathom this man, nor predict him; he never speaks the truth, so... there''s nothing I can do," Alice said with a tinge of sorrow, "We''re depdt on him, and we can''t force the issue... "


    "Don''t worry, Miss! Perhaps a capable individual is the best choice for us to coborate with," the butler reassured Alice.


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo''s carriage had left the harbor and quickly arrived at the door of a closed tavern along a sparsely trafficked street.


    Tang Mo jumped down from the carriage and signaled for Wes to knock on the door. The door soon oped, revealing a bleary-eyed bartder who, upon seeing Tang Mo, paused for a momt before jerking his chin, indicating they coulde in.


    Tang Mo stood at the trance of the Silver Fox Tavern, sizing up the interior decor, and said to the old man who was slowly approaching with a smile, "You see, I got my first pot of Gold Coin faster than we had agreed."


    The old man seemed to be waiting for Tang Mo and gestured for him to follow. They walked to the most secluded corner of the tavern, a very quiet spot.


    Li''ao sat down by himself, and Tang Mo sat across from him.


    The old man Li''ao spoke only th, continuing from where their previous conversation had left off, "My informants at the dock have already told me you''ve acquired a ship... and quite a few sailors... To tell you the truth, I really didn''t expect you to be so capable."


    "Do you still like the toy I gave you?" Tang Mo nodded, acknowledging the intelligce capabilities of the Silver Fox Tavern.


    "Love it! Absolutely love it! So, it''s not surprising to me that you really have something the Elf Race wants." Thinking of that new type of firearm, Li''ao was full of confidce in Tang Mo''s swift rise. He felt it was time to ce his bet, for the tire Silver Fox Tavern.


    "No, Li''ao... I have something that everyone in the world wants!" Tang Mo waved his hand and arrogantly corrected, "Something that no one can refuse."


    "Everything I said before is still valid, Mr. Tang Mo. If you are willing to ept my terms and lead these miserable sinners back to their homnd... we will all submit to you! To serve you!" Li''ao didn''t mind the details; he stared at Tang Mo and offered his terms once again.


    "That sounds like a terrific idea... How about I buy this ce? The price is negotiable." Tang Mo looked a once more and th back at Li''ao, "You know what I mean, not just this tavern, but... you and all your frids."


    "That won''te cheap, Mr. Tang Mo. As you know, running a tavern like this costs a pretty pny." Li''ao proudly pointed at himself, "And I have many frids."


    "Name your price," said Tang Mo, spreading his hands.


    "..." Li''ao, the old man, fell silt as if pondering... Finally, he spoke, "Are you sure you can really take us all back?"


    "If you live another five years, you''ll find that you can go anywhere you want, anywhere!" Tang Mo made a promise.


    "Th, ,000 Gold Coins!" The old man quoted an exorbitantly high price, which would be steep for anyone.


    "Deal," Tang Mo said calmly.


    "I think you might not understand what ,000 Gold Coins really mean."


    "In fact, if possible, I''d have preferred to bring banknotes or a cheque." Tang Mo said something Li''ao didn''t understand, th looked towards Wes at his side.


    Wes nodded slightly, walked to the door, and gestured to someone outside.


    Two soldiers struggled to carry a chest into the tavern, with the bartder frowning and following them as they slowly brought the chest to the table where Tang Mo and Li''ao were sitting.


    "Don''t tell me this chest is filled with Gold Coins." Ev Li''ao had never se such arge chest meant to hold Gold Coins.


    Tang Moughed, he stood up, took a key out of his pocket, and inserted it into the lock at the front of the chest. Th he gtly turned the key, and everyone heard the lock click op.


    Th, Tang Mo lifted the lid of the chest, revealing a dse pile of Gold Coins inside: "There are ,000 Gold Coins here..."


    As he spoke, he sat back down across Li''ao, "You can count them... If any are missing, I''ll have to get the elves to make up the differce."


    "But what I said just now... was ,000 Gold Coins... Mr. Tang." It took a great effort for Li''ao to tear his gaze away from the chest of Gold Coins, "You..."


    "I didn''t misunderstand," Tang Mo interrupted old man Li''ao, "There are nine more chests like this one on the five carriages outside... all filled with Gold Coins."


    "Gulp..." Everyone heard a swallowing sound in the quiet room. The bartder standing by was trembling with a nervous Adam''s apple.


    "..." Silce filled the space. No one spoke, as if no one wanted to break the quiet of the tavern.


    Finally, Li''ao spoke. He said the words that Tang Mo wanted to hear with difficulty and yet naturally, "The Silver Fox is yours now, and this old bag of bones is yours as well..."


    "Th... you can all swear loyalty to me," Tang Mo looked at the bartder and th at Li''ao, ready to ept them.


    "I swear upon my ancestors'' names that I and all the informants of the Silver Fox Tavern pledge allegiance to you, Mr. Tang Mo!" Li''ao stood up and bowed slightly to Tang Mo.


    The bartder by the chest knelt on one knee, bowing his head to Tang Mo, "Master! I offer you my loyalty. I swear on my life that I will serve you for as long as I live, to the very d of my life."


    Tang Mo stood up, indicating that they could get up, "Very good! Now, I need you to help me investigate something!"


    "No problem! Master, what would you like to know?" Li''ao asked respectfully.


    Tang Mo gave an investigative direction, "It''s about Brunas... Some... intelligce regarding the City Defse Forces!"

 Chapter 87: Going to give gifts

    "In just a few minutes, you spt ,000 Gold Coins, boss. Don''t you have anything to say?" Wes leaned on the carriage, watching Tang Mo emerge from the tavern, ready to climb into the carriage.


    By Tang Mo''s side followed the old man, Li''ao, the former leader of the Silver Fox Tavern, who was now Tang Mo''s butler.


    For Tang Mo, Roger was more than just a butler, so in a way, Li''ao might be the real "butler" in Tang Mo''s residce in the future.


    "At least from now on, wh youe here for a drink, you won''t have to pay," Tang Mo said as he got into the carriage.


    "Ha! That is indeed good news!" Wes closed the door of the carriage after Li''ao had climbed in.


    Sitting in the rocking carriage, Li''ao looked at Tang Mo in front of him and curiously asked, "Ar''t you worried that we''ll betray you after taking the money?"


    "Why?" Tang Mo sat in the carriage, looking at the old man Li''ao who raised the question, "Why would you betray me?"


    "You run an intelligcework and naturally want to serve a worthy master," Tang Mo said before Li''ao could reply, continuing, "You are full of hope for the future, and I can offer you a future like no one else can!"


    "You''ve se it, I have a fleet, new weapons¡­ you also know, I have a private army, and I''m training more talt¡­ I have more ambition than all the nobility and royal families you know or have heard of!


    My future has the pottial to be vast, and as long as you follow and support me¡­ I can walk more steadily, more firmly," Tang Mo finished, looking at Li''ao, waiting for his response, "So, why should I worry, a smart man would betray me?"


    Li''ao knew that this was not just Tang Mo convincing him; there were other implications in his words. Tang Mo was showcasing his power and the trd of his future developmt.


    In his eyes, as Tang Mo said, it was important to serve a goal that had good, rising prospects.


    He had no reason to betray Tang Mo, who had the manpower whever he needed it, the means, the financial power, the developmtal trd, and was also a fellow convict.


    In some respects, Tang Mo truly possessed advantages other nobles did not: he had advanced industries, his own military, arge fortune, and was willing to develop his intelligcework¡ªfew in the tire Leite Kingdom possessed so many qualities.


    And there wasn''t a single noble willing to spd arge sum of money to control the Silver Fox Tavern. The rich nobles looked down on these muddy-legged people, and the poor ones couldn''t afford them¡­


    "So, as you said, I will serve you loyally, never to betray!" Li''ao showed a smile, his wrinkles unfolding like blooming flowers.


    "Choose some people to go to the fleet and keep an eye out for me¡­ You wouldn''t want the ships carrying your hopes and dreams to be secretly stol away, or sunk, would you?" Tang Mo ordered with a smile, leaning in the carriage.


    "I understand, I will look for people to join your fleet," Li''ao promptly replied, "Eighty m! All have gone to sea before."


    "Make it a hundred," Tang Mo said and th closed his eyes, showing full trust in Li''ao, the newly joined intelligce chief of the Great Tang Group.


    Theposition of Tang Mo''s newly established "Navy" was indeed a bitplicated at the momt; in reality, his navy wasposed of four differt parts that were not very familiar with each other.


    Thergest proportion within the Navy was made up of Elf naval ves, who had just be emancipated by Tang Mo, gained their idtities and be freem, their loyalty was passable and they knew best how to navigate and sail.


    Yes, Tang Mo did not n to keep these sailors as ves; he promised everyone that as long as they served on his ships for five years, they would attain civilian status, receive a settlemt fee, and leave.


    If they chose to stay, they would be sried, bona fide sailors after five years, no longer ves, joying more equal treatmt.


    This decision st the ves into raptures, so at least superficially, their loyalty to Tang Mo was off the charts.


    Another part consisted of new recruits Tang Mo had transferred; about a hundred or so were spread across elev armed merchant ships, responsible formand and learning navalbat. Although they didn''t understand sea warfare, their loyalty was the highest.


    The third partprised recruited sailors with average loyalty; they needed no instruction in navigation or ship handling but numbered the fewest, only over sevty, hastily assembled by Tang Mo for emergcies.


    The fourth part came from the Silver Fox Tavern, rectly brought under Tang Mo''s control. They were responsible for internal information managemt and supervision within the Navy, and also served as agts nted by Tang Mo in his fleet to act as supervisors and maintain bnce.


    With such aplexposition, Tang Mo had little expectation for thebat effectivess of the fleet. He hoped that through training, he could quickly mature this fleet to handle pottial maritime transport and trade.


    Although he didn''t necessarily need to seize control of maritime transportation, he couldn''t just sit at home waiting for other customers toe knocking on his door. If he had his own fleet, th selling his weapons to more distant regions of influce would certainly be much more convit.


    With a substantial amount of money, Tang Mo evidtly started to throw his weight a financially. His first move was to gobble up the Silver Fox Tavern tirely with ,000 Gold Coins and 30 Revolvers.


    The behind-the-sces boss of the Silver Fox Tavern, Li''ao, became another one of Tang Mo''s stewards. The bartder who worked exclusively for Li''ao was still called a bartder, but now stationed at the Silver Fox Tavern, he became Tang Mo''s dedicated head of intelligce.


    Purchasing the Silver Fox Tavern for ,000 Gold Coins clearly offered great value for money; if it wer''t for the fact that Tang Mo had struck up a connection with the Elves and had put together a fleet, Li''ao wouldn''t have sold the Silver Fox Tavern to Tang Mo at such a cheap price.


    It was esstially a half-sale gift, equating to an investmt. Both parties were full of expectations for this coboration, so they quickly reached an agreemt.


    Li''ao was interested in Tang Mo''s future developmt trd, hoping that Tang Mo could fulfill his wish to erase his status as a criminal. In turn, Tang Mo urgtly needed Li''ao''s intelligcework and took care of some of Li''ao''s minor troubles as a courtesy.


    Tang Mo was responsible for sustaining the Silver Fox Tavern and its underg intelligcework, while the Silver Fox Tavern provided Tang Mo with all kinds of intelligce. As each took what they needed, Tang Mo also established an intelligcework ctered in Brunas, radiating to the suring areas.


    Having gained control of this vast intelligcework, Tang Mo quickly reaped the befits¡ªthe very next day, he got the information he wanted.


    This information was about how to handle the first batch of 700 Shireck Flintlock Guns that Alice had brought him.


    What? Upgrade these weapons? Don''t be ridiculous, Tang Mo wouldn''t ev consider such a thing. What hecked now was time and production capacity, neither of which could be wasted on refurbishing these outdated Shireck Flintlock Guns.


    If he had hundreds of idle workers, th, of course, upgrading these weapons to sell for money would be a better choice.


    But nearly all of his workers were busy with important tasks: some were producing steam gines and railway tracks, others were making K Quick Guns and Revolvers, and still others were expanding his factory.


    And the factories he had built with great effort were also upied by arge number of machines, ready to produce ev more advanced equipmt.


    He still owed Northern Ridge steam gines, owed them needle guns, owed them revolvers... he still had to build more workshops for weapon production in advance...


    In such a situation, how could he possibly afford to waste precious production capacity on remodeling these Shireck Flintlock Guns? In his eyes, these were almost as good as garbage.


    Where would he find the time to build a production line specifically for refurbishing these weapons? Th waste valuable workers on these meaningless tasks? He would rather have the workers improve their education, learning mathematics or other subjects...


    Ev if Tang Mo spt money on upgrading these weapons to expand the production line of needle guns, he could earn arger profit.


    Besides, the cost of refurbishing flintlock guns is higher than one might expect. It would require cutting op the rear of the barrel and producing special parts to convert the rear d of the guns into a particr form.


    Ev after such a makeover, these flintlock guns would be only just serviceable and would not be in the same league as the K Quick Gun. For Shireck, remodeling might be an option, but for Tang Mo, that option never existed.


    Because Tang Mo knew that by the time the battle for Northern Ridge was over, these weapons could be less useful than firesticks; thrown by the roadside, no one would give them a second nce.


    In Tang Mo''s eyes, these weapons only needed to be preserved in small numbers, hung on the walls of a museum for posterity to admire and remember.


    Therefore, he wanted to dispose of these weapons as quickly as possible to recover his funds, rather than waste time refurbishing them.


    The oue was actually quite simple, just as Tang Mo had anticipated¡ªinside any decaying kingdom, amidst peaceful indolce, embezzling provisions and selling off stockpiled supplies are verymon affairs.


    The case in Brunas was no differt. The Sheriff here might have already sold almost all the City Defse Forces'' weapons and equipmt purchased for the armory twty years ago.


    And those nobles and officials didn''t care the slightest about how many guns were left in the city''s defse force of a small hintend town.


    As long as themoners didn''t dare revolt, as long as the City Defse Forces still had their Longswords to bully the weak and disabled, and as long as there were a few doz muskets for show, those lofty fools wouldn''t care whether the armory was sufficitly stocked.


    "It seems it''s time to give gifts again," Tang Mo chuckled after receiving a message from a member of the City Defse Forces, looking at the trusted aides following him, "Come, let''s prest the Solon Sheriff with a gerous gift!"

 Chapter 88: How dare you 88

    Solon had be riding hightely, yet he was also a bit on edge.


    As Sheriff of Brunas, he had joyed a rect stroke of luck because he had received an extra "thank you" of  Gold Coins from Tang Mo.


    Of course, he knew where this extra ie came from, but the bribe still made him buy his mistress a ring and a pair of earrings.


    This gerosity had significantly boosted his status with his lover, so much so that his legs felt a little weak wh he wt to worktely.


    Middle-age really takes its toll; he was no longer the strapping young man he once was. While reflecting on this, he supported his aching back and cautiously carried out some waist-twisting exercises in his office.


    The anxiety and unease, ev a sse of trepidation, was because he had never heard of Beiji nor se any subsequt moves from the Shireck Consortium.


    As things had progressed, he had be somewhat afraid. If this matter leaked and reached the ears of Xiuyi Jisi, the grim reaper of the Shireck Consortium... his life would be over...


    So, he had be very nervoustely and dared not inquire too much about Beiji, fearing that someone would link Beiji to him.


    Middle-age is truly bing more challging. He sighed to himself, his face filled with dejected despair in the middle of the day.


    Just th, someone knocked on his door.


    "Come in!" Solon stopped his movemts and called out as he held his waist.


    A guard pushed op the door to Solon''s office, bowed slightly, and immediately reported, "Sir! Mr. Tang Mo is here to visit."


    "Hmm?" Solon was startled but th quickly realized it was the young man who oft bribed him paying a visit. He immediately ordered, "Quickly, let Mr. Tang Mo in."


    As soon as Tang Mo tered the room, heplimted Solon, "Sir, your room is really arranged quite uniquely!"


    "Oh, not at all! It''s quite modest. I''m afraid it''s quiteughable to a gtleman like you!" Solon replied politely. As he spoke, he remembered Beiji''sst visit and his fondness for the respectful Tang Mo grew ev more.


    Seeing that there were no others in the room and the door was securely closed, Tang Mo lowered his voice slightly and said to Solon, "Sheriff Solon, I hav''t yet expressed my gratitude for the note you st about someone coveting my terprise."


    Solon immediately responded with an impable trifecta of dial, waving his hands as he vehemtly died, "Ah! Sir Knight, I''ve never st any note. You must be mistak."


    "Is that so? Hahaha! Perhaps... But, I''m here this time to return the favor for your kindness," said Tang Mo, knowing the prudce of an old bureaucrat like Solon, and continued to speak.


    Hmm, so this young man hase to give me money? Upon hearing Tang Mo''s words, a brilliant smile spread across Solon''s face.


    Since he had helped Tang Mo, he naturally wanted to reap greater befits; for a bureaucrat like him, free money was always wee.


    Tang Mo waved his hand, feigning humility, "I don''t deserve such praise for the favor, it was just a little help, a little help indeed."


    It was hard to imagine that he, merely 8 years old, could adopt such a mature demeanor, "To speak of it as a ''little help,'' sir, you are being too modest, that small deed of yours was of great befit to me!"


    Of course, Solon, equally adept at acting, put on a noble air, "After all, I am the Sheriff here, it is only right to do some things for the citizs, only right!"


    "Since you are such an upright and principled man, the citizs under your jurisdiction would be willing to help you with small favors, and you certainly wouldn''t refuse," Tang Mo continued to tter Solon in their conversation.


    Solon was thoroughly joying the praise and showed a contted expression, "Hahaha! It is always tertaining talking with Mr. Tang! Entertaining! What brings you here this time, Mr. Tang?"


    "Look at what you''re saying, sir, I''m obviously here to offer a bribe," Tang Mo said bluntly, with no hint of evasion.


    "Pfft..." Solon almost spat out his drink.


    Seeing Solon struggle to hold back his reaction, Tang Mo found it amusing and continued, "We''re all smart people, there''s no need to beat a the bush with Sheriff Solon."


    "..." Solon fell silt, his eyes fixed on Tang Mo, waiting for him to continue.


    Without beating a the bush, Tang Mo stated his purpose directly, "I''ve got a shipmt of Shireck Flintlock Guns, which are of no use to me. There are several hundred of them; I thought maybe they might be of some use to you."


    Upon hearing this, Solon pretded to be uninterested andughed, "Hahaha! Perhaps you''ve made a wasted trip this time, Mr. Tang. The weapons here are all issued by the Kingdom; why would I need them?"


    Tang Mo raised an eyebrow and drawled, "Is that so?"


    "What''s wrong?" Solon felt a bit guilty, but still retorted.


    Tang Mo provided an urate figure: "If Brunas were to fully allocate Shireck flintlock guns, there should be a stock of 400 guns, am I right?"


    Solon didn''t say anything, just continued to wait for Tang Mo to go on.


    And Tang Mo did not keep Solon waiting for too long, he directly continued, "However, the sheriffs who have be taking pay without working over the years were not as diligt and caring for the people as Lord Solon. They not only took pay for nothing but also secretly sold off the stockpiled weapons for gold coins."


    Without waiting for Solon to speak again, Tang Mo revealed the information he got from the Silver Fox Tavern: "Taking into ount another camp''s forces in the southern part of Brunas, there should indeed be a total of eight hundred Shireck flintlock guns in the armories of the two camps. Now, I''m afraid there ar''t ev two hundred guns left!"


    It was precisely because he had obtained reliable information that he hade here to sell the 700 useless Shireck flintlock guns in his hands for a good price.


    "How¡­ how did you know?" Solon was tak aback upon hearing this and asked nervously.


    With a wise and all-knowing air, Tang Mo obscured the fact that there had be a leak and pretded to have intuited everything himself, saying, "Your Excellcy need not worry about a leak, in fact, ev if no one had told me, I would have guessed the geral oue."


    In fact, it was true that he had made a rough guess and th used his resources to investigate the matter. After all, most people from Huaxia with knowledge of thete Ming andte Qing dynasties were well aware of such embezzlemts.


    Th he intimidated Solon, "With war clouds looming, the Kingdom will definitely check the weapons, at least for appearance''s sake... If the weapon shortage gets exposed... that won''t be fun at all."


    Solon grew ev more anxious because he knew that what Tang Mo was saying made sse. The situation had indeed grown tse, as if war could break out any momt.


    And before, wh he stubbornly imed he wasn''t short on weapons, it wasn''t because he was audacious but because he trulycked the capacity to procure weapons, to fill the gap tirely on his own.


    So, he sighed with a hint of helplessness, "Those guns wer''t just sold by me! Before I took over..."


    Hearing Solon say this, Tang Mo immediately wt along, "I know, I know, Your Excellcy! Of course, I know! However, after taking office, you did sign an eptance documt. There''s no faking that... wh the timees, I fear the Kingdom will still see Your Excellcy... as havingmitted the graver error."


    "So, you n to sell me this batch of weapons at a high price?" Solon was straightforward, "Just to be clear! I have no money."


    Tang Mo feigned shock and hurriedly waved his hands, "What joke is this... If Your Excellcy thinks I''m here to make a quick buck, that''s an underestimation of our fridship."


    "Th what...?" Solon paused, seemingly grasping at a lifeline, looking at Tang Mo and prolonging his question.


    With a smile, Tang Mo gave a very gerous offer, "Actually, I n to sell you these weapons... at a third of the market price." Tang Mo gave a discount so steep that Solon had never ev considered it.


    In reality, while Solon might have imed it was his predecessors who sold off the weapons, he had done the same himself.


    At that time, there were less than 90 Shireck flintlock guns in his armory, yet he gritted his teeth and managed to smuggle out over 70 rifles, which he sold to ck market traders.


    Now, just as Tang Mo had guessed, there were indeed fewer than  Shireck flintlock guns left in the armory.


    And the price he had sold those flintlock guns for was half of what the Shirek Consortium sold them for!


    But now, Tang Mo was ready to sell a batch of flintlock guns to him at one-third of the market price to help fill his armory, which truly tempted him.


    Betwe the bribes tak and the guns returned to the armory, for Solon, it was much better than having an empty armory and living in constant fear.


    It was just that this purchase would mean coughing up the illicit money he had previously swallowed, which felt as painful as cutting flesh from his own heart.


    He hesitated, unwilling to agree but also reluctant to refuse, torn to the extt of lookingically worried and anxious.


    Leaning closer to Solon, Tang Mo lowered his voice and made an irresistible proposal, "Your Excellcy, you''re not the only one with a shortfall of weapons. Why not ask the nearby garrisons or other sheriff colleagues... get in touch... it''s possible they all have a need... If your demand is high, how about I throw in an extra 300 rifles?"


    At this point, Solon also realized that this was not only a chance to cover the shortfall but pottially also an opportunity to strike it rich.


    So, rubbing his hands together, his smile gradually became sincere, "This... How could I possibly ept?"

 Chapter 89: 89 ahead

    "Rest assured, you can offer them one-third of the price, I guarantee, Lord, you will still profit!" Tang Mo, catching the hint from Solon''s gesture, extded another finger and swayed it in front of Solon.


    Solon gave a thumbs up, pleased, "Good! That''s the spirit! Mr. Tang really knows how to do business!"


    "Hahaha! It''s all thanks to you, Lord... for your care..." Tang Mo continued modestly.


    Seeing the advantage before him, Solon also gave his promise, "Hahahaha! Rest assured, Mr. Tang! From now on, in Brunas! Your affairs are my affairs!"


    "Th I''mpletely in your hands, Lord!" Tang Mo immediately epted the offered advantage.


    "No problem! No problem!" Suddly realizing something, Solon asked while nodding, "But, speaking of which... your guns are so cheap, there isn''t any problem with them, right?"


    Tang Mo immediately shifted the me to Shireck, "Lord, you jest. More than half of them are unoped new guns from the Shireck Consortium, honest to all ages! However, if there is a manufacturing problem with Shireck''s own guns, I really can''t guarantee otherwise, can I?"


    "Alright! Th it''s settled!" Solon, aware of the ins and outs, gritted his teeth and decided not to investigate further.


    Tang Mo was satisfied with himself for selling favors with useless junk, "Th... it''s a pleasure doing business with you!"


    By now, he had finally confirmed that he had gott rid of the 700 obsolete flintlock guns Alice had st him.


    Solon, too, was pleased about his impding fortune, "Pleasure doing business!"


    ...


    The weather in King City of the Leite Kingdom was getting colder, and under towering trees in a luxurious manor, a single leaf drifted slowly past a man''s face.


    As the spokesperson for the powerful Shireck Consortium within the kingdom, Xiuyi Jisi watched the leaf and asked the several people standing behind him, "How many days has it be since Beiji left?"


    "Beiji... Lord Beiji... It''s be almost fifte days," a man replied, lowering his head cautiously.


    "Fifte days... No news, hasn''t returned..." Jisi muttered coldly, "What did Baron St say?"


    "L-Lord... Baron St said... Lord Beiji indeed visited him, asked about weapons... b-but... he doesn''t know what happed after that."


    "What does this imply? It implies Beiji discovered an issue and was looking in the right direction." Jisi''s gaze traced the cracks on the mottled tree trunk before him.


    "The beggar mtioned Vicious Forest; Beiji must have gone to Brunas... He''s skilled, so it''s unlikely he''de to harm at the hands of bandits in Vicious Forest, which means he was most likely ambushed in Brunas." The situation wasn''tplicated, so Jisi quickly surmised the gist.


    After all, Tang Mo''s ambush of Beiji was a hasty setup, so there were bound to be many ws, and the biggest issue was that Tang Mo had no way of covering up Beiji''s basic itinerary.


    A simple investigation could roughly pinpoint the location where Beiji lost contact, which esstially locked onto Brunas as the critical point.


    Tang Mo was busy establishing awork of rtionships, preparing for the first  of Shireck''s investigation, while the Shireck side, after waiting for a while, ssed Beiji''s disappearance.


    "Lord, should we sd someone to check on Brunas?" another subordinate stepped forward and asked respectfully.


    "No need," Jisi rejected the survey n without turning a, "There''s no need to investigate. Brunas definitely has a problem!"


    "It seems someone has indeed developed an advanced weapon... and it might ev be rted to the Northern Ridge!" Jisi murmured.


    Th he frowned, since his rect focus had be on nning the Suthers''s annexation of Northern Ridge.


    He couldn''t tolerate any upset in this matter, nor could he ept his loyal subordinate disappearing in Brunas without a trace.


    "Mount an assault on Brunas? Eliminate any pottial trouble..." he said to himself, appearing ready to first deal with the minor trouble in Brunas. However, he quickly shook his head, as things seemed not to be so simple.


    Beiji was his mostpett subordinate; if ev Beiji couldn''t handle it, it wasn''t an issue a few more m could resolve with another visit.


    But to blow up the situation at this juncture wasn''t an easy decision to make. At least for Jisi, this required careful consideration...


    The Shireck Consortium was wealthy and powerful in the Leite Kingdom, that was indisputable. But ev he, Xiuyi Jisi, had to consider the feelings of the old King of Leite Kingdom.


    ```


    Although through pressure, bribery, and promises, he had sessfully forced the King of Leite Kingdom topromise and retreat on the issue of Northern Ridge, it did not mean he could provoke the old king again and again, touching the bottom line of the king and the high-ranking officials of the Kingdom.


    If he suddly stirred up trouble in Brunas before the battle of Northern Ridge, it would all but signal to the Kingdom''s elite that the matter of Northern Ridge was escting.


    Once that signal was received by the King, it would mean that Shireck was not nning a simple change of hands of Northern Ridge, but a subversion of Leite Kingdom.


    The nature of that waspletely differt! The King of Leite might be willing to trade Northern Ridge, but he would never be willing to trade his throne, as these were two tirely differt matters...


    If he were not careful and his clever scheme backfired¡ªshould Brunas cause no great concern¡ªwouldn''t Gis be theughingstock?


    Being aughingstock was a minor issue, but if he dyed the important affairs of the Consortium, allowed Count Fisheo to escape harm, and let the cooked duck of Northern Ridge fly away, he would not atone for his sins ev if he died a hundred times!


    As a man of the Consortium, he naturally knew the means the Consortium used to deal with those who made mistakes. And it was truly worse than death; Gis had no desire to d his life under those horrible tortures.


    So,pared to the minor issues in Brunas, the most important thing he needed to do now was toplete the arrangemts for Northern Ridge and carry out the will of the Shireck Consortium.


    For this reason, after considering acting on Brunas for a few seconds, he immediately abandoned the idea. However, the issue with Brunas still concerned him greatly.


    If, assuming in Brunas, a new weapon emerged¡ªa weapon that could fire five shots in quick session... th its impact on the battle of Northern Ridge would be absolutely decisive.


    As Shireck''s represtative in Leite Kingdom, he certainly did not wish for any uncontroble variables to arise in the battle of Northern Ridge.


    Several rect evts linked together heighted his anxiety: first was the beggar who came to im credit, nting the legd of a new weapon deep in his heart.


    Th, it was a rare urrce of a significant amount of iron being hijacked near Northern Ridge, which indicated that Lord Earl had obtained arge quantity of steel. This made Gis more certain that the Earl seemed to be focusing on gathering raw materials, manufacturing weapons and preparing for battle.


    Add to that Beiji''s disappearance in Brunas or the Vicious Forest, and Gis became increasingly convinced of a massive change in the vicinity of the Vicious Forest that he had yet to grasp.


    "If that fellow Fisheo were to equip himself with new weapons, that would be troublesome. He''s uncooperative and holds no good will towards us..." Mulling over it in his mind, Gis finally made up his mind.


    In his view, ev if a new weapon appeared in Brunas, it would be very troublesome to produce¡ªas is typical with any newly introduced weapon, this was an objectivew.


    Since any kind of weapon would need time to be widely distributed, he saw an opportunity to act.


    With this thought, he nned to tackle both issues simultaneously, arranging for action in Brunas, ready to strike at any momt, and th to quickly make his move on Northern Ridge...


    He promptly gave orders, instructing his subordinates, "Bribe the Prime Minister and the rted officials to dispatch investigators to the military camps near Brunas! Whether it''s for drawing sries without service or for arms smuggling... as soon as you get a hold of something incriminating, rece themander over there! And th, I don''t care how you do it, ce someone we can control!"


    "Yes, Lord!" replied a subordinate, nodding in agreemt.


    After arranging the matter in Brunas, he continued, "Sd word to the voy at Suthers to return to Suthers immediately! Tell them... the war needs to be moved up! From spring to winter!"


    He nned to initiate the war earlier, to catch Count Fisheo by surprise before his preparations wereplete at Northern Ridge.


    Because ev if Count Fisheo had new weapons now, firstly, there was no time for mass production and deploymt, and secondly, Fisheo was not yet trained properly, which surely would not affect the course of the war.


    In contrast, on his side, although Suthers Kingdom was not ready for war either, they still held a clear advantage in troops.


    T times the forces, the advantage is ours! That was his assessmt, and an important reason for his decision to start the war earlier.


    "Lord! Perhaps Suthers isn''t ready yet..." a subordinate warned in surprise.


    "By the time these fools are ready, it will be toote! Tell them! If they can''t wage war within a month, they won''t get any befits!" Gis said coldly, "No matter what it takes, bring it forward two months! Next month, I want to hear the guns echoing over Northern Ridge!"


    "Yes, Lord!" the subordinate who had advised Gis immediately bowed and fell silt.


    Gis waved his hand, and his waiting subordinates tactfully stepped back and disappeared at the d of the courtyard.


    "Why are there alwaysplications... Why can''t you all just follow my script and die as you should..." Watching the dead leaves on the g, Gis, the Shireck Consortium represtative in Leite Kingdom, muttered to himself in annoyance after a long silce.


    ```

 Chapter 90: 90 you still laugh

    "What are you making there?" Alice asked listlessly, watching Tang Mo who had be sitting still for over an hour, fiddling with the strange parts in his hand.


    "If I really had to name it¡­ you could call it¡­ a fuze," Tang Mo replied without taking his eyes off theponts in his hands, with a steady gaze.


    "A fuze? What''s that?" Alice, who had never heard the term, continued to ask with a puzzled look on her face.


    "Perhaps it''s a switch for some kind of superweapon in the future," Tang Mo said with a smile, threading a part made by Mathews through a spring, carefully attaching it to a device.


    What he was currtly working on was a percussion fuze, a crucial device for artillery shells, without which a shell would not be able to explode at the most needed time.


    In fact, after developing fulminate, Tang Mo had begun working on this device. However, it was clear that the device was too intricate for his factory to mass-produce.


    Mathews and a few sior technicians helped make some parts, and th Tang Mo himself made one fuze a day, managing to barely produce a few doz pottially usable artillery fuzes.


    This was why Tang Mo was eager to start producing cannons; he truly had the capacity to create new artillery, which exined his rush to melt down half the cannons from the armed merchant ships, using the steel to manufacture his own cannons.


    Tang Mo was aware that he couldn''t aplish everything at once, so the cannons he intded to make wer''t exactly cutting-edge.


    The blueprint he drew was of the rowned Krupp first-geration breech-loading cannon, specifically the C64 recoil gun.


    The recoil gun indeed had many ws and was an early artillery piece not considered advanced. However, this type of gun had the advantages of a rtively simple structure and lighter weight.


    Of course, for Tang Mo, there was another significant advantage of this cannon: it had a low technical barrier to production, making it easier to manufacture!


    This cannon used a breech-loading mechanism, which was much more advanced than the widely used front-loading Shireck Automatic Cannon.


    Its main feature was the wedge breech block, which utilized a screw-driv wedge. Wh retracted, the breech block thinned, allowing for easy removal, and wh pushed forward, it thicked to achieve a seal.


    Differt from modern cannons, this breech block was slid out from the side of the barrel, which looked quite strange.


    Using breech-loading provided evidt advantages in terms of rate of fire and airtightness, so in terms of range, uracy, and loading speed, Tang Mo''s new cannons far surpassed contemporary standards.


    ording to the paper specs of the Krupp cannon, the C64 field recoil gun had a caliber of only 80 millimeters, or 78 millimeters excluding the rifling¡ª not veryrge.


    Yet, this cannon had an effective range of 3500 meters! That was indeed astonishing. Shireck Automatic Cannons, being front-loading guns, had poor airtightness, and to achieve a simr range, they needed arger caliber and more propent.


    Moreover, Tang Mo''s new artillery used an tirely new shell structure, employing real high-explosive grades, significantly hancing their power.


    For a front-loading Shireck cannon topete in range and power with Tang Mo''s new artillery, it had to weigh at least two tons. Such heavy artillery had poor mobility and couldn''t keep pace with the Troops'' movemt speed.


    Cannons of this size were typically fixed artillery in castle forts, akin to fort cannon. Field artillery that apanied Infantry could not match the performance of the C64 cannon, no matter what.


    Another reason Tang Mo chose this type of cannon was due to its transport mobility as field artillery.


    At the very least, it was the type of field cannon he could produce that was most suitable in terms of weight and power.


    The full weight of the Krupp C64 field cannon was . tons, which was an appropriate weight for horse-drawn transport.


    Furthermore, this cannon came with a small cart for ammunition, which connected for easy transportation, marking a fairly sessful early artillery design.


    In a newly built factory, brand-new steam machines were creating new barrels. Tang Mo was preparing to manufacture a batch of new cannons before the war arrived to give those arrogant emies a big surprise.


    With breech-loading cannons and the new grades, giv another month, Tang Mo could definitely form a powerful artillery force capable of changing the course of the war.


    While relying solely on weaponry is not correct, if there is a gerational gap in weaponry, its power can indeed overwhelm the emy''s bravery.


    Named by Tang Mo as Type  Cannon, the barrel lgth of this artillery was 930 millimeters, about 4 calibers long, and the weight of the tire barrel was 85 kilograms. Its elevation ranged from -6.5 to +0 degrees, with a traverse of 5 degrees.


    The high-explosive shells it fired weighed 4.3 kilograms with 70 grams of propent. As for another type, the shrapnel shell, Tang Mo had no inttion of manufacturing it, as just working on the grades had nearly exhausted him.


    The muzzle velocity of the cannon''s ammunition was 357 m/s, with fairly standard specifications. Due to manufacturing tolerances, Tang Mo estimated this cannon''s maximum range to be about 3300 meters, not reaching Krupp''s imed 3500 meter maximum range. Nheless, this was an intimidating distance of over three kilometers.


    Tang Mo estimated that, while suring the production quantity of the K Quick Gun and the Revolver, he could produce six C64 recoil field cannons in a month.


    These cannons would allow him to form an artillerypany capable of effectively supporting his new recruits inbat. With these cannons and K Quick Gun revolvers, his new recruits had no problem trouncing opponts three times their number.


    "What kind of mess are you up to now... Forget it if you don''t want to tell me." Alice asked for disappointmt, her voice tinged with a touch of restmt.


    "It just so happs that this mess is what saved your beloved Northern Ridge." Tang Mo didn''t indulge the beauty, setting aside an assembled fuse he had be working on and shaking his slightly sore fingers.


    Having said that, he turned to Alice: "Speaking of which, you''ve be here for 5 days already. Why hav''t you gone back to Northern Ridge?"


    John and his remaining four ships had left Brunas two days ago, their departure marked by tearful reluctance.


    If one didn''t know about his rtionship with Tang Mo, they might actually believe the two of them were close frids who had shared many hardships together over the years.


    Before leaving, John had reassured Tang Mo that he would return to Brunas with ev more Gold Coin within four months at thetest, to settle the debt betwe them.


    Of course, what truly brought John to tears were the contts of those four armed merchant ships: parts for two steam gines, one fully assembled steam gine for mining use, 0 K Quick Guns, 00 revolvers, and their respective ammunition.


    Additionally, there were the most valuable items: the design blueprints for the steam gines and their associated machine tools, the design blueprints and material parameters for the K Quick Guns and revolvers, as well as a family of three full power technical represtatives dispatched by the Great Tang Group.


    What he took with him was his hope for promotion and wealth, as well as his hope for the revival of the Por Kingdom! Meanwhile, the  armed merchant ships he left behind, along with more than 400 Elf ve sailors and all the proceeds from this sea trade, were Tang Mo''s hope...


    "What, you''re not happy to have me?" Alice had grown ustomed to Tang Mo, the man of steel, in the past two days, hce she wasn''t as puffed up with anger. On the contrary, she yed to her natural female advantages, feigning ignorance and acting cute, which had Tang Mo somewhat at a loss.


    Seeing that Tang Mo was determined not to talk, she continued: "Actually, I''ll be leaving soon too. The 0 steam gines you promised me have already be delivered in batches, with 5 shipped out. I''ve writt to my father telling him that I''ll follow thest batch back to Northern Ridge."


    "You''re leaving?" Hearing that the clingy and beautiful girl was going back to Northern Ridge, Tang Mo suddly felt a sse of joy as if he were being released from a stce.


    "You seem very pleased." His joy was so obvious that after he spoke, Alice detected a hint in his words that irked her.


    Tang Mo quickly feigned a dejected look: "No, of course not, I''m very regretful. I won''t be able to see a beautiful girl like you anymore; I''ll be very despondt."


    "Your acting is really terrible!" Aliceined dissatisfied.


    "I''m not acting." Tang Mo argued.


    Alice angrily prested her evidce: "The corners of your mouth are almost split up to your ears!"


    "How is that possible, I''m not a snake." Tang Mo was unfazed by her usation and continued to refute.


    "You''re stillughing!" Alice pretded to be angry.


    Tang Mo persisted in his dial, which was one of his ultimate tactics against Alice: "No, it''s just because I remembered something funny."


    "Don''t get too happy too soon!" Alice revealed a mischievous smile.


    "Why?" Tang Mo was tak aback, instinctively ssing danger.


    Sure ough, Alice suddly began speaking with a triumphant tone: "Because I lied to you! I didn''t write to my father! I''m going to stay here and see what kind of mess you''re really up to."


    Tang Mo pped his hand onto his face, covering his eyes¡ªhe knew that the most difficult thing to deal with in the world was not the F Raptor Fighter trailing behind his own aircraft, but wom.


    Before his transport to this world, he had many wom, all kinds: beautiful, chanting, sexy, wild. But the woman who left a scar that could not heal for a long time, was only one.


    Whever Tang Mo thought of that woman, he would have a momt of trance. There wer''t many good wom in the world, and ev fewer who would willingly die for a man... Regrettably, Tang Mo had met one and lost her.


    Just as Alice was making Tang Mo think of the blurry figure of the woman he could never meet again, a fast horse dashed through the streets of Brunas town like a bolt of lightning.


    -----------


    7 updates today, Dragon Spirit needs a break. The remaining draft is a bit messy and needs to be sorted out, I''ll continue posting tonight, aiming for  updates today!


    Also, seeking monthly tickets, rewards, subscriptions, favorites, and rmdation votes! If you have them, please cast them now... Dragon Spirit thanks you!

 Chapter 91: Im not as good as you.

    "Mr. Tang!" Wh Tang Mo saw Solon again, he thought that Solon''s lover must have be discovered by Mrs. Solon.


    Because Solon''s gaunt face was full of stories, probably like that of a corrupt official who pocketed three hundred million and th hurried to the airport with his briefcase.


    Tang Mo rubbed his nose, fully aware of why the good sheriff had suddlye looking for him.


    They hadn''t be in contact rectly; the only transaction betwe them had be about flintlock guns. So this time, Solon was definitely here for that matter.


    Still, Tang Mo yed dumb, knowingly asking, "Lord Solon! What urgt matter brings you to me?"


    "You hit the nail on the head! They''ve st someone from above to inspect our military readiness," Solon replied, somewhat nervously and anxiously.


    These local officials could be local officials because naturally, they had their own backers above them. Some backers might not be powerful, but they could act as eyes and ears.


    The Shireck Consortium''s vastwork was mixed in with the rest and naturally intersected with others. Therefore, it was basically impossible for Shireck to investigate the armamts invtory without the bureaucrats noticing.


    Some officials naturally passed the information on to "their own people," and those "own people" in turn notified other "own people"... And just like that, the news spread from one to t and t to a hundred, simr to secrets among wom.


    On the other hand, there were rules in the bureaucracy; such inspections were usually announced in advance so that subordinates could prepare for the reception.


    Otherwise, if the needs of the iing officials were not prepared for, it would be incredibly embarrassing. Moreover, if the matter to be investigated was significant and wasn''t announced in advance, the local folks might decide to take drastic action, ev possibly getting rid of the investigators st from above.


    So, to some extt, those sudd arrivals who start investigations and evtually crack big cases are taking risks and are very determined.


    Tang Mo had temporarily stored all the flintlock guns he had transported from Northern Ridge in Solon''s warehouse. So he said with a smile, "There are over 400 flintlock guns in your warehouse, my lord. Ev if you don''t get praised as a model, you should be in no trouble at all. There''s no need to panic."


    "I''m not panicking... but the suring barracks and the town''s garrison, the stationed troops are all in a fluster," Solon pped his hands, revealing his true purpose foring.


    "What does their life or death have to do with us?" Tang Mo continued asking knowingly, with an air of feigned ignorance.


    Solon, having a favor to ask, could only continue to exin, "Some camp captains and nearby sheriffs heard that I have cheap flintlock guns for sale¡­ so, they''ve all set their sights on me."


    "And what would you like me to do?" Tang Mo leaned back in his chair, toying with a pair of exquisitely carved decorative flintlock pistols giv to him by the Elf Race.


    Solon quickly made his, or rather his frids'', request clear: "They want another batch of cheap guns, it doesn''t matter if they''re new or old, just as long as they are guns!"


    Tang Mo shook his head regretfully and didn''t agree to Solon''s request, "That''s going to be difficult. Thest 700 flintlock guns, I got them through connections from Lord Earl Fisello, smuggled out to sell..."


    He pretded as if he had gone through great trouble to acquire the arms, suggesting such deals wer''t easilye by.


    After all, Tang Mo''s thought was, ev if he couldn''t sell them at a good price on the books, he would still y it up for sympathy to make sure full advantage was tak of the favor!


    Solon had no reason to doubt, because in his eyes, the fact that Tang Mo could get 700 flintlock guns out of a ce like Northern Ridge was already a herculean feat.


    Therefore, with a whining tone, he pleaded with Tang Mo, "Please help! Some are childr of the nobility, some are my old frids, and some have ev pledged their loyalty... We''re all our own people now..."


    Hearing this, Tang Mo finally felt satisfied. Thework of rtionships he wanted to build was starting to take shape.


    So he feigned interest and asked, "How many more do you need?"


    ",800!" Solon said somewhat guiltily, naming a figure that made Tang Mo''s heart bloom with joy.


    However, Tang Mo''s face did not betray his delight. Pretding to be shocked, he eximed, "Hiss... you''re saying, the soldiers a here... sold all their guns?"


    Solon quickly waved his hand and th sheepishly revealed some crafty maneuvers, "How could that be? Actually... the majority of the guns, the damn things were never there since the founding of the troops! At that time, the Shireck workshops didn''t have adequate production capacity, so they just issued IOUs."


    "Th... isn''t the production capacity ough now? Go ask Shireck for them!" While listing, Tang Mo yed the role of a perfect straight man.


    This move reminded him of the infamous mooncake vouchers, crab vouchers, and liquor vouchers from Huaxia. These vouchers, once printed, became like futures contracts that no one actually collected; they were just meant for gifting. Since vouchers didn''t expire and could be easily passed on, they became widespread, used for many years, and esstially turned into hard currcy...


    In short, this operation was summed up in one word: "crafty." Esstially there wer''t any crabs, or perhaps only one crab to sell, but t gift vouchers could be sold for it, making gifting convit and safe without anyone losing out, a miracle in its own right.


    Solon spread his hands helplessly andined, "Want them? How do we get them? Some of these matters are years old now. Besides, selling weapons might keep everyone on tterhooks, but selling IOUs... How easy is that?"


    At this point, Tang Mo also became "smart" and immediately caught the underlying meaning of Solon''s words. He gave a thumbs-up to Shireck and praised, "That''s ruthless! Are you saying the Shireck Consortium sold the weapon IOUs to the Kingdom at the original price, and th you guys resold them back to Shireck for half the price?"


    Solon nodded, "More or less... Anyway, it''s all a confusing mess that nobody dares to quibble over. But this time, the officialsing down to check the weapons stock might not let us runners off the hook, so everybody''s nervous, hoping..."


    "There''s definitely no way there are ,800! You could kill me, but I couldn''t possibly swap out and sell all of Lord Earl''s Northern Ridge Legion''s weapons," Tang Mo immediately refused with an overacting performance.


    Seeing the exaggerated and false demeanor, Solon knew there was still something to squeeze out of Tang Mo, so he quickly spoke up, ingratiatingly saying, "Think of a way!"


    You see, the speed at which sessful people switch faces is faster than flipping a book. A few days ago, they might have be acting like sheriffs, and a few dayster, they might well turn into the appearance of old frids in debt.


    "No way." Tang Mo continued to extort, because he might have be the first to know that Northern Ridge actually still had more than ,800 old guns, reced by the pinfire guns he produced.


    ",700! I can''t do any less." Solon bit his teeth and cut the number of rifles by 0. Actually, despite his agonized facade, these weapons were his money-making business!


    He earned a profit on every weapon he bought from Tang Mo! Although it wasn''t much, the little gains did add up, didn''t they?


    Worried that Solon might really get scared off and cut the order quantity again, Tang Mo immediately regretted his blunt refusal and quickly changed tack, pretding to be annoyed as heined, "This is too difficult."


    Seeing that Tang Mo did not give an explicit refusal, Solon quickly spoke up, "Consider it a favor for your old brother!"


    "Old guns are okay too?" Tang Mo continued to feign hesitation.


    "Old guns are fine!" said Solon, also putting on a show of acting.


    Tang Mo continued, "I can''t guarantee they''ll work well, though."


    "Don''t worry! It''s the non-working ones I want!" Solon chuckled heartily.


    "Ss..." Tang Mo made a pained expression.


    "Hehehe!" Solon rubbed his hands together, the picture of someone who had hit the jackpot.


    In the d, Tang Mo nodded, "Alright! I''ll try! Wait for my news!"


    "You''d better hurry, they''re all waiting for the news over there! The higher-ups might sd someone down any time..." Having achieved his goal, Solon got up to leave.


    "Okay!" Tang Mo continued nodding, "But, Lord Solon, wh are you going to introduce me to these frids of yours, so I can get to know them?" Tang Mo didn''t show Solon out immediately but instead asked.


    Of course, Solon knew what Tang Mo meant and was already prepared, "Don''t worry, your gerous reputation will soon reach their ears..."


    After seeing off the hastily arriving Solon, Alice appeared in front of Tang Mo: "Had you anticipated from the beginning that they would buy these old guns?"


    "How could I? I''m not a deity," Tang Mo said with augh, shaking his head.


    "Th you¡­" Alice thought Tang Mo was deceiving her again.


    So Tang Mo exined, "Because these old guns, ev though I don''t make money off of disposing of them, I don''t lose money either, right? And during this process, as long as a situation arises that''s beficial to me, th I can make some profit, be it goodwill or Gold Coins... It''s a no-lose situation, why wouldn''t I do it?"


    "It seems I''m no match for you wh ites to business," Alice said, a bit downcast. This was once her pride.


    Tang Mo corrected her, "No, you might be stronger than me in legitimate business, but in this kind of business, you are definitely not as good as me."


    "So what''s our next step?" Alice already felt that asking Tang Mo these kinds of questions seemed more likely to yield the right answers.


    Tang Mo said nonchntly, "Give them the guns! After all, these things have be phased out by the Northern Ridge, they can be used as favors, or to make money."


    "You''re really a cunning merchant." Although she had already agreed with Tang Mo''s n in her heart, Alice couldn''t help but say so.


    Tang Mo didn''t mind the appraisal, "The feeling is mutual."

 Chapter 92: Preparations for the 92 War

    Just as a silce had fall betwe the two, Tang Mo suddly broke it by saying, "It seems the war might be about to break out."


    Alice was tak aback. The intelligce she had obtained, as well as the situation that Count Fisheo had scouted out, all indicated that the war was likely to break out in the spring, not at the d of autumn.


    Thispletely defiedmon military wisdom, because if a war were to ter winter, the opposing sides would almost bepletely unable to expand their victories.


    Of course, there are exceptions. If one side is better prepared, with ample cotton clothing and transportation, it might be able to gain an advantage during the winter months.


    However, it was quite clear that neither the Leite Kingdom nor the Suthers Kingdom had considered the possibility of waging war in winter over the past half year.


    Nheless, at this momt, Tang Mo''s words had made Alice very tse. After all, she wasn''t an expert in this area, while Tang Mo seemed very reliable.


    Only to hear Tang Mo continue, "Unless something unexpected happs, the war will break out next month, or at the beginning of the following month."


    He made this judgemt based on his own intelligce and a series of subtle clues. On one hand, it was a deduction made from the actual state of military readiness that he had tallied at the Silver Fox Tavern. On the other hand, he felt danger looming from this unusual invtory check.


    In fact, Tang Mo was only specting that the Kingdom was about to invtory its weapons. He said this to scare Solon, to pry op the doors to selling flintlock firearms.


    But Solon''s performance this time a appartly confirmed another thing: the Kingdom was indeed conducting arge-scale inspection of the weapon reserves, and they were being very strict about it.


    His intelligcework had not yet covered the Leite Kingdom, so Tang Mo didn''t know that this inspection was obviously aimed at Brunas. He thought it was a nationwide invtory effort.


    This misjudgemt made him feel that the situation was ev more serious, and he instinctively attributed this anomaly to the conclusion that war was immint.


    In fact, this was a ssic case of double misjudgemt, but it led to the correct oue¡ªTang Mo, unwittingly, had guessed the Shireck Consortium''s n just right.


    Alice was somewhat anxious, looking at Tang Mo and asking, "So soon? Not waiting for the spring?"


    "I don''t know, but the Kingdom''s sudd weapons check obviously isn''t a good sign," Tang Mo replied abstly.


    What he was now pondering was whether he had the ability to make all the necessary preparations before the outbreak of war.


    At this momt, his cannons were still in the factory, and his precious force of fewer than 600 soldiers was all he had to his name.


    Now he had to prepare thest batch of K Quick Guns for Northern Ridge in less than a month, get all his weapons ready, and th head north through the Vicious Forest immediately wh needed to join the war.


    Seeing Tang Mo, lost in thought, Alice continued to speak, "Didn''t they n to betray Northern Ridge? Why are they still actively preparing for war?"


    Tang Mo scoffed and answered Alice''s question, "They only betrayed your father and have no ns to join him in the grave. Theoretically, Suthers Kingdom''s target is Northern Ridge, but if they make too much progress on the frontline, guess what you would do if you were the King of Suthers? Would you not swallow up the Leite Kingdom whole?"


    The world was such a cruel ce, with every detail calcted by someone, and every oversight could lead to ruin.


    Alice clched her fists in anger and cursed through gritted teeth, "Those damn bastards."


    "Cursing won''t kill them... Bullets will," Tang Mo reminded her with a smile, looking at the somewhat cute Alice.


    Alice, looking rather pale, turned to Tang Mo and said with utter determination, "So we need to produce more bullets! Let those bastards face a storm!"


    That was exactly what Tang Mo wanted to hear. An arms dealer''s favorite phrase is "increase production." So he nodded in agreemt, "Well said! I hope that Lord Earl Fisheo delivers just as well during his deploymt speech."


    "Now that we have a rough idea that a war is about to break out, we must make early arrangemts." He knew that the first battle he would stand in this world was about to begin.


    "I must return to Northern Ridge... to inform my father of this! We have to be ready in advance! I hope that before the war breaks out, you can lead your troops north to help my father win," Alice said, her beautiful eyes fixed on Tang Mo, her voice calm.


    "As you wish, Miss," Tang Mo said, making a gtlemanly gesture.


    "Northern Ridge will remember your kindness," Alice did not turn away but continued, "And so will I."


    "It would be my honor," Tang Mo replied, looking at Alice''s delicate face, which he couldn''t help thinking was perfect.


    "Roger, you and Tagg help me escort Miss Alice!" At a momt wh something seemed about to happ, Tang Mo averted his gaze and yelled loudly to the door, summoning Roger to take away the slightly restful Alice.


    Th, he turned to Wes and instructed gravely, "Call Luff, Redman, and Li''ao! Meeting!"


    After speaking, he walked back to a bookshelf he had just purchased. Atop a stack of books, he found a folded map of Northern Ridge that was neitherrge nor detailed.


    The map was likely hand-drawn, and its uracy was definitely questionable. However, in this damned era, this was the only kind of map Tang Mo could get his hands on.


    Once he had hung the map on the wall and stepped back two paces to look at it with satisfaction, Luff and Li''ao, following behind Redman and Wes, tered Tang Mo''s room.


    The addition of the four burly m made the room immediately crowded. Tang Mo gestured for them toe closer and, standing in front of the map, he began, "The reason I''ve called you here is to share a piece of bad news¡­ War may break out within a month!"


    "It wasn''t this serious before..." Wes was tak aback, th said somewhat unexpectedly.


    "We''re not ready yet." Redman felt rushed, despite the military''s training not missing a single day.


    "I know." Tang Mo nced at Li''ao, who hadn''t spok, and soothed everyone''s mood before continuing, "In fact, all signs indicate that our emies are also unprepared for war."


    "Previously, the intelligce we gathered, including some fragmted information passed on by merchants, could all prove that prior to this, Suthers had not prepared winter clothing, nor had they made preparations to crush Leite Kingdom''s main forces within a month." Tang Mo''s hand pressed against the wall as he drew a line over the border area.


    At this momt, Luff asked in confusion, "Th, why would the oppont suddly elerate and take the risk?"


    "I think... it might be because of us! The investigation of us was certainly the work of the Shireck Consortium. Beiji was clearly Gis''s man, and the investigation rted to Beiji aroused Gis''s vignce. He might have heard about the new weapon and ssed that any dy would be detrimtal to his ns, so he has sped up his war preparations," exined Tang Mo to everyone.


    "Ironically, does this mean we''ve elerated the outbreak of war?" Wes raised an eyebrow, finding the joke a bit cold.


    "Esstially, yes! So we need to prepare for war as quickly as possible." Tang Mo looked at the four before him and dered, "Our emies, which are Suthers and the Shireck Consortium, have an absolute advantage in terms of military strgth."


    "Based on the intelligce from Northern Ridge, on the border of Suthers, Suthers Kingdom has assembled panies and more than 7 legions." He pointed at several marked spots on the map and continued toy out the basic situation of the battlefield, "ording to the worst-case scario, 4 legions are designated for Northern Ridge. The emy has about 0,000, maybe ev 5,000 m!


    Most of this force wille from the eastern side of Northern Ridge, along the main road."


    "To sure logistical support and the convice of setting up camp, the main forces of Suthers Kingdom will be stationed along the way, roughly here, where they will counter the troops of Count Fisheo." He pointed to a small in as he spoke.


    "In terms of military strgth, we''re looking at about ,500 m against 5,000," deduced Luff, analyzing the map.


    Redman thought for a momt and gave his opinion, "We do have advantages. In this area, the battlefield isn''t too wide! With the advantage in firepower, Lord Earl could pottially block the emy''s assault."


    "Plus, as a secret force, our existce is unknown to Suthers Kingdom. Theoretically, they don''t know Northern Ridge actually has ,000 soldiers, nor do they know where our 500 m will appear," Tang Mo added, "We are the key force that will decide the oue of the battle!"


    "The elemt of surprise is always good. Besides, all 500 of us have be equipped with K Quick Guns, so ourbat effectivess is somewhat stronger than that of an average military unit," Redman turned to Tang Mo, expressing an optimistic assessmt.


    Without hesitation, Tang Mo ordered Redman, "Sd the signal to call back the troops in the Vicious Forest who are rooting out bandits and training! Redman! Assemble the troops¡­ We need to be ready so that once Lord Earl calls for us, we head to Northern Ridge to aid the Earl, and to win this war for ourselves!"


    "After we leave, Uncle Roger, Elder Li''ao, we will be relying on you both to take care of this ce," Tang Mo earnestly trusted the two m who would not be part of the campaign.


    Roger assured, "Don''t worry! I will take good care of this ''factory''."


    "I will stay here to oversee things and sure that all intelligce reaches you," Li''ao also promised.


    Tang Mo nodded th further instructed Roger, "Make preparations as fully as possible, and have Bernard keep a close watch on the fleet¡ªit may be our other way out!"


    "I understand!" Roger nodded again.


    "Our ammunition is limited; we must gage in fastbat! I hope the emy grants us that opportunity," Tang Mo once again surveyed the room of m.


    "The secret weapon?" Luff inquired.


    "Bring the secret weapon along; it could be the key to our victory!" Tang Mo replied immediately without any hesitation.

 Chapter 93: 93 battlefield collapse

    ```


    "Gis, that bastard! Who does he think he is?" A middle-aged geral crumpled the letter in his hand into a ball and threw it fiercely to the g as he cursed loudly.


    His blue military uniform was quite attractive, with  buttons and a  belt, making him look imposing.


    Unlike the Leite Kingdom, the military uniforms of the Suthers Kingdom were blue, and so were their gs, symbolizing freedom and boldness.


    "Th... Geral... we..." An officer, looking at his furious superior, nervously asked.


    "The King''s orders are probably already on the way. I can ignore the damn demands of the Shireck Consortium, but I cannot refuse the orders from His Majesty! Gather the troops! Have Viscount Romel cross the border as nned and advance towards the Northern Ridge!"


    "Order the Cavalry to expand eastwards! Force the main forces of the Leite Kingdom onto the predetermined battlefield. Tell the people from the Shireck Consortium that I await their good news." The geral stood up and looked at all the officers in the tt, "Gtlem! The war... has begun!"


    "Long live the Kingdom!" All the officers drew their swords and jubntly pointed them towards the sky.


    They had be preparing for this war for over a year, and they had the backing of Shireck! Their provisions were pltiful, and their army was more than four times the size of the emy''s!


    Ev on the script, they were marked as the victors! Whoever wrote the script was on their side.


    So it was as if they hade to collect military exploits; they would all be the direct beficiaries of this victory, shining new stars among the younger geration in the Suthers Kingdom.


    "What''s the matter, Geral?" The aide stood by his geral, ssing something unusual in his superior.


    As themander-in-chief of the war, Geral Ti was a well-knownmander of the Suthers Kingdom. He had drafted the tire battle n himself; he was the spirit of the Suthers military.


    "It''s nothing... I just always feel that the war won''t go as smoothly as we expect," Ti retracted his gaze and squeezed out a slight smile, "However, I wee a change, so that Fisallo persists longer, waiting for me to personally defeat him!"


    In October 3 of the Leite Kingdom, the long-brewing battle on the northern border betwe the Suthers Kingdom and the Leite Kingdom officially began.


    Three hours after the outbreak of the war, an voy of the Suthers Kingdom finally met with the King of the Leite Kingdom and delivered the deration of war.


    Unexpectedly, the Leite Kingdom didn''t give the voy of the Suthers Kingdom a hard time but simply scolded him and ordered him to "roll back to the Suthers Kingdom."


    Such tepid punishmt was esstially ineffective. What really mattered was the oue on the border battlefield.


    The Suthers Kingdom had prepared for a year, and of course, the Leite Kingdom had also prepared for a year. In fact, almost as soon as the Suthers Kingdom amassed troops at the border, the Leite Kingdom had devised a counterattack n.


    However,paratively, the Leite Kingdom''s counterattack n seemed hastily put together¡ªit had parts for counterattacking on the eastern and ctral fronts but no n for the Northern Ridge.


    ording to this n, the Leite Kingdom would hold off emy attacks in the Ctral Region and the east, but there would be a copse on the Northern Ridge front.


    Th, by ceding the Northern Ridge and obtaining certain befits in exchange for the Shireck Consortium''s promise, the war would naturallye to an d.


    If the Suthers Kingdom didn''t follow protocol, the Shireck Consortium would interve, punishing the Suthers side, and in the d, the Leite Kingdom could ev recapture the Northern Ridge and possibly gain the southern part of Suthers aspsation.


    The tire n was deemed perfect, at least for the Leite Kingdom. It eliminated the troublesome Count Fisallo and secured befits from the Shireck Consortium.


    However, subsequt developmts caught everyone off guard¡ªGeral Ti, the mastermind of the tire Suthers Kingdom''s southern campaign n, lived up to his reputation as the soul of the Suthers army, leading his troops to crush the main forces of the Leite Kingdom in the Ctral Region.


    The situation changed drastically at the battle that day, which was supposed to be just a show. Ti personallymanded the artillery to weak the main left nk of the Leite forces, and to everyone''s surprise, the Leite Kingdom''s cavalry on the left nk suddlyunched a counterattack.


    It waster discovered that themander of this cavalry unit was timid and hid himself in a rtively safe location, far from his troops.


    Th, after the bombardmt, this cavalry unit, unable to find theirmander, ded up following the orders of some middle and lower-ranking officers, taking a risk tounch a counterattack on Ti''s troops.


    This unexpected turn of evts, not ounted for in the script, directly led to the copse of the Leite Kingdom''s ctral army units. Ti seized the opportunity, leading his ctral forces to press forward andpletely defeat the main forces of the Leite Kingdom.


    The Leite Kingdom''s lines crumbled, and the eastern nk forces retreated reluctantly, adopting a defsive posture.


    But the main forces in the Ctral Region, which had copsed tirely, suffered disastrously, retreating all the way to near the King City where they barely managed to stop.


    What was supposed to be merely a performance turned into a real fight due to an idt.


    The front-linemanders of the Suthers Kingdom saw an opportunity, and Ti felt it was a chance topletely conquer the Leite Kingdom.


    ```


    His troops immediately seized upon the retreating Leite Kingdom army and captured several afflut towns.


    At the same time, he held back part of the forces originally meant to outnk Northern Ridge from the side and charged toward the direction of the Leite Kingdom''s King City.


    In the Leite Kingdom, after a period of panicked chaos, the King personally executed the cavalrymander who had fled the battle and stepped forward to stabilize the already crumbling military morale.


    At the same time, he urgtly rerouted some artillery to Northern Ridge via a detour and st a messger on horseback, spurring the animal to its fastest, to deliver a handwritt letter to Ronin Fisallo, Lord Earl.


    In the letter, he worked every angle to curry favor and th, at the d of the letter, he exined the purpose of his writing¡ªhe hoped that Ronin Fisallo could hold Northern Ridge at all costs and buy sufficit time for the Ctral front.


    Because only if Northern Ridge and the Eastern front both existed would the Suthers Kingdom''s troops feel the pressure on both nks and continuously worry about their sides being breached.


    It was also because of the existce of Northern Ridge and the Eastern front that Leite Kingdom''s currt U-shaped front barely resembled a pocket, prevting Geral Ti frommitting all his forces to attack the Leite Kingdom''s King City.


    Thus a farce evolved into a peculiar situation. The King, who had originally nned to betray Earl Fisheo, now became an old frid begging Fisheo to pull himself together.


    And the Shireck Consortium, which originally supported the Suthers Kingdom, began to show an ambiguous rtionship as the Suthers Kingdom rapidly approached victory.


    The Shireck Consortium had now be the awkward party who rode the tiger and found it hard to dismount: on one hand, they didn''t want Suthers topletely swallow up the Leite Kingdom, on the other hand, they didn''t dare to suppress Suthers too much for fear of being settled with after a swift Suthers victory¡­


    So wh the Leite Kingdom st people to seek assistance at Gis''s residce, Gis was furiously hopping mad.


    But the ultimate solution still depded on the situation on the battlefield: Gis assured the Leite Kingdom that he would no longer favor the Suthers Kingdom, but he could only maintain strict neutrality¡­


    As a result, the situation continued to develop unfavorably for the Leite Kingdom: the field artillery st to Northern Ridge was ambushed halfway by the swiftly advancing troops of the Suthers Kingdom.


    The cannons were captured, and the troops were crushed. At this momt, the messid before the Leite King was truly a sight of despair.


    On one hand, he knew that he had inttionally shortchanged Northern Ridge of a significant amount of weapons and equipmt, which was an undiable fact.


    On the other hand, he had just received news that his artillery troops, urgtly st to reinforce Northern Ridge, had also be destroyed by the emy.


    Now, both he and Northern Ridge had be istedmbs awaiting ughter; it was just a matter of who would die first. No one knew whether he had any regrets, but it was known that his temper had be growing worsetely.


    And as the war erupted and the situation deteriorated, the reinforcemts from the Great Tang Group for Northern Ridge finally crossed the Vicious Forest and reached the territory of Northern Ridge.


    Tang Mo led nearly all of his forces, in an imposing manner, through the contint within the territory of Northern Ridge, advancing toward the war zone.


    This force included three infantrypanies of 360 musketeers, 30-plus elite Rangersmanded by Luff, over 0 hastily-consolidated artillerym, and the Cavalry pieced together by Tagg, consisting of more than 40 riders.


    The tire force had six cannons, over 40 wagons, carried arge quantity of ammunition, and misceneous supplies for daily life, arriving at the highly perilous forefront.


    "You follow the earlier arrangemt, leading the troops to the designated stationing site! I''m off to see Lord Earl Fisheo. He still owes me something! As agreed before, he was to support me with 0 cannons and corresponding artillerym¡­" Tang Mo said while riding his horse, feeling his back and waist aching.


    His equestrian skills were not so great; ording to Tagg''s standards, they barely passed as knowing how to ride¡­


    "Do you need me to apany you?" asked Tagg, ncing at Alice, who was riding a tall horse beside Tang Mo, and suddly realized his question was somewhat redundant.


    Alice, as the guide for Tang Mo''s troops, had be there for the better part of the day. Now, Tang Mo''s forces were not far from Lord Earl''s main forces, and ev the emy''s troops wer''t far off.


    The atmosphere on the battlefield was actually already quite intse. Here, one could see civilians fleeing for safety everywhere, as well as scattered troops responsible for maintaining order.


    "I''ll be back soon." Tang Mo took the reins, letting Alice lead the way, and along with Wes and two guards, he broke away from the main force.


    The direction in which he spurred his horse was not far off¡ªa huge campmt where, atop a tall gpole, a unique Northern Ridge wolf g fluttered rapidly in the wind.


    --------


    Brothers,  chapters delivered!


    Asking for monthly passes, subscriptions, rewards, rmdation votes, favorites¡­ Your support is very important for Dragon Spirit during the new book period!


    Those familiar with Dragon Spirit know that I seldom ask for data during the new book period, but the currt data really isn''t looking good. I hope everyone can give more support, thank you.

 Chapter 94: 94 Tang Mos Promise

    Wh Tang Mo saw Count Fisheo again, he noticed that the man looked haggard, his neatly kept chin now covered in messy stubble.


    He sat in the tt, examining a map spread out before him as Tang Mo tered. Without hesitation, Tang Mo walked over and stood next to the Earl, looking down at the fairly urate map of Northern Ridge.


    "It''s much better than mine," Tang Mo couldn''t help but say viously, speaking out of the blue.


    Pointing at a teacup on another table, Fisheo said to Tang Mo, "There''s hot water over there. Be careful not to stain the map."


    In those days, an urate map was extremely valuable. Thus, things like ink and food were, in fact, unlikely to be ced beside the map.


    "I''ll give you er." Fisheo lifted his head and extded his hands sincerely. Tang Mo was somewhat unustomed to this but still spread his hands and embraced Fisheo briefly.


    "I''m grateful that your troops arrived as promised," Fisheo expressed his thanks. "The reinforcemts promised by the King did not arrive on time."


    "I think they probably won''t be able to make it," said Tang Mo with a coldugh. "Who would have thought that as we calcted against Northern Ridge, we ded up copsing ourselves first."


    "The situation is ev worse than expected," Fisheo said helplessly as he pointed to the map for Tang to see. "From the momt Suthers''s troops routed the Kingdom''s cavalry, the emy''s advantage became very clear. They reassigned their troops and have already reached here!" He pointed to a spot on the map.


    Tang Mo saw that Northern Ridge, previously only facing emies from one direction, now had to withstand pressure from two fronts.


    One from the northeast, the other from the southeast.


    Tang Mo surveyed the locations Fisheo pointed to on the map and grew serious, "They are very close to us now."


    "Yes, the pressure on our nks has exceeded our preliminary estimates, leaving me ev more passive in the face of the emy," said Fisheo with a wry smile. "However, there is some good news. The emy''s progression is too smooth, hce parts of their forces initially designated to target us have be redeployed to the south."


    As he spoke, he gestured on the map, "Based on the currt situation, facing me directly are the emy''s previously stationed troops, 5,000 m, augmted by 0 cannons. A full three legions, and a substantial number of artillerym..."


    Giv that these field cannons were muzzle-loading, Tang Mo knew their power was limited. However, he was aware that this was just his transmigrator''s perspective. Not a single officer now would consider a hundred muzzle-loading cannons of approximately 60mm calibre to be useless decor.


    "You know, my troops onlyprise three battalions, a ,500 m. Ev with my guard, it doesn''t add up to ,700, so I can''t provide you any more support." Th he briefly outlined the strgth of his own forces.


    Tang Mo was well aware of this, ev knowing that the Kingdom''s reinforcemt troops from Brunas, expected to be a ,000 m, were now redirected towards King City.


    From the looks of it, Northern Ridge was indeed isted without help. Regardless, they could only rely on themselves now.


    "Actually, I can''t fulfill what I promised either." Fisheo regretfully delivered another piece of bad news to Tang Mo.


    "Lord Earl, as you know, the new recruit camp only has 500 m, and six cannons. You promised that after we wt to the front line, you''d provide another 0 cannons..." Tang Mo was aware that what Fisheo was referring to might have something to do with reinforcing his artillery.


    Sure ough, Fisheo exined helplessly, "I know! I know! But now the situation has changed, I can''t possibly give you 0 of Shireck''s light field cannons anymore! Because... the Kingdom''s support supplies that should have arrived have be lost!"


    "The news just came. The Kingdom''s cannons allocated to us were ambushed by the suddly appearing Suthers cavalry... Now, the m and the cannons are likely someone else''s trophies," an officer standing across from the map table exined with frustration.


    "Maybe it was deliberate," Tang Mo said sarcastically. Noticing the somber expressions of everyone prest, he reluctantly asked, "So what do we do now?"


    Fisheo shook his head, "There ar''t any good options. If we retreat, we would have to give up this pass. Once in the wider Northern Ridge territory, the numerical advantage of the emy forces would be ev easier to exploit."


    "What about retreating to Wolf City?" Tang Mo offered another suggestion.


    Another officer angrily dismissed this proposal, "If Wolf City is sured, that''s akin to handing Northern Ridge over to Suthers! That is absolutely uneptable."


    "So you''re saying, we can only hold our position here and wait for the emy to wipe us all out," Tang Mo asked with a coldugh.


    The emy now had over 5,000 m, and their artillery was double that of Tang''s. Ev though their breech-loading rifles gave them a firepower advantage over the emy, the emy''s advantages were too obvious.


    Moreover, this was just the currt situation. As every second ticked by, with each passing day, things would only be more unfavorable to them.


    The front-line troops of the Kingdom of Sarte, the Royal Legion, had practically fled in total disarray, relinquishing the tire battlefield. The Suthers Kingdom, whether aiming to annex Northern Ridge or to continue their assault into the hintends of the Kingdom of Sarte, needed to first dislodge the thorn that was Northern Ridge.


    Therefore, the emy forces would only increase. There might be 5,000 now, but in a few days, the ranks of the emy might swell to ts of thousands.


    "So, I n to take the initiative and gage the Suthers nd Legion, who are in our way, in directbat!" Count Fisheo revealed his inttion.


    Since the emy forces were bound to grow, the n was to eliminate the emy''s main force in advance and th consume each of their sessive reinforcemt troops one by one.


    "Have you thought this through?" Tang Mo nced at Count Fisheo, th at Alice standing beside him, and looked back at Fisheo to ask.


    "If I am defeated, I''ll leave the matters of Northern Ridge to you!" Lord Earl looked at Tang Mo and said, "I''m not referring to anything else, specifically my family and people like Tagg. I hope you can take them and seek refuge in Brunas."


    He stared at Tang Mo, speaking earnestly, "Promise me, protect them well, so they can live safely and without worries."


    Tang Mo didn''t agree to Count Fisheo, instead changing the subject, "Let''s talk about thatter. Let''s discuss our mission... if possible, I''ll do everything in my power to secure your nk."


    "Theoretically, if you''re stationed on my nk, you could at least help me divert ,000 of the emy''s strgth." Fisheo confidtly pointed to the southern part of his own camp and said, "Also, it would help me block the emy forces pushing north from the nk."


    "And in reality?" Tang Mo knew that aside from the theory, there was the actual task at hand.


    "In reality, I hope the new recruits can advance to this position!" Fisheo''s hand truly extded further south, until it pressed on a particr marked location.


    Looking at the spot, the smile on Tang Mo''s face gradually faded, "The Three-Way Intersection? Brilliant! Most of the Suthers troops diverted from the front line will pass through here to merge with their nking units ¡ª that is, the Suthers troops standing against the Northern Ridge Legion."


    "So, you must hold back these units and somehow tie up the ,500 Suthers troops that might currtly be advancing from the southeast toward us."


    "What a great assignmt! The task you''ve giv me is three times what was originally expected, and you''re not ev willing to give me a single cannon," Tang Mo felt Count Fisheo was toying with him, assigning such a perilous mission to his "new recruits."


    "I only need you to hold position there for one day!" Fisheo stared at Tang Mo, saying with a grave tone.


    Tang Mo didn''t agree but countered, "One day? And th?"


    "I will lead the main army to break through the three Suthers legions before us and th join forces with you!" Fisheo''s hand returned to the map, pressing on the location of the emy on the frontline, assuring Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo scoffed, "Ha! Lord Earl, you surely dare to speak!"


    Expecting a newbie unit, which had only trained for just over a month, to hold the most dangerous node for an tire day and await the oue of the main battlefield?


    It was a joke, Tang Mo thought he was more likely to be sold out by Lord Earl, holding out at the Three-Way Intersection for one day only to hear Lord Earl had retreated back to Wolf City.


    "Trust me! The people of Northern Ridge will never abandon their frids!" Fisheo promised sincerely.


    Tang Mo stared at Fisheo and emphasized word by word, "I hope that wh the timees, it will be the wolf banner, not the Suthers insignia, marching down the road from the south."


    "If I fail, I will make sure you leave first," Fisheo gave his promise.


    "Let''s hope neither of us fail!" Tang Mo looked at the map and, under the expectant gazes of all prest, was silt for a long while before finally speaking up, "I''ve put all my bets on Wolf City! Count Fisheo! We need each other, right?"


    "Exactly! If we can get through today''s difficulty, th Northern Ridge will be your most steadfast support! I will give you the utmost backing and will never betray you," Fisheo once again promised Tang Mo.


    At the momt, his words were akin to drawing a big pie in the sky. Because if he lost, all that he said now would be but castles in the air.


    Yet, Tang Mo understood that if one wished to bet a bicycle against a motorcycle, th one must have the courage to ept the big pie being offered ¡ª at the very least, he was a chef himself, a part of those making the big pie.


    If he could help Count Fisheo win this battle, he would th have the right to partake in the big pie of post-war befits, and ev have the biggest slice!


    So, gritting his teeth, Tang Mo made amitmt, "So be it! The wolf banner shall fly at the Three-Way Intersection until the day after tomorrow at noon! The new recruits camp of 500 soldiers will fight there to thest man!"

 Chapter 95: 95 low wall

    "Tang Mo!" As Tang Mo prepared to mount his horse, Alice called out to him from behind.


    Tang Mo turned his head and looked at the noble youngdy in military attire, still charming and cute, revealing a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his face, "What is it?"


    "You... be careful out there!" Alice was a bit shy and somewhat troubled. She couldn''t figure out her ce, yet felt she needed to stand there and urge him with that line.


    Logically, with her status, she shouldn''t be saying things like a little wife, but she just couldn''t helping over and saying it anyway.


    "Okay!" Tang Mo felt a long-missed warmth, so he mounted his horse and, as he pulled the reins, he responded to Alice with that word.


    "What task has Lord Earl given us?" Wes, riding his horse, followed beside and slightly behind Tang Mo, asking loudly.


    "To hold the Triple Fork! Do you know that ce?" Tang Mo answered without turning his head.


    "I know... but are you sure he asked us to do something that can''t be done?" Wes sounded a bit hesitant, but he decided it was still necessary to remind Tang Mo.


    "No choice. If we can''t do it, Northern Ridge will have no chance of winning at all." Tang Mo, while riding back to his troops, said helplessly.


    Seeing Tang Mo and Wes return, Tagg, Luff, and the others who had been waiting with the troops approached on horseback,ing together with Tang Mo.


    The group found a hill slope that allowed them to oversee their troops passing on the road below; they dismounted and made this temporary headquarters.


    "Where''s the artillery?" Curious upon seeing the return of Tang Mo and his group, Tagg asked.


    ording to the original n, Tang Mo should have brought back 20 field cannons and about 200 artillerymen.


    These artillerymen could provide effective support for their operations on the ins and also take some pressure off Tang Mo''s group, which only had six cannons.


    Tang Mo shook his head and replied helplessly, "I''m afraid, Tagg, there are no cannons left!"


    "What do you mean?" Tagg was taken aback and then looked at Wes, then back at Tang Mo.


    "The materials supported by the Kingdom for Lord Earl Fisheo were lost in the rout, so now we can only rely on ourselves." Tang Mo could only exin in detail.


    He spoke briefly about confirmed and unconfirmed news, which made everyone''s expression grow more serious.


    Tagg had also just learned thetest news: the artillery meant to support Northern Ridge had fallen into Suthers'' forces'' hands, and it was almost certain that Northern Ridge''s reinforcements would not arrive.


    Without artillery support, and without aid from the direction of Brunas, all they could rely on now was what little they themselves had on hand.


    "But, but we only have six cannons!" Luff, on the other side, emphasized with some gloom.


    Redman, not wanting to diminish his own pride, added, "Yes, but we also have 400 Quick Guns, don''t we?"


    "Sir! Although we have a clear advantage in firearms, at long range, artillery is the key to determining the oue of a war." Tagg, the onlymander here withbat experience, could only remind Tang Mo with as much concern as possible.


    He had battle experience, so he had to stand out and inform Tang Mo of the risks of war, so that Tang Mo could avoid these risks as much as possible.


    Earl Fisheo had him stay with Tang Mo for this very reason: in critical moments, having such an experienced officer meant Tang Mo had another counselor at hand.


    Hearing Tagg say this, Tang Mo gave a bitter smile yet again, "I know, but that''s not the worst of the news."


    He had bitterly smiled several times that day because it seemed he had only heard news that couldn''t be any worse.


    It was like one day at school when you learn that there''ll be a quiz in the afternoon, only to then find out you''ve left your notes at home, and when you want to cheat, you discover that even your desk-mate didn''t revise, and after submitting your paper, you remember you didn''t write your name on it...


    "What do you mean? Is there worse news?" Luff and Redman were both shocked by what Tang Mo had just said.


    If facing the enemy with an under-strength battalion of new recruits wasn''t the worst news already, then what could the worst news be?


    Tang Mo had no time for suspense, so he answered directly, "Yes, there is worse news! The Earl expects our troops to push forward to the Triple Fork and hold off the Suthers forcesing from both north and east."


    "He''s having us cover his retreat back to Wolf City?" Tagg, familiar with the terrain, immediately grew pale.


    Tang Mo shook his head, letting Tagg''s face regain some color. But his subsequent words put pressure on everyone, like mountains: "No, the Earl intends to lead his troops westward tomorrow morning and engage in a decisive battle with the enemy forces head-on. He hopes we can restrain the enemy''s nks and cover him to win this engagement."


    "Are you kidding me? He''s going to attack 5000 men with 1500?" Luff and Redman eximed in shock.


    In their view, it was already a very difficult task to barely hold the line with 1500 men¡ªdespite having quick-firing guns, it was still not easy.


    However, Lord Earl intended to attack 5000, possibly even 6000 men with 1500 troops. The courage and boldness required were so immense that itmanded admiration.


    "Yes, that is the n," Tang Mo nodded in confirmation.


    Finally, Wes joined in the conversation: "If he weren''t Fisheo, I would almost be certain he is deceiving us, but since he is Fisheo... I don''t know what to do now."


    "Lord Earl would never abandon us and run away alone," Tagg said with difficulty. "He will definitelyunch an attack; there is no doubt about that."


    "That is why I choose to believe in him!" Tang Mo nced at Tagg, then surveyed his ownmanders before he continued, "Luckily, we still have some things hidden away, don''t we?"


    It was the first time Tagg had truly realized the extent of Tang Mo''s resources, and he couldn''t help but exim, "Yes, even Lord Earl doesn''t know that you''ve trained an additional 100 soldiers, have 6 cannons of your own, and hid away 40 cavalrymen."


    What he really didn''t know was that Tang Mo, using the trained regrs as the backbone for his officers, had organized hunters from Northern Ridge and the unemployed gathered by Brunas into an army, training threepanies of troops.


    He didn''t know what the term pany" exactly meant, but he did know that what Tang Mo referred to as apany was roughly a unit of 120 men.


    Eachpany was divided into three toons, and each toon had its own toon leader. These infantry toons had apparently all trained in the Vicious Forest and had each carried out bandit suppression missions on their own.


    What surprised him even more was that when the threepanies werebined, it formed what Tang Mo called a new recruits camp, and it actually had artillery.


    Moreover, the artillery corps that Tang Mo belonged to was evenrger in scale than the typical battalion-level artillery corps: although his battalion had only 6 cannons, it wasposed of over 100 artillerymen.


    These artillerymen were in ssrooms half a month ago, being personally taught artillery techniques by Tang Mo, but Tagg was unaware of their actualbat capability.


    He only knew that these artillerymen were surprisingly equipped with over 100 warhorses, and additionally, there were 40 wagons apanying them, creating quite an impressive sight.


    Furthermore, every soldier in the entire troop was issued an engineer shovel, a special mess kit, and an exquisite harness. Each soldier was issued a new model bay, and all the soldiers had their own set of color-dulled, strange, long military uniforms, plus extra nkets, three pairs of socks, two sets of thick trousers, and undershirts.


    All of the soldiers had uniform knapsacks, and the boots were all of the same style. The officers'' overcoats had bars as a sign of their rank; higher-ranking officers even had fur cors on their coats, which looked quite ssy.


    Tagg particrly liked this kind of overcoat and had put one on over his bright yellow Leite Kingdom standard-issue military uniform. If only the coat''s color weren''t so dull, he might have liked it even more.


    Indeed, ording to Tang Mo''s entric organization and luxurious equipment, the cost of equipping a battalion was more than what two battalions in Northern Ridge would spend.


    But then again, Tagg felt that this new recruits camp, inparison to the main forces of Northern Ridge, looked more majestic and more stylish.


    As Tang Mo used to say in an odd saying, "Appearance is fighting power!"


    Watching his troops advance along the road, Tang Mo felt increasingly confident: "Now, this private fund has found its ce in the fight."


    Luff looked at Redman and saw that he too was looking back at him, prompting Luff to ask, albeit reluctantly: "What should we do?"


    Tagg, savvy with experience, was the first to speak: "The enemy''s cannons will cause us great casualties; we must find a way..."


    "So, we must figure out a way to negate the enemy''s artillery firepower advantage," Redman, the actualmander of this force, also said at this point.


    Tang Mo sketched a rough map of the terrain on the ground with a stick: "The T-junction is a good spot, where three roads meet, there''s a small vige. This is a terrain advantage we can rely on."


    "I''ve been there before, there is a low wall..." Tagg added briefly.


    Speaking of the low wall sparked inspiration in Tang Mo; he recalled another very famous wall, one that had altered the course of history.


    Thus, sliding the branch along the road, he began: "The road is a slightly elevated high point. We can build a low wall along one side of the road, connecting this wall to the vige."


    "But sir, how tall of a wall can we build in such a rush? If the workload is too great, our soldiers will be exhausted, which will affect theirbat effectiveness," Tagg expressed his concern that relying on a hastily built low wall would not be enough to offset the enemy''s numerical advantage.


    "About, a wall up to the chest would be sufficient," Tang Mo recalled the low wall in his mind and replied with a smile.

 Chapter 96: Can be taken down with one charge 96

    "This is pointless, sir, if we rely on this breastwork for defense, enemy artillery will bombard our position, and we''ll lose half our soldiers," Tagg thought Tang Mo''s approach was simply a disy of his own intelligence''s lower limit.


    In that moment, he felt that although Tang Mo was truly a genius in weapon development, he really didn''t have a clue about warfare.


    Recalling earlier, when Tang Mo was lecturing everyone on what future warfare would look like, he even found it somewhat amusing.


    However, his opinion was dismissed by the obstinate Tang Mo, "Listen to me! This may be our only chance!"


    "All right, I''ll have the local vigers help and build a wall here immediately," Tagg, feeling resigned, could only follow Tang Mo''smand on such minor matters.


    He felt that once the battle began, the tense atmosphere and the harsh reality would force Tang Mo to hand over hismand obediently.


    Tang Mo then turned to Redman and instructed, "Good! Redman! I need you to make the most of this afternoon to train the soldiers again! Even if it''s just making them more familiar with tactical maneuvers, it will reduce our casualties!"


    "I''ll do my best." Redman''s tone held a sense of somber resolve, as if he was sharpening his sword right before the examination.


    Afterward, Tang Mo looked at Luff, "Luff! Take 100 men and build the wall at the designated ce immediately, the rest of the troops will be led by me and Redman. We set out at nightfall, reach the fork by midnight today, and then rest immediately!"


    "Yes!" Luff was somewhat nervous, but without any hesitation, he immediately nodded in agreement with Tang Mo.


    ...


    Peering through his monocr telescope, Suthers'' famed general Ti frowned involuntarily at the sight of the short wallying across the roadbed not far away.


    "You say, before nightfall yesterday, there was no such wall here?" he asked a knight standing beside him.


    The knight nodded and replied, "Yes, sir! I personally led a scouting party here yesterday, and we didn''t see this short wall."


    "This means someone has built this fortification overnight... On the other side of the road, the Northern Ridge''s troops must have already been stationed," Ti said with some displeasure.


    "General, we shouldunch an attack!" An aide-de-camp, on horseback, alongside Ti, suggested.


    "That''s not a good choice! We''ve just arrived here, and our troops haven''t had a chance to rest yet, plus... we don''t have urate intelligence and don''t know how many enemy forces are on the other side," Ti shook his head slightly, not willing to fight a battle in the dark.


    He really wanted to know how that foolish Viscount Romel, one of his subordinates, managed to waste a whole two days here.


    "Why didn''t you camp at this junction, huh? Why didn''t you send troops to upy this vige first, huh?" Ti turned to the Viscount Romel beside him, asking indignantly.


    "Gen, General... I, I..." Viscount Romel didn''t dare to tell his superior that it was because the forced march was so taxing, he had ordered to slow down, only arriving here yesterday afternoon. And because of his preference, he chose to set up a camp in a shaded area by the woods rather than stationing troops near the fork in the road.


    So, he stammered, unable to give a clear exnation. But Ti, already impatient, waved his hand, silencing the blunderer.


    "General, there couldn''t be a veryrge force of Northern Ridge troops stationed here," the knight who had scouted the area exined: "Intelligence indicates that Fisheo only has 1,500 men, the Northern Ridge Legion is extremely elite, better at fighting than any of our legions...


    However, Fisheo is arrogant and self-important, he hasn''t expanded or prepared his army after all this time, so that''s all the troops he has!"


    "1,500 men? One legion?" Ti retracted his telescope, tucking it into the leather tube by his saddle, his hands grabbing the reins as if in thought.


    "So, even if he were to deploy troops here, he would have at most a few hundred men. That''s the limit he can pull from," the knight continued, seeing hismander silent.


    "So!" he pointed towards the distant fork, making excuses for Viscount Romel''s ipetence, "Such an act of blocking the road with just a few hundred men, attempting to stop two of our army''s northward and eastward advancing troops, is pretty much no different from suicide..."


    "Right! Right! That''s why I didn''t, didn''t care! They had too few men! My troops, with one charge, could take that ce down!" Viscount Romel gratefully nced at the knight, then spoke up immediately.


    "I''m here to win wars for the Kingdom, not to listen to excuses," Ti finally spoke, "Since you say you could take this ce with one charge, I''ll give you a chance! Order your men to attack!"


    "Yes, yes! I assure you, I''ll take the vige soon!" Viscount Romel immediately epted the order, taking a deep breath, feeling he had finally shaken off the dark cloud of dying military intelligence.


    As long as he could capture the mountain fork, all previous oversights would be irrelevant. And he was almost certain that the Northern Ridge military presence near the three-way intersection wouldn''t exceed three hundred men!


    With a legion of 1,500 attacking a position held by 300, the advantage was clearly ours! Viscount Romel thought furiously, spurring his horse to return to the front of his troops'' formation.


    "General Ti''smand! Order our military to attack immediately!" He pulled on the reins of his warhorse, looked at themanders of the 1st and 2nd battalions approaching him, and pointed towards the position ahead, "Take that intersection!"


    "Leave it to me!" One officer nodded slightly, then dashed towards his own formation. His warhorse passed in front of the ranks of his troops, with soldiers holding their weapons, quietly awaiting orders.


    "1st Battalion! Raise the battle g! Beat the drums, advance! Battalion artillery, aim at those damned low walls over there, fire!" Themander drew his saber and pointed towards the direction of the mountain fork.


    The military band started to beat the drums, the tight rhythm of the drums began to sound, and the soldiers stepped forward, moving slowly through the fields with staggered steps.


    "Boom!" The battalion''s cannon belched white smoke, and the shells flew towards the embankment, striking the not so solid earth, sending up columns of smoke into the sky.


    A shell struck the hastily constructed low wall, leaving a hole¡ªsince the wall was too thin, the shell even passed through without knocking down the approximately six-hundred-meter-long wall.


    Due to calibration issues with the first round of bombardment, most of the shells either flew over the wall ornded on the embankment and fields, appearing loose andcking in intimidation.


    Subsequently, Suthers'' artillery fired a second round, this time with much better uracy, as most of the shells hit the embankment. Dust filled the air, a sight to behold.


    Unfortunately, the other side was still eerily quiet. There were no shots fired to embolden them, nor any proper cannon fire in response.


    Standing aside, Ti looked at the situation unfolding before him. Everything seemed just as his subordinates had described¡ªthe enemy apparently had no real resistance to mount, so this seemingly important location was actually a dead end.


    If the enemy had really lined up near the vige, they would be caught in a pincer movement by forces five times their size and ultimately copsepletely.


    But Ti still couldn''t understand why, if the enemy had no strength to fight a battle here, they would construct a low wall overnight. What was the reason? Merely to express their determination to resist or attempt to deter the invaders?


    He thought to himself, as the troops belonging to Viscount Romel, forming a rectangr array, had already begun scaling the embankment beneath the low wall, driven by the stirring beat of the drums.


    No gunfire was heard, only the sporadic sound of artillery echoed on the battlefield. Even the smell of gunpowder Ti was ustomed to was not intense at this moment.


    It appeared he had been overly concerned. Ti thought silently to himself. He knew Fisheo was a tough general, but he hadn''t expected the man to be a merely a fool with an empty reputation.


    Knowing that resistance was futile, and the oue of the war had already been decided over Shireck''s wine table, this Fisheo still fancied he could single-handedly turn the tide of the entire war...


    The Suthersmander, riding a tall horse, carried his saber on his shoulder, letting his warhorse walk at a leisurely pace, nking his own soldiers, step by step approaching the roadbed.


    In anticipation, the scene where the enemy would fire from behind the low walls did not materialize, and of course, he was also unaware of the damned term "reverse slope."


    He did not know that even in the twentieth century, when weaponry greatly advanced, in the face of superior enemy firepower, a reverse slope was still the first line of defense for the disadvantaged, still a shameless tactic that caused headaches for attackers.


    So, although the battlefield was noisy, not a single shot could be heard. It seemed, on the other side of the low wall, the Northern Ridge had not a single soldier left.


    Fraught with unease, he finally reached the base of the roadbed without shedding any blood. He felt that Lady Luck stood on his shoulder, that this time the credit would surely go to him and his battalion.


    Hence, the Suthersmander dismounted, lifted hismanding saber, and shouted loudly, "Climb over this! Long live Suthers!"


    "Long live Suthers! Long live the King! Long live Suthers!" After encountering no resistance as they had imagined, these Suthers soldiers were also extremely excited. They rushed forward, weapons in hand, towards the low wall that seemed not very sturdy.


    When the first Suthers soldier climbed onto the top of the low wall, he still did not see an enemy. He leapt down excitedly from the wall-head, onto the soft roadbed beside the muddy soil, and stepped onto the uneven dirt road.

 Chapter 97: 97 jumping over the wall

    More and more Suthers soldiers jumped over the low wall, taking their stance on the dirt road, appearing incredibly rxed as they were almost certain that their enemy seemed to have departed.


    Thus, the formation was in disarray, and this unit full of vulnerabilities due to their lowered guard collided with the soldiers from the Northern Ridge new recruits'' camp on the other side of the road embankment.


    They didn''t expect the enemy to be on the other side of the road embankment, nor did they think the enemy would abandon the high ground to conceal themselves on such an ufortable path behind the road.


    The officer, who was waiting for his men to bring his horse as he held hismand saber, was about to shout at the soldiers who had climbed over the wall to get back into formation, when he saw a row of soldiers in uniforms he had never seen before rising up from the other side.


    What shocked him even more was that these unfamiliar soldiers were all carrying brand new rifles!


    He instinctively raised his saber, only to see the dark muzzles in front of him spew out a dense puff of white smoke.


    Next, he felt an excruciating blow to his chest, a force so great it pushed him back several steps.


    The Suthers officer touched his chest, and then saw his palm, drenched in blood. Hismand saber was nowhere to be found, and his strength was rapidly waning.


    Amidst the white smoke, he looked towards his troops, where the neatly-dressed Suthers soldiers were sprawling on their backs¡ª one drummer sat on the ground clutching his thigh, screaming until he went hoarse.


    The soldiers who had just leapt over the low wall were hardly prepared when a barrage of bullets struck them head-on, riddling their bodies with holes.


    As the Suthers soldiers armed with flintlock guns were about to return fire, those damn unseen Northern Ridge soldiers in front of them passed their weapons to therades behind them and received another prepared Quick Gun in return.


    "Bang!" They aimed and fired their rifles through the rising mist with a smoothness that sent chills down the spine.


    This was the result of Tang Mo''s continuous training of these Northern Ridge hunters over the past two months; they were repeating motions, muscle memory of movements meant for killing.


    In fact, this was also thanks to the fact that before being trained, most of these soldiers had been rangers or hunters of the Northern Ridge, having hunted and seen bloodshed¡ªthough it wasn''t human blood, it greatly reduced the fear that came with their first battle.


    After another barrage of gunfire, the Suthers soldiers who had climbed the wall were few in numbers. Groans and screams of agony filled the air, along with cries and pleas for mercy.


    "I surrender! Don''t shoot!" One soldier, lifting an arm, knelt on the ground, crying out in despair. Anothery wailing a woman''s name.


    The Suthers officer knelt on the ground, his consciousness beginning to blur, when he saw a young man, with a bandoleer bound over his coat and a bay hanging at his waist, walk up to him. The youth excitedly pulled from his waist the beautifully crafted pistol carved with his family crest.


    And then, before he lost all consciousness, he heard the young man call out to the peasants behind him, "Look what I got! It''s this officer''s! Now it''s mine!"


    ...


    "Bang!" As the Suthers soldiers began to scale the low wall, the expected gunfire Ti had been longing for finally erupted. And after that first shot, the unfamiliar sound of gunfire suddenly became incessant.


    "Bang!" "Bang!" The barrage of gunshots stunned Ti, then he abruptly turned to look at the low wall teeming with Suthers soldiers as white smoke began to billow from behind it.


    Immediately after, he saw Suthers soldiers retreating in disarray, many tumbling over the wall amid cries of distress that he could still hear clearly despite the distance.


    They were three hundred soldiers! Approaching in a mightily arrayed formation of five columns, with drummers and standard-bearers on the side, they seemed an imposing force.


    But in their retreat, these soldiers discarded their helmets and armor, some even losing their hats, without looking back to retrieve them.


    The battle g that represented their unit was ignominiously dragged back to their departure point, making the entire troop resemble a dog fleeing with its tail between its legs.


    From Ti''s vantage point, about half of the Suthers soldiers who had gone over the wall during the attack, but after the rout, he distinctly saw that not a single one of them had managed to climb back over the low wall to escape!


    It was a barrier that seemed so insignificant, a low wall that looked like it could be easily scaled!


    A warhorse, with no one to tend to it, struggled in the soft mud. No one had the energy to deal with it, so it was left to its own fate in the fields.


    "It seems those Northern Ridge wall-builders haven''t left." Ti looked with disdain at the knight who had just tried to exin, casting a cold taunt. ??¨N§¦@??£¤§Á%


    The other party had a grim expression and remained silent, looking down.


    Ti was unwilling to waste words with such a fool and continued tomand, "Let Romel continue the attack! He made the mistake, let him solve it himself!"


    The knight nodded slightly, then yanked the reins of his warhorse to convey Ti''s orders.


    Watching the knight ride away, Ti turned to his own men and instructed, "Have the artillerymen spread out their position! Relying on these idiots is definitely hopeless! Let them first deplete the enemy''s ammunition, and then we''ll crush the enemy forces in one fell swoop!"


    "Yes, sir!" Severalmanders wore confident smiles, each pulling their warhorse''s reins and galloping toward the various formations that were resting on the ground not far away.


    "You still gave me a surprise! Fisheo! I hope you continue to perform well and don''t disappoint me!" Ti continued to watch the battlefield, murmuring to himself.


    On the battlefield, the flustered Viscount Romel had already ordered two battalions of artillerymen to continue bombarding the low wall.


    Not a single soldier who knew the actual situation behind the low wall had returned, and themander of his 1st Battalion was still missing. He remainedpletely ignorant of the enemy''s deployment.


    So, all he could do was to order the cannons to keep firing, bombarding the menacing-looking low wall, to bolster his own courage.


    ording to the organization of the Suthers Kingdom''s military, an infantry battalion has six field guns, ranging from 60 to 80 in caliber. Excluding the soldiers serving the field guns, subtracting the drivers, logistics, medics, andborers, there were only a little more than three hundred riflemen.


    The square formation of just three hundred soldiers had mostly scaled the low wall, and barely more than a hundred had actually escaped back.


    This meant that Viscount Romel''s 1st Battalion had essentially suffered over half casualties and lost itsbat effectiveness.


    While Viscount Romel was bombarding the wall to embolden himself, the knight who had spoken for him earlier came riding back, bringing General Ti''s orders: "Viscount sir! General Ti orders your men to continue the attack..."


    "Damn fool!" Viscount Romel cursed furiously, clenching his fist, then he turned to his adjutants: "Go! Order the 2nd Battalion to attack! Don''t stop the artillery fire! We''ll consider what to do once they get close to that damn low wall!"


    Tang Mo surveyed his troops along the roadbed. Dressed in cotton coats and equipped with full gear, these soldiers seemed to have high morale after an easy victory.


    At the very back, soldiers were busy loading the K1 Quick Guns. Below their feet were dugout "earholes," used to store ammunition.


    In front of them stood the ready reserve, constantly poised to hand their weapons to the first line of shooters. They were responsible for continuously passing weapons to the shooters, allowing them to fire non-stop and inflict casualties on the enemy.


    Their coordination was seamless because this tactic was not unusual, but it wasn''t as effective in a formal lineup battle between two armies.


    However, at this moment, Tang Mo''s tactics were just right for this kind of trench warfare, and naturally, they were extremely powerful.


    On the road, nearly two hundred Suthers soldiers'' corpsesy haphazardly, fully demonstrating the effectiveness of Tang Mo''s tactics.


    "What about the injured? Have they all been treated?" Tang Mo asked, turning to Luff.


    "Two soldiers were injured when they were hit by fragments from a shell that cracked the wall during reconnaissance... but neither of them is seriously hurt," Luff replied with a pleased expression. "More than the wounded, what I''m worried about is our nk."


    Just moments ago, he had used 120 soldiers and a low wall to easily break an enemy battalion''s charge! Moreover, the soldiers of thispany almost created a myth of routing the enemy with no casualties!


    "There''s nothing to worry about, I''ve given Redman twopanies and six cannons. I asked him to move south and block the enemying from the north. If he can''t do that, we''d just have to run, wouldn''t we?" Tang Mo looked at Wes, revealing a sly smile.


    Wes, who was walking behind Tang Mo, also smiled, nodded to Tang Mo, and said, "You''re right, sir. When the timees, I''ll make sure to run first."


    Tang Mo extended his hand and patted Luff on the arm: "Listen to that cannon fire... it seems their second attack is about to begin."


    "Let theme! No matter how many they send, it''s just a death sentence," Luff was about to speak when Wes, who for the first time felt that arge-scale battle could be won so easily,ughed and said to Tang Mo.


    "I''m thankful that the fool opposite arrived a day earlier than we did and let us have such good terrain," Tang Mo looked at the rubble-strewn low wall on the ridge road and eximed with relief, "It seems, the Suthers Kingdom really doesn''t have the luck to win this war!"

 Chapter 98: 98 for the second time

    "No matter what tricks they pull! For the Suthers Kingdom! Advance!" On the other side of the road, another Suthersmander drew his sword and shouted at his soldiers.


    The soldiers, dressed in blue uniforms, shouted loudly as they stepped forward, charging toward the low wall that had been sted beyond recognition.


    The Suthers g fluttered in the wilderness, and the cannons behind the soldiers still roared, with one shell after another striking the remaining low wall, turning the hastily gathered stones into dust.


    "Let those damned Northerners feel our strength! Avenge the 1st Battalion!" The officer on the nk continued to encourage everyone as he moved forward with his troops.


    These farmers and ves, who had been conscripted just two months ago, now nervously clutched their Shireck flintlock guns, crowding together, step by step advancing forward.


    "Follow the drumbeat! Forward!" The hoarse shouts of their superiors echoed in their ears as they breathed in the somewhat chilly air, watching the low wall grow closer.


    Very quickly, the tension escted several notches as the soldiers saw several of theirrades'' bodies hanging on the low wall, mutted and too horrific to bear.


    In truth, these bodies were hung there after being killed, and the muttion was the result of ceaseless shelling. But the approaching Suthers soldiers didn''t know this, and fear had already spread, nearly stopping them in their tracks.


    However, the officer standing behind them had no sympathy for these conscripts, hastily recruited for war. He immediately shouted loudly, "Advance! Retreat and die!"


    With this officer''s shout, the barrage from Suthers ceased. Ammunition wasn''t free, and this level of shelling had vastly exceeded the originally nned rate of consumption.


    While there was a lot of ammunition, with the current logistics, the reserve shells that could advance with the troops were hardly sufficient.


    Therefore, some savings had to be made where possible. Didn''t you see that those soldiers had begun to approach the low wall? Continuing the shelling now was impossible anyway, wasn''t it?


    In the sudden silence that ensued, the soldiers from two Suthers battalions began climbing over the piles of broken wall. The climb was evidently easier this time around, as some walls had been shattered by the cannon fire.


    However, that particr type of gunshot sound that vexed Romel rang out once again. Although not as intense as before, it was clearly enough to handle the Suthers soldiers climbing over the wall.


    The first Suthers soldier to climb over didn''t even make it across the road before being shot dead halfway.


    Another soldier jumped down from the low wall,nding on something soft. He looked closely and realized it was the belly of a corpse.


    He stumbled, nearly smashing his face into the dead soldier''s face. The deceased soldier''s mouth was agape, his eyes not fully closed. The horrific sight so frightened this Suthers soldier that he quickly propped up his head with his hands, only for his head to be immediately prated by a bullet.


    At a distance of a dozen meters, the uracy of rifles with rifled barrels and Mini¨¦ balls meant precision was hardly a concern. As long as they aimed and fired, Tang Mo''s trained hunters could easily kill.


    In Tang Mo''s troops, because of their experience in mountain bandit suppression, one-tenth of the soldiers had truly killed people, over half had seen corpses, and all of them had huntedrge animals, using animal carcasses for bay training.


    Cleary, such training, coupled with Tang Mo''s intentional emphasis on obedience to orders, allowed these Northern Ridge hunters to maintain a considerable level ofposure in their first appearance on the battlefield.


    Now, fifty soldiers held their weapons, seeking targets to fire at, while another fifty helped theirrades reload the used rifles.


    Though the gunfire had thinned outpared to before, the fearsome rate of fire of Tang''s K1 Quick Gun meant that Suthers soldiers climbing over the wall continued to fall one after another, with none even crossing the midpoint.


    Seven or eight Suthers soldiers, seizing an opportunity, began sneaking toward the vige on the other side of the wall, believing it was a breach as they had noticed no movement from the vige.


    But just as they neared the vige, they were met with intense gunfire. A barrage of bullets greeted them, and the seven or eight soldiers were immediately mown down.


    Three of Tang Mo''s specially trained rangers quickly holstered their revolvers and retreated from their hiding ces.


    They had been lying in wait in the vige, with the purpose of dealing with any enemy that might approach. They were Tang Mo''s trusted forces, each equipped with two revolvers at their waist, so well-armed that even Wes envied them.


    Experienced and ustomed to hunting in the Vicious Forest, they had retreated immediately after striking, with no intention of engaging in prolongedbat.


    And as the gunfire in the vige grew intense, most of the Suthers soldiers abandoned the idea of taking a detour.


    ```


    The battle continued unabated, as Suthers drummers who were stationed near the broken wall beat their drums relentlessly. They hadn''t climbed over the low wall, so they couldn''t see what was happening on the other side.


    Themander of the 2nd Battalion of Romel''s Suthers troops who had climbed over the low wall now realized that his soldiers were being massacred by the enemy on this side of the wall.


    He drew his revolver and fired a shot into the ever-thickening white smoke, not knowing if he had hit anyone.


    Then, he knelt on one knee and began to reload his gun. With the help of the increasingly dense gun smoke, a Suthers soldier managed to safely scale the low wall, weapon in hand, shouting as he charged over the corpses towards the enemy.


    Right after that, he heard a gunshot. The soldier stumbled forward a few steps before tripping over a body and fell straight down.


    His hands trembling, he fumbled as he tried to load his gun with ammunition, and he yelled loudly for the soldiers who had climbed over the wall to stay calm and to hold their fire for the moment. But he could still hear the haphazard firing of his own soldiers.


    The familiar sound of Suthers'' Shireck flintlock guns was sporadic and ineffective, while the unfamiliar sound of gunfire from across the field was continuous and unrelenting.


    Though irregr, the shots were battering the already copsing will of the Suthers troops, causing an inexplicable irritation.


    Uncontrobly, his hands shook even more. He knew he was beginning to feel fear and that he might not win this fight.


    In fact, he couldn''t even think of a decent n for retreat¡ªif he mustered the courage to turn around and scale the wall again, he really feared he might not dare to do so.


    The sound of bullets hitting the wall behind him kept him from daring to stand up¡ªthough, clearly, kneeling here was not the solution either.


    Soon, the white fog from the gun barrels would dissipate, and anyone remaining here would undoubtedly be a live target.


    His thoughts were abruptly cut off as a bullet tore through his neck, and blood spurted from his cor like a fountain, impossible to stem no matter how he tried to cover it with his hands.


    Next to him, terrified by the sight of corpses and blood, a Suthers recruit, in a panic, knocked into the officer who was desperately trying to plug the hole in his neck and frantically attempted to climb over the wall to escape.


    As he scaled the wall, a bullet passed through the recruit''s back, causing him to hang on the wall like his predecessors¡ªleft there.


    On the road, more than three hundred bodies had piled up, with around a hundred Suthers soldiers begging for mercy among the corpses.


    An attack force of about six hundred men, two battalions of infantry, had been mysteriously defeated once again without even getting a clear view of how many enemies there were, or who their opponents were, and they copsed and fled back to their starting position.


    Viscount Romel''s face had turned white with rage and fear. He had promised Ti that he could take Three-Way Intersection in one attack.


    Now after two assaults, his entire brigade of 1,500 men had charged twice and hadn''t captured the seemingly defenseless junction, just a stone''s throw away that appeared to have no formal defenses.


    At this very moment, he truly regretted not taking that damned little vige earlier! Why did he wait until now to lead his troops here? If he had hastened his arrival and not chosen to set up camp with the forest at his back, maybe he could have avoided these days of crushing defeat.


    He pressed his legs against his horse''s sides, letting it take him toward the distant low wall, as if he wanted to glimpse the faces of the enemy on the other side.


    However, the knight next to him saw that Romel had lost hisposure and rode forward, reaching out to grab the reins of the Viscount''s horse.


    Amidst the field before Romely Suthers soldiers who had been terrified into disarray, clustering in small groups, ducking and hiding,pletely ignoring the remaining officers'' restraint, making the whole battlefield appear utterly disheveled.


    Clearly, Romel''s brigade was no longer capable ofunching a third charge¡ªindeed, they had even lost the courage to stay and continue fighting where they were.


    After this battle, Tang Mo had rtively resolved the trouble of fighting on two fronts, leaving only the nuisance of the reinforcements Ti was bringing from the southeast.


    From any angle, this Suthers military force preparing to head north, personally led by Ti, was not akin to the rabble led by Romel.


    They were the real elite of Suthers, their morale sky-high after just securing the "Central Line Victory"... the enemy.


    ```

 Chapter 99: 99 changes

    Ti was filled with curiosity about this Northern Ridge Troops his forces faced, and he even thought they might be the most elite legion from Northern Ridge.


    Even more, he once judged that it was Lord Earl himself from Northern Ridge who, with a small number of troops, had tied down Suthers''s forces at the front and personally led the most elite Northern Ridge Legion southward to confront him.


    Through his telescope, he had witnessed the copse of Romel''s legion, which had, surprisingly, secured a victory with ease after two consecutive charges.


    "It seems Viscount Romel won''t have the chance to fulfill his promise," the adjutant standing by Ti''s side said to his superior.


    "Indeed!" Ti rarely shifted his gaze from the low wall, and with some regret mixed with excitement, he said, "It seems the forces on the other side are no mere medley of troops."


    "We underestimated them before," the adjutant agreed with a nod after hearing Ti''s words, "The enemy is obviously very well-prepared."


    This statement wasn''t exactly urate, and Ti didn''t quite agree with it in his mind either. If the enemy was indeed well-prepared for a defensive battle here, why would they have let that useless Viscount Romel arrive here first yesterday?


    In fact, Tang Mo also had no choice; his troops were too heavily equipped, and despite dozens of carts, the marching speed was not fast.


    His ability to arrive at the crossroads, albeit barely, was already an aplishment. Forcing his trained troop to march quickly mightpromise theirbat effectiveness upon reaching the crossroads.


    "Now that we cannot rely on Romel, it''s all on us," Ti turned to the several officers standing beside him, his gaze falling on a valiant officer, "Since frontal attacks won''t break through, why not try a nk assault? The battle has progressed to this point, and there''s been no sound from the nks... Isn''t that strange?"


    He also spected that the enemy''s main force was stationed near the vige and that the road was merely a feint.


    That''s why the frontal battlefield had been engaged for so long without a single gunshot from the nks. As a renowned general on the battlefield, Ti found this situation quite illogical.


    Moreover, he had calcted the distinctive gunfire on the front, which, ording to its intensity, meant that the enemy had deployed at least 200 people over there.


    Simrly, referencing the military organization of the era, the number of infantry a battalion could use would be around 300 people, a figure unlikely to be much higher.


    That is to say, even if the enemy had the strength of a battalion, it was essentially all deployed on the front, holding positions near the vige.


    For Ti, this was in line with the tactical purpose of relying on the vige to mount a defense, so he was almost certain that the enemy seemed to have concentrated their main force at the vige and the low wall.


    Furthermore, he had roughly guessed the purpose of the enemy''s construction of that low wall: the enemy had no cannons, so they hoped to use this peculiar tactic topensate for theirck of, or possiblyplete absence of, artillery firepower.


    As a veteran general, he quickly found the w in such tactical deployment: concentrating forces could indeed create local superiority, but exposed the nks, an obvious disadvantage.


    At the same time, without the support of heavy firepower, once Suthers''s forces were fully deployed, the disadvantage of inferior artillery would be apparent, making it impossible to counteract no matter what.


    Consequently, he almost immediately made battlefield arrangements, prepared to rapidly expand the area of contact between the two forces, fully exposing the enemy''s disadvantage due to insufficient troop strength.


    He looked at his trusted valiant officer and ordered, "You! Take a battalion and move 500 meters south, then cross the highway! Circle around to the enemy''s rear!"


    The officer, after hearing the order, immediately nodded. But before he could turn around, Ti called out to stop him.


    This Suthers veteran general extended two fingers, emphasizing with utmost concern, "Two tasks! First! Determine the Northern Ridge Troops'' disposition and numbers! Then immediately send someone back to report! Do not make your own decisions, understand?"


    The officer nodded once.


    Ti continued with a grave tone, "Second! If the enemy attacks you, hold your ground and defend that position! As long as you hold until reinforcements arrive, we will have won this battle!"


    "I assure you, Lord Earl! I will hold that position to the end!" the valiant officer promised earnestly, with a hand on his sword at his waist.


    "Good! Go!" Ti was reassured, and then he continued tomand another officer, "You take a battalion! Advance along the road! Prepare to pincer the enemy within the vige!"


    "By yourmand, Lord Earl!" the officer saluted and proceeded with his aide towards another distant troop.


    At this time, Suthers''s troops, the first to move, an entire battalion of soldiers, bearing the g and beating the war drum, had already begun turning around, heading south along the road.


    ...


    "Lord Earl! I saw a detachment of enemy forces breaking away from the main body, heading southward¡­" a lookout tasked with scouting the enemy, after lowering his binocrs, shouted to Tang Mo in the hollow below.


    Tang Mo nced at Luff and Wes beside him and said with a wry smile, "Ha! I must really be lucky, always running into such tough enemies! They''ve realized they can''t beat us head-on and have started to nk to the other side."


    It was an inevitable situation; he had hoped the enemy would be stubborn enough to keep stalling with him on the road.


    As long as the enemy continued their assault, he could guarantee that with the absolute advantage of the K1 Quick Gun''s rate of fire, he could hold out here with a singlepany of troops until dark.


    Unfortunately, the enemy was clearly not foolish and had immediately changed tactics after suffering heavy losses in two consecutive attacks.


    At this point, Luff was feeling a bit nervous again; this scale of battle was truly his first experience, and it was already quite an achievement for him to have held out this long.


    He heard Luff asking Tang Mo, "Then what should we... "


    "There''s no other way... our numbers are few, and it''s already not easy to have fought to this stage," said Tang Mo, shaking his head. "We can only stick to our prior n and reveal our strength now."


    Luff felt a bit of regret, unwillingly retorting, "But..."


    "There are no buts...pared to losing our strength, casualties are what we would rather avoid," Tang Mo exined.


    He signaled to the attendants waiting with horses in the distance, "The enemy is about to engage with Redman''s troops, and I need to takemand personally. Now we only have two options, either to obliterate this advancing troop or to abandon the position and retreat back to the vige."


    "I''ll leave this to you," Tang Mo said to Luff as the attendant brought over the warhorse. "Your opponent here is just a straw man. Just hold this position and wait for our return. Don''t be nervous!"


    "Lord, I will hold the line until you return," Luff promised.


    "Good!" Without saying much else, Tang Mo took the reins from the attendant and mounted the horse with some difficulty. "Follow me, Wes!"


    Wes also mounted his horse, following Tang Mo''s lead, "As you wish, my lord!"


    "Do you think... we have a chance of winning?" Tang Mo, without looking back, charged down the roadbed toward Redman''s troops in the distance.


    "I think there''s still time to run," Wes quipped, providing Tang Mo with the safest option. "You''re just a merchant. There''s no need to take risks."


    "If I ran today, then for the rest of my life, I would be just a merchant," Tang Mo said seriously to Wes. "A merchant who could sell anything; don''t you think that''s tragic?"


    "Being dead is even more tragic," Wes shrugged.


    "One must take a gamble, right? In life, we''re always a bit discontented, aren''t we?" Tang Mo said with augh, spurring his horse to gallop forward.


    "Do you know why I must fight this battle today? Because I''ve expanded production, trained students, and recruited workers... if no one buys our weapons, everything ends!" Tang Mo exined while galloping, not looking back.


    His resolute voice echoed across the wilderness: "So today, I must win here! My weapons must be the sole hope for victory! The sound of my guns must be heard by the entire world! Let them remember a name... Great Tang Weapons Group!"


    "You''re right!" Wes easily caught up on horseback with the less experienced rider, Tang Mo. "I find that following you, I be crazier and crazier."


    Tang Mo didn''t respond but simplyughed heartily.


    Redman, who had kept his unit concealed and unengaged as previously agreed, anxiously set down his binocrs. An intelligence soldier had just brought news that less than a kilometer to the south of his position, an enemy troop had begun to cross over the roadbed.


    Unable to wait for Tang Mo''s orders, Redman knew he had to do something to buy precious time.


    So he looked at his signal officer andmanded loudly, "Prepare for battle!"


    The signal officer saluted him and ran toward the direction where the troops were stationed.


    Afterward, some officers who heard the order stood up from behind the half-human-high weeds, sticking out their heads as their hoarse voices echoed across the open field: "All rise! Prepare for battle!"


    "Rest is over! Check your weapons! Prepare for battle!" Soon more shouts joined in, and in patches, soldiers stood up from the grass, looking over toward the enemy on the roadbed.


    Just as Redman tensely prepared to issue more orders, a relieving shout came from behind him: "Lord! Lord Tang Mo has arrived! He and Lord Wes havee!"

 Chapter 100: 100, thats money!

    Tang Mo rode his tall horse across the no longer soft wilderness, passing in front of the soldiers of the twopanies, loudly encouraging them, "Gentlemen! I am a foreigner! I was born in Brunas and only recently got to know you, train you, lead you into battle..."


    This time was different from just before. Although those were also recruits who had never seen war, they had cover and did not need to attack, so their psychological pressure was necessarily ten times smaller or even more.


    Now, he was about to lead these recruits to confront the enemy troops head-on, even to break the opponent, so he must rally the troops before the battle, to elicit a bit more adrenaline from these new soldiers.


    Tang Mo spurred his horse and said loudly in front of the soldiers of the two square formations, "If we are defeated here today, your homes will be burnt to the ground, your wives and daughters will be the ythings of others, your children will be ves for their entire lives! And all I need to do is return home, lie in my bed, and shed two cheap tears for your suffering."


    While he was saying this, behind the two infantry squares, the artillery recruits had already begun unloading the shells from the wagons.


    On the side of the wagons, six C64 cannons were lined up. These howitzers, designed and constructed from Krupp blueprints, used gun steel made from remelted and reinforced naval artillery materials, and all the small parts inside were hand-polished by Mathews.


    By the standards of this era, these weapons were definitely advanced enough to be enviable, and they had never roared in real war before.


    Regrettably, of the artillerymen who operated these cannons, only 15 soldiers and three officers had real cannon-firing experience, and now, they were divided into groups of three, each manning one of the six powerful cannons.


    Among these artillerymen with almost no firing experience, there were even three elves, because they had used naval guns on armed merchant ships, and that counted as some realbat experience.


    Tang Mo hoped that advanced weaponry could enhance thebat effectiveness of these new soldiers, make up for their numerical shortage, as well as their inferiority in experience.


    The good news was, at least the breech-loading cannon shells Tang Mo had were equipped with set charges, and the loading of the shells followed a fixed procedure¡ªthis reduced the impact of the recruits''ck of experience on the precision and safety of using the cannon.


    It was precisely for this reason that Tang Mo kept bellowing here. He was not only trying to bolster others'' courage but also trying as much as possible to psych himself up, "So, this is your war! But I, Tang Mo! I havee here! I have met you! I feel that I should, and I must, lead you...


    to victory!"


    Behind Tang Mo were the Suthers soldiers who were crossing the embankment, capable of vaguely seeing some people gathering here but not really having a good way to respond for the moment.


    The distance between the two sides was neither far nor close. Both were also still organizing their own troops, a bit confused, a bit reluctant to face reality.


    Tang Mo here needed to boost morale, needed to build up courage to challenge the Suthers'' troops. On the other side, the Suthers troops, obviously, had not realized that they would encounter enemy forces here.


    ording to earlier deductions, Northern Ridge was unlikely to have a reserve force left here, so when they discovered the two newpanies under Redman''smand, Ti''s confidant was utterly dumbfounded.


    He immediately ordered the messengers to take this information back to Ti, while organizing his troops, ready for a defensive stance on the spot.


    Considering the size of the enemy, he knew he had the advantage, and he remembered his promise to Ti, knowing that holding his position would count as a significant aplishment.


    Therefore, he had absolutely no intention of being reckless but ordered the troops that had reached their positions to stand by and observe the movements on Tang Mo''s side.


    His enemy, Tang Mo, at this moment drew his waist sword, pointing it theatrically towards the sky, "Do you know what victory is? Victory! It''s a man''s glory! Today! We stand here, for glory, for victory, for courage... No matter what damn thing it''s for, as long as we smash those fools across from us, when we grow old, we will be able to sit in our armchairs, remembering everything about today!"


    He spoke word by word, chin raised, as if he were already a victor, "If you run, show cowardice, fail to keep pace with me... then when you think of today, you will only remember the enemy''s gun barrels, remember the terrifying sound of cannons!"


    "But, if you bravely battle alongside me, a foreigner! Then when you remember today, you will remember the endless grasnds, you will remember the magnificent forests, you will remember the entire earth calling out our names!" he pointed his Longsword towards the Suthers troops, shouting loudly. "Today! Forward! Not a step back!"


    "Long live Northern Ridge!" Inspired by his words, the Northern Ridge hunters were now seething with excitement, cheering loudly, taking steps forward.


    The entire formation began to move forward, everyone shouting hoarsely, "Forward!"


    Behind Tang Mo, on the artillery position, Redman anxiously watched Tang Mo, who was leading the troops forward personally.


    He was supposed to lead the attack and have Tang Mo stay behind to defend the artillery position, but Tang Mo had refused this suggestion and ordered him to stay andmand the artillery battle.


    ¦Ñ-§à%??#§ñ-§Ö?-!§¼+¦Ã-%


    So now, he could only stand there, watching Tang Mo''s back through the binocrs, urging his own artillerymen to quickly find the right angle to shoot.


    These recoilless guns were actually quite inurate; each time they fired, they would jump on the spot, which greatly affected their precision. As a result, they were quickly reced by the more advanced recoiled guns.


    However, the outdated recoilless guns were only considered inferior whenpared to the recoiled guns. After all, therge number of muzzle-loading cannons equipped by Suthers could hardly be asserted as anything but genuine recoilless guns, could they?


    Redman, while watching his own artillerymen busily preparing to fire, tried to emte Tang Mo, rallying everyone loudly, "Northern Ridge is our homnd! Here, our taxes are the lowest, and we lead lives of our own choosing! Now, some dare to insult our wives and daughters, massacre our kin, plunder our wealth, and trample our crops!"


    "Behind us lies thend of Northern Ridge! We must take up arms and fight to the veryst moment!" He pointed toward the distant mountains as he shouted, "For Northern Ridge! For each and every one of us! Smash the enemy! Do not give an inch!"


    "For Northern Ridge!" The gunners, who were loading the shells and measuring the firing angles with special tools, were equally moved as they repeated over and over, "For Northern Ridge!"


    "All cannons, fire at will! Fire!" Once all the soldiers had finished loading, Redman preemptively issued themand for a volley.


    Putting down his binocrs, amander of Suthers and an intimate of Ti, sneered disdainfully, curling his lip, "Ha! With only half a battalion''s strength, they dare to fight a frontal battle against my full battalion? I''m curious to see how they die!"


    "Prepare to fire!" hemanded loudly to his subordinates.


    He felt assured of his victory since the enemy only had the strength of half a battalion. If the enemy had maintained their distance and held their ground, they might have been able to hold out for a while, but now being forced into battle, they had evidently lost the advantage of a defensive position.


    After crossing the embankment, he began to regroup his forces, and by this moment, they had secured their footing.


    His cannons were deployed, his troops had formed their ranks. Under these circumstances, the enemy''s attack was simply suicidal.


    As a fierce warrior of Suthers, he was confident that even if it were the main force of Northern Ridge withparable strength, he could hold his position here without retreating half a step!


    So he looked toward the enemy artillery in the distance. There, including the reinforced gunners assigned to him, 10 cannons surrounded by soldiers were all busy loading.


    At the soldiers'' feety kegs of gunpowder and spherical cannonballs, with the firers holding up their torches, waiting for themand to open fire.


    Just then, a thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the sparse enemy artillery positions.


    "Boom!" The enemy''s artillery sounded mighty, startling the Suthers warrior into instinctively shrinking his neck.


    Six cannonballs with a whistling sound flew over the heads of Suthers'' troops, their piercing screeches causing the entire formation of Suthers to uncontrobly waver.


    The cannonballs did not fall into Suthers'' formation, for the parameters were incorrect; they all flew past the ranks, continuing on until they crashed into the sloping embankment and then detonated on impact.


    "Boom! Boom!" The explosions of the six cannonballs came from behind Suthers'' troops, and the subsequent billowing ck smoke and spurting dirtpelled the Suthers soldiers to involuntarily turn back to look.


    With one nce, they utterly forgot they were on a battlefield, as they stared nkly at the dust kicked up by the sts falling like raindrops, some hardly able to believe that this destruction was caused by the enemy''s fire.


    At that moment, the Suthers warrior was also dumbfounded, watching the exploding cannonballs, and even forgot he wasmanding a battle.


    Meanwhile, at the Northern Ridge artillery position, an artillerymander cursed in frustration, "Damn it! Wrong parameters! Overshot! Idiots! Adjust the firing parameters! Quick!


    The angle is off! Adjust fast!"


    Hearing themand, all the artillerymen scrambled, some turning the wheels on their cannon mounts, some re-opening the artillery breeches on the side of the cannon barrels, and others congregating to cross-check their calction forms.


    Seeing that the first volley had gone awry, Tang Mo felt his heart bleeding¡ªthose were the shells he''d scrimped and saved to umte! There were only a few to begin with! And now you''ve just wasted six in one go? That''s money! Money! Fes!


    ----------

 Chapter 101: 101 Intense Collisions

    Tang Mo''s contingent of more than 600 people had about 70 who were hastily recruited, and these hundred or so were basically untrained, nearly equivalent to a bought "suicide squad."


    Even calling them a suicide squad is not quite right because they were not the kind to fight to the death; even when Tang Mo was recruiting them, he never mentioned anything about sending them to their deaths.


    He recruited them as odd-job workers, coachmen, army cooks, andborers. In short, they were without muchbat ability.


    Moreover, to cultivate his own direct line of followers, he had also brought out a youth ss of about 40 boys, who alsocked any fighting capability.


    They had only undergone semi-military training and had received shooting training on the way here, theirbat effectiveness was practically zero.


    This youth corps didn''t apany the regr troops inbat; instead, they followed the artillery squad, learning how to operate cannons and getting ustomed to the wartime atmosphere.


    In fact, thisbat toonposed of children was overseen by amander selected from among the students'' parents. Their purpose here wasn''t to fight but to monitor Tang Mo and ensure these children weren''t abandoned on the battlefield at critical moments.


    Expecting these children to fight was obviously unrealistic, so Tang Mo''s actualbat forces were pretty much just a few dozen artillerymen, three seriously trained Infantry Companies who had seen bloodshed, 40 Cavalry, and some elite Rangers.


    So, to be precise, this force totaled just over 500 people, minus a number of artillery loaders who were practically there to make up the numbers, perhaps not even reaching 500.


    This force had just arrived at the triple junction a few hours earlier; the artillery had no time for on-site reconnaissance, nor had they conducted test-firings.


    In terms of weaponry, they did indeed possess the most advanced cannons and rifles in the world, but apart from the weapons, they were all just green recruits.


    This is why they attempted a volley fire at the first chance they got, and it''s also why their first volley went astray.


    Standing at the artillery position, Redman was infuriated and bellowed at several ashamed officers, pointing to the rising ck smoke in the distance and shouting, "It''s only that far, and you still missed?"


    He was so angry he wanted to kick them, grinding his teeth as he demanded, "Wasn''t each one of you boasting that you could hit targets more than 3 kilometers away? Keep boasting!"


    Those were six artillery shells! Do you know how much one of those shells costs? Tang Mo had boasted on the way here that these artillerymen were precious, like hard-toe-by golden eggs!


    Based on the cost estimate, because the cannons were only in trial production and not yet mass-produced, and because the materials wereboriously melted down and recast, each one was priced sky-high.


    A single cannon cost 300 Gold Coins, and even if Lord Earl of Northern Ridge had liquidated his entire estate, he could have only bought five, while Tang Mo now had six equipped.


    MVLeMpYr-the-story-tform


    Each shell, especially the fuse part, was handcrafted by high-level technicians like Mathews, and Tang Mo himself had assembled the fuses of more than a dozen shells¡ªsuch intricate work that a single fuse would cost upwards of 3 Gold Coins.


    And that was without even counting the cost of the projectile body, the primer, and the propent charges. Even if Tang Mo had them at cost price, these shells could never be considered cheap.


    What''s more, these shells were not easy to make, and had it not been for the obvious disadvantage at the outbreak of the war, Tang Mo would have been reluctant to reveal he possessed such high-caliber weaponry.


    The artillerymanders, rebuked and ashamed, were deeply aware of how costly their weapons were, and missing with such expensive ammunition was utterly humiliating.


    Meanwhile, Redman continued to yell, pointing at the explosion and the rising ck smoke, "I put so much trust in you! I let you fire a volley right at the start! And what did you do? Look at that! You missed everything!"


    In fact, the reason he was shouting so loudly was that he was shocked by the weaponry. Before this, he had never heard of... cannons that could explode after firing...


    The awe that this weapon inspired in him was immense, so much so that even as itsmander, he couldn''t help but feel fear and reverence for it.


    As Tang Mo had said, this weapon was the God of War, the "truth" of the future, the voice of reason in a discussion, and the most vitriolic tone in a quarrel.


    Therefore, uncontrobly, Redman''s distress grew, for history was destined to record this momentous asion, and he would be remembered along with the six missed shots as part of "posterity''s annals."


    Obviously, he would be known to all, gods and men alike, through a stigma: the first deployment of mankind''s breech-loading cannons in realbat was a total miss under themand of... that idiot Redman.


    Thinking of this, he grew even more furious, jabbing his finger in the direction of the explosions, "Do you have any shame at all? Any dignity?"


    "Stop the collective calctions! Each gun crew calcte separately! Recheck the parameters carefully! Fire individually! Don''t miss again!" In the end, to get them to resume firing quickly, Redman concluded his admonishment, "Quick! Prepare for the second round of shelling!"


    "Yes!" The nearest officer turned to see the gunner standing next to the cannon he was responsible for and bellowed with irritation, "What are you gazing at? Adjust it¡ªquickly!"


    "Get the boy scouts to do the math, too! Don''t mess it up again! Hurry up!" Another officer walked back to his own cannon position and roared with equal humiliation.


    Of course, besides themselves, those who were startled were the Suthers troops already arrayed and ready for battle.


    These Suthers soldiers, who had not undergone very strict training, had already been terrified by the sudden explosion behind them.


    Many of them first thought: the explosions were from explosives buried under the roadbed beforehand, which was one of their few reasonable exnations for the sts.


    After all, although shrapnel shells were avable at that time, such powerful ones had never been seen, not by these new soldiers and not even by theirmanders.


    So, in their hearts, these soldiers quietly breathed a sigh of relief: fortunately, it must have been explosives nted by the enemy in advance, and they had not been detonated when they had crossed the road. It was definitely the protection of the God of War.


    Indeed, they had actually been protected by the God of War because, without His blessing, their location might have been covered by artillery shells from six howitzers.


    "Boom!" When a Suthers soldier finally snapped out of it and shifted his gaze from the explosion on the roadbed to look behind himself, he abruptly discovered that the twin long battle lines of Northern Ridge soldiers were now within striking distance.


    In a panic, this Suthers soldier fired his gun without waiting for themand, aiming at the new recruits of Tang Mo''s camp from far away.


    This gunshot also reminded many more Suthers soldiers of a fact: two enemy lines of soldiers were advancing towards them in neat steps.


    "Hold your fire! They''re still at a distance! Hold your fire!" A Suthers officer, hoping to prevent his somewhat flustered troops from acting rashly, waved his Longsword and yelled loudly in the ranks.


    Ti''s confidant, a general standing at his own position, had also regained hisposure by this time. He now quickly assessed his battlefield situation and found that the advantage was still on his side.


    On one hand, although the enemy''s artillery was somewhat mysterious and the explosions made him uneasy, that round of bombardment had passed.


    Theoretically, those enemy cannons wouldn''t fire again for a few minutes considering the loading speed.


    Moreover, it was evident that the enemy had never experienced battle¡ªtheir infantry and artillery cooperation had obvious gaps. Their infantry was still halfway there, and by the time they got close, the enemy''s second round of artillery might not even be ready.


    Another point gradually reassured him¡ªthe idiotmanding the enemy''s infantry seemed tockbat experience.


    Normally, an attacking team would form in three rows or simply use a square formation, which ensures firepower density and helps prevent immediate copse from losses.


    Clearly, the enemy''smander hadn''t realized this, forming only two horizontal ranks, although in squares, they looked dangerously thin.


    Such a flimsy battle line could be prated by a single volley, scattering the enemy''s formation and leaving them without any significant fighting power.


    With these two advantages, Ti''s confidant felt he could still hold the line. However, the recent explosion still left him somewhat shaken.


    So, he grabbed a nearby messenger, and asked anxiously, "That messenger who was sent to rush the reinforcements¡ªhas he left? Has he delivered the message to Lord Ti?"


    The messenger shook his head; he was no irvoyant to know where his colleague, who had set out earlier, was at that very moment.


    The battlefield changes in the blink of an eye; the man might have died en route, might not have found Ti, or might have sprained an ankle and lost his way¡ªwho knows?


    "You! Go now! Rush! Send a reminder! Inform General Ti about our situation here! Quickly, go now!" He released the messenger, who immediately turned and ran off.


    On the other side of the battlefield, Tang Mo, who was following the side of the troops, advancing step by step forward, saw a plume of white smoke rise from the enemy''s square and heard a sharp gunshot. Seeing that no one had fallen, he breathed a sigh of relief and shouted loudly, encouraging all the soldiers, "Steady! Gentlemen! Our toughness is like Northern Ridge''s steel!


    Our blood could ignite Northern Ridge''s coal!"


    "This is our home! A home no one can take from us! Let these bastards taste what Northern Ridge''s bullets feel like!" He stepped through the underbrush, watching the enemy''s formation drawing ever closer. He nagged tirelessly, trying as best as he could to rx.

 Chapter 102: 102 I am with you

    ```


    Tang Mo''s battle line was wider than normal, which could fully exploit the advantages of having rifles with faster rates of fire and more powerful gunfire.


    However, to an opponent unaware of the existence of breech-loading rifles, his battle line seemed far too loose, almost like child''s y.


    But he knew, and his soldiers knew, just how strong their striking power was when spread out like this.


    "Fire! Fire!" As Tang Mo led his troops forward towards the Suthers forces, Ti''s confidant finally gave the order.


    Apanying hismand, white smoke belched from the artillery position at his side, and a row of shells charged toward Tang Mo''s line of soldiers.


    "Boom!" The enormous roar of the cannons, along with the whistling shells, pierced through Tang Mo''s formation, directly bisecting a soldier at the forefront.


    He didn''t even have time to scream before his upper body was flung out, sttering blood on the face of the soldier behind him, startling him.


    Tang Mo also panicked a little, as it was his first time standing under the enemy''s cannon fire. Although he had killed before and witnessed gunfire and bullets, this firsthand experience in war made him nervous.


    On the battlefield, guns and cannons were blind, and no matter how safe one was, death coulde in the next second. Tang Mo didn''t want to die, because he had already died once before.


    But he had his business; he was responsible for the workers still in the Brunas factory, he was responsible for these Northern Ridge hunters who followed and trusted him, and he was responsible for himself!


    Kneel and submit to Shireck? Serve as a dog to those damned Nobility? What a joke! Beg on my knees for life? No! Never!


    I will stand and make money, not kneel and be bullied! I alone decide my fate!


    With that thought, Tang Mo gritted his teeth, picked up a Tang''s K1 Quick Gun, and continued to walk forward step by step with the soldiers beside him. While walking, he shouted loudly against the whistling shells, "Hold steady! I stand with you!"


    "Boom!" Another shell smashed into the ground, raising a cloud of dirt and sending gusts over the heads of Tang Mo''s soldiers.


    After the shell passed, Tang Mo continued to advance, continuing to encourage his soldiers, "Advance! Follow the g!"


    At this point, the advantage of Tang Mo''s shallow, double-ranked advancement formation became apparent. The same shell, if it had plowed into a square formation, would have caused massive casualties, but when it hit Tang Mo''s formation, at best it could only kill two or three soldiers.


    With today''s solid iron cannonballs, unless theynded right in the middle of a group of people, their lethality was far less than that of shrapnel shells. As a result, Tang Mo''s new recruits were able to advance about 100 meters, despite the enemy''s artillery fire.


    "Halt the advance!" Finally, Tang Mo knew that his opportunity hade. His breech-loading rifles used a sealed bolt, which was far more airtight than the flintlock rifles that naturally had a priming hole.


    Moreover, when used inbination with Mini¨¦ balls and rifled barrels, the breech-loaders were vastly more urate than flintlocks, giving Tang Mo a significant advantage in range.


    He dared to order a volley at around 100 meters, while the enemy would usually open fire at about 50 meters.


    The difference was that he could ensure uracy at 100 meters, whereas the enemy''s volley at 50 meters, if three in ten bullets hit, would already be cause for celebration.


    "Hold steady!" Tang Mo raised his rifle and loudly reminded the soldiers around him, "Raise your guns!"


    Wes also shouted from not far away, "Raise your guns!"


    Soldiers from both units raised their rifles, putting their eyes on the rear sight and looking through the notch at the enemy a hundred meters away.


    Seeing this action, the Suthersmanders breathed a sigh of relief: these were surely new recruits from Northern Ridge,cking the courage to fire within 40 meters, so they couldn''t ensure uracy.


    Normally, the standardbat distance between two sides would be between 30 and 40 meters; well-trained troops could even hold fire until about 25 meters to ensure that a single volley could demolish the enemy.


    Just then, as the Suthers soldiers awaited the enemy''s first rifle volley, behind Tang Mo, on his artillery position, two cannons roared one after the other.


    This time, Tang Mo''s artillerymanders were not in the mood for a simultaneous volley. Each calcted their firing parameters individually, some even getting help from cadet corps members beside them, but all came up with what they believed to be urate firing solutions.


    Then, after adjusting the firing angles, the two cannons fired immediately, unleashing a new round of artillery.


    The two shells flew over Tang Mo''s line and screamed as they fell into the Suthers squares. Onended in a corner, and the other struck the center.


    The one that hit the corner struck first, exploding instantly in the corner of a square and violently hurling seven or eight soldiers into the air; at the same time, the shockwave and shrapnel caused the nearby soldiers to stumble and fall.


    The dense formation was an ideal target for the grenade cannons, as the explosion engulfed those panicked Suthers soldiers as well as their formation''smander in an instant.


    ```


    Before the soldiers in that formation had a chance to panic, a second cannonball exploded right in the center of another formation''s crowd.


    This time the effect seemed even better; the explosion instantly tore two soldiers apart and then sent seven or eight flying.


    Soldiers nearby fell in an instant, those from Suthers who had never experienced such gruesome explosions all scattered in terror, seeking shelter wherever they could.


    "Fire!" At this moment, Tang Mo, while pulling the trigger, shouted out loud.


    "Fire!" Wes''s voice also rang out as he too aimed his Tang''s K1 Quick Gun at a distant soldier and pulled the trigger.


    "Bang!" A puff of white smoke billowed out as Tang Mo fired his rifle, sounding the horn for the volley.


    At his side, all the soldiers pulled their triggers, white smoke rolling everywhere along the line of battle, apanied by the "Bang! Bang!" of gunfire.


    "Second rank, advance!" Following the volley, just as they did in training, without even ncing at the result of their action,manders of the twopanies shouted the order as a matter of routine.


    The soldiers remaining in ce also had their ownmanders, whose cries of "Load your bullets!" echoed throughout the field.


    "Second rank, aim! Fire!" The twopanymanders passed by Tang Mo and Wes, chin held high, loudly issuing themand to fire once again.


    And the second rank of soldiers likewise raised their rifles, aiming at the distant Suthers formations and pulling their triggers.


    Tang Mo was somewhat nervous; standing his ground, he opened the breech and, with a brush he held ready in his hand, shakily cleaned the powder residue from his gun''s barrel.


    By his ear, the second round of gunfire already resounded; he didn''t know the damage done because his eyes were fixed on his own clumsy fingers.


    With the first volley of gunfire, the outer Suthers soldiers fell in swathes, shocked to discover the precision of the bullets flying from such a distance.


    They huddled together, eyes widened at the sight of their fallenrades, at the blood spraying their blue uniforms, at the pained screams as they clutched their bellies.


    "They''re firing at us! They''re firing at us!" A Suthers soldier pushed aside hisrades, trying to squeeze deeper into the safety of the formation.


    "Steady! Keep calm!" A Suthers officer, indifferent to the corpses at his feet, vociferously maintained the order of his formation.


    Unfortunately, his efforts were essentially in vain because his formation had already been thrown into disarray by the recent cannonball, rendering him unable to effectively control his men any longer.


    "Bang!" A Suthers soldier could no longer hold back; he raised his weapon and fired toward the direction of the enemy lines.


    Then, as if inspired, all the Suthers soldiers disregarded theirmanders'' scoldings and shouts, recklessly raised their weapons and pulled their triggers.


    The sound of their indiscriminate shooting melded into one, and then they were astonished to find that almost none of the enemy, standing not far from them, fell.


    The Suthers soldiers who had fired their shot began to reload; they set down their rifles, opened their powder horns, and started pouring gunpowder into the barrels of their flintlock guns.


    Some forgot to clean their barrels, some were so nervous they spilled their powder; the whole formation was in chaos, beyond any effectivemand.


    "Damn it!" Watching everything unfold before him, Ti''s confidant cursed. He knew the tide had turned, and all he could do now was rely on overwhelming numbers to dy the copse.


    With this realization, he cursed again in frustration: "Damn it!"


    Just as he was cursing, the second round of gunfire from Tang Mo''s troops suddenly came, and another group of soldiers standing in front of him fell, the air on the battlefield bing thick with the stench of blood.


    "Where are the cannons? Where are the cannons? Quick! Bring up the cannons! Quick!" As if suddenly awakened, he finally remembered that he had canister shot to try, he still had artillery to resist. read-only-on-MvLeMpYr


    At this distance, it was about the effective range of canister shot; he still had a chance! He had a chance to turn defeat into victory... a chance!


    As everyone bustled to start moving the heavy, cumbersome cannons, the third volley shattered everyone''s illusions.


    In the midst of gunfire that seemed to shriek like devils, someone finally recognized what was so unique about that gunfire: "What the hell is that? How can they reload so quickly?"


    Another wave of Suthers soldiers fell... Now, the reason the Suthers formations had not yet copsed was actually because things had happened too quickly, leaving everyone in a state of bewildered inertia.

 Chapter 103: 103 rout

    A Suthers soldier standing in the ranks was desperately trying to pour the gunpowder into the barrel of his musket, asionally lifting his head to see hisrades falling one after another beside him.


    Indeed, he could no longer concentrate on reloading his ammunition, because he felt that the speed at which hisrades were falling was just too fast.


    Every time he heard that distinctive gunfire and then subconsciously lifted his head, he could see swathes of soldiers screaming as they fell.


    His hands wouldn''t stop trembling and no longer obeyed hismands; he could only force himself to calm down as much as possible, but found himself in utter despair, realizing that he could not do it.


    "Bang!" Yet another volley of gunfire ensued, and a bullet struck his chest. His body swayed, and then he copsed in a whirl.


    Powerlessly, he crashed onto the corpse of arade and then subconsciously tried to lift his arm to cover the wound, but his arm only lifted halfway before it helplessly fell down again.


    A Suthersmander ran desperately to his superior officer, pointing at the enemy battle line that was not far off, and shouted despondently, "Lord, Lord Earl!"


    MVLeMpYr-unofficial-text


    "What?" Ti''s confidant felt as if arge stone was pressing on his chest, making it difficult to breathe, and asked subconsciously.


    "Bang!" As he asked this question, a puff of white smoke rose from the enemy''s position in the distance.


    And soon, the thin double line of forces advanced once more, casting the white smoke behind them. These Northern Ridge soldiers, dressed in greyish-green coats, maintained their neat steps, and up to this point, their ranks hadn''t been thrown into disarray for a moment.


    Ti''s confidant brandished his longsword and, somewhat at a loss, looked toward his subordinates, pointing loudly at the distant battlefield and demanding, "What? What''s going on? Why have they opened fire again? Aren''t our soldiers, soldiers still reloading?"


    Under normal circumstances, amander should never show such panic on the battlefield.


    Because all soldiers are watching him, looking to their chief for theposed and calm demeanor necessary to sustain their willingness to fight on.


    But at this moment, this officer, handpicked by Ti himself formand, waspletely unable to remainposed.


    Because he had never seen such a terrifying scene before, the rate at which the enemy''s weapons were being reloaded was three times, even four times that of the Shireck Flintlock Gun!


    The battlefield was in chaos; another artillery shell whistled down into the Suthers'' ranks, and the explosion instantly scattered limbs and body parts everywhere. Panicking soldiers began to run in all directions, and the entire formation seemed to be out of control.


    "What is that? What kind of shell is that?" His mind was filled with such questions, but asking them would not yield an answer, as all Suthersmanders werepletely disoriented.


    They did not know how to handle the situation before them, nor did they know what they should do. They did not know whether to order a retreat or to continue with their futile efforts.


    Even more, the soldiers were no longer able to organize an effective counterattack, caring only for their own escape under the muzzle of the approaching Northern Ridge soldiers.


    Watching another round of volley fire from the Northern Ridge soldiers, that officer responded to Ti''s confidant''s question, "Yes, yes, Lord Earl, they''ve fired again! They''ve opened fire again!"


    Ti''s confidant was already speaking through sobs because he had truly never witnessed such a bizarre battle. Even as brave as he was, he had no courage to face an enemy capable of such rapid fire.


    He staggered a step, as if trying to make sense of it all and subconsciously asked, hoping someone would answer his question, "How could it be possible?"


    Ultimately, in his despair, he thought of Ti, of that trusting face. Biting down on his back teeth, he managed to pull himself out from the abyss of despair.


    He drew his sword, pointing toward Tang Mo''s direction, "Have our soldiers reload as fast as possible, those who have reloaded, move forward! Quick!"


    "How could it be possible... Lord Earl, we, we need time, the troops are already uncontroble," an officer, startled after hearing the order, looked at him and then reminded him.


    Feeling the weight of responsibility, Ti''s loyal confidant continued to ask, "The artillery, where is the artillery? Why isn''t it pushed forward yet? We can''t care about that now! Load the buckshot on the spot! Load on the spot! Hold the formation, hold the formation!"


    "We''re adjusting the firing angle! Calibration also takes time..." thatmander nced at the crumbling defense line, exining with a sobbing voice.


    "You! You get to the front and make the first line of soldiers hold fast," ordered the famously brave Suthersmander, pointing toward the front line and bellowing loudly.


    "It''s toote!" Terror appeared on the face of the officer, who cried out desperately, then turned and ran in the opposite direction.


    Ti''s trusted aide subconsciously looked toward the direction from which the Northern Ridge Troops were attacking and saw a plume of white smoke rising: "What? What''s toote now... Damn it..."


    His vision darkened as a bullet pierced straight through his forehead. He fell backward, and that curse became thest echo in his mind.


    "Bang!" After the fourth round of gunfire, Suthers'' soldiers were finally frightened by the monsters before them; they forgot what they were doing or were simply too terrified to steady their trembling hands.


    Comints and curses filled the battlefield. These disheartened Suthers soldiers had lost the will to fight: "How could these people reload so quickly?"


    "Quick, quick... reload faster, they''re closing in!" A soldier dropped his weapon and began to run off into the distance.


    "Don''t push me, I¡ªI dropped my bullet..." A fleeing soldier knocked over another, causing thetter to identally drop the bullet he had been carefully holding onto the grass.


    "My gunpowder''s spilled, damn it..." Another soldier began to cry out, and then he realized hisrades were in full retreat.


    "Bang!" Amidst the chaos, another round of gunfire from Northern Ridge sounded, and another group of Suthers soldiers fell.


    "Run! Run... they are firing at us!" Thepletely copsed Suthers soldiers realized they could no longer see any of their officers ormanders. They screamed and shoved each other as they crowded toward the road they hade from.


    "Bang!" Behind them, Tang Mo led his soldiers forward steadily. They were unhurried, strolling as if on a leisurely hunt.


    Wes put down the K1 Quick Gun in his hand, looking at the unattended ck cannon before him with a sense of unreality.


    He carried his weapon over to Tang Mo''s side and saw the other standing with his weapon aimed at a group of Suthers soldiers who were kneeling on the ground with their hands raised.


    "What...what''s going on?" Wes panted as he slung the gun onto his back and asked Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo shook his head: "We''ve won, what else could be happening."


    "And these people?"


    "Their legs have gone weak, they''re too scared even to run... Look, there''s at least 100 of them." Tang Mo curled his lip, disdainfully saying, "Our captives...ter we''ll arrange for someone to take them away and guard them."


    "About 100 or so ran across to the other side of the embankment... the rest are all here." Apanymander, carrying a longsword, came over and reported to Tang Mo: "Ten cannons, two damaged, the rest still functional, but... it won''t be easy to move these things."


    After finishing his report, he paused and added, "We have limited manpower, and the enemy might counterattack at any moment."


    As he spoke, he handed the exquisite longsword to Tang Mo: "Lord Earl, this is the highestmander''s longsword of this unit. He died amidst the chaos, struck in the forehead by a bullet, and was killed instantly."


    The longsword seemed to have a sense of history, clearly something like a family heirloom, with aplicated family crest carved on the scabbard and a small gem embedded in it.


    Tang Mo carelessly handed the longsword to Wes at his side: "Remind meter to give it to Lord Earl as a keepsake."


    "We''re exposed now, the enemy might not have reacted yet, but if they do and deploy more troops, it''ll still be trouble," Tang Mo said with furrowed brows, looking at the embankment scattered with shell craters and bodies.


    "Is there a solution?" Wes felt that to have fought like this in such a disadvantaged battle was already an unfortunate stroke of luck.


    "We must continue the attack!" Tang Mo pointed at the distant embankment and dered, "Attack! Find the enemy''smand node, and destroy it with the artillery!"


    "Those gunners just wasted 10 of your shells," Wes pointed out, indicating the craters on the embankment.


    "Twenty would be worth it!" Tang Mo smiled and then looked at anotherpanymander who approached: "Bad news?"


    "We''ve lost four men, nine injured..." Thepanymander''s face was somewhat pale, his voice filled with sorrow as he handed a paper to Tang Mo, "But everyone did well, not a single person retreated..."


    "Everyone did well! All of them! All are heroes!" Tang Mo took the paper and tucked it into his pocket: "Rally the troops! Continue advancing! The toon with the heaviest losses stays behind to take care of ourpatriots'' bodies, look after the wounded... and watch these prisoners!"


    "Yes, sir!" Thepanymander saluted sharply and then blew the whistle hanging around his neck: "Assemble! Assemble! Check your weapons! Load your ammunition! Third toon stays behind to guard the prisoners and care for the wounded... the rest of you..."

 Chapter 104: Dont go off track on the 104.

    On the other side, in the military formation of Suthers, atop a gentle slope, Ti was riding his warhorse, staring intently at the nking battlefield enveloped in ck smoke.


    His trusted troops had crossed the roadbed over there, but battle broke out quickly. Things were developing in a direction beyond his expectations, and they seemed to be growing increasingly out of control.


    That bizarre explosion and the unprecedented sound of gunfire filled Ti with unease, until he saw a Knight galloping toward him, bringing news that somewhat shocked him.


    "General! There''s half a battalion of enemy forces on the other side of the road! Our troops are already lining up for battle!" the Knight reported thetest news and then stopped in ce, waiting for Ti''smand.


    Ti looked toward another subordinate and immediately ordered, "Take men to reinforce them, wipe out that isted force of the Northern Ridge!"


    No sooner had he finished speaking than the officer was preparing to lead men away. But at that moment, another Knight came rushing over, stopped next to Ti, and reported loudly, "General! Captain Mars sent me to request reinforcements...the enemy..."


    "It''s toote..." Ti said with a wry smile, shaking his head, "Mars is my most formidablemander, and he has sent out two messengers so quickly... The situation over there must be worse than I thought."


    While speaking, he turned to the subordinate who had just been about to lead the troops out: "Forced march! Leave the artillery! Get there as fast as you can and help Mars stabilize the front!"


    "Yes, General!" The officer left briskly with the orders, while in the direction of the vige, another round of dense gunfire erupted, and the Legion led by Viscount Romel, which had just managed to organize a third charge, was again repulsed.


    The soldiers of Suthers, dirty and dispirited, seemed unable to muster the courage to climb over that seemingly frail low wall anymore.


    In this tiny crossroads, Suthers'' famedmander Ti, along with the Viscount Romel-led 4,500 men and three Legions, were now mired in battle for almost two hours, still making no progress.


    "It''s not just a battalion! Absolutely not!" Ti frowned, repeatedly scrutinizing the battlefields on both sides, then said to his adjutant, "It can''t be just one battalion! How could there be such sustained intense gunfire on both fronts?"


    "But... General, if the enemy has arranged half their forces here, doesn''t that mean on the main battlefield, a mere 800 of them are facing our army of 5,000?" the adjutant said, rather shocked.


    "Strange... Everything here oozes strangeness!" Ti couldn''t make sense of it andined to his adjutant in irritation, "Could it be that Northern Ridge actually has two legions? An army of 3,000?"


    "That might be possible..." the adjutant mused, "Fisheo is cunning and sly, probably hiding some forces and only revealing them at the critical moment..."


    "That''s why I hate these schemers the most." Ti gripped the reins of his warhorse, gritting his teeth, "Those bastards from Shireck swore to me that Northern Ridge''s armories couldn''t possibly arm so many troops!"


    "They said they sent Northern Ridge arge batch of defective firearms, iming that once the battle started, the Northern Ridge troops would copse quickly..." he gestured toward the distant vige as he spoke: "Yet at this insignificant crossroads, I''ve been held up by a force of over 700 men!"


    He did not yet know that Tang Mo''s force trulyprised only one battalion, which was just slightly overstrength, and not the familiar battalion-size he knew.


    Nor did he know that the battalion that had routed his topmander, Mars, consisted of twopanies under Tang Mo''smand, not some force with an advantage in numbers.


    Of course, he was also unaware that Mars''s forces had since been thoroughly defeated, and his three Legions, a total of 4,500 soldiers, were already close to losing half theirbat effectiveness...


    Before his eyes, a group of Suthers soldiers abandoned the heavy artillery and disordered baggage behind them and began moving towards the road.


    But before these soldiers could reach the vicinity of the road, some routed troops from the other side fled back in utter disarray.


    These routed troops collided with their own lines, plunging the already somewhat disordered troops, tired from the march, into even greater chaos.


    Ti''s eyes widened in disbelief as he watched his own forces retreat in defeat, his mind momentarily shutting down.


    He truly had not expected that his most valued and daringmander, leading 500 men in a battalion on a mission, would be crushed by the enemy in less than an hour.


    ording to his experience, even if the enemy had more than double the forces, Mars should have been able to hold out for at least three hours!


    "What happened? What happened? What''s going on?" Ti subconsciously reined in his mount, his warhorse turning in ce as if snorting noisily because of its rider''s agitation.


    He had led 3,000 men from the south toward the northwest, with the intention of pincering Fisheo, to eliminate this persistent troublemaker obstructing his army''s southern advance.


    As long as he eliminated Fisheo and advanced into Northern Ridge, he could eliminate the risk of the enemy''s pincer attack surrounding the southern legion. Strategically, he would be indomitable.


    For this purpose, he brought a full 3,000 men, added to the 1,500 men under Viscount Romel, plus the original army of 5,000 already in front of the Northern Ridge Legion, totaling over six legions, nearly 10,000 men in military strength.


    The advantage is ours! The excitement was written all over his face! He felt so assured of victory that he couldn''t even conceive how his force of 10,000 could possibly lose against a force of 1,500.


    However, what he hadn''t anticipated was that even without encountering Fisheo, he fought a battle at this obscure three-way junction against an unidentified opponent.


    And at this moment, he saw that the disturbance on the road seemed to intensify. Raising his telescope, he looked through the lens and saw some military forces he had never seen before appearing on the other side of the road.


    These troops marched in orderly strides across the highway, took up positions to overlook it, and aimed their rifles at the chaotic Suthers troops below. powered-by-MvLeMpYr


    A cloud of white smoke billowed, followed btedly by the sound of gunfire, and these soldiers from their superior position, after firing their shots, began to reload amidst the rolling smoke.


    They didn''t lower their rifles, nor did they pull out the cleaning rod below the barrel to clear the chamber.


    These unfamiliar soldiers merely lowered their rifle barrels slightly, cocked the bolt on the side, then swiftly blew through the chamber and jammed in a new bullet.


    In Ti''s astonished gaze, the soldiers took only a dozen seconds to lift their rifles and pull the trigger once more against the nearby Suthers troops.


    The second volley arrived as expected, and Ti felt his throat go dry, even shouting orders became a struggle.


    He even wanted to rush over, snatch a weapon from the hands of the enemy, and take a close look at what exactly it was.


    The aide-de-camp, seeing the chaos in the distance, turned to his superior. Seeing Ti standing bewildered, he had no choice but to pluck up the courage and ask, "General! The enemy troops are crossing the road¡­ Our troops are too disorganized, should we call a retreat?"


    "Have them retreat! Mas''s troops have copsed¡­ If hees back, bring him to me," Ti snapped back to his senses, grudgingly epting the reality that the force he sent out in an attempt to encircle the enemy was pushed back by the enemy.


    The signalmen, receiving the order, immediately sprang into action. They rode their tall horses down from the hillock and dashed toward the chaotic crowd.


    What Ti and his officers didn''t notice was that, in the distance on another high ground, which was by the road, Tang Mo stood there, watching the hillock full of knights, and put down his telescope.


    "Do you see that hillock over there?" Tang Mo pointed towards Ti''s breakthrough position and turned to ask a soldier.


    "I see it! Sir!" The soldier immediately nodded to show that he had seen it clearly.


    "Calcte the parameters with me! Using the artillery position as the reference!" Tang Mo nced at the intentionally chosen artillery trainee standing with him, and said, "You are the top of your ss in artillery! Don''t be nervous! Just do what needs to be done."


    Tang Mo knew his troops were few, and it would be impossible to sweep the entire battlefield with casualties. It was practically impossible for just under 200 men tounch an attack and crush 2,000.


    So, he never expected his infantry to sweep the battlefield; all he wanted was to locate the enemy''smand post and bombard it with artillery fire.


    His artillery had a range of 3 kilometers, sufficient to cover the entire battlefield. As long as the parameters were calcted correctly and the firing data were urate, he was confident that with his new artillery shells, he could take out the enemy''smand structure.


    This was his tactic, and also roughly the least costly option. Thus, he gave a thumbs-up towards the distant hillock.


    The artillery trainee not far from him also raised his thumb, starting to measure the distance. He was focused and dedicated, as if the fiercebat on the battlefield had nothing to do with him.


    Soon, Tang Mo braced a notebook against his waist and wrote down a set of coordinate parameters. The artillery trainee likewise jotted down a number and handed it to Tang Mo.


    The two numbers were very close, which indicated that there shouldn''t be any significant problem with the precision of this figure. Tang Mo tore off the page from his notebook, handed it together with the trainee''s note to a soldier holding a horse beside him: "Take this to Redman! Tell him, this time, don''t miss!"


    "Yes, sir!" The soldier mounted his horse, yanked the reins, and sprinted back in the direction they hade from.


    In the distance, Ti stood on the hillock on his tall horse, just catching sight of a blurry figure standing on the road. He instinctively stared at the figure, who also seemed to sense that the shadow was observing him.

 Chapter 105: You can rest assured 105

    "Coordinate correction! Don''t get it wrong!" Beside the C64 cannon, an officer looked at his artillerymen, nervously reminding them.


    "This is our only chance, we can''t miss it! Check the parameters again! Hurry!" Nearby, the child soldiers, gathered in small groups, were verifying the slip of paper that had just been sent back from the front line.


    "If the measurements are correct, then the data is right," a child said after verifying repeatedly, tucking a pencil behind his ear.


    He too was d in a coat, but unlike others, these coats were very expensive woolen coats. The fabric of these coats was costly, but they seemed exceptionally soft and warm.


    Only the most outstanding child soldiers from the schools were issued such coats as their uniform. Like the officers, they had to wear webbing belts, carry short swords engraved with the words "Loyalty" and "Bravery", and even their footwear were tall leather boots.


    Such gear made these children look striking and dashing¡ªthe once yful and unkempt youth started paying attention to personal hygiene as soon as they donned these outfits.


    "The two measurements are approximate, so they should be objective." Another child closed his notebook and nodded in agreement, "I think we can refer to both sets of parameters for a salvo."


    "I second that!" Another child lifted his head, rubbed his nose, and said.


    On the other side, an artilleryman, hunched over the cannon''s calibration table, carefully checked the angle he had adjusted, then straightened up and confidently confirmed to his superior, "Sir! Data verificationplete! The numbers are correct!"


    "Fire!" Three artillery officers, three more batterymanders, and seven or eight verifying child soldiers nodded together, finallypleting the meticulous verification work.


    "Fire the three cannons first! Adjust the impact points before proceeding with the salvo!" Ultimately, Redman decided to keep a safety margin just in case.


    He swung his arm forward, and with a fierce chop, the three C64 cannons roared mightily. A ze emerged from the barrel, and the shells flew unstoppable towards the distance.


    The shrapnel shells fitted with impact fuses were already very simr in design to modern artillery shells. They tore through the air with a high-pitched screech, passing over the highway, flying over the heads of the retreating Suthers soldiers.


    For a moment, the battlefield seemed to quiet down. Ti, observing the situation from the slope, faintly sensed a sounding towards him.


    Yes, it seemed like a poorly formed sentence, but that was how he felt: a piercing sound growing nearer and nearer.


    Instinctively, he looked up at the sky, as his horse beneath him grew restless and paced around uncontrobly.


    Suddenly, a shellnded beside him, striking the ground. The fuse at the front of the shell ignited the simple detonator, which in turn set off the explosives inside the shell.


    The shell expanded rapidly beside the horse, its hard shell blown apart by the raging mes within, tearing apart and turning into lethal shrapnel.


    The dense shrapnel, apanied by a shockwave as sharp as knives, swept up from below Ti, swallowing him and his horse in an instant.


    Ti felt his body uncontrobly tilt to one side, and all he could hear was the ringing of the explosion.


    He felt something cut through his right hand and was even more aware that his right foot, still in the stirrup, seemed to be broken by a powerful force.


    It felt as if centuries had passed, yet it seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. His shoulder finally hit the ground, and his face passionately kissed the hard, cold earth.


    He even found it strange that he didn''t feel the bone-chilling pain; it was as if the sensation had been drawn out of his body.


    So he tried to get up from the ground, only to find that neither of his arms seemed to respond to his brain anymore.


    Amidst the smoke-filled sky, he saw pebbles falling,nding on the ground right in front of his nose, pulsating with life.


    He struggled to pull his left arm out from underneath him, but found the effort futile. He could no longer feel his right hand or his legs.


    His brain, blurry and only now regaining some function, was graduallying back. He saw a pair of boots emerge from the thick smoke, and a knee drop right in front of him.


    Someone seemed to want to help him up, pulling on his shoulder vigorously for a long time without sess.


    By now, the slope was already in utter chaos. Ti''s horsey upon his left leg, while his right leg and stirrup had flown off to who knows where.


    Blood gushed from the wound in his right leg, and his right hand had been pierced by shrapnel, with only a third still attached to his body.


    This legendary general of Suthers now couldn''t even sit up to utter a word.


    And by this time, his aide had alreadyin on the ground, breathing hisst. A shrapnel piece had pierced right through his chest, and his horse, in pain from its wounds, had thrown him off its back. The unfortunate casualty had fallen,nding headfirst.


    "Someonee! The General is injured!" The soldier who had picked up Ti cried out loudly with tears in his voice, hoping that someone woulde to their aid.


    Regrettably, the chaos had already spread over the hill, and no one was in the mood to attend to an injured general. Everyone was running for their lives; no one cared about the damned Ti anymore.


    With a leg trapped under the horse''s corpse, the soldier was gripping Ti''s shoulder, trying to pull him out¡ªbut his efforts quickly failed.


    So, all he could do was hold Ti, shouting to the soldiers passing by, but sadly no one paid him any heed¡ªnot even one willing to slow their pace.


    Finally, an officer hurried back to the hill. His face was covered in dirt, his military cap nowhere to be found, scrabbling up the hillside. Once he saw General Ti on the ground, he knelt by his side.


    He immediately leaned forward to lift Ti''s upper body and started shouting at the top of his lungs, "General! General! Where''s the doctor? Doctor!"


    Atst, Ti seemed toe fully back to his senses. He felt the pain in his legs and sensed his soul swiftly slipping away from his body.


    And it was at this moment that his thoughts became crystal clear. In an instant, he seemed to understand many things.


    The ones obstructing him were not the damned main force of Northern Ridge, not even that damned Count Fisheo! They might not even be the regr army of Northern Ridge!


    Those standing in his way had more advanced weapons, which indicated that this whole incident was a conspiracy¡ªaplete, total conspiracy!


    No wonder the Leite Kingdom had been defeated so cleanly, no wonder Shireck had been so eager to press him southward into battle.


    This affair was likely a conspiracy against Suthers Kingdom! It was those old bastards of the Shireck Consortium, along with the treacherous King of Leite Kingdom, who were scheming against Suthers Kingdom!


    Shireck was preparing to use a war of epic scale to sell their new weapons, and the Leite Kingdom would seize vast territories of Suthers Kingdom! Only Suthers, only the Suthers Kingdom that thought it was the hunter when it was actually the prey, was the victim!


    So, Ti, having just regained a trace of strength, and not knowing where this energy came from, extended his left hand, enduring the heart-wrenching pain, and grabbed the arm of the officer holding him.


    His breath was as thin as a thread, and as he opened his mouth, it was filled with teeth broken from the fall and warm blood.


    "Puh!" He spat out the blood and broken teeth, desperately holding onto the officer''s arm, using hisst moments of rity to ponder the way forward for Suthers.


    "Go... hurry... go! We''ve been... tricked... by Shireck...


    we''ve been... duped...," he strained to convey some critical words to the officer, hoping the other man could piece together the gist from these fragmented phrases.


    "Return... back to... Suthers..." he struggled to voice his innermost thoughts, but the words came out only in intermittent struggles.


    The officer holding him was now sobbing uncontrobly, nodding earnestly through hot tears, trying to etch these sentences or words into his memory.


    Blood seeped from beneath Ti''s ribs, where the shrapnel had shattered his bones and destroyed his organs, leaving countless holes in his side.


    Some of these holes had been pierced by sshing shrapnel, others by flying rocks from the sts, densely sprinkled over his blue uniform.


    "I''ve got it! General! I will carry your words back! I''ll tell His Majesty, I''ll tell the King!" The officer wept bitterly, holding Ti''s hand even tighter.


    Ti felt darkness encroaching before his eyes, and he stopped struggling, letting the hand gripping the officer fall powerlessly.


    He had toiled for this country his entire life, and now... it seemed he could finally rest.


    His eyelids drooped helplessly and finally closed, and his breathing, which had been gradually fading, ceased after itsst rise and fall.


    "General! General!" The officer holding him shook the breathless Ti, loudly calling out as if hoping his voice could beckon hismanding officer back.


    But such efforts were bound to be in vain.


    "Rest assured, General! I will definitely carry yourst words back to King City..." The officer released Ti''s body and, with teeth clenched in anger, vowed, "We will avenge this wrong!"


    He had just stood up when another shellnded at his feet. Before he could even look down to see what had fallen, the explosionpletely engulfed him.

 Chapter 106: 106 is really a good thing

    Themanders of Suthers, of course, did not know that Tang Mo''s artillerymen, fearing that their volleys would not be precise if fired all at once, had split the volleys into two sequences.


    And when the first volley of three cannonballs came crashing down, they hit the earthen rampart directly, followed by the second round of three cannons'' barrage, which arrived after a short interval, to ensure the effectiveness of the attack.


    Again, three cannonballsnded on the earthen rampart, blowing Ti and his horse''s remains to pieces, thereby also flinging the embracing officer''s body sky-high.


    Thest words Ti hoped to deliver to the King naturally vanished with the horrific explosion, and simultaneously, the dream of Suthers Kingdom engulfing Leite Kingdom dissipated into thin air.


    Tang Mo let out a sigh of relief, set down the telescope in his hand, and looked towards Wes standing beside him.


    Seeing the Suthers troops now inplete disarray, Wes also knew that they seemed to have won the battle. read-first-at-MVLeMpYr


    In fact, they truly had won. The Suthers troops, now leaderless, began a hasty retreat after a prolonged period of chaos.


    The 3,000 men advancing on the Northern Ridge from the southeast, the two legions personally led by Ti, started retreating back towards the southeast along the road after nearly 1,000 casualties.


    They left behind the 40 field cannons they had brought along, abandoned 100 tents, and various other supplies, fleeing in utter disarray.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Viscount Romel rode atop his horse, receiving the first piece of good news he had heard that day.


    "What? Ti is dead?" He looked at the messenger who had delivered the news, unable to hide the smile on his face.


    "Yes! My Lord! General Ti has fallen in battle! You are now fighting a lone battle," said the messenger, somewhat regrettably.


    "This is truly regrettable news," said Viscount Romel with a smile, waving his hand to dismiss the messenger. No sooner had the man walked away than Romel broke into a broad grin.


    Ti''s death meant no one could hold him responsible! For Viscount Romel, this was indeed good news.


    Besides, with Ti falling in battle so quickly and his troops copsing even faster than his own¡ªit was unlikely anyone would judge him based on his unsightly performance in battle.


    Although his troops had failed to seize the enemy''s position after four charges, they were at least on the offensive, while Ti''s forces had already been routed!


    As for whether this war ended in victory or defeat, that was not something Viscount Romel concerned himself with¡ªwin or lose, he, a noble Viscount, would still live a life of luxury, wouldn''t he?


    "My Lord! With Ti defeated and dead, we are now isted. The enemy that vanquished Ti mighte down the road to strike us from both sides... we should make preparations early," reminded the knight who had previously spoken on behalf of Romel.


    Upon this reminder, Romel''s expression turned sour as he suddenly realized that his troops were indeed alone and faced the risk of being annihted in a pincer attack.


    Previously, even though he was isted, in the attack n, his troops'' mission was merely to capture the road to cover their own forces¡ªa marginal task. The Northern Ridge did not have a second unit to attack him, so Viscount Romel was not afraid of being attacked and dared to lead his troops alone to the fork in the road.


    But now, things were different. An enemy force of superiorbat strength stood before him, having already killed the renowned Ti. If he persisted in holding his ground here, it would clearly be extremely dangerous.


    A wise man does not stand under a copsing wall... tranted, this meant that when the situation turned dire, he must run quickly...


    Viscount Romel immediately turned to the knights beside him and yelled, "Order the troops to retreat at once!"


    "My Lord! It will take time to collect the cannons! We must..." An officer began to exin.


    "To hell with the cannons! Abandon those heavy things! Damn it! Command the infantry to follow suit! I''ll wait for you at the vige where I stayed overnight the day before yesterday!" Viscount Romel interrupted the officer, pointing towards the road they hade from and shouting.


    He then mounted his horse and, with a kick to the horse''s belly, led the way at full gallop into the distance. Behind him, several knights and a mishmash of followers also either mounted their horses or drove their vehicles, fleeing cleanly with their noble lord.


    "My Lord... what should we... do?" asked an officer, watching his superior in bewilderment.


    "What else is there to do? Order the troops to abandon their weapons and supplies! Run as fast as you can!" the frustrated officer barked out his orders.


    He too had a horse, though he had not ridden it there. Now, in this every man for himself situation, he believed he had a good chance of escaping.


    Soon, the 4,500 Suthers troops who had pincered Tang Mo were utterly defeated under the assault of his new rifles and cannons.


    And all that was left for Tang Mo on the battlefield was chaos and a heap of thorny issues.


    His offensive directly doubled his own losses. In just the short half hour he spent killing his way onto the road, nearly 200 of his soldiers, or close to two toons, had 6 dead and 21 wounded.


    These were the elite troops he had painstakingly umted, the seeds and standard bearers he could rely on in the future. Now, in a single battle, he had lost 10 and had nearly 30 wounded. This made Tang Mo feel as if his heart was bleeding.


    Frankly speaking, from his personal desire, he wouldn''t be willing to trade a thousand of the enemy for one of his men.


    However, seeing that nearly everyone including Wes was beaming with joy, he didn''t have the heart to dampen everyone''s spirits.


    Because aside from him, everyone present believed this was a great victory, an unparalleled triumph.


    "Lord! We have captured this..." an officer came over, holding a longsword: "ording to the prisoners, this is the weapon of theirmander, a famous general of the Suthers Kingdom, General Ti..."


    Tang Mo looked at the longsword. There was blood on its scabbard, and even the entire longsword and scabbard were slightly bent and deformed due to the impact of the artillery fire.


    After a battle that resulted in the seizure of the enemymanders'' swords twice, Tang Mo''s new recruit camp definitely could be considered to have achieved its first tactical victory.


    The toon leader who delivered the longsword, after the initial joy faded from his face, put on a somewhat helpless smile and said, "Lord, we''ve captured over 400 prisoners. They are squatting in a big ck mass over there. How should we deal with them?"


    "How else can we deal with them... Later on, sell them all to Lord Earl. Send them to the mines to work!" Tang Mo, who found the Suthers soldiers who had killed his 10 men particrly distasteful, ordered in a gruff tone.


    "Now, we still need to find people to watch over them... Basically, we can no longer continue to fight." The toon leader nced at Redman standing to the side and said with some reluctance.


    Tang Mo knew that with these prisoners in tow, his troops couldn''t possibly move quickly anymore. Fortunately, with Ti dead, Ti''s forces no longer had the courage to counterattack, so they were no longer at risk of being caught in a pincer.


    Thus, the remaining task was to defeat another group of Suthers troops trying to take the vige. After that, this battle would be over.


    Thinking of this, Tang Mo also breathed a sigh of relief, because he could say he hadpleted the mission entrusted to him by the Earl to hold out for one day and one night in advance.


    He indeed hadpleted it. However, he had turned the defensive mission to hold the vige into a counteroffensive that crushed the enemy forces.


    "Are we forgetting something?" Wes walked up to Tang Mo, licked his chapped lips with his tongue, and reminded him.


    Tang Mo pped his forehead, only then remembering... He had a force that had yet to be deployed to battle...


    "Damn, Tagg, who was ambushed on the enemy''s retreat path, must have already engaged..." Tang Mo said, somewhat confused.


    After all, this was his first battle inmand, so it was inevitable that it was full of ws and frequent mistakes.


    But who could have anticipated that the battle would go so smoothly that Tang Mo would forget he had another troop in ambush...


    "I wonder how it''s going over there." Wes looked off into the distance, unsure whether he felt concern or envy.


    "Here, we still have a lot of things to deal with; let Tagg handle it himself!" Tang Mo nced at a Shireck field gun lying not far away, his teasing tone was filled with a smug air.


    The Suthers forces that came up from the southeast numbered about 3,000 and they brought with them 50 artillery pieces. Some of these guns were captured from the Leite Kingdom, while others belonged to the Suthers forces'' own arsenal.


    Frankly, rather than calling Ti''s reinforcement troops abat force, it might be more fitting to call them a unit transporting artillery northward.


    This was also why Ti, with 3,000 men at his disposal, onlymitted around 1,000 men to battle at the outset.


    Ti''s artilleryden unit, in their defeat, had no capacity to take their guns with them, so they were all abandoned on the battlefield.


    Apart from a few cannons that were blown up or deliberately sabotaged, Tang Mo captured over 40 field guns in one fell swoop.


    At this moment, he was still unaware that Romel''s forces on the other side, which had 18 field guns, had also abandoned their artillery and fled.


    Therefore, in this battle, Tang Mo miraculously captured a total of 60 cannons, which could be said to have made a fortune.


    If one were to also include the Shireck Flintlock Guns scattered across the battlefield, Tang Mo roughly estimated that just the munitions he had captured could almost recoup the cost of preparing for the war.


    "War... what a wonderful thing you are." Tang Mo gazed toward the main battlefield where Fisheo was in personalmand to the north and murmured softly.

 Chapter 107: 107 Accidents can happen anywhere

    "I don''t even know what kind of battle we''re fighting here!" an exasperated Suthers general with a full beard mmed his military cap into his other hand.


    He looked angrily at his left wing, which was on the verge of copse, and cursed loudly, "Are you all stupid pigs? Are you all stupid pigs?"


    Pointing at a legion that was near copse, his angry voice made all the officers around him lower their heads, "A legion, overwhelmed by just 500 enemy troops, has lost three lines of defense! The Northern Ridge troops only number a third of ours, yet now it''s we who are desperately defending and they who are attacking!"


    "Did that guy Fisheo... actually take the initiative to attack... Did he figure out that our reinforcements are about to arrive?" the Suthers officer muttered to himself as he watched the distant copsing defense line.


    His aide stood beside him, trying to console him, "General! Although we''re in a passive position, didn''t the messenger sent by General Ti yesterday say that as long as we tie down Fisheo and prevent him from fleeing, we''ll be fine?"


    They had assembled 10,000 troops at Northern Ridge, while Fisheo had only 1,500. With a pincer move from both sides, Fisheo was bound to lose.


    In this situation, all they needed to do was to hold on and not be defeated by Fisheo in advance. As long as Fisheo couldn''t achieve a decisive victory, his Northern Ridge Legion would have no choice but to surrender their arms.


    "Besides, it''s not that our army is ipetent... There''s something fishy about the weapons of Fisheo''s troops!" said the aide, his tone filled with resentment.


    Having fought Fisheo''s troops all morning, they naturally understood why Fisheo''s forces were so ferocious.


    The weapons in the hands of these troops were not the familiar Shireck Flintlock Guns, but clearly a type of new weapon.


    As soon as the two sides engaged, the advantage of the enemy''s firepower density became apparent. A torrential downpour of bullets left the Suthers troops unable to catch their breath even now.


    Their first line of defense, a whole legion, quickly could not withstand the assault and copsedpletely under Fisheo''s attack.


    Having barely stabilized their position, the Suthers troops had just established a defensive formation when Fisheo''s troops turned their guns and fiercely attacked the Suthers'' left wing.


    With apany''s worth of concentrated force charging forward and the advantage in artillery at certain points, the Suthers troops were soon defeated again.


    From the start of the engagement until now, the Suthers troops, originally prepared to go on the offensive, had been fighting a defensive battle the entire morning, and one that crumbled upon contact at that.


    They had lost over a thousand men, particrly on the left wing, which was practically stunned into submission. Just the sight of Fisheo''s wolf banners made those Suthers troops instinctively retreat, not even daring to put up a struggle.


    So, the Suthers troops retreated 2 kilometers, clinging to a loss of over a thousand men, dragging Fisheo''s forces into the rhythm of a war of attrition.


    Fisheo was anxious too. He had promised Tang Mo that he would quickly end the main battlefield''s skirmishes and then lead his forces south to join Tang Mo in facing the enemy reinforcementsing from the southeast.


    But now, the Suthers troops in front of him would crumble upon contact and, after running a few hundred meters, they would start to re-form their ranks again. This was the situation he did not want to see.


    There was no alternative; his troops'' strength and mobility were insufficient to achieve annihtion, so he could only watch as the Suthers troops retreated time and again.


    He felt helpless at this moment, because the opponent''sbat effectiveness was clearly not high, so they didn''t even have the courage to stop and fight a desperate battle. This led to a serious problem: Fisheo''s forces couldn''t secure a win in the short term, which meant they couldn''t go to support Tang Mo.


    "If this still doesn''t work, then we''ll pull 200 men from our left wing to support Tang Mo!" Fisheo gritted his teeth and instructed the officer beside him.


    Upon hearing such an order, the officer was horrified and immediately tried to persuade him, "My lord, if we divert more troops, we might not be able to maintain our offensive."


    The main reason they had been able to crush therge army of the Suthers Kingdom was that they had continued to press the attack, keeping the enemy''s troops in constant retreat and disarray.


    Consequently, Suthers'' advantage in the total number of cannons could not be utilized effectively, allowing the needle guns to perform optimally in closebat.


    But if their offensive were to stop, the enemy could adjust their deployment at leisure, and their numerical superiority in artillery would be evident, leaving them even more at a disadvantage.


    "Having fought so hard all morning, the soldiers are already a bit strained physically, and with the additional losses, the pressure on us is substantial," another worried officer counseled Fisheo: "We have already suffered seventy to eighty casualties... and with the wounded, it''s getting very difficult to keep up the offense."


    "But, I made amitment to Tang Mo," Fisheo said, ncing at his daughter who stood beside him, her face somewhat pale, "If anything goes wrong at the fork in the road, we will be defeated just the same."


    "We can only hope that Tang Mo will hold on a bit longer now. After all... he promised to stand firm there for a day. With a day''s time, we are confident we can defeat the enemy forces ahead!" Watching the smoke of battle, the officer who had first counseled Fisheo continued, his scalp tingling with determination.


    "Ah..." Fisheo sighed irritably, then shifted his focus back to the battlefield, "Order the troops on the right nk to press forward! Aim topletely crush the enemy''s left nk within an hour!"


    "Yes!" An officer mounted his horse, "I''ll personally supervise the battle! Give me an hour, and I guarantee the defeat of the enemy''s left wing!"


    ...


    "You really are... too blunt." Tang Mo covered his face in helplessness as he looked at the columns of Suthers soldiers who, except for not carrying weapons, looked almost ready to march. your-chapter-source


    Tagg, as the epitome of Northern Ridge bluntness, did not disappoint. Leading 40 cavalry, he actually blocked the fleeing Suthers troops and brought most of them back to Tang Mo.


    Yes... brought, them, back...


    The defeated 2,000 troopsmanded by Ti, like frightened birds, encountered Tagg on their way and surrendered without a fight, gentlemanlyying down their weapons.


    That''s right, you read that correctly. These Suthers troops decided not to run anymore, they were tired... They handed over their weapons, and then, with a few officers taking the lead, surrendered to the 40 cavalrymen led by Tagg.


    More than 20 wagons, over 40 war horses, nearly 2,000 soldiers, just like that, dropped their arms and surrendered!


    Due to a shortage of hands, Tagg, who was escorting these Suthers troops to find Tang Mo, managed to bring back only about 1,000 men in the end.


    The rest of the surrendering Suthers soldiers, most of them, took advantage of the chaos to escape, and likewise due to insufficient manpower, Tagg only brought back 30 cavalrymen...


    The other 10 cavalrymen were left behind to guard over a thousand Shireck flintlock guns and other military supplies such as gunpowder.


    "My heavens, we have an entire legion of prisoners here... and we only have enough soldiers for one battalion." Wes was looking at the sea of people squatting along the road, waiting for new orders, and could hardly believe his eyes.


    Several Suthers officers, adorned with opulent hats and swords at their waists, walked up to Tang Mo, presenting neatly folded regimental colors to the victor.


    "We have been defeated! Sir! This is the honor you deserve." The Suthers officer holding Ti''s regimental colors bowed his head and said, "Your magnanimity will make your reputation travel far and wide."


    He was referring to Tagg''s allowance for them to keep their swords as prisoners. After all, the taste of defeat was bitter. If they could be treated with respect, surrendering would surely feel morefortable.


    Tang Mo took the regimental colors, then passed them with some dismay to an attendant nearby. He looked at Tagg and then at Wes and Redman, before speaking, "Due to Tagg''s outstanding performance, we are now unable to spare any troops to go to the frontline to assist Lord Earl."


    "My lord," Tagg spoke up, somewhat embarrassed, but at a loss for what to say next. He hadn''t anticipated that his great victory would actually end up causing trouble.


    "It''s alright, Tagg, it''s alright!" Tang Mo reassured the straightforward officer, then addressed Redman, "Leave the handling of this to you. Have the first and second toons guard these prisoners, and have the third toon''s men bring back those flintlock guns and military supplies for inventory..."


    "Get the cadets to help, quickly pack up the artillery, organize the baggage train, and retreat back to the vige at the crossroads. Command the army cooks to prepare the food, and have the soldiers rest in turns while ensuring effective guarding of the prisoners!" He continued his instructions, pointing to the rather embarrassed Suthers officers, "Prepare some food for them as well."


    After the Suthers officers had left, Tang Mo continued issuingmands to Tagg and Wes, "Once you''ve handed over control, join me with the 30 cavalry to check out the battlefield near Lord Earl''s position. I''m leaving everything here to Redman."


    "The toon leader of the third toon will take my orders. Have the 10 cavalry watching the supplies disperse! Ensure there are norge Suthers forces nearby... Avoid any mishaps, and be vignt! Understand?" Tang Mo finished speaking and walked towards his warhorse.


    "Yes, my lord!" Redman nodded slightly, and then began issuing a series of orders to coordinate the manpower.


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo mounted his horse, casting a nce at Tagg and Wes who also mounted their horses, "Let''s hope that Lord Earl has already decided the victor on his side."


    "I doubt that''s likely." Tagg, looking over at the dark mass of prisoners not far away, said reflectively, "You fought too quickly here. It''s certain that Lord Earl hasn''t decided the victor yet."


    "Then let''s go and lend a hand! And maybe tease him a bit..." Tang Mo spurred his horse, "Taking so long to fight a battle."


    "Hahaha!" Wes burst into heartyughter, hurrying after Tang Mo, "Look at Tagg, his face is turning red from holding it in."

 Chapter 108: 108 endless

    "The battlefield situation was extremelyplex, and even with Tagg as their local guide, Tang Mo was still unsure as he walked along the narrow paths through the woods.


    Looking at the dense shrubs on both sides, he asked Tagg, who was leading the horse in front, somewhat gloomily, ''Are you sure this path can definitely take us around to the enemy''s rear?''


    Tagg nodded with certainty and then pointed ahead, ''I''m sure! I''ve walked here twice; it will definitely lead us to where we want to go.''


    It was obviously impossible for 30 cavalry to change the battlefield situation, so the tactics that Tang Mo and his men came up with on their way, basically involved detouring to the rear.


    When outnumbered, sneaking around the enemy andunching a crucial surprise attack from a key position at their rear was essentially their best option.


    Leveraging Tagg''s advantage as a local familiar with the terrain, they did not head directly to the battlefield but took a small detour, choosing to approach from behind Suthers'' troops and cut diagonally to the rear of the battlefield.


    Wes walked beside Tang Mo, leading his horse and surveying the surroundings, ''If we took the wrong path, that would be quite the problem.''


    Behind him, the other soldiers led their warhorses. They chose not to mount due to the terrain being too narrow for riding, and also because they needed to conserve the horses'' strength and maintain stealth.


    The thirty-odd cavalrymen were squeezed into a column nearly a hundred meters long by the narrow passage, all of them tense since cavalry in such a state were extremely vulnerable.


    ''Don''t worry! It can''t be wrong!'' Tagg said again, very sure of himself.


    ''We can already hear the sound of gunfire; it must be right,'' Tang Mo listened closely, then nodded his head and spoke, ''Everyone rest in ce! Wes, Tagg, the two of youe with me!''


    ''If everything is as expected, we should being out of the woods soon,'' Tagg said as he pushed through the shrubs in front of him, moving forward with uneven steps.


    They needed to scout ahead a bit to inspect the nearby situation and devise a n for their next move. Just as Tagg was exining their current position to Tang Mo, Tang Mo noticed that the thick bushes in the distance were gradually thinning out.


    He lowered his voice, bending slightly, ''Wait! Stop! It looks like we''re about toe out of the woods! Stay concealed!''


    Covered by their grey-green greatcoats, Tang Mo and his men weren''t very noticeable as they crouched and hid in the bushes.


    Tang Mo gestured with his hands, while whispering very softly as a reminder, ''Be careful! There are people over there! Let''s go have a look.''


    As they carefully pushed away the shrubs in front of them and peered through the gaps in the branches, they saw a group of Suthers'' soldiers setting up their cannon on the clearing at the edge of the woods.


    The Suthers'' soldiers were weary as they fumbled with their field guns, unloading shells from the wagons.


    Tagg counted roughly and saw that there were 10 field guns, all Shireck field guns, which looked very new.


    He drew his head back and turned to Tang Mo, speaking in a low voice, ''It''s Suthers'' soldiers! They are on the clearing just outside the woods!''


    ''You''re kidding, right? Why would they be here?'' Tang Mo also saw those blue-uniformed Suthers soldiers and frowned, puzzled.


    Tagg was also frustrated because they hadn''t anticipated this situation: ''This ce is at least 3 kilometers away from the battlefield Lord Earl had estimated!''


    ording to their initial n, Suthers'' troops were supposed to be on a more westerly position, shing with Fisheo''s main forces.


    If they emerged from the woods here and searched westward, they would have to travel another one or two kilometers before encountering Suthers'' troops.


    But now, Suthers'' artillerymen, who should have been far from the battlefield, had unexpectedly appeared here, which was puzzling.


    ''You mean, these Suthers'' artillerymen are setting up cannons three kilometers away from the battlefield for what purpose?'' Tang Mo released his grip on the branches and asked Tagg.


    ''I don''t know why either, but they really did set up an artillery position here,'' Tagg replied after thinking for a moment, shaking his head.


    ''And there aren''t many guards!'' Wes added.


    After saying this, Wes gave a self-deprecating chuckle, ''Well now, aren''t we supposed to be ambushing them from behind? Perfect, the artillery position is right in front of us.''


    hosted-on-MVLeMpYr


    ''It''s possible that Lord Earl has routed Suthers'' troops, and they''ve fallen back here to reposition!'' Tang Mo quickly hypothesized.


    Wes was taken aback, then somewhat incredulously said, ''Could things really work out that coincidentally?''


    Tagg nced again at the Suthers'' artillerymen busy with their cannons and urged Tang Mo, who hadn''t made a decision yet, ''I don''t know, but we''re running out of time... We need to make a decision quickly.''"


    Tang Mo calcted the strength of his troops, "We only have thirty men, and though we have 60 revolvers, we still need to be cautious."


    Actually, this was already a considerable force; this troop could fire over 300 rounds of ammunition in a short time, enough to rout an entire enemy battalion.


    Moreover,bined with a cavalry charge, they would appear more forceful than they actually were, seeming even stronger to the senses.


    But appearing strong and being truly strong were two very different things. Every family had its own issues, and Tang Mo knew that his thirty cavalrymen were good for harassment and surprise attacks, but certainly not enough for a war of annihtion.


    As a militaryyman, Tang Mo could onlye up with a conventional strategy: "Let''s just mount up and charge over there, take out the artillerymen by the cannons, and then blow up these guns!"


    "Is that the n?" Wes asked as he, following Tang Mo and Tagg, slowly retreated.


    "Roughly," Tang Mo didn''t speak until he was sure that the Suthers soldiers at the edge of the forest definitely couldn''t see them anymore.


    "Looking at the distance, it seems they have quite a number of men; we probably won''t have time to destroy the guns," Tagg offered his perspective at this time.


    "Got any better ideas?" Tang Mo asked, agreeing that it was indeed the case.


    "Alternatively, we could just keep charging forward and not look back¡­" Tagg thought that leveraging the mobility advantage of his cavalry to breakthrough the enemy''s artillery positions might be a better choice.


    "Then we''ll probably all die here," Tang Mo was highly dissatisfied with Tagg''s suggestion.


    Tagg was also aware of the great risk involved in his proposal, so he made another suggestion: "Lord Earl! You and Wes stay back; I''ll take the men over!"


    "What a joke. The men you want to take are my precious stones; the death of even one pains me, yet you want to lead them all to their doom here?" Tang Mo shook his head after ncing at Tagg.


    "..." Tagg''s face turned red, feeling that such a decision was indeed too hasty.


    Tang Mo pped his hands, brushing off the dirt stuck to them, and started walking back, saying, "Alright! Let''s go back."


    He went back to the cavalry troop without saying a word, looking at the young faces. After this battle, he didn''t know how many of these faces would still be there.


    Thinking of this, Tang Mo became somewhat irritated. He mounted his horse andmanded, "Get ready! Everyone check their weapons! See if the caps are all in ce! Then check your saddles again!"


    Following hismand, all the cavalrymen became busy. They checked their weapons, painstakingly inspected their sabers, calmed their steeds, and checked the saddles.


    "Once we attack, line up and charge at the enemy''s artillery positions, try to kill as many as possible, and do not slow down!" Mounted on his horse, Tang Mo looked at all those who were also mounted, ordering in the most stable voice possible, "If we pass that low hillock and still see more enemies, then we don''t turn back. We keep charging!"


    Tagg was startled by Tang Mo''s order, then suddenly looked at the young figure. Something was stirring inside him, and at that moment, a thought suddenly came over him: to die for him.


    "Attack!" Tang Mo drew his left-wheel handgun, squeezed his horse with his legs, and loudly gave the order to attack.


    Before his voice had dissipated, he saw a figure charging forward, surpassing his horse. It was Tagg, holding a revolver in one hand and the reins in the other, leading the charge ahead of him.


    The knights following Tagg also spurred their horses forward, surpassing Tang Mo, who was not particrly skilled at riding.


    A Suthers soldier squatted in the bushes, tending to his physiological needs and just cleaning himself with leaves when, before he could pull up his trousers, he saw a knight on a tall horse shing past him.


    Still struggling to recover from his shock, he saw even more knights bursting out of the forest and heading towards the disoriented Suthers artillery positions.


    "Bang!" A gunshot echoed through the sky as a Suthers officer, who was just about to draw his musket from his waist, fell screaming to the ground.


    At the very moment this Suthers officer fell, the Suthers soldiers who had been busy moving cannonballs and setting up cannons suddenly scattered like headless flies.


    And so, the confused shouting spread with the disorderly fleeing soldiers: "Northern Ridge! The Northern Ridge army is attacking! Run for it!"


    No one thought about resisting. The Suthers artillerymen were chased by the cavalry from behind, running up the nk hillock that blocked their view.


    After only a few shots, Tang Mo''s thirty cavalrymen had routed the Suthers artillery unit and left the unguarded cannons far behind them.


    Mounted on his horse, Tang Mo was swept along by Wes and two other knights to a nearby small elevated point.


    Then, his view suddenly opened up. Before himy a vast, dense mass of Suthers infantry sitting on the ground, resting as far as the eye could see.

 Chapter 109: 109 biggest gain

    Clearly, Suthers''s soldiers had not anticipated the side assault by a cavalry unit from Northern Ridge.


    Simrly, they had not recognized these cavalrymen as belonging to Northern Ridge¡ªTang Mo''s cavalry uniform was also uniquely styled and colored a dim green-gray, just like his infantry.


    Of course, no one had seen such attire before, so the Suthers infantrymen sitting on the ground to rest first regarded these sudden strangers with curious stares.


    However, it wasn''t long before in their eyes, these strangers began charging towards them, showing no sign of slowing down.


    Tang Mo knew that retreating to destroy those cannons might have been safer, but that would cause him to miss the fleeting opportunity of battle.


    Tounch an attack amidst the chaos and disrupt the entire battlefield as much as possible was the only way to achieve a greater victory¡ªof course, it could also lead to the annihtion of his forces.


    But he still called out the attack order without looking back, not even knowing himself why he was still so brave in the face of an enemy ten times his number.


    In that moment, it was not rational thought but instinct that seemed to govern his body. He was a wild beast, a tiger pouncing on its prey! The moment he saw his prey''s throat, he instinctively opened his jaws wide and charged forward, throwing caution to the wind.


    "For victory!" he shouted loudly from horseback, squeezing hard with his legs, spurring his horse to go faster.


    His horsemanship was not great, but in a straightforward charge like this, he didn''t need exquisite riding skills; he simply needed to charge forward, leading the cavalry on either side of him to surge ahead recklessly.


    At that moment, everything before Tang Mo''s eyes seemed to slow down. He held the reins tightly in one hand, his knuckles turning white from the force, while all he could hear beside his ears was the roaring wind¡ªit was as though everything had quieted down.


    His other hand reached forward, holding the Left-Wheel Handgun that had remained unfired since his horse had run too slow, leaving all six bullets intact.


    Because the enemy was swarming, Tang Mo didn''t need to aim precisely; the bouncing of his horse wouldn''t have allowed for urate aiming anyway.


    Trusting his instincts, he pulled the trigger, immediately feeling the recoil on his arm, and it seemed a gunshot echoed in his ears.


    He did not pause, continuing to pull the trigger, shot after shot as if venting his frenzy.


    In front of him, the Suthers infantry, who had been fighting hard all day and were sitting on the ground resting with their flintlock guns, confirmed in horror that these charging knights were their enemies.


    Then, as they tried to stand and reload their muskets, they were more terrified to discover that the few dozen cavalrymen charging towards them had opened fire upon them.


    After a volley of gunfire, many Suthers soldiers fell to the ground, their spurting blood sowing fear among those sshed with theirrades'' gore.


    What truly shattered the will of these Suthers soldiers was that these cavalrymen didn''t discard their firearms and draw their swords as other cavalry had done.


    Instead, the unknown cavalry continued to hold their firearms and fired a second time, releasing yet another volley of bullets.


    After that, the cavalrymen pulled their triggers a third time and fired again, hitting even more people and bringingplete chaos to the scene.


    Unknowingly, Tang Mo and his 30 cavalrymen had prated the weakest point of a Suthers troop, achieving the battle objective that Earl Fisheo had been striving for all along.


    The Suthers troops advancing to attack Northern Ridge had been pressing from the northeast to the southwest. And Fisheo''s troops had been fiercely attacking this troop''s left nk.


    He had chosen this tactic because he was familiar with the terrain, knowing that assaulting the left nk would provide a patch of woods as cover for his own side.


    There was another reason, which was that in case the attack failed to make progress, he conceived a n to use a little-known path leading to a three-way junction on the nk, allowing him to lead his soldiers at a faster pace from an unexpected direction toward the junction to make onest effort and fulfill his promise to Tang Mo.


    In reality, the left nk of the enemy, which Fisheo had been attacking from the east to the west, coincided with the troops deployed to the south.


    Coincidentally, Tang Mo, following this path, also happened to make his way from the south to the north, right into the heart of the battlefield.


    He was attacking the nerve-wracked soldiers of Earl Fisheo who had already been forced to retreat 3 kilometers after more than 6 hours of fierce fighting and had already copsed four times.


    This troop had finally gained a respite, finally found the opportunity to deploy cannons, and mustered the courage to prepare to have a decisive battle here with Fisheo''s main force on the right nk.


    Just when they were ready to take a good rest, eat something, and face their arch-nemesis in a fair fight.


    Tang Mo''s cavalry broke through their defenses¡ªfrom a direction they had never imagined,pletely unguarded, and at the most rxed moment when they were least capable of resistance.


    ```


    The cooks distributing food, the officers who had taken off their boots, and the soldiers who hadn''t even loaded their ammunition were all crowded together, and 30 cavalries left them looking like fools.


    The Suthers soldiers on the fringes dropped their weapons and started sprinting towards further ces; they had already been running all morning, so they didn''t mind starting another escape.


    The soldiers closer to the center were dizzied by the intense gunfire; they had already suffered heavy losses, without even a chance to flee. read-on-MVLeMpYr


    More Suthers soldiers raised their hands in surrender, but the cavalries speeding past them had no time to stop and take prisoners.


    The cavalries that swept through the battlefield like a whirlwind simply drew their sabers after running out of ammo, resorting to the most primitive means of ensuring those with raised hands fell back to earth.


    Screams echoed across the battlefield, mixed with pleas for mercy and cries, the gunfire gradually faded, and Tang Mo''s cavalry had finally emptied the bullets from their pistols.


    They had pierced through the formation of Suthers soldiers, and all the knights pulled their reins, turned their horses, and once again charged back into the battlefield.


    In the process of adjusting and gaining speed again, they returned their sabers to their waists and drew a new pistol from the other side.


    Shouting, with wild roars, the cavalries already deep in ughter carried the pride and valor of victory and began the killing anew.


    The already copsing left wing of the Suthers had, just as Count Fisheo had anticipated,pletely disintegrated and withdrawn from the battle.


    The remaining less than 800 troops of the Suthers left wing were ravaged by Tang Mo''s 30 cavalries in a charge that plunged them into utter chaos.


    Those whose courage had already been sapped, scurried and fled in terror, bing nothing more than a backdrop to this war¡ªthe real heroes were clearly the knights whoposedly wielded their sabers behind them.


    "For victory!" A knight raised his saber high, the fresh blood dripping down the de; he roared loudly and again brought down his de, knocking down an escaping enemy from behind.


    It was only now, after having his vision clouded by the frenzy of battle, that Wes realized the knight beside him did not seem to be his patron...


    He subconsciously slowed down, looking bewilderedly to his sides; amid the chaos of the battlefield, he discovered, to his horror, that he could no longer find Tang Mo.


    At this moment, he realized that when all the cavalries had turned to charge back at the enemy lines, he seemed to have forgotten about Tang Mo...


    Even more frustratingly, he also just now realized that Tang Mo''s horsemanship seemed rather poor¡ªcharging in a straight line was no problem, but maneuvers like turning and stopping on inclines were practically failing grades for him.


    So he yanked the reins, turned his horse around, and charged back through the chaotic battlefield, swinging his longsword while anxiously looking for Tang Mo.


    Anxiety and tension had washed away the joy of victory, for in his view, if anything happened to Tang Mo, then this apparent victory would be aplete and utter defeat.


    Even the thought that Tang Mo might be more important than the whole Northern Ridge flitted through his mind¡ªa thought he would have surelyughed off six months ago.


    But he could notugh now, for after cutting down another Suthers soldier, he still could not see Tang Mo mounted on a horse.


    Unconsciously, he had lost all reason, and couldn''t help but call out loudly, his voice trembling, "Tang Mo! Tang Mo! Where are you? Tang Mo!"


    He didn''t even notice his warhorse had slowed down; he sat in the saddle, strolling as if in peace while surrounded by the enemy...


    He continued riding and shouting, allowing the Suthers soldiers to pass by him.


    His eyes didn''t even nce at these fleeing troops; his hand gripping the longsword swung it unconsciously.


    Even his already hoarse and trembling voice began to carry a tinge of despair and self-reproach¡ªhe had lost the person he was supposed to protect, he had lost his master...


    "Tang Mo!" he howled, his voice sounding abnormally strained.


    Meanwhile, a young man covered in blood sat beside a dead warhorse, looking at a group of Suthers soldiers who were staring at each other, holding a Left-Wheel Handgun, his face unable to hide a smile: "See, my friend hase back to find me..."


    He gestured with the muzzle of the pistol at the group of soldiers, terrified and retreating step by step, and couldn''t help but burst into loudughter: "Did you think breaking you was my biggest gain? No! No, no! Hearing this shout makes me happier than winning this battle!"


    After speaking, he pulled his throat and shouted joyfully: "I''m here! Wes!"


    ```

 Chapter 110: The Power of Laughter at 110

    When Wes heard Tang Mo''s response, the world in front of him suddenly regained its color. He urged his horse forward, toppling the pitiable Suthers soldiers blocking his way to the ground.


    Wielding his longsword, he shouted loudly to confirm, "Tang Mo! Tang Mo!"


    "Stop shouting! I''m right here!" Tang Mo stood up, looked at the Suthers soldiers before him, who were silent as cicadas in winter, devoid of any courage to resist, and asked with a gentleman''s smile, "Would you mind stepping aside?"


    It was as if they heard the whisper of the Grim Reaper, and the Suthers soldiers hurriedly retreated, clearing a path for Tang Mo.


    Just now, they had witnessed a scene they would never forget¡ªthe moment Tang Mo''s battle horse was shot by themanding officer of this Suthers troop, Tang Mo fell from his horse, and then Tang Mo stood up from a pile of corpses, showing these inexperienced Suthers soldiers what it meant to be a descended deity.


    These soldiers only saw Tang Mo draw a delicate handgun from his waist and then with one shot, the Suthers officer who was reloading his gun was knocked to the ground.


    A few Suthers soldiers mustered the courage, rifles with bays at the ready, hoping to achieve glory, only to be met with bullets from Tang Mo that sent them one by one to the underworld.


    When the fifth soldier who attempted to charge fell, all the Suthers soldiers abandoned the idea of trying again.


    In their view, the young man''s weapon contained endless bullets, and no matter how many came at him, the oue would be the same.


    source-at-MVLeMpYr


    So, these disheartened Suthers soldiers just foolishly surrounded Tang Mo, even though his Left-Wheel Handgun was actually out of bullets.


    Indeed, he had two identical Left-Wheel Handguns, one which had run out of bullets during an earlier charge, and the other he had just emptied while ughtering six Suthers soldiers who tried to resist. Hence, his sitting there was entirely a bluff.


    He had ammunition in his pocket, but in fact, if the Suthers soldiers had swarmed him, he would have had no chance to reload.


    But these poor Suthers soldiers, tormented for hours, were already broken. They dared not verify whether Tang Mo''s handgun had exhausted its bullets with their lives, so they stood there, like a bunch of clowns.


    Then, when Tang Mo stood up and asked them to make way, they instinctively cleared a path, as if they were seeing off the God of gue, watching Tang Mo walk towards Wes, who was also covered in blood on his battle horse.


    "I''m not great at horsemanship," Tang Mo mentioned while walking to meet the approaching Wes with a smile, "Luckily these guys were quite hospitable and didn''t make things difficult for me."


    "Is that so?" Wes, mounted on his horse, looked down on the Suthers soldiers who, scared by Tang Mo, had dropped their weapons at their feet. "Then I won''t kill you; get lost!"


    Hearing Wes say this, the soldiers scattered hurriedly without a second thought.


    Wes dismounted and walked over to Tang Mo, handing over the reins, "Let''s go, back to the woods. I''ll look for you there once everything here is finished."


    Tang Mo didn''t take it, nced at the scattered troops in the distance and said with a smile, "It''s already over. We won."


    "Wes! Tang Mo!" Just then, another shouting voice came through, filled with worry and tension.


    The two turned towards the source of the shout, and there was Tagg with a cavalry unit, just like Wes before, desperately searching for something.


    They, too, were shing and loudly calling out as if they had lost something most precious, "Tang Mo! Tang Mo! Wes! Where are you?"


    "We''re here!" Wes raised his longsword and grinned, "He''s back, too."


    "So you see, we won," Tang Mo proudly twirled the cylinder of his Left-Wheel Handgun out of the frame, pushed the rod in front, and six shiny brass cases dropped out.


    He bent down to pick up the cases from the ground, carefully tucked them into one pocket, then took out bullets from the other and rapidly loaded them into the cylinder. He habitually spun the cylinder, making it whirl quickly.


    Then, with a stylish flick of the gun, the rotating cylinder clicked back into ce with a satisfying sound.


    By the time he finished reloading, Wes was still signaling to Tagg in the distance. The four of them gathered together, with no more Suthers deserters in sight.


    They had won, a total victory. The entire left nk of the Suthers was routed, and their cannons, left intact, became Tang Mo''s spoils of war.


    "Let''s count how many cannons we''ve captured... are there 50 yet?" Tang Mo, seeing the cavalry regrouping, rubbed the blood stains on his trousers as he asked.


    "About that," Wes, also relieved, responded in a buoyant tone.


    "Look closely, everyone, this is all money," Tang Mo said, and the surrounding Cavalry erupted inughter.


    Theyughed unabashedly because the victory on the battlefield was theirs. As victors, they had that right.


    ...


    "Father! I''ll take only 30 Soldiers over there! At the very least, Tang Mo should know that we haven''t abandoned him!" Alice, mounted on her horse, looked to her father beside her and pleaded.


    "How could 30 men be enough..." Fisheo''s voice, anxious and somewhat hoarse, reassured her as he looked at Alice: "He said he could hold out there for a day, so we should trust him..."


    "But you know the pressure he''s under!" Alice retorted stubbornly, not wanting that handsome, always lying scoundrel... to meet any idents.


    "Wait a little longer... one more hour," Fisheo gazed at the battlefield,forting his daughter: "Once we break through Suthers''s left nk, we can use that narrow path. Then, when you head out from there, I''ll draw 100 Soldiers for you to take... If we can catch them by surprise... we might stand a chance."


    "I... understand," Alice knew it was probably the best approach for now, biting her lip and anxiously watching the situation on the battlefield, as if hoping that their own right nk, which had just rested for a while, could hasten their attack.


    Then, her brow furrowed, and she called to Fisheo instinctively, "Father! Look over there! Father?"


    Fisheo had obviously noticed the change on the battlefield too; he could see that the enemy''s left wing seemed to be in disarray. Gunfire came from that direction, and it was a sound he recognized.


    Soon, an officer hurried back with more precise news: "Lord Earl! Lord Earl! A detachment of Cavalry has attacked Suthers''s Troops from the nk! Their left wing is copsing!"


    "Order the Troops to attack at once! This is a good opportunity!" Fisheo clenched his fist; the moment of battle he had been waiting for nearly the whole day had finally arrived.


    If he didn''tmit all his forces now, seizing the chance to crush the enemy before him in one fell swoop, then he wouldn''t be Fisheo.


    "Do you know where the Cavalry came from?" Fisheo took the reins of a warhorse from another officer and mounted it as he asked the officer who had brought the message from the right wing.


    The officer shook his head, his face also revealing confusion as he replied, "They''re not from the Kingdom''s Cavalry, their uniforms aren''t bright yellow."


    "They''re grey?" Suddenly realizing something, Fisheo paused and looked at the officer: "A grey close to green."


    "That''s Tang Mo''s Troops!" Alice, hearing her father''s question, remembered the recruits she had seen led by Tang Mo, all in that dull, somewhat unsightly color.


    "Who would have thought he''d make such a decision, to send a surprise force to aid us while holding the fork in the road," the officer following Fisheo said in admiration.


    "It must have been Tagg''s idea, right?" another officer guessed, "He''s the only one who knows about this path."


    "No matter what, this is our best chance now! Attack! Full-scale attack!" Fisheo raised his riding crop, pointing forward: "For the Northern Ridge!"


    "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!" The sound of Northern Ridge''s war drums thundered through the sky as the three regiments, which had just rested and reorganized, began advancing again.


    On the opposite side, a Suthers General set down his monocr telescope; his face pale, he turned to his aide and said, "The left wing, the left wing has been assaulted! Where did the enemye from? Where did their Cavalrye from?"


    "Lord, this is not the time to worry about that! The left wing has already copsed; what should we do now?" his aide was nervous because he knew the battle seemed to be developing rapidly beyond their control.


    They had already overperformed by holding Fisheo off all morning, but the reinforcements they had been waiting for had yet to arrive.


    Just as it seemed that any further retreat would lead to aplete copse, they finally mustered up the courage, prepared to have a formal confrontation with Fisheo. But just as they were getting ready, their left nk was copsing from an enemy assault.


    As the chiefmander, he suddenly felt dizzy and dim-eyed, with the urgent calls of his subordinates in his ears: "General!" "Lord Earl!" "Someone help! The General has fallen off his horse!"


    Following this, the three Suthers regiments, which had been holding on since the morning, copsedpletely after the General''s fall.


    When the army copsed like andslide, over three thousand Soldiers scattered, a thousand were captured, and almost all the cannons they owned became the spoils of war for Lord Earl and Tang Mo.


    As the night gradually fell, the task of clearing the battlefield was drawing to an end. With the battlefield finally falling silent, the crisis at Northern Ridge was essentially resolved after this battle.


    Sutherspletely lost the initiative in their strategy; their thirty thousand strong army within Leite Kingdom''s territory now faced the imminent danger of their supply lines being cut off by a Northern Ridge offensive at any moment.

 Chapter 111: 111 is still business

    Although Suthers had already lost the strategic initiative, they wouldn''t bepletely finished in a moment. The troops at the Northern Ridge had fought for several hours and didn''t fully pursue the copsing Suthers troops.


    After capturing about 300 prisoners, Earl Fisello rode his warhorse, inspecting the battlefield, and then he saw Tang Mo and others by a battery of cannons.


    It was the first artillery position Tang Mo had attacked, with 10 new cannons in good condition and fully equipped.


    Not only had Tang Mo seized these cannons, but he had also taken the horses that pulled the cannons and the carts that carried the shells.


    Fisello dismounted in front of Tang Mo with Alice following behind him, eyeing the bloodied Tang Mo curiously and somewhat worriedly.


    Approaching Tang Mo, Lord Earl didn''t waste words and directly spoke, "I''m truly surprised you coulde; your cavalry has been a great help to us. Now that the enemy forces have been crushed, I will immediately lead my troops south to support your new training camp!"


    "No need, Lord Earl," Tang Mo was forthright, sitting beside a cannon, rubbing the bloodstains from his clothes with his hands.


    "What do you mean?" Fisello was taken aback by Tang Mo''s response, thinking Tang Mo was here to seek reinforcements, to hurry back to the support at the three-forked junction.


    He had no idea that Tang Mo had already achieved a decisive victory at the three-forked junction and had even killed Suthers troops'' highestmanding officer.


    Of course, he was also unaware that Tang Mo had captured almost 1200 prisoners there, and together with these, Tang Mo had taken about 1500 Suthers prisoners in this battle.


    Seeing the somewhat astonished Fisello, Tang Mo waved to Alice behind Fisello and then continued exining, "Beforeing here, I had already defeated the Suthers troops marching north through the three-forked junction from the southeast."


    "You defeated them? The reinforcements?" Fisello looked at Tang Mo in disbelief, unsure if what he said was true.


    ording to his estimations, there should have been at least an entire legion of enemy troops near the three-forked junction. Defeating 1500 men with only 500 was certainly no easy task.


    Moreover, if there were other forces involved, Tang Mo would be facing an aggressive attack from nearly 3000 men. How could he possibly defeat an enemy force of 3000 with only 500 troops?


    But Tang Mo''s answer was still resolute like he was talking about something very ordinary, "Yes, Lord Earl, it seems the opposingmander was named Ti; I questioned the prisoners quickly for this information."


    An officer standing beside Fisello scoffed and reminded, "Ti is a famous general of Suthers! If he wasmanding, it''s unlikely there would be a copse¡­"


    He meant to caution Tang Mo against boasting, but Tang Mo seemed not the least bit afraid of being exposed and simply continued, "I wouldn''t know about that, I only know that I killed him. The prisoners say that the news of Ti''s death is urate, and I also found Ti''s ceremonial sword and battle g."


    The officer was even more surprised and eximed in disbelief, "Are you joking?"


    "I''m not joking, General! I crushed the enemy forces ambushing me, about 4000 men. Tagg can vouch for me," Tang Mo said, not requiring the officer to believe him; instead, he looked towards the Earl and spoke.


    "Tagg?" Fisello looked at Tagg trusting Tagg would not lie about such a matter.


    Meeting Earl Fisello''s gaze, Tagg said, "Yes! Lord Earl, we led our troops and defeated the enemy forces attacking the three-forked junction, including a legion led by Viscount Romel, and two legions led by General Ti, totaling 4500 men!"


    "Impossible!" Fisello couldn''t help but exim upon hearing this number.


    "There''s nothing impossible about it! I''ve fulfilled my promise, and I hope, Lord Earl, that you won''t go back on your word." Tang Mo was referring to his deserved "bonus" from the victory.


    Then, he paused before asking, "May I inquire, Lord Earl, if you would be interested in doing some business?"


    Earl Fisello had juste back to his senses from the shock when he heard Tang Mo''s question and reflexively asked, "What business?"


    "I have about 1500 prisoners from Suthers Kingdom in my hands; does Lord Earl have any interest in buying them all?" Tang Mo asked as he caressingly touched the cold barrel of the cannon beside him.


    "You know Northern Ridge is short of money," Lord Earl didn''t immediately refuse because for Northern Ridge, 1500 able-bodied youths were certainly an attractive asset.


    "Soon! War reparations will bring a fortune to Northern Ridge." Tang Mo reminded the Earl, making him recall that he was already wealthy.


    "You''re injured?" Finally, Alice had the chance to speak, looking at the dried blood on Tang Mo and asking with some concern.


    "It''s someone else''s blood, I''m fine," Tang Mo exined.


    "That''s good," Alice said, relieved, then continued, "So, tell me, how much for these prisoners."


    "Three Gold Coins per person isn''t expensive, right? 4500 Gold Coins..." Tang Mo stretched out a palm, "Including the officers, a round number of 5000! I want cash."


    "What do you think, how muchpensation can we be confident of getting this time?" Alice didn''t agree immediately but asked Tang Mo instead.


    "A reasonable price would be around 200,000 Gold Coins." Tang Mo had actually calcted this earlier; it was roughly the amount that the Suthers Kingdom could afford to pay after their defeat.


    Because of their defeat, the Suthers Kingdom had many affairs to handle, and to prevent the Leite Kingdom from bing too powerful, they couldn''tpletely destroy Suthers all at once.


    Therefore, war reparations wereplicated; more wasn''t always better. It also involved looking after many aspects and could essentially be seen as a business transaction.


    "So how much can we actually get?" Alice wasn''t intimidated by the amount of 200,000 and continued to inquire from Tang Mo.


    After careful thought, Tang Mo replied with a figure that even Count Fisheo found shocking, "About 300,000 Gold Coins, I guess."


    "That much?" The Earl asked unconsciously.


    "It''s not that much, because Suthers can''t pay it, so at least half of that amount is actually coughed up by the Shireck Consortium..." Tang Mo said nonchntly.


    see-more-MVLeMpYr


    If one just looked at the amount ofpensation, it didn''t seem high. Even a single sea trade venture by the Por Kingdom could yield a gross profit of several thousand Gold Coins.


    John had just purchased goods worth over a hundred thousand from Tang Mo, making the possible war reparations seem less significant.


    However, this was only part of the war profits. After the reparations, there would be a cession of territory, which was often the real big gain. So, 300,000 Gold Coins in reparations was actually not a small amount.


    He paused for a moment and somewhat sheepishly added, "Of course, one-tenth of these reparations is mine."


    "5000 Gold Coins don''t seem like much." Alice prepared to buy the prisoners of war to maximally increase Northern Ridge''sbor force: "I''ll make this deal."


    She now had many expansions that needed manpower, with mines requiring more workers and vast tracts ofnd needing cultivation.


    With these prisoners of war, she could at least solve her shortage of hands and rapidly boost Northern Ridge''s power relying on Tang Mo''s machinery.


    "The talk just now reminded me, besides these prisoners of war, there are some seized military supplies, including flintlock guns, bullets, bays, and even war gs and swords..." Tang Mo continued to ask, "Good items for iming credit, does Northern Ridge have any interest in buying some?"


    "You can sell these, too?" Tang Mo''s words left some of Northern Ridge''s officers and even Alice a bit astonished.


    "Of course, for example, that person just now, what''s his name, Ti." Tang Mo spread his hands out, "Isn''t he a famous general? His sword, selling it for 2000 Gold Coins, isn''t expensive, right?"


    In Tang Mo''s hands, this item was merely a toy, but in others'' hands, it would be an artifact to im military credit.


    Presumably, the exasperated King, upon seeing this sword, would be overjoyed, and granting a Baron''s title wouldn''t be too much, right?


    Of course, the person who could do this had to be someone favored by His Majesty. Neither Tang Mo nor Fisheo could hope to gain such benefits through such means.


    "These cannons..." Alice nced at the cannons that Tang Mo was touching and asked curiously, "Aren''t you selling them?"


    "I''ve been thinking about it, and since I am quite flush recently, I''ve decided to keep these cannons for myself," Tang Mo replied with a smile.


    He had originally nned to sell these cannons but then decided to recast them into C64 breechloaders before selling them.


    Right now, what hecked was steel and the capacity to process this steel, not money. From the perspective of Gold Coins, he could already be considered quite wealthy.


    The Earl hade back to reality from the joy of victory, looking at the distant Northern Ridge troops, he said to Tang Mo, "We can''t be careless now."


    "Yes, I was just thinking about that myself," Tang Mo nodded in agreement, "We''ve now cut off Suthers'' supply line."


    He looked at the Earl and presented his idea, "The Suthers troops will leave the vicinity of the King City, but not to retreat; instead, they n to consolidate their forces to take us out before continuing their march south to attack."


    "Your strategic analysis is quite urate," the Earlplimented Tang Mo, then continued, "So before they can recover, we need to sever their supply line, leaving the Suthers Kingdom''s troops paralyzed in the hearnd of the Leite Kingdom."


    "This is also the choice to ensure Northern Ridge''s safety," he concluded.

 Chapter 112: 112 virtue

    Tang Mo knew it was time to negotiate, "My troops need rest and resupply¡­"


    "You will be responsible for the north!" Knowing that Tang Mo deserved somepensation after the battle at the crossroads, the Earl was very generous with his promise.


    "I''m very grateful, Lord Earl," Tang Mo did not overreach his abilities, but immediately epted the generous favor.


    Actually, they were distributing the directions of the subsequent attacks: ording to Lord Earl''s n, the Northern Ridge Legion was to head south to block the retreating Suthers army, while Tang Mo led his army north to invade Suthers Kingdom.


    It was an interesting arrangement because the main forces of Suthers were almost entirely within Leite Kingdom, so the country was undoubtedly defenseless.


    With thebat power of Tang Mo''s troops, they were certainly unstoppable. Therefore, heading north was an easy task, and a lucrative one at that.


    With each town they captured, Tang Mo could seize some of the local reserves, including money, and other things¡ªby just taking a look in the nobility''s mansions, there were always plenty of surprises.


    "However, since Lord Earl is so generous, I can''t be too stingy, can I?" Tang Mo rubbed his hands together, chuckling, "What do you say? I want to present to you, with great emphasis, the new artillery that supported me in winning the battle at the crossroads¡­"


    Tang Mo was no fool. Although going north to attack Suthers was a profitable assignment, it also took courage to leave his rear to Fisheo.


    Once his troops prated deep into Suthers Kingdom and if Fisheo''s troops had any problems behind them, and Suthers'' reinforcing troops broke through, then Tang Mo would be enveloped by the Suthers army.


    Should such a situation arise, the tables wouldpletely turn: with an enormous supply train and innumerable seized goods and Gold Coins, Tang Mo''s troops would move slow and be caught in an encirclement, a truly desperate plight.


    So Tang Mo simply decided to go all in and sell the new artillery to Fisheo, giving him the capital to firmly hold the defensive line and cover Tang Mo''s retreat!


    Even, Tang Mo thought it might be a good idea to leave Tagg with Fisheo. With Tagg''s straightforward character, he would definitely not do anything to harm the interests of Great Tang Group.


    "I was curious, it seems you have new weapons again? Sell them to me? How much?" Fisheo Earl became excited at the mention of new weapons, bombarding with a flurry of questions.


    Tang Mo did not hide anything and promptly began introducing his artillery. His demeanor was absolutely professional to the utmost degree.


    When he learned that the price of a single artillery shell was so expensive it hurt, Fisheo started to take a keen interest in this costly artillery.


    He understood a simple truth: expensive things often have a reason to be expensive! If Tang Mo''s weapons were exorbitantly priced, that almost certainly meant they were incredibly powerful and capable of changing the course of war!


    After all, his army had already been extensively re-equipped with Tang Mo''s bolt-action rifles, and officers were also provided with revolvers, the power of these weapons was a tangible reality, undeniable.


    "No problem! I''ll take all 6 cannons!" As soon as Tang Mo finished introducing his C64 field guns, Fisheo Earl waved decisively, not even haggling over the price, and agreed at once: "And all of the shells!"


    He knew he was already a rich man¡ªwasn''t there still more than two hundred thousand in war reparations?


    However, he was unaware that nearly half of those hundreds of thousands in reparations had already found their way into Tang Mo''s pouch. After all, part of thatpensation was meant to repay the debts previously owed to Tang Mo.


    This included the credit purchase of over twenty steam engine setups, matching mining-specific tracks, mine carts, and the corresponding training fees for the personnel.


    Moreover, there were the design fees for Northern Ridge''s own bullet factory, the procurement costs for the bullet processing nt equipment, and the costs of workers'' learning and training.


    Now, this not yet receivedpensation expense was going to increase further with the addition of 6 advanced C64 field artillery howitzers, along with the necessary munition carriages for dragging, and the costs for procuring the corresponding ammunition.


    This is the arms dealer. The biggest benefactor in a war.


    Tang Mo was quite curious as to why Alice, who liked to bargain and stood by, allowed the Earl to make such generous purchases this time without saying a word to stop him.


    But then he set these minor details behind him as he had to return to his own troops to share the good news about the attack on Suthers Kingdom.


    "Alright, I need to go back now, after all, I cannot leave them for too long¡­" Thinking of this, Tang Mo paid his respects to the Earl, then prepared to turn and leave. Only then did he feel tired, after all, a day''s fierce battle was no easy matter.


    Wes nodded slightly to Fisheo and then followed Tang Mo towards the distant horses.


    "Lord Earl." Tagg did not immediately follow, but went up to Fisheo, his face flushed red.


    "Tagg? What''s the matter?" Fisheo saw his trusted lieutenant approach, smiling as he asked.


    Tagg carefully considered his words, then plucked up the courage to say, "I once swore loyalty to you¡­ I ought to devote my life to your service¡­"


    Hearing Tagg speak so suddenly, Fisheo''s brow furrowed, realizing that the trusted lieutenant standing in front of him was seemingly making a decision that would put him in a dilemma.


    So, he waved his hand to cut off Tagg''s words, and asked, "What exactly happened? Speak slowly, there''s no need to be so anxious."


    "It''s like this, my lord." Tagg took a deep breath and removed his military cap: "I hope you will allow me to retract my oath."


    He looked at Fisheo, who seemed somewhat astonished, and began to exin: "I am loyal to you, but Mr. Tang Mo''s courage has also inspired me. I cannot offer you my loyalty and work for Mr. Tang Mo at the same time. So please forgive my selfish decision."


    "I think I understand." Fisheo nodded, reaching out to pat Tagg on the shoulder: "Your character is like the brightest gem of the Northern Ridge, my old friend, Tagg."


    He nodded again: "I grant you permission to retract your oath, Tagg! And I have to say, Mr. Tang Mo is indeed a good choice."


    "I hope you can be a link between me and Mr. Tang Mo; please keep this in mind whether you work for me or him." After saying this, he let go of the hand resting on Tagg''s shoulder.


    "I... will." Tagg felt a wave of loss in his heart, but at the same time, he felt an immense sense of relief.


    After wrestling with the decision for several months, seeing Tang Mo silently take his life-risking advice and trulyunching a do-or-die charge, he finally made this decision.


    He nodded slightly to Fisheo, then dashed toward the distant Tang Mo.


    "Does he know some kind of magic... the sort that can clutch at one''s heart, taking it for his own?" Watching Tagg''s receding figure, looking even farther at Tang Mo''s silhouette, Fisheo asked with some loss: "Tagg too... and you..."


    Alice also looked at the distant young figure, uncertain if she was answering or just talking to herself: "Who knows..."


    ...


    In the distant Por Kingdom, at the port city of Seaton, within the huge castle belonging to the Augustin n, the guards, now with revolvers hanging at their waists, stood at attention and saluted the passing young man.


    "Father, the third steam engine has been assembled and tested; judging by the speed of the production line blueprint, we can start mass-producing Tang''s K1 Quick Guns next month."


    "That is indeed good news." Augustin Raitt Earl set down his pen and looked up with satisfaction at his son, John: "You did well, John, very well! These things will soon be the cornerstone of the rise of the Augustin Family, and you will be the most dazzling new star in the family."


    Influenced by the monsoon, John''s return to the Por Kingdom had actually been very fast, perfectly described by sailing smoothly with the wind.


    However, the season was wrong at this time, so forcefully returning to Brunas meant sailing against the wind, and much time would be wasted in transit. Thus, the 4 months he promised Tang Mo for the return to Brunas did not consist of a two-month journey each way.


    Because, when the battle at Northern Ridge broke out, John had already returned to the Por Kingdom for half a month. However, during that half-month, he was constantly assigned by his father to supervise the construction of the factory and did not organize the fleet for another long voyage.


    John, once again dressed in finery, gave his father a deep bow and said, "Thank you for your praise, Father."


    wee-to-NovelBin


    "I hear that the work attitude of that family is not bad?" Earl Lett waved his hand, indicating John should be at ease, and then continued to inquire.


    "Yes, the technical advisor from the Great Tang Group is very forting, earnestly nurturing the other workers without any reservations." John answered truthfully.


    "Not sure if he''s truly simple-minded or just feigning it," Earl Lett chuckled coldly: "Pay him double the sry! Find a way to keep him, let him forget that he''s a technical advisor! Make him work for us, here!"


    "Yes, Father." To John, this seemed like a trivial matter of no great consequence.


    "Now, let''s talk about the debt." Earl Lett was very pleased with his son''s efficiency and attitude, a smile appearing on his face.


    "On my honor and the family''s credit, I assured Mr. Tang that within 4 months, I would bring the remaining payment to Brunas. Father, I might bete," John said, clearly with some resentment.


    Earl Lett ignored his son''s subtleint and exined, "Yes, you are an honest child, John. However, the family is currently expanding the factories, recruiting workers; the fleet you sold also needs timely replenishment. Our finances are tight right now."


    "Father... what do you mean?" John asked cautiously.


    "I''m afraid I can''t arrange such arge sum of money within the time you promised," Earl Lett said with a smile, revealing his intentions.


    "Then, Father, how much can you give me?" John asked, somewhat unwilling to give in.


    "You still don''t understand, John... I''m not nning to spend another penny on a cost that doesn''t need to be paid." Earl Lett said with a scornful smile, giving a cruel answer.


    ----------


    Feeling unwell, the update iste, sorry to keep you waiting.

 Chapter 113: 113 Fence-sitting

    John looked somewhat diposed as he stepped forward and fixed his eyes on his father, asking, "I don''t understand, are you saying..."


    "To put it bluntly, I have no intention of paying off that debt! A hundred thousand Gold Coins is not a small sum, and I refuse to pay it." Lett was triumphant about his decision; he saw no need to waste a hundred thousand Gold Coins on a man who was on the brink of death.


    "But, Father! I promised Mr. Tang that within four months, I would make up the payment... almost a hundred thousand Gold Coins! It is not a small sum." John felt as if his own reputation had been tarnished.


    Lett snorted with disdain and then said, "Since when did our Augustin n start caring so much about ''promises''? Child, what we care about is always the benefit."


    "Rather than the short-term benefit gained from defaulting, Father, I see greater long-term benefit in cooperating with Mr. Tang." John reminded his father.


    He didn''t think Tang Mo was a simple character; how could a man who casually sold steam engines and breech-loading rifles be simple?


    Therefore, John preferred to maintain a friendly cooperative rtionship with Tang Mo rather than default on the debt; it was his most straightforward judgement.


    And he had never doubted his judgement because he had really met Tang Mo and knew what kind of person he was.


    To be frank, he didn''t think he had seen through Tang Mo, which is why he considered him a dangerous person. It wasn''t wise to antagonize a dangerous person, so he thought it best to persuade his father to pay up dutifully. read-more-on-NovelBin


    Earl Lett had been valuing his son John quite highly ofte, because John had brought back vital steam technology and breech-loading rifles to the Por Kingdom.


    For a Kingdom, these technologies are more important than Gold Coins. Thus, Earl Lett was willing to exin his thoughts to this son as a form of cultivation and trust.


    He stood up and walked over to John, exining, "ording to the intelligence we''ve gathered... the Shireck Consortium is preparing to make a move on Leite Kingdom. Trust me, child, your Mr. Tang will soon be crushed to dust by the Shireck Consortium! Do you think it''s appropriate to hand over the hundred thousand Gold Coins we''ve worked so hard for to the Shireck Consortium?"


    That was his significant reason for refusing to give Tang Mo another hundred thousand Gold Coins; he couldn''t possibly give the money to a dead man, or someone on their way to death.


    After all, it was a hundred thousand Gold Coins, not a trivial sum. If he kept that money, he could elerate the development of his factory by several folds.


    An early start for his factory would bring him immense profits, and also bring iparable political benefits.


    Compared to this, fulfilling an illusory promise clearlycked allure ¡ª Earl Lett had reason to believe that the money would be more useful in his own hands.


    "But you''ve seen Tang Mo''s new weapons yourself, he could very well win that war!" John still wanted to insist, because in his mind, that inscrutable young man always seemed very dangerous to him.


    This feeling came from instinct; every time John thought of those eyes, he felt as if he were a little mouse being stared at by some terrible beast ¡ª almost like being targeted by a venomous snake.


    "You''re right, so all we need to do is wait for the news, for a message of Shireck''s victory or defeat," Lett saidughingly to his son: "Child, waiting doesn''t cost a thing."


    "Are you saying that if Tang Mo wins, we''ll send him the money?" John felt as pure as a rabbit in front of his father, the old fox.


    "Money? What money? I have no intention of sending a hundred thousand Gold Coins his way," Earl Lettughed as he shook his head, picking up a tube from his desk and handing it to his son, "You will leave with this tomorrow and head for Brunas!"


    "What''s this?" John was taken aback before taking the tube from his father''s hand. He opened the somewhat tattered lid and pulled out a yellowed map.


    He unfolded the map and his eyes widened; he looked up at his father and said, "Father, this, this is... the nautical map of ck Dragon Ind!"


    "Correct, I cannot give you a hundred thousand Gold Coins because those funds are needed to expand and strengthen the Augustin Family." Earl Lett patted his son on the shoulder, "No money, but I can give him an ind."


    "Father, that ind is a disputed area... we and other countries..." John had started to feel that his own head was inadequate.


    In fact, the ind was not part of the Por Kingdom''s territory; it even had pirate settlements and rudimentary ports, so giving the ind to Tang Mo was essentially being generous with someone else''s resources.


    "I know, child, I know... But how could I possibly allow you to give away the territory of the Por Kingdom?" Earl Lett continued to exin.


    John held the map with a puzzled face, standing there unsure where to start. After a long hesitation, he finally spoke up and asked, "But, Father, how do you know for sure that he will ept this exchange?"


    "Because he has no choice," Earl Lett burst intoughter. "Because, my refusal to give money, and you going to him with this map... is an individual action."


    "Afterwards, I will announce that you have been expelled from the Augustin family due to defection." Lett pointed to the almost-signed document on the table and said to John, "Now, the choice is yours."


    "Aren''t you fond of this arms dealer named Tang Mo? Then I give you two choices. If you think he is worth the risk, then take this map and present ck Dragon Ind as your pledge of allegiance to him.


    Or you could choose to give up, and I''ll tear up this document right now, put away the map, and then forget that we owe someone 100,000 Gold Coins." Lett extended two fingers, presenting John with two distinct choices.


    "Why." John seemed to realize the reason for his father''s actions, but still wanted to ask and hear his father''s reply.


    "In fact, when I decided to withhold the money, I was considering many things, my child." Augustine Lett did not beat around the bush but exined directly to his son, "I am not certain... I want to withhold 100,000 Gold Coins, yet I fear making an enemy of a potential second Shireck rising in the future."


    "So, you''re betting on both sides?" John pinpointed the key issue.


    "The Augustin n has stood for a thousand years, what do you think that''s based on? We have always been betting on both sides, there is nothing shameful about it, my child." Lett chuckled dismissively, "This way, our family will always have someone on the side of the victor."


    "¡­" John fell silent because he too needed to make a choice, to ponder, to weigh his own answer.


    Staying in the Por Kingdom was obviously the mostfortable choice. He had just made a great contribution and could naturally feast on the fruits of his achievements for a while. No one would have an objection because the merits he had made were indeed too significant.


    However, the uneasiness prevented him from enjoying these rewards with peace of mind. The anxiety, like a thorn in his side, imposed a tangible, shadow-like pressure on John.


    "I can''t help you with this matter, only you have met that arms dealer, so only you know just how capable he truly is." Lett didn''t rush him but offeredfort instead, "Take your time to think. If it''s too difficult, go back and contemte it. You have two months to decide; there''s no need to hurry."


    "No need, I will prepare and set sail tomorrow." John looked up, meeting his father''s gaze, "Since I can''t fulfill the promise of bringing him 100,000 Gold Coins, I might at least secure something for him!"


    "Your kindness and reputation are your valuable assets... but trust me, sometimes, it is necessary to let things go, child." Lett patted John on the shoulder again, "Wishing you fair winds."


    "Rest assured! No matter which one of us ces the right bet, we can ensure the other''s safety. If this Mr. Tang loses, you can just bring him back to work for us. And if I lose, you will be able to preserve the Augustin family." Lett said as he walked back to his desk, picking up the pen and signing his name on the unsigned document.


    "I wonder if he''ll kick me into the sea to drown me since I''m not bringing the 100,000 Gold Coins," John said sardonically as he tucked the precious map back into the tube and secured the lid.


    Suddenly, as if he remembered something, he asked his father, "Is that all? What about the earldom I promised him?"


    "Are you stupid? Since I''ve maliciously withheld the 100,000 Gold Coins, why would I ask for an earldom for someone I''ve made an enemy of?" Earl Lett was amused by his son''s question, "Go on, get out! Hurry up and leave!"


    "Heh heh!" John chuckled, then took the tube and left his father''s office. The guards at the door still stood tall, with the revolver John had brought back from Brunas hanging at their waists.


    Meanwhile, in another corner of the world, in the King City of the Leite Kingdom, the hefty gate was slowly pushed open by the gatekeeping guards. A knight in armor, holding high the Northern Ridge Wolf Banner edged with white, charged into the streets crowded with refugees.


    The knight did not slow down, but galloped through the streets at full speed, shouting loudly, "Victory at Northern Ridge! Victory at Northern Ridge!"


    People crowded at the roadside, craning their necks to watch the knight gallop past them, watching his wolf banner fluttering in the wind.


    ----------


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 Chapter 114: All tricks

    "We''re back!" At the entrance of the Great Tang Group, where only the sign remained, an old worker who had followed the scout troops to the Northern Ridge excitedly raised his arms and shouted.


    Escorting a motley assortment of items, the scout troops returned out of the blue to the ce from which they had set out just over a dozen days ago.


    When they had departed, it was an imposing crowd,prising 360 musketeers from three infantrypanies, over 30 elite rangers led by Luff, more than a hundred temporary artillerymen, as well as over 40 cavalry under Tagg''smand. The team also included six C64-model field breech-loading cannons, and more than 40 corresponding carts.


    The return was likewise a long procession, but it was clear that most of the people had not returned to Brunas.


    The most numerous in this team were carts, one after another, as Tang Mo had brought back more than 130 captured warhorses and dozens of carts to his own base.


    There was no choice, in order to bring all 40 cannons back for recasting, Tang Mo had to bring back the corresponding carts as well.


    Of course, among the many carts were also the severely wounded, as well as the seized loot and prisoners, and the iron and copper mines that had been excavated and smelted by Northern Ridge these days.


    In short, what had set out as abat unit had now be a convoy transporting spoils of war on the return.


    The reason why only 40 cannons were sent back was mainly that Earl Fisello had purchased some Shireck field cannons and almost all of the munitions.


    He had never fought such avish battle before, and now his Northern Ridge Legion possessed 59 cannons, including six of the C64-model field breech-loading cannons.


    Such artillery was enough to chill any adversary, especially since, apart from the expensive breech-loading cannons, the munitions were also plentifully grim.


    With so many cannons, Fisello could hold the position more confidently, helping Tang Mo steady the rear, while Tang Mo himself could sweep northwards more courageously and boldly.


    At this very moment, the highest-ranking frontlinemander in the southern part of Suthers was still Tang Mo''s old acquaintance¡ªthe Viscount Romel who had fled in panic from under his very nose, sprinting back to his own country.


    Everyone who knew him was aware that he was little more than a buffoon... Well, such inept nobility was in fact quitemon in this world.


    Usually, everybody was a buffoon, simrly ipetent and unreliable, so it was not obvious, and thus life muddled along just the same.


    But now, when faced with a gifted neer as the adversary, it highlighted just how disappointingly inept these pitiful nobles really were.


    Viscount Romel had fled back home in a mad rush, and the first thing he did was to try to absolve himself of me, shifting all responsibility for the military defeat onto Ti, who would never be able to defend himself again.


    He first wrote a letter to the capital, exining to his king the process of the defeat: ming Ti''s greed for glory and reckless advancement, for not heeding his, Romel''s, advice, leading to the chaotic dispersal of the troops at the crossroads due to enemy cannon fire, which ultimately resulted in the loss.


    Then there was he, Viscount Romel, wise and valiant, who risked his life to bring back the defeated army, a silver lining in an unfortunate situation, barely managing to preserve the young blood of the kingdom.


    Truth be told, just reading the content of the letter almost moved Romel himself. Thus satisfied, he sent off the letter, then began to gather the scattered troops in a pretentious manner.


    What followed... was a p in the face.


    As he was gathering the broken troops, finally reaching a total of 1,000 men, they ran into a northbound unit of the Northern Ridge Troops.


    The troops of Suthers could not possibly have any cannons. They had abandoned their cannons on the run, which had be Tang Mo''s spoils of war.


    And Suthers Kingdom, which had initiated the attack on Leite Kingdom and been the first to advance southwards, could not possibly have left an artillery unit on their southern border.


    Thus Romel''s troops, devoid of cannons, were essentially "light infantry," most of them armed only with a Shireck flintlock gun, and many even without bullets.


    eads.


    It was an unavoidable situation¡ªon the run, anything that got in the way was discarded. Belts, gunpowder, bullets, bays¡ªanyone who still had such things on them at this point was, in Romel''s opinion, already the elite of the kingdom.


    And the northern-bound Northern Ridge Troops were equipped with needle guns, which in both range and uracy far surpassed the Suthers troops'' matchsticks.


    The result was that Romel''s troops, which he had painstakingly gathered, once again disintegrated upon contact, routed by more than 300 men from threepanies of the new recruits camp led by Tang Mo.


    In the wake of these routed soldiers, Tang Mo effortlessly captured two small towns, and even broke open the vault of a local nobility on the outskirts of the towns.


    Then came the truly exciting part¡ªTang Mo took the initiative, emting the story of the legendary bandit king by performing the ssic move of opening the granaries to distribute grain.


    After all, it wasn''t his own turf, so whether it gave him a headache or made him cough up blood, that was all Fisello''s problem to deal with, right? It had nothing to do with him, Tang Mo.


    So, he had his soldiers loudly proim that they fought for the freedom of the Northern Ridge, that farmers would only pay ten percent in taxes, and merchants would be charged a mere twenty percent¡ªshouting slogans that helped spread Fisello''s fame far and wide.


    Besides, he also revised thend deeds, distributing the noble''snd certificates to the local farmers, which directly caused massive chaos.


    Land can''t be moved after all, so there it was¡ªdivided! And the same went for the heaps of grain that the nobles couldn''t take with them; better to distribute generously among the locals rather than setting it aze.


    More ruthlessly, Tang Mo only wanted Gold Coins, and he went with the flow by distributing even the remaining items in the noble estates, like tables, chairs, benches, and condiments such as salt and vinegar.


    As a result, a vast number of locals, knowingly or unknowingly, followed behind Tang Mo''s troops. In just a few days, they swept through the southern part of Suthers Kingdom.


    The excited Tang Mo even recalled a godly show he had seen, and so he distributed the unneeded Shireck Flintlock Guns he had seized to these farmers... ''Gun in hand, follow me! Rob mansions, GO GO GO!''


    This cheeky tactic hit the Suthers Kingdom right where it hurt, and farmers who received grain andnd truly became the ''King of the Northern Ridge''s'' entourage.


    Based on the simple principle of ''he who feeds us is the good guy,'' they joined in the joyful party of ''zero-cost shopping'' at noble estates.


    Overnight, Suthers Kingdom''s nobility felt endangered and began to flee northward frantically, their flight causing even more local defense forces to copse.


    When Tang Mo was still over 100 kilometers away from the King City of Suthers Kingdom, wild rumors began spreading within the city, and even the forces defending it started to desert.


    The pandemonium served as a mighty blow to the Suthers Kingdom, prompting the King of Suthers, despite the repeated requests of the Shireck Consortium envoy, to hastily send out his own envoy bearing a white g to find Tang Mo leading the ''Brunas 300'' warriors.


    The envoy from Suthers didn''t even bother with trying to struggle, suggesting that as long as Tang Mo agreed to halt the zero-cost shopping spree with his 300 locust-like warriors, the Suthers Kingdom was willing to pay an immediate ransom of 63,100 Gold Coins...


    Why exactly 63,100 Gold Coins? That was because it was all the King and nobles within the King City could scrape together at the moment...


    Thus, the two parties happily reached a preliminary agreement: All of Tang Mo''s looted goods from the zero-cost shopping would be considered legitimate spoils of war, with no future ims from Suthers.


    Suthers would pay an additional 63,100 Gold Coins aspensation for the fatigue incurred by Tang Mo''s fresh troops. Plus, they would pay damages for those injured or killed during the campaign.


    Under the assurance that Suthers would not hold its civilians ountable for looting noble property, Tang Mo would cease providing cover and support for the civilians'' attacks on the nobility.


    Tang Mo''s troops would immediately withdraw to the south of the Crystal River, and Suthers promised to seriously consider ceding the territories south of the Crystal River to the Leite Kingdom in the negotiations for aprehensive end to the war.


    By that time, the situation within the Leite Kingdom had also seen a massive shift. The Suthers forces, having lost their logistical support and running out of both ammo and provisions,pletely abandoned the n to attack the King City of the Leite Kingdom and began a full retreat.


    Previously, the strategically encircled Suthers forces had not panicked, reallocating their troops in hopes of reopening their cut-off supply lines.


    But the Northern Ridge Legion thaty before them was like a nail hammered into ce, withstanding vicious attacks from the Suthers forces without budging an inch.


    Despite changingmanders three times and relentless assault by five legions, Fisello''s forces suffered no major casualties.


    The mere presence of 59 heavy artillery pieces was enough to bolster Fisello''s forces and give them an overwhelming edge in stymieing the Suthers forces'' breakout attempts.


    The ammunition for the Shireck field guns was practically ''infinite.'' What Fisello had stockpiled earlier, plus what was captured on the battlefield, was enough for the Northern Ridge Legion to waste for a good while.


    And the domestic news that finally seeped through the defenses sent the Suthers forces intoplete disarray as they experienced what ''besieged on all sides'' truly meant.


    The news brought word that the Leite forces had invaded deep into Suthers territory, causing havoc, looting, and arson; noble estates were up in mes, and the enemy''s strength was reported at a minimum of 8,000 men¡ªand not a single one less!


    This vague and unsettling news made the homesick Suthers forces utterly chaotic; the military hierarchy built by the nobility and their retainers lost all will to fight and began to worry about their own estates.


    What they didn''t know was that this so-called ''Great Northern Ridge Army'' of eight thousand was actually just a bunch of civilians role-ying zero-cost shopping with their Shireck Flintlock Guns.


    Hence, when the organized Suthers forces began retreating from the outskirts of the Leite King City, a sense of relief finally swept over the city.


    Unbeknownst to anyone, the young man who had stirred the pot was sitting atop a carriage roof at that very moment, a withered straw dangling from his mouth, grinning foolishly at the carts of Gold Coins trailing before him, heading for the Northern Ridge.

 Chapter 115: 115 Secret Factory

    "Mr. Roger!" Yulin pushed open Roger''s door and called softly, "Your lunch is ready."


    The young girl held a wooden tter, which bore another wooden dish, filled with some mushy food.


    Potatoes and vegetable leaves were mixed together, along with some dried fish, which didn''t look very appetizing, but it had the advantage of being nutritionally bnced.


    Roger took the tray from the girl and casually asked, "Have you remembered everything they teach at school? I heard you''ve started learning equations."


    Yulin showed a sweet smile and replied to Roger, "Mr. Roger, I am the ss president, after all. If I don''t get full marks in my courses, those little devils wouldugh at me."


    "Ha!" Roger nodded in satisfaction and then continued to inquire, "Is everything proceeding ording to the work ns Tang Mo set out before he left, following the victory at Northern Ridge?"


    The young girl immediately nodded, "Everything has already started. They are logging on arge scale in Vicious Forest, but winter ising very soon and it looks like the work will have to stop."


    In this era, that was the reality¡ªthe weather remained a major adversary to human activity; no one dared tounchrge-scale operations with the onset of winter, a dictate of the natural order.


    As for the current situation of Tang Mo or rather the Great Tang Group, if one were to describe it in a few words, they''d be: extremely wealthy, spending money like water.


    This was almost a syndrome known as "sudden wealth," typically a spree of frenzied, retaliatory consumption triggered by an unexpected fortune.


    The moment Tang Mo confirmed that Northern Ridge had secured victory in the war, he spent everyst bit of his remaining assetsvishly.


    Specific extravagance projects included his order to find a t piece ofnd within Vicious Forest, clear the area through logging, and n to establish a hidden secret factory.


    The reason for choosing this location was that with his increasing number of technologies and the expansion of factory scale, it was indeed necessary to develop a new factory area to sustain growth.


    Supporting this capricious decision to situate his own factory in such a forsaken ce as Vicious Forest was another main reason: Tang Mo was preparing to construct the first railway in this world right here.


    With tens or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins in hand, Tang Mo naturally nned to spend this wealth. Since he had to spend it, he must purchase arge number of items.


    Steel was the strategic resource he could assure in the short term and procure in the most significant quantity. Brunas and Northern Ridge, fortunately, did notck coal, making railway construction the obvious choice for Tang Mo.


    Firstly, the cooperation with Count Fisheo was very pleasant, and it was clear that Fisheo was a good candidate for continued long-term cooperation¡ªtherefore, Tang Mo intended to deepen the ties between them to facilitate future trade.


    Thus, the first railway in human history that would start from Brunas Port, pass through Vicious Forest, and finally connect to Northern Ridge Wolf City, was put on the construction agenda.


    However, constructing a railway was not easy. It necessitated terrain surveying, geological structure verification, and choosing the most cost-effective routes... all of these required time.


    Thus, a more reliable short-term n was proposed: to first build a new factory site in Vicious Forest, then connect the new and old factory areas by railway. discover m,v,l,e,m,p,y,r novels


    This n excelled in being both safe and cheap, and since the railway would be within thends already purchased by Tang Mo, there was a certain level of security and confidentiality.


    Shortening the distance by a significant portion also ensured that the difficulty and cost of building the railway stayed within an affordable range. In reality, Tang Mo indeed reduced the transportation distance between him and Northern Ridge.


    The new factory area was closer to Northern Ridge, so goods from there could be unloaded at the new site, greatly saving on transportation time and costs, while saving time for both sides.


    So, before Tang Mo left Brunas, he drafted some development ns to be implemented as soon as victory in the war was secured.


    The railway development n of Tang Mo was one among them.


    Speaking of railways, one cannot omit the issue of rail gauge, which is not a simple multiple-choice question. Broad gauge and narrow gauge each have their pros and cons; it''s not necessarily true that broad gauge is superior to narrow gauge.


    Narrow gauge has a clear advantage in terms of turning radius, as trains that use narrow gauge can navigate tighter turns.


    As narrow gauge requires less material, it is more cost-effective, especially suitable for the economically struggling Tang Mo during the initial development. Additionally, narrow gauge railways have a cost advantage when building railway bridges and tunnelster on.


    Yet, with all these benefits of narrow gauge, why do some countries opt for broad gauge? Because broad gauge has a more apparent advantage in terms of capacity. Wider tracks naturally support wider carriages, which also trantes to a morefortable ride for passengers in civilian transport.


    From this aspect, it can be seen that the broad gauge actually has greater advantages on vast ins, permafrost, and straight roads. On these terrains, the strong advantages of the broad gauge are infinitely magnified, while its disadvantages, such as arger turning radius and more expensive bridges and tunnels, are almost concealed.


    Of course, Tang Mo built railways with the hope that his railway standards could be used continuously. Therefore, these standards must take other terrains into consideration as much as possible.


    That is to say, Tang Mo had to consider issues such as bridges and tunnels to the greatest extent, so he couldn''t opt for a two-meter broad gauge to demonstrate his "foresight."


    Tang Mo needed to consider these advantages and disadvantages, so blindly choosing broad gauge was not wise for him. The most important thing was¡ªthe cost of the first railway built by humans had to be kept within a reasonable range.


    After all, although he was now wealthy, he was not yet at the point where he could splurge at will¡ªunder these circumstances, blindly building a costly broad gauge railway was obviously too crazy.


    Therefore, Tang Mo tended to choose the standard rail gauge¡ªthe rail gauge used by Huaxia! At least, this gauge had shown strong adaptability across 9.6 million square kilometers of vastnd, including mountains, rivers, teaus, and basins!


    When ites to infrastructure construction, if one is unable to decide, one naturally asks the infrastructure fanatic! After all, any idea that has been vetted by the infrastructure fanatic can be put to use directly...


    Thus, in the other world, the first railway track was not a narrow gauge but a standard gauge, drawing on the experience of a distant and ancient nation that did not exist in this other world...


    Besides starting to build new factory areas and clearing a dedicated railway, Tang Mo''s third expansion n was to build his own private harbor on the other side of Brunas!


    After all, he was now a merchant with a fleet, and naturally, he also had to engage in maritime transport and trade.


    Moreover, he did not want to be restricted by the narrow harbor size of Brunas in the future when purchasing overseas steel, oil, and other materials, so he decided to build a harbor in advance to facilitate expansion or integrationter.


    Consequently, a brand-new harbor began to be built, and this time the construction became quite different from that of previous harbors.


    First of all, Tang Mo began to use cement on arge scale to build his new harbor to ensure its solidity.


    One has to admit, Brunas is a natural good harbor, deep and free of ice, and not far away there are even hignds suitable for the construction of battery instations. The only thing that held back its development was arger port to the south that had developed earlier.


    The Leite Kingdom did not value maritime trade, sopared to others, the construction of the harbor at Brunas was not prioritized, and since local procurement never increased significantly, it naturally did not generate substantial trade. Since ships did not frequentlye here, the harbor could not growrge in scale.


    This was a vicious cycle, and in some sense, Tang Mo''s arrival broke this trade cycle.


    The quantity and total volume of items he needed were simply too great¡ªsteel, which a country might not consume much, Tang Mo was now ready toy directly on the ground.


    The purchase list of the Great Tang Group included pig bristles, leather, steel, brass, lime, gunpowder, and various chemicals.


    The reason why they did not purchase grain was that Northern Ridge had stockpiled quite a bit of itst year, which could supply Brunas for the time being. But if Tang Mo''s factories continued to develop, purchasing grain, meat, and horses was just a matter of time.


    To facilitate future development, Tang Mo even requested merchants to bring soil samples and seeds from various ces for him, and he also bought books from various countries at a high price, including novels, travel logs, and poetry anthologies.


    In the territory that Tang Mo had bought, hardworking workers had also started to farm. Although it was doomed to yield little profit, it gave the ce a lively appearance.


    In short, Tang Mo had not yet returned to Brunas, and during the month he was away, the development of Brunas did notg at all.


    Mathews and Parker, the two men in charge of the factory, had expanded the entire factory area to an extent that was previously unimaginable.


    Now, the Great Tang Group already had more than a dozen factory buildings, dozens of steam engines, and half the factory buildings were equipped with electric machines.


    What''s more interesting is that after the steam engines were put into production, another difficult problem that gued the Great Tang Group was unexpectedly solved¡ªheating!


    Those factory buildings, which were constructed in a rush to push forpletion, actually had very poor instion. ording to previous estimates, these factory buildings would have been unusable after the onset of winter.


    But now, after Mathews, Roger, and others tackled the problem ording to Tang Mo''s blueprints and produced equipment for pipe processing, the cooling waste water from the steam engines found a good use.


    Hot water flowed through these pipes, heating the entire factory like a giant furnace. After temporarily thickening some of the surrounding walls, the factory buildings were able to continue operating in winter without any issues.

 Chapter 116: What should we do with 116?

    These thin iron pipes became the most popr item within the entire Great Tang Group, who would have thought there would be such a benefit from living in the collective dormitories provided by the factory?


    Basically, dormitories right next to the factory buildings, with some pipes connected, solved the problem of getting through the winter, to the workers'' amazement, it was incredibly unbelievable.


    Although only a section of the dormitory had the experimental heating installed, these recruited workers and their families saw hope for life.


    In the past, even in the Northern Ridge, their lives were dull, decadent, and hopeless. They never dared to dream that their days could get better and better, they just barely scraped by, living each day as ites.


    Now, they were ruthlessly exploited by Tang Mo, working over 12 hours a day on heavy tasks, yet they were surprised to find that their lives were filled with hope.


    The small shops within Tang Mo''s factory area were doing brisk business, where you could almost find anything that was sold in Brunas Market.


    Even though the prices were slightly higher, they saved a considerable amount of time, which allowed them to enjoy their daily lives.


    This could be clearly seen on the faces of the increasingly numerous pregnant women walking slowly along the small paths within the factory area, with big smiles on their faces.


    For double ie families working at Tang Mo''s, their earnings in this era were already frighteningly high. Therefore, they did not mind raising their level of consumption a little, purchasing some necessities to improve their lives.


    The woodworking workshop Tang Mo had previously set up for producing nks and gunstocks was still bustling with business. People ced orders here for furniture, and without affecting the production of firearms, it brought Tang Mo an additional ie.


    ording to Tang Mo''s own experience, capitalists of the twenty-first century would cry if they saw him now. He was almost like a ve owner, the kind who deserved to be overthrown by a revolution...


    However, in thispletely different world, he was seen as a good person by these workers, the kind who after death must have a divine position, be worshipped generation after generation, and could absorb the power of faith to be the world''s main god.


    In fact, the production workshop for sheet metal and pipes was not intended for the manufacturing of heating pipes; it was one of the supply workshops reserved for creating parts for steam train engines.


    Nevertheless, people were still looking forward to it, waiting for Tang Mo to return to Brunas, bringing back the joys of victory, the promise of widespread heating, and more good news.


    This was life, the life that a group of simple workers longed for.


    "Tell me, how is the constion work going for the few people who died in action?" Roger walked back to his desk, took a candy from the drawer, and handed it to Yulin.


    The little girl, with her clean washed hands, took the candy and put it in her pocket, then said, "There aren''t any children in my ss who lost their fathers in action, but two have fathers who were injured."


    Among the hunters who came from the Northern Ridge, not many had families. Some were bachelors, some had their families back in the Northern Ridge, and the number of casualties was already low, so the atmosphere of sorrow did not spread in the Great Tang Group.


    On the contrary, nearly everyone was inspired by the joy of victory.


    Yulin got a bit excited as she spoke about this, "I heard the distribution of the constion money went very smoothly. The two children whose fathers were injured at home recently bought new shoes."


    The private military of the Great Tang Group was well paid, which was an open secret. As long as one was willing to work for Master Tang Mo, the substantial benefits were well-known.


    In regr training and drills, these private soldiers were getting subsidies like soft hands, and even more so during live hunts andbat exercises where they received double allowances.


    They were full-time professionals with promotion opportunities; what made people even more envious was that they could also receive generous constion money in case of injury or death.


    Yes, envious of death! Human life wasn''t worth much these days, and if one could exchange a wretched life for a substantial and assured constion payment, many were actually willing.


    "I heard each injured person got 10 Gold Coins... Without losing a single finger, they get 10 Gold Coins, they''re overjoyed," said Yulin, still quite concerned about the Gold Coinsing from Tang Mo''s pockets. She spoke as if the Gold Coins were her own.


    Rogerughed heartily,tely the amount of Gold Coins that left his hands was simply too many, to the point that he became almost numb to it.


    In the past, when he started a business with Tang Qi, he never dared to imagine that one day he would sit in an office and sign off on a 500 Gold Coin expense sheet without even looking up.


    He was even on the cautious side, because over at Mathews'' end, Tang Mo simply approved various experimental projects worth 7000 Gold Coins with a big wave of his hand.


    In less than a year, who could have imagined the world changing this fast? Who could have imagined a war would break out so swiftly? Who could have imagined the war would end so quickly?


    Who would have thought a small, inconspicuous harbor in Brunas would give birth to a Great Tang Group that surpassed any workshop in scale?


    And who could have imagined that the new weapons produced by the group would beat an opponent using ten times as many Shireck Flintlock Guns?


    Who would have thought that the Vicious Forest, once gued by bandits, would gradually be peaceful, to the point where travelers didn''t even want to hire guards anymore?


    Who could have guessed that those Ranger mercenaries, having lost their guard work, now had new employment, carrying their Shireck Flintlock Guns and singing songs of victory as they returned to Northern Ridge from the southern part of Suthers?


    Who would have thought that the first railway sleeper of the human world''s first railroad had beenid down before the war had fully ended?


    And who could have imagined that a madman was about to pave a road with steel, a road that would tightly unite the human world?


    Who would have thought that Suthers Kingdom, the instigator of the war, would be utterly defeated, so much so that they were left in utter disarray in the southern part of their Kingdom, with the sound of Shireck Flintlock Guns everywhere?


    And who could have imagined that this terrible chaos was inspired by a stale joke about killing a man and a movie full of surprises?


    Who... could have imagined... that the ones leaving behind this mess were a non-existent Northern Ridge Troops, with mere three hundred in number.


    It must be said that Leite Kingdom''s year 113 was truly spectacr.


    ...


    "Crash!" A brand-new ss was smashed onto the floor, making a crisp sound. The King of Leite Kingdom, Leite VII, had a pale face, unable to conceal his resentment.


    The ministers standing before him also had ghastly expressions, as they had just received a piece of news that embarrassed them to the utmost.


    Suthers Kingdom had refused to negotiate with Leite Kingdom, choosing instead to make Earl Ronin Fisallo of Northern Ridge the object of their negotiations.


    This was almost like a unteral recognition of Earl Fisallo''s independent diplomatic rights, nearly amounting to an acknowledgment that Northern Ridge as an independent nation.


    Although they knew it was likely a scheme by Suthers to sow discord, Leite Kingdom''s upper and lower echelons were still intensely provoked by this contempt and mockery, sharply stinging their already fragile pride.


    What they didn''t know was that Suthers Kingdom had no choice in the matter, as the southern part of their nation was inplete turmoil, and if they did not negotiate with Tang Mo soon, there might not be a need to negotiate at all.


    In such a scenario, the natural course of action was to first set conditions, make promises, then get that damned Tang Mo and his damned "Brunas Three Hundred Brave Warriors" to quickly get lost.


    Thepensation was given to Northern Ridge, and the cease-fire agreement was also signed with the front-line generals of Northern Ridge, why then go to Leite Kingdom for negotiations and pay an additional expense?


    Suthers, which had gone crazy with poverty and had been reduced to tears by defeat, was finally showing the cunning and deceptiveness of a nation once again.


    They directly handed over the war reparations to Earl Fisello, who, out of spite, remained silent about the matter.


    There was no choice... he had to remain silent, because his beloved daughter had already spent the reparations, and he couldn''t even share some of it with his own King, even if he wanted to.


    Due to a series of unfortunate events, the upper echelons of Leite Kingdom had toe to terms with the fact that their previous calctions might have angered the master of Wolf City...


    The problem now was... what to do?


    The Northern Ridge Legion, which Suthers'' tens of thousands of troops couldn''t defeat and could only beg for peace, was right there; which deity from Leite Kingdom dared to provoke them?


    Fighting was definitely out of the question; sending more troops to be ughtered was something only fools would do. Thus, even though he had just smashed a ss to vent, Leite VII soon regained hisposure.


    He nced at his subordinates, asking somewhat awkwardly, "So, now, what do we do?"


    Under normal circumstances, the generals would stay silent, looking down at their shoes or up at the sky¡ªthis was customary, so no one expected them toe up with any earth-shattering insights.


    In fact, everyone feared that, at this moment, some foolhardy young blood would stand up and shout some lunacy about being willing to die for His Majesty, making the atmosphere unbearably awkward.


    So, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Leite Kingdom quickly stood up and responded to his master''s query, "Your Majesty, at this time... we must still maintain restraint."


    This was a very tactfully formted response, which essentially amounted to saying nothing at all. A king who could ask what to do was obviously already exercising restraint.


    The Prime Minister knew it was his turn to step forward, so he quickly joined in the performance, suggesting, "We can send an envoy to console Earl Ronin Fisallo and hear what he thinks."


    This was more or less the opinion the King wanted to hear.

 Chapter 117: Who benefits from 117

    In fact, under the current circumstances, the first thing the kingdom must avoid is being bitten back by the troops of the Northern Ridge.


    Now, having defeated tens of thousands of Suthers troops, if the Northern Ridge wants to march south to use King City, it would be a matter of mere contemtion. At that time, what would the kingdom have to resist this rebellious Northern Ridge Legion?


    Bear in mind, the kingdom is the one at fault first, withholding and adulterating the Northern Ridge''s armaments, let alone allowing Suthers troops to assemble at the border while feigning ignorance.


    Given such a premise, all it would take for Count Fisheo to incite the troops against the kingdom is to spread enmity within the Northern Ridge military, making it all too easy for his forces to seek justice.


    Previously, the kingdom was unfazed by such possibilities, not believing the Northern Ridge Legion capable of rebellion.


    But now, with the kingdom''s military suffering heavy losses and the Northern Ridge Legion disying unprecedented aggression, the problem has be serious.


    You see, in the eyes of the King of the Leite Kingdom, rebellion is not the worst thing; an insurrection that cannot be quelled is.


    And for this reason, the Prime Minister''s suggestion to send an envoy to console Ronin Fisallo and hear his thoughts was nothing more than a euphemism for letting Count Fisheo state his demands.


    Essentially, this meant: find a scapegoat, hurry to the Northern Ridge, give Fisheo whatever he wants, and don''t let him flip the table in a rage... then, after things settle down, everyone returns to the table to continue ying.


    So, upon hearing the Prime Minister''s suggestion, the pleased King immediately looked towards a chubby minister standing in the corner.


    The kingdom''s Minister of Construction, Baus, was sixty-two years old, virtually invisible in his usual role, nothing more than a benign figure.


    His position owed mainly to having a good father who secured him an earldom just before passing away.


    Thus, at forty, Baus had be the kingdom''s Minister of Construction, always a mascot-like figure in court.


    Seeing King Leite VII turn to him, Baus was visibly panicked, not wanting to run such an errand at this time and could only nce helplessly at the Minister of Works beside him.


    But the Minister of Works looked away innocently, seemingly unwilling to involve himself in this mess. So, the unfortunate Baus turned his gaze elsewhere.


    Just as he racked his brains to find someone to help, the King''s voice rang out, "Baus! Always loafing around, now I''m giving you a task! Go to the Northern Ridge yourself, ask Fisheo what he thinks of the current situation."


    "But, Your Majesty, I have not been feeling welltely, perhaps... perhaps..." Baus hastened to decline, waving his hands to suggest it would be better to choose someone else given his ''severe illness''.


    "Shut up!" snapped King Leite VII grimly, finalizing the decision, "It''ll be you! Don''t mess this up! Or else I''ll stew your two hundred pounds of fat!"


    "Yes, yes!" Baus quickly bowed his head, sighing as he pulled out a handkerchief to mop the sweat on his forehead¡ªhis good days were over, and this trip to the Northern Ridge was most likely doomed.


    ¡­


    "What''s your view on the current situation?" Seeing Tang Mo again, Ronin Fisallo had noticeably perked up.


    Although only in his forties, he had previously seemed like a weary old man. Now, he appeared considerably younger.


    "What view could I have? If you, Lord Earl, deign to pay me what you owe, I might survive this cold winter," Tang Mo picked up a document from the table, ncing at it casually, "They left all the plundered items for you?"


    "Mmm-hmm," a smile spread across Fisheo''s face: "Not less than what you seized, except these things represent the blood, sweat, and tears of the Leite Kingdom''s people."


    "So, do you n to return all this blood money?" Tang Mo put down the document, truly surprised at the windfall from blocking the Suthers troops hastily returning to theirnd.


    These unwilling Suthers soldiers had paid a hefty ransom and, through a deliberate gap allowed by Count Fisheo, had fled back home in disarray.


    Now, these Suthers troops had to suppress the widespread and fiery peasant uprisings in the kingdom''s southern region and retrieve the valuable items lost in the chaos.


    "Let''s talk about your views on the current situation," diverted Fisheo, clearly not feeling the need to return this windfall to the treacherous king.


    "Not much to talk about, I have already brought you the rough draft of the agreement, which you probably read a few days ago," Tang Mo scattered the document back on the Earl''s table, spreading his hands nonchntly.


    "All the spoils of your looting are legal war booty, and Suthers may not seek restitutionter. This use is specifically for you, and it has nothing to do with me," Fisheo recited the agreement that Tang Mo and the Suthers had unterally signed.


    "Suthers has agreed to pay an additional 63,100 Gold Coins to cover the travel expenses of your new recruits. They must also providepensation to those who were injured or killed in this operation." He didn''t wait for Tang Mo to speak before continuing, "This is also yours!"


    "Under the condition that Suthers guarantees not to pursue its civilians for seizing nobility properties, support for civilian attacks on the nobility is to cease. This use is still targeting you, but in reading between the lines, it seems you''ve set quite a deep trap for Suthers." Fisheo continued, looking at Tang Mo, finding the young man in front of him almost infuriatingly clever.


    "Your troops must immediately retreat south of the Ice Crystal River, and on Suthers'' side, they have promised to seriously consider ceding the territories south of the Ice Crystal River to the Leite Kingdom during the negotiations to end the warpletely." Finally, Fisheo mentioned thest of the uses: "This is the only one thates with some benefits for Northern Ridge."


    "You see, I haven''t forgotten about you, right?" Tang Mo smiled, his look begging for some praise.


    "Isn''t the area south of the Ice Crystal River a bit too small?" Fisheo looked at Tang Mo with some skepticism and asked.


    "If I said Dunst River, do you think... Suthers would give it?" Tang Mo asked with a smile in response to Lord Earl.


    Compared to the Ice Crystal River, the Dunst River is only a little more than a hundred kilometers away from the King City of the Suthers Kingdom; nobody would agree to such terms.


    This would greatly increase the difficulty of negotiations, and Tang Mo, more than anyone, understood that with only 300 soldiers, a bit of bluffing was no issue, but if he really hardened the enemy''s resolve to fight to the death, the inadequacy of his forces would be immediately exposed.


    eads.


    "Moreover, even if they did give you the territory south of the Dunst River, could you defend it?" Tang Mo didn''t wait for Fisheo to answer, continuing his questioning.


    At this point, Fisheo''s face turned red with embarrassment¡ªhe only had 1,500 soldiers under hismand, and now it was clear that number was too few.


    While his policy of quality over quantity gave him a training advantage and reduced the maintenance cost of his troops, during wartime, such a small number of soldiers was obviously insufficient.


    Furthermore, now he had more locations to guard, and indeed, the pressure of being spread too thin was mounting on him.


    "Listen to me, expand your military! At the very least, maintain a force of 4,500, the size of three legions." Tang Mo held up three fingers as he spoke with feigned solemnity.


    "Expand by three times all at once?" Fisheo was startled by the number.


    "That''s not too much, four might be even better," Tang Mo smiled as he continued to up the ante.


    "You''re not suggesting this just because you want to sell more weapons to me, are you?" Fisheo eyed Tang Mo suspiciously.


    "How could that be?" Tang Mo asserted with feigned righteousness, "I''m discussing this purely based on the facts."


    He went on to exin, "Firstly, you need to maintain absolute safety on the Ice Crystal River defense line. Stationing 1,500 men, the standing force of one legion, isn''t too much, right?"


    When it came to this, Fisheo seemed quite professional, thinking carefully and realizing that what Tang Mo said did make sense.


    "In addition, you need to deploy a new force in the southeastern direction of Northern Ridge, whose functions include warding off any foolish attempts from the Leite Kingdom and reminding the Leite Kingdom not to forget to fund Northern Ridge." Tang Mo continued to speak with a smile.


    After he finished speaking, he paused and then went on, "Moreover, you need to maintain a force in Wolf City to keep order and ensure its safety, ready to support the troops in both directions at any time."


    "What you''re saying makes a lot of sense," Fisheo nodded and said, "So I end up winning the war, but have to expand the military and buy more weapons... you be the biggest winner."


    "You could also equip your troops with sticks and hoes if you prefer, as they''re cheaper," Tang Mo coldly offered another suggestion with a scoff.


    "So, you''re saying you won''t let go of the money I''ve just acquired from the Suthers troops'' looting in the Central Region of the kingdom?" Fisheo said with a wry smile, "And here I was thinking I''d made a small fortune."


    "You''re about to make arge fortune soon, this is news from three days ago." Tang Mo pulled a piece of paper from his pocket with only one line of small print: "The Minister of Construction is ordered to head to Northern Ridge."


    "How is this news already here?" Fisheo was shocked by the content on the paper, his eyes widening as he looked at Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo shrugged and said something seemingly out of the blue, "Ten thousand Gold Coins are not spent in vain, Lord Earl. Sometimes, throwing money around yields returns... wouldn''t you agree?"


    He ced the piece of paper on Lord Earl''s desk: "You might as well think about how many C64 field guns to equip your three legions with."

 Chapter 118: 118 Expansion Plan

    Siler Fox Tavern proved through their actions that Tang Mo''s money was well-spent; they efficiently gathered first-hand intelligence and delivered it to Tang Mo with the utmost speed.


    A Ranger, spurring his horse, galloped from King City to Brunas. Another man resembling a mercenary went without sleep for two days, changed his mounts twice, and managed to find Tang Mo amid the chaotic warzone.


    However, the intelligence this time wasn''t particrly significant, but it served to demonstrate that Tang Mo''s intelligencework had begun to take preliminary shape.


    With such an informationwork, Tang Mo was no longer blind. He could analyze the intelligence in his hands and manage the situation he faced with greaterposure.


    Naturally, Count Fisheo didn''t know that Tang Mo had established such an extensive intelligencework so quickly. He just felt that Tang Mo seemed even more suspicious than before.


    On the other hand, he was indeed persuaded by Tang Mo. Since he needed to supervise more territory than before, he began to consider Tang Mo''s proposal seriously after Tang Mo left.


    The Northern Ridge had previously been sparsely popted and not densely inhabited, so maintaining a military force of 1,500 troops had been barely sufficient.


    At that time, Earl Fisello hadn''t expected that the Kingdom wouldn''t provide him with strong support, so he believed that if war broke out, he would have reinforcements from the Leite Kingdom behind him.


    But now, it seemed as if that tacit understanding had been broken, and with the Leite Kingdom failing to provide support, Fisheo finally resolved to expand his army.


    However, Fisheo was unsure whether it was appropriate to follow Tang Mo''s advice to expand by adding three legions, providing Northern Ridge with a total military force of four legions.


    He was aware that after securing the regions south of the Crystal River, the poption under his control had, in essence, quadrupled, and under such circumstances, it was a legitimate move for him to expand his army.


    "He just left like that?" Alice walked in shortly after Tang Mo''s departure, her dissatisfaction evident as she tossed something onto the table and asked.


    "He left, and he really went back to Brunas. His troops didn''t stop, and he only came here temporarily to discuss some matters with me," answered Fisheo, feeling annoyed as if someone had stolen his treasure.


    Alice sighed and then adjusted her mood before speaking, "The handover at the Crystal River has been aplete mess... Many of the nobility''s estates are deserted, and officials from every town have fled without a trace."


    "How is it? Feeling pressured?" asked Fisheo, a bit concerned: "Acquiring so muchnd all at once can be overwhelming, can''t it?"


    "It is a bit much; we''re short-staffed and weren''t prepared to take on so muchnd. But if we bite the bullet, we can still manage," said Alice wearily: "If he was willing to stay, it might have been easier on us."


    "That guy isn''t willing to help; in fact, our rtionship is merely cooperative, not one of subordination, so stop thinking of relying on him," Fisheo reminded with annoyance: "He even lured away my most trusted officer!"


    After saying this, he remembered what Tang Mo had told him and continued, "Alice, have you calcted how much funds we''ll have left after this war?"


    "What for?" Alice furrowed her beautiful brows as she looked at her father: "What''s he nning to sell us now?"


    "He suggested I expand the army. The fact is, relying on just 1,500 men, we can''t control such a vast territory," exined Fisheo.


    Alice nodded in agreement with the n: "That''s true. We should expand the military because, after this war, we''vepletely fallen out with both the Suthers and Leite Kingdoms."


    "And that includes Shireck!" Fisheo added: "Actually, we''ve also made an enemy of Shireck, we must share some of the burden, to help that guy..."


    "How much did he suggest you expand by?" Alice asked for Tang Mo''s opinion first, feeling that his advice should be considered in this matter.


    "4,500 men, three legions," Fisheo replied.


    "That''s too many!" Alice immediately shook her head in rejection of the proposal: "Father, although we''ve been quite wealthytely, maintaining four legions is very expensive, we need industries to support these troops before we can confidently expand them so much!"


    "He advised me to expand by at least two legions, 3,000 men," Fisheo said, stating Tang Mo''s initial suggestion.


    Alice fell into thought and finally came up with apromise: "Well... actually, we don''t need to expand by 3,000 all at once. We could start by adding 1,500 men, and once they start training, we can enlist another 1,500."


    She was in charge of Northern Ridge''s financials and was well-versed in such matters. To increase the total number of troops, one needed to not only grow the poption but also increase the revenue from the territories.


    Only with sufficient money and poption could they support a military force of adequate size; this was a sustainable and positive cycle. Otherwise, conscripting arge number of soldiers would only lead to a disaster of one''s own making.


    "From the Kingdom, the person they sent is Baus, Minister of Construction," Fisheo eventually brought up the intelligence Tang Mo had deliberately shown him.  now.


    "Baus? The King sent such an inconspicuous man to us... and you knew about this?" Alice looked at Fisheo, somewhat surprised, as if she was trying hard to recall any familiar faces in her father''s circle at King City.


    Fisheo didn''t conceal the truth and stated directly, "This is the intelligence Tang Mo obtained... Thisd doesn''t seem as straightforward as he appears, he has an independentwork of informants... better than mine."


    "So we''ve chosen the right ally, haven''t we?" Alice smiled knowingly, looking at her father, not sure whether she was boasting about her own foresight or genuinely joking.


    With a helpless sigh about his daughter''s attitude, Fisheo continued to ask, "With Bausing here, what should we demand?"


    Feeling somewhat tired from chasing Tang Mo back from Ice Crystal River, Alice stretchedzily and asked in return, "Didn''t Tang Mo already agree on everything with you?"


    "He didn''t say anything..." Fisheo paused, then told Alice immediately.


    Alice waved her hand and reminded Fisheo, "The agreement he reached with Suthers was clear. We want the authority to expand our forces, thend south of Ice Crystal River... and also, a marquisate!"


    Hearing what Alice said, Fisheo was taken aback and immediately shook his head, "What a joke, His Majesty would never promote me to marquis... If I be the only marquis within the kingdom..."


    "Father, it''s only our asking price; how much they give is up to their counteroffer," Alice quipped with a smile blooming like a flower.


    ...


    At Leite Kingdom, King City, inside the estate of Shireck Consortium, a subordinate, looking dejected, asked, "My lord! What should we do about the situation in Brunas..."


    Gis, irritated, waved his hand dismissively, shelving his ns for Brunas, "Put that aside for now! Haven''t you noticed the mess we''re already in? Dammit! How did I end up with such a bunch of idiots who can''t see what''s happening?"


    He had indeed been rattled recently, as the operation he nned against Northern Ridge seemed to have utterly failed.


    Gis threw a letter from Suthers into the fire basin, clenched his teeth and said, "We can''t let Suthers Kingdom fallpletely, that benefits no one! If things turn severe, our influence in other countries will be affected."


    "So, my lord, what shall we do?" another subordinate asked submissively, bowing his head.


    "Find a way to stop this farce! No matter what conditions Northern Ridge proposes, make Leite Kingdom hold their noses and agree for now!" Gismanded coldly, "Suthers... is not our concern!"


    "But the person in charge in Suthers..." the subordinate who spoke first immediately asked.


    Gis, watching the mes in the fire basin, ordered, "Push the me to the leaders of Suthers Kingdom! After all, it''s them who lost the battle, someone has to take the fall, don''t they?"


    "But, my lord, rumors of Northern Ridge being armed with arge amount of new weaponry are widespread among Suthers'' routed soldiers," the subordinate quickly pointed out, "We have interrogated many of them, and their testimony is remarkably consistent."


    The news was out and could not be concealed anymore; thousands had seen Northern Ridge''s new weapons, and even General Ti was killed ¡ª there was no covering it up anymore, nor was there any need to.


    "They all confirmed that at the fork in Northern Ridge, there emerged a force not belonging to Northern Ridge, d in grey-green overcoats, wielding new weapons, and using a very powerful type of cannon," the subordinate continued, as Gis remained silent.


    "On the other hand, the Suthers troops that engaged with Earl Fisheo also confirmed, Northern Ridge Legion was equipped with a new type of firearm, with a firing rate three times that of our Shireck flintlock guns!"


    "Is there more?" Gis felt his temples throbbing, inching closer to the brink of explosion.


    He longed for the days when Beiji was by his side, at least he shared some of the burden and provided reliable advice.


    Now, Beiji had gone missing, and it was connected to Northern Ridge''s new weapons ¡ª Gis felt that all recent troubles seemed to be conspiring against him.


    "That''s all, my lord; we have at least ten identical statements, and Suthers will surely make their preparations. They willy the me on us, and that will be very unfavorable for us..." the subordinate hurriedly exined.


    Gis waved his hand irritably, ready to bury his head in the sand and escape it all, "Leave me! I got it."


    "But my lord!" the subordinate grew anxious.


    "Leave!" Gis shouted coldly.


    "Yes!" The subordinates immediately fell silent and exited Gis''s room.

 Chapter 119: Are you numb to 911?

    Failiar with the faint scent of gunpowder on the battlefield, Tang Mo breathed in the fresh air and basked in the bright sunshine.


    He had returned, bringing with him over two hundred soldiers and the ashes of those who had died in the invasion of the southern part of Suthers Kingdom, back to the ce from where he had set off.


    Everything here had changed dramatically, to the point that even Tang Mo himself had trouble recognizing the ce.


    When he saw that the walls of his factory had been extended along the road for a kilometer, such that one would have to take a long detour to enter the factory grounds without going through the main gate, he knew that the old men left to watch over the ce hadn''t been cking off.


    "Seeing you is truly delightful, my master," Li''ao extended his arm and greeted Tang Mo with an enthusiastic hug as he returned home.


    "Thank you!" Tang Mo hugged him, then embraced Roger, who had been standing there smiling silently, "I''m back, Uncle Roger."


    "d you''re back! d you''re back!" Roger embraced Tang Mo as well and then, looking at the new recruits waiting for Tang Mo''s order to disband, raised his voice in encouragement, "You''ve all done well! You have brought back victory and glory!"


    Tang Mo turned around to face the soldiers, dressed neatly in their winter uniforms and standing tall and proud like pines, a smile filled his face.


    He loudly said to the soldiers, "From today onwards, you are no longer the Northern Ridge new recruits. Now, you are the security and protection troops of the Great Tang Group."


    Everyone was quiet, quietly listening to Tang Mo''s speech. Tang Mo didn''t ramble, but got straight to the point, "You will soon be expanded into a regiment, which is a special organization within the Great Tang Group''s troops,pletely different from the previous legions."


    He briefly exined the future organization and structure of the troops, "In fact, the entire regiment will have under itsmand threebined battalions, each with three infantrypanies and one field artillerypany directly under it, and in the future, they will also add amunications, support, and logistics transportpany."


    Then he shifted the topic to talk about rewards, "Gentlemen, you will all be the backbone of this force, and everyone will be promoted. I hope... each one of you will cherish this hard-earned opportunity."


    "Long live the Great Tang Group!" Hearing this, everyone''s spirits clearly lifted a great deal as they cheered loudly in unison, "Long live!"


    "Alright! That''s all I have to say! Go take a bath! You stink!" Tang Mo ordered them to disband, "Dismissed!"


    "Oh!" All the soldiers immediately cheered, and instead of scattering, they formed orderly lines, singing as they entered the factory gates.


    The workers and their families crowded on both sides of the road, pping for these heroes. Unable to find flowers due to the season, they had to resort to cheering to wee these heroes.


    Seeing their own children or men, the women who had stayed behind wept for joy. Among them, there were also inevitably lonely figures who could not find their family members.


    "Find a good ce for the heroes'' ashes; it will be our martyrs'' cemetery from now on, understand?" Tang Mo nced at Redman standing beside him and instructed.


    "Yes, sir!" Redman saluted immediately, then headed towards a carriage not far behind him.


    "We''ve lost almost 20 excellent soldiers, the finest of the first recruits! In the future, they could have been divisionmanders, even armymanders..." Tang Mo muttered in anguish, his anger visible to all.


    He handed his gloves to the apprentice Galsa who hade to greet him, then looked at the somewhat nervous Parker and said to him and Mathews and others, "I''ve brought back arge number of orders from Northern Ridge, and you''ll all be busy in theing days."


    "Orders? New weaponry orders?" Mathews was very interested and asked, "How many?"


    "Lord Earl hopes to arm the soldiers of two additional legions, so he''s nning on having us produce a full set of weapons for one legion first," Tang Mo answered, "This includes the corresponding C64 field guns, 10 guns for one legion! Plus filling the previous shortages, a total of 24 cannons."


    Mathews knew full well how valuable the C64 howitzers were. Lord Earl was making a purchase of 30 cannons in one go, which certainly meant spending a significant sum of money.


    Because of the advance nature of these cannons, even if Tang Mo priced them at 300 Gold Coins each, it probably wouldn''t be unreasonable. That amounted to a whopping 10,000 Gold Coins for 30 cannons!


    So, Mathews made a joke, looking at the long line of carts behind him and smilingly asked, "My word! Don''t tell me that these carts are filled with Gold Coins."


    "Huh? You knew? Impossible, right?" Tang Mo feigned surprise as he looked at Mathews.


    Mathews'' face immediately changed as he looked back and forth between the carts and Tang Mo, "Don''t tell me you''ve been robbing the Suthers Kingdom?"


    "You know about that too?" Tang Mo put on the same surprised expression and chuckled as he teased the old Dwarf.


    "Hahahaha!" Wes couldn''t help but burst intoughter, pping the shoulder of Tagg, who stood straight and still while heughed.


    "Alright, gentlemen! Now I want to discuss a very important issue with all of you... how to quickly spend the money in your hands!" Tang Mo struck a boastful pose, then strutted off towards his factory.


    A dayter, the whole of Brunas Port went crazy.


    Yes, Tang Mo, who had been missing for nearly two months, suddenly sent people to Brunas in December and began to purchase a variety of things on arge scale.


    He was spending money like it was dirt, not haggling at all for the things he wanted; he just threw money at them, plunging the entirety of Brunas into an unusual frenzy of celebration.


    Tang Mo also purchased arge tract ofnd, putting his name on almost all the wastnd north of Brunas.


    Thanks to the victory at Northern Ridge and the friendship of Sheriff Solon, the whole process went exceptionally smoothly. Tang Mo didn''t even spend a penny to make the Vicious Forest his own property as well.


    After that, Tang Mo also obtained the legal right to build a port on his ownnd, and all of this together had cost him only 1,300 Gold Coins.


    So, Tang Mo spent anotherrge sum of money to buy the only chemical workshop in Brunas, acquiring everything including the people and thend beneath it.


    Then he bought the inn next to the Silver Fox Tavern, including its affiliated carriage service. As a result, those idlers at the Silver Fox Tavern now had another ce to manage.


    After that, Tang Mo bought the restaurant, the liquor store next to the restaurant, and finally even the brothel next to the liquor store.


    He spent freely¡ªbuying shares in the cement workshop, the brick kiln, the textile and clothing store, the salt ts, the ranch... even the dockborers became his workers.


    The result of this round of purchases was that he was pleasantly surprised to have spent just half of his Gold Coins.


    Everyone knew Tang Mo was wealthy, but no one knew exactly how wealthy he was. They only saw him sending people daily to purchase all kinds of assorted goods and never saw him short of money.


    He paid all of next year''s taxes and even gave the mayor an extra 100 Gold Coins in a bribe¡ªa level of bribery that was usually reserved for courting the Nobility, but Tang Mo had given it to a mayor.


    Therefore, the mayor was almost ready to give his office to Tang Mo. The town guards were ordered to yield three steps to Mr. Tang Mo''s people, and the tale of Sheriff himself personally helping Tang Mo into his carriage became the talk of the town.


    The fact that a merchant could enjoy treatment nearly equivalent to Nobility made all residents of Brunas realize that there might indeed be a new Emperor in town, one who had absolute control.


    The cold winter dissipated the clouds of war, and the Leite Kingdom''s victory over the Suthers Kingdom became the hot topic of conversation over meals and tea throughout the winter.


    During this winter, the people of Brunas Town unexpectedly discovered that the weather seemed warmer than before.


    They didn''t know it was because a huge factory had been built on the edge of their city, burning coal every day.


    People of this world didn''t realize that the temperature of a city is much higher than in the suburbs, simply because they had no experience with this phenomenon.


    All they knew was that from a distance, they could see countless huge chimneys puffing out ck smoke day and night.


    As soon as the white snow ceased, a lightyer of coal ash covered it, making all of Brunas look dirty. Experience the best on  _emp _yr.


    But the people here were all beaming with happiness¡ªthe workers were receiving hefty sries, which in turn stimted Brunas''s economy. Everyone went to town to spend money, and almost everyone in town earned higher ies.


    It was simple¡ªstimting domestic demand had enlivened the economic cycle on a small scale. By now, Brunas had be a vine clinging to Tang Mo''s factory; it''s just that people hadn''t realized it yet.


    To Tang Mo''s frustration, at the second month''s end, his workers'' spending in Brunas had stimted the local economic growth, and about one-third of the money he had spent rolled back into his pocket as profit.


    In front of Roger and others'' stunned gazes, Tang Mo, braving the heavy snow, loaded another batch of parts onto the carriage, to be sent off to Northern Ridge, which urgently needed this equipment.


    "Alright, if nothing unexpected happens, the payment from Northern Ridge should arrive soon. We''re going to have 10,000 Gold Coins on the books..." Tang Mo touched his nose with his hand, boastfully nced back at his confidants, unable to hide his smile, "Are you numb yet? This feeling of making money faster than you can spend it..."

 Chapter 120: 120 we are not bandits

    Everyone burst intoughter, knowing that this "Weing Spring" festival was definitely the happiest one they had ever celebrated.


    The entire factory was running superbly, with workers having a fulfilling 12 hours of work each day.


    They had hefty sries, which allowed them to purchase things they never dared dream of before: many workers even got new clothes, the first time in their lives they distinguished between work clothes and regr clothes.


    Almost all workers had been assigned dormitories, which had their walls thickened with mud just before the winter snows, making them barely adequate for use.


    Tang Mo even purchased 200 cows and 100 sheep, ensuring that every worker''s family received meat for the festival.


    Although, in Tang Mo''s view, these were trivial matters, to these workers, Tang Mo was the one who brought them a happy life.


    In fact, Tang Mo was earning money much slower than he was spending it, and his gold coin reserves were significantly shrinking, but his tangible enterprises were visibly expanding.


    Despite the snowy and icy conditions, Tang Mo''s factory was still being expanded frantically. Seven or eight factory buildings were under construction, just at a noticeably slower pace.


    The railway work indeed had to be suspended, but the new factory''s lumbering work was still ongoing.


    "I hope everyone has a good Weing Spring festival, and then when spring arrives with blooming flowers, let us..." After watching the carriages bound for Northern Ridge disappear, Tang Mo turned back, ready to discuss the future with his confidants.


    But before he could finish his speech, Dino rushed over, panting. The kid was panting heavily, dressed in thick cotton clothes, his little face beet red from the heat.


    He ran up to Tang Mo and spoke with some nervousness, "Sir, there''s a person, who looks like a monster,ing to find you!"


    Tang Mo was taken aback, then subconsciously thought of John, but John was an attractive member of the Elf Race, and quite obviously different from a monster.


    Then he considered Orcs or the Demon Race, but he quickly felt that it was unlikely for these races to seek him out at this time.


    The kingdoms of these other races were mostly on further continents, or separated by thousands of miles of mountains, or vast abyssal oceans. Coming here to find him would definitely not be an easy task.


    So he waved his hand and followed Dino, trudging through the dirty snow, and headed back to his shabby office. chapter hosted on m,vle-mpyr


    The new office building had been nned out, but unfortunately, construction could only begin next spring. This building would be four stories tall, making it the tallest in Brunas.


    Standing at the entrance to his shabby office, Tang Mo saw the so-called monster of a man. In fact, he was a human, just... rather ugly.


    He weighed over four hundred pounds, had an undetectable neck yet stood at one meter ny tall. Even Tang Mo, who was one meter eighty, feltpletely overshadowed in his presence.


    The man''s arms were nearly as thick as Wes''s legs. He stood there like a tank parked outside Tang Mo''s room.


    What made Tang Mo speechless was the man''s face, tattooed with patterns as he had seen with the Maori people in a past life. The tattoos were ripped apart by scars, making his face appear ferocious and terrifying.


    No wonder Dino said a monster hade; Tang Mo looked at the man and also thought he was a horrifying creature.


    In the severe cold, the man was dressed in a heavy fur coat, which made him look like a wild boar be spirit, or an orangutan that had just learned to walk on two feet.


    "My name is Qiumuluo..." The man adjusted his stance as he saw Tang Mo, and only then did Tang Mo notice the four Shireck Firearms tucked into Qiumuluo''s chest.


    The rtivelyrge flintlock firearms, when ced on Qiumulo''s chest, looked as cute as a set of toy guns.


    Hearing the name Qiumuluo, Wes, who had been following behind Tang Mo, silently ced his hand on the revolver at his waist. He adjusted his stance and stared unwaveringly at the mountain in front of him.


    "I''ve heard from others... that you''re very rich?" Qiumuluo didn''t spare Wes a nce but stared at Tang Mo with his deep voice.


    "So what?" Tang Mo looked up slightly at the towering figure in front of him, unafraid as he retorted.


    What a joke! Just because he looked like a tank, he thought he was one? As long as you''re a carbon-based life form, my bullets can send you to heaven! Even if you really had imprable skin, I still have RPG shaped charges and the Red Truth!


    In this world since Tang Mo''s appearance, the old theory of basingbat ability on height and weight had already been discarded.


    ```


    What''s the matter? Can''t a short person use a machine gun? Can''t a skinny kid fly a drone? Is the nuclear button pressed by a child not a nuclear button anymore?


    "I have some stuff I''d like to get off my hands, wondering if you might be interested," Qiumuluo licked his lips like a pig foraging for food.


    "Let''s hear it, maybe I''ll be interested," said Tang Mo, with no intention of inviting the guy into his room, even though it was icy and snowy outside.


    The other party didn''t seem to want to enter either, and immediately replied, "I''m a ve trader. I''ve heard you buy anything, so I came to ask if you... need ves around here?"


    At the mention of this, Wes and Tagg involuntarily frowned, because ves were actually not thatmon these days.


    Generally, the lower-deck sailors during voyages are ves, probably the most widely used group of ves in the world. The navies of each nation have ves, most of whom are people left over from defeated nations, bought and used by the warring countries.


    After all, the life of a lower-deck sailor, never seeing daylight, is extremely harsh. If not for ves, ordinary people really wouldn''t be able to bear such hardships.


    Apart from these maritime ves, some nobility keep a few ves to do their work, maintaining private ves as their sworn men, or simply owning some female ves for a variety of purposes.


    In any case, although countries do not outright ban very, they treat the word with considerable taboo and discuss the trade of ves in a rather veiled manner.


    However, this doesn''t mean there aren''t vicious people in this line of work, without any shame, toozy to even cover up their disgrace.


    Qiumuluo was clearly one of those scumbags, seizing people to sell as ves and profiting from it.


    "Why did youe to me?" Tang Mo didn''t agree or decline but asked out of curiosity.


    "These ves were originally to be sold to Suthers'' nobility, but now I can''t find their people. I heard you buy anything, so I came to ask," Qiumuluo rubbed his nose with his carrot-like fingers, spat out a ball of phlegm, and spat it to the side.


    Tang Mo saw the phlegm melt the snow, leaving a disgusting hole in the dark snow, he couldn''t hide his look of disgust.


    He raised his head, looking at Qiumuluo, and seriously warned, "I really hate people spitting all over the ce, don''t do it again!"


    "..." Qiumuluo evidently did not expect someone to talk to him in such a tone about this issue. He was taken aback and then looked at Tang Mo again, his facial muscles seemed to be twitching.


    "How many ves do you have?" Tang Mo didn''t wait for him to explode but diverted his attention with another question, "Thirty? Fifty?"


    "I''ve got five hundred ves! Old men and old women are the cheapest, 2 Gold Coins apiece! Men, women, children, all the same price! 5 Gold Coins each!" Qiumuluo suppressed his anger and answered coldly.


    "I''ll give you 3,000 Gold Coins! Remember! Nevere here again!" Tang Mo waved his hand as if he was shooing away a fly.


    "No need to be so eager to disassociate from me! We could have a long-term partnership! I can see you''re a generous buyer, I''m willing to find you some better... women, female elves, cat women, female demi-humans..." Qiumuluo revealed a greedy smile, the previous anger swept away as soon as he began to bellow loudly.


    "You may introduce people to me, civilians with nowhere to turn, homeless wanderers... But what do I need a bunch of ves full of hatred for you ruining their lives for? What if they find out it was I who paid and you who did the deed that made them so miserable, and then they shoot me in the back of the head?" Tang Mo red at Qiumuluo, his face grim and fierce as he spoke.


    "Listen! What I want are people who can work, who can work with peace of mind, who are willing to strive for happiness, real people with flesh, brains, and thought! Normal people! Not ves!" Tang Mo lowered his forehead, staring threateningly through the edge of his eyelids at Qiumuluo: "Whoever sent you, pass my message to them...


    make sure to clean up a bit next time theye, or I''ll chop off one of those carrot-like fingers of yours!... Scram!"


    "You!" Qiumuluo''s eyes, like bronze bells, red with anger and with a shout, his hands pressed down on the butts of the two Shireck Firearms he wore on his chest.


    But as soon as he got a grip on the two flintlock guns, Wes and Tagg simultaneously drew their revolvers from their waists, and four dark barrels were promptly aimed at Qiumuluo.


    Qiumuluo instinctively sensed the danger. Judging by the speed at which the guns drew on him, both of the men holding the weapons were hard cases.


    So, he dared not make another rash move; he did not want to fall over in this deste ce where even the snow was ck.


    "Don''t force me to kill you!" Tang Mo stared into the other man''s eyes and slightly tilted his head, signaling for the man to beat it, "Wes, take the men and bring those poor people back."


    "Got it," Wes responded, his eyes filled with ill-intent as he sneered.


    "We''re not bandits, give him the money!" Tang Mo turned and headed towards his own house, apparently not wanting to linger there a moment longer: "But if I ever see him this disgusting again... remember to leave him one finger! He''s so ugly, yet dares to go around scaring people!"


    ```

 Chapter 121: Article 121 of the treaty

    ```


    "It''s best not to offend such a person¡­ You never know when he might bite, so sometimes he can be more dangerous than Shireck." Watching Qiumuluo leave, Roger reminded Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo shed a smile at Roger, "We are not viins, we are but merchants! Although we sell the reaper''s sickle, we are not scoundrels¡­ I will have someone keep an eye on that bastard. If he wishes not to live, I shall oblige him on his journey."


    "As long as you are aware," Roger said, noticing that Tang Mo didn''t take Qiumuluo seriously, and after giving him a reminder, he spoke again, "Actually, when Dino came to look for you just now, it reminded me of another matter."


    "What matter?" Tang Mo asked as he entered the room and took off his fur coat, hanging it on the somewhat cold wall.


    His room was quite a distance from the factory, so the heating overhaul hadn''t reached this area. To save money, he still lived in this colder, old room, which made him appear even more shabby and stingy.


    Fortunately, on thest return of the caravan, the daughter of Earl Fisheo had someone deliver to Tang Mo a very precious, pure ck fur coat. The fur on the coat was exceptionally smooth to the touch and felt veryfortable.


    What''s more, the fur coat was very warm to wear, and the inside was carefully sewn with pockets, revealing that the tailor had put in great effort.


    "We still have a recorded but uncollected debt," Roger reminded Tang Mo, "the Por Kingdom, Elf Augustine John, owes us 100,000 Gold Coins. It has been four months, and he has not returned as promised."


    "Perhaps he has some important matters to attend to. Of course, it''s also possible that he is already on his way here," Tang Mo casually replied unconcernedly.


    His room was now even more crowded because he had added another table, which cut across the middle of the room, separated from his work desk.


    Now, his work desk was piled with blueprints and some documents that needed attention, while the new table had a bottle of barley wine and several cups on it.


    All the cups were different, each belonging to someone specific. Tang Mo picked up the bottle in the middle and gently shook it.


    Removing the wooden stopper, he half-filled a cup specially for Roger and pushed it toward him as he said, "Pay attention to the new ves, have someone exin to them properly, to let them know they were rescued, so they don''t misunderstand and think we caused their families to be torn apart and their lives to be ruined¡­"


    "I will, and with several hundred new mouths to feed, it seems we need to stock up on more food," Roger replied as he took the cup, carefully adding to what Tang Mo had said.


    "Exactly! What would I do without your help?" Tang Mo said with augh as he poured himself a cup and raised it in a toast to Roger, "We''ve certainly taken in quite a few idlers recently."


    "Indeed, not a small number at all. The fleet has been in constant training, hundreds of people, over a dozen ships, and all without profit¡­" Roger became somewhat anxious as he mentioned it, "In addition, we have just taken on several hundred ves who cannot just be put to use immediately¡­"


    "However," he quickly reassured Tang Mo, "once the weather improves, the fleet can go out to trade. If all goes well, they might bring us more profit. So, in this regard, the fleet is not kept for nothing."


    "Also, we can put these ves to use. Soon we''ll be expanding the factory and building roads; indeed, we will be short of hands." After saying this, he looked at Tang Mo.


    "That''s exactly why I bought these ves." Tang Mo nodded, agreeing with Roger''s view, "Thousands of needle-fired guns have been consumed by Northern Ridge, after which there shouldn''t be any ns forrge-scale purchases."


    "No news from the Elves yet, so we need to find new buyers," Tang Mo said, swirling the ss in his hand without drinking the contents, "Next month, we won''t have any production ns, and that''s really a piece of bad news."


    "We could actually produce cutlery, longswords, and the new pressing machinery I''ve seen can also produce iron basins¡­" Roger said, stoutly suggesting a multitude of ideas for converting military production to civilian use.


    Tang Mo sighed, "Those things can give us a breather but won''t save our lives. The real profit lies in the arms industry and genuine industrial products."


    "How''s the electric generator?" Tang Mo paused before asking Roger with concern about the technological improvements on the factory side.


    "The electric generator is working very well. We''ve also used electric power for some of the experiments you arranged, and everything is going smoothly, but the actual usefulness isn''t that great," Roger answered, "It has indeed greatly simplified transmission mechanisms, which might be its greatest current application."


    "What about lighting?" Tang Mo inquired with curiosity.


    "We''ve produced the tungsten fment you mentioned, but there are still some issues with the ss, and the gas to fill it with is difficult to obtain," Roger said as he took a sip, "The light bulb you spoke of can''t be made yet."


    However, he quickly added, "But do you remember that alchemy workshop you purchased? The workers there are very professional. As soon as they received your designs, they started experimenting. They produced the gas you needed and came up with some novel gadgets."


    "That money was well spent." Tang Mo also took a sip of his drink, somewhat dispelling the chill inside his body, and said with satisfaction.


    ``` .


    ...


    Frankly, in any world, for any civilization, agriculture is an extremely important affair. Therefore, marking festivals ording to the agricultural seasons and setting the start of the year on the day when spring arrives is a hallmark of civilization.


    Those so-called civilizations that only have religious festivals and no agricultural ones are nothing but derelict households that are barbaric, absurd, andck any profound cultural depth.


    Such brigands masquerading as civilized might be powerful for a moment, but they cannot truly walk towards enlightenment.


    At the very least, the Leite Kingdom has the Wee Spring Festival. On January 15th of every year, it is an important festival celebrated by the majority of countries in the world, marking the preparation for agriculture.


    On this day, everyone uses the remaining food to prepare a very sumptuous dinner and then prays to the deities for their blessing, hoping to harvest more food in theing year.


    Of course, while those who nt grains pray for a good harvest, those who raise pigs pray for the healthy growth of their piglets, and those who keep chickens hope for more eggs... In short, everyone celebrates the New Year in a festive mood, with happy smiles on their faces.


    At least in Brunas that''s the case, and with Tang Mo''s arrival, there have been huge changes; the actual ie of the entire Brunas might be three times what it was at the same timest year, a state that could be considered an economic miracle.


    Fishermen sold their catches clean, the brothels were bustling with patronsing and going, the hearty men in the taverns feasted and whistled cheerily, and even the snow-covered streets were swept clean.


    As days passed by, the ships from the Por Kingdom still had not arrived. Other than Roger, few discussed this matter in front of Tang Mo, as it seemed to everyone that this would upset him.


    However, in fact, Tang Mo didn''t care about the "loss" of the hundred thousand Gold Coins and had directed all his attention to chemical experiments and some mechanical design improvements.


    With him leading the way, these chemical experiments went smoothly; once Tang Mo introduced the concept of a periodic table, the alchemists he had purchased began to worship him as a deity.


    Before long, Tang Mo had created an array of bizarre and curious items in theboratory, all of which he would need for future production and innovation.


    While Tang Mo, with the help of his golden finger, was expanding his technical territory, a knight bearing the Northern Ridge Wolf Banner arrived in Brunas.


    "Sir!" Upon seeing Tang Mo, the knight was very respectful, gave a slight nod, and then took out a copy of a document from his chest, "This is from Lord Earl, the treaty has been signed, and thend south of the Ice Crystal River has officially be the new territory under Lord Earl''smand."


    "That is good news." Tang Mo took the copy of the treaty and read it carefully.


    It appeared that the Suthers Kingdom hadpletely lost patience with the chaos south of the Ice Crystal River, and in one fell swoop, dumped those "non-tax-paying" troublemakers into Count Fisheo''sp.


    Clearly, the Leite Kingdom was also cautiously observing Count Fisheo''s rise and showed little interest in the chaotic region south of the Ice Crystal River, simply acknowledging Count Fisheo''s expansion.


    In addition, the Suthers Kingdompensated Lord Earl Fisheo with 350,000 Gold Coins, to be paid over three years in installments of 120,000 each year, with the excess being considered interest.


    What somewhat irritated Tang Mo was that after such a show of sincerity from Suthers, Fisheo had to make concessions.


    He was forced to return 1,500 prisoners of war to Suthers, along with the legion standard captured by Tang Mo, and General Ti''s sword.


    Additionally, Northern Ridge had to return the 20 cannons captured on the battlefield to the Leite Kingdom''s military¡ªthose cannons were lost by themst year and were now returned to their original owner.


    In return, the Leite Kingdom pinched its nose and recognized Fisheo''s request to expand his forces. Northern Ridge''s current authorized strength was three legions, a total of 4,500 soldiers.


    But the kingdom did not bear the expenses of these troops nor did it provide the corresponding weapons¡ªthis was probably Leite Kingdom''s final show of defiance.


    Unfortunately for them, Fisheo was no longer interested in Shireck''s flintlocks or field cannons. He was indeed nning to make his own equipment purchases, from Tang Mo...


    ------


    Ah, thanks to the Emperor for the reward, so happy~~ Truly grateful!

 Chapter 122: Crazy 122

    Once the dust had settled, Tang Mo knew that the war had trulye to an end. The Spring Festival had also passed, and the weather wasn''t as cold as before.


    In the days that followed, Tang Mo was extremely busy. He was busy integrating the ves who had been brought back, arranging their amodations, their food, and their jobs.


    Then, he busied himself with expanding the troops, growing the existing battalion of soldiers to the scale of two battalions.


    But because of theck of manpower, his expansion essentially meant that he had added roughly 100 people to his troops.


    It appeared that Tang Mo now had two battalions at his disposal, but in reality, one battalion was just a shell, having amand structure but no soldiers to support it. always on m|vl|e|mp|y|r


    After all, Brunas was too small; it seemed incapable of sustaining Tang Mo''s endless expansion. Compared to the entire scale of Brunas, the Great Tang Group seemedrger in size and volume...


    Nowadays, the Great Tang Group had almost swallowed up half of Brunas: its industries, its poption, and even its officials were all working for the operation of Tang Mo''srge factory.


    Thest day of January in the 114th year of the Leite Kingdom had passed, and on the morning of the first day of February, when Tang Mo stepped out of his room to have breakfast, Silver Fox Tavern delivered a message that caught his attention.


    The Kingdom''s envoy was inspecting the surrounding small towns and cities of Brunas, removing quite a number of officials for neglect of duty and corruption.


    This message also specificallypared with other ces and discovered that this time, it seemed the Kingdom was only reorganizing the bureaucracy in the Brunas area.


    "Now that''s interesting," Tang Mo, holding the report, narrowed his eyes, "After all the maneuvering, they''re finally targeting me, are they?"


    He knew it was only a matter of time before this happened, and felt that Shireck''s reaction was somewhat slow. With their moves already negated, Tang Mo was no longer afraid of Shireck, the colossal entity, in a direct conflict.


    After all, if the other party got rough, it might well turn into a civil war within Leite Kingdom, and what held Shireck back was the Northern Ridge''s already sizable 3,000 iron troops!


    It was the same old problem: once Northern Ridge truly got involved, who would stop Fisheo''s 1,500 Northern Ridge Legion from advancing south?


    To this day, the problems Shireck needed to solve were not one, but two, in two directions.


    One was Northern Ridge, which had be uncontroble and sizable; the other was Brunas, enigmatic and seemingly always shrouded in ayer of mist.


    ...


    Gis was sitting in his office, and on the desk before himy a Tang''s K1 Quick Gun.


    The gun looked somewhat old, bearing marks of wear and tear, and within one of the scratches, indelible bloodstains were faintly visible.


    Now, Northern Ridge had been equipped with more than 3,000 of Tang''s K1 Quick Guns. With Shireck''s influence and financial power, getting their hands on such a weapon wasn''t too difficult a task.


    During the past month, Shireck had not been idle; first and foremost, they needed to understand what exactly had helped Northern Ridge win the war!


    It was known that Northern Ridge had only 1,500 soldiers, yet these 1,500 miraculously swept through 15,000 Suthers troops, defeating them disgracefully until they were forced to seek a humiliating peace.


    Such an urrence would have been impossible in the past, yet this impossibility had be reality. All signs indicated that the weaponry in the hands of Northern Ridge''s troops was significantly better than the Shireck Flintlock Guns!


    The war could be lost, and Suthers Kingdom could be easily let go to secure a good price, but the one thing Shireck couldn''t tolerate was the presence of weapons on the battlefield that were superior to those they manufactured!


    Thus, they did everything they could, taking advantage of Fisheo''s recent annexation of the vast area south of the Ice Crystal River, where management couldn''t catch up immediately, they found a loophole and got their hands on one of Tang Mo''s needle guns.


    In the quiet room stood a row of anxious craftsmen, heads bowed, not daring to look at Gis who was seated at the desk.


    "This is a breechloader¡­" Gis caressed the spotty marks on the second-hand needle gun without ncing at the craftsmen, speaking to himself.


    He opened up the breech, observing the sharp, slender firing pin, squinting and frowning as though trying to get a clearer view.


    He picked up a matching paper cartridge from the table, inserted it into the chamber, and closed the breech, "Remember what you said?"


    The craftsman on the far left, trembling like a leaf, hurriedly exined, "I''ve tried countless methods! You''ve seen it with your own eyes, my lord!"


    After moving the gun aside, Gis stared coldly at the head craftsman, "That''s correct, a few months ago, you assured me, full of conviction, that a breechloader was impossible."


    "Yes..." The craftsman leader almost knelt on the ground, admitting with a cry.


    Gis re-aimed the gun at the man, his tone still icy cold, and his pitch rose higher with his questioning, "But now, this gun lies right in front of me... Fisheo used this thing to defeat an army of Suthers ten times its size! And you! You told me it couldn''t be produced!"


    "My Lord..." The craftsman leader wanted to speak again.


    "Bang!" The gunshot interrupted him, and an unpleasant smell of gunpowder filled the once clean office.


    "Shut up!" Scolding the body that had copsed on the ground and was still twitching, Gis said disdainfully, "Do you know how much money you took from Shireck? Three hundred Gold Coins a year! And yet, you failed the money!"


    As he spoke, he pulled the bolt of the gun, meticulously, as though admiring it, cleaning the barrel with a brush: "Truly... a fine gun!"


    "My Lord! I''ve seen the design of this thing! It''s really not difficult! We can replicate it! We can replicate it!" ncing at the body lying at his feet, the second craftsman hurriedly promised.


    After loading the second paper cartridge into the chamber, Gis closed the bolt, skipped over the man who had spoken, and aimed at the third craftsman: "He says it can be replicated, with no difficulty, what about you?"


    "My Lord..." The third craftsman knelt on the floor all at once, crying as he exined, "We, dozens of craftsmen, analyzed the bullets used by this thing."


    "Everything else isn''t difficult, the paper cartridge, gunpowder, bullet... we can actually make those, but, but... nobody knows theposition of the thing in the middle. It... we don''t even know what it is..." The craftsman struggled to describe what Tang Mo had invented, the percussion cap.


    Reverse engineering sometimes works, and sometimes it doesn''t. At least the craftsmen of Shireck couldn''t figure out how to make mercury fulminate.


    They couldn''t just lick it, and then, like a sommelier, confidently nod their heads, then write down theposition and production steps on paper, right? Mmm, it''s from ''82, distilled, stirred not shaken...


    "Bang!" The second shot fired, and the craftsman kneeling on the ground fell backward, hitting the floor with a thud.


    "Click!" Gis pulled the bolt back and looked at his subordinate beside him.


    The subordinate took the hint, walked over and pushed open the window. A chill instantly swept into the room, stoking the fire in the firece to burn more fiercely.


    The smoke spreading through the room was thinned by the cold wind, and Gis continued to load the Tang''s K1 Quick Gun: "It''s simply perfect... faster rate of fire, easier to load."


    "I''ve heard... Lord Earl''s Personal Guard, and his officers... are also equipped with a new type of pistol that can fire continuously?" He blew into the barrel, pushed in the bullet, closed the bolt and aimed at the fourth craftsman: "Hmm?"


    "I swear!" The craftsman swallowed, not daring to look at the blood that had pooled by his shoes, and managed to say, "Please... don''t kill me..."


    "I remember there was a Dwarf... what was his name...?" Gis pointed the gun at him, trying hard to recall the name that was close to being forgotten.


    "Mathews..." The craftsman being pointed at with a gun, eventually reminded him with his eyes closed.


    "Bang!" The sound of the gun, and the craftsman dropped in response.


    "Right! Mathews!" Gis raised his head and looked at the fifth craftsman: "You said Mathews had gone mad! But now everything he said hase true! So it''s not that Mathews was mad, but you all are... right?"


    As he spoke, he continued to work the bolt: "If I hadn''t trusted you back then, and instead had chased you out, then maybe... we wouldn''t be facing this defeat today, would we?"


    He was so angry he ground his teeth, and after reloading, he didn''t wait for the other to exin and shot down the fifth craftsman too.


    "Find Mathews! Tell him, I''ll give him 400 Gold Coins a month! Let him lead the effort to replicate these rifles!" Gis finally stopped reloading, resting the rifle across his desk, andmanded fiercely.


    "But... my Lord, no one knows where he''s gone..." A subordinate reminded in a low voice.


    "Go find him!" Gis suddenly shouted sharply, startling everyone.


    "Find out as soon as possible what exactly the ignition mechanism inside is... As long as we figure that out, we can replicate this new type of weapon!" Gis looked at the rifle in front of him, his eyes shining: "The whole world is going to rearm... This will be Shireck''s opportunity! If we seize this chance, we... will reach an unprecedented height!"


    "Millions of orders for new weapons... Hahaha! Hahahahahaha!" His madughter mixed with the rolling gunpowder smoke in the room, brushing over the bodies that were beginning to cool.


    -------


    Dragon Spirit is stockpiling manuscripts, there''s been a recent surge... mmm, inside news...

 Chapter 123: 123 research and development results

    It was winter just the same, and in a room just the same, but Tang Mo''s room, inparison to Gis''s, was more than just a little shabbier.


    He had no warm firece, nor a fancy floor, and the room was steaming hot solely because it was now filled with people.


    Or rather, it would be more fitting to say packed with people.


    Tang Mo sat by the table, counting from the left, there were Roger, Mathews, Parker, Redman, Tagg, and Li''ao seated in order. Wes wasn''t seated; he stood behind Tang Mo, fiddling with a new left-wheel handgun in his hand.


    He had only recently received this thing from Tang Mo, and he truly adored it to the core. He had already taken the gun out to clean it three times in a while, each time carefully breathing on it and gently wiping it with a piece of suede, treating it as if it were a gemstone.


    On the tabley a K1 Quick Gun, a brand-new rifle, and a lever-action rifle that closely resembled a Winchester, along with a revolver and thetest model of the Colt Left-Wheel Handgun.


    Everyone was silent, as Redman and Tagg scrutinized the weapons on the table, some familiar, some not, and for a moment, they didn''t know what to say.


    Mathews, on the other hand, was very happy, as today''s meeting was clearly convened because of the lever-action rifle he had developed, so he looked quite proud.


    "It seems that the elves are indeed not nning on paying back the debt," Tang Mo said, leaning back in his chair and addressing Roger and the others.


    Wes had been dealing with those vestely, exhausted to death, so he looked somewhat spiritless. He yawned indifferently and said, "Anyway, didn''t you say that if they don''t pay the debt, you have ways to deal with it?"


    "There aren''t any particrly good methods now, but in the future, we will have them, plenty of them," Tang Mo said nonchntly.


    His words were almost an admission that the debt of 100,000 Gold Coins on the books was unlikely ever to be repaid.


    So everyone''s mood dipped for a moment, despite the fact that they hadn''t really been short on cash over the past two months, 100,000 Gold Coins were no small sum at any time.


    He shrugged it off and gave his evaluation of the Elf Race, "It''s a pity, these foolish elves don''t even know what they have missed out on."


    Having said that, he paused before continuing, "The reason for calling this meeting was to introduce ourtest technological research achievements at Great Tang Group to all of you."


    "You all have seen these; these are ourtest technological innovations." While he spoke, he picked up the K1 rifle and set it aside, "Everyone is too familiar with this one, so no introduction is necessary."


    After that, he picked up the revolver and ced it aside as well, "The same goes for this one; everyone might have used it already."


    Amidst everyone''sughter, he grabbed the weapon that looked much like a Winchester lever-action rifle and began to introduce, "Firstly, we have designed a new type of weapon called a lever-action rifle, named the K2 Rifle, formally Great Tang Group''s K2 Lever-Action Rifle."


    As he spoke, he pointed to a Dwarf elder nearby, who was already looking two centimeters taller in pride, and said, "This weapon was developed under the direction of Mathews; it can be loaded with more than ten bullets and fired in rapid session!"


    While he spoke, he pulled the rifle''s fore-end to make an engaging ''click'' sound.


    "Click!" He performed the action once more, then continued, "Now a bullet has been chambered; just pull the trigger, and it will fire."


    After repeating the action, he continued, "The second bullet has been chambered; you can fire again! It''s convenient and efficient, simply perfect!"


    "What?" Eximed Tagg, his eyes wide with disbelief upon hearing Tang Mo''s words.


    Wes was also taken aback, just having thought his left-wheel handgun was incredibly advanced, he hadn''t expected a long gunparable to the left-wheel handgun to exist: "My god!"


    "You''re kidding!" Redman was also shocked. He couldn''t begin to imagine how powerful his troops would be once equipped with this kind of weapon.


    "Impossible!" Li''ao didn''t understand weapons, but he knew what it meant to have a rifle capable of firing a dozen rounds in quick session.


    If he could take these weapons back with him, surely his criminal status would be pardoned. Or rather, if he led an army equipped with such weapons to fight his way back, it seemed his criminal status wouldn''t need anyone''s pardon¡­


    The lever-action rifle was actually a stroke of genius in its design, its emergence horrifyingly enhanced the firepower density of an individual soldier.


    This type of rifle, which can be reloaded swiftly by manipting the fore-end downwards, can astonishingly achieve the terrifying firing rate of one shot per second.


    In general, this type of rifle could be loaded with seven or eight bullets, and at times even up to 13 bullets, and it could pour out all these bullets in one breath.


    Compared to almost all rifles now, its advantages are obviously very obvious: simple action, which can ensure continuous loading while aiming, and continuous firing without pause.


    So after the blueprints of this weapon were handed over to Mathews, he began to contemte the creation of this powerful killer.


    Technically speaking, there is actually no difficulty in producing such a weapon; Tang Mo''s weapon workshop could easily switch to manufacturing it.


    Its structure is not tooplicated and not secretive; as long as it is disassembled, it can be easily replicated without any technical difficulties.


    What really restricted the development of such a weapon were two other factors: the first was problems brought about by the gun''s own structure, and the second was the ws with the bullets.


    The lever-action rifle''s magazine¡ªor rather, its fixed magazine¡ªwas a tubr ammunition chamber located under the barrel.


    This chamber relied solely on the force of a spring to push the bullets and provide feeding, so it was inevitable that the closer the bullets were to the spring, the less force they received during the feeding process.


    Therefore, a magazine that could be loaded with 13 bullets, in most cases, would only be loaded with 6-9 bullets, and then the spring''s strength would be increased to ensure smooth feeding.


    Also, think about it, so many bullets pushed into a tube are obviously very prone to jamming. Hence, there is actually a slit at the bottom of this tubr magazine to facilitate quick troubleshooting.


    This way, if a bullet were to get stuck, you could use a knife or some other tool to clean the magazine and fix the malfunction.


    Then, this slit used for repairs became another cause of jamming: in theplex battlefield environment, sand and gravel could enter the magazine from here, jamming the spring.


    Furthermore, the internal structure of the lever-action rifle is also veryplex, which means that making such a weapon would be expensive and prone to malfunction.


    An expensive price means that those in power would not crazily purchase these and rece all their troops'' rifles with this type. Because no one can afford such arge expenditure, at least no one right now thinks it''s worth it.


    Being prone to malfunction means that regr soldiers would feel uncertain using this weapon, which would severely affectbat effectiveness. Going into battle with a weapon full of malfunctions would definitely provoke mutiny among the soldiers, so this also doomed the lever-action rifle to not being widely equipped.


    Therefore, this rifle ultimately did not rece the single-shot breech-loading rifle, which had fewer malfunctions and was more reliable and safe for soldiers on the battlefield.


    Anotherint about this riflees from the special ammunition it uses¡ªor rather, this is another w that the lever-action rifle design carried from the very beginning.


    All the lever-action rifle''s spare ammunition was loaded into a tubr magazine, and this design granted it a powerful advantage in continuous shooting. NovelBinmp yr content


    At the same time, this design also introduced a fatal w: the rifle could only use t-nosed bullets as its ammunition.


    Why? Because if pointed bullets were used, then the bullets in the tubr magazine could easily be set off by the point striking the primer of the bullet in front of it, leading to idental discharge of the spare rounds.


    For a rifle that needs to go through the tests of the battlefield environment, such a w is intolerable. Hence, for the safety of the users, lever-action rifles generally only use t-nosed bullets.


    This then leads to another issue: the range and stability of t-nosed bullets cannotpare with pointed bullets.


    What actually restricted the range of the lever-action rifle was also an issue with the gunpowder. Because of sealing issues in the chamber structure of the lever-action rifle, the chamber pressure could not be designed too high or it would easily burst.


    Therefore, the bullets for the lever-action rifle could not use the more advanced smokeless powder that cameter, which severely restricted the rifle''s range.


    In the few years after the birth of the lever-action rifle, the standard rifles equipped by various countries generally had a range of over 800 meters, while the effective range of the lever-action rifle was essentially only around a hundred meters, which was unbearable.


    After all, once automatic weapons began to spread in the future, submachine guns would obviously be the better choice at the ideal engagement distance for a lever-action rifle.


    So, it''s not that the lever-action rifle was not good, but that it was born in an era when the development of human weaponry was advancing rapidly.


    In this period, the development of artillery was progressing rapidly, and ultimately, it only took a decade or so topletely crush the individual infantry rifle into scraps.


    There''s no helping it; the age of the cannon was ultimatelying. Automatic weapons also began to appear in conjunction with artillery, and the trench system was ultimately going to rece the traditional line formation. Everything was changing, and tactics were evolving with it.

 Chapter 124: 124 more new weapons

    ```


    And in this era, the reloading method of lever-action rifles was not very conducive to lying down, so they were ultimately eliminated by the cruel battlefield.


    However, this does not mean that these weapons were useless. It could be said that at the time, they were still very advanced weapons.


    At least, in Tang Mo''s understanding, there were many scenarios for their use: for one, it was a decent and elegant hunting rifle. As an object of y, it was exquisitely crafted and expensive, which suited the nobility quite well.


    Secondly, before the invention of submachine guns, these weapons, capable of quickly unleashing arge amount of ammunition, were the top choice for individualbat and field self-defense.


    Ordinary Rangers or mercenaries who bought such weapons could make up for theirck of firepower. Paired with a revolver, they could handle mostbat environments.


    In such skirmishes, the disadvantage in range was no longer an issue. The fact that the mechanism wasplex, maintenance was difficult, and the price was expensive was not a problem either.


    Moreover, the lever-action rifle was a precursor technology to the shotgun, and only by mastering this set of technologies could future production of shotguns be more effortless.


    Therefore, Tang Mo somewhat regretfully ced the rifle back on the table and said helplessly, "Actually, this weapon is not suitable for mass deployment by troops, because it is overlyplex, expensive, and prone to malfunctions."


    "It also doesn''t have much of an advantage in terms of range," Tang Mo thought of the t-nosed bullets and felt that such weapons indeed were not very suitable forrge-scale deployment.


    However, what he considered unsuitable might be seen as suitable by others ¡ª Shireck, desperate for a cure, might think these weapons were worth the investment.


    Tagg looked somewhat painfully at the beautiful rifle andmented with regret, "But..."


    "There''s no ''but'' about it, trust me, no one understands weapons better than I do," Tang Mo rejected the wrong path with the perspective of someone from the future.


    He pointed to the lever-action rifle known as the K2 and said without hesitation, "We will sell these weapons to anyone who is willing to pay for it, no matter who they are."


    The room fell silent again, as everyone pondered Tang Mo''s words. That Tang Mo was ready to sell off such advanced weaponry without any hesitation made them wonder what he was really thinking.


    Tang Mo continued to speak, "However, the real weapons we want to introduce are these three here."


    "While developing the fuse for the C64 field gun, we came up with a very useful little thing..." Tang Mo said, taking a fuse out of his pocket that looked like a small capsule and cing it on the table for everyone to see clearly.


    He pointed to the object, about the size of a little finger, and introduced, "This is called a detonation device, which can be ignited by pulling, lighting all the surrounding gunpowder."


    As he spoke, he gestured for Parker to take out what was in his pocket. After Parker ced a wooden-handled hand grenade on the table, Tang Mo continued, "Therefore, we have created a brand new personal weapon and named it: ''Hand Grenade!'' You can also call it a hand grenade. Its official name is the Great Tang Group Model B1 Wooden-Handled Hand Grenade. Sounds nice, doesn''t it?"


    After a simple demonstration of how to use it, Tang Mo ced the unarmed hand grenade in the middle of the table: "It can be thrown, explode like a shell, and give soldiers individual suppressive firepower. It''s a very versatile personal weapon!"


    Of course, he wouldn''t let Parker bring a real hand grenade inside, so this was just a prop for demonstration without the capability of exploding.


    As for why to use a wooden-handled hand grenade, it was entirely an arbitrary (gu) choice (yi). After all, it was too picturesque not to design it this way. If he didn''t, Tang Mo felt he would be betraying his own aesthetic taste.


    Indeed, the wooden-handled hand grenades used by Tang Mo were closer to those produced in the old revolutionary base areas, shorter than the German model and easier to make.


    Firstly, he had to look after his own woodworking industry, and also, he needed to cater to that bit of nostalgia from his previous life within his heart. Thus, he chose such an interesting hand grenade as the first type of hand grenade weapon born in this world.


    It might not be the best, but it definitely met Tang Mo''s requirements: simple and easy to produce, convenient to throw and use, and unlike the bulkier German wooden-handled hand grenades, it was easier to carry.


    "I''ve already written to Lord Earl, and soon a new order will arrive. I expect him to purchase 3,000 of these hand grenades, which will allow some of our factories to continue operating," Tang Mo said while picking up what looked like the most interesting long rifle and began to introduce, "The third weapon is this one!


    It''s the new personal weapon we''re really preparing to transition to produce, the K3 Rifle! Its full name is the Great Tang Group Model K3 Rifle."


    ```


    This was the KAR98K model bolt-action rifle replicated by Tang Mo based on the blueprint, which was also a personal favorite of his.


    It could be said that this rifle was a rather representative model of bolt-action rifles during World War II, although it had no particrly distinctive features.


    The Mosin-Nagant Rifle from the same era was also technically unremarkable, mediocre as if everything about it was ordinary.


    The Lee-Enfield rifle, on the other hand, had distinctive characteristics; however, its high cost andplex training requirements meant it was not as widely equipped as the KAR98K and Mosin-Nagant rifles.


    After much deliberation, Tang Mo decided to still use the Mauser Company''s KAR98K rifle because he was very fond of the KAR98K. Before his transmigration, he even collected an antique rifle of this type.


    Being able to replicate this weapon in this world gave Tang Mo a sense of familiarity. He caressed the barrel of the rifle and introduced it to everyone, "This weapon has a total length of 1110 millimeters and a barrel length of 600 millimeters, the standard weight is 3.9 kilograms, adopting an entirely new design."


    "It uses an 8-millimeter caliber with four rifling grooves, and the manufacturing process is veryplicated, so mass production is currently impossible." He pulled the bolt and the action was smooth to the extreme.


    There was no helping it; the production lines at Tang Mo''s factory were indeed a bit too diverse. He was maintaining several production lines for the Northern Ridge''s urgently needed K1 rifles and was preparing to use a factory to produce the K2 lever-action rifles.


    Additionally, he had a factory under construction for Left-Wheel Handguns, and the factory for revolvers had been in production for less than half a year.


    In the meantime, he had workshops for producing railway tracks, trainponents, train assembly, as well as workshops for chemical production and steam engine production...


    The immense Great Tang Group now supported a poption of five thousand, which far exceeded the descriptive capacity of the term "workshop" for production scale in this world.


    Tang Mo now described his enterprise as a factory, and even inter eras, it would be considered arge-scale enterprise.


    A total of 5000 people were spread out on thend purchased by Tang Mo, making the area seem somewhat overcrowded.


    Just how fast was the construction of Tang Mo''s factories? So fast that Brunas''s cement workshop could no longer keep up with the expansion pace of Tang Mo''s factories.


    NovelBinmp yr content


    On the muddy ground, one factory after another was built up, one chimney after another was erected, and one trench after another was excavated.


    Tang Mo had pipelinesid in the factory and connected the electrical wires; his lighting system was nearly ready to bepleted. Once done, almost all the factories could be equipped with electric light illumination.


    Therefore, the types of items produced in Tang Mo''s factories were already too many, so he already had the idea of splitting up his factories.


    After a series of operations, he ced the rifle back on the table, "However, it represents the future! Gentlemen! This weapon will be the best rifle we have for a considerable time toe!"


    Having said that, he drew a Left-Wheel Handgun from under his arm and ced it on the table, introducing to everyone, "This is a modified revolver, ourtest product."


    "Like the revolver, it can also shoot continuously, making it a very convenient personal weapon!" After that, he opened the cylinder and poured out the bullets.


    "The reason we can produce so many new weapons is actually based on the innovation and progress of ammunition technology!" He pointed to the ammunition on the table and exined to everyone, "We will soon adopt metal cartridge technology and the corresponding smokeless powder technology!"


    "Next spring, our new factory willmence production, and the new powder will be produced in those workshops. With these ammunition production workshops'' support, we''ll be able to use these more advanced weapons!" As he spoke, he loaded the bullets into his handgun one by one, flicked the gun body to snap the cylinder back into the frame, "See? Simple to load, convenient to use! This...


    This is what a weapon should be! This is how a weapon... should look!"


    "In the new year! I hope everyone remembers a fact! We are now the world''s most advanced weapons manufacturer! No one can shake our position! And no one... can defeat us in our field!" He said, standing up, chest out, weing the warm apuse of everyone.


    Amidst the apuse, the door was pushed open from outside, and the young apprentice Galsa ran to Tang Mo''s side, whispering in his ear, "People from the docks say that arge ship from the Por Kingdom has docked, and there''s an elf on board who wishes to see you."

 Chapter 125: 125 debunking

    ```


    What was bothering Tang Mo now? There were far too many new weapons already designed on paper, but hecked the production capacity and a sufficientlyrge market to digest these weapons.


    He was unable to immediately produce the K3 rifles to sell to Fisheo, and in fact, Fisheo alreadycked the funds to support the immediate re-equipment of its troops with newer weapons.


    The Earl from Northern Ridge might purchase arge batch of hand grenades, or even some additional C64 grenadeunchers, but he genuinely didn''t have the funds to rece all of his K1 Quick Guns with the cutting-edge K3 rifles.


    And Tang Mo himself actually had plenty of problems on his end. He couldn''tplete the upgrade and development of his equipment right away because he had run out of spare technical workers to fill the new factories.


    All he could do now was to honestly and steadily develop, produce more equipment, train more workers, and bring his factory into the next round of expansion.


    These were unavoidable circumstances; all he could do was to wait and proceed slowly and surely.


    The good news was that training his workers was much simpler than raising a craftsman with Gold Coins had been in the past, for these workers only needed to operate machines without fully understanding the significance of the processes.


    All these workers had to do was to repeat the same procedure day after day, memorize each step, and execute them properly, and they would be qualified!


    And the less educated and less understanding ofplex operations the apprentice workers were, the greater their reverence for the miraculous machines. They would dutifully follow the rules and regtions when operating machinery, meticulously and rarely cking off.


    After all, it was a simple era where people toiled tirelessly just for a meal. No oneined about overtime, nor did anyone yearn for rest¡­ and all this was to Tang Mo''s advantage.


    Another bottleneck in development was the shortage of raw materials¡ªTang Mo only had a very limited stockpile of metals, and other materials were pitifully scarce.


    Despite his best efforts to gather these items, in the end he could only acquire barely enough resources to support his current development.


    The only things he had in abundance were leather and some sea salt; the rest were in short supply.


    Due to a sudden increase in poption, the previously sufficient supply of food was starting to run thin. After all, feeding 5,000 people was by no means a small number.


    While there was a bit of a reserve of copper ingots, they would soon be depleted by the production of steam engines, trains, and ammunition.


    The situation with iron ingots was even direr. Once smelted into steel, they were rapidly consumed in the production ofthes and machinery, to the point where even the production of rails was bing uncertain.


    In such circumstances, no matter how actively Tang Mo expanded his production capacity, he truly couldn''t mass-produce the brand new K3 rifles in a short period.


    Even the Maxim machine guns, which he could have made easily due to sufficient production capacity, had to be abandoned because of insufficient material supply and the inability to produce enough bullets for immediate production; just thinking about it made Tang Mo''s heart ache.


    There was no way around it; Tang Mo had to wait three weeks before he could start up a new production line. This line he could only n to produce hand grenades, which might be the only new product he could still rapidly introduce to production.


    After all, handgrenades used very little iron, and wood was another material he had in greater abundance.


    After sorting through such a pile of issues in his mind, Tang Mo finally felt the carriagee to a halt. Sure enough, his carriage door was soon opened by Wes, and an attractive Elf stood not far away, his face etched with fatigue.


    "Ah, John! My best friend! You truly are a man of honor," Tang Mo jumped out of the carriage and went over to embrace John, "Have you brought the repayment you owed me?"


    John, who had just arrived in Brunas, awkwardly embraced Tang Mo and then replied with a face full of apology, "I''m afraid I''m about to disappoint you, my friend! I have not been able to keep my promise, and this brings me great shame."


    "Oh? What exactly is going on here?" Tang Mo feigned surprise for a moment, because as soon as he knew that only one warship had docked at the port of Brunas, he''d confirmed that the Elves were indeed nning to default on their debt.


    If they were willing to continue the trade, they would have certainly brought more ships. Everyone needed to save time, so they would undoubtedly try to cut down on time wherever possible.


    If the Elf Race was willing to deliver 100,000 Gold Coins and a title of Nobility, then they would definitely purchase more machinery and equipment from Tang Mo again, which would be in the Elves'' best interest.


    But now that only one warship was docked at the port, it signified that the Elves did not intend to pay the remaining money.


    As expected, John also put on a crestfallen look and began to exin, "I returned to the Augustin n and presented those treasures, but... my father is a stingy and shortsighted noble; he refused to pay the remaining amount."


    ```


    Tang Mo shook his head as if he''d truly haemorrhaged 100,000 Gold Coins, his expression a painful blend of sorrow and regret. "Oh! John, that truly is distressing news."


    Without his support, I couldn''t raise the necessary amount of Gold Coins, which is why I had toe alone to express my apologies," said John, continuing his own performance. If there were an Oscar for best actor, he and Tang Mo would undoubtedly be the strongest contenders.


    Tang Mo nodded, feigning reluctant agreement, "Well, I ept your apology, but I reserve the right to collect the debt, John."


    He of course needed to reserve this right, as it would serve as an ideal excuse for future disruption.


    The harbor''s sea breeze was still very cold in February, and the two of them stood in the wind, improvising their performance.


    John clearly hadn''t expected Tang Mo to so bluntly dere his right to pursue the debt, because he didn''t think someone would be so assertive when facing a nation and its nobility.


    So, he hesitated, instinctively dragging out his words, "This..."


    Tang Mo affirmed as a matter of course, "Yes, no one can owe me money and not pay it back, John! Even though you are my friend, there can be no exceptions."


    Then, it was as if he suddenly remembered something, he looked at John and continued to inquire, "Do you recall the title of nobility from the Por Kingdom that you promised me? You''re not going to deny it now, are you?"


    John grew more embarrassed, now he wasn''t entirely acting but truly felt somewhat ashamed.


    People value face as trees value bark, and even the filthiest of nobility can be embarrassed when exposed and used of being untrustworthy to their face.


    So, John plucked up the courage to admit, "Yes, I did say that..."


    "Did you bring the appointment letter?" Tang Mo immediately asked.


    John was exceedingly ashamed as he shook his head, his voice beginning to stutter, "No, I didn''t..."


    "So, it seems, the Augustin n owes me more than just 100,000 Gold Coins. How much more? 150,000?" Tang Mo turned to Wes, instructing, "Remember, calcte it at the highest interest rate. By this time next year, it will be 300,000 Gold Coins!"


    John was even more humiliated and quickly spoke up, revealing his purpose for the visit, "Tang Mo... my friend! Though I have not fulfilled my promise, I am willing to stay here and work for you! I hope I can use my actions to repay some of the debt I owe..."


    "Oh?" Tang Mo was startled, then looked at John, as if he were scrutinizing him or pondering something. He didn''t speak immediately but just stared at John, with only the whistling sea breeze between them.


    "Hmm?" John too had not expected Tang Mo to suddenly fall silent and, after an awkward moment of confusion, also fell silent.


    Silence persisted.


    After a long while, Tang Mo seemed toe back to life. He extended a hand to pat John on the shoulder, then asked, "Let''s be honest, John, the credibility of the Augustin Family is bankrupt in my eyes, right? You''ve betrayed my trust, took my things and didn''t pay."


    "But, but my personal...," John felt that his impression of Tang Mo hadpletely changed with this visit.


    Previously he had thought Tang Mo to be somewhat arrogant, somewhat mad, but at heart just a profit-seeking merchant.


    But now, Tang Mo seemed to have undergone some kind of change... how should he put it, more like... more like his father.


    This sensation made him terribly ufortable, as if he were in his father''s castle. Even the look in Tang Mo''s eyes was intimidating, and he couldn''t bring himself to meet Tang Mo''s gaze.


    "I''ve just about figured out your intentions. You don''t n on repaying the money, and you want to nt a spy here for free, a noble scion with dubious loyalty. Why should I harbour you?" Tang Mo, one hand on John''s shoulder, asked with a cold smile.


    "No, it''s not like that, Tang Mo... I just..." John suddenly panicked, feeling exposed, and stammering an exnation in his guilt.


    Tang Mo didn''t listen to his exnation and cut him off to continue, "Let me guess... no, let me make a malicious guess... Augustine, an ancient family... hedging bets, sitting on the fence... very slick operations."


    "..." John felt he might be confronting an entity more terrifying than his own father. He wanted to turn and run, but his feet wouldn''t move, as if in the woods, he was the prey under a tiger''s gaze.


    He didn''t dare to struggle, he even struggled to breathe, knowing he was afraid, yet no matter how much he tried, he couldn''t step out of Tang Mo''s shadow.

 Chapter 126: 126 Black Dragon Island

    "Well then, there''s no need for subtlety... Augustine John, what have you brought to tempt me, to stop me from killing you right now to vent my anger, and from visiting the Por Kingdom another day, when I''m in a good mood, to utterly crush the Augustin n into dust?" Tang Mo asked, staring at John with a smile that belied the harshness of his question.


    The moment his words fell, nearly everyone behind Tang Mo drew their pistols. Seven or eight dark muzzles coldly pointed at John''s forehead.


    At that moment, John''s reaction speed seemed to surpass his own limits, and he immediately blurted out, without a moment''s hesitation, "I''ve brought you a map!"


    Although an elf warship was moored not far behind him, John knew that the ship''s cannons couldn''t save his life.


    By the time those elf sailors realized he had been harmed, Tang Mo would likely have already left the harbor, returning to Brunas City.


    Tang Mo was momentarily taken aback when he heard this; he certainly hadn''t expected the other party to offernd as a bargaining chip¡ªhe did indeed covetnd, but he had little interest in enves far away in the Por Kingdom.


    What he hoped to acquire wasnd he could manage himself,nd that could be part of his own territory. For him, the best kind ofnd would be an ind, a veryrge one at that.


    So, Tang Mo''s tone noticeably softened a bit, and he asked John with interest, "Ah! A map... I''m starting to get a little interested. Tell me, what kind of map is it?"


    "About a year ago, we discovered an ind in the Endless Sea! A veryrge ind!" John''s voice trembled slightly, as this was his first time witnessing Tang Mo''s somewhat vtile negotiating style.


    In their previous encounter, Tang Mo was like a salesman, endlessly chattering but amiable and seemingly easy to get along with.


    But this time, the Tang Mo before him seemed angrier, somewhat fierce, and John even sensed a killing aura about him.


    It was a subtle feeling, but as he had seen sailors and soldiers who had killed before, he was sensitive to this sort of dangerous atmosphere.


    "Continue," Tang Mo interjected when he noticed John had paused in his exnation. But as he spoke, he waved his hand backward, and fingers like Wes''s were no longer on their pistol triggers.


    Startled, John immediately continued, "The ind is far from the Por Kingdom and other kingdoms, including Leite Kingdom. Its location is very remote."


    To convey the size of the ind, John gestured with his hands while describing, based on the information he knew, "We tried to explore the ind, but we couldn''t reach its edges! We found no signs of people on the ind; it waspletely pristine."


    "Hmm, go on," Tang Mo urged, even more interested in the ind now. As long as it wasn''t located on an earthquake zone and was arable, if he could get his hands on it, it would be quite a coup.


    Just as Tang Mo was figuring out how to make use of the ind, John dropped an even more astonishing piece of news: "There is oil on the ind! There are even streams flowing with ck oil! That''s why we''ve named it... ck Dragon Ind!"


    Damn it! Tang Mo cursed inwardly. This was truly a heaven-sent treasure! Not onlyrge but also with oil on it? Fate is with me, I must seize it! Otherwise, I would live in vain!


    For his future endeavors, he would certainly need to exploit oil resources, and if he could hold an oil field in his grip now, that would be incredibly satisfying.


    What''s more, even if he merely sold the oil, having an oil field would mean he could literally make money while sleeping, right? What is this? This is like bing a Saudi prince, a winner in life!


    "Although several countries have discovered the ind, none have yet managed to get other countries to recognize their sovereignty over it..." After throwing out several positives, John finally added a briefment about the ownership of the ind.


    Tang Mo snorted, "A hot potato... John, is this how you ensnare your friends?"


    "This is an opportunity! If you take that ind, you can be its uncrowned king!" John immediately said.


    Tang Mo shook his head, feeling it unnecessary to take such a risk, "Sounds more like a trap to me."


    "..." John no longer knew what to say, as he had more or less said all that he could.


    Tang Mo released his grip from John''s shoulder and casually pushed down the muzzle of Wes''s gun, "But... the nut inside this trap does seem quite tempting."


    Seeing his action, the guards behind him who had their guns pointed at John also put down their weapons one after another.


    The atmosphere suddenly eased, and John knew his life was safe for the moment. He nced at the guards beside Tang Mo, then swallowed to hide his nervousness. He continued, "I swear to you! If you can take control there, you will surely..."


    "I don''t have time," Tang Mo resignedly pulled himself back to reality, simrly bringing John back with him.


    He simply didn''t have the strength to deploy troops to that distant ind, even if he was willing to sacrifice his family''s business here and send out all his troops, hecked the basic ability to transport them.


    Yes, even if he had a dozenrge ships, this wasn''t a simple matter of deploying forces! He had to ensure these troops had supplies while also guaranteeing the safety of the shipping routes.


    This wasn''t something a dozen old ships could assure; even maintaining basic supplies proved to be a struggle. Should war really break out on that distant ind, he estimated all the wealth he had painstakingly gathered would likely be lost on ck Dragon Ind.


    The ce could be taken, just not now. Tang Mo needed to build up strength, so that one day in the future, he could seize the ind.


    "Huh?" Upon hearing Tang Mo say he didn''t have time, John was initially taken aback, it took him a moment to respond in shock as he looked at Tang Mo with a puzzled face, dragging out his words with questions.


    Shrugging his shoulders, Tang Mo made a helpless gesture, "I don''t have time for expansion now, let alone that ind, even if you gave me Brunas, I couldn''t manage it."


    He spoke the truth; in fact, he had expanded to the current limit of his capabilities. To continue expanding, he would need to find a much bigger buyer.


    After all, earning profit to acquire more production materials was the foundation for his continued expansion. And obviously an Earl from Northern Ridge could not support the factory scale that Tang Mo had now.


    "¡­" Hearing Tang Mo speak like this, John found himself at a loss for words once more, capable only of a disheartened silence.


    While he sulked in silence, Tang Mo''s tone took on a more cordial note, "However, since you''re here, there is some use for you, at least, you allow me to exploit your identity to keep blustering and deceiving around here."


    As he said this, Tang Mo draped an arm over John''s shoulder, "After all, I can''t really kill you, right?"


    "¡­" John felt it may have been a mistake toe here.


    As he regretted his decision, Tang Mo''s gaze shifted from him to the Elf Race''s warship in the distance, "Oh¡­ right! That warship isn''t bad either, if I confiscated it, do you think your father would be furious?"


    It was a brand new first-rate warship, each side bristling with 30 cannons¡ªconsidered both costly and powerful in this era.


    "¡­" John mulled it over but couldn''t bring himself to disclose that the warship was merely there to bring him over and was soon set to return.


    He feared that if he didn''t leave the warship with Tang Mo, Tang Mo might actually throw him into the sea to feed the fish.


    As John maintained his silence, Tang Mo nodded assuredly, delightedly saying, "Seems he will be angry then; perfect, tell your men toy down their weapons and hand over the warship to me! If they resist, I''ll show you my new weapon."


    "You! You have a new weapon again?" Hearing this, John''s fear was reced by shock as he looked at Tang Mo, hoping to decipher some clue from his face.


    And at that moment, Tang Mo gazed at the distant warship as if eyeing a target, nodding and threateningly said, "Yes, after you left, my technical engineer had a stroke of genius and came up with a brand new field gun¡­ Hmm, not exactly perfect yet, but sinking a warship with it is pretty easy."


    "¡­" John felt that Tang Mo was now like a devil. His threats sent shivers down John''s spine and left him without the courage to even think of resisting.


    Because deep down, he believed that Tang Mo truly had a new weapon that could easily destroy warships¡­


    "Come! Join me for a drink, and I''ll introduce you to some people¡­ Oh, right, you can call me Master just like they do," Tang Mo, arm still around John, prepared to step into the carriage as if taking him hostage.


    "¡­" John looked at Tang Mo sullenly, wanting to remind him: Didn''t you just say that we are best friends? Howe in a blink of an eye, I''ve be your subordinate?


    Stopping in his tracks, Tang Mo looked at John, who was not following him to the carriage, "What? Don''t I seem like it?"


    John immediately acquiesced, "As you wish, my Master."


    "Hahahahaha!" Tang Moughed loudly, with a tinge of loneliness in hisughter.

 Chapter 127: I am originally from the nobility

    "Do you really intend to keep him?" Roger asked with some unease, watching John caressing a newly produced C64 field gun in the distance.


    "I suppose so, at least he''s here to hedge his bets. Since I''m more optimistic about my side, he can still be of use," Tang Mo mused as he watched John''s figure from afar.


    Roger, somewhat worried, reminded Tang Mo, "We''re now short of 100,000 Gold Coins, and it seems we''ll have to find another way to fund our subsequent procurement ns."


    "In fact, our investments in other workshops have been hugely sessful. Thanks to the refining methods you provided, Brunas'' ss workshop has turned around, and their ss has opened up quite a few markets." Speaking of which, Roger started to tease Tang Mo.


    In his view, this might be a great irony for Tang Mo: aside from the most profitable arms trade, Tang Mo''s other investments were also yielding profits.


    And it''s very possible that, in the uing period, Tang Mo would have to rely on these civilian daily use workshops to subsidize and sustain his military industry enterprise.


    So, he couldn''t help butugh as he said, "The cement factory alsonded a big contract, supplying materials for Brunas'' wall and housing repair projects... Although it''s just a word from the mayor, it trulyted you a hefty profit."


    Seeing Tang Mo a bit embarrassed, Roger became even happier, "At the cloth workshop, the new dyeing method you''ve invested in has also been markedly effective. They''re preparing to buy two steam engines to drive their looms to increase production."


    When he finished, he patted Tang Mo on the shoulder, "Salt and other trades have brought you dividends well over thirty Gold Coins, but... obviously, for you now, these can only be considered small profits."


    "No matter how small, it''s still money! I''m quite in need of money right now! I don''t have too many good solutions either. The Earl ordered three thousand grenades. If he starts training with these weapons, he will order at least another three thousand. This might be our biggest order recently," Tang Mo replied with augh, then twisted his neck.


    The weather was no longer so cold, so he no longer needed to wear that very high-quality fur coat.


    However, the considerate Miss of the Ronin Family had someone send over a scarf, which looked a bit uneven in the stitching. It was somewhat prickly around Tang Mo''s neck.


    He adjusted it to make his neck morefortable, then changed the topic and asked Li''ao on the other side, "How are things in Brunas'' official circles?"


    "Things are going quite smoothly. With our support, Brunas'' tax collection has been wless for the past three years. Those fat emissaries couldn''t possibly find any issues," Li''ao reported with satisfaction.


    In this regard, he was truly a professional. The whole operation was arranged in a way that made Brunas seem impable.


    He recounted confidently all the measures in ce, "You know, we''ve reassigned over a hundred soldiers to fill gaps in the city defense force, assumingly recing others to help the Solon Sheriff plug the holes. The arsenal''s counts of flintlock guns are urate, every Longsword refurbished."


    "Brunas'' poption growth is among the top, the market order is good, and all industries are booming..." As he spoke, he even sounded amused, "You can''t see a beggar on the streets, hooligans and bullies are nowhere to be found. It might be safer here than in the King City."


    "If the officials here are notpetent, then there can''t bepetent officials anywhere within the Kingdom," he concluded, then looked at Tang Mo, awaiting his response.


    Tang Mo burst intoughter, very satisfied with his work, "Hahaha, I think the mayor and Solon and the others ought to thank me."


    "Indeed they should thank you. You even helped them get a bribe of 200 Gold Coins... The emissary is almost blind to it now, feasting for free in the brothels daily, he''s nearly slept with all the girls there," Roger snorted with disdain, clearly looking down on such corrupt officials.


    Tang Mo, however, didn''t mind and to arge extent even preferred these kinds of officials, "That''s good news, isn''t it? If he''d like to walk around more, I''d indeed be afraid that he''d see the continuous stream of chimneys here."


    "Shireck is too corrupt, entrusting such people to take the lead, is just giving me more time to develop," Tang Mo said, and then he added to both, "We must eliminate such corruption, otherwise, no matter how powerful, it will eventually copse thunderously, turning into a pile of ruins..."


    As he spoke, John walked back from the distance. He looked a bit pale, as he had truly seen Tang Mo''s new weapons.


    Upon seeing the new breech-loading cannons, he knew his father might have miscalcted. Offending a weapons merchant with numerous new weapons was clearly not a rational act.


    It was like a noble who now decided to offend Shireck; everyone was well aware of what the oue would be.


    So, he approached Tang Mo and asked, "Master, I, I think I should write a letter to my father, to persuade him once more... to let him..."


    "Sure!" Tang Mo nodded, agreeing to John''s request, "But I truly don''t have a ship to send your letter back, so... you might have to figure it out on your own."


    "..." John felt he had sustained a critical hit of 9999 damage, and for a moment, he was in such pain that he couldn''t utter a word.


    He felt that if this kept up, he might just be choked to death by Tang Mo''s words. So he decided to struggle one more time, gritting his teeth and forcing out, "I won''t say anything I shouldn''t, just in advice, you can watch me write..."


    "I''ve told you, writing a letter home is your freedom, I won''t interfere," Tang Mo replied earnestly. "I really don''t have a ship to send your letter back to the Por Kingdom."


    He spread his hands, embodying a look of helplessness: "The next monsoon season, my fleet will set sail southwards with goods, taking my products to the great port of Vernaldo to be sold. Losing even a single ship could mean a loss of tens of thousands of Gold Coins."


    "So, you can wait until the merchant fleet of the Por Kingdom arrives at Brunas and then ask someone to take your letter back. I think... that might be the fastest way," said Tang Mo. After finishing, he patted the stunned John on the back with a face saying "Bro, I''ve done all I can, I can only help you so much."


    "..." John felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if a certain organ was beating a bit too fast. He touched his heart, struggling for a long while to suppress the urge to curse.


    Whether the Por Kingdom''s fleet woulde back to Brunas or not was something he could not predict since that was nearly 10 months away.


    If his letter took that long to reach the Por Kingdom and for his father to have a change of heart¡ª that was about a 15-month wait. Who could wait that long?


    Besides, now that his warship was seized, whether the fleet of the Por Kingdom would even dare to dock at Brunas was an entirely different question.


    If after more than a year, they don''te, when would his letter finally reach his father''s hands?


    "You see, you should really think about how you can gain my trust, contribute your own strength. By doing that, you make yourself more valuable, you help the Augustin Family to better sit on the fence, and you might even save your father''s life, which may be at risk!" Tang Mo switched tones, giving advice to John.


    John was stunned for a moment, then he realized that he hadn''t shifted his loyalties yet. He was supposed to be Tang Mo''s staff officer now, and it seemed that he no longer needed to consider his own family.


    Although still feeling unustomed, John thought there was some sense in Tang Mo''s words; if he continued to be treated as an outsider here, what fence was there left for the Augustin Family to sit on?


    Having understood the situation, he became despondent again. Theoretically, he was actually much stronger than other nobles, but at this moment, he realized he didn''t seem to have any skills that could assist Tang Mo.


    He was only an overseer of a ship when it came to navigation; he had some experience, but it was clear that Tang Mo was unlikely to entrust the fleet to hismand.


    After all, these ships, and most of the elves on board, were his old subordinates; under these circumstances, he was very likely to run off with Tang Mo''s fleet.


    When it came tobat skills, he had some prowess, butpared with Westag, he fell short. Obviously, Tang Mo wouldn''t entrust his troops to him either.


    He did have some knowledge about indulgence in food, women, gambling, and such, but clearly, these were not things that would impress Tang Mo.


    Just then, Tang Mo''s voice reached his ears: "Since you seem incapable of much else, help me manage the business of the gambling den."


    "Ah?" John felt his brain was not quite up to the task.


    "I''ll give you some novel ideas, follow my instructions, set up casinos, clubs, bathhouses..." Tang Mo felt it was necessary to add some fresh, new elements to Brunas. Pai gow, mahjong, quadrille, dice, poker, barat... these games were also good channels for making money.


    "..." John truly couldn''t believe that, in the end, the thing that proved he was somewhat useful was precisely all the things he''d learned from his years of debauchery.


    "Turn Brunas into a gold-digging pit, make it a ce where people from all over the world can find what they want to y with!" Tang Mo spread his hands, seemingly very excited as he said, "How about it? Pretty good idea, right?"


    "What you''ve got to do is act like a nobleman, promote these games, make everyone ept them!" Tang Mo patted John''s shoulder,manding.


    "I am already a nobleman!" John objected weakly.

 Chapter 128: 128 Tactical Course

    Aside from preparing to open a new casino in Brunas and then setting up a high-end club to teach these natives from another world how to splurge, Tang Mo has recently found time amidst his busy schedule to start attending school.


    After the war ended, Count Fisheo realized the significant impact that Tang Mo''s weapons had on the battle situation.


    Hadn''t Tang Mo previously taught Tagg and several veterans from Northern Ridge some courses on artillery theory? It was these veterans who yed an important role in the battle of Northern Ridge.


    Under themand of these veterans, Tang Mo''s cannons¡ªwhether in choosing positions, precise shooting, or covering fire¡ªterrified the Suthers troops.


    It could be said that the six unassuming cannons yed a more significant role in the war than even Fisheo had anticipated.


    After the war, those veterans who had attended the courses immediately became artillery officers in Fisheo''s troops, and their status rose dramatically.


    After hearing these veterans talk about how Tang Mo had previously trained them in cannon firing calctions and artillery tactics, Fisheo immediately became interested in this mysterious school.


    Consequently, Fisheo reached an agreement with Tang Mo, sending officers to Brunas for tactical training courses with Tang Mo, while Fisheo helped gather 2,000 immigrants to help Tang Mo expand his factory once again.


    In the newly built, spacious and bright ssrooms¡ªstill tinged with a faint smell of paint¡ªthe conditions looked much better than those in Tang Mo''s office.


    Apart from the chimneys, this might have been the tallest building in Tang Mo''s factory. It had three floors with six ssrooms in total.


    The other rooms included teacher''s dormitories, a multi-functional dining hall, and some chemicalboratories. In this age, it was indeed amendable architecture.


    Tang Mo addressed a room full of young people, passionately lecturing, "Now, everyone, take a look at Tang''s K1 Quick Gun. Was its creation merely a simple matter of changing the loading method?"


    He picked up a K1 Quick Gun, pulled the bolt, and showed all the students the entire structure of the rifle.


    Those seated below were officers from Northern Ridge, officers from the Great Tang security forces, and some of the most academically achieving students from the cadet corps.


    Everyone was looking up, listening attentively to Tang Mo''s lecture, asionally taking notes, and the only voice in the ssroom was Tang Mo''s.


    After discussing the K1 Quick Gun, Tang Mo began to introduce some new tactics, the performance improvements of the K1 Quick Gun, and a series of technological innovations that had changed the battlefield situation.


    He hastily drew a square on the ckboard to represent an infantry formation and then sketched an improved long column formation used by Northern Ridge with the K1 Quick Gun,paring the fire density: "In fact, the battlefield situation has be veryplex now, and the fire density on both sides is set to increase."


    "New weapons have made traditional formations ostentatious and impractical, seriously wasting the increased fire density provided by the new weapons! This needs to be discarded! It''s also an issue we need to pay attention to in the future!" He tapped on the ckboard to emphasize the point, then returned to his desk.


    At the desk, he picked up the Great Tang Group''stest weapon design: "This is an improved bullet created by our factory. We refer to the rifle that uses this bullet as the K3 model rifle!"


    As he spoke, he demonstrated how the new weapon operated: "The K3 rifle has an improved firing pin and a magazine that can hold five bullets... It''s a brand-new type of individual weapon that our factory is preparing to put into production."


    "This weapon can provide a simpler way of attack for the soldiers, as they don''t need to reload frequently, allowing them to remain concealed while lying on the ground." As he spoke, he put down the weapon and picked up a metal bullet from the table.


    The bullet was made of brass, shiny and sleek, and despite its small size, it felt chillingly formidable in Tang Mo''s fingers.


    All present had seen bullets before and had seen many types of bullets, but they had never seen such a sharp bullet head or bullets that appeared so sturdy.


    In their eyes, the bullet''s appearance alone conveyed an impression of invincibility. No one on the battlefield would wish to be hit by such ammunition.


    "Believe me, its improvements are the result of a series of advancements, starting with a full-metal cartridge case for a faster reloading process, making the bullet more safe and reliable," Tang Mo said, holding the bullet and exining its strengths.


    Everyone present in the ssroom had been carefully handpicked by Earl Fisello himself, as well as being the core backbone of the Tang Group.


    Tang Mo didn''t have to worry about the secrets here being leaked, or to put it another way, he didn''t worry about this content being leaked at all.


    The students in this school, in theory, were seeds sown by Tang Mo into this world; wherever these seeds might sprout in the future, the harvest would always be his.


    Make no mistake, in the not-so-distant future, Tang Mo would even intentionally let these people leave him and go to every corner of the world to establish their own careers.


    And wherever they were, they would be elements influenced by Tang Mo. They would unconsciously use the knowledge system established by him and ultimately join his circle with full consent and satisfaction.


    When purchasing weapons or buying equipment, they would, consciously or unconsciously, favor Tang Mo.


    Moreover, in their subconscious, they would fear Tang Mo, revere him as a deity, and inherently resist any behavior that challenged him.


    "Furthermore, it uses smokeless powder, which greatly increases the concealment of a soldier after firing and also clears the vision of one''s own side," Tang Mo continued to exin, while the students below dutifully recorded and listened, their eyes filled with admiration and confidence.


    They were confident that they had mastered the future; they knew that if they left this ssroom and faced the fools who had not heard this lecture, they would have an absolute advantage.


    Although these students weren''t sure whether they could beat their ssmates, they were certain they could defeat anyone outside this room!


    So, they were proud, they were confident. What they had learned here was more than they had in the past decade, and was more useful than everything they had learned in the past decade.


    Tang Mo pulled the bolt open and pointed to the simple structure inside while introducing the advantages of this new rifle, "Also, after improving the firing pin, this weapon has be more reliable, simpler, easier to maintain, and almost malfunction-free."


    "Finally, with this weapon,manders can boldly change existing tactics to achieve betterbat effectiveness," he said, putting down the gun in his hand and looking at the students who were watching him.


    Everyone was amazed by Tang Mo''s new weapons, for they had previously encountered the K2 lever-action rifle in earlier sses, and now in this ss, they encountered another new weapon.


    What Shireck had failed to improve upon for decades, Tang Mo effortlessly brought to life in a variety of forms in his hands.


    Even though the lever-action rifle had its ws, when faced with Shireck''s rifles, its terrifying rate of fire could shine like a beam of light, covering all its shorings.


    Just one charge was needed to use a storm of bullets topletely copse the enemy, which likely was the dream of almost everymander.


    This truly was their dream, and some had already begun to envision in their minds how they would form regiments using these new weapons.


    The attacking troops should be equipped with as many K2 lever-action rifles as possible to tear through the enemy''s defenses with fire density. In contrast, the defending troops should be equipped with as many K3 rifles as possible to leverage the range advantage and crush the enemy''s attacking troops in advance.


    Simrbinations had more or less taken shape in many people''s minds¡ªthey were also considering whether rifles should be divided into two functions, into attack and defense rifles, and distributed to different troops for use¡­


    At that moment, Tang Mo''s continued words brought these trainees back to reality, "Next, let''s take a look at this B1-type hand grenade. It is a throwable weapon, providing close-range suppressive firepower for the infantry."


    "Just pull the cord, strike the primer fuse, and this weapon can be thrown to kill the enemy," he said, picking up an unloaded model from the table and demonstrating the use of the grenade.


    Then, he drew a circle on the ckboard, annotating a number on its radius, "With an explosion radius of more than 5 meters, this thing is quite dangerous. However, it can immediately take out enemies in front of you, making it a very effective attack or defense weapon."


    Just one precise throw could kill swathes of enemies in front of them; despite the throwing range being less than 30 meters, this weapon was clearly another means to counter the enemy''s group charges.


    Looking at this new weapon, virtually all the officers took notes, recognizing the hand grenade as an advanced weapon to be added to the procurement list for their future troopposition.


    "Firstly, with the emergence of new weapons, we need to change our existing tactics for both offensive and defensive operations," Tang Mo continued, drawing a U-shape on the ckboard to represent the side of a trench, "Defense has be easier to effect and requires prearranged setups; our soldiers need better concealment in the face of enemy fire, rather than foolishly standing in the open waiting to be killed."

 Chapter 129: Changes in 129 Tactics

    He tossed the chalk into the groove below the ckboard, patted the chalk dust off his hands, and said, "So, digging trenches has be a reasonable method... What is a trench? A trench is a series of such pits."


    As he spoke, he picked up a teaching aid previously carved out of wood. It even had some little wooden carved figures that looked very lifelike.


    While speaking, Tang Mo picked up the teaching aid and stepped down from the podium. He ced the teaching aid in front of the students for a closer look, "Soldiers hiding in this trench wouldn''t have to worry about most of their bodies being exposed under the enemy''s gunfire, and their chances of survival would be much higher."


    He pointed to the head of a soldier sticking out from the trench and said to all the officers who had gathered around, "The enemy can only target our soldiers'' heads, which means their hit rate would be much lower. The trench can also evade more than 90% of the enemy''s artillery fire, proving more effective than a wall."


    "I am not joking, to attack such trenches, the enemy may have to pay tenfold before achieving any results," he looked at the attentivemanders, who were several decades his senior, and earnestly cautioned, "Unless you n to leave immediately, you must dig trenches! It''s the best way to preserve your lives!"


    All the people in this ssroom could be called the confidantes of either Tang Mo or Fisheo. Being selected to be here represented an honor in itself.


    Those who could sit in this ssroom, whether officers or soldiers of Tang Mo''s direct troops, had all distinguished themselves in the previous battle at Northern Ridge. Their rewards included Gold Coins and the opportunity to attend this ss.


    No one would give up such an opportunity, because everyone knew that once they stepped out of this ssroom, they could stir up storms in the world.


    "With adequate preparation, on one position, we only need to deploy 500 people to withstand the attack of 10,000 enemies!" Tang Mo was still introducing his defensive position concept at this point.


    He aimed to quickly instill these tactics in the officers and then make them outstanding figures ahead of their era.


    Hence, as he spoke, he walked around the ssroom and then returned to the podium, "Gentlemen, the era is progressing! If you do not wish to advance with the times, you will be considered fools and be eliminated by history!"


    "In the future, soldiers will be equipped with more powerful weapons, including hand grenades, rifles, bays, and for better defense arrangements, they should also be issued Engineer Corps shovels!" he said and wrote the words for Engineer Corps shovel on the ckboard.


    "Not only should they be issued Engineer Corps shovels, but also mess tins, spare socks..." He filled an entire ckboard with his neat handwriting.


    There were many more defensive tactics he had yet to teach, because the Maxim machine gun had not yet emerged, and the defense system built around the machine gun was iplete.


    Once machine guns became avable, attacks would be very difficult, and both sides would enter a state of trench warfare, requiring great courage to initiate an attack.


    Just like in World War I, when attacking the enemy''s solid defense lines, it required massing heavy artillery, using overwhelming firepower to destroy all of the enemy''s defense systems, and then furiously attacking the enemy''s now-damaged defenses with soldiers.


    Even so, this kind of attack was no different from suicide: even if more than half of the enemy''s defenses were destroyed, they could still hold out for a long time.


    During this period, the attacking soldiers would be divided by the enemy''s dense barbed wire andndmines, and then easily ughtered by the machine guns.


    After destroying these machine gun positions andpletely taking over a whole section of the defense line, the exhausted attackers would be surprised to find another enemy defense line in front of them, identical to the one they had just breached.


    Therefore, before the birth of tanks, before the widespread adoption ofrge-scale mechanized troops and high-performance bombers, the entire war could only be conducted through trench warfare.


    Everyone had no good solution; they could only probe each other in the most cumbersome way. This was trench warfare, a war as intractable as a quagmire.


    After a pause, he continued to address these eager students, "We will continue with the defensive aspect in the next lesson. Now let''s outline the offense. With stronger rifles and hand grenades, the soldiers'' attacks have be much sharper."


    "The squad, that is, the small units of teams and toons, now have the firepower to contend with an entire battalion of the enemy," Tang Mo exined earnestly, and his emphasis enlightened themanders.


    Indeed, their previous tactics were to walk in step, maintaining a formation to get close to the opponent, and then use volley fire from flintlock muskets to break the enemy.


    To im victory depended partly on precise tactical judgment and partly on strict military discipline. After two volleys of mutual shooting, the first side to falter would lose the battle.


    But now, the formation is definitely outdated, as the density of the soldiers'' firepower has clearly increased several times over.


    If both sides were to use the original tactics at this point, the scene would be incredibly bloody, and both units would almost instantly meet their annihtion.


    Both sides, at a distance of several tens of meters, fought with K2-type lever rifles, and it was unlikely that many would survive after several volleys.


    Within a few seconds, two opposing formations that had approached each other would be annihted by each other''s superior weaponry.


    Instantly losing more than half of the soldiers, most troops would immediately copse and lose theirbat effectiveness. Such losses, whether in victory or defeat, were uneptable to both sides.


    Well-trained soldiers on a regr basis certainly should not be wasted so easily on a disordered battlefield where they were lined up for execution by firing squad. Therefore, actively seeking change was almost everyone''smon understanding.


    Just think, if the Northern Ridge troops faced an enemy formation on the offensive, especially one employing needle guns or lever rifles, would they still use the same tactics to confront them directly?


    Certainly not; the defensive tactics introduced by Tang Mo¡ªdigging trenches for concealment, thereby eradicating the enemy more safely and conveniently¡ªwere obviously a more appropriate choice.


    The kind ofbat where one trades life for life should be swept into the dustbin of history. The tactic of forming a human wall to increase the hit rate was also bound to be phased out.


    In an open space on the ckboard, Tang Mo sketched out some terrain features and then drew a few simple arrows: "In such a situation, dispersed attacks are more rational than marching in line abreast, and they also reduce casualties."


    As he spoke, he annotated "squad" behind those arrows, indicating a unit of 12 people: "Experiments have shown that operating by squads, covering each other and advancing alternately, is more in line withbat conditions¡­ This requires you all to experience and explore in future battles. There are no rigid rules set here."


    After tapping on the ckboard twice, Tang Mo reminded everyone, "I hope all the students take good notes! These theories are very important, do you understand?"


    Hearing his words, all the officers began writing furiously, taking notes on the lesson.


    Many among them had already studied Tang Mo''s artillery course, and some had learned the basic drills of the troops.


    And it was at this moment that those veterans who had learned from previous lessons realized that the hand-to-handbat and crawling taught by Tang Mo were actually preparations for this new set of tactics.


    When facing a barrage of bullets from the enemy''s dense lever rifles, lying on the ground was clearly a wiser choice than standing there.


    Tang Mo walked back to the lecturer''s desk, pped his hands, and began to organize his teaching materials: "Now, you all know why our Great Tang Group''s security forces are equipped with these functional gear, right?"


    "Understood," all the students nodded.


    Tang Mo picked up his books and teaching aids, "After you return, make sure your troops have the capacity to construct field fortifications, and I also hope you will purchase the supporting equipment from the Great Tang Group."


    "Alright, that''s it for this ss, dismissed! Goodbye, students!" Tang Mo nodded slightly and left the ssroom with a pile of misceneous items.


    "Goodbye, teacher!" All the students stood up at attention and saluted Tang Mo with respect. They watched him leave the ssroom with adoring eyes.


    "Who would have thought that there really could be rifles capable of continuous fire..." Once Tang Mo had left the room, a Northern Ridge officer said with some amazement.


    "Forget about rifles, if we didn''t know and were suddenly attacked by a unit equipped with revolvers, wouldn''t we lose too?" another officermented with a sense of loss.


    The officers whispered among themselves, some gathered to discuss the lever rifles that were likely to be manufactured in the future.


    Despite the shorings of limited range, they were still more interested in it. Becausepared to paper specs, the lever rifle, indeed, seemed more appealing than the KAR98K.


    "Each unit should bring at least three more wagons..." Redmanined to Luff by his side, "The rate of ammunition consumption will surely be faster than before."


    "Three wagons? I reckon even five might not be enough," Luff said with a wince, "Factoring in consumption for horses and people, with the extra wagons and supplies, five... more would not be less!"


    The other officers from the Great Tang''s security force silently packed their things, as the ssroom would be used by other students afterward.


    They all knew that, one way or another, the next war would bring changes. They just didn''t know when it woulde.

 Chapter 130: The leader personally took charge

    Recently, Gis hadn''t been going to his own office much, because inside, he had killed arge number of craftsmen in one fell swoop.


    The gaps between the floorboards there might asionally still ooze red bloodstains, which he found disgusting.


    As much as he was ruthless and brutal in killing, he still found those bloodstains nauseating and felt they tainted his refined tastes.


    In a new room, his side was again filled with craftsmen, their faces etched with difficulty, each of them silent as if chilled to the bone.


    They had all been newly promoted to managers, or rather, persons in charge. These individuals were talented in the technical field, and they were there to report on the results of their experiments in the recent period.


    A craftsman, drenched in sweat, finally stepped forward after being nudged by his peers and started to exin, "Sir, we truly cannot concoct this form... It''s too enigmatic, we have no idea where to even begin."


    "We''ve exhausted all means of reverse engineering, but itsponents be extremely unstable under certain conditions, yet very stable under others... It... It''s tooplex, we don''t have any good solutions..." The craftsman''s voice trailed off as he spoke.


    He also knew that Shireck paid very high sries to sustain them, these technical craftsmen, but now their technology had been surpassed by another group.


    This was not good news, as it meant their wages and sries had gone to waste. To Shireck, the money was not a pity, but the situation itself infuriated him.


    Furthermore, the fact that they couldn''t even reverse-engineer the opponent''s technology was even more embarrassing.


    Standing here at this moment, he could clearly feel his calves trembling uncontrobly with fear.


    Sitting there, Gis was also calcting; he had already killed several craftsmen with formidable skills, all of whom were Shireck Company''s intangible assets.


    Getting rid of those people wasn''t entirely due to his cruelty, but because he needed to put pressure on his subordinates, sufficient pressure to make them quickly and exhaustively reverse-engineer the opponent''s technology.


    Under the threat of death, these well-paid craftsmen would definitely work themselves to the bone and produce the results he wanted.


    But now, after nearly a month of experimenting, these craftsmen had note up with the desired form for the ignition device. This meant that Shireck''s technology was truly incapable of replicating this item.


    Some people aren''t even afraid of death, and stand here exining, but that only means one thing: ipetence! These people are ipetent! They cannot replicate the opponent''s technology; they can''t produce the item Shireck wants, not even at the cost of their lives!


    "Ah... it really is bothersome." Gis rubbed his forehead and waved his hand to cut off the other party''s excuses. His eyes swept over the craftsmen who were silent as death, like a hawk scouring its prey.


    "You... have disappointed Shireck''s high expectations!" He stood up, his face turning very ugly: "Now, get out! Get out!"


    A group of people, as if granted amnesty, quickly filed out one after the other from Gis''s room. Gis scratched his head and spoke to himself in frustration: "You really are annoying! Ipetent and swarming in numbers, not even fit for killing..."


    He couldn''t possibly kill all these craftsmen because he still needed people to work in Shireck''s workshops. Even though he had the impulse to kill, at this moment, he had to suppress such thoughts.


    "Sir..." One of his subordinates stepped forward, ready to say something to Gis.


    But his words were also cut off by Gis: "Shut up! I have already been given a deadline from above; either pay up or kill, in any case... this matter needs to be dealt with!"


    "You, go to Ronin Fisallo immediately! No matter what condition you offer, make him remain neutral in the uing events!" Gismanded coldly as he looked into his subordinate''s eyes: "Whether he agrees or not, beg him properly!"


    "Yes, Sir!" The subordinate, knowing that whatever he said his master had already made arrangements, could only swallow hard and nod slightly.


    After this person left the room, Gis turned to another underling: "Prepare the carriage! Select some fine wines for me, and other gifts... only the best! I need to take a trip to Brunas... personally! Have Baus apany me."


    He had originally wanted someone from the Kingdom''s military to apany him to Brunas. But upon further thought, he felt it would be better to keep that person in King City in case of emergencies.


    After all, he was just a manager from Shireck, and if he exhausted all of Shireck''s pieces deployed in the Leite Kingdom, he would definitely face punishment.


    So, after much consideration, he decided it would seem more sincere to have a goody-two-shoes apany him, as a gesture of goodwill.


    Upon hearing this news, the subordinate was immediately shocked and quickly tried to persuade, "My lord, in the past month, we have dispatched 5 groups of ''nails'' to Brunas, but not a single group has sent back any intelligence! Brunas is obviously very dangerous now, no longer a ce we can control..."


    What he said was no exaggeration; Shireck indeed sent many small investigative squads to Northern Ridge. Upon entering the Brunas region, they lost all contact with Shireck and failed to send back even a sliver of useful information.


    It was only with great difficulty that a team managed to send back some news, merely mentioning the area''s extraordinarymercial prosperity, featuring various entertaining hotspots. These few words only added to the mystique of Brunas, serving no other purpose.


    Then that very team that had managed to send back messages mysteriously vanished within Brunas, never to be found again. Everyone in Shireck knew that in Brunas, there seemed to be a secret power at y, already influencing events behind the scenes.


    Gis looked at his subordinate, his face brimming with disdain, "To concoct such a grand spectacle right under our noses, if I don''t go and see for myself, won''t othersugh at me, Gis, for having the courage of a mouse?"


    In fact, it wasn''t rumors or gossip that drove him to personally visit Brunas in such haste, but the real threat hanging over his neck.


    He may kill like mowing grass, but within the inner circles of Shireck, the higher-ups were very strict with those in charge like him.


    Though they wouldn''t kill him for a minor mistake, he would still face severe punishment if he botched his duties.


    Recently, Shireck''s entire setup in Suthers Kingdom and Leite Kingdom had been destroyed, and the higher-ups were already extremely dissatisfied with him for this responsibility.


    However, to kill the chicken as a warning to the monkeys, after Suthers'' defeat, Shireck dealt with the person responsible for the Suthers side, giving Gis a chance to redeem himself for his faults.


    This opportunity to make amends was to somehow acquire new weaponry and restore Shireck to its position as the world''s leading advanced weapons manufacturing group.


    The order Shireck gave him was: at any cost! Thismand alone showed just how seriously those above regarded the matter.


    Should anything go wrong again, his fate would be far worse than that of the person in charge of Suthers. Under such circumstances, he could no longer care about anything else and had to personally take action.


    "My lord..." his subordinate still wanted to further advise him against it, but Gis waved his hand and interrupted him.


    "Rest assured! I am going there to deliver money, not to pick a fight. With the Kingdom Minister apanying me, it''s not so easy for mishaps to ur," insisted Gis.


    "My lord, please reconsider... for your safety..." The subordinate had the earnest look of someone who was genuinely loyal, a natural-born actor.


    Yet Gis quite enjoyed the feeling of being cared for. He patted his subordinate''s shoulder with satisfaction, appearing touched, though his words were vicious, "Working with you fools, I wouldn''t even know who has defeated me if I ended up being butchered!"


    "This subordinate will go prepare at once." The subordinate was not discouraged but departed the room with the same respectful demeanor.


    Watching the fawning subordinate leave the room, Gis scornfully muttered, "Having to work with you lot is truly a despairing experience."


    Gis checked to make sure the door was securely closed, then turned to hisst trusted aide, "Go to Northern Ridge yourself... Let no one know, and if there''s a chance, then..." His voice trailed off, growing fainter until it was almost inaudible, "Even though Beiji is the sharpest hound under me, in terms of ferocity, how could a dog... everpare to a bear..."


    His voice faded to the point of being barely audible, and the expression on the subordinate''s face darkened as he responded in a low voice, "Yes!"


    Outside in the corridor, Gis''s subordinate summoned a servant, "Go to the master''s cer, fetch a few bottles of fine wine... he may have to personally go to Brunas."


    "What does the lord want there..." A charming woman yawning as she passed by inquired seductively.


    "What the lord does is not for us servants to question," the subordinate dared not offend thedy, who had unclear rtions with Lord Gis. This widow would sometimes visit, often staying the night.


    "Hurry! Go!" The subordinate dared not grumble at the Countess who had inherited her husband''s nobility title, but he did scold the nearby servant in a low voice, "Don''t dy the lord''s business!"


    The servant hurriedly rushed towards the wine cer, while the attendant standing to the side bowed slightly, letting the two pass and nced inadvertently towards Gis''s office in the distance.


    Soon, a note was secretly passed out of the manor. Not long after, a fast horse burst from the gates of King City, galloping non-stop toward the direction of Brunas.

 Chapter 131: Casino 131

    Brunas recently opened a new casino, and although the decorations are not luxurious, the offerings inside are a real eye-opener for everyone.


    A well-dressed man was leaning against a table, shouting at the spinning roulette wheel, "30! 30! Damn it, why is it 8! Bastard!"


    The ball on the roulette wheel spun for a long time before finally settling in the ck number 8 slot, eliciting sighs of disappointment from the surrounding crowd.


    They had all failed to bet on the winning number, which meant that nearly all of the money on the table had gone into the house''s pocket.


    Next to this man, a woman nestled against another man, looking at the cards on the table and eximed with a surprised and sweet voice, "This is so much fun!"


    The dealer, dressed in smart clothes, stretched out his hand to draw a card from the blind box and ced it on the table, "Gentlemen... the Four of Spades."


    "Ugh..." Several yers frustratingly mmed their cards on the table, while only one person smiled and swept all the chips in front of him into his arms.


    Everyone in the casino was animated; they seemed obsessed with the games to the point of forgetfulness. They mmed their chips down on the table, shouting at the top of their lungs.


    "Can''t be helped, this isn''t exactly an upscale ce... Our luxury casino, the tasteful one that draws high-end customers, is still being refurbished," John exined, sipping his drink in the corner, somewhat frustrated by the noisy environment, to hispanion Li''ao.


    Li''ao offered a knowing smile and consoled, "It''s okay, you''ve done very well. How about going down to gamble for a bit?"


    "Are you kidding me..." John sighed with a hint of helplessness, "I''m just aborer right now, the money''s not even paid off yet, how can I dare to mess around with the boss''s money?"


    "A flush! Hahaha! I got a flush!" Just then, a man raised his arms in victory and shouted excitedly to the entire room.


    "20 gold coins! Hahaha! I won 20 gold coins!" The man was shouting triumphantly like a boxing champion at the table, drawing envious nces from many.


    The nature of a casino is such that there are winners and losers; while some lose money, others are bound to win. In fact, casinos make their profit simply from themissions and the portion of the bets that the house wins outright.


    A real casino normally earns its profit through a rake, making a guaranteed ie unless faced with an extraordinarily skilled gambler.


    Of course, since Tang Mo made the rules of the game, he naturally had his own protective measures in ce.


    John, being well-versed in entertainment himself, oversaw the operation to keep things steady and ensure everyone adhered to the rules.


    After all, at such times, it carried more persuasive power for a noble from the Por Kingdom to step forward than for Tang Mo, who was not yet a noble.


    "You might not realize just how much profit this ce has brought us... 50 gold coins a day... it''s probably faster than robbery," Li''ao said with pride, his eyes sparkling as he nced at John.


    Many shipse and go in Brunas, and these ships dock at the Port of Brunas, where sailors alwayse ashore to find entertainment.


    Thus, they discovered a new paradise far more enjoyable than other ces.


    The brothels here actually featured many new services, all of which sounded blushingly exciting, and each one was enough to thrill and tempt visitors.


    Who would have thought that after two months at sea, even bathing could offer a variety of pleasurable experiences? For just two gold coins, one could enjoy previously unthought-of thorough services from a girl.


    And who could have imagined that afterplete rxation, they could put on decent bathrobes and patronize the casino inside the brothels, eagerly seeking the thrill of new gambling experiences?


    In short, although the departing sailors had not yet spread their delightful experiences far and wide, Brunas''s ability to draw gold was already astounding.


    In reality, Tang Mo had improved not only the casino but also the restaurants. He introduced many new styles of eating that, while simple, fit perfectly with the situation in Brunas.


    For example, Tang Mo set up a fast-food outlet at a street-side shack, where one could quickly get a "burger" with bread stuffed with vegetables and a fried egg.


    Initially, this proved popr with dockborers, who appreciated its affordability and convenience; it was as if it had been made just for them.


    Later, sailors adopted this novel way of eating, buying a bunch of burgers to eat on the sea for two straight days, enjoying the simplicity and convenience.


    Then, students going to school, working adults, and even members of the City Defense Forces began to frequent the shop, bringing Tang Mo a considerable ie.


    Besides these, Tang Mo also introduced some simple dishes in the restaurant, which though straightforward, were a novelty and brought his establishment high praise.


    The method of coating chicken wings with starch and deep-frying them until they are crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside, has, in the mouths of diners, acquired a name with a strong regional vor: "Brunas Fried Chicken."


    Thus, without realizing it, Tang Mo had infiltrated every nook and cranny of Brunas. The ck society here didn''t collect protection money, because they were all secretly on Tang Mo''s payroll...


    It was precisely because of this that the informants of Shireck who came to snoop for news were easily discovered and then thoroughly eradicated.


    There was no helping it; these people''s customary tactics were essentially to seek help from officials or find local hoodlums to clear the path.


    As a result, the Shireck informants who sought help from officials hadn''t even met with them before the guards rying their messages had delivered the news to the Silver Fox Tavern. And those who dealt with local hoodlums were, naturally, taken care of by Tang Mo''s enforcers.


    In any unassuming corner here, conversing with anyone could potentially expose one''s identity and lead to being surveilled by Tang Mo''s people.


    For instance, a vendor selling vegetable burgers could, with just a few casual remarks, determine whether the personing to buy food was a sailor or a merchant.


    On these streets, any child selling apples could well be a top student and ss deputy for the scouts from Tang Mo''s school.


    For Tang Mo, he now had Brunas entirely under his control, his influence here even vaster than that of the town mayor.


    There was no helping it, the town mayor and the sheriff, including the tax officer and all other officials of the small town, had taken his bribes until their hands went soft.


    Under these circumstances, Tang Mo''s words carried more weight here than the king''s words, because the king''s orders might face some discount in their enforcement here, but Tang Mo''s words would be carried out immediately.


    To put it bluntly, if Tang Mo ordered the City Defense Forces to arrest the town mayor, they were quite likely to consider executing this somewhat terrifying order.


    In Brunas, the outline of Tang Mo''s shadow empire was already beginning to take shape.


    And while Li''ao and John were in the newly opened casino watching gamblers squander money like water, Tang Mo, at the entrance to Brunas''s finest restaurant, weed an important visitor.


    A luxurious carriage, enviable enough to make one jealous, stopped before Tang Mo, and a respectable attendant helped open the carriage door. Gis, dressed in formal attire, stepped down from the carriage.


    "Wee to Brunas!" Tang Mo greeted politely.


    "I asked the mayor, and only then did I learn of Mr. Tang''s achievements, truly breathtaking! Hahaha!" Gis stepped forward, spreading his arms wide as if he wished to give Tang Mo a warm hug.


    However, Tang Mo did not move; he retained his smile and exined, "We''re not that close, no need to be so friendly, right?"


    Gis was taken aback, his smile blooming instantly as he withdrew his arms and continued tough heartily, "Hahaha! Mr. Tang is a funny man! I really like your candidness! I like it very much!"


    The Minister of Construction, Baus, who in King City still held some face, dismounted from the carriage but did not get a chance to speak for a good while, leaving him awkwardly standing there.


    "Let me introduce... this is... the Kingdom''s Minister of Construction, Mr. Baus!" Gis stepped back and gestured, introducing him.


    "I''ve long heard of you! I''ve long heard of you!" Tang Mo immediately weed with a smile.


    "You''re too kind! Too kind!" Baus immediately appeared ttered. After all, in his view, a man who could leave Gis so embarrassed without exploding in fury, no matter how young, deserved respect.


    "Then! Since Mr. Gis graces us with his presence, let''s go upstairs to talk! I''ve ordered the dishes; everyone must grace us with their presence!" Tang Mo stepped back, yielding his position, and with a sweep of his arm, made an inviting gesture.


    "Then I must thank Mr. Tang for the arrangements!" Gis did not decline and went ahead. He didn''t even pretend to defer to the Minister of Construction, who theoretically held a much higher status.


    The entire first floor of the restaurant was empty, which did not surprise Gis at all. He could guess Tang Mo''s influence in Brunas was about the same as his in King City.


    Under these circumstances, it was all too easy to reserve the entire floor of the restaurant to entertain guests.


    What truly caught Gis''s attention was the presence of those guards dressed in ck, whose influence was subtly pervasive around Tang Mo.


    These guards, who carried no visible weapons, exuded an extremely dangerous pressure. The bodyguards Gis brought with him seemed somewhat inferior in their presence.


    However, Gis was not here for a showdown, so he took his seat with ease and enthusiastically engaged in toasting and drinking with Tang Mo.

 Chapter 132: 132 Good Price

    To tell the truth, the improved delicacies in the Brunas restaurants, thanks to Tang Mo''s suggestions, had indeed made a deep impression on Gis.


    He had never imagined that seafood, enhanced by Tang Mo''s touch, would taste so delightful, nor had he expected the Brunas-style fried chicken to be so stunning.


    All in all, Gis thoroughly enjoyed this meal, and even felt thating just for this dining experience was worth the trip.


    He wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin in a refined manner, and redirected the conversation back to their previous ttery-filled idle chat, "Mr. Tang, I heard from others that you have a rather remarkable military workshop?"


    "Hmm? Mr. Gis, who told you that?" Tang Mo hadn''t even put down his knife and fork, and looked at Gis with surprise, adding, "I almost forgot, I do have such a small workshop."


    Neither of them had introduced themselves from the beginning, not even after Gis introduced the Minister of Construction Baus, did he take the initiative to introduce himself.


    But it seemed as though both sides had known each other for a long time, or rather they had both thoroughly investigated the other''s background; thus, neither asked questions nor offered self-introductions.


    Tang Mo knew that Gis was one of the heads of the Shireck Consortium and a person of influence within the Leite Kingdom.


    Gis also knew that Tang Mo was that secretive weapons manufacturer who had developed a weapon surpassing the Shireck Firearms, quite the irritant indeed.


    It would be overly false to pretend to be meeting for the first time, given they were so well-acquainted; in reality, though they had never met face-to-face, their minds had certainly met long ago.


    Now that the topic had turned to the workshop, Gis became very serious, "I heard that... the weapons produced by your workshop are significantly better than those manufactured by the Shireck Consortium?"


    "You''re making me blush with suchments... In truth... indeed, what you''ve said is urate," Tang Mo said, seemingly embarrassed as he shyly admitted it.


    "In half a year''s time, you''ve provided Northern Ridge with 2000 of these firearms?" Gis, furrowing his brows, voiced his own confusion.


    In fact, he wasn''t confounded by advanced weaponry; Shireck Firearms had been mass-produced for a century, and it wasn''t strange for a new type of weapon to emerge over such a long period.


    Even Shireck themselves were engaged in this kind of research and revolution, but they simply hadn''t seeded yet.


    What truly caused Shireck to loseplete control over the Northern Ridge issue this time was something that neither Gis nor the other heads of Shireck could fathom would ur within such a short span of half a year.


    If not for theircency, the critical intelligence that Tang Mo had re-equipped Northern Ridge with firearms would not have remained undelivered to Gis until the outbreak of the war.


    It was Tang Mo''s production methods, which were ahead of their time, that plunged Shireck into a blind spot and subsequently led to their defeat in the war.


    From this perspective, what truly vanquished Shireck were not the 2000 breechloading rifles or the rear-loading field cannons, but rather Tang Mo''s steam engines and the corresponding machine tool equipment.


    "Er, actually, it was 3000 firearms," Tang Mo said, still with a modest and bashful demeanor, but his words made Gis tremble all over.


    The capability to produce a total of 3000 firearms within half a year fascinated Gis more than Tang Mo''s new model firearms.


    At that moment, Gis felt his heartbeat quicken as countless possibilities shed through his mind¡ªpossibilities that could change his life forever.


    He thought of eliminating Tang Mo, then absorbing Tang Mo''s assets to use as leverage, catapulting himself into bing a new shareholder of the Shireck Consortium.


    He also considered iming Tang Mo''s innovations for himself, then bargaining with Shireck, or even turning against them to be the next founding figure of Shireck Consortium.


    In short, he contemted many things, to the point where he even forgot to continue his conversation with Tang Mo. Not one to be rushed, Tang Mo continued to eat his meal, waiting for Gis to speak first.


    Sure enough, after a long spell of distraction, Gis was the first to break the silence. Staring at Tang Mo, he began, "Your production technology has left a deep impression on me; now we can have a proper talk... What do you say? Name your price."


    Tang Mo swallowed his bite of food, looked curious, and with a touch of disbelief asked, "What? Are you nning to buy everything?"


    "Hmm, why not," Gis suddenly felt much more at ease, sensing that Tang Mo didn''t seem to reject his proposal.


    It appeared that Tang Mo feared the power of Shireck and intended to make a profit and leave. This was clearly a good turn of events, simplifying the whole matter significantly.


    As long as Tang Mo wasn''t set on opposing the Shireck Consortium, then there was ample room to maneuver. Money was just a number to Shireck after all; a hundred thousand Gold Coins? This young man called Tang Mo probably had never seen so much money in his life, right?


    After some contemtion, Tang Mo evaluated his enterprise seriously and finally stated a price he believed was eptable, "Approximately... 6 million Gold Coins? Or maybe 6.5 million."


    He felt that if the Shireck Consortium was truly willing to spend money to purchase all the industries here, he would still be willing to part with them.


    He could take such arge sum of money to Northern Ridge and be a wealthy man, starting anew by setting up industries and creating a new factory.


    Baus almost spat out the delicious fried chicken he was eating. He nced at Tang Mo with an expression like he had just heard the King had been shot dead.


    Then, he turned to look at Gis, who had choked on his words and hadn''t spoken for a long while¡ªon his face, Baus saw an expression not much different from his own.


    "Are you joking?" Gis finally managed to squeeze out a sentence.


    "You think it''s not worth the price?" Tang Mo wore an incredulous look, surprised as he looked at Gis and retorted with a question.


    "..." Gis really wanted to m the table and yell at Tang Mo, "Do you have any idea how much 6 million Gold Coins is?"


    The entire Leite Kingdom might not even be worth that much! If you offered the King 6 million Gold Coins, he might even consider allowing you to be the de facto ruler of half the kingdom!


    What a joke, that''s a fortune that would take hundreds of carriages to transport, a wealth that would make anyone rich enough to rival nations!


    Even if Shireck was extraordinarily wealthy, it was impossible for them toe up with so much money at once. Because such arge sum could no longer be called a transaction.


    Or, to put it another way, for a transaction worth a total of 6 million Gold Coins, Shireck might prefer to pay by other means¡ªsuch as war.


    Finally, Gis suppressed the urge to m the table, adjusted his breathing, and said with a coldugh, "I have to admit, you are a formidable businessman, a pure businessman... I''m starting to like you a bit."


    "Thank you. So, does Shireck n to pay me?" Tang Mo asked again with curiosity, as if he cared more about the deal itself.


    Gis had already begun to contemte getting rid of Tang Mo; he even thought that the young man sitting in front of him was a very, very dangerous figure.


    In his mind, he had even started to calcte how to mobilize the troops and teach Tang Mo a vivid lesson after returning, "You better be realistic. If I had 6 million Gold Coins, I could mobilize 300,000 soldiers and crush everything you have."


    "Well, you could try... I wouldn''t mind," Tang Mo shrugged nonchntly.


    "I can''t give you that much money. Think of something else," Gis said, feeling a headacheing on.


    After some serious contemtion, Tang Mo very solemnly said to Gis, "Alright then, I want the Leite Kingdom."


    "Hmm?" Gis was taken aback, unsure of what Tang Mo meant by wanting the Leite Kingdom.


    On his part, Tang Mo didn''t keep Gis waiting for long and smoothly began, "I want Shireck to exit the market of the Leite Kingdom, let me be the Kingdom''s weapon supplier... Additionally, I want all the mining rights within the Kingdom, everything controlled by Shireck, to be transferred to me!"


    "Aren''t you a bit too greedy?" Gis did a rough calction and felt that Tang Mo''s demands were certainly not cheap.


    The mineral deposits of the Leite Kingdom were not small, especially those in Northern Ridge, most of which were controlled by the Shireck Consortium and were definitely valuable when summed up.


    Considering the price of a mining site at tens of thousands of Gold Coins, just this request of Tang Mo could be described as quite valuable.


    If you also factor in the initial investment in mining equipment and personnel, plus Shireck''s years of painstaking efforts in the Leite Kingdom, the connections, and all sorts of other messy details... the price would be even more considerable.


    By Gis''s estimate, everything added up would be worth over 3 million in actual value.


    What made Gis even more pained was that the Kingdom''s troops would have to be refitted with new weapons and equipment, which would also certainly amount to arge sum of money.


    All things considered, it seemed that Tang Mo hadn''t lowered the price by much, so Gis also felt it was unbearable.


    "You see, there''s a serious discrepancy between us on this matter..." Tang Mo said with a smile as he picked up his ss of wine, signaled Gis with a gesture, and after they respectfully toasted each other from a distance and each took a sip, Tang Mo continued speaking.


    "Oh?" Gis looked at Tang Mo with interest and queried.


    Tang Mo pointed at himself and said, "You Shireck think that the market you have now will always be yours. But in reality, that''s not the case, the market could belong to Shireck, or it could be mine!"

 Chapter 133: Who is Beiji

    Tang Mo, while speaking, spread his hands as if introducing himself, "In fact, I am just a merchant, a merchant who wants to make money! The goods I sell are the best¡ªthat is my advantage. And now you want to use my technology to improve the quality of your goods, of course you have to pay."


    Gis stared at Tang Mo, seeming to guess Tang Mo''s bottom line, and weighing whether he should make a deal with Tang Mo.


    After a long silence, he suddenly spoke, "I don''t have to pay so much."


    Tang Mo pointed in the direction of the harbor, as if he could see it, "Perhaps! You know I have dozens of ships docked at Brunas'' harbor, I can leave at any time. You may be able to take everything here, or you may not... But soon, countless factories will acquire my technology."


    Tang Mo confidently said to Gis, "When that dayes, Shireck''s technology will be entirely outdated. Maybe you think that destroying me isn''t a big deal, but doing so would cost Shireck a lot of money. A great deal of money!"


    Gis knew that Tang Mo was telling the truth, he indeed had the capability to do so. Brunas was already in Tang Mo''s grip, and any minor y Gis tried to make here would certainly not escape Tang Mo''s eyes.


    But if he attacked in full force, marshaling troops, Tang Mo might not be able to stop him, but Tang Mo would have enough time to escape¡ªas long as he left Brunas, where in the world couldn''t he go?


    A Tang Mo rooted in Brunas was troublesome enough for him, but a Tang Mo who was hidden and fanning the mes from the shadows would truly cause Shireck considerable headaches.


    He was, after all, a man who possessed advanced weapon technology. If he were to trouble Shireck from the shadows, Shireck would truly pay a heavy price and lose a substantial amount of money.


    However, as the head of Shireck, Gis didn''t want to submit and bow down just like that. He continued to struggle for the upper hand, "But I think that losing that money, getting rid of a major threat like you, aligns more with Shireck''s fundamental interests."


    "You think you can get rid of me?" Tang Mo picked up his wine ss and shook it lightly, casually asking in return.


    Gis scoffed indifferently, still stubborn, "How will we know unless we try?"


    Tang Mo burst into loudughter, as if the other wasn''t talking about killing him at all, "Hahahahahaha!"


    "Hehehehehe!" Sitting across from Tang Mo, Gis also chuckled humorlessly.


    Tang Mo spread his hands, "So there''s nothing to discuss?"


    "Pretty much," Gis nodded in agreement.


    Their eyes were locked onto each other''s eyes until Tang Mo averted his gaze, stood up, and said, "Alright then, I won''t see you out."


    As if he were an old friend of many years, Gis suggested to Tang Mo, "You can keep me. Kill me, just like you killed Beiji."


    He deliberately mentioned Beiji out of the blue because the fact that Beiji had gone missing in the direction of Brunas was still an unresolved case that Gis cared about.


    Tang Mo didn''t hesitate for even a second; with a face full of confusion, he retorted, "Who is Beiji? Why would I kill you? What kind of joke is this?"


    His response surprised Gis for a moment, because he didn''t expect Tang Mo to act so naturally; so much so that for an instant, even he himself began to wonder if it really wasn''t Tang Mo who had dealt with Beiji.


    But a momentter, he felt that the main suspect remained to be Tang Mo, the young man, after all, was one of the few he had met within the Leite Kingdom who could stand up to him and not be at a disadvantage.


    Just as he intended to think it through and observe Tang Mo, preparing to read something from Tang Mo''s eyes, he heard Tang Mo continue saying, "I am a merchant, not a bandit..."


    "..." Gis frowned, staring at Tang Mo, without saying a word.


    "Goodbye, Mr. Xiuyi Gis," Tang Mo stepped back two paces, bowed slightly with gentlemanly grace, and bid farewell.


    "..." Supressing the urge to keep Tang Mo there, Gis just watched Tang Mo closely, watched him turn around, watched his every step.


    "Oh, by the way... I forgot to tell you." Tang Mo suddenly turned around, walked back to the dining table, ced one hand on the edge of the table, leaning over and looking down at Gis, "All my technology has already been sold... If Shireck doesn''t hurry up and update its own technology, there''s a good chance that the challenge you''ll face won''t be from my little workshop."


    As he spoke, he gestured with his other hand, making arge circle, "But rather, a huge workshop built by a great nobility. Tens of thousands of people, producing a hundred thousand rifles a day... the kind used by the Northern Ridge Legion."


    "You!" Gis looked at Tang Mo with rage, his expression as if he wanted to strangle him.


    "So, you might as well consider, consider carefully, my proposal. I can provide you with newer technology, better weapons technology, at least ensuring that Shireck doesn''t immediately lose its status as the world''s arms manufacturer." After Tang Mo finished speaking, he ignored the infuriated Gis and turned to walk towards the door.


    "Mr. Tang!" Just as Wes was opening the door for Tang Mo, Gis, suppressing his anger, called out to Tang Mo, who was about to leave the room.


    He truly hadn''t expected Tang Mo to have already taken a step ahead by spreading such valuable technology to unknown ces.


    The most beneficial approach for Shireck would have been to contain the situation within a small scope, deal with Tang Mo, and obtain the forms Shireck wanted.


    But who would have thought that before Shireck could find Tang Mo and prepare to handle the matter, Tang Mo would, without any warning, sell off such valuable technology.


    This unconventional approach caught Gis off guard and threw him into confusion¡ªhe no longer had the ability to manipte the situation locally and monopolize Tang Mo''s technology by ruining him.


    Although there were still many things to consider, in a moment of panic, Gis couldn''t think of a good way to deal with Tang Mo. So, he called out to him, losing his initiative.


    Tang Mo looked back at Gis with an expression that said, "If you have something to say, say it quickly. I''ve got soup simmering at home."


    "Wait a moment!" Gis stood up, lifted his ss, and gestured to Tang Mo, "We can still have a good talk. I think there is some misunderstanding between us. I just... believed that Mr. Tang had killed my good friend Beiji, so perhaps my tone wasn''t very friendly."


    "Oh... is that so?" Tang Mo feigned sudden realization, approached Gis, and said, "Why would I kill Mr. Gis''s friend? I''m just a businessman, and doing business is my greatest interest, after all."


    "It seems so..." Gis nodded amiably, as if he really believed it, "So, Mr. Tang... can we now have a proper discussion about the new weapons matter?"


    "No problem." Tang Mo snapped his fingers, and a guard brought over a box, cing it on the table.


    Tang Mo opened the box, which contained an ordinary-looking K1 Quick Gun. He ran his hand over the rifle and introduced it to Gis, "I assume Mr. Gis has already seen this weapon, whether on the battlefield or in the office."


    "Mr. Tang is joking..." Gis sneered coldly, not intending to admit that he had stolen a K1 Quick Gun.


    "During the battle of Northern Ridge, a total of 12 K1 Quick Guns went missing. You''re not the only one with informants in Northern Ridge, so I suggest you act quickly, lest other powerse to me to do business first." Tang Mo took the rifle out of the box, worked the bolt, demonstrated it, and then handed the gun to Gis.


    Gis instinctively took the K1 Quick Gun, which was indeed identical to the one he had seen. The feeling was familiar because he had used this type of weapon to kill more than one unlucky craftsman.


    "Brand new K1 Quick Guns... If Shireck is willing to purchase them, I can supply them," Tang Mo said seriously, marketing his weapon.


    "What if I only want to buy bullets?" Gis, caressing the rifle, asked a question that greatly interested him, which also made the smile on Tang Mo''s face deepen.


    Tang Mo nodded, his gaze shifting away as if he were considering something. Then he looked up and said, "As a matter of fact, what Shireck really wants is the manufacturing method for the bullets used in the K1 Quick Gun, isn''t it?"


    "Mr. Tang is straightforward, and indeed, I am very eager to make a lump-sum purchase of your bullet manufacturing method!" Gis hadn''t expected Tang Mo toy bare the truth so directly, and he unexpectedly nodded in agreement with his own thoughts.


    "This puts me in a difficult position, Mr. Gis," Tang Mo said earnestly, "You are tantly nning to copy my weapons without intending to pay me."


    "So what?" Gis felt that with Shireck backing him, Tang Mo really had no way to deal with a rogue like him.


    Overall, Tang Mo''s weapon design was notplicated and used existing technology, so for Shireck to copy the Great Tang''s K1 Quick Gun was not difficult at all.


    And besides, with Shireck''s vast resources, even if they produced by hand, they could match the production speed of Tang Mo''s factory.


    "So, I could just sell the bullets to you." What Gis didn''t expect was that Tang Mo actually agreed to this sales arrangement.


    However, what Tang Mo said next gave Gis a headache, "I can deliver in batches, 100 bullets for an exchange of one mine, 10 bullets for one worker... No rush, I''m in no hurry."


    If Tang Mo didn''t supply the bullets, even if Shireck copied Tang Mo''s rifles, they would be nothing more than firewood sticks, a problem Gis couldn''t shake off, the fatal snag he couldn''t sidestep.

 Chapter 134: 134 Have you been there?

    ```


    "Are you really going to do business with Shireck? That''s practically like asking a tiger for its hide¡­" Roger looked at Tang Mo, who was picking his teeth with a toothpick, and asked in confusion.


    Tang Mo pped the homemade toothpick onto the table and smiled, "I''m just buying time. As long as they are willing to maintain a peace period of three to six months with us, we can turn Brunas into an irond fortress."


    "By then, we''ll have hundreds of soldiers and a dozen grenadeunchers, fully capable of setting up a defensive line to go to war with an enemy ten times our size in Brunas," Tang Mo said as he looked toward the exquisite map hanging on the wall beside them.


    This map was a gift from Gis to Tang Mo, and along with it came many other things.


    For instance, the pile of fine wine in the corner of the room, the tens of thousands of Gold Coins in Tang Mo''s warehouse, and an order for the Great Tang Group that seemed quite exaggerated.


    Shireck had ced an order for 100,000 bullets with Tang Mo, priced at one Gold Coin each.


    Gis had paid a deposit of 50,000 Gold Coins for this, as well as a contract for the mines near Brunas.


    Brunas was originally an iron-producing area, with the vein extending all the way from the Northern Ridge Mountains and mineable on both sides of the Vicious Forest, the reserves were enormous.


    On the other side of Brunas, there was also a coal mine, which was why Tang Mo''s father, Tang Qi, chose this location to build a weapons workshop years ago.


    Tang Mo acquired the deeds to the iron and coal mines, mining permits, and even contracts for the workers inside.


    Tang Mo, having received so much, did not breach the agreement and immediately delivered 10,000 bullets to Shireck, which made the munitions workshops in the Leite Kingdom bustling with activity.


    Gis began copying the needle-fired guns provided by Tang Mo without a break, manufacturing as many as 1,500 in one go.


    "But do we really have to fight a battle with Shireck?" Roger asked with some reluctance, knowing that once the war broke out, the entire area around Brunas would surely be a scorched earth.


    Tang Mo stared helplessly at the map, exining to Roger, "It''s not that we want to fight, but that they will definitely attack. If they were willing to do honest business, they wouldn''t have such a bad reputation."


    Having said that, he looked at Roger again with a wry smile, "We don''t need to be too anxious, because the other party definitely won''t act rashly in the short term."


    "They only have 10,000 bullets, it''s futile no matter how many weapons they make." Tang Mo walked over andforted Roger, "So, they will definitely wait until all 100,000 bullets are delivered, and then they''ll order hundreds of thousands or even a million bullets before they feel confident enough to confront us."


    "Think about it, 100,000 bullets, a few thousand rifles ¨C just a few shots per person in training and the bullets will be almost used up." Seeing that Roger was still somewhat worried, he exined very lightly.


    "The other party will surely show weakness first, relinquishing many mines and towns¡­ These are the terms we''ve signed into the contract, and they will execute them seriously," Tang Mo circled around the office desk, passed Li''ao and Redman who were seated there, and approached the map, scrutinizing the wealth of Shireck indicated inside the Leite Kingdom.


    This map was a significant property of Shireck, showing the distribution of their resources.


    Over a third of the mines in the Kingdom were directly controlled by Shireck, and of the remaining mines, Shireck had shares in half of them.


    Actually, the King''s wealth was less than what Shireck controlled, which was why Gis could be so unrestrained within the country.


    With this map, Tang Mo could clearly see his wealth growing, because just about a fortnight ago, Shireck transferred a few small workshops in the eastern part of Brunas to Tang Mo.


    These workshops produced fabric and weren''t worth much. But once Tang Mo took control of these small workshops, he essentially controlled the viges they were located in.


    As he spoke, he pointed at the spots on the map which seemed under his control: "And their purpose in executing these terms is to lull us intocency, and to disperse our limited attention."


    The ces surrounded by red circles on the map now belonged to Tang Mo. To fully assimte and disce Shireck''s influence here, Tang Mo and his staff had much work ahead of them.


    His fingertip rested on the little red circles around Brunas as if talking to himself: "Once we have too many ces to look after, we will inevitably neglect some areas, and at that point, they can gather their troops and defeat our scattered soldiers one by one."


    "So what do we do?" Tagg asked anxiously, sitting beside Roger.


    Tang Moughed nonchntly, "We don''t need to watch so many mines, nor control so many towns. All we need to do is stay honest and wait here for their people toe and fight."


    "Basically, to willingly let Shireck give up the Leite Kingdom, we have to make them realize the fact that they can''t beat us," said Tang Mo, before turning around to look at his confidants.


    Redman asked a question out of the blue, but everyone knew what he meant, "How many will there be?"


    Tang Mo didn''t care at all and casually gave an answer that left many speechless, "About¡­ 20,000, I guess."


    ```


    "..." Wes, Li''ao, Roger, and others didn''t speak; they just looked at Tang Mo, their eyes filled with worry.


    Scratching his head, Tang Mo grimaced and asked the people, "Think twenty thousand is a lot?"


    "A bit..." Wes nodded.


    Although at the Northern Ridge, they had defeated an enemy force several thousand strong with just 600 men. But that was at the Northern Ridge, and they had new-fangled weapons like needle guns.


    Now it seemed Shireck also had Tang Mo''s weapons, at least there wasn''t much difference in terms of individual weaponry between Shireck and Tang Mo''s security troops.


    What was worse, previously they had fought on a rtively small battlefield and had stopped the enemy''s assault. But in Brunas, they faced twenty thousand enemies on a considerably long defensive line!


    For them, this was definitely not good news, at least not exciting news.


    Tang Mo smiled, his grin full of disdain and danger. He scanned the crowd and raised an unexpectedly unrted topic, "Ever heard of the Somme River?"


    "No, where is that?" After reflecting for a moment, Roger realized he had never heard of the ce and asked back with some confusion.


    But Tang Mo did not answer his question and instead approached Li''ao, continuing to ask, "Then have you heard of Verdun?"


    Li''ao appeared uncertain as he struggled to search his memory, finally looking at Tang Mo with some uncertainty, "Have you been there?"


    "No, I haven''t been there," Tang Mo shook his head, "I haven''t been there in my life."


    The group was somewhat puzzled, looking at Tang Mo, "Then..."


    Tang Mo sat back in his seat, spreading his hands, "Don''t worry! Trust me... For us, twenty thousand might not even be enough for us to kill in one day..."


    "..." Everyone was speechless at Tang Mo''s cryptic statement; they had never heard of killing twenty thousand people in a day.


    "Now, gentlemen! What we need to do is make the best use of this hard-won period of peace and focus on our most important work," Tang Mo walked back to the map, touching the edge of the Vicious Forest, at the short line of alternating ck and white.


    It was drawn by him using strips of white paper and ink, cut into a thin line and stuck on the map. What this line represented was now quite obvious.


    This was the world''s first railway track, linking the old factory area with the new one. In just over a month, the short few kilometers of track would bepletely connected and put into operation.


    He couldn''t me these people for not knowing about the meat grinder at Verdun, so he also couldn''t me them for not understanding the implications of his words.


    In fact, anyone who knew about the battle of Verdun in that war in Europe knew that automatic weapons had rewritten the entirendscape of warfare.


    From that point on, any attacking force in a war would pay a heavy price, and Shireck would definitely pay ten times, a hundred times the cost for their arrogance.


    These entrenched parasites didn''t even want to buy some steam engines to improve their production lines in advance.


    Greedily, theypensated for their technological shorings with sheer numbers of workers, hoping to rely on an irrational war topletely dominate everything that belonged to Tang Mo.


    That''s why they only bought bullets and nothing else from Tang Mo, and that''s why they generously agreed to Tang Mo''s demand to take over the entire Leite Kingdom.


    In the end, both sides were scheming, calcting against each other in their own ways.


    The pit Shireck was digging for Tang Mo was called having ten times the troops! They would teach Tang Mo a lesson with a war, after having enough munitions in reserve.


    And the pit Tang Mo was digging for Shireck was even deeper, named the Maxim machine gun. Although this thing was still on paper, some of its parts had already begun production.


    "Sir, do you really think that this steel path, expensive to build... will give us an advantage in the war?" Tagg asked with incredulity, expressing the doubt in his heart.


    In his view, using the steel required for dozens, even hundreds of cannons toy a track randomly on the ground and call it a road was sheer waste.


    "No..." Tang Mo shook his head, the railway would certainly help in the war like never before, but this time he wasn''t relying on it.


    However, he then continued, "But, it will make us richer after the war is over..."

 Chapter 135: 135 rails and sleepers

    Toby, who was already 34 years old, had no idea what he was really doing. The weather had just warmed up for a few days, and he had started working on this familiarnd, doing work that was not at all familiar to him.


    Indeed, he didn''t even know what he was doing... With a speechless expression, he hammered a very long iron nail straight into the ground, which had been secured with broken stones.


    It was a foundation first padded with broken stones, and then every once in a while, long, nk-shaped boards wereid down, simr to those used for building wooden houses.


    Then, the long, I-beam shaped rails wereid on top of these sleepers¡ªthese construction workers didn''t even know that these long pieces of wood were called sleepers.


    They just did the same work every day, even eating casually, dining on simple fare provided by the canteen staff right beside the railway tracks.


    The mostmon was a vegetable burger, followed byrge pancakes stuffed with minced meat and vegetable leaves. In short, they prepared whatever was most convenient.


    Every few days, they would have a decent meal, with an extra serving of soup and potatoes, along with a sauce called "soy sauce."


    This thick, ck liquid was very salty and couldn''t be eaten directly, but when mixed into the potatoes, the taste was pretty good.


    Anyway, life on the construction site was actually very hard, but everyone was fairly satisfied, at least they could sleep inside tents.


    As Toby was hammering the nail with his hammer, some ashes fell on his head, as if a drizzle of fine rain was falling incessantly from the sky.


    In the far distance, in the direction of the Vicious Forest, the thick smoke rising from the burning mes had not yet dissipated; these days, they had witnessed such a scene every day.


    Yes, every day, it had been like that since twenty-odd days ago until a few days ago when the thick smoke gradually began to clear. But even until today, the smoke had notpletely dispersed, and it was visible at a nce.


    Even from such a distance, they could see it clearly. It must have been a veryrge forest fire, so massive that it was frightening.


    Along with this fire, the air quality in Brunas had fallen another magnitude. People walking on the streets would soon find their shoes covered in dust, which made Brunas seem nothing like a seaside city.


    The rolling ck smoke in the sky could be seen clearly in Brunas; the fire was started by Tang Mo''s construction team, as they were burning vast expanses of forest.


    The speed of cutting down trees was just too slow, so Tang Mo decided to take advantage of the dry weather in spring and do something more straightforward and brutal.


    His construction team only created a circr "firebreak" around the factory site, and then they couldn''t wait to start a big fire.


    With recent developments, Brunas had grown into a city where every inch ofnd was precious¡ªit had truly be a city, with a poption that had now surpassed one hundred thousand, definitely qualifying it as a real city.


    Before, the poption of Brunas had always hovered around seventy thousand and had never been able to grow.


    But as Tang Mo''s factories attracted more and more workers, and their families followed, Brunas finally became a city.


    After the poption census, the mayor of Brunas happily sent his achievements to the King City, and King City happily promoted him from mayor to the local Lord of the City.


    This had also be an unwritten rule; after all, expanding a town''s size was definitely one of the greatest achievements a local administrator could boast.


    If a town was upgraded to a city and its local mayor, sheriff, and others were transferred away immediately, who would be willing to seriously work on developing the local poption and economy?


    Tang Mo naturally congratted the newly promoted mayor and the Solon Sheriff. And the Brunas tax officer, Simon, who had originally been the least noticeable old bureaucrat, had thrown his lot in with Tang Mo early, bing Tang Mo''s "subordinate."


    This old man had vision and courage. After Tang Mo and Shireck signed the cooperation agreement, he bet everything on Tang Mo''s side.


    In his words, "In my lifetime, I have never seen a contract that could make Shireck pinch his nose and sign to his own disadvantage, so betting on this, I won''t lose!"


    Then, the day after he swore allegiance to Tang Mo, the forest fire in the Vicious Forest started, covering the entire Brunas City in a haze of dust.


    "Hurry up and work! Stop dawdling!" a foreman carrying a wooden stick walked past everyone¡ªnot that he used the wooden stick to beat the disobedient, but rather he simply used it as a walking cane.


    Because he had to patrol this special road back and forth every day, he had to walk a very long distance, so he prepared a cane for himself.


    Everyone worked with high enthusiasm, because the conditions provided by Tang Mo were actually very good.


    On one hand, there were the wages provided by Tang Mo, which, along with various other messy benefits, were far superior to those of other workshops at the time, as there weren''t many bosses as wealthy as Tang Mo.


    On the other hand, Tang Mo''sprehensive welfare packages, including education, indeed surpassed the standards of the era by far too much.


    And it was the second point that was the main reason all the workers saw a hopeful future in their lives and were willing to work their lives away for Tang Mo.


    They saw that Tang Mo would hire doctors, establish factory hospitals, and earnestly treat soldiers wounded in war as well as workers injured on the job. Even more, once a workce injury was confirmed, Tang Mo would provide full coverage for the treatment costs, which was nearly unimaginable at the time.


    Besides the hospitals, the construction of schools was also evident to everyone, for Tang Mo''s office wasn''t yetplete, so the school became the tallest building within the entire factory.


    Within this building, students were receiving new knowledge every day, which was gradually making a name for itself in Brunas.


    In theboratory inside the teaching building, Tang Mo had already taught many children the most basic knowledge of chemistry, thus immediately advancing these apprentices beyond the city''s alchemists to beplete chemical "schrs" with a thorough theoretical foundation.


    The children who learned mathematics could intern in various shops around the city, where they calcted revenue, bnced costs, and greatly assisted many business owners. These students were now very popr, with each one in high demand.


    Through learning and Tang Mo''s military training education, most of Brunas''s children had be far stronger than other children of their age. The girls were bing more and more graceful, and the boys too were growing strong and robust.


    With an improved diet providing ample meat, eggs, and milk, and their families bing wealthier thanks to stable employment, these children all exceeded the height and weight averages of the era.


    They were about 3 centimeters taller on average than other city children and had broader shoulders. They also spoke more logically.


    Seeing their children grow up strong and healthy, Brunas''s parents were naturally more willing to work for Tang Mo¡ªafter all, who wouldn''t want a capable person to emerge from their household?


    Even those who were not yet married and without children had something to look forward to: If they had children in the future, they could be sent to school to receive the best education.


    Yes, the best education! These parents had no doubt that Tang Mo was providing their children with the best education of the era.


    Because in less than a year''s time, the changes in these children could be described as nothing short of tremendous.


    Dressed in quasi-military school uniforms, the students, resembling soldiers, had begun to feel that they were different from children elsewhere. They felt they were people from a different world than children who had not studied in school.


    Simrly, the officers who were studying in the military academy also discovered that their horizons far surpassed those of their peers.


    They could now easily calcte artillery firing data and were just a few days away from conducting field investigations in the Vicious Forest.


    These officers could nce at a location and determine where to deploy Rangers to assassinate enemy high-ranking officers, and with a mere inspection, they could pick out the best positions for artillery deployment.


    These officers had visited Tang Mo''s modern factories, witnessed thetest developments in industrial technology, and even personally manufactured or repaired the most advanced weapons and equipment.


    Their tactics had be cunning and unpredictable; in military exercises, they could utterly demolish neers who had just started training.


    Every few days, they had to devisebat ns and understand the supply situation of the troops. They knew how much food eachpany needed every day, how many wagons a battalion required, and how far an army corps could advance in a single day.


    These were all things they had learned through firsthand experiments, practicing cross-country drills of over five kilometers daily while carrying a full set of soldier''s equipment and supplies.


    What delighted them even more was that their predecessors in the Northern Ridge military had seen their ranks soar, with several artillerymanders bing the new favorites of Lord Earl.


    They were appointedmanders of new units, these new battalion and artillery captains immediately thought of their "juniors" sent to study in Brunas.


    Thus, the Northern Ridge officers still studying in Brunas were promoted and got raises even before they graduated.


    Two new army corps vied for their service, either promising officer positions in letters or having leaders personally reaching out to establish warm rtionships.


    In short, the message was clear: once you graduate and join us, you''ll be the darling of our battalion! And when I, your big brother, be a corpsmander, you''ll be a battalionmander, and so on...


    Never before in this world had there been a school where the students were in such high demand by employers even while they were still in school.


    So, in March of the year 114 of the Leite Kingdom, the factory school established by Tang Mo was officially renamed "Great Tang Military Academy," which included an affiliated "Preparatory Military Science Academy" for the junior cadets.

 Chapter 136: Everything is going to get better.

    As Toby hammered away, dreaming of a future where his child could stand out, some soldiers carrying rifles walked over.


    They warned everyone to clear the way, and then Toby watched in shock as a strange, smoke-belching machine trudged along the road he hadid out.


    It was built by Tang Mo''s factory, the first lotive in human history¡ªa perfect and mature design, unlike anything on Earth, thanks to the blueprints.


    A mature design brought many benefits, such as improved reliability and maintainability, allowing the product to be put into immediate use.


    Moreover, a mature design also provided greater pulling power, enabling practical application ahead of time without the need for testing and refinement, which saved a lot of time.


    With thebined efforts of Mathews, Parker, Tang Mo, and Roger, this strictly confidential lotive had been manufactured in the newest factory.


    The design of this train used an 1880s steam lotive concept, which appeared rather primitive, but it indeed was the most advanced lotive that Tang Mo could produce at the time.


    Furthermore, this unique lotive in the world could pull seven carriages at its birth, which exceeded everyone''s imagination.


    The fact that a single train could pull seven carriages amazed everyone, including Mathews.


    After all, this was no horse-drawn carriage; it was designed to work day and night, and of course, the quantity of material it could pull was beyondparison.


    The seven carriages on the train weren''t just for show but were real, strictly-defined carriages.


    One passenger carriage could seat seventy people, or transport an entirepany of soldiers if the situation was urgent.


    The other six freight carriages could be fully loaded with goods, carrying over 15 tons of cargo¡ªthis capacity was terrifyingpared to horse-drawn carriages.


    In other words, the justid railway by Tang Mo could transport nearly a hundred people and over 80 tons of cargo in one trip, which was simply perfect!


    Now, this train was ready to add its bricks and mortar to the construction of its own dedicated railway with astonishing efficiency.


    It was currently transporting 40 tons of steel rails and over 20 tons of sleepers, following the railway construction crew, heading toward the forest.


    "Hiss..." Apanied by a hissing release of pressure, the train spouted white steam from both sides, startling everyone.


    Then, astounded roadway workers saw people continuously carrying various construction materials down from the carriages.


    One sleeper after another was delivered to the railway bed already paved with gravel ahead of the train, where workerspetentlyid them down along the direction of the roadway''s extension.


    The construction speed visibly picked up, and everyone discussed the giant ck monster.


    Some workers who had seen steam engines before began to exin to those around them that the white smoke wasn''t some sort of monster''s breath...


    "An 11-kilometer distance doesn''t seem like anything now," Mathews proudly said to Tang Mo, standing by his side, as the fifth kilometer of the railway was almostplete.


    "It''s best if it can be put to use by April," Tang Mo said, rubbing his nose, feeling that the air quality in Brunas was getting worse.


    There was no helping it, he was the instigator of this problem. Just by looking at the smokestack of the train in front of him, belching ck smoke, he knew that Brunas''s air quality wouldn''t improve for a while.


    That was also because it was coastal here, and the sea breeze carried away some of the pollution; otherwise, the environment would be even worse.


    As soon as the train was put into use, meaning the Brunas station to the Group''s second factory station became operational, the construction speed of Tang Mo''s second factory would increase exponentially.


    The raw materials produced in Brunas would be continuously transported deep into the Vicious Forest, thus thoroughly solving the issue of material shortages.


    The rest was even simpler¡ªTang Mo just needed to continue opening up the Vicious Forest and extend the railway all the way to the Northern Ridge to elerate the flow of goods.


    By that time, the ore mined from the Northern Ridge would be continuously arriving at the Great Tang Group''s second factory, where it would be turned into the finest munitions, then shipped to Brunas and sold all over the world.


    "I estimate that in another seven or eight days'' time, we can begin testing," Mathews said with certainty, "The key is that this train we''ve got... it''s just... so magnificent!"


    "It changed the transportation of this world! My goodness, I don''t even know how to describe it." Mathews looked at Tang Mo excitedly, a look that had be quitemon on his facetely.


    After all, Tang Mo had shown him repeating weapons and even more advanced machinery¡ªand all of this had been achieved in less than a year.


    "What''s this?" Tang Mo grinned, pointing toward the sea, "Have you ever thought about the day when we could mount steam engines on ships, allowing them to sail without the aid of the wind?"


    "¡­" Mathews'' eyes widened in an instant. He had been immersed in the research of steam trainstely, and it was only after Tang Mo spoke that he realized the potential uses for steam engines could be far too numerous to count.


    Once more looking at Tang Mo seriously, he asked, "My lord, can you tell me the truth? Are you truly the god of craftsmen, descended to guide the direction of the entire world?"


    "Quit it, Mathews. You watched this train being made, and there are over a hundred parts inside that you crafted with your own hands..." Tang Mo couldn''t help butugh heartily, pointing at the train not far away as he spoke to Mathews.


    "Being able to follow you is the greatest fortune of my life," Mathews said earnestly to Tang Mo, "I truly hope to always be by your side and listen to your teachings."


    "As long as you maintain your loyalty, Mathews, of course, you can stay by my side," Tang Mo said, amused by the Dwarf''s antics. He patted Mathews on the shoulder and smiled at the old man.


    "Sir... Sir, could you, could you name my child?" Just as Tang Mo and Mathews were chatting andughing, a worker approached timidly, stopped by several guards at a distance, and called out to Tang Mo.


    "Why not? I think Frank is a good name," Tang Mo said with a smile to the worker, "I hope he grows up to be healthy and wise, shining like the stars."


    "Thank you! Thank you, sir! Bless you! Frank will be your most loyal servant someday! Thank you! Thank you!" The worker,pletely content, was pulled back to the construction site by his foreman.


    Despite the distance, the worker''s voice thanking Tang Mo could still be heard.


    Indeed, this kind of urrence was not umon to Tang Mo. Many of the workers and soldiers who worked for him, upon having children, hoped that Tang Mo would name them.


    In their eyes, Tang Mo was more than just their boss or their lord; he was the god of wisdom in this world. Being blessed by a deity was considered a matter of pride that one could boast about for life.


    "How''s the dockside?" Lately, Tang Mo had be a madman of infrastructure, constantly expanding his territory.


    He was constructing his own railway on this side, and on the other side, he was expanding the port of Brunas. He had a port expansion n of his own, and now that Brunas had been upgraded to a city, his expansion of the port suddenly became a great foresight of premeditated nning.


    Having assured the newly appointed Mayor that his goods would use his new port in the future, hence not consuming the throughput of the old Brunas port, the former town mayor immediately reciprocated Tang Mo''s generosity with concrete actions.


    He granted Tang Mo the right to rmend candidates and insert his own forces into the City Defense Forces, allowing Bernard, Luff, Wes, Tagg, and Redman to have official positions.


    This clearly vited the kingdom''s rules, but under-the-table dealings always existed. With so many positions drawing pay without doing the work, appointing a few people as team captains wasn''t difficult at all.


    As the nominalmanding officer of the City Defense Forces, Sheriff Solon, who had long been exchanging nces with Tang Mo, obviously would not interfere in such matters, but rather tacitly approved of them.


    Simon, the tax officer who had pledged allegiance to Tang Mo, was a wise man. He immediately appointed his most loyal subordinate to oversee tax surveince at Tang Mo''s newly constructed port.


    The maneuver was incredibly slick; as a result, how much tax Tang Mo''s port would pay each year was entirely up to him.


    If he didn''t want to pay, he could fabricate a reason, stating that he had lost tens of thousands of Gold Coins, and there would be no evidence left anyway...


    "The No. 1 dry dock you asked for is almostpleted. We''ve used a lot of cement and prepared many sediments in advance, which has multiplied the speed of construction," Mathews replied to Tang Mo''s question promptly, "One wharf is almost ready for use, and four others are under construction."


    "What about the No. 2 dry dock?" Tang Mo asked further.


    "The No. 2 dry dock is also being constructed, but due to a shortage of workers, the progress is a bit slower," answered Mathews, continuing, "Soon, we''ll be able to repair our own ships, saving quite a bit of money."


    "Saving money isn''t the goal; building our own ships, that''s the objective," Tang Mo nodded in satisfaction before turning his gaze back to the rail tracks beingid out, "Everything is going to get better."

 Chapter 137: 137 Prime Minister

    The recent Brunas looks just like a big construction site, with seven or eight new residential areas starting construction on the south side.


    These areas are better nned, looking more magnificent than the former old towns, and even new underground pipelines have been buried.


    However, such projects are still quite enormous for Brunas, because Tang Mo took away the majority of the workers, so the construction speed of these settlements is truly rather slow.


    In Brunas, no one would trouble Mr. Tang, so even if the city expansion progresses slowly, everyone still doesn''t have anyints.


    After all, Tang Mo''s factory provides a lot of housing, and obviously, the environment is much better than living in Brunas, so the demand for new houses isn''t as urgent.


    Lately, Tang Mo''s work has been going very smoothly, his shipyard has beenpleted, and his railroad tracks have beenid sessfully, so he has recently focused his main energy on training Navy Sailors.


    Just as he was idly beginning to write a training manual for the Air Force, Li''ao burst in hurriedly and reported, "Master! The Prime Minister of the Kingdom... has suddenly arrived in Brunas... he almost came alone... bringing only onepanion, Minister of Construction Baus."


    "Hmm? You didn''t receive any news at all?" Tang Mo was startled by this news, because the Prime Minister''s inspection was not a trivial matter, and logically, he should have received notice many days in advance.


    "We have no intelligence on this, he visited personally, without any official travel arrangements, so we didn''t get any information on this," Li''ao exined.


    Actions like these, intentionally kept secret by the parties involved, are actually not that easy to obtain. Especially since the Prime Minister is not the main focus of Tang Mo''s spywork, which is currently concentrating all of its efforts against the Shireck Consortium and cannot spare many hands.


    Li''ao continued, saying, "He may also be afraid that we would suspect his identity, so he brought Minister of Construction Baus with him. Our people recognized Baus, so they kept an eye on this carriage. The carriage went straight to the City Hall and stopped at the door."


    "What''s he doing here?" Tang Mo pondered for a moment, muttering to himself.


    Li''ao shook his head and said to Tang Mo, "It''s not clear yet, he only revealed his identity at City Hall, and then requested to see you."


    Then, he added, "Right now, the Mayor and both Solon and Simon are there with him. I came to bring the message."


    "Hmm... alright, prepare the carriage, let''s go have a look," Tang Mo nodded slightly and instructed Li''ao.


    ...


    Looking at the bright and clean office, the old Prime Minister picked up an ornament from the Mayor''s desk with satisfaction, ying with it with interest, "This ce is better than I thought, very good indeed," he said.


    He lifted his head and, with a satisfied expression, looked at the somewhat restrained Mayor, the Sheriff, the Tax Collector, and other local officials, "It''s truly a source of pride for me to see such a thriving city within the Kingdom. You are all loyal and important ministers of the Kingdom! I hope you will continue to work hard and contribute to the Kingdom''s strength."


    Truth be told, the sights he saw along the way were different. The closer to Brunas he got, the more he could see prosperity and stability.


    This ce was utterly iparable to other areas, especially after entering Brunas'' jurisdiction, it was entirely different from other parts of the Kingdom.


    The streets were clean, and soldiers patrolled on time. These seemingly ordinary sights are actually hard toe by elsewhere.


    Just seeing the well-arranged soldiers marching with coordinated steps on the street was already a novelty to the Prime Minister.


    Even in King City, it was rare to see such orderly formations, as if these soldiers were being reviewed, instead of just patrolling an ordinary street.


    All over Brunas, there were bustling markets, and trade was everywhere. Casinos and brothels were unprecedentedly prosperous, and most people''s faces were smiling.


    He was deeply affected by what he saw on his way here;pared to the lifeless other parts of the Kingdom, Brunas seemed to be the Kingdom''sst hope.


    Perhaps, of all the Kingdom''snds, only Northern Ridge and Brunas, these two areas no longer under the Kingdom''s actual control, are the most essential...


    Therefore, as the Kingdom''s Prime Minister, he didn''t skimp on his words of high praise for the officials before him.


    Hearing the Prime Minister''s praise, the faces of the officials immediately showed joy, and they rxed and bowed as they responded, "Yes! We will heed your teachings."


    The Prime Minister put down the ornament and waved his hand casually, "No need to be so formal, this time, I came here privately to have a look, don''t feel any pressure, just treat me like an old man," he said.


    "Your inspection of the work here is truly..." A few officials breathed a sigh of relief, and the mayor even took out his handkerchief to discreetly wipe his forehead.


    Having waited for quite a while, the Prime Minister was getting anxious and couldn''t help but ask, "Has Mr. Tang not arrived yet? The truth is, my visit this time was to meet the young and talented Mr. Tang Mo. To think he could conduct suchrge business here, it really is an eye-opener."


    "Hahaha! Oh, not at all! Prime Minister, you jest! These are but small trades! Merely small trades!" Just as the Prime Minister asked about him, Tang Mo pushed the door open, came in with an infectiousugh and brisk steps.


    He had been in high spiritstely, since theying of the railway tracks for his train project was proceeding very smoothly, and the exploration of the route toward Northern Ridge was well underway.


    As he entered, stillughing, he approached the Prime Minister, bowed slightly, and spoke, "To not know the esteemed Prime Minister was gracing us with his presence, myck of reception is truly shameful! Shameful indeed!"


    "There''s no need for formalities, Mr. Tang. I journeyed all this way to have a serious talk with you, a youthful man," said the Prime Minister, who was already sixty-three this year. Though well-maintained, his face was nevertheless lined with wrinkles.


    "Now that Mr. Tang has arrived, I will take my leave," proposed Minister of Construction Baus, giving the Prime Minister a look.


    As soon as he announced his departure, the remaining officials from Brunas also realized that they seemed superfluous there.


    Consequently, these officials made their exit one after another, with the mayor and Sheriff Solon among those departing the room. Their departure was so natural that they showed no reluctance after Tang Mo''s arrival.


    In fact, they didn''t even consider the Prime Minister''s feelings, nor did they ask for his opinion; they simply left the room in an orderly fashion.


    Before leaving the room, Tax Officer Simon gave Tang Mo a meaningful look, signaling that the Prime Minister had no intention of investigating the tax matters.


    Soon, the mayor''s office was left with only the Prime Minister and Tang Mo.


    When the door closed again with a pleasant click, Tang Mo took the initiative to speak first, "Elder Sir, now that we are alone, might you share why you came all this way to seek out someone of my junior stature?"


    Hearing Tang Mo''s question and recalling his novel experiences along the journey, wrinkles on the Prime Minister''s face blossomed into a radiant smile, "Haha, you are an interesting young man. I wouldn''t have traveled so far, with old arms and legs, if the Kingdom had any capable individuals."


    "How could that be? The Kingdom is abundant in talent; there should be plenty of loyal ministers and valiant generals, right?" Tang Mo feigned ignorance, questioning in disbelief.


    "Regrettably, the majority of them are Shireck''s people, or at least they have intricate connections with the Shireck Consortium," the Prime Minister said with a smile, looking straight at Tang Mo, "There''s no need to act in my presence. Being open and honest might save us some time."


    "Oh?" Tang Mo was taken aback, then nodded and said, "Mmm, you have a point."


    The Prime Minister didn''t care to watch him continue the act and said to himself, "His Majesty sent me here to ask Mr. Tang...whether you have the willingness to cooperate with the royal family?"


    Tang Mo was still tight-lipped, "I am a subject of the Kingdom. As a businessman who insists on paying taxes ording to thew, I am already a loyal subject of the royal family. As for more significant matters, I, a humble citizen, am afraid I cannot bear such responsibility."


    Jokes aside, saving the world wasn''t something he couldn''t do, but they would have to offer more money! Without mentioning benefits, who would want to addplications to their life for no reason?


    "The King intends to purchase 3,000 of your new rifles," the Prime Minister dered astonishingly.


    "Oh? Can''t Shireck mass-produce the K1 Quick Gun? I heard their production rate is quite fast," Tang Mo asked deliberately, pretending to be ignorant.


    He knew full well that Shireck''s new guns would be prioritized for their private army and wouldn''t reach Leite Kingdom for a long time.


    Even if they were avable for purchaseter on, it would be on a highest-bidder basis, and might even trigger wars of conquest against smaller nations during the process of rearming with new weapons.


    As expected, the Prime Minister exined somewhat helplessly, "Shireck''s firearms are not for sale yet. They im they need to conduct experiments and tests. Therefore, we are considering buying directly from you."


    "That can be discussed. I can supply at any time, as long as the King pays," Tang Mo replied, smiling and readily agreeing.


    "The King isn''t wealthy, so he can only pay you 3,000 Gold Coins," said the Prime Minister, eyeing Tang Mo''s smiling face and quoting a rather low price.


    "At that price, I would incur quite a loss, so I''m afraid I''m not able to help," Tang Mo said with a shrug and a reluctant tone, declining the offer.

 Chapter 138: Lets just make it 138.

    "Don''t be too quick to refuse," the Prime Minister said to Tang Mo. "In fact, this is just the beginning of a cooperation, with many more things toe. The King can offer you¡­ and even more than what Shireck can."


    He watched as Tang Mo made himselffortable in the room''s guest chair, with one leg casually crossed over the other.


    This gesture was interesting because, ording to his thoughts, or rather his understanding of the Shireck Consortium, a Shireck manager like Gis would certainly have taken the most prestigious chair in the mayor''s office under such circumstances.


    However, the young man before him was interesting. Although the mayor had vacated his office, he still did not sit in the mayor''s ce.


    What was more interesting was that he did not show much respect towards the Prime Minister, indicating he was not without pride.


    A young man who could find his ce, had pride and yet understood human feelings and social interactions was rare to see these days.


    This could mean a lot of things, so the Prime Minister became even more interested in this young man. He felt that this time, he hade to the right ce.


    "I am all ears," Tang Mo said as the Prime Minister was thinking about these matters.


    The Prime Minister began with an aspect that caught Tang Mo off guard; he hadn''t expected the Prime Minister to be so blunt and offer such a proposition.


    Clearly, the Prime Minister hade prepared. He had researched Shireck and also investigated Tang Mo. He knew that their conflicts were fundamentally irreconcble.


    Thus, he could be very direct and to the point, "First, the King can help you strike against the Shireck Consortium''s private army when Shireck makes a move on you, thoroughly resolving the Shireck influence within the Kingdom!"


    Tang Mo was not particrly impressed by this and just shrugged, replying, "His Majesty the King would be doing this to help himself¡­ Plus, he''d actually be using me. So, this can''t be considered as you helping me!"


    "Maybe so, but whates next is indeed helping you," the Prime Minister said with a smile. "After dealing with Shireck, all the mines owned by Shireck will be your private property!"


    "Now that is quite intriguing," Tang Mo admitted, not expecting the King to be so bold as to offer such a substantial wealth to win over a businessman like himself.


    The Prime Minister then continued with their terms, "However, the mines in which Shireck has shares must revert to state ownership."


    This was an exchange, a division of Shireck''s wealth. If they could strike against Shireck together andpletely drive Shireck''s influence out of the Leite Kingdom, then both sides would have a huge pie to split.


    "The ones in Northern Ridge, are they to go to the Earl?" Tang Mo asked. "In the opposition to Shireck, Lord Earl''s interests are aligned with those of the Kingdom."


    "The King can agree to that. You are smart to secure benefits for yourself in situations like these," the Prime Minister said with a smile, agreeing readily.


    He knew that Tang Mo was not fighting for the Earl''s benefits, but for his own. The majority of the Northern Ridge Earl''s mining interests were essentially in Tang Mo''s grip, so when Tang Mo asked for mines on behalf of the Earl, he was in effect asking for himself.


    Tang Mo nodded in satisfaction, "Is there anything else?"


    The Prime Minister then threw out another condition that took Tang Mo by surprise, "If you stay out of the Kingdom''s politics and foreign affairs, then¡­ the King promises you the opportunity to seed as the Minister of Finance."


    This was something Tang Mo had not expected at all¡ªthe King, far away in King City, was actually willing to trade a Minister of Finance position to bargain with him.


    Such an offer gave Tang Mo a vast scope for operation, a chance to earn a great deal of money.


    In this way, it was as if the King was using a long-term benefit to buy Tang Mo''s support in resisting the Shireck Consortium.


    Indeed, both parties had aligned interests on this issue, and there was a basis for cooperation, especially given the King''s evident sincerity.


    Feigning shock, Tang Mo widened his eyes in surprise, "Goodness me, promising a title and a reward?"


    "You could say that, aren''t you tempted?" the Prime Minister asked with a smile.


    Tang Mo nodded, "To be frank, I am very tempted."


    "Then you agree?" the Prime Minister asked without a second''s hesitation.


    "Why not?" Tang Mo said with a smile, prompting a momentary pause from the old Prime Minister, who then showed a joyful expression.


    He said to Tang Mo with a smile, "In that case, congrattions, Lord Baron!"


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo blinked in confusion, then turned to the Prime Minister.


    The Prime Minister continued to exin to Tang Mo with a smile, "The King has promoted you to a Baron of the Leite Kingdom, but you need to prepare 3,000 K1 Quick Guns. I will arrange for someone to handle the handover, and at the same time, bring the Baron''s credentials to you."


    Tang Mo nodded, feeling a small surge of happiness at finally securing the title of Baron, "That really is good news. However, 3,000 Gold Coins, not a coin less."


    "Of course!" The Prime Minister looked at Tang Mo and reminded him, "You should understand that you are no longer a vassal of Northern Ridge; you are now part of the nobility! Your fief will be arranged in Brunas... this is His Majesty''s reward to you."


    To tell the truth, granting Tang Mo a noble title was the King''s strategy to divide the alliance between Brunas and Northern Ridge.


    The purpose of awarding Tang Mo a noble title was to make him unwilling to remain willingly under the Earl of Northern Ridge. This was tantamount to nting a rift between Brunas and Northern Ridge.


    As expected, the Prime Minister heard the answer he wanted to hear. Tang Mo seriously corrected the Prime Minister''s statement, "You might have misunderstood something... I have never... been a vassal of Northern Ridge. I am just a merchant, nothing more."


    The Prime Minister walked up to Tang Mo and looked down at him sitting in his seat, his tone suggestive of an alliance, "Believe me,pared to the Earl of Northern Ridge, His Majesty the King is a better choice! Once Shireck''s influence is driven out of the kingdom, I will rmend that His Majesty promote you to Viscount of the Kingdom. Wealth and power, beautiful women... you will have it all."


    "Hm, I''m looking forward to it," Tang Mo said, arms crossed over his chest, seeming quite interested in the proposal.


    When the two men emerged from the office, all the officials waiting outside heard the Prime Minister''s heartyughter, "Hahaha! Lord Baron indeed is an interesting person, I quite enjoy the feeling of doing business with Lord Baron."


    "For the Prime Minister to show such support is truly ttering..." Tang Mo responded with a modest demeanor, appearing so very natural.


    However, Wes, who stood by the door, picked on a sensitive piece of information in their conversation: the Prime Minister addressed Tang Mo as Lord Baron, instead of Mr. Tang.


    This meant that Tang Mo had now be a noble of the kingdom, transforming from a knight of the Earl of Northern Ridge into a true member of the nobility.


    Although just a Baron, he waspletely different from amoner. Even the lowest rank of nobility was still above themon people.


    Of course, this kind of thing was actually a "custom." The nobility of the Great Ming Dynasty faced nothing but being ingredients in the pot before the rebel Li Zicheng and the barbarians from Manchuria.


    So if everyone is a noble, naturally, they should preserve some decorum, but if everyone is a barbarian, whether someone is a noble or not is utterly useless.


    But there is a difference between serving a noble or not. Sometimes ss might be worthless, but it undoubtedly is ss.


    Serving a Kingpared to serving amoner businessman does make a bit of a difference when spoken out loud. Even though Tang Mo would likely not heed the Leite Kingdom King''smands, on the surface, he still appeared as a fair and loyal young gentleman who paid his taxes and respected the old and the young alike.


    Simon, standing by, appeared thoroughly pleased. When he had first joined Tang Mo, Tang Mo was but a merchant, but now, it seemed Tang Mo had all but officially be Lord Baron.


    "Congrattions, Lord Baron!" Solon was the first to congratte Tang Mo.


    The Mayor was taken aback, then realizing what had happened, also quickly congratted him, "Truly, congrattions are in order for Lord Baron!"


    Simon and Wes hurriedly congratted Tang Mo as well, "Congrattions, Lord Baron!"


    "The appointment hasn''t been issued yet, I''m not a Baron, so it might be better for everyone to hold off on the congrattions," Tang Mo demurred.


    The Prime Minister, not waiting for him to continue declining, immediately interrupted and said, "Although the appointment has not yet been issued, I assure you as the Prime Minister that Mr. Tang is definitely going to be promoted to Baron, and it''s okay to congratte him in advance."


    This waspletely against the rules, as the King''smand had not yet been delivered, and prematurely offering congrattions was indeed presumptuous.


    Yet, everyone present seemed to be unconcerned, with the Prime Minister himself taking the lead, which left people pondering the implications.


    At the very least, it appeared to everyone that Tang Mo''s honeymoon period with the kingdom had begun, and the kingdom''s higher echelons had tacitly, even supportively acknowledged Tang Mo''s de facto control over Brunas.


    "Brunas is in your hands now," the Prime Minister patted Tang Mo''s shoulder with a look of entrustment.


    Tang Mo smiled and tilted his head slightly, "Rest assured, Prime Minister, in my hands, it will be far better than in the hands of those from the Shireck Consortium. After all... they want power, while I... am a merchant, only responsible for making money."


    "So now, we are firm allies," the Prime Minister deliberately announced this to everyone present.


    "Wes, remind Parkerter to prepare 3,000 Quick Guns and hand them over to the King''s Military as the Prime Minister wishes," Tang Mo instructed Wes after seeing off the Prime Minister.


    "Congrattions," Wes said, looking at Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo, surprised, nced at Wes, "You think this is good news? Forget it..."

 Chapter 139: 139 strong tea

    Ice Crystal City, south of the Ice Crystal River, had be thergest city after the victory at the Northern Ridge. It was thergest of the cities ceded to the Leite Kingdom by Suthers.


    Nowadays, the scars of war were no longer visible here, and the bustling economy had made the city teem with life; cries of hawkers selling goods could be heard everywhere.


    Outside the city, troops from a battalion of the Northern Ridge Legion were stationed. These troops were the main force of Lord Earl Fisheo, the first battalion of the Northern Ridge Legion that won the Battle of the Northern Ridge.


    With this battalion stationed here, the security in the area was actually very good, and since thend was ceded to Fisheo, it had be even livelier and more prosperous.


    Tang Mo''s factory had boosted the economy of Brunas, and the prosperity of Brunas had in turn improved the economic situation of Northern Ridge.


    If money didn''t circte, it was practically useless. This basic economic principle had driven the economy under Tang Mo''s control in Northern Ridge to thrive day by day.


    After Northern Ridge invested in Tang Mo''s steam engines to mine ores, the output of the ores had noticeably increased. This increased output had in turn increased Northern Ridge''s ie.


    Because mining ores was faster and on arger scale, automation did not reduce the number of miners; instead, it led to the hiring of even more workers.


    The original workforce at the mines becamerger, the speed of mining increased, and the output rose ordingly. This propelled the mining efficiency in Northern Ridge to unprecedented heights.


    With such an abundance of ore, relying solely on Tang Mo''s smelting equipment was insufficient to fully refine it into useful steel.


    Therefore, the steel mills in Northern Ridge also began to expand, and therger steel mills recruited even more workers.


    More and more workers entering the factories left more and morend vacant, which was then leased to the recently integrated southern Suthers serfs.


    These serfs, who had once had nond and lived difficult lives, were liberated and became free citizens, beginning to farm on Northern Ridge''snd.


    The serfs migrated south, obtained their freedom, and now hadnd to sustain themselves; they were grateful to the Earl of Northern Ridge, and wandering poets sang of the Earl''s noble name throughout his territory.


    Most of these people were the rioters who had followed Tang Mo in the zero-cost acquisition half a year before, but under the Lord Earl''s rule, they had be the most obedient and good citizens.


    After their departure, the poption in the south of Suthers was significantly reduced, easing the conflict between the poption and thend. Those who remained had morend to cultivate. Absent the exploitation of the Suthers Nobility, their days improved significantly.


    These economically improved individuals also spurred Northern Ridge''s consumer economy with their spending¡ªcreating a virtuous cycle that rapidly transformed the domain of Earl Fisheo into a utopian enve.


    Through trade, Brunas''s salt, dried fish, metal products, and Northern Ridge''s horses, furs, and timber were all sold in Ice Crystal City, turning it into a trading hub.


    A ck carriage stopped in front of the city hall of Ice Crystal City, and a Northern Ridge soldier stepped forward to help open the door.


    Then, the surrounding soldiers lifted their chins, standing at attention and saluting towards the carriage. Amidst the soldiers'' respect, Fisheo stepped down from the carriage and waved his hand to them, indicating they could rx from the salute.


    "My Lord!" said the officer at the door, following at Fisheo''s side, he respectfully greeted, "There was no need for you toe here personally."


    "One must always take a look," Fisheo smiled and patted his shoulder, "You''ve been doing a good job!"


    He was very satisfied with the expansion progress of the Northern Ridge Legion; all three legions had now been fully formed, a total of 4,800 troops, and this legion was no longer what it once was.


    This legion was better equipped than the previous Northern Ridge Legion; uniformly armed with Tang Mo''s needle guns. All artillerymen and officers were also issued revolvers.


    Each legion was outfitted with 10 of Tang Mo''s produced C64 field guns, and they were supplied with corresponding ammunition carts.


    Such an arrangement made the entire legion very powerful, yet somewhat more cumbersome than normal military configurations. Because of the additional ammunition carts, assembling the troops became moreplicated.


    To properly manage the many carts and operate the 10 field guns effectively, a full-strength Northern Ridge Legion now consisted of 1,600 men instead of the former 1,500.


    The additional 100 soldiers were mostly more professional; they resembled the nonmissioned officers in modern militaries rather thanmon soldiers.


    Fisheo had heeded Tang Mo''s advice, increasing the number of teamsters and establishing a logistics management team for the troops. He also added artillery observers and equipped the legion with more scouts and messengers.


    After training and drill tests, Count Fisheo found that Tang Mo''s improvements indeed enhance thebat effectiveness of the troops, which made him appreciate Tang Mo even more.


    "I''ve heard that people from the Shireck Consortium have been up to no goodtely, you should be cautious about your safety." The military officer earnestly advised Count Fisheo, "They are capable of anything, so please be careful."


    "Thank you! If it wasn''t for the previous operation, which exposed too many of our men, we wouldn''t have lost surveince over those Shireck Consortium people," Count Fisheo said with some regret as he walked towards the City Hall.


    Previously, to repay his debt to Tang Mo and to take reprisal against Shireck by pulling the rug out from under him, he had robbed a Shireck caravan which led to the loss of a considerable number of his nts within Shireck.


    Although the operation was sessful, it now left him unable to urately control Shireck''s actions, which was a heavy loss indeed.


    "Moreover, Lord... I''m not sure if I should say this," the military officer continued, following Count Fisheo into the City Hall, "But reassigning so many military officers to learn in Brunas has caused some problems with troop movements andmands."


    "It''s a necessary measure," Count Fisheo exined as he walked in, "I want mymanders to better understand the tactical changes new weapons bring. If we dy even one day, thebat effectiveness of our troops suffers."


    He spoke gravely to his trusted officer, "Now that we''re bearing the pressure, in a few months, we can expect to have dozens, even a hundredmanders proficient in tactics. That''s a profitable deal, isn''t it?"


    "When they return, I shall proceed to Brunas..." The officer showed an envious expression, "and suddenly, I''m their junior."


    "You! Don''t worry! When youe back, I''ll have youmand the 1st Battalion! The 1st Battalion of Northern Ridge!" Count Fisheo, sping his leather gloves, gave a jovial assurance as he patted the officer''s chest.


    "Thank you, Lord Earl!" The officer, beaming with the promise made, continued to keep pace with Count Fisheo towards an office in the City Hall prepared especially for him.


    This building was the Ice Crystal City''s City Hall before, so it was decoratedvishly, although some areas still bore faint traces of scorching from a previous robbery.


    This was Count Fisheo''s first visit here. Guided by his trusted officer, he entered his temporary office.


    As the new ruler of the territories south of the Ice Crystal River, he needed to inspect hisnds, to see for himself these great and beautiful parts that belonged to him.


    "Here are the tax statements, as well as the military''s garrison and training ns... The rest are temporary appointments of officers and the new budget for road repairs," the officer said, pointing to the documents already prepared on the table, introducing them one by one to Count Fisheo.


    "Ah... If only I knew, I should have brought Alice with me," Count Fisheo said, rubbing his somewhat sore neck as he looked at the documents on the table and muttered to himself.


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t handle these matters¡ªafter all, he was also an earl and had previously studied and personally dealt with many civilian affairs in Northern Ridge.


    However, since his daughter Alice managed these affairs even better than he did, he had gotten into the habit of delegating these tasks to her.


    Hearing the Earl''s muttering, his confidant officer broke into a smile, bowed slightly to the Earl, and offered, "You havee a long way, let me have them bring a cup of tea for you."


    "Thank you," said Count Fisheo, who was already looking down at the documents, acknowledging his officer''s courtesy without lifting his head.


    Soon, the door opened, and a maid from the City Hall entered with a tray, cing two steaming cups of strong tea on the Earl''s desk.


    "These cups are truly beautiful," the Earl said with a sneer as he looked up and saw the exquisite cups, "These officials indulge themselves too much, which is why we were able to beat them so thoroughly!"


    "Indeed," the officer agreed, picking up a cup and mimicking a toast beside the Earl, before downing the tea.


    Count Fisheo took a sip as well but put the cup down, feeling something was amiss. He looked up just in time to see his trusted officer wobble.


    He was momentarily stunned, then began to feel his breathing be constricted. Soon after, a thump echoed through the room¡ªit was the sound of his subordinate hitting the floor.


    Struggling to his feet, the Earl knocked over his chair and staggered a few steps to the side before his vision went ck. He crashed into the desk and rolled onto the floor.


    The guards at the door, hearing themotion, knocked tentatively, "Lord Earl! Officer! Lord Earl? Lord Earl?"


    After a few knocks on the door, sensing something was wrong, they opened it and found the two men already on the ground.


    "Help! Quick, call a doctor! Guards! Somebody help!" As the guard rushed to the Earl''s side, trying to help him up, he shouted loudly for assistance.

 Chapter 140: 140 new Nobility

    In the kitchen, listening to the sound of soldiers'' boots cking against the floor, a woman in a white apron stared nkly at the teapot in front of her.


    With trembling hands, she grasped a teacup, the tea inside swaying from the shaking, just like the rolling waves in the open sea.


    Finally, amidst the sobbing cries of the soldiers outside, she gulped down the tea in her cup and her face immediately regained a sense of relieved calm.


    "Open up!" the soldiers outsidemanded loudly, followed by a sharp gunshot. The bullet pierced through the door, sending splinters flying through the air.


    "Bang!" Atst, the flimsy wooden door was forced open and several guards brandishing revolvers barged into the room, only to find an overturned teapot and the body of the woman next to it.


    "She''s dead..." A soldier knelt on one knee, took a careful look at the woman''s face, which still had her eyes slightly open, and then turned to hispanion to say.


    "" Standing there, the Northern Ridge officer, frustrated and furious, held his pistol and spun half a circle on the spot. He ultimately couldn''t hold it in and kicked a nearby cab.


    "Crash!" The sideboard of the cab was kicked in, tea cups and tes inside shattering and scattering onto the floor, rolling all around.


    "Captain, Captain!" A soldier hurried over, his eyes filled with despair. He rushed to the captain and with a sob, shook his head.


    "Is Lord Earl... gone?" The captain asked with a chocked voice.


    The approaching soldier, with a crying voice and while wiping the unstoppable tears on his face, said, "The doctor just arrived, he, he said... "


    The captain, anxious, demanded, "Said what?"


    The soldier covered his face with his arm, shaking his head fiercely.


    ...


    Tang Mo stared nkly at the waving wheat fields in the distance. Standing not far from him, a security force officer handed a list to a Leite Kingdom officer, "Here are 3500 Quick Guns, take a look."


    While saying this, he pointed to the carriages parked beside them. Soldiers in the bright yellow uniforms of the Leite Kingdom were counting wooden boxes filled with bolt-action rifles loaded onto the carriages.


    After several officers nodded their heads in approval, the Leite Kingdom officer smiled, nodded slightly to his security force counterpart, and then approached the daydreaming Tang Mo.


    Stopping not far from Tang Mo, he made a small nod of acknowledgment to Wes, who was watching him closely, and then said to Tang Mo, "His Majesty will surely thank you for your generosity."


    From the beginning, an ufortable sensation had been lingering in Tang Mo''s heart. He felt uneasy and irritable.


    However, the deal before him seemed to have no issues, so he still responded professionally to the Leite Kingdom officer, "I hope my investment will be reciprocated!"


    "I will convey your words to His Majesty," the officer responded courteously to Tang Mo, aware of the young man before him whom the King, in his struggle against Shireck, was so eager to court.


    Can''t you see? A baron of just 19 years, if not hereditary, who would believe this was a first-generation noble from a newly risen family?


    Tang Mo managed a weak smile and asked the officer lightly, "So, where are my things?"


    The officer pointed towards two distant carriages, "Inside the carriages are 3000 Gold Coins, and there are also three beauties prepared by the King for you. They alle from decent families in King City and can look after your daily needs."


    It was unclear if the King had genuinely provided three beauties for Tang Mo or if he intended to nt spies close to Tang Mo. Nevertheless, since the intentions wereid out inly, Tang Mo could only ept them all.


    Tang Mo did not, in fact, reject them, for he had no intention to keep these women in his service. He simply nodded indifferently and thanked, "I appreciate the King''s generosity; they will certainly feel at home here."


    "Congrattions, Baron!" The royal officer, after handing the royal appointment letter to Tang Mo, then smiled and congratted him, "Brunas is officially your domain now."


    Tang Mo took the appointment papers from the officer''s hand and waved them, "Now, is there anything else I need to do?"


    The officer grinned and exined earnestly, "Normally, you would go to King City and personally thank His Majesty... But due to the tedious protocols, it''s generally not necessary to bother."


    It was a test for the nobility; at that time, nobles earnestly obeyed the King''s orders, so no one minded making such a ceremonial visit to King City.


    Receiving the title from the King while proving one''s undying loyalty added a full sense of ceremony for oneself.


    It''s just that the current nobility, especially the newly ennobled powers like Tang Mo, generally had little enthusiasm for loyalty.


    Moreover, their trust in the royal family was also filled with doubt, fearful that visiting King City might turn them into yet another soul under someone else''s knife. Hence, they no longer pursued these elusive ceremonial feelings.


    As such, the royal family no longer required newly ennobled nobles to visit King City to receive their titles, and the new nobles were not foolish enough to go to King City to suffer.


    Everyone had formed an unspoken, marvelous understanding: the King would only issue documents for the ennoblement of the nobility, and the nobility would only ept the King''s ennoblement within their actual controlled territories.


    Just as the saying goes, rules are dead, but people are alive. Everyone tacitly understood this arrangement and likewise stopped fussing over traditional protocols or etiquette.


    Tang Mo nodded slightly, ncing at his own name on the document, "Then please thank His Majesty the King for me."


    The other party waved his hand, as if it was his duty to do so, "Oh, it''s nothing... this is what I should do."


    Wes walked up to the officer and handed him a tightly tied bag. The officer was stunned for a moment, then instinctively reached out, and the hefty bag fell into his palm.


    His hand dropped a good distance under the unexpected weight before finally stopping the descent.


    Just with a rough estimate, he knew there had to be at least 20 Gold Coins in the bag.


    Who would have thought that stepping out could yield such additional ie? The officer''s face immediately showed delight that he could not hide.


    With a beaming smile, almost obsequiously, he reminded Tang Mo, "Additionally, there are some trivial matters that will require Baron Sir to personally undertake."


    "Such as?" Tang Mo asked knowingly, feigningplete naturalness.


    The officer, believing it his duty to inform Tang Mo, immediately proceeded conscientiously, "For example, choosing your own Guardian Knight, finalizing your family''s coat of arms, picking the colors of your banner based on personal preferences, constructing your own castle or manor..."


    Generally speaking, a noble''s fiefdom can utilize their family''s banner.


    For instance, the Ronin Family''s Northern Ridge doesn''t hang the Kingdom''s banner but opts to disy their own wolf banner.


    Furthermore, Tang Mo could also levy his own additional taxes here and enact some personalws of his own.


    Usually, thesews cannot override nationalws or bind other nobility but do have some legal force over themoners.


    Of course, after bing nobility, there would be many privileges, including the Kingdom''s semi-acknowledged private Troops, as well as the use of ves, among others.


    All in all, ennobling a new noble entails numerous rted issues that need to be resolved, which is also why nobility is valuable and why the Kingdom doesn''t lightly bestow nobility.


    Every noble would siphon a portion of the King''s power and, to a great extent, split territories and pose a significant threat to the Kingdom.


    However, granting nobility is one of the most important means for a King to court someone''s favor, and thus, in certain circumstances, he must disy generosity and promote new nobles to counter the established ones.


    The contradictions among nobles, between nobles and the King, and between nobles andmoners mutually restrain each other, forming the "social ecosystem" of the current world.


    "Ha! This all sounds quite exhrating," said Tang Mo with the air of being pleasantly surprised, which made the officer feel his reminder was particrly significant.


    "John, apany this gentleman to the casino for a few rounds, the chips are on me..." Tang Mo instructed the Elf at his side thoughtfully.


    John immediately bowed andplied, "Yes, Master."


    "Thank you, Lord!" The officer''s face immediately broke into a deeper smile upon hearing what Tang Mo said. After arriving at Brunas, he had heard of the casino''s poprity but hadn''t dared to try it due to financial constraints.


    Watching the two depart, Tang Mo turned to Wes and ordered, "Have the prepared gs hung at the Brunas municipal hall."


    "Understood," Wes responded promptly.


    "And send 10,000 training rounds to His Majesty the King... as a token of our sincerity," Tang Momanded again.


    Wes continued to nod, "Yes!"


    As if he had remembered something else, Tang Mo continued to instruct, "Oh, and those three women, hand them over to John. Let him not trouble those girls; those willing to work in the casino or the restaurant should be arranged to work, and those who do not wish to should be given some money and sent on their way!"


    "As you wish, Lord," Wes smiled and nodded again.


    As the two were walking back, a horse bolted out from the main road of the Vicious Forest. The armor of the rider on the horse was disorderly, but he couldn''t be bothered to straighten it out.


    He spurred his horse into a gallop, holding aloft the wolf banner of the Northern Ridge, heading towards the factories billowing thick smoke not far away.


    ------


    Dragon Spirit has saved up drafts, there will be a burst of releases soon with six or seven updates, so everyone please be patient.

 Chapter 141: 141 just takes them away

    "My lord! My lord!" When Tang Mo returned to his factory from Brunas, Tagg stumbled towards him in a panic.


    Tang Mo frowned; he had never seen Tagg so agitated. Wes at his side instinctively grasped the pistol at his waist.


    A knight following Tagg was also somewhat disheveled. He scrambled to Tang Mo''s side and hoarsely shouted, "My lord! My lord! The Earl has been assassinated!"


    "What? What''s going on?" Tang Mo was stunned, then looked incredulously at Tagg beside him, who stood there mournfully, his eyes already brimming with tears.


    "Tell me clearly, what exactly happened!" Tang Mo was still somewhat bewildered, unwilling to believe the messenger''s words.


    "My, my lord! Count Fisheo was assassinated in Ice Crystal City, he has... he has already passed away." The knight, breaking into tears, managed to say.


    He continued sobbing, "My lord, Northern Ridge is now headless, it''s already be aplete mess."


    "What kind of joke is this! How could someone assassinate Lord Earl Fisheo?" Tang Mo still didn''t believe the news and coldly stared at the knight as he asked.


    The knight knelt on one knee, drew a letter from his bosom, and handed it to Tang Mo: "My lord! This is something the youngdy asked me to deliver."


    Tang Mo snatched the letter and saw the Northern Ridge wolf seal on it, also recognizing the familiar handwriting on the envelope.


    He recognized the writing on the envelope, indeed, it was Alice''s handwriting, who often corresponded with him, so he opened the envelope and read Alice''s handwritten letter.


    The writing was somewhat untidy and crumpled; it was evident that Alice must have been very distraught while writing it, crying and in a state of panic.


    The letter was short, but it spoke of many things. Although Count Fisheo''s death was a huge blow to Alice, the 17-year-old girl still used all her willpower to convey everything she knew to Tang Mo.


    After reading the letter, Tang Mo folded the paper and put it in his pocket, by now nearly certain that Fisheo had indeed died, and that his death had been very sudden.


    It has to be said, the death of Fisheo was both a coincidence and an inevitability. Tang Mo''s arrival postponed Fisheo''s death, but it also elerated it...


    Because of Tang Mo''s arrival, Fisheo acquired new weapons, thus winning the battle of Northern Ridge and consequently dying his own demise.


    However, the rapid military expansion after taking Ice Crystal River created vulnerabilities in the security system around Fisheo, leading directly to his death.


    There was no choice; in order to supply Tang Mo with enough steel, Fisheo hijacked the Shireck Consortium''s steel, which led to severe losses in Fisheo''s intelligence system targeting the Shireck Consortium, indirectly causing its failure.


    After losing early warning intelligence, Fisheo didn''t have time to rebuild his intelligence system and had to grit his teeth and deal with the battle of Northern Ridge first.


    This war had far-reaching effects; it not only exhausted Suthers with one battle but also imed arge swath ofnd south of Ice Crystal River.


    During this war, Fisheo saw the potential for military reform led by Tang Mo''s weaponry on the horizon, therefore he sent many of his trusted officers to Brunas.


    This further dispersed Fisheo''s trusted subordinates¡ªsome were spread out across new territories, some were divided among the expanded military, and some were sent to Brunas for training.


    As a result, the rapidly expanding Fisheo Consortium naturally found itself short-staffed. The expansion led to fewer and fewer trusted people remaining by the Earl''s side, exposing cracks in Fisheo''s security system.


    Ack of early warning intelligence, overly diluted defensive forces, and thecency of victory dulling the vignce of some, ultimately gave the assassin their opportunity.


    Ice Crystal City was a newly upied territory, its poption was exceedinglyplex to begin with, and it was there that something happened to Lord Earl¡ªit seemed sudden, yet also predictable.


    Nevertheless, Tang Mo found the result difficult to ept. In reality, assassinating a noble is not a simple matter, and its impact can overturn many things.


    After all, nobility is nobility, and there are some unwritten rules and underlying practices among them. Avoiding assassinations is one such "implicit rule" that is rather daunting.


    Because once assassinations are used to kill a noble, it could entice others to opt for this straightforward and convenient method of solving problems.


    If everyone starts using this simple method against their enemies, the personal security guarantee for the nobility bes incredibly fragile.


    For this reason, even though both the King and Shireck previously wished for Fisheo''s death, neither of them resorted to assassination, this seemingly straightforward method.


    Of course, it wasn''t because they truly abided by the rules so strictly, but because in Wolf City, or rather in Northern Ridge, assassinating Fisheo was quite a difficult task.


    Although that was the case, from another perspective, it meant that no one was willing to break such rules of the game through assassination, as it would also put themselves in danger.


    In any case, assassinating an earl was definitely a major event, and one that would certainly draw hatred. The death of a noble could provoke the enmity of other nobility, and even cause unrest within a kingdom; it was an extremely unprofitable affair.


    If the assassination of an earl were exposed, and someone caught a grip on it, one could even lose everything and be jointly executed by all the nobility.


    Until the end, it might involve the mastermind behind it all, along with all the conspirators being killed for vengeance. This wasn''t a threat, for there were precedents.


    It was precisely because of such instances that everyone continued to y within a rtively safe gaming environment, so it wouldn''t lead to an atmosphere where everyone was on edge, nor to a point where one couldn''t sleep at night.


    "How dare they¡­y a hand on an earl!" Tang Mo clenched his fist, his tone full of rage.


    He was now a noble himself; an assassination attempt on a noble was practically a threat to him.


    "My lord¡­ You must avenge Lord Earl Fisheo!" Tagg said through tears, his lips quivering, full of hatred.


    "I have known Lord Fisheo for many years; he was a good man. If you ever get the chance, my lord, please help him find the assassin and bring that person to justice!" Wes also spoke with anger.


    Tang Mo bit his teeth and fell silent for a long time before looking at the two: "We have plenty of time for revenge; right now, we need to help Lord Earl stabilize Northern Ridge and make sure his heir takes control of his legacy, to ensure the continuation of the Ronin Family."


    "You''re right, my lord," said Tagg, startled, then immediately agreed. "Northern Ridge must be in chaos now."


    "How should we proceed, my lord?" Wes, standing by Tang Mo''s side, also asked.


    "I''m going to Northern Ridge!" Tang Mo looked up at the two and said: "I''m going there to help Alice reim what''s hers."


    "Gather everyone! I need to call a meeting!" Tang Mo ordered and without looking back, he walked into his own factory.


    On both sides of the factory''s main gate hung two new gs, standing vertical. The gs were red, as if they had been dyed with fresh blood.


    On this blood-red g was embroidered Tang Mo''s n symbol, or rather the emblem of the Great Tang Industrial Group¡ªa dragon.


    It depicted the head of a dragon, symmetrical and angr in its design, abstracted and ttened.


    This pattern was unprecedented in this world; when Tang Mo said it was a dragon, even Wes and the others found it hard to ept.


    They believed only those mythical creatures that breathed fire in legends could be called dragons. And in this world, there was no shortage of family emblems using dragons, but they had never seen such a strangely shaped dragon.


    They couldn''t ept a dragon with catfish whiskers or deer antlers; in short, Tang Mo''s dragon seemed quite out of ce from their understanding of dragons.


    But Tang Mo insisted on using this totem as his family emblem, so in the end, everyone had to ept it as the symbol of Great Tang Industrial.


    By the time everyone had entered Tang Mo''s office, they had already heard about the incident at Northern Ridge.


    Tang Mo nced at Roger, then began: "There''s trouble in Northern Ridge. Lord Earl has been assassinated. He owed me a favor and was our ally, so we should do something for him."


    After finishing, hemanded, "Roger, Redman, Li''ao, Bernard, and Luff, assemble the troops and ensure the security within the territory. If anyone attempts to take advantage of this and attack Brunas, you should bury them all here!"


    "Yes!" Redman, Bernard, and Luff, dressed in grey-green military uniforms, immediately stood at attention and saluted, while Roger and Li''ao also nodded and epted the orders.


    Tang Mo nodded slightly then continued with his orders, "Tagg, Wes, you''reing with me to Northern Ridge..."


    "My lord, how many soldiers should we bring?" Wes had a bad feeling and asked directly. It was very unusual for Bernard, Luff, and Redman, who were high-rankingmanders in Tang Mo''s security forces, to remain in Brunas at such a time.


    "Tagg! Rally all the Northern Ridge students from the school! Tell them about the earl''s murder and assemble them to follow me!" Tang Mo did not answer Wes''s question but instead turned to Tagg.


    "Yes!" Tagg was taken aback but still faithfully executed Tang Mo''s order.


    "Just bring them!" Tang Mo looked at Wes, "And my personal guard."

 Chapter 142: 142 continued watching

    Tang Mo''s private guard was notrge in number, now only amounting to 20 men. These were all veterans of battle who had also gone through selection and personal training by Tang Mo.


    Trained ording to the standards of special forces ofter generations, these men were ten times more ferocious than their peers. Each one of them could engage Wes in a long fight without falling at a disadvantage, and their marksmanship was urate enough to hit a target a hundred steps away.


    One might say they were super soldiers built with money, spending dozens of expensive bullets every day to maintain their feel for the weapons, which were as familiar to them as their own palms.


    These guards were all uniformly equipped with standard weapons, including lever-action rifles and Left-Wheel Handguns, weapons that others had never seen before, which of course could take the enemy by surprise at a critical moment.


    When protecting Tang Mo, they would all wearrge capes to shroud their figures in ck. Wes, who knew them, was aware that beneath those capes, they had brand new weapons and equipment that even he envied.


    Their weapons were strategically distributed over various parts of their bodies, ready to be drawn at a moment''s notice if needed.


    Every member of the guard was absolutely loyal to Tang Mo. They had all been handpicked by him, and the way they looked at Tang Mo was akin to gazing upon a deity.


    With these 20 soldiers, Tang Mo even had the capability to assault a legion of 1500 men and possibly break through their defenses.


    It was for this reason that when Wes heard that Tang Mo had brought his guard, he immediately felt relieved.


    If these 20 men could not protect Tang Mo, then bringing 200 would have certainly been in vain.


    That very night, over a hundred people rushed into the Vicious Forest in carriages or mounted on warhorses, a formidable procession.


    This silent forest had almost no trace of bandits left, and with Tang Mo''s rangers'' frequent training exercises, evenrge animals were a rare sight.


    After all, these men would hunt wild animals, and in this era, there was no concept of wildlife protection.


    After several rounds of hunting, animals like wild boars, fierce tigers, and wolves had nearly been hunted to extinction. When people were hungry, they would go hunting, and would sometimes even bring back game to the factory to improve their living conditions. How could the local wildlife bear this?


    So, after being hunted in several rounds, the fierce and cunning animals hid even deeper, and those originally innocent herbivores also began to be scarce.


    As they passed through this nearly conquered forest, Tang Mo''s team encountered no danger at all.


    That night, Tang Mo and his men had already arrived at Wolf City. At the gates of Wolf City, they were blocked by the tightly shut gates, unable to enter.


    "Sorry! No one is allowed to enter! This area is under martialw! We can''t let you in!" shouted a soldier next to a front-loading Shireck cannon atop the city wall.


    His tone carried an unweing warning to Tang Mo and the others in front of the city gates: "Don''t trouble us! The gates are closed even during the day. How could we possibly open them for you at night?"


    Upon hearing the soldier''s shout, Tang Mo nodded, did not waste words, and turned to Tagg beside him, "Any ideas?"


    Tagg shook his head somewhat bitterly: "When I was with the Earl, I wasn''t particrly familiar with the officers guarding the gates. However, there must be someone among the trainees who knows this batch of soldiers."


    "You have two minutes," Tang Mo said before walking back to the convoy.


    At that moment, a trainee with a displeased expression stepped out of the ranks, approached Tagg and, looking up, scolded with an even worse tone: "Get your captain out here, and stop the nonsense!"


    Surprisingly, the soldier above, after hearing the voice from below, didn''t dare to let out another peep and instantly fell silent.


    After a while, more lights appeared on the tower and voices began to grow louder, with a raspy voice demanding, "Who''s the fool calling at the gates in the middle of the night? Don''t you know we''re in a state of emergency?"


    "I''m Adam, your older brother! If you don''t open the gates now and something gets dyed, I''lle up there and knock your teeth out!" The officer below was more domineering than the voice above.


    "..." The ramparts fell silent once more. After a good while, a small door beside the main gate was pushed open from the inside, and several soldiers emerged escorting an officer.


    Upon spotting the officer next to Tagg, the officer emerging from the city was taken aback, then hurried over with a beaming face: "It''s really you, brother... I¡ªI couldn''t believe it. Why, why have youe back?"


    "Open the gates; we need to enter!" Adam rudely pped his younger brother''s head with his glove and ordered with a jerk of his chin.


    "Well..." The younger officer evidently still hesitated a little.


    "Hmm? You want to die? Get lost! Take that attitude again, and I''ll kick your ass to shreds." The officer went up and delivered a kick that sent his own brother tumbling and scrambling to open the city gate.


    Two minutester, Tang Mo''s carriage charged recklessly down the deserted street, heading straight for the Earl''s estate.


    When Tagg jumped down from the carriage and gestured for the military academy students returning from Brunas to advance, themand of the troops stationed at the Lord Earl''s estate waspletely transferred to Tang Mo.


    Some servants and officers who had seen Tang Mo before could almost be certain, after seeing that face filled with ferocity, that the situation at Northern Ridge had stabilized.


    In the somewhat dim corridor, the sound of Tang Mo''s leather boots striking the slightly worn floor echoed in a somewhat chilling "ng ng."


    Wes, who was following behind Tang Mo along with several guards, also marched with a ruthless stride, making the noisy footsteps even more jarring and terrifying in the midnight stillness of the Earl''s estate.


    He stopped in front of arge door, and all footsteps halted abruptly. Tang Mo paused for a few seconds before the door, reaching out several times to knock, but hesitating each time.


    "Click." The room door was pulled open from the inside, and a haggard Alice looked up at Tang Mo, her tear-streaked eyes still faintly visible under the somewhat dim gaslight.


    d only in a nightgown, her slender figure was pitifully frail. She just stared nkly at Tang Mo, and the entire corridor fell into a fearful silence.


    "I''m here¡­" Tang Mo finally spoke, finding it difficult to utter a word when faced with such a pitiable young girl.


    His voice was hoarse because each word he spoke was incredibly hard, as if something was tearing at his vocal cords in his throat.


    "The rest¡­ leave it to me," he finally managed to say what he wanted.


    "...Okay," Alice, devoid of any sparkle in her eyes, answered Tang Mo softly like a limp cat before lowering her head and pushing the room door closed.


    In the moment the door was closing, Tang Mo reached out wanting to press against it to stop Alice from shutting the door.


    But he was a bit toote after all, and with a click, the door closed, just as it had been opened a moment before.


    In that second, Tang Mo felt his heart tremble. He truly wanted to hold the fragile Alice andfort the poor girl, but he knew he couldn''t.


    Ronin Fisallo had just passed away, leaving Alice an orphan. Embracing a youngdy at such a time was clearly not appropriate.


    Although Tang Mo knew Alice would not push him away, he decided not to employ such a shameless tactic on a seventeen-year-old girl.


    So, he sighed softly, left two guards behind, and walked away from Alice''s bedroom with Wes and the others.


    Inside the bedroom, as Alice leaned against the door and heard Tang Mo''s sigh, hot tears became unstoppable. She didn''t want Tang Mo to see her so disheveled and vulnerable, but she still failed.


    In his presence, she naturally became lowly and weak, like a de of grass in a storm, battered and alone.


    She despised herself forcking backbone and resolve; she hoped Tang Mo would knock again, yet also feared the knock. She longed for aforting embrace while grieving her father''s departure. She was torn, leaning against the door, wanting to cry out loud but sobbing silently instead.


    Until the footsteps gradually faded, until no more sounds came from the corridor, until the moonlight poured into her room and streamed across her feet, she curled up at the doorway, silent and motionless.


    "Lift the martialw here; send the troops back to their barracks! What mess do you want the military stirring up at a time like this?" When Tang Mo returned to the office used by thete Lord Earl, he encountered the highestmander of the troops within Wolf City.


    "On what authority are you ordering me, sir?" The officer stared at Tang Mo and retorted, "A good Samaritan? Or some ambitious usurper looking to grab a piece of Northern Ridge? Or perhaps a predator wolf ready to join the feast?"


    "A good-hearted businessman, I guess," Tang Mo replied with a self-deprecating smile. "I need a stable Northern Ridge, so I came."


    "And how should I trust you, Mr. Tang?" The officer continued to press, "I can''t simply takemands from an outsider blindly. At a time like this, I can only ensure¡­ my own loyalty."


    "In fact, by standing here, you''ve already proven that the men I''ve brought with me have taken control of the military, and you''ve been sidelined. Since you can only stand here and watch, you might as well keep watching!" Tang Mo pointed indifferently to a chair reserved for guests.


    "Stop overthinking; just watch as I hand over aplete and better Northern Ridge to the Ronin Family''s sole heir, Miss Ronin Alice."

 Chapter 143: Afterlife Arrangements

    "Do they no longer regard me as their King? Do they no longer take the entire Nobility into consideration? Who do they think they are, hmm?" Leite VII smashed the ss in his hand onto the floor, cursing furiously.


    In front of him, the Prime Minister too had a grim expression, silently staring at the military officer who had brought the message. They had just reached an agreement with Tang Mo and obtained enough munitions to defend themselves from him.


    But then, someone had gone ahead and killed the Earl with an assassination attempt. This put them all on edge, beginning to seriously question the loyalty of those in their own kitchens.


    No one desired to hide a gun under their pillow while in bed with a woman, and no one wanted to worry about being stabbed by their partner in the act.


    Simrly, no one wanted to suddenly copse with a stomachache mid-meal, nor did they want to taste the bitter vor of almonds in a sip of fine wine.


    This was about a trust crisis within the entire Nobility, as well as a matter concerning the safety of the whole world.


    "It''s not necessarily Shireck... Such matters should be investigated... a bit more," the Prime Minister managed to utter atst, indicating his position.


    The more tense the situation, the less one should lose one''sposure. Although Shireck was a suspect, it really wasn''t clear who was behind the act.


    From the perspective of the King of the Leite Kingdom, even though Shireck had the potential to poison, Suthers seemed to have reason to take action also.


    Even Tang Mo, with whom they had cooperated, did not seem entirely above suspicion. After all, if he intended to take control of the Northern Ridge, Count Fisheo was indeed a critical target. By eliminating Fisheo, Tang Mo could indeed cut himself a piece of the chaos in the Northern Ridge.


    Hence, they couldn''t direct all their hatred towards Shireck right now; it would best serve their fundamental interests to ce themselves in an invulnerable position.


    "Now we cannot act rashly; it''s best to wait for a conflict to break out between Shireck and Tang Mo, or simply for them both to suffer, and then we can profit from the situation," the Prime Minister advised King Leite VII.


    Finally, Leite VII managed to calm his rage and sat back on his throne: "What should we do now?"


    "There''s not much we can do; the Northern Ridge is like a powder keg right now, ready to explode with a single spark. We just need to wait," the Prime Minister repeated the word ''wait'' again.


    His Majesty the King seemed somewhat dissatisfied with this passive approach and continued to inquire: "Can''t we take the opportunity to seize some benefits from the chaos in the Northern Ridge?"


    "Do we want everyone to suspect that we were the ones who poisoned Count Fisheo to death?" the Prime Minister counter-asked his King.


    Leite VII also realized that trying to gain advantages at this time seemed a bit irrational, so he cooled down and began to think about how to deal with the turmoil in the Northern Ridge.


    But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn''te up with a way to reap benefits without giving himself away.


    While he was deep in thought, a Knight rushed in. After taking a nce at the silent Prime Minister, he approached the side of King Leite, and reported in a low voice, "Your Majesty, we have definitive news: Tang Mo... has gone to the Northern Ridge!"


    "What did you say?" Upon hearing his words, the Prime Minister was first startled, then stood up with a look of shock. He had not anticipated Tang Mo to be in such a hurry to head for the Northern Ridge.


    Could it be that... He even started to suspect that the poison might not have been administered by Shireck or Suthers, but by Tang Mo himself...


    "Tang... Tang Mo has already arrived in the Northern Ridge... he has already seized control of Wolf City. As for his specific actions, that is still unknown," the officer replied nervously, seeing the excitement of the Prime Minister.


    ...


    As the news of Tang Mo''s arrival at the Northern Ridge was reaching King City, Tang Mo had actually already arrived in Ice Crystal City.


    He merely nced at a few officers who hade upon hearing the news, then tookmand of Ice Crystal River. The artillerymander here was his student, and themander of the Infantry was an old subordinate of Tagg''s.


    Having taken military control, Tang Mo immediately began to address various tricky issues: "First of all, I want to announce something to everyone present."


    Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Tang Mo then solemnly dered, "Coming from Wolf City, both the Great Tang Group and I will support Miss Ronin Alice of the Ronin Family with the utmost determination in taking charge of all military and political affairs of the Northern Ridge... Does anyone object?"


    Everyone in the room remained silent, creating a very solemn atmosphere. Tang Mo was in no hurry, instead waiting patiently for someone to step forward.


    The result was not the appearance of someone opposing him, but those who agreed. The first to stand was the artillerymander of the legion, who lifted his chin and dered his position, "I firmly support Lord Tang Mo''s decision!"


    "I support as well!" On the other side, the infantrymander quickly stood to support, saying, "I also support Miss Ronin Alice bing our new Lord Earl!"


    He was loyal to the Ronin Family; if asked to support Tang Mo''s control over Northern Ridge, he might have been ambivalent, or even engaged in some covert sabotage, but continuing his support for Alice posed no difficulty whatsoever.


    In fact, just moments ago, the majority of those in the room had been worried that Tang Mo hade to Northern Ridge to seize his own interests.


    If that had been true, they really wouldn''t have known what to do. They were aware that Tang Mo''s influence in Northern Ridge was not insignificant, as demonstrated by his ability to take control of Wolf City in a single night.


    If Tang Mo genuinely called on arms, demanding Northern Ridge to be his vassal, the leaderless Northern Ridge Group might have indeed be a peach ripe for Tang Mo''s picking.


    Now, however, it seemed that Tang Mo hade to support Ronin Alice, which evidently allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Although there were doubts about whether Alice could continue to lead the development and growth of Northern Ridge, they subjectively favored Alice more.


    "We will do our utmost to assist Miss Alice," dered the personal butler of the Lord Earl, as he stood out to support Tang Mo, "For Northern Ridge!"


    "For Northern Ridge!" The others in the room echoed the sentiment, which immediately lightened the atmosphere considerably.


    Tang Mo nodded and spoke his thanks, "Thank you all for supporting Miss Alice! I hope each of you, like you have assisted thete Earl Fisheo, will offer your loyalty and talent to the new Earl of Northern Ridge, Ronin Alice."


    "We will," the group promptly promised Tang Mo, "Northern Ridge will continue to move forward under the leadership of the new Earl, Ronin Alice."


    Looking at the vassals of Northern Ridge, Tang Mo knew that the handover here was nearlyplete. Thus, he shifted the topic to the aftermath pertaining to Fisheo, "Has the Earl''s body been cared for?"


    "The weather is still quite cool, so there are no major issues. His appearance has been respectfully managed; he looks very peaceful," replied a servant who worked for the Lord Earl, standing in the corner, answering Tang Mo''s question.


    Tang Mo gave a slight nod and then issued further instructions, "Have the carriage ready. After we finish here, I will personally escort the Earl''s body back to Wolf City."


    "The funeral rites for the Lord Earl must be conducted with the utmost care. Money is not an issue; the scale must be grand, and those in attendance must be of high status! Understand?" Tang Mo asked this question as he surveyed everyone present.


    "Understood!" All the officers, along with some attendants of the Lord Earl, immediately responded. It seemed they had already epted Tang Mo as their de factomander.


    After arranging the Lord Earl''s posthumous affairs, Tang Mo immediately inquired about the Earl''s assassination, "What are the results of the investigation into the Earl''s murder?"


    "My lord," an officer stepped forward upon hearing this, replying to Tang Mo, "We have investigated the maid whomitted the act. She has been an old hand around the municipal hall, having been a Suthers person all along."


    "Why wasn''t she reced? Is there any reason?" Tang Mo furrowed his brow, questioning the other party.


    "Her family is in Ice Crystal City, all with a clean background. Previously, we were short-handed and kept some local servants and maids," the officer exined regretfully, "She was scheduled to be reced, but she was verypetent..."


    "How could such foolishness happen in the security work of the Lord Earl," Tang Mo hummed with frustration.


    "We relocated her family and provided her with a resettlement fee. No one expected she would... do this." The officer''s voice trailed off lower and lower, "She seemed totally normal every day, and having received money to improve her life, she had no... no reason..."


    "In fact, she did it, and she seeded," Tang Mo cut off the exnation, then continued to question, "Have her family members been taken into custody?"


    "No..." The officer shook his head with some regret, showing he was not particrly adept at these matters.


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo''s piercing gaze swept over, finding the officer''s response in this area slow. There was a moment when he even began to suspect the officer''s loyalty.


    "By the time we got there, they had all died," the officer exined with his head down, "The maid had a younger sister, a younger brother, and her parents; all were found dead at home, with none spared."


    "They were wiped out?" Tang Mo knew that someone might cover their tracks with murder, but he had not expected it to be done so swiftly and decisively.


    "Yes, all were killed. Our soldiers arrived at the scene around three hours after the incident," the officer responded.

 Chapter 144: 144 looking for the murderer

    "Ha! You sure act fast." Tang Mo felt it was necessary to improve the intelligence system and the efficiency of the police force in this world.


    Entrusting these matters to the military really was asking too much of them. These brave warriors might be adept at killing enemies on the battlefield, but dealing with these kinds of incidents was clearly outside their expertise.


    He was almost amused by the sluggish reaction and extremely low efficiency of the Northern Ridge officers, not to mention theirckluster investigative and deductive skills.


    "Let''s go, take a look at the scene..." Tang Mo, his face grim, finally stood up and walked out of the room first: "Then... move that woman''s body away... What''s the use of leaving it here?"


    In this era, forensic methods were very limited, and the crime scene had already been destroyed by the soldiers who had burst into the servants'' resting room. They left a mess of footprints and had moved the dead maid onto a table.


    Even the corner of the cupboard was kicked into pieces by a furious officer, with its contents scattered everywhere.


    Apart from a woman''s corpse, whoseplexion had already turned ashen and ck, her teapot - the one she used for poisoning - had been smashed to bits, and it was no longer possible to detect anything from it.


    Days had passed since the woman''s demise; if any clues pointing to the real culprit could be found on the body now, that would be truly astonishing.


    If the other party went to such lengths, it was highly unlikely they would have left any useful clues behind, considering they are professionals at this sort of thing, far more meticulous than these Northern Ridge Legion soldiers.


    Soon, Tang Mo led his team to the house of the maid, which was not far from the city hall. The ce was guarded by sentries, and the items inside were better preserved than at the crime scene.


    Tang Mo walked around the room, observing the disordered scene but did not find anything that could serve as evidence.


    However, he quickly realized that something about the ce felt off. He frowned and looked around again.


    The wardrobe was opened, its contents scattered on the floor. A soldier standing next to Tang Mo described what they had first seen upon bursting into the room.


    "Blood was everywhere, just as you see now. The floor was covered with bodies, the female mastery near the door, apparently killed by the person who opened it," the soldier said, pointing to the area near the door where Wes was standing, looking up at the ceiling.


    Then the soldier continued, pointing at the living room, "After that, the attackers rushed into the room and ughtered the man. The two children were in the next room. They had closed the door, but it was kicked open."


    "The scene must have been chaotic¡­ Did the neighbors see anything?" Tang Mo nced at the somewhat damaged interior doors of the house and asked.


    The soldier shook his head and answered Tang Mo''s question: "We''ve investigated. The neighbors did indeed hear noises and even screams, but they didn''t have the courage toe over and see what was happening."


    There was nothing that could be done; these neighbors were timid civilians, and hoping they woulde out to investigate might have been wishful thinking.


    Most of them did not even have the courage to peek out the window, especially in these times. It wasn''t only bandits and robbers to fear; even the nobility and soldiers could kill amoner without it being considered unusual.


    It seemed that not much could be derived from this area of questioning. Tang Mo walked to the window with a sigh and looked out at the street below.


    The building itself was modest with only two floors, not a luxurious house. The outside corridor was connected to a circr staircase¡ªpreviously, this building belonged to merchants.


    When the Northern Ridge troops, or Tang Mo''s troops, stormed Ice Crystal City, the merchants abandoned the ce. The merchants from Suthers had fled the city with their families, and the Northern Ridge troops naturally took over.


    After the conflict ended, some merchants boldly returned, only to find it upied by the Northern Ridge Military. Most rooms were allocated to servants or physicians and other civilians who remained. Thus, the merchants did not dare im their properties back.


    Therefore, these residences became homes for the "middle ss," who continued to live there, enjoying the benefits of assigned housing.


    Tang Mo watched the street, which had be somewhat deserted after Lord Earl''s incident, trying hard to recall what exactly had felt out of ce in the room earlier.


    Logically, if everything were normal, he wouldn''t have easily felt that something was wrong.


    So, he looked around the room again, pacing slowly, his footsteps creaking on the somewhat squeaky floorboards, circling the room step by step.


    The tabletops and chairs still had dried bloodstains. It was clear the attacker had been ruthless, showing no mercy.


    On the floor were some obscured blood drops, from which the rough outline of a shoe could be deduced. The perpetrator hadrge feet, and possibly a tall stature, but these clues were almost useless to Tang Mo.


    Tall people were notmon back then, but there were definitely more than a few. Looking for a culprit based on height was obviously fruitless.


    Suddenly, Tang Mo noticed the clothes scattered on the floor, possibly due to a struggle. Frowning, he approached them.


    The bloodstains here were more abundant, indicating that a body had oncein here. Tang Mo stared at the clothes, as if contemting something.


    "The master of the house copsed here, probably hit the wardrobe as he went down, and he might''ve tried to hold himself up but ended up just pulling the doors open," exined the soldier who had seen the scene with his own eyes. "Clothes spilled out, some even covering his body."


    "Hmm," Tang Mo stared at the clothes without shifting his gaze.


    "What''s the problem?" Wes leaned in close to Tang Mo and asked.


    "What do you make of it?" Instead of answering, Tang Mo countered with a question to Wes.


    "The attacker was tall and incredibly brutal with his strikes. He almost split the woman''s throat with one blow; the blood even sprayed up on the ceiling."


    "Anything else?" Tang Mo kept his eyes fixed on the scattered clothes as he continued to inquire.


    "Well," Wes continued to answer his question, "the intruder had a wide stride... and he smashed open the doors inside, after killing the man... he killed two children. Didn''t hesitate at all, given the amount of blood, it''s clear he struck lethal blows."


    "The clothes... the boy''s clothes, they''re all too new," Tang Mo pinched his chin, exining to Wes.


    Then he suddenly turned and ordered the soldier, "Bring the neighbors here! Call several more."


    "Alright." The soldier immediately ran out of the room and quickly brought back a few neighbors. These neighbors had been restrained, always kept in their own rooms, and seemed somewhat unwilling to be brought out for questioning again.


    "This is ourst time asking you, after this, you will be free to go and leave this ce at will," Tang Mo reassured everyone as he saw the neighbors.


    Then, he walked up to an elderly man and smiled, "How long have you lived here, sir?"


    "About three months now," the robust old man replied immediately.


    "Are you familiar with this family?" Tang Mo pointed towards the room and continued to ask.


    "They moved in almost the same time as I did. I''m a doctor, and their daughter, it seems, works at the town hall," the old man replied in great detail and quite naturally, "The man worked at the carriage shop, seemed to be in charge of repairing carriages."


    As he spoke, he saw Tang Mo slip a Gold Coin into his chest pocket, swallowed hard, and then added, "Yes, that''s right! His second daughter works at the flour mill..."


    "What about the rest of you, anything else to add?" Tang Mo, twirling another Gold Coin in his hand, looked toward the old man''s neighbors, their eyes gleaming.


    "I know! I know! Antonio was once taken by traffickers! He was very young then, only found recently," a child suddenly called out loudly.


    "Traffickers..." Tang Mo muttered the word while handing the Gold Coin to the child, his eyes catching the child''s ecstatic expression as he continued to ask, "Anything else, feel free to share."


    An old woman beside them immediately affirmed, "Now that he mentions it, I recall thedy of the house mentioning that their child was lost when very young and was only found recently."


    "Recently?" Tang Mo raised an eyebrow, repeating the word.


    "About a month ago, some kind-hearted person helped them find the child," the old woman promptly added.


    Tang Mo didn''t speak but drew another Gold Coin from his pocket and ced it in the old woman''s palm: "How did they know the child was indeed theirs?"


    "Just one look. The child looks just like his father," the neighbors chimed in, all talking to Tang Mo at once.


    Nodding his head, Tang Mo looked towards Wes, "Doesn''t it seem a bit too coincidental to you?"


    "Indeed, the child''s return is too eerie," Wes nodded, agreeing with Tang Mo: "Clearly, the enemy used that thing to bribe the maid."


    "Trading her own life for her brother''s, quite noble," Tang Mo scoffed coldly and waved his hand, signaling the soldiers that they could take the neighbors back.


    "Psh... how much is her life worth? She exchanged the Earl''s life for her brother''s!" Wes smirked disdainfully.


    "Traffickers... tall and sturdy, cold-hearted and ruthless... isn''t it just short of leaving a name card for us?" Tang Mo''s face was full of grimness.


    "He still owes you an arm," Wes said coldly.


    "No," Tang Mo headed for the door: "He owes me a life!"

 Chapter 145: Play music 145

    "Let Tagg handle this matter. He wants to find out who killed the Earl and who is the mastermind behind the scenes, so let him." Tang Mo stepped out of the room, descended the stairs, and then mounted his carriage.


    Wes stood by the door of Tang Mo''s carriage, slightly bowing his head, "I understand. I will hand over the clues to himter."


    "The rest is easy." Tang Mo''s face remained devoid of any smile, cold as frost, and it stayed unchanged even after Wes had closed the carriage door for him.


    But the rest was actually not easy at all. The reason Tang Mo had rushed from Wolf City to Ice Crystal City was that he still had another problem to solve.


    This problem, from certain perspectives, was even more challenging than investigating the assassination of Count Fisheo.


    After learning that Count Fisheo had been murdered in Ice Crystal City, the Suthers Kingdom, which had ceded Ice Crystal City, was not reconciled to its defeat and had once again be restless.


    The enemy had assembled 6,000 men at the border ¨C four legions in total ¨C preparing to march south across the Ice Crystal River and reim the lost territories south of it.


    War could erupt at any moment, and that also served as an external reason why Tang Mo was able to swiftly takemand of the Northern Ridge''s military power.


    Everyone was worried that the Suthers''s advance southwards would bring disaster to Northern Ridge. In the absence of leadership, they were naturally willing toply with Tang Mo''s dispatches.


    On the Suthers side, the King of Suthers was keen to avenge his failure in Northern Ridge, so he nned to make the most of the opportunity presented by Count Fisheo''s assassination to exact a great vengeance.


    The force, hastily assembled, wasmanded by the hero who had saved Suthers''s southern territories in thest war¡ªEarl Rommel.


    You read that correctly, Rommel had been promoted. Although he had been pursued and routed by Tang Mo''s 300 brave Brunas soldiers and several thousand hastily armed peasants in the southern part of the Kingdom, he had still been promoted.


    Because ording to nearly everyone''s report, Sir Rommel had withstood the pressure at a critical moment, rallied the routed soldiers, and stabilized the southern part of the Kingdom at a crucial juncture, suppressing the rebellious rioters.


    Such a towering figure was naturally to be promoted. So Rommel had now be an Earl, recing Ti, as one of the celebrated generals of the Kingdom.


    Well... in short, he was now a rising military star in great demand within the Suthers Kingdom, also known as the most likelymander to regain Suthers''s honor, seeding General Ti.


    This time, because they were unprepared, the Suthers had hastily assembled some of the forces originally stationed along the border, intending to grab opportunistic benefits.


    Theycked sufficient supplies and hadn''t gathered enough forces, hastily mobilizing 6,000 soldiers and preparing to approach the Ice Crystal River.


    This force, having reached the Ice Crystal River with great momentum, had actually taken two days, while across the river, the Northern Ridge troops had already sent back the strange movements of the Suthers forces to Ice Crystal City.


    By the time Earl Rommel rode to the banks of the Ice Crystal River, he was still full of lofty aspirations.


    After all, if he could indeed take back the ceded territories amidst the chaos, his great fame would truly be recorded in the history of the Suthers Kingdom.


    "Fisheo is dead, Northern Ridge has no notable generals left!" He pointed across the river with his riding crop, boasting to the few senior officers beside him.


    "They probably aren''t ready yet, their troops are still in the barracks. Just as long as we cross the river, we''ve already won." A general, buttering up Rommel, nodded and said with a smile.


    "Surprise them with an attack when they least expect it! Earl Rommel, you truly are a general of our age!" Another officer was also a master of ttery, opening his mouth withpliments of the highest caliber.


    "Hahahaha!" Sure enough, Rommel was ttered andughed loudly without any restraint.


    As heughed heartily, a knight rushed over on horseback and pulled on the reins in front of Rommel. "My Lord! A letter has been sent from the south shore."


    Upon hearing this, Rommel''s face grew even more radiant. "Ha! They''ve finally sent their surrender letter! Haha! It seems there are still a few wise men among those fools to the south."


    The group of officers immediately began a new round of praise. "With you taking personal action, sess is assured, my Lord!"


    Rommel became even more smug, receiving the letter from the knight''s hand while indulging in his ego, "Hmph! If it weren''t for my rallying the troops and stabilizing the frontst time, the southern part of the Kingdom¡ªheavens, we can''t even begin to guess how muchnd we might have lost!"


    "Those damned peasant yokels! Following that cmitous star wreaking havoc¡ªit''s infuriating just to think about it!" Mentioning the war from more than half a year ago, the faces of the Suthers officers all showed pained expressions.


    As nobility and upper-ss individuals, most of them had personally experienced the disgraceful turmoil in the south.


    In that chaos, they suffered devastating losses against the mob''s onught, some of which have yet to recover their vitality to this day. Their families were plundered, decades of wealth turned to ash and smoke, the mere thought still drives them to the brink of despair.


    Immediately, other generals chimed in, "Exactly! And they won''t even let us reim the gold coins they stole... Just thinking about it feels like bad luck!"


    At that time, the entire southern region was in turmoil, and at one point the enemy was less than 100 kilometers from King City.


    What was terrifying was that the enemy had even coerced peasants and refugees into their ranks, distributing firearms and arming these scoundrels, sweeping through the possessions of the southern nobility.


    One officer, swearing an oath, prepared to exact retribution for the blood debts of the past from the farmers of Northern Ridge, "Those people have now scurried off to Northern Ridge. This time, if we march there, we must capture them all! Hang them all! Let not a single one escape!"


    "You''re right!" His words garnered unanimous agreement from all the generals, who nodded fervently, their morale soaring to the zenith.


    Amidst this enthusiastic discussion by the Suthers officers, they had yet to notice that among them, Lord Earl Rommel''splexion had turned deathly pale.


    Most of them wereughing confidently, as if the victory over Northern Ridge was already firmly grasped in their hands.


    So theyughed triumphantly, unabashedly roaring withughter in the face of Earl Rommel''s bloodless visage, "Ha ha, ha ha ha ha!"


    Finally, someone sensed that something was amiss because they were sitting right next to Earl Rommel yet hadn''t heard a singleugh from him.


    This Suthers officer saw Rommel gazing down at the letter in his hand, with an expression of pain akin to constipation on horseback.


    Uncertain of the reason, all he could manage was to address Rommel half-remindingly, half-inquisitively, "My Lord?"


    "Hmm? My Lord?" The officer sitting beside Rommel also caught on, almost simultaneously asking with a puzzled face.


    After receiving no response from Earl Rommel, his expression turned to panic as he asked again, "Earl Rommel, what... what''s wrong with you?"


    It was then that Rommel snapped out of his reverie, shifting his gaze from the letter with difficulty, and spoke anxiously, seeking the opinions of his fellow generals, "I... I suddenly... suddenly feel... my stomach is ufortable. Perhaps, perhaps we should set up camp here for today?"


    He really didn''t want to say such things because he knew fromst time that it was his dy that had led to the loss of victory at the crossroads.


    As expected, a general immediately spoke out in counsel, "My Lord, speed is of the essence in war! If we don''t take advantage of the chaos in Northern Ridge and Fisheo''s assassination to strike quickly, once Northern Ridge is ready, our 6,000 men may not fare so well..."


    "Yes! My Lord, stopping here to make camp seems a bit unjustifiable," another general joined in.


    As he spoke, he pointed ahead, "Just ahead is the Ice Crystal River. Shouldn''t we cross first to prevent the enemy from being prepared andunching a nk attack on us by the river..."


    "Silence, silence!" Rommel interrupted the generals'' babbling in agitation.


    "Hmm?" Everyone looked at him, somewhat astonished.


    "Everyone, shut up!" Rommel couldn''t contain himself any longer, his voice abruptly rising in a sharp rebuke.


    Finally realizing there was an issue, one officer, looking puzzled at the letter in Rommel''s hand, asked, "My Lord, what... what exactly is written in this letter?"


    Rommel, like a deted balloon, handed the letter to the officer who had asked, his voice filled with despair, "You... just read it yourself!"


    The officer took the letter, nced at it, and immediately gasped sharply, "Hss... cough, cough, cough cough cough cough cough!"


    He seemed as though he''d choked on water, struggling to catch his breath after a fit of coughing, and with an embarrassed red face, he agreed with Rommel''s decision, "If you ask me... well, setting up camp here isn''t so bad after all."


    "Huh? I say, what the hell is wrong with you people? How can a letter make you all so afraid?" Another officer frowned, snatched the letter from the officer''s hand, and with disdain looked at his peers.


    Then he bent his head to read it and within seconds, felt the letter burning hot in his hands.


    He looked awkwardly around, forcing augh, "Well... I too think, think this is a good spot. Let''s just set up camp here, heh heh, heh heh heh, ha ha ha ha."


    "A letter scares you out of your wits! His Majesty the King would have none of it if he knew. You''d all be in a world of trouble! Cowards!" A burlymander with a stubbled face snatched the letter, nced at its contents, and read, "Dear Commanding Officer. I am Tang Mo, the one who took 63,100 gold coins from Suthersst time. Since you seem to have forgotten who I am, please be prepared...


    Now, I aming. Sound the music."

 Chapter 146: 146 respectfully yours

    "This, this this this..." A Suthers officer hadpletely lost hisposure, seemingly recalling those memories buried deep within his mind, the ones he never wanted to remember in his life.


    He seemed to see Tang Mo leading 300 soldiers, defeating the battle against the 500 Suthers officers he had been with at the time.


    On that bright morning, it took only two breaths for his 500 private troops to be crushed into pieces by the 300 infantrymanded by a young man.


    He hadn''t even managed to stop the opponent from advancing for a single second before he was utterly routed amidst the drumbeats that seemed to hammer at his heart.


    He didn''t dare to look back at the miserable state of his own troops and was dragged away by the reins by several of his confidants, fleeing towards King City.


    Later he heard that his territory had been turned upside down by that man, even his manor had been burned to ashes.


    To this day, he was filled with fear, fear of that sunny morning, fear of that terrifying, urgent, unique drumbeat.


    "Isn''t this Tang Mo the bastard who previously led his troops across the Ice Crystal River, and headed north?" Finally, an officer snapped to his senses, recalling the name that, half a year ago, had made the entire Suthers Kingdom hate to the bone and fear as if he were a tiger.


    Once, this name cast a shadow over the entire King City, with the soldiers stationed there losing their courage at the mere mention of his name, fleeing in droves before even seeing his banner.


    In order to have this name leave in peace, even the King on the throne of Suthers had scraped together 63,100 Gold Coins just to buy his promise not to continue heading north.


    Yes, not even daring to rally the troops to resist, the King of Suthers could only pay for peace.


    For all of Suthers'' nobility, the young man whounched a new era of zero-cost conquest,mitting arson and plundering without doing any evil, was simply no different from a devil.


    But in the minds of the Suthers officers, though they were reluctant to admit it, that name actually stood alongside the War God.


    Even in their arrogance, they knew they would not dare to lead just 300 men into enemy territory. All the more so, relying on those 300 men, that young man had fought with ever-increasing momentum, traveled a thousand miles in a day, and created an awe-inspiring assault, carving out a world... of his own!


    He left with countless Gold Coins,ughing, and the grand Suthers Kingdom didn''t have a single person who dared to block his path.


    Even when he agreed not to continue northward but to head south with therge amount of plundered Gold Coins, the feeling from top to bottom in Suthers was not one of shame, but a sigh of relief...


    A Suthers general, not realizing he was speaking incoherently, swallowed his saliva before he could barely calm himself down, pointing at the letter, three parts fearful and with a voice trying to sound fierce, shouted, "He, he he he... He is too arrogant!"


    Finally, a Suthers officer had enough of the oppressive atmosphere. He mustered up his courage, feeling that he should be more fiery and valiant as that would befit the image others had of him.


    Therefore, he clenched his fists, mustered up his energy, and shouted loudly, "I cannot coexist with this thief under the heavens! I must kill him!"


    Sure enough, the people around him immediately cast admiring nces at his "gant bravery." It seemed that if there were somedies around at that moment, they might be willing to offer themselves to him.


    Some officers also became excited, echoing enthusiastically, "That''s right! Kill him!"


    "..." Watching the atmosphere run wild beyond his control, Romel truly felt like he wanted to shoot that show-off bastard dead.


    "..." The officer who had just taken the lead in showing off also felt he might have overdone it and started to shut his mouth, pretending to be inconspicuous.


    "Come on, themand is yours, go on then!" Romel, eying the somewhat embarrassed officer, finally couldn''t help but kick him while he was down.


    He took off his Longsword and handed it to the other man, "Serve the Kingdom faithfully! You lead the troops across the river! Don''t hesitate!"


    The officer''s face immediately turned red. He looked left and right, and after realizing no one would save him, he finally chickened out, "This... cough cough! I''m suddenly feeling a bit unwell, this viin doesn''t need me to act personally, sending onemander is more than enough!"


    You see, sometimes it''s just that simple to recognize oneself. When facing a tiger, people talk about sliding tackles behind a screen, but face to face, they discuss how much insurance will cover...


    Seeing those officers who were still a bit agitated, Romel questioned them with a clenched jaw, "What''s the matter? Does anyone else think they want to go? Just cross the river and be the vanguard, how about it?"


    The atmosphere suddenly quieted down, and all the excited sentiments instantly cooled into silence.


    "Since... none of you has the guts..." As Romel was speaking, for some reason, he felt an inexplicable sense of pleasure: "Then all of you shut up!"


    Everyone shrunk their necks and started to change the subject. A military officer asked a colleague in a low voice, "Wasn''t there intelligence saying that Tang Mo was just a merchant from Brunas before?"


    The officer by his side suddenly remembered something, his brows furrowed with disbelief, "Right! How did he end up at Northern Ridge to make trouble for us again?"


    In the past half a year, the intelligence personnel of Suthers had not been idle, as they had also investigated the changes at Northern Ridge.


    For one thing, they knew Northern Ridge''s troops were equipped with more advanced weapons, and the person in charge of Shireck Consortium within Suthers territory had even been reassigned as punishment because of this matter.


    Having investigated back and forth, they finally learned that the young man who had led troops into Suthers and left a shadow over the kingdom wasn''t a military leader from Northern Ridge but rather a businessman temporarily acting as an officer. This businessman had his own industry in Brunas and, under normal circumstances, would note to Northern Ridge.


    It was precisely because of this investigative report that the hasty military expedition had urred. Suthers believed that Tang Mo might not necessarily involve himself in this muddy situation.


    Amidst a babble of voices, one officer seemed to suddenly realize something and asked with great indignation, "Is Shireck''s intelligence inurate?"


    "When has their intelligence ever been urate?" another officer immediately echoed in response.


    The atmosphere, which had just been somewhat awkward, became lively again amid a chorus of condemnations against the Shireck Consortium.


    Then, the master of deduction came online, with one officer exercising his imagination, pping his thigh as if struck by a revtion, "They want us to fight to the death against Tang Mo, so they can benefit from the situation behind our backs!"


    Once they had grasped this link, everyone suddenly felt as if they had seen the light¡ªthey seemed to have found a very substantial reason not to cross the river and head south.


    A few officers nodded in agreement with their colleague''s spection, resolute not to be used by others, "We can''t fall for this trick!"


    "Right! We won''t be anyone else''s cannon fodder!" With this stance, everyone became excited again, shouting louder and more righteously than they had when calling for advancing south.


    "To avoid misunderstandings with the other side, we should... retreat a distance and then report the current situation to His Majesty the King," suggested Romel''s confidant in a hushed voice.


    Upon hearing this, Romel''s eyes lit up¡ªindeed, it seemed like a good idea to leave this thorny issue for the King to ponder over.


    So he immediately nodded, adopting the suggestion, "Order the troops to pull back 30 kilometers! Then set up camp! Send a knight immediately to deliver the news here back to King City!"


    ...


    One dayter, news of Suthers'' retreat reached Ice Crystal City, and the Northern Ridge officers, who had not witnessed Tang Mo''s rampage through Suthers territory, looked incredulously at Tang Mo who was busy with paperwork.


    Curiosity got the better of one officer who asked, "Sir, did you... did you just write them a letter?"


    "Yes, I just wrote them a letter," Tang Mo replied without lifting his head, having just signed a document and set it aside.


    Still disbelieving, the officer persisted, "And then they retreated?"


    "Yes, then they retreated," Tang Mo nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


    "Are they stupid?" the officer blurted out, causing Wes, who was standing beside Tang Mo, to nearly burst intoughter.


    Tang Mo set down his paperwork and looked up, "Perhaps."


    "What did you write in the letter?" Finally, unable to contain his curiosity, an aide of a former Earl asked.


    "I greeted them, introduced myself, and then asked them to get ready..." Tang Mo answered truthfully, while Wes, who knew the full story, nearlyughed out loud again.


    He knew that to the officers of Suthers, these contents were tantamount to a demon from hell sharpening his de while issuing threats.


    Unfortunately, the Northern Ridge officers didn''t know, so they were stillpletely baffled, "That''s it?"


    "That''s it," Tang Mo affirmed with seriousness.


    "Sir, themander of the Suthers troops, Romel, has sent a reply," at that moment, an officer pushed open the door to the office, bringing in a beautiful envelope.


    "Read," Tang Mo gestured for someone to read the reply from Suthers aloud, curious about what the other party had to say.


    But as the reader went through the letter, they struggled to suppress theirughter, "Respected Mr. Tang Mo, our army''s southward movement was just a routine border change and bore no provocative intentions. Please don''t misunderstand! Our troops have now retreated to express goodwill... Earl Romel... respectfully yours..."

 Chapter 147: 147 See you again

    "I must personally return to Wolf City to escort Lord Earl''s remains¡­" Tang Mo waved his hand, signaling the officer who was reading the letter that it could be discarded now: "If they truly head south, then they are basically giving us a pretext to start a war."


    "If that is indeed the case, this war will not end easily. I will personally lead the troops into Suthers, seize their King City, and strangle their king on his throne!" Tang Mo stood up, speaking sternly: "Send a messenger, polish my message a bit, and convey my verbal message to them."


    "Yes!" A group of Northern Ridge officers stood up immediately, saluting Tang Mo as if they were paying tribute to Lord Earl.


    Unknowingly, Tang Mo had be the linchpin in their hearts, the unchallenged leader among them.


    "Send out invitations to the nobility in ournds and the surrounding areas, and additionally, send someone to the King City with a message, asking them to send a suitably positioned person to attend Earl Fisello''s funeral."


    "We have already done so, but we have yet to receive a response."


    "Then send another invitation immediately post-haste in my name," Tang Mo spoke directly without a second thought: "Give one letter to the Prime Minister, and another to the Minister of Construction Baus, just like that."


    "Yes, my lord." A man resembling a butler bowed slightly, taking a letter written by Tang Mo from his hand, and then turned to leave.


    Mid-April in the 114th year of the Leite Kingdom, Earl Fisello''s body, having passed away half a month earlier, was finally leaving Ice Crystal City, escorted by Tang Mo, to make the journey back to Wolf City.


    Almost at the same moment, in the King City of the Leite Kingdom, the Prime Minister held the letter from Tang Mo, pondering in his mind who should be sent to attend Fisello''s funeral.


    There were actually quite a few candidates, such as the ever-kind Baus. However, they couldn''t let Baus represent them in Northern Ridge again, because Baus had received another invitation.


    Tang Mo wished to arrange Earl Fisello''s funeral with dignity, hence he had written an invitation to Baus directly.


    As a result, Baus, being both the Minister of Construction and "good friend" of Tang Mo, had no reason to refuse Tang Mo''s invitation.


    Therefore, the Prime Minister had toe up with another candidate, to attend Fisello''s funeral without seeming out of ce or causing embarrassment.


    There were not a few choices, like some military generals of the Kingdom, who in fact had some minor acquaintance with Fisello.


    Unfortunately, these generals had also been invited, so they could not represent the King in traveling to Northern Ridge to appease the somewhat irritable Tang Mo.


    The final selection, the one determined, turned out to be the Leite Kingdom''s Crown Prince, the firstborn son of His Majesty the King.


    Thus, arge delegation departed from King City towards Wolf City to mourn Earl Fisello.


    This delegation included 13 military leaders and high-ranking officers, the Minister of Construction and Minister of Education, along with the Crown Prince representing the royal family.


    At the same time, officials from Brunas also headed to Northern Ridge, including a cohort of business representatives. Though these individuals weren''t exactly nobility, they had another advantage: wealth.


    Among them were Brunas''s newly minted cement magnate, the salt hegemon, the cloth titan, and coal mine shareholders. They came purely out of respect for Tang Mo, bringing money to Northern Ridge.


    Just the businessmunity from Brunas alone donated 2000 Gold Coins for Lord Earl''s funeral, which was definitely no small sum in the context of funeral expenses.


    Tang Mo had helped them make money, and in the foreseeable future, they would make even more! Just the orders Tang Mo had provided them would be enough for their fortunes to soar.


    Simrly, Tang Mo also contributed 3000 Gold Coins for Earl Fisello''s funeral, elevating it to an almost presumptuous level of grandeur.


    In fact, were the King of Leite to die in slightly straitened circumstances, his funeral might not even be asvish as Fisello''s.


    Apanying Earl''s casket back to Wolf City, Tang Mo promptly went to the doorstep of Alice. Seeing Alice''s old butler standing guard there, he lowered his voice and asked: "How is she?"


    "Miss is fine. Lately, she has been able to eat a little," the old butler seemed very satisfied with Tang Mo''s immediate concern for Alice, his smile bing even more genuine as he responded: "However, she remains very weak. The matter of Lord Earl has been a heavy blow to her."


    "I understand. You have done very well, thank you for everything you have done for the Ronin Family!" Tang Mo nodded slightly, then walked up to the front door, nced at the butler as if asking whether he could knock.


    The elder butler made a ''please go ahead'' gesture, and Tang Mo knocked on Alice''s door. There was no sound from inside, and after waiting a moment, Tang Mo gently tapped the door twice more.


    Finally, the door was pulled open from the inside, and Alice in a ck dress, her face pale and wan, lowered her head and stepped aside to make room for Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo entered the room, closed the door behind Alice, and the room instantly fell silent, with neither of them speaking right away.


    Alice walked back to her bed, sat down with poise, her head lowered, not looking at Tang Mo. Tang Mo stood there awkwardly, scratching his head, unsure of what to say.


    Finally, Tang Mo decided he should break the silence, so he cleared his throat and said, "At the northern border, Suthers''s troops have pulled back. I don''t think they''ll have the courage to move south for a while."


    "That''s for the best," Alice said without sadness, her voice faint and ethereal, wafting through the quiet room.


    "Your father... Lord Earl, I have brought him back." Tang Mo continued, "I will arrange the funeral... I will take care of the subsequent matters as well, rest assured."


    "I am very relieved to leave it in your hands." Alice''s voice was pitiable, and Tang Mo couldn''t help but want to reach out, but his hand stopped halfway.


    "This is a relic from Lord Earl." Tang Mo dropped his arm, took a ring out of his pocket, pinched it between his fingers, and handed it to Alice.


    A man giving a woman a ring made Alice somewhat nervous. She dared not look up, nor did she reach out to take the ring held between Tang Mo''s fingers.


    The ring bore a wolf crest, the symbol of the Fisheo family. Normally, this seal would be pressed into the wax of sealed letters to ensure their confidentiality and integrity.


    In a sense, the person possessing this ring couldmand the troops of Northern Ridge, even iming the throne of Northern Ridge''s ruler.


    Especially with Tang Mo''s prestige in Northern Ridge, holding this ring would almost certainly go unchallenged and uncontested.


    If there were people previously reluctant to submit to Tang Mo, after he stabilized the situation in Northern Ridge, the vast majority recognized the fact that Tang Mo was a suitable leader for Northern Ridge.


    Dozens of students from the Great Tang Military Academy were dispersed back to their respective units, immediately gaining control over those troops.


    With control over the military, Tang Mo also effectively controlled Northern Ridge''s economy. Having fully recognized this, those who originally had their own ideas or were loyal to the Ronin Family mostly epted the reality that Tang Mo had taken charge of Northern Ridge.


    Yet, in such a circumstance, Tang Mo was now handing the ring to Alice as if he were offering an engagement ring.


    Tang Mo had no intention of taking over the properties of Lord Earl here, because he truly felt that Northern Ridge was not worth abandoning his beliefs and basic principles of conduct.


    "Take it! It belongs to you," Tang Mo said, seeing that Alice had not moved for quite a while, carefully reminding her.


    "Ah!" Alice suddenly threw herself at Tang Mo, wrapping her arms around his waist, burying her head in his abdomen, and started to cry out with all her might.


    With her head buried in his clothes, Tang Mo could only hear the deep sobs of Alice. The girl clung to him, continuing to cry, and the room was filled with sounds of sniffles.


    Tang Mo raised his other hand slowly, pausing just as he was about to lower it. After a few seconds'' pause, he gently ced his palm on Alice''s head, her beautiful hair being softer than it appeared.


    "It''s okay! I''m right here... It''s okay..." Tang Mo said withforting tones, at a loss for words for a moment.


    The room once again fell silent, with only the muffled cries of Alice, her sobbing heart-wrenching and unrestrained.


    "I miss him so much!" Alice seemed to be releasing the sorrow that had been suppressed in her heart, wiping the hot tears from her face with Tang Mo''s clothes while crying out hoarsely.


    In that moment, she was no longer the strong businesswoman, no longer the heir to the Ronin Family, but just a simple little girl, an ordinary little girl who had lost her parents.


    "I know. We all miss him," Tang Mo consoled as he stroked Alice''s hair, whispering, "But we can''t live in sorrow, we have to move forward, keep moving forward..."


    "Why has God done this to me?" Alice lifted her head, tears streaming down her face, making her look like a wronged little cat.


    Tang Mo affectionately looked down and wiped the tears from her face, "When you''re strong, together, we will seek justice from the gods."


    "Okay!" Alice sobbed, biting her lip and staring at Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo gazed at her face, beautiful yet filled with grief, and momentarily became infatuated.


    The next second, to Tang Mo''s surprise, Alice stood on her tiptoes, suddenly moved closer to Tang Mo, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed his lips.

 Chapter 148: 148 Win-Win

    The girl was very clumsy, pressing her lips against Tang Mo''s, those cherry-like red lips blindly exerting force upon Tang Mo''s mouth.


    Tang Mo''s eyes widened as he let the girl, in her foolish way, dedicate her inexperienced first kiss, like a precious treasure, to him.


    Eventually, his hands, which were prepared to push the girl away, circled around to her back, he felt Alice''s body shake slightly, then she hugged Tang Mo even more passionately, disregarding everything else.


    Then, they just held each other, foolishly embracing like that. When Alice was cried out and her breathing became even, Tang Mo carried her back to bed.


    When Tang Mo opened the door, his appearance was actually a bit indecent. His abdomen was soaked with arge wet patch from Alice''s tears, and his coat was full of wrinkles.


    "She''s cried herself to sleep," Tang Mo said softly to the butler standing by the door, nodding slightly in greeting. "Take good care of her and send her meals on time; she is very weak."


    Having said that, he turned back, nced at the sleeping Alice on the bed, his eyes filled with tenderness. He quietly closed the door and then nodded to the two guards.


    At the moment the door closed, Alice opened her eyes. She propped up her upper body and watched as her soft hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, her eyes still brimming with tears.


    She adjusted her sitting position and then buried her head in the crook of her arm. The room, slightly dim, was filled with a young girl''s sorrow.


    Pain makes people grow, and the girl had grown up.


    The funeral was held on time in Wolf City. Many people came to attend the funeral of Lord Earl Ronin Fisallo; they all gathered in the hall, watching Tang Mo stand on the steps.


    Tang Mo, looking at Alice crying inconsbly below the steps, suddenly felt a pang of heartache. He knew that Alice had lost her mother at a young age, and now with the loss of her father, she had be an orphan with no one to rely on.


    With a heavy heart, he looked down at his prepared speech and then tossed it aside.


    Raising his head, Tang Mo looked straight at those present for the funeral and began to speak slowly, starting Fisheo''s eulogy with a soft voice: "Ronin Fisallo''s life was both brilliant and sensational; his courage is beyond doubt. He was the greatest military strategist of the Leite Kingdom and a long-renowned general."


    In Brunas, a young man pushed a brass bullet into the chamber of a left-wheel handgun; it was thest bullet, filling up the six chambers when loaded.


    The young man gently spun the chamber and then flicked the gun''s body, the chamber clicked back into its rightful ce with a snap.


    He holstered the gun under his armpit, letting his coat conceal the weapon, and then shouldered his knapsack.


    Next to him, another young man simrly covered his gun with civilian clothing and hitched his bulging luggage onto his back.


    In Wolf City, Tang Mo continued standing on the steps, reciting Fisheo''s heroic life word by word: "In the Battle of Bisaong, he defeated an enemy force twice the size of his legion, thus bing an Earl of the Kingdom and granted Northern Ridge."


    Meanwhile, in Brunas, an instructor with hands behind his back admonished a group of determined young men sternly: "Remember! You are dandelions! The dandelions of Brunas! You are to be the seeds that the Great Tang Group sows across the world! No matter what, you must do your best! At all times, you must demonstrate perfection to prove your worth!"


    All the young people stood firm, chins up, expressionless, allowing the instructor to walk past them.


    Lord Earl Fisheo''s funeral continued, with him standing at the podium, looking down at the nobility and merchants below: "Not long ago, he defeated the invading Suthers forces with a single legion, protecting Northern Ridge and saving the Leite Kingdom."


    His speech was slow, heavy with grief and sorrow: "He relieved the peasants'' corv¨¦e and taxes, and vigorously developed the mining industry, making Northern Ridge prosperous and stable."


    In the grounds of the Brunas factory, all the departing young people raised their arms, their fists aiming at the instructor in the center of the circr formation; on the ring finger of each one was a ring engraved with a dandelion.


    Their movements were uniform and filled with a sense of ceremony. Each one of them was personally trained by Tang Mo; they were the elite of this era.


    As nned, each one of them would head to an entirely different destination, without any contact with each other.


    They would assume a new identity, then live in this world clean and unblemished like a nk piece of paper.


    Each person standing here was a seed of a dandelion; they would take root, sprout, and grow strong wherever theynded, eventually blossoming and bearing fruit.


    Alice, listening to Tang Mo praise her father from the stage, grew even sadder. She cried like a child, or rather, she was a child in tears.


    The body of Lord Earl could not be disyed to her, for no matter the effort made to present it, the corpse was beyond recognition.


    Even though the weather was not particrly hot, after more than twenty days sealed in a coffin, indeed, the body had be unrecognizable.


    In order to spare Alice further heartache, the coffin of Lord Earl was not opened during the funeral; only the covered casket was disyed.


    Tang Mo''s tone was filled with sorrow as he continued to read the eulogy amidst Alice''s crying, "He was the benevolent lord we held in our hearts, a kind man who seemed out of ce in this era. He will live forever in our hearts, his spirit with us always."


    At Brunas factory square, the instructor''s face was stern as hemanded the trainees who were about to depart, "Your first mission is to locate a ver named Qiumuluo. No matter where he is, no matter how deep he hides, you must find him..."


    "Remember, send word back and take no other action! He belongs to the master, and no one is to kill him!" The instructor surveyed all the trainees, ordering them, "Any clue rted to him... any clue at all..."


    "Yes!" All the trainees stood at attention and saluted, responding loudly with heads held high.


    "Move out!" The instructor saluted with military formality, "Bring him out!"


    All the trainees stood at attention, turned, and swiftly, the factory courtyard was empty except for an instructor still saluting.


    In Wolf City, Tang Mo''s voice still echoed in the memorial hall, "His departure is a loss to us and to the world. We will always miss him; we will always follow his will, striving to build the Northern Ridge even better than before!"


    As he spoke, he extended his hand to Alice, "This is our greatest remembrance. Our loyalty will now be transferred to Ronin Alice, to protect her, cherish her, and support her to be as fine a leader as her father."


    At his invitation, Alice, dressed in ck, stepped up to the tform to stand beside Tang Mo.


    All stood up, gazing at the frail figure of Alice, silent, as Tang Mo continued to recite, "At this moment, everyone standing here has been graced by his benevolence. I believe that even in another world, he would remain a great being!"


    Tang Mo paused, lowering his head, "Let us remember Lord Ronin Fisallo... for he was a mortal who stood shoulder to shoulder with the gods."


    Everyone bowed their heads, observing a moment of silence that lingered, apanied by Alice''s quiet sobs.


    One by one, people slowly rose from their seats, walked up to the stage, andid flowers upon Earl Fisheo''s casket.


    Not until the casket was covered in flowers, leaving only the guards, Alice, and Tang Mo in the memorial hall, did the sizeablememorative service trulye to an end.


    Afterward, Count Fisheo''s casket would be transported to the family tomb, where it would be interred. Under the watchful eyes of the Northern Ridge guards,manders, and servants of the Ronin Family, Alice took Tang Mo''s hand.


    Tang Mo did not withdraw his hand; instead, he firmly sped Alice''s small hand within his own.


    The Northern Ridge officers who witnessed this diverted their gaze, as they all knew that Alice held a fondness for Tang Mo.


    The two had corresponded through letters, and Alice frequently selected gifts for Tang Mo. It wasmon knowledge that the rapid development of Northern Ridge owed much to Tang Mo''s robust support.


    Indeed, Northern Ridge still owed Tang Mo a significant amount of money till this very day. They currently have about thirty steam machines running in mines and other factories, with another thirty being assembled or tested.


    Of these steam machines, at least one-third remained unpaid for by Northern Ridge ¨C to im that there was only pure friendship between Tang Mo and the new Earl of Northern Ridge would be something no one would believe.


    By the gods above, what they preferred to see was the scene before them: Northern Ridge continued to be controlled by the heir of the Ronin Family, while Tang Mo, a formidable external ally, could continue to assist in the rapid development of Northern Ridge.


    For all, it was a win-win oue, and for Alice, it might be a triple or even a quadruple win.


    Alice had found family, a bastion of support; Northern Ridge had a strong ally, allowing continued development; Tang Mo retained the stability of his ally, confident to carry on making money... As for the fourth win, Tang Mo had effortlessly gained a beauty, which certainly was a lucrative deal...


    --------


    Well, here''s an additional update for you. Seeking monthly passes, rmendation tickets, favorites, subscriptions, and rewards... Thank you all for your support!

 Chapter 149: 149 Railways and War

    Three days after Lord Earl wasid to rest, the weather in Northern Ridge remained fine, cloudless with the sun shining brightly and even the temperature had risen quite a bit.


    Tang Mo opened his eyes, lying in the soft bed, today was the day he had to leave Northern Ridge to return to Brunas.


    He carefully moved the slender arm that was hanging over his chest to the side, turned over and got out of bed, stretchingzily.


    Alice, with sleepden eyes, hugged his waist from behind and said in a sweet tone, "Stay a few more days¡­ I don''t want you to leave so soon."


    "Too many things are waiting for me to do, I can''t stay in thend of soft living any longer," Tang Mo steadied Alice''s tender arm, andfortingly said, "Soon, a railway will reach Northern Ridge, and by then, it might only take you 5 hours to get to Brunas."


    "Don''t lie to me," Alice thought that in this world there couldn''t possibly be a vehicle so fast that it could shorten the distance between two ces so much.


    "How could I bear to deceive you¡­" Tang Mo moved Alice''s arm aside, turned back to look into her eyes and said, "Trust me."


    It must be said, Alice''s eyes were exceptionallyrge and incredibly beautiful. They were eyes that could see the light; although they had lost some of their spirit in the past few days, now they seemed to have be vibrant again.


    The power of love was indeed great, it had nourished the young girl, or rather, the young wife by now.


    It''s easy for a woman to catch a man behind ayer of gauze, and although Tang Mo was reluctant to take advantage of someone at their weakest, the vulnerable Alice had taken the initiative and offered herself and Tang Mo really had no reason to keep ying the gentleman.


    He was just cautious, not a saint. Gifted with a beauty akin to a celestial being throwing herself into his embrace, he saw no reason to push her away.


    Thus, yesterday, the two of them, like firewood meeting a fierce me, finally came together.


    Although it wasn''t quite appropriate to do so during the Earl''s mourning period, apparently if he didn''t leave Alice with something to remember, the new Earl of Northern Ridge would not let him go easily.


    However, Tang Mo felt that he had spent a bit too long in Northern Ridge, so he had to rush back to Brunas to see the progress that Brunas had made in his absence.


    Originally not one to pine for romantic attachment, Tang Mo kissed Alice once more and then spoke, "Northern Ridge is yours now, Lord Earl."


    "If I marry you¡­" Alice said, looking at Tang Mo with her watery eyes softly.


    "Don''t be silly, it''s yours," Tang Mo interrupted her and said, "This is your father''s legacy, you have to take care of everything here for your father¡­ That''s your responsibility, and mine too."


    "Then I will wait for you here! My dear," Alice bit her lip, looking quite alluring at that moment.


    A girl turns into a woman of desire with just one man, Tang Mo swallowed hard.


    Even heroes struggle to pass the test of a beauty; sometimes thend of tenderness is indeed the hero''s grave. When Tang Mo once again remembered his grand ambitions, it was already the morning of the next day.


    But this time, Alice did not hold him back but left the room before Tang Mo woke up.


    She went to inspect the mines and left decisively. After having breakfast in Wolf City, Tang Mo departed for Brunas with his guard and Wes.


    And he left Tagg behind in Northern Ridge. On one hand, to help Alice control the Military, and on the other hand, to give Tagg a chance to find Qiumuluo in Northern Ridge.


    "You''re back," Tang Mo found Roger, Li''ao, Mathews, and others waiting in his office when he arrived.


    He took off his coat and hung it on the wall, sighing as he said, "Why are you all here?"


    "Lately there has been too much bad news, so we decided to give you a surprise," Roger said with a hint of a smile, exining to Tang Mo.


    "You''re not going to make me guess, are you?" Tang Mo put down the handgun from under his arm and looked at everyone.


    "Well, here''s how it is, master. We have produced light bulbs, and they work very well," Mathews eagerly reported to Tang Mo the breakthrough they had achieved while he was away.


    He proudly showed off, and then pulled a round light bulb out of his pocket, presenting it to Tang Mo as if he was offering up a treasure.


    Tang Mo took the light bulb, an object he had seen many times in another world, that hadter be almost unseen, and examined it closely.


    The tungsten fment inside was already very finely processed, and tungsten as a material was notmon in Brunas.


    To obtain this raw material, Tang Mo frankly spent a good deal of money. However, after seeing the finished light bulbs, he knew that everything was worth the investment.


    "It''s worth it! Absolutely worth it!" Seeing what Tang Mo was thinking, Roger, who always thought Tang Mo overpaid for rare materials, said excitedly.


    He had seen these things light up the factory, and when a few bulbs illuminated the entire factory, the nights were no longer so long.


    Because the lighting was so good, some workers were reluctant to leave the factory after their shift, gathering there instead, chatting and ying cards happily.


    ying cards, as one of the most easily poprized games, had already spread throughout Tang Mo''s factory, and everyone liked to y a few hands in their leisure time. If the stakes weren''t too high, Parker wouldn''t interfere too much.


    "We used these bulbs in a few new factories, and now they are almost non-stop. At night, we bring in new workers, who work overtime, and our production speed of rail tracks has directly doubled!" Mathews said proudly.


    In those days, there were noborws, so continuous shifts certainly didn''t exist; double shifts were already enough to achieve 24-hour non-stop production.


    What made Tang Mo feel almost inhumane was that the night shift didn''t even get extra pay; everyone received the same sry as those who worked during the day.


    The workers were even willing to work the night shift, so they could use the daylight to go out after work, saving the use of candles and oilmps when they went home at night.


    "Another workshop that uses bulb lighting is the train production workshop, where we''ve already made two lotives and the third is in production."


    "Trains from Brunas to Station No. 2 can depart daily, which is incredibly convenient. Workers can even take the train to work, and it can transport goods from the docks to Station No. 2."


    Tang Mo''s rail tracks were connected, from his exclusive docks to the factory district, and onwards to Station No. 2 in the Vicious Forest, stringing Tang Mo''s industries together like pearls.


    The distance of less than twenty kilometers, a round trip by train took at most 40 minutes, an efficiency that left the carriage drivers dumbstruck.


    There was no helping it; Tang Mo rolled out a mature design that had been experimented with for decades, and upon its introduction, itpletely crushed every other mode of transportation in this era with its performance.


    With this technology, transportation would be extremely convenient, and wars would consequently revolve around railways and transport lines.


    Purposeless attacks would transform into fierce contests over transport lines and nodes, and what Tang Mo was building was not just a series of transport lines, but lifelines.


    If he wished, goods departing from Northern Ridge could now be transported to Station No. 2 by train for transit to Brunas.


    Of course, given the short distance and the time for loading and unloading, the current transit advantage may not be evident yet.


    But once Tang Mo broke through the Vicious Forest and linked the railway to Northern Ridge, the railway transport would immediately show its advantage.


    At that point, the distance between Northern Ridge and Brunas would virtually disappear, and the two ces would bepletely integrated into one economic circle, the Northern Ridge-Brunas Economic Zone.


    "What about our secret weapon? Is it ready too?" Tang Mo looked at Mathews curiously and asked.


    "Yes, Master! This may be the most powerful weapon ever made by mankind!" Mathews''s expression turned serious and he spoke gravely, "With it, Brunas will be an imprable stronghold, the most solid fortress!"


    "Let''s go and see our new toy," Tang Mo gestured for the others to follow, and they soon arrived at the tform.


    By train, Tang Mo and hispanions quickly reached Station No. 2, which Tang Mo had turned into a new secret factory. In the factory''s workshop, Tang Mo''s new weapons were taking shape.


    C80 howitzers! A behemoth evolved from the C64 field gun! This beast weighed two tons, with a caliber that leapt to 120mm from 75mm, and a staggering range of 6 kilometers.


    Frankly speaking, this thing was not very mobile; it was almost the limit of what horses could drag. It was quite troublesome to deploy, and its ammunition was heavy.


    But... Tang Mo had trains. He produced a batch of t cars to carry these cannons. With the preid tracks, these howitzers could be rapidly deployed to any position where they were needed and could immediately begin firing.


    This was essentially a prototype of a railroad gun, and a very domineering one at that. A Tang Mo train could pull a dozen cannons and arge amount of ammunition, dashing to the battlefield to deal a heavy blow to any enemy attacking Brunas from any direction.


    In fact, Tang Mo only needed to deploy a dozen cannons to ensure support fire was avable everywhere, significantly reducing his defensive burden.


    So, no matter from which direction Shireck attacked Tang Mo, they would have to face Tang Mo''s superior firepower support.


    Just by looking at the caliber and quality of the cannons, Shireck was already losing, and losing utterly.

 Chapter 150: Save steel for big undertakings in section 150

    But this was not a real train cannon, but rather a beggar''s version of a prototype train cannon. In fact, these C80 howitzers were all towed artillery, equipped with wheels.


    Tang Mo had only produced some tbed train cars and then simply fixed these artillery pieces onto them.


    This maximized the flexibility of using these cannons but sacrificed the protective capability of the train cannon.


    In theory, Tang Mo could have created an armored train by mounting cannons and various weapons on it to surprise the enemy.


    However, it should be noted that armored trains consumed a significant amount of steel and also had great limitations in their use; in actuality, Tang Mo could not fully exploit the advantages of armored trains.


    Inparison, conserving steel was a practice more in line with Tang Mo''s current situation. After all, he now had to allocate his limited steel production capacity to more useful ces.


    Because Tang Mo was now seriously considering whether he should try to get his hands on that distantnd, ck Dragon Ind, rich in oil.


    After all, oil as the lifeblood of modern industry is extremely valuable and of paramount importance. Securing an oil field in advance was absolutely crucial for Tang Mo''s strategic nning.


    Knowing about the existence of ck Dragon Ind, he naturally hoped to take control of this ind himself.


    In his n, conquering and controlling ck Dragon Ind, the Navy was absolutely the corebat force. Merely relying on his dozen or so sailing ships to dominate ck Dragon Ind was nothing short of a fool''s dream.


    Even if he truly upied ck Dragon Ind, those few small vessels could neither support his maritime transport needs nor defend his ind assets!


    Therefore, in Tang Mo''s n, expanding maritime forces was also very important and urgent.


    Against this backdrop, Tang Mo did not invest all the limited steel into armored trains but saved where he could, turning his train cannons into a simplified model.


    Where was the steel saved being used? It was used for a brand-new vessel in the shipyard¡ªa truly modern irond warship powered by steam.


    The design of this warship was based on the renowned Jiyuan-ss cruiser, except that due to the times and Tang Mo''s current capabilities, it had undergone some minor modifications.


    First was the warship''s protective capabilities; due to ack of steel, there was a considerable reduction. The originally more numerous and dense watertightpartments were greatly simplified.


    At the same time, the famous German barbette horizontal defense waspletely abandoned, leaving only a steel te under the deck for defense.


    After all, in this era''s naval vessels, which still used muzzle-loading cannons, almost all used solid shot. Under this premise, increasing the armor of an irond warship had no meaningful purpose.


    After eliminating horizontal armor and reducing internal defense armor, Tang Mo''s warship length was increased by 10 meters, reaching an astonishing length of 89 meters and a width of 11.5 meters.


    The primary reason for these modifications was to save on materials. Aside from ensuring the ship''s structural strength, all extra defense designs were reduced.


    Even the conning tower, originally designed to withstand direct strikes fromrge-caliber cannons, had its armor thickness reduced to half of its original size.


    With so much steel usage reduced, the ship''s discement was lower, the design''s center of gravity was unstable, so the hull had to be expanded, increasing the reserves of drinking water and coal inside¡ªused as bast.


    To achieve these improvements, Tang Mo hired nine skilled ship designers at a high price and used theputer in his mind for simtion calctions beforepleting the ultimate modification of this vessel.


    Thus, the endurance of this modified Jiyuan-ss warship on the high seas was greatly enhanced, and its speed was increased to a terrifying 40 kilometers per hour.


    For easy calctions, Tang Mo did not stubbornly adopt the "knot" as the unit of measurement but continued to use the metric kilometer on the sea as onnd.


    Forty kilometers an hour is roughly equivalent to a speed of about 22 knots, an advantage that came from the lighter warship and the use of a more mature steam engine.


    To deal with the more advanced boiler and the greater heat generation of the steam engine, an additional funnel was installed in the elongated midsection of the warship.


    Because there was no need for so many watertightpartments and there was ample coal and freshwater, the standard of living on the warship was also significantly improved, allowing for more food to be carried and more spacious living conditions for the crew.


    Regarding weapons, this modified Jiyuan-ss warship, or rather severely scaled-back warship, had many novel features canceled.


    Tang Mo did not have such novelties to heap onto the warship, so the torpedoes originally nned for the warship were all canceled.


    After all, Tang Mo presently didn''t even have a workshop for producing torpedoes, let alone torpedoes. He was not in a position to undertake the production of so many weapons, and his workers didn''t even know what a torpedo was.


    Since torpedoes could not be produced, the rtedpartments could be repurposed as living quarters for the crew.


    At the same time, Tang Mo also had no way of using the numerous Hotchkiss quick-firing guns that were equipped on the Jiyuan-ss.


    The original Zhiyuan warship was armed with eight 57mm single-tube Hotchkiss guns and six 37mm quick-firing guns... Tang Mo was likewise unable to directly produce and equip his warships with this assortment of weapons.


    Whether they were useful or junk, Tang Mo had no intention of pursuing that matter since he had never witnessed theirbat performance, but the truth was hecked the production lines for these weapons.


    It was simply not feasible for Tang Mo to establish new production lines dedicated to two special types of weapons just for a single warship.


    Every one of his production lines was precious, and they had to ount for the Army''s needs as much as possible while also considering future sales and promotion. Thus, he couldn''t afford to waste resources on specialized 37mm caliber naval quick-firing guns that wereckluster.


    As a result, the warship was ultimately fitted with ten uniform 75mm caliber rear-loading field guns that Tang Mo could produce...


    These cannons had a limited firing arc and were all deployed along the sides, incapable of providing any firepower to the bow.


    However, relying on the warship''s terrifying speed, it couldfortably adjust its position outside the enemy warship''s range to meet the enemy with its most powerful broadside.


    The cannons used on the bow and stern weren''t the Zhiyuan''s slow-firing 210mm caliber main guns, but rather an improvised version of the 120mm caliber field gun.


    After all, in these times, naval guns capable of firing beyond 5 kilometers didn''t exist yet, and a 120mm caliber gun that could fire high-explosive shells was overwhelmingly dominant at sea.


    Moreover, the reduction in caliber brought more obvious advantages; the improved warship had a triple turret at the bow and a twin turret at the stern!


    Thus, the overall design of this new vessel featured its main armament of five 120mm caliber guns and twelve 75mm caliber secondary guns, making it far mightier in terms of gun count alone than any destroyer.


    Nevertheless, due to the immature technology of searchlights, Tang Mo had to honestly scrap the design for searchlights, which meant this giant warship, like other naval vessels, wasn''t capable of night battles.


    Moreover, a dozen or so old-fashioned Gatling guns, originally equipped on the Zhiyuan, were discarded by Tang Mo. In their ce were six more powerful Maxim water-cooled machine guns.


    Since the machine guns were still under development, the new vessel, during construction, only reserved their mounts without installing them.


    Simrly, as there was no need for focused ammunition protection, most of the ammunition stores were dispersed and designed near the gun positions, which inadvertently reduced the overall weight of the firepower system and correspondingly increased the speed at which shells could be essed.


    Theck of defense was effectively countered by the subpar opponents of today; the solid shots that could only reach one kilometer were incapable of piercing the thin side armor and prating the irond''s ammunition storage.


    In fact, this colossal warship discing 3700 tons was unquestionably the most advanced and powerful warship in the world. The sail-powered ships of war from other nations stood no chance against it.


    Despite its numerous imperfections, its creation was destined to be recorded in history books, and its presence was bound to redefine naval warfare across the world.


    Tang Mo was confident that, once this warship wasunched, he would nearly have the capability to secure his own sea transport routes.


    When that time came, establishing ck Dragon Ind would be a top priority. Therefore, he found it necessary to scout ck Dragon Ind in advance and ensure his sailors were skilled in long-distance voyages.


    So, looking at Roger and the others, he inquired about the activity of his fleet, "How are things with the fleet?"


    Roger immediately answered his question, "We''ve sent two ships to the south, carrying 1000 K1 Quick Guns and 50,000 rounds of ammunition. If all goes well, they should be able to sell these weapons."


    Li''ao also added, "They''ve been gone for just over a month and we''ve received no news yet."


    "If we can sessfully market the bolt-action rifles, then next time all our ships can head south together," continued Roger.


    "That''s good news," Tang Mo nodded.


    After six months of training, his fleet had finally begun engaging in oceanic activities. This would not only train the sailors but also generate greater profits for Tang Mo.


    Simply operating within the borders of the Leite Kingdom was clearly insufficient to satisfy Tang Mo''s ambitions for expansion. He needed to secure more trade routes and sell more products.


    "Until they return, this isn''t good news," John interjected from the side, cautioning, "Sea trade is a very dangerous affair."


    He nced at Tang Mo and furrowed his brow, "You''re beginning to look more like a man; did something happen on your trip to the Northern Ridge...?"


    "Don''t make wild guesses!" Tang Moughed as he nced at John, exining, "It''s good news that our sailors have the courage to fight on the high seas."


    "If we don''t send them out, they might indeed fatten to death at the port," joked Bernard, who was in charge of the Navy.


    "Hahahaha!" Everyone burst intoughter.

 Chapter 151: 151 The Long Wait

    "These damned nobles, each one of them has begun to cause us trouble." Gis sat in his own office, hisplexion ugly as if possessed by demons.


    Recently, his intelligencework had almostpletely copsed. Those nobles whom he had bribed and who werergely still willing to cooperate now adopted an attitude of outwardpliance but inward defiance toward him.


    Many people suspected that Fisheo''s death was orchestrated by Shireck behind the scenes. Although there was no direct evidence, suspicion did not require evidence.


    All the initially suspected parties proved their innocence through their actions: Tang Mo directly helped the heir of the Ronin Family secure his footing, Suthers did not make any moves, and even the royal family of the Leite Kingdom sent representatives to the Earl''s funeral.


    After going in circles like this, with nobody taking any drastic actions, the Shireck Consortium remained the most suspect.


    Everyone detested Fisheo and was quick to want him dead because no one liked the way Fisheo treated the civilians, which indeed hindered others from making money off the popce.


    But to assassinate a noble was apletely different matter¡ªwe were all bloody the same ss, ying together was fine, but ying dirty like that was uneptable!


    So, everyone began adopting a passive-cooperative approach to warn Shireck to rein it in and not touch the fundamental interests of the nobility circle.


    After all, though we were a nest of snakes and rats, bound bymon interests, we could not touch each other''s fundamental interests, that was the bottom line!


    "My lord, we have produced over 5,000 of the new model rifles, and His Majesty the King has already sent people to inquire several times, hoping that his troops could be re-equipped as soon as possible!"


    "Let him wait! My troops haven''t been re-equipped yet, what''s he in such a hurry for?" Gis''s anger red up when this matter was mentioned.


    He was the first to obtain the technology of the needle gun, and he also purchased arge amount of cartridge ammunition from Tang Mo. However, most of these things had been sold off at high prices to other countries by the Consortium.


    As a result, he had no choice but to obey the orders from above, executingmands that infuriated him. He was just a manager, with no right to question the decisions made by his superiors.


    But in his own schemes, the Shireck forces within the Leite Kingdom should have been quickly assembling troops, equipping new weapons, and setting out to subdue the disobedient Great Tang Group! Once the Great Tang Group was defeated, wouldn''t technology and talent be avable in whatever quantity he desired?


    In the end, in the face of huge profits, the top brass of the Shireck Consortium still chose to be the middleman, shearing other nations'' wool with gusto.


    The needle guns produced by Shireck were sold for the high price of 30 Gold Coins each. Thus, the 5,000 needle gunsboriously produced overtime in the Shireck workshop didn''t even reserve a single one for themselves and were all sold off.


    Now Gis''s own private troops were still training with Shireck Flintlock Guns, barely even having handled the needle guns a few times.


    "Did not our superior say¡­" one of his subordinates quickly interjected with reassurance.


    "Next month? Always next month! Our opponents are growing stronger by the day! And they will only miss ourst chance!" Gis bellowed in frustrated rage.


    He had been waiting here for almost three months. As time trickled by, Tang Mo was growing stronger.


    The Great Tang Group hadpletely assimted the region of Brunas and even connected with Northern Ridge, bing even tougher to deal with.


    Yet, they were still waiting¡ªGis had heard that even the King''s controlled military might already be re-equipped with K1 Quick Guns, but Shireck''s own private army was still armed with the outdated Shireck Flintlock Guns.


    Wasn''t this situation absurdlyughable?


    Gis did not even know that Tang Mo had intentionally slowed down the buildup of troops on the road. To the present day, the security troops of Tang Mo''s Great Tang Group were only maintained at a scale of less than a thousand people.


    Most of this small force''s weaponry was still K1 needle guns, with no significant improvements. And all this was because Tang Mo was focusing on building his own Navy.


    Gis was also unaware that Tang Mo was concentrating heavily on ck Dragon Ind, selecting a second base for himself and preparing to start mining operations there.


    And he¡­ was still diligently manufacturing K1 needle guns, preparing for a "straightforward one-on-one contest" with Tang Mo. And for this contest, he had waited¡­ for three months.


    Over a month had passed since the assassination of Lord Earl, and clearly, he would be waiting for another month or even three months. It might not be until mid-year of 114 of the Leite Kingdom that he might be able to assemble his troops.


    All the while, sea salt from Brunas started appearing inrge quantities in the King City, His Majesty the King even began using cement to repair his castle.


    Cloth from Brunas was everywhere in the markets, as if their textile mills were as plentiful as hairs on a cow. These inexpensive yet high-quality fabrics were immediately popr with the people.


    Simrly, processed fur and wool products were also abundant, with mosting from the direction of Brunas.


    Commerce throughout the kingdom seemed to be more prosperous than before, with the King''s tax revenue even increasing. The more Gis waited, the more he realized that the cost of acting against the Great Tang Group could be increasing exponentially.


    Time flew and another two months had passed.


    In the King City of Suthers, a door was pushed open from the outside, and a young man ced a stack of documents on the desk of an elderly man.


    He was very careful, waiting until the old man finished reviewing the document he was currently working on before he reported, "Lord, I have sorted and processed all the documents."


    "Ah¡­ thank you so much." The elderly man rubbed his neck, visibly fatigued, and pulled out a document from the pile the young man had brought, "Did you find anything?"


    The young man moved behind the elderly man and began to gently massage his shoulders, softly replying, "There are issues, we can reform the merchants'' tax system. Lowering the tax burden could stimtemercial cirction."


    "You''re thinking along the same lines as me, this approach is the gentlest and could also win us the support of the merchants." The elderly man nodded in satisfaction.


    Then, as if a thought had just urred to him, he continued to enjoy the young man''s massage with his eyes closed and asked, "The acumen with which you address these issues is so precise that it''s almost hard to believe. I hear you''re only 25? Married yet?"


    "No, Lord," the young man answered, the ring on his ring finger glowing softly under the gaslight, a lifelike dandelion.


    "Come to my house tonight, I want to discuss the tax reforms with you." Pleased with the young man''s skilled massage technique, the elderly man spoke with a voice full of kindness, "I have a granddaughter, you can tell her about your experiences studying in Dorrenolum, it must be quite the story."


    "As youmand, Lord." The young man''s demeanor remained unruffled.


    "Hmm? Stop calling me Lord from now on, I see you are diligent and quick to learn, with good abilities. Why don''t you study with me... What do you say?" The more the elderly man saw of this young subordinate, the more he liked him.


    "Teacher!" The young man did not disappoint him, bowing respectfully as he epted the new title.


    "Hahaha!" The elderly manughed heartily, "Keep up the hard work! Perhaps it won''t be long before you''ll have to call me by another name, hahaha!"


    He was so fond of the young man. Ever since the young man had applied to join his Prime Minister''s office, he had demonstrated unmatched capabilities.


    Truth be told, in the entire King City of Suthers, finding a junior as outstanding as this young man was extremely rare, or perhaps there were none at all.


    The young man was presentable and followed strict etiquette, always arriving on time every day and workingte into the night before leaving.


    Soon the documents he handled caught the Prime Minister''s attention, as the files processed by this young man were clear and well-organized, making reviewing them a pleasure.


    Afterward, the Prime Minister deliberately had the young man deal with some state affairs beyond his usual duties to test his abilities.


    As a result, the young man performed very well, even exceeding expectations: he investigated the matters thoroughly and handed in an investigative report that could almost serve as a model.


    Therefore, even before one month of probation had ended, the young man was transferred to the Prime Minister''s side to begin assisting him with secretarial work.


    And then, the Prime Minister discovered that the young man had studied in Dorrenolum, the same ce where he himself had studied.


    The more they got to know each other, the better they clicked, with the Prime Minister even consulting the young man on his ideas for the tax reform n.


    To the great surprise of Lord Earl of Suthers, regarding tax reforms, the young man''s vision was indeed lofty. He easily pinpointed the right direction and even enhanced the Prime Minister''s reform n.


    The young man''sputational skills were astonishing; with just some scribbling on paper, he could effortlessly arrive at the results ofplex calctions.


    More shockingly, due to his sensitivity to numbers, the young man could roughly nce over ount books and detect parts where embezzlement or falsifying losses had urred.


    As things naturally progressed, the more the Prime Minister saw of the young man, the more he took a liking to him, even entertaining the idea of giving him his granddaughter in marriage.


    Although he hadn''t yet shared this thought with his own son, who despised the poor and loved the rich but had achieved nothing, he indeed harbored such considerations.


    After all, marrying his granddaughter to a noble could not extend his political ambitions, but finding a sessor who shared his own ideals might be a more reliable n.


    Although the young man was no noble, but¡­ nobility can be cultivated, can''t it? Especially when one is a Prime Minister, nurturing a noble seems not so difficult.


    --------


    This is the 7th update, with another one to follow shortly.

 Chapter 152: 152 flying flowers everywhere

    In the southern part of the Leite Kingdom, within the border of another kingdom, on a remote roady various corpses strewn about.


    Among the bodies dressed in orange military uniforms, there were also those d in gaudy, varied attire.


    "Hahaha! We''ve struck it rich this time!" At the end of the bodies, a burly man stepped on a soldier''s corpse, brandishing a blood-stained Longsword, and looked down at three girls who had fallen to the ground.


    Another slim man, also holding a Longsword, had a lewd expression on his face and echoed with asciviousugh, "Yeah! Such beauties! Hehehehe!"


    The officer being trampled underfoot struggled to raise his head, issuing a difficult threat, "Are you mad? Daring to hijack Viscount''s convoy?"


    The stout man sneered and stomped harder, "Doesn''t matter, most of our own are nearly dead anyway, only a few of us left. When we take the money and run, who will know that we did it?"


    "The Viscount... will never let you go!" The officer clenched his teeth, trying to turn over and dislodge the foot on him.


    "Die, you bbermouth!" The skinnier bandit plunged his sword into the officer''s back, eliciting the officer''s final scream.


    Once the officer waspletely silent, the skinny man withdrew his Longsword, excitedly asking, "Big brother, how do we split... hehehehe!"


    "You get one, I''ll take two, these little beauties are so alluring, their skin is so fair! Hehehe!" The burly man wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, unable to contain the flow of more saliva, unabashedly disying his savagery.


    The skinny man didn''t mind and nodded, readily agreeing, "Fine! After you''re done with them, hand them to me for my turn!"


    "No problem! Hahaha!" The strong banditughed triumphantly. He had every reason to be proud; the convoy they robbed with all their might contained not only arge chest full of Gold Coin but also three girls as beautiful as flowers. How could he not be excited?


    The eldest girl held the two younger ones and cried out in grief, "You! Don''te any closer! We are daughters of the Viscount. If you let us go, our father will surely give you a lot of money."


    The burly man nced at the chest on the carriage and became even more triumphant, "Money? We are no longer in need of money. What we want now is you!"


    "Don''te any closer! You, you... Please let my two sisters go... Let them leave this ce, and I will stay." The girl in despair prepared to sacrifice herself for her sisters'' chance of survival.


    The skinny man couldn''t even bother to lie, put his Longsword back into the sheath, and eagerly moved forward, "None of you is leaving!"


    "I say, do you really n to... do that kind of thing here?" A voice abruptly came from the other side, "Don''t you find it revolting?"


    Suddenly hearing this voice, the two bandits were so shocked their hair stood on end, and they immediately turned to look in the direction from which the voice originated, "Who is it?"


    A young man holding a travel pack stood not far away, lips curled as he looked at the corpses strewn across the ground, "More than thirty people, all dead. Seems like you''re not going to live much longer, that''s why you risked your lives to attack a nobility''s convoy."


    "Shut up! Who the hell are you!" The stout man asked coldly.


    The young man pointed to himself and answered naturally, "Me? I''m just someone passing by."


    "Well, can''t me us then. Even those just passing by... must die!" The skinny man drew his Longsword from his waist once again, step by step advancing towards the young man. He was quite confident in his swordsmanship; otherwise, he wouldn''t have survived the fierce battle just now.


    He swung his sword at the young man, who easily dodged it and quickly created some distance. While avoiding, he didn''t forget toment, "Not even close to my teacher..."


    The skinny bandit eyed the young man and shouted to the burly one behind him, "This one''s tricky! Let''s both take him on!"


    The young man was taken aback, then his smile deepened, "Ganging up on me because I''m alone?"


    "What? We''re bandits, is that wrong?" The stout man also gathered around, brandishing his Longsword, ready to pincer the young man.


    The young man pulled a delicate Left-Wheel Handgun from his chest, "Nothing wrong, just double-checking."


    "Bang!" Before the two men could react, a gunshot followed, and the skinny bandit grunted as he fell to the ground.


    "Now the two of us can have a one-on-one." The young man carefully reholstered his gun and said with a smile.


    "Die!" The burly bandit charged with his Longsword raised high.


    "Ha!" The young man also drew his Longsword, shing with the burly bandit. He skillfully redirected the force, avoiding a direct contest of strength, and parried the myriad sword strikes, causing the bandit to miss repeatedly.


    His movements were extremely adept and elegant. After finding the opportunity to dodge another chopping attack, the young man pivoted, stepping aside and returning a strike with his Longsword, slicing the burly bandit''s pants open.


    "Ah!" Pain instantly transferred from the burly bandit''s leg to his brain. He screamed as he saw blood pouring out from the rip in his trousers.


    The young man thought back to when he dueled with the strongest guy at school, an expression of regret on his face, "You''re too weak..."


    At that time, he was the one getting beaten, and with every swordsmanship andbat ss, he learned something new. Those days were his happiest times, much more interesting than now.


    He stepped lightly to one side, avoiding the burly man''s desperate attack like floating catkins, then expertly thrust his longsword out, causing the attacker to stagger into the tip of his de.


    "Ah!" Another scream rang out as the burly man staggered back, his hands clutching his chest, looking at the young man before him with horror.


    "Sorry... you''re... beyond saving." The young man apologized while flicking the blood off his longsword. By the time he''d cleaned his de and slid the longsword back into the scabbard at his waist, the burly man was already lying on the ground, gasping for air.


    He walked over, looked down at the now delirious bandit, and shook his head, "You must be really unlucky to have encountered me."


    Then he looked up and saw three girls huddled together not far away, tense, and walked over to them with a smile.


    He stood not too far from them, not approaching, and curiously asked, "Why didn''t you girls take the opportunity to run away just now? What if I had been a bad guy?"


    "Sir, if you could take us from here back to our father, we would pay you arge sum of money," the eldest of the girls said with courage.


    The young man nodded, "That sounds really nice."


    "So..." Hope flickered across the girl''s face.


    "I''m just a passerby, helping out was just a small effort, after all, they are bandits, aren''t they?" the young man pointed to the bandits'' corpses on the ground and said to the girl.


    "Are you willing to take us back?" The girl''s voice quivered slightly with a touch of surprise.


    "Why not? Thedies are so adorable..." The young man walked over to the girls, offering his hand like a true gentleman.


    The girl, a bit shy, ced her hand on the young man''s, feeling the intense warmth from his palm, which made her heart race and cheeks flush.


    Just as she tried to stand, a sharp pain shot through her ankle, causing her to cry out, "Ah!"


    "Your ankle might be sprained... you need to apply medicine... sorry, I don''t mean to be improper, it''s just that we need to check your injury." The young man helped the girl into the carriage, setting her by a chest of gold coins, and bent down to examine her injured ankle.


    He carefully pulled out a strip of cloth from his pack and found a small wooden board, meticulously helping the girl secure her ankle, finishing it off with a pretty butterfly knot, "There, that''s much better."


    "Th-thank you..." The girl was so shy she couldn''t even look up as she thanked him.


    "Don''t move around too much, or it may affect your ability to walk. Once we get back, you should see a professional doctor," the young boy suggested tenderly.


    The girl''s thoughts were lost in the boy''s long fingers, with their touch of calluses. She noticed a beautiful ring on his ring finger with a dandelion on it.


    Impulsively forgetting her restraint, the girl introduced herself, "My name is Ang, Ang William, the eldest daughter of Viscount William."


    "I''m Lux, unemployed," the young man introduced himself with a smile.


    "Your swordsmanship is really good, your movements... are beautiful. Why not seek employment as a guard?" The girl had already started fantasizing about the handsome young man standing guard behind her.


    The young man, slightly embarrassed, exined, "I''m traveling, exploring the world. My teacher told me there''s so much worth seeing out there, so... I set out."


    Hearing that he had the means to travel suggested good family circumstances, and her father might not object... For some reason, the girl thought of her father, but she kept on praising without pausing, "That sounds wonderful..."


    Certainly a charmer, the boy said, "Yes, sinceing out here, I have indeed seen many beautifulndscapes... like now... your beauty outshines everything around us."


    "Really?" The girl felt as if a deer was pounding in her chest, looking down with blushing cheeks as she murmured. Her two sisters eyed their eldest with disdainful nces. They too were charmed by the sunny, handsome boy who was both brave and enticing!


    "Why would I lie? Has no one ever mentioned your beauty to you?" The young man looked genuinely puzzled.


    "I..." The girl felt as if all the blood in her body had rushed to her face, giving her a sensation of burning heat and making her mind go nk.


    -------


    See, extra chapter delivered, did Dragon Spirit not keep his promise? Hehehehe.

 Chapter 153: Ive lived up to him.

    In front of arge cartden with misceneous items, an old horse was struggling to move its hooves. Step by step, it moved forward, following the simrlyboring cart towards the distant east.


    This was a caravan, with over a dozen horse-drawn carts in total, surrounded by migrants and ranger mercenaries hired for protection.


    The retainers led the horses, numbly walking on the imperial road, nked by endless farnd and scattered houses.


    In the middle of the convoy, between two carts, a young girl in her teens looked curiously at a young man with a sword at his waist, "Young man, where are you from?"


    "Me? I''m from the Leite Kingdom," the young man with clear features responded with a smile.


    He looked quite different from the other young men in the team because he was taller and more well-proportioned.


    The young man''s face was always filled with sunshine and confidence, making him more likable than the other young men.


    The little girl was willing to talk to this young man because he was well-informed; he knew why bees liked flowers and why flowers were so beautiful.


    He could even make beautiful wreaths out of flowers and grass stems, which was much better than those ignoramuses who knew nothing.


    The middle-aged man leading the little girl''s hand immediately became interested in the conversation and said with an understanding look, "Oh, I''ve heard of that. Why did youe here?"


    "I came here to look for a job," the young man appeared very approachable, always speaking with a smiling face, which made many people in the caravan like him.


    "Ah? What can you do? Whye here to find a job?" The middle-aged man was a carpenter who, after his wife''s death, had sold his house to pay for her medical treatment, and thus took his daughter to seek a livelihood in a foreignnd.


    The young man scratched his head, seeming a bit embarrassed to introduce himself, "Actually, I''m a craftsman; I can do a lot of things."


    "Like what?" The middle-aged man asked with great interest.


    The young man replied with a smile, "For example, I can make firearms."


    On the other side, the leader of the merchant convoy joined the chat with a look of surprise, "Young man, you can make firearms?"


    No wonder he was so surprised; in those times, young men skilled in a trade were highly valued, particrly craftsmen capable of making firearms who could find sustenance anywhere they went.


    "Yes, I can make Shireck Flintlock Guns. I am a craftsman," the young man answered confidently.


    The leader of the merchant caravanmented with a talent-valuing expression, "That''s very rare, after all, the workshops of Shireck seldom let go of craftsmen who can make firearms."


    "Yes," the young man said, slipping his hand that bore a dandelion ring on his pinky finger into his pocket and nodding in agreement.


    Out of curiosity, the leader of the merchant caravan continued to ask, "So where are you headed?"


    "Me? The ce I''m going to is far away, very far. Beyond this mountain, it''s another three months of travel..." The young man looked at the distant mountains, his voice filled with anticipation.


    "That''s really far, to Wild Bear City?" The leader of the merchant caravan, who seemed familiar with the region beyond the mountains, asked directly.


    Upon hearing the name of his intended destination, the young man immediately continued nodding, "About there. Is it easy to find a job in Wild Bear City?"


    "If you really can get there, you''ll surely find a good job. You''re still young; life there wouldn''t be bad," the leader of the merchant caravan affirmed.


    "Thank you," the young man maintained his modest and polite demeanor, thanking the other for the encouragement.


    ...


    In a somewhat dimly lit basement, the light flickering on and off, Tang Mo asked with some urgency, "Can''t you push a little harder?"


    "I... I''m already trying my best!" Wes''s voice was full of panting, as if he was doing something that required a lot of physical effort.


    Tang Mo shook his head in disappointment, "You... your physical strength... should really be trained up. How about you join the second batch of trainees for drills tomorrow?"


    "Heh... heh... I''ve been, been busy here for over an hour now. You... you don''t think I can do it, you try, try it!" Wes panted as he desperately tried to justify himself.


    "No more nonsense! Keep pedaling!" Tang Mo put an end to their mushy conversation that would make fangirls blush and palpitate with his icy tone.


    No sooner had his voice faded, he suddenly spotted something and excitedly leaned closer to the pile of equipment, shouting loudly, "We''ve got it! We''ve got it! We''ve seeded!"


    He had sessfully received the tapping sounds transmitted from the telegraph machine at station number two!


    This was the first sessful long-distance wirelessmunication in this otherworld''s history, as Mathews and Roger at the other end sent the words "Great Tang Group" to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo clearly received these four words! This meant that hismunication technology hadpletely moved to the forefront of the era!


    As long as he wished, his intelligence transmission speed could be measured in seconds; if he wished, he could crush all his opponents in terms of intelligence!


    Of course, because of Tang Mo, the time traveler, the telegraph system didn''t start with wired telegraphs.


    It directly evolved into a wireless telegraph, and the transmission distance suddenly increased to a staggering hundred kilometers.


    After all, the electromaic transmission environment of this era was incredibly clean, a stark contrast to the chaotic electromaic environment ofter times. This world''s electromaic environment was as pristine as a nk piece of paper.


    This allowed Tang Mo''s telegraphs to be easily transmitted over a hundred kilometers without worrying about interference from other signals.


    Compared toying cables and building signal towers, the cost is obviously much lower. Tang Mo had been using technology to save costs for more than a day or two, so this time was no exception.


    Because Northern Ridge couldn''t build a power station for the time being, Tang Mo devised a pedal-powered telegraph system.


    The technical difficulty of this system was actually not high; what was high was the physical demands it ced on the person pedaling the bicycle.


    With this system, Tang Mo could very conveniently send telegraphs to Northern Ridge, soothing the overwhelming longing and thinking every day of visiting the Lady Earl in Brunas.


    Simrly, he could also use this system to stay in touch with Northern Ridge, issue immediate instructions, and remotely control all decisions made in Wolf City.


    Who would have thought that the first wireless telegraph machine in the history of the world was actually born out of the need for a couple of lovebirds to write love letters?


    But in fact, that was exactly the case; Tang Mo''s mind was filled with the idea of giving this system as a gift to Alice, rather than as strategic material for Northern Ridge¡­


    Of course, the powerter demonstrated by this device sent the Northern Ridge leadership into a frenzy. After experiencing the advance inmunication technology, they began to build a thermal power station in Northern Ridge at any cost.


    That telegraphs could promote therge-scale development of electricity was a kind of magical urrence that could only happen in a world where a time traveler like Tang Mo existed.


    "Can this thing really transmit sound over a thousand miles?" Wes asked breathlessly, walking up to Tang Mo and looking at the experimental result with shock.


    "Yes, if we agree on a time, we can immediately pass on what happens in King City or Northern Ridge to our location," Tang Mo said, pointing to the equipment in front of him: "One minute is enough for us to understand what''s happening afar."


    "My God... you really are a genius," Wes said, looking at the equipment and unable to resist gently stroking them: "Do they... have any connection with that thing I was riding?"


    At this moment, he felt all the hard work he had put in before was worth it. It was his honor to be involved in the experiment that led to such a great invention.


    Even, he felt as if infinite strength welled up inside him again; he thought he could still ride the pedal bicycle for another hour with his slightly numb and sore legs.


    Tang Mo shrugged his shoulders and said with augh, deliberately to tease Wes, "No connection. You were just powering another device with your bicycle, and both devices received telegraphs from Station Two. The experiment was very sessful."


    In fact, there was no inherent connection; this basementboratory was already electrified, so Wes''s manual power generation equipment wasn''t needed.


    However, Tang Mo wanted to create an immediate-use telegraph system for Northern Ridge, so he tested the manual telegraph machine simultaneously.


    This kind of equipment was widely used on World War I battlefields and wasn''t technologically difficult to create; the only troublesome part was the chain.


    But thanks to experience in making mechanical transmission systems, Mathews and his apprentices had no problem manufacturing chains.


    Of course, since generators were still priceless novelties at this time, Tang Mo''s equipment was certainly not cheap.


    ording to his n, if someone was willing to buy this equipment, then the price would have to be at least 3000 Gold Coins per set; after all, the value of technology is infinite.


    Plus, the cost of making this stuff wasn''t cheap, what with iron frames and copper wire winding. That''s all money!


    Such cutting-edge technology, coupled with suchplex craftsmanship and valuable materials, if it didn''t fetch a heaven-and-earth-shattering price, that truly wouldn''t be living up to his reputation as a shrewd businessman.


    Thinking about it, selling a telegraph machine for the price of two lotives would indeed be a fitting tribute to Samuel Morse.


    "..." Hearing what Tang Mo said, Wes felt his negative emotions surging. He looked at Tang Mo silently, with a gloomy expression. If Tang Mo had a system for receiving negative emotions, he would definitely see a bunch of +999 notifications right now.


    Now, Tang Mo could install wireless telegraph equipment everywhere under his control; even the new warships could use this equipment.


    With this equipment, he could almost personallymand all the subsidiaries of the Great Tang Group, taking his control over the entire Brunas region to a new level.


    --------


    Alright, Dragon Spirit is exhausted, off to build up the next powerful chapter. I hope everyone will show their support and make Dragon Spirit''s data on the rmendation spot look... a little better. Dragon Spirit thanks you all.

 Chapter 154: Alternative R&D of Weapon 154

    In the Por Kingdom, within the territory of the Augustin n, a massive factory was in operation.


    The huge, towering chimneys belched billowing ck smoke. Relying on this newly built factory, the Augustin n had made a fortune that they had never even dared to dream of before.


    This factory could produce tens of thousands of K1 needle guns annually, not only supplying the Por Kingdom but also exporting to other surrounding nations.


    Meanwhile, the Shireck factory within Por Kingdom''s borders, unable to manufacture simr advanced weapons, was soundly defeated by Lord Earl Augustin in themercial sphere and forced to withdraw from the Por Kingdom''s market.


    The situation looked very promising; the higher-ups of the Augustin n even began to see hope for the family''s rise to prominence.


    Armed with a wealth of money and having obtained Tang Mo''s weapon technology, they even began to consciously improve on Tang Mo''s weapons, hoping to achieve a technological breakthrough.


    The people of this era were no fools; they were each true individuals with their own thoughts. They innovated and developed, and at times were extremely clever.


    Unlike Shireck in the Leite Kingdom, Tang Mo provided John withplete weapon production technology, including the percussion cap.


    He did this deliberately because he needed his weapon technology to spread within a reasonable range.


    It wasn''t that he had gone mad, but rather, such dissemination would promote the advent of more advanced weapons, and he could ensure that he would always be at the very forefront of these arms manufacturers.


    By doing so, he was protecting himself while also expanding his market. He might not be able to enjoy the monopoly on percussion cap technology forever, but he could always be the first to develop the best weapons to crush hispetitors.


    If only one country in the world had cannons, that country would not buy too many cannons because its opponents would not pose a threat, thereby ensuring that the total purchase volume of armaments would not increase.


    Moreover, without a point ofparison, there was no urgency to improve, meaning that there was no market for advanced weapons, which would be nothing short of a disaster for an arms dealer.


    It''s only when every country in the world had cannons that improving and producing more cannons became meaningful!


    What Tang Mo was doing now was expanding the entire cake while making money and strengthening himself so that he could eat even more deliciously in the future!


    After the Elf Race had mastered the percussion cap technology, they clearly began to consider improving their own weapons to break Tang Mo''s technological monopoly.


    They had not yet fully grasped the steam engine, so they were unable to improve upon Tang Mo''s steam engine systems, but they could use their existing technology to improve the weapons they held.


    In the Elven factory, a worker who saw Earl Augustining for an inspection with arge group of followers immediately went to inform his immediate superior overseeing the factory.


    The person in charge of the factory was actually one of the technicians from the Great Tang Group who had apanied John to the Por Kingdom.


    He was no longer just an ordinary technician; he was now a person of prominence within the Augustin family''s territory in the Por Kingdom.


    He now lived in a grand manor, with followers and guards at his entrances and exits. Elves who followed him to learn steam engine manufacturing and firearms technology were as numerous as hairs on a cow. From any perspective, he had be a person of high stature.


    The Augustin family had made him a good offer, so he had no intention of returning to the Tang Group. His monthly sry was now 30 gold coins, which in the past would have been unimaginable.


    Upon learning that Lord Earl Augustin had personallye for an inspection, the craftsman, who had by now changed his name, greeted him with several apprentices.


    "My lord!" He walked straight to Earl Augustin, bowed, and expressed his loyalty and respect.


    Earl Augustin had a purpose for his visit, so he waved his hand dismissively, signaling the other to rise, and then, somewhat impatiently, he asked, "Well¡­ how has it been?"


    "We havepleted the modifications!" The now-responsible craftsman immediately responded, then took from the hands of one his apprentices behind him a strangely shaped, improved weapon.


    "How does it perform?" Earl Augustin, full of anticipation, looked at the man and asked.


    He was very satisfied with his own decision, feeling that his choice to offer a lot of money to keep this worker from Brunas had been a stroke of genius.


    The craftsman began to introduce the new weapon: "This weaponbines the features of the K1 Quick Gun and the revolver, allowing for continuous firing!"


    Actually, it was pretty much arge revolver, or rather, it was as if someone had crammed a revolver''s cylinder into the body of a Dreyse needle gun.


    Unfortunately, such a crude modification was nothing short of a disaster for the weapon''s performance.


    The craftsman continued his exnation: "We shortened some of the barrel, then employed the cylinder of a revolver, and expanded it!¡­ This allows for firing 8 rounds in session!"


    In theory, such a rifle, or rather, a long-barreled revolver, could indeed fire continuously, but its drawbacks were also obvious.


    First, the expanded cylinder made the weapon too cumbersome; the body was very wide, making it inconvenient to operate and use.


    Second, this weapon also inherited the ws of the revolver, with poor airtightness, limited range, and cumbersome andbor-intensive reloading.


    Therefore, this seemingly impressive weapon practically never made an appearance in the actual arsenal of weapons. Even if some were equipped, they were quickly phased out.


    But this rotary rifle, the first to achieve the function of continuous firing, truly dazzled Lord Earl.


    He patted the other''s shoulder in approval and said with great satisfaction, "Very good."


    After discussing the weapon''s advantages, the craftsman had no choice but to muster the courage to exin its disadvantages: "However, my lord, after such modifications, the rifle''s range has significantly decreased."


    "Hmm?" Upon hearing this, Lord Earl immediately frowned¡ªhaving fought in battles himself, he naturally understood the impact of a weapon''s range on the oue of war.


    Being able to fire repeatedly didn''t necessarily mean victory in battle. If all he needed was the function of rapid firing, wouldn''t it be better to mass-produce revolvers instead?


    Thus, range was indeed a crucial weapon performance feature, perhaps even the most important one! Lord Earl was very aware of this, so when he heard that the new weapon had a short range, he immediately became somewhat dissatisfied.


    The craftsman, feeling a bit apprehensive, began to exin, "There''s no way around it, the airtightness is just too poor."


    In fact, he had only learned the basics in Tang Mo''s factory and had only received a few training sessions. If it weren''t for this, he wouldn''t have been sent here to serve as a technical advisor.


    He was more familiar with the assembly of steam engines, and when it came to the modification of steam engines and the design of weapons, he basically knew nothing at all.


    Yet even with his limited skills, just by having seen a few things in Tang Mo''s factory, he was considered an expert among experts within the Por Kingdom.


    For this weapon technician who specialized in steam engines, it would have been truly astonishing if he could have genuinely improved a rifle.


    What he could do was act as a "Frankenstein," cobbling together two types of weapons sold to the Elf side by the Great Tang Group.


    Tang Mo would never take such a roundabout path, but other arms dealers copying his weapons would almost have to go through this process.


    "So what use does this weapon have?" Lord Earl, frowning, turned to the several officers who apanied him on his inspection.


    Everyone fell silent for a while until, atst, an officer, stroking his chin cautiously, said, "Actually, it does have a use."


    "Let''s hear it," Lord Earl said, visibly relieved as he asked the officer to borate.


    The officer pondered for a moment before responding, "Once the two armies draw close to each other, we can use this type of rifle, which although has a shorter range, has stronger continuous firing capability, topletely break the enemy!"


    "You mean?" Lord Earl seemed to grasp the key point, his expression improving a great deal.


    The officer continued toplete his thought: "We can equip our troops with the K1 Quick Gun, and most of them should be equipped with the K1 Quick Gun with longer range, but we can also issue this new Rotary Rifle to a select few!"


    His eyes grew brighter as he spoke, as if he had found the future tactic: "Use the K1 Quick Gun troops to cover the Rotary Rifle troops as they approach the enemy, then let the Rotary Rifles continuously fire and break the enemy!"


    "Hmm... that''s reasonable!" Lord Earl brightened up, feeling that the officer''s point did make a lot of sense.


    Combining the strengths of the two weapons¡ªusing the K1 rifle to stabilize their position, and then employing the faster-firing weapon at close quarters for a sudden burst¡ªwas clearly a more scientific approach to battle.


    "Then my lord..." Clearlycking any military knowledge, but realizing he had passed this hurdle, the chief craftsman immediately inquired.


    Lord Earl, pleased, pointed at the officer who had given the suggestion, "Follow his advice, try forming a mixed-unit troop."


    He was quite wealthy now, so he didn''t see a trial as any loss. After all, the Por Kingdom''s military was already being re-equipped with K1 Quick Guns and revolvers; it wouldn''t be a problem to procure another type of weapon.


    Thus, he generously swept his hand and dered, "Let''s outfit two legions for a start! If the results are good, ensure that in every legion, two battalions are armed with K1 Quick Guns and one battalion with the Rotary Rifle! Implement this arrangement throughout the military!"


    "Yes, my lord!" The face of the head craftsman immediately showed a thrill of ecstasy, signaling new work for him and more money to be made.

 Chapter 155: The Price of Growth at 155%

    If Tang Mo knew that in the distant Por Kingdom, a group of weapon designers had unwittingly headed down the wrong path, he would have been very amused.


    After all, such a prank-like conclusion is quiteughable, and although he greatly admired their courage to strive and experiment, he naturally would not forget therge sum of money the Elf Race owed him.


    This left him with little sympathy for the plight of the Por Kingdom, and he might even feel secretly pleased.


    Unfortunately, he was not aware that the elves of the Por Kingdom were stitching together his two outdated weapons.


    Because while the Por Kingdom was developing its own characteristic weapons, Tang Mo had not ceased advancing in the realm of weaponry.


    Although he had allocated most of his steel to that colossal steel warship, the remaining steel still supported him in producing limited quantities of epoch-making automatic weapons.


    This weapon was the legendary Maxim machine gun, also known as the harbinger of ughter in World War I, the scythe of the Grim Reaper, the automatic typewriter of the King of Hell...


    In any event, as soon as this weapon was introduced, itpletely overturned the mode of warfare, sweeping traditional tactics into the historical rubbish bin.


    The Maxim machine gun was designed by someone not particrly specialized in the field, whose name was Maxim, which was tranted into Chinese as "Maxim" for the name of this heavy machine gun.


    Before designing this weapon, he actually began working with mechanics through windmills, which on one hand proved his genius, and on the other, showed that the design of such a machine gun was not overlyplex.


    Indeed, the construction of this machine gun was not overly intricate, which led to it being rarely prone to malfunctions and convenient to repair.


    Even the Great Qing Dynasty, a backward era byparison, could replicate it, and even after a century, there were still ancient Maxim machine guns in operation, which all indirectly emphasized the simplicity and directness of this contraption.


    The design concept of this weapon was simple, utilizing the waste gases generated by the firing of the ammunition as the power to drive the mechanism,pleting the loading of a new bullet.


    This energy allowed the firearm to cycle through its actions, thereby theoretically achieving automatic loading and firing of weapons, that is, true automation of weaponry!


    In Tang Mo''s Maxim factory, the simplest form of gas-operated machinery was produced and named the Propent Blow-back System.


    This automated firing mechanism''s bolt was held tightly against a spring, without a locking lever or a bolt lock.


    At the moment when the powder in the bullet casing was ignited, the bolt was still in a restricted state until the gas pressure in the chamber overcame the mass of the bolt, causing it to move rapidly backward, then cycling through a simr deceleration process as with recoil-operated firearms.


    Clearly, mechanically speaking, this method was simpler than a recoil-operated system; therefore, the costs of manufacturing and maintenance were rtively lower, and it was also more convenient to produce and maintain.


    In terms of dying or hindering this blow-back system, there have been some sessful attempts, the simplest of which required oveing a mechanically established barrier before the bolt was released to cycle.


    Maxim''s automatic system featured a barrel locking device, simr to a bolt plug, which consisted of two interacting parts that werebined to work simultaneously, much like human joints.


    After the barrel and bolt moved back a distance together, the plug "split apart" downward when passing over a cam surface on the receiver; from this position, the bolt acted independently on a helical spring that continued moving back under force, re-engaging the bolt plug and securing the position of the barrel and bolt on the machine gun after its return.


    This action actuallypleted the loading of the bullet in two steps: one bullet was pulled from the cartridge belt by a bullet extractor, while at the same time, the spent cartridge was ejected from the chamber.


    The edges of these bullets, both spent and unused, were caught in a vertical slot. Before the bolt began its forward strike, the bullet extractor moved downward, ejecting the spent cartridge and pulling out a new bullet to align it straight behind the chamber.


    While loading the bullet, the bullet extractor returned to the upper position with its lower end now gripping the edge of the newly chambered bullet, locking the main parts, the barrel and the bolt.


    In summary, this system was precise and efficient, providing the Maxim machine gun with continuous firing capability, only pausing when the heated barrel boiled the cooling water in front of it.


    This intricate mechanical structure had already been produced in Tang Mo''s factory and assembled together.


    The weapon utilized the propent gases emitted during firing to perform a series of actions¡ªunlocking, ejecting the casing, feeding a new round, and relocking¡ªachieving continuous automatic firing for a single-barrel gun and reducing its recoil.


    When Tang Mo experimented with this new weapon, Luff and Redman finally came to a realization and understood why Tang Mo required all soldiers to learn to crawl.


    Charging forward in regr steps in front of such a weapon is no different from seeking death itself, and forming squares in front of it is as good as choosing one''s own demise.


    It was only after seeing this weapon that everyone understood why Tang Mo so confidently imed that if the enemy sent 20,000 men, it wouldn''t be enough for him to kill.


    Indeed, Shireck''s Troops, not knowing of Tang Mo''s superweapon, would probably lose a thousand men in a single charge if they continued with traditional attack methods.


    Combined with artillery, once the enemy attacked Tang Mo''s defensive line, they could pretty much abandon any expectation of victory. In the face of Tang Mo''s weapons, begging for peace was the only way out.


    Theoretically, this new weapon had only one drawback, which was its extreme consumption of bullets. Now, it was still a very difficult task for Tang Mo to produce a cartridge, yet this weapon could use up a toon''s reserve ammunition in just one minute!


    Supplying such a weapon with horse-drawn wagons was a logistical nightmare, and even at the lowest demand, it was simply impossible to sustain the consumption of the Maxim with manpower and animal power.


    Therefore, after developing this weapon, Tang Mo only produced a limited quantity, and he did not even equip his own troops on arge scale.


    Really, there was no way around it. He simply couldn''t afford it! Now, Tang Mo was much like the first time Li Hongzhang, a senior official from the Great Qing Dynasty, saw the Maxim, full of regret that production capacity was insufficient to y along.


    Tang Mo''s limited bullet production capacity, plus his desperate expansion of logistical supply units, only allowed his machine gunpany near Brunas to barely qualify for using the Maxim.


    In order to make these nearly perfect preset machine gun positions operational when the war arrived, Tang Mo even constructed roads leading to these positions.


    These roads extended to less than 200 meters from the position, where a concealed armory for temporary ammunition storage was also constructed.


    At the same time, Tang Mo had also dug trenches around these machine gun positions. After the outbreak of war, he could immediately deploy troops into these defensive positions to protect his machine gun emcements, allowing his guns to ughter the enemy more effectively.


    "Now I finally understand why you dismissed lever-action rifles," Mathews said, filled with awe as he gazed at the third Maxim heavy machine gun that had just been assembled.


    He had to be in awe, for he had fabricated a weapon that could truly fire continuously.


    This was the dream of his lifetime, and Tang Mo had easily made it a reality. He had never dreamed that the waste gases produced by ammunition could be harnessed as the power for continuous firing!


    Even more unimaginable to him was the fact that Tang Mo''s automatic weapons featured an impressively mature feeding mechanism; just by continuously pushing the ammo belt into the side of the machine gun, it could almost sweep fire endlessly.


    Who else could break through a defensive line guarded by such a weapon? It could ughter a battalion of Soldiers in merely a few minutes!


    Mathews had even naturally used the word "ughter," because he felt facing these troops wasn''t a battle; it was a massacre!


    Moreover, after seeing and understanding this weapon, he immediately realized why Tang Mo kept expanding his ammunition production workshops.


    Tang Mo had long known this thing was a monster that devoured lives, and was all too aware of how insatiable its hunger was. It devoured lives for energy, and bullets were its energy!


    "Lever-action rifles are still pretty good, at least now I use one when I go hunting," Tang Mo said to Mathews with a smile.


    In fact, Tang Mo had produced many lever-action rifles, some equipped his own guard, and others - the guards of the Northern Ridge Earl.


    This weapon might not be so useful on the battlefield, but it was quite effective in closebat.


    Especially in the well-maintained urban environment, where some elite units, using lever-action rifles, actually had no problem.


    "I''m not worried about Shireck anymore, I even feel a bit worried for them," Mathews shook his head: "Honestly, I hope they realize their mistake soon and not send so many young men here to die."


    "I hope so too," Tang Mo nodded earnestly in agreement: "I also hope that in the future when people bring up Brunas, they''ll remember it as a fun ce, not a graveyard for foreigners."


    He sighed as ifmenting the future fate of the Shireck private army: "Sadly the cost of growth is just too heavy to bear..."

 Chapter 156: Pirate Ship 156

    A merchant ship from Dorne Kingdom was swaying on the high seas, with sailors on deck frantically maneuvering their sails, and behind them followed a sailboat advancing at full speed.


    On the vast ocean, the distance between the two sailboats was getting closer, and the atmosphere seemed to grow tenser.


    On deck, the captain held onto his hat, leaned over the railing, and peered out, looking at the approaching ship in the distance. He shouted loudly to the busy sailors behind him, "Hurry! Adjust the sails! They''re going to catch up!"


    Their ship had all its sails set, and its speed had reached close to 10 kilometers per hour, which was considered to be a decent speed for a sailing ship.


    Since their ship was quite new and was intentionally designed as a high-speed merchant vessel, the purpose was to avoid harassment by some of the older pirate ships.


    Unfortunately, this time they seemed to have encountered a well-equipped pirate crew, whose ship''s speed was incredibly fast, obviously over 14 kilometers per hour.


    As time ticked by, the pursuers seemed to grow impatient. With a muffled boom of a cannon, a cannonball fell near the merchant ship, stirring up a towering column of water.


    Regrettably, due to the level of the gunner, the cannonballnded quite far from the merchant vessel, not even causing the ssh to reach them.


    But that cannon shot still threw the sailors on the merchant ship into some panic, with someone fearfully shouting, "They''re firing at us! Damn it! These damned pirates!"


    The captain knew he couldn''t let the pirates seed because the cargo on board represented their livelihood and lives.


    If pirates boarded the ship, whether they would survive was no longer in their own hands.


    Therefore, the captain, disregarding everything, shouted loudly to encourage his sailors, "Quick! We are about to enter Brunas port''s territorial waters. Once there, we might encounter other merchant ships, and we could be saved."


    Indeed, they were not far from Brunas; at least ording to the sea chart, they had already entered the waters under Brunas'' jurisdiction.


    The encouragement steadied many of the sailors, but the first mate still quietly reminded his captain with some dismay, "But, Captain! They are about to catch up!"


    The other ship was indeed fast, and this merchant vessel,den with steel, obviously couldn''t sail very fast.


    It was also because he heard that the sale of steel in Brunas had surged recently that the captain had loaded a ship full of the in-demandmodity, nning to deliver it to Brunas to earn a substantial profit.


    The result was an encounter with pirates here, making him regret so much it hurt; had it not been for his greed, they might not have faced such a desperate situation.


    Gritting his teeth, he pushed aside his first mate, stepped up to the helm, snatched the wheel from the helmsman, and shouted, "Damn it! I''ll take the helm! Their ship is faster than ours!"


    "We''re finished!" A sailor had already knelt on the deck, howling in despair.


    By his side, some sailors were holding harpoons, as if they still wanted to fight at the veryst moment. But his tremulous demeanor would reveal to anyone that his bark was worse than his bite.


    Just as many had fallen into despair, a sailor pointed to the other side and shouted loudly with excitement, "Look! Captain! Starboard! Starboard!"


    "Hmm?" Following thed''s pointing finger, the captain gazed into the distance and saw a ship seemingly rushing in their direction.


    "There''s a ship over there! It''s a warship!" another sailor shouted excitedly, filling everyone with a glimmer of hope.


    "It''s an Elf battleship!" the experienced old sailor recognized at once¡ªit was an Elf Race warship.


    "A warship?" The captain looked puzzled, carefully examining the approaching warship. He didn''t see the g of the Elf Kingdom, only an unfamiliar, red Dragon Banner.


    "Mans design, three decks! It''s an Elf warship!" the old sailor exined, smiling because he knew that pirates wouldn''t dare challenge a warship.


    After all, warships carried numerous cannons, and a broadside could fire dozens of cannonballs in one go, easily destroying a pirate ship without breaking a sweat.


    "Why would an Elf warship be here?" Nevertheless, a sailor wondered at that moment.


    The captain pushed aside the officer blocking him and had a look of salvation on his face, "It doesn''t matter why it''s here, it looks like we''re going to be saved! Signal them! Quickly! Have someone shout at the top of their lungs! We need help! Now!"


    "Help!" Hearing the captain''s reminder, a sailor immediately began to shout loudly.


    Next to him, another sailor waved his hands while joining in the shouting, "We''re under attack! Help!"


    "Hey! Hey! Look over here!" More sailors joined in the shouting, making the entire deck sound like a screaming party.


    On the approaching elf warship, the human officer, with his hand on the hilt of his Longsword at his waist, walked up to his superior and reported, "Captain! It seems someone is calling for help!"


    After retracting his monocr, Bernard, whomanded this vessel of the Elf Race, confirmed, "That''s Dorne''s Dragon Banner! The ship following that merchant vessel is not flying a national g, nor a signal g... It''s almost certainly pirates."


    Indeed, this was the only true warship Tang Mo had in his possession, which had arrived to deliver John and was subsequently detained by the elves.


    Bernard, Tang Mo''s trusted confidant, was now inmand, and its mission was to train sailors for the Great Tang Group''s navy.


    Bernard looked towards another vessel not far away and gave his orders, "Close in! Prepare to fire! Get ready to sink that pirate ship!"


    "Understood!" the officer nodded slightly. Recently, they had sunk at least ten such pirate ships.


    In fact, the pirate ship opposite obviously didn''t often operate in these waters; otherwise, they certainly wouldn''t continue their brazen crimes near Brunas.


    Among the pirates in the area, there was a legend that one should flee immediately upon seeing the Dragon Banner, or else not even have the chance to be a ghost.


    On deck, an officer, hands behind his back and chin raised, bellowed the battle orders to all sailors, "Load all cannons!"


    Elsewhere, the officer responsible for the sails was also issuing hismands simultaneously: "Hoist the sails! Raise the jib! Speed up!"


    The sailors, skilled in their work, quickly manipted the ropes, and a pristine white sail unfurled rapidly. As the sail billowed, the warship''s speed increased even further.


    "Adjust the bow! Adjust the bow!" Bernard then expertly began to navigate his warship on a course to bring its broadside to bear on the distant pirate ship.


    On the merchant vessel from Dorne, a group of sailors watched, dumbfounded, as the distant warship turned sharply.


    They started cursing in despair, some even with a cry in their voice, "Damn it, the elves'' ship is turning around..."


    "Didn''t they see us?" one sailor said with tears in his eyes as he knelt on the deck, supporting himself on the railing.


    Another sailor was even more despondent, sobbing andining, "They must have seen us! They''re nning on leaving us to die!"


    "They probably don''t want to get involved here; after all, this is Leite Kingdom''s waters," the officer said, beginning to break down himself, even forgetting that the pirate ship was getting closer and closer to them.


    The captain closed his eyes, as if preparing to face his final moment, "That''s very considerate of you, thinking of others at a time like this! We''re done for now! There''s no saving us!"


    "But... it doesn''t seem like they''re trying to turn away!" The distraught officer seemed to notice something amiss.


    By now, others had also sensed that something was off: "They''re raising sails... They''re preparing to pick up speed..."


    A sailor, looking again towards the distant warship, muttered, "Are you kidding me?"


    "My God... They''ve opened the gun ports!" another sailor noticed as the elf warship revealed its broadside, and one by one, the gun ports were opened.


    In the midst of the waves, this beautiful warship pushed out one cannon after another, revealing the dark muzzles.


    "Could it be they want to engage the pirates in battle?" a young sailor, seemingly inexperienced in navalbat, asked excitedly.


    An old sailor, who had just recognized it as an elf military ship, incredulously denied it: "Are you joking? Do you know how expensive cannonballs are? Normal naval warships, don''t they just scare off the pirates and that''s it?"


    Military forces these days were actually quite corrupt; they were unwilling to waste their cannonballs in unnecessary situations.


    If they encountered pirates at sea, they would most likely not pursue them, even if they happened to see merchant ships being plundered, they would generally look on without intervening.


    Unless the merchant vessel belonged to their own country, or if the pirates hadn''t seeded yet, under those circumstances, they would usually hoist their battle gs and scare off the pirates¡ªnothing more.


    Of course, if they met an even more corrupt navy, they might y the role of pirates in secret, killing all the sailors on the merchant ship, plundering wealth, then sinking the vessel and making their escape.


    In short, encountering a warship at sea was not necessarily a good thing. However, encountering warships near ports was mostly safe because there were many ships passing through crowded areas, and themanders of those warships generally wouldn''t harbor ulterior motives.


    But... neglecting to render aid was far toomon, whereas warships like the current one, preparing for battle right away, were not often seen.


    Listening to this old sailor, the new sailors also began to recall events they had witnessed with their own eyes yesterday: "Yeah, that''s exactly what the Leite Kingdom''s patrol ships did yesterday; they just intimidated the pirates without any intention of firing."

 Chapter 157: 157 Elf Warship

    "But this ship really did open its gun ports." However, another young sailor still had some doubts about the old sailor''s exnation.


    The old sailor was also perplexed, watching the warship in the distance fully reveal its side, and said with some uncertainty, "Maybe they''re novices, or perhaps they''re just trying to scare the opponent."


    "I think so too..." Hearing this, the officer who came over nodded in agreement.


    "Boom!" Just as he nodded, that Elf navy ship suddenly let out a ze of fire.


    "Damn!" Since they were already quite close, the sudden sound of the cannon startled everyone.


    The cannon fire was so abrupt that all the sailors who heard it instinctively shrank their necks.


    Some even fell onto the deck, awkwardlyining loudly, "Fuck! They''re firing! They''re really firing!"


    With both hands on the wheel, the captain''s eyes widened as he watched the smoke gradually clear from the side of the warship and muttered to himself, "What the hell are they doing?"


    "Boom!" Just as he was muttering, another cannon fired, sending out a sh of fire, and thick smoke rolled over the waves.


    This was no joke; they were really firing. Not a warning, not an intimidation, but directbat!


    They didn''t even bother to confirm identities before opening fire! At this moment, the merchant ship''s captain felt the other party must be a bunch of lunatics.


    On deck, upon seeing the water column rise near the pirate ship, a sailor shouted excitedly, "They''re firing at the pirates!"


    His shouts drew the attention of a few others, and then they witnessed the second cannonball fly past andnd near the pirate ship.


    Another water column was smashed into the sky by the cannonball, and it seemed even closer to the pirate ship this time.


    Seeing this scene, the sailors immediately started eximing, "My God! They are really firing at the pirate ship!"


    "And their aim is not bad..." The old sailor had seen such naval battles before; he knew that to have such uracy, the navy gunners must be very elite.


    What he didn''t know was that on that Great Tang Group warship, they had actually installed experimental targeting equipment. Although it was crude,pared to symbolically aiming with the cannon, the uracy had improved several times.


    Even though these cannons couldn''t adjust their barrels and were still muzzle-loading guns, with the aid of targeting equipment to adjust the ship''s angle for simple aiming, the uracy of the cannon fire could still be improved.


    Moreover, the distance between the warship and the pirate ship wasn''t actually that far; it seemed a good distance away, but in reality, it was only about 500 meters or so.


    If one relied solely on sight to aim, that indeed was the extreme range for firing, but if they used equipment to aim, then it would be... a bit too close.


    The sailor crew of the merchant ship, oblivious to all this, had also started to pay attention to the pirate ship in the distance.


    "The water columns are all near the pirate ship; well done!" eximed a sailor excitedly upon seeing the rising water columns.


    "Boom!" Another cannon spat out a tongue of me, and soon afterwards a water column suddenly sprang up close to the pirate ship.


    The water column was only a few meters away from the pirate ship, and the sshing water even hit the side of the pirate ship.


    Witnessing this, a sailor aboard the merchant ship shouted in astonishment, "Fuck! That was almost a hit!"


    Right after this near-miss by the cannonball, it seemed the pirate ship started to panic; it immediately began turning as if trying to flee.


    This turn signified that it had abandoned any attempt to attack the merchant ship and was showing respect to the warship ¡ª in the open sea, generally after such a disy of weakness, a warship wouldn''t pursue too aggressively.


    Seeing the pirates begin to turn, a wave of enthusiastic cheers broke out among the sailors on the merchant ship, "The pirate ship is turning!"


    "They''re running! Hahaha! They''re running!" Some sailors waved their hats,ughing and shouting excitedly, celebrating.


    Even some sailors fell to their knees on the deck, covering their faces and crying with joy, "Hurray! The pirates are running away!"


    "Hahaha! Captain! That''s great! We''ve been saved!" The officer also ran to the captain''s side, his eyes brimming with tears of excitement.


    "Long live the Elves!" The captain also became excited at this moment; of course, he had no idea that the other ship was a human warship, so he shouted the wrong slogan loudly.


    Hearing the captain shout, the other crew members joined in, "Hahaha! Well done, Elves!"


    "Boom!" "Boom!" Amidst their excited shouting, two more cannonballs were fired by the navy warship, heading towards the distant pirate ship.


    This time, one of the cannonballsnded not far from the pirate ship, while the other, incredibly fortunate, was indeed hit by the navy gunners from Tang Group''s security forces who had blindly guessed right!


    With the sound of the cannon, a brief silence followed, then shockingly, the side of the pirate ship burst out in flying wood splinters as a whole section of the side was shattered, along with part of the railing which flew into the sea.


    At this moment, the distance between the two sides was only about 400 meters, and it took only a few cannon shots to hit the enemy vessel. From any angle, the soldiers on this Navy warship could be considered among the strongest in the world.


    Therefore, a sailor widened his eyes in shock, "Hey! They actually hit!"


    Aboard the Great Tang Group''s warship, the lookout on the mast put down his telescope and shouted down to the people below, "A cannonball hit! Damage to the enemy''s side, level three damage!"


    The executive officer also lowered his telescope and reported to Bernard, "The enemy ship is turning!"


    "Speed up! Close the distance! Hard to starboard!" Bernard didn''t have the habit of letting pirates escape, after all, his warship''s sailing speed was almost unmatched by any vessel.


    After all, it was a warship that greatly emphasized speed, and furthermore, after Tang Mo acquired this warship, he had removed a third of the cannons from it!


    Now, it was essentially sailing in a light condition, which naturally made it very fast. Moreover, because it was close to the port of Brunas, it hadn''t even loaded up on freshwater and food, so naturally, its sailing speed was astonishingly fast.


    The helmsman repeated Bernard''smands loudly, turning the wheel at a rapid pace, "Hard to starboard!"


    "Adjust the sails!" the executive officer reminded loudly after him.


    "Adjust the sails!" another officer on the forward deck immediately repeated themand loudly, and the sailors quickly busied themselves.


    The officer beside the observation equipment straightened up and shouted excitedly, "The remaining cannons, fire all at once!"


    "Fire all at once!" practically all the gun captains at the various gun stationsmanded loudly and excitedly.


    "Boom!" This time, almost simultaneously, the remaining four cannons on the warship''s side belched out blinding shes and white smoke.


    Beside the distant pirate ship, three water columns erupted, and almost at the same time, another hole caused by a cannonball appeared next to the damaged nks of the hull.


    Wood splinters flew everywhere, and it was even possible to see pirates being blown apart by the cannon fire, their bodies mangled and falling inside the ruptured hull.


    The lookout in the mast immediately began shouting excitedly, "Three shots missed! One shot on target! Enemy ship damaged! Continuing to turn!"


    "Close in on the target!" Bernard licked his lips and continued tomand.


    "Close in on the target!" The executive officer''s voice echoed among the sailors, busy loading the cannons.


    "Boom!" A cannon fire also resounded from the pirate ship. It seemed that they too knew that if they didn''t fight back and only focused on fleeing, they might really meet their end here. Thus, they began to return fire with the ferocity of a cornered beast.


    However, this shot was simply too ridiculous, for the pirate ship was in the midst of a sharp turn, so the shot didn''t aim well at all, with the cannonball falling 100 meters away from the Great Tang warship''s side.


    Inparison with the precision marksmanship of the Great Tang''s security forces, the pirates'' shot was practically a joke.


    Bernard shifted his gaze from the ssh and, suppressing a smile, continued tomand, "Close the distance! Prepare to fire all at once!"


    "Cannon number 3 loaded! Cannon number 9 loaded!" On the deck, one gun captain after another stood at attention and reported loudly that their gun stations were ready to fire again.


    "Cannon number 1 loaded!" With thest gun station reporting in, the deck became much quieter.


    "Aim!" Bernard gave themand.


    "Hard to port!" The officer responsible for aiming shouted loudly, his eyes pressed to the sighting equipment. Unable to adjust the cannon''s aim, he impromptu overstepped his authority andmanded a change in course.


    "Adjust hard to port!" Bernard immediately ordered loudly.


    Following hismand, the warship began to adjust its course.


    "Three, two, one, fire!" Soon enough, the angle was found, and the officer responsible for targeting yelled at the top of his lungs.


    "Boom!" A line of eight cannons almost simultaneously spewed mes, and a billowing cloud of thick smoke obscured much of the warship''s side.


    And with that volley, the sailors on the nearby merchant ship''s deck gawked as the pirate ship, which was turning, was hit by at least three cannonballs at the same time!


    It was as if an unseen giant hand had gripped the pirate ship, its hull splintering apart in an instant, wood splinters flying everywhere.


    The cannon fire had shattered some of the ship''s structural supports. It was visibly apparent that one of the masts on the pirate ship was beginning to lean forward as the force of the sails pulled on it. It hadn''t fallen over, but it was tilted, looking rather pathetic.


    Without high-explosive shells, even with sustained fire and hits, it was not possible to immediately sink a sailing warship.


    Yet, judging by the damage, it was clear that the pirates aboard had definitely not had an easy time¡­

 Chapter 158: The 158 Indecisive Pirates

    Life was indeed bing difficult, and now the pirates were full of regret. They were arge group of pirates from far away, and because the captain was a former navymander, he knew naval tactics well.


    This had allowed them to reap many rich spoils from plundering, and they were rarely cornered by military warships. Over time, they had umted arge amount of gold coins.


    In theory, this retired navymander was somewhat visionary; instead of squandering all his money, he saved a portion and bought a retired armed merchant ship that was no longer wanted by another country about a year ago.


    He also used his old connections to keep two of the original cannons that the armed merchant ship had been equipped with.


    As a result, his pirate ship became one of the few in the nearby seas that had cannons, which greatly increased the efficiency of their piging, and because it was a new ship, it was fast as well.


    After some modifications, this ship had water tanks installed in the ce originally meant for cargo, allowing them to carry an abundance of food, thus high endurance for long-distance raiding.


    What they never expected was that the arrogant crew met a tough opponent near Brunas. Or rather, it wasn''t just a tough opponent¡ªit was a reapering for their lives!


    Their adversary''s cannon fire was extraordinary, even surpassing the knowledge of this pirate captain. A navy that could achieve hits with just a few rounds of cannon fire was indeed rare in this world.


    Moreover, he had already turned tail to flee and had fired a shot in retreat, by usual logic, the other party shouldn''t have pressed them too hard.


    After all, the opponent was regr military, andmanders had to take responsibility. It was his fear of bearing responsibility and the constant anxiety that led him to leave the Navy in the end.


    Typically, navymanders, to avoid warship damage and personnel losses, wouldn''t recklessly pursue pirates.


    Therefore, when navy warshipmanders realized that the other side also had cannons, they usually wouldn''t pursue but just intimidate the pirates and force them to retreat.


    But today''s navymander, seeing that they had fired a cannon and showed weakness by turning around, still crazily cut into the battlefield and pursued them relentlessly.


    To his despair, just moments ago, a salvo from the enemy had once again hit his beloved warship, leaving damage that was difficult to repair.


    For these pirates, this was all money! These were irrecoverable losses!


    He widened his eyes in fury, drew hismand sword as if ready to y a desperate game with the enemy, but what he shouted was, "Quick! Speed up! Shake them off! Shake them off!"


    There was no help for it; his men were a bunch of pirates who bullied the weak and feared the strong... Asking them to plunder merchant ships, they were like ravenous wolves, but to make them fight against soldiers, they were timid mice.


    Besides, he did not wish to gamble his life here against a warship; his ship was an armed merchant vessel with much-reduced firepower, only two cannons, and no match for a warship.


    And from the perspective of cannonry, the opponent was clearly the elite of the elite¡ªabsolute main forces in any country¡ªand utterly unbeatable!


    How could such a killing god appear in the seas near Brunas? He was full of questions, but there was nowhere left to ask them.


    While he was lost in these confused thoughts, his subordinates brought him two pieces of news that plunged him intoplete despair.


    "Cap''n, Cap''n! Our mast, the mast is broken, we gotta slow down!" one of his subordinates shouted at the captain, pointing to a mast up ahead.


    Another downcast subordinate reported even more disheartening news, "Captain, our water tank has been breached!"


    Suddenly, the old captain, who had be a pirate, felt dizzy. When he was in the navy, he restrained himself from attacking pirates for fear of bearing responsibility, and now, as a pirate, he actually encountered a group of naval freaks who went mad against pirates! Was life ying a joke on him?


    The damaged mast meant structural integrity waspromised, signaling he had to lower some sails to preserve the mast which could no longer withstand the force.


    Without the sails, he couldn''t maintain speed, and thus, it was impossible to outpace the warship that might even be faster.


    And with the water tank breached, that was indeed a cause for despair. Drifting in the vast ocean, even if they escaped the soldiers'' pursuit, people aboard must drink fresh water at some point.


    Without fresh water, drifting at sea was akin to wandering in the desert; both situations meant dying of thirst.


    Therefore, the recent damage had already plunged this group of pirates intoplete hopelessness.


    "Damn bastards!" Turning to look at the warship closing in again, the old pirate captain''s eyes finally showed fierce resolve.


    He knew that it was time to be ruthless; if they could fend off these officers and soldiers, then he and his men might survive a little longer. But if they couldn''t destroy that cursed warship, they were all doomed right now!


    "Are the cannons loaded yet? Fire at will! Fire at will!" He clutched hismand saber, pointing toward the distant target, and shouted frantically.


    Apanying his cries, the distant warship fired again!


    This time, the enemy''s cannons were even more urate¡ªeight cannonballs directly hit four targets, scattering wood splinters all over the pirate ship that was turning around.


    The flying splinters injured many pirates, and two cannonballs crashed directly into the stern watchtower of the pirate ship that was maneuvering.


    The shattered ss and wood splinters flew all over the captain''s cabin and the chart room, a cannonball directly breaking the stairs. The flying debris caused several pirates hiding in the chart room to fall to the ground, screaming in agony.


    Although in this era solid shot was not so easily capable of sinking a ship, any cannonball that prated the hull would, to some extent, damage the ship''s structural integrity.


    This volley, while not further expanding their achievements and not causing any substantial fatal damage to the pirate ship itself,pletely demoralized the pirates who had just mustered their courage.


    The pirates, who had just gathered the courage for a decisive battle to the death, once again scurried for cover, crying out for their parents and wailing.


    "Help! Someone save me! I''m injured! I''m injured!" One pirate, lying on the ground, seeing a sharp piece of wood embedded in his own leg, cried out loudly.


    Unfortunately, this was originally a pirate ship, with no doctors on board, and naturally, no one would bother with this unlucky soul.


    In fact, even if someone wanted to help, they couldn''t anymore. The only pirate on board who knew a bit about bandaging, who was usually treasured and hidden inside the watchtower without participating inbat, had just been killed by a cannonball.


    As the pirate captain looked out and saw nothing but a sea of chaos, not knowing what to do himself, the distant warship had already closed the gap to about 300 meters.


    "Fire... fire the cannons!" The desperate pirate captain, wielding hismand saber, screamed hysterically. And at this time, the pirates who had barely managed to load the cannons fired the best shot of the battle toward the distant warship.


    The shot... still missed.


    Because the distance was quite close and the pirates had taken a long time to aim, they finally had a bit of uracy.


    The cannonball they fired flew over a distance of more than 300 meters andnded in the sea about 15 meters from the stern of the warshipmanded by Bernard.


    From the start of the engagement until this moment, the pirates had finally fired a threatening shot, and with it, defended their dignity as well.


    And then... they again had to exert themselves to clear the cannon, reload, and aim once more.


    Regrettably, Bernard was not going to give them another chance. After having reloaded, Bernard once more gave the order and fired a third volley.


    It''s not that Bernard was wasteful; in fact, the Great Tang Navy''s resources were simply too ample. The amount of gunpowder and cannonballs for this naval force was staggeringly immense.


    There was no other way around it; Tang Mo had mass-produced steel, melting down over half the Navy''s cannons into railroad tracks, so much so that this Elf Race''s main warship, which was originally equipped with more than 30 cannons, had now been turned into a patrol ship with only 8 cannons on one side.


    The armed merchant ships that John had left behind were even more awkward, originally equipped with about 8 cannons, now only 4 remained to maintain appearances.


    So, the surplus of gunpowder and cannonballs became quite noticeable¡ªafter all, Tang Mo was now mass-producing smokeless powder, and these surplus naval munitions, mainly ck gunpowder and solid shot, could only be reserved for naval training use.


    Because of this, Bernard''s naval training was incrediblyvish, with plenty of opportunities for live-firing exercises, let alone actualbat against pirates.


    It was just bad luck for these pirates to encounter Bernard''s group of freaks¡ªthey weren''t stingy with their ammunition and were deliberately training in artillery, with the intention of fostering talents suitable for future naval warfare.


    As for boardingbat? Bernard had not even considered it. Following Tang Mo''s orders, he had almostpletely abandoned this tactic, especially after taking the Navy''s officers and men on a tour of the Great Tang''s shipyard to see the irond warships...


    Good heavens, if the future held such irond warships equipped with dense and precise cannons, who would foolishly engage in pointless boarding battles?


    "Let''s finish this training quickly! It seems that the other side no longer has any ability to fight back." Bernard, somewhat bored, said this before firing the third volley.

 Chapter 159: See you in the next life.

    ```


    "Boom!" A new salvo once again hit the pirate warship, and this time, unlike the previous two, the already battered pirate ship finally sumbed to the strain and began to slow down noticeably.


    This round of salvo saw one cannonball fly directly towards the pirate ship''s rudder below the lookout, rendering the vessel suddenly unable to steer effectively.


    Though it could still attempt to navigate by adjusting its sails, the efficiency of this method was far too inferior.


    Another cannonball, after smashing into the warship, burst through the hull below the waterline on the other side, creating a hole that caused the ship to take on water, exacerbating the pirate vessel''s dire situation.


    What brought the pirates to utter despair, however, was the cannonball that struck their gun position,pletely destroying the only cannon they had on that side!


    Now they had no means to retaliate, they had suffered heavy casualties, with over eighty pirates crowded on board, dead or wounded. Those who remained were too terrified to maintain their usual bravado.


    "Quick! Hang the white g! Hurry!" Finally, a pirate who hade to his senses began to scream hysterically, regretting why he hadn''t thought of this creative idea sooner.


    The old pirate captain did not oppose his subordinate''s initiative, as he too had already considered surrendering. He had even prepared his plea for mercy, knowing that an experienced sailor could find a way to survive anywhere.


    So, the pirates hastily climbed the mast and hung a dirty white sheet at the top of their own mast.


    They made sure the other side had seen therge bedsheet, dirty and patched as it was, for everyone knew what it meant.


    "We surrender! We surrender!" the pirates waved their hands frantically, pleading loudly at the warship that was closing in.


    In response, they were met with the fourth round of vicious salvo. This time, as the distance had closed to less than 200 meters, the hit rate visibly improved.


    Five cannonballs struck the pirate ship on the mark, shattering the remaining side nks and causing the ship to begin sinking slowly.


    Only then did the pirates realize that their foe truly intended to wipe them out, not y a game of cops and robbers with them.


    Across from the sinking pirate ship, Bernard coldly watched the now listing wreck of a sailboat and muttered emotionlessly, "Sorry, sir said no pirate prisoners, so you can only die here... Listen to me, don''t be a thief in your next life. You''ve done too many bad things to be good anymore, so you''ll just have to die, to atone for everything you''ve done..."


    ...


    "Wow!" Looking at the port in front of him, the merchant ship''s captain could hardly believe his eyes. He truly could not believe that such enormous cranes existed in this world.


    Indeed, it was a very, veryrge crane, towering nearly 20 meters high at the port, standing as majestic as a lighthouse.


    Of course, Brunas''s new lighthouse seemed even more magnificent, located on the opposite side of the port, built on towering cliffs. With the additional height of the cliffs, it stood at an imposing 50 meters.


    The lighthouse was constructed of colossal stones and cement sourced locally, unimaginably sturdy, and had a huge lightingmp installed at the top that even used electricity.


    Seizing this opportunity, Tang Mo created the world''s first electric searchlight and applied this breakthrough to the new warship under construction.


    Tang Mo''s warships could now engage in night battles, as each side of the vessel was installed with arge searchlight, identical to the ones used on the lighthouse.


    Moreover, during the construction process,puter simtions helped identify that the warship still had the issue of being heavy at the back and light at the front, so the final design ended up resembling that of the Zhou Yuan ss warships.


    The three-barreled 120mm caliber cannons in front were reduced by one, reverting to a standard twin-barreled main gun, while the rear twin-barreled 120mm caliber main guns were changed to a single-barreled 120mm caliber main gun.


    This configuration closely matched the main armament quantity of the Zhou Yuan ss, with a front-two rear-one arrangement, a ssic and familiar setup.


    The only difference was that the Zhou Yuan ss had shielded guns, with the rear exposed, while Tang Mo''s gship was fitted with enclosed gun turrets, albeit with a mere 8mm of rear armor thickness.


    Additionally, these warships were powered by thetest iteration of steam engines, which had been modified to greatly enhance their power, certainly qualifying as a warship''s propulsion system.


    When these sailors from the distant Dorne Kingdom looked up at the massive crane, they were utterly awestruck by Brunas''s grandeur.


    During unloading, they only had to move the iron ingots from their ship into arge, and then the colossal crane would lift the heavy cargo and gently ce it on the dock.


    ```


    Such efficiency hadpletely crushed those small cranes at other docks, and cranes were actually not thatmon at docks during this era.


    Most of the time, sailors had to move the cargo one piece at a time using gangnks, which was manageable for small items, but forrge freight, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and try over and over again.


    To unload an entire cargo ship within a few hours like this was extremely rare indeed.


    Although not unprecedented, such efficiency was generally only seen at major docks, which were among thergest harbors in the world, and on a scale far beyond what little Brunas couldpare.


    But what truly shocked these sailors from afar was not just that. Once they''d bewilderedlypleted the loading and unloading, they were ordered to sail their ships away, anchoring near the shallow beaches outside, then the crew would use small boats toe ashore.


    This was to clear the docks as quickly as possible so that more merchant ships could dock. After all, with Tang Mo buying up massive amounts of ore, merchants from nearby Kingdoms had caught wind and began to transport materials to Brunas frantically.


    Scores of merchant ships crowded the already narrow waters near Brunas''s harbor, which caused the docks to buckle under the strain, and the throughput became a bottleneck in the harbor''s development.


    To resolve this issue, Tang Mo had to finance the expansion of the harbor and even built this giant crane there¡ªit was powered by electricity, although most people were none the wiser.


    This crane relied on an electric motor to control the counterweights. From a distance, everyone thought it was a regr gravity crane, but only the users knew that it actually used a portion of electric power.


    With this crane, work at the dock could proceed quickly, solving Tang Mo''s problem of material needs.


    Now, the throughput of Brunas had increased exponentially. Many ships were using Tang Mo''s newly built port, and some were still using the old port of Brunas.


    At the new port, goods were secretly sent to a nearby train station and then directly transported to Factory No. 2.


    On the docks of the old Brunas harbor, Sailors from Dorne marveled at everything around them, as if they were Grandmother Liu entering the Grand View Garden, feeling their ignorance and insignificance.


    They saw the newly constructed municipal building made of concrete and witnessed the freshlypleted fountain square.


    The sailors also tried the new vegetable hamburgers, and the delicious ketchup nearly made them swallow their tongues.


    They were excitedly swept away by the crowds to the casino and there saw the most entertaining games. They stood obliviously beside the tables, shouting out numbers with hoarse voices and then bemoaning their losses with chest-beating and foot-stomping.


    The ones from Dorne had never seen such amusing things before and were experiencing such exciting games for the first time.


    Some among them had turned a single Gold Coin into thirty overnight, bing a small-time wealthy man.


    Others had gambled away all the money they had in one night, to the point where they couldn''t even afford another vegetable burger.


    And some sailors found their way to the street of neon lights and colorednterns, speechless from the shock of it all.


    They saw girls in gauzy dresses dancing in the streets, their fragrant garments brushing past the sailors'' cheeks, almost leaving drool behind.


    Then, minutester, these sailors remembered that their pockets were filled with arge sum of hard-earned Gold Coins.


    After that, they feverishly gave back to Mr. Tang Mo all the money they had just been paid by him.


    "Thank the great gods for letting me find true paradise!" a Sailor managed to squeeze his head out from between two embracing women, lifting his cup with an intoxicated face and cheering loudly.


    "To Brunas! Cheers!" nor was hispanion any better off, already drunk, he was struggling to undo his troublesome belt.


    Paper-drunk and gold-intoxicated was the main melody here, while carefree abandon yed the dominant note. The sailors, already tense from their time at sea, finally understood the source of true happiness.


    Though when they woke up tomorrow morning, they would discover with bitterness how wild they had beenst night¡ªthe Gold Coins they had worked so hard to earn on their voyage might not even leave a single copper coin remaining.


    However, after experiencing another side of this incredible world, they would quickly fall in love with Brunas, with this gold-consuming pit, with this boundless life.


    Then they would bring even more raw materials to Tang Mo, hoping to earn more Gold Coins here, and promptly squander them here even more handsomely.

 Chapter 160: 160 Substitute Work

    Recently, there have been significant changes at Northern Ridge.


    Under the influence of Tang Mo, Alice, who sessfully inherited everything at the Northern Ridge and was recognized by the Kingdom, bing the new Lady Earl, is now transforming her mansion.


    She obtained a new set of equipment from Brunas andmenced a major construction project, installing a steam engine boiler within the originally modest-looking Earl''s Mansion.


    That''s right, she installed a steam engine in her own home, and now, afterplete instation and tuning, it''s being connected to new devices...


    An officer, looking at the busy workers, stated with a sense of pain, "Steam engines are very expensive! Do you know how much it costs to use this thing specifically to drive that gadget?"


    In fact, he had visited the bullet manufacturing factory at Northern Ridge. A single steam engine could make a huge quantity of bullets, and its production efficiency was far greater than manualbor.


    Northern Ridge, with Tang Mo''s full support as an industrial base, could obtain far more support than the distant Por Kingdom.


    Tang Mo had almost no reservations when it came to technology, transferring nearly all technologies except the major weapon, the Maxim, to Northern Ridge.


    There was no helping it, considering he shamelessly seduced the daughter of the former Earl during the funeral period... well, or maybe it''s the current Lady Earl that he seduced... That''s the gist of it anyway.


    With this additional rtionship, the industrialization process at Northern Ridge hit the fast track. Alice enjoyed writing letters to Tang Mo, always proudly referring to Northern Ridge as her dowry.


    Anyway, she now requests anything she wants with full entitlement, ending with "after all, what''s mine is mine, and mine is also yours"... Hence, Tang Mo could only obediently pay up.


    Even the telegraph, which was scarce even in Brunas, was promptly sold to Northern Ridge by Tang Mo... albeit at a slightly expensive price.


    That''s not a problem. When the United States sells F35 fighter jets to Japan, the price is astronomical, and there are no discounts either! Only steadfast allies can buy them; no matter how rich the rabbits are, they won''t sell to them...


    Another officer, standing beside him, a burly man who pretended to be profound, nodded at the steam engine that was being test-run and said, "It should be about right. Maybe you have a better way, like... perhaps pedaling this bicycle yourself?"


    That bicycle is now linked to the steam engine. As long as the steam engine operates, it will rotate as well.


    Because Northern Ridge didn''t have a real power nt yet, they had to use such a primitive method to drive the telegraph machine''s power system.


    In fact, upon learning that Alice had installed a steam engine specifically for power generation in her mansion, Tang Mo immediately sent over the light bulb equipment¡ªthough that''s a story forter.


    Tang Mo''s own factory had already implemented electrical lighting, with all industrial buildings equipped with electric lights, allowing around-the-clock operations.


    This efficiency boost was beyond remarkable, as the shifts of workers generated enormous profits for Tang Mo.


    In the newly built Factory No. 2 in the Vicious Forest, several of Tang Mo''s new bullet production lines were already operating at full speed, barely meeting his nearly insatiable demand for bullets.


    The factories in the forest were of a new type, producing metallic cartridges, so Tang Mo could finally audaciously increase the number of Maxim guns he owned into the double digits.


    This was already a tremendous achievement, as in this era, a factory capable of producing enough bullets to supply the firing rate of ten machine guns was considered to have an amazing capacity.


    Therefore, with the support of the new factory, Tang Mo installed four Maxim guns on his new warship, allowing for the deck of approaching enemy ships to be swept with gunfire.


    Remember the design standards for the new ships? Yes, the Navy''s new warships were nned to use six Maxim guns, but in the end, only four were installed!


    It was still due to production capacity issues that Tang Mo eventually decided to reduce the number by two and allocated the spared guns to the second warship.


    There was no way around it. Even andlord''s house doesn''t boast unlimited supplies. Although Tang Mo wasvish, his factory''s capacity was already significant; however, he couldn''t possibly invest all resources into the Navy.


    The officer, who had never seen a telegraph machine, still expressed his pain, "What a joke! I just don''t understand why you would use an entire, expensive steam engine just for this thing?"


    After all, he had seen steam engines powering equipment and producing various weapons¡ªif they had an additional steam engine to produce C64 field guns, wouldn''t Northern Ridge be able to have even more field guns?


    As a military man, he didn''t care if Northern Ridge''s three legions were already equipped with thirty C64 field guns! In his view, it wouldn''t be too much even if a legion was issued twenty C64 field guns!


    After all, he didn''t handle logistics or artillery personnel management; he simply wanted more cannons! And... more shells!


    Following Tang Mo''s advice, after the new Lady Earl took office, Northern Ridge conducted military exercises to demonstrate its power to both Leite Kingdom and Suthers Kingdom.

 Chapter 161: 160 Substitute Work_2

    A legion''s ten cannons fired a total of 30 new-style shells,pletely leveling a small hilltop. Whether it was the precise artillery skills or the exaggerated range of the cannon, they deeply impressed the visiting officials from Leite Kingdom and representatives from Suthers Kingdom.


    Then, the representatives from Suthers Kingdom ordered 3,000 needle guns from Northern Ridge and also purchased ten C64 cannons at an extortionate price.


    Take note of the term "extortionate price," because it truly was exorbitant... Since everyone knew that Suthers would definitely take them apart and study them upon their return, Northern Ridge was surely going to fleece them for all they were worth.


    In fact, Northern Ridge used this windfall to rece all the C64 field cannons used by their own field troops with the C80 model.


    That''s right, the cannons now used by Northern Ridge and those used by Great Tang''s security forces were the same, all being the C80 model with a 120-millimeter caliber.


    This wasn''t just about a slightlyrger caliber; it was aplete and utter surpassing! The artillery shells and charges were iparable to those from before.


    On the other hand, after the envoy from Leite Kingdom returned home, they strongly facilitated a procurement deal with Great Tang Group for twenty C64 recoilless field cannons.


    Of course, the price was enough to make the listeners weep and the hearers sigh, for the C64 field cannon was certainly considered a major weapon of mass destruction in this era...


    With this vast sum of money, Tang Mo expanded his No. 2 factory in every direction and began the second phase of construction.


    What made Tang Mo so financially robust was actually the sessful experimentation with the wireless telegraph. Now that he had a new point of economic growth, he no longer cared about savings and could afford to squander as he pleased.


    "Expensive? You probably still don''t understand. Do you know how much this set of equipment costs?" The officer in the know smirked, utterly disdainful of the steam engine''s price.


    Even though the price of steam engines in Northern Ridge was also extremely high, the best-quality steam engines purchased from Brunas were of better quality and had a lower failure rate, and their price was certainly not cheap either.


    The steam engines produced by Northern Ridge itself were somewhat inferior; the workers doing the imitation had less experience, and theycked theprehensive technical support of a research and development team. Therefore, themercial performance of Northern Ridge''s steam engines was generally not as good.


    But even the inferior Northern Ridge steam engines, sold within Northern Ridge territory, had a fixed price of 9,000 Gold Coins each, no discount given! A year ago, who could have imagined that a pile of steel could be sold for so many Gold Coins?


    The officer who was pained to see a steam engine wastefully used immediately widened his eyes and turned to his colleague, "What? Mr. Tang demanded an exorbitant price again?"


    "No! This time, it''s absolutely worth every penny!" The burly officer, who had witnessed the power of the telegraph machine, naturally leaned towards the telegraph machine being more cost-effective.


    The other officer was startled, then looked at his colleague in disbelief, "What did you say? Worth every penny?"


    "Yes, such an amazing set of equipment, priced at only thirty thousand Gold Coins, Mr. Tang is practically giving us a huge discount at Northern Ridge!" the muscr officer dered generously, as if thirty thousand Gold Coins were mere pocket change.


    "Thirty thousand? For a few wires and some broken iron frames, it costs thirty thousand Gold?" The officer who had justmented the waste of a steam engine was nowpletely shocked, "You must be insane..."


    He eximed in surprise, and the letter was filled with the Earl''s own malicious spections about funding a kept man out of pocket.


    As straightforward as he was, how could he imagine that a few broken iron frames could actually sell for twice their weight in gold?


    So all he could conjure in his mind was a vulgar image of a female Earlvishing money to win a smile from a lover.


    But before his imagination could progress to the more scandalous phase, his muscr colleague began to mock him, "Ha, I think you''re the one who''s inexperienced."


    The officer snapped back to reality and nced toward the room currently guarded by the Earl, then asked, "Can you tell me what it actually does? I see the Earl looking so expectant over there. Does that thing produce jewels?"


    In his mind, since the device was so expensive, it surely must produce something of greater value, like gems or other valuable items.


    Immediately, the muscr officer burst intoughter, "I think it''s a gem in itself!"


    "...Cough, cough cough!" The slim, tall officer, who was just concerned about the steam engine, almost choked on his saliva.


    "In fact, it''s a telegraph machine! It can receive signals sent from Brunas, and... instantly," exined the burly officer proudly.


    "Signals? Instant?" The tall, thin officer looked confused. He had heard these terms before, but he didn''t quite understand what they meant when put together.


    "Yes, that means the messages sent from Brunas can be received by our machine here in just a few seconds," the muscr officer exined with great pride, as if he had invented the device himself.


    The tall and lean officer understood the exnation, but he was even more skeptical of it. "A message? In a matter of seconds? Are you mad?"


    The burly officer confidently said, "I''m not crazy, this is real."


    He had personally witnessed the experiment with this device a few days ago, which utterly astonished all the high-ranking officials from Northern Ridge.


    Indeed, just like the reactions of those who had witnessed miracles before, the tall and lean officer shook his head in disbelief and said, "There''s no need to exaggerate to this extent, it''spletely impossible!"


    "In fact, Lord Earl personally tested this device," continued the burly officer while watching the steam engine drive the generator set.


    "Ah? It''s been tested?" The tall and lean officer suddenly realized that what the other was saying might be true.


    The burly officer nodded. "That''s right! In actuality, we did receive a signal from Brunas."


    "Are you sure?" the tall and lean officer persisted, trying to spot any sign of deceit on his face.


    The other officer continued to nod with certainty. "I am sure!"


    "..." Not seeing the expression he had hoped for, the tall and lean officer was still dubious.


    "I was there when it happened!" the burly officer said, ying his trump card with pride.


    The tall and lean officer was immediately shocked. "You?"


    Feeling very pleased with the other''s reaction, the burly officer kept boasting, "Yes, I was there! I saw Lord Earl excitedly pull off a strip of paper and then went to check the codebook that came with the machine."


    "Codebook?" The tall and lean officer discovered another gap in his knowledge.


    His oblivious look gave the burly officer an even bigger thrill. He continued to exin as if he were an encyclopedia, "Yes, this device can''t talk, but it can use the length of the transmitted sound to convey special pre-agreed meanings. The codebook is used to trante these sounds, it''s a pre-agreed vocabryption."


    "Who came up with such a brilliant design?" the tall and lean officer almost asked rhetorically.


    "Must be the god of wisdom from Brunas," said the burly officer without hesitation.


    "Hahahahaha!" The tall and lean officer burst intoughter.


    "Hehehe." The burly officer alsoughed smugly.


    "Wait!" Suddenly, the tall and lean officer seemed to have thought of something and interrupted theirughter.


    A perplexed look came over the burly officer''s face. "Hmm?"


    "You said you were there at the time? Why were you there? Why would Lord Earl choose you for such a matter?" the tall and lean officer pressed, looking at him intensely.


    "Why couldn''t I be involved?" the burly officer frowned unhappily, feeling insulted.


    The tall and lean officer crossed his arms. "Go on, what were you responsible for at the time?"


    "I had the honor of recing the work of this steam engine!" the burly officer responded, oblivious to the severity of the question, still very proud of his answer.


    Just as expected! The tall and lean officer immediately felt much morefortable.


    ---------


    Dragon Spirit extends New Year greetings to everyone, wishing all readers prosperity and happiness in the new year!


    Just this one update for today, a 4000-word mega chapter, so there''s no need to wait for more.

 Chapter 162: 161 trade

    The signals transmitted back from Northern Ridge were clearly received in the telegraph room of Tang Mo''s factory. The rolling paper was punctured by the tapping needles, creating one clear hole after another.


    Flipping open the codebook in her hand, the young apprentice who had just be the person in charge of the telegraph room was checking the page corresponding to each number.


    She was serious and meticulous, pointing at the words with her finger, and after double-checking, she finally wrote down a beautiful character on the telegram paper, "You..."


    "What..." Then, she continued to search through her codebook, looking for the second word.


    Truth be told, her job was a bit too monotonous, but the sry was surprisingly high. Her own sry had already surpassed that of her parents, which was almost dreamlike.


    A year ago, if someone had told her that there was a job where she could sit inside a house, drink hot tea every day, casually flip through a book, and copy the words inside to earn money, she would have thought the person was crazy.


    But now, she was doing just that, tranting the knocking patterns on a strip of paper into text...


    The job was so easy that she could even read and study there, and the room Tang Mo had prepared for her was more like a study with many books, piled high with all sorts of exquisite volumes.


    When the telegraph wasn''t operating, she couldfortably brew herself a strong cup of tea and then quietly read any book she plucked from the shelf, feeling that it might be the best job in the world.


    However, ever since that Northern Ridge countess acquired a telegraph, her workload had increased, with dozens of telegrams being sent from Northern Ridge to Brunas every day.


    She smiled and shook her head, telling herself not to get carried away with her thoughts, and then continued to check the vocabry from the codebook, "Time..."


    That countess seemed truly smitten, sending a plethora of nonsensical telegrams every day to her admired Principal Tang.


    Moreover, the content of many telegrams was so bold and explicit that it made her, a young girl, blush and her heart race.


    But she understood the countess''s feelings because she also liked her principal very much, and just seeing him once a day made her very happy.


    It seemed,pared to the countess, she might be a bit happier, after all, she could see Principal Tang almost every day, even if it was just from a distance in the cafeteria at noon. That poor countess couldn''t do even that; she could only pine in Northern Ridge, unable to apany him daily...


    Ifpared that way, her own job was truly the pinnacle, the kind she wouldn''t trade even for an earl.


    Thinking about this, a sweet smile appeared on her face as she continued to write a new character on the telegram paper, "Come..."


    In fact, she wasn''t beautiful, but her self-confidence made her quite charming. Unalike the slender girls of the era, she looked somewhat plump and well-fed, her small, round, dimpled face always brimming with happy smiles.


    This made her quite popr with the boys at school, and many secretly admired her. As a sensitive girl, she could sense the thoughts of these boys, just that she hadn''t yet decided... hadn''t decided whether or not to give up on the somewhat unrealistic crush on Principal Tang.


    After all, at school, she wasn''t the most outstanding girl. The one who often stayed by Tang Mo''s side was the ssroom leader of one of the first three sses, a big sister named Yulin.


    She was confident she could outdo over ny percent of the girls at school, but when faced with Yulin, she couldn''t help feeling a bit inferior.


    There was no helping it; considering height, she was only 1.6 meters, while Yulin had reached 1.63 meters. Yulin had a typical oval face with beautiful eyes filled with brightness...


    In her opinion, Yulin was, in a sense, even more beautiful than Countess Alice, because Yulin had learned Tang Mo''s knowledge and surpassed the era as a genius. Since enrolling, she had never scored below 90, acknowledged as a top student by the whole school.


    She also understood Tang Mo''s ideas better and was very intelligent, knowledgeable, and had an exceptional memory, truly a natural-born gifted woman. If not for being born into amoner''s family, she might have be a socialite in the nobility circles.


    Yulin was also very attentive at school, caring for her ssmates'' health and psychology, enjoyed making friends, and was nice to all the younger students... Thus, she was nicknamed "Queen" at the school.


    The most crucial point... when it came to figure, she also fell short of Yulin, who might be the dream girl of half the male students in the school.


    And most frustratingly, she could tell, or rather many girls could tell, that Yulin liked Tang Mo.


    A girl''s heart is always poetic; with a somewhat resigned sigh, the youngdy in the telegraph room felt as if she heard her own heart breaking. Clenching the pen in resignation, she continued topare, finding a new word, "See..."


    "I..." Finally, when she found that word, the sentence on the paper wasplete, "When will youe to see me?"


    Fight on! A countess, a top student, go ahead and fight it out! In the end, I''ll be the one who wins... Hehehe... Hahaha!

 Chapter 163: 161 trade_2

    Perhaps it was the selffort that took effect, or for some other reason, but her mood had improved greatly. She wrote down on paper the meaning represented by thest series of holes: "Question mark!"


    Then, she neatly tore off the sheet of paper, stood up, and walked out of the room, instructing the guards at the door, "Don''t let anyonee near."


    "Yes, ma''am!" the soldier responded, and then watched the young girl clutching the telegraph paper and humming a tune as she walked away.


    The telegraph office wasn''t actually far from Tang Mo''s room, and when Tang Mo saw the telegram that read, "When will youe to see me?" his face clearly disyed a mix of amusement and bemusement.


    He hadn''t expected that the telegraph he hadbored to invent would now serve as a personal messaging system between himself and Alice...


    This was essentially what he had heard about in his previous life, those girls who bombarded boys with linguistic bombs on WeChat...


    "Send a reply to her... just say... I''ll invite her to Brunas in a few days," Tang Mo instructed his telegraph operator, casually cing the telegram on the corner of his desk.


    "Yes, Master." The girl thought this title would bring their rtionship closer.


    Tang Mo felt a bit like smacking John... Ever since that chap started calling him ''Master'' at every opportunity, the number of people in the Great Tang Group who addressed him as ''Lord,'' ''Sir,'' or ''Principal'' had been steadily decreasing.


    ...


    The man waiting in the reception room finally heard a knock on the door. He looked up to find an attendant dressed in decent formal wear announcing, "Sir! His Majesty wishes to see you!"


    ... The man dressed in the distinctive blue Navy officer''s uniform stood up, awkwardly adjusting his belt where his longsword and pistol, now confiscated, used to hang.


    His hand, meant to rest on his weapons, found only air, so he steadied himself by gripping his belt, hiding his embarrassment.


    He then followed the attendant down the long corridor, through two doors guarded by soldiers, and finally entered another grand hall where he met the person he wanted to see.


    Among the twovishly dressed nobles seated there, one was the Earl he had met before, and the other, a man he hadn''t seen before, seemed even more opulent.


    However, it was this unseen man who spoke first, his tone exceedingly friendly: "I''m delighted to meet you, Captain from Leite Kingdom."


    "I am also honored to be summoned by His Majesty, the King of Pasim Kingdom," replied the Captain representing the Great Tang Group, bowing slightly as he spoke.


    The King casually indicated that he could sit anywhere, and then continued with a smile, "After seeing the gift presented by Lord Earl, I couldn''t help but summon you, our distinguished guest from afar."


    Unlike Leite Kingdom, the King of Pasim Kingdom had a greater control over the entire kingdom; all the nobility were loyal to him.


    So when an Earl witnessed the power of the K1 Quick Gun, he immediately presented this new weapon to the King of Pasim Kingdom.


    Subsequently, the King of Pasim Kingdom saw this new weapon as an opportunity from the heavens, a chance for territorial expansion!


    The Captain of the Great Tang Group''s fleet was equally courteous, waiting for the attendant to pull out his chair before sitting down to express his gratitude: "Your Majesty''s hospitality is most ttering."


    Without beating around the bush, the King dove straight into the topic of weapons: "Let''s not dally with small talk, Captain. I''ve heard you have three ships filled with those... K1 Quick Guns and matching ammunition?"


    "Indeed, Your Majesty," the Captain replied without hesitation, nodding slightly in confirmation.


    The King continued to inquire, "Lord Earl mentioned, a gun with its matching ammunition sells for 15 Gold Coins?"


    The Captain promptly replied, "Fair and square, Your Majesty. A gun, along with its corresponding ammo pack, belt, and 100 bullets, is priced at 15 Gold Coins."


    "I''ll take them all," the King nodded slightly, then, without any haggling, boldly made an outright purchase.


    "Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty." The Captain knew that if the other party was not haggling over the price, there must be additional conditions. He was not in a rush, merely expressing his thanks.


    Indeed, the King moved on to the subject of Pasim Kingdom''s trade, putting forward his request: "Our kingdom does not share a border with Leite Kingdom, somercial exchanges are not frequent. I hope you, Captain, can do me a favor."


    "Your Majesty''s affairs are of utmost importance to me, and I will do my very best to assist," said the Captain politely.


    The King, excited, said, "I''m very d to hear that. I hope that when you return to Leite Kingdom, you will bring my fleet with you... We have Gold Coins and goods, and we hope to do some business in Leite Kingdom."


    "This... Your Majesty, I make my living off this shipping route... You''re looking to take it over." The ship captain immediately showed a troubled expression.


    "Captain, I hope you can do me this favor," the King asked earnestly.


    "It seems I can''t help you with this, Your Majesty." The captain thought for a few seconds before finally declining.


    "This..." The King immediately appeared displeased.


    The captain insisted, "If you are not willing to purchase these K1 Quick Guns, I can continue heading south to find another way."


    Thinking of the batch of arms, the King''s attitude softened a bit, "No, Captain, whether you agree to help or not, I still wish to buy all your K1 Quick Guns."


    "Then, once again... thank you for your generosity." The captain stood up, took a slight bow, and then turned to leave the hall.


    After the captain was gone, the Earl, who was sitting beside, spoke up, "Your Majesty... it seems he has refused?"


    The King nodded, "Yes, he has refused... Think about it, he should refuse, after all, he wishes to profit from this venture a few more times."


    The Earl said with a smile, "That''s only human nature, there isn''t much we can do about it."


    The King was somewhat unwilling to let go, "But we can''t wait! Intelligence reports that the health of the neighboring country''s King is already very poor. If we seize this opportunity to annex the neighboring nation, our national power is bound to reach a new level!"


    "So what do you suggest?" the Earl asked further.


    The King continued, "If the captain is unwilling to cooperate, perhaps his subordinates may not be, if we can win over some of his sailors or officers, as long as they can take us to the Leite Kingdom, as long as they can obtain arge number of modern weapons, I don''t mind giving them a bright future."


    "Then, I shall give it a try!" The Earl immediately stood up.


    ¡­


    "I gave up arge sum of money just to bring you here," said the captain to his officer beside him, wincing as he left the Royal Pce.


    The First Mate beside him chuckled, "Can money really measure what''s important to the master?"


    "Do you think he''lle for you?" the captain asked uncertainly.


    "If I''ve made it this obvious and he doesn''t act, then he must have a problem in his head. I''ll activate another n, one suited for dealing with idiots, to get close to him," the young First Mate confidently dered.


    "Hahaha!" the Captainughed heartily.


    "Well then, I''m off to the brothel to wait for them..." the young First Mate spoke up.


    "Goodbye and good riddance!" the Captain replied indifferently.


    As the officer walked away, heined, "It''s quite bothersome pretending to be a lecherous sailor."


    "Be careful, you''re only 19 years old! Don''t mess around!" the Captain warned.


    "Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing, and I''m aware of what really matters," the officer answered confidently.


    Then, he looked toward the direction of the Leite Empire, "And besides, how could I be interested in those mediocre women? Aside from taking off their clothes, they can''t do anything else, they don''t even know what potassium permanganate is..."


    The Captain disdainfully retorted, "The King of Pasim doesn''t even know what potassium permanganate is either."


    "That''s why he needs me." Touching the dandelion ring on his finger, the young First Mate said with a smile.


    "Hahaha!" The Captainughed once again.


    -----------


    There is only one chapter today. I have a family gathering, and it will be the same tomorrow, so please be patient. The updates will resume shortly.

 Chapter 164: 162 The Elf Who Crossed the Line

    On another continent, the g of the white por trees of the Elf Race''s Por Kingdom suddenly appeared at noon one day on the borderline between the Por Kingdom and the Orc Gales Kingdom.


    This region had always been a contentious area, where approximately a year ago the troops of the Por Kingdom had shed with those of the Gales Kingdom, suffering a loss of 4,000 men. Both sides had then faced off across the banks of a river called the Segal.


    The war seemed to have subsided, but recently the Por Kingdom had once again increased its forces at the Segal River, and the atmosphere in the nearby war zone had suddenly be tense once more.


    Within the territory of the Gales Kingdom, on the ins near the Segal River, the Orcmanders were discussing recent military maneuvers in a tent.


    Contrary to popr belief, the Orcs in this world were simply green-skinned humans with sharper teeth and elf-like ears¡ªpointy, yet their physiques were not much stronger than that of humans and elves.


    An Orc officer in leather armor, his hand on the hilt of his longsword, looked down at the not-so-detailed map on the table and said to the leading general, "Those elves from the Por Kingdom across the river have been bing unsettled again recently!"


    Another Orc officer pointed at the map, "They''re amassing troops, but we still hold an absolute advantage in numbers."


    A flintlock gun, the Shireck Flintlock Gun, hung on his waist. Judging by the wooden handle of the pistol, this weapon had clearly seen long service.


    Compared to the more delicate Elf Race, the Orcs were closer to a prairie civilization. Their lifestyle was rougher, so naturally, their economy was not as developed as that of the elves and humans.


    However, they were arguably more fierce in battle. While they were not particrly skilled, their bravery was renowned worldwide.


    Of course, they too could be wounded, fall, bleed, and die in the face of firearms.


    Lacking Shireck''s workshops in their territory, most of the Gales Kingdom''s firearms were acquired through smuggling from another kingdom to the rear.


    They were more numerous, but they had rtively fewer firearms. Every conflict with the Por Kingdom led to rivers of blood for the Gales Kingdom.


    "I really can''t understand why they are always so arrogant, thinking they can destroy our Orc Race''s iron will with firearms!" a burly Orcmander said in a simple and honest tone.


    He clenched his fists as if to vent the rage in his heart, "If we had that many firearms, their very survival would be a problem!"


    The leading Orc general, arms crossed, stared at the map, silent. He truly hadn''t anticipated that the enemy would make aeback so soon.


    Based on past experience, after a major battle the Por Kingdom would typically show some restraint, recuperating for a while before reinforcing the border again.


    But now, it seemed their adversaries were eager to restart the war, and on arger scale than before.


    ording to information from the Orc scout troops, the Por Kingdom had sent an additional 4,500 troops in three legions to the border.


    Including the 12,000 soldiers already stationed at the border, the Elf Race had now deployed a total of 11 legions there.


    This scale vastly exceeded previous deployments, so the Orc side had also begun to increase its forces at the border.


    Being at a disadvantage in the number of firearms and artillerypared to the Elf Race, the Gales Kingdom had moved 17 legions, over 25,000 troops, to the border.


    Including the 10 legions originally stationed there, the Gales Kingdom''s main force had nearly emptied its nest, amassing a grand army of 40,000!


    This time, it was almost a battle investing the nation''s entire strength. The Gales Kingdom had even borrowed a considerable amount of money from another Orc Kingdom in the rear to support such a massive war.


    In principle, with the Gales Kingdom''s 27 legions facing the Elf Race''s 11 legions, the Orc troops were almost twice the number of the elves''.


    Yet the elves had not retreated; on the contrary, they seemed quite aggressive, with their main force increasingly nearing the Segal River, and even their cavalry had crossed the river for reconnaissance yesterday.


    "Sir!" As all the Orcmanders in the tent spected about the true intentions of the Elf Race, an officer barged in hastily.


    "What''s the matter?" The leading Orc general inhaled deeply, staring at the officer who entered.


    That officer immediately bowed his head and replied, "The elves have crossed the border upstream! Two of their legions are attempting to cut through our defensive line!"


    The Orc officer was stunned; he had stationed two legions of troops upstream, and with the river as a barrier, a copse so soon seemed impossible.


    So, with some disbelief, he continued, "Howe our riverbank garrison hasn''t made a move?"


    "They''ve been routed! The rate of fire of the Elf Race''s firearms has suddenly increased. It must be that they have acquired Shireck''stest firearm technology!" the officer reported with a somber expression.


    The defeated Orc troops indeed brought back many pieces of feedback, including intelligence on the weapon change of the Elf Race''s vanguard troops.


    Having never seen such weapons before, the Orc troops mistook the Elf Race''s Tang''s K1 Quick Gun as a new type of weapon developed by the Shireck arms conglomerate.


    The leading Orc general, surrounded by his officers, listened as one burly Orc immediately exploded in anger, "Damn it! Those humans really will sell anything to those cunning Elves!"


    After pondering for a moment, the leading Orc general finally decided to deploy his troops on the t terrain, "Assemble the Wolf Riders! Let our musketeers advance towards the Sena ins! We cannot allow the Elf Race to control Sena City, or else this year''s harvest will bepletely destroyed!"


    The Orc Wolf Riders were actually not knights who rode wolves; they were shepherds of the Orc race who herded wolves, had excellent marksmanship, and were skilled riders, forming one of the main forces of the Orcs.


    It was precisely because they had arge contingent of cavalry that the Orcmander chose the Sena ins for the decisive battle.


    Here, his cavalry could charge, threaten the enemy''s nks, and allow him to deploy his superior forces to break the enemy in one strike.


    And although the Orcs were at a disadvantage in the number of muskets, they were not far behind the Elves in the number of cannons.


    This is why, after decades of fierce battles, the Elves had never gained an upper hand, which was another reason.


    "Yes, sir!" the Orc officer immediately turned and charged out of the tent upon hearing themand.


    The Orcs outnumbered their enemy, and consequently, it took longer to assemble their troops, a disadvantage of having an excessivelyrge force.


    "Send someone to inform His Majesty the King at once! Report the situation on the battlefield to him," the Orc general instructed again.


    Another officer nodded and walked out of the tent, "Yes, sir!"


    After a series of orders were issued, silence once again returned to the tent, and the brawny officer beside the Orc general couldn''t help but curse angrily, "Now I finally understand why the Shireck envoys were so easy to talk to, selling us 5,000 Shireck Flintlock Guns in one go!"


    "They''re swindling our money!" the other Orc officers said grimly, clenching their fists.


    The leading Orc officer closed his eyes, reluctantlymenting, "But we still have to trade fairly with them! This is what I hate the most!"


    The two legions he had deployed by the upper river had crumbled in an instant, indicating a clear and significant superiority of the Elves'' weaponry.


    He started with twenty-seven legions against eleven of the Elves, now he had only twenty-five legions ready for immediatebat.


    Such a situation had never urred in previous wars, so he had to reassess thebat power of the Elf troops.


    A miscalction of the enemy''s actualbat strength could lead to an irreversible catastrophe for the entire war situation.


    This was a battle in which the Orc Gales Kingdom had invested all its effort. If they failed to defeat the Elves, the Gales Kingdom losing the Sena ins would essentially be no different from the kingdom''s ruin.


    After considering his options, he ordered the brawny officer beside him, "You personally lead the guard! Have the two defeated legions find a way to withdraw from battle! Gather all the surviving musketeers from the two retreating legions and reinforce the 17th Legion!"


    "Yes!" the Orc officer grunted in acknowledgment.


    "Remember! Don''t act recklessly! Have the 17th Legion fall back slowly! If the enemy takes the bait and pursues the 17th Legion into the Sena ins, join with the three following legions and hold your ground on the spot!" the leading Orc general advised.


    "Understood!" the officer answered solemnly once more.


    "Not a step back!" the leading Orc general emphasized onest time.


    "Not a step back!" the Orc officer confirmed resolutely once again.


    "Go!" With a nod, the Orc general waved his hand, signaling his trusted officer to carry out the orders.


    With a proud lift of his chin, the officer stood up straight, silently exiting the tent.


    First, use three legions to test the enemy''sbat strength, and at the same time, dig a big trap for the enemy, testing theirmander to see if they would be overconfident and advance recklessly... After setting the basic battle ns, the leading Orc general instructed the remaining officers in the tent, "The rest of you return to your legions andmand your troops!"


    "Yes!" the remaining Orc officers replied in a cacophony.

 Chapter 165: 163 The beginning of chaotic times

    Just as the Orc Race of the Gales Kingdom had reignited the mes of war with the Elf Race of the Por Kingdom, and the Por Kingdom was once again advancing north to attack the orcs with their weapon superiority, Tang Mo stood on the shipyard, wrapping his arms around the slender waist of Alice, the Countess of the Northern Ridge, watching the colossal irond warship slowly leave the shipyard.


    This warship was the first in human history to be entirely powered by steam, as well as the first steam-powered warship!


    Itsmissioning marked the official entry of the Great Tang Group into the ranks of contesting for naval supremacy. And as soon as the Great Tang Group joined this lineup, it moved to the very front...


    Equipped with three 120-caliber naval guns, and also armed with twelve 75mm caliber side cannons, theunch of the irond warship fundamentally changed the bnce of power at sea.


    (Here Dragon Spirit would like to exin, the caliber of the C64 field gun is 78mm, previously Dragon Spirit has written some calibers as 75, some as 78, here to unify, it will be written as 75mm.)


    It was like a group of ants mixed with an elephant, like a gang of naughty kids joined by a giant, like a group of young girls joined by a hoodlum...


    Of course, navies all over the world did not yet know that in Brunas, a warship that they had never seen before, one that would change the rules of naval warfare, was beingunched at this very moment.


    "I have never seen such a warship!" Although Alice was quite experienced and knowledgeable, she had truly never seen such a warship before.


    In fact, she didn''t quite understand naval warships, having only watched naval sailing warships from a distance a few times before.


    However, the warship before her was too unconventional; it neither had sails nor was it equipped with so many cannons.


    The sides of this warship were mostly steel tes, with some windows located at the higher rear end. And these windows were definitely not so-called gunports, but actual windows...


    ording to the standards of the era, the number of cannons on this warship could be described as meager: the most it could concentrate on the side was nine cannons of various calibers, which really didn''t constitute much of an advantage.


    However, if one thought that its firepower was insufficient because of this, they truly would be deceived by its unpretentious appearance: what it possessed, in fact, were things that naval warships of the era had never had.


    Firstly, it was fitted with two types of aiming devices, which increased the hit rate of its shells by dozens to hundreds of times, widening the generation gap with other countries'' service warships.


    Secondly, with the help of the aiming devices, its cannons could target objects over 5 kilometers away, which was also beyond the capabilities of other countries'' service warships.


    Last of all, because it utilized generators and steam power, its cruising speed was faster, and it had a lighting system. Most importantly... it was also equipped with a telegraph system.


    This enabled Tang Mo''s warship to maintainmunication with the high echelons of the Great Tang Group from the distant seas, a capability that other countries'' navies could only dream of!


    "It really is quite unconventional," said Alice, who was invited to attend theunch ceremony of this new warship. She curiously observed this new warship, which she couldn''t quite ssify as beautiful or ugly.


    She indeed couldn''t decide whether the warship was beautiful or ugly because it waspletely different in style from the current sailing warships.


    Previous sailing warships generally had carvings and reliefs, and with white sails, naturally had their own style.


    Yet, the irond warship in front of them was all about horizontal and vertical lines with clear edges, and its steel hardness made it as sharp as a de''s edge ¨C an imposing aura that could not be hidden no matter what.


    Therefore, Alice liked the warship before her very much. Of course, her fondness also includedplex feelings for the owner of the warship.


    And this time, quite rarely, Alice did not think about spending money to purchase this warship ¨C the Northern Ridge was an ind area, and no matter how much she liked the warship, she did not need an irond warship intended to dominate the high seas...


    "Being a bit unconventional is good... after all, it''s meant to fight, not just to look nice," Tang Mo said with a smile to Alice beside him.


    He had invited Alice to attend theunching ceremony of the warship, and it was also a way for him to show off his own military power.


    As a result, Alice was essentially there to meet her lover; her liking for this warship was merely on the level of "it''s pretty good."


    However, with her keen sense on another front, she had proposed to Tang Mo in the bedroom the idea of forming a fleet of faster steam paddle ships. ording to her the previous evening, this was her wanting to invest in the Great Tang Group''s fleet.


    And Tang Mo had naturally agreed to her request, because this supposed transport fleet did not yet have a single intact power-driven transport ship.


    On the contrary, what Tang Mo valued more was thebat power of this new type of warship, because he relied on this warship to vie for maritime supremacy in the future!


    Speaking of which, the sister ship of this warship was actually being constructed in the next dock, with even the hullrgelypleted.


    As soon as this warship wasunched and began to be seaworthy, Tang Mo would immediately start building a third identical vessel.


    ording to Tang Mo''s ns, his fleet should have at least around 15 such warships to ensure the absolute safety of his sea trade routes!


    As the warship''s weapon systems were too few, most of these weapons had been installed while it was still on the stocks, thus reducing many sea trials.


    By Tang Mo''s estimates, with the effort of all the shipbuilders, it could be ready for actualbat in about two to three months, provided that the sailors could learn to operate such a never-before-seen warship.


    "I say, the girl named Yulin who''s always with you, does she have something against me? Every time she looks at me, she seems... odd..." Women''s intuition is still pretty urate. Alice lowered her voice and asked Tang Mo, noticing Yulin''s "hostility".


    Tang Mo scratched his head and awkwardly exined, "No way... Howe I''ve never noticed? Maybe she''s just too tired from all the work?"


    "You always have these girls around you, and they''re always with you, of course, they''re going to be unhappy with me! You bad guy!" Alice didn''t really wish to pinch Tang Mo but just murmured in resentment.


    Tang Mo chuckled and deftly changed the subject, asking Alice about the mining development in Northern Ridge.


    At the mention of this, Alice perked up and began to methodically introduce the development of the mining industry in Northern Ridge.


    Stimted by Tang Mo''s steam engines, the ore output of Northern Ridge reached an astonishing level with a continuous supply of ore being mined, turning into his rails, into the shells of his warships...


    Of course, now almost one-third of the Leite Kingdom''s mineral production had be the consumables supporting Tang Mo''s development.


    Liangis was shocked by the total consumption of Tang Mo''s steel and even thought for a moment that Tang Mo was bluffing, using the data to intimidate Shireck, making him wary and hesitant toy a hand on Tang Mo''s industries.


    Unknown to others, Tang Mo was cutting down and burning the Vicious Forest, turning it into a gigantic factory and carving out a new road that went straight to Northern Ridge.


    This road hadn''t yet connected to Northern Ridge, but it had already approached the edge of the Vicious Forest. Even more terrifying was the fact that it was made of steel!


    A railway spanning more than 100 kilometers had been constructed by Tang Mo¡ªthe reasons behind such rapid construction wereplex and included a rtively t route, Tang Mo''s ample supply of steel, and the relentless support from both the Earl of Northern Ridge and Tang Mo himself.


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo had supplied the world with 70,000 K1 rifles, 8,900 revolvers, 1,000 Left-Wheel Handguns, 600 lever-action rifles, 900 K3-type KAR98 rifles, 80 C64 field guns, 40 C80 field guns...


    Now, including some of the Dorne Kingdom''s troops, the King''s Guard of the Leite Kingdom, the troops of Northern Ridge, and the troops of Suthers, all were equipped with Tang Mo''s arms.


    The K1 Quick Guns replicated by factories owned by Shireck and Earl Augustine of the Elf Race weren''t even included in the count yet.


    Thanks to industrial development, Northern Ridge''s economy was truly on the rise. With support from Tang Mo, Alice was building four factories, including a metal smelting nt, a parts processing nt, a steam engine nt, and a power nt.


    Moreover, Tang Mo was intentionally nurturing private capital. He had shares in four textile mills in Northern Ridge, using steam engine technology to increase the efficiency of these factories.


    The increased production capacity naturally led to a greater dependency of the secondary industry chain on the primary industry, which caused the price of agricultural products in Northern Ridge to rise, and farmers increased their tangible ies.


    Originally, the Suthers immigrants who had settled in Northern Ridge were very anxious, not knowing what their future held.


    But once they worked hard at farming and quickly reaped simple rewards, they wholeheartedly saw themselves as people of Northern Ridge.


    After all, a noble who could cut taxes, grant subsidies to farmers, and revitalize the entire agricultural ecosystem... That was truly unparalleled.


    As a result, Northern Ridge was thriving; the society was stable and well-developed, and the new female Earl of Northern Ridge also established her authority.


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo was still unaware that the Dorne Kingdom had already taken a thousand of his K1 Quick Guns and was contemting dering war on a neighboring country.


    At the same time, on a distant continent, the Por Kingdom of the Elf Race, having acquired the new weapons, had already gone to war with the Orc Race of the Gales Kingdom...


    And all of this was just the beginning of a series of tumultuous events in the second half of the year 114 of the Leite Kingdom. The person stirring up this storm was watching the giant ship in front him beingunched, creating spectacr and fierce waves.


    -----------


    The update is back to normal, with two chapters of 3000 words each daily.

 Chapter 166: 164th Orc Prince

    "General, the 17th Legion is about to copse! The enemy''s weapons are incredibly powerful! They''re much better than Shireck''s previous muskets! If they''re defeated, our frontline defense will be breached!" an orc general d in shining armor with a light-colored cloak over it said.


    Facing the attack from the Por Kingdom, the orc Gales Kingdom''s military seemed to be even more passive than before. Four of their legions had already beenpletely defeated, and one of their main forces was teetering on the brink.


    The leading orc general remained silent, waiting, waiting for definite news from the troops on his nks. The counterattack had to be effective in one strike or, once the elf race stabilized their ranks, the enemy''s even sharper firearms woulde into y.


    Soon after, a ck warhorse galloped from a distance, and an officer in the same military armor reined in his horse, slowing to a stop in front of the centralmand tent.


    "General Mack reports, the enemy''s legions positioned at the forefront are moving towards our front-line legions, and their formation is now fully spread out!" the rider reported loudly as he halted his horse.


    Many staff officers began to discuss, buzzing within therge tent, with asional pointing at the huge map hanging up as they spected on various potentialbat scenarios of the enemy.


    Behind the many generals at the centralmand, a young officer leaned back in his chair, toying with a blood-stained K1 Quick Gun in his hands, his fingers tracing over the dried blood on the rifle, looking quite serious.


    Suddenly, this young orc raised his head, a pair of bright eyes shining on his not-so-pleasant face.


    He wore nicer armor, but it didn''t exude an ounce of martial aura; instead, he still looked somewhat out of cepared to a group of burly fellow generals. He was more like a schr than a soldier.


    "Your Highness the Crown Prince!" The lead general, who had not yet given an order, looked at the young orc and walked over with a frown, asking, "What do you think?"


    Honestly, he didn''t quite like this frail Crown Prince because hecked the robust and martial quality of the orc race.


    However, the current King had only this one son, so this schrly-looking orc remained the future hope of the entire Gales Kingdom.


    "Me? If I were inmand of this battle, I''d order the troops on both nks to stand by.


    Once the enemy fully engages, thenunch a simultaneous attack, sparing no cost to destroy the enemy''s artillery following up!" The Crown Prince stood up, cing the K1 Quick Gun upright beside his chair, brushed off the nonexistent dust from his armor, and stepped up to the map, pointing to the sides as he spoke.


    As he spoke, he stretched out his other hand and pressed it on the map: "Once sessful, we must leverage our troop strength, which is twice that of the enemy, and obliterate the enemy with the simplest and most brute force approach, now that they have lost their cannons."


    "By doing so, our elite 17th Legion is doomed! And it''s not just the 17th Legion; even the other two legions on their nks might suffer heavy losses..." the leading general asked with a furrowed brow.


    "General Sir, conscripting tens of thousands of troops and charging into the battlefield is essentially sending them to their deaths. What we seek is victory alone! How we send them to their deaths does not reflect ourpassion," said the Crown Prince calmly. "What we can do is trade their deaths for victory, not let them close their eyes in defeat."


    The lead general was taken aback and then looked again at the Crown Prince he hadn''t liked, seeing something different beneath the weak exterior.


    Then, whether intentionally or unintentionally, he even reminded him, "Even though Your Highness speaks the truth, as Crown Prince, you must still maintainpassion..."


    If it were before, he wouldn''t have said such a thing. But today he did, and he spoke with sincerity.


    "The fact is, General... we are too far behind. We have neither a decent military firearms industry nor a qualified intelligence agency... We know nothing about the new weapons,"mented the Crown Prince as he looked at the confiscated K1 Quick Gun beside the chair. "This is wrong, and it''s why we have suffered heavy losses and paid the price with blood this time!


    If we continue like this, we might soon face the end of our nation!"


    Hearing the Crown Prince''s rebuke, many generals hung their heads in shame. Frankly, their information was indeed too limited; they hadn''t even heard about the new weapons equipped by the elf race.


    Because the two kingdoms had long been in a state of war, the dispatch of spies between them was almost impossible.


    After all, it was an embarrassing problem: they looked nothing like elves, so infiltration by spies was simply not feasible.


    As long as the other side wasn''t blind, they could easily distinguish an orc from an elf, and the opposing Por Kingdom had long been a "pure-blooded country" that extremely despised orcs.


    The world has nations that are inclusive of various races, as well as those that adhere strictly to their own race. The Leite Kingdom does not discriminate against elves or dwarves and even allows exiles to reside, whereas Por Kingdom is the opposite; they interact mostly with humans, bearing ancestral grudges against the orc race.


    Of course, not all elves despise the orc race; indeed, some elf kingdoms have good rtions and trade with orc kingdoms.


    But the exclusion of orcs by the Por Kingdom directly resulted in the orcs of the Gales Kingdom not having ess to firsthand intelligence¡ªthey had to learn about changes in the Por Kingdom through other elf kingdoms.


    ```


    But such a roundabout way of intelligence gathering was clearly severely outdated, as the Orc Gales Kingdom could only obtain the movements and changes of the Elf Race from six months ago...


    It was precisely because of this that the Por Kingdom took the initiative to strike first, using the new-style rifles secretly equipped half a year ago to surprise the orcs.


    The leading orc general actually knew that they had already lost an edge in intelligence, and their tactical disadvantage was inevitable.


    This directly led to a passive stance on the frontal battlefield, allowing those damned elves to advance relentlessly, cutting into his central battlefield.


    It was clear that the orc side was actually powerless to stop the elf vanguard troops¡ªif the elves had enough ammunition, defeating his forces was just a matter of time.


    This oue had nothing to do with the bravery of the orc race; bravery could only dy the copse but could not change the oue of the campaign.


    Therefore, what could influence the oue of this battle was only the decision-making judgment of themanders superior to that of the enemy.


    As themander of the orc race, he had to make the right choice, using more lives to obtain that essential victory!


    ...


    In the centralmand of the Elf Race, the neatlybed back hair of the old elf Earl Augustin Tural astride his steed, his face full of a contemptuous smile as he watched his troops organize the attack.


    Clearly, the orc race had run out of tricks! Their positions were on the brink of copse, their blood had already stained the earth red!


    With 6,000 brand-new K1 Quick Guns on their side, the oue of this war seemed to him to be already destined for the Elf Race.


    The detestable orcs would lose the Sena ins... and he, the most illustrious head of the Augustin Family in history, would be the first in his family to be granted the title of Marquis by the king.


    He would be the new Prime Minister of the Por Kingdom. And under his guidance, His Majesty would hold twice his current territory!


    In another year, the Por Kingdom would have the power to swallow up several small nations nearby, bing one of the great powers among the elf kingdoms.


    Even as his own troops once again shattered another square of the enemy, the distant and unfamiliar word "Empire" crossed his mind.


    "Sir! On both nks, the enemy''s Wolf Riders have been moving frequently; should we..." a general rode up beside Tural, attempting to raise a concern.


    Tural actually had his own calctions, so he interrupted the other party, "Once our forces break through the enemy''s center, what kind of waves can their nks stir up?"


    He was not unaware of the danger on both nks, but in fact, the Elf Race also had its own issues to contend with.


    On one hand, they had initiated the attack and the stockpile of ammunition was not exactly abundant. The vanguard troops had consecutively broken through four orc military units, leading to significant consumption.


    On the other hand, as he had said, their spearhead aimed at the orcs was on the verge of slicing through the orc''s central defense line. Once he broke through the orcs in front of him, he could destroy the orc artillery positions behind them, and victory would be in hand.


    Instead of halting their advance now and dispersing troops to search for the Wolf Riders whose location was unknown, it was more certain to crush the enemy forces directly in front of them and secure the victory.


    Moreover, he was notpletely neglectful of the safety of the nks; at the start of the battle, he had deployed a very sturdy diamond formation.


    Among the 11 legions of the Elf Race participating in this conflict, the 4 legions equipped with the new type of firearms were ced at the very front to maintain an attacking posture with their firepower advantage and spearheaded the entire Elf Race''s offensive.


    Two legions were deployed on each nk, whose task was to defend the sides and fend off any possible nking maneuvers by the Orc Wolf Riders.


    The remaining three legions were positioned at the rear, serving as the reserve force for the campaign. If any problems arose on any front, these troops could be deployed to provide support. In addition, this force was also tasked with escorting ammunition, transporting supplies, and securing the rear.


    It could be said that such a formation was basically the safest.


    ```

 Chapter 167: 165 Interest Swap

    ```


    If it weren''t for the fact that the four legions up front had been outfitted with the new K1 Quick Guns and revolvers, the Elf Race''s offensive formation would actually seem too conservative.


    The Elves were able to maintain their offensive solely because the spearheadposed of the four legions was too sharp, not because Augustin Tural''s deployment was particrly brilliant.


    In fact, as the head of the Augustin n and a senior official of the kingdom, Augustin Tural had not really focused his skills on the military.


    The primary reason he hade to the front line tomand this battle was that among the four legions serving as the main offensive force, three were controlled by the Augustin Family.


    On one hand, the King doubted his ability to persuade Augustin to hand over his private troops for this battle; on the other hand, the battle was almost assured to be a win with the addition of the new weapons.


    Augustin Tural himself had the idea of seizing credit for the victory, and His Majesty the King was inclined to let him do so, which led to Augustin Tural bing themander of the Elves in this battle.


    Actually, everyone knew that such an arrangement was somewhat inappropriate, but there was nothing to say: the guns were procured by the Augustin Family, the troops were theirs, and with an obvious advantage and little need formand and coordination... So if they were to reap some military achievements, who could object?


    Augustin Tural was not a fool, on the contrary, he was aware of his own capabilities; this time,ing to the front line was partly indeed to im credit, and partly because he did not trust his direct troops.


    Therefore, with self-awareness, he deployed the 344 formation, seeking only to be steady and make no mistakes, andpletely abandoning any rash ideas.


    It was because of this deployment that the offensive pressure of the Elf Race fell entirely on the shoulders of the four legions equipped with the new rifles.


    Having fought all the way here, after sessively crippling four Orc legions, one of the Elf legions had also suffered heavy losses and had to withdraw for rest and reorganization.


    In the distance, the booming sounds of cannon fire could be heard as both sides'' artillery exchanged fire, making it hard to determine who had the upper hand. Across the battlefield, the corpses of Orc soldiers, d in armor with longswords and shields fallen beside them, could be seen everywhere.


    About two-thirds of the Orc soldiers were equipped with Shireck Firearms, while the rest were heavy shield bearers and spearmen, meant to cover the gun troops.


    However, faced with the K1 Quick Guns, these soldiers could essentially only y the role of cannon fodder; they stayed to cover the withdrawal of the main forces, only to lie there forever afterward.


    "Sir, the officers have drawn up the battle n, and the quickest way to victory for our forces, as you predicted, is to ignore the enemy forces deployed on both nks and concentrate superior forces on attacking the enemy''s central army.


    We estimate that only two attacks are needed before the enemy''s central defenses will copse!" A deputy general spurred his horse forward, presenting Augustin with a n signed by several generals.


    "Tell themanders on the left and right nks that I want to concentrate superior forces to crush the central army of the Gales Kingdom''s military! Order them not to be greedy for achievements and take reckless actions, just to steadily keep up! Remember! Do not be greedy for achievements and take reckless actions!"


    "Yes!" The officer immediately tugged the reins, spurring his warhorse to gallop toward where the messengers were waiting.


    Pulling a telescope from the cylinder at the side of the saddle, Augustin extended it and ced it to his eye, continuing to enjoy the view of the frontal battlefield.


    His troops, chanting the kingdom''s slogan and carrying rifles, advanced to the beat of war drums with unstoppable momentum.


    Across from these Elf troops, the distant Orc forces were desperately trying to hold their line.


    White smoke from gunpowder hung over the battlefield, and cannonballs whistled overhead, knocking down seven or eight Elf soldiers in an instant.


    Because the formation was still dense, the Elves'' progression under artillery fire also incurred significant losses, which was the main reason why Earl Tural was painstakingly aiming to break the enemy front.


    His troops'' main casualties came from enemy artillery fire, and victory would be at hand once the opposing artillery was dealt with.


    Indeed, just as he had expected, at the forefront of the Orc formations, the Elves finally had their chance to open fire. An attackingpany raised its weapons at themand of the officer and fired a volley at the Orcs.


    The dense sound of gunfire echoed over the battlefield, and a swath of armored Orc soldiers in the front row fell, thinning their ranks immediately.


    Having gained the upper hand, Elf soldiers rushed in, rapidly closing the distance to less than 30 meters.


    Next, the revolvers carried by the Elf troops began to show their might, along with the even scarcer improved rotary rifles, and the Elf marksmen unleashed a rapid, dense barrage of fire.


    Bullets poured down like hail on the Orc soldiers, promptly bringing down more screaming soldiers.


    Blood sttered in all directions, and the Orc soldiers, smeared with the blood of theirrades, charged toward the Elf marksmen with longswords raised.


    ```


    Unfortunately, they didn''t even have the chance to engage in closebat; even if it could only fire six times in a row, the power of a revolver was not something a longsword could match.


    Beyond seven paces the gun was faster, within seven paces¡­ the gun was truly fast and urate! As the distance closed, the firepower density advantage of the Elf Race''s troops was fully disyed, and another Orc encampment was overwhelmed.


    However, just as this Orc encampment suffered heavy losses and began to retreat, another Orc infantry battalion, chanting "Long live Gales," charged forward.


    The Elf Race''s troops were running low on loaded bullets and having lost dozens to artillery, they found their footing unsteady and were forced to relinquish the position they had just seized.


    Taking advantage of the chaos, the Orcs plugged the breach, using a long-prepared volley to drive the Elves back a hundred meters away.


    There was no other choice, cartridge rifles indeed reloaded quickly, but the closerbat-focused revolvers and rotary rifles took a much longer time to reload.


    Despite the intense gunfire during the attack, these people were armed with weapons from 1860, not those from 1940¡­ those weren''t submachine guns that could be reloaded by just swapping a magazine.


    Having already discovered some patterns after battling the Augustin Tural''s troops for 6 days, the Orc troops generally would endure the ughter of their front-line forces by the enemy''s hail-like firepower, then counterattack to recapture the lost positions once the enemy''s fire began to thin.


    By resorting to such methods, sacrificing soldiers'' lives, they managed to hold out until today, until this moment.


    Packing away his telescope, Augustin Tural gave orders through gritted teeth: "Advance the whole army! Assault the enemy''s central forces!"


    Those were his own direct troops, and he felt each loss keenly! Moreover, he had to pull a heavily damaged legion off the front lines for rest and reorganization yesterday afternoon.


    Another round of frontline offensives stalled, which made Augustin Tural once again think of that damned envoy from the Shireck Consortium.


    They had threatened him with selling weapons and even providing private military support to the Gales Kingdom, forcing him to agree to Shireck Company''s demands.


    After learning about the Augustin n''s primer production technology, the Shireck Consortium set their sights on the Augustin Family. Both sides shed head-on, and it even reached the point where war seemed inevitable.


    Eventually, the King of the Por Kingdom stepped in, mediating the covert and overt battles between the two. A reconciliation on the front of new weaponry was reached.


    The cost was that Shireck agreed to ensure the Augustin Family''s factory''s autonomy within Por Kingdom territory and voluntarily abandoned the kingdom''s future munitions market.


    At the same time, Shireck also guaranteed not to sell any military supplies to the Gales Kingdom and even took advantage of their weakened state by selling a significant number of cannons to the Elves, giving them an edge over the Gales Kingdom in terms of artillery.


    Shireck would no longer intervene in any benefits after Gales Kingdom''s defeat¡­ Shireck even promised that they would be willing to assist the future expansion of the Por Kingdom.


    In return, Shireck got what they wanted: they confirmed the new weaponry indeed originated from Brunas of the Leite Kingdom, with Tang Mo being the developer behind these new weapons.


    After confirming the source, Shireck generously gave up its interests within the Por Kingdom¡ªthis was theirpromise for preparing to target Tang Mo''s influence within the Leite Kingdom.


    As the higher-ups at Shireck saw it, eradicating Tang Mo meant removing the source of the new weaponry''s research and development, making it obviously easier to deal with the Por Kingdom in hindsight.


    Furthermore, to counter Tang Mo''s restriction on providing primers, Shireck purchased 100,000 paper cartridges from Earl Augustine and reserved a third of the future production capacity!


    With these additional ammunition supplies that Tang Mo couldn''t track, Shireck felt even more confident about initiating a localized war against Tang Mo.


    The biggest sacrifice that Augustin had to make was handing over the primer production technology¡ªwhat Shireck Consortium truly desired.


    In the end, by giving up an Orcish Gales Kingdom and nearly all industries within the Por Kingdom while offering some support to the Augustin Family, Shireck finally obtained the much-coveted primer form.


    But it also resulted in Earl Augustin Tural currently facing a slightly insufficient supply of ammunition.


    As Tural cursed the Shireck Consortium in his heart, within themand tent of the Orc central forces, two orders were issued.


    Seeing the 17th Legion about to bepletely annihted, the Orc generals andmanders could no longer withstand the pressure; they dispatched messengers, ordering the Wolf Riders, who had been hovering on the nks and lingering at the edges of the battlefield, tounch an immediate charge.

 Chapter 168: 166 go check out Black Dragon Island.

    In Tang Mo''s newly constructed factory building, there was a room set up as a conference room. Here, a huge detailed survey map of the area near Brunas was hanging, and beautiful chandeliers dangled from the ceiling.


    Honestly speaking, by the standards of this world, Tang Mo''s new building was a bit of a luxury. The entire building had aplete sewage system, as well as running water, and all rooms with plumbing had a 24-hour supply of hot water.


    Moreover, the whole building was supplied with electricity, with every room illuminated by expensive incandescent bulbs.


    The basement here was brighter at night than the bedrooms of other Nobility, and the decor and design style also won high praise from the merchants who often came to visit.


    Aplete heating system even made Tang Mo forgo the firece design, which made the house cleaner and tidier and eliminated the need for openings, thus avoiding the nuisance of mosquitoes.


    Honestly speaking, except for the absence of the inte and the fact that the light was not very natural, this ce was not much different from a 20th-century house.


    Meanwhile, as the Orc Race and the Elf Race were locked in battle on the Sena ins, Tang Mo was discussing with Roger and others whether to develop ck Dragon Ind first, under the cover of new warships.


    Roger was somewhat worried about this n. He seemed more keen on keeping an eye on Brunas, their main base: "Isn''t it a bit too risky to pull out so many soldiers at once?"


    Tang Mo preferred to arrange his industries on ck Dragon Ind, which was surrounded by sea, because his naval advantage was now much greater than that of the army.


    With a new warship stationed there, the defenses of ck Dragon Ind could be said to be as solid as a fortress. What he was more concerned about now was whether the worker relocation project could be carried out properly.


    So Tang Mo spoke with a sense of resignation, "There''s no way around it. A crafty rabbit has three burrows, what we need now is time."


    Roger flipped through the battle n Tang Mo had prepared, getting a good understanding of the scale of this operation.


    It was, in essence, arge-scale moving operation involving almost all the forces at Tang Mo''s disposal. 7 transport ships and two reinforcedpanies of over 300 soldiers, plus nearly a thousand workers and their families in motion.


    The entire fleet would also be transporting at least seven steam engine units, 40 simple machine tools, five generators, and three wireless telegraph devices.


    Looking at the scale of the entire fleet, Roger felt his earlier thoughts were a bit too conservative: "A new warship, 13 armed merchant ships converted into troop transports and carrying arge amount of equipment and tents¡­ it''s like... we''re really going all out."


    Indeed, they were pulling out all the stops. This expeditionary fleet would also carry food and medicine, as well as the steel and raw materials necessary to support the establishment of industry.


    But that alone was not enough. After the only Irond Warship of Great Tang Group stayed near ck Dragon Ind for vignce and support, the remaining 13 transport ships were to turn back immediately after unloading the cargo and personnel and return to Brunas.


    Then these transport ships would once again be loaded with cement, steel supplies, a second batch of food, and more people, and set sail for ck Dragon Ind without a second thought.


    At the same time, the sole warship from the Elf Race that remained in the port would also move out as an escort.


    By then the waters near Brunas would be undefended until the second Irond Warship wasmissioned some ten dayster, restoring the state of having a navy.


    Once the fleet arrived at ck Dragon Ind again and unloaded materials and personnel, the sailing warships would escort the transport fleet back home, and the third migration n would proceed.


    After three round trips, 4000 workers and their families would be moved to ck Dragon Ind, along with the relocation of a battalion ofbat troops and the establishment of a new factory as well as a temporary dock that could handle cargo!


    By the standards of this world, this was essentially the cross-sea construction of a fully functional port town, a taxing and costly n that even a Kingdom might be reluctant to undertake.


    Yet, Tang Mo nned to support this project with just the resources of the city of Brunas, with perhaps only a portion of support from Northern Ridge.


    After hearing Roger''s words, Tang Mo nodded in agreement, acknowledging his point: "In fact, ording to my n, it is pretty much equivalent to moving house. I want to establish a base there, and from there, take control of the entire ck Dragon Ind."


    If Tang Mo''s n was followed, his future focus of development could even be shifted to ck Dragon Ind because the ind was much easier to manage than the coastal cities.


    It was easier to defend, and also easier to keep secrets. As long as he firmly controlled the rights to the sea and airspace, the ind''s ability to maintain secrecy and self-sufficiency was significantly better.


    Moreover, with Brunas''s development, most of the raw materials Tang Mo consumed now came from maritime trade rather than local supply.


    Although the mines in Northern Ridge and Brunas were increasing production and doing so quickly, the growth rate of Tang Mo''s factories was clearly faster.


    So, the mining advantages near Brunas aren''t what they used to be, andpared to continuing expansion there, upying that ind with the new oil resources was more enticing, after all, Brunas''s steel and coal could be shipped to ck Dragon Ind.


    On the other hand, the confidentiality and security of expanding Brunas were clearly inferior to ck Dragon Ind. Although Brunas had a clear advantage in terms of personnel mobility and poption, Tang Mo valued the secrecy and monopoly of subsequent weapons and equipment production more.


    Of course, he had no intention of giving up on Brunas, nor did he n to stop its development. Only children make choices, he, of course, wanted it all.


    He nned to develop Brunas and ck Dragon Ind at the same time, using Brunas as a forward base for connecting with other nations, while operating ck Dragon Ind as his own stronghold.


    To be honest, there were bound to be some growing pains at the beginning, which would affect his production capacity and his human resources. But the end result would surely be good, as he would have a secure foothold and control over the entire ocean.


    Roger was still the person he trusted the most, so he entrusted the task of developing ck Dragon Ind to Roger, and of course, Tagg was to assist Roger.


    The integrity of Tagg was absolutely reassuring; with him and Roger on ck Dragon Ind, it was clearly impossible for the ind to slip out of Tang Mo''s control.


    "I''ll give it a try¡­ Looks like you''ve made up your mind," Roger said carefully, reading Tang Mo''s n and envisioning what it would look like in his mind.


    The map sent by John was actually quite detailed¡ªit not only had traces of exploration for oil, but also roughly recorded some topographic features of the ind and its environmental characteristics.


    ording to the records, the ind was likely near the equator of this otherworld, with rainforests that could likely ensure fresh water and a decent output of food.


    Furthermore, the presence of birds and animals on the ind suggested that the ind was certainly not small, otherwise it could not support so many lives.


    "I do not n to send you on an adventure right away," Tang Mo said with a smile. "I have already handed over the copied sea chart to Bernard. He will take a look first."


    Since Bernard had seen Tang Mo''s irond warship, Tang Mo was no longer worried about this navymander of his. After all, no one in their right mind would sail off in a sailing warship and betray someone who has irond warships powered by steam.


    Who was the future, and who was a powerful figure worth serving, Bernard was well aware. He was not a fool, so naturally, he would offer his loyalty to Tang Mo.


    "So, this n will still take some time to execute, and it might even have to wait until after the first war with Shireck Consortium is over," Tang Mo said casually, leaning back in his chair.


    No sooner had his voice fallen than Li''ao pushed the door open and walked in, handing a piece of intelligence to Tang Mo before saying, "Just in from King City¡­ Our trouble has arrived!"


    Tang Mo looked down at the intelligence on the paper, raised his head, and said to Li''ao, "Gather everyone together and tell them¡­ Shireck is preparing for war!"


    The first to enter was Wes, who was standing by nearby, followed by Luff and Parker. After a long wait, Mathews, who was guarding the No. 2 factory area, and Redman and Tagg, who were training troops there, arrived fashionablyte.


    Seeing that everyone had arrived, Tang Mo signaled Li''ao to speak.


    Li''ao pushed the document to the center of the long table in the meeting room and gave a brief overview of the current situation, "There are about 30,000 paper-cartridge rounds that have been transported from beyond the border to King City¡­ This information has been verified, so we can almost certainly conclude that Shireck has mastered the production process of fulminate of mercury, and they can produce percussion caps and paper-cartridge rounds."


    "That means our previous estimate of their having about 130,000 paper-cartridge rounds is no longer urate," Luff said, his tone somewhat somber as he stroked his chin.


    If they couldn''t determine Shireck''s material reserves, then their side would have to upgrade their defense preparations by a notch.


    Currently, Great Tang Group''s war preparations have always been maintained at a quite low level. They were basically unprepared, with everyone''s main focus on production.


    But if the enemy might attack at any moment, then the situation would bepletely different¡ªat least the troops would have to be mobilized, which would inevitably affect some of the production work.


    Tang Mo let out a sigh and continued with the bad news, "There is reliable information that they have also started to imitate steam engines, they have ordered more than 30 steam engines from us under the guise of merchants making scattered purchases."


    Unlike fulminate of mercury and percussion caps, steam engines, simr to the Quick Gun, are actually easy to replicate. As long as they had sufficient technological capabilities, even if the precision was poor and performance was even worse, they could still be manufactured.


    So, Great Tang Group couldn''t stop Shireck from copying and imitating in these respects. They didn''t have patentws, enforcement rights, or to put it more urately, they didn''t have the capacity to enforce¡­


    Shireck''s imitation of the Quick Gun was no secret anymore; relying on the scale of workmen, Shireck''s production volume of the Quick Gun was actually quite astounding.

 Chapter 169: War 167 has come

    ording to Tang Mo''s estimate, in the past few months, Shireck has already produced more than 20,000 K1 Quick Guns!


    Moreover, if the innovations brought about by steam engines to production technology are also considered, then this number might need to be doubled!


    However, these weapons couldn''t possibly all be concentrated within the Leite Kingdom, so the total number of K1 Quick Guns aimed at Tang Mo is still around 10,000.


    Li''ao nced at Tang Mo and added, "There are some purchased from Northern Ridge, and with their channels abroad, I estimate there are more than 100 from the Por Kingdom... all in all, the total should exceed 100 units."


    "It sounds like they might have even more than we do," Roger remarked with a sigh, given the sheer size of Shireck Consortium, it was indeed astounding.


    Tang Mo smiled and reminded everyone, "However, in terms of utilization efficiency, they might not be able to attain the level we have, and furthermore... we have no intelligence confirming that they have acquired electrical equipment."


    One hundred, or even two hundred steam engines, ced within such arge consortium like Shireck, are essentially a drop in the ocean, a mere trifle.


    To fully revolutionize their production technology, they would need at least ten times more steam engines, along with several more months or even years of refining the process.


    Unless Tang Mo helped them make a leap, just exploring the various applications of the steam engine would upy Shireck''s people for half a year with their own brainstorming!


    Everyone listened intently, knowing that war seemed to have already begun, and under such circumstances, Tang Mo would certainly have a n.


    Without pause, Tang Mo continued, "That is to say, they haven''t yet utilized electrical power on arge scale, and we haven''t received any news of them applying steam engines in mining or shipping either."


    "Yes, in other words, Shireck''s steam engines are still insufficient, they can only use them to produce more steam engines, or more weapons..." He concluded, and then looked at everyone, "That''s pretty much it."


    Li''ao took over from Tang Mo, speaking about the situation of the impending war, "However, we can now confirm that the enemy is amassing troops."


    He continued, and for greater rity, he stood up and walked to the map, lifting his hand to virtually trace along a road, moving westward, "Our people have confirmed, three days ago, enemy forces under the pretense of training, assembled a troop of over 3,000 outside King City."


    Speaking, his hand rested near Brunas, "Then, these troops didn''t disband, but instead moved westward along the road, slowly approaching Brunas."


    "3,000 men? Are they underestimating us?" Wes scoffed disdainfully.


    He and Tang Mo had previously crushed an enemy force more than ten timesrger in Northern Ridge, and now, to him, 3,000 men seemed hardly enough for Tang Mo''s security forces to handle.


    After all, he was aware of the intensity of the Great Tang Group''s security force training, their weapons and equipment, and even their tactical awareness, which were all far ahead of this era.


    He was certain that any soldier from the Great Tang Group''s security force, if taken out and givenmand, could easily be a battalionmander, and even leading a legion might not be out of the question!


    Together with Tang Mo''s hidden weaponry, including that damned train artillery ring position he had visited... Wes felt that even if the opponent really amassed 20,000 men, Tang Mo would still have the fighting strength to challenge them.


    Moreover, who didn''t know that the Northern Ridge Earl''s current stance towards Brunas? Should things really kick off, it would take only moments for the Northern Ridge Legion to march south to support Brunas.


    By then, Brunas wouldn''t just have 1,500 soldiers, but at least two legions, 3,000 troops, to hold the defense! With state-of-the-art weaponry and strategically constructed positions ahead of time, 3,000 men might very well be able to take on 20,000...


    Li''ao nced at Wes and promptly exined, "They aren''t underestimating us, on the contrary, they are taking this very seriously... Their slow movement is to wait for other troops gathering from different locations. They dare not assemble arge force near King City, as that would arouse the King''s suspicion."


    "What about now? How many have they gathered so far?" Tang Mo asked curiously.


    Li''ao gave a rather precise figure, "Counting the private militias already gathered at the border of our controlled territory, their total military strength has now surpassed 10,000 men."


    In fact, with Tang Mo''s financial support and the connections opened through arms trading, Li''ao''s Silver Fox Tavern''s capabilities had increased manifold from before.


    They now could monitor the entirety of Leite Kingdom, essentially controlling all information gathering.


    If you add on the manpower telegraph system provided by Tang Mo that elerated the speed of intelligence transmission, and the human and material resources saved as a result, Tang Mo''s intelligence system could be said to be an exceptionally powerful entity.


    Silver Fox Tavern has already begun infiltrating the Suthers Kingdom and other kingdoms. Though it can''t be asprehensive as within the Leite Kingdom, acquiring information is still feasible.


    As for those scattered dandelions, they actually do not belong to the Silver Fox Tavern but are independent operatives sent out by Tang Mo; they are a separate establishment with a differentmand system, directly under Tang Mo''s personalmand.


    Moreover, these elites aren''t merely intelligence undercover spies; they serve a purpose beyond that. Assigning these individuals to simple espionage tasks would indeed be to underuse their capabilities.


    "It seems they want to use ten legions to deal with my security force," Tang Mo calcted roughly, deducing the enemy''s troop strength.


    About ten thousand men had already assembled, yet they did not immediatelyunch an attack, which clearly meant more troops were still being mobilized.


    Considering the modern weapons the enemy could bring to bear, such as needle rifles, it was evident that they had to have assembled at least ten legions, exceeding a force of 15,000 men. No more, no less, precisely ten times the size of Tang Mo''s main force!


    Of course, one could not calcte the strength of forces that way, because Tang Mo still had the absolute support of Northern Ridge and the covert aid of the King.


    Taking these external factors into ount, the bnce of forces was essentially ten legions against about four.


    Moreover, one of Tang Mo''s legions was not just 1,500 men, but almost 2,000 strong. Although it stillprised three battalions, the reinforcement of artillery and the main force battalion''s machine gun teams meant his legion outnumbered traditional ones significantly.


    After all, judging solely from the logistical system, the rate at which Tang Mo''s troops consumed ammunition and their supply needs, far exceeded those of this era.


    "Delusional fantasies!" Tagg countered loudly, "We can definitely repel those bastards with one-tenth their numbers!"


    The murderer of Lord Earl had not been found, and Qiumuluo had vanished as if he had evaporated from the earth.


    Yet all signs indicated that this issue was inextricably linked to Shireck, so Tagg''s hatred towards the Shireck Consortium was deeply etched and irreconcble.


    He had subjectively determined Shireck to be the mastermind behind the murder of Earl Fisello, so he had been holding back his anger, ready to settle scores with Shireck on the battlefield.


    "Do we have a way to deal with them?" he asked Redman and Luff, feigning ignorance with a smile.


    "Easy peasy!" Luff replied without hesitation, eager to answer first.


    Tang Mo nodded, then turned to Redman andmanded, "Well then... let''s put our troops on battle readiness. We always have to give others a bit of face."


    "Yes!" Redman stood, chin up, and saluted smartly.


    "Yes!" Tagg and Luff also stood up and responded loudly with a salute.


    "You don''t need to go to the front lines this time, do you?" Wes asked Tang Mo, smiling.


    "Though it isn''t necessary, it''s still not bad to go see what the fuss is about," Tang Mo replied, smiling back teasingly at Wes.


    Wes immediately put on a dismayed expression, elicitingughter from everyone around.


    A few minutester, within the barracks, a soldier hurried to the rm bell and began frantically cranking its handle.


    The sharp, piercing sound started reverberating, turning the previously quiet barracks into a hive of frenzied activity.


    The fully armed soldiers of the Great Tang Group''s security troops were neatly dressed, carrying their 98K rifles, and swiftly formed up in silent formations.


    Each person was checking their gear: they had rucksacks, leather armored vests with many pockets, and leather ammunition pouches hanging on both sides.


    Hanging behind on their lower back were food bags, while on the opposite side hung an Engineer Corps shovel coupled with a water bottle on its outside.


    At the most essible position, one side carried a rifle bay, the other, a Left-Wheel Handgun¡ªTang Mo treasured his soldiers, bestowing the finest equipment upon each one.


    All soldiers wore steel helmets, with Tang Mo directly copying the design of the German M35¡ªa both stylish and functional choice.


    Initially, Tagg was very opposed to equipping soldiers with what he considered useless armor, thinking helmets a wasteful and obsolete indulgence of steel.


    However, Tang Mo insisted that all soldiers be issued steel helmets and even mandated that on the battlefield, every soldier and officer must wear the helmet instead of the typical cloth caps used during regr training.


    Due to the season, Tang Mo''s forces had already switched from long coats to shorter jackets, made of thinner, more breathable fabric.


    Even to ensure the troops protected their feet well, Tang Mo had issued high-waisted leather boots to each soldier¡ªthose withces for easy removal, amodating some of the functions of puttees.


    The security troops of Great Tang Group, wearing a mix of tactical gear from various countries like Germany and the United States from both World Wars, looked irresistibly charming by the standards of the era, filled with convincing details at every turn!


    Exuding handsomeness from inside out, this assembly of soldiers stood even more upright and proficient, more formidable and fierce, as well as colder... and more merciless...

 Chapter 170: 168 The Way of Hospitality

    "Assemble!" The officer, with his hands behind his back, dressed in a gray-green military uniform and wearing an M35 helmet, held his chin high as he watched his soldiers form a neat square formation in front of him.


    "Check your equipment!" Not far away, apanymander loudly ordered all the soldiers who had gathered in the barracks.


    Then, the rustling sounds began as all the soldiers bent down to check their equipment and all the gear they were required to carry with them at all times.


    As required by the Great Tang Group, each soldier had to carry 90 rounds of ammunition. These rounds were divided between the ammo pouches on their ribs, the spare ammo pouch on their back, and their backpack.


    Under one side of the ribs were three ammo pouches, each containing 10 rounds of ammunition, so the total ammunition carried under one side of the ribs was 30 rounds, and likewise on the other side, making for a total of 60 rounds on the front.


    On their back was a spare ammo pouch containing 10 emergency rounds, which they were generally not allowed to use casually.


    Below the spare rounds hung an Engineer Corps shovel, while the remaining 25 spare rounds were usually kept in the backpack, though many soldiers preferred to scatter them in their pockets. There was no strict rule on this.


    In addition, to increase their chances of survival on the battlefield, each soldier was also issued 6 spare bullets for the Left-Wheel Handgun, but there was no specific ce for these rounds to be carried.


    An infantry squad consisted of 12 soldiers, and the squad leader''s weapon waspletely different; he was equipped with a lever-action rifle with a short barrel, which could only hold 7 rounds at a time.


    This squad leader generally was not responsible for long-range firing duties; he was more often in charge ofmand work, so the weapon issued to him was chosen for its firing efficiency.


    In fact, Tang Mo was preparing to rece themanders'' weapons with submachine guns or assault riflester, but unfortunately, he had not yet managed to produce these weapons, so he had to strengthen them as much as possible with the equipment he currently had.


    Although the lever-action rifle had many ws on the battlefield, Tang Mo valued its rapid-fire capability, so he temporarily decided to make do with it.


    The squad leaders were required to carry even more ammunition: 150 rounds of Left-Wheel Handgun bullets each, to load both the lever-action rifle and the simrly modeled Left-Wheel Handgun.


    Beyond that, every soldier from the Great Tang Group also had to carry three days'' worth of dry food, including three loaves of bread, butter and dried meat, candies, seasoning cans, stir-fried noodles, dried radishes, and sun-dried, chopped vegetables in a cloth bag¡ªthese were for making soup.


    Also, in the backpack behind each soldier, there was a change of undergarments, two pairs of dry socks, and a simple first aid kit.


    This first aid kit contained clean gauze, robust tourniquets, some hemostatic powder, and small items like scissors and tweezers.


    You should know that no military in this world was willing to issue such basic items that hardly improvedbat capability to their soldiers.


    Yet Tang Mo actually distributed these costly items, treating them as necessities, to every soldier.


    Such actions were tantamount to telling all the soldiers, "I value you greatly," so everyone was very moved and willing toy down their lives for such a master.


    Not to mention, Tang Mo had imparted knowledge to these soldiers, training them into true warriors. Now they were ready to prove their loyalty with their actions, which made each of them very excited.


    "Do you know what excites me the most right now?" A soldier who had just attached a grenade to his belt twisted his neck and asked therade next to him.


    Hisrade, who was methodically slipping a sharp dagger into the sheath hidden along the side of his boot, asked distractedly, "What?"


    The soldier who asked the question grinned and said, "I finally have the honor of fighting for Mr. Tang!"


    The soldier who had just concealed his dagger licked his lips and replied with a smile, "Bring it on! Let''s show them how terrifying the things we''ve learned really are!"


    Near the outskirts of Brunas, in an inconspicuous wild field full of weeds, a piece of covering board was carefully moved aside on a small weed-covered mound.


    "Signalman! Go tell thepanymander that we''ve entered our position!" A toon-level officer with a cylindrical case hanging on his chest, carrying a single-tube telescope, blew an insect off the leaves in front of him and looked down the official road in the distance.


    Their position offered an excellent vantage point overlooking the entire road, a clear and prime shooting field. Behind him, inside a well-camouged concrete pillbox, a marksman had just opened the bolt of the weapon in front of him.


    The assistant gunner, silent, ced a canvas ammunition belt on the Maxim machine gun and the gunner skillfully pressed down on the ammo chain.


    On the other side of the road, on the quiet battlefield, one soldier after another, donning steel helmets, bent at the waist and moved along the serpentine trenches like earthworms, depositing an ammo box they carried every few meters in the corners of the trenches that had already begun sprouting little patches of grass.


    ``The crossfire has been set up! If the enemy starts an attack... I don''t know how to describe them... disaster? ughter? In any case, they will die, killed by us before they have the chance to flee,'''' an officer watched the alert Rangers enter the position and spoke to another officer standing beside him.


    ``We''ve only deployed threepanies on the front line, just over 600 men,'''' the officer standing there was Luff, themander of the first line of defense. He spoke with a hint of regret, ``That''s probably my biggest regret.''''


    ``Once they enter the area covered by crossfire, all they can do is pray for themselves,'''' the officer chuckled to Luff.


    ``If prayer were effective...'''' Luff smirked from behind the concealed bushes, looking at the gs that had already appeared on the distant horizon.


    ...


    ``Hiss!'''' At Factory 1''s train station, a train that had been waiting there spewed out white smoke from both sides, and the swirling fog quickly engulfed the tform, turning the ce into a fairnd of sorts.


    Inside the station, workers responsible for moving supplies lingered with a sense of longing as they watched the military train leave the station, its wheels turning slowly, inching toward the distance.


    And behind the lotive of this train were uncovered tcars, each securely fastened with two C80 breech-loading field guns by ropes!


    These were the rare 120mm caliber heavy guns of the era, capable of using the most advanced shells. Thanks to the rifled barrels and breech-loading, they boasted incredible range and precision.


    An entire train was equipped with ten such guns, and the remaining cars were stacked with their ammunition.


    This train could maneuver behind Tang Mo''s defensive positions along the rails, and once the ammunition was depleted, it could immediately return to Factory 1 for resupply.


    With the support of these cannons, plus the artillery already equipped by the various Troops, Tang Mo''s defensive line could instantly muster at least around 15 heavy guns in any direction. The firepower was truly fearsome.


    With just onemand, these guns could rain down shells on the battlefield with incredible speed, instantly covering arge area...


    Al officer walked into the carefully arrangedmand post on the position, snapped to attention and saluted, handing over the documents to Wes, who was by Tang Mo''s side, ``The scouting Troops have confirmed that the enemy''s vanguard has approached our front line defenses. They have crossed the border, and a few hours ago, they even burnt down some of the viges under our control.''''


    Tang Mo nced at the report handed to him by Wes, then nodded slightly to the messenger officer in acknowledgment, ``Order all Troops to counterattack autonomously ording to the original n! Let theme closer before firing, and make sure to cripple them thoroughly as we reveal our hand!''''


    ``Telegram!'''' Nearby, a Soldier pedaling non-stop next to a cyclist handed a piece of telegram paper torn from the telegraph machine to Redman who was sitting behind him.


    After reading the content, Redman reported to Tang Mo, ``The artillery train has left the station, it is now patrolling from south to north. It should be behind us in about 15 minutes.''''


    ``Sometimes I really want to have a good talk with Gis, let him see our weapons, and then have him cry and apologize to me, admit his mistakes, shivering while looping a rope over the beams, and hanging himself in front of me...'''' Tang Mo watched the gs appearing one after another on the distant horizon, and spoke coldly to Wes by his side.


    ``If he had that kind of courage, I''d respect him as a real man,'''' Wes said with a disdainful curl of his lip.


    ``I''mining about him making me waste so much damn money! And making me... damn it... stand here... wasting my damn time!'''' Tang Mo cursed angrily, gritting his teeth in frustration.


    ``Enemy within artillery range!'''' an artillery observer put down the monocr in front of him and turned his head back to report loudly to Tang Mo and the othermanders.


    ``Hold steady!'''' Redmanmanded loudly, ``Let the enemy enter the predetermined strike zone! Don''t act rashly!''''


    ``Enemy column now within range of our artillery fire!'''' Not long after, another observer reported loudly.


    ``Do not open fire! Maintain silence!'''' Redman nced at Tang Mo and continued to order loudly.


    ``Enemy close to the Ranger line!'''' Soon, a third observer shouted out.


    ``Signal gs! Get ready!'''' Redman nced at Tang Mo again and ordered tensely. The enemy was only about a dozen meters away from the advanced Ranger defense system.


    ``Alright, gentlemen! Let''s give our guests a warm wee!'''' Tang Mo raised his arm, then brought it down sharply, ``Fire the machine guns on both nks, and let Shireck''s fools know who the real kings of the battlefield are!''''

 Chapter 171: I weigh 169 pounds in hell.

    "It''s truly suffocating! Being able toe out and get some fresh air is really a delightful thing,"ined a corpulent man with a thick neck, fidgeting with it as he spoke to the young nobleman by his side.


    "Shut up! If it wasn''t for you getting Gis to nod his head, I would never let someone like you stand beside me in this lifetime!" Baron St''s face was ugly with disdain as he covered his mouth with a white handkerchief and scolded.


    The man walking alongside him was none other than Qiumuluo, the human trafficker that Tang Mo and Northern Ridge had been looking for all this time, who at this very moment, was strutting among a troop of over ten thousand of Shireck''s private soldiers.


    "Don''t be so tense. As long as we kill that damned bastard named Tang Mo, no one will trouble me anymore," Qiumuluo said with a coldugh, then seeing that Baron St was not responding to him, he too shut his mouth.


    Normally, Beiji would be the onemanding the battle, but Beiji was already dead, buried somewhere within the battlefield''s range.


    Therefore, this time, Gis had no choice but to take to the field himself to lead the war against the Great Tang Group.


    Yet, Gis''s mood was not very good. He suspiciously moved hismand post to a position further back, as if he was a coward.


    But those familiar with Xiuyi Gis knew he was not a coward. Therefore, if he ced hismand post behind the main force, he must have had his reasons.


    In fact, Gis was a cunning fox. He instinctively sensed danger and thus created a retreat route for himself in advance.


    For someone like Gis, who often did bad things and resorted to underhanded tactics, some issues in the details were sure to catch his attention.


    It wasn''t the danger on the battlefield he sensed, but rather, after the operation began, he detected something amiss from the kingdom''s response.


    Logically, when he rallied his troops and desperately prepared to target the Great Tang Group, the higher-ups of the kingdom were sure to be displeased, even supposed to find every means to stop him.


    After all, the war was erupting within the Leite Kingdom''s territory; no matter how swift the conflict resolution was, it was ultimately the kingdom''s interests that would be damaged. Therefore, the rulers of the kingdom, or rather the ruling ss, could not remain indifferent to this matter.


    At the very least, they should inquire about the whole affair and try their best to persuade Gis not to engage in such activities within their nation''s borders.


    However, the strange thing was that ever since the operation began until now, there had been a surprising silence from the king''s side, even hints of a willingness to cooperate.


    The intelligence Gis had received indicated that the king had purchased at least 4500 K1 Quick Guns from the Great Tang Group, and even artillery and steam engines!


    This meant that even if the Great Tang Group was not an intimate ally of the king, there had to berge-scale business cooperation between the two parties.


    Against such a backdrop, the king still held his peace, allowing the Shireck Consortium tounch an attack on the Great Tang Group, which was a bizarre situation in itself.


    Gis was no fool; on the contrary, he was very smart. He therefore immediately guessed something of the truth from such abnormal details.


    The king must have had a cooperation with Tang Mo, and this cooperation might well be aimed against Shireck! Moreover, the oue of this war could very well determine the Leite Kingdom''s stance.


    If Shireck won, then the king would turn a blind eye to his recent audacity.


    But if Tang Mo''s side won, the king would kick Shireck when they were down, cut off the private army''s retreat, and get rid of the trouble of having a state within the state, regaining control over the nation''s power.


    Gis, who had been mulling over these matters, asked his subordinate absent-mindedly, "Where are we now?"


    "My lord! We''re about to enter Brunas territory ahead..."


    "The mountains on both sides..." Gis''s brow furrowed slightly as he stared at the hills on either side, seeming to find the terrain here a bit too disadvantageous.


    It was at this moment that he suddenly realized what was the other unsettling detail he had felt along the way.


    Resistance!


    Yes, resistance!


    If someone was attacked, they would definitely think of resisting. But ever since his Shireck private troops began their march westward, Tang Mo''s forces had not appeared at all.


    They had not intercepted Shireck Consortium''s military forces, nor had they protected the mines and other assorted assets previously under their control, all of which were handed over without a fight.


    No joke, even after he had burned down several viges under Tang Mo''s control, those previously widely acimed private soldiers of Tang Mo''s from the battle at Northern Ridge had vanished as if evaporated,pletely silent and out of sight.


    "Urge Baron St! Tell him that if he can take Brunas in record time, I will reward him with 2000 Gold Coins!" Gis, already sensing that this westward expedition might not go smoothly, immediately ordered.


    Just as he gave the order, a private soldier from Shireck at the very front thought he had spotted something.


    About a dozen meters ahead of him on the ground, there seemed to be a man-made pit, and inside the pit, something appeared to be moving.


    He squinted, trying to get a clearer view of everything in front of him. Moving in time with the drumbeat, his feet continued to advance forward, drawing him ever closer to the suspicious spot.


    Just as he realized that the thing crouching in the pit was a person, and that this person was aiming a rifle at him with a ck, gaping barrel, he was so frightened he nearly screamed out loud.


    Following that, intense gunfire drowned out his cry, and within seconds, the advancing phnx fell into disarray.


    The sound of gunfire was something that the soldiers of Shireck''s private army had never heard before, or rather, it was a sound unheard of by soldiers of any other military except those of the Great Tang Group''s security forces.


    Its sound was continuous and enduring, much like waves crashing against the shore, unceasing and tumultuous.


    With careful listening, one could discern that this was not a group of soldiers firing their rifles, but rather a single weapon, discharging a dense barrage of bullets in a seamless process never before experienced.


    Bullets engulfed the formation marching across the open fields in an instant; a musician with a field drum slung on his waist had his chest torn open by a bullet and, shuddering as if electrocuted, fell to the ground.


    Blood sprayed onto the face of the soldier walking beside him, and before he had time to touch the blood on his face, his arm was blown off by a bullet.


    The relentless bullets mowed down rows of soldiers like awnmower cutting grass. Those who hadn''t yet reacted were smashed in the head before they could even scream.


    Amid the crowded line, a young soldier was walking forward with the group, clutching a brand-new K1 Quick Gun.


    The moment he heard the gunfire, he instinctively looked at the g of his unit, which quickly fell, abruptly and without warning.


    Before he could understand what was happening, he saw the soldier in front of him clutching his stomach and screaming as he knelt to the ground.


    The young man he knew seemed to struggle to his feet, only to topple straight to the ground. It was only then that the person following behind saw clearly that the uniform of the man in front had been dyed red with blood.


    He hurriedly knelt, trying to help the poor man who had been shot andy on the ground. But as soon as he knelt, he saw blood spurting from a gaping hole that the familiar man could not cover with his hand.


    Tang Mo''s Maxim machine gun was actually a modified version from Germany, the M08 machine gun. Instead of the original Maxim''s 11.43mm caliber bullets, it used 8mm caliber bullets, just like the Mauser Rifle.


    Doing so basically unified the caliber, allowing the troops to be equipped with only one type of rifle ammunition, which is the standard German 7.92mm caliber bullet, also referred to as the 8mm caliber bullet.


    Thus, Tang Mo had greatly simplified his logistics by not having to set up separate, ipatible production lines for different calibers of ammunition.


    However, this arrangement did put the Navy at a disadvantage as the machine guns equipped on their ships could only use 8mm caliber ammunition, which naturally had less power.


    But onnd, especially at close range, the power of 8mm caliber bullets was already entirely sufficient.


    Indeed, it was enough! At that moment, a bullet shattered the field drum strapped to the waist of a musician at the nk of the square, then prated his stomach and went through an officer behind him before finallying to rest after its deadly flight.


    Completely unaware of the need to go prone, the troops from Shireck stood as if they werembs to the ughter, and then were knocked down in droves.


    Standing at the concealed observation position of themand post, Wes remembered something Tang Mo had said. Tang Mo had said that he was afraid there wouldn''t be enough enemies for him to kill¡­


    Now he truly understood the meaning of those words; in that moment, he even felt that Tang Mo''s statement was somewhat¡­ modest.


    For the Shireck private soldiers before him were truly in disarray, their blood even turning to mist, spreading amidst the crowd.


    It wasn''t until a Maxim gun jammed and ceased firing that the soldiers on the opposite side from Shireck realized¡ªthey had been attacked by an invisible enemy!


    The remaining men, panic-stricken and bewildered, didn''t even know how to respond to the situation before them. Those few scattered soldiers simply stared down at the cadavers at their feet.


    They hadn''t yet realized what was happening, thinking they were in the midst of a nightmare from which they had not awoken.


    For in their minds, only in hell could there be a vision of bodies covering the ground at their feet. What they didn''t know was that at that moment, they might indeed have been in hell¡­


    "Bang!" A sudden gunshot rang out, and the head of a Shireck soldier, who had been staring nkly at a pile of corpses at his feet, exploded. Then the rest of his body twisted and fell, crashing onto another dead body.

 Chapter 172: 170 bombardment

    Among the remaining soldiers, one finally snapped back to reality, turned, and tried to run back. But in the process of turning, blood sttered from behind him.


    He stumbled forward a few steps, then tripped over a corpse andnded on a body that was still warm.


    As if from a spring, fresh blood poured out of the hole in his back; it was only then that this fleeing Shireck soldier realized he hadn''t even caught a glimpse of the enemy.


    Scattered across the battlefield, the few surviving soldiers scrambled and ran for their lives. Since they were moving targets, the soldiers at the tranquil Great Tang security forces'' positions weren''t inclined to waste their ammunition.


    After all, in less than 10 minutes, they had already fired a total of 3,000 bullets, roughly the amount expended by two legions in a single charge.


    "What just happened? Why did it jam all of a sudden?" Working the action of his weapon, the marksman was checking it over in his cover position.


    After all, the canvas ammunition belt wasn''t as reliable as one might think; in fact, these first-generation feeding systems had a terrifyingly high failure rate.


    Tang Mo had always wanted to rece canvas belts with metal ones, but the war had arrived before he could implement this n.


    The assistant gunner took out a new ammunition belt from the ammo box at his feet, attached it to the weapon, and after a thorough check, he spoke, "This one should be better; I reckon it won''t jam for a while."


    "Everyone''s run off! What bad luck!" The marksman re-aimed, only to see no more standing life on the battlefield.


    Shireck''s attacking formation consisted of three square formations advancing side by side, a formation spread out like a legion in full. They had entered Brunas''s outskirts, so they were ready forbat.


    The entire legion''s supply wagons and other gear trailed behind them, and the cannons were still mobile, a few hundred meters from the frontline, hence they had not been attacked by machine gun fire.


    The loss was to the three infantry square formations at the front of the legion; these soldiers were ughtered cleanly by the new automatic weapons within a mere 10 minutes.


    More than 1,000 soldiers were nearly wiped out in 10 minutes, with probably fewer than 20 managing to escape back to where the supply troops were located.


    The corpsmander watched his troops get massacred, dumbfounded. He saw his three battalionmanders shot down and killed amidst the chaos.


    What depressed him more was that all three battalion gs had been left on the battlefield, signifying his corps was effectively annihted.


    "This, this is... this is witchcraft! It''s magic!" Stunned, the aide-de-camp at his side stuttered, trying to speak.


    He genuinely couldn''t fathom any weapon in this world capable of bringing down a fully manned legion with such ease.


    "The enemy, the enemy has... has..." The corpsmander tried to agree with his aide-de-camp, to attribute the catastrophe to some nonsensical exnations like magic, but he opened his mouth and ultimately didn''t dare toe up with any excuses about witchcraft or sorcery.


    "Runner! Runner! Quickly! Quickly report what happened here to Lord Gis!" After a long moment, themander regained someposure and shouted to the runner beside him.


    Alongside the inexplicable deaths of about one-tenth of the soldiers who nowy as cold corpses on the battlefield, Shireck Consortium''s offensive abruptly came to a halt.


    The second legion took about half an hour to reach the front, assembling about 800 meters from the machine gun positions, neither advancing nor retreating.


    "I say, are they trying to provoke us?" Wes asked Tang Mo with a sneer, having seen the enemy''s movements through his binocrs.


    Tang Mo, too, put down his imprecise monocle and replied with a sardonic smile, "They don''t know our strength and weakness, using the infantry as a shield and preparing the cannons behind them."


    After losing one legion, it would indeed be foolish for Shireck to let another charge forward to a certain death.


    Gis was arrogant and devious, but not stupid... After learning that Tang Mo''s forces had formidable means, how to avoid such methods became a crucial point for Gis to consider.


    In the end, Shireck''s side really had no good countermeasures. They could only stabilize the front lines and then honestly scout with the artillery.


    Indeed, Tang Mo had guessed correctly; on Shireck''s side, Gis was watching the shell-shocked survivors with an icy face, intent on finding out what happened from their mouths.


    To his great disappointment, the soldiers all spoke at once, failing to provide anything useful or worth referencing.


    One soldier described his ordeal anxiously, "I heard continuous gunfire! So fast! Then the people in front of me fell down! Blood everywhere! The screams..."


    "An officer walking beside me had his head blown off! I tried to hold him up, but all I had were my bloody hands, blood all over me," another soldier chimed in.


    Some were gesturing, describing how an iing bullet had just blown off a man''s finger as they spoke.


    Others simply stood there, staring nkly at Gis as if they had lost their souls.


    Gis was slightly annoyed; it was the first time he had encountered such a situation: one of his legions had been defeated by the enemy, and yet they hadn''t even gotten a clear look at what the enemy looked like!


    Just as Gis was about to vent his anger, an officer hurried in and reported to Gis, "Sir! As per your orders, we have assembled the artillery from five legions!"


    Finally receiving the news he had been awaiting, Gis''s expression improved somewhat. He nced at the incoherent routed soldiers with a look of disgust and waved his hand, ordering someone beside him, "Take them away!"


    "Yes, sir!" An officer immediately herded all those mentally disturbed soldiers out of the tent, which suddenly appeared much emptier.


    Looking at the remainingmanders, Gis forced a smile, pped his hands, and deliberately stated with a nonchnt air, "Alright...no matter what the enemy has, their range mustn''t be that great. Otherwise, with so many soldiers positioned at a distance of 800 meters, they would have opened fire long ago."


    If the Shireck soldiers standing in the front row knew that themander who had ordered them to stand by here was actually using them to test the enemy''s weapon range, their expressions would be quite something.


    After receiving the news that the artillery had been assembled and readied, Gis''s spirit finally seemed to return to him.


    After all, the Great Tang Group''s security force was too small to counterattack across the board at this point, so he wasn''t worried about the enemy charging at his cannon positions.


    Frankly speaking, he was relying on his numerical superiority at this moment to y dirty¡ªthe enemy wouldn''t dare to counterattack due to their insufficient numbers, so he''d just bombard them slowly!


    Moreover, Gis felt that he had a sufficient supply of shells and decided to use them for reconnaissance, to probe Tang Mo''s strengths and weaknesses.


    He then gave the order, "Let those fifty field guns fire! Bombard! Wherever we suspect the enemy might be, bombard that area!"


    "At yourmand, sir!" The officer in charge of the artillery immediately turned to convey the order, as such matters demanded urgency.


    At this moment, Gis turned to another direction, called out to a specific officer, and instructed, "Additionally, have Baron St''s troops stand by! After firing 250 shells, his troops will start, initiating a probing attack!"


    Gis had his concerns despite being confident about his advantage in both the number of cannons and ammunition; he did not believe his artillery was superior.


    In the Battle of Northern Ridge, Earl Fisello had unveiled a new type of powerful cannon, which Gis knew was a product of the Great Tang Group.


    To avoid Tang Mo''s extortionate demands by deploying new cannons again, Shireck had not purchased this type of new cannon.


    They had acquired a C64 model from Suthers and studied it, but without being able to figure out the ammunition, their attempts at copying ultimately failed.


    In summary, Gis had great reservations about Tang Mo''s artillery, which is why he initially didn''t n to concentrate his artillery to challenge the Great Tang Group''s head-on.


    Gathering the artillery now was also because the Great Tang Group had not revealed their cannons but instead used other new weapons first, which caught Gis off guard.


    ording to Gis''s current n, after several rounds of bombardment, he would immediately deploy the infantry to deprive Tang Mo of any chance to fire.


    "Boom! Boom boom!" After being silent for over a dozen minutes, Shireck''s cannons finally roared, one solid shot after another, smashing onto the nearly emptynd where scarcely anyone could be seen.


    To themanders of the Great Tang Group''s security forces, the enemy seemed to be firing wildly without any aim, merely wasting ammunition.


    One shellnded on corpses that had not been cleared in time, shattering them into pieces¡ªa ghastly and horrific sight.


    Another shell struck the t ground, bouncing high and rolling far beforeing to a stop in an empty space.


    The spot where this shellnded was at least 20 meters away from the trenches of the Great Tang Group''s security forces.


    Given the t trajectory of field artillery shells at the time, and the use of solid shot, there was virtually no damage to the defensive fortifications of the trenches. If one were to be hit and injured in such circumstances, it could only be attributed to extremely bad luck.


    This level of misfortune was akin to walking down the street and suddenly being struck in the head by a falling object from above...


    The soldiers of the Great Tang Group''s security force, huddled in their trenches holding their weapons, were chewing on jerky without taking this level of bombardment seriously in the slightest.

 Chapter 173: Fortunately, I came.

    The soldiers didn''t take artillery fire of this magnitude too seriously, but the officers could discern something else from the scale of the bombardment.


    An officer gently tapped his fingers on the edge of the table and, during a brief lull in the bombardment, looked at his colleague and said, "That''s not a small scale, at least 50 muzzle-loading field cannons!"


    "My count is about the same, roughly 50 cannons. It seems the enemy has assembled the artillery of at least 5 legions..." another officer spoke up in agreement with hisrade''s assessment.


    "Is it worth returning fire?" the first officer turned to the artillerymander beside him and asked.


    The artillerymander nodded slightly and ordered the signal g orderlies standing not far away, "Have the regimental artillery open fire! Serve the enemy an appetizer!"


    "You really are stingy." Another officer mocked the artillerymander, "The enemy has shown half their cannons, and you still hesitate to use the C80?"


    "They aren''t worthy!" The artillerymander scoffed disdainfully and contemptuously countered hisrades'' taunts, "Even having the regimental artillery take action is bullying them, let alone the C80. I''m afraid the C80''s sts are so loud, they''ll scare the bastards away!"


    "Hahaha!" A group of officers burst outughing, and amidst theirughter, the regimental artillery from two battalions deployed behind the lines, with 10 C64 breech-loading field guns on recoil mounts, roared in response.


    "Boom!" On the battlefield, the air st from the cannon muzzle blew sand and dust into the air, which spread across the entire artillery position.


    The trajectory of these recoil guns actually wasn''t that great; technically, they fell into the category of guns with t trajectories like cannons.


    However, Tang Mo''s C64 artillery used breechloading, with good airtightness, long range, urate firing, and most importantly ¡ª they used shrapnel shells!


    Compared to solid shot, the explosive power of shrapnel shells was truly terrifying. Ten cannons roaring in unison held their own in momentum against the Shireck muzzle-loading cannons firing another round.


    For a time, the battlefield thundered with cannon fire, followed by dust rising and smoke columns lifting from the Shireck artillery positions.


    The shrapnel shells fell, exploded on impact with the ground, setting off the percussion fuses, and blew up across Shireck''s artillery positions.


    These shells tossed mud into the air, destroyed cannons, and imed the lives of many unfortunate Shireck artillerymen.


    Immediately after a simultaneous volley, the advantage of Tang Mo''s artillerymen''s rapid loading became evident. While the fifty Shireck muzzle-loading field guns were still cleaning their barrels, Tang Mo''s cannons fired again.


    Smokeless powder allowed Tang Mo''s artillerymen to save a lot of time cleaning their barrels, and the new shells also made loading very convenient.


    Overall, the weapons of both sides already constituted a generational gap; under such circumstances, Shireck was naturally at a great disadvantage.


    While Shireck''s artillerymen braved intense enemy fire to prepare for their third volley, the fifth round of Great Tang Group''s shells fell on their heads.


    A shell set off the gunpowder stored next to a cannon, and the explosion instantly blew away all surrounding artillerymen and two cannons that were ready to fire.


    The wheels of the two loaded cannons had been blown off, and the guns themselves tipped over onto the field, looking defeated and forlorn.


    Around, soldiers who had taken cover stood up in pairs and groups, brushed the dust off themselves, and shook their heads to recover their hearing.


    Under the officers'' urging, the artillerymen, now somewhat numb and ustomed to fear, returned to their guns, lit fuses, and fired the third volley for their side.


    This time the gunfire from Shireck''s side was noticeably sparser. Perhaps 20 cannons fired, with shells stillnding on the abandoned fields...


    "Are there any casualties? Anyone injured?" Inside the trench, a medic with a white armband on his arm, carrying a medical bag, and holding onto his left-wheel handgun at his waist, passed by one utterly bored soldier after another. He drew out his words, seemingly just as bored.


    There was no helping it; since the start of the conflict, it seemed like the Great Tang Group''s security forces hadn''t had a single casualty. As the fight progressed to this point, everyone felt a bit bored.


    Up to now, only 2 machine gun positions had been revealed on Tang Mo''s side, and at most, only 10 75mm field cannons had participated in the counterattack. And yet, the enemy already showed signs of copse.


    How could everyone not feel awkward? When they left the barracks for the defensive positions, they were all determined to fight a bloody battle for Great Tang Group. But once the fight started, they realized it wasn''t as challenging as training back home...


    Thebat tactics taught by the instructors were far more advanced than thebat proficiency demonstrated by the enemy: Imaginary enemies in exercises had machine guns and cannons; the actual opponents were idiots who didn''t even know how to lie down properly...


    The disparity was too great. It was like a group of warriors who had mastered dragon-ying techniques ventured out to rescue the princess, only to find that the kidnapper was just a little porcupine...


    "Any injured here? Even a twisted ankle will do!" As the medic shouted, he couldn''t help but let out augh himself.


    "I might be suffering from insomnia, I haven''t fallen asleep yet!" Amidst the sound of artillery, a soldier clutching his rifle quipped, eliciting even louderughter from the surrounding soldiers.


    "Shut up! Stopughing! Be quiet! Be serious! We''re in a battle!" The squad leader, holding a lever-action rifle and patrolling the trenches, scolded with a suppressedugh.


    "Someone''s injured up front! We''ve got an injury here!" Finally, a solid shell mmed into the trench, kicking up a cloud of dust. Cries from the soldiers came from ahead, urgent and tense, "Medic! Medic!"


    Hearing the call, the medic who had just been listlessly lounging immediately sprang to life, as if charged with electricity. With one hand on the medical kit, he charged forward.


    He was thrilled, striding with great enthusiasm, and in no time he was next to the soldier who had called for a medic, joyfully shouting, "Where''s the injured? Where are they?"


    The soldier, dusting off his shoulder, squinted and pointed to the other side of the trench where a section had copsed.


    The medic hurried over, leaping over a round shell embedded in the mud, knelt down on one knee, anxiously examining the sitting soldier''s body.


    That soldier seemed embarrassed, noticeably awkward. By the time the medic asked for the third time, the soldier extended his hand to the medic, who had been struggling to find work, "Here... it''s injured here."


    The medic focused and finally found the wound: the soldier''s knuckle on the back of his hand was scraped, a bit of skin torn off.


    "No, it''s not serious, right?" Apparently feeling that hisrade had made a big fuss over a minor injury, the soldier asked with some embarrassment.


    "Lucky I came over..." The medic took out some hemostatic powder and a pre-cut bandage from his pocket, and as he wrapped the soldier''s hand, he said while bowing his head.


    "Ah? Is it that serious?" This so-called casualty was puzzled. When he worked as a cobbler, his hand would get injured asionally, sometimes far worse than this. Back then, he never bothered with bandages or treatment, considering such minor injuries entirely unnecessary.


    But from the medic''s attitude, it seemed that this insignificant little wound was quite serious.


    "Lucky I ran over... otherwise, it would have healed already." The medic wrapped the bandage around the soldier''s hand, panting as he spoke.


    "Pfft... Hahahaha!" A group of soldiers huddled in the trenches couldn''t hold back any longer and burst intoughter. Theirughter was unrestrained, like a bunch of childrenughing on a spring outing.


    Finally, the sounds of artillery began to gradually subside. Shireck, having suffered unbearable losses, awkwardly ordered his artillery to retreat frombat.


    The Great Tang Group fired nearly a hundred shells from ten cannons at a blisteringly fast pace, teaching Shireck''s private army a lesson in humility.


    After leaving behind over three hundred corpses and the wreckage of twenty-nine cannons, Shireck''s troops retreated a kilometer backward before stopping to regroup.


    This way, Shireck''s forces were nearly decimated by a tenth, along with losing a third of their artillery...


    And they still had no idea what their opponents looked like, what weapons they had, or what other trump cards they might possess.


    What infuriated Gis the most was that his worst fears had materialized. The Great Tang Group had risen to power and was no longer an easy opponent from any angle.


    Even where he felt the gap was smallest, in terms of artillery, Shireck was no longer a match for the Great Tang Group.


    "My lord! We can''t joke with our capital! Sending soldiers to die senselessly will only lead to more trouble," Baron St advised Gis apprehensively.


    He didn''t want his own troops to be sacrificed senselessly, especially since he had personally witnessed the enemy''s firepower. He believed he shouldn''t have staked his entire fortune on such a futile ce.


    "So what do we do then? Go apologize to Tang Mo, saying ''sorry, I took a wrong turn, didn''t mean to disturb''?" Gis clenched his fists and red at Baron St as he questioned. "Since you wanted a share of the action and even brought your troops, are you still hoping to return? Do you think Leite VII will let you off the hook?"


    Mentioning this, St felt dizzy¡ªhe had indeed bet too early. If he had known how tough the Tang Group was, he certainly wouldn''t have joined Shireck in this conflict.


    With this thought, he sighed, a touch of resignation in his tone as he asked, "So, my lord, what do... we do now?"


    "My men will charge first! If a regiment doesn''t take it down, then it''s your turn to attack! If you can''t take it, then I''ll send another regiment up! I refuse to believe that three regiments in session can''t break through Tang Mo''s first line of defense!" Gis gritted his teeth as he spoke.


    Hearing that his troops wouldn''t be the first to charge, Baron St breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it over and concluding that there was no other choice. Thus, he stood up and said, "My lord, then I shall return to my regiment to prepare."


    After St left the tent, Gis turned to Qiumuluo, who stood idly by, and hissed, "Aren''t you going to watch him? Dimwit!"

 Chapter 174: 172 new round of offense

    Qiumuluo stepped out of the big tent, took a couple of sniffs, and then nced sideways at the space behind him, revealing a contemptuous smile on his face.


    The mice on a ship are the first to know when it''s going to capsize; the load-bearing walls are the first to know when a building is about to fall¡­ Qiumuluo felt that Shireck now didn''t seem to be the same Shireck who was once worth his submission.


    Thus, he walked towards where Baron St''s troops were stationed, passing through camps where Shireck''s soldiers were busy with preparations for the impending battle.


    In the distance, on the ground filled with corpses and craters, most of the Great Tang Group''s soldiers were leaning against the edges of the trenches, closing their eyes to rest.


    Their training had taught them to fall asleep quickly amidst the noisy battlefield environment but also to wake up in time when needed forbat.


    These soldiers had already gotten used to such conditions, and their equipment supported them to restfortably in such an environment.


    Packed with underwear, socks, and nkets, their backpacks served as cushions, allowing the soldiers to lean against the edge of the trench with a rtivelyfortable sleeping posture, grasping every opportunity to conserve their energy before being awoken by sentries, much like stones in the trench.


    Inside the machine gun bunkers, a few soldiers had already collected up all the spent casings scattered on the ground. These items were expensive now, and it was definitely worth it to recycle them.


    Moreover, the conditions for recycling here were really good, at least they didn''t have to pick them up one by one in the field or search all over. They were all beside the machine guns, having been ejected after firing, and had fallen to the ground, mostly in piles.


    As for the rest of the positions, they were basically in a state where not a single shot had been fired, so there was no issue of recycling bullets.


    In the rear, the food supply unit of the troops had already started cooking their meals. They built fires on concealed slopes, supported by specialized cooking wagons, and began simmering soup after processing the prepared ingredients.


    Compared to the troops of other countries in the past, Tang Mo''s unit paid far more attention to details, with much improvement¡ªit certainly helped to have existing models to emte, making Tang Mo''s security forces seem like they came from another in terms of the soldiers'' experience.


    A cart full of ammunition wobbled along the road until it stopped in front of a specially concealed supply distribution point.


    The waiting soldiers swarmed it immediately, dividing up the ammunition stacked on the wagon. Two machine gun positions needed to resupply their ammo, and more ammunition had to be stockpiled at some of the forward defensive positions.


    Although the copse of the enemy forces had been swift and the security forces of the first engagement had not expended much ammunition, they still had to prepare for the subsequent battles.


    To be prepared for a rainy day, this was the notion Tang Mo constantly instilled in his soldiers¡ªthe philosophy of the Great Tang Group was, "If I have two dors, I will definitely not fight a one-dor battle!"


    While these soldiers of the Great Tang Group''s security divisions were seizing the time to rest, the rhythmical sound of drums began to resonate from the opposite side.


    "The enemy has begun their attack!" A squad leader was the first to stand up, peering over the edge of the trench and then loudly shouting to hisrades nearby.


    The soldiers who heard the yell immediately got up from the bottom of the trench with agile movements and began checking the weapons they had just propped up beside themselves without a word.


    On the horizon, Shireck''s troops started their second charge in groups, still in dense formations, still marching in squares one after another.


    The beat of the drums drove everyone''s pace, but as these units approached within a hundred meters or so in front of the Great Tang Group''s security forces'' defense line, they were forced to slow down.


    They had to step over those stiff corpses, staggering forward with difficulty. The air was thick with the stench of blood, causing many to involuntarily begin to retch.


    Some crows feasting on the corpses finally flew away, leaving behind the delicious meals they were reluctant to abandon.


    The Shireck soldiers, stepping forward incrementally, didn''t even dare to look down at the mangled corpses.


    "Boom!" A few shells exploded in the midst of the crowd, baptizing these pitiful Shireck soldiers with artillery fire before they could even get close to the enemy''s positions.


    Cries of agony rose and fell, and the originally orderly squares began to fall into disarray. The remaining soldiers couldn''t help but quicken their steps, disregarding themands of the officers and no longer advancing to the rhythm of the drums.


    They wanted toplete this charge as quickly as possible, to end this nightmare.


    However, as they trudged over the bodies, making their way closer to the Great Tang Group''s defensive line, the roar of machine guns sounded once again.


    This time, an officer finally saw the exact location of the machine gun bunker''s firing port, flickering with light.


    The bunker was concealed halfway up the earthen slope, hidden behind a gap in a thicket of shrubs, possessing a very favorable shooting angle.


    Moreover, the firing port was slightly skewed, not directly facing the road, making it even harder to detect.


    At this moment, this firing port was spewing mes, and it was from this port that the deadly bullets were being sprayed!


    The bullets burst into the crowd from the side, one soldier after another falling as they were hit. Most were still bewildered, not yet realizing where the enemy''s assault wasing from when a bullet pierced through their bodies.


    A soldier who took a bullet to the head fell backward, crashing onto another whose arm had been blown off. They toppled over together, finallynding on the corpses at their feet.


    The standard-bearer, holding the Shireck g high, watched as a bullet snapped the gpole in his hands. Before he could stoop to pick up the g that had fallen, a bullet tore through his stomach.


    Then the standard-bearer died on his knees, his body slumping forward in unconsciousness, his head striking his own entrails, buttocks upturned and motionless.


    Despairing cries filled the air, and the scene was utter chaos. The soldiers no longer heeded their officers''mands, and those officers were scurrying for cover.


    Another legion''s attack was thus instantaneously crushed, and, save for the soldiers who had fortuitously escaped the crossfire, the legion might as well have been described aspletely annihted.


    Although their artillery was still intact, now they seemingly only had their artillery men and logistical personnel left.


    The battlefield once again fell swiftly silent, the roar of machine guns fading into the distance. The road, the embankments on either side, and even further afield in the wilderness were piled high with the bodies of Shireck soldiers...


    In some ces, the bodiesy threeyers deep, while in others the soil was still faintly visible. Beside the dismembered corpses, brand-new K1 Quick Guns were scattered around.


    Soon, those fearless crows returned once more, beginning to scour the gruesome battlefield, strewn with limbs and torn flesh, for their preferred sustenance.


    For them, the flesh here was fresh, not yet rotten, enough to fill their bellies, and in quantities... more than sufficient...


    In just over ten minutes, the second attempt to breach the defensive line of the Great Tang Group ended abruptly in failure. Amidst the panic, Shireck''s troops once again left behind a thousand corpses before retreating like startled birds.


    After two consecutive offensives, Shireck had lost a total of 2300 men at this location, and two legions werepletely wiped out...


    By traditional standards, the forces under Gis, after losing one-fifth of their strength, were essentially no longer capable of continuing their offensive.


    But this time was an exception, as this one-fifth was not evenly spread among all units.


    Because of the devastating power of the machine guns, these losses were concentrated within the two assaulted legions, leaving the other units unscathed and thereby eliminating any notions of fear or reluctance to fight.


    This was also one of the reasons why Gis had not yet considered calling a retreat; he still had the resources for another battle, or to put it another way, he still had enough soldiers to sacrifice.


    The road west to Brunas was the only one near that led to Brunas, and now this road had be muddy.


    Blood was seeping into the soil, and corpses on the road were starting to dpose, making it almost impassable.


    If Gis wanted to bypass this road, it would require covering a distance of more than ten kilometers, heading south to take another road over the mountains.


    Letting his troops go south to explore another route would take a lot of time, but a frontal assault seemed uncertain, so Gis decided, relying on his numerical advantage, to take a two-pronged approach.


    He ordered two legions, three thousand men, to head south, and continuouslymanded Baron St''s troops to attack, hoping to seize every second and resolve the battle before any unforeseen events urred.


    As a cunning and deceitful Shireck leader, Gis always felt that the power behind him from the Leite Kingdom was a threat.


    He had a premonition that if his offensive were to stall, the King of Leite Kingdom would definitely intervene in the matter¡ªand most certainly side with the Great Tang Group.


    Furthermore, in his view, Northern Ridge had always sided with Great Tang, and the longer things dragged on, the more likely it was for reinforcements from Northern Ridge to arrive. Once Northern Ridge''s reinforcements came, the Great Tang Group would be even harder to deal with.


    Without time to continue clearing the bodies, another new legion, led by Baron St, entered the battlefield in full force.

 Chapter 175: Banter at Position 173

    ```


    "Hey! Are these lunatics not afraid of death?" a soldier from the Great Tang Group''s security troopsy on the edge of the trench, watching the Shireck soldiers press forward again, muttering with an incredibly vivid expression on his face.


    "They''ve charged twice already, and they don''t even scatter... Are they all idiots?" another soldier scoffed as he looked at the dense formations.


    They had already discussed such matters during their previous sses; once an attack is suppressed by modern weapons, one must find a way to solve the problem, rather than rigidly executing outdated tactics and wasting the lives of soldiers.


    For example, when Tang Mo hypothesized that the enemy had automatic weapons, in order to pass the exam, all soldiers had toe up with their own corresponding tactics.


    The most basic tactics included: dispersing troops, crawling forward, alternating covering fire, and using the sharpshooting rangers to continuously fire and suppress the enemy''s firepower.


    These tactics could minimize one''s own losses as much as possible and were considered passing measures.


    More reasonable tactics were to organize artillery fire coverage, trench digging to shorten the distance of the charge, and boldly interspersing using the terrain, and so on.


    Of course, regrly devising more advanced tactics, improving weapons and equipment to avoid falling behind technologically was also something Tang Mo required the students to strive for.


    Under such training, themanders of the Great Tang Group''s troops would never resort to using outdated square formations to blindly charge the enemy''s machine-gun positions.


    These officers would not be so stubborn in their thinking, let alone charging three times in a row. They woulde up with more tricks before initiating the first attack.


    One could unreservedly say that in the presence of Tang Mo''s students, the so-called famous generals of the era were almost like NPCs in a novice teaching mode, simply "greenhorns" for the taking.


    "Two consecutive attacks, at least two legions lost, and damn it, they haven''t even touched our positions... That''s really terrible," muttered a soldier from the Great Tang Group''s security troops, who hailed from a family of cksmiths, squinting through the cracks of the weeds, watching those enemies stepping over bodies as they advanced.


    The squad leader beside him evaluated, with some speechlessness, "If this was in our squad assessment, forget passing, they wouldn''t even get thirty points, okay?"


    "Thirty points? Stop joking, did you see the test paper with thirty pointsst time? At least they knew to fire a couple of rounds of shelling for suppression first, right?" another soldier sneered.


    Every soldier in the trench was actually trained to be on the level of battalion or even regimentalmanders, so each of them could discern something at this moment.


    In fact, this war was also arge-scale drill and assessment for them. Tang Mo once told them that, after this assessment, they would have the chance to be selected for more important tasks.


    "At least... give us a chance to have a real fight... What is this?" Behind this trench, in another trench responsible for covering the machine-gun position, the toon leaderined anxiously.


    From the start of the battle until now, his troops had been almost entirely in hiding. In other words, the Shireck troops had been fighting up to this moment without even having a clear idea of where the core defense positions of the Great Tang Group''s troops were located.


    As a frontlinemander, he very much wished that his troops, the ones he trained, would have a chance to prove themselves in such a precious battle and learn even more.


    Unfortunately, up to this point, they had not had the opportunity to open fire on the enemy, and most soldiers hadn''t even had the chance to take one shot.


    The rangers deployed in front of the trench had the chance to fire a few shots, making their presence known. But for the soldiers guarding the trenches in front of the machine-gun positions, they truly hadn''t had the opportunity to fire a single legitimate shot.


    Not to mention, they had also been looking forward to assessing grenade handling, testing trench concealment capabilities, and incidentally verifying various tactical coordination...


    None of these tests had beenpleted, because the enemy''s artillery was too outdated. They couldn''t even collect enough data to verify the explosion resistance of the trenches...


    The one time the enemy artillery had hit the trench, it hadn''t caused significant casualties, yet no one could prove whether such a solitary incident represented an urate result.


    In the midst of all the grumbling, the enemy approached the machine-gun position once again, and the sound of sweeping gunfire started up once more.


    This time, the enemy seemed a bit more experienced. When the machine gun began its sweep, these soldiers began to crouch and hide. The phnges on the nks started to disperse, and most of the soldiers in the middle found suitable positions andy down among the mountain of corpses and seas of blood.


    Reasonable evasion allowed these soldiers to avoid the iing bullets. Still, having to make such close contact with the already deceased corpses would undoubtedly cause significant psychological trauma.


    Some other soldiers turned and ran towards the back. Compared to their hesitant behavior during their charge, their speed now could definitely set a world record.


    It was precisely because the enemy units dispersed faster this time that the number of people killed by machine guns was obviously much lesspared to the previous two instances.


    With the addition of the artillery losses, the first attack cost the Shireck side about 1300 men, while the second attack''s losses were around 1000.


    ```


    This time, because Baron St''s troops copsed so swiftly, they probably lost fewer than 500 men.


    Although it was still a grievous loss and the entire corps had almost lost itsbat capabilities,pared to the previous two times, a loss of 500 men was really not that much.


    When the subsequent troops surged forward like a tidal wave, what they saw on the ground were nearly 3,000 bodies that had almost covered thend.


    The temperature was already very high at this time of the day, so the stacked and crowded bodies filled the air with an odd smell.


    In fact, a big part of sensing such a smell was psychological. Becausepared to the stench of sulfur, in such a short time, it was impossible for the bodies to decay and produce a strong odor.


    However, these piled-up bodies indeed affected the morale of the attackers and made the road difficult to navigate.


    If it were possible, Gis wished to order his soldiers to remove the bodies scattered across the battlefield and dispose of them thoroughly.


    After all, in this season, the slightest carelessness could lead to the bodies starting to rot and breed mria and epidemic diseases, which would spell true disaster.


    Regrettably, Gis also knew that Tang Mo might not agree with his n to collect the bodies for his soldiers.


    The battle had entered a climax from the very first day, as Shireck''s 4th Corps pressed forward across the whole line, with three battalions of soldiers arrayed in a line, threateningly advancing toward the Great Tang Group''s defensive lines.


    The offensive battle started once again, but this time, after less than three minutes of machine gun fire, the troops faltered, retreating at all costs, not even daring to look back.


    This time Shireck''s troops disintegrated just as quickly as the ill-disciplined military of Baron St; they held on for less than five minutes before dispersing like scared birds.


    The entire corps copsed in an instant, crying and screaming as they fled under the relentless strikes of the machine guns, quickly exiting the cover range of the guns.


    Upon regrouping at the starting point, these Shireck lost over 500 men, but the injury rate was extremely high.


    On the defensive position of the Great Tang Group''s security forces, a soldier stared dumbfounded at Shireck''s formations retreating once again like the tide, and asked in a somewhat frustrated whisper, "They... aren''t here to scam bullets, are they?"


    "Yeah! They run after a single exchange of fire?" Another soldier nodded and agreed emphatically.


    "Ha¡­" A soldier nearby yawned, idly wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes, saying helplessly, "I''m getting sleepy! Damn it, can''t these guys juste over so we can shoot a few?"


    For this excellent student of his ss, the battle was too easy, so easy that it barely aroused his interest.


    The squad leader pointed to the protruding trench at the end of their position and said to his men, "Dream on, see the Ranger over there?"


    "Mhm, saw him, what about it?" A group of men nodded together, like children reverting to their school days when they collectively answered the teacher''s questions.


    The squad leader held up two fingers and exined seriously, "He''s only fired two shots since the battle began! Just two shots¡­"


    Indeed, only two shots; it couldn''t be helped, the enemy was too dense. They didn''t even get a chance to fire before most were torn apart by the machine gun bullets.


    "Standing so close and only getting to shoot twice?" Several soldiers asked incredulously.


    The squad leader pointed at the retreating Shireck soldiers, shaking his head, "Didn''t you see how each time they run, it''s smoother than before?"


    "Ha! That''s so true!" The group nodded politely, as they could indeed feel the change in the enemy.


    After all, those teams that attacked relentlessly like steel were a minority; the vast majority of Shireck''s soldiers were mere flesh and blood, unfit for fierce battles.


    While everyone was mocking Shireck''s stiffness and weakness, a man on horseback appeared on the distant horizon.


    He was a Shireck private military officer, astride a spirited warhorse, holding a white g high with caution as he came closer and closer.


    "I am here to negotiate!" the Shireck officer shouted at the top of his lungs. "Don''t shoot! I am here to negotiate!"


    While shouting, he also waved the white g in his hand as if afraid of being misunderstood, "I am here under the orders of Lord Gis to negotiate!"

 Chapter 176: 174 Unexpected Gains

    "If Mr. Tang Mo is willing to surrender, then Mr. Gis is willing to relinquish his position as the head of the Leite Kingdom. The entire Leite Kingdom, including the Suthers Kingdom... will be entrusted to Mr. Tang Mo," said the envoy from Shireck, seated on a tiny stool, speaking with great fervor.


    Throughout his journey, he had been profoundly shaken by the sight of the Great Tang Group''s entire position. It was because he hadn''t even seen, any clusters of soldiers!


    He hadn''t seen the few soldiers stationed in the trenches, nor had he had the chance to see the machine gun bunkers hidden on the mountainsides.


    Simrly, he hadn''t seen the artillery positions, for they had been ced much further away, after all, they had the absolute advantage in range.


    He also hadn''t seen themand post, nor had he seen the transport carts, the scurrying attendants, or anyone else; it seemed like all that stood in front of the Shireck Troops was just an empty field.


    Unfortunately, people are always more fearful of the unknown. In the face of the vast wilderness, the envoy felt the power of the Great Tang Group be even more unfathomable.


    The pity was, he hadn''te to admire but to negotiate, so he could only say some words he himself found rather dull to the uninspiring person in front of him.


    Gis had sent him to negotiate, and of course, Tang Mo wouldn''t personally receive him. In fact, even Redman didn''t have the time to entertain an envoy of an unknown level.


    In the end, apanymander, bored out of his mind, sat in front of this Shireck envoy, listening indifferently as the other spouted some wildly fanciful words.


    The envoy finally found it meaningless as well. After ending his spiel, he just looked at the youngmander and said, "All he has to do is change the name of his workshop and hand over his new technology, that''s all."


    Of course, he had no idea what the shoulder and arm badges signifying military rank on the other''s uniform meant; he was merely curious as to why the Great Tang Group would choose such an earthy color for their army''s fabric.


    Although the design of the military uniform did have an indescribable sense of sleek beauty, to tell the truth, he found the color of the material to be rather in.


    The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. The envoy realized that after he had finished his uninterrupted speech andid out the conditions, the other party was still silent, sitting there without saying a word.


    Sitting there bored, thepanymander visualized his supply and tactical arrangements on an imagined sand table in his mind.


    When it dawned on him it might be his turn to speak, he looked at the envoy''s face and saw it had turned beet red.


    "Ah... sorry, you were saying?" The youngpanymander asked, his face betraying a smile that was both mocking and deliberate.


    "If Mr. Tang Mo is willing to surrender, then Mr. Gis is willing to relinquish his position as the head of the Leite Kingdom. The entire Leite Kingdom, including the Suthers Kingdom... will be entrusted to Mr. Tang Mo," the envoy had no choice but to repeat what he had just said.


    "You''ve been fighting for a day now... and haven''t even touched my Troops'' front positions. What gives you the courage toe here and spout such nonsense?" Thepanymander frowned and asked a question that embarrassed the envoy greatly.


    Hispany had more than 600 Soldiers, including artillery units and Infantry. In fact, since the fight had begun, he had a toon held back as a reserve force.


    But let''s not even mention the reserve toon positioned at the rear; of the two toons deployed at the front, ny percent of the Soldiers hadn''t gotten a chance to fire a single shot until now.


    The efficiency of the machine guns ughtering the enemy was just too high; those troops yet to disclose their positions didn''t have the heart to fire and create disorder for the machine gunners.


    "Go back and have your men clean up the battlefield... before it gets dark," thepanymander said, standing up and patting his trouser leg with a white glove, pointing towards the direction where the Shireck Troops were encamped: "At least, you ought to break through my first line of defense before youe asking for peace, right? Otherwise... isn''t that embarrassing?"


    The envoy, livid with rage but unable to speak, was choked by thepanymander''s insolent words, his face red with anger, yet unable to utter a single harsh word.


    There was no helping it, the current situation was too strong for him; his own forces had been routed by a sudden, intense hail of bullets without even seeing the enemy.


    The pain of this was like drinking water¡ªonly the drinker knows if it''s warm or cold. If only the frontline Troops had performed a bit better, he wouldn''t be in such an embarrassing situation right now.


    Regrettably, there are no ifs... the endless gunfire had be an eternal nightmare, etched in the minds of all Shireckmanders.


    This visit of his was actually because after witnessing the terrifying barrage from the Great Tang Group, his forces were scared witless, with no one willing to attack anymore, hence the thoughts of seeking peace arose.


    So he could only helplessly mount his horse and turn back, hoisting the white g, returning the way he came with a sense of foreboding and fear before Gis.


    "So... you didn''t even get to see Tang Mo''s face?" Gis asked contemptuously, dragging out his words as he looked at his subordinate.


    The subordinate acting as the envoy, with a face full of embarrassment, lowered his head and replied, "The other side... only sent, sent an officer to receive me."


    "It seems they haven''t agreed to our terms?" Gis asked without expecting an affirmative answer, then continued to press for more information.


    "Yes." The envoy bowed his head even lower in response to Gis''s question: "The officer said... said..."


    "Said what?" Gis furrowed his brows, annoyed by the other''s hesitance.


    "He, he said...''At least, you should breach my first line of defense before you sue for peace, right? Otherwise... wouldn''t it be embarrassing?''" The envoy mustered his courage to ry the Great Tang Group''s officer''s mocking words.


    "Pfft..." Gis couldn''t help butugh: "Hahaha! That''s right! If we want to negotiate peace, we should at least win once before that..."


    Aside from him, no one else felt likeughing. They knew that winning the imminent battle would not be easy.


    Not to mention the terror of explosive artillery fire, just the endless strange sounds of gunfire alone were enough to drive one to despair.


    At this moment, themanders from Shireck finally understood why Suthers''s famed general Ti had met his demise at the Three Forks.


    It wasn''t surprising to lose one''s life unexpectedly when facing such an unorthodox troop. It was said that Ti had died from artillery, and being killed by such stealthily exploding firepower was not an anomaly...


    "Right, that''s right... they said to have us... have us send people to clean, clean the battlefield, and collect, collect the bodies..." The envoy finally remembered another piece of information.


    "Quite reasonable; they have fewer soldiers, so they wouldn''t want to waste energy..." Gis nodded and then turned to his subordinates: "Arrange for some menial workers to retrieve the bodies, and tell them not to get close to the enemy''s position..."


    After finishing his instructions, he looked to the row of generals beside him: "Don''t rush. As dusk falls, we can use the cover of night, and our advantage in numbers, to hit them hard."


    This was a new tactic that Gis hade up with after much reflection, which involved using the low visibility of the night to get close and seize the Great Tang Group''s defensive positions.


    Previously, he had considered using a scattered formation to attack, but Shireck''s troops had never trained for such a tactic.


    Disrupting their battle formation, foregoing drum signals formand, and spreading personnel out for an assault would surely result in his side descending into chaos first.


    How would dispersed soldiers deal with the problem of hesitation? How could all troops bemanded effectively? How could these troops be maneuvered to respond to subsequent issues after an attack failed or seeded?


    In short, they had no experience with dispersed attacks, and forcing the tactic would only spell trouble for themselves.


    The alternative was to use the darkness as cover to close the distance between the forces as much as possible and then try to leverage the numerical advantage to strike a blow.


    Admittedly, moving at night was untested, and mobilizing arge corps would certainly bring various difficulties, but Gis had his own ideas.


    The chaos of night was frightening, yet with Shireck''s numerical superiority, even significant losses could be withstood.


    ording to Gis''s n, even if both sides became mired in chaos, even if it cost three times the losses, he could still break through Tang Mo''s forces, even after losing two corps.


    Come dawn, the chaotic fighting would end, and his troops could use their numerical advantage to take the positions and im victory in the battle.


    Sending the envoy to Tang Mo was also a ruse to lull him into a false sense of security, while actively preparing tounch an assault in the darkness before dawn.


    An attack just before dawn meant the darkness would soon be dispelled by sunrise, and the chaos would quickly resolve, leaving the early morning to decide the victor!


    Everything seemed to fall within his calctions; if his night attack seeded, the battle could very well be over.


    Because Tang Mo would not have time to regroup his routed troops and deploy a second line of defense. The disadvantage in numbers did not permit Tang Mo to do so.


    To his delight, this "negotiation" trip brought him an unexpected gain: the enemy actually allowed them to clean the battlefield.


    Even if they were only allowed to collect two-thirds of the bodies, it would make the attacking path smoother.


    Once they overcame the distance that seemed nearly impossible during the day, they could throw their soldiers into the fray with minimal losses in the mix!


    "Tang Mo, oh Tang Mo, the proud are destined to fail... You''re still too young," Gis said, with a malevolent smile on his face.

 Chapter 177: 175 reluctant to part with

    "The soldiers are all in high spirits; they feel that just standing guard is quite boring and would rather take the initiative to strike at night." The battalionmander stood behind Redman, opening with a suggestion.


    It''s important to note that night is the home ground of the Great Tang Group''s security forces'' Rangers; these soldiers are all trained under the starlight of the Vicious Forest, surpassing the night-fighting level of the entire era.


    If these Rangers took the initiative to strike, it''s estimated that Shireck''s side would have to pay the price of at least 300 men just to make it through the night.


    So when the battalionmander made the suggestion, Redman was also somewhat tempted. He looked towards Tang Mo, full of anticipation, and asked, "We''re idle anyway, so should we... stir things up?"


    "Ha!" Tang Mo shook his head, "Human lives for dog lives? What a joke! Even if we lost ten men and killed Gis, I''d be at a loss!"


    "But..." Redman wanted to persuade him further.


    "There are no ''buts''!" Tang Mo interrupted, "Don''t worry! I''d rather reveal my trump card, the C80, than risk my soldiers'' lives! It''s a matter of principle!"


    "Do you know how much effort, time, and Gold Coins I spent to train all of you? What a joke! To use you for a sneak attack?" Tang Mo hadn''t even considered such a tactic.


    Night raid? nking? Sure. But wait till I have night vision! Wait till I can ensure no talent is lost, then we''ll talk!


    In an era where talent is urgently needed and there are gaps everywhere, to trade soldiers'' lives for victory? I, Tang Mo, can''t afford that!


    In the future, every soldier here might be dispersed to be a general of a country! Everymander here might be a famous general of the age.


    Use them sparingly. Each person here in the future is an antenna for Tang Mo to control the whole world, and he would be insane to use his precious forces for a fool from Shireck.


    In this age, where everyone values and even regards as divine the C80 field gun, Tang Mo sees it as real trash.


    After silentlyining to himself, Tang Mo didn''t know that his words had already deeply moved everyone in themand center.


    A master who is unwilling to risk the lives of his subordinates in such a situation is a rare breed nowadays. Following such a master, one''s life is worthwhile!


    "7 battalion gs, 3 regimental gs... they''re all here." Apanymander crawled over at this time, presenting all the gs found on the battlefield to Tang Mo.


    These gs were stained with blood and some had bullet-riddled holes, but their colorful designs were still evident, crafted with effort.


    Tang Mo couldn''t care less about such things; he sold the sabers and gs he had captured from Ti to Fisheo, so he had little interest in these gs.


    He nced at them briefly and instructed all present, "From now on, don''t bother picking up such gs,mand knives, gun nametes, and the like. It''s not worth the risk."


    As everyone was once again moved, Tang Mo continued, "How''s the situation on the battlefield?"


    "The enemy has sent someborers to clear the battlefield; they''re working quite hard." The battalionmander, still behind Redman, reported, "The Ranger corps is monitoring their movements, making sure they don''t get close to our main position."


    "What about the enemy''s tactical choice analysis? Luff!" Tang Mo nodded and then turned to the analysis team led by Luff.


    "Report! ording to our discussion, the enemy''s likelihood ofunching a new offensive before nightfall is less than three percent," Luff said, looking at the somewhat chaotic paper report, "Among them, the possibility of crawling forward to attack is less than one-tenth of a percent, and a dispersed attack is the most likely, around two percent."


    "The rest would be a night attack then?" Tang Mo said with a smile looking at Luff.


    "Yes, among all our simtions, we lean towards the enemy using night raid tactics," Luff nodded and told Tang Mo, "Among the hypotheses, it''s most likely just before dawn because, all things considered, this would be the most advantageous for them."


    "Hahaha!" Redman couldn''t help butugh, and Wes also wore a contemptuous smile.


    Because before the battle began, they had already reviewed and identified the weaknesses of their defensive strategy.


    A few months prior, during sand table simtions, the higher-ups of the Great Tang Group had determined that night fighting limited the effectiveness of machine guns, making night time potentially the easiest opportunity for the enemy to exploit for an attack.


    As a result, the Great Tang Group had long developed aplete set of tactics specifically for nightbat, among which, illumination rounds were an early-developed weapon for night battles.


    The development of such ammunition wasn''t particrly challenging; it primarily utilized the principle of rapid light and heat generation from metalbustion.


    It was just that in this era, everyone strenuously avoided night battles, so this invention hadn''t been developed on arge scale or applied to the battlefield yet.


    Since Tang Mo believed that his troops were the weakest in night battles, it wasn''t a difficult task for him to procure several special illumination rounds for his troops.


    In addition, aside from illumination rounds, Tang Mo''s troops'' nighttimebat ability was actually very strong because arge portion of his force had trained in a nocturnal forest environment, with many having fought in it as well.


    They had rich experience in nighttime fighting and were adapted to the dark environment;pared to those who hadn''t undergone nighttime training, they were the actual supermen in nocturnal warfare.


    Another reason was that,pared to the backward militaries of this era, the Great Tang Group''s security troops were leading in nutritional supplements.


    All the troops were provided with a reasonable nutritional bnce that included vitamins not yet discovered or known about in this era.


    Therefore, cases of night blindness were very rare among Tang Mo''s troops. His soldiers could see far by moonlight, especially when clouds didn''t cover the moon, their vision was much better than the soldiers from other forces who suffered from inadequate food and clothing.


    Lastly, Tang Mo''s troops used smokeless gunpowder, which didn''t emit a great deal of white smoke to obstruct their own vision during night battles¡ªan obviously subtle but significant reason for their proficiency in nocturnalbat.


    All in all, with so many buffs stacked together, Tang Mo''s troops were only slightly weaker in night battles whenpared to themselves;pared to other adversaries of this era, their nocturnalbat strength was not weak at all, but even stronger!


    "If that''s the case, then let them walk right into the trap! If they attack at night, we''ll give them a surprise; if they don''te at night, we''ll give them a surprise tomorrow morning!" Tang Mo said with a mischievous smile, tapping the local war zone map hanging on the wall.


    This map was terrifyingly perfectpared to other maps of this era, marked with contours and clearly a product of considerable cartographic effort.


    On this map, in addition to marking the location of their own positions, it also marked the approximate location of the enemy troops.


    Since the map had been surveyed in advance, Tang Mo''s "staff officers" had long identified the sections where the enemy might choose to encamp.


    Especially with the enemy''srge forces, it was impossible for them to avoid these convenient encampment locations and preemptively defend against Tang Mo''s attacks.


    After all, these were good campsite choices, and ording to conventional wisdom, it was not likely that they could be covered by artillery fire.


    But¡­ who could know that Tang Mo had 120mm caliber breech-loading field guns that could strike targets over 5 kilometers away?


    This was no joke; their firing range exceeded the era''s understanding and knowledge of artillery.


    Tang Mo had yet to deploy these big guns on the battlefield for the sole purpose of giving Shireck a surprise, letting the enemy truly understand the power of the god of the battlefield!


    Tomorrow morning, Tang Mo nned to bombard the enemy''s troop concentration point directly under the correction of the observation post, breaking the enemy''s remaining legions in one fell swoop andpletely disabling theirbat capability.


    By then, if Leite VII and that old Prime Minister didn''t make a move behind Gis, Tang Mo would have to have a serious talk with them.


    Once Leite VII made his move, Shireck would be surrounded on all sides, and Gis''s troops would be the sacrificial offering for Leite VII to clear Shireck''s influence.


    Everything would naturally fall into ce, and Northern Ridge could smoothly annex and divide Shireck''s mines and manornds, distributing another round of spoils.


    In summary, what followed was a spectacr scene of everyone sharing the cake, with Shireck being the huge cake that was devoured!


    With 15 field guns of 75mm caliber and 10 field guns of 120mm caliber... plus real shells, Tang Mo felt it was more than enough to give Xiuyi Gis a taste.


    Both men were calcting against each other, both believing themselves to be the hunter. It was just a matter of who would have thestugh.


    Over an hourter, as the sky gradually darkened and before it waspletely ck, Tang Mo had the 10 field guns of 75mm caliber that had already been fired shoot a salvo to harass the enemy.


    Or rather, to mislead Shireck''smanders: this round of firing purposefully gave the false impression of insufficient range.


    The purpose was to make the enemycent, believing that their ammunition storage and troop encampments were outside the coverage of the Great Tang Group''s firepower.


    "Since ancient times, true feelings couldn''t hold fast; it''s always the tricks that win hearts." Tang Mo said with a tone ofpassion for the world, looking at Shireck''s encampment filled with tents and wagons in the distance,menting softly.


    "What did you say?" Wes, who was following behind Tang Mo, didn''t catch the muttered sentence.


    "Nothing important." Tang Mo grinned and said, "Just saying goodbye to our dear Mr. Gis."

 Chapter 178: 176 Different Night Fights

    The sky gradually darkened, yet this night was destined to be sleepless for many.


    Indeed, the Northern Ridge reinforcement that Gis worried about would never appear, because Tang Mo had not sent a telegram for help to Northern Ridge at all.


    The message he sent to Alice explicitly instructed her to take advantage of the chaos and immediately take over the remaining assets of the Shireck Consortium in Northern Ridge.


    At the same time, King Leite VII received a feedback message as night fell. The message was intriguing, stating only that the Shireck private army had lost 2,000 men and still had not broken through the defenses of the Great Tang Group.


    After receiving this message, King Leite VII finally made up his mind, marshaling 4,500 soldiers, virtually deploying his entire force, led by himself, marching west along the road, ready to nk Shireck with the Great Tang Group.


    Meanwhile, in Baron St''s tent, the baron was packing his belongings. His troops had suffered heavy losses and did not need to participate in the night''s attack, so he was allowed to remain at his camp on standby.


    At this very moment, he was stuffing his valuables and some other assorted items into his suitcase.


    In the central area of the entire camp, Gis was not sleeping either. He sat in his ce, staring nkly at the map.


    He truly did not understand why things had changed so drastically in less than a year.


    He did not know why a broken-down port called Brunas within his jurisdiction had given rise to a demon called Tang Mo, nor why this demon managed to rise as a power that even the Shireck Consortium could not control, all within less than a year.


    In fact, in the past few days, he felt the urge to smash things every day, but such times did not permit him to show such irritability in front of his subordinates.


    Therefore, he found another way to vent the frustration in his heart¡ªhe had captured several women in the territories belonging to Tang Mo on the way to seek a decisive battle with Tang Mo, and had been venting his almost copsing psyche by abusing these women for several days.


    His subordinates became even more silent as ice, because they saw brutality and ruthlessness in Gis''s behavior, which intimidated them, making them cautious and wary.


    But the disadvantage on the battlefield made the atmosphere even more awkward. Everyone had their own ulterior motives and were half-hearted.


    As time ticked by, the moment to rally the troops finally came, and in an almost pitch-dark environment, the Shireck troops began to assemble.


    Everyone was shoving and pushing, relying only on the faint glow of the campfires to discern their positions, then these soldiers left their encampments and began inching closer to the defense line of the Great Tang Group.


    In fact, with so many people gathering at night, they had already betrayed their presence to the sentry troops of the Great Tang Group before even leaving their camp.


    Their intermittent fires and the rustling sounds could actually travel a significant distance at night.


    The Shireck camp was less than 4 kilometers away from the real battlefield, which, based on past experience, was a very appropriate distance.


    Choosing the battlefield here was actually decided by the higher-ups of the Great Tang Group; it could be said that this ce was a grave deliberately dug for the Shireck Consortium forces, and even the epitaph had been inscribed in advance.


    As Shireck''s troops gradually neared the defensive positions of the Great Tang Group, the Rangers of the Great Tang Group had already retreated to the main positions and were makingbat preparations with all the soldiers.


    With the help of moonlight, they could seerge dark shadows slowly approaching, and they could feel the confusion and fear of their enemies.


    100 meters, the enemy was only 100 meters from the trenches, the dense mass of soldiers who carried K1 Quick Guns with bays began to reflect the cold light of the moon.


    50 meters, some of Shireck''s soldiers had already stepped on corpses that had not been removed during the day. Their boots rolled over the palms of the bodies, producing subtle crackling sounds.


    20 meters, even under the moonlight, the figures of these soldiers could actually be seen clearly.


    Of course, the Shireckmanders who had reached this position were overjoyed.


    To approach so silently to this point already signified that their n was nearly a sess!


    "Bang... Crack!" With a piercing boom, a light like the sun exploded in the sky. This sudden burst of light forced all the Shireck soldiers facing its rise to squint.


    They did not know what it was, only that it illuminated the sky and exposed them in the darkness without a ce to hide.


    Clearly, it seemed that the other side had already discovered them and was just waiting for them to get close, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike!


    Before these pitiful soldiers could react, the chilling sounds of the devil-likeughter that echoed through the day once again filled the air.


    "Ratatatat!" The harrowing sound of machine gun fire resumed, and many of Shireck''s soldiers clutched their chests and fell.


    However, without tracer bullets, aiming the machine guns urately in the night indeed posed a problem.


    Compared to the horrific casualties of the day, the night seemed somewhat more forgiving to Shireck''s soldiers. The confusion and darkness blurred the sensory perception of death nearby, which significantly raised everyone''s ability to withstand the casualties.


    Simrly, since the machine guns were less urate, the hit precision indeed declined, and the number of Shireck''s soldiers mowed down by machine gun fire as they charged forward was noticeably fewer.


    With both factors at y, and considering Shireck''s troops were vast in number, quite a few of Shireck''s soldiers actually managed to reach the front of Great Tang Group''s security troops'' positions.


    "Bang!" Finally, those security troops who had been waiting all day got their chance to fire. They pulled the trigger with indifference, felling the approaching enemy soldiers.


    What they wielded were Kar98K rifles, which had a 5-round magazine. After firing, they simply had to work the bolt to shoot again.


    In that era, the firing rate of such a weapon was revolutionary. The K1 Quick Gun used by the Shireck soldiers, inparison to the Kar98K, was practically a stick for stoking fires.


    After a brief pause, a second shot rang out, and many more Shireck soldiers, who were even closer to the trenches, fell in droves.


    However, these Shireck soldiers seemed to be frenzied with fear from the ughter, their eyes seemingly bloodshot, recklessly charging toward Great Tang Group''s defensive positions.


    "Grenades!" In the darkness, the officers, who were continuously observing the battlefield, fired their lever-action rifles swiftly while loudly ordering the soldiers beside them to employ a new method of attack.


    Following themand, a third of the Great Tang Group security troops knelt on one knee, drawing their grenades from their belts, twisting off the safety caps, and pulling the strings inside.


    Then, assuming the standard throwing posture, they threw their grenades out of the trenches with all their might.


    The Shireck soldiers charging in front of them vaguely saw objects flying out of the trenches, followed by those objects hitting the ground beside them like bricks, rolling to their feet.


    By the time they looked down to see what had fallen, those metal lumps suddenly exploded, showering countless metal fragments.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!" Those Shireck soldiers, who had never seen grenades before, were immediately engulfed in the exploding fire.


    A more intense fuside followed, and amidst the smoke from the explosions, the Shireck soldiers, deafened by the sts, staggered to their feet like drunkards, only to be hit by the subsequent bullets and copse onto the corpses beneath them.


    Everyone was stunned by the hellish scene in front of them; they thought that facing machine gun fire during the day was hell, but now they realized the true horror unfolded at night!


    Under the ghastly white glow, the spilt blood appeared even more vivid, mingling with the sshed droplets and the rolling smoke from explosions, lending the entire battlefield an utterly macabre beauty.


    If it were possible, setting up a camera here would capture montages filled with such grotesque grandeur. Add to it some slow motion and filters, and the footage would be so beautiful it would bring people to tears.


    Just as all of Shireck''s soldiers were in despair, the sun-like glow behind Great Tang Group''s defensive lines finally began to dim and slowly descended towards the ground.


    The surrounding area swiftly returned to darkness, and that damned light which had exposed everyone was finally gone!


    At that moment, all of Shireck''s soldiers were invigorated, excitedly getting up from the ground and moving forward again.


    They wanted revenge, to charge over and teach those damned opponents a lesson, to catch those damned individuals and hang them from the trees!


    These thoughts filled their heads, driving Shireck''s soldiers to charge forward recklessly. They had lost all reason, and their anger and frustration made them forget their fear.


    As the darkness returned in an instant, Shireck''s soldiers seemed to see hope, as if they had already grasped the arm of victory.


    But just as they stood up, determined to charge forward, another re exploded in the sky, returning everything to how it was a minute before.


    "Ratatatat!" The machine gun fire continued, the dense rifle shots continued, the explosions of grenades continued, the sttering blood continued, the falling soldiers continued...

 Chapter 179: 177 A Night of Wild Dancing

    Qiumuluo had previously joined the troops in their assault because Gis promised him many ves should Shireck be victorious.


    However, when Qiumuluo, the corpulent human trafficker with his fat ears, saw the mes from the grenade explosions in the dim corner, illuminated by the re''s light, he was thoroughly frightened.


    He quietly retreated, taking a few of his trusted associates with him and slipped away from the battlefield under cover of darkness, ready to rush off after grabbing the luggage he had prepared.


    As he was fleeing, a stray bullet hit his arm. It was purely luck that got him hit.


    Even so, due to the darkness, it was unclear whether the bullet had been fired by Tang Mo''s troops or Gis''s.


    Indeed, the mentally shattered troops of Shireck couldn''t hold on any longer. They fired wildly, even turning their guns on themanders who were preventing their retreat.


    In the chaos, bullets flew everywhere, and the utterly irrational people, like wild beasts, ughtered each other in a frenzy.


    Not the enemy, but their own! The darkness and chaos sent the undisciplined troops of Shireck into utter disarray.


    Nightbat in this era was something that all the greatmanders tried desperately to avoid, as most militaries in factcked the ability to fight at night.


    And the Shireck troops, foolishly relying on their numbers hoping to gain an advantage in the melee, plunged into the abyss of copse due to their very numbers.


    The densely packed crowd trampled each other, mixing screams and gunfire; some soldiers, in their haste to retreat, stabbed with their bays the unsuspectingrades behind them.


    The reserve troops who hadn''t yet joined the fight were unaware of what was happening until they were scattered by the retreating troops.


    The officers responsible for maintaining discipline were shot dead by their own men, and those officers who took advantage of the chaos to run were then shot dead by the troops enforcing the retreat from behind.


    In this immense chaos, the deep rumble of cannon fire rolled in from the darkness. The 75mm field guns of the Great Tang Group security troops fired, their shells falling like rain in the darkness, then sparking blindingly in the night.


    The Shireck soldiers huddled together in retreat were immediately sent reeling by these terrifying explosions, making their rout even moreplete.


    No one harbored illusions of counterattacking or continuing the fight anymore; all were chilled to the bone, with a single thought lingering in their minds, "Flee! Flee at all costs!"


    The machine guns of the Great Tang Group roared relentlessly, their bullets as dense and lethal as ever. These huddled Shireck soldiers became the perfect shooting targets.


    Only when the enemy had totally copsed, retreated more than a hundred meters, and left hundreds of bodies behind, did the Maxim machine guns of the Great Tang Group cease fire.


    They had to stop¡ªthe continuous firing had boiled the cooling water in the water jackets around the barrels.


    The cooling water, nearly boiling, lost its ability to cool the barrels, so the gunners and assistant gunners, concerned about potential machine gun malfunctions, had to stop shooting to rece the water.


    However, changing cooling water under such lighting conditions was no easy task, so the Maxim guns ceased their fire, leaving only the sound of the Kar98K rifles on the field.


    Gis stood in his camp, gazing at the distant mes on the battlefield, unwittingly taking a step back.


    As he stepped back, he seemed to have tripped on something, stumbled, and almost didn''t catch himself before falling to the ground.


    Fortunately, he grabbed onto the tent''s framework beside him, managing to avoid the embarrassment of falling to the ground. He didn''t bother to look at what had tripped him; his eyes were still fixed on those rolling mes.


    As the head of a weapons and munitions group, he certainly understood weapons. Yet this was the first time he had seen such a battlefield, the first time he had witnessed such unfamiliarbat.


    He didn''t know what those terrifying, continuously-firing weapons were called, nor did he know the names of those exploding things...


    It seemed he knew nothing about his own profession, so he was scared. For the first time, he realized that the Great Tang Group standing before him wasn''t just anybody, but a behemoth blocking Shireck Corporation''s way.


    Almost instantly, he felt a sense of powerlessness he hadn''t felt in many years¡ªthe sense that he couldn''t beat his opponent.


    Simrly, he had an unnerving thought, even frightening to himself¡ªthat the monster known as the Great Tang Group lying in their way was an unbeatable existence for Shireck!


    Finally, the relentless sound of machine-gun fire ceased, which let Gis''s heart settle.


    Suddenly, he realized something, and his face turned deathly white¡ªthe other side ceasing fire might not mean a malfunction or that they had run out of bullets. It was entirely possible that their target... had beenpletely wiped out!


    This sudden silence did not mean there was an issue with the enemy! This possibility made Gis feel even more deste.


    By the light of the campfires, he saw an officer, nked by a few battered survivors, hurry back into the camp.


    The officer only nced at Gis from a distance before his gaze shifted, leading a few men toward their own camp.


    It seemed that the other party was going to fetch their luggage. Gis bitterly averted his gaze, standing motionless on the spot.


    Who knows how long had passed, it could have been just a minute, or maybe ten minutes. At any rate, when Gis once again noticed people bustling at the entrance of the camp, a horde of fleeing soldiers rushed in front of him.


    Even the most advanced conventional weapons couldn''t possibly ughter 4,500 people, nearly three legions of soldiers, to thest man.


    In fact, on the battlefield during directbat, the security forces of the Great Tang Group had ughtered about 2,000 members of Shireck''s private army who attacked during the night.


    The remaining Shireck soldiers, more than 500 of them, were trampled to death or killed by theirrades during their own disarrayed retreat.


    The remaining 2,000, in fact, were already stricken with panic; they fled back to their main camp like andslide, running riot without an established route, having lost all discipline.


    Gis had no intention of corralling these scattered forces; he just stood among the flow of people, watching as they knocked down one of his guards, watching as they stormed into his tent.


    He heard the screams of several women who had been tortured by him along the way; he also heard the sound of soldiers shooting over the looting of the treasures in his tent.


    And then, he heard¡­ more terrifying still¡­ the sound of artillery fire!


    Clearly, he had never heard these artillery sounds before. In the not-so-quiet night, the sound of this new type of cannon, obviously of arger caliber and with heavier shells, mixed with the familiar sound of the 75mm field artillery he was ustomed to, pounding his heart over and over again.


    An artillery shell fell not far behind a tent, then exploded, lifting a ze so immense that even Gis felt a chill.


    The horrifying explosion devoured the tent, even flinging the people inside into the air. In an instant, sand and stones flew everywhere, striking people''s faces and inflicting intense, palpable pain.


    Even in Gis''s mind, a term called "earth-shattering" emerged ¡ª before him, the world was indeed turned upside down.


    The loud explosion from the st made his ears ring; the st wave blew so strong he couldn''t open his eyes; his hair was messed up beyond recognition.


    For him, the mood this night was like a roller coaster ride: the first half of the night he plotted an attack that seemed certain to win with great anticipation, theter half was filled with expectation, now it was despair and copse.


    Dawn had arrived, and ording to his n, Shireck''s troops should have already breached the enemy''s lines by now.


    But now, his troops were being attacked by a type ofrge-caliber cannon he had never seen before, and even his own camp could no longer be held.


    Explosions everywhere, bodies tumbling chaos, screams of agony, and the smell of gunpowder that drives one to despair.


    "Sir! It is no longer safe here! We should retreat," advised a Shireck officer, who had finally found Gis.


    "You go, take your men and retreat quickly... Leave the wounded and scattered forces, just go! Hurry up and leave!" Gis looked at him,manding with a tone of despair.


    The officer was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly, and immediately returned to the muddled crowd, disappearing from view.


    The number of guards around Gis seemed to have diminished, many were scattered, and some took advantage of the confusion to leave, never to return.


    After a brief silence, the second round of artillery began. 10 massive shells fell within the camp, lifting many tents and blowing many people away once more.


    This time no shell dropped near Gis, but those explosions farther off, which sted away many limbs and body parts, seemed even more despair-inducing.


    With a wooden expression, Gis walked to the edge of his now chaotic tent, looking at the copsed tent and the scattered maps and other items on the ground, his mouth filled with bitterness.


    He grabbed a stool from the ground, dragged it to an open space, and sat down with a slump. He just sat there, waiting until the shelling from the Great Tang Group ceased, until the entire camp was no longer in chaos.


    The air was filled with the smell of blood; soldiers'' corpses were scattered everywhere. Behind Gis, several naked womeny on the ground, long silent.


    The wounded groaned in agony, while some soldiers gathered to clean up the scattered supplies.


    The losses had not yet been tallied, but everyone knew that in this battle¡­ Shireck had utterly failed.


    -----


    These two updates were for yesterday, and today''s updates will be postedter.

 Chapter 180: 178 talking nonsense with a straight face

    Finally, Gis stood up, dusting off the dirt on his body, and looked towards the several guards surrounding him, "Let''s go! Let''s go see our miracle boy."


    The guards were clearly startled upon hearing Gis''s words, then began to look for his expensive and exquisitely crafted carriage.


    However, their journey was thwarted when they found that the carriage had been hijacked. ording to the people around, it was taken by a burly man with a scarred face who had even fired a gun, and he was all covered in blood.


    Obviously, within the camp, only Qiumuluo matched that description. As for the fact that the man was covered in blood... well, Gis felt that it didn''t matter much.


    After all, whether Qiumuluo was dead or alive was of no concern to him. His current priority was meeting with Tang Mo and having a good talk with him.


    Hence he walked over to a war horse, mounted it swiftly, and bolted out of the barracks with the lead. Several guards rode after him; one held high a white g and frantically followed behind Gis.


    The dreadful machine gun was silent, and the Great Tang Group''s position was quiet. Eventually, Gis made it through the defenses and arrived at a clearing under the escort of several Rangers.


    Two Rangers from the Great Tang Group''s security force ced some stools on the ground and then stepped aside.


    And Gis''s entourage? They were kept more than a hundred meters away, so far out that even their revolvers had been confiscated.


    Dozens of guns were pointed at them, which made them quite ufortable. But under someone else''s roof, one must bow their head; they didn''t have the guts to voice any objections.


    Tang Mo walked up to Gis with Wes, and Gis, struggling to save face, stared at Wes and asked, "My people are under control, but why can you bring apanion?"


    "He''s my bodyguard... If you''re not used to it, please bear with it," Tang Mo replied disdainfully to Gis.


    "Didn''t expect I woulde, did you?" Gis had no choice but to swallow his pride. He seemed somewhat dejected as he sat down on the stool, a position that he was clearly not quite used to.


    Unfortunately, there were no better seats avable here, and it also seemed like Tang Mo didn''t n to let him have a look at his own headquarters.


    Tang Mo also took a seat on the stool, and the two of them sat down facing each other. It looked rather like two old friends enjoying an outing: "In fact, I guessed that you woulde."


    "Then you guessed right! I''m very curious, how did youe up with so many advanced weapons and equipment?" Gis couldn''t wait as he broached the topic he was most interested in.


    Self-satisfied, Tang Mo pointed to the tip of his nose and asked back, "I''m a genius, what do you think?"


    "Not a bad exnation." Gis nodded slightly, apparently epting Tang Mo''s statement and gave an assessment that left Tang Mo somewhat speechless.


    Tang Mo said nothing, just fixating his gaze on Gis, because he knew the other man surely had a lot more to say.


    "I lost." It was only after a few seconds that Gis spoke up with this admission.


    Tang Mo remained silent; he continued just watching Gis, seemingly waiting for Gis to continue speaking.


    And indeed, Gis also looked straight at Tang Mo and said earnestly, "If I say now that we can have a good talk, I could persuade Shireck Company to give you everything you want. Five million Gold Coins, or even ten million Gold Coins, would not be a problem... Would you agree to this deal?"


    "I am a businessman, Mr. Xiuyi Gis... But I''m not an idiot. Do you think I''d still believe that you n to give me ten million Gold Coins, so I can develop in peace with a group that defeated you for ten or twenty years before troubling you again?" Tang Mo asked Gis,ughing coldly.


    In reality, Gis too knew that Shireck''s credibility was bankrupt. The moment he resorted to underhanded tactics intending to take over Great Tang Group, the trust had utterly copsed.


    The level of trust between them was zero, even negative, so any further cooperation or negotiation was impossible. That was an evident fact.


    "That''s a fair point." So, after staring at Tang Mo for quite some time, Gis let it go. He exhaled deeply and continued to inquire, "Now, can you tell me about your advanced weapons?"


    "Which ones do you want to hear about?" Tang Mo was not reticent, asking directly.


    "All of it, from the beginning," Gis''s eyes brightened, and he replied openly.


    Tang Mo began to recount as if remembering his past, "I first came across a form, for thunder mercury... You all must also be aware of it now."


    However, Wes, who knew him, was aware that the more Tang Mo spoke in such moments, the less truth came out of his mouth.


    Gis nodded slightly. Shireck had already obtained the recipe for thunder mercury from the Augustin Family, "I''m aware of that."


    Tang Mo then continued his narrative, "Then I thought, since this thing could act as a simple ignition device, why not develop a more reliable rifle?"


    He vividly described the process of improving thunder mercury and developing the paper cartridge ammunition and rted weaponry, "I experimented and improved, and finally came up with a brand new weapon, the K1 Quick Gun! You know about this, too."


    "Yes, we are also aware of the K1 Quick Gun," Gis admitted, having spected about Tang Mo''s development process before. Tang Mo''s ount barely differed from his spections.

 Chapter 181: 178 talking nonsense with a straight face_2

    This further solidified his belief in his own spection and increasingly regarded Tang Mo as a genius the likes of which the world had never seen.


    Tang Mo continued to boast without mentioning his biggest secret, theputer database full of solid information in his mind, "But I never stopped moving forward. The world before me opened up, and all those things that I couldn''t figure out before, I''ve now understood."


    He spoke with such righteousness, as if he truly developed everything on his own, which captivated Gispletely.


    Sure enough, Gis''s curiosity was piqued even more, and he couldn''t wait to urge for more, "Let''s hear it."


    "If paper cartridge guns and the K1 Quick Gun are feasible, then what about metal cartridges? Are they reasonable? Assume boldly, then verify! That''s always been my approach!" Tang Mo continued to spout fantastical nonsense with such genuine enthusiasm that he almost believed himself.


    Gis listened with unwavering conviction, nodding and asking questions, "But how do you deal with the residue from ck gunpowder?"


    "That''s why I started experimenting, relying on the technique of experimenting with mercury fulminate. I was lucky, so I managed to invent almost residue-free smokeless powder," Tang Mo narrated vividly his risky experiments with special forms in theb, even saying he almost blew his fingers off.


    "Ha..." Gis even chuckled,pletely engrossed in the fascinating world Tang Mo depicted.


    Then Tang Mo, without any reservations, went on, "With smokeless powder and primers, I began experimenting with metal cartridges. With this invention, high-speed loading of weapons became possible, and so the rate of fire for individual firearms could be further increased."


    "After that, Mathews and I discussed whether we could develop automatic loading rapid-fire weapons with the support of metal cartridges." Then, to add credibility to his words, Tang Mo even mentioned a person Gis would definitely have investigated.


    "It really is Mathews..." Indeed, Gis had an epiphany, followed by a remorseful sigh. Up until now, Gis believed everything Tang Mo said was reasonable, was true...


    Yet Wes knew that Tang Mo was talking nonsense, because when Tang Mo invented the Revolver, Mathews was still a Dwarf drunkard in Northern Ridge!


    Moreover, Wes knew that Mathewspletely considered himself a disciple of Tang Mo, always addressing Tang Mo as his master on regr days. Such a Dwarf seemed more like a worker, not at all like a partner...


    But he couldn''t possibly stop Tang Mo from talking nonsense, so Tang Mo continued to ramble on, "Then, we designed several brand-new weapons, including the K3 rifle that used metal cartridges, the automatic G1 machine gun..."


    "And... what about cannons?" Gis asked this question with a persistent sense that something was off.


    But Tang Mo immediately answered his question, fortifying Gis''s sense that something wasn''t right, "With the ignition mechanism in ce, why not invent a fuse that would detonate upon impact, to be used on shells?"


    "You''re truly a genius," Gis said dubiously, continuing to ponder what exactly was off.


    "I know that," Tang Mo shamelessly epted the praise, then went on, "Then, using the loading principle of the rifle, I invented breech-loading cannons. They have a longer range and load faster than your Shireck muzzle-loading guns..."


    "I ept my defeat without question," Gis felt ufortable with the response and even a bit anxious. Thus, he ceased his questioning and nodded in acknowledgment of his defeat.


    "Indeed, without question," Tang Mo nodded, agreeing once more with Gis''s conclusion.


    "I could have been your friend... but I didn''t have that choice," Gis said with an expression of immense regret,menting to Tang Mo.


    "You''re wrong about that..." Tang Mo directly dismissed Gis''s statement, shaking his head mercilessly.


    "How so?" Gis was taken aback, seeming to pinpoint the inconsistency he had felt before in that instant.


    "You could never be my friend, Mr. Gis," Tang Mo rejected him with distant coldness.


    "You don''t n to let me go back?" Suddenly, Gis seemed to realize something, staring into Tang Mo''s eyes as he questioned him.


    Tang Mo didn''t hide his thoughts, countering directly, "Why would I let you go back?"


    "Working with the Shireck Consortium, you could gain more than you imagine," Gis persisted.


    Tang Mo remained indifferent and nonchntly continued to counter-question, "If I take out Shireck, I can just go and take all these things myself, can''t I?"


    His voice was light when he asked, as if taking out Shireck was not such a difficult task for him.


    Wes, who stood behind him and had seen the steel behemoth that Tang Mo had built, knew that Tang Mo was not being arrogant, he was simply stating a fact!


    But Tang Mo''s tone made Gispletely panic. He suddenly stood up, looking down at Tang Mo, and asked in a harsh voice, "¡­ do you really... think you can take out the Shireck Consortium?"


    Tang Mo curiously counter-questioned, "Why can''t I?"


    "You''re really not going to let me go back?" This time, Gis truly panicked; he staggered back a step, unable to believe and asked again.


    "Yes," Tang Mo nodded resolutely, without any hesitation.


    "You can think it over again; we really can cooperate," Gis emphasized, pleadingly amidst his panic.


    "No need¡­" Tang Mo''s refusal remained very straightforward.


    Wes who stood behind Tang Mo had already drawn the Left-Wheel Handgun from his pocket and casually pointed it at Gis.


    "Would you be willing to tell me where Qiumuluo is?" Tang Mo, as if having remembered something, asked while standing up.


    However, Gis did not answer Tang Mo''s question but continued to interrogate, "We are both not good people, so why do you want to kill me?"


    "You might not understand¡­ it''s just because, I find you annoying!" Tang Mo smiled, pushing Gis to the brink of copse.


    He lunged at Tang Mo, trying to grab Tang Mo''s cor: "You¡­"


    "Bang!" The gunshot rang out, echoing across the wilderness.


    Gis watched in disbelief as a pool of blood rapidly expanded on his chest. He staggered forward yet another step, but his reaching hand began to feel as heavy as lead.


    "Shireck¡­ won''t let this go¡­" Gis swayed as he threatened Tang Mo.


    "If they don''te looking for trouble, then they can count their blessings! Those people will be praying every day that I''m in a good mood and not in the mood to utterly annihte them!" Tang Mo said coldly, staring at Gis who had fallen to his knees.


    Thetter could no longer hear what he was saying; he was just hanging on to hisst breath, unwilling to die just yet.


    Tang Mo walked away without looking back while Wes stepped forward to finish with two more shots, neat and clean. The crackling gunfire in the distance also gradually ceased.


    Gis and his followers had all been shot dead, not a single one had escaped. They, so full of sin, had truly never imagined that they would die so easily in this deste wilderness¡­


    At the same time, the defeated Shireck private military found that the road they were retreating on was blocked by an army carrying the g of the Leite Kingdom.


    "What''s our next move?" Wes caught up with the departing Tang Mo, and while slipping the Left-Wheel Handgun back into his pocket, he asked curiously.


    "Follow the original agreement, take what belongs to us¡­" Tang Mo said while continuing to walk, "Send someone to find Qiumuluo¡­ Someone imed to have seen him in Gis''s camp! He still owes me a debt!"


    "Yes, Master!" Wes nodded slightly, then turned back to look at Gis''s kneeling corpse¡­


    --------


    Here''s a 4,000-word mega-chapter for you, asking for your monthly tickets, rewards, subscriptions, and favorites¡­

 Chapter 182: Hello from Silver Fox Company #179

    In the opulent ballroom, scantily d women were everywhere, while men enjoyed themselves among these women, filling the air withughter.


    It seemed as though they werepletely unaware of the battle of Brunas that had just ended a week ago, nor did they know that the war, due to the emergence of automatic weapons, had easily ughtered thousands of soldiers within a matter of hours.


    What they were even more ignorant of was that howitzers hade to dominate warfare and the world was now in turmoil.


    People here were still indulged in luxury and lived their lives in a drunken stupor. Everything outside the window seemed to have nothing to do with them; they only cared about their purses and how to undress women tonight.


    The candles flickered, casting a sickly light as it reflected off the dazzling ss. Some men and women couldn''t wait to misbehave in the corners, while others continued to cheer with their sses raised towards the women who were dancing provocatively and screaming.


    This was thergest ballroom within King City of the Leite Kingdom, and the ce where men most wanted to be. However, only the truly powerful and wealthy merchants could enter here.


    Because the man who ran this ce had an iparable background.


    "Yesterday, some guy iming to be from the ck Iron Company actually had the nerve toe here, talking about a partnership... I don''t know how someone so deranged could exist in King City," said a well-dressed man, sitting down on the long sofa with his drink in hand.


    On the other side of the sofa sat a man with arge mustache, wearing even more expensive attire and hugging a seductive-looking woman.


    That man sneered and mockingly said to his men, "Are you talking about those fools from the countryside? They don''t understand the rules here, nor do they know who really calls the shots! Hahahaha!"


    "Hahahaha!" His remarks elicited a wave of mockery, and the influential men and women all sneered andughed.


    "You can''t say it like that, Mr. Woodrow. They are very rich, buying up almost everything in the King City, and... they also sell many good items, and have set up an interesting casino outside the city," said a man, while reminding the gang leader sitting at the head, Mr. Woodrow, and pouring himself more red wine.


    There were some things he didn''t finish saying, because the other party was equally powerful and seemed to have a formidable background, so he only said half of what he meant.


    "I already know what you''re talking about! I''ve sent people to smash that casino! Those who don''t follow the rules must be taught a lesson!" Woodrow said, shaking his drink with a dark expression, his tone unfriendly.


    As he spoke, he angrily squeezed the woman in his arms. His actions clearly hurt her, but she didn''t dare struggle, instead letting him do as he pleased with her body.


    After all, the man holding her was Woodrow, the leader of thergest gang in the Leite Kingdom, the man who reigned over the kingdom''s underworld at night.


    Most of the kingdom''s casinos and brothels were under his control, and his ie could be described as enormous. Had it not been for the recent upheaval in Brunas, he would be making even more.


    Moreover, he had countless underlings and controlled all the kingdom''s underground business dealings, and even had business associations with many nobles, so everyone held a degree of fear towards him.


    In some respects, Woodrow''s word was more influential than that of Leite VII, and he acted even more unscrupulously.


    At that moment, an enforcer came over, bent down, and with a lowered head reported to Woodrow, "Sir, a man who ims to be a manager from Silver Fox Company wants to meet with you."


    Putting down his ss, Woodrow looked at the man and said, "Oh? They''vee?"


    "Yes! He came alone, and he''s clean," the enforcer continued in a low voice.


    Woodrow nodded slightly, then waved his hand to dismiss his subordinate, "Let him in, gentlemen... I might kill a man shortly! Hahahaha!"


    "Hahahaha!" Upon hearing his words, the wealthy merchants and local power yers in the room allughed as if they had heard a hrious joke.


    Soon, a man in a Brunas-customized suit entered, looking like a spirited middle-aged man.


    After entering, he nodded slightly and introduced himself to everyone present, "Hello, everyone. I am the manager of a smallpany from Brunas. I''ve heard that if you want to do business in King City, you must pay a visit here, so I''vee with a generous gift."


    "Doing business here isn''t easy," said a fat man, hugging a woman and speaking up.


    After he finished speaking, many peopleughed with him, all looking down on this middle-aged man who hade all alone.


    As theughter gradually died down, Woodrow began to address the middle-aged man, "This is my turf... that''s right. You''re new here, and you need to learn some rules, but right now... I don''t have the time to tell you about them! Kneel down, lick my shoes, then scram!


    That way, you might still preserve your miserable life tonight, find a few wilted flowers in the meanest alley to brighten your night... But you must leave by dawn the next day, or I''ll st your brains out with a shotgun!"


    Ha ha ha ha!" Laughter erupted from all directions once more, and the middle-aged man from Brunas even joined in with a few self-assured chuckles.


    However, after everyone had theirugh, he continued to press, "Mr. Woodrow, are you really not going to take a look at the generous gift I''ve brought you?"


    His persistence caused Woodrow''s smile to fade as he glowered at the young man, coldly rebuking him, "You are the first one to dare speak to me this way! Kid! I''m not interested in any gifts from you, I''d much prefer to keep your right hand!"


    The middle-aged man nodded slightly, a tinge of regret as he unbuttoned his suit and reached under his arm: "Very well... Silver Fox Company sends its regards, Mr. Woodrow."


    "Hmm?" Woodrow''s brow furrowed, and in that instant, an ominous feeling chilled him to the bone.


    And the next second, under everyone''s gaze, the middle-aged man pulled out a ck, exquisitely crafted pistol and aimed it straight at Woodrow''s forehead.


    Without the slightest hesitation or dy, before the people around could react, the middle-aged man pulled the trigger.


    "Bang!" The pistol gave a crisp report as a bullet neatly prated Woodrow''s forehead. The bullet then shattered inside his skull, burst through the back of his brain, and sent brain matter and blood flying, spattering the sofa back behind Woodrow.


    As if ensuring Woodrow was undeniably dead, the middle-aged man kept pulling the trigger, one gunshot after another reverberated through the entire ballroom, "Bang! Bang!"


    Aside from the first shot that went through Woodrow''s forehead, the second and the third bullets pierced his heart and lung, respectively. Even in the 21st century, such a triple-shot at the hospital''s doorstep would leave no hope for survival.


    The music in the hall came to an abrupt halt, leaving only chaos. Eventually, someone snapped to their senses, and the first scream rose, "Quick! Stop him! He''s killed Mr. Woodrow!"


    At that moment, Woodrow was slowly copsing back onto the sofa, sitting back, his eyes fixated on the ceiling''s ornate carvings.


    "Damn it! Someone, kill him!" A portly businessman who had just sneered now shielded himself with a woman in front of him, screaming at the top of his lungs.


    Along with the fat man''s cries, the ballroom''s doors were violently kicked open from the outside. A troop of burly men wielding lever-action rifles broke through two of Woodrow''s men, smashing the stock of a rifle into the face of a man trying to flee.


    "Bang! This is Silver Fox Company''s gift to everyone!" With a wave of his hand, he blew the head off the fat businessman, and the middle-aged man sat down next to Woodrow''s corpse, self-assuredly picking up a ss marked with lipstick, and turned to the beauty on the other side of the corpse, "Do you mind?"


    The woman shook her head frantically, and the middle-aged man grinned, raising his ss and taking a sip, "From now on, this will be Silver Fox Company''s property! Who''s in favor? Who''s opposed?"


    "Bang!" One of Woodrow''s men attempted resistance only to be shot down by a burly man and copsed in the middle of the dance floor.


    "Bang!" Another of Woodraw''s men had just reached for his flintlock pistol at his waist when he was shot by a bald man wielding a Left-Wheel Handgun, struggling before slumping into a booth.


    Finally, someone realized the opposition''s authority greatly exceeded theirs, "They''ve got guns! And they''re much more advanced than Shireck''s flintlocks! Damn it!"


    "Don''t shoot! I''m just here to dance!" Then, pleas for mercy sounded, as some traders hiding behind sofas quickly dered their neutrality, shouting out their stance.


    "Ah! Stop shooting!" Women too crouched down, clutching their heads, and screamed hysterically, "Help!"


    "You''ve killed Mr. Woodrow! Have you gone mad? Do you know whom he belonged to? You''ll soon know the consequences! You''ll be hanged in the dungeons, your families will be killed, your daughters..." A man pinned on the floor tried to threaten desperately, seeking to scramble for a way out.


    Unfortunately, his words were cut short as he was shot dead on the floor.


    "Mr. Woodrow is the nephew of the Kingdom''s Minister of Finance! You''re in trouble now." The man who had been speaking with Woodrow nced at the middle-aged man sitting by Woodrow''s corpse, voicing a warning.


    "No, we never court trouble; we''re just here to do business." The middle-aged man held up his ss and drained the remaining wine in one gulp.

 Chapter 183: 180 step aside

    In the estate of the Minister of Finance of the Kingdom, a woman sat opposite the old Minister of Finance, crying and wailing, "He is your nephew! How could he be killed so carelessly?"


    "I''ve already written to my acquaintances in the City Defense Forces. At times like this, that''s all I can really do."


    "But you are the Minister of Finance! And moreover... others may not know, but Woodrow, Woodrow is your..." The woman wept so pitifully that even the old minister felt a twinge ofpassion.


    People always have their collections. For a man who is sessful in business and wealthy, collecting things destined to be out of the reach of others gives them a sense of aplishment.


    And thus, he took a fancy to a pair of twins, identical twin sisters, and quite beautiful at that. First, he married the older sister to make her his wife, then he used every trick in the book to keep the younger sister on the side as his mistress.


    At his proudest moment, he even indulged in the outrageous act of having both sisters share his bed at the same time, and they each bore him children. To his slight regret, his wife gave birth to two daughters, while his mistress, the younger sister, gave birth to a son!


    This matter was no longer a secret in the nobility circle; many were aware that the Minister of Finance had an illegitimate son.


    At that time, the Minister of Finance was an important pawn bought by the Shireck Consortium, and he was also on good terms with Xiuyi Jisi. His deep affiliation with Shireck Consortium was well known; naturally, he was one of the Kingdom''s key supporters of the Consortium.


    Unfortunately, his recent days had not been too good, as Shireck Consortium''s influence within the Leite Kingdom had fallen to dangerously low levels.


    Initially, it was he and Gis who spearheaded the failed n to betray Northern Ridge, resulting in significant losses for the Kingdom, and the King started to grow annoyed with him.


    Whilst riding on Shireck''s influence, even if the King was displeased with him, it wouldn''t have been too dangerous, but then Shireck gave away nearly half the Kingdom''s interests in a feigned cooperation with the Great Tang Group.


    This further diminished Shireck Consortium''s influence within the Kingdom to the point where his position as Minister of Finance began to waver.


    Over the past week, he''d fallenpletely on the defensive. He heard that Shireck''s private army had been defeated in Brunas, losing tens of thousands of men.


    Shireck''s power within the Leite Kingdom had been nearly swept clean, and he, who had ascended to the position of Minister of Finance by relying on Shireck, had naturally be precarious.


    If it weren''t for anything special, he had been exceptionally cautioustely, fearing the King would make a move against him.


    But when it rains, it pours; just when he least wanted trouble and was intent onying low, his illegitimate son was ughtered...


    Within King City, who wouldn''t give the Minister of Finance some respect? Who would dare touch Woodrow?


    Since he had only that one son, the old Minister of Finance, in such a time, wrote to the City Defense Forces, demanding that the murderer be severely punished.


    What infuriated him was that he knew very well that the murderer hadn''t even been caught yet, he was still out there, living infort...


    "Enough! You''re not unaware that I''m in a precarious position myself, struggling for my own safety. There''s nothing I can do about it," the Minister of Finance said wearily.


    "But you are the Minister of Finance! How dare they treat you this way..." The woman still felt indignant and spoke resentfully.


    The child that had died was hers; as only an unrecognized mistress, she had put all her hopes on her son.


    Moreover, this son was filial and capable, running many businesses behind the scenes and bringing her a hefty sum of money each month.


    Now, her wonderful son had been killed so abruptly; how could she let this matter rest so easily?


    As a mother, or rather as a beneficiary, she swore in secret that she would have the damned murderer, or rather the one who had ruined her cash card, torn into pieces!


    "Cough, cough, cough!" The Minister of Finance, overwhelmed by anger, began to cough violently. It took a while before he finally managed to soothe the itch in his throat and steady his breath, then he said, "Think about it! Why would they dare to make a move against Woodrow?! Would they have dared when I was at the peak of my power?


    It''s only because my position in the Kingdom is wavering that they started by targeting Woodrow, trying to drag me down with him."


    "This..." The woman was still not content. In her view, she had righteousness on her side and should be able to seek justice anywhere.


    She wouldn''t consider that thosemon folks and minor officials who had been harmed by her son also had no avenue to seek justice. Now that it was her turn, she started to talk about fairness.


    "What ''this''? Even if today the King were to announce my dismissal as Minister of Finance, it wouldn''t be surprising at all!" The voice of the old Minister of Finance turned cold, signaling his great displeasure.


    He loathed the way women clung to him incessantly, and in this household, he was the ultimate authority, with women serving merely as ornaments. They were like vases, mere decorations in a room.


    Moreover, there was something he hadn''t voiced: Just a few days ago, news came from Brunas that Xiuyi Jisi, the Shireck Consortium''s representative within the Leite Kingdom, had been killed by the Great Tang Group!


    This news was like a bolt from the blue, silencing the old Minister of Finance in an instant.


    He owed his position to the support of the Shireck Consortium, but now it was clear that his backing had copsed.


    As a crafty old fox, he naturally wanted to find another protector, but he couldn''t find a way to ally with the Great Tang Group on such short notice.


    Yesterday, after the meeting, he had a brief chat with the King, hinting in his words that he was willing to serve the King.


    But chillingly for him, the King simply wouldn''t pick up the cue. Either the King wasn''t interested in his allegiance, or he had already made other ns.


    The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward, and the woman could only stifle her sobs, cautious not to defy her man. After all, this man was one of the most powerful figures in the Kingdom.


    Or at least, he once was¡­ one of the Kingdom''s most powerful figures. Even now, if he were to fall, a camel starved still dwarfs a horse¡ªhe remained a force she dared not provoke.


    And as he listened to her restrained weeping, the Minister of Finance grew increasingly irritated. He wanted to scold her, yet he didn''t know where to start.


    After all, that was his son, and his only son at that! Even though the boy was illegitimate, his death pained him deeply.


    In normal times, he would have been furious, seeking the murderers, demanding Shireck track down the scoundrels responsible and ensuring their entire families paid dearly.


    But now, the Shireck forces within King City were too preupied to care, and he himself was like a y Buddha crossing a river¡ªhardly able to save himself, much less deal with matters concerning Woodrow.


    Just then, the door was pushed open from outside, and an old butler entered, bowed slightly and reported, "Master¡­ The Prime Minister is here to see you."


    "Quick! Please bring him in!" The Minister of Finance stood up excitedly, a smile spreading across his face. He knew that the Prime Minister and the King were aligned. The Prime Minister''s visit was clearly a sign of the King''s will.


    After saying this, he turned to his mistress and said, "Once I''ve sorted things out here, dealing with Woodrow''s affair will be simple! As long as my position is secure, I won''t let any of those bastards who touched Woodrow off hook!"


    The woman, still in tears, finally managed topose herself somewhat, looking at the Minister of Finance with tearful eyes. She wanted to speak but hesitated, ultimately leaving the reception room through another door.


    Not long after she left, the Prime Minister and a middle-aged man came in. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, the two of them took their seats.


    Both seasoned and shrewd, they started with a whole lot of meaningless small talk, even touching upon the tax reforms in the Suthers Kingdom.


    Beaten in war, the Suthers Kingdom began reforming itself, buying advanced weapons from the Great Tang Group for their military and instructing Sir Romel, a rising star of the Kingdom, to train new troops; while internally, they reformed their governance and taxws,unching a series of development ns with the support of the Prime Minister.


    As a neighboring state, the Leite Kingdom was watching closely, andtely, Leite VII had been frequently summoning ministers, hoping to find a response of their own.


    In the course of the conversation, the Prime Minister brought up a person. This individual yed a crucial role in the reforms of the Suthers Kingdom and was exceptionally young¡ªa young prodigy so fresh that there was scarcely any information about him in the Leite Kingdom.


    To the Leite Kingdom, it seemed as though this young man had descended out of nowhere into the Suthers Kingdom; in just over a month, he had gained remarkable momentum, almost ready to move from general to chancellor.


    Moreover, there were rumors that this young man had formed a romantic rtionship with the granddaughter of the Suthers Prime Minister, even engaging in talks of marriage.


    The Suthers Prime Minister was very fond of this young man and supported him politically, grooming him as his sessor¡­


    Suddenly, the old Prime Minister even began toment, mentioning how the Leite Kingdom had a young man named Tang Mo, while Suthers had its own promising youth. It seemed to him that he, an old man, could no longer keep up with the times.


    The Minister of Finance also sighed and then offered words offort. The two men, far from young, together bore a sense of being left behind by the times.


    ----------


    Yesterday was supposed to be four updates, but again it didn''t pass the review... The description of the ballroom went overboard... Hahaha

 Chapter 184: 181 is indeed the case.

    Finally, after beating around the bush for a while, he spoke with a heavy heart about the matter at hand, "Sir, I presume you havee this time to entrust me with an issue. The times have changed; I''ve heard about the Shireck Consortium. I had no choice in the past, but now... I still really want to do something for the Kingdom."


    Hearing the other party take the lead, the Prime Minister stopped discussing the political reforms of the neighboring country and, with a mncholy shake of his head, said, "Franklin, Franklin... my dear Franklin... I know you are a good man."


    "Sir..." Sensing the old Prime Minister''s emotion, the Minister of Finance watched him nervously and called out with a mix of feelings.


    The old Prime Minister waved his hand as if filled with regret and sighed deeply before continuing, "Actually, the King gave you a chance... I remember it was a year ago; you passed up the opportunity then."


    "But..." Hearing the old Prime Minister say this, the Minister of Finance, Franklin''s heart sank. He knew things might be going badly, but he wasn''t quite ready to ept it.


    He wanted to salvage the situation or offer some sort of defense, but it was clear that the other party had no intention of giving him the chance.


    All the old Prime Minister said was, "There are no ''buts'', Franklin... The King needs you in your current position; this decision is final."


    When he represented the King in negotiations with Tang Mo, he had already promised Tang Mo the position of Minister of Finance for the Kingdom.


    From that moment on, the fate of the Minister of Finance''s role was no longer in the hands of Franklin, who sat in that position.


    If Tang Mo won, then the position belonged to Tang Mo. If Tang Mo lost, it would belong to Shireck, which meant Franklin would keep it.


    Unfortunately, Tang Mo was victorious, crushing Shireck and iming everything the Kingdom had promised him.


    The Minister of Finance, Franklin, suddenly stood up from his chair, suppressing his anger as he roared in a low voice, "What? How could you, without even telling me, rece me from the position of Minister of Finance?"


    The Prime Minister looked helplessly at the agitated Minister of Finance and said, word by word, "I am here to notify you. Tomorrow, a new Minister of Finance will take over your duties. What you need to do is cooperate with his work."


    "You must be joking!" The Minister of Finance, unwilling to believe this reality, fell back into his chair as if about to copse and shook his head deluding himself.


    The Prime Minister shattered his illusions, directly and sternly warning Franklin, who was calcting how to preserve his position: "No joke, Franklin! If you are unwilling to gracefully vacate your position, then the King will use disgraceful means to ruin your reputation."


    "You know that Shireck no longer has the power to threaten me! I can obey the King! I can follow your orders!" The Minister of Finance tried to struggle in desperation, hoping to find a glimmer of hope by siding with the King.


    "The decision has been made, Franklin! You must relinquish your position; it''s irrevocable." The old Prime Minister shook his head, ruthlessly rejecting the Minister of Finance''s plea to join him.


    The Minister of Finance, cornered and enraged, flew into a rage, mming his hand on the table as he shouted loudly, "This is not fair! I have given so much to the Kingdom! When you needed Shireck, I was always there for you..."


    The Prime Minister interrupted him, looking down and softly said, "What use is there in saying all this... It''s all in the past, Shireck is history now."


    "I will not relinquish my power! If you mess with me, I will make you pay!" Finally, Franklin stood up once more, pointing at the Prime Minister, and shouted without restraint.


    The Prime Minister lifted his gaze, looking up at the standing Franklin, and coldly warned, "Don''t say that, Franklin, I think you should calm down."


    "I don''t need to calm down!" Franklin continued to shout recklessly, his yelling now loud enough to be clearly heard by the butler in the corridor.


    For many years, there had been no such intense arguments in this residence. Thus, the old butler had no choice but to disperse the surrounding servants and moved to a distant location himself.


    As Franklin was furiously shouting, a voice abruptly said, "Perhaps you should calm down."


    It was at this moment that Franklin realized there was another person in the room. The middle-aged man standing behind the old Prime Minister now spoke up, a hint of scorn on his smiling face.


    Franklin greatly disliked that smile and asked displeased, "And who are you?"


    The middle-aged man smiled as he introduced himself, "Me? I''m just a manager at Silver Fox Company... Oh, that''s right! Woodrow was killed by me."


    "What?" Franklin was shocked and stumbled a couple of steps backward, nearly falling over.


    Upon hearing the other party''s introduction, Franklin''s hair stood on end in an instant. In that moment, he realized many things, including why this man had the qualifications to stand by the Prime Minister''s side and walk into his reception room with him.


    "Someone! Guards!" Instinctively, he wanted to summon his own guards, partly to capture the bastard who had killed his illegitimate son, and partly to protect his own personal safety.


    "If I were you, I would quietly listen until I finish talking." The middle-aged man made a silencing gesture and continued, "I found something at Woodrow''s ce, including human trafficking, kidnapping, murder, and misappropriation of state assets, using illicit gains to bribe... and so on..."


    His words halted Franklin''s cry for help, as he knew that his illegitimate son was probably holding onto a ledger, which served as the foundation of his security.


    This matter should not be made known to too many people since the ledger clearly contained far too many things that should not be exposed to others. Therefore, Franklin shut his mouth and stared at the speaking middle-aged man with a quiet yet venomous gaze.


    The middle-aged man walked past where the Prime Minister was seated, came up to Franklin, and continued speaking. His tone was filled with contempt yet carried a chilling coldness, "A name frequently appears in there, Franklin... see, isn''t that a coincidence? So, I did a little digging and uncovered many things."


    "You!" Franklin pointed at the middle-aged man, now feeling dizzy and infuriated but trying to remainposed.


    The middle-aged man brushed away Franklin''s finger, leaned in close, and coldly warned, "Don''t point at me, or I might get really scared. Tomorrow, leave the Leite Kingdom with one-tenth of your wealth... or you can just stay buried here... your choice. I really don''t care."


    Before Franklin could say anything else, the old Prime Minister intervened, "Franklin... leave this ce."


    "My lord..." Franklin began with a bitter voice, seemingly wanting to say more. However, in the end, hecked the courage to continue.


    "Leave," the old Prime Minister stood up and walked towards the door, seemingly addressing his apanying middle-aged man, but equally, it could have been meant for the standing still Franklin.


    "I understand..." Eventually, Franklin was defeated, his head drooping as he said softly.


    The middle-aged man nced at him and, while speaking, followed the Prime Minister out, "Finish the handover work tonight! I don''t have that much patience!"


    The Prime Minister paused, turned to instruct the middle-aged man, "Let''s go! He is the Minister of Finance after all; the Kingdom''s dignity still matters."


    The middle-aged man immediately shed a smile, bowed slightly, and obsequiously ttered the Prime Minister, "Of course, the future business of the Silver Fox Company in King City will entirely depend on Your Excellency the Prime Minister."


    "By the way, did Lord Tang Mo just generously give up the position of the Minister of Finance to a confidant?" The Prime Minister, about to board his carriage, turned to ask the middle-aged man assisting him.


    The middle-aged man immediately exined with a smile, "Minister Simon is quite capable, and the master trusts him immensely."


    He had thought his master should personally take up the position of the Kingdom''s Minister of Finance, but who could have expected that Simon, a mere tax officer from Brunas who had just pledged allegiance to Tang Mo, would be so fortunate?


    Tang Mo did indeed grant this position to an old tax officer, and let this elder take over quite a few properties in King City.


    The Prime Minister looked at the middle-aged man, who acted decisively and was verypetent, and praised him, "You''re doing well; you must be one of Tang Mo''s trusted ones, right?"


    The middle-aged man immediately said with augh, "Your Excellency jests; I''m just a nobody. Anything I have achieved today is solely because of my master''s appreciation and nurturing."


    He wasn''t speaking out of modesty, for within Tang Mo''s system, personnel like him from the lowest ranks of the Silver Fox Tavern did not count as confidants.


    In Tang Mo''s system, the core consisted of graduates from the Tang Army Military Academy. Next were those gifted individuals who had supplemented their education at night school to learn Tang Mo''s doctrines. Only then did ite to side branches that learned on their own from the manuals¡ªwith this middle-aged man being of the third type.


    When the Prime Minister heard him say this, he burst into augh, "Hahaha! The more I hear it, the more I think Lord Tang Mo is a matchless hero."


    "Indeed he is," the middle-aged man did not hide his admiration.


    "Hm? Hahaha! Well said!" The Prime Minister was momentarily taken aback but then continued tough heartily.

 Chapter 185: 182 New Ship New Classroom

    Brunas, the open sea.


    Atop the mast of a sailboat, a young sailor squinted his eyes, watching the billowing ck smoke on the sea''s surface.


    He did not know what it was, just that it was also moving forward, and at a speed much faster than their ship.


    Because the ck smoke was advancing in the direction of their sailboat, and the source of the ck smoke was moving rapidly forward, much faster than the sailboat he was on.


    The Flying Fish sailboat was an infamous swift vessel around here, designed to outpace pirates with its speed, ensuring the safety of the cargo.


    Therefore, this cargo sailboat was renowned for its speed, nearing 30 kilometers per hour! But in front of that tumbling ck smoke, the speed of this sailboat seemed somewhat insignificant.


    Recently, among sailors, a legend had been circting that near the port of Brunas, a monster had been seen. Its speed surpassed the fastest warship, and no one had ever seen the true face of that monster.


    It was said that any sailboats that had seen the monster were sunk by it, and the sailors were eaten. So, that ck-smoke-emitting monster always appeared and disappeared mysteriously, causing much concern among many.


    The official authorities at the port of Brunas were even rmed, dispatching two armed merchant ships to patrol the sea where the monster appeared, warning approaching merchant vessels to leave quickly.


    But because the ocean was so vast, there were always passing merchant ships that slipped through, seeing the billowing smoke on the ocean surface but unable to catch up with the owner of the ck smoke.


    The sailors who could navigate the oceans had more or less an adventurous spirit. Many times, they really wanted to see this mysterious, never-before-seen "monster."


    And at this very moment, the sailors on the monster, or rather the sailors aboard the Great Tang Group''s first steam-powered irond warship, were operating the most powerful warship in the world, cutting through the churning waves.


    Their warship was sailing on the ocean, with two chimneys emitting pitch-ck smoke. Seagulls circled the bow, and the wooden deck reflected a warm glow under the sunlight.


    A ve sailor from the Por Kingdom, who had regained his status as a civilian, wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking out towards the distant sea''s surface.


    Life on this ship was truly blissful. They had warm water to drink, plenty of vegetables, and evenbat was much more rxed and leisurely than on other warships.


    After all, naval battles were still divided into boarding actions and cannon duels. And whether it was boarding or firing cannons, the Great Tang Group''s steam-powered ironds clearly crushed the entire era''s existence.


    First of all, in cannonbat, these warships featured entirely enclosed gun turrets, with all gun positions safely under the protection of steel tes, obviously much safer than those wooden hulls.


    Soldiers fighting in this environment naturally became moreposed; they could focus more on aiming and firing, rather than observing their surroundings.


    And in boardingbat, if a wooden sailboat ever got close to an irond, it would face the furious strafing of twin Maxim heavy machine guns...


    An enemy sailor who could withstand such firepower and board forbat would probably have to be a T800-level terrifying existence.


    This man, who had regained his civilian status, now knew there were so many beautiful scenes in this world, and there were so many advanced and bizarre things.


    For the first time, he learned how interesting sailing could be, and for the first time, he realized that navalbat could be so romantic!


    Yes, big guns andrger ships are always a man''s romance! When the enemy has only muzzle-loading guns, and you can equip breech-loading guns, war is indeed a romantic and fun affair.


    That''s why Americans love war so much, why they are so eager to wage war¡ªusing an F-22 to bully an SU-27 or even a MIG-21, everyone loves this game mode...


    The Great Tang Group''s irond warship is currently in the trial phase, adjusting its own equipment, testing the limits of its performance.


    During the tests, the Navy soldiers of the Great Tang Group''s security forces operated the warship and sank a pirate ship.


    The pirates had intended to flee, but they desperately discovered that the "burning" ship, emitting thick smoke, the likes of which they had never seen before, traveled at double or even triple their speed!


    Then, when the enemy fired from a great distance, far beyond theirmon knowledge and understanding of naval battles¡­


    After the long-distance shelling, before they could react, they were sent to the bottom of the sea by explosive shells.


    How could a wooden sailboat possibly withstand the bombardment of explosive shells, and how could the naked eye outmatch the crushing superiority of a scope?


    As for living conditions, this elf sailor even dared to swear to the gods that he had never experienced such afortable life at sea.


    He shared quarters with only twelve other sailors of the same rank; by previous standards, this was already a luxury suite at sea.


    In the past, on sailing ships, sailors, especially ve sailors, had no chance of having their own bedrooms. They were crammed in with the cargo and couldn''t even lie down to sleep.


    Now, they had afortable hammock, and on one side of the fixed hammock was a personal locker where they could store their personal belongings, such as the long-distance allowance issued by the Great Tang Group to all sailors.


    This was unimaginable in the past, not to mention they could now eat navy rations that had been specially reinforced while at sea.


    Each navy standard ration included dried meats or fish, as well as dried vegetables and fruit¡ªyes, fruit!


    In order to ensure the sailors'' vitamin intake, Tang Mo made it mandatory for all navy sailors to eat at least one orange a day.


    Additionally, vegetables like carrots were also dried and stored in abundance in the sparepartments, giving those sailors adrift at sea a sense of kindness and warmth from the upper echelons of the Great Tang Group.


    When it came to navy rations alone, they were a grade better than the army''s, so everyone''s spirits were high, and they trained hard.


    Most importantly, the warship was fitted with lighting, something previously unimaginable! Light bulbs, a novel innovation, were omnipresent on the warship.


    With lighting came more time, so the sailors on this warship acquired an exciting new benefit: education!


    They utilized their off-duty time to learn many practical skills, stocking up on technology for life after they retired.


    Some of these sailors learned mechanical principles, enabling them to repair steam engines and other equipment aboard the warship. Others learned about electrification, handling strong and weak electrical systems, striving to be qualified electricians.


    In short, this was a huge modern warship, as well as a modern school, and every sailor aboard was also a high-tech talent with limitless potential for the future.


    Compared to their contemporaries, they indeed were high-tech talents. They had seen optical sights, experienced semi-automatic loading machines, and been exposed to the most advanced stargazing instruments and equipment.


    They had also witnessed what a venttion system was like on their own warship, learned what a telegraph was, and what constitutedmunication and automatic weapons.


    With their grasp of modern naval warfare, each one of them was many times more experienced than their peers, an experience sufficient to make them the favored children of the era.


    Inside the bridge, a sailor looked at the pressure gauge in front of him and reported loudly to the captain standing by his side, "The power system is all normal!"


    "The steam engine is stable!" Another sailor yelled from the other side.


    They had been continuously testing the limits of the warship and discovered, after their cautious experiments, that rtive to their meager perception, the warship could practically be described as limitless.


    It was like someone who had used a feature phone all their life suddenly switching to a Huawei P30; to them, this phone was simply the ultimate next-generation device, requiring a lot of time to figure out all its features.


    Before seeing this warship, if someone had told them it was possible tomunicate with distantnd across the boundless sea, they would haveughed and mocked the person for being insane.


    From inside a pipemunicator, came the voice of a sailor Petty Officer from the lower deck reporting, "The hull structure is all normal! No abnormal noises!"


    Looking at the warship speeding at full throttle, the first officer also said to his captain, "Slight waves over the bow, no problem! It won''t affect the main guns firing!"


    The captain nodded slightly. Today''s sea conditions were very good, so his warship was without any problems¡ªthese days, his warship had undergone a series of tests, proving its superiority.


    At this moment, more uplifting news came through themunication pipes from the lower deck in a calm yet exciting tone, "The electrical system is normal!"


    And in the telegraph room behind the bridge, a telegraph officer took off his headset and shouted, "Telegraphmunication¡­ clear!"


    Everyone became excited. The third test had been entirely sessful, and what they needed to do now was to send this good news back to Brunas.


    The war was over, and the Shireck Consortium could not restore its system within the Leite Kingdom in such a short time¡ªthe time was on the side of the Great Tang Group.


    The vessels sent to scout ck Dragon Ind were likely returning. If they too brought back good news, then the n to migrate to ck Dragon Ind and secure the ind would begin to be implemented.


    Everything was progressing in a favorable direction, everything was unfolding just as Tang Mo had nned.


    "Change course! Prepare to return to port!" The captain stood at hismand post, full of pride as he gave the order to return, "Send a telegraph to the boss, tell him! Our sea trials were extremely sessful!"


    --------


    Thank you, Emperor, for the reward! I''m very grateful for Your Majesty''s support all this time.

 Chapter 186: 183 isnt tough on the young people

    Brunas, outside a reception room of the expanded city hall, a man dressed in traditional Dorne attire spoke with trepidation in his lowered voice, asking the young military officer beside him, "Are you sure you can meet him... and tell him about our procurement n?"


    The young officer nodded slightly, seriously responding, "I''m sure!"


    "Can you really guarantee that the weapons and ammunition procurement n will go smoothly?" the man asked again nervously. He kept asking questions, as if this was the only way to somewhat calm his anxious heart.


    "I''m sure!" the young manughed and continued to answer with certainty.


    While he responded, he caressed the dandelion-engraved ring on one of his fingers with his other hand.


    The nobleman from Dorne was still somewhat worried and asked with suspicion and uncertainty, "Aren''t you their traitor?"


    "To be precise, I chose the career I love and did not betray the Great Tang Group," the young man replied with a smile, defending himself, "I think the Dorne Kingdom is great, so I''m willing to work for this nation."


    After a few more seconds had passed, and the nobleman from Dorne, in charge of procuring the new batch of arms, grew restless again, repeatedly asking, "That mysterious owner of the Great Tang Group... he really won''t give us a hard time?"


    With a bit of resignation, the young officer dress in the Dorne military uniform continued to reassure him, "Don''t worry! My rtionship with him is extraordinary, and this trade will surely go very smoothly. We''ve prepared enough... chips for the exchange!"


    Time passed, and with no sign of them being called in for the meeting, the nobleman from Dorne responsible for the arms procurement began to grow tense again.


    He looked left and right, then once again started mutteringints to the young man beside him in a low voice, "You actually told me not to prepare Gold Coins but to prepare high-quality steel and copper ingots... to serve as the purchase payment... I think you''re crazy."


    "I don''t think I''m crazy," the young man retorted simply this time, then went back to looking down at his ring.


    He really liked the ring, for its owners were among the elite trained in the Great Tang military academy''s night school.


    Seeing the young man staring and smiling foolishly at his own ring, the nobleman from Dorne could only mock himself with resignation, "I must be crazy too, to believe your words... I''m so stupid, really... to not have brought so much Gold Coins..."


    Just as he was about to lose patience, a servant approached and stood before them, bowing slightly and speaking, "Mr. Roger would like to see you."


    "Me?" The nobleman from Dorne pointed to his own nose, confirming incredulously.


    Noticing the ring on the young officer''s finger, the servant gave the officer a smile, looked at the nobleman from Dorne Kingdom, nodded, and asked, "Yes, Mr. Roger would like to see you! Are you ready toe with me?"


    "Yes, of course, I''m ready!" the nobleman from Dorne hastily replied, somewhat nervously adjusting his clothes, swallowing hard, and following the servant towards the door.


    The servant opened the door, allowed the nobleman from Dorne into the room, then bowed to the person standing inside before closing the door behind him as he left.


    The person inside the room was not Tang Mo, but Roger.


    Tang Mo was recently busy with the rail link between Brunas and Northern Ridge, so he was not in Brunas.


    Roger smiled as he greeted the iing client, his face brimming with sincerity, "Hello, sir from the Dorne Kingdom."


    After all, such a significant business opportunity delivered right to the door was notmon, and Tang Mo was very much interested in new major clients, especially while starting to supply the entire Leite Kingdom with needle-firing guns.


    Especially, quality major clients like those from Dorne, who could directly offer a substantial amount of steel and copper ores for the trade!


    The nobleman from Dorne quickly began to introduce himself, "You, you may call me by my name, Raymond..."


    "Oh, Mr. Raymond, it''s a pleasure to meet you, I am Roger from the Great Tang Group. I hear you''re here to purchase our products?" Roger also introduced himself, and then asked with curiosity.


    The nobleman named Raymond from Dorne Kingdom immediately nodded, replying, "Yes! Mr. Roger! I''m here to purchase K1 Quick Guns... and Revolvers."


    Roger nodded slightly and then curiously asked a question unrted to the trade, "That''s no problem, I heard you are nning to leave Haman behind?"


    Believing that the Great Tang Group was preparing to clean house, Raymond, a noble from Dorne, was somewhat nervous, his voice trembling and drawn out as he pondered how to answer the question, "This..."


    Roger immediately realized the other party had misunderstood and exined with a smile, "There is no need to be nervous, in fact, we are simply an armspany. Our employees have personal freedom and can choose their own paths, so there is no need to worry about Haman. We don''t mind him leaving the Great Tang Group."


    Raymond weighed his tone and used a very diplomatic manner to say a few good words for the young naval officer named Haman, "He is a very capable young man. The King of Dorne hopes to have such young people to assist him."


    After all, the abilities demonstrated by this young man were greatly appreciated by many naval officers of the Dorne Kingdom. Ultimately, the Naval Commander-in-Chief of the Dorne Kingdom took this young man as an apprentice, and even His Majesty the King directly awarded him a naval officer''s position.


    This young man was no ordinary individual. After taking over a fleet, in just a few days, he had all the sailors under hismand, practically a miracle.


    Therefore, Raymond couldn''t bear to see this young man named Haman lose his prospects because of pressure from the Great Tang Group, which is why he mustered the courage to say the words he had just spoken.


    "That is indeed good news, would you like a drink?", Roger asked with a smile, shaking his head, taking out sses and a bottle of liquor from the cab and calling out to Raymond from a distance.


    "Oh... oh, thank you!" Raymond hurriedly expressed his thanks, not daring to sit down, and continued, "We do not wish... for Haman''s situation to affect our trade. The Dorne Kingdom values the cooperation with you... very much."


    In his view, cooperation with the Great Tang Group was the most important purpose of his visit, so he had to make clear his stance and not cause any misunderstanding on the part of the Great Tang Group.


    Roger poured a ss for him and one for himself, then walked over and handed the ss to the other party, "You need not be so nervous, Mr. Raymond. We are businessmen, as long as you pay, we provide the goods, fair and square..."


    Raymond quickly offered ttery, also hoping hispliments would get Roger to overlook the young man Haman, "It''s rare toe across someone as fair as you these days, Mr. Roger."


    "We really have no intention of pursuing Haman.", Roger exined again, somewhat helplessly, and then changed the subject, "So, ording to the contract you''ve submitted, you''re prepared to pay with steel and copper ore, correct?"


    Seeing that the topic had returned to business, Raymond immediately nodded in affirmation, "Yes, Mr. Roger."


    "We will follow the agreed-upon ratios... if everything goes as nned, this batch of arms can be shipped out tomorrow, and we can leave the dock by afternoon.", Roger nodded, giving a definitive shipping time.


    The Great Tang Group had recently umted quite a lot of stock, partly due to purchase orders from the Leite Kingdom and partly because the Suthers Kingdom also ced arge order for needle guns.


    There were even some orders from abroad; it was not clear whether they were ced by Shireck or truly from royal families of the surrounding kingdoms.


    Thus, the production line had been operating at full capacity, and naturally, there were goods in stock. The volume of Dorne Kingdom''s order may seemrge, but for the production capacity of the Great Tang Group, it was hardly astonishing.


    "I really appreciate it, Mr. Roger... This is a small gift, a token of my respect.", the Dorne noble Raymond immediately pulled out a gem he had prepared from his bosom, pushing the exquisite ruby into Roger''s hand.


    Roger did not refuse, his smile broadening, "You are far too kind. I hope Haman enjoys his time with you."


    "If, I mean if, next time I have Hamane to purchase arms, would the transaction go just as smoothly?", Raymond carefully probed.


    Roger was stunned for a moment, then burst into heartyughter, "Hahaha! Why would you think otherwise? Haman is our good friend, an old acquaintance. Perhaps we can even give him a discount, hahaha."


    "You are the most amiable and friendly nobleman I have met in many years.", upon hearing Roger''s response, Raymond quickly bowed slightly, showing his respect to Roger.


    Roger waived his hand, feigning humility, "No, no, no, I am not a noble yet, only the housekeeper of the true master of the Great Tang Group."


    "For someone like you, bing a nobleman is just a matter of time.", Raymond promptlyplimented again and then continued, "May the gods bless you and the Great Tang Group! May our cooperative rtionshipst forever, and our friendship continue for a thousand years."


    "And wishing you good health as well, Mr. Raymond!", Roger raised his ss in a toast from afar.


    "Someone... see Mr. Raymond out... Arrange for our men to show Mr. Raymond a good time in Brunas...", with the meeting concluded, Roger was not inclined to waste more time on a nobleman from the Dorne Kingdom, so he called a servant and gave the instructions.


    After all, there were all too many amusements in Brunas; surely Mr. Raymond would find his visit worthwhile.

 Chapter 187: Platform 184

    In a farmstead on Northern Ridge, a man shouldering a hoe gossiped with a neighbor outside the fence about the new information he had gathered, "Do you know what a rich person is like?"


    In the past half year or so, the people of Northern Ridge have been living very happily and peacefully.


    Recently, after defeating the Suthers Kingdom and acquiring arge region along the Ice Crystal River, Northern Ridge''s economy was revitalized.


    With substantial funds and embracing the advanced technology from Brunas, Northern Ridge''s economy waspletely revived.


    Thanks to the swift victory in the war, Northern Ridge''s agriculture wasn''t much affected but rather benefited from the climate to achieve a bumper harvest.


    Furthermore, with the rent and interest reduction policy carried out by the old Earl and the new Earl, Northern Ridge''s farmers could simply be described as happy over thest six months.


    Having money brings a good mood, and with a good mood naturallyes gossip.


    The neighbor farmer was hanging vegetables to dry in his yard, and while hanging them, he curiously asked, "Rich people? Are you talking about our Lord Earl?"


    "No! No! No! Someone richer than our Earl!" the hoe-carrying man quickly shook his head, indicating that it was iparable.


    "How much money are we talking about?" The vegetable-drying farmer asked incredulously upon hearing that.


    In his mind, the concept of someone being richer than the new Earl was beyond his understanding.


    After all, in his eyes, someone as wealthy as the Lord Earl should be the richest being in the world.


    Because he had heard that the new Earl''s assets were so vast that they were beyond ordinary people''s estimation.


    The hoe-carrying farmer mysteriously brought up a name that everyone was familiar with, "Have you heard? That man named Tang Mo, the Baron who is very close to the old Earl..."


    The vegetable-drying farmer paused, then slightly nodded and acknowledged, "Lord Tang Mo, of course, I have heard of him..."


    The hoe-carrying farmer immediately continued with an exaggerated tone, gesticting earnestly as he spoke, "Recently, heid down an iron road..."


    Upon hearing this, the vegetable-drying farmer''s eyes widened, "My God... are you joking?"


    "No, I''m not joking. That road goes through Dunst and then directly connects to Wolf City," exined the man with the hoe.


    Hearing about Dunst and Wolf City, the vegetable-drying farmer became even more astonished, "Such a long road? Are you sure?"


    The hoe-carrying farmer nodded and said, "I''m sure. My nephew just came back from there, and he said he saw with his own eyes a road with two long iron ''Zhu Zi'' linked together over there."


    Even then, the vegetable-drying farmer found it hard to believe that a man existed who could build a road paved with iron, "Gods above... how much money would that require?"


    "At least 100,000 Gold Coins! Believe me!" the hoe-carrying farmer exaggerated the figure with his hands as if he himself had that much.


    The figure astonished the vegetable-drying farmer yet again; he hadn''t even dreamed of seeing 100,000 Gold Coins, let alone dreamed of owning 20 Gold Coins...


    Thus, his breathing became rapid, he looked at the man in amazement, "A hundred, hundred thousand? A hundred thousand Gold Coins? How rich must he be, toy a road with 100,000 Gold Coins?"


    "I don''t know how rich he is, but I do know that those workers at the Great Tang Group, each one of them is quite wealthy," the hoe-carrying farmer quickly said.


    "How so?" the other became more interested.


    100,000 Gold Coins was still out of reach for him, but a job that could earn a few Gold Coins was definitely attractive to him.


    So, the hoe-carrying farmer continued to boast about his nephew, "It''s still my nephew, he said his friend works over there and earns 9 silver coins a day!"


    "A day? 9 silver coins? That much?" The vegetable-drying farmer looked enviously, feeling he could also take on such work.


    "Isn''t it? Even I want to give it a try... but guess what? They require you to learn, to learn calctions and geometry... all sorts ofplicated things... I barely recognize a few big characters, how could I possibly learn all that..." the hoe-carrying farmermented.


    Hearing that, the vegetable-drying farmer also extinguished the idea of trying¡ªlike the other, he was illiterate, and it seemed impossible for him to take on such work.


    The conversation seemed to have nowhere else to go from there, so the two of them started busying themselves with their own tasks again.


    After all, farmers can''t live by just farming; they also have to repair their own houses, tidy up their yards, dry crops, and look over the fields. There is a lot of work to do every day.


    ...


    On the outskirts of Wolf City, the newly established train station features a tform paved with concrete, looking very modern.


    There is a shelter and a ce for checking tickets. Separated by a fence, on the other side, is the freight station; both areas are distinctly defined.


    Tang Mo stood on the tform, staring nkly at the railway extending into the distance. The scene before him could hardly bepared to the familiar high-speed rail tforms, as every detail here seemed primitive and shabby.


    Yet, for this world, it could be said to be the most advanced and cutting-edge ce, as even the officials and nobility who came to visit were curiously examining everything around them.


    Technicians from the Great Tang Group were introducing the tform to these wealthy nobles and showcasing a booklet about the train to everyone.


    Alice stood beside Tang Mo, filled with curiosity about the uing train. She really wanted to see how a heavy chunk of iron could race along the tracks without any external force.


    Tang Mo shifted his gaze back to Alice and began to exin, "We''ll set up a station in the southern part of Northern Ridge and in Wolf City. In the end, this railway will pass through the crossroad and extend all the way to Ice Crystal City..."


    "That long?" Alice was taken aback by this statement. She always thought Tang Mo was simply sparing no expense to shorten the connection between Brunas and Wolf City, for the two of them, as well as for the coboration between Northern Ridge and Brunas.


    But she hadn''t expected that Tang Mo would actuallyy a railway line straight to Ice Crystal City, which took her byplete surprise.


    Because she knew just how much money Tang Mo had spent on this railway! The astronomical sum could be described, with each kilometer of the railway costing at least 700 Gold Coins!


    Although as the railway was built, this cost would be diluted, bing lower and lower, it still represented a significant amount of real silver!


    However, Tang Mo was unconcerned about these expenses, for he knew that the world would eventually ept this new invention, "Trust me, once people see the benefits of this railway, you will find countless individuals willing to pay ten times the price to build such railways."


    He knew of a country that had built the most magnificent transportationwork in the world with unparalleled determination and perseverance.


    In that country, known as the infrastructure maniac, the cost of a single cross-sea bridge could shake the economy of the world he currently lived in...


    That was true construction, that was true railway transport development, that was the attitude of taking on significant enterprises.


    Now, he had onlyid a little over 100 kilometers of railway, which was nothing more than child''s y, barely worth mentioning!


    Alice looked at Tang Mo, seeing determination and confidence on his handsome face. She then smiled assuredly and said, "I believe you because when you gave me the information, I believed that this thing is definitely the most worthwhile investment for the future."


    After all, the amount of ore produced by the mines had recently doubled, and as a minor heiress who had inherited the Shireck Consortium''s assets in Northern Ridge, she had her fair share of resources.


    In her view, if Tang Mo ever went bankrupt, she could support him. Worst case scenario, she could have him move to Northern Ridge to be a pretty face for Lord Earl, what''s the big deal?


    Tang Mo was unaware that the woman beside him was fully prepared to take care of him financially as he continued to exin to Alice the future development of the railway, "This is still far from its final form. Once it develops, it''ll be able to transport thousands or even tens of thousands of tons of materials daily.


    It willpletely rece existing traditional methods of transport and fundamentally change people''s lives."


    Seeing that Alice was not very interested and seemed to be lost in her thoughts, Tang Mo could only bring out his trump card to continue exining, "Now, the trip from Wolf City to Brunas takes less than a day. If you''re willing to visit me, you can have breakfast on the train in the morning, and by evening, you can have dinner with me."


    "Why?" Alice immediately showed more interest in this subject and asked without any context.


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo didn''t catch on and looked at Alice with confusion.


    Alice started tough, feigning annoyance, "Why should Ie to you? Why don''t youe to me instead?"


    Scratching his head, Tang Mo looked in the direction where the train was supposed to appear, trying to sidestep the topic with a sillyugh, "Haha!"


    Alice didn''t make it difficult for him, understandingly she said, "Alright, I won''t trouble you anymore!"


    Tang Mo started to feel a bit embarrassed, realizing that he was the one who had benefitted, "You know, my career has just started. Focusing on romantic affairs isn''t a good thing right now."


    "I know, I know! I will support you, and so will Northern Ridge!" Alice said nonchntly,forting Tang Mo in return.


    "Thank you." Tang Mo grew even more embarrassed, feeling that he should not disappoint such a good girl and should offer more to this somewhat naive Earl of Northern Ridge.

 Chapter 188: 185 I just want to let them all know

    Seeing Tang Mo staring at her thoughtfully, Alice''s face involuntarily flushed with color. She stole a nce at Tang Mo, then another, feeling that the more she looked, the more she liked him.


    However, she stubbornly exined to Tang Mo, "This isn''t because of my rtionship with you, Tang Mo, this is because you have truly brought benefits to Northern Ridge. I am the Earl of Northern Ridge, and I will take responsibility for Northern Ridge.


    The reason why I''m fully cooperating with you is not because you...you slept with me, but because I believe that cooperating with you is beneficial for Northern Ridge."


    "I understand! I understand, Alice! I have never thought of hurting you, nor have I thought of hurting Northern Ridge." Tang Mo nodded slightly, as if to give Alice a promise.


    Though it did not sound like a promise, Tang Mo knew that what he said was the truth and amitment he decided to execute and maintain throughout.


    As long as Alice was still his woman, he would support Northern Ridge, unwaveringly support thisnd¡­


    There was a moment of silence between the two, and Alice suddenly brought up a matter about a neighboring country, "Have you heard about the reforms in Suthers?"


    "Of course, I have heard." Tang Mo was slightly taken aback, but he knew about it, so he did not hide it and openly admitted it.


    Alice was wary of the neighbor''s vigorous efforts and expressed her concerns, "Do you have anything to say? If their reforms are sessful, their military power will grow stronger and stronger, which is not good news for Northern Ridge."


    After all, as the actual ruler of Northern Ridge, she had a much deeper experience of such matters than Tang Mo, who sold arms to both sides.


    In the past, the defeats and reparations that Suthers had to pay were deep-seated hatreds. If Suthers Kingdom were to strengthen itself after its reforms, the first target they would likely want to retaliate against would be Northern Ridge.


    Even if it was just for the sake of restoring their honor, the Suthers Kingdom would definitely want to take back the territories south of the Ice Crystal River that they had ceded to Northern Ridge.


    So, as soon as Suthers Kingdom was ready, war would surely break out again in the region of the Ice Crystal River, and Northern Ridge would be the first to be engulfed in that whirlpool of war.


    Tang Mo, on the other hand, did not seem to mind and smiled at Alice, "That''s why your Northern Ridge needs to be stronger."


    Of course, he wasn''t worried, because every aspect of the Kingdom of Suthers'' monthly tax revenue and changes in the national treasury were promptly reflected in his database. He knew everything about what the King of Suthers discussed in his daily meetings.


    After all, the initiator of the reforms, the one who drafted the reform ns, was actually his man. Even the design of the reforms had been taught to his own student; how could he possibly worry about the Kingdom of Suthers bing stronger¡­


    In fact, he was directing the Kingdom of Suthers to be stronger! Because only by doing so, he could sell more of his arms and countless other products.


    Seeing Tang Mo''s disdainful expression, Alice realized something and huffed at Tang Mo, "The way you talk, it confirms my suspicion more and more that the activities in Suthers are manipted by you."


    Tang Mo, seeing his lover seemingly upset, quickly spoke up tofort her, "Don''t worry! I will continue to support Northern Ridge in the arms trade, ensuring that Northern Ridge maintains an advantage in weaponry."


    "But I have to spend more money on defense!" Alice became even more upset bringing this up because she was practically working for Tang Mo''s arms empire, or rather, his business empire!


    Indeed, she had earned more Gold Coins, but in the blink of an eye, they all ended up in Tang Mo''s pockets.


    Although she was well aware that this money didn''t stay in Tang Mo''s pockets for long but was quickly distributed throughout Northern Ridge and even the entire Leite Kingdom to themon folk¡ªshe, as the purse of Northern Ridge, knew very clearly the immense power of capital flow.


    She was acutely aware that it was Tang Mo who revitalized the economy of Northern Ridge and even the Leite Kingdom, stabilizing the base of the Kingdom of Leite, which had been in continuous warfare.


    Tang Mo continued tofort Alice, "The Minister of Finance of the Kingdom will allocate a special fund for Northern Ridge in the new year, to be used for defending the northern border regions."


    By now he practically controlled the entire economy of the Leite Kingdom. The Minister of Finance was his man, and the Prime Minister had shown a considerable degree of cooperation.


    Even King Leite VII, after regaining his military and political power, willingly epted Tang Mo''s financial distribution methods.


    It was well known that the new Minister of Finance was Tang Mo''s man, and Simon had never denied it.


    However, in the first week he took office, he submitted a new tax reform n to His Majesty the King.


    The scheme was quite mature and had an immediate impact¡ªthrough Simon, Tang Mo assured Leite VII that the Kingdom''s financial revenue would increase by thirty percent in the new yearpared to the previous year.


    Upon hearing this number, Leite VII lost any interest in how Simon was reforming or what he was doing.


    He was now preupied with military expansion and conquest. After seeing Tang Mo''s C64 field artillery, he was filled with confidence in his ability to win battles.


    To realize his dream, he was even willing to convert all of his surplus ie into Tang Mo''s cannons and rifles¡­


    Alice was startled; she certainly knew Simon was Tang Mo''s man; she had even shared a meal with Simon in Brunas: Tang Mo was paying.


    So, she looked at Tang Mo with a strange look and teased, "Did you n for me to say all this when you had Simon hastily take up his position?"


    Tang Mo flirts without shame, teasing Alice, "Caring a bit for one''s woman, isn''t that how it should be?"


    Alice truly became immediately smitten, boldly staring at Tang Mo and draping her hand over Tang Mo''s arm, "This is exactly why I like you so much, Tang Mo."


    "We are on the tform..." Tang Mo was startled by Alice''s boldness, and as he nced at the nobility behind him, his face struggled to maintainposure.


    Alice drew even closer to Tang Mo, wrapping her arms around his, her face brimming with happiness as she said, "I know."


    Tang Mo tried to struggle, "Someone..."


    "I know!" Alice continued to gaze intently at Tang Mo.


    "They will..." Tang Mo didn''t finish his sentence before Alice interrupted him with her actions.


    Alice rose on her tiptoes and kissed Tang Mo''s lips.


    After a long moment, their lips parted, and Alice smiled mischievously, boasting to Tang Mo, "I want them all to know! To see!"


    At that moment, a wisp of ck smoke appeared on the distant horizon, and the engineers at the edge of the tform let out cheer after cheer.


    The guests, who were quite embarrassed and could only pretend to look up at the sky, finally found a reason to look down.


    They didn''t find it scandalous that a Baroness not yet twenty and a simrly young Baron would engage in a ndestine affair.


    Nevertheless, at such a time, it was still necessary to feign ignorance¡ªeveryone had their dignity to consider, right?


    And then, everyone''s attention was immediately captured by the approaching train. They had originallye just to take a casual look, not expecting to see anything spectacr.


    But now, everyone realized what they were witnessing might be a terrifying existence capable of changing the whole world!


    They widened their eyes, watching the steel dragon wind its way closer ande to a halt before them.


    As the train pulled into the station, the daunting size of it delivered an even greater shock to all those present.


    Even Alice, seeing Tang Mo''s steam lotive for the first time, widened her eyes as she watched the train stop before her and spew out white steam that enveloped the tform.


    The long whistle of the train made everyone shiver, with Alice even nervously clutching Tang Mo''s arm tighter.


    Eventually, the train came to a standstill, pulling a full ten carriages behind it!


    After improvements, Tang Mo''s train had enhanced its carrying capacity, able to transport ten carriages at a time, filled with coal or steel, or nearly a thousand passengers or soldiers back and forth between Brunas and Wolf City.


    In this era, this was a remarkable feat. The railway made the connection between Northern Ridge and Brunas even more indissoluble.


    The officials and nobility representing the Kingdom, standing here, thought of something else: If the railway could make Brunas and Northern Ridge inseparable, could it also bind the entire Kingdom just as tightly?


    The answer was, of course, affirmative, otherwise Tang Mo wouldn''t have bothered to invite these people to witness a transportation revolution...


    Soon, as the workers began to unload the cargo, the nobility who saw the train''s terrifying carrying capacity became even more frenzied.


    Gossip about a Countess''s secret romance had already been forgotten by them; now all they could think about was the content of the railway manual they had been given earlier.


    This new means of transportation could carry countless goods to destinations 100 or even 200 kilometers away within a day. How prosperous could the economy of a city connected by this transportation be?


    Their own territories must have a tform! Their ownnds must be essible by rail! Their own goods must be transported by rail to farther ces!


    Just in an instant, these notions sprouted in the minds of the nobility and the merchants.


    They swore to all the gods of this world their willingness to offer Tang Mo their loyalty, to worship him, just for Tang Mo...to let them join this gluttonous feast of world redivision...


    "Mr. Tang Mo!" a wealthy merchant prepared toe forward to speak with Tang Mo.


    "Back off! I was here first!" an Earl shouted excitedly.

 Chapter 189: Mr. 186 Special Envoy

    "What do you mean by ''you were here first''? Since when does business follow a firste, first-served basis?" The wealthy merchant evidently had no intention of giving face to the Earl next to him, adamantly refusing to budge an inch.


    A super profitable deal like this was a joke to pass up. It would be better to recognize someone else as your father than to give up on such a thing.


    "I am an Earl, the head of the Morman Family from the Southwest of the Kingdom! Mr. Tang Mo! I am willing to cooperate with you! I am willing to invest! To invest in the construction of a railroad approximately 110 kilometers long!" The Earl, blocked by a guard, waved a booklet in his hand, shouting from a distance towards Tang Moyuan.


    "I am the most famous traveling poet from the eastern continent, Mr. Tang Mo! Are you interested in having a talk with me? I am willing to write an epic in honor of your deeds!" On the other side, a man with exceptional good looks also tried to break through the guards'' blockade, shouting loudly.


    "Can this thing really make a round trip every day?" Alice asked in surprise as she watched the workers moving the goods from the train onto the tform.


    She had never seen such a vast amount of material piled up together; the mountain-like stack of wooden boxes gave her the illusion that it could transport innumerable items at once.


    "Almost, it can operate at night too, so to be precise, it can make at least two round trips in a single day."


    "It could transport all the things from Northern Ridge to Brunas in just a few days," Alice exaggeratedly said.


    "That''s why it needs to go both ways, carrying things from Northern Ridge to Brunas and then bringing goods from Brunas back to Northern Ridge," Tang Mo proudly corrected Alice.


    "You''re truly a genius, Tang Mo!" Alice said excitedly; she understood too well the theory of business activities. As long as goods began to circte,merce would immediately prosper.


    "Everyone can exchange their thoughts with Mr. Tang Mo at dinner! Don''t rush! Don''t push! Move back! Move back!" Not far away, the guards were irritably pushing away the elegantly dressed officials, preventing them from getting close to Tang Mo.


    At the evening banquet that day, Tang Mo soon parted ways with Alice, as too many people were seeking him out. And because Alice was by Tang Mo''s side, many others found it difficult to speak up, like the representative from the Suthers Kingdom currently standing beside him.


    This envoy from the Suthers Kingdom was also invited by the Great Tang Group. At the moment, he felt fortunate to be there.


    Frankly, Suthers, almost an ind country with insignificant ports and a navy that paledpared to the Leite Kingdom''s, found itself in a regrettable position.


    But the country did possess vast ind territories, with the core interests of the nation lying ind; thus, they valued theirnd more than maritime supremacy.


    So, when this envoy from Suthers saw the railroad, a way to strengthen control over Suthers'' territory, it appeared before his very eyes.


    Therefore, holding his ss, he engaged in a pleasant conversation with Tang Mo, discussing the local Suthers customs and various anecdotes from the past.


    Then, after the pleasantries were over, he steered the conversation to the main point, "Congrattions, Mr. Tang Mo! The King of the Suthers Kingdom has always admired your abilities. Trade between the Great Tang Group and the Suthers Kingdom has always been smooth, and our cooperation has never broken down. We hope to maintain an unbreakable friendship between us."


    "Convey my sincerest regards to His Majesty, the King of Suthers," Tang Mo replied politely. After all, he had once carried out a zero-cost purchase within Suthers territory that ended up taking quite a bit of their money, causing difort in Suthers for a long time.


    The Suthers envoy''s face lit up with a smile as he extended an invitation to Tang Mo, "Thank you very much! If you wish, the King of Suthers invites you to attend his birthday banquet. Believe me, the Suthers hospitality will certainly leave a deep impression on you, Mr. Tang Mo. We value friendship more than others do..."


    Of course, he didn''t think Tang Mo would easily ept the invitation but he had to show his gesture, as it represented an attitude.


    As expected, Tang Mo didn''t refuse the invitation outright but instead promised, "I have received the invitation. If I don''t have the time, I will definitely send a gift to His Majesty, the King of Suthers."


    The Suthers envoy immediately beamed, gratefully thanking, "That would be an immense honor! Mr. Tang Mo."


    Tang Mo smiled, but eventually he issued a warning to Suthers. "Oh, by the way, I have a very good rtionship with His Majesty, the King of Leite. The Ronin Family from Northern Ridge and I maintain a friendship... The tensions between the Suthers Kingdom and the Leite Kingdom will not bring any benefits to either nation, which I believe Suthers also understands, right?"


    The core interests of the Great Tang Group were concentrated between Northern Ridge and Brunas, and the obvious conflict was if Suthers'' southern vendetta passed through Northern Ridge, shing with the central interests of the Great Tang Group.


    Therefore, Tang Mo had to make his stance clear, showing his bottom line to ensure that the reforming and strengthening Suthers Kingdom wouldn''t misjudge the situation.


    True to form, the Suthers envoy''s expression soured upon hearing Tang Mo''s words. His smile faded and, with some difficulty, he dragged out a long, "Well..."


    Tang Mo''s attitude reminded him of the unreasonable heads of the Shireck Consortium that he had encountered before, a chapter of his life he did not wish to revisit.


    He did not particrly want arge interest group involving many countries to show too much dominance or interference in the domestic affairs of his nation, as this could prevent them from assessing the situation from their own perspective, seriously impacting the strategic nning and operations of the country.


    While he was conflicted and unsure whether to negotiate further, Tang Mo continued to speak, "I know the matter of Ice Crystal City has been very distressing for the upper and lower ranks of the Suthers Kingdom..."


    Hearing Tang Mo speak this way, the color visibly returned to the envoy''s face, for Tang Mo''s tone was not overbearingly proud, which suggested that there was still room for maneuver.


    Thus, the Suthers envoy expressed his thanks, "I hope Mr. Tang Mo understands."


    Tang Mo and the gentleman from Suthers moved to a secluded corner, and seeing that Tang Mo was apanied by someone of no insignificant standing, the dignitaries who had hoped to approach Tang Mo did note any closer.


    With the surroundings bing somewhat peaceful, Tang Mo continued, "I totally understand your feelings, but hatred can definitely be resolved, or at leastpensated for, right?"


    "What do you mean?" The Suthers envoy looked at Tang Mo with some confusion and asked.


    Tang Mo gave a somewhat puzzling response, "In the future, I will steer the Leite Kingdom to focus its attention on the southern regions of the kingdom..."


    "Hmm?" However, the Suthers envoy picked up something different from this statement.


    Indeed, Tang Mo exined, "If the Suthers Kingdom wants to gather strength and strive for more interests to the north, then the two kingdoms will form back-to-back allies. I also hope that between the two nations, we can trust each other and be friends who help one another."


    The Suthers envoy caught on to Tang Mo''s implication and excitedly asked, "So... you would support the Suthers Kingdom in expanding its territory northward?"


    Tang Moid out his bargaining chip, "I will train at least 4,500 men for the new Suthersnd forces, supply the entire troops with military equipment, and after the deeds are done, I want forty percent of the benefits."


    The Suthers Kingdom''s envoy looked visibly thrilled, bowing slightly to show his respect to Tang Mo, "I understand, His Majesty will be most delighted to hear such good news."


    Tang Mo shook his wine ss with a smile, "Believe me, cooperation is the path to mutual victory."


    "Beyond doubt, Mr. Tang! This is the most memorable banquet I have ever attended," the envoy from Suthers said with a beaming face, agreeing with Tang Mo.


    "If you have the chance in the future, you can visit Brunas and drop my name, y in the casinos. It''s on me," Tang Mo also extended a personal invitation to him.


    The envoy''s smile brightened, as it was almost an act of personal goodwill from Tang Mo. With private matters now dealt with, the envoy finally remembered his public duties, "Then I can''t thank you enough, Mr. Tang! If..."


    "If?" Tang Mo looked at the envoy.


    Testing the waters, the envoy asked, "If Suthers wishes to build a railroad within its own territory..."


    "I can provide technical support, 1 engineer, 10 technical workers, 100 training slots... I can transfer technology, set up a steel mill in Suthers specialized in producing steel rails," Tang Mo generously said.


    The Suthers envoy immediately showed joy and gave his assurance, "By the gods above, your generosity rivals that of the sun and the moon! When the Suthers Kingdom rises, the Great Tang Group will also have free rein within Suthers territory!"


    And such an assurance was actually the promise given by the king of the Suthers Kingdom when the envoy had set out.


    Tang Mo raised his ss with a smile, offering a toast from afar, "To our mutual interests! Cheers!"


    "My regards to Earl Alice," the envoy knew it was time to take leave, bowing slightly, and making room as he whispered his farewell.


    The meaning of his words was pretty clear¡ªby sending regards to Miss Alice, the Suthers Kingdom had practically acknowledged Ice Crystal City''s affiliation with the Northern Ridge.


    For a considerable time toe, there would be no wars between them, and they might even maintain a cooperative rtionship to a certain extent¡ªthis was the meaning behind sending regards to Miss Alice.

 Chapter 190: Business and cooperation came one after another at 187

    Soon, a second noble from the southern part of the Leite Kingdom made his approach, and Tang Mo knew he was thergest nobleman in the southern part of the kingdom and had close ties with the Prime Minister.


    The visitor engaged in lengthy pleasantries before finally revealing his true purpose for seeking out Tang Mo.


    But before stating his purpose, he presented his bargaining chip, "The Prime Minister has always felt that a Baron''s title does not match Mr. Tang''s status. In fact, when I return, I will certainly suggest to His Majesty the King that Mr. Tang''s title be promoted to Viscount."


    "That''s very kind of you! In truth, rather than being promoted to Viscount, I would prefer a Baron''s title..." But Tang Mo was ready to use this bargaining chip to secure a noble status for his Uncle Roger.


    As expected, the visitor did not hesitate and immediately agreed to Tang Mo''s request, "Understood. Who does Mr. Tang wish to provide this opportunity to be a noble?"


    Tang Mo did not conceal anything and told the truth, "My uncle, Mr. Roger, who is of great character and famously benevolent within the kingdom."


    The noble Lord immediately nodded, providing a satisfying response to Tang Mo, "I would be delighted to be friends with Mr. Roger! A Baron''s title seems too modest for you. I will surely advocate for you when I return."


    "Thank you," Tang Mo said without refusal, knowing the other party would surely have his own requests.


    Indeed, the visitor did not stand on ceremony and directly stated his request to Tang Mo, "Actually, I also have a favor to ask of you. After seeing the C64 cannons in King City and the trains on the tforms, a rather abrupt idea came to my mind."


    "Let''s hear it. Perhaps I can help you solve some problems," Tang Mo offered without demur, for he knew that if the visitor had sought him out, it must be something within his power to assist with.


    The noble Lord immediately said, "Mr. Tang Mo, I wish for my son to study under your guidance."


    "Hmm?" This time, it was Tang Mo who was surprised.


    The visitor smiled and exined to Tang Mo, "I have three sons, all around the same age, as well as two nephews, two daughters, and seven nieces. I wish to send most of them to you, to be your disciples and learn from you."


    "Ha... You''re the first to ask me for this," Tang Mo admitted, his regard for the nobleman from the south rising, as this request truly demonstrated the foresight of a family.


    The ability to prioritize the cultivation of the next generation over the immense benefits from arms and railroads is, at the very least, the mark of a qualified nobility.


    The visitor earnestly lowered his head a bit while making his request to Tang Mo, "I hope Mr. Tang won''t refuse."


    "I have a school," Tang Mo said outright to the Earl.


    "Hmm?" The Earl was taken aback, then looked at Tang Mo with some disbelief.


    Tang Mo exined his school, "I have founded a school, called the Great Tang Military Academy. I am its principal, and I will teach sses there... You may send your children, and I will arrange for them to study at the school."


    He informed the visitor that the school was popted by talents he had meticulously trained and guaranteed that he would treat all students equally, imparting his knowledge and experience to everyone in the school.


    He even borated on why the school was called a military academy, mentioning that it included militaristic governance, training, and even courses on militarymand.


    "Mr. Tang, I can''t thank you enough," the visitor responded with great satisfaction after hearing Tang Mo''s introduction, understanding the purpose of the school''s foundation. His smile couldn''t be contained as he expressed gratitude to Tang Mo with the utmost respect.


    Yet Tang Mo emphasized the discipline in his school with utmost seriousness, "I must dere in advance that I treat everyone equally; all students are my treasures, so there will be no special treatment. Whatever applies to other children will apply to them as well¡ªno backdoors, no shortcuts... If they do not excel, I will expel them. My school only keeps the elite, no mediocrity."


    The noble Lord firmly promised Tang Mo, "Understood! I will inform them if they are expelled by you, then there''s no need for them to return."


    As a noble of certain stature, the southern Earl knew that Tang Mo''s stringent demands on the school''s students indicated he was nurturing them as his own confidants.


    Being able to join a rising force at its inception obviously meant the benefits don''t need to be stated. Tang Mo''s willingness to ept these children was in itself a statement of intent.


    And his promise to Tang Mo also signified his stance¡ªthe alliance between them was officially established.


    "With an elder like you, they will be the top talents of this world," Tang Moplimented the man''s attitude with approval.


    "Please give my regards to Miss Alice!" The visitor bowed slightly, yielding his ce.


    "I will." Tang Mo raised his ss from a distance in response, then saw a gold-bedecked, rotund man approaching.


    Having his meeting arranged this early on, this merchant definitely had an impressive background. And his taste in clothing also reminded Tang Mo somewhat of coal bosses and nouveau richendlords.


    The person across from him was bedecked in gold and silver, truly exuding an aura of opulence so intense it was as though the words "wealthy" were written on his forehead.


    Yet even such a rotund man became cautious in the presence of Tang Mo, starting byplimenting him, then heaping praise on Tang Mo''s arms trade.


    Eventually, he broached the subject of his visit, "As the heart of the Kingdom, King City should be connected by railway to other cities in every direction¡ªBrunas, Wolf City, the eastern territories, and the south..."


    Tang Mo understood what the other party wanted. To be honest, he did indeed need to share the burden of the railway construction costs; it was not a venture he could shoulder alone.


    Thus, Tang Mo said with feigned casualness, "The railway from Brunas to King City will begin construction in a few months, but the price is indeed quite steep."


    The tone he used was so rxed, as though the railway wasn''t worth much¡ªbut the fat man knew it was certainly a big deal worth hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins!


    So the fat man immediately took up the conversation, making his offer and stating his demands, "Our consortium can provide the funds, but we would like to own a share of the railway."


    Tang Mo did not refuse and gestured for the man to borate, "Let''s hear it."


    After a moment of thought, the fat man offered a figure, "We''ll provide thirty percent of the funds for twenty percent of the shares."


    Tang Mo didn''t immediately agree. Since the other party had opened with a lowball offer, naturally, he had to shoot high, "Forty percent of the funding for fifteen percent of the shares."


    The fat man did not hesitate, waving his hand to give a fair counteroffer, "Forty percent of the funding for twenty percent of the shares!"


    "Deal!" Tang Mo didn''t beat around the bush and nodded slightly to agree to the price.


    "You are a forthright businessman, Mr. Tang Mo," the fat man was initially stunned, then immediately beamed with joy, praising Tang Mo.


    Having clinched such a deal, Tang Mo also smiled and offered apliment in return, "Your boldness is indeed impressive."


    "I''ll skip the ttery. In the future, we can cooperate in all realms. I''ve heard about your steam engines, and I want to purchase 300 units," the fat man said startlingly, presenting Tang Mo with arge order.


    Tang Mo''s spirits rose even further because he no longer nned to invest too much effort and money in steam engine production.


    Now that both the Elf Race and Shireck had the capability to imitate steam engines, he might as well continue to serve the high-end market and cede the lower-end products to others.


    So he directly offered the fat man an even more generous proposal, "Why not I sell you a factory for manufacturing steam engines? How does that sound?"


    "You would part with it?" The fat man looked incredulously at Tang Mo, asking instinctively.


    Tang Mo spread his hands, "Why wouldn''t I? No one can earn all the money in the world, right?"


    The fat man was also a major businessman; he knew Tang Mo wouldn''t be asking for cash. In fact, he couldn''t afford to pay that much cash, so he said, "Well said, Mr. Tang Mo! I can offer you three percent of my family consortium''s shares in exchange; would you be interested in taking that on?"


    Seeing the other party so receptive, Tang Mo immediatelyid down his bottom line, "If you can give me five percent, I would be very interested."


    The chubby man didn''t haggle either, nodding in agreement straight away, "You are now the thirdrgest shareholder in our consortium."


    "Now you can produce steam engines yourself!" Tang Mo also reminded the man of the benefit he was getting.


    Without a word, the fat man burst intoughter, tipping his ss as he stepped back, "Ha ha ha! Pleasure doing business!"


    "Pleasure doing business!" Tang Mo alsoughed as he saw the guest out.


    Before Tang Mo''s rise, this great merchant wielded power in the Leite Kingdom that ranked him among the top, even the Shireck Consortium''s Gis had to give him some respect.


    But since the fat man never dabbled in the arms trade, his hard power truly was not on par with Shireck, so he definitely wasn''t as ruthless.


    However, in terms of economic strength, he was indeed a worthy partner for Tang Mo. At the very least for now, the money in the fat man''s hands was still very useful to Tang Mo.


    And just as the fat man moved away from Tang Mo''s side, a nobleman with a stunning woman made their way to Tang Mo''s side as though slipping through a crack.


    To tell the truth, Tang Mo had previously investigated this nobleman but had no idea who this morous woman, who came with him, could possibly be.

 Chapter 191: 188 Dream Pursuers in Showbiz

    The nobleman who came with the woman didn''t seem to have any capability to cooperate with the Great Tang Group, dressed in such conspicuous attire that he was only short of having "I am an artist" written on his face.


    Indeed, this nobleman was not there to talk business with Tang Mo, but introduced his femalepanion right away, "Allow me to introduce, thisdy is the most famous songstress from the most renowned dance troupe within the Leite Kingdom and the kingdom''s rightfully acimed top female singer, Miss Susan."


    In fact, judging from the aura alone, Tang Mo knew that this nobleman was not the main character of this meeting, but rather the woman was.


    Therefore, he gently grasped thedy''s outstretched hand and gently kissed the back of it, then released his hand very gentlemanly, smiling and nodding, "Ah, it''s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Susan."


    "Mr. Tang is truly young and promising," said the woman, probably around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with exquisitely applied makeup, as she offered Tang Mo apliment with a smile.


    Tang Mo was naturally modest as well, and since the other party was not forting about their business, he responded politely with some chit-chat, praising in kind, "Not at all,pared to artists, I''m just amoner, nothing more."


    To be honest, in terms of temperament alone, this woman had a certain edge over the noble Alice. Although she wasn''t as youthful and beautiful as Alice, her facial features were also quite delicate.


    With her looks alone, she could easily mix well in circles of the nobility, or if she wished, marry any nobleman and be a genuine nobledy.


    However, from some tiny details of the woman''s attire, Tang Mo could still see that she wasn''t as wealthy as one might imagine.


    Thedy didn''t seem in a hurry to state her own business but brought up the trendy attire Tang Mo had created in Brunas, "Hahaha! Mr. Tang jests, I''ve heard that the most fashionable attire in Brunas is a kind of clothing called a ''suit,'' which was... designed by you, Mr. Tang?"


    That suit was just something Tang Mo was familiar with, and quite convenient, so he had them made in his own factory and had a few sets tailored for himself.


    Later, Roger had no new clothes, and Tang Mo made a suit for him directly. As a result, Wes also felt that this outfit was pleasing to the eye, so he had one made for himself as well.


    After that, Parker and several other factory managers, having made some money, inexplicably got the same style of clothes made for themselves.


    In the end... With the development of the Great Tang Group in Brunas, this kind of apparel gradually became fashionable and even began to spread throughout the entire kingdom.


    Now, even in King City, one could see people wearing such clothes walking in the streets and alleys.


    So, these suits also became famous, and it was no surprise that some people knew they were designed by Tang Mo. Especially those who were dedicated in the field could easily find something out.


    Tang Mo wasn''t surprised either and waved his hand modestly,ughing, "It''s nothing really, it''s just a work uniform I put together for convenience when doing manualbor."


    Thedy named Susan smiled radiantly, "You''re too modest, I really like the suit you''re wearing very much."


    In the end, it was the nobleman who hade with Susan who couldn''t contain himself and spoke first, exining, "Miss Susan is looking for a partner. Her troupe was previously funded by the Shireck Consortium in King City. Now that the Shireck Consortium has no desire to indulge in the arts... So..."


    Tang Mo was taken aback; he actually felt he could invest in the arts to expand his influence.


    It was a necessary investment, as when Tang Mo''s business reached a broader pinnacle, he would definitely need certain forms of support from the artisticmunity.


    Therefore, he didn''t mind making some early investments, especially since the initial input was inexpensive and efficient ¨C why not do it?


    Moreover, having those singers, performers, and dancers entertain in casinos and hotels to attract a crowd, Tang Mo felt it was definitely worthwhile.


    So, after giving it some thought, he addressed Susan, "I understand... In fact, I''ve been considering enriching myself in the realm of art. So, Miss Susan, how many Gold Coins do you need?"


    "Roughly 130 Gold Coins per year..." Susan pondered before stating a rtively conservative figure. In fact, the Shireck Consortium previously funded her with 170 Gold Coins a year, but she worried Tang Mo might be unwilling to offer such a high price.


    After all, not every businessman had the inclination to patronize the arts, nor did they all have spare money to sustain an art troupe.


    So, she thought, even if she had to take a bit less and everyone saved a little, 130 Gold Coins could still make ends meet.


    Why? Because her patron, the Shireck Consortium, had been defeated by the forces behind this young man before her. After all, when under someone''s roof, one must bow their head.


    "130 Gold Coins a year? Shireck gave only so little?" Tang Mo was incredulous, his eyes widening in disbelief.


    This price was indeed too cheap, so cheap that it greatly surprised him. He really hadn''t expected that maintaining a troupe could be so inexpensive in this world.


    You''d think of the celebrities fromter eras, unting their tax evasions with names like Cool, Frost, and Elegance, elevating Tang Mo''s imagination to unprecedented heights.

 Chapter 192: 188 Dream Pursuers in Showbiz_2

    So when he heard the price, he could hardly believe his ears: he really feared that these two didn''t truly understand just how valuable the circles he mingled in were.


    He then turned to look at the noble with a face full of disbelief, "Miss Susan is really the top female singer in the kingdom?"


    "Uh... yes, yes, she really is," the young noble answered nervously, stammering.


    "I am absolutely the best singer!" Susan stated seriously and assertively in her own defense.


    Tang Mo could tell from the two''s somewhat embarrassed expressions that they were probably telling the truth. He also didn''t believe that after the battle of Brunas, anyone who still wanted to make a living inside the borders of Leite Kingdom would have the guts to try to cheat him out of his gold coins.


    So, after a brief moment of consideration, he spoke up, "I''ll give you 500 gold coins a year! Your troupe will change its name to the Great Tang Troupe, and afterward, I''ll send people to deliver scripts and management strategies to you! The development of your troupe will be fully taken over by the Great Tang Group, any problems with that?"


    "This..." The noble was a bit lost and looked at Tang Mo, not knowing what to say for the best.


    Susan was also startled by Tang Mo''s generosity, and confirmed uncertainly, "How much did you say?"


    Tang Mo repeated the figure he had quoted and then emphasized again, "500 gold coins a year! In addition, ticket sales and advertising costs will be part of your performancemission, for you to distribute yourselves!"


    "You''re serious?" Joy showed in Susan''s eyes as she stared at Tang Mo, her gaze almost brimming with tears.


    Tang Mo nodded and replied, "Yes."


    "You''re really a good person," Susan''s voice rose in sickly sweetness at a geometric rate.


    Tang Mo felt it was still necessary to rify things further, "No, miss, I am a businessman!"


    "So, what would you like to buy from me then? Tonight... I can have a good talk with you about opera," Susan said, puffing her chest out and assuming a seductive air.


    She was an old hand at this, having maneuvered among the nobility, how could she still be the picture of an innocent young girl?


    In fact, she was also romantically involved with the young noble beside her, otherwise he wouldn''t have brought her here to lobby Tang Mo in such a setting.


    Clearly, Tang Mo wasn''t much interested in such well-known women of easy virtue. The collection of female celebrities he had gathered before crossing over included those from Huaxia and abroad, of every skin color, tall, short... there were simply too many.


    Tang Mo also caught the subtext in her words. Her so-called chatting about opera at night was inly an attempt to seduce him.


    So he stated his position firmly, quickly steering the conversation back to more appropriate grounds, "I have no time to talk about opera! Miss! I''m here to buy your troupe, not your body!"


    "" The other party hadn''t expected Tang Mo to so bluntly refuse an amorous encounter and still wore a look of surprise on her face.


    Fearing that she might misunderstand and think he disdained her as damaged goods, Tang Mo exined further, "You indeed are a beauty, but I am no randy old wolf like those from the Shireck Consortium... Do your job well, make me feel the troupe I''m paying for is worth the money, and that''s enough! Understand?"


    Susan swallowed hard, sensing that the man in front of her was somewhat different from the other nobles. She felt a tinge of regret for giving her body away too soon to others.


    But, that regret was fleeting. Then she nodded at Tang Mo, responding, "Understood, I understand."


    After sending the singer away, Tang Mo received several more nobles and merchants who came to discuss business coborations. When no one else came over, Alice finally returned to his side, holding a ss of wine.


    Alice looked at Susan in the distance, socializing with several nobles, and deliberately asked Tang Mo, "Isn''t that Susan?"


    Tang Mo nodded without any denial, "It is."


    "Why did she leave? Aren''t you going to talk with her about art tonight?" Alice, who was quite familiar with Susan, directly asked Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo straightforwardly answered Alice, "I have to rush back to Brunas tonight..."


    "You really are a man who does not understand romance," Alice said, unable to hide the amusement in her eyes after hearing Tang Mo''s reply.


    "Perhaps," Tang Mo nodded, agreeing with Alice''s assessment. When it came to women, he was very picky; for those he disliked, he could be described as an unromantic straight guy or even cold and heartless.


    Alice smiled at Tang Mo and said, "But I like that."


    "¡­" Tang Mo looked at Alice, then her lips sealed his before he could respond.


    Tang Mo could not stay in Wolf City for long; in fact, he returned to Brunas that very night, traveling on his own train.


    This mode of transportation was very convenient and required no preparation. His guards could also follow on the train, ensuring his safety.


    Before leaving Wolf City, Tang Mo sent a telegraph to remotelymand the Brunas expedition fleet to leave Brunas Port under cover of darkness.


    The scale of this fleet was immense, for after Tang Mo had taken out Shireck, he also acquired several transportation fleets that had been affiliated with the Shireck Consortium.


    Then, hemandeered almost all the ships, taking virtually everything he owned, led by Roger, the fleet set off for ck Dragon Ind in an impressive voyage.


    Tang Mo''s fleet included 19rge transport ships, 32 small transport ships, and armed merchant ships, along with 1 Irond Warship for escort.


    The entire fleet transported nearly enough equipment and raw materials to build two factories on ck Dragon Ind, as well as about 2000 workers and their families.


    Simrly, a battalion of the Great Tang Group''s security forces was on the move, transferring all their weapons with them.


    ording to the n, the Great Tang Group would build two factories on ck Dragon Ind, construct a simple dock, and also erect housing to ensure the settlers could survive on the ind.


    Bernard''s reconnaissance fleet had already returned home; they would serve as the escort for the second batch of transport ships, taking another 40 small transport ships to ck Dragon Ind.


    This development n was more than twice the size of the original n drafted by Tang Mo, a change forced by shifting circumstances.


    At the time the original n was drawn up, Tang Mo had not yet defeated the Shireck Consortium, so the expansion n was far more conservative.


    Now, with his influence firmly established in Brunas and even throughout the Leite Kingdom, he couldmit more resources topeting for ck Dragon Ind.


    In short, for Tang Mo, time was his most preciousmodity; to elerate development, he did not even have time to spend a tender night with Alice in Wolf City.


    Because the Irond Warship followed, Tang Mo could maintain real-time control over the expansion progress on ck Dragon Ind and also remotelymand the troops he had stationed there.


    Therefore, he had nearly half of his forces positioned on ck Dragon Ind, as he was quite concerned that the other countries that had also discovered ck Dragon Ind might covet it.


    As a result, on the same day Tang Mo returned to Brunas, he received new information: the Por Kingdom had defeated its old rival, the Gales Kingdom, annexing the Sena in and nearly doubling its territory.


    The Por Kingdom''s steam engines and K1 Quick Guns gained fame, and the influence of this Elf Kingdom surged to unprecedented levels.


    Upon hearing this news, John, who was in Brunas worrying about the entertainment kingdom Tang Mo owned, walked into Tang Mo''s office with a troubled expression.


    He first apologized once again for his father''s broken promises and also made it clear that he distanced himself from the positions of the Augustin Family.


    Tang Moforted him, then handed him a bill¡ªthe Augustin Family owed him 3.1 million Gold Coins, the debt snowballing with interest¡­


    ----------


    A 4000-word long chapter. I''m not in good form today, so this is all I''ve written, and there won''t be a second update. Don''t wait for it, everyone. I''ll aim for three updates tomorrow to make up for it. Apologies.

 Chapter 193: Manufacturing Faith

    "After all, I''m not exactly a paragon of virtue," Tang Mo put away the bill and patted pale-faced John on the shoulder, saying, "You don''t have to be so formal. If you feel like taking care of your family, I can offer you a discount."


    As he spoke, he generously pondered for a moment and presented what he deemed a very reasonable amount, "Let''s settle on 3 million for now... after all, it''s easier to calcte. If the Augustin n of the Por Kingdom doesn''t clear the bill by next year, it''ll jump to 6 million Gold Coins... Tsk, tsk, the thought alone is frightening."


    These days, usury isn''t exactly an admirable profession. After all, how to calcte the interest isn''t the crux of usury; the key is ensuring that the money can indeed be recovered.


    "Master... It''s quite obvious that the Augustin n doesn''t have the capacity to repay such a huge debt... If, I mean, if one day we decide to recover the massive amount the Augustin n owes us, I suggest we forcibly seize everything from the Augustin n!" To make his stance clear, John wiped his sweat as he spoke to Tang Mo.


    "Loyalty... is a good word," Tang Mo nomittally muttered and then returned to his desk, picking up a report that John had brought him.


    The contents were rather intriguing: ie statistics from casinos, theaters, and brothels in King City, Northern Ridge, Brunas, and other ces, including a list of the patrons of these entertainment venues.


    This was the big data system of another world. With this document, it''s evident who is lecherous or greedy, who has their own secret stash, who has illegal ie beyond their sry¡ªin the Kingdom, it''s allid bare.


    By using the records on this list to offer bribes or win allegiance, one could say the sess is almost assured. This is why, since time immemorial, enduring establishments such as gambling dens and brothels have been run and invested in by many powerful figures.


    A few nobles decided to submit to Tang Mo, mortgaging their estates or even their wives and daughters, umting huge gambling debts with Tang Mo.


    Whenever Tang Mo required it, these people were ready to charge into battle on his behalf¡ªmilitarily, Tang Mo couldn''t count on them, but in the court, among politicians, they could still stir the wind and call out for Tang Mo.


    For nobles like these, who only required a few gamblers to keep thempany, Tang Mo didn''t even want to meet them face to face. He''d send a subordinate to scare them into bing fawningckeys of Tang Mo.


    He himself knew that the empire he had begun to build, though seemingly well-established, was in reality fragile.


    The human heart is the simplest thing, which just needs to be nurtured and manipted to be put to use. It''s also the mostplicated thing; a moment''s inattention and one could perish amidst universal desertion.


    What Tang Mo relied on were his benevolence and the advanced characteristics he represented. Those who left, having taken some of Tang Mo''s technology and ideas¡ªthe dandelions¡ªrespected Tang Mo''s depth and power, choosing to serve such a worthy master.


    But as someone who had been through it, Tang Mo knew that to consolidate people''s hearts, only two things were most important: faith and currency.


    Currency includes everything like clothing, food, shelter, travel, ie, and feelings of happiness, things that money can sort out. The dominance of America in the world relies on this system.


    Tang Mo could handle these things; with gold coins, indeed these were rtively easy to manage, because there''s not much in this world that money can''t buy.


    But Tang Mo knew what truly united people''s hearts was something not yet present in this world, or rather, something that had not really emerged¡ªfaith!


    There were no widespread gods in this world to persuade andmand the faith of everyone. Simrly, there were no doctrines like capitalism.


    In this world, although the concept of capital existed and there were tycoons and various sses, there was no amodating theory.


    Tang Mo naturally couldn''t possibly create a doctrine that would surely stand in opposition to him, so he couldn''t y with Marx''s theory.


    Even though he knew that once such a system came into existence, his subordinates would transform into undefeated warriors of belief, unafraid to burn for the sake of the Great Tang Group...


    Therefore, Tang Mo had to settle for the next best thing and decided to develop religion to thoroughly control the spiritual world of his subordinates.


    He wanted his followers to be absolutely loyal, unchanging even in the face of death.


    Crafting a deity wasn''t simple in this world, so Tang Mo was prepared to invade another domainparable to religion¡ªcontrol over life and death.


    In the twenty-first century, or rather, from the beginning of human enlightenment to the foreseeable future, what is the most expensive thing? Nukes? A house within the second ring of the Magical Capital? Running for president of the beautiful country? None of these! It''s life!


    Life is the most precious thing!


    If the wealthy could live just one more year, they wouldn''t care how much money they had to spend¡ªmillions were mere pocket change, and even tens or hundreds of millions weren''t out of the question!


    Which is why medicine, or healthcare, is the world''s most worthy investment and the easiest field to profit from!


    In a world where a simple case of pneumonia often meant certain death, Tang Mo could easily produce some drugs that instantly boosted people''s lifespans!


    This was simply the realm of the gods! No one would refuse such terms: believe in Tang Mo and you could be cured of tetanus, pneumonia, fever, even be immune to smallpox...


    With this idea in mind, Tang Mo started preparing to establish his own Faith Empire on the same day his fleet left the harbor.


    In hisboratory, he formted a batch of drugs using chemical experiments, drugs that naturally didn''t require any clinical trials because they had already been proven to bepletely effective in another world.


    Then Tang Mo used poor John as a test subject, and the results proved that the medicine was effective on the Elf Race and extremely beneficial.


    When the miners from the Northern Ridge took the mebendazole he had concocted and saw with their own eyes the clumps of worms they expelled, then spent half the day in heart-wrenching vomiting, a belief began to spread among them.


    The stories told were varied and bizarre, but the core of them all was one: In the distant East, a ck-haired god was born, whose power was feared by locals who neither dared to y him nor could, so they exiled him to a distantnd.


    ording to the tale, this god came to this world to make it better, so he continued to love humanity and save his followers with his power even after his exile.


    This god was none other than Mr. Tang Mo of the Great Tang Group, who saved his followers with his divine medicine, protected them with his weapons, and sent every kind-hearted person to an eternal paradise with his charity.


    Meanwhile, a chemical factory of Tang Mo''s, which produced drugs, also quietly started operations next to Factory #2, mainly producing insecticides and some simple medicines.


    The factory focused on producing deworming tablets, which effectively killed the parasites in the human intestinal tract and cleansed people''s intestines.


    Because the effects were immediate and most people in this world didn''t have the luxury of personal hygiene, nor did they care about it, verifying the effectiveness of this medicine was quite simple among the poorermunities or, should I say, the lower and middle sses.


    Everyone could see the terrifying worms that had been killed and then expelled from their bodies, so they all felt gratitude towards Tang Mo who provided the medicine.


    But mere gratitude was far from enough to prove how much these unculturedmoners worshiped Tang Mo, for they hade to see him as a deity in his own right.


    With this, the Great Tang Group was no longer just a financial consortium in the local area; it had be a sacred ce with a halo around it, a mention that would turn people''s tones devout.


    While Tang Mo prepared to deify himself incarnate, Roger''s fleet reached ck Dragon Ind and, ording to the map,nded at the spot where the Por Kingdom''s sailors had once disembarked, setting down thending boats.


    The Soldiers of the Land Forces disembarked first. After spending a whole seven days seasick, they stumbled onto this "small ind."


    Then they began frantically unloading their supplies¡ªtents and other misceneous items, food and livestock brought along, and steam engines with other equipment for power generation.


    It was as if they hade from another, setting out to reim this remote ind for themselves.


    These people from Brunas had already gone through this once before; the work they did here on the ind was exactly the same as their previous remation in the Vicious Forest.


    So they quickly set up their tents, established a water supply station by the riverbank of the freshwater river, and then expertly built a wooden shack to install the steam engine.


    Once they had the steam engine, the main tents had electricity, which provided them with basic processing capabilities.


    Soon enough, the workers began mass-cutting timber, processing the felled logs into boards, which they nailed together to build houses.


    Then the temporary telegraph system sent news of their sessfulnding back to Brunas, and they could immediately send their supply requests back to Tang Mo.


    With such convenientmunication, the work of developing ck Dragon Ind proceeded smoothly. As there were coconuts and other fruits on the ind, Tang Mo cut down on the quantity of fruits in the next shipment by ny percent, all of which was reced with urgently needed cement.

 Chapter 194: Shirecks move 190

    At the same time, Tang Mo also nned to build a small cement nt there to produce cement locally¡ªprovided that the raw materials could be found on the ind.


    Roger''s good news was indeed plentiful. On one hand, he had confirmed that ck Dragon Ind indeed had oil, and ording to the geologists he took along, the reserves should be substantial.


    In addition, the scouts from the troops Roger brought along made a rudimentary exploration of the ind. Within a single day, they did not reach the other end of the ind.


    This proved that the ind was actually veryrge, almostrge enough to support tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. They also found somerge animals on the ind, which further proved the ind''s ample size.


    The vast forests on the ind provided an abundant source of timber for logging, and the mountains on the other side could supply stone resources.


    Plus, with oil production on the ind, it could be said to be a very, very valuable treasurend. Had it not been for the seasonal monsoons making navigation difficult, other countries might have developed it long ago.


    While checking the ind, the Rangers also discovered traces of activities from other countries. They found surveying poles at the peaks of the mountains, along with some discarded rags and broken bottles and the like.


    Roger was not in a hurry to expand on the ind. ording to the n given by Tang Mo, he steadily expanded the base there.


    On one hand, he worked hard to build a port in hopes of linking the ind with Brunas in the future, facilitating transportation.


    On the other hand, he was also desperately constructing a defensive system around theirnding site. He ordered his troops to establish defensive positions on the nearby high ground, deploying his only threepanies around the base.


    When exploring the ind, he only sent a few dozen Rangers to operate separately, and he strictly ordered them not to fire on suspicious targets first. Should they encounter other races or the forces of other countries operating there, they were to return immediately and report their findings.


    Under hismand, the Rangers did not explore the entire ind openly. Instead, they methodically searched regions they suspected to be inhabited.


    Eventually, after Roger''s repeated verifications, the security troops of the Great Tang Group exterminated a group of pirates on the ind, wiping out more than 200 pirates and rescuing seven or eight women who had just been brought to the ind.


    Unfortunately, in the end only three of those women survived; the rest found opportunities tomit suicide or died of depression.


    Meanwhile, as Tang Mo''s factory produced the first batch of fertilizers, ready to be transported to Northern Ridge for agricultural experiments, Bernard returned to Brunas with the fleet.


    His return brought not only the fleet back but also brought oil from ck Dragon Ind to Tang Mo! This excited Tang Mo tremendously, and with these resources, he could continue his "inventions and creations."


    Therefore, these days, he had been cooped up in the basement, not showing his face for days on end.


    As time went on, the Brunas-Northern Ridge railway and the trains of the Great Tang Group thoroughly enamoured the surrounding nations.


    Wealthy individuals even traveled thousands of miles to Brunas just to see the trains for themselves and to experience firsthand what it felt like to ride the magical trains described by the traveling bards.


    They all felt their journey was worthwhile¡ªthey brought their experiences back to their countries, and also gave the monarchs of these countries a new tool to consolidate their rule!


    People flocked to Tang Mo to talk business, all wanting one of two things: either the firearms and cannons of the Great Tang Group or Tang Mo''s railroad tracks and trains.


    However, in this world, there were no patentws, and even if there were, they certainly wouldn''t prevent the determined from copying and imitating.


    So, as Tang Mo developed ck Dragon Ind, almost all of the old products of the Great Tang Group were replicated or reced.


    Orders for Great Tang Group''s K1 Quick Guns began to decline because outside the Leite Kingdom, Shireck''s pinfire guns were cheaper and production was gradually increasing. Coupled with Shireck''s terrifying influence, these kingdoms naturally gave priority to purchasing Shireck''s pinfire guns.


    Simrly, with the introduction of primers and percussion caps, it wasn''t impossible to replicate grenades, so Tang Mo''s C64 field guns also began to have imitations.


    Shireck had no shame. They desperately replicated every military product of Tang Mo, even producing them with the same caliber standards specified by Tang Mo.


    Therefore, driven by the technologicalpetition between Shireck and the Great Tang Group, the surrounding kingdoms gradually began to rearm with new weapons.


    Suthers Kingdom purchased 10,000 of Great Tang Group''s K1 pinfire guns, Dorne Kingdom purchased 7,000 K1 pinfire guns, and Leite Kingdom, along with Northern Ridge, together reced their arsenals with 7,500 Great Tang K1 pinfire guns and 4,500 Great Tang K3 rifles.


    Beyond these three nations, Por Kingdom purchased 15,000 various pinfire rifles from the Augustin Family, and other Shireck-controlled countries also reequipped with over 40,000 pinfire rifles in total.


    Meanwhile, new breechloading cannons like the C64 started bing popr, and coupled with new types of grenades, the firepower of artillery finally began to move beyond that of rifles.


    But these massive behemoths, often weighing a ton, weren''t something everyone could afford to y with, so they became toys for the great powers as soon as they appeared.


    The Leite Kingdom, from top to bottom, only purchased 70 C64 retractable field artillery pieces, and that includes the cannons used on the fortifications of King City.


    Despite sessful tax reforms, the Suthers Kingdom, severely weakened, was only able to scrape together enough funds to purchase 60 cannons.


    Even so, they were only able to muster such numbers with gritted teeth and the support of the Great Tang Group, as they were determined to expand northwards.


    In contrast, the armaments of Northern Ridge were frighteningly abundant¡ªnowadays, all three of its legions have been re-equipped with C80 retractable howitzers, boasting an astonishing 120mm caliber, which made them immensely more powerful than any nearby forces.


    After all, in this era, caliber is justice, and artillery is truth¡­ Northern Ridge truly epitomized arade where justice and truth coexisted.


    As the times develop and weapons progress, those countries that acquired better weapons are also starting to get restless, preparing tounch their expansion ns into the surrounding less advanced regions.


    And those rtively backward regions, unwilling to be left behind, began seeking out sources of new weapons and starting their own procurement ns.


    A new arms race had begun, and before the arms buildup escted, some countries had already reaped the benefits.


    The Northern Ridge of the Leite Kingdom won the war, securing territories south of the Crystal River and a hefty indemnity.


    Relying on new weaponry, the Por Kingdom also captured the victory in the Battle of Senna, annexing almost all the territory of its neighboring country.


    Stimted by such sessful cases, the countries that were slow to catch on began to go into a frenzy.


    They started pouring more Gold Coins into the arms procurement craze, not knowing who would have thestugh.


    Interestingly enough, besides weaponry, Shireck also crazily began to imitate on the railway front, which wasn''t too technologically sophisticated.


    They first developed two types of lotives, whose performance was truly dreadful, but because of Shireck''s wealth, these substandard, poor-performing trains were almost given away to those countries eager to invest in railway development.


    Ironically, when Shireck set their railway standards, they followed Tang Mo''s railway standards to the letter¡ªthey didn''t even have the courage to change the standards.


    That''s because nearly all their customers had one criterion: if Shireck couldn''t ensure their trains perform better than those of the Great Tang Group, then the railway gauge standards must ensurepatibility!


    Thus, in order to secure project investments, Shireck had to begrudgingly ept this requirement, pinching their noses.


    Ultimately, even Shireck had to admit that Tang Mo''s train designs were the most rational and efficient. All of their previous experimental train designs were essentially rubbish and entirely obsolete.


    With no other choice, Shireck had to return to the old path of copying the Great Tang Group. With their immense capital and no need to pay patent fees, they were utterly unscrupulous.


    These unscrupulous merchants eventuallyunched a train model that was almost identical to the Great Tang Group''s lotives and named it the Shireck Type 2 train.


    However, almost everyone knew that in terms of both quality and performance, Shireck''s trains were no match for the Great Tang Group''s¡ªShireck''s quality was about two-thirds of thetter, and its malfunction rate was consistently high.


    Of course, this would be a tale for another time. Now, if one wanted to buy a lotive, there were only two choices: go to the Great Tang Group for the best lotives or go to Shireck for experimental junk...


    Regardless, the Great Tang Group''s influence in the surrounding Kingdoms was growing day by day. Many Kingdoms had also begun to get ustomed to hedging their bets between the Great Tang Group and the Shireck Corporation.


    While Tang Mo might ept such fence-sitting, Shireck would definitely not see it as a good thing. It indicated that Shireck''s influence within these Kingdoms was waning, while the Great Tang Group''s influence within these Kingdoms was sharply rising.


    This rise was irreversible, and so the losses for Shireck were tangible. However, their losses were not too apparent, for when it came to military procurement, these countries still chose Shireck, after all, Shireck''s name was a formidable brand on this continent.


    But Shireck''s losses weren''t just that¡ªthey had to discard the production of their most abundant product, the flintlock weapon technology, consigning it to the rubbish heap.


    They also had to deal with the workers who had been reced by steam engines, which was another substantial financial burden...


    So, for the past six months, the Shireck Consortium had a very hard time, a very ufortable time...


    ---------


    Dragon Spirit is taking a day off, so just two updates for today. Slow catch-up updates will start tomorrow... feeling too ufortable, sorry.

 Chapter 195: 191 new students

    Brunas, the school within the number one factory of Great Tang Group, had its ssrooms fitted with new bulbs, and the lighting here had never been better.


    All the students looked up, watching their teacher, or rather the principal, as he stood on the podium and eloquently expounded on novel ideas, "Future wars will be contests ofprehensive national power, and are not limited to the ughter andpetition on the battlefield! Finding ways to make your own country stronger is something you all should strive to do."


    They had never heard such ims before, because for a long time in the past, renowned generals and formidable armies had been the guarantees of a country''s victory.


    In those times, wars depended on a general''smand talent, as well as the training and courage of a group of soldiers.


    In any case, in the eyes of the generals, the victory or defeat on the battlefield had nothing to do with the civilians, who were just part of the spoils to be divided after the war had ended.


    But Tang Mo spoke to them of the importance of the people, or rather the importance of the entire country to the frontline battles.


    Actually, generals from this era or even from ancient times, not all were oblivious to the overall strength of the nation, but those who did pay attention were fleeting and did not form theories that were taken seriously.


    Now, Tang Mo hadbined this knowledge to establish the concept of total war, making every student deeply understand the role of the rear, or the role of the nation, in modern warfare.


    As time went by, the identities of the students sitting in front of Tang Mo became moreplex: previously, they were just children from Brunas, mostly pupils who came from poor families andcked the opportunity to study.


    But now, many of the students were of nobility, some of them with fathers who were Lord Earl, and some with fathers who were Baron or Viscount, even a few were barons themselves.


    Moreover, due to the great importance everyone ced on Tang Mo''s technology and the societal progress driven by technology, the students sent here from the nobility and officials were all exceptionally bright members of their families.


    These individuals were all well-informed and remarkable, and many had studied at Shireck''s schools, understanding modern technology and willing to explore the future of human development.


    In Tang Mo''s school, they became true academic elites, possessing time, money, and a foundation; all theycked was a qualified guide.


    Sometimes, one must despairingly acknowledge the existence of social hierarchies. Some people are born winners at the starting line. They are smarter, their fathers are wealthier, they are more diligent, and they have more and better opportunities...


    Now, among those sitting in this ssroom, there was the Prime Minister''s second grandson, the eldest son of thergest family in the South, and schrs who had worked half their lives at Shireck and now only sought to attain the true essence of knowledge.


    Seated in thest row of the ssroom, there were some generals from Suthers who took diligent notes, practicing grateful and cautious learning of everything here.


    They certainly would not forget how they came by this precious opportunity to learn¡ªthe young secretary of the Prime Minister had given them this chance to deepen their knowledge, allowing them to listen to the "voice of the devil," which was an honor beyond measure!


    Yes, to themanders in Suthers, Tang Mo was no different from a demon. He was once a frightening figure who had deterred Sir Romel, Suthers'' new War God, with just a letter; now, he stood before them, amiably imparting the secrets of his numerous victories!


    What kind of opportunity was this? It was a chance that might, in the future, allow them to surpass Viscount Romel and be ennobled by the King of Suthers as a prime minister!


    Even, even one day, they might lead troops to expand their homnd''s territory, leaving their names in history to be remembered for generations!


    Tang Mo had no idea with what purposes these students came here to learn; he only knew that when they left, like the graduates of Whampoa, they would be talents branded with a specificbel.


    These talents would eventually shine somewhere, destined to be a force for the development and growth of the Great Tang Group.


    So, he taught with great dedication, passing on the knowledge he had organized to everyone present: "Only with sufficient food can society be stabilized, and only a stable society can have more secure families. These families provide the basis for workers in modern industry, and they are also the source and assurance of troops."


    The officers from Northern Ridge were even more diligent, because their predecessors had alreadypleted their studies here and benefited in the course of their service.


    Now, in the ranks of Northern Ridge''s mid to high-level officers, at least one-third had undergone some degree of training at Tang Mo''s school, and these officers'' positions were clearly more important than those who hadn''t received such training.


    Considering the rtionship between the new Lord Earl and Lord Tang Mo, theter Northern Ridge officers naturally ced great importance on the learning opportunity here.


    The enrollment pressure had eased, so Tang Mo had started to implement a policy of rxed admission but strict graduation¡ªgetting into the school for study wasn''t hard, but graduating from it was no easy feat.


    Several unfortunate kids were unable to graduate due to failing marks. Some of them chose to conclude their studies and enter the Great Tang Group for work, at least securing a meal for themselves, while the remaining two decided to stay at the school for further study, aiming to achieve excellent grades in the next assessment!


    Yes, you''ve read that right, Tang Mo''s exam retake policy was slightly different from the modern one: passing the first test was sufficient, but getting an ''excellent'' grade was required for the second attempt, a ''perfect'' score was necessary for the third, and simrly a ''perfect'' score to graduate on the fourth try...


    This was Tang Mo''s rule. He felt that since students had learned once more, they should perform better than before, hence he gradually raised the passing criteria.


    Even if the students of the Great Tang Military Academy did not pursue a career in militarymand, they had to take courses in military theory.


    After all, understanding a bit about the military would definitely help their political careers if they wanted to bepetent and all-rounded talents.


    In this lesson, Tang Mo aimed to elevate their perspective to the national level,bining military affairs with economic and political issues, to show them that winning a war depended on more than just battlefield factors.


    He wrote "Primary Industry" on the ckboard and said, "That''s why the development of agriculture is extremely important, and should be a priority. Hence, we call it the primary industry!"


    "It is the foundation of everything! As long as agriculture remains, there is potential for everything to develop! But if agriculture copses, even the most powerful empire will crumble alongside it." His fingertips tapped the ckboard, producing a pleasant sound: "That''s why, before mobilizing the army, ensure the supply of provisions! In this area, emphasis can never be too much!"


    "Your soldiers need to be well-fed and warm! Only then will they be in the mood to fight for you! If they go into battle hungry and wearing rags, yet manage to defeat a powerful enemy... then imagine... with food and weapons, what kind of formidable strength they would possess!" As Tang Mo spoke, he thought of that terrifying entity that once toppled seventeen strongholds of the Beautiful Country.


    If only he had been there at that time, if only he could have sold some weaponry to those young revolutionaries, allowing them not to rely on poor guns like the Type 38 rifle but to carry Type 95 assault rifles, drive Type 99A tanks, and pilot J-20 fighter jets to confront those fiendish enemies¡ªhow great that would have been.


    After pausing for a few seconds, he collected his thoughts and continued the lecture: "Simrly, industry is also important for a country; it is a crucial pir that supports a nation''s external wars and expansion."


    "In ancient times, those with sharper swords had an advantage on the battlefield; those with armor and powerful bows could defeat the enemy and emerge victorious!" He knew these ims weren''t absolute, but he had to admit that these factors were indeed key to victory on the battlefield.


    The soldiers could defeat steel with the flesh and blood of their bodies, but it was the responsibility of themanders, or the national leaders, to ensure they went to the front lines with as much steel as possible.


    However, having said this, Tang Mo still emphasized, "Although we don''t deny the willpower and roles humans y in warfare, we''ll focus on that in the next ss. In this lesson, I am only introducing the material aspects and their specific impact on warfare!"


    He didn''t want his students to overvalue material capabilities nor to overlook their importance.


    Even nations that had always cherished spirit and relied on their strong spirit for victory would value material aspects. On the contrary, they would view improving material conditions as a fast track to rapidly enhance their strength!


    When the brutal reality of war became apparent to everyone, the fear of insufficient firepower became a persistent concern haunting the militarymanders of a certain Eastern power.


    Then came the establishment of an unrivaled number of top-quality rocketunchers and the boast of the strongest ground force on the of Blue Star, often initiatingbat with a hefty barrage of firepower.


    Therefore, Tang Mo advocated a development path that embraced both courage and steel, for as an arms dealer, he understood too well the direction of weapons development.


    When unmanned drones and missiles began to determine victories far afield, courage remained important, but was no longer the deciding factor of war.


    Only when there was no generational gap in weapons could courage decide the oue of war. But with a gap present, courage could only serve to illustrate a tragic grandeur.


    Back when the Japanese navy, relying on explosive shells, rapid-fire guns, and new ships with high speeds, devastated their enemies during the Jiawu Year, the bravemanders of the Northern Navy could only desperately shout to ram and sink the Yoshino.


    Deng Shichang was defeated in the Jiawu Year, but was he to me? No, he wasn''t! It was the Qing court that hadn''t provided new ships for ten years; it was the Li ministers who treated the navy like their own pet dog...


    ---------


    There will be at least three chapters today, but I will be writing untilte at night, so don''t wait up. Feel free to check in the morning.

 Chapter 196: 192 Reviews

    "With industry, capable of manufacturing bullets, rifles, and cannons, you can sustain and continue to fight in modern warfare! Without modern industry, you can only passively take hits in war!" Tang Mo spoke continuously at the podium, with officers and students from all directions listening attentively below.


    Some had just entered the academy. They listened attentively as if Tang Mo was opening a grand door to a new world for them.


    Previously, they had only a vague awareness of certain things, but now, these things had been summarized and broken down to be fed and chewed on by them.


    Thus, they were shocked, including a few students who considered their own knowledge systemsplete and themselves erudite, experiencing awe for the first time.


    Only at this moment did they realize that there truly were higher realms beyond their own, and greater minds beyond themselves. Their admiration for Tang Mo had reached a new height.


    To them, Tang Mo was a god, a prophet, the one who held the truth of the world!


    It was God who arranged for them toe here, God who gave them the opportunity to witness the divine entity itself!


    In the eyes of these people, Tang Mo, standing on the podium, radiated a blinding brilliance. He was surrounded by halos, and his voice was filled with magic!


    "Therefore, the key to victory lies in finding a way to produce better, stronger, and more advanced weapons!" Tang Mo then wrote "Second Industry (Industry)" on the ckboard.


    "Shireck''s technology has represented the pinnacle for the past 100 years, but as everyone knows, their technology is now outdated; Great Tang''s technology is the best in the world, now and in the future!" he said, proudly pointing to himself as he spoke.


    Now, he truly had the right to say such words, for it was no secret that the Great Tang Group had surpassed the Shireck Consortium in technological expertise.


    The Leite Kingdom, the Suthers Kingdom, and even the further Dorne Kingdom, along with other kingdoms, had all be aware of this fact.


    The Por Kingdom, because of its distance, continued to deceive those around it. The Augustin n, relying on their counterfeit of Tang Mo''s steam engine and weapon technology, had already be a new super n.


    But what they did not know was that they had unknowingly rued a foreign debt of 6 million Gold Coins, and this debt was still growing.


    "Due to technological innovation, tactics have undergone a radical change. Now everyone knows that the Great Tang Group has new weapon technology, and automatic weapons have been born. The main reason we have not yet introduced them to the market is that the manufacturing technology is not perfected," said Tang Mo while continuing to write on the ckboard.


    He boldly prophesied, having seen those prophecies with his own eyes: "Once we improve the production technology, these weapons will be deployed on the battlefield,pletely changing the future pattern of warfare."


    He had seen those weapons, he had tested those tactics; when nes, cannons, and tanks appeared, war would take on another form.


    When radar and missiles appeared, war would change again, bing scarier, more efficient, and crazier.


    And when unmanned drones and cyber warfare began to emerge, with the inte as a battlefield and cultural warfare bloodily contested.


    Everyone was at war, a manic war, where even the allegiance of a single athlete could escte into an invisible war.


    And all of this, for the students now sitting here, might be beyond their wildest imaginations. They were not stupid, but due to technical constraints, they dared not imagine such a future.


    So Tang Mo could only share with them a future one year away: "With the enhancement of cannons and automatic weapons, defensive warfare will be a more efficient and secure choice. Simply by digging defensive positions and having soldiers hold their ground in shelters, the enemy won''t be able to breach our lines in a short time."


    "During defense, soldiers can reduce casualties, get better supplies, and receive more urate artillery support," Tang Mo exined as he drew verticalmunication trenches on lines symbolizing the trenches.


    Then, using several arrows to represent interlocking fire, he continued, "Under these circumstances, offensive operations be somewhat futile, and thus the decision-makers of various countries have keenly seized this opportunity."


    "Since one day in the future, the efficiency of offensive operations will be infinitely reduced, and all countries may be able to sturdily defend their own borders, the current era of bolt-action rifles presents thest opportunity for national expansion." He concluded, then cited the example of the Por Kingdom''s expansion: "In fact, it''s correct, because within the next three years, wars will be decided by defense."


    "Last lesson, we learned how to properly set up our trench defenses, and how to reasonably arrange and allocate our firepower on the battlefield.


    Hence, everyone should understand that attacking such a defensive position, without more than tenfold artillery support, is almost impossible to breach," Tang Mo had previously taught simr courses to an earlier batch of students, and now this curriculum was even more mature, having been revised with samples from the Battle of Brunas.


    Each batch of students progresses with the times, learning better knowledge and achieving greater advances. They take this knowledge and spread it across the world, the Great Tang Group is imperceptibly changing the entire world.


    Just imagine, those ustomed to electric lighting could never return to darkness. They would do everything possible to bring the technology and philosophy of the Great Tang Group to their homnds, at any cost!


    Then, Tang Mo went on to instill into these students the concept of the reinforced concrete defensive positions from the First World War. "With the advent of cement, trenches can be much stronger, and you can use it to build more resilient bunkers."


    With the blessing of cement, defensive positions became even sturdier, so much so that even C64 artillery couldn''t disturb these fortifications!


    Thus, defense became the cost-effective choice of priority, and it''s under such technological circumstances that trench warfare characterized the First World War.


    Tang Mo looked at the students below him and posed a question, "You''ve all visited the Brunas battle site in batches before, haven''t you? You also saw the defensive positions set up by the security troops of the Great Tang Group."


    These students had visited the battlefield, and they could still find some soldiers'' relics¡ªthings like boots and other misceneous items¡ªscattered around the field.


    Hearing Tang Mo''s question, the students quickly nodded, as they had indeed been there and been deeply shocked by what they saw.


    Inside the machine-gun bunkers, they saw machine guns that had been relocated for disy purposes, and they also observed a demonstration where machine guns mowed down cattle and sheep.


    After witnessing soldiers operate machine guns and y dozens of cattle and sheep, these students gained a concrete concept of modern warfare.


    Tang Mo asked with a smile to the students still haunted by the machine guns, "How do you feel? What are your thoughts?"


    "Indeed, clumsy, rubbish... They are too rudimentary, just temporary defensive positions hastily dug out," Tang Mo didn''t wait for their answer and began to evaluate the positions he set up on his own.


    To be frank, these positions were fairly rudimentary and not quite professional, and to promote frontal firepower, they were also not very concealed or sturdy.


    They relied solely on the overwhelming power of new weaponry over old tactics. Yet, such unprofessional and haphazard domination was truly a tant disy of Versailles¡­


    Tang Mo gave a fair assessment, "Apart from the cement shelters prepared for the G1 machine guns, the remaining defensive positions were just cobbled together temporarily and hardly worth mentioning."


    "However! With just these rudimentary defenses, wepletely annihted at least 5,000 of Shireck''s army at Brunas!" But then, Tang Mo spoke unreservedly about the battle results at Brunas.


    He boasted unabashedly, "Even until the end, their 3,000 troops dispatched to nk didn''t engage in battle but surrendered without firing a single shot, bing our prisoners."


    After boasting, he earnestly warned everyone, "Hence, arrogance andcency are uneptable. Before mounting an attack, fully understand your opponent, dispatch reconnaissance troops as extensively and far as possible, ascertain the surrounding battlefield environment, and then proceed with a tried-and-true method to cautiously initiate probing attacks!"


    "The evolution of weaponry is rapid and ever-changing, so we cannot guarantee that you won''t encounter simple but practical new weapons developed by your opponents on future battlefields. Therefore, on the battlefield, one cannot be too cautious!" He emphasized this point with added gravity in his tone.


    "In the past, our development team has created a variety of weapon systems, but technology requires digestion and umtion, so for now, we''re still primarily promoting the needle gun, with no technological advantage." Then, he turned back to the ckboard and continued to write inrge characters: The application of artillery.


    As he spoke, he turned to face the audience below the podium, "However, we''ve made some progress in artillery. The new artillery is in the testing phase and will soon be ready for deployment."


    Speaking of his navy, a confident smile appeared on his face, "Moreover, three new types of warships have been constructed, with thetest artillery technology implemented in the main guns of thest two, doubling the firing efficiency of those main guns."


    He had reason to smile¡ªhis navy, now taking shape, was truly unmatched in all the world.


    Yes, with just these three irond warships, his navy now held the capacity to triumph over any national maritime power it might encounter.


    Hence, ck Dragon Ind¡­ could now be said to be firmly clenched in his grasp.

 Chapter 197: 193ä¿¡

    On an afternoon that was not particrly bright, with dark clouds rolling in the sky outside, Tang Mo turned on the deskmp and felt the intense heat radiating from the light bulb.


    Under the light, he unfolded the third letter that Roger had sent back from ck Dragon Ind, wearing a faint smile on his face. He liked such peaceful afternoons, enjoyed looking down at the familiar handwriting, witnessing joy leap onto the paper.


    Tang Mo,


    I have received the register and medals you mailed. I never dreamed that I, such an inconsequential old man, could one day be a baron of the Leite Kingdom.


    As you said, a title is indeed something you can obtain if you truly desire it... I was excited for several days. Really, I suddenly wanted to visit my mother''s grave to tell her about her son bing a baron.


    But I know there are more important things for me to do. I must help you look after this ind, this ind brimming with riches!


    Honestly, now that I am a baron, I think you should seriously consider your own title.


    In fact, a viscount doesn''t suit you at all; you should be the fourth earl of the Leite Kingdom, to be genuine nobility!


    You are the most energetic and far-sighted young person I''ve ever met. Your investment in ck Dragon Ind will definitely be the most profitable one.


    Now, we have built a small town here. The workers love the process of creating a new homnd from scratch.


    Frankly speaking, living in this paradise-like ce, carefree and untroubled, as if the rest of the world doesn''t concern us at all, is a joy.


    The rangers have discovered the ind''s third coastline. This ind is truly huge, astonishingly so.


    To call this ind a continent wouldn''t be an exaggeration¡ªit''s unknown exactly how wide it is from east to west, but it spans at least 190 kilometers from north to south.


    And ording to our explorations, the east-west length of the ind is at least 210 kilometers, if not more.


    There are mountains and rivers on the ind, and many animals. We''ve found tigers here, and some beautiful birds, too.


    We can now produce tools and equipment on our own, and the women have even cultivated about 30 acres of arablend next to the town.


    If we include the seemingly endless fruit and game on the ind, we could even achieve short-term self-sufficiency in food...


    However, ording to your ns, the poption here will growrger, so we won''t stop our efforts to store food.


    We have built a granary in the town and developed a livestock farming base. The pigs and sheep brought from Brunas adapted well to life here, and the hens areying eggs smoothly.


    Each morning, when I open my eyes and the windows of my room, I can see our sailboats cruising on the far sea.


    This ce is simply paradise, Tang Mo. You shoulde here, to be the master of this little ind.


    We''ve reinforced the docks with concrete, and you might not believe it, but the size of the docks here is nowparable to those in Brunas.


    Because we have plenty of concrete, and even more timber and stone. There''s a decent supply of stone here, enough tost us a while at least.


    We use the explosives we brought to quarry stone, and then build the docks in this natural harbor. Now, our docks can even amodate irond warships, and we have found anotherrger and better port location nearby.


    It''s not far from here and could even be connected to this ce to develop together. But we cannot afford to divide our workforce currently, so we can only develop this initial port for now.


    As you instructed, we''ve given this ce a new name, called Dragon City, and it is now entirely yours.


    Dragon City now has five factories: one for stone production, another for machinery and machine tools, one for maintaining steam engines, another for refining oil, and thest one for making munitions.


    They are located in the four corners of the town, managed by specialized personnel. I often visit those ces to check on the construction progress, and things are going well.


    We can now produce our own bricks and use them to build houses. Many houses here are made of stone and brick, which is good against the wind.


    We don''t know how cold the winters are here, but judging from the vegetation, it seems likely to be simr to Brunas.


    Just to be safe, I hope you can send some cotton clothing, stoves, and some thicker tents, in case we run into problems during the winter.


    We have managed to refine a bit of oil ording to your requirements, and the product is precisely as you specified.


    Although I know this stuff can burn intensely, I still can''t figure out itsrger uses.


    But since you think it''s useful, I''ll make sure to expand the factory here until it meets your needs.


    The poption here has already exceeded 6,000 people, feeding so many is indeed not an easy task.


    If it weren''t for you dispatching dozens of students from the school to help, I really wouldn''t have been able to manage such a town.


    It wasn''t until I got to work that I found out, coordinating a small town and getting it functioning isn''t an easy thing at all.


    Even though you had already organized the division ofbor before I arrived, putting it into practice still had me a bit flustered.


    Fortunately, you left Luff here. That really was a huge help to me. He''s in charge of the military, security, and training work here, which really gives me great peace of mind.


    The troops here have also been expanded somewhat, with a total military strength now reaching 6panies and two battalions. Although we still only have one battalion''s worth of heavy artillery, the other battalion as mountain light infantry is actually already capable of basicbat.


    We''ve stockpiled at least two base numbers of bullets. While that''s not enough to face a war, it does offer some assurance for basic self-defense.


    Moreover, our security can actually be guaranteed, after all, there''s an irond warship stationed on the sea surface¡ªour invincible guarantee!


    Despite having the support of an irond warship, the most worrying thing about living on the ind is still the war that might erupt at any moment.


    This is still no man''snd; we''ve only found some surveying marks. We haven''t seen other humans in our explorations, so we can''t judge if someone wille back.


    If suddenly a country takes an interest in this ind, I think it''s possible that they would go to war with us for such a vast territory.


    Even by the smallest estimates, this ce is a bitrger than the entire Northern Ridge. No one would give up such an ind lightly, so I believe that war will ultimately break out.


    Not someone else''s war, but our own!


    Our war with one or several unknown powers! I think we should be prepared for this! I don''t think we should let others snatch away this beautiful ce from our hands for nothing.


    Even if someday we are left with nothing but this ind, it would have been worth it. So, I, Roger, am willing to fight for this ind!


    For this, I hope you too will prepare for battle, expand the military, and at least we should deploy 3,000 troops on this ind! And we should cultivate arge area of farnd here, as well as build at least dozens of factories!


    Of course, these are just my personal thoughts; maybe you have a better n. In any case, I''ll follow your lead.


    How''s that little witch Yulin doing? Is she still acting like she''s the strongest in the school? Hahaha... Just thinking about it makes me happy.


    Dino seems to be a kid of few words, but he definitely admires you the most; you can tell just by the way he looks at you, he literally sees you as his father.


    Oh, and isn''t Galsa''s father also on ck Dragon Ind? He was bragging about his son to me just yesterday, and his pride made me a little jealous, hahaha.


    If you write back, please pass on a few words to Galsa''s dad too; it will make him even happier. You know, when he''s happy, he does a lot more work every day.


    Are those new recruits still proving useful? I actually really miss working by your side.


    This will be thest time I address you by your name, as after all, the Great Tang Group can only have one voice, it has only one master, and you, Tang Mo, are its only master.


    So, please ept my loyalty, let me be your subordinate. Even though I am your father''s partner, my contributions simply don''t match everything you''ve created.


    Do not make it difficult for me, just let me sincerely call you my master, you... or I should say, Your Honor, your dull but loyal subordinate, Roger.


    Respectfully,


    Clutching the letter in his hand, Tang Mo''s smile deepened a bit. He looked over Roger''s handwriting again and then ced the letter on the table.


    His uncle, who was not really his uncle, sure was a lovely person. He picked up the pen, thought for a long time, but wrote nothing.


    The development n for ck Dragon Ind is going very smoothly; he has already obtained several dozen barrels of gasoline, and if he needed, he could also get diesel and other petroleum products.


    Regardless, he can now make himself a small car, shy and fast... an extremely, extremely cool... little car.


    There are just too many things that don''t exist in this world. When will he be able to get himself a smartphone? It would be so much more convenient then...


    With these thoughts, Tang Mo once again picked up the pen and wrote a line of powerful characters on the paper: "Dear Uncle Roger..."


    ---------


    Owe everyone two more chapters

 Chapter 198: Good stuff 194

    Just as Tang Mo finished writing his reply, Galsa excitedly knocked on Tang Mo''s door. Tang Mo had just folded the letter and ced it in an envelope, "Galsa, just in time! Your father has been thinking of you. In Roger''s letter, he asked me to check how you''ve beentely."


    "Me? I''m doing quite well," Galsa, clever beyond his years, said to Tang Mo with a grin: "My studies are going great, and recently I''ve been learning swordsmanship from Master Wes."


    "Hmm, that''s good. I also mentioned in the letter that you''ve been doing welltely," Tang Mo said, looking at the boy who had once been his young apprentice and noticing that he had grown to about 1.7 meters tall in a year''s time.


    The food at Brunas was really good, plumping up the boy who had once been rather scrawny.


    "By the way," Tang Mo said as he sealed the letter with his own seal and casually asked Galsa, who hade to see him, "What brings you here?"


    Galsa remembered the purpose of his visit and immediately ryed the good news to Tang Mo: "My lord! That nt you wanted... we''ve found it!"


    "Hmm? Which nt?" Tang Mo had people collecting seeds of various nts all over, hoping to find methods for hybrid crop cultivation, so he couldn''t immediately recall which exact seeds had been found.


    As Tang Mo pondered, Galsa exined: "A merchant ship that came by recently had an old sailor whose hometown grows a nt that, when dried and ground into pieces and set alight, can be inhaled and, once one gets used to the peculiar smell, is said to be very soothing."


    "He has that nt?" Tang Mo asked in surprise and then eagerly inquired.


    Galsa nodded affirmatively, "Yes, and there''s plenty of it."


    "Plenty?" Tang Mo became even more excited, feeling his craving for tobo kicking in.


    "Yes, in his hometown, many people have the habit of inhaling the smoke from burning this nt. Every time he goes home, he brings back a lot of it and smokes it when bored at sea," Galsa continued, nodding in response to Tang Mo''s questions.


    "Did he bring the stuff here?" Tang Mo asked almost without pausing for a second.


    Galsa nodded again, "Yes, both the dried leaves and the ground powder are here."


    "Bring it to me, let''s have a look! Go on! If it''s what I''ve been looking for, that''d be great," Tang Mo, like a smoker who had finally found a tobo shop after searching for over a year, felt as though he finally had something to look forward to.


    Tang Mo had always been in search of tobo, a habit for him and also an incredibly lucrative industry.


    Someone once joked that if a few billion people smoked a pack each, the country could fund an aircraft carrier. Although it was in jest, it spoke volumes about the profitability of the tobo and alcohol industry.


    Unlike alcohol, which involves grains, the cultivation of tobo and tea leaves hardly takes up any good farnd, avoidingnd conflicts.


    Given the not-so-high food self-sufficiency rate at present, tobo and tea are certainly more worth investing in and promoting over brewing.


    Of course, before promoting it, Tang Mo needed it to soothe his own empty and lonely soul.


    Soon after, he met with the old sailor and the nt thetter had brought along. As he had guessed, it was tobo leaves¡ªexactly what he had been longing for.


    "I am d you could offer these. They are precisely what I need," Tang Mo said, nodding as he ced the tobo and shredded leaves on his office desk and acknowledging the old sailor.


    The sailor was surprised, as he had never seen anyone outside his homnd with such an infatuation for these particr nts.


    In fact, these foreigners didn''t even know what the nts were called, let alone ask about their effects or uses. Yet the young man in front of him seemed to value these worthless leaves very highly.


    "This is your deserved reward," Tang Mo indicated casually, and Galsa, understanding, handed a Gold Coin from his pocket to the sailor.


    For a Sailor, a Gold Coin was a substantial reward, so the old Sailor''s face lit up with joy.


    "Next time youe here, bring the seeds of this nt! If possible, I also want living nts. Tell your captain I want to buy these from you..." Tang Mo said while skillfully spreading some shredded leaves across a piece of pre-cut white paper, without even looking up.


    "One shipload, 500 Gold Coins! Fair and square... Do you understand? Out of the 500 Gold Coins for the whole ship, 200 are yours. I''ll make it clear to your captain... Don''t get any funny ideas, for if you switch ships, you might just end up thrown overboard halfway," said Tang Mo, carefully rolling up the piece of white paper as if he were handling a bar of gold.


    "Understood... understood..." the sailor, knowing Tang Mo spoke the truth, swallowed and curbed his greed, nodding in agreement.


    "The sea is a great ce..." Tang Mo waved his hand to signal the dismissal, and Galsa promptly escorted the old sailor out of Tang Mo''s room.


    Continuing to roll cigarettes one by one, Tang Mo didn''t stop until he had used up all the tobo scraps.


    He gathered the hand-rolled cigarettes he had made and treasured them, setting them aside as if they were precious gems.


    Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he pulled out a nk sheet of paper from next to him and began to draw something swiftly.


    He was very meticulous and serious about his drawing, even shading in a quick sketch in ck and white on the side.


    Although his drawing skills were nothing remarkable, the effect he achieved was quite good¡ªafter all, he had been a heavy smoker for years, often sketching his own cigarette cases on scraps of paper in his spare time.


    Thus, he remembered the object vividly, down to the veryst detail inside it.


    The metal cigarette case was of a flip-top design, with space inside to hold a row of cigarettes. Tang Mo also had the habit of cing a small knife de inside, useful for self-defense or unexpected emergencies.


    Afterpleting the drawing of the small cigarette case, Tang Mo continued to lean over his desk, starting to sketch out a lighter¡ªlighters were certainly unheard of in this world, but the principle of a lighter is actually quite simple.


    For the lighter''s materials, Tang Mo already had kerosene on hand, and flint was not rare either; thus, a simple ignition device would be a piece of cake for his factory to handle.


    As for the issue of the lighter''s air-tightness, well... it didn''t actually need to be solved. The most famous ZIPPO lighters in the United States were known for their leaking.


    After stacking the hand-rolled cigarettes in a corner of a drawer, Tang Mo headed towards the noisy workshop with the two blueprints.


    He handed his drawings to Mathews, who was discussing improvements to the Maxim gun with Parker, and shouted to his key technical team member, the old Dwarf, "Mathews! Take a look at these two items. Can you make them?"


    "No problem," the old Dwarf nced at Tang Mo''s drawing of the cigarette case, dismissively passing that blueprint to Parker, and then looked at the other with the lighter''s design.


    Examining the strike wheel and simple airtight structure, the old Dwarf looked back at Tang Mo and said admiringly, "This is very sophisticated! Master! If it had been invented some years earlier, it could have be standard army artillery gear!"


    "So you can make it?" Tang Mo wasn''t concerned about how useful the gadget would be to artillerymen right now; he was only interested in when he could have his own ZIPPO lighter.


    The old Dwarf set the blueprints aside on the table, speaking with a trace of disdain, "Leave it to me! Master, I roughly understand the purpose of these two items now¡ªone is a simple box that can hold things, and the other is an ignition device. I will make them well for you, don''t worry."


    "I''m in a hurry," Tang Mo added anotherment.


    "Give me no more than two hours, and I will deliver them," Mathews confidently promised.


    Soon enough, Tang Mo saw the two items Mathews had brought to his office, and to be honest, he was immediately stunned by their exquisite craftsmanship when he firstid eyes on them.


    It was his first time seeing such a beautifully made cigarette case¡ªcrafted with metal reliefs that looked incredibly delicate.


    Since it was made of twoyers of metal, it felt satisfyingly heavy in his hand. The inner box fit precisely with not even the slightest gap, and the outer metalyer had been hammered into an exquisite design with a rough technique, conveying a profound sense of power and beauty.


    Tang Mo caressed the twining vines of the embossed design with his fingers, his eyes fixed on the half-visible wolf head at the center of the case, his face full of satisfaction.


    As a traditional cksmith, Mathews''s skill in such artistic design really had reached mastery.


    And when Tang Mo saw the ZIPPO lighter, he was even more astonished by Mathews''s sense of aesthetics.


    It was also adorned with an embossed design¡ªthis time featuring the emblem of the Great Tang Group, Tang Mo''s family crest¡ªthe dragon totem.


    To be frank, Tang Mo had never imagined that Mathews could make the act of smoking feel so ceremonial. He was extremely fond of the two items, even feeling an almost unreal sense of magic.


    He took out the hand-rolled cigarettes from his drawer, cing them one by one into the cigarette case. Meanwhile, Mathews stood quietly by his side, waiting for Tang Mo to change the world once again with his inventions.


    After Tang Mo had finished, he held thest cigarette between his fingers, and with a finger from his other hand, he struck the lighter that had just been filled with kerosene.


    "Ding!" With a crisp sound, the lighter''s lid flipped open, and the flint made a gratifying scratch noise as it sparked.

 Chapter 199: 195, a failed attempt at posturing

    Tang Mo mped the cigarette between his lips and leaned into the me, greedily inhaling. The air moved, and the me ignited the cigarette in front of him.


    A scorching pain surged into Tang Mo''s windpipe, violently tearing at his lungs. His debonair moment vanished entirely as he began to cough violently, his eyes filled with painful tears.


    "Ugh... cough cough cough! I... cough cough cough! Cough! Ah...


    cough cough cough!" His uncontroble coughing even altered his voice to a terrifying pitch.


    Mathews stood up in shock, wanting toe over to help, but Tang Mo gestured with his hand for him to stop.


    Tang Mo truly found it embarrassing to admit a fact: he had tried to show off but had genuinely and utterly failed. In the depths of his soul he was indeed an old smoker, yet this young body was incredibly honest.


    This matter was not like finding a woman; a first-timer needing only to watch a couple of DVDs from Dongying to be self-taught, able to fake experience somewhat convincingly.


    When ites to smoking, no matter how familiar you are, if your body isn''t prepared, it will give the most honest feedback to your brain as the painful smoke churns in your lungs.


    Tang Mo''s violent coughing was his most genuine reaction. He found himself once again experiencing this exciting yet ufortable poor experience.


    Even a bit of snot flowed from his nostrils at one point, destroying any semnce of elegance he had hoped to enjoy while smoking.


    In fact, smoking looks stylish, very handsome, and even gives the illusion of masculinity¡ªall deliberate constructs of tobopanies. The so-called graceful smoking by women is also an exorbitantly priced advertisement ced within the plot.


    A woman smoking is alluring, but when you think about it, is it the smoking action that seduces? What really attracts is her red evening gown, her exquisite face, and her desire-inducing curves.


    Is a man smoking a symbol of depth and vicissitudes of life? Not really. Wearing a suit, sporting a gold watch, and blowing smoke rings in a Rolls-Royce¡ªthat''s depth; sitting in tattered jeans and a tank top by the roadside next to a bike¡ªthat''s destitution...


    So, is it the cigarette that leaves thesting impression? Not at all, it''s the actor''s charisma, the costly clothing, and the seductiveness of his femalepanion.


    As for the cigarettes, they''re just an essory,pletely dispensable. If he were chewing gum, you''d probably think he''s healthy. If he were popping a cherry into his mouth, women would probably scream with their hands over their faces.


    In any case, after his first failed attempt at showing off, Tang Mo found ten thousand excuses for his blunder. Finally, as his lungs began to limatize to the ufortable sensation, he found a hint of pleasure amidst the pain.


    For an old smoker like him, this was a familiar sensation, one akin to the taste of home.


    "Is this... is this it, Master?" After a long wait, Mathews could no longer hold back his curiosity and asked.


    Tang Mo, still savoring the refreshing feeling of his first smoke, caught off guard by the question, wasn''t quite sure what Mathews was referring to.


    He looked at Mathews nkly, feeling regret that he could not appreciate the pleasure of smoking.


    "Isn''t this some earth-shattering invention?" Mathews continued, still somewhat in disbelief.


    "Of course... isn''t this an earth-shattering invention?" Tang Mo held the cigarette between two fingers, coolly exhaling a puff of smoke, savoring as he spoke, "This feeling... do you know how long I''ve been waiting for it?"


    It was only then that Mathews realized that the new invention Tang Mo had been looking forward to was nothing but two rather useless trinkets.


    But what he did not know was that these two creations of his own would one day be highly sought after by many sessful people, and that the original items apanying Tang Mo soared to unimaginable prices.


    As for the rolled cigarettes he had barely looked at, they would soon sweep through the Leite Kingdom and be the favorite daily consumption good of the Great Tang Group''s security forces.


    With the outbreak of war, these cigarettes began to be mass-produced and distributed to various battle zones, bing afort to the soldiers'' souls on those hellish frontlines.


    At this point, he was indeed a role model of sess, akin to the dashing male leads in movies.


    He wore a ring with a gem valued at 400 Gold Coins on his finger, a suit tailor-made just for him, and a golden pocket watch in his pocket.


    Of course, he had two new valuable toys: a cigarette case and a lighter.


    Ultimately, after two minutes of non-stop coughing, Tang Mo found a way to damage his lungs, and he started to enjoy it to the fullest.


    If there were a car with a silver angel figure on its hood, then he would have almost reached the heights he had in his previous life.


    So, at this moment, Tang Mo was ecstatic. He was still intoxicated by the momentary, unrealistic illusion, hypnotizing himself into a brief peace.


    Indeed, there was a moment''s peace.


    In the fall of the year 114 in the Leite Kingdom, havingpleted the assembly and training of his troops and with the support from the Great Tang Group, Leite VII personally led his army eastward. He defeated the neighboring country backed by the Shireck Consortium andpleted the full annexation of that nation.


    In this decisive battle which sealed the fate of both countries, the Leite Kingdom mobilized a force of 45,000 to face the neighboring nation''s 90,000. Relying on the formidable firepower of the C64 cannons, they crushed the enemy''s main force in one strike and then breached the enemy''s King City.


    Following this, the king of the neighboring nation announced his abdication, and was ennobled by Leite VII with the title of Marquis. His entire kingdom became the Leite Kingdom''s spoils of war.


    Meanwhile, as this battle was underway, the Suthers Kingdom suddenlyunched an attack to the north. With an army of 30,000, they swept across the northern border, annihting the neighboring country''s 30,000 border guards and then stormed straight to the enemy''s King City, forcing them to sign a peace treaty.


    The terms of this treaty were veryplex, but there were two particrly striking ones. The first was that the Suthers Kingdom acquired all the territories south of the enemy''s King City, advancing their border right up to the city walls.


    The second use was quite interesting: all the resources within the conquered kingdom had to be operated by the Great Tang Group, with the influence of the Shireck Consortiumpletely expelled from the defeated country.


    But the events were far from over. Seven days after the start of Suthers'' northern campaign, a kingdom called Dorne to the south of the Leite Kingdom mobilized their forces northward, achieving victory after victory, crushing the unfortunate kingdom thaty between Dorne and the Leite Kingdom.


    This kingdom could truly be called unlucky, as both the rapidly strengthening Leite Kingdom and the swiftly rising Dorne Kingdom effortlessly partitioned this weaker nation between themselves.


    Yes,pletely partitioned it.


    In just one month, the Leite Kingdom had annexed one kingdom and half of another, nearly doubling its territory. The Dorne Kingdom had also assimted half a kingdom, expanding its own territory by at least two-thirds.


    More importantly, the Dorne Kingdom had gained and border with the Leite Kingdom, which is what external observers spected to be the reason they abandoned the more southern neighboring countries in favor of moving north.


    At the same time, the Suthers Kingdom also expanded its territory to the north, reaching right below the walls of the enemy''s King City, filling the losses from their previous war.


    At least, thend the Suthers acquired was twice the size of what they had lost, and the area included vast pastures, worth as much as the agricultural region south of the Icing Crystal River.


    Given the oue, since the Suthers Kingdom was not nning to antagonize the Northern Ridge again, they could in fact buyrge quantities of food from the Leite Kingdom.


    In return, they could supply products like furs and manes, providing the Leite Kingdom with ample livestock supplies topensate each other.


    However, the nearly back-to-back expansion of the three kingdoms truly made some more distant kingdoms nervous. They shuddered in fear at the thought of these three nations forming an alliance and continuing to expand their territories.


    Simrly, in the three seemingly unrted but in fact closely connected wars, many amazing talents unexpectedly emerged.


    Viscount Romel of the Suthers Kingdom disyed heroic bravery, leading his army on a resolute charge through enemy lines as if he were in and without opponents, achieving a grand victory in the north and boosting the morale of the Suthers people.


    On the Leite Kingdom''s side, talents were even more abundant, with manymanders, whose names were not well known, leading their troops to pierce through the enemy''s defenses, outmaneuvering their opponents inmand capability.


    It was these impressivemanders that led to the rapid copse of the neighboring country''s troops, which were better equipped with breach-loading rifles, had more artillery, and stronger forces backed by the Shireck Consortium, helping the Leite Kingdom secure an unprecedented victory.


    Simrly, in the Dorne Kingdom, a legend was born¡ªa youngmander who led their troops northward and with a final victorious maneuver,pletely partitioned the kingdom trapped between the two powers, turned out to be a naval officer.


    What was moreughable was that this youngmander was not even 20 years old, a genuine prodigy the likes of which are rarely seen.


    These dazzling stars suddenly emerged, alling from what appeared to be the allied three kingdoms, which inevitably led to some fanciful spections.


    Soon enough, everyone learned a startling fact through investigations: the Leite Kingdom housed a Great Tang military academy, and the alumni from there... could indeed be called talented!


    After the conclusion of the three consecutive battles, the nearly exposed alliance of the three kings formally took shape. The three nations signed a mutual trust treaty in Brunas, vowing never to betray one another, and to expand their wars outward, back-to-back.


    Moreover, the alliance of the three kings agreed that when one party was in a difficult war situation, the other two were obliged to send troops to help. This treaty plunged the neighboring smaller kingdomspletely into despair.


    In the end, with the aid of Shireck, a five-nation coalition was also formed. Their purpose was to counter the expansion of the alliance of the three kings.


    ----------


    The supplementary update will be provided tomorrow during the day, there''s no need to stay up waiting.

 Chapter 200: 196 Debt Collector

    "Sss... hah..." Tang Mofortably enjoyed the smell of the cigarette, looking down at the development report about ck Dragon Ind.


    There were now over 6,000 immigrants on the ind, and if he worked harder, the total poption might rise above 10,000 in a few days.


    Currently, these people still almost entirely relied on food transported from Brunas harbor, but they would soon be self-sufficient by next year.


    After all, ck Dragon Ind was extremely fertile, and developing it was like mining a goldmine. Tang Mo could even roughly calcte that the ind could easily support a poption of a million.


    A road was being constructed on ck Dragon Ind, with Roger hoping to connect the newly discovered harbor with the small town he had built uponnding.


    Meanwhile, the oil refinery had started production, refining petroleum day and night, turning it into the chemical raw materials and gasoline that Tang Mo needed.


    All these were good news, and with each passing day, Tang Mo''s initial umtion began to grow more substantial.


    He had stockpiled a considerable amount of gasoline on ck Dragon Ind and did the same in Brunas. Thisid a good foundation for his future car manufacturing.


    In short, everything was developing well for Tang Mo.


    A knock on the door interrupted Tang Mo''s thoughts. He looked up and instructed with a cigarette in hand, "Come in!"


    Li''ao entered from outside, the old man looking quite hale. After all, his Silver Fox Tavern had never been so glorious since the day it was established.


    Now, his subordinates were practically running rampant throughout the entire Leite Kingdom, with their influence in Suthers being second to none.


    The construction of the intelligencework had far exceeded Tang Mo''s expectations, and even in King City of Suthers, Great Tang Group''s telegraph machines had begun to be used.


    Currently, these devices were not for sale; except for Miss Alice of Northern Ridge who managed to buy two units through personal connections, the rest were all operated by Silver Fox Company.


    Sending a telegraph from Suthers to somewhere within Leite Kingdom was charged one gold coin per character¡ªa sky-high price indeed.


    But... the users didn''t mind the charges at all, and the service was even in such high demand. Not only were the higher-ups of both countries frequently using telegraphs formunication, but some wealthy merchants also used this device to liaise with their branches or subordinates.


    However, everyone knew that although the telegraph could provide fastmunication to distant ces, for Silver Fox Group, there was no such thing as confidentiality.


    Aside from some pre-arranged codes, the content sent through the telegraph was transparent, which made Silver Fox Company exceptionally powerful at gathering intelligence.


    Any valuable intelligence would be brought back to Brunas for consolidation, then sorted by specialized personnel, and filed for storage.


    Now, in the intelligence room of Great Tang Group in Brunas, specifically, over 300 women from Silver Fox Company were managing this task.


    They were all women, bound by contracts stricter than indenture agreements, almost never leaving the factory in a month. They organized the documents gathered here, bound them into volumes, and ced them on the tall shelves.


    Whenever someone made a request, they could quickly find everything rted, sending the relevant parts to those in need.


    More than a year ago, Li''ao never dreamed that he, a criminal, could control such a vast dark empire.


    He also never expected that his one-time allegiance would lead him to a master like Tang Mo. Now he even felt a little reluctant to return to his homnd because he could be another king without a crown elsewhere.


    Most people are like this... If one could be the President of the United States, who would want to go back to Congo to be a vige chief...


    "Master, about three hours ago, some... peoplended at Brunas harbor," Li''ao stood in front of Tang Mo''s desk, beginning his report.


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo knew that if Li''ao hade to him, it surely wasn''t something simple.


    "They are Orcs. Armed and began inquiring about things rted to us as soon as theynded," Li''ao exined to Tang Mo: "Combined with the intelligence we obtained earlier, after the kingdom of Gales was destroyed by the Por Kingdom, the king took his own life, but some of the royal family members disappeared without a trace."


    "Gales... interesting, they''re looking for revenge..." Tang Mo flicked the ash into the ashtray, a smile emerging on his face, "Tell me, between these Orcs who havee for revenge and my security troops... which are more formidable?"


    "They''re not even on the same level," Li''ao replied with confidence, "Considering their activities, they haven''t undergone any anti-surveince training. They might have decentbat strength in a direct fight, but they''re already fish in the."


    After thinking for a moment, Tang Mo nodded and ordered, "Let them keep inquiring. Have someone keep an eye on them! Don''t spook the herd, I want to see how much noise they can make."


    "What if they start wreaking havoc in Brunas?" Li''ao didn''t leave but asked instead.


    "Then deal with them. We don''t have time to y with kids, do we?" Tang Mo was silent for two seconds before saying to Li''ao, "If they have the guts toe straight to me with their troubles, then let theme. I do appreciate people with courage. But if they''re just here to make small troubles and cause destruction, then they''re just trash, and I don''t need trash."


    "I understand!" Li''ao then exited Tang Mo''s office. As soon as Li''ao left, Tang Mo immediately summoned Wes.


    "Make sure the Guards keep a close eye on those orcs. If they''vee to kill me, let them in and catch them. If they don''te, leave it to Li''ao''s men to handle," Tang Mo issued themand directly.


    Wes nodded, showing that he had taken note. Then he hesitated for a moment, not leaving right away, but curiously pointed at Tang Mo''s cigarette and asked, "Is that thing really so good?"


    "You don''t understand..." Tang Mo was taken aback, then covered it up with augh.


    Wes curled his lip, showing a look of not being fooled, but said, "Psh... When you have more of those things, let me try some, will you?"


    "Ha! Sure!" Tang Mo suddenly remembered when he was in school, friends hiding in the restroom and introducing each other to cigarettes, like the scene of recruiting underlings. So, his smile grew genuine from the feigned one.


    Seeing that Tang Mo seemed to have fallen into some memories, Wes spoke softly and then walked out, "I''m going to take care of it."


    Tang Mo subconsciously added another word of caution, "Tell them to be careful, not to let their guard down."


    "Understood!" Wes responded as he was about to close the door behind him.


    ...


    "Your Majesty... let me handle such dangerous tasks," Inside the inn, a burly orc implored earnestly to the frail young orc sitting on the bedstead.


    "Thest time I entrusted you with a task... you let my kingdom fall," the young orc said, wiping the Shireck Flintlock Gun in his hand, without looking up.


    His words, though light, instantly reddened the faces of several restless Guards and officers and silenced their mor.


    Then, he continued, "Stop calling me Your Majesty. Our kingdom has perished. Until we reconquer it, there is no ''Your Majesty''."


    "But..." Several orc officers and guards were about to speak, but for a moment they seemed unsure of what to say.


    "I don''t mean to me you... I know you are all loyal subjects." This former prince of the now-extinct Gales Kingdom soothed his subordinates, "I just... can''t contain my own anger... Those who made us lose our homnd, they all must pay!"


    "Yes, Your Majesty! They all must pay the price!" Several guards and officers echoed immediately.


    "However, our current situation is not good," the prince looked in the direction of the door with a worried expression and asked, "You must have noticed that we seem to be under surveince."


    His intuition was sharp, but even though he had been cautious, he had not found concrete evidence that they were being watched.


    Yet, it seemed like everyone around them was watchful, judging them with ill intent, monitoring their every move.


    Thus, he spoke with a hint of depression, expressing his concern, "I don''t know who is watching us, but indeed, someone is. If they harbor ill intentions, we could be in great danger."


    "There aren''t many orcs around here; it''s normal for us to be watched," an orc officer consoled his master.


    "Perhaps, but we can''t be too optimistic. Gentlemen, we cannot afford any mistakes now," The prince sighed and nodded.


    The rest of the guards and officers looked at him, with a few asking, "So, Your Majesty, what should we do?"


    Tucking the flintlock gun at his waist, the prince replied, "The n remains unchanged. Since we''ve already found out where that bastard who sells weapons to the Por Kingdom has his factory... we move tonight!"


    "Yes!" Everyone answered in unison, their voices subdued.


    After looking at each person, the prince instructed everyone, "Remember! Each of your lives is precious! I can no longer bear the loss of any more loyal subjects of the Gales Kingdom. So, no matter what, you must preserve your life! Understand?"


    "Under... understood..." the orcs hesitated, responding sparsely to their master''s instruction.


    Once again, with a stern tone, the prince pressed, "Do you understand?!"


    "Understood!" This time, everyone answered resolutely.


    "Very well!" The prince nodded in satisfaction, "Go prepare some food; we''ll wait for those who went to scout for information to return..."


    ----------


    I owe you all an additional update.

 Chapter 201: 197 The Talking Bush

    In the pitch-ck night, a line of dark figures reached the exterior wall of Great Tang Group''s Factory No. 1. Signaling to each other by moonlight, they scattered and crept towards their respective targets.


    The young Orc Prince, carrying a Longsword, scaled the courtyard wall with the help of several subordinates, then understood why he felt the night was exceptionally bright.


    The factory was wastefully illuminated deep into the night, though it was unclear how many candles were lit inside the nt.


    He was extremely envious of such luxury and equally jealous of the Kingdom that had the wealth and technology to own a factory like this.


    If the Orc race had such a factory, his Gales Kingdom wouldn''t have been destroyed, and might even have triumphed in the war with the Por Kingdom.


    Unfortunately, there''s no such thing as what-ifs in this world; his Kingdom had now be history, and he was not here to be astonished but rather to destroy everything.


    He intended to shoot the unscrupulous boss who provided technology to the Elves, then burn down the factory in vengeance. After that, he would take flight, seeking a chance to reim his kingdom.


    But as he stood facing the dazzling, star-likepound, he again felt his own insignificance.


    A deep reluctance made him want to recoil. He didn''t want to destroy this ce, for he felt it was more important than even his ancestralnd.


    "I''ve changed the n," he turned to look at the guard captain following him and whispered.


    "Your Majesty... you can''t talk during an operation... you''ll be discovered!" The guard captain panicked briefly before lowering his voice and, while keeping an eye on their surroundings, spoke to his master.


    This was not their Imperial Pce; this was the enemy''s yard. If they exposed their location prematurely, they might be met by hundreds of guards wielding weapons!


    "I n to talk to the people here. If they''re willing to help us, just as they helped the Elves... I think we can cooperate..." The Orc Prince fell silent for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke.


    "Your Majesty! At a time like this... You..." The guard captain thought the Prince had gone mad, changing ns suddenly during such an operation was preposterous.


    Even if they were willing to change the n, how could they notify their counterparts who had dispersed? If they abandon the n here while others start their action, how would that be ounted for?


    So, with no other option, he tried desperately to persuade: "It''s toote now, the others are definitely ready to move. Even if we scatter now to find them, it will surely be toote."


    "I think you can give it a try," suddenly, a man''s voice spoke from a ce very close to them.


    Everyone was startled; they weren''t aware of why there would be someone so close to them, brazen enough to speak without even a hint of concealment.


    "Who!" The two guards were shocked. But before they could finish, a dagger was pressed against their necks.


    Neither dared to move, incredulously discovering that it was the bushes nearby that extended arms, holding daggers to their necks. If it wasn''t witchcraft, it had to be a miracle.


    And the Orc Prince finally confirmed the source of the voice to be a shadow less than two steps away from him. He had always assumed the shadow was a clump of vegetation, but only now did he realize it was a man holding a rifle.


    The muzzle of the rifle had been aiming at him for a while, ever since he had been crouched there thinking.


    What surprised him even more was that the rifle was wrapped with leaves, making it appear like a tree branch.


    The camouging wasn''t wless, but aided by the night''s cover, the group of Orcs had not realized they were surrounded until the other party spoke.


    The five of them were now encircled by at least 20 individuals, with no fewer than ten gun barrels pointed at them, making them afraid to even twitch.


    "You should be thankful for what you said just now," said a refined man, emerging from the underbrush and gesturing with his hand. A searchlight suddenly came on atop a nearby tall building, making the surroundings as bright as day.


    All the Orcs were dazzled by the blinding light, avoiding it and squinting for quite some time before their eyes adjusted.


    "If you hadn''t given up your disruptive n just now, you and your subordinates could have been shot dead in a few seconds," the officer, with his hands behind his back, walked up to the Orc Prince, gesturing for him to drop his Longsword.


    The Orc Princeplied, discarding his weapon and then, as requested, raised his hands.


    The other Orcs followed suit because they had seen, not far down the road, theirpatriots kneeling on the ground being searched by a troop dressed in grey-green military uniforms.


    The soldiers'' garb was unfamiliar to the Orcs; in contrast to other nations'' multicolored military attire, the enemies who had captured them could almost merge with the night. It was unclear whether they wore this attire specifically for the night or if it was their regr uniform.


    What was even more frightening was that, after switched to guard mode, these soldiers actually drew their bays first thing, attaching them to their rifle muzzles and coldly pointing them at the beastmen who had been disarmed...


    "Mr. Wes! All the orcs are here, not a single one missing. Their weapons have been confiscated." Seeing another man approaching, the leadingmander saluted respectfully before reporting loudly.


    "Well done! Tighten the security, hand this person over to me, and lock up the rest." Wes pointed at the orc prince and ordered his subordinatemander.


    "Yes, sir! Commander!" The officer saluted again in response.


    "Who are you?" Once permission was granted, the young orc prince stood up, and while escorted by four guards, he followed behind Wes, asking as they walked.


    "Me? My name is Wes. I''m the chief of security here." Wes introduced himself, "And you, should be the fleeing heir from the Gales Kingdom, the current exiled king, Gales IX."


    "How do you know everything." Gales IX was stunned, then looked incredulously at the back of Wes.


    "Actually, this wasn''t my investigation. A friend of mine is in charge of intelligence gathering, I just casually asked him about it." Wes remembered his recent conversation with Li''ao and a proud smile appeared on his face.


    He still quite enjoyed the feeling of having everything under control. At this moment, he also understood the purpose behind Tang Mo''s construction of the intelligencework.


    Being able to perceive everything clearly before the enemy even made a move, wasn''t that just too satisfying?


    "My god... What is this thing..." When Gales IX entered the lobby of the Great Tang Group office building, he was astounded by the sight in front of him.


    It was the first time he had seen such a magnificent chandelier, or rather, the first time he had seen such a bright lighting system!


    This chandelier was made up of 9 bulbs, and in fact, it wasn''t all that luxurious¡ªit was just that anyone seeing this kind of lighting system for the first time would be overwhelmed by its bright and dazzling presence.


    Even Leite VII had beenpletely won over by Tang Mo''s invention after witnessing electric lighting in his own Royal Pce.


    He immediately invested in retrofitting his Royal Pce and deliberately added electric lighting to his main activity areas.


    Of course, for this set of electric equipment, he had to pay the electric subsidiary of the Great Tang Group 200 Gold Coins every year for electricity and maintenance costs...


    And upon learning of this device, the King of Suthers immediately spent almost the same amount to get himself an office and a bedroom with electric lights¡ªfor these two rooms and some corridors, he also had to pay 200 Gold Coins every year, no deception intended.


    However,pared to the telegraphic exchanges between Suthers and the Leite Kingdom, this astronomical electricity fee could be considered cheap.


    Because in just one month, the two kingdoms sent more than 1,900 words of telegrams, with a total fee of 1,780 Gold Coins paid¡ªthis was after a discount from the Great Tang Group.


    In short, if you want to enjoy the convenience of modernization, you have to pay extra...


    After passing through the corridors illuminated by electric lights, Gales IX finally met Tang Mo. He stared in surprise for a long while before confirming that the other party wasn''t joking with him.


    "I never imagined you would be so young." Ultimately, after musing for over a minute, Gales IX was the first to express his admiration.


    "You are quite young as well." Tang Mo was not seeing an orc for the first time, as he had seen many orc sailors in Brunas.


    To put it frankly, orc men are so ugly they could be described as abstract. Their teeth were extremely unhealthy, and their protruding jaws made them look like disabled people with severe joint disease.


    And they weren''t as strong as the orcs Tang Mo was familiar with from games; they were only slightly stronger than humans.


    For instance, the frail orc prince in front of him wasn''t necessarily taller than Tang Mo. Some robust humans couldpletely overpower most orcs in strength, although it was said that there were some very strong individuals among the orcs capable of reaching over two meters in height.


    They might not be strong, but they truly were ugly. It was almost unheard of for human or elf women to marry orc men; it seemed their aesthetic standards were on apletely different ne.


    However, the females of their species were entirely different¡ªthe beautiful orc women definitely exuded exotic charm. ording to Tang Mo''s understanding, they were like the cat-eared girls of this world.


    From an evolutionary perspective, orc females had obviously evolved more thoroughly than orc males and better matched Tang Mo''s aesthetic preferences.


    ----------


    There''s one more updateing but it will be veryte, so don''t wait for it; you can check it tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 202: Person who owes 198 debts

    Of course, when Tang Mo had Wes bring Gales the Ninth over, he wasn''t nning to discuss the evolutionary history of the Orc race or chat about Orc cat girls.


    He invited him over purely to find a disgusting opponent for the Por Kingdom.


    "So tell me, why have youe to see me?" Tang Mo leaned back in his chair, signaling that the Gales the Ninth could take a seat anywhere he liked.


    Honestly speaking, Tang Mo''s office still wasn''t very impressive, considering he hadn''t had time to create a base that satisfied him; so he also hadn''t paid much attention to his office.


    However,pared to his previous room, this ce had undergone a drastic transformation already.


    At least now there was a sofa, the ce had been decently decorated, and even the office desk Tang Mo was using was probably one of thergest in Brunas.


    Helpless really, given his strength, even if he wanted to be low-key, objectively speaking it was no longer permitted. The Great Tang Group was thriving, and it needed him to disy his momentum.


    Tang Mo spoke as he picked up a cup from the side, swirled the beer around the ice cubes, and watched Gales the Ninth, who was guarded by two soldiers and sitting on the sofa, waiting for him to answer.


    Gales the Ninth didn''t make Tang Mo wait too long; he answered Tang Mo''s question directly: "Because you, were the one who gave the Por Kingdom needle-fired guns!"


    Hearing this reason, Tang Mo nodded, then asked, "Not bad, you even know about needle-fired guns. I''m a businessman, what''s the problem with peopleing to me to buy goods? ming me is not appropriate, is it?"


    "But why didn''t you sell to us?" Gales the Ninth angrily attempted to stand up, his face already ugly to begin with, contorted with emotion, it appeared even more repulsive now.


    "You didn''te to buy either," Tang Mo replied nonchntly, spreading his hands in response to the core question. This replypletely stunned the prince of Gales Kingdom.


    The logic was actually very simple, the other party could have figured it out too, but hatred blinded them; they simply didn''t want to think about it as excuse for the Great Tang Group.


    "In fact, you know it too, the fall of your country has little to do with the Great Tang Group, but you still came," Tang Mo continued, ying with his ss and admiring how the beer washed over the patterns inside the cup.


    "Because you don''t dare to seek revenge from your real enemy, because you don''t have the strength to take revenge on the Por Kingdom, you believe you can squash a soft persimmon, you cane to me, kill me, destroy my factory, and showcase your justice." After speaking, he paused, waiting for an exnation.


    Gales the Ninth fell silent, he felt he couldn''t refute Tang Mo''s words, and indeed, he had lost his kingdom but hadn''t sought revenge on his real enemies, the Por Kingdom.


    It wasn''t that hecked courage, but he still bore the heavy responsibility of restoring his nation, and he didn''t yet have the strength to challenge the thriving Por Kingdom.


    "You''re right..." Finally, Gales the Ninth spoke up, his voice hoarse, showing how difficult it was for him to speak, "Let go of my men, let them leave, and my death alone will be enough."


    "If you don''t believe me, I can personally disband them... But, please let them leave," he lifted his head, staring at Tang Mo, pleading once again, "I beg you."


    "Do you think I want to kill you?" Tang Mo didn''t agree to his request, but instead asked another question.


    "Could it be, you are willing to let me go?" Gales the Ninth saw a glimmer of hope.


    "Answer me one question, tell me, why did you change your mind? By the wall of the factory, you changed your n, your n to kill me," Tang Mo asked curiously.


    "I... just felt, suddenly felt, that it wasn''t right to destroy... all of this magnificence," Gales the Ninth chose his words carefully as he responded.


    "Your awe of civilization has saved you," Tang Mo nodded slightly, then looked at Gales the Ninth, "It''s because of your awe that you and your men can keep your lives. Remember today''s lesson and don''t make the same mistake again."


    "Are you... You really n to let us go?" Gales the Ninth asked Tang Mo with disbelief, wanting to confirm if what the other said was indeed true.


    Now at the mercy of another, he would naturally be much reassured to hear a guarantee from Tang Mo himself.


    He wished he could see those loyal men who had been captured outside, to see what state they were in after being beaten and tormented, after the interrogations.


    "I must exin to you, we... the Great Tang Group, actually have a feud with the Augustin Family of the Por Kingdom," Tang Mo took a sip of the beer and continued with a piece of news that left Gales the Ninth utterly astonished.


    "Hmm?" Gales the Ninth widened his eyes incredulously, seeming eager to hear what Tang Mo would say next.


    Tang Mo didn''t y coy. He directly said, "The K1 needle gun that defeated you, along with other weapons, were actually bought by the Augustin n. They purchased my technology, and at that time I even sent people to help them build their factory."


    "..." Gales IX heard this explosive news for the first time and swallowed hard, waiting for Tang Mo''s next words.


    Indeed, Tang Mo went straight to a conclusion that almost made himugh, "Unfortunately, Augustine only paid me half the fee."


    "They''re all despicable scoundrels!" Gales IX said through gritted teeth. When he heard that the technology used by the bastards who defeated his country was obtained through deceit and that they hadn''t even paid for it, he truly felt indignant, "All elves are liars! All vile creatures!"


    "If you can''t let go of your hatred, if you can''t step out of racial prejudices, then you''ll never achieve anything great in this lifetime." Tang Mo nced at him and reminded him to control his emotions.


    As expected, Gales IX calmed down quite a bit, but he still said, "Forgive my anger... However, sir, if you are willing to supply us with arms, the Gales Kingdom will definitely help you get justice... The Por Kingdom is ourmon enemy!"


    "If I were willing, I could get justice on my own," Tang Mo replied and took another sip of his ale before continuing, "Okay, let''s talk about the Por Kingdom. Tell me everything you know. I''m very curious about how far they have actually gone."


    "They have already started to attack eastwards... Defeating another Elf Kingdom on their other side was a breeze, and they will soon be the strongest kingdom nearby, perhaps even a true Empire!" Gales IX briefly described the expansion of the Por Kingdom.


    It turned out that the Por Kingdom hadn''t stopped their expansion. On the contrary, they were annexing neighboring countries just like the Tri-King Alliance.


    A small country known as the Liumu Kingdom had already been annexed by the Por Kingdom, and now the Por Kingdom''s territory was nearly asrge as an Empire''s.


    What was even more rming was that the Por Kingdom seemed to have reached some agreement with the Shireck Consortium, which was secretly supporting the Por Kingdom''s expansion. Wherever the Por Kingdom invaded, there would be problems with the arms supply.


    Without arms, those countries found it even more difficult to fight against the Por Kingdom, which was why they were defeated.


    In fact,pared to the Tri-King Alliance, the Por Kingdom''s expansion was faster, especially since Augustine could match the Great Tang Group in the production of needle guns.


    The difference between the two wasn''t significant, after all, Tang Mo had shifted the focus of weapon production to cannons and machine guns.


    And to support their weapons, Brunas had to stack most of their production capacity on metal cased ammunition and shells, as the demand for ammunition sometimes far exceeded the demand for weapons alone.


    "Seems like they''ve made it big in Novice Vige," Tang Mo sneered contemptuously, giving a very fair assessment of the Augustin Family''s factory.


    Even if the weapons weren''t cutting-edge, as long as they were stronger than those of the opponent, there will certainly be an advantage. Add to that the bias of the Shireck Consortium, and it''s certain those nations with a shortage of military supplies would be put at a disadvantage.


    Kingdoms that usually had some strength might manage to hold their ground for a bit, but those that were usually indulgent and negligent in military affairs would evidently crumble like a house of cards.


    "Novice, Novice what... Vige?" The Orc prince,pletely missing the reference, repeated the term with a nk face, a term he didn''t understand at all.


    "It seems we should start dragging their legs, otherwise, once they umte primitive capital, they''ll be even harder to deal with." Tang Mo felt that he shouldn''t allow the Augustin n and the Por Kingdom to continue their unchecked barbaric growth.


    "I..."


    "You''re of no use for the time being, so don''t get involved," Tang Mo signaled Wes to take the Orc prince away, "Take him to his subordinates, keep an eye on them, and don''t let them cause any trouble!"


    "Yes, sir!" Wes immediately nodded in response.


    Gales IX was led out of the building by Wes, who took him to the canteen where he finally saw his subordinates again.


    The prince, who had been worried about his subordinates all this time, entered the door only to be met with a mix of ridicule and sympathy as he watched his men shamelessly piling their tes and gorging on food.


    There was no helping it, as they had been wandering at sea, with no chance to enjoy good food, so most of the time they were roughing it, in a state of hunger or semi-starvation.


    Now that they had the opportunity, they naturally let their appetites loose...


    "You disgraceful lot... Aren''t you afraid of being poisoned..." The exiled prince covered his face helplessly,pletely at a loss for words¡ªthen, a few secondster, he too began to devour his food voraciously: "Forget it, I''m starving. If we die, we''ll die together!"

 Chapter 203: King of the Sea 199

    "They''re eating in the canteen; they look like they haven''t eaten for quite a while," Wes reported back to Tang Mo''s office, where he saw Tang Mo fiddling with a pile of copper wire coils.


    Tang Mo had been tinkering with this thing whenever he had time, but Wes had no idea what it was actually used for.


    But he had realized by now that Tang Mo was an inventor, and a terrifying one at that. Everything he created, apart from cigarette cases and lighters, seemed to have a potent effect capable of changing the course of civilization.


    Seeing that Tang Mo didn''t speak, Wes continued to ask, "Do you really n to keep these orcs?"


    Tang Mo didn''t lift his head as he assembled severalponents together, only he knew that he was making the world''s first telephone.


    After piecing together the parts he needed, Tang Mo finally looked up and countered Wes''s question, "I''ve kept John around, so why not give them a chance?"


    "Maybe they could indeed be of some use," Wes thought for a moment and nodded in agreement with Tang Mo''s words.


    These orcs seemed quite gullible; if handled well, they could even yield unexpected results.


    For example, if they were sent to take out an enemy, the trail starting with the orcs'' identity was highly unlikely to lead back to Brunas, a port that had little to do with the orc race.


    "If used properly, they can be remarkably effective," Tang Mo also believed that these orcs would definitely be of great use.


    But his thoughts were entirely different from Wes''s; he nned to cultivate an orc power to foster divisions within the enemy, preventing the orc race from being united.


    Only by doing this could he exert his influence over the orcs and construct a perfect puzzle.


    Because the two men stood at entirely different heights, their visions for using the orcs divergedpletely.


    Curious, Wes continued to ask Tang Mo, "So, what should we do now?"


    Tang Mo put down the parts in his hand, scratched his head, and after some thought, said, "Now? Since the Por Kingdom is being sopliant, how can I not give them a bit of trouble?"


    "Looks like it''s the end of the good days for the elves," Wes showed a mischievous smile. He knew that once Tang Mo set his sights on them, the damn Por Kingdom of the Elf Race would definitely have a rough time.


    Tang Mo also felt that the Por Kingdom couldn''t be allowed to do as they wished in Novice Vige anymore. If they became too powerful to controlter on, it would indeed be more troublesome than now.


    So, he decided to use his own power to at least dy the rise of the Por Kingdom, "It''s time to collect some interest from the Por Kingdom."


    After some consideration, he decided that employing his naval power was a fast and effective way to halt the expansion of the Por Kingdom.


    Therefore, he issued an order, "Send an electric message to Brunas 1 to break away from the ck Dragon Ind waters, follow the explored route, and intercept any returning fleets of the Por Kingdom! Do not let a single warship escape!"


    Based on the timing, the maritime trade of the Por Kingdom, as well as their fishing boats and dispatched fleets, should be about to return.


    These fleets wereden with goods, many carrying resources sorely needed by the Por Kingdom, undoubtedly a mouthwatering prize.


    Sinking these warships and merchant vessels would deal a huge blow to the Por Kingdom. Additionally, blockading the ports of Por and destroying their coastal facilities would certainly stall the expansion pace of the Por Kingdom for a while.


    At least, the enemy would have to divert some of their focus to coastal defense. By then, they would realize how foolish it was to have incurred this debt in the past.


    "Also, find a way to dispatch our people to the other kingdoms surrounding the Por Kingdom, let them stir things up a bit. Now that I''m hitting the Por Kingdom and taking the pressure off them, it''s only right they pay up," Tang Mo directed.


    "Understood!" Wes nodded, then walked out of the room to convey Tang Mo''s orders.


    ...


    Off the coast of ck Dragon Ind, Brunas 1, an armored warship on patrol near the anchorage, had its first officer carrying a telegram to his captain: "Sir!"


    "What is it?" The captain, seeing the telegram in his first officer''s hand, asked casually.


    They were actually quite rxed here; apart from routine training, their stay was almost like a vacation.


    They took turns visiting the ind, eating fruit, enjoying game meat, and climbing hills to admire the scenery. Life was exceedinglyfortable.


    But happy times were always short-lived, and now... the order hade.


    The first officer answered directly, "A telegram from Brunas."


    "Read it!" the captain ordered.


    Upon receiving themand, the first officer opened the telegram and read aloud, "Electric order: Brunas 1 is to immediately depart from the ck Dragon Ind waters and intercept all warships of the Por Kingdom encountered along the route¡ªsink them all!"


    The captain''s expression turned serious instantly, and he ordered the first officer, "Reply! Order received, Brunas 1 is executing themand immediately!"


    "Yes!" The first officer stood at attention and saluted, equally solemn. As the saying goes, train for a thousand days to be used for a moment¡ªthe time had finallye for the Great Tang Group to call them to action!


    "Report on the coal supply situation!" The captain turned to themunications officer andmanded.


    Themunications officer immediately turned to the voice pipe beside him and shouted, "Report the coal replenishment status!"


    An NCO on the lower deck immediately responded to the question, "Coal loading at ny-five percent!"


    The captain continued to check the status of the warship, "Boiler operation status!"


    Soon, a confirmation message came from the lower deck, "The boiler is operating normally!"


    "Power transmission system!" he then looked towards the officer responsible for monitoring the gauges, and asked for confirmation.


    The officer, watching the slightly trembling gauge needle, replied loudly, "The power transmission system is in good working condition!"


    "Cruising speed!" the captain continued his checks.


    "Cruising speed 35 kilometers, economic mode," the helmsman replied loudly.


    "Course correction! Left rudder 21 degrees!" The captain nced at thepass and adjusted the ship''s course.


    The helmsman immediately turned the ship''s wheel and loudly echoed themand, "Course correction! Left rudder 21 degrees!"


    The bow of the Brunas Number One Warship immediately sliced through the waves, heading towards the distant sea horizon. Behind it, it left two separate wakes.


    In fact, Tang Mo had certainly considered that once a warship belching thick smoke appeared on the sea surface, the Elf Race, who knew about steam engines and extensively used them, would definitely realize what kind of power the Great Tang Group warships relied upon.


    These elves would surely begin to think about powering their own warships with this type of power¡ªor rather, they were already considering it.


    After all, the train was no longer a secret, and if the other side wanted to copy it or was willing to study it, they could certainly make a replica.


    However, Tang Mo also knew that it would take time¡ªa lot of time and experimentation¡ªto do so!


    As long as they didn''t obtain the blueprints and design concepts of the irond warships, they would surely not seed in replicating them.


    After all, it would definitely take decades to figure out something like the propeller, which worked underwater; it wasn''t something that could be easily copied.


    So even if they thought of using steam power, the best they could quicklye up with would be substandard craft like paddle steamers.


    The warships produced by the Great Tang Group, which had already advanced to propeller propulsion, could never be defeated by trash like a paddle steamer; the two were simply not in the same dimension!


    And the elves, who had lost control of the sea, would be the best advertisement for the Great Tang Group''s naval equipment! Every kingdom would wish to buy warships from the Great Tang industry to protect their vast sea territory!


    That''s another business opportunity! Sitting in his chair, ying with the telephone in his hands, he had a moment of reflection: Making money isn''t shameful.


    Now, sending his warships to roam around the elves'' marine territory would definitely leave the Elf Race dizzy and disoriented.


    He could even have his warships block the entrances to their ports and sink any passing ships.


    Tang Mo felt a tinge of regret; if his warships were equipped with radar, he could hunt down Elf Race ships more efficiently.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t have radar, nor a way to detect enemy ships from a distance. However, with a speed advantage, once he found his opponents, he could certainly give them a nasty surprise.


    He could even use his artillery advantage to blockade the enemy''s ports, destroy them, and temporarily prevent the enemy from obtaining any maritime supplies.


    This would be interesting. If the Por Kingdom couldn''t use sea transport, then their factories along the coast would cease operations.


    Switching tond transport would take time, and the time lost by the Por Kingdom would surely cause them to miss opportunities for outward expansion.


    Indeed, if Tang Mo decided to hit the Por Kingdom hard, he could dispatch three warships to create chaos and turn the coastal region into aplete battlefield.


    But Tang Mo''s base was on ck Dragon Ind, so he couldn''t neglect his own base to dig pits for the Por Kingdom.


    Of course, digging some pits was definitely in order¡ªhe sent out his warships, and on the other side, he sent his people.


    These individuals could quickly help establish connections between the kingdoms around the Por Kingdom and the Great Tang Group. Tang Mo could then use his sea control to provide military supplies to these kingdoms in the future.


    One rises as the other falls; the Por Kingdom would find it not so easy to continue their expansion. Afterward, if Tang Mo used the Orc Gales IX to stir up trouble in the upied territories of the Por Kingdom, it would certainly be ufortable for them.


    Soon, this naval battle that erupted along the coast of the Elf Por Kingdom would shock the world, making everyone realize that their naval warfare weapons were alreadypletely obsolete!


    He wanted to dere to the whole world through actual battle results that he was thergest, newest, and strongest... Lord of the Seas!


    -------


    I''m not feeling great today, so I won''t make up for the missed updates. The other update willeter; everyone can read it tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 204: 200 Debt Collection Actions

    Sea traffic is not random, although it may seem the ocean is boundless, maritime routes are actually few and fixed.


    If one deviates from these routes, the chance of encountering other ships decreases, and if danger strikes, one would be all alone without help.


    What''s more frustrating is that straying from these routes can lead to encounters with more pirates and uncharted reefs, and can take one away from the trade winds, affecting the ship''s voyage.


    The Por Kingdom of the Elf Race has always been a naval superpower, with better sailors and ships, as well as richer experience and arger number of warships to maintain their lead.


    Now, during the homeward season, countless ships traverse the sea, and some fleets can even see the end from the beginning.


    These vessels carry steel purchased from all over the world and other goods, or directly carry Gold Coins, returning to the Por Kingdom to invigorate the entire Kingdom''s economy.


    Atop a huge cargo ship, a sailor standing at the top of the sails squinted and saw a plume of ck smoke on the horizon.


    He didn''t know what it was and immediately lowered his head to shout at the others below, "Look over there! Something is approaching! What is that thing?"


    The sailors on deck didn''t understand the situation either as they hadn''t seen the smoke due to their lower position.


    However, soon, knowing the direction of the strange object, they also noticed the rolling ck smoke on the sea surface and two slender masts without sails.


    "Where are their sails?" a sailor, seeing the fast-moving strange ship, curiously asked an old sailor beside him.


    The old sailor shook his head. He too did not know how a ship could sail so fast on the sea without sails.


    "It''s getting closer!" the lookout atop the mast yelled, pointing at the distant strange ship. pping in the wind beside his ear was the massive g of the Por Kingdom.


    "Could it be pirates?" the executive officer, holding the helm at the rear of the ship, asked the captain standing beside him.


    The captain opened his monocr, looked towards the increasing size of the strange ship on the horizon, and felt uncertain, "I don''t know either. This is the first time I''m seeing such a ship, and the first time... I''m seeing that banner."


    Through his monocr, the Dragon Banner of the Great Tang Group''s Irond Warship was speeding towards them, and it was clear the other party had also spotted them.


    "But we have at least 10 armed merchant ships. Aren''t they just asking for death by approaching us like this?" the executive officer looked ahead, saying with some uncertainty.


    "It doesn''t seem like they''reing to cause trouble. If they approach like this, they''ll soon be surrounded by us... This doesn''t look like a naval battle," the captain responded with confusion.


    While they were guessing, on the bridge of the Brunas 1 Warship, the captain also put down his binocrs.


    He turned to an officer beside him and ordered, "Sound the battle rm! Notify all battle stations to be battle-ready! Begin targeting as soon as the main gun is loaded!"


    "Load all cannons! Aim the main gun!" the weapons officer approached the voice pipe and ordered loudly.


    Following his orders, a group of skilled sailors in the cramped and enclosed space pushed the prepared shells into the gun breeches and quickly shut the breechblocks.


    Then, the gunner responsible for aiming started to adjust the artillery, aligning the scales with the calctions from the optical sight.


    Mechanicalputers are splendid things, predating realputers by a hundred years, but capable of recing them to calcte approximate artillery firing parameters.


    Before World War II, almost all battleships were equipped with such devices to assist gunners in rapidly calcting firing angles, allowing them to control the artillery to hit the target as quickly as possible.


    Nevertheless, hitting a moving target at sea is still very difficult. Shooters often have to fire a trial shot, correct the shooting angle after a straddle shot, and continue this process until they hit the target.


    If the opponent changes direction and escapes the straddle aim, then the parameters need to be reset and corrected again until a blind hit is achieved.


    However, this applies when both sides fire from distances over ten kilometers. Now the distance between Brunas 1 and the opposing warship is already less than 10 kilometers.


    Moreover, the Navy of the Great Tang Group, equipped with Irond Warships, show no signs of firing yet. They want to get even closer to the target, and then show these pitiful elves the state of their full firepower.


    "Signal with gs! Tell them there''s a risk of collision if they keep approaching," said the Por Kingdom''s captain somewhat apprehensively as he saw the ck strange ship drawing nearer.


    After speaking, he added, "Have all sailors prepare, stand by at the guns! Ready the gunpowder! And signal the ships behind to also be battle-ready!"


    "Understood!" a sailor moved to the rear of the ship and started waving the g frantically, making sure the gestures were clear to the other side.


    Soon, the ship behind also responded, picking up speed and opening its gun ports on both sides.


    The leading Elf warship also cleared its own course, and the two ships quickly became side by side, ready to sandwich the strange ship charging straight at them.


    But the Brunas No. 1 didn''t slow down at all, even increasing its speed to a blistering nearly 40 kilometers per hour, and the smoke from its two chimneys got denser.


    "The enemy''s speed is so fast!" Though it''s difficult to estimate speed head-on, many Elf sailors still noticed the problem.


    Even when approaching head-on, the enemy shouldn''t close the distance this quickly. But before they could express their amazement, the strange ship couldn''t hold back and opened fire.


    Two cannonballs came whistling through the air, smashing the bow of the leading Elf Race warship. The shells exploded just after breaking through the wooden hull, sting away the entire bow.


    The long bowsprit snapped off and stabbed into the water ahead, and the entire warship''s speed dropped to nearly zero.


    The explosion was so violent that the area above the waterline was left with nothing but pieces of broken nks, and the underwater front of the bowpletely disintegrated into parts.


    Seawater rushed into the hull instantly, engulfing the cargo within. Sailors in the cargo hold didn''t even have time to scream before being killed or stunned by the explosion and swept into the sea, sinking to the depths below.


    The armed merchant ship had been carrying Gold Coins and some saltpeter. The cargo itself was actually not very heavy, which is why it was able to lead the convoy.


    But even so, it was now half-loaded, and it didn''t take long for the weight of the water and cargo to begin dragging it down into the depths of the ocean.


    To make matters worse, the second mast at the bow also broke due to the damage to the hull and snapped under the force of the wind.


    Just one look was enough to realize that the armed merchant ship was doomed...


    The captain and first officer, who were preparing for battle at the stern, were knocked to the ground by the explosion. By the time they managed to stand up, they saw the bow of their warship sinking.


    They still hadn''t understood what had happened when they noticed the other armed merchant ship by their side, beginning to turn away from them.


    Obviously, if they didn''t make way and show the side with their cannons, they would be unable to attack the strange shiping straight for them.


    And at this moment, they had confirmed that the enemy was attacking them and that the enemy was a type of warship they had never seen before...


    "Quick! Quick! The cargo hold has Gold Coins! Boxes of Gold Coins!" The captain, pale as death, shouted at the top of his lungs as he finally stood upright.


    But the sailors on deck were already panicking, mming into things like headless flies, regardless of his orders.


    After all, there were over 70 ves on board, none of whom werebat units or trained. The sudden explosion caused aplete riot.


    "Damn it!" the captain swore, then looked at the first officer, "Quick! You take some men down! Rescue as much as you can! The gold! Those Gold Coins!"


    While he was in the midst of chaos, the captain of the Elf ship, who had turned away, widened his eyes at the prow of the ck strange ship racing towards them, where a ck device began to slowly rotate.


    As the device slowly turned, the two gun barrels that had just emitted fire slowly pointed towards him.


    He knew those were cannon barrels, having just witnessed them firing. He also knew that these cannons weren''t like any he had seen before or even like the Shireck cannons installed on his ship.


    Just a few secondster, while he stood there stunned, the two cannons fired again,unching shells at his ship.


    Then came an earth-shattering explosion, and the deck beneath his feet burst apart, countless splinters shing through his body.


    The two cannonballs scored direct hits on the stern of this armed merchant ship; one exploding in the rear mid-section, the other sting the lookout tower.


    As a result, the ship split in the middle, with severe flooding in the aft and center...


    The captain of the Por Kingdom''s armed merchant ship, who had been hoping to save some of the cargo they were carrying, now witnessed theplete explosion of the ship at his nk.


    Now, he realized something¡ªthe enemy''sbat power appeared to be beyond what their armed merchant ships could handle.


    What made him despair was that the enemy had only fired four shots from a distance of a kilometer!

 Chapter 205: They came to look for you.

    Yes, at a distance of 1000 meters, the precision of the optical sights on the Brunas No. 1 warship could simply be described as astonishing.


    If they could not hit a target at that range, those technological blueprints Tang Mo brought from the future might as well have been better off burned.


    Meanwhile, the sailors on the Brunas No. 1 warship did not even feel thatbat had actually broken out at this moment.


    They were merely standing firm at their posts, operating the machinery in front of them just like they would during an exercise.


    But in the distance, where the Brunas No. 1 had sailed past, two armed transport ships from the Por Kingdom were struggling on the brink of sinking.


    And the Brunas No. 1 did not intend to give these two enemy ships a chance to struggle; as its slender hull sailed past the two enemy ships, the 75-mm caliber guns deployed on both sides opened fire.


    To conserve subsequentbat power, only four cannons fired their shells, and those two still struggling sailboats werepletely done for this time.


    The explosion had barely finished when the two sailboats began to list, and before long the sea swallowed up their hulls, leaving only splinters of wood and sails bobbing with the waves on the surface of the water.


    The others ships of the Elf Race that were following behind were turning around. They had seen the scene of their two allied ships sinking ahead and were trying to present their broadsides for a counterattack.


    But by turning, they exposed arger side and also gave away the central line to the Brunas No. 1, which was preparing to shoot from both sides.


    Like a tiger charging into the middle of a fleet, the rear cannon of the Brunas No. 1 had also turned to the port side, and just aimed at a retreating warship and fired.


    This shot also hit its target, as the distance between them had actually shortened to just over 700 meters.


    Solid shots from the other side came flying over, but to their disappointment, due to aiming issues and the violent maneuvers, most of them ended up in the sea without having any effect.


    The sailboat that was hit immediately lost its ability to turn. With its stern rudder smashed, they could only maintain an unstable straight course by changing the direction of the sails.


    On the other side, the Brunas No. 1''s dual 120-mm caliber cannons at the bow once again spit mes. The Elf sailboat''s mast toppled, its body cracked, and it looked set to capsize into the sea.


    What made the elf sailors and captains despair was that their cannonballs seemed to bepletely unable to rock the terrifying demon ship before their eyes. They watched as a round was deflected by its hull and fell into the sea beside it.


    And as thebat continued, the guns on the enemy''s side also joined the battle, and the elves, who had thought the enemy short on firepower, were utterly defeated.


    "Quick! Faster! No need to turn anymore! Break off from the fleet! Escape from here!" A captain, seeing his allied ships in front of him break apart and capsize in the ocean, cried out in terror and fear.


    He wasn''t a real navymander, just in charge of an armed merchant ship, and there was no need to risk his life here against such a fearsome warship.


    In fact, an Elf transport ship had already raised the white g of surrender, submitting to this powerful warship they''d never seen before.


    Kidding me, even if the other party were pirates, after taking the goods on board, they probably wouldn''t wipe them outpletely; they''d have to give some face to the Por Kingdom, which was active on the seas. It wasn''t time yet to fight desperately to the death.


    But just when everyone was ready to hoist the white g and offer their goods, the ck warship fired again.


    The ship that everyone thought was safe, flying the white g, was directly hit this time, and then the ship disintegrated, with its masts falling into the sea.


    Thispletely extinguished the thought of surrender in the elves, as the enemy didn''t seem to intend to rob them but was conducting a massacre!


    "Quick! Signal the ship beside us! Scatter and run! Scatter and escape!" The Elf captain, seeing no more hope, shouted loudly to the signalman.


    Now, if they scattered and fled, the enemy wouldn''t be able to pursue them, which might be theirst way out.


    Unfortunately, by the time they thought of this escape route, it was already toote! There were only 15 sailboats in total, and 7 had already be wreckage on the surface of the sea.


    Of the remaining 8, most were within the attack range of the Brunas No. 1. Although they were divided into two groups, turning around to flee took time.


    This time was clearly greater than the time it took for the Brunas No. 1 to rotate its gun turrets. So, by the time they finallypleted their turn, all 4 warships on one side had been sunk.


    Watching the ck-smoke-spewing warship leave behind the 4 allied ships that had lost the ability to move, and rush towards them at a very high speed, the sailors on the four merchant ships closed their eyes in despair.


    The speed of that ship''s voyage was simply beyond their imagination. They had not felt the difference when sailing side by side, but now that it had turned into a chase, the sailors of the Elf Race realized just how huge the difference in sailing speed was.


    The enemy''s speed was at least three times greater than theirs, which really felt like a stifling battle where they could neither fight nor escape.


    Clearly, the warship did not intend to let them go. In the process of pursuit, the warship fired repeatedly, sinking all four of their warships.


    What drove them to despair was that the gigantic vessel, which had fought against fifteen others, did not hurry to leave. Instead, it ruthlessly shattered the remnants of a sailboat across the water surface and, with a weapon of some unknown model, crazyly sprayed bullets at the struggling elves in the water.


    Most of these elven merchant ships carried iron and steel ingots, which the Por Kingdom urgently needed at the time, along with some containing food and Gold Coin, resulting in most of them being slow to maneuver.


    Having nobat capability to begin with, encountering an Irond Warship on the sea naturally led to theirplete copse.


    Thend army could abandon supply wagons, but the Navy''s cargo was stored in the ships'' holds, which couldn''t be jettisoned in the sea straightaway, making it impossible to quickly enhance their vessel''s maneuverability.


    As a result, this fleet waspletely sunk by the Brunas No. 1 Warship in less than an hour.


    To defeat an unprepared foe like this was not particrly surprising. At least, the opposition had not been fully prepared for battle from the beginning.


    Chests of Gold Coin and piles of iron ingots went down with the sinking ships to the ocean floor. In just one hour, the Elf Race''s losses were estimated to surpass 80,000 Gold Coin!


    This sum included the construction costs for the 15 armed merchant ships themselves, and if one were to add the sailor''s wages and the lost sailing time, the direct losses even exceeded 100,000 Gold Coin.


    If the Augustin n of the Por Kingdom knew that just a single debt collection action made them cough up the full amount of the overdue 100,000 Gold Coin, they surely would have regretted their original decision.


    If they had asked John to bring the money and settle the ounts back then, Tang Mo might even have transferred the blueprints and technology of the C64 howitzer to them.


    But s, there are no ''ifs'' in this world, and the elves no longer had the chance to regret. They had to pay for their actions, a price they couldn''t afford.


    "Continue the search northward along the trade route! Sink all Por Kingdom ships we catch up to!" the captain of the Brunas No. 1 Warship ordered coldly after ncing at the debris on both sides.


    Then, the Brunas No. 1 began to turn and quickly disappeared from the sea''s horizon. It was only then that another fleet, wobbling from the other side of the sea''s surface, emerged.


    The gigantic sails were very noticeable, and soon the seven or eight ships of another elven kingdom''s fleet discovered the battlefield.


    An Elf Sailor, shocked, leaned on the ship''s rail, staring at the floating Por Kingdom''s royal g on the water.


    "My God... what on earth have they been through..." Looking at the shark fins attracted by the blood in the water and the scattered personal belongings on the destroyed ships, an Elf Sailor couldn''t help but exim.


    They could see the shattered nks on the ships and some railings and window frames bobbing with the waves.


    Of course, they could also see corpses floating on the sea''s surface.


    Finally, they spotted a living person clinging to a piece of wood in the water, and the sailors hastily scooped the survivor aboard.


    "Hey! What on earth happened to you? Was it pirates?" The captain pushed past the sailors crowded around the unfortunate survivor, peering down at the drenched figure, asking,


    The fortunate yet unfortunate surviving Elf Sailor slumped on deck, staring nkly, not responding to his rescuer''s question.


    "I''m talking to you!" The captain, clearly growing impatient, kicked the wet sailor and cursed fiercely, "Bastard!"


    "Demons! Devils! They''re here! They''re firing! Hahaha! Devils!


    They''ve caught up with me! They''ve caught me! Ahahaha! Cough, cough, cough! Hahaha!" Suddenly, the shipwrecked elf started iling his arms, as if to fend something off, bursting into crazedughter and shouting.


    His madness startled those around him, who quickly stepped back, then realized the sailor had clearly gone insane.


    He simply waved his arms around, shouting andughing wildly. Something had terrified a sailor who dared challenge the seas into this state.


    "He''s gone mad." A sailor nced down at the poor soul who had lost his sanity, shook his head, and said.


    All at once, the crazed sailor leaped up from the deck and closed in on the older sailor, whispering with a sinister smile, "They''reing for you! Bang, bang, bang... Do you hear it? That sound! They''reing for you!"


    ---------


    Couldn''t sleep, so I kept writing, and now the update isplete.

 Chapter 206: Please call reinforcements

    In the southern part of the Por Kingdom, within the territory of the Augustin n, the important port city of Southwater, the governor responsible for managing the city was greatly rmed as he looked at the disheveledmander, asking in shock, "What did you say?"


    Themander''s arm was still wrapped in a bandage, and the dust on his face had not yet been wiped away. He stood there, looking as miserable as one could be.


    Gazing down, he reported with a mournful voice, "A ship, it sank almost all of our armed merchant vessels... blocking the Southwater Port, sealing it off!"


    Just the mention of that fearsome warship made him shudder. It had effortlessly sunk all the ships bearing the Por Kingdom''s g that tried to leave the port, not letting a single one escape.


    The enemy''s speed was astonishingly fast, and their firepower was indescribably strong. When they saw that not a single ship could leave the port, and none that was due to return were in sight, the Elves realized that trouble was at hand.


    This governor, serving on the Augustin n''s territory, immediately seized the key point from his subordinate''s report, asking emphatically, "A single ship?"


    "Yes, a single ship," the subordinate admitted the embarrassment, unable to deny it, and reluctantly nodded in response.


    If the enemy really had dozens of warships, he could have exaggerated the report to save some face.


    But since there truly was only one warship, there was nothing he could do. After all, the governor was not blind. One look for himself and he would know the truth.


    Hearing his subordinate''s response, the governor in the city hall became even more furious, "Are you joking? Have they gone mad?"


    In his view, the Southwater Port had two warships and dozens of armed merchant ships. How could a single enemy warshipe and cause such havoc without being sunk?


    That his subordinates couldn''t handle such a small matter made him think they were all too ipetent, utterly useless.


    However, before he could continue his tirade, the miserable-looking subordinate immediately began to justify himself, "My lord, whether they are mad or not, I do not know. But the two warships stationed in our port were both sunk by it!"


    At this news, the governor''s face turned ashen. He had not expected the situation to have be so dire by the time it reached him.


    He really hadn''t anticipated that the two warships stationed in the harbor would be sunk¡ªeach had forty cannons and represented a formidable maritime force.


    Yet, ording to his subordinate''s report, it appeared that these two impressive sail-powered warships had been sunk.


    He stood up and red at his subordinate, demanding sharply, "What? What did you say? Exin yourself! Are you saying that both warships were defeated by a single enemy vessel?"


    "Yes, they were not!" The subordinate said with a gloomy face, recalling the terrifying scene of the warships being sunk as he answered.


    In just one encounter, a warship burst into towering mes, as if its ammunition had exploded, and in a few minutes, it capsized and sank.


    The city hall''s governor trembled with anger, questioning loudly, "Which country is it from? Why have theye here to seek trouble?"


    The ce he governed was Augustine territory, and if Marquis Augustine, who now held unbridled power within the Kingdom, learned that he hadn''t secured his base, the Marquis would probably y him alive.


    The subordinate handed something he was clutching to the governor, "After sinking our two warships, the enemy let a few sailors go, leaving this with them."


    Because themander from the City Defense Forces didn''t have any clue who the opponent was, he cleverly dodged the governor''s question of "Which country is it from?"


    "A note?" The governor took the object, realizing upon closer inspection it was a note.


    "There''s a strange phrase written on it," the subordinate quickly added.


    The governor, a bit stunned, finally processed it and unfolded the note to read the writing, "Debt owed, money to be paid?"


    After reading it, he was still baffled and looked up at his subordinate, hoping for some clue.


    The subordinate was just as ignorant and could only say helplessly, "Yes, just that sentence."


    Frustrated, the governor ced the note on his office desk and spected aloud, "What''s this? Collecting a debt? Demanding repayment from a Kingdom in such a manner?"


    The subordinate immediately shook his head, "I have no idea what''s going on, but ever since that warship arrived a few hours ago, we haven''t had a single shipe in or leave Southwater Port."


    The distraught governor, short of options, ordered, "They''re taking advantage of the fact that our main fleet is away... The scoundrels. Send someone immediately, on the fastest horse, to King City and to Osa Port! Request our main fleet to sail south and sink this provocative enemy warship!"


    Regardless, Southwater Port had been the stronghold of the Augustin n for many years, not only boasting a recently constructed steel smeltery, but also a mechanical workshop, a munitions workshop, and the sturdiest fortress.


    Moreover, in the dangerous sections near the bay, the Augustin n had even built artillery batteries, equipping them with 50 Shireck muzzle-loading cannons, making it as secure as a walled treasury.


    Thus, he wasn''t afraid of enemies at sea truly breaking into the harbor, which is why he could mention sending for reinforcements.


    At this moment, the tax officer who couldn''t stand by any longer finally spoke up to remind them, "Speaking of which... which kingdom does that warship belong to? Shouldn''t we investigate that?"


    At a time when they were calling for help without even knowing where the enemy came from, punishment was certain. Once he said this, the faces of several people immediately became even more colorful.


    One by one, the elves looked as if they had lost their mothers, and the city''s ruling officer was so infuriated he couldn''t even breathe regrly: After suffering a defeat, these City Defense Forces hade back to report without even identifying who the enemy was.


    He had just raised this question earlier, but it was skillfully diverted and covered up by the other party, and now the question was raised again, the ruling officer immediately asked angrily, "Did you get a good look at their g?"


    The City Defense Forces officer could only shake his head, offering an embarrassing answer: "Unrecognizable, it''s a strange totem, with two beards and baring teeth and ws; I have no idea what it is."


    The tax officer frowned; he had never heard of such a symbol, and among the heraldry of nearby Elf Race and Orc Race, there was no simr emblem.


    So, he stroked his chin, as if talking to himself, he murmured, "A n emblem? That can''t be, can it?"


    "It looks like a n emblem, not like a royal standard." The City Defense Forces officer immediately nodded and replied.


    ncing at the perplexed city mayor of the city hall, the tax officer spoke up once again, "What about sending someone with a white g to ask for rity?"


    Upon hearing this suggestion, the bewildered city mayor also looked towards the City Defense Forces officer, as if to ask, "Yes, would that work?"


    The officer spread his hands with a helpless smile, exining, "There''s no way to get close, they simply won''t negotiate... Any ships that approached were immediately sunk, and our batteries couldn''t outshoot theirs..."


    As the city mayor of Southwater City of the Por Kingdom listened, his face turned paler by a few shades, "Huh? The batteries couldn''t outshoot them?"


    He had originally thought of relying on the batteries and the fortress''s defensive instations to hold out for a while, but now hearing that even the batteries were inferior, he became even more panicked and desperate.


    The Elf officer of the City Defense Forces no longer had the heart to conceal the truth and immediately nodded, saying, "Yes, our batteries couldn''t outshoot them. The second warship had managed to retreat within range of our artillery, thinking it could be covered, but they managed to sink our second warship and left the artillery battery in a pathetic state before retreating beyond its range."


    The injuries he suffered were from there, the enemy bombarded the battery for a while, destroyed about seven or eight coastal defense cannons, then casually withdrew to the sea, blocking the area and refusing to leave!


    Any ship attempting to enter or leave the port was attacked, and with the enemy''s incredibly urate gunfire, more than 20 ships had already been sunk.


    Finally, the ruling officer managed to force out a sentence, unclear if it was a question or ament, "What kind of monster is that...?"


    The officer, his arm still bandaged, suppressed his frustration and once again affirmed his ipetence with his reply, "Subordinate also does not know."


    Eventually, with no better solution, the city mayor had no choice but to grit his teeth and issue themand, "Take your men and defend the artillery batteries! You must not let the enemynd, understood?"


    The officer with a mournful expression preemptively gave his caveats before responding, "Sir! If the enemy truly invades the harbor, we cannot stop them."


    mming the table, the city mayor was already furious, shouting loudly with a changed tone, "The City Defense Forces shall not retreat a step! Dammit! Even if it means death, you are to die on those batteries!"


    The City Defense Forces officer could only stiffen his resolve, bow his head, and ept the orders, "Yes, sir!"


    Soon, several fast horses charged out of Southwater City, racing towards the direction of King City and Osa Military Harbor.


    Meanwhile, a foreman responsible for production found his immediate superior in the workshop of the Augustin Family and reported, "Sir, the expected 20 tons of iron ore hasn''t been ounted for... I don''t know how to handle it, please make a decision."


    "Hmm?" A middle-aged human, who had been working for the Augustin Family and was now in charge of the workshop, frowned and took the inventory list.


    --------


    Today''s first update, once I start writingte into the night, it bes unstoppable... Many thanks to the generous donation from a pure-hearted male reader, truly appreciated.

 Chapter 207: 203s real dad

    As Augustine Reibert morosely looked at the note in front of him, he finally remembered that he seemed to have indeed forgotten about a debt he owed.


    Truth be told, as the Prime Minister of Por Kingdom, he dominated the entire kingdom, standing second only to the King, so he had never considered that one day someone would actuallye to collect a debt from him.


    Augustine''s rise to power had been so swift that it even gave Reibert a sense of an unreal illusion. He even thought that he had touched the threshold of bing the Empire''s Prime Minister, or even the Emperor himself.


    Such illusions, such castles in the air, made him forget that everything he had seemed toe from a distant ce, from an obscure human being.


    Now, the other party seemed to being to collect the debt, and doing so by knocking on his door, which suddenly reminded him of many things, many, many things!


    "My dear Augustine, worrying now is of no use, because our first fleet has already set sail for the Southern Waters, and nothing can stop the outbreak of this naval battle now," said the King of Por Kingdom with quite a good moodtely,forting Reibert with a smile.


    His Prime Minister had brought him one victory after another, and the size of his kingdom had already tripled!


    Having defeated their Orc neighbors, they took control of arge number of pastures. They had more horses and more food, which could be used for further expansion.


    After obtaining support from the Shireck Consortium, they were nearly invincible. Any resisting country would be easily defeated by them.


    The only thing constraining the Elf Race was that the speed of their weapon production could not keep up with the pace of their expansion.


    Since defeating the Orcs, Por Kingdom had consistently been short on metal, and the production of bullets couldn''t keep up with the consumption of the front-line troops.


    Everyone suffered yet reveled in this problem, because they had never encountered such good fortune before¡ªwhenever their troops had the logistical support to attack, they were certain to achieve victory.


    The problem seemed simple. They just needed to frantically increase their production capacity, and that''s precisely what the Augustin Family did.


    As a result, they did indeed reap benefits¡ªin the past six months, the Augustin n became extremely wealthy, and Por Kingdomunched outward expansions and, relying on the Augustin Family''s munitions, secured a record ofplete victory.


    Even more so, they had improved their weapons, creating a bunch of strange and messy repeater weapons that turned out to be quite useful when facing enemies armed with Shireck flintlock guns on the battlefield.


    However, problems were not nonexistent as they had pushed their production capacity to the limit, and the downstream industries were struggling to keep up.


    Steel smelting could be directly increased by building st furnaces, but where the iron ore woulde from, was unknown. The Elves had really not considered using steam engines to boost the productivity of the mines first, as their other factories also desperately needed steam engine equipment.


    The frenziedpetition for steam engines among factories led to a bottleneck in the production of steam engine equipment¡ªthe Elf Race didn''t have an electric power system to bnce the power generated by steam engines, so they had to ce a steam engine at every location that needed one, which was far less efficientpared to Tang Mo''s electric power transmission.


    The mines could only rely on hardbor from miners. If they were short on manpower, they forced overtime, and if that still wasn''t enough, they used ves to mine; efficiency was terribly low.


    Low efficiency resulted in insufficient production capacity, and the ultimate solution was to rely on Por Kingdom''s naval fleet to makerge-scale purchases from other countries.


    They had plenty of money from annexing neighboring countries and exploiting the citizens of the upied areas, so Por Kingdom wasn''t short on funds, and purchasing metal ores was going very smoothly at first.


    But the good times didn''tst. As Great Tang Group and Shireck Consortium both joined the queue for metal procurement, international iron ore prices were immediately driven to a staggering level.


    Watching the threepetitors, Por Kingdom could only barely maintain the current situation with its iron ore procurement.


    Unexpectedly, now, their lifeline at sea, which they so relied upon, had actually been cut off by a scoundrel who hade knocking to collect his debt.


    This was no small matter but a major issue concerning whether Por Kingdom could continue to expand and stabilize the current situation.


    What made Augustine Reibert even more disconcerted was that this naval war seemed unavoidable, as the most efficientmunication system in the world was not possessed by Por Kingdom.


    The telegraph, this emergingmunication technology, was exclusively owned by Great Tang Group, and all of Por Kingdom''smands and dispatches could only rely on letters and envoys for coordination.


    This resulted in a dy in information, rendering some decisions unable to be conveyed promptly to the hands executing the orders.


    When Augustine received the news from the Southern Waters, Por Kingdom''s first Fleet stationed at Osa Military Harbor got the message at the same time.


    Por Kingdom''s first Fleet, with 30 first-rate warships, can be said to be veryrge. These expensive, with each warship having over 40 cannons, floating fortresses were the most powerful naval weaponry on this world before Great Tang Group made its appearance.


    The first Fleet stationed at Osa Military Harbor had no reason to avoid battle, so as soon as they received the call for assistance from the Southern Waters, they would definitely send a fleet southward.


    And the scale of this fleet would undoubtedly be substantial, because apanying the message from the Southern Waters was surely news of two warships having been sunk.


    So, there might be 10 warships heading south to join the battle, and it''s estimated that the warship from the Great Tang Group that''se to collect the debt will definitely be sunk.


    Or rather, at this very moment, it''s possible that this warship from the Great Tang Group has already been sunk.


    Thinking up to here, Augustine Reibert couldn''t help but sigh once more. He had originally nned to y both sides, but as things had been progressing smoothly on his front recently, he had put the idea of hedging his bets to the back of his mind.


    After all, as his side was thriving, although the groundwork of betting on both sides had beenid, he still trusted his own side a little more, more or less.


    However, with the Por Kingdom''s expansion and the continuous arrival of information, he had actually heard about the rising Great Tang Group.


    A new arms and weaponry consortium capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Shireck Consortium was now an entity that the Augustin n could not afford to take lightly.


    What worried him more was whether, if his side sank the Great Tang Group''s warship, the hostility between the two sides would be truly established.


    He even began to seriously consider whether he should settle the debt of 100,000 Gold Coins owed to Tang Mo and then perhaps apologize, transforming strife into peace¡­


    What he didn''t know was that his funds had possibly already breached the 10 million Gold Coins mark, selling the entire Augustine family might not even be enough to pay it off.


    Coming back to his current concern, he was depressed because it was already toote to send out messengers to properly negotiate with the people on the debt-collecting ship.


    He could no longer catch up to the fleet heading south, nor could he get his people to reach Southwater in time tomunicate properly with those on board the challenging warship.


    "I really didn''t know that you had a debt rtion with the recently frequently mentioned Great Tang Group," said the King of Por Kingdom to his most capable subordinate, "It seems that the situation is already irreversible, isn''t it?"


    Reibert bowed his head and answered with some embarrassment, "I''m afraid so, and thus I n to prepare a delegation to negotiate with the owner of this Great Tang Group in Leite Kingdom, seeing as it''s all just business, with no deep-seated hatred..."


    "We sank one of their ships, and they''ve sunk at least 30 of our merchant ships! This is already enmity," the King of Por Kingdom interrupted Reibert, quite agitated.


    If a kingdom was blockaded at their doorstep and had so many ships sunk while still maintaining restraint, then there was no need to mention valor or spine.


    This was an outright provocation, practically a deration of war! Therefore, as the King of Por Kingdom, Por XI did not intend to let this go so easily.


    Meanwhile in Brunas, Tang Mo was looking through theplete dossier on the Augustine family of the Por Kingdom, a thick stack that seemedprehensive.


    "Aren''t you worried that sending a warship to challenge an entire nation might not seed?" John asked nervously, standing before him.


    "Why worry?" Tang Mo replied with an odd gleam in his eye, looking at John and smiling as he retorted.


    His warship had an absolute advantage in speed, firepower, and defense. If it could be sunk, the Por Kingdom would have already united the seas long ago.


    Even if the enemy concentrated their forces and surrounded it on all sides, the irond warship could easily break through and destroy the encircling enemy vessels, possibly even turning the tables to sink all the enemy ships surrounding it.


    Moreover, he had the advantage ofmunication, being able tomand the warship at any time¡ªa condition the enemy did not have. Where battlefield coordination was concerned, if his side scored 80, the enemy might at best score less than 10.


    If anything went wrong, he could directly order the warship to return home, which was much faster than sending a message.


    Furthermore... he had two irond warships! If one was not enough, he could deploy three,pletely preventing the Por Kingdom from setting sail!


    So Tang Mo was not concerned about the battle, but instead started teasing John, "Just how many dads do you actually have? The first time you introduced yourself, you imed your dad was Tural... Later, you said your dad was William..."


    "That..." John immediately blushed. He had boasted extravagantly in the past without revealing his true identity, but now Tang Mo had investigated him thoroughly.


    Tang Mo continued to tease John, "Later, I did some investigating. The current patriarch of the Augustine family is Reibert. Guess which one is your real dad?"


    "Alright, I lied to you before... I never expected to be so deeply involved with you," John admitted his previous lie with some embarrassment.


    Tang Mo pointed at the report featuring Reibert and asked curiously, "So, is he your real dad?"


    "..." John looked at Tang Mo speechlessly, feeling the powerless urge to punch someone but not daring to.


    --------


    Finally, the update isplete, no debt owed anymore! Hehehe!

 Chapter 208: Enemy Fleet 204

    Out on the high seas near Southwater Port, aboard the Brunas No. 1 Warship''s bridge, the captain was sitting in his chair, leisurely enjoying his breakfast.


    The first mate stood beside him and reported on the warship''s consumption, "We have enough fuel tost another two days at most, and the food on the warship is almost depleted as well, captain."


    In fact, due to retrofitting, the warship''s sustainable capabilities at sea had greatly increased, and the carrying capacity of fresh water and food was beyond the scope of the sailboat era.


    However high the self-sustainability, the food and fresh water onboard, including coal and shells, were all being constantly consumed.


    The Navy is an expensive branch of the armed forces, where every voyage, every battle, and every patrol is a process of burning money.


    In these days, the Brunas No. 1 had fired more than 250 shells and sunk over 70 various vessels.


    Don''t be fooled by this terrifying hit rate¡ªthe effect of the attacks was actually achieved by getting up close and personal, a result of face-to-facebat, not a development in the naval gunnery technology of the time.


    Before the support of radar, there was no chance for any significant improvement in artillery technology, and as for uracy, there was no need to take it too seriously, one could just look on casually.


    Still, after nearly 300 shells, the Brunas No. 1 needed to replenish its ammunition. Including the consumption of coal and food, it was indeed time for them to return to Brunas.


    They were not like the handguns in Hong Kong movies, capable of firing like submachine guns without needing to reload...


    The captain dipped his bread into the sauce on his te and said, "I''ve just received a telegram from Brunas; they sent Brunas No. 2 here three days ago, we will set sail and leave here at this time tomorrow."


    "They''reing tomorrow?" The first mate, hearing that reinforcement was on the way, looked more rxed and asked.


    To be honest, these past days had been tough for themmanders. Being vignt at the enemy''s doorstep was extremely draining for everyone.


    With just over two hundred men lying in wait on the seanes, facing an enemy tenfold or hundredfold their number, they certainly needed some rest.


    The captain also seemed much more at ease. He took a bite of his bread, chewed a few times, swallowed, took a sip of hot water before continuing, "The captain of the Brunas No. 2 sent a message, they''re not far from here. They''ll soon join us."


    Having a telegraph machine was convenient, allowing everyone to transmit messages using a prearranged codebook. Since there was no such thing as electronic surveince in this world, they didn''t have to worry about the enemy finding out their approximate location.


    Simrly, because there was hardly any concern about encrypted messages being leaked, there was no need forplex encryption systems formunication¡ªthey could be sent casually.


    Therefore, the telegraph system, which only Tang Mo could use, was a one-sided, convenient, and transparentmunication system¡ªsafe, efficient, and without any drawbacks.


    The first mate''s expression was filled with surprise as he immediately asked, "In a few hours?"


    "Yes, in a few hours." The captain swallowed thest bite of his meal, nodded, and ced the te on a small table next to him.


    As he was wiping his mouth, an officer on duty hurried over, stood at attention, and saluted, "Captain!"


    "What is it?" The captain looked at the officer, seeing excitement in his eyes.


    Sure enough, the officer excitedly reported to his immediate superior, "On the northern seas, we''ve spotted a fleet!"


    The captain was stunned, dragging out his response in disbelief, "Huh?"


    "Elf warships! Roughly ten, and they are changing course..." reported the officer loudly, who had just received the news from the lookout post.


    For two consecutive days, they hadn''t encountered a single enemy warship they could attack. Southwater Port had bepletely paralyzed; most of the returning vessels of the Por Kingdom had been sunk, and the remaining ships in the port dared not to set sail.


    Due to the Por Kingdom''s recent frenzied expansion, the surrounding kingdoms were wary, leading to almost aplete halt in trade between them and the Por Kingdom.


    With fewer ships from other nations, the Brunas No. 1 did not need to distinguish between the vessels of other kingdoms as much, indirectly enhancing the efficiency of this blockade.


    However... after many ships had been sunk, theplete copse of Southwater Port caused a slight depression among the officers and sailors of the Brunas No. 1.


    On one hand, they didn''t want to waste precious shells firing at coastal defense batteries and risk damage to their own ship by getting too close.


    On the other hand, they couldn''t wait for passing transport ships, and it had been a while without any significant victories. This left them feeling bored and yet obliged to stay alert for the possibility of a major battle.


    The captain nodded and instructed his adjutant, "Assume a battle stance. Adjust the course of the warship, cross paths with the enemy! Increase speed! Take advantage of our speed to find the best position to engage!"


    "Increase speed!" The adjutant immediately shouted to the petty officer stationed by themunication pipe.


    "Increase speed!" the petty officer ryed themand loudly through one of the tubes.


    "Hard to starboard!" The captain picked up his binocrs to look towards the northern sea, ordering loudly while doing so.


    The helmsman turned the wheel, loudly repeating themand, "Hard starboard!"


    The captain put down his telescope and sneered with an order, "Load the cannons! Teach these foolish elves a lesson! Don''t let a single one escape!"


    The executive officer nodded slightly, then conveyed the captain''smand once again.


    It takes some time for a warship to pick up speed; the Brunas 1 had been cruising at a very low speed, and now that it wanted to suddenly elerate, it actually needed time to do so.


    Still, it was gradually increasing its speed, strolling leisurely, elegantly¡ªor you might say, frustratingly slowly.


    An officer came over, bringing the exact number of the elf warships, "The lookout tower confirms the number of enemy ships, 12 warships! Heading due south!"


    "Change direction! Head due south! Notify the turrets to turn!" The captain also prepared to reveal his broadside turrets, ready to meet the enemy with the most advantageous firepower.


    Relying on his superior speed, he nned to execute a crossing tactic, using a U-shaped maneuver topletely sink the iing enemy ships.


    This U would unfold around the enemy''s battle line, with the Brunas 1 sailing parallel to the opponent, attacking every enemy ship on its side continuously.


    Then, the Brunas 1, capitalizing on its terrifying speed, would turn at the head of the enemy''s column, head towards the other side to meet the enemy fleet, and once again pass by all the remaining unsunken ships for a second opportunity to strike.


    If there were still any that slipped through the, relying on the higher speed, the Brunas 1 could catch up with them and sink them!


    In short, the Brunas 1, with superiority in firepower, speed, and defense, could be described as having free rein against the old-fashioned sailing ships.


    The first officer quickly confirmed their course, "Heading south! Speed 37 kilometers! Sea conditions good!"


    "Visibility good! Aimplete! Enemy ships 4 kilometers away!" the officer in charge of weaponsmand reported loudly.


    The captain once again raised his telescope, giving an order to adjust the heading, "Adjust the course by 4 degrees! Close in!"


    "Adjust the course!" the helmsman again turned the wheel, loudly repeating themand.


    The prow of the warship sliced through the sea, drawing closer to the enemy ships which had already arranged in a line in the distance, the gap between them closing bit by bit, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense.


    Neither side sent any signals, for they had already regarded each other as the enemy. There was nothing to discuss; it was time to let the cannons do the arguing.


    The Elf Navy seemed to be closing in as well, apparently nning to use their superior numbers to end the naval battle swiftly.


    Inside the bridge of Brunas 1, the captain continued tomand, "Hold steady! Report again when the distance is 2 kilometers!"


    "Understood!" the executive officer, with hands behind his back, stood behind him, acknowledging the captain''smand.


    At the bow, the dual-mounted 120mm caliber cannon turrets had already turned to the side facing the enemy. On the side of the warship, the 75mm caliber cannon positions, gunners had already manned theirbat posts.


    Thanks to the tailwind, the speed of the opposite sailing ship was not slow, butpared to Brunas 1, which had already sped up to 35 kilometers per hour, it still seemed somewhatcking.


    As time passed by the seconds, both sides grewrger in each other''s telescopes. Everyone was waiting for the distance to close, waiting for the critical moment when they were confident enough to fire and sink the enemy.


    Clearly, the Brunas 1 had a longer range. The generational gap in targeting equipment and the superiority of the cannon''s range allowed it to fire at a distance of 5 kilometers.


    But to be on the safe side, the captain of Brunas 1 decided to let the enemye within about 2 kilometers before opening fire.


    And now, their distance had closed to less than two kilometers, a range at which the uracy of Brunas 1''s cannons was quite terrifying.


    "Ready to fire!" the weaponsmander, head held high, walked up behind the captain and reported.


    "Fire!" the captain ordered without a moment''s hesitation.


    "Boom!" A few secondster, the main cannon of the Brunas 1 warship fired, and three shells whistled towards the distant elf warships.


    Unfortunately, two of the shells punched holes through the sails of the enemy ship, flew over the top of the enemy warship, andnded in the distant sea, raising huge columns of water.


    The third shell hit one of the ships in the middle of the enemy fleet''s column, causing a massive explosion that ripped a mast clean off the enemy warship.


    Before the Elf Navy could even register their shock, a row of 75mm caliber cannons followed after, and this time... the Elf Fleet was utterly shattered.


    ------


    Today''s turn of events is too unexpected; I''ll honor it by diving in first. Moreover, I guessed the scale wrong, haha. The next chapter will be updated tomorrow morning; I''m off to enjoy the spectacle, hehehe.

 Chapter 209: 205 two ships

    Along with the explosion of the ships, the hearts of the elven sailors shattered as well. They watched helplessly as a single cannonball struck a friendly warship, which then exploded like a powder keg.


    The majority of the shells carried by the Brunas 1 were simple impact-fused models without any armor-piercing capabilities.


    However, such shells were strangely effective against wooden warships, which essentiallycked any armor protection.


    If armor-piercing rounds were used, the shell would have to dy its explosion after impact, or it might not explode at all, thus inflicting very limited damage to wooden sailing ships.


    Now, with impact fuse shells smashing into wooden hulls and detonating immediately, the ships'' structures could be directly destroyed, or even worse, the explosives stored on board could be ignited!


    The explosion easily set off the gunpowder on the warship, which then immediately detonated the powder being used for firing the cannons, igniting the gunpowder at all the surrounding gun positions...


    In this era, warships had no concepts ofpartmentalization or explosion protection; decks were piled with cannons and their firing charges, especially during battle-ready conditions, making them truly mmable and explosive powder kegs.


    But because the era''s cannonballs were solid, it was not easy to ignite the gunpowder, so sympathetic detonations did not receive much attention from the navies of various nations.


    Therefore, when faced with the shrapnel from Brunas 1''s cannons, these primitive warships paid a heavy price for their obsolescence in an instant.


    "Boom!" The brutal explosion sent the still-sailing warship of the Por Kingdom flying, its masts breaking and sails falling, the Por Kingdom''s Dragon Banner that hung from the mast also fell into the sea.


    The hull began to fracture along with the explosion, leaving the sailors on deck stunned as they watched their warship fall apart without even a chance to save it.


    What''s worse, after a brief respite, the explosions were not limited to a single warship¡ªtwo other warships began to explode, sending mes skyrocketing and elven sailors being tossed into the sea everywhere.


    The navalmander of the Por Kingdom overseeing this sea battle was named Muke. He stood on his gship, staring dumbfounded at the exploding friendly warships in the distance, momentarily forgetting to issue newbat orders.


    The distance between the two sides was nearly two kilometers, and his warships had no weapons capable of firing at that range.


    His n had been to close the distance to about 500 meters using numerical superiority, and then open fire with all cannons topletely destroy the target.


    So he deployed his ships in a line formation, hoping to surround and overwhelm the target upon gaining the advantage.


    Since departing from Osa Military Harbor, he hadn''t received any intelligence about the enemy warships, only knowing that the enemy had a single warship, so he was consumed with visions of how the opponent lucked out in sinking two of his ships and blockading Southwater Port.


    Thus, he rushed here, aiming to lift the blockade on Southwater Port as quickly as possible and restore maritime trade.


    In his eyes, with the enemy possessing only one warship and him leading 12 warships south, victory seemed certain, without any room for idents.


    Also, because he was hastily sailing south, he hadn''t received further intelligence about this warship and still had no urate understanding of its capabilities.


    He couldn''t help it; after all, even if he had precise intelligence, there would be no way to defeat this warship. This was the impact brought about by the disparity in weaponry; this was the influence of weapons on the mode of warfare.


    "What kind of monster is that?" Finally, unable to hold back, the navalmander of the Por Kingdom voiced the doubt in his mind. It couldn''t be helped; to him, the enemy indeed seemed like a terrifying monster.


    Just as he called out the word "monster," the Brunas 1 fired again. The 120-caliber cannons roared in anger, and this time, due to adjusted parameters, all three shots scored direct hits.


    Three already-panicking elven warships were stricken. As they slowed down, they were hit by the cannons and caught fire, belching smoke.


    Their white sails burned, and cries and despairing orders were everywhere. Because the distance was now very close, the sailors on the Brunas 1 could even see people running around in terror on the decks of the opposite ships.


    Twelve sails, full of bluster as they had approached from afar, had lost half their fighting force before even firing a shot.


    Of the remaining warships, three that weregging at the rear immediately turned tail and fled without even signaling the gship ahead.


    With six warships already overturned and smoking in the sea, they couldn''t signal in any way that the gship could see.


    Of course, even if they had seen it, probably the most rationalmander at that time would only have ordered the following warships to make a quick getaway.


    Cmity was upon them; everyone should run for their lives! Why would anyone stay? To join in a funeral? Brother, there''s no need to be so loyal. Really!


    Besides, the remaining three warships that could still fight near the gship were nowpletely preupied with their own survival.


    They discovered that the distance between them had closed to nearly 1000 meters, and the enemy had already gained the lead!


    What a joke! Their ships were warships, the fastest of their era! And they were with the wind! This was already their maximum speed.


    But evidently, the enemy''s speed was still faster, and not just by a little! With such speed, the enemy had already cut to the T-head formation, which meant that as soon as they turned, the leading warship would have to face all of the enemy''s firepower alone.


    This was the moment that would test amander''s mettle, where decisions had to be made single-handedly on what to sacrifice and how to respond.


    In fact, as a naval power, themanders of the Por Kingdom''s Navy did possess some ability. Even in a moment of despair, he still made the most correct decision.


    "Adjust course, heading due east!" he gritted his teeth and ordered his fleet to begin turning toward the direction indicated by the rear of the enemy ships that were cutting into their course.


    This had two advantages: on one hand, their warships, after turning, would head in the opposite direction to that of the enemy ships, thus quickly shaking off pursuit.


    On the other hand, if the enemy continued their pursuit, the other three warships that had broken away from the line of battle could escape from the battlefield¡ªat least they would survive, avoiding loss here.


    Unfortunately, his decision could not change anything in the face of absolute power. Just as his warships were rapidly turning, another volley engulfed his fleet.


    This time, the cannonballs struck directly at the bow of the gship that was turning andpletely sheared it off!


    The massive explosion shattered the bow of this warship instantly, and the central part of the ship waspletely destroyed.


    Due to inertia, the warship plunged bow-first into the sea, with its stern rising high¡ªa spectacr sight indeed.


    "Signal the warships to keep turning! Quick! Forget everything else!" The frazzledmander, witnessing another friendly warship doomed, yelled in despair.


    Soon he saw a thrilling scene: the enemy warship was not turning to hunt down his decimated forces; instead, it pursued the three elf warships that had fled ahead.


    It seemed he could escape with his life. Due to the distance, if he immediately rushed into Southwater Port, he could be protected by the shore batteries¡ªat least he wouldn''t be sunk here.


    However, he celebrated too soon. Just as he was about to adjust his course again to return to Southwater Port, he was shocked to discover that out of nowhere, a terrifying cloud of ck smoke had appeared on his route!


    Now he knew that the terrifying enemy warship, scarier than any monster, was not alone¡ªthere were two of them!


    Moreover, somehow they were able tomunicate¡ªthe two terrifying warships had managed to divide their prey, even at a distance where they could not see each other''s masts!


    His eyes widened in astonishment, and then he saw at the end of that billowing ck smoke, another warship barreling towards them.


    Identical to the one that had sunk seven of their warships, this new warship flying the Dragon Banner also had a sharp bow and the same frightening dual-mounted gun turrets!


    "Damn it..." The officer cursed in despair as a cannonball from the opposing ship hit his own.


    The explosion engulfed the bridge where he stood, and his warship began to sink rapidly with the st.


    Obviously, the enemy had no patience to wait for the wreckage of the warship to settle at the sea''s bottom, for it was obstructing the silhouette of another elf warship.


    In the desperate gaze of the remaining sailors lucky enough to be alive, the warship did not slow down at all as it charged forward, breaking the elf warship, which was still one-third above water, into two pieces!


    Only at this moment did the elf sailors confirm that the monstrous warship was made of steel!


    Because, when his head was struck, he felt that despairingly cold touch.


    That day, twelve warships of the Elf Race,ing from afar, werepletely annihted by two Brunas-ss irond warships¡ªall sinking near Southwater Port.


    And the few sailors who miraculously survived were washed onto the coast of Southwater Port, where the officials of the Por Kingdom inside learned that their reinforcements would nevere.


    "Now... what do we do?" asked a City Defense Forces officer, his arm still slung across his chest, to the group of officials in despair.


    "What else can we do? Wait for Lord Leibart to return... The matter is now beyond our ability to handle..." the governor sighed in despair.

 Chapter 210: Information Gap 206

    Indeed, moreplete intelligence had already been delivered to the King City of Por Kingdom. Augustine Reibert had even obtained a very urate sketch.


    Looking at the sketch before him, looking at the obvious ck smoke, he found it hard to describe his feelings.


    The Elves, who had long been familiar with steam engines, needed only one nce to recognize the two tall smokestacks, to see the ck smoke that seemed to connect sky and earth, and to know that there were two steam engines installed within this thing!


    King Por XI of the Por Kingdom also stared at the painting, asking with some confusion, "A steam-powered warship? You mean to say, the Great Tang Group ced steam power on a ship...? Indeed, if such power can propel a ship forward, it certainly could rece the sea breeze."


    Although he was aware of steam engines and the important technology, he indeed couldn''t keep up with the specifics and the pace of technological progress.


    There was no helping it; as a monarch, he had nearly all his skill points invested in domestic and foreign affairs, military, and other skills that could support his rule over the nation.


    Augustine Reibert wasn''t very familiar with technology either, but since he made his fortune through steam engines, he had a very good understanding of them.


    Furthermore, due to his frequent contact with Shireck, he had learned quite a bit about the application of steam engines. In fact, he had just recently be aware of the use of steam engines in mining operations, but had not had the chance to promote them yet.


    So at this moment, he exined to his sovereign, "Onnd, there are already steam-powered trains, so it''s not surprising to have such ships at sea."


    Then, he continued with a grim face, "However, when the opponent installs new types of cannons, new types of ammunition, coupled with new steam engine power on one ship... our numerical advantage in warships at sea is gone!"


    He truly had not expected the obscure Great Tang Group to be able to introduce so many derivative technologies in a short time after trading the needle-gun technology and steam engine technology and quickly leave the entire world behind.


    Shireck was now promoting C64-type cannons, lobbying Por Kingdom to purchase these cannons and using the sale of cannons to the countries surrounding Por Kingdom as leverage, preparing to regain control over Por Kingdom''s military procurement.


    The Augustin Family, which had been resisting Shireck''s return to Por Kingdom, was indeed incredibly pressured and in total disarray.


    Por XI sat in his seat,menting, "We once had 100 first-rate sailing warships! But now, they might be able to blockade one of our ports with just one such ship!"


    Augustine Reibert also realized that the dy in intelligence could spellplete disaster for their navy, "Damn it... our navalmanders don''t yet know what they will face! By the time our messenger reaches Osa Port, the naval warships would have already set sail!"


    After all, he had just now learned that the opponent was not a sail-powered warship, but a new type of steam-powered warship.


    He didn''t know exactly how such a warship was controlled, but as the actual ruler of Southwater Port, he did have a certain understanding of naval equipment.


    Facing new bursting shells and new cannons, the traditional naval warships were simply powerless¡ªjudging from the messages received, the innovative cannons that had performed brilliantly in the battle at Northern Ridge must have been equipped on this warship off the coast of Southwater!


    The King was also frustrated as he realized their fleet might face defeat. So, somewhat agitated, he looked at Augustine Reibert, waiting for him to say something.


    Reibert roughly analyzed the situation and felt that the fleet heading south was probably doomed.


    Logically, the warships stationed at Osa Military Harbor wouldn''t all head south, so the number of ships going south should be between 10 and 15.


    This number was essentially everyone''s guess, for the feedback from Osa Port was still on its way, and they could only rely on their own spection to judge the situation.


    Indeed, this was the impact of antiquatedmunication technology, which in ancient times often decided the oue of a war.


    For instance, in some ancient wars, the attacking force appeared to have hundreds of thousands of troops but lost,rgely due to theck of medical andmunication technologiesplicatingmand and decision-making.


    Just like now, when the decision-makers realized the problem, the war at the front lines was actually over, and no matter how wise and powerful they were, they could change nothing.


    Therefore, in a miserable tone, Reibert spoke the most likely oue, "They will rush southward, heading to Southwater Port! There, their ships will be shattered by the enemy''s warships!"


    "Among these messages, it was mentioned many times that the opponent''s speed is very fast, and they can even ram and break our ships..." he flipped through several reports, pushing the intelligence towards Por XI.


    King Por looked down at the reports which seemed a bit rmist, and finally looked up to ask Augustine Reibert, "Some say that the opponent''s ships are made of steel, is this possible?"


    Leibart had no choice but to steel himself and answer his sovereign''s question, "Possibly, because our experiments in the pond have shown that steel can indeed float on the surface of the sea."


    "Then why haven''t we built irond warships before?" posed King Por XI, somewhat curiously.


    "Because sails cannot propel a vessel so heavy; even if one were built, its sailing speed would be too slow to pursue any enemy ship," exined Augustine Reibert.


    In fact, the Elf Race was also developing a new type of warship¡ªthis vessel had iron tes attached to its wooden hull to replicate resistance against fire and solid shot attacks.


    However, this attempt significantly increased the warship''s weight, directly affecting its speed and preventing it from keeping up with the other ships in the fleet''s formation.


    This directly impacted the efficiency of the new type of warship inbat, rendering it unable to join the formations of most other ships, and further affecting the Navy''s established tactics.


    To be honest, this was no minor issue; it had even begun to affect tactical execution and threatened to overturn previous tactics, destroying familiar strategic routines.


    Therefore, the new warships had thus far only stayed at the stage of theoretical research and minor improvements. Some warships hung iron tes on their exteriors, which was thetest achievement in the development of the new warships.


    A warshippletely made of metal, such as those by the Great Tang Group, had never been seen before and would not be sessfully replicated by anyone in a short period of time.


    This also caused King Por of the Por Kingdom to feel a serious crisis¡ªa dire crisis of losing control of the seas!


    Seeing his sovereign''s troubled expression, Marquis Augustine Reibert feltpelled to speak further, "No one knew that the other side could pile so many new technologies onto a single warship."


    King Por XI drew out his words, confirming with displeasure, "So you''re saying there''s a possibility¡­ that they used steam engine technology to enhance power and thus could employ a metal hull¡­ and then, they also equipped their warship with new-type cannons?"


    "Very likely, they have also utilized other technologies. ording to the depiction on this drawing, the opponent''s cannons are installed inside iron boxes; to rotate suchrge iron boxes, they certainly rely onplex transmission technology," Leibart added, before consoling his King, "Actually¡­ our fleet might not necessarily be defeated¡­"


    "If we could win, that would certainly be good," the King was reassured, feeling somewhat relieved. "However, shouldn''t we possess these new types of warships too?"


    Not waiting for Augustine Reibert to say anything further, he continued, "...Why, why have we be enemies with such arms manufacturers? Augustine, is there any way we can mend our rtionship with them, find a way to have them sell all these technologies¡­ to us?"


    Augustine Reibert promptly responded, "I have already dispatched envoys. However, since we can''t send ships south through Southwater, we can only honestly travel bynd... It will take a very long time to reach the Leite Kingdom bynd."


    In this regard, he still possessed a bit of the nobility''s wisdom. With his experience, he could see that maintaining good rtions with the rising Great Tang Group was crucial for Por Kingdom to stay ahead in weaponry.


    Nowadays, simply relying on the Shireck Consortium didn''t seem so reassuring anymore.


    The King was obviously not entirely satisfied with Reibert''s n. After pondering for a moment, he said, "What weck now is time! Find a way to have that warship escort one of our emissary ships southward! You personally go back to Southwater and must¡­ at any cost, maintain a good rtionship with them!"


    Leibart nodded slightly, then stood up and took his leave. "I understand! Your Majesty!"


    Since being promoted to Marquis by the King, he had always remained in King City, rarely leaving. Now that the King hadmanded him to return to Southwater, he felt a small surge of excitement.


    After all, the King City was king''snd, but Southwater was his foundation. Therefore, when issues arose in Southwater, he was even more anxious than the King.


    Thus, he was eager to return. "I will depart immediately!"


    Shortly after he had left the room, a servant entered, bringing bad news to his King, "An envoy from Bai Kingdom has arrived! Your Majesty! He has brought a message¡­ Bai Kingdom has rejected our proposal and decided not to form an alliance with us¡­"


    "What did you say?" King Por XI rose to his feet in agitation, eximing, "Why?"


    ------------


    I''ve wasted another day, the second update will be delivered tomorrow morning. I apologize.

 Chapter 211: 207 new ship launched

    ```


    The expansion of a nation always causes tension among its neighboring countries, even if there are no tangible sanctions, it still makes the neighboring states wary.


    This state of vignce and preparedness persists until either a war breaks out between the parties, or the expanding nation halts its expansionist steps and goes to great lengths to rebuild its international reputation.


    Of course, rebuilding an international reputation is a very lengthy process, which can only be achieved by honest and methodical persistence, one step at a time.


    The Bai Kingdom refused the alliance request from the Por Kingdom, which was expected to some extent, but Por XI didn''t expect the rejection to be so straightforward.


    "The influence of the Shireck side, and possibly the participation of other powers too." He quickly realized that not everyone wanted to see the Por Kingdom grow too powerful alone.


    In the end, the King of the Por Kingdomy down in defeat: "Now, it all depends on whether Marquis Augustine can turn the situation around at Southwater Port."


    ...


    In Brunas, within the newly constructed port by the Great Tang Group, Tang Mo was presiding over theunching ceremony for two warships simultaneously hitting the water.


    The main focus of the Great Tang Group had been on developing ck Dragon Ind recently, so the speed of warship construction was remarkably fast.


    Tang Mo, standing on the dock between the two warships, announced loudly to the observing crowd: "Today is a special day! The 5th and 6th warships of our Great Tang Group are beingunched! Gentlemen! The sea belongs to us! From today onwards, we will have enough forces to deal with all schemings against the Great Tang Group at sea!"


    He waved his fist, instilling tremendous confidence in all Great Tang Group personnel: "Before absolute power! No one can shake our position!"


    The apuse was longsting because everyone knew these warships were nearly invincible at sea, and the Great Tang Group was set to control the ocean and acquire astonishing wealth in the future.


    After the event ended, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom, who had traveled a long way to support Tang Mo, walked shoulder to shoulder with Tang Mo on the dock.


    People passing by nodded to them in greeting but dared not disturb their conversation.


    The old Prime Minister started praising: "Mr. Tang, today is truly an eye-opener for me! I''vee to realize how powerful irond warships are, even capable of overturning the entire maritime hegemony."


    Tang Moughed heartily, responding modestly: "You''re too kind, sir, but really this is just a minor event, a minor event, hahaha."


    In fact,pared to the next generation of warships he was preparing to build, these first-generation Brunas-ss ironds were indeed just a minor show.


    The secretly built second-generation warships in another drydock adopted apletely new hull design and utilized thetest power systems, enhancing speed, armor protection, and firepower significantly.


    This more advanced warship adopted the ssic high-proportion shape of a cruiser, emphasizing speed, and with an improved power system, the new warship''s speed reached a remarkable 28 knots¡ªover 50 kilometers per hour!


    To amodate more boilers, this warship had four funnels, a more elongated hull, and increased tonnage up to 4000 tons, measuring a full 140 meters in length and 14 meters in width!


    It was outfitted with eight single-mounted 150mm caliber naval guns,pletely abandoning other armaments. Although it had fewer guns than the Brunas-ss irond, the caliber was significantlyrger.


    But one should not underestimate such a weapon choice, because of the uniform caliber, the ship used two sets of fully matched new optical aiming devices, unifying themand of the ship''s guns, which increased the uracy of fire.


    Additionally, the new-type warship''s armor protection had slightly improved, and it markedly increased its sustainability and cruising capacity.


    This warship was exactly what Tang Mo required¡ªit could maneuver quickly at sea, covering a wider maritime area, and protecting Tang Mo''s sea traffic lines.


    The new guns on the new warship also used entirely new technology; inly speaking, this was the first recoil-operated gun produced by Tang Mo.


    With a recoil device, the gun''s firing became much faster, and aiming far more convenient¡ªa true innovation.


    With the addition of a simple loading machine, the new warship, although only equipped with eight guns, could at most concentrate five on one side, but actually, the firepower density had increased a bit.


    At the same time, the ship''smunication telegraph system was retained, and more lighting devices were added, making the interior of the entire warship brighter.


    Since the power system''s output was increased, the power generator was also more powerful, and the ship''s electricity was more stable overall.


    More interestingly, this new warship was expected to have a telephone system installed to enhance internalmunication efficiency.


    This was a revolutionary invention, makingmand of the entire warship more convenient and faster, and simrly improving the warship''s efficiency.


    After all, Tang Mo had already created the first telephone device in this world. The experiment wasplete; he could pick up the telephone in his office and call Matthews or Parker, who were working in the factory halls.


    ```


    The brand-new warship was named after a wolf by Tang Mo, which also followed his tradition of naming different sses of warships after cities.


    "If, if the Leite Kingdom wanted to purchase such a warship, would the Great Tang Group be willing to sell?" The old Prime Minister, observing the irond warship docked at the pier and being refueled with fresh water and coal, suddenly asked Tang Mo.


    "Why not?" Tang Mo answered with a smile.


    The Prime Minister was taken aback, obviously surprised by the response; he looked at Tang Mo, his eyes filled with incredulity.


    After all, in his view, Tang Mo almost seemed to control the entire ocean by now; if he did not sell such warships to outsiders, he could maintain his throne as the supreme overlord of the sea for a long time.


    So, somewhat puzzled, he continued, "Such... things are for sale?"


    With an expression suggesting it was the most natural thing in the world, Tang Mo replied, "Of course. Aren''t we developing these weapons to sell them?"


    Control the ocean with these outdated, slow-moving first-generation ironds with limited endurance? Was Tang Mo out of his mind?


    The vastness of this world''s oceans might even berger than the world Tang Mo had lived in before, and even to this day, there were unexplored areas.


    Such a vast territory and vast interests could not possibly be monopolized and controlled by Tang Mo alone.


    Moreover, if the habit of hogging all the profits appeared, the whole world would see him as enemy number one. Rather than bing the world''s public enemy, he much preferred the feeling of manipting everything from the shadows.


    After thinking for a moment, the Prime Minister asked a question that he was very interested in, "Do you really have no ambition to dominate the world?"


    Tang Mo replied to the Prime Minister''s question with a mixture of seriousness and jest, "Prime Minister, in fact, I have no wish to waste my energy on such mundane matters. Isn''t it better to enjoy listening to music, chatting with beauties over wine, and refining one''s taste at a gambling house?"


    In reality, such casual remarks, not even promises or formal statements, could not possibly be taken seriously.


    So, the Prime Minister shifted the topic and asked another question that interested him, "Then, have you ever considered bing a true noble?"


    "Hm? Am I not already a Viscount?" Tang Mo had been made a Viscount by Leite VII, which was also a recent urrence.


    The current Tang Mo was an emerging hotshot among the Kingdom''s nobility; even many established nobility began to fawn over this young Viscount.


    Interestingly, as Shireck suffered a crushing defeat in the Battle of Brunas, Baron St, who once bore a grudge against Tang Mo, got so frightened that he fled abroad without ever looking back, seeking asylum with the Shireck Consortium.


    And Qiumuluo, who held a blood feud with Northern Ridge, also disappeared without a trace after the Battle of Brunas, as if evaporated from the earth.


    However, eyewitnesses from the battle that day confirmed that Qiumuluo had his arm blown off by a bullet; after returning to the camp, he underwent surgery to amputate his left arm.


    The current Qiumuluo was a one-armed man, which lent him another distinguishing feature, boosting Tang Mo''s confidence in locating him.


    The Prime Minister immediately started speaking to Tang Mo, "A Viscount bestowed by a Kingdom''s King is hardly a true noble."


    "What do you mean?" Tang Mo looked at the Prime Minister, as if asking knowingly.


    True to form, the Prime Ministerid bare his true thoughts, "If you are willing to support the Leite Kingdom... to be the Leite Empire, then His Majesty Leite VII would not be stingy. I would very much like to address you as Duke."


    He hoped that Tang Mo would support the expansion of the Leite Kingdom and ultimately transform it into a new empire. He also hoped that Tang Mo would help elevate Leite VII to the throne of Emperor, making him the revered founding monarch of the Leite Empire, as the esteemed Emperor Leite I.


    Tang Mo did not take a position; instead, he shook his head and said, "I will continue to support His Majesty the King as I always have... But as you know... I''m actually not that interested in titles either."


    The Prime Minister felt Tang Mo was like a cunning little fox, with deeper schemes than other 20-year-olds, crafty and wary, making him hard to tackle.


    He sighed inwardly, aware that Tang Mo was now beyond his influence, and thus he held back his ulterior motives, asking curiously in casual conversation, "So what are you interested in?"


    "Money!" Tang Mo answered directly without hesitation, "I am very interested in money."


    "You truly have taste," the Prime Minister nodded, agreeing with Tang Mo''s facetious response.


    "Hahaha!" Tang Mo was in high spirits andughed heartily. On the dock, many people looked this way, seeing the uninhibitedughter of Tang Mo.

 Chapter 212: Not much at 208

    After Tang Mo hadughed enough, the Prime Minister finally spoke, "In fact, you are already very wealthy, Mr. Tang. Frankly speaking, you might even be richer than those big bosses of the Shireck Consortium."


    The Shireck Consortium is actually not owned by a single individual. Although most of the shares are held by a few wealthy families, the shares each of these families controls are quite limited.


    But Tang Mo is different. The Great Tang Group is wholly owned by him, which makes his wealth more concentrated. However, Tang Mo still doubted that he was wealthier than those individuals.


    So, Tang Mo shrugged his shoulders and defended himself, "I really don''t have much money. You''ve seen it,ying steel tracks is a huge expense."


    He was not lying; in fact, he really didn''t have much cash on hand¡ªmost of his ie had been reinvested in the construction of his factories.


    Now, he had many factories under construction simultaneously, which had severely depleted his funds to a rather dangerous extent.


    Currently, the Great Tang Group was constructing an oil refinery and a chemical nt on ck Dragon Ind, along with a pharmaceutical factory and arge power nt.


    All of these constructions required time and investment. In the Vicious Forest, the expansion of Tang Mo''s Factory No. 2 was also ongoing.


    The second phase of the railway construction project connecting Northern Ridge and Brunas was also underway. Tang Mo intended to make it a double-track railway line, facilitating both freight and passenger transport.


    In addition to the railway investments elsewhere in the kingdom, factory investments, and stakes in various projects, Tang Mo''s cash did not match his status and identity at all.


    In fact, the Prime Minister was aware of it. He didn''t need to investigate deliberately; a casual inquiry revealed that Tang Mo had recently invested at least one million Gold Coins in expansion and investments, which certainly strained his finances.


    Hence, he suggested to Tang Mo with a smile, "Mr. Tang is joking. If you''re willing to transfer the railway operation rights from Brunas to King City to His Majesty, the capital you could recover may be unimaginablyrge."


    Tang Mo was taken aback, realizing the King seemed prepared to expand his investment in the railway projects. He looked at the Prime Minister and casually asked, "It seems His Majesty has a lot of money at the moment?"


    Recently, all three kingdoms of the alliance were actively integrating their newly annexed territories, which involved resettling and managing thends and their poptions, consuming most of the efforts of the three kings.


    To assimte these newly upied territories quicker and to solidify their control over these regions, the various nations unanimously thought of Tang Mo''s railways.


    Now, with seven or eight railways being constructed at the same time, the countries were not overly eager to expand their military forces. Instead, they focused their efforts on the railway and telegraph systems.


    The countries invited Tang Mo to establish telegraph offices in many cities to cover these regions, enabling them to manage the areas with ease.


    And Tang Mo took the opportunity to expand his influence in these areas, while simultaneously extending his intelligencework.


    However, the expansion of the telegraph system also had another impact: the electromaic environment began to getplicated, forcing Tang Mo to allocate frequency bands for telegraphy and to start introducing more advanced telegraph machines to his troops.


    The Prime Minister did not hide the truth either, nodding and speaking frankly, "Indeed, because of your support, he has never been so wealthy."


    The tax reforms in Leite Kingdom might be even moreprehensive than those of Suthers, mainly because Tang Mo had provided the kingdom with new solutions and enough manpower support.


    Finance Minister Simon could now be considered one of the rising political stars within the kingdom, with performances that tremendously pleased Leite VII.


    Almost all of Simon''s suggestions were fully adopted by Leite VII, and talents rmended by Simon were quickly able to establish firm footing within the Leite Kingdom.


    In return, Simon constructed a very advanced economic system for the Leite Kingdom, and the kingdom''s tax efficiency had never been higher.


    Due to tax reduction and increased efficiency, the Leite Kingdom quickly subdued those new upied territories. By lowering taxes and appeasing the upied areas, the efficiency was truly high.


    With the support of graduates from the Great Tang military academy, Leite Kingdom was thriving, and Leite VII had already far surpassed his forefathers, bing the greatest monarch since the kingdom''s inception.


    Such achievements raised his prestige even more and also enhanced his control over the core areas of the kingdom to a new level.


    Tang Mo was not like Shireck; he almost never caused troubles. Although his pration into the entire kingdom had reached a terrifying extent, he rarely imposed his political influence on Leite Kingdom.


    His weapons were so advanced that he did not need to peddle them; the Leite military had already fully adopted and outfitted itself with weapons and equipment from the Great Tang Group.


    He didn''t need to utilize his umted political capital to implement the political systems he wanted within the kingdom because those systems were all more advanced and the Leite Kingdom''s higher echelons could not refuse these good policies.


    This way of interaction made Leite VII veryfortable and allowed him to pursue his political ambitions boldly and confidently.


    Of course, Tang Mo was not willing to part with his own railway operation rights, so he suggested, "Since His Majesty is so wealthy, why noty another railway, connecting King City with the new upied territories?"


    When Tang Mo asked this, the Prime Minister realized that Tang Mo''s capability to produce iron rails must have increased, so he asked curiously, "You can produce more iron rails now?"


    The production capacity for iron rails had always been insufficient, partly due to the scarcity of raw materials and also due to theck of steel factories.


    To solve this problem, Tang Mo had constructed a new steel factory in Northern Ridge, using local resources to expand the production scale of iron rails.


    However, this meant that Northern Ridge could no longer supply Brunas with iron ingots to full capacity, so Tang Mo had to begin using sea transport routes like the Elves, frantically purchasing iron ore and iron ingots from other regions.


    With Shireck also recently purchasing steel, the price of steel had nearly doubled. Yet Tang Mo still epted every order, showing an attitude that he would take in as much as was avable.


    Recently the steel purchase quota of the Por Kingdom had started to diminish, as the lingering effects of having had many merchant ships sunk were starting to be apparent.


    Tang Mo nodded and answered the Prime Minister''s question, "The new factory has beenpleted in Northern Ridge, and Countess Alice can now provide the Kingdom with 70 kilometers of iron rails every month."


    Because the demand was huge, the size of the factory was also veryrge. The whole of Leite Kingdom had begun to get used to referring to more efficient production units as factories.


    After all, the terms workshop and workhouse no longer reflected the advanced nature of production at Tang Mo''s Great Tang Group.


    Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister immediately expressed his sentiment, "I can now confirm that those who know you be richer and richer."


    In fact, the family of the Prime Minister also owned shares in some of the textile factories built by Tang Mo, creating considerable wealth for the Prime Minister''s family every month.


    These days, the Prime Minister''s household could not do without Tang Mo''s monthly provisions, so without realizing it, the Prime Minister was under Tang Mo''s influence and tended to make decisions that were more favorable to Tang Mo.


    After thinking for a while, Tang Mo gave a reply that surprised the Prime Minister, "Not entirely."


    "Hmm?" The Prime Minister looked at Tang Mo with curiosity, showing a gossiping expression.


    Tang Mo, who had no intention of hiding anything, immediately exined to the Prime Minister, "Actually, the Por Kingdom, which has been maintaining an expansionist posture recently, owes me arge amount of money."


    The Prime Minister immediately rified his position, siding with Tang Mo, "Does the Leite Kingdom need to exert some pressure? If necessary, we can change our diplomatic policy towards the Por Kingdom."


    Leite Kingdom''s recent expansion had given him a lot of confidence, and with Tang Mo''s technological support, the Prime Minister did not believe that the Por Kingdom could rival Leite Kingdom.


    Even though the former had also been showing strength recently, expanding, and even defeated the Gales Kingdom, swallowing up the Sena ins.


    Tang Mo looked towards the warship anchored at the side and said to the Prime Minister, "There''s absolutely no need for that, my irond warships have already blockaded Por Kingdom''s Southwater Port."


    It was then that the Prime Minister realized that Tang Mo had already gone to war with the Por Kingdom. He looked at the cold, formidable warship and confidently made his assessment, "They must be very ufortable."


    "Yes, and my next step is to smash their Osa Port, what do you think, Prime Minister?" Tang Mo asked with a smile.


    He was so casual as if attacking a Kingdom''s port were a very simple matter.


    The Prime Minister was silent, and after about a dozen seconds, he spoke up. He promised Tang Mo very solemnly, "If necessary, the Leite Kingdom is willing to dere war on the Por Kingdom."


    Unknowingly, Tang Mo already had the power to decide on such an important national decision as dering war on another kingdom.


    Tang Mo was not proud; he refused the Prime Minister''s offer with thanks, "Thank you, but things will certainly not develop to such an uncontroble extent."


    The Prime Minister also breathed a sigh of relief because actually, dering war on a strong, non-neighboring country was indeed a great pressure for him.


    After confirming that Tang Mo did not need the Leite Kingdom''s support to dere war, the Prime Minister visibly rxed quite a bit and asked in a gossiping manner, "I want to know, how much do they owe you?"


    Tang Mo casually replied with an imprecise number, "Not much, about 14 million Gold Coins. I didn''t ask my finance minister; it might be a bit more..."


    The Prime Minister was stunned, and it took him a while to confirm that the number he had heard was real and substantial.


    Then, after a few seconds, he realized just how terrifying that number was.


    "Pfft..." He couldn''t help it.

 Chapter 213: Relying on son 209

    A beautiful carriage, escorted by a group of cavalry, rushed into the city district of Southwater Port and then stopped in front of the city hall.


    The political officials and tax officials who had been waiting there, upon seeing the man who emerged from the carriage, immediately greeted him with respect, "Lord Earl! You have finally returned!"


    "How are things?" Earl Augustine Reibert, looking wan with fatigue, entered through the main entrance first, asked without looking back.


    His voice echoed in the spacious corridor, apanied by the sound of a line of people''s leather boots striking the marble floor.


    The mayor answered with a face full of ease, starting with the suddenly good news, "Yesterday... Two enemy warships in the open sea suddenly left."


    "Lord Earl trulymands awe on all sides. No sooner had you returned than the enemy fled on their own!" The tax official quickly offered ttery, with a sycophantic expression, congratting him.


    "Left?" The Earl paused in his step, his expression growing grave. Nevertheless, he did not continue speaking and resumed walking forward.


    Personally opening the door to his own office for the Earl, the mayor bowed slightly, "Yes, they left. After bombarding our harbor and crippling our docks, they left."


    The Earl hung his cloak on the coat rack and asked with great displeasure, "They broke through to the harbor?"


    He had not expected his base, Southwater Port, to suffer such severe damage. Nor had he anticipated that on his way back, enemy warships would suddenly intrude into Southwater Port.


    Under normal circumstances, navy warships do not rashly cause havoc inside a harbor, for they would face harassment from the shore batteries, and risk unnecessary losses.


    Only if they had a very clear advantage, or if they were indeed preparing to destroy a port for a subsequentnding, would they choose to attack a port, heedless of losses.


    Who could have imagined that the enemy would be bold enough to break into the harbor and inflict massive damage on his Southwater Port?


    The mayor had an embarrassed look on his face; he too had not expected the enemy to smash his docks before leaving, so he said gloomily, "Yes, our batteries werepletely ineffective at stopping their assault. The enemy brazenly rushed in, fired around 20 rounds, and then rampaged out again."


    Reibert was not in a ming mood, as he knew that the troubles of the day were all enticed by his own greed.


    So, after returning to his desk, he simply asked, "Is the damage to the docks severe?"


    "Not particrly, only the sunken ships are troublesome; they need to be cleared." The mayor immediately responded, "I''ve already sent people to deal with it."


    "How many days will it take to repair?" Reibert asked anxiously, because on his trip back, he had already understood the loss to Southwater Port¡ªin gold and silver for every day.


    What was more terrifying was that once his factories stopped, the national machinery would slow down, and His Majesty the King''s earnestly sought-after expansion abroad would be indefinitely postponed, which was even more unbearable for him!


    Many merchant fleets traveling south from Southwater Port had lost everything, countless metals, and gold coins had sunk to the bottom of the sea, bing his loss.


    Such losses were countless and had greatly exceeded his estimates¡ªthis was already totally immeasurable in terms of gold coins.


    The mayor''s face became even more embarrassed, stammering out an answer, "Perhaps seven or eight days, maybe a dozen days..."


    "Do you know why those two warships left?" Earl Reibert fell silent for a few seconds, finally moving on from the port damage issue, then asked again.


    Everyone shook their heads, and the mayor had no choice but to exin once more, "We don''t know, we can''t confirm. The other side did not intend tomunicate with us. They just sent that note."


    "..." Reibert remained silent, clearly growing angry.


    So, the mayor hastily introduced some good news, "To defend the port, we''ve already called up 1,000 soldiers from the surrounding regions, but it seems the enemy has no intention ofnding."


    "Two warships, how many men could they have on board? They probably couldn''tnd, but we can''t afford to have our port blockaded either," Reibert snorted derisively, unimpressed with the mayor''s exnation.


    After thinking for a few seconds, he continued to ask another question that made everyone ufortable, "Tell me, how many ships have we lost these days?"


    "Lord Earl, we have done a rough estimate: around 270 various merchant and transport ships, including armed merchantmen..." the mayor, feeling helpless, continued his reply.


    Reibert was astonished, staring at the mayor and eximing, "That many?"


    "It''s hard to say," the mayor answered in a low voice, head down.


    "What do you mean?" Reibert was on the verge of losing his temper, and he pressed the question sternly.


    The mayor hurriedly exined, "We can only roughly calcte the number of ships that should have returned by now. But none of the ships that were supposed to return did, so we can only specte that they must have been sunk."


    "..." Reibert''s chest heaved, at a loss for what to say.


    The mayor chose his words carefully and continued, "However, it is possible that some fleets did not return on time for some reason, or perhaps they returned to other ports..."


    After ncing at Reibert, he tactfully closed his mouth.


    Reibert''s face darkened, his voice biting as he questioned, "You mean to say that in less than a month, we''ve lost nearly one-third of our merchant ships, lost control of the seas, and had over a dozen warships sunk?"


    The mayor''s response this time was straightforward, as the sinking of the 12 warships had nothing to do with him: "Yes, my lord, ording to the news from Osa Port, they indeed dispatched 12 warships southward to support us at Southwater... However, the enemy has destroyed that fleet."


    "12 warships... plus the 2 we left at Southwater... it really is infuriating enough to set one''s teeth on edge." Reibert thought about how he only owed the Great Tang Group a hundred thousand Gold Coins and felt a tingling irritation in his teeth.


    Wouldn''t it be fine if he simply paid back 120,000 Gold Coins, including the interest? Was there really a need to make such a big fuss?


    As he was considering whether he should find someone to settle the debt and save face for the Great Tang Group by offering 200,000 Gold Coins, an officer spoke up, his voice carrying a forced courage, "Marquis, my lord."


    "Hmm?" He looked towards the officer with the bandaged arm, waiting for him to continue.


    The timid officer handed over a sheet of paper recording several issues, saying, "There''s another report here that says..."


    "Just say it! What is it?" Marquis Reibert didn''t even reach out to take the paper, instead asking impatiently.


    "On the northern coast of the port, fishermen have seen ck smoke on the sea surface..." the officer ventured carefully, seeming to hope that the Marquis would grasp the significance.


    Augustine Reibert was not a fool; upon hearing this report, he immediatelytched onto the significance of "northern."


    "Yes, the north," the officer visibly rxed, nodding and repeating.


    "Osa... damn it!" Indeed, Augustine Reibert realized that something was terribly wrong. He jumped to his feet as if electrified.


    The next second, he pointed toward the door, barking orders loudly, "Quick! Quick! Send someone to Osa! On the fastest horse! Send the message with utmost speed! Warn the Navy in Osa Port!


    Tell them to leave immediately!"


    He definitely did not want the fleet arranged at Osa to be trapped by two enemy ships and then bepletely annihted in the harbor!


    After all, this was one of the few maritime forces of the Por Kingdom that could be mobilized directly along its extensive coastline!


    If this fleet was sunk by the enemy, the long coastline, including Southwater Port, would practically be undefended, left bare.


    Therefore, he had to make sure the fleet left Osa Port immediately, hiding away and waiting for a more critical moment to engage in naval battles to turn the tide of the war.


    The mayor, still not fullyprehending the urgency, asked with a puzzled look, "Leave Osa? But where should they go after leaving Osa?"


    Marquis Reibert couldn''t contain his roar any longer. He pped the table and shouted, "Take a wide berth! Head out to the open sea, then south down here!"


    "My lord... please, calm down!" the mayor urged cautiously, "Wouldn''t His Majesty suspect... that the fleet is being used to threaten... "


    In his opinion, without the King''s permission, it would be intolerable and a grievous mistake to recall the warships directly to defend Southwater andpletely abandon Osa.


    But Marquis Reibert could no longer afford to consider the King''s feelings as he had had enough of theck of timely information and the inability to mobilize troops to respond to threats.


    So he continued to yell, "Threaten my ass! If they go any further north, ourmunication with them will take even longer! If we can''t send messages fast enough and react in time, the danger will only increase! Quick! Do as I say!"


    If the Osa fleet were to be destroyed, he might as well not bother exining to the King. Looking at those factories that had ceased production, awaiting raw materials, he had already made it impossible for the Kingdom to expand further.


    Without restoring such capability, his position as Marquis would be unstable. Faced with instablity either way, he would rather incur the King''s suspicion than have the Emperor think him ipetent!


    The mayor finally caught on and hurriedly agreed, "Yes! Yes! I understand, my lord. I''ll dispatch someone with the orders right away!"


    Slumping back into his seat, Marquis Reibert closed his eyes, exhausted, leaning back in his chair, muttering softly, "My son, my son... it''s time for you to step up... don''t let me down!"

 Chapter 214: The new manager of 210

    Inside the most luxurious office of the Great Tang Group, Tang Mo was sitting in his own seat, listening to Luff report thetest situation of the military.


    On the huge map hanging on the wall, Luff was pushing willow leaf-shaped mas representing the approximate locations of the warships.


    This map was exquisitely made, with an iron sheet as the backing board, and all thebels on the map were created with mas.


    This design made it crystal clear at a nce what forces one had at their disposal, with the only w being the map pasted on the iron board was prone to wear and tear and needed to be reced from time to time.


    At this moment, the deployment of all warships of the Great Tang Group was indicated by mas on the map, clear and unmistakable.


    Luff opened his mouth to introduce, "Brunas 1 is on its way back to Brunas, Bruna 2 and Bruna 3 are heading north to Osa Military Harbor, Bruna 4 is at Dragon Ind, Bruna 5 is on its way to Dragon Ind, and Bruna 6 is stationed in Bruna Harbor."


    Such a deployment also showed that Tang Mo had never sent his fleet''s main force to attack the Por Kingdom. Two-thirds of his warships were either deployed at ck Dragon Ind or in Brunas, with one ship on its way back to Brunas.


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo was building two new Wolf-ss cruisers, and another Brunas-ss warship was being built slowly.


    This Brunas-ss warship was meant to be sold off, after all with the more advanced Wolf-ss cruisers avable, who would want the outdated Brunas-ss irond warships?


    For purchasing this new type of warship, the Leite Kingdom offered a price of 230,000 Gold Coins¡ªthis might be the most expensive warship in the history of this world.


    However, its record would soon be broken, because the Wolf-ss warships that Tang Mo was building, if sold, would obviously fetch an even more terrifying price.


    After introducing the whereabouts of the six warships, Luff continued with the construction situation of thend forces, "For ground troops, among our two regiments, one is dispersed along the line from Brunas to Northern Ridge, and the other is deployed on Dragon Ind."


    Recently, the Great Tang Group had no ns for ground warfare; the main role of its two regiments was to ensure the security of their own factories.


    Thus, although these troops were equipped with the most advanced weapons, their scale had not expanded too much, which satisfied the upper and lower echelons of the Leite Kingdom very much.


    After all, the existence of a powerful armed force inside the country that one cannot control would indeed make a monarch sleepless at night.


    However, since this armed force had always maintained restraint and didn''t frequently exhibit aggressiveness, Leite VII was very satisfied.


    Pointing to go stone-sized hematite mas on the map, Luff said, "Among them, one battalion of Regiment 1 is in Brunas, one battalion is in Factory 2, and one battalion is training in the Vicious Forest. They rotate regrly..."


    Because "ck Dragon Ind" didn''t sound very nice, and the ck dragon didn''t quite fit Tang Mo''s golden dragon emblem, the Great Tang Group decided to rename ck Dragon Ind to Dragon Ind, and the first city on Dragon Ind was also named Dragon City.


    So when referring to ck Dragon Ind, Luff was already very ustomed to using the new name for the ind controlled by the Great Tang Group, "On Dragon Ind, the second regiment has one battalion deployed in Dragon City, while the other two newly expanded battalions are in training."


    "For weapon equipment, Regiment 1''s first battalion is switching to recoilless guns, phasing out the original 120 mm caliber C80 recoilless guns, preparing to sell them as second-hand weapons to the newly formed Fifth Corps of Northern Ridge after theplete refit," Redman also added.


    He paused, giving a verymon summary of the military report, "Everything is proceeding ording to n."


    Indeed, everything was going ording to Tang Mo''s n, so everything was under control, which in itself was good news for a decision-maker.


    Soon it was the turn of the sales department to introduce their work situation. A young sales manager began to speak, "Dorne''s envoy has already settled in the Brunas inn, they are negotiating with us for the purchase of 40 C80 recoilless field guns."


    He was quiet, dressed in the suits designed by Tang Mo, wearing sses on his face, just like an ordinary job-seeking young man.


    But those who knew of his credentials would not underestimate him, for he had won a schrship at the Great Tang Military Academy and learned under Tang Mo for four months.


    Those personally trained by Tang Mo were technical talents who couldmand respect. This young man named Harry was a professional handpicked by Tang Mo to negotiate business on his behalf.


    Harry, armed with at least thirty percent of Tang Mo''s skill and the technological edge of the Great Tang Group, was able to hold his own at the negotiation table against many veteran managers.


    Tang Mo looked at Harry and asked, "It''s not just about the artillery, is it?"


    The young Harry, in his role as the Sales Director of the Great Tang Group,manded the external sales department. He nodded and said to Tang Mo, "Yes, master. In fact, their greatest concern is our G1 machine gun, which is considered a secret weapon."


    Although in private Harry liked to call Tang Mo teacher or headmaster, even if there was another person present, even if that person was Tang Mo''s personal guard Wes, he would use the term "master" to address Tang Mo.


    He revealed the purpose of Dorne''s delegation''s visit, "They hope to purchase at least 10 G1 machine guns in the future."


    The Maxim machine guns from the Great Tang Group, also known as G1 machine guns, had already been equipped by many troops. This included the Great Tang Group''s own security forces, the Northern Ridge''s troops, and the elite of both the Leite Kingdom and the Suthers Kingdom.


    However, except for the Great Tang Group''s own security forces, the other troops were equipped with very few. The Northern Ridge only had 8 machine guns, just two per legion. Even their newly formed 5th Legion didn''t have a single one.


    The Leite Kingdom''s most powerful troops were equipped with 4 G1 machine guns, and the Suthers Kingdom also owned 4.


    These weapons were treated like treasures by those who had seen their power, not readily shown to others. Even their training was done in secrecy, and after use, even the shell casings were collected and counted.


    Moreover, both the Leite Kingdom and the Suthers Kingdom were actively working to purchase more G1 machine guns.


    "That''s a significant amount," Tang Mo said with a smile on his face when he heard the number of 10 machine guns.


    Harry nodded slightly and continued to report, "Yes, but they are willing to sign a huge order at the same time."


    He then listed off their purchase list as if on a carousel, "First, they are willing to purchase 40 C80 cannons, along with matching transport carts, ammunition carts, and 1500 shells."


    "Simrly, they are also willing to purchase 4000 K1 Quick Guns, 500 new Left-Wheel Handguns, and 1000 K2 lever-action rifles. This includes the corresponding equipment, ammunition, and rted training..." Clearly, these "scraps" also represented the other party''s sincerity.


    "Is there more?" Tang Mo knew full well that their sincerity wasn''t limited to these.


    As expected, Harry continued, "Additionally, they wish to build 3 bullet factories within their borders, a production line for K1 rifles, and a production line for C80 cannons..."


    And obviously, the other side''s sincerity didn''t stop there, they were even willing to allow Tang Mo to set up his own intelligencework in their country, "Of course, during negotiations they emphasized the telegraph machine, hoping we can set telegraph stations in their major cities, at least 10 of them."


    "10 machine guns, 100,000 bullets..." Finally, after Harry finished speaking, he looked toward Tang Mo and named the other party''s price, "They are willing to pay 1.3 million Gold Coins for these..."


    Of course, this offer included some extra "protection money." That money was probably to ensure the benefits of continuing their expansion after purchasing advanced weapons from Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo nodded slightly, the other party''s price was obviously well-calcted and quite reasonable. However, he still decided to bargain with them, "It''s a fair price. But our profit margin is too low."


    "I think so too," Harry immediately agreed.


    Tang Mo lit a cigarette, held it between his fingers, exhaled a puff of smoke, and ordered, "Then give them a quote of 2 million."


    "Right." Harry wrote down Tang Mo''s demand in his notebook and then, as if remembering something else, began to speak.


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo and several others around him looked toward Harry, waiting for him to continue.


    Indeed, Harry brought up another request from the other party, "Along with the special envoy came representatives from Dorne''s civil business associations. They hope to raise funds on their own to purchase rails and trains to build a railroad for their own use in the southern part of Dorne."


    "What''s the price?" Tang Mo asked offhandedly.


    "Our quote for the entire railway is 1.7 million Gold Coins. They hope to push the price down to 1.1 million Gold Coins, and there''s a significant disparity between the two parties," Harry immediately stated the price proposed by them.


    Tang Mo thought for a moment and reduced the price by 100,000 Gold Coins, "1 million Gold Coins! Give it to them! Also, sell them the technology for producing the rails, but I want one third of the equity in that railway!"


    "Yes!" Harry nodded respectfully, indicating he had no more to say.

 Chapter 215: 211 Coachman

    ```


    "Dingling! Dingling!" One of the four telephones in front of Tang Mo suddenly rang with a crisp tone.


    Tang Mo picked up the handset and put it to his ear, "It''s me, what''s the matter?"


    "In the No. 2 factory assembly workshop, the thing you designed has been manufactured," Mathews'' excited voice came through the phone, "It''s magnificent! I never thought that one day I''d create something so great!"


    "I''m on my way!" Tang Mo hung up the phone immediately.


    Then, he grabbed another telephone in front of him, and ordered, "Get ready, we''re going to No. 2 factory."


    Soon, Tang Mo, who arrived at the No. 2 factory, saw the thing he had been longing for¡ªa car!


    This was the world''s first car, but because it was directly based on designs provided by Tang Mo, it was already using a more advanced design that was no match for the ancient cars of the olden times.


    Right from the start, Tang Mo had established aplete car production line, which was the famous Ford automobile production line.


    The car Tang Mo intended to release was the first-generation civilian Model T car. This car was designedpletely for themon people, with a simple design and affordable price.


    In Tang Mo''s original world, the Fordpany had achieved tremendous sess with this sessful design, producing as many as 15 million of these cars, which illustrates the "superiority" of this type of vehicle.


    And indeed, it was superior because the design of this car was mature, with a low failure rate, nearly a perfect design for early automobiles.


    Of course, it''s not all good, because its design is actually vastly different from modern cars, and one could almost say that driving this car actually requires special training.


    First, to start this car, one needed to crank the front end with a lever, a design that was actuallymon in early cars, so it couldn''t be said to be a unique feature of the Model T.


    If not careful, this lever could even cause injuries by the engine turning over prematurely, so one had to be very careful when starting the car.


    Additionally, the Model T''s clutch was a three-speedary gear, with only two forward gears and one reverse gear, and these three gears were controlled by three separate pedals!


    That means, this car actually had four pedals! And none of these four pedals were for the throttle control!


    The throttle for this car was next to the steering wheel, controlled by hand! So the control of this car waspletely different from that of today''s cars.


    What''s more interesting is that this car could only seat two people, a standard small car, and both its load and speed were quite ordinary.


    This car had an engine close to 3 liters with four cylinders, offering 20 horsepower of traction, allowing the car to theoretically zip along at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour.


    The engine''s fuel consumption per hundred kilometers was around 9 liters, which is actually a rather awkward figure: early gasoline engines were not precisely made and had quitemon performance, and the fuel consumption was rtively highpared to modern standards.


    The design of this car''s fuel tank was also odd; it relied on gravity to get the gasoline into the carburetor, but the position of the tank in the first-generation Model T was designed so low that it couldn''t climb hills when low on fuel. If it needed to go uphill when low on fuel, it could only go up in reverse¡­


    So, Tang Mo could only take out subsequent improved design blueprints and relocate the fuel tank between the engine and the driver.


    Despite these ws, the emergence of this type of car indeed resolved Tang Mo''s needs for automobiles; he could finally mass-produce cars and allow his troops to move more swiftly.


    Also, it would greatly save his time, as cars could effectively fill the gap in the transportationwork, allowing him to reach his destinations faster.


    And in fact, the greatest advantage of the Ford Model T was the use of the assembly line production method, enabling it to be effortlessly manufactured!


    Skilled workers, inbination, could assemble a Ford car in just 10 minutes; it was also material-efficient, all of which met Tang Mo''s needs.


    As long as the car was cheap enough and production was fast, he could make more money, which he could use to improve his car production line and produce even better cars!


    At this moment, the car was not yet aesthetically pleasing, but Tang Mo was certain that if he desired, Mathews and others could create a more luxurious car for him!


    Tang Mo had even chosen his favorite model: the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1923! He nned to use this car as his first vehicle, as he had no particr affection for the Model T car, a mass-produced model for the general popce.


    No matter how good the Model T car was, it was merely a solution to a problem of avability, and he must add some excitement to his life, to create some romantic ir.


    The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost car had a performance so extraordinary that its excellent V6 six-cylinder engine could allow the car to reach speeds over 100 kilometers per hour in 1923.


    ```


    What amazed people even more was that, in that era, it could ensure that the car wouldn''t break down and could continue to travel at high speeds.


    Compared to the T-model cars that would break down at the drop of a hat, the Rolls-Royce was the true essence of an excellent car, the luxurious existence that could truly disy Tang Mo''s status!


    "We''ve made improvements, and can add 2 more seats to this car, or add apartment for hauling things," Mathews proudly introduced the direction of improvements for this T-model car, as in his view, Tang Mo was no different from the god of technology.


    However, he personally was clearly somewhat dissatisfied with the performance of these cars, "Theoretically, it can haul a C80 field artillery piece, but it can''t travel off-road, and can''t go very fast either."


    "A carriage can''t haul a C80 field artillery piece off-road either, and of course, it can''t haul a C105 howitzer. But we can use two carriages linked together to haul a C105..." Parker, who was standing by, was a little anxious. Worried that Tang Mo might also be dissatisfied with the performance of these cars, he interjected to exin.


    "No worries, we''ll soon have cars with even greater horsepower, so don''t fret about it!" Tang Mo reassured the somewhat nervous Parker, patting him on the shoulder.


    Afterforting Parker, Tang Mo then looked at the T-model car in front of him and asked Mathews, "Now we can start to think about it, how much should we sell such a brand-new mode of transportation for?"


    "How about 177 Gold Coins per car?" Mathews felt that such a revolutionary design should at least earn twice the profit, no matter what.


    The cost to produce this car was around 59 Gold Coins, so selling it for 177 Gold Coins wasn''t actually expensive.


    After all, this thing was the crystallization of technology! It was the most advanced gasoline engine-driven precision machine of the time! 177 Gold Coins was far cheaper than a steam engine.


    "That''s why I say, you''re alright as a craftsman, but you''recking a bit as a businessman," Tang Mo said to Mathews with a smile.


    Then he looked at Harry who was standing beside him and asked, "What about you? How much do you think this car should sell for?"


    "I think, if it''s feasible, it''s best to sell it for only 80 Gold Coins!" After pondering for a few seconds, Harry then answered Tang Mo''s question.


    Tang Moughed heartily, then nodded and said, "After the first batch is produced, we''ll find a way to reduce the costs further, and the final price... 75 Gold Coins!"


    Compared to hispetitors, his greatest advantage was that he had no research and development costs and wouldn''t be taking any detours. He couldpletely reduce the cost to an unbelievably low level ording to his personal preference.


    Thus, in certain industries, Tang Mo could, if he wished, forge his own path and leave no room for others to follow.


    In the vital manufacturing industry of automobiles, Tang Mo was prepared to do just that¡ªhe was going to seize the market with his absolute price advantage and crush those who tried to imitate or catch up!


    By the time his cars weremonce, his follow-up models would likewise inundate the entire market, leaving no gaps for other rivals.


    The reason he was doing this was to dy as much as possible the time his rivals might imitate him, thus giving himself more time to focus on oil and other energy sources, as well as subsequent technological breakthroughs.


    Since he had already left hispetitors behind in technology, he could use the dual advantages of technology and price topletely seal them within outdated realms.


    By the timepetitors like Shireck thought about manufacturing rival products, they would despair to find that there was no profit to speak of.


    Soon after, they would find themselves in the awkward cycle of it being cheaper to rent than to buy, and cheaper to buy than to build, unable to catch up to Tang Mo for the rest of their lives.


    "Selling that cheap?" Mathews was greatly surprised; he had thought Tang Mo would use this new mode of transportation to make a hefty profit.


    "Cheap? If someone copies it, I''ll immediately sell it for 70 Gold Coins each!" Tang Mo revealed an evil grin, like a man-eating monster.


    But his smile quickly became sunny again because the production of the cars was assuredly good news for him.


    Thereupon, he walked over to Mathews and patted the Dwarf''s shoulder, then patted Parker''s shoulder, and then turned to Harry, "Don''t be stingy! Once the production capacity increases, I''ll give each of you one of these cars!"


    While saying this, he also teased Mathews, "...you might need a driver though! Hahaha! I''ll find someone to drive for you!"


    Speaking of drivers... Wes!" He looked at Wes, who was standing nearby and still sizing up the car, "You might have to learn to drive! I need a driver!"


    "Driver?" Wes clearly didn''t quite understand the term.


    "Chauffeur!" Tang Mo rified, "It''s simr to your current job!"

 Chapter 216: You dont understand 212

    Off the coast of Osa Port, two Brunas-ss irond warships, belching ck smoke, were engaged in a fierce artillery battle with the fleet of the Por Kingdom, which was in disarray within the harbor.


    The artillery battle was truly intense. Tang Mo''s irond warships incessantly fired cannonballs into the hulls of the Por Kingdom''s ships, while the Por warships kept firing their cannonballs into the sea.


    The scene seemed extremely fierce, but the situation was already one-sided on the battlefield. The Elf Navy was being destroyed, and they were trapped inside the harbor with no way to escape.


    Gazing at the distant cannons that couldn''t reach his own ship, the captain of the Brunas No. 2 warship sneered and ordered, "Port side! 310 meters! Adjust firing parameters!"


    "Port side! 310 meters! Firing parameters adjusted!" The weapons officer, standing not far in front of him, immediately repeated the order.


    They could see the twin-mounted cannons on the deck in front of their own bridge slightly adjusting the elevation of their barrels, then fixing them in a new position.


    "Fire!" the captain ordered softly. They were actually at a distance where the enemy ships could return fire, so after reloading, he immediately gave the order to fire.


    And a distant Elf sailing ship also fired a dozen cannonballs, which struck and left some imperceptible, shallow pits on the armor of the Brunas No. 2 warship.


    The weapons officer shouted loudly, "Fire!"


    "Boom!" Apanied by his shout, both the visible bow turrets and the invisible stern turrets roared together, as three cannonballs flew into the midst of the Elf fleet.


    The explosions threw up spouts of water higher than lighthouses, simultaneously sting an Elf warshippletely in two.


    Soon after, the Brunas No. 3 warship, following close behind the Brunas No. 2, also fired a broadside, turning another wooden sailing ship of the Por Kingdom into splinters.


    Warships armed withrge-caliber naval guns and explosive shells indeed had an overwhelming advantage when facing wooden sailing ships. Leveraging this massive advantage, the two irond warships moved like mighty dragons through the water, unobstructed as if in uninhabited territory.


    Already battling for nearly an hour, Osa Military Harbor at this moment seemed to depict the end of the world, a scene of devastating bleakness and somber valor, as ammunition and provisions ran out.


    The naval fleet of the Por Kingdom stationed hereprised 18 warships, along with the originally deployed defense fleet, totaling 22 warships, and there were also 4 armed merchant ships responsible for transport.


    Including the coastal defense units and the harbor guard troops, there was a legion of 1,500 men, plus another 500 men assigned to a coastal artillery battery unit.


    Thesend forces together had 30 cannons, most of which were deployed on the Osa artillery batteries, facing the sea to blockade the harbor.


    The current situation was that 26 warships blocked within Osa Military Harbor were struggling in fiercebat, with little hope of holding out much longer.


    Of those, 10 warships had already sunk, and at least another 6 had lost their ability to fight.


    The Por Kingdom had suffered heavy losses this time; their numerical advantage in the navy had been wiped out, and they were now in aplete disadvantage evenpared to several neighboring countries.


    And the pressing issue was that even though they still had a numerical advantage, against two such bizarre and formidable warships, they dared not im they could be victorious.


    Indeed, they couldn''t even save their own warships. No matter where they hid, they were relentlessly attacked and destroyed by their opponents!


    Among the remaining warships, there was no longer a gship. Themander of the Elf fleet, who was also the overallmanding officer, had just managed to swim ashore, now gasping for breath as hey on the stones of the breakwater.


    It was fortunate that the fierce battle erupted within the harbor, so the distance from the fleet to the dock was not too far, which allowed the waterborne Elf soldiers to swim back to shore and seek a chance for survival.


    However, the warships they controlled could not go ashore, so these sailors could only watch helplessly as theirrades'' ships ended up with only their masts rising above the sea surface.


    "Damn it, how did theye here?" The thoroughly soakedmander of the Por Kingdom''s fleet watched his ships nearing annihtion and asked in angry disbelief.


    Calcting the time, these two warships with exceptional sailing speed must have headed north shortly after encountering the attack by the 12 warships from the Por Kingdom traveling south.


    Perhaps... it was the southern-bound 12 warships that had provoked those fearsome enemies, causing them to abandon the Southwater blockade and furiously advance to Osa.


    Thinking of this, he truly regretted. Had he known the enemy was so ferocious and difficult to deal with, he would not have divided his forces into 12 warships to provoke such adversaries!


    The dys in information had cost the Elf Navy dear. They had lost more than half their forces, and most of them still didn''t know who the enemy really was, where they hade from...


    "General... The Walnut has sunk... Our fleet is scattered, but it doesn''t look like they can break through..." A soaking wet officer staggered over and reported the distressing news in disarray.


    They had already been defeated. In this situation, no one could escape responsibility. Therefore, everyone was downcast and in despair.


    Because they needed to find every possible way to exin how their 26 warships were effortlessly annihted by the enemy''s two warships...


    Moreover, including the losses in support of Southwater, the Por Kingdom had already lost 36 naval ships, as well as at least 40 armed merchant ships, sunk.


    For a country that relied on the sea, this basically represented the loss of more than half of its naval maneuvering force.


    For a navy that prized mobility and flexibility, this was virtually no different from losingbat capability. In fact, Por Kingdom''s sea transport was paralyzed, with Southwater Port unable to recover even one-fifth of its original throughput.


    The two smoke-belching warships before them showed no signs of stopping. Their guns still roared as the few remaining warships on the sea, finally overburdened, began to sink slowly.


    After sinking all the warships in sight, these two irond warships actually approached the dock and used the deck guns to shell the city district and castle built far off at the port.


    Huge explosions destroyed a corner of the castle, and ck smoke rose from the city district as well. As chaos ensued within the city, explosions also urred at the battery, causing several ck smoke plumes to roll up as if monsters were struggling and tearing in the sky.


    Then, as many drenched navy sailors watched, the two warships sailed away, seemingly not wanting to stay a second longer.


    Looking at the two receding smoke trails, the totalmander of the navy fleet who leaned on therge rocks of the breakwater, let out a breath. Unbeknownst to him, he had developed a deep-seated awe for those two warships.


    He feared those warships that came and went like shadows and wind; he feared hearing those dull cannon sts; he feared seeing the water columns that the explosive shells stirred up, towering higher than lighthouses...


    Even as he watched the two warships depart, he was still frightened. He knew that even if his 30 warships had been present, today he would still be the desperate one being beaten down in the water.


    "I hope they won''te back," he finally voiced his inner thoughts, for he feared that he wouldn''t have the chance to say such words afterward.


    Having lost almost half of the Kingdom''s maritime forces, his role as the navalmander was essentially over.


    "Yes, let''s hope we never have to engage with an opponent like that again," the equally drenched deputymander slumped down, looking at the gradually calming sea surface, and simrly expressed his thoughts.


    In less than two hours, Osa Port, the Por Kingdom''srgest military harbor, was thoroughly ruined.


    To recover, they at least had to salvage these sunken warships ¡ª the good news wasn''t all gone, at least in the shallows, they might be able to recover all the Shireck muzzle-loading guns from the warships.


    Though they were damaged beyond use, melting them down and re-smelting... could actually somewhatpensate for the losses...


    The day after the two Brunas-ss warships disappeared from the sea surface, a few Knights escorted an officer, rushing to the main gate of Osa Port''s castle.


    "Are they still here? Are they still here?" the leading officer asked breathlessly as he dismounted from his horse, not minding his weakened legs while being supported.


    "Who?" the Osa military officers and guards, busy cleaning up the port, looked at the messenger who hade from afar and asked. They had been preupied in thest day and did not immediately realize who he meant.


    The officer adjusted himself, took arge gulp of water from the sk handed over by someone next to him, and, regaining some strength, immediately asked, "The two irond warships..."


    "You''re toote... they''ve already left," the disheartened naval general answered upon receiving the news.


    "They didn''t, didn''t cause any damage, did they?" the officer immediately asked, tense.


    "... You''ve been through a lot. Maybe you should rest a bit first?" the naval officer could only shamefully bring the conversation to a close.


    That messenger officer immediately frowned, emphasizing the importance of his message, "Damn it, they''ve already attacked the port? How bad is the damage to the fleet? Marquis is waiting for a report on the losses and battle details!"


    The naval general, knowing he couldn''t keep hiding the truth, braced himself and answered, "All our warships were inside the harbor..."


    "Well, that''s good," the messenger officer let out a sigh of relief.


    However, the news he received next almost made him faint.


    Because, he just heard the naval general continue to exin, "No, you don''t understand, they''ve all sunk inside the harbor..."


    "What?" The officer was stunned upon hearing this, then became utterly dismayed and finally fainted away.


    It took a while for those around to wake him again, and as he opened his eyes, he insisted, "Send, send the message back to Southwater... Fast! It has to be fast..."

 Chapter 217: Do you want to get rich?

    "My God!" the young man eximed, unable to suppress his shout as he gazed at the gigantic ten-story building before him, his face filled with shock.


    Standing on the street, it seemed as if he had seen the future. In his view, next to the unprecedented ten-story building, a massive fifteen-story building was nearingpletion.


    Majestic five-story buildings stood on either side of the street, and on their vast sidewalls, posters of a beautiful woman posing provocatively were spray-painted.


    At the top of the poster, a slogan written in stylized characters weed visitors to Brunas No.9 Street¡ªanyone who had stayed in Brunas for two days would know that No.9 Street was the most famous red-light district around.


    To speak frankly, there were just too many tall buildings here. In just six months, the high-rises of Brunas had skyrocketed, increasing tenfold or more from before.


    Within a few months, the record for the tallest building had been broken repeatedly. Now holding the record was andmark building invested in and constructed by the Great Tang Group: the Brunas Hotel.


    The luxury of this hotel was beyond imagination. It was frequented by celebrities from all walks of life, and many earls and marquises had rooms permanently reserved for themselves here.


    There was no way around it¡ªthis was a symbol of power. If you didn''t even have a room in the Brunas Hotel, others would easily doubt your financial strength, hence less confidence in doing business with you.


    Of course, the height record of this colossal hotel, which had 17 floors, was already in jeopardy, as at least 20 construction projects underway in Brunas City had dered that they would exceed 50 meters in height.


    Even more, three of those projects had dered heights of around 100 meters, which was simply impossible to find anywhere else.


    On the street, it was bustling with traffic; he even caught sight of a novel type of vehicle that did not rely on horses to move¡ªa sight unseen elsewhere.


    These vehicles moved swiftly, causing pedestrians to dodge to either side, while the nobility inside basked in pride, enjoying the unprecedented convenience brought by new technology.


    They certainly had reason to be proud, for only in Brunas could they purchase such novel modes of transportation which weren''t avable anywhere else!


    Apart from these novel cars, horse-drawn carriages remained the mainstream mode of transport. Brunas'' streets and alleys were filled with carriages, as well as some rickshaws and horses.


    In short, the traffic here was exceptionally busy and congested, with a huge span of diversity. It was even possible to see a ''mounted police'' officer speaking with a car driver, head bent low.


    After dodging a horse-drawn carriage loaded with goods, he saw groups of children with backpacks walking along the edge of the road.


    The children passed by fire hydrants painted red, which were over three meters tallpletely different from the firefighting equipment ofter eras.


    Seeing such advanced devices in the city was already a miraculous experience. In other cities, it was not easy to find such equipment.


    Then, amidst the chaos, the young man witnessed another unforgettable sight: a group of confident, unbearably beautiful girls.


    Encountering such groups of girls in other cities was not easy, and these girls were even dressed in luxurious clothing rarely seen in other cities.


    They chatted andughed, emitting bell-like sounds, their heads held high as if the whole world was waiting for them to conquer it.


    No need to guess¡ªthey were students from the Brunas Women''s University, another modern university established by the Tang Group.


    In Brunas, women were not secondary; on the contrary, they were another force propelling the rapid development of the city.


    Among them were students of architecture, fashion, arts, mathematics, physics, medicine, chemistry... Of course, many beauties from the Tang Military Academy studiedmunication, intelligence, assassination andbat, and even militarymand.


    Brunas had 170,000 female workers, a number that even exceeded the total count of female technicians in the entire Leite Kingdom from before.


    These women were responsible for textile making, leather processing, the preparation of hazardous, intense, and toxic chemicals.


    Additionally, they managed childcare, babysitting, kindergartens, nursing, and medical tasks, which also greatly elevated their status in Brunas.


    The plump auntie Cui Xi, who used to cook for Tang Mo, now managed Brunas''s women''s organization, assisting them in maintaining their rights.


    Generally, no one would bother these independent women since their boss was none other than the tough person who asionally cooked meals for Tang Mo.


    The people in charge of military and political power in Brunas, including Tang Mo''s personal guard Wes, Production Manager Parker, Chief Engineer Mathews, Chief of Staff Luff, Tagg themander of the military, and Redman, who among them has not experienced Auntie Cui Xi''s ultimate technique "The Trembling Ladle"?


    In the distant sky, several hot air balloons floated, these devices were all for testing instruments ¡ª the workers above needed to determine the uracy of certain instruments under different atmospheric pressures.


    Groups of people brushed past the young man from out of town, and at a nce, he could tell that one of them was from the Elf Race.


    The elf man wasughing and chatting with the people around him, his arms cradling a paper bag filled with bread and vegetables like carrots.


    Everything that entered his view waspletely different from other ces; next to the bustling streets through the crystal clear floor-to-ceiling windows, beautiful dresses were disyed.


    Above the dress shop was a sign that seemed to bear the mark of a master artist, and the shop owner was a very elegant old man with a tape measure hanging around his neck and thick sses perched on his nose.


    To be honest, he had never seen so many shops before; the streets and alleys here were filled with shops, some of which were as big as a building, selling almost everything imaginable.


    Even in the smaller shops, the owners were very enthusiastic, promoting the goods they sold, including fine cutlery, wine, and all kinds of beverages.


    Huge night club signs were tangled with wires, and many ces in Brunas were already electrified, making it look more modern and fascinating than other ces.


    It was like Shanghai in the 1930s, with buildings of various styles housing people of all sorts, everyone enjoying the convenience brought by technological advances but also living a not-so-perfect life constrained by the times.


    At night, the difference between Brunas and other areas would immediately be apparent; the electrified streets were even more enchanting.


    Compared to King City or Wolf City, Brunas was truly a city that never slept. Its people hadn''t heard the word curfew in a long while, and going out for fun at night had be a consensus among the city''s inhabitants.


    Cheap taverns provided workers with the least expensive liquor, and snack vendors on the street would often see drunk workers singing and dancing.


    Majestically decorated entertainment venues had sessful individuals in suits and leather shoes standing at the entrance, more cars and carriages than in the day parked under the glow of the neon lights.


    Who could have imagined, that such a flourishing ce in the world, was just a small fishing port with a poption of just tens of thousands two years ago?


    Who could have imagined, that it was once a ce where evenrger fleets would not dock, with an annual freight throughput of less than 100,000 tons?


    Now, the port docks here could amodate thergest cargo ships in the world, with the capability to handle 30rge sea vessels discharging cargo at the same time.


    11,000 people worked at the port here, tasked with moving steel transported from all over the world at high prices to the Brunas Railway Station built next to the port.


    The amount of cargo they had to unload each day exceeded 50,000 tons. Without the support of sea transportation, Brunas would be facing famine right now!


    Countless quantities of metal from all over the world were transported to Brunas, and to save time, most of the metal brought here had already been smelted into ingots!


    Tang Mo, in order to produce ammunition, manufacture other products, and meet the demand for production equipment and wires, as well as strategic reserves, consumed at least 2,000 tons of pure copper every month.


    That number might not sound like much, but considering the consumption of pure copper in other areas, it was clear that Great Tang Group in Brunas had be the world''srgest buyer of brass.


    Apart from brass, there was steel; to build warships, produce cannons, and other weapons, Tang Mo''s consumption of steel was also frighteningly high.


    In addition, for the construction of the city, he was also using arge amount of rebar and concrete, which greatly increased his steel usage.


    Nowadays, half of the maritime capacity entering Brunas and at least one-third of thend transportation capacity were transporting metal ore; Brunas had earned the nickname "Steel City" from other regions.


    And Brunas truly lived up to that nickname¡ªit might be the world''s first fully modernized city.


    With a modernized water supply nt, a sewage system design that was constantly being expanded, and an electric power system... these things were utterly unmatched by otherrge cities.


    Tang Mo, the man who personally created all of this, had be a legend in many ways, and his name started to spread in many countries.


    Merchants shared a saying among themselves, "Want to get rich? Go to Brunas! Whether you''re amoner or nobility, you can always make a fortune there. Want to make a big fortune? Go to Brunas! Sell everything you have, turn it into steel and transport it to Brunas!


    Oh, and... stay away from the casinos!"

 Chapter 218 : 214 Metropolis

    Under the support of Brunas, Northern Ridge vigorously developed agriculture and animal husbandry, including Suthers, sparking a production movement of exchanging wool and pig bristles for trains.


    A huge economic circle, with a radiating effect, is forming around Brunas, with clear divisions ofbor and a grand scale.


    The hintend of the Leite Kingdom has begun to transform into a massive gathering area for the textile industry, where light industry is booming.


    The small town of Dunst near Northern Ridge, in the direction of Brunas, has started to be thergest production base of leather and pig bristles within the Leite Kingdom.


    Here, 20,000 workers gather, and their daily work is to produce shoes, various designs originating from Northern Ridge.


    Of course, they also produce various brushes, including those used for cleaning gun and cannon barrels. By-products also include animal fats, specialty papers, and processed meat products!


    Yes, you read that correctly, the Dunst area has indeed also turned into an industrial zone, and it''s filled with workers from all over Northern Ridge.


    Because the rtionship between Suthers and Northern Ridge haspletely eased, quite a few farmers from Suthers have run over to work in Northern Ridge, quickly realizing that working for Suthers isn''t as good as working for Northern Ridge, and working for Northern Ridge isn''t as good as working for Brunas.


    Then, as the poption of Brunas keeps expanding, insanely expanding, the city''s craving and demand for goods also reached an astonishingly high level never seen before.


    People want to make money, and the purpose of making money is to improve the quality of their life. In Brunas, what represents the quality of one''s life?


    The employees of the Great Tang Group, the gang hitmen of the Silver Fox Tavern, the private forces of Tang Mo in the City Defense Forces that have received their wages and payments, naturally need to consume.


    Purchasing better andrger houses, splurging at various high-consumption ces, trying every means to get one''s wife into the grave to quickly rece her, and using all means to push one''s children into the best schools...


    Or purchasing thetest, most ostentatious, and most avant-garde Great Tang car, or simply buying oneself a gold watch, collecting a K2 lever-action shotgun...


    Actually, thergest expenditure stilles from life improvements¡ªeveryone wants to improve those "days" that could simply be described as breaking down.


    People start to cook seriously, to cook gourmet food earnestly, begin consuming meat, and gradually turn these life improvements into a habit.


    When did Brunas start to be rich? Was it when casinos, bars, and brothels opened up? No, it wasn''t. It began when people noticed the frequency of buying hamburgers with meat patties starting to gradually increase.


    Meat consumption in Brunas surged so much, even to a terrifying extent. The surrounding meat was swept clean every day, with herdsmen from Suthers driving flocks of cattle and sheep southward, yet the price of meat products continued to soar.


    Not until meat prices started to rise even in the King City of Suthers, to the extent that small nobility could hardly afford it, did everyone realize that Brunas had already turned into a brand-new metropolis.


    Those gathered in Brunas all hope to obtain information, get intelligence, master the pattern of getting rich, and find opportunities to strike it wealthy.


    Thus, something called newspapers began to circte, and the favorite pastime of nobles and business tycoons preparing to earn Gold Coins in Brunas was to sit at a hotel''s breakfast table, enjoying authentic You Tiao (fried dough sticks) and soy milk, while holding a newspaper looking for new paths to wealth.


    There was no helping it, after Tang Mo often chose soy milk and You Tiao for breakfast, drinking milk and eating bread became the choice of backward lower people. Which wealthy personing to Brunas didn''t harbor a heart eager to pursue and lead fashion trends?


    Here, wearing a Brunas suit is respectable, here a girl showing off her calves is sexy, here one can see the most dazzling neon lights, and here the dramas are more spectacr than in other ces.


    This is the fashion capital of the entire world, the trend vortex of the entire world, the dreand that refreshes the imagination of mankind.


    Mathews could never imagine that, although the mass-produced T cars sold for only 75 Gold Coins, the first car off the production line, numbered 2, was bought by a tycoon at an auction for 54,860 Gold Coins.


    And the car numbered 1 was permanently collected in the industrial museum of the Great Tang Group, with a constant stream of visitors every day.


    A ne personally designed by Tang Mo was actually bought for 40,000 Gold Coins and then presented as a treasured gift to the royal family of Dorne.


    What shocked people even more was that the queen of Dorne loved the jewelry so much that she even announced that the jewelry from the Great Tang Group had be the official jewelry of the entire Dorne royal family.


    Soon after, there were people shouting in Brunas, offering 60,000 Gold Coins to buy the next piece of jewelry designed by Master Tang Mo.


    In such a magical city, where all impossibilities seemed so natural, there were countless gold diggers every day, mostly batches of workers sent here, with uniform numbers, most of whom had already undergone training and were very disciplined.


    These people would be directly allocated to various factories as apprentices and then join the production sequence that Tang Mo was eager to start.


    In the shipyard of the Great Tang Group, tens of thousands of workers came from all over the world, many of whom were Elves and Dwarves.


    They were busy untilte into the night, and the searchlights originally designed for night battles on warships extended working hours, allowing Tang Mo to build one warship after another at wartime production speeds within a short time.


    Sporadic workers who came to Brunas could find whatever jobs they were capable of.


    "Hey! You! Yes, you!" Just as the young man from Leite Royal City was looking around, two men in uniform approached.


    These were Brunas''s unique existence, known as police, who exercised most of the powers of the City Defense Forces but were not equipped with heavy weapons.


    Just like modern police, Tang Mo had designed ck uniforms for them, fully inspired by Huaxia''s design.


    Those weeded out from the City Defense Forces were assigned to the police force, responsible for maintaining order, managing traffic, and settling disputes on a daily basis. Their equipment consisted of batons and pistols, and their duty belts made them look imposing.


    The young man, who was admiring the hot air balloons, looked confusedly at the silver police badge handed to him, and was nervously caught off guard by its intricate engravings.


    "We are the police, simr to the City Defense Forces! Understand?" One of the slightly overweight patrolmen exined, ustomed to rifying their role to neers.


    Indeed, upon hearing the familiar term City Defense Forces, the other party did appear to be somewhat reassured.


    "First time in Brunas, right? Name!" the officer asked while pulling out a notebook, looking every bit the part. His tone was filled with disdain, as if visiting Brunas for the first time was something rustic.


    The young man was nervously stuttering but still managed to reply, "Yes, yes. Van Kums. My name is Van Kums."


    "What brings you to Brunas?" The policeman scribbled the name carelessly in his notebook and continued questioning without looking up.


    "I, I''m here to find a job," Van Kums exined. "I am a professional manager... yes, it was Lord Simon, who, who referred me here."


    "Simon?" The chubby officer squinted and frowned, ncing at his colleague: "Who?"


    His partner, with a helpless expression, exined: "The former tax official here."


    "Oh!" The officer had an epiphany, nodding slightly: "The one who left before I came here?"


    The young Van Kums sarcastically thought to himself: Hey! That''s the Minister of Finance of the Kingdom! Is it really okay for you to talk like this? As if Brunas''s tax officer were more important and famous than the Kingdom''s Minister of Finance!


    However, he quickly pulled out a carefully preserved envelope from the pocket of his jacket, "This is, this is the rmendation letter from Lord Simon. He rmended me to work for the Great Tang Group."


    "Come with me, I''ll take you to the Great Tang Group''s reception," said the nonchnt police officer who pocketed his notebook and shook his head, signaling the other to follow him.


    People often arrived in Brunas from other ces with rmendation letters, and the talents rmended were quite diverse.


    Some rmendation letters were written by the Dandelions, others by the Nobility who maintained dealings with the Great Tang Group, and some people were even direct rtives of the Leite royal family, bringing letters of rmendation from the King.


    In any case, all these people needed to be assessed and screened before being ced into suitable positions. The HR department of the Great Tang Group was strictly impartial, and there was basically no backdoor dealings.


    Those with technical skills, like the former master craftsmen from Shireck''s munitions workshops, could stay at the Great Tang Group''s design office and be developers of new weapons, as long as they passed Mathews''s assessment.


    Those with abilities could gain important positions as long as they could demonstrate their management skills or otherpetencies.


    And the pure nepotism hires could only honestly start from the most basic level of learning; those who could learn were assigned jobs and stayed in Brunas, while those who couldn''t were sent to Dunst or other areas.


    Hearing the policeman say this, the young Van Kums quickly pocketed his treasured rmendation letter and followed the pace of the two ahead of him.


    On the streets, there were more carriages and cars, and the shouting of vendors increased as well, with an old man waving newspapers and incessantly shouting, "Newspapers! Today''s newspapers! News! Come and see the news about making a fortune!"


    The three people followed the bustling street towards the Great Tang Group''s building in the distant district. Above their heads, on the side of a skyscraper, there was a depiction of a man in a suit holding a cigarette, with a look of mncholy and depth in his eyes that told a story.

 Chapter 219 : How much is 215 per catty?

    In the spacious and bright office, a man in a brown Brunas suit tossed the report in his hand onto the table and massaged his temples.


    The office housed six desks arranged facing each other, most of them piled high with documents, while several bureaucrats busied themselves with work. However, their busyness didn''t keep them from gossiping amongst themselves.


    He looked exhausted andined to the man sitting across from him, "Can you believe it? Just a week ago, Brunas had only 650,000 people. Now, it has a poption of 700,000."


    "There are too many outsiders here, native Brunas residents ount for less than ten percent of the poption," the man opposite him said, continuing to sort through his documents without looking up.


    Managing arge city is not as easy as it seems, with a myriad of jobs that are overwhelminglyplex.


    It requires a vast number of management talents, and countless officials and clerks working diligently every day. One should not underestimate these trivial tasks; missing even one could throw the entire city into chaos.


    In many respects, modern metropolises are formidable, unmatched by the small cities of the past. They possess countless superior qualities that can push human productivity to its peak.


    Conversely, suchrge cities are fragile; just one minor issue can paralyze a ce inhabited by thousands or even millions.


    Obviously, constructing a sewage system for millions is far moreplex and troublesome than building a medieval castle.


    While pounding his other shoulder with his hand, theining man pulled out another form, "Can you imagine? Over half a million workers. In this city, the workers who go to work every day make up seventy-five percent of the total poption!"


    Their job is to carry out statistics, to daily track the city''s development, to foresee the necessary improvements, and then to provide the municipal development department with sensible suggestions.


    It may seem like a peripheral task, but this kind of forecasting is a critical part of supporting the city''s development.


    If you wait until the poption has grown to a certain level and then discover that the water supply can''t keep up, the consequences would undoubtedly be disastrous for a city approaching a million inhabitants.


    Brunas is already facing many problems; some residential areas can only rely on groundwater for their supply, and while pressure wells remain the mainstay, the water system only covers some important streets.


    The city is developing too quickly, so much that many aspects can''t keep up with the pace of development. With the increase in cars, whether or not to install traffic lights has also be a vexing issue.


    Another colleague said with augh, "If it weren''t for our continuous migration to Dragon City, the poption here would have been close to a million."


    They have already migrated 100,000 workers to Dragon Ind, and with their voluntarily relocating families, the total poption has now exceeded 200,000.


    Dragon City is now also arge city. Judging by the size of the port and the residential area ns, its future scale is going to berger than Brunas.


    Several people felt a great sense of aplishment, and one of them remarked emotionally, "Can you imagine? How many cities in the world have a poption of a million? And we are in the process of building a new city with a million people!"


    As he spoke, he spread his arms with pride, "And from scratch! To reconstruct a city with a poption level of a million!"


    "Do you know that the Immigration Bureau is going crazy? They cry every day when verifying identities. Most people have only a name, without any records."


    "They have refugees, craftsmen piged from other countries, and even ves, as well as spies that Shireck has nted to gather information and other spies sent by different countries," the man who firstined said with a mixture of jest and scorn, "No one can investigate thoroughly."


    "Yeah, have you heard? About that case with the telegraph machine talking nonsense." As they spoke, the conversation turned to gossip as they continued their work.


    "Of course, I heard about it, it''s said that a case involving a cipher urred at Silver Fox Company." Someone quickly began exining the whole story.


    With the increasing number of telegraph users, some have started to openly challenge the Great Tang Group''s monopoly on telegraph intelligence.


    A man spent money to send a string of meaningless gibberish through the Great Tang Group''s telegraph, thus pioneering the use of the Great Tang Group''smunication system to transmit encrypted intelligence.


    Obviously, smart people had figured out how to encrypt their telegraphs, making legitimate use of the rules and starting to prevent Silver Fox''s intelligence system from easily acquiring information.


    "A bunch of cunning fellows." It didn''t take long for a civil servant in the office to offer their own assessment.


    Most of the time, work is just this monotonous and boring, yet it must continue day after day.


    Theypile the most recent poption numbers, then calcte a rtively precise figure and, based on it,pute how many resources need to be invested in the city to support these new inhabitants.


    Including how many kilometers the water pipes are, the heating pipeline for some luxury districts, newly built power nts, and the corresponding sewerage systems.


    Additionally, they had to calcte how much meat and vegetables were needed to replenish their supplies, so the price of food and poultry in Brunas wouldn''t surge.


    Consequently, the production of salt and sugar had to be increased, as did the output of other spices, and the avability of daily goods such as furniture and kitchenware also needed to be ensured.


    Simrly, to amodate these iing poptions, they had to construct corresponding kindergartens and schools, increase the number of nighttime training institutions, and ensure that these poptions could be productive in a short time.


    It''smonly known that Brunas doesn''t keep idle people, possibly a too cold-hearted fact, but that''s the truth.


    As long as you have hands and feet, you must work in Brunas. And Brunas doesn''t ept those who are non-working and without value.


    The development of the city, apanied by cruelty and bloodshed. How many skeletons piled under the neon light shadows, was not Tang Mo''s concern.


    "There is good news, you could never guess," said a civil servant, picking up the newspaper and pointing at an advertisement to recruit workers, "You wouldn''t even imagine that the rise of Brunas actually eradicated all the ve trade within the Leite Kingdom."


    "Ah?" Indeed, those who hadn''t bought a newspaper looked at the speaker in astonishment, waiting for him to continue.


    Although he had heard that the number of ve traders within the Leite Kingdom was decreasing, he never imagined the day when the ve traders would vanish.


    The man dressed in a brown Brunas suit expressed his disbelief, "Are you saying, what the City Defense Forces and the King couldn''t aplish, Brunas did. Its rise haspletely eradicated the ve trade?"


    "Yes," admitted the official holding the newspaper with a sly grin.


    Someone curiously asked, "Why?"


    "Because those ve traders found that the efficiency of plundering ves was too low. They''ve now switched professions, with the new job title called ''middlemen''. These scumbags who trafficked people have now turned into ''Believers'' who introduce jobs and takemissions," said the official, proudly snapping the newspaper in his hand.


    Now, many cities have specialized institutions responsible for recruiting workers for Brunas or Dragon Ind. Some even cover travel expenses¡ªsessfully introducing a family to migrate, and they can earn amission of 5 Gold Coins from Brunas.


    In return, these intermediary institutions also take a cut, taking away the workers'' first three months'' wages, so it''s fair to say they are making a killing.


    And the workers who arrived in Brunas don''t feel cheated at all; they are grateful to those once despised ve traders for bringing them to Brunas, a paradise.


    Therefore, the old brutal methods of plunder and deceit, forcing someone to be a ve, obviously could not willingly make people follow them to Brunas. So, these old viins changed their modus operandi.


    Their tactics became more justified, the process more legal, kinder. There was only one goal: to pass the scrutiny of Brunas''s qualification review smoothly.


    If the immigration office of Brunas ever discovered any actions that harmed Brunas City''s reputation or affected the Great Tang Group''s image, that would indeed turn a celebration into a funeral.


    "Huh? Believers?" Soon, someone noticed his adjective and asked curiously.


    The official holding the newspaper could hardly contain hisughter, showing off how his big boss had be a divine figure: "That''s right, they all worship Mr. Tang Mo, considering him a god in charge of money and business."


    "..." Everyone didn''t know what to say, many having seen Tang Mo themselves and attended his lectures, so they found the matter rather amusing.


    Because they knew Tang Mo was not any god; he was a businessman, one who never imed to be a good person.


    Seeing everyone stifling augh and not speaking, the official with the newspaper asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "They might not know that this god also traffics in death," said an official, trying to hold back hisughter.


    "Ha! Of course, they know!" scoffed the one with the newspaper disdainfully.


    "Then why do they still think Mr. Tang Mo is a god of wealth?" a young official, who had not attended a few night sses from outside areas, asked curiously.


    The man with the newspaper replied sarcastically, "Because no matter what you sell, as long as it makes money it''s fine... Trafficking death is nothing to a bunch of ve traders, they only care about how much ''death'' costs per kilogram."

 Chapter 220: 216" means cool and natural.

    A middle-aged man walked into the room, bowed his head in respect, and politely began, "Your Honor! Thank you for taking the time to see me amidst your busy schedule."


    In the King City of Leite Kingdom, an elderly man dressed in decent clothes was sitting in his own office, watching the middle-aged man walking in.


    "My time is very precious," said the old man, seated in a chair that was at least twice as big as his frame, still holding an exquisite fountain pen, as he spoke to the other man.


    "My uncle is your close friend, so I came here seeking your help," the middle-aged man said as he respectfully ced a bag of money on the judge''s desk, almost ingratiatingly.


    The old judge nced at the money bag, and his tone became noticeably kinder as he spoke, "So, what can I do to help you? Let''s hear it."


    The middle-aged man immediately began hisint, raising a name that made the old judge somewhat apprehensive, "You simply cannot imagine what changes the Great Tang Group has brought to this world! Yes, changes! The things they''ve brought with them are much more formidable than guns, cannons, trains, and ships."


    "Hmm?" The old judge leaned back in his chair, looking at the grumbling man in front of him with a long, questioning sound.


    The middle-aged man continued, sharing the information he had gathered: "In Brunas, a hundred percent of the people are working for the Great Tang Group, where even the olddies sweeping the streets are with the Great Tang Group."


    "Every morning, the whole city seems toe back to life, countless workers walk out of their homes, and then enter the factories of the Great Tang Group to work." He rambled on as he spoke.


    But he didn''t care, for he had given a bribe, this was his time toin. He had bought this time, so he had the right to squander it.


    He continued, "Every machine there never stops running, only halting when something breaks... and then, a few workers would immediately repair the damaged machinery, and work would resume without pause in production."


    "Never has a city operated so efficiently, nor has production ever been raised to such heights." The more he spoke, the more frightened he became, feeling as if he was facing a colossal behemoth that blotted out the sky.


    "The Great Tang Group is thergest industrial organization in our kingdom..." the old judge nodded and said, "How does this rte to the problem you want to solve?"


    "Have you ever been to Brunas? The chimneys there are denser than forests, and the ck smoke never ceases. If you look carefully, even by the moonlight, you can clearly see the billowing smoke pouring out of the chimneys!" As he reminisced, the middle-aged man''s beard trembled slightly.


    After a few seconds of silence, he then looked at the old judge and came to a conclusion, "Before the Great Tang Group appeared, everything was so primitive. Compared to now, many things simply shouldn''t exist."


    Compared to the Great Tang Industrial Group, his small workshop couldn''t even be called a production organization; his workshop was just wastingbor...


    The two were not even on the same level, as different as a little rabbit is from a colossal beast.


    "Some things are so disturbing, to anyone who isn''t blind, that just one look will make your skin crawl! The terror of the Great Tang Group, is tenfold, a hundredfold, even a thousandfold more than we could have imagined!" He suddenly stood up and walked over to the old judge excitedly.


    He lowered his voice, pointing towards the door, "Think about it! The thugs that Shireck hired, the underground grey industry that was built; they''re nothingpared to the Silver Fox from Brunas."


    "Shireck just organized the thugs, while they trained these thugs into a military! They have guns, organization, discipline, and even a belief... Damn it, can you believe it?


    Those bastards from the Silver Fox Company wearing ck top hats, Brunas suits, and carrying pistols, they pray to Tang Mo''s family crest every morning!" After saying this, he even took a moment to catch his breath and calm his heartbeat.


    He remembered that night, the people who came to his house as guests, iming they wanted to buy his business, the cold, terrifying faces.


    As he spoke, he once again began to get agitated, "He turned the thugs into... the mafia! Yes! That''s the word! That damned wordes from Brunas!"


    "Those former ruffians and hoodlums couldn''t possibly stand against this regr army! Do you know who they are? They kill without blinking an eye and can rally half a street at a word." While he spoke, he iled his arms, imagining how much negative impact that night''s conversation had on him.


    But indeed, he had no choice, because the other party hadn''t acted yet, not even a harsh word had been spoken. Yet, the oppression they brought made him feel a sharp longsword hanging over his neck.


    "You talk sense to them, and they threaten you; you pull a knife, they use a gun; you draw a gun, they use dynamite to blow up your house..." He murmured in fear, his voice disheveled.


    "What do you want me to do?" asked the old judge calmly.


    "Protect me... please. Drive those viins out of our homes..." the middle-aged man pleaded.


    The old judge met the gaze of the other party, still speaking calmly, "However, as far as I know, they are not overbearing in business."


    The middle-aged man was taken aback, then had to exin, "That''s precisely what makes them so troublesome, they have guns, they have money, no matter what I do, I can''tpete with them."


    "I''m familiar with their people, know how they operate... Did they... give you a choice?" the old judge continued to inquire.


    Indeed, he understood the way Silver Fox Company conducted its business, most of the time they werew-abiding, seemingly more approachable than the bastards of the Shireck Consortium.


    It was only when money didn''t resolve issues that they would use somewhat radical methods, but they managed to handle things very neatly, providing exnations all around.


    Such a way of operating was greatly admired by him, the King City judge, because he needed a dark force to help him stabilize the other dark side of the entire King City.


    Sure enough, the middle-aged man, seemingly shaken, responded, "¡­They did."


    He also picked up on the fact that this venerable judge, whose reputation for justice was well-known, seemed to have a not-so-shallow rtionship with Silver Fox Company. Thus, he started to consider whether to change his own attitude.


    The old judge continued with a hint of a smile, "Can you talk about it?"


    "They hope to buy my workshop for 3,000 Gold Coins¡­" The middle-aged man said with the truth, swallowing hard.


    "Do you have any dissatisfaction?" the old judge pressed on, "How much do you think your rundown workshop is worth?"


    "¡­" The middle-aged man fell silent¡ªWhat could he say after that? If you call my workshop rundown, then of course, it''s not worth much¡­


    The old judge did not rush to speak, waiting for the man to gather his thoughts, before continuing, "You know that behind Silver Fox Company is Great Tang Group, you know they can''t be messed with, do you think just because I round up a few idle thugs for you, they will let you off?"


    "¡­" The middle-aged man knew what the other party said was true¡ªEven if the judge ruled justly, he still couldn''t hold onto his workshop¡­


    The judge waited a few more seconds, letting the man process, then spoke again, "I can talk to them for you, 3,150 Gold Coins, and I''ll take 25 Gold Coins asmission."


    "Alright, I''ll listen to you," the middle-aged man immediately nodded, resigned to his fate.


    "All right, he''s gone." After seeing off the middle-aged man and closing the door, the old judge saw another door being opened from the side and spoke up.


    "Thank you, Your Honor," said the man in the ck Brunas suit with a bowler hat, nodding slightly in thanks.


    "This is thest plot ofnd. You really should tell me what you''re nning to do with all thisnd," the old judge asked the representative from Silver Fox Company, curious.


    "We n to build a racetrack in King City," the representative answered matter-of-factly.


    "A racetrack? Is there really profit in breeding horses here?" the old judge asked, puzzled.


    "Not just breeding horses, but also racing them. And it''s not just horse racing, we can also bet on the horses," the man representing Silver Fox Company, or rather Great Tang Group, exined with a smile.


    "You really know how to have fun, but this isn''t something I can cover by myself," the old judge cautioned.


    "Don''t worry, Your Honor, His Majesty the King has a ten percent stake in this project, you, the Prime Minister, everyone¡­ also gets to share ten percent," the man exined with practiced ease.


    "You''re already offering out twenty percent of the profits for sharing before construction has even started?" After pondering for a few seconds and looking expectantly at the other party, the old judge inquired, "What do you think, how much can you make from horse racing?"


    "I''m not entirely sure about the specifics, but¡­ your share of the profits, a year¡­ might be about a thousand Gold Coins," thepany representative replied with a smile, "If everything goes smoothly, maybe in the future, just from this ie, you could afford to let your sons live a carefree life."


    "¡­I''ll get him to move out as quickly as possible." After doing some quick calctions and estimating his sons'' spending habits, grasping the meaning of living carefree, the old judge fell silent for a moment, then said.

 Chapter 221: 217 Telegraph Office

    A group of people rushed into a local inn, mmed money on the counter, and eximed despondently, "Innkeeper! Prepare a few rooms for us."


    "Certainly! Guests!" The so-called customer service manager naturally shed a smile upon seeing the money, hurried to speak: "Please follow me, our guest rooms here can be said to be the best in the entire city."


    To be honest, the conditions here were quite eptable, definitely considered a decent inn. Only they did not yet know that there was a huge building called Silver Fox Hotel in the area.


    Compared to the previous inn, other inns of this kind seemed somewhat inferior. But these people were clearly not here for enjoyment, they simply needed to rest, because they still had to hurry to another ce.


    "How many days will it take from here to Brunas?" An elf leading the group asked as they followed the inn''s receptionist up the stairs.


    "Oh, from here to Brunas, it will take roughly 20 days," the receptionist, who appeared to be about 50 years old, responded as he recalled.


    "I mean at a gallop, not carrying goods," the leading elf reminded him.


    The man quickly corrected his estimate: "In that case, sir, you will need about 6 days to reach Northern Ridge, and then another 2 days to arrive at Brunas."


    "It still takes that long?" The leading elf clearly seemed somewhat dissatisfied, continuing to ask, "Is there a faster way?"


    "A faster way? There is one. I heard that from Ice Crystal City in Northern Ridge you can transfer to an automobile, and from there to Brunas, it will take roughly a whole day to arrive," the old man answered seriously.


    However, his answer was somewhat iprehensible to them: they did not understand what an automobile was, so they also did not know what he was actually saying.


    Nevertheless, they soon heard the old receptionist who was leading them upstairs continue to speak: "However, if you''re just delivering a message, there might be an even better option."


    "Ah?" The leading elf curiously stared at the man''s back, asking, "Old sir, what exactly is the option you''re talking about?"


    "It''s like this, we''ve recently set up a telegraph office here. If you want to send a message to someone in Brunas, you just need to spend some money at the telegraph office to send a telegram, and they will receive the message very quickly."


    "Very quickly?" An elf with a sword at his waist asked in puzzlement.


    "Yes, very quickly. A few secondster, Brunas will have received the message," the old receptionist stopped in his tracks, turned to look at the young attendant, and said.


    "That fast?" This time, the leading elf was taken aback. He had never heard of automobiles or telegraphs, but he was full of curiosity about these things.


    "Exactly, that fast, but it''s also very expensive. Sometimes, a single message can cost dozens of Gold Coins." The old man finished speaking and continued to lead these far-traveled elves to their rooms.


    He opened the door, looked at the elves who had almost copsed from exhaustion on their journey, and asked, "We have Brunas''s famous hamburgers, Brunas pies, Brunas steamed buns, Brunas salty fish rice, guests... what would you like to order?"


    "Why is everything from Brunas?" Another elf frowned, he currently had no fondness for Brunas at all.


    If it weren''t for the warships of Brunas blocking Southwater Port, they wouldn''t have hurried so desperately here¡­


    Moreover, based on the news they had received when they left, Southwater Port had plunged into paralysis, the Kingdom''s expansion had stalled, the surrounding diplomatic environment had be extremely hostile, and the situation was very grim.


    This group needed to hurry to Brunas as quickly as possible, find a way to contact the Great Tang Group of Brunas, and get them to stop their military actions against Por Kingdom so that Southwater Port could resume operations as soon as possible.


    The n included making concessions to Brunas, ready to pay Brunas 200,000 Gold Coins inpensation, but it expressly excluded any censure against Brunas for going to war with Por Kingdom.


    It was less of a negotiation between Por Kingdom and Great Tang Group, and more of Por Kingdom begging Great Tang Group to spare it.


    So, these elves responsible for escorting the envoys and vice-envoys were actually quite unfriendly towards Brunas. They didn''t think the nation shouldpromise; they believed they should assemble the Fleet to punish such a presumptuous enemy.


    Unfortunately... they didn''t know that the Fleet they had ced their hopes in, that was ready to be assembled, had already be submersible vessels.


    "Because they taste very good and are quite trendytely. You''re unaware that recently, anything rted to Brunas is abundant, and whatever it is, as long as there''s a slight connection to Brunas, the price is a bit higher," the old man chuckled as he answered the young elf''s question.


    "Sir!" Despite their exhaustion from the journey south, the leading elf inquired, "How do we go about sending a telegram to Brunas from this telegram office?"


    "That I do not know," the old man said. The gossip he had heard on the way only went so far; he had no rtives in Brunas and had no need to puzzle over the one-Gold Coin per word charge for guaranteed delivery there.


    Once the old man left, the group split up to start their tasks. The leading elf assigned duties to everyone: "You two, gather any information you can about Brunas and share it with us upon your return."


    "You two, head to the local gambling dens and taverns, where the news is often mixed; try to understand our opponents as much as possible!" After issuing his orders, he turned to two other individuals.


    Seeing them nod in agreement, he then looked to his deputy, "You and I will visit the telegram office, check out the situation there, and see if it''s as miraculous as this old man described."


    "Alright!" The middle-aged elf deputy nodded slightly in agreement. He was a distant rtive of the Augustin Family and had recently been serving as a staff member for Marquis Augustine Reibert. He hade along with the envoy this time to ensure and oversee the interests of the Augustin n.


    "Let''s go and see... that telegram office or whatever it is!" The leading elf stood up, surveyed the group, and was the first to step out of the room.


    The newly established telegram office was still quiet with little business, as the cost of one Gold Coin per word was too expensive for the average person.


    It was intended for those who truly understood the value of the speed of information transmission, making money from the time difference alone! Thus, when the Elf Race''s negotiation envoy entered the telegram office, he was stunned by everything he saw.


    He had never seen such a business method before: individual private rooms, each with a well-dressed maid standing at the door. They were graceful and referred to themselves as personal secretaries to the guests.


    They would exin in detail the modes of telegram delivery: if you had the money, you could even send a personal letter to any location with a telegram office.


    There was virtually no dy, and the telegram office offered many rted services. For instance, for first-time telegram users, there was a door-to-door delivery service avable.


    If one was willing to pay, they could even use the telegram to notify distant family members, delivering the message based on just a name and address.


    Moreover, the telegram office also provided a service for mailing small amounts of Gold Coins¡ªshould the recipientck the funds to reply, a customer could cover the telegram fees on their behalf.


    In summary, the services here were very considerate, which made the elves present feel somewhat ill at ease. After hearing the usage rules, the envoy felt an impulse to send a telegram to Tang Mo.


    So, he asked the girl standing before him with a smile, yet sprinkled with freckles, "That... if I want to send a telegram to Mr. Tang Mo of the Great Tang Group in Brunas, can I?"


    "Certainly. However, we do not guarantee that Mr. Tang Mo will respond to your telegram, nor that he will even choose to read it," said the freckled, yet cute girl gently.


    The Por Kingdom envoy verified once more, "Are you certain... that Mr. Tang Mo will receive my telegram?"


    "If you are referring to the founder of the Great Tang Group, the esteemed Mr. Tang Mo from Leite Kingdom, then yes, the telegram will indeed be delivered to him directly. However, we cannot guarantee that he will read it or that he will definitely reply," the girl continued to exin methodically.


    The elf thought for a moment and then said, "In that case, please help me draft a telegram."


    "As you wish, you may begin now. I have undergone specialized training, but you''ll need to speak more slowly for me to take notes," the girl sat down at the table, spread out a piece of paper, and took up a pen.


    "Respected Mr. Tang Mo, I am Viscount Fitteral, an envoy from Por Kingdom, representing King Por the Eleventh toe..."


    "Um, my lord, I apologize for interrupting, but... I still need to remind you to be sure, because each word sent from here costs one Gold Coin," the girl softly interrupted the elf to kindly remind him, "and the delivery charge is also quite expensive."


    "..." The elves fell silent, realizing that writing a long letter was indeed... too costly.


    "Perhaps we should forgo introducing ourselves... it''s too expensive." For the first time, Viscount Fitteralmented his own name, wondering why his father hadn''t given him a shorter name like "Qin" or "Qiao."


    Finally, the leading elf had a burst of inspiration and looked at the girl who was waiting for them, "Um, Miss, it is our first time using the telegram service, would you mind helping us draft a telegram... if you please?"


    "Not at all. This is part of my job, just briefly state the purpose of the telegram..." the girl''s smile became even brighter.

 Chapter 222: 218 communications field of nuclear bomb

    ```


    "This is too expensive, one word for 1 Gold Coin," in the lounge, an Elf paced back and forth, excitedly. It was the first time he realized how easily Gold Coins could be earned.


    Just now, they had sent a letter to Brunas, and including punctuation, they had spent a total of 48 Gold Coins. Along with a 50 Gold Coin service fee for delivering the message and a 2 Gold Coin personnel fee, they had just spent a full 100 Gold Coins!


    It really was a very neat number... The normal cost wouldn''t be so expensive, except that their intended recipient was a bit special.


    The telegram sent to Tang Mo was charged at the original price, but sending a telegram was clearly not an easy task. Finally, the post office charged 50 Gold Coins for it, a price meant to deter wealthy lunatics who had nothing better to do than to send a couple of telegrams to tease Tang Mo for fun.


    "If this message could reach Tang Mo''s hands 7 days earlier, then this money would be well worth it," Viscount Fitteral, leading the group with arms crossed, rubbed his palms together as he spoke.


    He knew that the Por Kingdom could not afford any dys; being able to summon their warships back earlier justified the extra cost of 100 Gold Coins.


    While they were pained over the 100 Gold Coins, he reluctantly continued with a question that came out of nowhere, "And have you all considered this?"


    "Hm?" The ambassador heading southward, also representing the interests of the Augustin n, along with two Guards, all voiced their confusion.


    The lead envoy continued, "He has technology... technology that can send words one wants to convey far, far away! It is this technology... that is truly terrifying!"


    "Yes..." The envoy startled and then, as if a lightbulb went off, nodded in assent to the other''s words. Compared to the Irond Warships that forced their march southward, themunication device they were witnessing here was truly the game-changer!


    Compared to the super warships that allowed the Elves to dominate the seven seas,pared to modern firearms that let Elf Troops sweep across the world, the current telegraph machine was the truly enticing equipment!


    In ancient kingdoms, the speed of information and intelligence transfer limited all monarchs'' ability to effectively control theirnds.


    Therger a country''s territory, the poorer the King''s control over the bordends; thus, ancient Empires'' maps were constrained.


    The limitations in message transmission speed meant that the ruling ss received very outdated intelligence and thus could not effortlessly issue their orders and mobilize forces away from the core areas.


    However, this difficulty, Tang Mo had unknowingly resolved! Tang Mo''s railways made the connection between regions and King City much tighter; Tang Mo''s steamboats made maritime traffic more convenient; Tang Mo''s telegraphy enabled faster and more efficient order transmission.


    With these innovations, a nation''s control over its territory became unprecedentedly strong, and the birth of an Empire was now a possibility.


    This was more important than guns and artillery! Because if the guns are strong, a ruler''s control over local military is actually weakened.


    Only with improvedmunication and convenient transportation can a ruler more strongly control the local regions and military, which in turn sharpens their ambition for expansion.


    Describing the telegraph''s invention as amunication atomic bomb is not an exaggeration, and a phone system that enables real-timemunication is like detonating a hydrogen bomb in the field ofmunication technology.


    With theter emergence of the inte and quantummunication technologies, they became the next-generation''s superweapon, akin to an information world''s dyson sphere...


    Such metaphors might seem over the top, but in terms of human progress, they really represent a super terrifying technological advance.


    The meaning of life is to pass on the knowledge one learns, and the exchange of one''s knowledge¡ªletting more people and more groups ess more information¡ªis what started with the telegraph system.


    As people''s interactions be more frequent, human progress begins to leap forward every day. This is the terror of information exchange¡ªit is the engine of human technological leaps, or at least one of the engines!


    Realizing that nearly everyone present had grasped the crux of the issue, the leading Elf spoke, "With this technology, if our Por Kingdom could also possess it, then we couldmunicate with the regions faster, mobilize the Military more quickly, and obtain information more efficiently..."


    Viscount Fitteral, named Fitteral, finally rallied himself, encouraging everyone, "So, this time, our mission... might be even more and more important than we imagined."


    "..." At this moment, the envoy representing the interests of the Augustin Family became even more depressed, standing silently as he watched his reinvigoratedpatriots.


    He was speechless because the conflict, or rather the reason for the war''s outbreak, was that the Augustin n owed the Great Tang Group 100,000 Gold Coins.


    Clearly, the Por Kingdom could have stayed out of it since the feud with the Great Tang Group was with Marquis Augustine Reibert.


    If the Great Tang Group had all these new technologies the Por Kingdom didn''t possess, then the Augustin Family would be even more at a disadvantage...


    The Great Tang Group''s aggrievement was with the Augustin Family, not the Por Kingdom. Por the Eleventh couldpletely abandon Augustine Reibert and seek deeper cooperation with the Great Tang Group.


    ```


    ```


    Clearly, just by looking at this telegraph system, it was far more important than breech-loading rifles or irond warships, perhaps ten or a hundred times more so!


    However, as a trusted member of the Augustin n, he had his own stance¡ªhe must reinstate the cooperation between the Augustin n and Great Tang Group, making their rtionship even closer.


    Fortunately, beforeing here, the Marquis of Augustin, that is, Lord Reibert, had sent someone to tell him that in Brunas he was not without allies.


    Early on, when they were in debt, the Augustin n had already nted a family member inside the Great Tang Group. Augustine John had been in Brunas all along, waiting for his arrival. Once he reached Brunas, all he needed to do was to find John.


    Out of consideration for the family, John would certainly influence the decision-making of Great Tang Group, he would surely sway the high-rank decision-making of the Great Tang Group.


    After all, John took not just a warship, but also a map of ck Dragon Ind!


    Just as the Deputy Envoy was pondering these things, Viscount Fitteral, the Special Envoy, once again broke the silence. Fitteral expressed his regrets and remarked with a hint of remorse, "Why did the Marquis of Augustin have to stir up such a big trouble... They are much more terrifying than Shireck."


    The Deputy Envoy didn''t conceal his stance, exining, "The Marquis acted in the best interest of the kingdom. If we had paid the 100,000 Gold Coins at the time, the development of the factories would have been dyed, and we wouldn''t have been able to achieve that brilliant victory over Gales Kingdom near the Seine River."


    Indeed, by saving 100,000 Gold Coins, the Augustin n gained the upper hand in the early development of factories, which is an undeniable fact.


    But if one were to delve deeper, this debt was the opportunity for the rise of the Augustin n. So, essentially, the debt was the "early development funds" by which the Augustin n took advantage of Great Tang Group.


    Therefore, Fitteral sighed dejectedly and said, "Now, in just a year''s time, they might ask us for 200,000 Gold Coins, or even more..."


    The debt incurred by Augustine in those days now had to be repaid by the entire Por Kingdom, which was an act of helplessness in itself.


    There was no choice, given that when John of the Augustin Family brought back the ns for the breech-loading rifle and the steam engine, the whole Por Kingdom benefited from it.


    Thus, the Deputy Envoy had no choice but to emphasize the contributions of Augustin, "Besides, we now have the money to pay back, don''t we? As long as he agrees to withdraw his warships and sell us this...what do you call it, the telegraph machine..."


    Special Envoy Fitteral looked worried, "It doesn''t seem that easy, they appear to be running the telegraph machine themselves..."


    "Yes, if we had such technology, we would certainly run it ourselves as well." The Deputy Envoy also felt the issue was quite troublesome.


    Fitteral seemed somewhat capable as he quickly spotted a drawback, "But if we entrust them with all our information for transmission, then what secrets would we have left from them?"


    The Deputy Envoy nodded, agreeing with the sentiment, "...You''re right."


    He too felt that such a crucialmunication device for the nation should not be controlled by outsiders.


    "So, we''ll have to find a way to acquire this technology for ourselves, to operate it on our own..." Fitteral already had grand ns for this diplomatic endeavor.


    The Deputy Envoy was brimming with confidence, looking resolute, "Absolutely."


    Fitteral looked toward his deputy and asked, "So, how much do you think we should pay for this technology?"


    "50,000 Gold Coins?" The deputy was startled before cautiously responding with a question.


    Fitteral was taken aback, then scoffed and asked in return, "...50,000? They might not even agree to set up a single telegraph office in Southwater Port for 50,000 Gold Coins."


    "How much, then?" The Deputy Envoy''s understanding of the value of Gold Coins seemed to be recalibrated today. Ry a message for 100 Gold Coins, but not even 50,000 Gold Coins could hold back the purchase of equipment...


    "It seems we have to shell out several hundred thousand..." Fitteral said with a sense of frustration.


    Hearing such arge figure, the Deputy Envoy was so shocked that he started stammering, "Are, are you kidding? That much?"


    "A lot? If they agree to that price, the two of us should just quietly celebrate! Tang Mo, that name, will echo throughout the world..." Fitteral shook his head and sighed.


    -------


    I still owe everyone three more updates, which I will postter, around 12 o''clock.


    ```

 Chapter 223: 219 Paintings

    "Chin up... a little higher, thank you," a man dressed in a formal suit, holding a palette in one hand and a brush in the other, squinted as he looked at the young man standing before him and spoke respectfully.


    Tang Mo slightly raised his head, maintaining that proud posture, as if looking down upon all living beings. One hand was in his pocket, the other on his waist, disying a contemptuous air.


    He was having his first portrait painted in this world, and the artist at work was the most famous realist portrait painter from Dorne Kingdom. His works often sold for hundreds of Gold Coins each.


    The painting that the artist was most proud of was titled Samantha, an imaginary portrait of a queen from the Elf Race.


    Now, that painting hung in Tang Mo''s collection room, and Tang Mo had driven its price up to 1000 Gold Coins.


    Indeed, at an auction, the general manager of the Great Tang Entertainment Group, John, under Tang Mo''s orders, and with the help of some "nts," bid the painting up to an unimaginatively high and shocking price.


    Now, the artist who had created the world''s most expensive painting had his first task: to paint a portrait of Tang Mo.


    The depiction of Tang Mo in the painting was very lifelike, and there was even a bit of beautification involved¡ªthough Tang Mo was already very handsome, he now looked even more brilliant.


    "Master." Li''ao held a telegram in his hand, pushed open the room''s door, and, paying no mind to the painter, went straight to Tang Mo, reporting, "A telegram from Xidos."


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo did not change his pose, using only his voice to express his curiosity.


    Xidos had just set up its telegraph service, and in that area, Great Tang Group had few serious businesses outside of brothels, gambling houses, and taverns. Normally, one would not expect anyone there to send a telegram.


    Moreover, Li''ao had personally delivered the telegram, which made it seem like an extremely important piece of intelligence.


    Li''ao directly exined, "The message is from Por Kingdom, and it is addressed to you, Master."


    "For me?" Tang Mo was momentarily startled, then he signaled to the painter to pause his work and turned to Li''ao,manding, "They spent 50 Gold Coins for the delivery?"


    "Yes!" Li''ao replied with an odd expression.


    When Tang Mo had initially set that fee, he had no intention of anyone actually sending him telegrams. He priced it exorbitantly to deter people from idly troubling him with telegrams after having had their fill.


    Now, the telegraph system had not been operating long, yet many had already paid handsomely to send telegrams to Tang Mo.


    These people included, but were not limited to, His Majesty the King of Leite Kingdom, the grand nobility in the southern part of the Kingdom, the ministers of Dorne Kingdom, the Prime Minister of Suthers Kingdom... and of course, the one who sent the most was a certain Lady Earl from Northern Ridge.


    She treated the telegram service as if it were WeChat¡ªsuch caprice. But after all, her telegrams were free, and not all telegrams were presented to Tang Mo.


    After all, Tang Mo now had many affairs to deal with, and he certainly did not have the time to exchange messages with a girl.


    Tang Mo reached out, and Li''ao handed over the telegram, which Tang Mo began to read. At the same time, Li''ao turned to the renowned painter standing before the canvas. Feeling Li''ao''s gaze, the painter immediately bowed subtly in acknowledgment and then bowed out of the room.


    This was the price he paid for bing the most valuable painter in the world; after all, he had the power to choose, and he had chosen his current path.


    Tang Mo ignored the painter''s departure and looked down at the telegram: "Dear Mr. Tang, we hope you will immediately cease acts of war. A delegation from Por Kingdom will arrive at Brunas for talks as soon as possible. Please respond urgently upon receipt, many thanks."


    Having read this long string of text, Tang Mo''s face was covered in a smile: "Wow! That must have cost a pretty penny to send, huh?"


    The content of the telegram was interesting; each word seemedden with significance.


    Firstly, the opening three words, "Dear Mr. Tang," suggested a respectful tone. The sender omitted their own name but pointedly did not delete the polite address, indicating a certain attitude.


    The rest of the telegram spoke of serious matters. Tang Mo was toozy to analyze it word by word¡ªafter all, Por Kingdom was not worth it.


    "ording to my calctions, this telegram should have incurred a fee of 100 Gold Coins. Messages to be delivered directly to the intelligence department are quite valuable," Li''ao chimed in after hearing Tang Mo''s praise.


    Tang Mo handed the telegram back to Li''ao andmanded, "Since it''s so valuable, let''s not let their money go to waste."


    "What do you mean?" Li''ao was taken aback, awaiting Tang Mo''s next order.


    "Send a response to the Xidos telegraph office, tell them... I await with great anticipation in Brunas!" Tang Mo twisted his neck around, then turned to Wes who had been leaning against the wall in silence, "What do you think? Did he paint me handsomely?"


    "I truly don''t understand. Haven''t you already... created a decent... what''s it called? Right, a camera! Haven''t you already made a camera?


    Why go through the trouble of having a portrait painted?" Wes failed toprehend Tang Mo''s perplexing actions.


    The Great Tang Group had produced a camera just a few weeks ago; although it was ck-and-white, the device was indeed thrilling.


    For the first time, it captured people''s appearances, recording a moment in a way that seemed almost eternal.


    The Great Tang Group used this modern method of recording to produce identification cards for all high-level members of the Great Tang Group, and soon simr identity cards would be issued to the workers as well.


    With this thing, the management of the factory can be improved, many potential infiltrations can be prevented, and in short, it is a very effective management tool.


    Of course, because production capacity has not increased and photographic film cannot be mass produced yet, this thing is still in a strictly confidential stage.


    Now, most of the Great Tang Group''s production capacity is piled up at the shipyard, with the remaining capacity mostly ced in the manufacture of automobiles, trains, and railway tracks, while less is put into the manufacture of firearms.


    However, armament is still its main business, it''s just that these "weapons" are no longer limited to guns and ammunition, but also include the people who use guns and ammunition.


    The most renowned aspect of the Great Tang Group now is not some sort of messy K1 or K2K3 rifles, but the talent from the Tang Military Academy.


    These talents are truly the treasures of the nation''s rise. Everyone who knows the foundation of the Tang Military Academy longs to obtain a graduate.


    It is known that the Dorne Kingdom rose in the southern part of the continent and became one of the members of the Triple Alliance simply by obtaining one of its trainees.


    Simrly, the Leite Kingdom, having obtained dozens of academy graduates, now has a national power that has surpassed Dorne and Suthers, which were originally on par with it, bing the strongest presence in the Triple Alliance.


    Of course, no one knows whether the young man who led the tax reform in the Suthers Kingdom was a graduate from the Tang Military Academy, but rumors say hees from the Leite Kingdom, and it''s highly likely he''s a graduate from the academy.


    On the other hand, he also outputs culture and art frantically. In the future, these will be the sharpest, most terrifying, and most formidable weapons, capable of destroying the enemy without bloodshed andpletely upying those invisible territories.


    "I understand! Then I will take my leave." Seeing that Tang Mo didn''t intend to dwell on the telegrams sent by the envoys from the Por Kingdom, Li''ao prepared to exit the room.


    "Send a telegram to Brunas 2 and 3, tell them to return to base," Tang Mo looked at Li''ao and continued to issue themand.


    After pondering for a moment, Li''ao asked a question, "So, is the action against the Por Kingdom..."


    "Only on hold," Tang Mo rified directly, "After all, they have almost depleted their supplies, so send Brunas 4 and 5 to Southwater to take over the tasks from 2 and 3."


    "Understood! Your instructions are clear!" Li''ao, having grasped Tang Mo''s intent, bowed slightly and then turned to head towards the door.


    Tang Mo meant to give a respite to the Southwater Port of Por Kingdom''s special envoy during the transition of the ships, to save the envoy''s face a bit.


    He was only interested in money and had no intention ofpletely annihting the Por Kingdom, so there was no need to be thoroughly ruthless.


    As long as they realized the gap in weaponry and paid their debt of 14 million Gold Coins honestly, everything else would be easy to settle, right?


    "Painting is art! Do you understand art? Photography is merely capturing images," Tang Mo felt that elevating photography to the artistic heights of painting was not an easy feat. He was now making up for hisck of noble heritage; how could he not have a portrait of himself at home?


    Though he didn''t n to be as cliche as those so-called gentlemen and nobles, there were still things he truly liked. For instance, fine wine, paintings, yachts, and luxury cars.


    After all, he wasn''t averse to things from his past life in the West; he just despised those spiteful and arrogant peers from the West.


    "I don''t understand art." Wes snorted disdainfully, with a look of contempt.


    Tang Mo burst into heartyughter: "Neither do I."


    Once he finishedughing, he gave instructions to Wes, "Invite the master in! I still have time; let him continue painting for a while."


    "Oh, by the way," as Wes was halfway out, Tang Mo seemed to remember something and asked, "How''s your driving practice going?"


    "No problem at all, I''m very talented," Wes boasted, "I really like your... what''s it called?"


    "Rolls-Royce!" Tang Mo, unwilling to bother with naming, directly applied the name of a famous car from his past life to his own vehicle, calling it Rolls-Royce.


    "Rolls-Royce! That''s right! Rolls-Royce! I really like that car! It''s big, and it looks so cool to drive!" Wesughed as he mimicked the action of turning a steering wheel to Tang Mo.


    Then he turned back, opened the door, and gestured for the waiting painter to enter and continue his... creation.


    The painter nodded gratefully to Wes and then nervously began a new round of... artistic work.

 Chapter 224: 220 expansion chips

    In this world, there''s only one Rolls-Royce, which was handcrafted by Mathews and his team. This car''s performance outsses all other cars of its era, as there are only two types of cars in this world right now.


    One is called Rolls-Royce, which is exclusive to Tang Mo, and the other is known as the Model T, a vehicle that many middle-ss people can afford.


    The recent talk of the entire Leite Kingdom has been focused on the Model T. If a noble does not buy a Model T, it seems as though they have been left behind by the times.


    The brand-new Model T is very exquisite, and if one wishes to have it customized, then the price of a luxury Model T could skyrocket to 100 or even 150 Gold Coins.


    Just think, Baron St only received a benefit of 100 Gold Coins per year from the Shireck Consortium, so this sum of money is definitely not insignificant.


    Don''t be misled by the Great Tang Group''s expenditures of tens or hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins at a time; the world has not yet begun to experience intion. Elsewhere, the purchasing power of a single Gold Coin remains quite astonishing.


    In the past six months, the Great Tang Group has beenrgely engaging in barter, receiving much fewer Gold Coins than what has been heard.


    It''s possible that in one transaction, the Great Tang Group made a profit of 100,000 Gold Coins, but of this amount, the portion paid directly in Gold Coins might not even amount to 20,000, with most of the rest settled in hard currency.


    These hard currencies include, but are not limited to, foodstuffs, steel, copper ingots, saltpeter for gunpowder, chemical materials, and even the poption itself.


    Moreover, some havee to trade with all manner of bizarre items, quite a few of which areughable. For example, some merchants wished to settle ounts with gems, some with kerosene, and others with ships and simr products.


    Of course, in addition to these, there are also horses, cattle, sheep, pork... as well as carriages, porcin, tea leaves... In short, it''s a hodgepodge, with a bit of everything.


    Among these traded goods, the most weed by Brunas is the poption! Tang Mo needs arge poption to support his industrialization, specifically a useful workforce.


    Thus, other merchants also know Tang Mo''s needs and try to send as many freemen as possible to Brunas.


    They describe Brunas as a city of gold, where anyone arriving can earn arge number of Gold Coins. Those gold prospectors in foreignnds simply cannot resist the temptation and end up being sent to Brunas inrge numbers.


    This is also why the poption of Brunas was able to reach nearly one million in such a short time, and its growth has left the surrounding areas barren.


    The siphon effect has turned Brunas into a gigantic leech, absorbing all the surrounding poption into itself and turning once thriving viges into deste ruins.


    If it weren''t for Tang Mo''s arrangements, the chaos in the surrounding areas would have long since enraged the upper echelons of the Leite Kingdom. It was Tang Mo who pacified the local people and raised the local food purchase prices, which caused some locals to give up the absurd idea of going to Brunas to strike it rich.


    The market economy is not a panacea; it often has its own limitations andgging effects.


    Relying solely on market self-regtion can easily lead to serious problems, and the emergence of these problems is often a dyed, inevitable oue, not allowing the rulers to respond in time.


    Conversely, a nned economy can actually be very advanced and stable in certain specific situations. But it has many issues as well, and a lot of them can''t be improved.


    Frankly, if a management system operates well and ensures no problems arise, then a nned economy is clearly more straightforward and easier to implement than a market economy.


    Unfortunately, from any angle, it is impossible for the management to guaranteeplete error-free operation. This means that a nned economy cannot function perfectly on its own.


    On the other hand, relying entirely on a market economy can lead to sporadic growth pains during development, making an otherwise straightforward process absurd.


    For example, Brunas currently cannot regte itself using a market economy; itpletelycks the conditions to do so.


    Firstly, the development of Brunas is fundamentally uneven, and many aspects are "special." These peculiarities decide that itcks the economic structure needed for self-repair.


    In one month, Brunas might gain 30,000 migrant workers, who certainly won''t be bringing a month''s supply of food with them to Brunas. They need to consume locally.


    No one can precisely predict the poption growth of Brunas for the month. Therefore, it''s obviously impossible to expect merchants to transport food themselves to solve Brunas'' food crisis.


    By the time they realize food prices are rising and then start looking for food to transport to Brunas to make a profit, it would be toote to remedy the situation.


    Thus, Brunas can only rely on the management to calcte in advance, make decisions, and adopt something akin to a nned economy to determine how much food and meat to import, even down to how much sugar, salt, and daily necessities and consumables to produce.


    Because without timely replenishment of these items, chaos can easily erupt, which is an oue the rapidly developing Brunas does not wish to see.


    That is also why Tang Mo has been so busytely, so busy that aside from preparing a portrait of himself, he essentially has no time to rest.


    The affairs he is currently dealing with are as numerous as cow hair, including many ns involving the development of Dragon Ind, all of which he must personally draft.


    Now, every person he meets and every matter he discusses each day is important, none can be easily deferred.


    "My lord." Just as Tang Mo rxed his posture and walked up to his portrait to admire his dashing appearance, the door was once again pushed open from the outside.


    A servant approached him, bowed slightly, and reported, "The envoy from Dorne has been waiting in the reception room."


    "Let''s go and see." Tang Mo''s eyes did not leave his painting, as he was obviously very satisfied with it.


    After all, this painter is also one of Dorne''s most famous artists; he has the talent, justcking the chance to be world-renowned.


    Tang Mo gave him that opportunity, because his paintings would soon be operated by others, and his rise to the world''s number one artist was nearly a certainty.


    Art, when ites to ranking first and second, is actually quite hard to determine, in the end it often boils down to a game supported by capital from behind the scenes.


    "Thank you!" Tang Mo smiled at the painter and expressed his gratitude. In the painter''s astonished gaze, Tang Mo turned and walked out of the room.


    The painter stood there, petrified, his heart filled with that smile, the young man''s smile like a spring breeze, enveloping his entire being.


    Suddenly, he felt that the portrait in front of him was not perfect, and the painting he had outlined with all his skill and effort might not represent the pinnacle of his artistry.


    He stood there motionless for a long time.


    Then, he reached out his hand, dipped his fingernail into the pigment on his palette as if pouring out all his life''s work, and gently added a short stroke to the corner of Tang Mo''s painted mouth.


    In a moment, the painting seemed toe to life, Tang Mo stood there, disregarding everything, overlooking everything, mocking everything...


    The painter did not yet know that with this divine stroke, he had created the greatest painting in the world: "God''s Smile."


    Yearster, that painting remains recognized as the foremost portrait in the world, and no other artist, including himself, had ever managed to surpass that portrait.


    Tang Mo was unaware that his portrait had been altered at that very moment; he walked with Wes through the corridor to the reception room.


    When the attendant helped him open the door, all the men wearing the ck Brunas suits inside stood up and nodded slightly in respect to Tang Mo.


    "Wee to Brunas," Tang Mo greeted with a smile and then walked straight to the liquor cab, took out a bottle of "Dorne 171," and shook it, "Who wants a drink?"


    Without waiting for the envoys from Dorne to speak, he ordered, "Wes, pour everyone a ss."


    He handed the bottle to Wes and then walked over to his host''s sofa and sat down with a plop, "I hear you''ve resolved to expand south?


    "Yes, my lord! His Majesty hopes that you and the Leite Kingdom can support our Dorne in obtaining a southern seaport..." the leading envoy from Dorne did not sit down but stood there speaking to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo stretched out his hand and pressed down, signaling for the others to rx. Once everyone sat back down on the sofa, he spoke, "The world has its limits, and Dorne''s expansion is already causing unease."


    "Actually, the southern kingdoms are loyal to the Shireck Consortium, and they are also your enemies, my lord. Our annexation of them would extend your influence to those territories," the Dorne envoy immediately exined on behalf of his country.


    "Let''s talk specifics, we''re all adults here. It''s rather dull to use tactics meant for fooling children," Tang Mo took the ss from Wes''s hand and spoke while looking at the others.


    "Hotwind Port." The envoy from Dorne fell silent for a few seconds, then lifted his head to meet Tang Mo''s gaze, offering Dorne''s conditions, "It''s yours."


    "Additionally, we will consider extraterritorial rights for the Great Tang Group in Dorne. Your people will be protected by legal rights, and in case of crimes, they could only be extradited back to Brunas or Dragon Ind for trial, how about that?" Seeing Tang Mo remain silent, the envoy continued.


    "I will consider it." Tang Mo put down the ss, didn''t even take a sip of the drink, and headed towards the door.

 Chapter 225: 221 doesnt like to be late

    Sometimes, power is just that simple, when someone ns to give you a city, and your heart remains undisturbed, just calmly promising to consider it¡ªthat is power.


    Tang Mo stepped out of the reception room and into his small office, where he saw Li''ao and several confidants waiting for him.


    Tang Mo briefly told them about the Dorne envoy''s offer, then saw the astonishment on their faces.


    He knew his subordinates were drooling over the port called Hotwind Port, but he also knew that further expansion now wasn''t good for the Great Tang Group itself.


    In fact, he had already lowered many standards due to rapid expansion, and being eager to expand their influence further wasn''t a good thing.


    So he began to exin, "Don''t think it''s such a good thing. Dorne is too hasty in expanding. They haven''t firmly secured the territories they have already swallowed up."


    "Unstable public sentiment, the vast territory, it will lead to bacsh. Especially with Shireck¨Dif they instigate rebellion in Dorne, things will get veryplicated," Tang Mo said, sitting in his chair, staring at the huge map hanging on the wall in front of him.


    "Then, what if we just take it over and not rush to develop it?" Li''ao thought for a moment, came up with an idea, and asked Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo nodded and said to him, "That''s also why I''m considering it instead of rejecting it outright. Dorne''s expansion is risky, but taking Hotwind Port is actually not a problem for us at all."


    "We just need to send a few people there, honestly and gradually develop it. After all, it doesn''t need to be another Brunas, so it won''t involve too much of our energy." As he spoke, he instructed Li''ao, "Bring over Hotwind Port''s information, let''s look at the situation there before making a decision."


    The allure of a port is indeed great. Dorne''s offer to cede Hotwind Port to the Great Tang Group actually includes many aspects.


    This includes stationing Great Tang Group''s troops in Hotwind Port, setting up administrative institutions, and establishing aplete customs tariff system. In other words, Dorne is recognizing Hotwind Port as a city-state within a nation, enjoying equal treatment from another country.


    "Also, find 20 dandelions and send them to Dorne! Capture the essentials as much as possible; we don''t want Dorne to make any major blunders..." After some thought, Tang Mo added anothermand.


    Luffughed and teased, "They''re really getting a blessing in disguise. You know, so many people in other countries are waiting for our trainees, and they''re getting 20 without lifting a finger."


    "We''re not giving it to them for nothing!" Tang Mo also smiled and said, "That''s it for today. I''ll leave tomorrow''s negotiations to you, Li''ao. I want all thend within a 20-kilometer radius around Hotwind Port! Plus extraterritorial rights and two baron titles; that''s not too much, right?"


    "Nobility titles?" Li''ao was taken aback and asked subconsciously, not knowing what Tang Mo was fussing about nobility titles at this time.


    "This is for you and Wes. After all, one is my intelligence director, and the other is my personal guard. It''s not too much to confer a baron title, is it?" Tang Mo exined.


    Wes was stunned; he had never imagined that he, a Ranger from Northern Ridge, could one day receive a baron title.


    In theory, although he was just Tang Mo''s driver and bodyguard, he was already a noble.


    Li''ao was also stunned in ce because he, as a criminal, had never thought that one day, in a foreignnd, he would receive a noble title.


    This was an honor that would glorify his ancestors, and in that instant, he was so moved he was nearly brought to tears, even feeling an impulse to worship Tang Mo.


    "At your age, save the emotion for outside," Tang Mo said, sending Li''ao''s tears back with one sentence. He then turned to Luff and said, "Don''t be impatient, I''ve got someoneing to knock on my door for another deal soon, and after that, I''ll consider a baron title for you and Tagg as well."


    In his words, it seemed getting a title was an easy task, as if by merely asking, no one would refuse him.


    Indeed, that was the case. Some nobles of the Leite Kingdom had repeatedly approached Tang Mo behind the scenes, hoping to nominate him as a count of the kingdom.


    Even before Leite VII was crowned Emperor, they believed Tang Mo should receive the title of marquis of the kingdom.


    At that point, upon the new Emperor''s coronation, Tang Mo could rightfully be a duke. They''d even thought of the title for him: the Dragon Duke!


    Of course, if Tang Mo didn''t like it, the title could change, arranged entirely ording to Tang Mo''s wishes, with absolute attention to detail and meticulous care!


    "Since I call you my lord, I will not be pretentious," said Li''ao, still with moist eyes, bowing his head to thank Tang Mo.


    Wes didn''t speak but just smiled and stroked his chin¨Dhe didn''t need to express anything; his loyalty was worth this price.


    Luff''s face was also filled with smiles because he knew Tang Mo''s promise would be fulfilled. He just had to wait a few days, and the title would fall on him.


    The Shireck Consortium seldom put effort into matters of nobility titles; in fact, those who were pulling the strings behind the scenes at the Shireck Consortium did not want all their pawns to be nobility.


    They looked down upon the world from their high vantage, as though they themselves were transcendental and noble.


    Wes was the opposite; he rather enjoyed assigning interesting identities to his subordinates, such as making Susan, with whom he had a deep coboration, into a singer who had now be famous far and wide.


    Any theater that could secure her performance was guaranteed to sell out, making tickets highly sought after, leading countless people to go to great lengths to obtain one.


    Before long, the situation had evolved to the point where not attending a performance by Miss Susan was tantamount to not qualifying as nobility.


    Those who managed to secure a private box during Miss Susan''s performances were invariably the most prestigious and influential local elites.


    And this renowned female singer only wore dresses and adomed herself with jewelry designed by Great Tang Group''s subsidiary, Grand Hall Fashion, in public appearances.


    Thus, products from Grand Hall Fashion became the hottest luxury brands in fashion circles. Even a pair of socks with a Grand Hall Fashionbel could sell for an astronomical price.


    The next day, while Li''ao represented Wes in negotiations with Dorne''s envoy regarding the ownership of Hotwind Port, envoys from the distant Por Kingdom finally stepped off the train onto the tform in Brunas.


    Only now did they realize what Por Kingdom had missed out on¡ªthe sight of automobiles had already made them extremely nervous, as if they were treading on thin ice.


    When they witnessed the trains, they werepletely conquered by the power of technology. Before their eyes unfolded the great future ushered in by technological progress.


    When the elves awoke on the train to find themselves nearing Brunas, everyone sensed the immense pressure weighing on their shoulders.


    Owing such a formidable power 100,000 Gold Coins was anything but desirable. If the other party were to hold a grudge against Por Kingdom, the loss would outweigh the gain.


    The entire city filled Fitteral with an inexplicable urge to worship. He looked up at the giant hot air balloon floating outside the train station, at a loss for words.


    What brought him even more overwhelming pressure was the pace at which the entire city operated. No one here was not in a hurry; the streets were filled with either horse-drawn carriages or whizzing automobiles. Compared to here, the King City of the Por Kingdom seemed as tranquil as a retirement home.


    As Fitteral walked along the bustling streets, he felt an almost surreal sensation. The towering buildings and the frighteningly bright neon lights made him feel like a country bumpkin.


    There were even more chimneys than in Southwater Port, stretching out like a forest into the far horizon beyond his sight.


    Entertainment venues, more resplendent than the Imperial Pce, lined the streets, where scantily d girls shamelessly flirted, offering anyone with money the chance to find their "true love".


    Nobles dressed in decent Brunas suits drove ornately decorated T-model cars with their partners, unting their status as the car horns punctuated the city''s hubbub.


    Everywhere the elves encountered wonders they had never seen before, groundbreaking achievements that overturned their cognition, and marvels that challenged their decades of life experience.


    The Por Kingdom, which had not seen a shipping fleete to Brunas Port in over a year due to debts, seemed to have missed out on something...


    After witnessing what real prosperity looked like, these elves from afar had no doubt that the city before them was thergest metropolis in the world.


    Moreover, when a few horse-drawn carriages really came to the station to pick them up and gave them a tour of Brunas, they harbored no doubts about the telegram they replied to back in Xidos.


    It testified that Brunas truly had a means of long-distancemunication with Xidos, which meant they had indeed provoked someone they shouldn''t have messed with.


    "Gentlemen, as the consortium''s executives are quite busy, I will arrange for you all to stay at Brunas'' Great Tang Hotel today. Tomorrow, the consortium''s manager Harry will meet with you at nine in the morning," said the man responsible for reception, smiling in the carriage as he informed Envoy Fitteral about the schedule for the next day.


    The other party made no inquiries about the convenience of the elves, directly arranging the entire schedule.


    Clearly, this arrangement was not subject to change, for he didn''t ask for any opinions from the elf side.


    On the contrary, after making arrangements for the next day, the man charged with reception said, "Mr. Harry detests people beingte, so everyone must be sure to leave on time tomorrow, as the carriages will not wait."


    --------


    Two updates for today, more toe tomorrow.

 Chapter 226: 222 beautiful rooms

    Before today, there seemed to be no madman who would dare to instruct an envoy from another country at a diplomatic asion, saying they do not like others to bete.


    However, a few envoys from the Por Kingdom really did, after being overwhelmed by technology all along the way, subconsciously nod their heads as if it were only natural.


    When they, like country bumpkins who had never seen the world, were escorted to their rooms by a waiter who seemed more like a noble than they were, they werepletely overpowered by this modern shockwave.


    "This thing is called an electric light! You just turn on this switch, and the whole room will light up! Yes, you can try it." The waiter seemed to have not instructed a hotel guest on how to use an electric light for a long time, because many people whoe to Brunas are already familiar with it.


    In this ce that seems to belong to another world altogether, everyone has grown ustomed to the light. No one remembers any longer the oppressive nights spent under the gasmps.


    The light herees too easily, as if the gods of light themselves reside here. When the third elf tried the switch, they finally realized from the waiter''s disdainful look that they were doing something incredibly stupid.


    "Uh... I apologize... My apologies, indeed." Fitteral apologistically said to the waiter with some timidity.


    For the first time, he truly showed such a humble attitude towards a servant. It was not because he was well-mannered, but because he had shown fear first...


    In his eyes, this experienced waiter was far more formidable than any of his highfalutin friends.


    For example, now, after politely suggesting they not worry about it, he introduced them to the ceiling fan above and exined in detail how to use it.


    This thing was definitely a rarity; nowhere else could it be found. When it started spinning, the elves who hade from afar were stunned.


    They had never seen such advanced technology and even suspected that it could fall while spinning, bing a terrifying weapon.


    "If you need anything, you can press this switch to call for us; if there''s nothing else, I shall take my leave." The waiter bowed slightly, with utmost respect and satisfaction in his performance.


    When the door closed, all the elves finally rxed,pletely unaware that a hotel could be this luxurious.


    The sofas here seemed much more upscale than those they had seen elsewhere, and the nobility guests they saw in the corridors could easily be considered the most respectable people they had ever encountered.


    Treatment worthy of a king, they excitedly thought, then naturally began discussing strategies for the next day.


    "Shall we try to keep the repayable Gold Coins within... within 200,000?" The deputy envoy tentatively started to suggest.


    "200,000 Gold Coins? You must be joking; if we could reduce it to within 300,000 Gold Coins, that would consider us having an advantage." Fitteral said with a face full of dismay.


    If the other party truly operated at this level, then their previous judgments seemed to have all been incorrect.


    The other party was not concerned about those 100,000 Gold Coins; they were likely ready to use that sum as an excuse to escte the war for greater benefits.


    Clearly, if they truly possessed such strength, then their appetite would surely not be small. How could a body as vast as a blue whale be satisfied with just one roast chicken for a meal?


    "Do you think... the other party will make an exorbitant demand?" The deputy''splexion turned sour as he looked towards the other and asked.


    "What do you think? If you were them, would you only demand we return 100,000 Gold Coins?" Fitteral likewise asked with an equally troubled look on his face.


    "No matter what, we cannot give ground in other areas!" Concerned that the Great Tang Group mighte up with some excessive requests, the deputy immediately objected.


    "Of course, we must stand firm, but... the question now is, how much can we concede?" Fitteral said to his deputy envoy.


    "This... 250,000 Gold Coins, I think¡­ is already the biggest concession we can make," the deputy pondered and finally proposed a number he thought was reasonable.


    After all, therger that number, the more it represented the folly of the Augustin n''s decision to dy payment in the past.


    They still needed to give some face to the Marquis. Thinking this, Fitteral, who had initially wanted to suggest 500,000, ultimatelypromised: "Then let''s negotiate for 300,000 and see if they can ept suchpensation."


    In truth, he was still very apprehensive because he was acutely aware of what 100,000 Gold Coins meant to the Tang Group a year ago.


    If they had had those 100,000 Gold Coins a year earlier, the Brunas they were seeing now would perhaps have been built even better. For a power like the Tang Group that rose rapidly, time was indeed the most precious thing.


    Harry, removing his face from the tubr listening tube on the other side of the wall, curled his lips in contempt: "Continue monitoring."


    After he finished speaking, a man took his ce, listening and preparing to record everything he heard.


    Even in Brunas, rooms with electric fans and lights were scarce, and this particr room was reserved for the "target" to dwell in.


    It had been specially designed with hidden conduits in the walls and floors to facilitate the transmission of sound, making it easier for the surveince personnel in the adjacent room to gather intelligence.


    The entire room was ingeniously and practically designed, utilizing acoustic principles. The person living in it would never suspect that right next door, a group of people were spying on their every move.


    "They trulyck imagination, thinking they can fob us off with 300,000 Gold Coin... What a joke... That''s barely enough for beggars," Harry said as he walked out, speaking to the tall man beside him.


    This man was the bartender from the Silver Fox Tavern, who still went by the title of bartender, although he no longer stood behind the bar mixing drinks. He now controlled a massive entity known as the Silver Fox Company.


    "Now that we know their bottom line, let''s y along with them tomorrow," Harry said with a cruel smile on his face, like a tiger eying amb headed for ughter.


    "If they go out tonight, I will have people follow them and then show them the power of Silver Fox," the bartender said, following Harry andughing.


    His voice was deep and matched his imposing build. Dressed in a sharp suit, he emanated an unprecedented sense of oppression.


    "Fine, let''s have them run around like headless chickens," Harry nodded. "No need for further courtesies! I''m the junior here."


    "It''s only proper to see you out, after all, this is my turf," the bartender insisted on walking Harry to the door and watched him get into the car before turning to leave.


    Upon returning to the hotel lobby, he said to his entourage, "If they are willing, let them have a look at the casino... They can borrow as much as they want, it doesn''t matter."


    "Understood," his subordinate nodded slightly, a smile spreading across his face.


    ...


    "I... just saw a ce over there bright with lights..." As night fell, an Elf finally grew restless and bored, stood up, and looked at hispanions, "Shall we? Go for a walk?"


    The night here was simply too beautiful, with neon lights everywhere, the colorful illumination enlivening the entire night, the air thick with the scent of temptation.


    To be frank, none of the people here had ever witnessed such a dazzling night. They had never experienced such an enticing night either.


    "Perhaps... we should go out... for a walk?" The deputy envoy was also tempted, curious about how wonderful the night could truly be.


    "You all go ahead. I need to organize my thoughts since we have important negotiations tomorrow," Sir Fitteral, the head of the delegation, gestured with his hand, indicating he preferred not to go.


    He needed to save his energy for the negotiations the following day. As a special envoy, he had to set a good example and attend to serious matters first.


    Hearing his words, the deputy envoy had no choice but to suppress his restlessness and settled back into his seat. "Never mind, you go ahead! See what the excitement is about, and after the negotiations, Sir Fitteral and I will join you for a look."


    "Yes! We understand!" Several Guards and staff members immediately perked up and left the room, leaving behind two unfortunate souls to stay and ensure the safety of the envoys.


    Soon, these Elves from the wandering delegation met their new friends on the streets and together they headed to the casino.


    After that... they discovered the games here werepletely different from what they were used to, and utterly entertaining.


    They took out Gold Coin to exchange for chips and then bet wildly. The lucky ones won seven times in a row, and their pockets fattened with more than double the Gold Coin they started with!


    Caught up in the excitement, the Elves continued to ride their winning streak. In less than an hour, they had gambled away their gold watches, nes, and rings.


    Then, as if possessed, they borrowed 200 Gold Coin, which also vanished on the casino tables.


    By the time these Elves came to their senses, each of them owed an average of about 70 Gold Coin in debt... which was no small sum.


    The casino staff were very polite, allowing them to leave after confirming their delegation member status. But the Elves were very uneasy as they knew soon the special envoys would find out about their debts...


    After all, the casino was in the business to make money, and their security staff was very experienced in debt collection...

 Chapter 227: 223 overwhelming negotiation power

    "I''m really anxious. I''m both a participant in this matter and a concerned party. In truth, I really hope that I could help my former homnd resolve such an issue," John said awkwardly as he stood in the room.


    "This matter no longer has anything to do with you. The debt we''re seeking was originally ours, things that should have been obtained within a year! These were stolen from us by the Augustin n, so they must be coughed up," Harry, waiting for the envoy delegation, consoled John by patting his shoulder.


    "I understand all that. It''s just that I... am not feeling too well," John said as he took out a handkerchief to wipe his handsome face.


    "My lord, the envoy delegation from the Por Kingdom has arrived," a subordinate announced, pushing open the door to inform Harry and John who were waiting there.


    The carriage meant to receive the envoys stopped in front of the Brunas City Hall, and then a group of people was brought to the meeting room and waited in the resplendent chamber.


    They didn''t have to wait long before Harry, apanied by John, entered the meeting room andmenced the negotiations.


    The entrance of an Elf caught everyone from the Por Kingdom off guard. The deputy envoy recognized John but before he could speak up, Fitteral Viscount introduced himself, "Hello, I am the special envoy representing the Por Kingdom for this negotiation... Fitteral Viscount... "


    "Hello, I''m the manager for the Great Tang Group, representing Mr. Tang Mo personally. You can call me Mr. Harry," said the young Harry without a hint of stage fright, even appearing quite at ease.


    After all, he had almost everything about the other party in his hands and was actually inplete control of the negotiations without a need to be nervous.


    Then, he stretched out his hand to introduce the Elf beside him, "This is Mr. Augustine John, the general manager of our Great Tang Group''s entertainment division."


    "Hello! Mr. John," the deputy envoy hurried forward and greeted him, "Your father misses you very much... "


    "..." John did not speak. It had been a long time since hest saw such an enthusiastic fellow countryman, nor did anyone dare to be so presumptuous in his presence...


    Fitteral nced at the two, then over at the other clerks and guards. Not finding the target he was searching for, he asked, "Mr. Tang Mo... why didn''t hee himself?"


    Harry casually replied, "He''s been busy and doesn''t have time to deal with minor matters like this."


    In fact, Tang Mo had indeed been busytely as he had be enthralled with cooking. Having barely experienced fine dining in his past life, he had recently decided to establish a reputation as a gourmet.


    Of course, he had not given up on his dream of bing an arms dealer. The Great Tang Group was currently developing a whole new range of weapons, mostly smoothbore guns.


    After all, modern artillery was far more advanced than smoothbore guns, and he had to umte enough technology to stay ahead of everyone else.


    Fitteral decided to reim the upper hand, so he emphasized, "But I am the special envoy representing the Por Kingdom! I speak for a nation!"


    "I know. So what, a nation is impressive?" Harry retorted with indifference.


    Fitteral feigned displeasure, hoping to regain the initiative in the negotiation, and challenged, "Mr. Harry, such words are, after all, quite..."


    "I think it would be better if you stopped your idle talk. I''m very busy and don''t have time to waste on you! If you''re not willing to discuss serious matters and only want to dwell on your identity, then this meeting is over.


    You can find a ce to discuss things clearly beforeing back, but who knows if I''ll have the time to see you then?" Harry cut him off immediately with a warning in an unfriendly tone.


    "..." Indeed, Fitteral, almost choking, turned red and couldn''t squeeze out a word for a long time.


    Finally, he caught his breath and began again, "We''vee this time to protest against your warship invasion of our country and the disturbance along our coastline."


    No sooner had he finished than the aggrieved deputy envoy quickly stressed, "Such actions are an act of war! You are ying a very dangerous game; if war breaks out between the two countries, the consequences would be unthinkable."


    "Are you dering war?" Harry asked with a curious expression.


    "What?" The deputy envoy was stunned, not grasping why the other party would say such a thing.


    Harry repeated his question with a serious look, "I''m asking if you are dering war. If you are, then the negotiations are over, and I will represent the Great Tang Group in dering war on the Por Kingdom."


    This unconventional approach to negotiation threw Fitteral offpletely. He had never experienced anything like it and was at a loss for words.


    On the other hand, the deputy envoy was also bewildered by these words. He looked at John, who remained silent beside him, tongue-tied and stuttering, "It''s not... how could you..."


    Before he could finish speaking, Harry interrupted him once again and directly asked, "Are you here to dere war or to negotiate? If you''re here to dere war, why waste any more time?"


    To be frank, the sense of oppression was too strong, or rather, the force disyed by the Great Tang Group was so overwhelming that it left the members of the Elf Race''s negotiation delegation practically tongue-tied.


    So, the two elves looked at each other with nothing coherent to say: "..."


    At this time, Harry continued with a condescending tone, "We''re already attacking you, gentlemen from the Por Kingdom! Our cannons are bombarding your ports! Sir! Can you not man up? Decide whether it''s war or talks. Coming to me without your mind made up, are you just toying with me?"


    "Wee in the interest of peace." Finally, Fitteral managed to say something he himself thought was satisfactory, thanks to his diplomatic experience.


    Harry couldn''t hold back and burst outughing: "Ha..."


    The clerk behind him, who was recording the negotiation, also couldn''t resist and a smile appeared on his face.


    "Hm?" Mr. Vice-Envoy, who already couldn''t save face, was provoked by such tant mockery.


    Harry had no intention of amodating the other''s feelings and bluntly said, "Sorry, but I''ve never met anyone who could dress up a plea for peace so righteously before."


    "..." His directness once again rendered the other party speechless.


    "Alright, I did not mean to mock you gentlemen, I just couldn''t help it. Now, let''s get the conversation back on track," said Harry, deciding that he had applied enough pressure and thus, he put away his smile.


    He paused for a moment and then couldn''t resist adding sarcastically about why he had dispatched the warships: "To be honest, our warships were merely sent to collect a debt. You must already know this. Augustine Reibert of the Augustin Family owes us a substantial amount of money.


    Since he has been defaulting on the debt, we had no choice but to dispatch warships, to remind him and to make him remember that there are still things like human decency, credibility, honor, and shame."


    "I warn you..." Upon hearing the ridicule towards the Augustin Family and Marquis Augustine Reibert, the deputy envoy representing the noble powers could no longer sit still. He pointed his finger, ready to take a jab at the other''s arrogance.


    But before he could finish, Harry interrupted with, "You''re warning me?"


    This young manager representing the Great Tang Group had eyes filled with a chilling light at this moment, like a wild beast.


    The atmosphere in the room suddenly became eerie, the temperature seemed to have dropped significantly, and the deputy envoy even felt the cold.


    He swallowed hard, wanting to repeat his threat, but found that the words, familiar in any other circumstance, were difficult to voice: "I... warn..."


    "I... warn you...! If you say another sentence that irritates me, I''ll cut off your hand, got it?" Harry drew out the word "I" very long, as well as the word "you," his tone filled with iciness.


    Seeing that the deputy envoy no longer dared to speak, Harry turned his attention back to Fitteral: "Alright, the annoying noise is finally over, Mr. Special Envoy Fitteral, I truly regret that your nation has produced so much trash."


    "Sir, anger and war won''t solve any problems. We trulye for peace, the hope is that you will recall your warships..." Fitteral, also dissatisfied with his loose-tongued deputy, was happy to find the discussion returning to stable ground.


    Harry interrupted him, glossing over the warship issue and finally touching on the matter of money: "Shh! Before we get back to the warships, let''s first talk about repaying the debt. If you n to default, the warships will continue to patrol outside your port, that''s the reality you need to understand..."


    Fitteral also felt a sense of relief, almost thankful that the topic had normalized. He even forgave Harry for rudely interrupting him because of this.


    Only to hear him exin, "We are here to repay the money actually. Por Kingdom values its reputation highly, the debt was simply a small misunderstanding."


    "Oh? What misunderstanding? Would you care to borate?" Harry asked curiously.


    "..." Fitteral wanted to curse, his mention of a misunderstanding was just a face-saving excuse, a mere politeness. Who knew what misunderstanding they were referring to; where was there any misunderstanding? Weren''t such polite remarks usually ignored?


    However, what was even more infuriating for him happened shortly after when Harry, having left Fitteral speechless, continued by himself: "Never mind, it must be tiring for you to make up stories, and I don''t have time to listen. Since you''re prepared to repay the debt, let''s calcte how much you owe, including interest."


    -------


    More updates to followter, probably around 1 a.m. No need to wait up, folks. You can read it in the morning.

 Chapter 228: 224 not familiar

    Fitteral, who did not n on letting Harry speak the amount first, decided to make clear his bottom line. He believed that doing so would minimize the losses.


    Thus, he feigned generosity as he said, "No need to calcte, we n to repay you 200,000 Gold Coins, both principal and interest included. That already shows great sincerity. 100,000 Gold Coins from a year ago, and now after one year, we have doubled the repayment..."


    "How much?" This time, it was Harry who was shocked.


    He was genuinely astonished by the Elves'' shameless attitude; they really intended to settle the debt by simply calcting some interest...


    It had to be understood that the money from a year ago was extremely important for the Great Tang Group. The significance of it could not bepared to today''s 200,000 Gold Coins.


    Back then was when the Great Tang Group urgently needed funds and materials; one Gold Coin at that time was worth more than a hundred Gold Coins now!


    That was why Tang Mo had such a figure of 14 million Gold Coins¡ªthis was a "fair" number derived from precise calctions!


    Yet, the other party shamelessly defined the value of the 100,000 Gold Coin debt as the 100,000 Gold Coins themselves, without considering its negative impact on the development of the Great Tang Group.


    After all, how could owing Jack Ma 100,000 in 1988 and in 2018 possibly be the same concept?


    Unwilling to recognize certain truths, Fitteral insisted with a pretense, "200,000 Gold Coins. This is already higher than the steepest interest, we are truly sincere."


    "Hahaha!" Harry couldn''t help butugh out loud.


    "May I know, Mr. Harry, what is so funny?" Knowing that his im would definitely be challenged, Fitteral braced himself and asked.


    In fact, he had estimated the previous night that their offer of 200,000 Gold Coins would likely not be epted.


    However, in his opinion, at most the other party would ask for 300,000 or 500,000 Gold Coins.


    Unable to help it, poverty really limited his imagination. He had never truly seen 500,000 Gold Coins in his life, so naturally, his mind could not conceive a figure beyond that amount.


    After having hisugh, Harry looked at the other party with a grim expression, "I''mughing at whether you have any idea how much the interest on this debt actually amounts to."


    "Then... Mr. Harry, what do you think the amount should be?" Knowing he couldn''t escape the situation, Fitteral could only continue to ask.


    "It''s not what I think, but how much this money could have turned into after one year at our Great Tang Group! Mr. Fitteral... in fact, in the past year, 100,000 Gold Coins could have generated a profit of... 14 million Gold Coins for us." After saying this, Harry directly stated an astonishing number, "Hence, the debt you should repay is over 14 million! Mr.


    Tang Mo is extremely merciful; he''s decided to ignore the fraction and is only asking you for 14 million Gold Coins!"


    "How much?" The same expression now appeared on Fitteral''s face. He truly did not expect the other party to demand 14 million Gold Coins right off the bat!


    "14 million Gold Coins." Harry confirmed his quote with certainty.


    Fitteral shook his head frantically, indicating it was impossible, "Have you gone mad? The treasury of the Por Kingdom does not have that much money in total!"


    "You can repay with goods, withnd, with mining rights, with anything valuable. We have a specialized audit team that can estimate the value... rest assured, fair and square, we will not take even a penny more from you," Harry scoffed as he spoke.


    "We simply cannot repay so much! Moreover, this is no longer a normal amount of money! This is extortion!" Fitteral''s voice rose significantly.


    "So, should the Great Tang Group, which has suffered from dyed development because you withheld payment, and has not yet recovered, just ept its misfortune?" Harry continued to sneer.


    "But 14 million is really too much!" Fitteral spread his hands, ying the rogue.


    "I''ve already said, if you can''t produce the amount, you can offset the debt with assets!" Harry persisted relentlessly, "Who asked... for you to default on the payment and not settle it until now, so much so that you''ve lost face, right?"


    "You should know, I simply cannot agree to such a thing," Fitteral insisted.


    Harry nodded, focusing on his counterpart as he spoke, "Actually, getting our money back is quite simple. Guess what the neighboring countries would think if we were to continue dispatching Warships to blockade the South Water or even destroy all your ports?"


    As he spoke, he leaned back on the couch, "Believe me, your neighbors are already very displeased with your expansion, and they too hope someone can stop your next expansion n."


    "If we went over and talked to them, do you think they''d be willing to shell out tens of thousands of Gold Coins to cover the costs of deploying our Warships?" he asked with augh, extending his hand and making a gesture: "Little by little, we can eventually take back a bit of interest."


    Without waiting for Fitteral to speak again, he continued, "However, just the interest obviously isn''t enough..."


    He nced at Fitteral, whose face had turned ashen, and continued to talk about the Great Tang Group''s potential debt collection ns: "Of course, if we operate a bit more and sell them some more weapons... You see, it''s not that the Por Kingdom is nning to expand, but that it needs to hurry to expand its military in case its neighbors swallow it up... Tsk tsk, truly pitiable."


    "It''s regrettable that when they need ports the most, they don''t have any avable, and their resources are exhausted; they simply can''t keep up with the consumption. If the war fails... the Por Kingdom will be history, just like... the Gales Kingdom..." Harry said, putting on a very sympathetic expression as he spoke.


    However, his words contained not a trace of sympathy: "Once you are defeated and annexed, it''ll be much easier for us to take that money, right?"


    "You people!" Fitteral''s deputy could no longer hold back and stood up abruptly, furrowing his brows at Harry as if he intended to devour him.


    Harry, however, just smirked and continued unfazed, "What? You''re already losing your cool? We haven''t even started yet! We will soon announce our support for the restoration of the Gales Kingdom. Guess how many Orc ves are eagerly awaiting the return of their king to the Sena ins?"


    "..." This time, even Fitteral was feeling overwhelmed. He knew too well about the recent annexation of the Gales Kingdom by his nation and the ongoing rebellions.


    If the Great Tang Group got involved in such a matter, then the Sena ins would bepletely chaotic. It may cost the Por Kingdom millions of Gold Coins just to suppress the Orc uprisings.


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    "All it would take is our will, and the Leite Kingdom could soon dere war on the Por Kingdom! You would be the target of public criticism, with no chance of turning the tables!" Harry concluded, throwing another bombshell.


    Fitteral did not buy this im and immediately retorted, "The Leite Kingdom doesn''t even border us."


    Harryughed and returned thement, "We just need to dispatch two legions, 3,000 men with weapons ten times more advanced than yours, and we could easily take over South Water, Osa... Think about how many would kick you when you''re down! Idiot!"


    "You''re threatening us!" the deputy eximed, unable to restrain himself any longer.


    Harry nced at him, "I''m just stating a fact! If you think that''s a threat, then so be it. In any case, the victor definitely won''t be the Por Kingdom, and you''d do well... to believe that!"


    After thinking for a moment, Fitteral decided not to yield an inch, "You''re trying to take 14 million Gold Coins from us with your threats? Impossible! I won''t back down because of your bluffing, Mr. Harry!"


    "Words are the most useless thing in this world," Harry didn''t counter, implying that what he was about to do was also part of the negotiation n.


    Then, he slowly stood up, looking down at the two Elves from the Por Kingdom sitting across from him, and said, "My teacher once said something that I''ve adopted as my personal creed... ''Truth lies within the range of a cannon, dignity upon the edge of a sword.''"


    He made an inviting gesture, "So, this afternoon, I''m nning to take you on a tour to see the truth of this world, and then have you submit to that truth."


    "What do you mean?" the two Elves from the Por Kingdom asked in surprise.


    "It''s quite simple, right now, I''m preparing to take you on a tour of our weapons testing ground, and then to see the Warships that would attack your South Water naval port, so you can truly grasp the disparity between us and abandon any illusions," Harry replied.


    Then, he made the inviting gesture again, "Come on! Follow me!"


    "John... I am a close confidant of your father! Don''t pretend you don''t know me," the deputy said, trying his luck as they left the room, whispering intimately to John, "You need to speak up for the Por Kingdom, for your father!"


    He thought that Leibart had sent John to join the Tang Group precisely to deal with issues like today''s. And now, it was time for John to take action.


    "Are you joking? I am now a manager at the Great Tang Group! Don''t drag me down with you!" hearing the deputy''s words, John quickly dodged to the side as if to avoid catching a disease, even dusting off his sleeves as though the deputy was contagious, "Don''t bring me down with your death wish!"


    "What, do you two know each other?" Harry asked, turning his head back knowingly.


    "..." The deputy was at a loss for a moment about how to reply.


    "I''m not familiar with him!" John had already shaken his head.


    ----------


    I still owe you all another update! Hehe.

 Chapter 229: 225 Master Chef

    Tang Mo had recently been researching Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a delicacy he often enjoyed in his previous life, to which he was quite attached. After all, it is a highly nourishing dish, and given his connections with many women in his previous life, Tang Mo was very conscious about health.


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    However, unlike in his previous life, this world did not yet possess such luxurious ingredients, or rather, the cold chain technology to gather such an extravagant array of ingredients was nonexistent.


    Those living by the sea at Brunas had little attachment to things like scallops, as they had grown weary of eating them.


    But with Brunas''s industrial development, in the past six months, marine life near Brunas''s coast had begun to vanishpletely, and the marine life in distant waters was rapidly depleting as well.


    On one hand, the problem stemmed from the natural resource depletion caused by Brunas''s growing poption; after all, with more mouths to feed and little else avable, people had resorted to overfishing fish and shellfish.


    On the other hand, it was due to the terrifying emissions from Tang Mo''s factories! This was heavy industrial pollution, which was barely treated before being released into the sea, inevitably affecting the ecological environment.


    Now, the seawater near the discharge pipes of Tang Mo''s factory was colored, a truly frightening sight. Therefore, Tang Mo had already ordered that Brunas''s marine products were to be banned from use.


    To appease the fishermen, he even established some food processing nts in the south of Brunas, allowing these fishermen to switch careers and be workers at these nts.


    As a result, Tang Mo, wanting to make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, now had to use ingredients brought back from faraway ces.


    Tang Mo cleaned the squid thoroughly, then ced it into a porcin jar he had prepared earlier, secured the lid, and let the seafood''s fragrance fill the kitchen. Only then did he raise his head to look at the somewhat nervous young man before him and spoke, "Don''t be so tense. Simon told me you are an economic genius, so I entrusted this task to you.


    You haven''t disappointed me; I''ve looked at the economic model you''ve built, and it''s quite impressive."


    "But you still found 30 errors in it and then corrected them¡­ After recalcting¡­ it became¡­ wless," the young man pondered for a moment before choosing the words ''wless.''


    It baffled him because he had heard that the young man cooking was an expert in weapon design and also a genius in mechanical engineering. Yet this young man demonstrated exceptional economic expertise far beyond this era.


    Before meeting Simon, Van Kums was called a madman. Despite his youth, he was often viewed as crazy, promoting his calction forms every day to the nobility and Ministers.


    The usual oue was him being chased away and mocked¡ªthough Van Kums, born into a noble family with his father being a Viscount, had some connections in noble circles and was somewhat better off than Tang Mo in his most destitute days.


    So, even though he wasbeled a madman and ridiculed by many, at least he had food to eat and didn''t live in dire straits.


    However, his fate changed after he met the newly appointed Minister of Finance, Simon.


    Simon had studied many of Tang Mo''s economic courses and immediately recognized that what this young man named Van Kums had was indeed correct.


    Van Kums was also astonished to find that the new Minister of Finance was not ipetent but a truly capable economist.


    The two immediately hit it off, became close friends, and Simon quickly introduced this innovative young man to Tang Mo.


    Initially, Van Kums thought Simon introduced him because Great Tang Groupcked an expert in economic matters like himself.


    But after attending two economic courses, he realized the gap between him and the young man teaching was analogous to the distance between the Milky Way and the Andromeda Gxy.


    He held the utmost reverence for this young man named Tang Mo, admiring him tremendously. Hence, he stayed on to be Tang Mo''s economic advisor.


    Recently, Tang Mo had given him an interesting task. As a genius in economics, he immediately perceived that what Tang Mo was nning was an endeavorparable to ruling the world.


    "I''m not that impressive; your talent far exceeds mine," Tang Mo said while scooping the scallop meat into the porcin jar and covering it again with the lid.


    "No! Master! Everything you do astounds me! I pledge to put forth all my effort to realize your goals! There is nothing more magnificent than this in the world!" Van Kums dered excitedly to Tang Mo.


    "How are the preparations going?" Tang Mo asked while observing the steam rising from the jar.


    Upon hearing Tang Mo''s inquiry, Van Kums immediately responded, "The paper we are producing is an unmatched technology in the marketce; we''ve confirmed through testing that it shouldst over two years in terms of durability."


    "Hmm, very good," Tang Mo nodded slightly.


    Van Kums continued discussing the progress of his work, "We have added watermarking on it as you instructed, apletely new anti-counterfeiting measure. We expect that it will take about three years before counterfeits emerge."


    "For the third aspect, our ink uses thetest process. I believe it will be difficult for others to decipher the inkposition and printing methods, especially when ites to the printing process," Van Kums had great confidence in these technologies since he had recently met a technical director named Mathews.


    The craftsmanship of this Dwarf elder was without question, and the industrial technology of the Great Tang Group could definitely be said to lead the world.


    The world''s best processing machinery ensured the precision of the printing equipment, and with the efforts of the advanced technicians from the Great Tang Group, the brand-new printing equipment was nothing short of a work of art.


    The engraved tes on it could ensure that the printed patterns reached micron-level precision, and with the development of electromaic technology, no other factory could catch up with the printing precision of Tang Mo''s factory.


    In this regard, Tang Mo was extremely confident; he could guarantee that for the next few centuries, no one could surpass him in printing technology.


    The reason for this was because Tang Mo was preparing to issue paper currency. He intended to issue a type of paper currency worldwide, seizing this domain first and ultimately bing the world bank.


    Of course, all of this had not yet begun, and he would need a long time to prepare, but he had already started to put things into motion.


    In the future, anyone purchasing products produced by the Great Tang Group would have to use the paper currency issued by the Great Tang Group, which would be pegged to gold, simr to British Pounds.


    However, Tang Mo had no intention of letting people exchange arge amount of gold from his vault, so he was not nning any kind of equivalent exchange.


    "Is the printing experiment going smoothly?" Tang Mo asked, staring at his porcin jar.


    "Quite smoothly. Following your instructions, we used denominations of 1 copper coin, 5 copper coins, 10 copper coins, 1 silver coin, 5 silver coins, 10 silver coins, 1 Gold Coin, 5 Gold Coins, 10 Gold Coins, 100 Gold Coins, and 1000 Gold Coins, with an initial total print run set at 20 million Gold Coins."


    "What about the coverage estimate?" Tang Mo picked up the metal cigarette case from the other side of the stove and skillfully pulled out a cigarette. He lit it from the mes and drew deeply.


    "Estimated coverage includes the surrounding areas of Brunas, Dragon Ind, and most of Northern Ridge," Van Kums immediately responded. "Military sries will continue to be calcted in Gold Coin to maintain stability."


    "Very thoughtful," Tang Mo nodded slightly, holding the cigarette in his mouth, squinting his eyes, and roughly calcting in his mind.


    If he used radio, Irond Warships, as well as howitzers and bolt-action rifles as security, and added electricity systems, automobiles, trains, and railway shares, he could almost convince the majority of regions to willingly use his currency.


    By then, just by relying on the banking system and the right to issue currency, he would be able to control the vast majority of the world''s wealth.


    It was a super privilege that many countries dreamed of having, the sickle for harvesting the world''s finances, a weapon more lethal than actual nuclear weapons!


    "Then let''s issue 20 million for starters... Once it''s stable and everyone epts it, we''ll move on to the next step," said Tang Mo as he stood up, contemting. "Once the first indemnity payment arrives, we can make up for the shortfall in the reserve funds."


    "Yes, Master," Van Kums agreed without any objection. He viewed Tang Mo as his lighthouse. By acknowledging Tang Mo as his mentor, he viewed Tang Mo as the idol worthy of his lifelong devotion.


    This was entirely a matter of like-minded individuals being drawn together. Such an attraction could not be achieved by other means. Just as Mathews adored Tang Mo, almost everyone around Tang Mo saw him as a partner in realizing their life goals and achieving their self-worth.


    Thus, more and more people called Tang Mo Master. Although it was embarrassing, Tang Mo still had to get used to epting such a title.


    "Will you stay for dinner?" Tang Mo asked after they''d finished discussing serious matters.


    For someone practicing his culinary skills, having someone willing to share in the fruits of hisbor was a very happy thing.


    "How could I impose..." Van Kums''s smile stiffened a bit, and he stood up to take his leave: "I''m going to start arranging for the currency printing now."


    "What a pity," Tang Mo''s mood suddenly deted;tely, there were fewer and fewer people willing to stay and eat what he cooked.


    This might all be Auntie Cui Xi''s fault¡ªafter all, her cooking might be a bit tastier and had spoiled everyone''s pte.


    "Ah!" Watching the heartlessly departing Van Kums, Tang Mo sighed, hands sped behind his back as he left the kitchen. On the stove, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was still simmering, and the scent of burning soon filled the air, apanied by the crackling of the mes.


    "Did I forget to add the broth just now?" Having returned to his office, ready to draw new blueprints, Tang Mo suddenly realized something, and then... the next second: "It doesn''t matter, let the servants deal with it..."


    -------


    Today there will be two updates. The next one will be a bitter, so everyone can watch it tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 230: 226 hopeless visits

    ```


    "Stop touching it; this is real metal! Thick steel tes so solid there isn''t even an echo when you knock on them!


    We''re not just covering a wooden warship with metal skin, we''ve actually used genuine steel tes to construct the hull!" As Tang Mo almost set his own kitchen on fire, he saw the two elves cautiously reaching out to touch the steel tes of the irond warship, and the apanying Harry spoke up.


    This warship, Brunas No. 1, had returned to Brunas to refuel coal and water and replenish its ammunition. It also needed to repair some damage, including a few spots that had been hit by solid cannonballs.


    However, for this warship, such minor damage was hardly worth mentioning; most of the ces that were hit only had shallow dents.


    When the two elves got a close look at this warship, they were utterly astounded by its grand and magnificent presence.


    It was their first time seeing such a warship, a bizarre one without sails but with two big smokestacks.


    As Harry walked forward, he exined to the two of them, "The warship under your feet is brand new. Its cannons can destroy any sailing warship!"


    Passing by the bridge, he pointed at the aiming device above, "See that thing above your heads? An aiming system like this has never been seen in this world before. It can help our guns lock on to targets 8 kilometers away, and if needed, we can open fire from that distance!"


    In this era, naval aiming was mostly still reliant on the naked eye, and the elves were hearing for the first time about such a precise aiming system.


    Looking up at the armored, reflection-style aiming device, they were initially unclear about how it worked.


    But even if they couldn''t grasp the advanced principles behind the equipment, they were still intimidated by the all-metal bridge.


    Even just imagining standing on such arge and steel-protected bridgemanding naval warfare made them realize it was indeed far safer than directing battle from the exposed deck at the stern of a traditional sailing ship.


    Those tall masts and venttion shafts, every piece of equipment was new to them and incredibly mysterious in their eyes.


    Finally, they reached the bow of the ship and saw the massive turret fitted with two 120mm caliber breach-loading cannons.


    Their own navy gunners manned the cannons behind wooden hulls while the enemy''s navy gunners operated more advanced firearms protected by steel tes. As a result, the battles were frustratingly uneven... The two elves couldn''t help butment this fact silently.


    At that moment, Harry began to describe the warship''s armament, "Two in the front, one in the back, a total of three main guns mounted in two rotating turrets. The gunners, shielded by steel tes, can attack the enemy at ease."


    "We''re using new ammunition, a broadside from which can sink a first-rate sailing warship!" he said, touching the thick barrel with confidence.


    "This is a gship product of the Great Tang Group''s Shipbuilding Industrial Division; a single warship like this could overturn an old-style navy of a kingdom... You canfortably pursue the enemy and effortlessly sink those pitifulmbs," Harry said, grinning mischievously at the two elves, who were still gazing around in wonderment like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden.


    Then, his words became less pleasant, "You''ve experienced it firsthand, so you should have no doubts about what I''m saying! Don''t doubt the power we have; you simply can''t resist it!"


    Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e-NovelBin


    The remark about first-hand experience really hit home. The elves'' faces immediately darkened, for they hade from afar over the incident of Southwater Port being bombarded.


    Harry, regardless of their grim expressions, continued to jab at their fragile nerves, "This kind of warship can reach speeds of over 35 kilometers per hour. Your warships don''t even have a chance to run; we can hunt you down to the ends of the earth and sea."


    "Don''t even think of relying on luck, for our warships have nightbat capabilities! See this searchlight? It can provide illumination at night, just like a lighthouse, and find targets more than a kilometer away to continue the attack!" he said while pointing to the searchlight covered with a tarpaulin, "So, no sailing warship could escape from such pursuit...


    You''ve already tested this, so I won''t go into further detail."


    One should not p the face when hitting someone! The two elves really wanted to remind Harry not to keep poking at their fragile nerves.


    Yes, they had been beaten, and miserably at that... but, but there was no need to keep bringing up such embarrassing affairs, was there?


    Before they could even voice their objection, Harry threw out another detail that caught their interest, "Actually, that''s not even its most incredible feature. The truly most powerful aspect is that it''s equipped with a telegraph system. You''ve used the telegraph yourselves, so you naturally know how great it is."


    ```


    They had indeed experienced the wonder of the telegraph and came with the desire to bring this magical device back to the Por Kingdom.


    So they listened seriously to Harry''s introduction, forgetting all the unpleasantness from earlier: "You will be able to contact your warships at will, no matter where they are in the great ocean, you can easily mobilize these forces!"


    "Believe me, there is nothing morefortable than this feeling. Just send a telegram and warships thousands of miles away will immediately execute orders... What could be more exhrating than that?" Harry ended the topic there.


    The two elves were still immersed in the grand vision of the Por Kingdom having a telegraphic system, capable ofmanding troops from afar.


    Unfortunately, before they could indulge in their beautiful vision for too long, Harry brought them back to the harsh reality: "Actually, my introduction isn''t really about selling to you two, after all, you still have to pay a debt of 14 million Gold Coins, and in the short term, it''s unlikely that you have the extra money to buy such advanced weapons and equipment."


    He smiled as he made a gesture for them to disembark, indicating that they were free to leave the ship: "I''m just using you for practice, so that I can sell better to others when theye to buy warships..."


    Fitteral almost spat out a mouthful of old blood, moving with steps heavy as if they weighed a ton.


    As he walked, Harry continued, "Of course, introducing this to you is also to make you realize that your Navy is outdated, and that the threats I have mentioned are actually very simple for the Great Tang Group."


    "Soon, there will be four Irond Warships patrolling your waters, and your hope of receiving any materials from the sea will be dashed." Switching to a threatening tone, Harry once again reminded the two elves that the Irond Warship before them was the enemy''s weapon: "So, I advise you to go back and think it over, and repay the 14 million Gold Coins as soon as possible...


    after all, if you refuse to repay the debt, the consequences will be dire."


    "This is more despicable than the Shireck Consortium! All countries will dread you and see you as a thorn in their side..." The deputy envoy could no longer contain himself, wailing in despair.


    "Unfortunately, Mr. Fitteral, in reality, we maintain friendly cooperation with many countries... For instance, we''ve already signed an agreement with the Leite Kingdom to construct three Brunas-ss Irond Warships, helping Leite Kingdom to build a modernized Navy," Harry rebutted dismissively.


    Then, he didn''t forget to twist the knife in the bleeding hearts of the two elves: "However, this may not be good news for you because the Leite Kingdom will likely dere war on the Por Kingdom and participate in attacking your coastal ports..."


    "..." Indeed, the faces of the two elves turned even uglier, as if they had returned home to see their lover fighting with their wife.


    As Harry walked down the warship and stood on the dock, he turned to point at the Brunas No. 1 Warship and said, "You''ve seen it yourself, there is a huge disparity between our weapons and equipment. We could attack you without paying any price. Given this disparity, it''s quite audacious of you to maliciously default on payments and refuse to repay the interest."


    This time, Fitteral did not deny the matter of the 14 million Gold Coins but deferred saying he had no authority to decide: "I don''t have the authority to agree to these terms... I can only send someone back to consult... "


    Even he may not have realized it, but he had begun to fear, to acquiesce to the demands of the Great Tang Group.


    Harry casually reminded Fitteral of the preciousness of time: "No rush, we have plenty of time... But you must understand that you are the ones whock time! With every day that passes, the alliance forming against the Por Kingdom grows stronger, and your chance to expand diminishes."


    "Wait until your neighbors... for instance, the Songmu Kingdom... pay for Irond Warships, or import breech-loading cannons and needle guns... It will be toote to repay the money then." After saying this, he looked at the two elves who were holding back their frustration, almost suffocating from it.


    "14 million is not a small sum, even our King has to make a careful decision, I need time! Please, you must... help me." Finally, Fitteral took off his gem-studded ring and secretly handed it to Harry, pleading in a low voice.


    Harry looked down at the decent-looking ring in his hand: "Hmm?"


    "This ring is worth at least 300 Gold Coins..." Fitteral, worried Harry may not recognize its value, quickly stated.


    "We have warships in Southwater Port, you know, and of course, there are telegraphs on our Irond Warships... If you need to contact the Por Kingdom in the fastest way, I can think of a way to help..." Harry pocketed the ring and then said, "That''s as far as I can help you."


    Like a drowning man grasping a lifeline, Fitteral was so grateful he almost cried out: "...Thank you! Thank you so much!"

 Chapter 231: 227 Decisions

    Jone was a fisherman, and as a civilian of the Por Kingdom, the 45-year-old had never imagined he would one day sit aboard a warship.


    He had always lived in Southwater, sailing out to fish, barely supporting his family of three. Buttely, this peaceful life had been shattered.


    First, a huge warship billowing ck smoke arrived, then he watched with his own eyes as more than a dozen merchant ships attempting to return to the port were sted into the depths by roaring cannon fire.


    Then, war erupted suddenly, with many warships appearing at sea, and ultimately, the victory belonged to that unknown enemy warship...


    Going out to sea to fish had be a dangerous affair, as fishing boats were sunk on sight by passing enemy vessels.


    Thus, Jone could only give up his work and wait on the shore, praying for the war to end soon.


    It seemed a miracle had urred, after Southwater Port had been blockaded for a month, the two smoke-billowing warships brazenly sailed away.


    The enemy had not been seen near the waters for a day, so officials at Southwater Port began forcing fishing boats to go out to sea, to check the open waters and see if the enemy had truly retreated.


    Soon, almost all the fishing boats returned to the shore¡ªthese small boats did not need to dock, making them rtively agile and hard to eradicate.


    The returning fishermen brought good news; they had not found the smoke-bilching warship, and calm temporarily returned to Southwater Port.


    Then, reconstruction effortsmenced in full force, with Marquis Reibert personally overseeing the rapid progress of Southwater Port''s repairs.


    Some slightlyrger merchant ships salvaged cannons from the warships sunk nearby, whose locations had been roughly identified, as these were the most valuable parts of the sunken ships.


    Those vessels whose whereabouts were unknown or whether they were truly sunk, were temporarily left unattended.


    In short, the loss at Southwater Port this time, or rather the loss to the Por Kingdom, was so grand it could be described as horrifying.


    Factories could maintain only a third of their operating capacity, and the roads were jammed with hastily summoned carts,den with misceneous goods.


    Sewage ran across the streets, and workers, tormented by soaring prices, were listless, with production nearing copse and the possibility of unrest looming at any moment.


    A modern city is fragile, even a temporary water outage can cause problems for the citizens, let alone the outbreak of a war.


    Despite Marquis Reibert''s personal efforts, Southwater remained deste, and only in the past two days had there been a faint glimmer of recovery.


    Sadly, this glimpse of recovery had nothing to do with Jone, who had been conscripted into the Navy.


    With heavy losses to their warships and many sailor casualties, the Navy found it difficult to replenish their ranks, and so they sought out fishermen to fill the numbers.


    The ships they were tasked to man were not true warships, but rather armed merchant ships hidden within the harbor, along with a few that had recently returned to port.


    Just as everyone thought the disaster had passed, in the past few days, two enemy warships belching ck smoke fiercely returned.


    They sank the armed merchant ships responsible for guarding the port''s perimeter, and then they captured Jone, the lucky or perhaps unlucky man.


    Afterward, he was thrown into the sea near the coast and left to swim back. Once he anxiously delivered the bottle he carried to an officer of the City Defense Forces, he was detained.


    It was then he finally had time to sit quietly and carefully recall the various details of that powerful irond.


    On that warship, there were clean wooden decks, ck cannons, high smokestacks, and sailors dressed in fine clothing.


    Those sailors appeared even more dignified than nobility, dressed in white shirts, with hats askew like little boats, hands behind their back, standing as straight as por trees.


    He also remembered the massive Dragon Banner, a g he had never seen before, but one that was quite beautiful.


    Furthermore, an Elf was among the ship''s crew, seemingly having authority, as many obeyed the Elf''smands.


    Could it be, the neighboring Songmu Kingdom hadunched an attack? Was this their warship? Overwhelmed with shock and exhaustion, Jone soon fell into a deep sleep amidst these spections. Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e-NovelBin


    But at the same time, someone else couldn''t sleep at all.


    Augustine Reibert smashed the seemingly fine drift bottle, extracting the letter inside.


    His eyes then widened as he saw the secret message left by a trusted agent. A cipher meant for a single use had appeared here...


    As he continued to read, he was so shocked by the content of the letter that he sprang up from his chair.


    Fourteen million Gold Coins!


    The Great Tang Group was actually demanding from him a total of fourteen million Gold Coins!


    He gripped the letter, his face a picture of dark fury, like a beast ready to devour its prey.


    "Damn it! Have they lost their minds? How dare they ask for so much? How could I possibly give them fourteen million Gold Coins?" Leibart raged in his office, throwing everything he could find to the floor.


    However, once he calmed down, he rified several things: First, his confidant had indeed arrived in Brunas, albeit a few days earlier than expected. Second, the other party had some method of sending messages to Southwater Port on the same day!


    Third, the Great Tang Group to which he owed a debt of a hundred thousand Gold Coins truly had the capacity to collect debts¡ªthe irond warships were sent by them. Fourth, the current situation could not be dyed, it had to be addressed promptly.


    The matter at hand was truly thorny, for as the Prime Minister of the Por Kingdom and a Marquis, Leibart had to consider the impact an unwinnable naval battle would have on the Por Kingdom.


    If there really was an entity stronger than the Shireck Consortium backing the Songmu Kingdom and other kingdoms, then the Por Kingdom''s wars of expansion could onlye to an end.


    They might not even have the power to defend their own borders, and a prolonged naval blockade would utterly copse the Por Kingdom''s economy.


    Clearly, if these things truly happened, then his role as Prime Minister would also be at an end. The immense reputation he had built upon defeating the Gales Kingdom would also vanish into smoke.


    The King would not possibly trust him, the bringer of disaster, ever again¡ªhe might even be removed in exchange for the Great Tang Group''s clemency to end the war¡­


    But how should he deal with the current situation? ording to the letter, should he send someone onto the enemy''s warship to use that miraculous machine to write a letter to remotely direct negotiations?


    What a joke! Show all his cards to the opponent? Tell the opponent his bottom line? Isn''t that idiotic?


    And more so, he only had one chance to confirm his confidant''s true thoughts, as there was only one password avable at the time. How would he confirm the identity of the person replying to the next letter?


    Moreover¡­ whatever he said, when transmitted to his confidant, would it be altered? Whatever his confidant said, when reaching him, would it still be the original message?


    This state, with the enemy having unteral transparency while he faced issues at every turn and was hamstrung, immediately frustrated Leibart.


    When he was about to throw things once again, he forced himself to calm down¡ªno matter what, no matter the cost, he must exin to the King and put an end to this farce, the sooner the better!


    His eyes roamed within their sockets as he seriously calcted whether he should actually settle the Great Tang Group''s debt.


    For someone like him, interests were always the top priority. He had to make a decision to ensure his own interests. Obviously, as the situation stood, it would better serve his fundamental interests to find a way to settle this debt.


    Soon, he had made some rough estimates. First and foremost, he could not actually prepare fourteen million Gold Coins to settle the debts; otherwise, King Por XI was sure to send him home to retire.


    Therefore, recing the debt with other assets became the only option¡ªsuch as the most valuable ones:nd or mineral resources!


    Previously, the Por Kingdom had reimed most of its mines from Shireck by selling Great Tang''s technology, including iron and copper mines within his territory.


    He could not touch the kingdom''s assets, but he could leverage those within his own domain. Although this would reduce his ie, it would preserve everything he had with the King.


    Keep the position of Prime Minister, retain his title, maintain power, and the potential to expand his influence through external conquest.


    As for his ie¡­ worstes to worst, he could return to life as it was before Shireck''s control. After all, it''s not like he couldn''t make do if he had to.


    But the current debt was simply too massive; relying solely on mines was clearly not feasible to repay it.


    ordingly, at least some part of thend, an entire and potentially valuable tract ofnd, would also have to be added. After much deliberation, he decided to ask the King''s opinion.


    Because the most valuablend he held was Southwater Port, his stronghold. But Southwater Port housed the kingdom''srgest industrial base, and he dared not decide on his own to cede it.


    He nned to ask His Majesty whether he would consider a trade, ceding Osa Port, then handing Southwater Port back to the King, and seeking another domain elsewhere.


    After all, Southwater Port held far greater value than Osa Port. If King Por XI could reim Southwater, he would be most willing to find some impoverished ce to bestow upon Leibart.


    The remaining issue was, after repairing rtions with the Great Tang Group, how to introduce thetest and most useful technology into the Por Kingdom.

 Chapter 232: The troubles of plagiarism on February 28

    As days went by, Great Tang Group''s T cars started to increasingly be a part of people''s lives.


    Congestion began to appear in the streets and alleys, and something called a traffic signal light started to show up on the streets of Brunas.


    The police also began directing traffic, which became a new part of their job. The bustling city was filled with a vibrant, vivacious energy.


    It was as if Brunas was America''s New York of the 1950s, developing rapidly, with people full of confidence, bravely trying various new things, and harboring hope for their own lives.


    Compared to here, every other ce in the world seemed backward, dark, and ignorant, even hopeless.


    This ce was the lighthouse to the world, illuminating the future direction of global development¡ªmany politicians from neighboring kingdoms woulde to visit Brunas to learn how to develop cities.


    Those familiar with Brunas knew an open secret, that the real center of Brunas was not the city hall in the urban area, but rather the factory district in the north of Brunas.


    There was a huge conference and office building there, and the people inside this building were the ones who decided the future direction of Brunas''s development.


    At this very moment, within the conference building in the factory district, Tang Mo was presiding over a development meeting. As time went on, Great Tang Group''s products received more and more attention, and so the focus of development needed timely adjustment.


    Arms and equipment, limited by production capacity, had not generated much more profit for Great Tang Group. Nowadays, the main source of profit for Great Tang Group was surprisingly the civilian industry.


    This was an inevitable development; although the arms industry was remarkably profitable, its scale of earnings was simply too small.


    Or to put it another way, other areas of Great Tang Group had developed too rapidly: the Group took stakes in mining enterprises in countries including the Leite Kingdom, Suthers Kingdom, and Dorne Kingdom, and continuously increased its share of control by providing machinery.


    As these mines enhanced their production capacities, their value kept rising, inting Great Tang Group''s worth continuously.


    This rate of expansion was something the Shireck Consortium, with its stable control over the mines, could notpare to, because they could not increase production, so they could not increase the value of their shares continuously.


    With the concept of appreciation in mind, the profitability of the shares held by Tang Mo''s group became quite formidable.


    ording to the calctions and statistics of Great Tang Group''s own ounting department, in the past three months alone, Great Tang Group''s total asset value had already surpassed 50 million Gold Coins, a figure even higher than Tang Mo''s own estimates.


    Back then, when Tang Mo wanted to sell his enterprise to Shireck, the asking price wasn''t even this high. Perhaps the Shireck Consortium, knowing all this, might have some regrets.


    Beyond these profit-making aspects, Great Tang Group''s oil refineries also began to profit, and together with the sale of cars, it could possibly be a new source of profit growth for Great Tang Group.


    Tang Mo certainly knew to what extent the automotive industry would grow in the future; he just needed to maintain his technological lead, and soon he would be the world''srgest carpany.


    Based on his knowledge of another world, in the future, Great Tang Group could be selling over 20 million cars a year!


    If this modest estimate were achieved, the market value of Great Tang Group''s automotive subsidiary might surpass that of the entire Great Tang Group now.


    But Tang Mo knew that whether it was the armspany, the carpany, or even the shippany, none of these were the most profitable parts of Great Tang Group.


    Because he was already running two even more profitable subsidiaries¡ªone was the Great Tang Bank, and the other was Great Tang Pharmaceuticals.


    Without any surprises, Great Tang Group would also establish the world''s first airline, the firstputer hardwarepany, and would also set up the first telmunicationspany¡­


    In short, his group might control the technology development of the whole world in the future, and everything wouldplement each other, shaping his Great Tang Group into an unbreakable mega-corporation.


    Harry was not aware of Tang Mo''splete development n. As a manager of the group, his current job was the most worrisome.


    So he was the first to speak up, mentioning thetest developments, "The envoy from the Songmu Kingdom has already arrived in Brunas. They came on the Brunas Battleship No. 5 and are very interested in this new type of warship."


    Over a month ago, Tang Mo had decided to set a trap for the Por Kingdom, so when he dispatched warships to the South Waters, he let quite a few dandelions go with the ship to the neighboring countries of the Por Kingdom.


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    These dandelions engaged in a series of activities there, ultimately piquing the interest of coastal kingdoms like Songmu, which sent envoys to Brunas to purchase new weapons to arm themselves against the greedy invasion of the Por Kingdom.


    Mathews smiled. He had seen the Brunas-ss warships and had also participated in the construction of some of their equipment, so naturally, he was very confident in what he had built, "No one would refuse to buy an advanced warship, especially one with aplete electrical system, and a telegraph machine..."


    "Our orders have been booked up to four months from now; there''s no helping it, our production capacity is insufficient. We can only watch the money there, unable to earn it." Tang Mo said with a self-deprecating smile.


    "They are here to pay. They n to purchase five heavy machine guns, 10,000 needle rifles, 400 lever-action rifles, and 3,000 left-wheel handguns. Their procurement n for these weapons also includes corresponding equipment, ammunition, and usage training." Harry handed Tang Mo a record, listing the various items the other party wanted to purchase.


    "And..." Harry had finished speaking but then seemed to remember something.


    "What?" Tang Mo took the list and asked while flipping through it.


    Harry immediately replied, "And they have also epted the suggestion from our liaison officers, nning to employ ourmanders to train their military, helping their forces learn more advancedbat methods."


    "Just from those few students'' bluffs?" Tang Mo was somewhat incredulous. Although he had confidence in the ''dandelions,'' he hadn''t anticipated that they would seed without fail at any given time.


    Li''ao exined the reason on the side, "Actually, the news of our defeat of Shireck in Brunas has already spread, and many countries are interested in us, or at least in our products."


    As the Battle of Brunas concluded, and with the expansion of the Triple Kingdom Alliance, the news of Shireck Consortium''s terrible defeat also spread far and wide.


    The name of the Great Tang Group had already appeared in many kingdoms; even some countries'' ck markets had the first-generation revolvers produced by the Great Tang Group.


    "The envoy from the Por Kingdom has been hanging around here for five days now, and it''s evident that they are seriously considering the matter of paying back the money," Harry continued.


    The special envoy Fitteral from the Por Kingdom had been trying to meet Tang Mo but hadn''t seeded. After he and his deputy sent that telegram towards the south waters, they could only wait honestly for domestic decisions; hence, the negotiations were put on hold.


    Though their negotiations were paused, the negotiations with envoys ormissioners from other countries were still ongoing.


    Soon enough, these two elves from the Por Kingdom heard the rumor that envoys from the Songmu Kingdom had also arrived in Brunas.


    But their anxiety was of no use; they could only wait. Without instructions from home, they couldn''t decide on the massive matter of the 14 million gold coins'' ownership.


    "Shouldn''t they be considering the matter of repaying the debt? Paying debts is a matter of course," Tang Mo said as if it were the most natural thing.


    Harry smiled and said to Tang Mo, "You''re right, but... if we didn''t have warships off their coast, I doubt they would even consider repaying."


    "They will definitely consider repaying. Even if we didn''t have warships, they would still pay back, because if they don''t, I''ll arm the Songmu Kingdom, and let the Por Kingdom have a real taste of despair," Tang Mo also smiled, his words amusing everyone in the meeting.


    After everyone had theirughter, Harry continued to introduce the business deals, "Dorne and Suthers, including some further-off kingdoms, all hope to purchase wireless telegraph machines, and some people want to buy cars on arge scale... about 400 units."


    In fact, the sales of cars were not picking up, mainly restricted by the production of gasoline. Currently, the gasoline produced on Dragon Ind could barely meet the consumption of Brunas and Dragon Ind itself.


    Li''ao spoke up, reporting to Tang Mo, "They are eager to acquire these new technologies; many countries are interested in our wireless telegraph technology."


    "Not just countries, but also the feedback from the intelligence system. Shireck has already developed their electric motors and copied incandescentmps... but the quality, it''s simply unbearable to look at," Parker, as the production manager, finally felt bold enough to speak up in such a gathering.


    People always make progress. Two years ago, he was just a cksmith, a worker who could drill out a gun barrel in two days... but now, he managed Tang Mo''s armaments factory, overseeing more than 25,000 workers!


    "This is an inevitable situation, after all, there is no patentw in this world yet to protect our patented inventions. So, the other party will definitely find a way to copy our technology if they want to," Tang Mo felt somewhat speechless about the casual copying by others.


    After all, the technology he introduced was gradually phased and not too much more advanced than what was known in this era. Therefore, it seemed like hispetitors could always copy some products and follow behind the Great Tang Group, reaping the benefits or even taking a big share.


    "We can''t stop others from copying our technology.


    We can only limit their development with technologies that they cannot copy," Tang Mo thought of some ways to dy the opponents from catching up with him, "And besides, we need to create barriers in technology monopolies, in areas where they can''t copy our technologies quickly, so those who want to replicate our technology think twice before cheating."


    --------


    The additional update willete at night, so everyone can read it in the morning.

 Chapter 233: 229 replies from the sea

    "If they giarize the easy-to-copy technologies we''ve developed, then we just won''t sell them the truly advanced technologies that they can''t copy!" Halis pondered for a moment andid out the approach he had been considering.


    His suggestion met with approval from Mathews, Parker, and others. Wes was indifferent, standing behind Tang Mo with his mind wandering.


    Tang Mo, however, was not too enthusiastic about this punitive measure, only saying, "That''s one approach, but it could only be used asionally. After all, most things can be giarized..."


    Having said that, he proposed his own idea, "So, what we need to work on next is the protection of technology patents worldwide. Only with global patent protection can we maintain a leading edge in technological development. If someone giarizes, vites thew, we will go straight to their doorstep and make them pay!"


    After finishing, he knew that it was not realistic to implement this at the moment, so he could onlyugh at himself, "However, that is still a distant n, and there is no way to implement it right now."


    Halis changed the subject, bringing up another matter, "Another issue is that the King of Leite would like us to transfer a few sets of wireless telegraph machines. He hopes to establish his own information transmissionwork."


    There are many who wish to purchase wireless telegraph machines, but Halis singled out the request from the King of Leite, obviously implying special significance.


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    The upper echelons of the Leite Kingdom explicitly wish that the Great Tang Group could provide an independent wireless telegraphmunication to ensure the Kingdom possesses an independent intelligence transmission capability.


    No country wants itsmunications to be entirely in the hands of a third party, even when those channels of information transmission are neutral and reliable most of the time.


    Therefore, the King of Leite''s request was in a way sending a signal to Tang Mo, suggesting that he make concessions on the telegraph system and hand over the operational rights to the Kingdom of Leite.


    Or to put it another way, at least under the condition of allowing Tang Mo to retain the operational rights of the civilian telegraph, they hoped Tang Mo would make concessions to allow, or rather support the official establishment of another independent telegraphmunication system.


    After Halis borated on the intricacies involved, Parker, who was in charge of production, expressed his worries, "If the telegraph machines are not in our hands, it would be easy for them to replicate... Once we sell these technologies, it would be easy for the King of Leite to produce simr products."


    "But if we keep withholding such technology, these countries will all be wary of our corresponding intelligence gathering capabilities..." Halis also articted his view from another aspect.


    "The pressure is a bit high; if all the countries are wary of us, it will affect our expansion speed," Li''ao added his opinion as well.


    If everyone feels that the Great Tang Group has a monopoly on technology and is arbitrarily controlling the lifeblood of nations, this would impact their reputation and credit.


    And if everyone starts feeling that the Great Tang Group is more dangerous than Shireck, then they will unite with Shireck against the Great Tang Group, which would be an even more passive situation.


    Loss outweighing the gain is something Tang Mo would not do. He was, of course, aware that sometimes it''s necessary to let go of some benefits to solidify one''s position, so he was already prepared to concede the telegraph technology.


    "The Great Tang Group has only one type of product it does not sell, but it is not the wireless radio." Tang Mo spoke, setting the tone for the entire meeting, "As long as they are willing to pay, I will sell the technology!"


    "So, how do we price it?" Halis asked.


    "We calcte a price by allocating our research and development costs, manufacturing expenses, and the costs of the production lines for the telegraph machines, topped with a reasonable profit," Tang Mo handled the matter pragmatically.


    "50,000 Gold Coins per unit?" Mathews looked at Parker beside him.


    Parker thought for a moment, then said, "60,000 Gold Coins is also not impossible, after all, we decide the cost of this thing."


    "Once we lift the restrictions and start selling telegraph machine equipment inrge quantities, Shireck will certainly follow suit and replicate," Mathews expressed his concerns to Tang Mo.


    Halis thought even moreprehensively for Tang Mo, "This must be carefully calcted. On the one hand, many factories, including Shireck, will replicate production, and on the other hand, there are also losses in terms of intelligence."


    "Replication of production is actually predictable; they will definitely do it. As long as we lower the prices, we can still profit from the civilian telegraph," Tang Mo pondered for a while and reassured everyone.


    Mathews reluctantly said, "But we''ll lose some of the costs invested in the earlier noble telegraph office. If we held out for another two months..."


    The previous telegraph offices charged a lofty price for sending telegrams, costing one Gold Coin per word. It was not something ordinary people could afford; thus, this pricing was essentially targeted at the nobility.


    The nobility who sent telegrams were greeted by special personnel, and the telegraph office wasvishly decorated; all these were initial investments, which now seemed to be going down the drain.


    There was no helping it, as when the telegraph office was set up, it targeted those nobles who could afford it and naturally took the high-end route. Now that it had to shift to a moremon folk approach, of course there was going to be significant wastage.


    This was why Mathews was somewhat reluctant, hoping the operation of the telegraph office could be extended for another two months.


    But the situation was beyond control, and Harry had to remind Mathews, "To persist for another two months, many countries would likely grow bitter towards us."


    "It doesn''t matter anymore, just package and sell the telegraph office directly to those who want to buy the telegraph machines. We can then start a new telegraph office targeting themon folk and avoid the losses," Tang Mo said.


    "That''s a solution! This way, our preliminary investments can all be liquidated back into our financial ie!" Realization dawned on Harry, and his mood immediately lifted; it seemed these financial losses could be avoided after all.


    "The loss in terms of intelligence is severe. Currently, with the coverage of the telegraph, we get at least half of our intelligence for free. But if there''s a parallel telegraph system, then the loss of intelligence would increase by at least half," Li''ao followed up on the losses regarding intelligence.


    He was in charge of the peripheral intelligencework, and most intelligence gathering was done through telegraph.


    If the other party didn''t utilize their telegraphwork anymore, the efficiency of intelligence collection would definitely plummet.


    So he also expressed his frustration to Tang Mo, "In terms of valuable intelligence, the loss could even exceed three-quarters! Even more! After the sale of the telegraph machines, we would basically have no control over themunications among the high-level officials of several kingdoms."


    "Many who have be ustomed to the telegraph are already using their proprietary codebooks. If they have their own telegraph systems, it will be even harder for us to decrypt their messages," he said, concerned about the loss of these sources of intelligence, which could cause problems for Great Tang Group''s formidable intelligence system.


    "Deciphering codes is aplex and tedious job, but we are still doing it. If we can''t grasp the content of the opposing side''s messages, even we would not be able to trace anything," Li''ao concluded in the end.


    "No worries, since Halis is no longer an option, we should just honestly continue developing our intelligencework step by step," Tang Moforted Li''ao.


    Just at that moment, a naval officer in white uniform walked in, holding a telegram from the sea: "Master, Mr. Harry! This is a telegram from a warship of the Brunas ss off the coast of Southwater Port."


    "Read," Tang Mo ordered directly.


    The officer unfolded the telegram and began to read, "Aside from the codewords, this Marquis Leibart agrees to pay the debt of 14 million Gold Coins. However, he instructs his confidants to usend and goods for repayment... He also wishes his confidants to bargain as much as possible."


    This officer, reading the telegram word by word, was shocked by the content halfway through: "The other party is prepared to use Osa Port, arge copper mine, a gold mine... to pay the debt of 14 million Gold Coins."


    "A gold mine... that''s quite the generous offer," Tang Mo revealed a smile upon hearing this. The people of this world attached even greater importance to gold mines than to the more practical iron and copper mines.


    Gold was, in a way, a symbol of wealth, the basis of currency, the raw material for minting money.


    Having a gold mine was akin to possessing equivalent wealth¡ªas long as a gold mine kept producing, the owner could remain wealthy indefinitely.


    Even when Shireck''s influence was at its peak, they rarely meddled with a kingdom''s gold mine. To do so was essentially to tamper with the ruling ss''s interests, which would certainly be met with substantial resistance.


    For Por Kingdom to be willing to offer a gold mine to settle their debts showed that there were definitely other motives at y.


    Sure enough, the naval officer continued, "ording to the telegram, they want wireless telegraph equipment... and all of thetest technological devices..."


    Tang Mo scoffed, "They sure do want a lot."


    "They probably don''t even know that we actually have other new products like automobiles and brand-new artillery..." Harry took the telegram from the officer and looked it over again before speaking.


    "Hand over the original telegram to the envoy of Por Kingdom! Then prepare to start a new round of negotiations with them! Since they are so generous, they can''t me me for being unreserved," Tang Mo looked at Harry and gave the order.

 Chapter 234: Compilation of 230 Treaties

    What does it feel like to be frustrated? Fitteral felt extremely, extremely frustrated! He had truly be afraid now, afraid of seeing Harry''s young face.


    Honestly speaking, he was much handsomer than Harry; after all, Tang Mo selected his managers for their talent, not their looks.


    But every time Fitteral saw Harry, he was deeply stung by the self-confidence that radiated from the other''s face. The gods had granted him a face to surpass Harry''s, yet bestowed upon Harry an intelligence that surpassed his...


    For a man in his forties, to be suppressed by an opponent younger than himself, it was a truly terrible feeling.


    He felt insulted, or rather, the intelligence of the entire upper echelons of the Por Kingdom had been insulted... Who would send their negotiation bottom line to the opponent and then forward it to the negotiation representative?


    As a result, the Por Kingdom did not just do that, but they did it brazenly and as a matter of course. He was now holding this telegram, bargaining with Harry, who already knew everything.


    "You can''t be so shameless! After knowing our bottom line, you refuse to give an inch, how can we still negotiate?" Fitteral shouted to Harry, filled with sorrow and anger.


    He could no longer contain his emotions, because after the other party knew his bottom line, they were truly unyielding, even showing signs of wanting more.


    Osa, as a military harbor, had excellent port conditions, but its location obviously was not as good as the civilian port, Nanshui. Therefore, as an economic port, it was not as valuable as Nanshui, nor did it have as good development prospects.


    However, because Osa Port is located to the north of Nanshui, it is closer to the Orc territories, so it''s notpletely devoid of value.


    Firstly, if rtions with the Orc race could be established, Osa Port could serve as an outpost for contact with Orcs, and then its strategic value would definitely surpass that of Nanshui.


    Moreover, if Tang Mo helped the Orc prince reim his Gales Kingdom, then Osa Port might not be so isted.


    Thus, the Great Tang Group did not struggle with the issue of whether or not to take Osa Port; the disputey in¡ªhow much exactly was Osa Port worth?


    Fitteral insisted that territory was priceless, and ceding Osa should at least bepensated with over 12 million Gold Coins.


    Harry''s side, on the other hand, believed that as a military harbor, Osa had low economic value, and development required further investment, so it was not worth that much money, at most worth 3 million Gold Coins.


    The two sides were deadlocked on this issue, each believing that the other was being unreasonable. However, it was quite obvious that the Por Kingdom, having already waited another five days, was the more anxious party.


    They had already seen the envoy from the Songmu Kingdom in Brunas, and if the Songmu Kingdom were to reach an agreement with the Great Tang Group first, then the problem would be quite serious.


    Therefore, Fitteral decided to take a step back, lowering the total value of Osa Port from the estimated 12 million Gold Coins to 10 million Gold Coins.


    This step back was a concession of 2 million Gold Coins, and he had never thought that he could be so generous¡­ To decide the fate of 2 million Gold Coins in a casual conversation, was truly a grand gesture.


    Then, as if to mock him, Harry''s side also conceded 2 million Gold Coins, directly offering a price of 4 million Gold Coins for Osa.


    It seemed that everyone had reached a basic understanding¡ªyou give some, I give some, and a middle price of 7 million Gold Coins seemed quite fair.


    After all, there was an eager envoy from the Songmu Kingdom waiting in the wings, and his own bottom line had been made crystal clear to the adversary.


    So Fitteral finally gave up the struggle, resigned to his fate. The end result was that the Por Kingdom epted all of Great Tang Group''s demands.


    The permanent sovereignty over Osa Port was priced at 7 million Gold Coins, including the 70,000 Elf inhabitants within the region and the subsequent obligation to supplement with 150,000 Orc ves.


    The nearby gold, copper, and iron mines, along with fields, mountains, and roads, all fell under the ownership of the Great Tang Group. The specific borders had been marked on the map by both parties and were not to be changed.


    These mines were valued at 4 million Gold Coins and also belonged to Tang Mo. The remaining 3 million Gold Coins, of which 2.5 million would bepensated with timber, grain, livestock, ves, silver, furs, textiles, and other resources.


    Last, the Por Kingdom would directly repay 500,000 Gold Coins to the Great Tang Group, a debt to be paid off over two years.


    In regards to the loss incurred when the Great Tang Group''s Irond Warships bombarded Nanshui Osa, sinking dozens of warships from the Por Kingdom, cutting off the supply lines, and sinking hundreds of transport ships, the debt was written off, with neither party allowed to use this incident as a pretext for any future actions.


    Simrly, Fitteral also secured some benefits for the Por Kingdom, such as the option to directly pay 300,000 Gold Coins to purchase 5 sets of telegraph equipment. Although the price was slightly higher than what other countries were paying, they were provided with immediate delivery.


    What they did not know was that the telegraph machines required rtively few materials to build and had a short production cycle, so the Great Tang Group was able to offer nearly all of them from avable stock.


    Then, the Por Kingdom retained the priority purchasing rights for equipment, including lighting and electricity. They received written permission from the Great Tang Group, allowing them to continue producing and selling the K1 needle rifle.


    Under the premise of not invading the Songmu Kingdom, the Great Tang Group also promised to sell military arms worth 300,000 Gold Coins to the Por Kingdom.


    These arms included the provision of one Irond Warship within three years, 40 C64 field howitzer with breech-recoil, 200 T-model cars, and 10 Maxim heavy machine guns.


    Interestingly, this purchase allowed the Por Kingdom to borrow from the Great Tang Group on credit, with a repayment period of 5 years.


    If the debt was not repaid on time, the Por Kingdom would pay back 30 million Gold Coins, and the Great Tang Group retained all rights to demand repayment of the debt.


    That day, Fitteral signed the "Por-Great Tang Repayment Treaty" with the Great Tang Group in Brunas, as well as the "Por Kingdom Military Arms Purchase Memorandum."


    In the afternoon, a special envoy from the Songmu Kingdom signed the "Por-Songmu Friendship and Non-Aggression Treaty" with the Por Kingdom''s envoy Fitteral, in Brunas.


    Before dinner, the Leite Kingdom, Suthers Kingdom, Dorne Kingdom, along with the Por Kingdom and Songmu Kingdom, signed the "Five-Nation Maritime Tariff Exemption Friendly Trade Agreement."


    The Great Tang Group formally extended its influence to the Northern Continent and acquired tax exemption privileges for all its products in the Por Kingdom and Songmu Kingdom.


    Furthermore, any external warlike acts that attempted to disrupt the five nations'' maritime trade routes required these countries to dispatch warships together to ensure the safety of the maritime routes and dere war against the hostile forces.


    Of course... Since the Suthers Kingdom had no maritime forces, they only joined the treaty to make up the numbers...


    During the banquet, all parties also exchanged ideas on the construction of infrastructure such as railways. The Por Kingdom wanted to build a railway from South Water to the King''s City, while other nations also hoped to expand their own railway projects.


    Now, many countries are constructing their own railways, all built to the track width standards designed by Tang Mo.


    These railways are connecting cities one by one, but for now, they are so short on the map that they are almost negligible.


    The only truly substantial railway projectpleted so far is the railway from Brunas, passing through Wolf City and reaching Ice Crystal City. Moreover, this railway is not yet connected with others and won''t be until the railway between Leite Royal City and Brunas is finished, joining them up.


    Of course, since Tang Mo was busily constructing his own navy warships, the progress of this railway was very slow and even not as fast as the Wolf City to Ice Crystal City section that Tang Mo had built.


    The banquet, of course, went off splendidly, with everyone in high spirits. Then, right after dinner, the Songmu Kingdom''s envoy eagerly signed the "Songmu Kingdom Military Arms Purchase Agreement" with the Great Tang Group.


    The contents were straightforward: the Songmu Kingdom, paying in cash, purchased 1,000 T-model cars, 20 Maxim heavy machine guns, 9,000 needle rifles, 50 C64 field cannons, 10 C80 heavy field cannons, and hired 30 personnel including instructors,manders, and staff officers from the Great Tang Group.


    At the same time, they also intended to purchase 2 Irond Warships from the Great Tang Group. Until the delivery of these warships, the maritime forces of the Great Tang Group were to ensure the security of Songmu Kingdom''s ports and trade routes.


    Meanwhile, because the ban was lifted, the Great Tang Group would provide 30 sets of telegraph equipment to Suthers, 50 sets to Leite, and 25 sets to Dorne.


    Owing to special rtions, the Great Tang Group would also supply Northern Ridge''s troops with 5 sets of pedal-powered portable telegraph machines, equipping five of Northern Ridge''s infantry regiments.


    The Great Tang Group''s maritime shipping fleet had grown to an unprecedented scale, including ships exchanged for debts by nations such as Dorne.


    Now, the Tang Group had 240 ships at itsmand, the majority of which were old sailing ships designed for transport, with only a very small number of warships. Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    These warships were used for training, tasked with helping the Great Tang Group train its navymanders, and were deployed only on the safest escort missions.


    The merchant and transport ships handled transportation between Dragon Ind and Brunas, as well asmercial trade with other locations.


    Now, the Great Tang Group''s transport fleet also had to fill the maritime trade route between the Leite Kingdom and the Por Kingdom, because Tang Mo had sunk too many of Por Kingdom''s transport ships.


    More interestingly, the Osa Military Harbor, which Por Kingdom ceded to Tang Mo, actually had shipbuilding capabilities. Though it couldn''t match South Water, it was a naval shipbuilding base for the Por Kingdom.


    The ships built here were first-ss sail warships; however, the Great Tang Group no longer valued such sail warships.


    Therefore, after the treaty was signed, the Great Tang Group nned to take control of Osa immediately and then have it shift to constructing merchant ships to make up for the lost transport capacity.


    In short, the debt issue of 14 million Gold Coins owed by the Augustin n was finally resolved at this moment, and Tang Mo had acquired his first gold mine.

 Chapter 235: The layout on Continent 231 North

    ```


    "I might not be able to repay... this debt." An elf stood awkwardly in front of several men, speaking in despair.


    "Then leave a hand behind... After all, we need to answer to our superiors." One of the men pulled out arge machete over a foot long from his bosom, looking incredibly sharp.


    "I... I am... I am a knight of the Por Kingdom... I, I can, I can work for you! Just... Just spare me..." The elf, looking at the gleaming de, shook his head frantically.


    "Oh? Let''s hear it. If you really have something to offer, I might consider helping you repay the debt." The leading man pressed down the machete held by his subordinate, smiling as he spoke.


    Grasping at straws, the elf hurriedly said, "My lover is the daughter of Marquis Leibart''s butler. I can help you gather information!"


    "What kind of information could you possibly gather?" The men looked at each other sneeringly and then turned their attention back to the pitiful elf, "Are you trying to fool us?"


    "No! No! I can enter the marquis''s mansion; sometimes I can even get into his study! I assure you! Every week! At least every month, I can sneak a look at a few of his letters.


    There are some from the royal family, and..." The elf hurriedly exined how he could enter the marquis''s residence, "I am his knight!"


    "Sounds interesting, but how can we trust you to get us the information about the marquis?" The man in a suit looked at the elf with interest as he asked.


    "I, I can leave a guarantee, proof that I''ll be your spy! I can give my fingerprint! Trust me..." The elf, ncing at the machete that seemed to be getting closer, finally made a decision.


    "Hmm." The leading man nodded in agreement with his proposal. Then he took out a guarantee from his bosom and handed it to the elf, "Get some blood out of him, put a print on it!"


    Soon, a few men restrained the struggling elf, cut a small opening on his other hand to get some blood, smeared it on another hand, and pressed it onto the document, leaving a bloody handprint.


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    "Alright, now, you work for the Silver Fox Company." The leader perused the document in the wind, allowing the blood to dry quickly, "Don''t disappoint us, understood?"


    "Yes, understood." The elf, clutching his wounded hand and looking pale, nodded. When he was held down, he really thought he might be ughtered.


    "Don''t be so tense! Now that you''re one of us, how could we mistreat you?" The man in the suit hugged the elf, stuffing some colorful paper bills into his pocket, "We take good care of our own."


    "Take this money and spend it! Aren''t you going back to the Por Kingdom? Buy some local specialties here, like jewelry, to soothe your little lover. You can even use the rest to have some fun here; don''t worry, on our turf, nobody dares to mess with you." The man exined the purpose of the paper bills as he spoke.


    The elf swallowed hard; he had seen the denomination on those bills, just now this man had stuffed at least 100 Gold Coins into his pocket.


    Although this money was not Gold Coins, as the man said, the bills could be spent like real Gold Coins in Brunas.


    "Thank you, thank you..." Knowing that his gambling debt was cleared and even getting over 100 Gold Coins in spare change, the elf felt his tormented soul somewhat alleviated for selling out Marquis Leibart.


    "What''s there to thank for?" chuckled the man, flicking a ring in front of the elf''s eyes, "See this ring?"


    The elf nodded quickly; he had indeed seen a very unique ring, engraved with a dandelion. Artfully crafted, he''d never seen such a crest before.


    "From now on, if someone with this kind of ringes to you, you must obey their orders. If no onees, act as if nothing happened... Understand?" the man continued to ask.


    "Yes, I, I understand." The elf nodded quickly, and then he saw the men who had surrounded him in the alley open up and slowly disperse.


    "Go on, take a stroll to the casino; then you can exin where you got your money from." The man hugging the elf''s neck also stepped aside.


    When the elf race walked out of the alley, and turned back to look, all he could see was darkness in the alley.


    On the other hand, behind a bathhouse, another elf pressed his hand onto the document. A woman took the document, blew the elf a kiss, and then had the girls behind her lead the elf into the door shing with pink neon lights.


    Fitteral didn''t know that during the two days they waited to return to Southwater Port of the Por Kingdom, his envoy had been infiltrated by the Great Tang Group''s espionagework just like a sieve.


    ...


    ```


    "Although I cannot support your restoration of the kingdom, I have already done my best to liberate the orc ves plundered by the Por Kingdom. They will work in Osa, for me." Tang Mo said, looking at the orc prince who was gnawing on a chunk of meat.


    Previously, this heir to the Gales orc throne had been stunned by the prosperity of Brunas, so he had acted a bit... abnormally.


    Now, he had broken free from the shadow of his nation''s annihtion and his people''s envement, and had somewhat regained his... normal intelligence.


    "I know you are very powerful, and you could even defeat the Por Kingdom... If you could help me restore my country, then Gales would certainly be your most loyal follower," the orc prince didn''t mind issuing a few empty promises to Tang Mo when he had nothing to lose.


    Tang Mo smiled. He actually had a good impression of the orc prince, since he was the only one who could eat his cooking without changing his expression.


    "Why don''t you consider going to Osa to organize your people... I could find you a ce north of the Senar ins to restore the rule of Gales?" Tang Mo offered a suggestion.


    "When you took these orcs, had you already thought about giving these people to me?" The orc prince stared at Tang Mo and asked.


    Truth be told, the dinner Tang Mo cooked was somewhat... not very delicious, butpared to the traditional orc cuisine, it was nothing.


    He casually spat out a bone and then waited for Tang Mo''s response.


    Tang Mo crossed his arms and shook his head, "I can give these people to you, but you need to show enough sincerity to exchange for all this. My support isn''t cheap, so you better start thinking about what else in Gales might be valuable."


    "Our country was already poor! But we have some things... that you might be interested in." The prince of Gales thought for a few seconds before finally speaking up.


    "This is it!" As he spoke, he took a chunk of ore from his bosom and ced it on the table.


    Truth be told, Tang Mo really feared the orc prince would pull something like uranium ore from his pocket.


    However, Tang Mo soon became captivated by the item on the table¡ªafter aparison, he realized what it was: a piece of nickel ore with high purity.


    This ore isn''t easy to process, but it is extremely useful. It is an indispensable raw material in the smelting of special steel, and modern airnes, tanks, missiles, warships, spacecraft, and even the construction of nuclear reactors use arge amount of nickel ore during production.


    It is utilized in making structural steel, acid-resistant steel, and heat-resistant steel, so this ore is indeed one of the indispensable raw materials in modern steel manufacturing.


    "We don''t know how to process this stuff, but there''s a lot of it north of the Senar River, so much that it''s everywhere." The prince of Gales spoke while observing the subtle changes in Tang Mo''s expression.


    He could tell from the slight changes in Tang Mo''s expression that Tang Mo actually knew the specific use of this thing.


    "If you help Gales to restore its nation, all of this will be yours." The orc prince pushed the yellow crystalline ore in front of Tang Mo and said, "Additionally, my mother is a princess of the Mambas Kingdom, and you will gain the friendship of the Mambas Kingdom."


    "Get your people ready, I''ll arrange for a ship to Osa for you. Don''t cause trouble there, and don''t take action against the Por Kingdom... Leave the rest to me. Can you do that?" Tang Mo put down his wine ss and toyed with the ore.


    "I can." Without hesitation, the orc prince nodded in agreement to Tang Mo''s demands.


    "Don''t be hopeful of luck, you know I just made Por Kingdom pay back 14 million Gold Coin. If you can''t do it..."


    "I will do it! There are no ifs." The orc prince used his tongue to lick the meat stuck between his teeth and spoke with his chin up.


    After the prince had left, Wes nced at the door and then asked Tang Mo, who was examining the nickel ore, "Are you really going to help him restore his country? Just for that thing?"


    "No, mainly to knock open the entire door to the orc world. It is a vast market, and there''s no reason to just let it go." Tang Mo put down the ore and looked at Wes, "Have Harry talk to the envoy from the Por Kingdom, concede some benefits, and get Por Kingdom to pull out of the chaotic region north of the Senar ins!"


    "Understood," Wes nodded, "Will they agree?"


    Tang Mo was silent for a few seconds and then took out his bargaining chip, "Tell them I support Por Kingdom''s continued expansion eastward... topensate for their losses!"

 Chapter 236: Suddenly, a gunshot.

    On the southwest of Dragon Ind, on a pleasant sandy beach, several sailors exerted all their strength to drag a small boat to a ce beyond the reach of the waves.


    Then, these sailors began to pour the seawater out of their boots and figure out how to clean the sand off their bodies. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    "This ce is really nice." The leading officer brushed the sea sand off his body and surveyed the surrounding scenery with high praise, "It is my honor to expand the territory for His Majesty the King."


    "When will the follow-up troops be able tond?" After speaking, he turned to look at the subordinates by his side and asked.


    "Sir, the troops will be able tond soon, and the following sailors and workers will all be able to get ashore before dinner today," the deputy officer on the same boat replied.


    Not far behind him, on another small boat, soldiers armed to the teeth were jumping down one after another.


    A brown g was unfolded and hoisted onto a gpole, then erected on the beach. This g fluttered in the sea breeze, its golden steering wheel emblem particrly conspicuous.


    "Thisnd belongs to Taren Kingdom! Long live!" When the leading officer saw his nation''s g billowing in the wind on the ind, he let out a cheer.


    "Long live!" Everyone whonded shouted together, they had gone through hardship to get here, all for such a glorious moment.


    "Set up the camp! Send out a scouting team... Wait, over there... What is that?" Just as everyone was excited about gaining control of the new ind, the leading officer saw rolls of ck smoke in the distance, near the mountain peaks.


    "It could be a volcano," the deputy officer, touching the Longsword at his waist, said to hismander: "It''s probably an active volcano."


    "Perhaps." The Taren Kingdom''s navalmander also touched the Longsword at his waist and raised his chin to look at the ck smoke as he spoke.


    After thought, the deputy officer offered another exnation: "Or it could be a forest burning, possibly due to lightning strikes or something."


    "Send out a scouting party! Let them go check out the ck smoke, see exactly what is burning..." themander of the Taren Kingdom ordered anew.


    "At yourmand!" The deputy officer nodded, ready to select a group of soldiers to take a closer look deep on the ind.


    Then, they saw a man emerge from the jungle, pushing through the shrubs and walking towards them as they werending.


    "What''s going on? How can there be people here?" Commander Housen, who believed he was the first tond on this uninhabited ind and expand territory for his mothend, eximed incredulously.


    His deputy was also surprised because this unnamed ind should have been recently discovered by several maritime powers.


    He didn''t look like a person from Zheng Country with ck eyes and ck hair, nor was he one of the elves from Por Kingdom. So where was this man in front of them from?


    "Who are you?" The captain of a Ranger squad that had patrolled this way, unarmed, walked straight up to the group of people on the beach and asked.


    "We are the pioneers of Taren Kingdom, this is our nation''s territory! Howe you are here?" Housen prepared to overwhelm the other side with his presence, having the other side acknowledge that thisnd belonged to Taren Kingdom.


    "Sorry, Commander! When we were building the city here, there wasn''t a single person around," boasted the captain of the Great Tang Group''s Ranger squad in retort: "How did this ce be your territory?"


    "Unfortunately, this ce was discovered first by our Taren Kingdom, so by convention, this has already be our territory," Housen revealed a vicious smile on his face: "Now that you have already built a small town, I hereby dere... I''m your town mayor now! Now, take me to your town."


    "I think you better think carefully, because this could easily lead to a dispute," the Ranger squad captain replied sternly, staring into the other''s eyes: "Leave this ce, or you will regret invading Great Tang Group''s territory for the rest of your life."


    "Whoosh!" A group of soldiers armed with Shireck Firearms pointed their guns at the Ranger squad captain, as Commander Housen''s smile grew even crueler: "I think you are the one who hasn''t understood the situation! I dere, this ce is Taren Kingdom''s territory, and it is now Taren Kingdom''s territory!


    You better show me the way obediently, and if I''m in a good mood, I might reward you with a Gold Coin!"


    "You still haven''t understood the situation! If you dare to shoot me, I guarantee you will die much more miserably than I will. Leave this ce, because this is Great Tang Group''s territory!" the Ranger squad captain retorted unyieldingly.


    "Hahaha!" Housen drew a Shireck flintlock pistol from his waist, cocked the firing mechanism, and aimed at the Ranger squad captain: "I think it''s you who hasn''t grasped the situation! Fool!"


    "Bang!" He pulled the trigger, a bullet pierced through the Ranger squad captain''s head, and the body fell straight to the ground, blood staining the sand red.


    "It seems this is no longer no man''snd... someone has built a town here, which is much more interesting than I thought," Housen stepped into the crowd and said to his lieutenant, "What I''ve heard is not that a country has been built here, but something called the Great Tang Group... Since it isn''t a country, we have the legal high ground."


    "Gather the troops immediately, pass through the forest in the middle; we aim to reach by this afternoon..." He pointed towards the bushes, ready to order his troops to ambush the vige and catch the opposition off guard.


    But before his words hit the ground, a gunshot echoed in the sky. A soldier was caught off guard and fell, his body only a few steps away from Housen.


    "Damn it! They''ve still got people! Find the enemy! Quick!" Using thending boats as cover, Housen shouted loudly.


    After the gunshot dissipated, all returned to silence, save for the sound of the waves and a group of soldiers crouching on the beach looking all around.


    "Get the troops to carefully check the bushes! If you encounter anyone, kill on sight!" Housen gestured and shouted to his lieutenant, "If the enemy has escaped, then immediately move out! They will go back and send word. Once those bastards are prepared, they won''t be so easy to deal with!"


    "And! Have the warships search along the coastline! If there''s a small town, it must be on the shore! There should also be a dock! Find it, then block it off!"


    "Yes!" The lieutenant immediately agreed, and then a group of soldiers dressed in brown military uniforms rushed into the shrubbery, searching for the enemy.


    Soon, seven or eight sail-powered warships set sail and slowly advanced into the distance.


    Meanwhile, deep in the jungle, two soldiers, tears in their eyes, pushed aside the branches around them and ran back in the direction they''de from.


    They needed to get back to the central ind''s watch station and use the telegraph equipment there to send word back to Dragon City of the intrusion on Dragon Ind.


    "We must avenge the captain!" The man carrying two rifles hissed through clenched teeth, "I''m going to kill them all!"


    "If it wasn''t vital to deliver the message, I would have stayed and emptied my bullets! Bastards!" The other soldier yelled as he ran, not looking back.


    There was no choice, as the captain had left the two of them on watch. If the enemy had ill intentions, they had to get back to the lookout and deliver the message to Dragon City.


    The two men ran swiftly until they reached the watch station established in the middle of the ind by noon.


    One of them immediately mounted the bicycle generator in the room, beginning to vigorously pedal to generate electricity for the telegraph equipment.


    The other, clearly trained for this, opened the codebook on the table, referring to the text inside to send the telegraph back to Dragon City.


    Minutester, at Dragon City''s anchorage outside the harbor, a plume of faint ck smoke started to billow from an irond warship''s chimney. Another warship that had been patrolling the sea headed straight towards the horizon.


    Themander of the Dragon Ind garrison, Tagg, upon seeing the telegram, immediately issued orders to assemble the troops.


    An infantry battalion of the Dragon Ind garrison, along with the artillery, totaling over 1,900 men, took up positions in the defensive perimeter outside of Dragon City and stood by.


    "We must leave one warship to protect the harbor! Otherwise, if we miss the enemy''s fleet, our warships won''t be able to return in time to protect the docks and shipyards," Tagg, after arranging the defense mission, rushed to the city hall and met with a grave-looking Roger.


    Then, he conveyed his thoughts to Roger, the person in charge of the ind, "Our troops can''tunch an immediate attack either, as we don''t know from which direction the enemy will approach. If we miss the enemy forces, Dragon City will be in grave danger."


    "We can only wait for them to strike first and then engage and annihte them," Tagg said. "I hear a captain has been sacrificed."


    "I''ve heard as well! They must pay a price for this!" Roger clenched his fist and, grinding his teeth, said to Tagg, "I''ve already telegraphed for reinforcements back to Brunas. I believe the backup troops will arrive soon."


    "Reinforcements?" Tagg didn''t think his troops wouldn''t be able to hold Dragon City.


    "Yes, reinforcements! Two Brunas-ss warships will be on their way here immediately. That''s what the reply from Brunas said," Roger informed Tagg. "Also, the reply included orders to enter a state of war and activate the first set of wartimemunication codes."


    "Understood! I''ll return to headquarters right now! We''ll first secure the factories around Dragon City and then figure out how to find the enemy''s mainnding force," Tagg nodded, took the first set ofmunication codes from Roger, and turned to leave.


    About an hourter, the irond warship billowing with ck smoke disappeared into the horizon. Another warship, now fully operational, took its ce, patrolling outside the port.

 Chapter 237: 233 for emergencies

    Apart from those kingdoms that were aware of the existence of the wireless telegraph, and others that had heard of the magical telegraph machines of the Great Tang Group, nobody could believe that a power could respond so sensitively and swiftly to contingencies in a local area.


    In fact, it had taken only 7 hours from the death of the Ranger patrol team leader to the response from Dragon Harbor, and then the speed of information dissemination was calcted by the minute.


    Brunas received the message from Dragon Ind a few minutester, and the military forces belonging to the Great Tang Group also began to mobilize within minutes.


    Inside themand center, a giant map of Dragon Ind hung on the wall. As the military strategist for the Great Tang Group, Luff was responsible for reporting all wartime situations to Tang Mo: "The current situation is very opaque. What''s certain is that on the southeastern beaches of Dragon Ind, an indeterminate number of enemy troops havended."


    He pointed to the pale yellow beach area on the map: "Right here! This area isn''t one we''re focusing on developing, so there are no defenses set up nor are there any troops stationed."


    The development of Dragon Ind was mainly for refining oil and expanding factories, so everything was centered around economic interests. Roger was busy building Dragon City, and the majority of the poption shipped to Dragon Ind consisted mostly of workers and their families.


    Therefore, even though the oil refineries on Dragon Ind had begun production and the docks had been built, and Dragon Ind even had its own shipyard capable of buildingrge ships, most parts of Dragon Ind remained primitive and seldom visited by people.


    This decision-making allowed for the rapid industrial development of Dragon Ind, while also leading to the current emergency¡ªon other coastlines of Dragon Ind, there were almost no people from the Great Tang Group active.


    From another perspective, Dragon Ind still seemed like no man''snd, and essentially, even if Dragon Ind had be ownednd, there would still be those who would provoke trouble.


    After all, it hadn''t been long since the ind was discovered, and several of the major maritime powers believed they had the capacity to swallow the fertile ind whole.


    As Luff spoke, he handed over the casualty information to Tang Mo: "One Ranger team captain was killed in the patrol. The two who returned confirmed that thending enemy troops numbered between 100 and 150, but the actual count is likely higher."


    "The two Rangers who returned to the center of the ind imed to have seen at least 5 enemy sail-powered warships, so we estimate the enemynding force to be around 500 men, roughly the strength of a battalion," Luff said, finishing his report. Then he ced five sail-powered warship models on the southeastern sea area of the Dragon Ind map.


    The bottom of these models had mas that adhered them to the wall-mounted map.


    "But we estimate there are more than 5 enemy ships, as they must have brought pioneers and craftsmen with them. So, the number of ships should be between 8 and 15," Luff added.


    However, no one was concerned with that; everyone knew that a single irond warship could be enough to handle this enemy fleet, so the few people attending the meeting seemed to be thinking more about the fallen patrol team leader.


    "This force should now be moving through the dense forest, nearing Dragon City. The enemy''s g is brown with an emblem of a ship''s wheel on it." Luff took an enemy g marker and randomly ced it in the forest area on the map and continued.


    He mentioned the design on the g that could prove the enemy''s identity, another critical piece of information brought back by the scout team.


    Luff, having said this, extracted a few more documents from his file and passed them to Tang Mo: "We have investigated and ascertained that the g belongs to the Taren Kingdom, one of the four maritime powerhouses, with overall strength slightly superior to that of the Por Kingdom."


    Above the Endless Sea, there were four maritime overlords: the Por Kingdom, the Taren Kingdom, Zheng Country, and Shenguo, whichy the farthest from Brunas.


    It was rumored that Shenguo was a goblin kingdom, inhabited by short and lean vicious tricksters, never much favored by other nations.


    As for Zheng Country, it was somewhat intricately connected to Tang Mo and Li''ao: Zheng Country was a vassal state of the Dahua Empire, dubbed the Eastern Guardian Nation. Tang Mo and Li''ao, among other exiled criminals, werergely banished by Zheng Country.


    Li''ao''s homnd was the sovereign state above Zheng Country, which was the Dahua Empire itself. The people there had ck hair, dark eyes, and pale skin.


    This kingdom called Taren, much like the Leite Kingdom, predominantly consisted of people with blond hair and blue eyes. They had arge navy, owned many inds and ports, and were veritable maritime powerhouses.


    Of course, the once dominant maritime power of the Por Kingdom had now declined. Over thest two months, they had lost 32 lead warships and several hundred armed merchant and transport vessels,pletely losing their control over the northern waters of the Endless Sea.


    The Great Tang Group''s naval strength had reced the Por Kingdom''s sea power. This force was small in scale, but its quality was extraordinary.


    The Great Tang Group, possessing only six warships, deployed merely three and rotated their attacks, turning the Por Kingdom, once a ruler of the seas, into a sieve.


    Luff drew his hand under the map and pushed several sailboat models, representing enemy ships, directly below the ind, while also beginning to speak, "Additionally, their fleet could possibly move west along the coastline to attempt blockading our ports¡­ Therefore, I have already ordered Brunas 4 to search for the enemy naval troops along the southern coast."


    From the enemy''snding spot, it was highly likely that they were advancing along the coast south of Dragon Ind. This seemed to fit their logical course of action¡ªsince they were aware of inhabitants on the ind, they would naturally first locate coastal settlements to blockade and raid or directly suppress to gain control.


    Clearly, the speed of the warships was quicker than that of infantry groping through the jungle, so the enemy would surely mobilize their fleet.


    After Luff finished speaking, he started outlining our warships'' action ns, "For safety, Brunas 5 is on standby in Dragon Harbor in case Brunas 4 misses the enemy warships and ces Dragon Harbor in danger."


    While speaking, he moved the model representing Brunas 4 along the southern part of the ind to an approximate location.


    "If Brunas 4 does not encounter the enemy fleet in the anticipated encounter zone, it will immediately return at full speed to join Brunas 5," Luff concluded, then addressed Redman and others about the naval deployment ns he had already reported to Tang Mo, "Brunas 6 is en route to Dragon Ind. Upon receiving the news, I consulted the master and then ordered them to proceed at full speed."


    "The returning Brunas 3 from the southern waters has a decent amount of fuel remaining, and the crew is in good condition, so I have sought permission and issued orders for them to divert and join the battle at Dragon Ind," he further added.


    After finishing, he ced the model of another warship returning southwards outside Brunas harbor, "Brunas 2 is heading back to Brunas to prepare for resupply and rest¡­"


    Knowing it was his turn to speak, Redman stood up, took over Luff''s work and said, "Tagg isn''t here, so let me speak for him¡­"


    After that, he approached the map, nodded to Tang Mo as a greeting, and continued, "As for the army''s readiness, the 2nd Infantry Battalion stationed on Dragon Ind is fullybat-ready. Themander, Tagg, has them deployed along the pre-set defensive positions, mainly securing the oil refineries and power nts that are operating at full capacity."


    "We have too many critical facilities on the ind, and they''re quite scattered, so Tagg can''t organize enough manpower for a counterattack; he can only adopt a defensive stance," he exined with a sense of helplessness.


    There was no choice because the mining sites were spread out, so the oil extraction facilities were not around Dragon City, forcing Tagg to disperse his troops to ensure the safety of the oilfields.


    One battalion of the 2nd Group was reluctantly positioned towards the oilfields, and their defense was stretched thin¡ªthey were already in a tight spot.


    Besides, therge refineries, not insignificant in size, hadnd reserved for expansion, leaving Tagg to station yet anotherpany of troops there.


    Of the remaining twopanies, one had to defend the front to prevent a direct attack on Dragon City, and the other was stationed at the hydropower station, another key industrial facility to be protected, with a water nt nearby.


    After all this, Tagg was left with only a battalion''s worth of mobile troops, who had many areas to watch over.


    Were it not for the support of machine guns and new cannons, the existence of roads, and the avability of cars, Tagg would not be able to defend so many strategic locations.


    "The 1st Battalion stationed in Brunas also has many areas to protect, so I can''t spare additional troops to support Tagg," Redman added, emphasizing his point.


    Tang Mo felt helpless as well; this was the downside of concentrating efforts on technology development and factory construction. His readiness forces were still too few, seeming inadequate in the face of a sudden war.


    By a normal development timeline, he should have had security forces amounting to four infantry battalions by now, but currently, his strength was only half the minimum requirement.


    To give and take¡ªwherever there''s abandonment, there''s gain. The dyed military force development allowed Tang Mo to focus on expanding his factories.


    This was also why, in just one year, he was able to build six irond warships and deploy wireless telegraphs in dozens of cities.


    However, Tang Mo felt that as his power kept expanding, conflicts with other powers would undoubtedly increase, and it was time he developed his own strength, in case of unexpected needs.

 Chapter 238: 234 each showing their special expertise

    "Another option is, if necessary, the 1st Legion from Northern Ridge can march south to Brunas at any time. We can use Wind Sail Transport Ships to transport this unit to Dragon Ind," Redman said to Tang Mo, outlining the contingency n.


    The troops from Northern Ridge were mostlymanded by graduates from the Great Tang Military Academy. Given the close rtionship between Alice and Tang Mo, they would naturally not stand idly by.


    Mobilizing the troops from Northern Ridge posed no issue, and there was no disconnect inmand; everyone was old acquaintances, and some even bunked together during their school days.


    However, Tang Mo still did not believe that he needed to borrow troops from Northern Ridge to fight for himself. He did not think that the Kingdom called Taren would be capable of stirring up trouble on Dragon Ind, which he considered his stronghold.


    Thus, Tang Mo remained silent, waiting for Redman to continue speaking. Redman did not make him wait long and directly said, "In addition, if we activate the contingency n, we can also ask for help from the Leite Kingdom. They have no reason to refuse us, and allocating one or two legions won''t be an issue."


    This n was also very feasible. Many of the juniormanders in the Leite Kingdom had undergone basic training by the Great Tang Group, so the two sides were familiar with each other, and there would be no problems coordinating.


    Just as Redman said, if Tang Mo asked, the upper echelons of the Leite Kingdom would not refuse, and providing support for two legions, totaling 3000 troops to the Great Tang Group, would not be a difficult task.


    Unfortunately, Tang Mo still had no intention of asking for help from the Leite Kingdom. He did not nod or speak, waiting for Redman to continue.


    Thereupon, Redman continued with a third n: "The third option is to directly mobilize forbat readiness on Dragon Ind. We had a contingency n for this before, so it wouldn''t be rash."


    "Mr. Roger has already stated that if needed, the factories can reduce production, and Dragon Ind can immediately form a new reserve battalion for the battle." After finishing his exnation, he waited for Tang Mo to make the final decision.


    In his opinion, deploying troops from Northern Ridge seemed to be the best solution because he knew those troops well and felt confident in having them go to Dragon Ind armed forbat.


    However, Tang Mo felt that the situation did not warrant reinforcing Dragon Ind at all, so he lit a cigarette, took a puff, exhaled the smoke, and issued hismand: "There''s no need! Just let Tagg secure the ce!"


    "Yes!" Redman and Luff responded together.


    Redman then continued to exin the basic defense deployment of Dragon Ind: "ording to Tagg''s n, he will deploy defense forces based on squads and toons near critical facilities."


    He marked certain locations on the map, indicating where machine gun emcements would be situated. Then, he ced three car models on the road behind them: "The 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment, as the main reserve, will stay behind the defensive line. Once the enemy''s main force is confirmed, they will engage andpletely eliminate the enemy on the outskirts of Dragon City."


    "We''re concerned that if we annihte this pioneering force from the Taren Kingdom, there will be retaliation." After saying this, he stopped speaking, looking towards Tang Mo, waiting for his further instruction.


    "Retaliation? Bring as many as they like! I''ll take them all; I''m not afraid of excess!" Tang Mo sneered, puffing out clouds of smoke as he spoke.


    Experience new tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    "So ... now there''s only one issue left, how do we settle the score with the one who killed the patrol team captain of our Great Tang Group." Redman and Luff both looked at Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo stated directly: "If he has left the ind, then we will find him, attack his Kingdom, blockade their ports ... make his King hand him over to be hanged in front of the monument of our fallen heroes."


    "If he''s still on the ind, then we''ll hang him first, and then go blockade the ports of his Kingdom, attack his Kingdom ... In short, I want the whole world to know that anyone who kills a member of the Great Tang Group will pay a price! A price a thousandfold, a millionfold!" Having said this, he snuffed out his cigarette as if he was snuffing out the enemy''s hope.


    Then, he raised his head: "Prepare the Navy warships; we need to protect our seanes, our ports, our inds, and our people ..."


    "In a few days, we will be able to gather four warships on Dragon Ind. No one can challenge such naval power." Bernard, the Navy''smander-in-chief, had returned from Dragon Ind just a few days ago and spoke from his seat: "Had I known, I wouldn''t havee back and would''ve directed thebat there personally."


    "It''s no different here; you canmand the battle just the same! Ourmunication is a hundred years ahead of the enemy''s." Tang Mo stood up confidently, turning to Wes and instructing him, "Tell John to cancel the banquet scheduled for tomorrow. Let those nobles and officials wait; tell them someone has vited the territory of the Great Tang Group, and I need to deal with it."


    "Yes, I understand," Wes chuckled as he agreed.


    ...


    In the glittering hall of Brunas Hotel, a bedecked merchant with a sullen face questioned the servant who brought the news, "Are you joking? Someone has provoked Tang Mo... Have they lost their minds? Who is the idiot... Damn it."


    Not far behind him stood another Earl, frowning and beginning to curse darkly, "Starting a war at a time like this is pure madness! Tomorrow is the Wine Tasting Event of the Five Kingdoms. God knows how many business contracts will be signed..."


    He was a major wine merchant from Dorne, practically monopolizing the supply of alcohol in seven or eight cities. He hade here today with the intention of signing severalrge deals with the Elves from the North and making a hefty profit.


    With the cancetion of this banquet, his ns of tasting fine wines, having the Great Tang Group vouch for him, and getting those trend-setting celebrities and nobles to speak well of his brand were all foiled, so how could he not be infuriated?


    In front of him, a young noble from Dorne of no lesser status expressed his regret with a devastated look, "To be honest, I''m not that interested in the contracts, but I heard that Miss Susan was going to sing personally at the wine event... hertest songs..."


    Just being invited to a banquet hosted by Mr. Tang was an honor itself. He had been looking forward to bragging to his friends back home about how he discussed popr music with Mr. Tang in the fashion capital.


    Besides, the Crown Prince of Dorne seemed to be attending this wine event; a true high noble. Taking the opportunity to curry favor with him would have granted a chance to rise to high ces, wouldn''t it?


    Elsewhere, in a corner of the hall, a man swirled the wine in his ss and shook his head to his friend, "I don''t know who it is, but do you think it could be Suthers or Dorne, or maybe Leite? Don''t be naive. Anyone who''s heard of the Great Tang Group would have to be brain-dead to provoke such a colossal power."


    On another side, a wealthy man with a grim face, his voice sharp, enough to draw the attention of those around to his direction,mented, "Stop kidding me, I just managed to get my automobile in time for the wine event! Guess how much money I spent? 210 Gold Coins!"


    "Haven''t you heard? Five Kingdoms have just signed a maritime trade agreement under the influence of the Great Tang Group. I can''t guess who would take the initiative to provoke a group that can influence so many countries." A merchant who often traded at sea shook his head, also guessing who would dare to trouble the Great Tang Group.


    In his view, the Great Tang Group, which had consolidated the maritime trade of five kingdoms, was at the peak of its influence and should not be provoked lightly, "I guess it''s most likely Taren, or perhaps Shy Nation. None of them are up to any good."


    Another shopper standing beside this sea merchant shook his head, unsure of which rumor to believe, "It doesn''t make sense... Even Shireck wouldn''t dare to provoke such a presence, so would you take the risk?"


    "Damn it, I carefully ironed my dress, but if I can''t see Mr. Tang, who am I wearing it for?" On another side, a nobledy pped her malepanion''s face in fury andined. Her toy boy didn''t dare to speak, hanging his head in tears, even more womanly than a woman.


    "Half a month ago, I heard that Leite VII held a royal meeting to review the naval readiness, and that was when the rumors about Leite Kingdom preparing to dere war on Por Kingdom began to swirl.


    Later, Por Kingdom ceded Osa to the Great Tang Group in debt settlement; who wouldn''t know that if they had any sort of channels?" A well-connected Leite noble boasted to his new friend from Suthers about his insider knowledge, "It was all to support Mr. Tang... Who would mess with such a fearsome existence for no reason?..."


    "I heard the tickets to the banquet were sold for 200 Gold Coins each? How can they just cancel it like that?" The woman on his armined as well.


    A noble from Suthers let out a sneer, shrugging off the issue indifferently, "Stop talking about it; isn''t it all hyped up by a bunch of guys anyway? There''s always going to be some beggars of insufficient status who want to show their faces to Mr. Tang..."


    "I don''t know who is going insane, but I do know... an opportunity to show goodwill towards the Great Tang Group has just arrived..." A few nobles exchanged looks, their faces donning an almost smiling expression.


    Some others had a moment of realization, "Now that you mention it..."


    "Excuse me for a moment!" The merchants who had just been chatting away hurriedly left the hotel''s grand hall, with the wealthy man who had been boasting about his new car earlier following closely behind, trying not to be outdone as he squeezed through the revolving doors of the hall.


    Those who could afford to stay in Brunas Hotel were all rich and influential. It was now every man for himself as they showcased their wits and rushed to demonstrate their loyalty to the Great Tang Group.


    The hall remained noisy, the music still echoed, and only a mboyantly dressed man with his face covered sobbed pitifully.

 Chapter 239: Keep 235 for yourself

    Clearly, those wealthy merchants and honored guests in the hotel, though seemingly influential, were not actually the ones in power. The truly powerful were already in Tang Mo''s office.


    The bearded envoy from Dorne to Brunas proudly assured Tang Mo, "Dorne''s Fleet is ready, Lord Tang Mo. We can leave the port at any time and head to any location where you wish our warships to go. 20 first-rate warships, fully manned with sailors."


    Upon learning that Tang Mo had canceled the banquet and dered that Great Tang Group''s territory had been vited, he decisively sent a telegram back to his homnd.


    The King of Dorne, upon receiving the telegram, naturally knew which side to take and immediately dered the Navy in a state ofbat readiness.


    At this moment, telmunication demonstrated unprecedented power; less than an hour after receiving the message, a nation''s king could order his troops to prepare for battle, something utterly unimaginable in the past.


    The King of Dorne was fiercely proud, and after receiving the telegram reply from the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, he grasped the telegraph paper as if he held the universe in his hand.


    The wonderful feeling of having everything under control made him feel almost light-headed; standing there, feeling his unprecedented strength, he resolved to invest even more energy into building telegraph offices and railways.


    The young Navy Commander-in-Chief of Dorne, with a dandelion ring on his finger, naturally lived up to expectations and quickly mobilized forces, getting a full 20 warships ready to set sail.


    At a singlemand, regardless if it came from Brunas or from Dorne''s King City, he would lead the fleet to sea to eradicate any enemies who dared to provoke Great Tang Group.


    "Our Fleet is also assembling. Give us three days, and we can deploy at least 22 first-rate warships," the envoy from Leite Kingdom in Brunas said hurriedly, fearing to be outdone.


    Although as a seafaring weakling, Leite Kingdom''s naval power wasn''t all that impressive, they still managed to scrounge up a respectable number of warships¡ªtwo more than seafaring weakling number two, Dorne Kingdom.


    Telegraph also yed a key role in thispetition; he sent the news to King City at the first opportunity, and Leite VII reacted immediately.


    The previous ns to go to war with the Por Kingdom on behalf of Great Tang Group, which ended precipitously when Por Kingdom backed down, didn''t deter Leite VII from showing determined support this time as well.


    After all, His Majesty King Leite VII''s dream of bing Emperor had not yet faded, so he still retained an innate excitement towards the prospect of dering and entering war.


    Meanwhile, the envoy from Suthers Kingdom in Brunas found it somewhat embarrassing to discuss naval fleets.


    Because Suthers was andlocked country, they truly had no Navy to contribute to the excitement.


    Nevertheless, he did receive his King''s orders to state Suthers Kingdom''s stance and attitude regarding this incident.


    "Sir, as you know, we are andlocked country, we don''t have a fleet, but we have already assembled two legions of soldiers, all equipped by Great Tang Group! If needed, they can help at any time," he said.


    In Suthers, troops were categorized in two ways. One was called "Tang Armed Legions," the other "chickens"¡­


    In times of peace, they were all legions, but in times of trouble, only the Tang Armed Legions were presentable.


    The representative from Por Kingdom remained silent, his face etched with anxiety¡ªhe really wished he could boast loudly about Por Kingdom assembling a fleet to help or something like that.


    But unfortunately, on one hand, Por Kingdom had just been disciplined by Great Tang Group and couldn''t really muster a significant number of warships to show off.


    On the other hand, Por Kingdom didn''t have wireless telegrams, so he was simply unable to contact his homnd as promptly as the other three kingdoms could.


    This situation clearly demonstrated just how revolutionary strong telmunication capabilities were for the world.


    To speak bluntly, in the future, those nations that were unable to keep up with Great Tang Group in terms of telmunications would quickly be eliminated, bing history in the grand scheme of the world, serving as mere backdrops in the power struggles of other great nations.


    The representative from Songmu Kingdom also looked pained; his country toocked the telegraph, and sending a message back would mean it arrived toote.


    He was consumed with the idea of establishing a telegraph office back in Songmu Kingdom, hoping that, next time, his kingdom could grasp thetest intelligence in the world at the fastest speed.


    Tang Mo, smiling, rejected the assistance from these kingdom representatives, because he had no wish for other forces to set their sights on Dragon Ind.


    Of course, this didn''t mean that by epting this help he had to give up his own interests, but he knew that favors, to some extent, always needed to be repaid.


    "Now they lend you a sailboat, and in the future, they might expect a battleship in return¡ªsuch a thing isn''t impossible."


    So Tang Mo shook his head and expressed his gratitude to those present, "Thank you all for your generous assistance, but in fact, we actually have the capability to deal with this trouble on our own."


    "The reason I''ve called you here today is because there is another matter I wish to discuss. Previously, wireless radio equipment was under the control of Great Tang Group, and the frequency bands you all use were designed by us, so there were no conflicts between them."


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    "But now, things have changed. In the future, each Kingdom will establish their own radiowork, and the frequency bands will naturally conflict with each other."


    "Therefore, I''ve called you here in hopes that we can clearly divide the usage bands of our respective wireless radios so they don''t interfere with each other during use¡­"


    "If no one minds, please take a look at this frequency division n¡­ The red parts are the reserved frequencies of Great Tang Group, where I wish to see no wireless signals whatsoever¡­"


    "Understood¡­ Understood!" The envoy from Leite Kingdom was not a technical person; he could only give a firm affirmative response as per Tang Mo''s request.


    To speak frankly, wireless radio signals were still a mysterious concept to this world, and no one had conducted any research on them. All personnel rted to this technology were employed at Great Tang Group.


    Some of these individuals were there for the sry, others for their ideals, and every technician was acutely aware that their field of study represented the future of this world.


    Hence, they were irreceable by other groups because they knew that they would be indistinguishable from the average person and aplish nothing if they left the team.


    Because only Great Tang Group could provide the best technical research environment and only Great Tang Group could guide them in the direction of their research.


    In return, these talents helped Great Tang Group umte experimental data andpleted the part of education that Tang Mo''s mind could not calcte through aputer.


    A single technician cannot propel an entire era forward; it takes many technicians working together to poprize a great technology.


    Great Tang Group never hoarded their knowledge; they always sought ways to disseminate their technology. It was precisely because of this open approach that Great Tang Group effortlessly surpassed Shireck and achieved a stunning reversal of fortunes in a short time.


    "I don''t understand this aspect of technology, so Mr. Tang, just divide it however you see fit," said another envoy, this time from Dorne, stationed in Brunas.


    To talk about dividing cake, they might understand, but dividing invisible wireless radio frequencies, they were even less knowledgeable than the primary school students under the Tang Army''s military academy.


    At least those primary school students knew what wireless radio was. At least the teachers that the Tang technical department had drafted to exin to them could make them understand theories such as beamforming.


    "Are you really not worried about the situation on Dragon Ind? Isn''t there an enemy that has alreadynded?" The special envoy from Songmu Kingdom kindly reminded, "It''s not easy to deal with Taren Kingdom; they have a strong desire for expansion."


    "Would you worry about a bunch of savages rushing into Dorne''s King City?" Tang Mo asked with a smile, "Do you know how many people Shireck lost thest time they charged my machine gun emcements?"


    "Hahaha!" The Leite envoy who knew the whole story couldn''t help butugh out loud, then he began to enlighten the envoy from Songmu Kingdom, "In one charge, Shireck lost several hundred men, an entire regiment was crippled,pletely losing theirbat effectiveness."


    "This¡­" The envoy from Songmu Kingdom, who had never seen a heavy machine gun, widened his eyes in disbelief. He truly did not know that the weapons Great Tang Group had agreed to sell his Kingdom were so powerful.


    "If you don''t want those 10 G1 heavy machine guns, you can sell them to us, we can pay 1,000 more Gold Coins," said the envoy from Leite Kingdom as he extended a finger and confidently asserted.


    "So your Leite Kingdom is rich, huh? 1,500 Gold Coins! Sell them all to me! We can pay in cash!" Seeing money about to leave his pocket, the bearded envoy from Dorne spoke with undeniable sincerity.


    To show hismitment, he had just exchanged 3,000 "notes" worth of Gold Coins at Tang Mo''s Great Tang Bank, and at the moment of payment, he instantly appreciated the convenience of paper money.


    "Gulp¡­" The envoy from Songmu Kingdom finally understood what a hotmodity was¡­ The heavy machine gun, which he perceived as outrageously expensive, was suddenly being sought after at a higher price¡­ This world was bing more and more iprehensible to him.


    "Just kidding¡­ we¡­ we''d better keep them for ourselves," said the envoy, ncing at the envoy from Por Kingdom with a strange expression and awkwardly gestured his refusal with augh.

 Chapter 240: 236 Ships Encounter at Sea

    Taren''s fleet was moving along the coastline,posed of 7 warships. After deploying the infantry and craftsmen, one warship escorted a transport shipden with food and other supplies to anchor at their ownnding point, while the remaining 7 warships fanned out to search for any possible towns and ports along the coastline.


    Their mission was to capture the port, sink the nearby ships, and then force the enemy to surrender, to prevent unnecessary losses for the infantry arrivingter onnd. Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    After all, they were sailors, faster than the army onnd and with stronger firepower.


    The Kingdom had spent so much money on the navy, naturally expecting a return on investment. Over the years, Taren Kingdom''s fame spread far and wide for expanding its territory at sea, all thanks to a strong andbat-ready naval force.


    Compared to warships from other kingdoms, Taren Kingdom''s were slightlyrger and had a more slender shape, which made them look somewhat awkward.


    Even more awkward was that Taren Kingdom''s warships didn''t use white sails but rather a light yellow color, making them highly recognizable.


    Initially, Taren Kingdom''s sails were brown, but due to inferior dye, they quickly turned a pale yellow after being exposed to the sun and sea winds.


    Changing them was quite expensive, and there was no good solution to the fading problem, so Taren Kingdom just held its nose and tolerated it, continuing to use these light yellow sails.


    "I really didn''t expect someone to have built a town here for us. Hahaha." Standing on the deck, themander of the Taren fleet joked with self-assured glee.


    He wasn''t afraid of battle and didn''t think his fleet could lose. He was ready to outmaneuver the enemy''s negligence¡ªas long as the enemy hadn''t built gun batteries on the most treacherous parts of the coastline, his chances of victory were great.


    The enemy''s warships would be blocked inside the port, destroyed by cannon fire before they could even set sail. And after losing their naval power, they typically chose to surrender in most cases.


    Next would be the matter of diplomatic negotiations; sitting down for a tough talk, exchanging insults and attacks, until the losing side, holding their nose, acknowledges the defeat. Taren Kingdom would then secure another victory.


    In any case, he seemed to have already envisioned the entire oue of the affair.


    "Sir, the wind is now in our favor!" The adjutant approached, with the g marked with the steering wheel fluttering above his head.


    He spoke with some concern, "Our fleet is advancing at full speed! However, this ind isrger than we anticipated."


    Taren Kingdom had not fully surveyed this ind, and only now, as they truly measured it with their actions, were they realizing that it was indeed a case of ''the mountains are high and the emperor is far away.''


    This damned ind was huge; they estimated that their navy might not find the enemy''s port as nned.


    But if night fell, surely those fleeing would return early and warn their port. And if the enemy was prepared, the situation would bepletely different.


    If the enemy''s warships weren''t in the port but out at sea, then it would be a genuine test of naval prowess.


    "It''s fine, we haven''t seen the end of this ind yet, which suggests it''srge. If we don''t find the port before nightfall, we''ll have ample time to wait and act first thing tomorrow morning," the fleetmander thought for a moment,forting his adjutant.


    ording to his calctions, any potential deserters signaling the enemy wouldn''t even reach half the speed of his own warships, and they couldn''t possibly return to the enemy''s port to inform them during the night.


    What he didn''t know was that, in the direction he was heading, a warship enveloped in dense smoke was charging towards his fleet at a high speed of 30 kilometers per hour.


    Due to the headwind, the dense smoke rolling off the warship was swept up by the sea breeze and elegantly cast behind.


    Atop the mast, a sailor with a telescope was carefully scouring the sea surface, aiming to find the potential enemy fleet and then send those enemies to meet their maker.


    Standing on the bridge, the captain of the Brunas 4, his hands sped behind his back, squinting, was waiting for his prey.


    Like his counterpart, he didn''t believe his warship would encounter any enemies at sea; those so-called enemies were nothing but his prey.


    His warship was made of steel, his cannons were modern breech-loaders, and his ammunition explosive shells. He had no reason to lose any naval battle in this era.


    Those wooden sailing ships were mere ants before him; once his warship spotted the enemy, it could easily sink them.


    The prerequisite was, as long as he could spot the enemy¡­


    Searching for targets in the vast sea could be tiresome since even if you knew the enemy was nearby, if the distance exceeded 40 kilometers, you could not detect the target with radar, given the curvature of the Earth.


    The waters near Dragon Ind were not a busy route, so emting the previous tactic of Brunas 1, which annihted dozens of transport ships along a shippingne in one go, was not feasible.


    Here, there was only the most primitive sea, uncharted and untamed, with one side bordered by the luxuriant ind forest and its cliffs and precipices, and the other side the boundless ocean.


    "Captain, we are fast approaching the central waters of Dragon Ind¡­ no enemy ships in sight," the officer reported, a trace of anxiety in his voice.


    The captain did not take his gaze off the sea surface, instead offering reassurance without turning his head, "Don''t worry. Not all ships can match our speed. Given the timing, the enemy should still be quite far from here."


    "I hope we can achieve some merits in this battle¡­ otherwise, those guys on Brunas No. 1 will show off to Commander Bernard again," the officer said, exining his anxiety.


    He was simply eager for battle, anxious that he might miss his prey and let the opportunity for des slip through his fingers to someone else.


    The long wait before a battle always made people impatient. It was not untilte in the afternoon that Brunas No. 4, speeding up to 31 kilometers per hour, finally spotted enemy sails on the horizon.


    A sailor peering through a telescope spotted the pale yellow sails and the brown gs fluttering on the enemy warship.


    He quickly turned back and shouted into themunication tube, "Directly ahead! Enemy fleet spotted! Enemy fleet spotted!"


    Then the battle rm sounded, and along the not-so-spacious corridors of Brunas No. 4, sailors could be seen rushing to their battle stations.


    "They''ve finally appeared!" The officer breathed a sigh of relief after his excitement, picking up the telescope to look at the distant enemy sailboats as if they were golden hills floating at sea.


    It felt like a big, bad wolfying eyes on a little, white rabbit. He was already calcting his military achievements in his heart, fantasizing about boasting to his counterparts on Brunas No. 1 about his glorious battle record when he returned.


    "We can see three warships, there must be more behind them. We can detour to open sea and engage from the nk," the officer suggested, putting down his telescope and looking to the captain beside him.


    The captain nodded slightly, agreeing to the officer''s n, "Reduce speed to 20 kilometers! Adjust the course¡­ Don''t be too quick, there won''t be time to fire."


    "Understood!" The officer hurried off to ry the orders. Apanied by the roar of the steam engine, Brunas No. 4 began to slow down.


    Meanwhile, at each gun position, the soldiers had skillfully opened the breech and loaded the cannonballs into the chamber. They could not see the outside situation, and to them, war was like a routine job.


    All they needed to do was get used to inserting one cannonball after another into the chamber within an enclosed space, then wait for the cannon to roar and repeat their skillful actions.


    Before their own warship was breached and sunk, they were simply working rather than truly fighting.


    Thus, they could maintain a tranquil mindset and methodically carry out the killing, just as their descendants would do 100 yearster when operating drones.


    "Loaded and ready!" Amidst the long wait, a loader closed the breech and loudly reported to the officer at his side.


    This officer was the gunmander, responsible for deciding when to fire based on the correction parameters provided by the nearby aiming device.


    On the distant sea, the Taren sailors on the sailboats had also spotted the strange,rge ship cutting into their nk.


    They could see the ck smoke billowing behind therge ship and its slender side adjusting course.


    This was a vessel longer than their sailing warships, and it looked like it was indeed a warship.


    Because the Taren sailors, also observing their opponent closely, had recognized two cannons turning towards them from the increasingly clear silhouette of the opposing warship.


    And the Dragon Banner flying on this warship clearly signified a connection to the unlucky fellow they had killed, as he had worn the same emblem.


    "Cannons ready to fire!" Separated by about 1000 meters, facing each other, the Taren Kingdom''s warships were also battle-ready.


    At that very moment, on Great Tang Group''s Brunas No. 4, the captain had issued the order, "Aim at the enemy ship! Fire when ready! Sink them! Avenge ourrades!"


    Then, the next second, the front and rear main guns of Brunas No. 4 spat out mes. A plume of smoke billowed from the muzzles, and three cannonballs flew towards two different targets.


    Filled with vengeance, the cannonballs flew the short distance of less than 1000 meters and mmed into the hulls of the enemy ships, bursting open into a ball of mes that devoured everything.


    -------


    Another update willeter; better read it in the morning.

 Chapter 241: 237 I asked a question

    In the timeline familiar to Tang Mo, on November 27, 1853, a small Turkish fleet arrived at the port of Sinop, and themander of this Turkish fleet ordered his subordinates not to fire first.


    Soon, this Turkish fleet discovered six Russian battleships patrolling outside the harbor, and themander sent urgent requests for reinforcements, but these pleas fell on deaf ears.


    These Russian battleships, hailing from a hundred miles away in Sevastopol, were part of the Russian ck Sea Fleet and weremanded by Rear Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov.


    On the morning of November 30, the Russian fleet entered Sinop Bay and demanded the Turkish fleet to raise a white g and surrender. The Turkishmander refused to surrender and ordered to open fire. Minutester, the Russian battleships responded with cannon fire.


    This was both the final glory of wooden sailing battleships and thest shining moment of the Russian ck Sea Fleet, and this naval battle also went down in history as thestrge-scale engagement of the age of sailing fleets.


    It was during the Crimean War that steam-powered warships were widely used by the United Kingdom and France, greatly showcasing the advantages of technological weaponry.


    The Russian warships used explosive shells, marking the first use of such munitions in a naval battle, with astonishing effects. Despite the Russian artillery not being very urate at the time, the new explosive shells caused massive damage to wooden warships after exploding inside upon impact.


    Half an hour into the battle, the oue was already sealed. An hourter, the entire Ottoman Turkish fleet was annihted, with warships aze with towering mes.


    Afterward, Nakhimov directed his fleet''s fire towards the Turkish coastal batteries, which quickly fell into a sea of fire as well. The raging mes reflected off the charred wreckage of Turkish warships, with corpses strewn everywhere along the shore and in the water.


    In this battle, the Russian troops suffered over 200 casualties while annihting more than 3,000 Turkish soldiers and capturing 150, including the Turkish fleetmander, Osman Pasha. Only one small steamship, the Taif, managed to escape, bringing the dire news back to Constantinople.


    Then, as fortune would have it, this Russian Navy, which had cruelly dominated the Ottoman Turkey with explosive shells, found itself hopelessly outssed in the face of the iing British and French fleets powered by steam warships.


    As times advanced, the importance of technology in warfare was vividly illustrated in this conflict.


    In the world that Tang Mo now inhabits, the irond warships of the Great Tang Group were virtually using technology from around 1890 to crush the warships of 1750.


    This was truly not a battle, but a brutal massacre. By the time themanders of the first Taren Kingdom sailing warship realized this, it was already toote.


    Their warship blew apart, splitting in the middle as the water, like a savage beast, surged into the cabins, dragging the grievously injured sailors into the vortex.


    As they watched the mast of this warship beginning to break and its sails twisting and falling, the sailors aboard the second warship, hot on its heels, were so shocked they were rendered speechless.


    As they pondered how to rescue their allies from the water ahead, explosions and screams rang out from behind them.


    The third warship was also struck by a shell, with most of its side hull blown away. Before its sailors could recover from their stupor, the ship began to list heavily.


    Soon after, the oing cannon fire baptized nearly all remaining Taren Kingdom''s sailing warships while their fleetmanders were still trying to grasp the situation, sinking four warships in short order.


    Among the remaining three warships, themander of one was the wisest. Abandoning any idea of fighting or fleeing, he immediately drove his warship towards Dragon Ind.


    Before being sunk, he managed to run his ship aground beneath the cliffs, giving his crew a chance to escape to shore for refuge.


    The other two warships continued to resist stubbornly, with predictable oues.


    One of them was the gship of the fleet, whosemander had previously dreamt of attacking Dragon City.


    His warship was shattered by cannon fire, and the exploding gunpowder blew most of it to pieces, leaving hardly any sailors alive.


    Thest warship attempted to flee but was overtaken and sunk during the turn, leaving only a clutter of wreckage on the surface of the sea.


    The entire naval battlested 27 minutes, without any dawdling. The Taren Kingdom''s fleet managed only to fire two shots before losing allbat capability.


    One warship was run aground and written off, while the remaining six werepletely sunk without exception. The closest distance during the entire artillery duel was over 700 meters, far exceeding the Taren Kingdom warshipmanders'' familiar engagement distance.


    This was why the Taren Kingdom''s warships only managed to fire two shots before the battle ended¡ªneither of those hastily fired shots hit their target.


    Utilizing the advantage of their aiming devices, the hit rate of the Brunas No. 4 battleship reached an astonishing 60 percent at a distance of around 800 meters.


    A battle came and went like the wind, arriving swiftly and departing just as quickly, leaving behind a lingering taste of something unfulfilled.


    Surging waves pped against the cliffs, roaring like thunder. It was as though the crisp sound of explosions on the sea were still pounding on the panicked chests of those caught off guard.


    It was oppressive and made hearts skip a beat.


    A white wave enveloped a rock, retreating and leaving behind a sailor in a sorry state. He struggled to sit up, poking his head out above the water before the next wave hit.


    He breathed deeply, relishing the unlikely second chance he had grasped in his hands. After savoring the joy of life for a moment, he abruptly turned his head and saw the shattered wreckage on the sea surface, along with that fearsome ck battleship amongst the debris.


    That was no ordinary ship; it was a beast sprawled across the ocean, spewing lightning, with an air of domination, as if it were the ocean itself, controlling the life and death of everything within it.


    "Heh¡­ heh¡­" The sailor greedily gasped for air, having narrowly escaped disaster. He climbed up onto a rock, letting the seawater ssh and roll beneath his feet.


    Not far behind himy the cliffs, and not far aheady the wreckage of the once-beached Big Redfish battleship, which had then been bombarded into pieces by several cannon sts.


    The battleship nowy with its fallen masts and burning hull still visible above the waterline. Through the burning mes, one could barely make out the brown royal g embroidered with a helm.


    Everything was over. A massive fleet of seven battleships vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving behind nothing.


    Thousands of sailors had perished at sea, with perhaps not even a single digit''s worth of survivors. As a sailor, he still didn''t know what force he had provoked.


    "Help, save me." At his feet came a weak shout from a sailor who had been washed against the rocky shore by the waves. The sailor from the Taren Kingdom, who was staring dumbfounded at the Brunas No. 4 battleship, quickly looked down to find the source of the voice.


    Then he saw an injured sailor struggling in the water, one hand gripping the rocks, the other hand bloody.


    In a panic, he pulled hisrade onto the rock and saw a piece of wood impaled in the man''s shoulder.


    The sharp nk, like shrapnel, was embedded in the sailor''s shoulder, from where the blood on the arm was flowing.


    "You''re hurt! I can''t bandage you! There''s nothing here! Hold on! I''ll think of something..." the young sailor nervously looked at his woundedpanion.


    The injured unfortunate, at this moment, had the energy only to gasp for breath. After a while, he regained some strength and struggled to grip the arm of the young sailor, weakly cautioning him, "Go back! Go back! Tell them to move quickly¡­ quickly¡­"


    After speaking, his hand lost strength and drooped onto the rock. The young sailor looked up bewilderedly to see the terrifyingly powerful battleship with sailors using long poles to fish out sailors floating on the sea.


    "They don''t intend to eat them, do they?" This absurd thought popped into the young sailor''s mind and frightened him so much that hey t on the rock, not daring to lift his head again.


    The salty seawater washed over the cuts on his face, the stinging pain bringing him somewhat back to his senses. When he mustered the courage to look up again, the battleship had already sailed far away.


    In front of him, all that remained was a cold body and some broken nks washed ashore by the sea.


    Unlike the attack on the Southern Waters, this time the sailors of the Great Tang Group did not eradicate to thest man but instead fished out a few prisoners from the water.


    Because Brunas No. 4 needed intelligence, they needed all the information on the Taren Kingdom''s operation this time. Including the fleet''s size, the fleet''s movements, the size of thending troops, and the specific movements of thending troops, among other details.


    The captured sailors of the Taren Kingdom kneeled on the deck, staring in shock at a pair of gleaming ck leather shoes walking back and forth in front of their knees, beneath a pair of white trousers.


    Then, a middle-aged man''s voice rang out, "Whoever is willing to answer my questions gets something to eat and a chance to live... It''s alright if you don''t cooperate; I''ll just throw you back into the sea. You can choose for yourselves..."


    "I''ll talk! I know everything!" "I''ll speak first! We are sailors of the Taren Kingdom!" "I''m an officer! I''ll talk first!¡­" Several prisoners nearly fought with one another until they each received a reassuring pat from the sailors of the Great Tang Group, which calmed them down.


    "Since you are all willing to cooperate... then... I will ask the questions..." The captain stopped pacing, looking down at the prisoner who had just imed to be an officer, and asked, "How many ships do you have in total?"

 Chapter 242: Im also very helpless about it.

    "Oh, everything here really is annoying, even the bugs are bigger than the ones back home!" A soldier from the Taren Kingdomined while clearing a vine with his machete and continuing to walk forward.


    Traveling in such an ill-fated ce is not an easy task; everything here is still in its primitive and undeveloped state, making it extremely difficult to find a proper path.


    Another soldier squashed a bug that was passing by and cursed with equal disgust, "Damn it, we''ve been walking for a whole day and night, and we haven''t caught that bastard who fired at us, nor found a decent road¡­ Is there really a town here at all?"


    They had been wandering in the forest for a day and a night without reaching their destination, and already dozens of them had lost their way, vanishing into this mysterious, dense jungle.


    The n to ambush that damned, nameless town seemed to have failed, or rather, it could only be left to the Navy''s warships to aplish.


    Now, what they needed to do was to hurry over there, replenish their supplies, give the troops a rest, and enjoy themselves in the new town.


    Surely there must be plenty of women in a small town, right? Or boys would do¡ªafter all, they weren''t picky.


    Besides, there must be Gold Coin in the town, and some treasures, and perhaps even a wealthy member of the Nobility.


    As long as they looted, there would always be a way to strike it rich. With the reward for pioneering thend, this journey would not have been in vain.


    With that thought in mind, they quickened their pace. Housen stood in an area that could barely be considered open, supervising his Troops as they slowly snaked through the jungle.


    This waspletely contrary to his ns, for he had never prepared to fight a nonexistent enemy on Dragon Ind.


    His troops had only brought limited supplies and not much ammunition, and since they had traveled over the ocean, they hadn''t brought any cannons.


    These Soldiers, already traveling light, hadn''t even brought tents and had stumbled into the forest in a daze.


    And then, the Soldiers of the Taren Kingdom were taught a lesson by nature. Without any camping equipment, they spent a night in the jungle.


    That night cost them three Soldiers, with another seven or eight missing. Along with the ones who had fallen behind or scattered during their journey, they hadn''t seen a shadow of the enemy yet and had already lost over thirty men.


    With an additional twenty Soldiers left to guard thending site, Housen''s assault force was reduced to less than 450 Soldiers.


    "Commander! Commander!" As the Troops struggled to slowly advance through the forest, Housen''s aide-de-camp approached him from behind, his face a mixture of excitement and anxiety.


    Seeing this expression on his subordinate, Housen realized something was amiss, but still asked, "What''s wrong?"


    The aide-de-camp stepped aside, leading Housen along a hastily cleared path to the bank of a small river.


    The view was more open here, and the ground was rtively high, allowing one to see the forest on the opposite side of the river. Pointing to not too far away, the aide-de-camp said to Housen, "You, you bettere have a look at this."


    "Hmm?" Housen followed where the aide-de-camp was pointing and saw a sight that surprised him.


    He could hardly believe his eyes and hesitated to ept that what he was seeing was real: "What is¡­ this?"


    When he saw the chimneys of the refinery on Dragon Ind, one after another, emitting rolling ck smoke at the edge of the forest across the river, he was baffled.


    He had never expected to encounter a factory here, a factory whose purpose he did not understand.


    In the Taren Kingdom, there were naturally factories too, or rather, in their homnd, such ces were referred to as workshops.


    Those that emitted ck smoke, operating day and night non-stop, were notmon; most were Shireck''s munitions factories!


    As a military officer, he had never seen a workshop of such a massive scale, prompting him to reassess his opinion of the so-called small town on the ind.


    "What a joke, such a workshop must have at least a thousand workers¡­" The aide-de-camp murmured from behind him, "If you include the town, they might well have 2000 people, or even 3000¡­"


    "Perhaps they also have a substantial Army." For the first time, Housen began to doubt his own judgment, questioning whether he had the capability to immediately take control of the entire ind.


    Defending those many chimneys, the force was probably at least 300 strong. Fighting such an Army, even if his troops emerged victorious, it might still be a costly victory.


    Now he had only one advantage, which was the possibility that his troops hadn''t been discovered yet, that no one knew of their arrival.


    Moreover, the Navy''s Fleet must have reached here before them, so the enemy must have shifted their focus out to sea.


    Perhaps the town had already been taken, the warships had destroyed the enemy''s port, the enemy''s Fleet had been annihted, and the troops on shore had all been redeployed near the coastline.


    There''s a possibility that as soon as heunches the attack and the enemy gets caught in a pincer movement, they''ll copse instantaneously, and then he would be able to im victory in this battle.


    After assuming a lot of possibilities, he felt he should attack on time¡ªthis was also the era of poormunication, which is mostly whymandersunched seemingly nonsensical, suicidal attacks.


    ording to the n, several armies were to converge in a coordinated assault, but in the end, only one troop arrived on time. Themander, unaware of the other troops'' dy,unched the assault and was easily crushed by the superior enemy forces.


    By the time the other troops arrived at the battlefield, the one that had attacked prematurely had already been annihted by the enemy.


    Now, Housen was in exactly such a situation, utterly unaware of what had urred and not daring to change the battle n he had previously devised; hence, he could only faithfully execute the strategy he hadid out earlier.


    So, he issued the order to attack, instructing all soldiers to prepare as quickly as possible to strike those facilities that appeared to be very advanced.


    ¡­


    In front of Housen indeed stood Great Tang Group''s refinery, which produced daily gasoline and other products, supplying around 2000 vehicles on Dragon Ind and Brunas.


    In terms of scale, this might currently be thergest refinery in the world, and its technology was also the most advanced.


    Even Tang Mo had a small stic workshop here, producing some petroleum-based products to meet many needs.


    It was an important production base for the Great Tang Group, so it was also a key defensive target for them. Normally, two toons of troops were stationed here, and now they had all entered their defensive positions.


    In fact,pared to the defensive bunkers constructed previously in Brunas, the defense here seemed very rudimentary.


    The defense troops of the Great Tang Group simply built a defense line on the surrounding high ground and arranged for people to be stationed, considering it apletion of the defenses.


    After all, there were no external enemies invading here on a regr day; the mostmon task of the garrison was to drive away wild animals that identally entered the factory area.


    Moreover, because the factory could need expansion at any time, building peripheral defense works would be aplete waste of time.


    The cement might not even be set before the factory would need to use thend upied by these defenses to expand its own buildings.


    Therefore, Roger agreed with Tagg''s most cost-effective method¡ªbuild trenches and simply set up a few fire positions.


    They believed that as long as they detected an invasion by the enemy, having their own fleet destroy the enemy''s naval forces would ensure the safety of Dragon Ind. Constructing defensive works within the ind was a total waste of time.


    A soldier on guard duty at the position walked up to hisrade, who was about to be relieved, leaned his rifle against the edge of the trench, and asked, "How''s it going? Any movement?"


    "I''ve seen jack shit¡­" The soldier on duty put down his binocrs, rubbed his sore eyes, andined.


    He handed over thetest model of binocrs to his recement and said disdainfully, "Maybe they never came, or maybe they got lost... or perhaps they went to another defensive line... Anyway, they arete."


    Based on the standard marching speed of the Great Tang Group, they should have sighted the enemy more than five hours ago. But evidently, they had overestimated the enemy; the opposition seemed unable to achieve the march speed of the Great Tang Group''s security forces.


    Now it was noon, and the enemy had still not shown up. They didn''t even know if the enemy had taken the wrong path.


    "Hey! Look! Birds!" The new guard, who hadn''t even raised the binocrs, saw a flock of birds startled from the jungle.


    He looked through the binocrs towards the still-smoldering edges of a forest that had been burned down seven or eight days ago. The Great Tang Group was continually clearingnd, burning the forests piece by piece and converting them into factorynd or farnd.


    At the end of those dark, ash-colorednds, from the bushes, emerged a soldier carrying a weapon. Then behind this soldier, came a second person, a third... a fourth...


    These people stood at the edge of the woods, waiting for more to emerge from the forest before they formed up at the edge of the clearednd, seemingly preparing to attack.


    The soldiers of the Great Tang Group''s security forces stationed in the trenches had already enteredbat readiness. Shielded in their concealed trenches, they observed the unsuspecting enemy through gaps in the weeds.


    "Just this few men?" The lead toonmander looked somewhat awkwardly at his deputy as they seemed to be waiting in vain for more enemy troops.


    His deputy nced at the Maxim heavy machine gun nearby, along with two gunners, and made a facial expression that said "I''m just as helpless": "The telegram did indeed say... that there were less than 500 of them."


    -------


    Dragon Spirit wrote slowlyte into the night, everyone can read Chapter Two tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 243: 239 a castle

    Brunas, inside Tang Mo''s office, Li''ao was reporting thetest news from Dragon Ind to him, "The enemy seems to be a battalion of troops, without heavy artillery; most of their naval warships have already been annihted."


    After interrogating several captives, Warship Brunas No. 4 had confirmed the scale of the enemy''snding forces as well as thending point. At this very moment, it was aggressively heading towards the beach where the Taren Kingdom''s pioneering troops hadnded.


    Tang Mo didn''t say a word. As he listened to Li''ao''s report, he weighed in his mind exactly how to handle the aftermath of this war.


    Dealing with the war against the Taren Kingdom was simple. All his warships needed to do was to sail to the offshore waters of the Taren Kingdom. If the enemy had any sense, they would surely surrender.


    No matter what he demanded, the enemy would kneel down and grudgingly ept it, for he was the king of the seas in this world, the supreme overlord of the Endless Sea.


    He only needed to deploy half of the warships he controlled to make those nations, which boasted about their own powerful navies, cower in a corner, quaking with fear.


    So, what he was now pondering was how to prevent such things from happening. The strategic position of Dragon Ind didn''t even need to be mentioned. Tang Mo felt that the main reason for this crisis was still due to his insufficient control over Dragon Ind.


    The poption on Dragon Ind was too small for him to firmly control the entire ind, which gave others the opportunity to exploit this weakness and also severely threatened his oil supply security.


    Li''ao, who hadn''t waited for Tang Mo to start speaking, could only continue, "ording to the intelligence provided, themander of the Taren Kingdom''s forces is named Housen, a ruthless officer."


    There was a clear indication of who owed the debt; they now knew that the person who shot and killed the patrol team captain was this fellow named Housen.


    "Capture him, put him on trial, and then hang him... to avenge our fallenrades," Tang Mo finally gave his directive.


    Li''ao nodded slightly and then continued, "It''s uncertain how many soldiers the enemy left behind to guard theirnding point, so it''s unlikely that their force is a full 500 men-strong. It probably only amounts to around 480."


    The captives had spilled all the intelligence they knew without any hesitation. Having witnessed the power of the Great Tang Group''s warships, they had abandoned any hope of luck.


    All they were thinking about now was how to quickly use their advantage of being captured first to get on good terms with these formidable adversaries, hoping to snag a job managing the captives or bing an intermediary, thus avoiding hardship during their captivity.


    "Brunas No. 4 haspletely annihted the enemy''s fleet and is now heading at full speed to theirnding point. They have sent a message asking whether to take prisoners, including ships." Not waiting for Tang Mo to respond, Li''ao continued to inquire.


    Tang Mo thought for a few seconds, then issued hismand, "Tell them to be cautious, and under the condition that the warship suffers no damage, capture both the ships and the people! We need to start conserving, learning to be thrifty..."


    "Understood," Li''ao once again nodded gently.


    Then he carried on, "Reportedly, the Taren Kingdom''snding point still has one warship and ten transport ships. They have brought approximately 500 craftsmen and around 700 immigrants."


    Having just been thinking about the poption issue on Dragon Ind, Tang Mo didn''t hesitate this time and right away had a suggestion for the disposition of the craftsmen: "After capturing them, find them some work... but nothing too easy!"


    Li''ao immediately replied, "It has already been taken care of. All captives will be organized and put to work building a sufficiently grand castle on the ind for you."


    "Are you kidding me?" Tang Mo was taken aback as he looked at Li''ao with an expression filled with disbelief.


    "It''s everyone''s decision," Li''ao began to exin, "Although everyone thinks it should be kept secret, as your intelligence chief it is my duty to report everything I know to you."


    "We''ve reached the point where we can squander manpower like this?" Tang Mo didn''t think it was wise to waste over a thousandborers on such a thing during a time when manpower was in urgent demand.


    Up until now, he had been living in the office building of the factory and merely asionally visiting Brunas City; he didn''t even have a proper home of his own.


    He had always utilized every penny to keep the Great Tang Group functioning at the highest speed possible, which was the secret to his present sess.


    Seeing Tang Mo somewhat displeased, Li''ao hastened to defend everyone''s decision, "Actually, we can''t truly trust these craftsmen, since they''re people from the Taren Kingdom. So, we can''t allow them ess to our core secrets."


    "Then the periphery...?" Tang Mo felt that it was still better to make proper use of these captives, having them do more important work in line with his own ns.


    Li''ao smiled as he exined to Tang Mo, "The pioneering work on the periphery is hard to manage, and we fear they might escape... So we just decided to have them build the castle instead."


    After all, overseeing a group of people working on a mountaintoppared to letting them work in the forest was a very different matter, requiring a notably different number of guards.


    "..." Tang Mo fell silent, as he found the reasoning of Li''ao made sense, leaving him temporarily unable to rebut.


    Even Tang Mo himself hadn''t noticed that, from start to finish, his and Li''ao''s discussion had centered on the matter of the more than a thousand captive craftsmen. As for those 500 soldiers, it seemed as if they had ceased to exist.


    Li''ao then added, "Of course, they don''t know they are constructing a castle. We''ve only had them working on the outer walls. We feel that it''s safer if our own people handle the specifics of the interior work."


    "..." Seeing his subordinate had thought everything through so thoroughly, Tang Mo didn''t know what to say.


    When the subject came up, Li''ao seemed to have much to say, "We found inspiration in your sketches. In fact, we were nning to present it to you as a gift once the castle was fullypleted."


    "A gift?" Tang Mo was taken aback, then puzzled by the word.


    "Yes, a present from all of us to you. All the executives of the Great Tang Group chipped in... so, it''s our gift to you. Thank you for your care all this time," Li''ao exined.


    Tang Mo paused again, then he remembered a quick sketch he had drawn during a leisure moment, a sketch of Neuschwanstein Castle.


    So, he roughly understood what his own castle must now look like, "Wait, you said you found inspiration in my drawings? You mean, that Neuschwanstein Castle?" Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    Li''ao nodded, then told Tang Mo that they had even settled on a name for his castle, "Yes, but... we all felt that the name ''Swan Castle'' didn''t sound quite right, so after a show of hands, we decided to name it... ''Dragon''s Den''..."


    "..." Tang Mo suddenly felt as if a small mustache were sprouting below his nose... What was with this overwhelming sense of San Dezi? Should he also have something like a grand building, with something like a basement?


    While he was internally critiquing the name of his own castle, the soldiers of the Great Tang Group''s security forces on Dragon Ind had already chambered a round, readying their guns as they saw the enemy approaching.


    The machine gunners worked the bolts, producing a pleasant cking sound, then aimed their dark barrels at the gathering enemy forces in the distance.


    Meanwhile, Housen had sent out scouting troops; seven or eight soldiers spread out, apparently attempting to probe the strength of the defenses, slowly creeping towards the Great Tang Group''s security forces and the factory behind them.


    The next second, a sudden gunshot rang out, and the Ranger troopsmenced an attack. A Taren soldier, advancing with his gun, fell as the shot sounded, and the others couldn''t help but instinctively shrink their necks.


    Quickly, a second shot followed, and another Taren soldier, who had yet to locate the enemy, screamed and fell.


    The remaining few soldiers hurriedly fled in disarray, stumbling back to their own lines.


    Housen was uncertain whether the enemy was resorting to such tactics because they were outnumbered or to disrupt his attack n with a sniper shot. But he also knew he had to act quickly; if he allowed the enemy to stabilize their position, the forces he brought might very well be insufficient.


    Thus, he drew the sword from his waist, pointed it forward, and gave the loudmand to attack, "Advance, all troops! Take this workshop!"


    Following hismand, the troops by his side began to move forward. Marching in step, they advanced across the charred ck wastnd, apanied by the somewhat frail sound of drums.


    On the other side of the forest, a disheveled Sailor climbed to higher ground, stumbling, and saw his own troops advancing toward the front.


    He sat down heavily, gasping for air. Desperately watching the distant forces, he knew it was all toote.


    Because the attack had begun, and he could not deliver the news in time¡ªthat their Navy fleet had been utterly defeated¡ªto themanding officer Housen at the front.


    Even if he now shouted at the top of his lungs, he might not be able to convey the message urately to the allies on the battlefield.


    So, all he could do was watch desperately as his own troops neared the distant building. Secondster, he heard intense gunfire.


    Amidst the gunshots, the fluttering brown and golden helm g rapidly fell, and the soldiers marching in step fell like crops in a field, row by row, mowed down by an invisible scythe.


    Instant chaos ensued, and the Sailor, who had finally found his way out of the forest, closed his eyes in despair.


    At that same moment on the battlefield, Housen waspletely petrified by the overwhelming power of the opponent. Standing there motionless, he let bullets fly past him, unable to utter a single word.

 Chapter 244: 240 men who look like women and women who act like men

    ```


    Housen actually wanted to say something very much, he wanted to order his troops to retreat, and he wanted to order his soldiers to disperse, or to crawl down, or something like that.


    Unfortunately, by the time he thought of thesemands, he found that it was already toote to issue any of them.


    The speed of the opponent''s attack was just too fast, or perhaps it''d be more urate to say their killing speed was too fast.


    The sporadic gunshots that had sounded earlier were not a provocation or a sign of cowardice, but a method the enemy used to knock out scouting parties and avoid exposing their main forces.


    That gun fire, more terrifying than the snores of devils by countless folds, was continuous as if never-ending. The steady ''tat tat tat'' hadpletely crashed his brain.


    He saw with his own eyes a soldier have his arm blown off by a bullet, and also witnessed another soldier as a bullet pierced through his head.


    He felt blood stter on his face and could distinctly feel the sticky sensation on the palm of his hand that held the Longsword.


    As time went on, the palm holding the Longsword felt dry and sticky. When he looked down, he saw the gap between his hand and the hilt of the sword filled with red.


    Before he could lift his head again, he saw at his feet the body of his adjutant, a bullet had hit his neck; his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky as if there was something there worth lingering for.


    Staggering forward two steps, Housen avoided the lifeless body of his adjutant. When he lifted his head again, he saw that out of his densely packed group of more than 400 people, there were only a few left standing.


    "Ha... ha... ha..." He could hear his own heavy breathing. It was only when he was drawn by it that he suddenly realized the battlefield screams and those terrifying continuous gunshots were no longer audible.


    Then, Housen, who no longer knew what to do, watched as soldiers with guns stood up from the opposite weeds.


    "I surrender!" he heard one of his soldiers cry out desperately, throwing down his weapons and raising his hands high, then adeptly kneeling on the ground.


    After the appearance of the first soldier to surrender, the second did so feeling justified, then the third and fourth followed.


    One of the soldiers saw hispanion put down his weapon and turned to run, only to be hit in the body by a bullet that came flying from behind before he could make it two steps.


    He stumbled a few paces, then copsed to the ground. The soldier from the Great Tang Group who was holding the rifle worked the bolt, a brass shell ejected from the rifle and fell at his feet.


    A new bullet was chambered, the soldier kneeled on one knee, picked up the shell from the ground, and pocketed it.


    The whole action was fluid. Hisrades beside him held their weapons at the ready in a covering position.


    The rest of the soldiers from the Great Tang Group''s security force continued to advance, holding their bay-fitted rifles with both hands, taking each step with caution.


    "Drop your weapons!" They were careful as they approached the surrendering soldiers of the Taren Kingdom, pressing the ring bays against thetter''s chests, then having others carefully check these enemies who were now scared out of their wits.


    In fact, the security forces of the Great Tang Group had never fought a battle where the forces were so evenly matched. Thest battle was a few hundred of them against tens of thousands of private soldiers from the Shireck Consortium.


    This time, they had assembled over 270 people in their position, and their pitiable enemies totaled just over 450.


    They only had time to fire two shots before the enemy''s dense attack formation copsed. The Maxim heavy machine gun only managed to fire two belts, 200 rounds, before it could no longer find a dense group of targets.


    After a few pitiful attempts to escape were easily killed off, the remaining soldiers of the Taren Kingdom were all kneeling on the ground with their hands raised.


    But Housen was still standing there. He hadn''t dropped his weapon, he hadn''t raised his hands, and he hadn''t shouted the word "surrender."


    He just stood there nkly, foolishly unaware of what he was going through. It seemed like a nightmare, a nightmare even he didn''t know how to awaken from.


    As themander of this unit, he really wished he could wake up. From the moment he set foot on this ind, he''d felt like he was in a dream.


    If only he hadn''t shot dead that man who hade to argue with him, iming to be some sort of captain, if only he had had a proper conversation with the man instead of hurriedly grabbing credit and bullying others.


    If only he hadn''t led his troops through the jungle to this seemingly magical ce, and then didn''t rush into an attack like this.


    If only...


    Then couldn''t he wake up from this nightmare without suffering such humiliating misery?


    He heard someone talking, it seemed like someone was talking next to him.


    "Has he been scared silly?"


    ```


    "I don''t know, but it looks like he''s someone important."


    "To survive amidst the hail of bullets, he''s really lucky."


    "Maybe the G1 machine gun didn''t sweep his way... Didn''t they say they wanted to catch prisoners alive?"


    "How do we get him to snap out of it?"


    "I don''t know either, try... pping him?"


    Housen didn''t know who was talking, but he realized he was probably about to be pped. So he looked toward the speaker, but as he turned his head, he saw a rapidly approaching palm.


    Originally, this p was meant for his cheek, but because he suddenly moved, the coarse, calloused palmnded squarely on his nose instead.


    Housen immediately saw stars before his eyes, and he screamed in agony while clutching his face, "Ah!"


    "Bastard!" He struggled to see who the hell had hit his face. He was an officer of the Taren Kingdom, dignified even in captivity...


    However, the p seemed to have insulted the soldier who had delivered it.


    So, the pping soldier nced at hisrades and saw hints ofughter in their eyes.


    The humiliated soldier immediately grabbed the K3 rifle in his other hand and smashed the butt into Housen''s brow with both hands on the grip.


    "Ah!" This time, Housen screamed like a ughtered pig, as he was bleeding and the blood was pouring out.


    His brow was smashed into a bloody mess, torn andcerated. Blood streamed down, and as Housen reached to cover the wound, he could feel his own blood flowing through the gaps in his fingers.


    "You, a prisoner, dare to scream? Do you think you have the right to curse me?" The soldier didn''t care. A prisoner who surrendered peacefully might still get kicked, so one who dared to curse was only asking for trouble, weren''t they?


    And so, as Housen, already crouching with his hands over his face, had not yet recovered from the pain, the Tang Group soldier kicked him down to the ground.


    The high-rise boots, specially designed with soles studded with nails, struck Housen perfectly in the back. Next, the furious soldier started to kick Housen repeatedly, venting his anger.


    "Ah!" Housen screamed under the kicks, and finally, after enduring a few more, he grasped the situation at hand.


    He began to plead, huddling and curling up like a pangolin, "Stop, stop, I surrender, I surrender!"


    But he didn''t get the other side to stop; the person kicking him didn''t seem to have any intention of stopping, so he continued to beg pitifully, "I''m wrong! Sorry! Please, stop! I beg you!"


    In the end, he cried like a child. The soldier who had been kicking him was pulled away by hisrades, while Housen, still clutching his head, continued to sob uncontrobly, his grief and pain making him cry like a child, with his head in his hands amidst the ck ash and muck.


    Apanymander of the Great Tang Group, while taking off his white gloves, walked over to the suffering Housen, looked at the soldier who had enjoyed hitting people, then, looking down on Housen on the ground, spit disdainfully, "Ha... phew... crying like a woman?"


    "Hahaha..." A group of soldiersughed maliciously. Joking like this was fine on Dragon Ind, but at the Great Tang military academy, they wouldn''t dare to mock women.


    The women there were the kind who would pull the pin of a grenade at the slightest disagreement, a bunch of shrews with razor des hidden under their tongues, needles tucked in their hair, who could pull out Left-Wheel Handguns from the candy in their purses.


    There were even some who, to prove they were no different from men, would take a knife to their own faces... Those women were not to be trifled with; they wouldn''t dare to jest lightly...


    "Take all these people back, interrogate them separately... Especially that one who started killing people, find him! We want them alive, or at least I want to see the body!" thepanymander instructed his soldiers, turning his gaze away from Housen.


    "Yes!" All the soldiers responded simultaneously, then, with bays fixed, they tied up the prisoners, who were holding their heads, one after another with rope.


    "Get up quickly! Or I''ll beat you again!" The soldier gave Housen another kick and coldlymanded.


    And Housen, daring not dy, got up briskly, even ignoring the wound on his brow, and raised both hands high.


    The one that had escaped capture, the Sailor from Taren Kingdom, who had been lucky to be washed ashore by the sea and then had rushed here, quickly scurried back into the woods.


    He ran desperately in the opposite direction, running with all his might, feeling it was best to leave this horrifying ce as quickly as possible and send a message for the people left on the beach to leave.


    This ind truly devoured men; it was more terrifying than hell itself! He wanted to go home, back to the Taren Kingdom...

 Chapter 245: Legendary character 241

    "I will only ask once...who shot and killed our negotiation patrol team leader... If my patience runs out, I will kill everyone." Standing in front of the captives, Tagg, with his hands sped behind his back in a contrived manner, looked coldly at these panic-stricken wretches.


    And the result did not disappoint him, almost everyone instinctively looked towards the shifty Housen amid the crowd.


    Themander, with blood still not fully clotted above his eyebrow and his face smeared with blood as if he had not yet wiped away his snivel, didn''t seem soposed.


    "Was it him?" Tagg asked the captive closest to him.


    The captive hurriedly nodded: "Yes, it was him, he personally killed that negotiating officer..."


    Tagg nodded slightly, judging from the expressions on the faces of a few captives, they were all telling the truth¡ªalmost all the soldiers whonded from the Taren Kingdom had seen Housen shoot; many even took this matter as gossip, chattering about it all the way.


    Ultimately, the walk turned into a tragedy, with the people knowing that it was Housen, the officer, who ruthlessly killed the officer from the enemy who came to negotiate, turning out to be in the minority.


    At that time, many soldiers thought of Housen as amander who fit the image of a strong soldier, believing Housen to be very heroic and domineering.


    But now, it seemed Housen''s act of shooting and killing was definitely an atrocity that should be condemned, and he should face the judgment of justice...


    It''s funny how it was decided whether a person seemed cool or idiotic could be down to whether they had money or not, irrelevant of other factors.


    And whether a country is truly free could oftene down to how many nuclear bombs they have or how many tons of gold bricks lie in their banks...


    "So, Mister..." Tagg walked in front of Housen; the captives on either side opened up a path, stepping aside.


    "I am Housen! Amander from the Taren Kingdom!" Housen, thinking that Tagg, in his neat uniform and impably polished boots, must be a reasonable noble, thus spoke with more confidence: "I demand to enjoy the treatment due to a captured officer."


    "Mister Housen, do you admit that you were the one who shot and killed our patrol team leader?" Tagg, looking at Housen''s bloodied face, asked.


    "That was an act of war! Sir! You haven''t introduced yourself... I admit I shot and killed your man, but that doesn''t affect my right to be treated as a prisoner of war," Housen brazenly confessed his crime.


    He didn''t think he would be retaliated against just for killing an enemy pawn; after all, casualties were a given in war.


    Anyway, when it came topensation, it would be the state that pays, having nothing to do with him, themander. And he, like the other captives, would eventually be ransomed back to his country and needn''t worry about anything.


    "Since you''ve admitted it, then send him to Mister Roger for judgment, and then hang him," Tagg said, casting another nce at Housen, who stood there stunned, apparently admiring his courage.


    Then he cleared a path and calmly said, "At least you have kept your military honor by honestly admitting your crime; I admire your character."


    "Wait, wait a minute! What did you just say? What judgment? What hanging?" Housen, in a panic, shoved away the soldiers about to escort him to Dragon City and stared at Tagg.


    Tagg still exined very amiably: "Given that you killed our patrol team captain, we n to put you on trial and hang you, to appease the soul of the patrol team captain so that he may find eternal peace."


    "You, you... can''t treat an officer like this! I surrendered! I should be given preferential treatment, I should be protected!" Housen once again shook his shoulders forcefully, breaking free from the soldiers who were pulling him away: "I am an officer of the Taren Kingdom! I... "


    "Even if you were the king of the Taren Kingdom, you can only be hanged here... unfortunately," Tagg calmly signaled the soldiers to take Housen away.


    This time the soldiers weren''t polite, giving Housen''s stomach a blow with the butt of a gun. When he curled up in pain like a shrimp, two soldiers grabbed his arms from either side, dragging him away like a dead dog.


    "Alright, gentlemen! As for you... topensate for the losses of this war, you will be subjected to three years of forcedbor here, and one year ofpensatedbor. Does anyone object?" Tagg looked towards the remaining captives and asked loudly.


    After waiting a few seconds and not hearing any voices of dissent, Tagg nodded in satisfaction and gestured for the soldiers to take the captives back to camp as nned: "Since no one objects, let''s go."


    ...


    Time rewound an entire night, to a few hours before Tagg''s troops annihted the Taren Kingdom''snding force of 450 men, the Brunas No. 4 warship, on the sea, spotted the enemy fleet at anchor.


    Without the slightest bit of surprise, the remaining warship was directly sted in two by cannon fire, and the rest of the transport ships obediently raised their white gs.


    A transport ship attempted to flee, but after witnessing the speed of the Brunas No. 4 warship, it too sheepishly abandoned its foolish n.


    Over a thousand workers, who had just set up a camp and pitched tents at thending point, watched with wide eyes as the transport ships raised white gs.


    They heard the cannon fire and saw the sinking of their own warships, and, terrified to the extreme, they waited anxiously on shore for about an hour until they finally received a result.


    The fleet sent out a small boat, on which sat an officer from the Taren Kingdom''s expeditionary troops, responsible for managing the logistics of the team.


    This officer returned to shore with several men and then ordered the troops there toy down their arms and surrender.


    Subsequently, the brown g of the Taren Kingdom that had just been raised was reced, and a white sheet, hastily repurposed as a g, was hoisted on the camp''s gpole.


    It is said that this was to avoid friendly fire, ording to themander on the irond warship, and soon ground troops woulde here to take over the camp and then assign new tasks to these artisans.


    By the next day, when the telegraph officer on the Brunas No. 4 warship delivered the wire from Dragon City announcing the end of the battle to the first mate''s hands, the war initiated by the Taren Kingdom''s pioneering team was essentially 99.9% over.


    For on this ind, there was one Taren Kingdom soldier who had not surrendered; he was battling his way through the dense forest, trying to get back to thending point to report to his nation''s artisans and immigrants the bad news that Commander Housen and his troops had beenpletely wiped out.


    This sailor miraculously survived six days in the jungle, actually found his way back to the camp at thending point, and in the end even saw Tagg''s special task force that came to recruit the artisans and immigrants, having them build the "Dragon''s Den."


    When this wild-man-like sailor burst out of the bushes and stumbled to the ground outside the camp, he was nearly shot dead by a sentry.


    As he emerged from the forest and saw the Dragon Banner of the camp, he kneeled down in disbelief on the ground, preventing the Tang Group''s security department sentry from pulling the trigger.


    The sailor, who originally intended toe back with the news, broke down in tears as soon as he saw the familiar figure in gray-green military uniform and steel helmet.


    The determination that had sustained him crumbled in that second, and the man who had avoided pythons and wild beasts and didn''t know how he was still alivepletely copsed.


    Seeing this wild-man who seemed to have gonepletely mad, the duty guard was baffled and could only take him into the camp first.


    The emaciated sailor with a face full of beard, whose trousers were beyond recognition, received meticulous care, and then he recounted his harrowing journey.


    Readtest stories on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    Everyone found it hard to believe that this brother could actually survive alone in the wilderness for seven whole days (he had spent another night in the forest after his warship was sunk), so he was treated like a lucky mascot.


    This true survivor of the deserted ind eventually made it through without the courage to struggle or deliver the news anymore, andpliantly joined the crew to be aborer building castles.


    So in theory, the battle for Dragon Indsted only two days and one night, but in reality, it didn''t truly end until a weekter.


    Even more astonishingly, the tale of the sailor reached Brunas, and because of it, Tang Mo decided to build a railway and a road on Dragon Ind to ensureplete control over the entire ind.


    At thending point discovered by the Taren Kingdom, the Great Tang Group began constructing a brand-new town. The Great Tang Group nned to connect this new town with Dragon City through roads and railways, to firmly hold the entire ind in their grasp.


    "What was that sailor''s name again?" Tang Mo, suddenly curious after the meeting on funding the transportationwork of Dragon Ind ended, asked Harry, who was organizing the meeting materials beside him.


    Harry paused, searched through his notes, and then found the legendary sailor''s name: "Master, his name is Bell."


    "Bell? Bell Grills?" Tang Mo couldn''t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation¡ª it seemed he really would have a parliament building, and indeed a basement too...


    "Grills? Master, normally, sailors like me don''t have a first andst name; I''m just called Harry, and this Bell probably only has the single name Bell as well."


    "Alright! I was overthinking it." Tang Moughed sheepishly, touching his philtrum which was still smooth without a hint of a mustache, and suddenly felt a bit less like he was in the shoes of an empire ruler: "Have there been any problems with the issuance of paper currency?"


    "So far, it doesn''t seem like there are any problems. To curry favor with us, countries that trade with us have exchanged a batch of paper currency¡­ but I guess, in the end, they will probably want to convert it back to gold and take it away," Harry responded.


    "No problem, we can take our time¡­" Tang Mo smiled, full of confidence in his currency.

 Chapter 246: Revolution in the field of communications #242

    ```


    Tang Mo was not the least bit worried about Taren Kingdom''s reaction, as even if they had one, it would be months away.


    The dyedmunication speed was Tang Mo''s trump card, and it was very likely that Taren Kingdom would never figure out where their fleet had gone.


    First of all, it would take them months to slowly realize that their fleet had not sent back messages on time, but this could likely be attributed to poor sea conditions, a long journey, or sudden idents.


    By the time they truly discovered that no messages were being sent back from their own fleet, they would still need to confirm that their fleet had actually reached Dragon Ind¡ªan already lengthy process.


    And by the time they were certain that their warships had been sunk by Tang Mo, and that they had gone to war, it would probably be six monthster, or perhaps even seven monthster.


    By then, the Wolf-ss cruisers might have already started their sea trials. What did Tang Mo have to worry about? Would they send a fleet of 100 warships to attack the Great Tang Group?


    The Great Tang Group had recently put almost all of its ship production capacity into the Wolf-ss cruisers, because Tang Mo had already closed several major deals, preparing to sell their used Brunas-ss irond warships.


    Several coastal countries had paid a lot of money for these epoch-making warships, so they were also looking forward to Tang Mo transferring the second-hand warships used by the Great Tang Group to them.


    And of the five Wolf-ss warships being produced at full steam in the shipyard, one was nearingpletion, while the hulls of the remaining ships were also nearpletion, ready to beunched.


    With these new warships, the Great Tang Group would still reign supreme at sea, but Taren Kingdom,ing for revenge, might just end up crying.


    The three major improvements of the Wolf-ss warships over the old Brunas-ss warships were fire control, artillery, and speed.


    The Wolf-ss cruisers, equipped with updated power units, were expected to be the perpetual nightmare of Taren Kingdom. Just two or three Wolf-ss warships could easily annihte the entire Taren navy, and with extreme ease at that.


    By that time, Dorne and Leite could march southward, alongside the other side''s Shen country, to gobble up the maritime interests vacated by Taren Kingdom.


    Including the shipping routes, developed inds, and the entire southern merchandise market¡ªall of these would be the spoils of war,id before the few countries.


    All they needed to do was to pay a protection fee to the Great Tang Group, honestly acknowledge the Group''s unquestionable hegemony over the Endless Sea, and pay taxes ording to Tang Mo''s demands in order to enjoy huge dividends from the development of the ocean.


    "So, are we not sending out warships to take down Taren just yet?" Harry confirmed Tang Mo''s idea.


    "Don''t be so hasty, these things take time to develop naturally. Inform the envoys from the various countries to gather at my residence. And you, don''t dy; let those who were expecting to profit from the war disperse," Tang Mo instructed Harry as he leaned back in his chair.


    "Yes!" Harry immediately nodded in response.


    Tang Mo took out his cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then lit it with a lighter before continuing, "Also, we must speed up the construction of Hotwind Port, as it has now be even more valuable!"


    If the Great Tang Group''s warships moved south andpletely destroyed Taren Kingdom''s maritime tradework, then the more southerly Hotwind Port would naturally increase even more in value.


    This port, valuable enough to be used as a bargaining chip and ceded to the Great Tang Group by Dorne Kingdom, was now time to revitalize this idle piece and make it work.


    With this port, the Great Tang Group''s influence would extend to Taren and even to more countries in the south, and the value of this port would also rise.


    What else to specte on if notnd? That is truly the real deal. These are all fixed assets of the Great Tang Group, all real silver.


    And when the Tang Group made its overallyout, it had already started constructing Hotwind Port. It had since doubled in size, and although the poption was still not veryrge, the facilities were there.


    Perhaps, to increase their overall volume of maritime trade, Dorne might have to turn around and rent the docks at Hotwind Port for cargo throughput.


    "Understood!" Harry got the point at once, nodding in reply.


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    "Go ahead!" Tang Mo began to puff out clouds of smoke, indulging in the pleasure of thought.


    ...


    "Ring, ring, ring..." When the telephone suddenly rang on the desk of the Dorne envoy''s office¡ªa desk he was familiar with¡ªhe felt an unreal sensation.


    This was his first encounter with Brunas''s new contraption, and he still remembered how the Brunas technician who installed the telephone exined its specific purposes to him.


    Thus, he tentatively reached for the telephone receiver in front of him, with a sense of tragic decisiveness, as if he was about to touch a bomb.


    Then, the moment he pressed his ear to the telephone receiver, he was stunned because he heard a somewhat unpolished yet oddly familiar voice on the other end, "Hello? Hello! Can you hear me? It''s Harry!"


    Finally, the special envoy realized that if he kept staring dumbfoundedly any longer, the person on the other line might explode with anger. With a mix of awe and subservience, he stood up and timidly echoed, "Mr. Harry, yes, it''s me, it''s¡­"


    Before he could stutter out his self-introduction, Harry had already cut him off, "Mr. Tang has summoned you to the factory for a meeting¡­ Come immediately, that''s all."


    "Understood, understood." The envoy from Dorne didn''t know where exactly Harry was, but he was sure Harry wasn''t just downstairs.


    Given that, this system which allowed for real-timemunication seemed to be quite the marvelous invention.


    Clinging fondly to the telephone receiver before cing it back on the cradle, the Dorne envoy''s mind was filled with thoughts of asking the price for such a device, in hopes of acquiring a simr setup for His Majesty the King at the earliest opportunity.


    He had even begun to imagine his King first thing in the morning, picking up the telephone to inquire about the military progress from his Defense Minister.


    Telegraphs would be sent from the front lines back to King City, and then the King could make a casual phone call to check in¡ªwhat was this? This was downright fantastical!


    All of a sudden, as though recalling something, he stood up abruptly, walked to the door, and shouted urgently at the servants outside the corridor as if he were carrying boiling water, "Prepare the car! Quick! Hurry up! I need to go to the factory! Fast!"


    In Brunas, there were many factories and industrial areas, but when someone mentioned "the factory" in istion, it often referred to just one ce.


    The Great Tang Group''s first factory area, now wholly transformed into an academy and a museum for product exhibitions, was the old factory area.


    Here stood the office buildings of the Great Tang Group, also the very heart of Tang Mo''s operations. He slept here, worked here, and released one decision after another that impacted several kingdoms.


    The car jostled slightly on Brunas'' smooth roads. The newest model of the luxury T-type car had excellent shock absorption, and the failure rate had been reduced to almost negligible.


    Recently, Tang Mo hadunched several high-end cars, even starting to sell models simr to his Rolls-Royce cars. Various countries had ordered batches, mostly for royals or high-ranking state officials to use.


    As such, the Rolls-Royce had be a true symbol of nobility and was at one point the exclusive ride of kings. Unspoken rules had emerged, decreeing that no one but kings were entitled to ride in a Rolls-Royce.


    Of course, there were two exceptions: the Countess Alice of Northern Ridge owned a Rolls-Royce, and so did Mr. Tang Mo of the Great Tang Group.


    However, no one bothered with such killjoy trivialities; everyone was astonished by the luxury of the Rolls-Royce cars. But politicians, due to their status, did not overstep their bounds to im a king''s vehicle for themselves.


    Businessmen also showed propriety on this matter. They started buying the next-best luxury vehicles, which brought a tidy profit to the Great Tang Group.


    To facilitate transportation, the Great Tang Group began constructing fuel stations within the territories of the five kingdoms, and these new establishments started sprouting everywhere.


    A new point of profit growth emerged; Tang Mo''s petrochemical nts were booming and were growing by way of reverse mergers.


    The money came from conglomerates, thend was willingly offered by kingdom nobility, and the workers were locally recruited and trained directly. The Great Tang Group had nearly spent nothing to establish a brand-newwork of fuel stations.


    In the short term, thiswork didn''t seem very profitable, but everyone was optimistic about this newmodity¡ªhow much did thest set of telegraph offices built by the Great Tang Group sell for?


    Now, holding ten percent of the shares in their hands, it was as if they were sitting at home waiting to count their money, right?


    Greedy capital had made the right bet this time; they had caught the express train to the rise of the oil industry, with their worth skyrocketing multiple times over.


    With the proliferation of fuel stations, Tang Mo''s automobile industry continued to expand. T-type cars were sold to over a dozen kingdoms, almost making people forget that the Great Tang Group made its fortune from armaments.


    Perhaps some did forget, but the Dorne Kingdom''s special envoy, currently seated in a luxurious T-type car, surely hadn''t.


    He knew he wasn''t the only one rushing to the factory; the war on Dragon Ind must have concluded.


    In fact, he was convinced that the Great Tang Group, with its Irond Warships encircling the ind, could not possibly have lost in the conflict. Still, he had not expected the war to end so swiftly.


    Within less than seven days, the victor had been decided, even including the time it took to convey the news of victory¡ªa true marvel. And he was yet to know that the actualbat hadsted a mere two days.


    Therefore, this time to meet Mr. Tang, it seemed¡­ there might be another surprise in store.

 Chapter 247: 243 hit the market

    In front of Tang Mo''s office building, the envoy from Dorne caught sight of the Leite Kingdom''s envoy just as he emerged from his car.


    The reason they were referred to as envoys was that the various kingdoms couldn''t call the liaison officers stationed in Leite Kingdom''s Brunas port ambassadors.


    After all, the Great Tang Group was not a country, and the envoys stationed in Brunas were clearly more effective than the ambassadors stationed in the king cities of each kingdom, so everyone had set up a temporary position, and these officers responsible for liaison in Brunas were called envoys.


    After nodding to each other in greeting, the two men left their drivers and bodyguards behind and hurried up the steps into the office building, which could only be described as ordinary.


    The office building of the Great Tang Group was built earlier and had only four floors, with no luxurious decorations.


    Tang Mo had no intention of wasting money here, and everyone knew that Tang Mo wouldn''t stay for long. He was going to Dragon Ind eventually, so Dragon Ind, as the main base, was the ce that needed careful construction.


    However, even though the building looked shabby, no one dared to underestimate its owner, for the reserve of gold coins circting here had almost surpassed the total assets of two kingdomsbined.


    When the attendant helped the two envoys open the door to the reception room, they realized their old friend, the envoy from Suthers Kingdom, was already sitting inside.


    The envoy from Songmu Kingdom, a handsome elf, had arrived earlier. He sat there properly at this moment, exuding a delicate and submissive charm.


    The Por Kingdom was thest to buy real estate in Brunas. Due to the continuous rise in property prices in Brunas, they could only buy a small house in the southern suburbs¡ªthus, the envoy from Por usually arrivedst. It was said that this elder brother had already begun searching for expensive housing in the northern part of Brunas.


    Frankly speaking, the appreciation of property in Brunas had already made many business tycoons envious.


    They toiled for a year to make money, which was often less than what a worker who entered the Great Tang Group early and got a house made from selling his property.


    So, under the temptation of hefty profits, many workers sold their houses very prospectively and then continued working on Dragon Ind.


    After all, Dragon Ind''s houses had not yet started to be sold to outsiders, while the house prices in Brunas had already skyrocketed...


    Since Tang Mo needed workers, he naturally had to prepare houses for these workers going to Dragon Ind, so these workers knew they would soon get new houses.


    But the money from selling their houses in Brunas had tangibly entered their pockets, which made many people envious.


    Many of those who bought these properties were migrant workers who joined Brunas'' industrial productionter. To settle down here, they had to sign contracts, selling themselves to Great Tang Group, working for the group for 20 years before they could pay off their "loans."


    Others who bought houses in Brunas were businessmen who could find the most profitable deals here and get thetest news; thus, they were also willing to buy a house here as their foothold.


    The phenomenon of property spection wasn''t yet widespread at this time because people had not reached a consensus that "house prices will always rise."


    Finally, the bted envoy from Por Kingdom entered the reception room, and then Tang Mo appeared in front of everyone, apanied by Harry.


    Sitting in the prime seat, he tidied his hair and spoke unhurriedly, "Gentlemen, I''ve called you here to discuss the follow-up to the Battle of Dragon Ind... You understand, war oftenes with interests; it is an extension of politics and a crucial part of the redistribution of benefits."


    "I hope this cycle can continue, as it keeps interests rolling, and it is only with the flow of interests that we can generate more influence." As he spoke, he gestured for Harry to unfold the map beside him.


    It was then that everyone saw the map in the reception room had been changed, apparently showing arger area under the control of the Great Tang Group.


    The most noticeable change was that the map now included the southern part of the Endless Sea and marked the specific location of the Taren Kingdom.


    When everyone''s attention was on him, Tang Mo continued, "Now, let''s talk about something confidential... Regarding the situation on Dragon Ind, I can tell you with great responsibility that the Great Tang Group has easily won, annihting the invading enemy."


    "The well-informed among you may have already confirmed that it was the Taren Kingdom who caused the trouble, so I hope everyone will refrain from spreading the news of Taren Kingdom''s defeat for now." His tone left no room for negotiation.


    The envoy from Leite Kingdom immediately replied with a smile, "Understood! Understood!"


    "Got it! Got it!" The Dorne envoy said, nodding while stroking his big beard.


    "Certainly! Certainly!" The Suthers emissary on the other side followed with assurances of his own.


    The envoys from the Songmu Kingdom and Por Kingdom, both elves, also joined the group assuring theirmitment.


    Seeing that everyone had made a promise, Tang Mo continued, "Since everyone has given me theirmitment, the following matters should be easy to handle. Taren Kingdom''s attack on Dragon Ind... oh, which belongs to the Great Tang Group, is always regrettable."


    As he spoke, he pointed to the map beside him. Harry picked up the pointer and indicated a spot on the map.


    With everyone''s attention focused on the map, Tang Mo announced his n of action: "We have decided to destroy Taren Kingdom''s naval forces in seven months and blockade their ports..."


    Upon hearing this, the envoy from Por Kingdom could not help but twitch at the corner of his mouth¡ªthe Por Kingdom''s navy had lost over thirty warships in exactly such a manner...


    Now, Tang Mo was preparing to employ the same tactics once again, ready to send out those terrifying warships to teach another ignorant Taren Kingdom a lesson...


    Frankly speaking, as an enemy, those irond warships were the nightmare of the Por Kingdom, but now as an ally, the envoy from Por Kingdom suddenly felt as if he were on the winning side.


    Tang Mo continued to speak: "This operation will be carried out independently by my security forces, without the need for support from your troops. However, everyone is well aware that after the action, the entire southern region of the Endless Sea will be a radiation zone of our interests."


    Apanied by Tang Mo''s exnations, Harry used the pointer to trace the indicated shipping routes on the map, making everyone realize just how vast these routes were.


    ""Your respective trades can be transported to the south, and by leveraging the advantage of industrial production and the powerful deterrence of our irond warships, we can easily destroy the local economic ecosystem,"" Tang Mo continued as if the war had already been won.


    And everyone present had no doubts about his words, because in their eyes, victory indeed already belonged to the Great Tang Group.


    For, until Shireck and the other kingdoms developed their own irond warships, Tang Mo''s navy was invincible... this was an indisputable fact!


    Even the envoys from those kingdoms who had already paid for a Brunas-ss irond warship did not have the courage to challenge Tang Mo''s navy.


    Without hearing any objections, Tang Mo went on: "This is a vast market where we can dump any merchandise without having to handle the delicate trade bnce among the five kingdoms with care as we do now."


    Then, the owner of the Great Tang Group, who had made preparations to use Hotwind Port and then immediately flood the southern region with his goods after the war, set a time limit for this feast of dividing the spoils: "The dumping canst for a year, and the advantageous projects among the kingdoms can be negotiated, but conservatively estimated, we can also reap over five million in profits."


    ""Everyone knows that this is a conservative estimate, so... I need one million Gold Coin, two hundred thousand from each kingdom for rted expenses, that''s not too much to ask for, right?"" Tang Mo was of course ready to offer benefits since he had nned to get these kingdoms involved.


    Binding these people to his chariot with interests proved much more effective than using threats of force or enticements.


    Without even thinking, the envoy from Por Kingdom, who had long coveted the profits from the southern waters controlled by Taren Kingdom, immediately responded, "No problem, Por Kingdom supports this naval action."


    He was so certain that his superior would agree to this cooperation that he didn''t even need to ask for his King''s opinion.


    With good management, just this one instance of dumping could replenish the maritime transport capacity Por Kingdom had previously lost!


    The envoy from Leite Kingdom also promptly expressed his position: "I have no problems either; we in Leite Kingdom have always stood with the Great Tang Group."


    Who would pass up the opportunity to make money? This was clearly the sweet date that Tang Mo had offered to entice them, and to refuse it would be to work against oneself.


    "Dorne has no objections either." The envoy from Dorne immediately thought of the previous cession of Hotwind Port... he could not afford to fret over the loss but was deeply impressed by Tang Mo''s strategic approach.


    To avenge a grudge and carve out a piece of the cake while activating one''s own industry was genuinely admirable.


    "We have no navy... nor a fleet..." After the envoy from Songmu Kingdom agreed joyfully to the arrangement, the Suthers Kingdom''s envoy started speaking with a bit of embarrassment.


    Tang Mo immediately smiled and reassured him, "No worries, since we are a trade group of five kingdoms with a treaty in ce, your goods can be transported through Leite Kingdom to the southern regions, enjoying the same tax reductions and dumping privileges, and still receive the most-favored-nation treatment... you just have to pay the transportation fee."


    The envoy from Suthers Kingdom''s eyes immediately lit up, and he stood up, expressing his gratitude: "Suthers Kingdom is thankful for your generosity, sir. If there''s anything you need, we''re always ready to help. Be it in politics or in military matters..."

 Chapter 248: 244 Sofia

    ```


    A stunningly beautiful maid pushed open a pair of grand double doors that were carved with the resplendent images of the Sun God in concert with the Moon.


    Inside the opulent room was an astonishing floor-to-ceiling mirror, and on the opposite wall hung a massive painting of deities gazing down upon the mortal world.


    Beyond a row of exquisite French windowsy the intricately carved railings of a balcony so spacious it could almost amodate a galloping horse.


    Upon the soft bed, the mistress of the room opened her eyes and moved a slender, bare arm away from her chest.


    "Lady Sofia..." the maid ced her hands together in front of her abdomen, standing by the bed and bowing slightly, her tone full of concern, "You haven''t had breakfast yet."


    "Mmm..." Anguid voice came from therge bed, followed by a woman with an almost perfect figure sitting up naked.


    She sleepily brushed her red curls, reminiscent of ocean waves, and nced at the woman still lying beside her.


    Not just one woman...


    There were three women on therge bed, two of whom were still not awake.


    Sofia twisted her neck and then nudged the woman beside her awake, "Up you get, my darlings..."


    Then the maid who hade to wake her mistress stepped aside, retrieving an incredibly silky and loose nightgown from behind her to drape over Sofia.


    With that, the redheaded Sofia dropped her arms, disregarding the two beautiful bedfellows behind her, and walked out of her exorbitantly luxurious bedroom barefoot "au naturel".


    In the hallway echoed the graceful footsteps of the maid. As Sofia passed by her female guards, they knelt on one knee and greeted their mistress in tender voices, "Lady Sofia!"


    The mistress'' hand swept over the heads of the guards, then she proceeded through the almost echoingly exaggerated hallway to her office.


    This was a domain of women, seemingly a kingdom for them, hence why a female mistress could dress so casually here. The women who could enter this castle were either beautiful or wealthy, and they shared another trait... not particrly fond of men.


    me Castle, one of the most opulently intimidating castles in the world to date, belonged to the red-haired Duchess Sofia, who was also the richest woman in the world... without equal.


    Her wealth was inherited from her mother, whose wealth, in turn, came from her grandmother. Her grandmother had many men, each wealthier than thest.


    Sofia''s grandmother was one of the founders of the Shireck Consortium. With her keen sense of opportunity, she multiplied her wealth many hundreds of times.


    The me Castle was built by Sofia''s mother, and at that time it did not have this nickname. But after Sofia inherited her mother''s legacy, the castle was painted red to be what it is now.


    Rumor had it that a section of the castle''s outer wall was painted with blood¡ªthe blood from every vein of another Shireck Consortium shareholder who had assassinated Sofia''s mother.


    "Mydy, we''ve just received a message that we''ve obtained a sample of the wireless telegraph device," the maid reported, once Sofia had seated herself at her desk.


    "We imed that the telegraph office''s equipment was broken, so we stole the entire device... It''s notrge."


    "What about losses?" Sofia examined her slender fingers, seemingly admiring a part of her near-perfect body bestowed by divine grace.


    "A hidden corps in Dorne ispletely done for, including the bribed officials, the assassins and moles we nted there; dozens of undercover contacts cultivated over many years, all eliminated," the maid''s voice was steady, as if the loss was of little consequence.


    "That''s alright, they were bound to be lost sooner orter..." Sofia looked indifferent, "Tell me, why... does that organization called the Silver Fox Company, develop so quickly, so... impressively?"


    "The opponent has a more professional system than ours, this is the conclusion drawn by our intelligence chief. They''re more powerful than us and can easily trace the slightest clues to find those we''ve left with them," the maid replied coolly.


    Sofia nodded, then asked another question, "Then, tell me... why has this organization called the Great Tang Group, risen so quickly in less than two years, to be so impable in these details?"


    "That, I do not know," the maid hung her head slightly in shame, as if she had done something wrong.


    Sofia had asked merely out of casual interest, not expecting her maid to answer a question that even she herself could not figure out.


    This mysterious Great Tang Group from Leite Kingdom had managed to clear out most of the Shireck Consortium''s assets within Leite Kingdom''s borders in just under a year.


    ```


    Shireck''s private army met its end in Brunas, and after that battle, Shireck almost entirely lost its control over the Leite Kingdom.


    Many of the spies they had in ce were also lost, either exposed as double agents providing Shireck with false intelligence orpletely out of contact, listed as missing persons without a trace.


    In essence, the map of the Leite Kingdom that had been lit up was once again obscured by the fog of war. It wasn''t until half a year ago that the Shireck Consortium began to slowly understand Great Tang Group, their now fully risen opponent.


    This understanding was painful, the kind that left every shareholder of the Shireck Consortium heartbroken.


    In order to acquire the technology for producing needle guns, primer caps, and steam engines, Shireck had topromise with the Por Kingdom, forsaking all interests within the Por Kingdom''s territory.


    Then, as Shireck began its slow construction of steam engines and tried to learn from and catch up with Great Tang Group, it consecutively lost the markets of Leite, Suthers, Dorne, and other kingdoms.


    Their arms products were driven back, losing the lead and advantage they held in almost every sector.


    Flintlock rifles had long be an obsolete product, yet they stillprised a major portion of Shireck Consortium''s arms business.


    Just as Shireck frantically built steam engines and improved its production lines in an attempt to catch up with Great Tang Group''s technological lead in weaponry, Great Tang Group astoundingly introduced the steam train.


    Using steam engines as a power source andying steel tracks entirely changed the traditional mode of transport, bringing a nation even closer together... this... truly came as a surprise to everyone.


    In the subsequent maneuvers, the top brass at Shireck paid the price for their sluggish response, for they had be decadent and stagnant from over a century of controlling the world arms trade.


    By the time Shireck realized they might have missed another weapons revolution, or rather, an industrial revolution, all they had left was to y catch-up through imitation.


    And so, they began to replicate the railroads, using their vast production capacity to capture the markets that Great Tang Group couldn''t handle.


    Indeed, they were sessful; they acquired orders from over a dozen countries, and even those who had lost their markets, like the Leite and Por kingdoms, purchased their rails to build their own railways.


    And because they temporarily couldn''t acquire a lotive, Shireck had no choice but to honestly produce rails and carriages to expand their profits.


    Before the Shireck Consortium fully grasped Tang Mo''s technology for the railroad train, Tang Mo introduced an entirely new technology¡ªthe automobile.


    Shireck had contemted getting some automobiles to disassemble and study since,pared to train lotives, cars couldn''t be regted and were much easier to transport and move around.


    But discouragingly, the exterior of Tang Mo''s automobiles appeared simple, while the construction of their engines and gearboxes wasplex enough to induce despair.


    With the processing precision of most of Shireck''s factories, they were incapable of replicating such products, so they could only watch as Tang Mo ate away at the vast market bit by bit.


    As a result, Shireck could only produce some automobile parts, earning a modest sum while helping Tang Mo swallow up the market.


    However, in the past few months, Shireck wasn''t entirely without merit. Taking advantage of their geographical location and head start, they fiercely acquired numerous oil fields in the countries they controlled.


    Therefore, while Shireck may have been copsing in thepetition, this behemoth miraculously managed to significantly increase its total fixed assets.


    Meanwhile, other products from Great Tang Group began to enter the view of the Shireck Consortium.


    Such as¡­ the telegraph machine, and¡­ the electric light¡­


    All these devices relied on electrical energy to function, so as a person with a keen sense of smell, Sofia acutely realized that Great Tang Group''s electric power system could be a significant direction for future technological development.


    After all, generator technology was rtively easier to copy, so Shireck was also "copy-pasting" the electric power technology from Great Tang Group.


    Only the progress in this area was slow, and other leaders at Shireck were focusing their attention on Tang Mo''s breech-loading cannons, modern bolt-action rifles, and machine guns instead.


    Luckily though, Shireck is still Shireck, and Sofia used some insiders and her umted connections over many years to somehow purchase several original generators produced by Great Tang Group.


    Now, aside from those being disassembled for study and the few used in Shireck''s top factories, me Castle has be one of the rare buildings in the world to utilize electricity.


    It also became one of the few castles to be fitted with electric lighting, making it look even more splendid and magnificent.

 Chapter 249: 245 are you willing to forgive me?

    "The replication work of the telegraph machine must bepleted as soon as possible..." Sofia pondered the issue concerning the Great Tang Group, her expression grave.


    She had recently felt that the wrinkles on her face seemed to have increased, after all, thinking of that distant new power made it difficult for her to eat or sleep.


    A woman really needs quality of life, worrying about such matters indeed shouldn''t fall on women to do.


    Using her smooth, delicate fingers that had never been tainted by household chores, she rubbed her cheeks, the sticity and freshness untainted by age made Sofia forget some of her troubles, if only a little.


    The maid stood there, responding to Sofia''s order without any emotion: "Understood! My lord!"


    Sofia picked up a book about electrical experiments from the desk and flipped it open to where she had been reading, instructing without looking up: "This task is of utmost importance! We must provide the same channels for intelligence transmission, otherwise, we won''t be able topete with this Great Tang Group in any field!"


    In fact, there were quite a few pioneers of electrical experiments in this world, but many of them were still stuck in experiments such as generating electricity through friction.


    Using electricity on arge scale like the Great Tang Group hasn''t been achieved by anyone, nor is there any theoretical foundation for such experiments.


    Curious about Great Tang''s electrical industry, Sofia simply picked up books rted to the fundamental specialties to research.


    Unfortunately, the intelligent Sofia had read several such books but hadn''t gained any inspiration from them.


    On the contrary, she instead used her understanding of Great Tang Group''s electrical machinery to corroborate these scientists'' experiments...


    "I will have people watch those craftsmen closely," the maid responded loyally to Sofia''smand.


    Feeling that wasn''t enough, Sofia added another incentive, "If they can replicate the telegraph machine sooner, I will reward them... 300 Gold Coins each! At all costs!"


    "Yes, my lord!" the maid agreed without hesitation.


    Sofia, somewhat fanciful and prone to say whatever came to mind unconsciously, was already focusing on studying the electrical experiments in the book.


    She mentioned cars out of the blue, "In addition, the procurement of cars mustn''t stop, let the surrounding nations all buy them! Even if the price is high or they are old, it doesn''t matter! I want cars, the more the better."


    "Yes, my lord," the maidplied once again, showing no sign of impatience.


    Cars were Sofia''s passion; she nned to research her own car, topete with Tang Mo''s Model T.


    She believed this new form of transportation, which didn''t requireying tracks on the roads, had more potential than trains.


    After all, in her view, train tracks were an extremely wasteful construction method, while cars, which obviously didn''t require tracks, were more cost-effective.


    There was no help for it; she didn''t possess a modern strategic outlook, nor could she estimate the transport capacity of railroads, thus she could only rely on her imagination to make judgments.


    After some time, Sofia, who had been reading, issued an unrtedmand, "Let those idlers take care of copying the munitions! After all, they can only see the immediate benefits."


    The maid waiting there continued toply, "Yes, my lord."


    A momentter, as Sofia turned a page in the book, she seemed to remember there was another person in the room andmanded, "You may go."


    The maid retreated to the door, curtsied, and then left the room, gently closing the door behind Sofia.


    However, just a few minutester, someone knocked on the door of Sofia''s office. It was rare for someone to disturb her at such a time.


    After receiving permission, the maid entered Sofia''s office once more, cing the prepared breakfast on her desk before beginning her report: "My lord! A new message has just arrived!"


    "Speak," Sofia said nonchntly as she picked up a piece of bread, dipped it in jam, and took a gentle bite, chewing and savoring the slightly tart sweetness, while beckoning the maid to continue.


    The seemingly in breakfast was in fact the height of luxury, the fruits used were expensive, and the handmade fresh jam preserved the original aroma and taste of the fruit.


    The maid promptly began her report: "The Por Kingdom has ceded Osa Military Harbor to the Great Tang Group; it has now be the private property of the Great Tang Group."


    Sofia was shocked; she had been closely following the news from the Por Kingdom, "It seems the news of the severe blow to the Por Kingdom Navy is true..."


    The maid looked at the stack of newly arrived intelligence reports and nodded, "Yes, my lord. The message also confirms that the Augustin Family has sold a gold mine and some copper mines... The buyer is also the Great Tang Group..."


    She paused and then added, "And... there''s something else in the messages that have arrived."


    "Hmm?" Sofia had just picked up the milk when she heard the maid say this, raised her pretty eyebrows, and looked towards her subordinate. Her eyshes were long and beautifully curved, a wless sight to behold.


    The maid immediately produced some witness testimonies and statements, cing them on Sofia''s desk: "Some adjectives describing the Great Tang Group''s naval warships, including powerful, made of steel, without sails, extremely fast, and with extremely precise cannons... these kinds of adjectives."


    Sofia felt she might have underestimated her opponent once again. While she had been striving to catch up with the Great Tang Group, they seemed to have left her even further behind: "Another new type of warship?"


    At this moment, she experienced a profound sense of helplessness, because she had been working so hard to close the gap between them, but it all seemed to be in vain.


    The maid then took out a replica of a drawing: "They''ve also sent a copy of a painting... it is said to have been painted by an artist at the coast..."


    "Give it to me!" Sofia couldn''t wait, she put down the milk and stretched out her hand to take the replicated drawing from the maid''s hand.


    The ship in the drawing, with its sharp angles and fierce appearance, was breaking through the waves at sea. What was most eye-catching were the two huge smokestacks on the warship and the billowing ck smokeing out of them.


    "It seems this is a steam-driven warship, because the two smoking smokestacks are too obvious. It would be impossible to create such a lifelike painting if it hadn''t been witnessed firsthand." Sofia was certain of the painting''s authenticity after just one nce.


    She knew the warship''s power must be rted to steam engines because she was all too familiar with such smokestacks on the outskirts of distant cities, numerous as they were.


    "Yes, and some have confidently imed that it is an irond warship, impervious to our cannons, capable of easily sinking a first-rate warship," the maid continued with the news she brought.


    Sofia nodded: "New types of shells and new cannons... that has already been confirmed."


    The maid, looking at the thick stack of intelligence reports, concurred: "Yes, my lord."


    "Has the reason for the war between the Great Tang Group and the Por Kingdom been thoroughly investigated?" Sofia suddenly asked.


    The maid promptly answered her question: "It has been rified, my lord. After you seized our business in the Por Kingdom from the Augustin n, you specifically instructed us to arrange our forces here, so we easily gathered the information."


    "Speak... cut to the chase." Sofia picked up the milk and took a sip.


    The maid continued with the information gathered by her intelligence department, which was hardly any secret: "Yes, my lord. Previously, the Elves and the Great Tang Group coborated, and someone from the Augustin n brought back technologies from the Great Tang Group such as the needle-gun, steam engine, cartridge paper bullets, and percussion caps."


    "It appears that the Elves'' technology is indeed derived from Brunas." Holding the ss with milk, Sofia nodded in agreement.


    "That''s right. At that time, the Great Tang Group packaged these technologies and sold them to the Augustin n for over 200,000 Gold Coins," the maid spoke when she saw her mistress silent and continued.


    "Hmm? Only sold for over 200,000 Gold Coins?" Sofia''s beautiful brows furrowed slightly.


    "Yes! Just that much." the maid confirmed.


    Sofia immediately became annoyed and swore with her crisp, pleasant voice: "Gis, that bastard, I knew he was good for nothing and a fool! Why didn''t he just properly buy those technologies from the Great Tang Group? Instead, he had his mind fixed on cheating and robbing..."


    She felt utter loathing for the former leader of the Shireck Consortium responsible for kingdom affairs within Leite Kingdom: "I''m being ruined by these idiots! Damn it! Go on!"


    The maid promptly obeyed: "Yes, my lord. But the head of the Augustin n, Leibart, defaulted on paying 100,000 Gold Coins to the Great Tang Group and trampled upon his own honor..."


    "Ha! Another shortsighted, foolish fellow," Sofia scoffed, swirling the milk in her hand.


    "Exactly, my lord. Later on, the Great Tang Group dispatched their new warships, blockaded Southwater Port, destroyed the harbor there, and sank hundreds of Por Kingdom''s transport ships."


    Stunned for a moment, Sofia immediately burst outughing: "Hahaha! Hahaha! Interesting! Such revengeful nature is very much to my liking!"


    Amid Sofia''sughter, the maid went on: "Then, when negotiations followed, the Great Tang Group demanded 14 million Gold Coins in reparations."


    "Pfft..." As Sofia was about to take another sip of milk, she couldn''t help but spray it out, choking on it,ughing and coughing at the same time: "Hahaha! Cough cough! Haha! Cough cough cough! Hahaha! I''m growing fonder of that little fellow called Tang Mo!


    Hahaha! 14 million, just thinking about it excites me, what a sum! Hahaha! So, did the Elves settle the debt?"


    The milk trickled down her mouth, ran down her slender neck, and then dropped into her silky nightgown...


    The maid was blushing at the sight, swallowing hard before she looked down, reluctantly moving her gaze away, and nodded: "Yes, my lord! The Por Kingdom ceded Osa andpensated with gold and copper mines, as well as a substantial amount of money, finally achieving reconciliation with the Great Tang Group."


    Unconcerned with the maid''s greedy gaze, Sofia even pushed out her chest, unting her proud figure. While her subordinate blushed, sheughed coquettishly: "Such a shrewd child... Tell me, if I am willing topensate him, would the Great Tang Group reconcile with the Shireck Consortium? Would they... forgive me?" Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    The maid looked down, hearing her own heartbeat: "I... I don''t know, my lord."


    "Of course you don''t know..." Sofia licked the milk from her lips, squinting her eyes, enjoying the moment, or perhaps pondering.

 Chapter 250: 246 Obstetricians

    Leite Kingdom, King City, within a luxurious manor, the old Prime Minister sat tensely in his ce, looking at his grandson.


    His grandson, now 20 years old, was a very promising young man. He graduated from the Theological Academy in King City with a degree in economics and had a bright future ahead of him.


    However, the demand for economic talent in the kingdom had be much more stringent, ever since Simon from Brunas became the Minister of Finance, the entire economy of the kingdom rapidly evolved in a direction that was opaque to all.


    Among the kingdom''s revenue, a considerable portion of Gold Coins had started to be reced by colorful paper notes issued by the Great Tang Group.


    These paper notes were initially unwanted by everyone, as real "hard money" like Gold Coins was preferred for settlements. But with a series of crafty maneuvers, the entire Leite Kingdom seemed to be gradually epting this unprecedented form of "currency."


    At first, it was for disaster relief funds. Simon actually took out all the paper money stockpiled in the warehouses that no one wanted and distributed it directly to disaster victims for relief and constion.


    This made the upper echelons of the kingdom very worried, fearing that the disaster-affected refugees would create trouble because the kingdom''s disaster relief funds were not genuine silver and Gold Coin¡ªafter all, the kingdom had only reluctantly acknowledged this money out of consideration for the Great Tang Group''s reputation.


    Nobody thought these notes could be spent, nor did they regard them as real money. Plenty of people alsoined that the Great Tang Group was engaging in fraud or that Tang Mo was maliciously expropriating wealth.


    As it turned out, the Great Tang Group, in coordination with Simon, transported arge amount of disaster relief materials to the affected areas, and then it became possible to actually purchase things with those colorful, worthless pieces of paper...


    When people were able to buy grain, daily necessities, and meat with paper money, and even pay taxes with it, they started to find these notes that could easily be stuffed into a pocket extremely convenient.


    In the past, transporting two hundred Gold Coins often required a carriage, hiring bodyguards, and enlisting trustworthy friends and family to oversee the shipment.


    Now, a wealthy merchant only needed a wallet to carry the equivalent of hundreds of Gold Coins in broad daylight, as no one could tell how much money he had.


    With a sufficient supply of goods ensuring the purchasing power of paper money, which could actually be exchanged for food and other necessities, people began to widely ept the fact that the paper notes in their hands were a form of currency.


    In Brunas and Dragon City, one could no longer see real Gold Coins in cirction. Instead, paper money had taken over, and everyone had gotten used to using this form of transaction.


    Even many merchants from Leite, Dorne, and Suthers began to find it cumbersome to repatriate their earned Gold Coins. They left their Gold Coins with Tang Mo and, upon returning to purchase goods, simply traded with the paper notes they had on hand.


    However, the old Prime Minister was not anxious about his grandson''s future, for his grandson was now a student of the esteemed Simon, learning from the kingdom''s Minister of Finance, and had even be one of the few financial geniuses within the kingdom.


    What truly troubled the old Prime Minister was the birth of his "great-grandson," the child of his grandson, due today.


    But now, the grandson''s wife lying in the delivery room was in very bad condition, showing signs of a situation that might end in one death or two.


    Childbirth was not an easy affair in those days; for a woman to give birth was almost akin to having a meeting with the Grim Reaper.


    The rapid poption growth in Brunas owed much to the establishment of a sophisticated and advanced medical system in Brunas by Tang Mo.


    At least with the support of the Great Tang Medical Company, there were some miraculous medicines unavable elsewhere that could bring a patient "back from the dead."


    "How is it going?" the Prime Minister asked anxiously as he saw another doctor walk out.


    The continuation of a family''s lineage was one of the most important things in the eyes of the older generation. The old Prime Minister, being a noble himself, naturally cared greatly about whether his firstborn grandson''s child could be safely delivered.


    "We have done everything we could... she is too weak..." The doctor who delivered the baby shook his head with a grim expression, as if to say he had done all he could.


    Theplexion of the Prime Minister''s eldest grandson became even paler as he looked at his grandfather, wanting to speak but only managing to open his mouth without uttering a word.


    "This is truly regrettable news," the old Prime Minister said, patting the old doctor''s shoulder to console him, "I know you have done your best."


    This old doctor was the city''s most renowned gynecologist, having delivered the Prime Minister''s son and then his grandson; he was indeed a reliable and good doctor.


    Unfortunately, this time the patient''s condition had exceeded what he could handle, leaving him at his wit''s end.


    "My lord..." a servant walked in and whispered into the ear of the old Prime Minister, "Minister Simon has arrived, he''s right outside... and he... he has brought a strange carriage..."


    "Hmm?" The old Prime Minister knew he didn''t invite Simon today, the man hade unbidden. He looked at his grandson, and with the young man''s expression, he deduced somewhat, "Did you ask for them toe?"


    "Yes, Grandfather," the grandson admitted anxiously. "I was afraid Fanny would be in trouble, so I asked the teacher..."


    "I see," the old Prime Minister then turned back to the servant, "Please let Mr. Simon in!"


    "I have brought a doctor, as well as an entire medical team from Brunas. They have experience with hundreds of childbirths," said Simon as soon as he entered, approaching the Prime Minister.


    "I appreciate your kindness, but... the situation is indeed very grim," the old Prime Minister sighed dejectedly. "The best doctors in King City have already tried their best..."


    "Leave it to them, rest assured, they are all women, and they will not cause Miss Fanny any more pain," Simon tried to persuade him.


    The Prime Minister was stunned for a moment. It had never urred to him that the medical team from Brunas were all women. The fact that his daughter-inw would not have to be examined by another man wasforting to him.


    He then turned to the seventy-year-old doctor, somewhat awkwardly hoping to get his consent.


    The old doctor nodded slightly and said, "I have done all I can, and the patient''s condition is very bad, so... if they think they have a method, let them try."


    A doctor''s heart is a parent''s heart; without even a shred of medical morality, this old doctor wouldn''t have been able to practice medicine in King City for so many years. He was really not the kind to be petty and jealous with some unknown figures.


    Then, an entire childbirth team from Brunas got out of the automobile and entered the mansion, taking over the care of the mother inbor.


    Over an hourter, the previously critical birthing process was brought under control. Then, the old obstetrician couldn''t help but walk into the delivery room, eager to witness the miracle himself.


    About ten minutes more had passed when the old Prime Minister couldn''t resist sending a maid to check on the delivery room; she reported back that Miss Fanny, though very weak, seemed to be showing signs of improvement.


    Although she wasn''t sure what characterized a sign of improvement, she knew that the well-known old doctor from King City, who was visiting the delivery room, was utterly engrossed, oblivious even to her entering and inquiring.


    In the end, it was a female nurse who told her that Miss Fanny was getting better but was still in great danger and needed observation and continued guidance and treatment.


    Another two and a half hours passed, and still, no uplifting news came from the delivery room. Instead, Simon had taken up residence in the Prime Minister''s home and wasn''t leaving. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    That evening, just before dinner was finished, the cries of a baby finally rang out from the delivery room. This was a full five hours after King City''s best obstetrician had dered Fanny beyond help.


    A nurse came out of the room, holding Miss Fanny''s child and reported with a smile to the Prime Minister, "Congrattions, my lord, both mother and child are safe. Miss Fanny has given birth to a boy."


    "Gods above..." the Prime Minister copsed back into his chair, letting out a long breath. And his grandson, after ncing at his child from afar, saw the baby taken back into the delivery room.


    When the Brunas doctor, who was perhaps only forty years old, emerged from the delivery room, an elderly man in his seventies was trailing behind her, bowing.


    Like an apprentice, the old obstetrician asked quietly yet persistently, "Is disinfection in the delivery room really that important?"


    "It is a necessary measure to protect both mother and child. Do not take it lightly just because disinfectants are expensive; it can easily lead to medical idents! Everything here is too backward; it must be improved," the female doctor rebuked without mincing words about King City''s medical conditions.


    "I was trained by my teacher until I could practice independently... but I''ve never learned any, you... no, your knowledge. May I... continue to follow you?" the old doctor asked awkwardly.


    "If you don''t see an issue with it, neither do I. Also, you must have some apprentices, right? Have theme too; I need hands," said the female doctor while letting her assistant wipe her hands.


    "Yes, yes!" the old doctor replied, ttered. "I have many apprentices; I''ll have them alle to help! Besides, I can donate my assets! I also know many people, I can help with..."


    The old Prime Minister watched thoughtfully as Simon spoke, "I owe you a favor! Minister Simon... or rather, I owe Mr. Tang Mo a... very big favor."

 Chapter 251: 247 The Real Arms Dealer

    The Prime Minister was increasingly in debt when it came to favors, especially since he still hadn''t had the chance to repay Tang Mo''s kindness.


    Moreover, the Prime Minister''s grandson, the one studying under Simon, was actually already a staunch supporter of Great Tang, a "self-initiated warrior" on their behalf.


    The heir of the Prime Minister''s family, the eldest grandson, favored riding in the T-model luxury car gifted by Simon when he went out. His favorite wine was the imported Moonlight Wine from the Elf region of Brunas, prohibitively expensive for most.


    Even the woman now lying in the maternity ward, Fanny¡ªhis wife¡ªused the most prestigious high-end designs of Great Tang fashion. These were personally endorsed by Miss Susan. Whatdy of influence wouldn''t covet such luxury?


    With his sry, he couldn''t possibly afford so many luxuries, yet these items inexplicably found their way into his possession.


    His gold watch, his ring, even his belt and suits, were all gifts from his fair-weather friends.


    There was nothing he could do, truly, because the Prime Minister''s grandson was wreaking havoc at the Tang Group''s casinos, seldom ever losing¡­


    Everyone knew he was basically Great Tang''s man, which deeply frustrated and angered the Prime Minister for quite some time.


    He hadn''t yet pledged allegiance to the Tang Group, and yet his family members, including his heir, had almost all been bought by the Tang Group.


    Luckily, King Leite VII knew of his loyalty and continued to utilize him. Otherwise, he would be the true victim, scorched by the great fires of the Tang Group''s influence.


    But this time, the Prime Minister finally considered where he stood because he witnessed once again the might of the Tang Group.


    A massive conglomerate that could im to be the world''s leader in fields such as healthcare, weapons, automobiles, and transportation had a limitless future.


    If he didn''t choose his side sooner, was he prepared to miss the opportunity and let his descendants be left behind?


    With this in mind, at this moment, the seasoned Prime Minister, who could resist Shireck''s inducements, finally began to waver.


    "Mr. Tang Mo wishes to be true friends with you, sir. So there''s no need for favors; all you need to do, sir, is to be willing to be friends with Mr. Tang Mo," said Simon with a smile to the old Prime Minister.


    With this approach, he made many friends within King City of Leite Kingdom, friends who would undoubtedly consider the Tang Group''s position at critical moments.


    "I understand! Ipletely understand!" For a wise man, such words need only be said once to be heard clearly. The Prime Minister nodded slightly and spoke to Simon.


    Simon said nothing more, nced at the Prime Minister, then stood up and said, "I''ll leave the rest in the care of the nurses I''ve brought; they''re quite skilled with patients."


    "Then I won''t hold back," the Prime Minister replied as he too stood up.


    Soon, Simon''s car had left the Prime Minister''s residence, and as the Prime Minister watched the car pull away through the window, he turned back to his grandson, "Since you''ve made your choice, go ahead and give it your all."


    "Believe me, Grandfather, I take their money not because I''m greedy, but because I''ve realized that they truly deserve our trust," the Prime Minister''s grandson approached his grandfather, and a hint of color finally returned to his pale face.


    His wife''s difficult delivery had certainly terrified the young man, but what followed once again confirmed the power of his idol.


    The medical prowess of the Tang Group, including those legendary drugs, was proven here again.


    ...


    In Brunas, not far from King City, Tang Mo was seated in a room, observing his prot¨¦g¨¦ physician brandishing a surgical knife over his arm.


    Harry stood beside him with a worried expression, finally breaking the silence to object, "Sir, I have never heard of such a thing¡­ How can one transnt something from a cow into a human being?"


    The students observing, including Yulin, looked anxiously at the unconcerned Tang Mo, seemingly eager to dissuade him from this mad endeavor.


    Perhaps only Tang Mo knew that such a thing as cowpox was almost absolutely safe under his strict production constraints.


    So, without the slightest worry, he simply said, "Because it can give me immunity to the smallpox virus! This is a way to ensure my safety, at least for now; it is the most straightforward, safe, and effective method."


    Harry still wore a look of concern, because he knew that the Tang Mo sitting here was the driving force behind the progress of the Great Tang Group.


    It was only with Tang Mo present that the Great Tang Group truly deserves its name; should anything happen to Tang Mo, there would be no one else capable of steering the Great Tang Group.


    The iprehensible technology, the experiments that seemed insane to the extreme, and the rapidly expanding factories tied to the financial system that was kidnapping the entire world ¡ª none of these were things just anyone could step in and manage.


    So, Harry still opened his mouth to advise, "But, sir, human trials haven''tpletely proven the effectiveness of this vination. Shouldn''t we wait a bit longer?"


    "The entire experiment was designed by me, and I see no reason to doubt my judgment, do you?" Tang Mo was unconcerned, for he knew this might be the safest smallpox vine in the world.


    After all, it was he who personally manufactured the vine, following specific procedures and verified by countless experiments in another world; it couldn''t possibly have any issues.


    Harry, still not reconciled, felt that as Tang Mo''s student, he must do everything possible to eliminate danger for Tang Mo: "But sir, you are a weapons expert, a businessman, but you are not a doctor!"


    Tang Moughed heartily and then pointed at himself, "I can be a doctor, a very good doctor¡­ Trust me, soon all of you will be vinated with this smallpox vine, I am just doing it a bit earlier than you will."


    The doctor standing by his side, ready to administer the smallpox vine to Tang Mo, nodded in agreement, because he truly believed that Tang Mo was the most formidable doctor he knew.


    He knew Tang Mo had a special medicine in his hands, which could even easily cure some diseases currently deemed incurable.


    Once these drugs, still in theboratory, get out, Tang Mo could be the richest man in the world ¡ª bar none!


    Even if his weapons didn''t sell, even if other people''s cars performed better, even if transportation was nationalized, even if the banks were robbed clean¡­ as long as Tang Mo had these medicines, he would be the richest man in the world! Without any surprises!


    "I still maintain my objection! Sir. You could let me rece you, to take this dangerous..." Harry made one final effort, knowing that once Tang Mo made up his mind about something, there was usually no change.


    He almost seemed stubborn, but those nerve-wracking decisions always proved to be correct, without fail!


    Tang Mo smiled and waved his hand, looking at everyone present, "How could I possibly order you to rece me in this matter! It is my duty to lead by example! Only after I am vinated will this medical practice be proven safe, and everyone will ept it and allow it to spread."


    Standing there were envoys from various countries, students and teachers from the medical academy, elites from the military academy, and even some carefully selected ordinary citizens; everyone was standing not too far away, watching Tang Mo with some nervousness.


    Tang Mo invited these people over, of course, to publicize his vine ¡ª this thing was an important weapon for him to promote his medicine.


    As long as the smallpox vine was proven effective, all other drugs he produced would immediately open up the market, turning into hotly sought-after gold!


    In this world, there is only one thing that can always be guaranteed to be valuable ¡ª life. Tang Mo felt that if he could sell life itself, then he would truly be an arms dealer in this world.


    An arms dealer should be able to do more than just sell weapons to deprive others of life; he should also sell medicines that grant life!


    Life and death at hismand ¡ª this is what qualifies an arms dealer, this is the true meaning of an "arms dealer".


    Therefore, he wore a smile on his face, eager to open the door to a new world: "Trust me! This is something safe! Our cities are growingrger, and infectious diseases are also one of the enemies restricting our development! We need to eliminate these damn viruses and bacteria to keep our poption growing!"


    After finishing speaking, he looked towards the doctor beside him, signaling that he could begin, "What are you waiting for? Go ahead! I believe in your skills!"


    As the doctor finally made an incision on Tang Mo''s arm, everyone held their breath.


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo was all smiles, asking those who had been selected to witness the event, "There you see, you all are witnessing me being vinated against smallpox, so if I be immune to the smallpox virus, this will prove that this medical practice is reliable, right?"


    The envoy from the Leite Kingdom watched Tang Mo''s arm bleed slightly, with great admiration for Tang Mo''s courage and resolution: "Your courage is admirable, sir!"


    "If this really seeds, then you will be the greatest person in the world. You have saved countless lives, freeing everyone from the fear of smallpox," the bearded envoy from the Dorne Kingdom praised as well.


    The envoy from the Songmu Kingdom spoke before the others could, "I''m willing to follow you, to be the first elf to use this treatment! Sir, if this is effective... your achievement will be forever recorded in history."


    Before anyone else could speak, the world''s first smallpox vination... waspleted.

 Chapter 252: 248 promotes the development of the era

    No ce in this world has carried out an intensivemunal management system like Dragon Ind has. Even Tang Mo was afraid that the system might be too advanced when he first proposed it.


    However, after Roger''s trial operation, it turned out that Tang Mo''s concerns were needless. Thosemoners who previously had no power at all didn''t even know what the dregs of freedom such as ''liberty stew'' really meant.


    With just onemand, the workers on Dragon Ind and their families didn''t even chatter; they collectively went to get their pills.


    They exterminated pests together and then made use of the most advanced water supply system in the world. With the provision of oil and natural gas, they soon learned to boil water for sterilization and disinfection.


    Then, these people were vinated, received five years of mandatory education, supplemented by night school, adapted to a 12-hour workday, and embraced the previously unthinkable idea of having one day off every week.


    The locals have simple values; they believe that since Great Tang Group has given them a day off, they should ept other arrangements by Great Tang Group.


    In their time off, they have a morning for collective military exercise, to learn some basic military knowledge. The rest of the afternoon, they are free to wander the ind, and in the evening, they procreate.


    Procreation is the most sacred and meaningful activity in this world because this world needs poption¡ªpoption meansbor, poption means wealth.


    The people on Dragon Ind live with great regrity. They watch opera performances under the auspices of Great Tang Group and listen to children''s choirs singing praises of theirpany.


    They also have time to spend money in the streets of Dragon City, which boasts some of the finest products in the world: Dragon City''s fashion scene is leading the era.


    Everywhere you look, you can find the same perfume sachets as the fashion goddess Susan, and see happy children running on the roads filled with cars.


    The roads here are paved with asphalt because there''s a refinery that can mass-produce and refine the residue from oil and chemical production for road paving.


    That''s why the construction here appears much quicker, and the roads are smoother than in other ces.


    A road has already stretched into the Central Region of the ind. Great Tang Group has built a train station here for stockpiling materials and cleared the surrounding trees to select this location for a future support town.


    Dozens of ships are transporting iron rails produced by Brunas to Dragon Ind, and soon a railway will be constructed.


    Almost at the same time, on the other side of the ind, the previousnding point of Taren Kingdom has also been developed. Tents have been reced with wooden buildings, and a small dock has begun to take shape.


    Rubber shipped from Hotwind Port is processed here into tires that are sent to Brunas, and then fitted onto car wheels. Gold ore from Osa Port is smelted here and then stored as Great Tang Group''s financial reserves.


    Simrly, arge number of copper and iron ores shipped from Por and Songmu Kingdoms are processed into parts here. These parts are then sent to Brunas to be assembled into products that are sold elsewhere.


    Because of the vastness of its business and the exaggerated speed of production, the sea route between Dragon Ind and Brunas has almost be the busiest in the world.


    Sailboats can even catch a glimpse of each other, practically forming a continuous line at sea! This isn''t an exaggeration; traveling poets have witnessed such a sight and evenposed songs that are spread far and wide.


    Sails that spread across the sky seem to construct a high wall on the ocean surface, and everyone knows those are ships bound for Brunas!


    Then, with the continualing and going of these merchant ships, a vine capable of controlling smallpox also began to spread, bing a precious medicine.


    In Brunas, such a medicine is almost given out for free. By the time it reaches Leite Royal City, a single vination costs 40 silver coins.


    By the time it gets to Dorne Suthers, the same medicine sells for the high price of one gold coin, and that''s not even the peak price.


    If a civilian from Por or Songmu Kingdoms wants to get vinated, it costs 1 gold and 50 silver¡ªand don''t think that''s too expensive because there are no discounts...


    If it spreads further, never mind whether the people dare to use such medicine, the price already bes unaffordable for most.


    After all, these five countries have a sea trade agreement; they do not levy any tariffs on goods from Great Tang Group. Other countries, however, do impose taxes, so the prices just skyrocket.


    When the price of the cowpox vine in Leite Royal City was reduced from 40 silver coins to 25, the development of Dragon Ind finally saw a surge in returns.


    Firstly, the Irond Warship Brunas No.7, built in Dock No.1, was delivered for use, jointly received by Leite Kingdom and Great Tang Group.


    The Leite Kingdom Navy dispatched 70 naval officers to learn how to operate the warship and toplete the eptance of the ship together.


    In ordance with the agreement between both parties, after one year, the warship would be fully operated by the soldiers of the Leite Kingdom andmanded by the King of the Leite Kingdom.


    This would be the first Irond Warship to serve in a formal military in the whole world, and it would witness the official rise of the Leite Kingdom''s naval power.


    Even with just this one Irond Warship, no country would doubt that the Leite Kingdom had joined the ranks of the world''s naval powers, and it had even be the world''s second-strongest navy!


    It was an era! An erapletely determined by the total tonnage of naval Irond Warships¡ªthe total tonnage of the Leite Navy''s Ironds had already exceeded 2,000 tons, while other countries still had a total of zero!


    At the same time, the first steam-engine transport ship built by the Great Tang Group wasunched at Dragon Ind. This enormous vessel with a discement of over 3,000 tons could transport a vast amount of materials at once.


    Itsunch also marked the beginning of a new phase in maritime transport, with high-speed and efficient ship transportation starting to y an important role in the allocation of resources, and the connections between the world bing even closer.


    The ridiculous scenes of cars being transported by sailing ships would gradually be rare, and the memories rted to wooden ships would slowly fade and be distant.


    In short, this era was silently transforming, and the person leading all these changes was at that moment studying his traditional Brunas cuisine.


    There was no choice, as there were different ways to eat beef in many ces at the time, and methods such as frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying could all be found.


    As a result, when Tang Mo suddenly craved a steak, he could onlybine the grilling from Northern Ridge and the pan-frying from Brunas to develop a dish that suited his taste.


    He actually had no talent in cooking, but he very much enjoyed messing with ingredients and pretending to be profoundly skillful, much to the mixed amusement and despair of the chefs working with him.


    ording to the popr saying nowadays, Tang Mo''s skills in the kitchen could only be described with one phrase: "Enthusiastic but unskilled"¡­


    The exasperated master chefs of Brunas eventually could not stand the humiliation and, with a stiff upper lip, created a method of cooking steak that was imed tobine the best of various practices, which tranted meant it was a hodgepodge.


    However, thanks to the variety of spices brought by trade from different ces, the vor of the Brunas steak was actually quite good.


    Coupled with the tender and juicy beef from Northern Ridge and Suthers, the ingredients were absolutely first-rate, so Brunas''s signature dish was born.


    Pork ribs with yams and a thick soup made from dried cuttlefish, Brunas''s special steak, Elf moonlight wine, and thetest tight long dress gowns became the most seductive standard dinnerbination in Brunas recently.


    Of course, whether a girl in a tight long dress gown would apany you somewhere else in the evening depended on whether you drove her to dinner in a Model T or walked there¡­


    In actuality, in Brunas at the time, rich people were divided into different levels. The richest had chauffeurs driving Model T luxury cars, followed by those who had their own private carriages, then those who drove their cars themselves, andstly those who walked everywhere¡­


    Brunas did not have public transportation like buses because Tang Mo had not yetpleted hisrge-scale automobile factory.


    Part of the factory was expanding to Dragon Ind, so the progress had clearly slowed down. Moreover, Tang Mo himself had not umted enough technology; he was not able to push the whole world to the level of the Second World War with the little power he had in his hands.


    As time passed day by day, many people had even forgotten that about five months prior, the Great Tang Group had fought a naval battle, destroying a fleet.


    In a time of peace and prosperity, Bernard, the suprememander of Great Tang Group''s naval forces, hosted a secretunching ceremony in Brunas.


    The first warship type in the world specially designed for high-speed naval pursuits of enemy ships appeared¡ªit was the Wolf-ss Cruiser.


    The culmination of the most advanced technological achievements of the Great Tang Group: it was equipped with breech-loading guns, installed with a more reliable steam engine power system, equipped with internal shipmunication telephones, and utilized unified fire control for the cannons.


    Its emergence made high-speed naval pursuit of enemies by warships possible for the first time. If the Irond could easily outss sailing warships, then the Wolf-ss Cruiser could effortlessly outss the Ironds.


    With theunch of this warship, the Great Tang Group''s war n against the Taren Kingdom was also put on the agenda.


    What a joke, everyone was still waiting to take their share of the spoils. This war was not just a war of revenge. Even if there were no reasons, it had to be fought!


    So, it was unclear exactly when it started, but the atmosphere in Brunas became somewhat tense.


    The Brunas-ss warships, which had been busy for several months, made aeback with four ships in one go, gathering in the port to be loaded with ammunition and to replenish their supplies of food, freshwater, and coal fuel.


    The workers in the port were overhauling the equipment inside these warships, and the navy''s officers and soldiers were given a rare two-day holiday¡­

 Chapter 253: 249 hospitable person

    In another corner of the world, a dwarf d in a fur coat pushed open the door and entered the room. He tore off his coat, revealing the luxurious clothing underneath.


    "I''ve brought the things you wanted," he said in a hoarse voice, then grabbed the cup prepared for him on the table and took a big swig.


    He mmed the cup down on the table and said, "This Quick Gun, known as the K1, was born in the human world, but they have no intention of keeping it a secret; they''re openly selling these weapons."


    Outside the window, heavy snowkes drifted down. This was a northern kingdom, even further north than the Por Kingdom, and likewise, it was a colder realm, even chillier than the Por Kingdom.


    Here lived the cold-enduring dwarves, who established their nation on abundant mining and animal husbandry. Half of the world''s forged gold, silver, and copper coins came from the dwarves''nds.


    The elderly dwarf sitting there nced at the somewhat outdated K1 Quick Gun hanging on the wall and asked, "Are you sure they''re willing to sell us a lot?"


    He found it hard to imagine that such advanced weapons, even more so than Shireck Firearms, would be sold without any biases.


    Like the previous arms dealer, Shireck, which was also an empire constructed by humans, it wasn''t until the very end that they sold weapons to other races.


    As a result, humans upied almost all the bestnd, leaving dwarves with no choice but to honestly cultivate the deste wilderness in the north.


    The once valuable ore was squeezed into a cheap exportmodity, as the saying goes: Even gold in the hands of dwarves is no different from gravel.


    The dwarf wiped his long beard, nodded, and said, "Absolutely! I spoke with a man named Tang Mo, the inventor of this weapon. He didn''t want toe here, but he was willing to sell us these weapons."


    "Did you see it?" the old dwarf, fearing that his son had been fooled, asked urgently.


    The dwarf smiled. The journey here had not been easy. To the south, the Por Kingdom was expanding like mad, and though they did not share a border, it still put considerable pressure on the dwarves.


    It was from there that they obtained their first K1 Quick Gun and realized they had fallen far behind in terms of weaponry.


    Although the dwarves had their technology, they still couldn''t manufacture cartridge cases. So, they had to make good use of their intelligencework to find out what they could, and finally got an idea.


    Then, the dwarves dispatched their trade caravan, which, after enduring many hardships, finally reached Brunas and met with the fabled Great Tang Group.


    He boasted to his father, "It''s indeed that weapon; I''ve brought back 1,000 K1 Quick Guns, identical to the one you''re holding."


    "What about the bullets?" the old dwarf, somewhat excited, turned to his son and asked.


    The son who had just rushed back from Brunas replied with a smile, "100,000 rounds! Isn''t that a lot? He made it a condition that I had to buy them."


    Hearing what his son said, the elder dwarf furrowed his brow¡ª he sensed something unusual in his words: "What do you mean?"


    "I gave him 200,000 Gold Coins, and he sold me the entire production technology! Can you believe it? I think he''s a good man, an incredibly good man," his son said candidly, "To buy the technology, he required me to first buy 100,000 rounds¡­"


    The old dwarf didn''t quite catch on at first; he, too, realized that the other party had evidently offloaded some unwanted goods on him.


    There was no helping it, though; the other party controlled the production technology for the bullets. Without a way to replicate it themselves, they were at the mercy of another''s pricing.


    Suddenly, a realization struck him, and he stood up from his seat, grabbing his son''s shoulders, "Are you saying he transferred the technology to you?"


    "Hahaha!" His sonughed triumphantly, "Yes! Here are the blueprints, the technical specifications, steelmaking parameters, weapon manufacturing methods¡­"


    Upon hearing his son''s words, the old dwarf felt a wave of relief. The other party had sold him this perfect rifle and new bullets for a mere 200,000 Gold Coins.


    The price seemed exceedingly fair, almost embarrassingly so. If it were Shireck, those technologies might well have cost him at least one million Gold Coins.


    Even now, he was mentally calcting how to cultivate this honest and sincere friendship, waiting for an opportunity to properly invite this greedy human for a drink. In his eyes, this greedy, foolish Tang Mo was practically a friend to dwarves.


    However, just as he was thinking about extending an invitation, his son continued, "Also, he said he has machinery that would enable us to produce 1,000 K1 Quick Guns every day¡­"


    "What did you say?" The old dwarf was stunned, then burst into exmations once again, feeling he had never been so flustered so many times in his life.


    His son had a tendency to startle him by not willing to say everything he wanted to say all at once.


    Moreover, this time his son had gone to Brunas and seemed to have gained a lot¡ªhe had be more confident and also a bit more¡­ cheerful.


    As his son looked at his excited father, he repeated his words, "I''m saying, this Mr. Tang Mo ns to sell his production tools to me as well. I signed a contract with him, owing 400,000 Gold Coins, and I also bought the blueprints for his production machinery."


    While saying this, he recalled the young man who always had a hearty smile on his face.


    It was the first time he felt that in this world there was a human being who truly wanted to help Dwarves out of their predicament and make them genuinely strong.


    Continue your journey on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    The young man had also taken him to a factory workshop powered by steam engines, let him ride on a train, visit the Northern Ridge mines, and see the modernized mining fields using steam engines.


    Without a second thought, he signed a series of cooperation agreements, mortgaging five iron mines and five copper mines, borrowing 500,000 Gold Coins from the Great Tang Group to purchase various mining and production equipment made by Great Tang machinery.


    In addition, he ordered two sets of wireless telegraph machines from the Great Tang Group at 50,000 Gold Coins each, a rare and absolutely valuablemodity.


    Of course, he also formed a deep friendship with the young man called Tang Mo and even received a T-model automobile, which clearly was a fine piece of work, as a gift before he left!


    The old Dwarf was extremely pleased with his son''s performance, extending his hand and patting his son''s shoulder twice more in encouragement, saying, "You''ve done well! Damn it! You''re a genius! All these things are excellent! They can make our kingdom strong and prosperous!"


    "There''s an old Dwarf engineer there who was also very kind to me. I think we should send a delegation to Brunas¡­ to stay there permanently, so we can maintain a long-term cooperative rtionship with the Great Tang Group." Having witnessed the power of the telegraph machine, this Dwarf had be a fan of the Great Tang Group.


    "You''re right, I''ll go tell our King right away¡­ I believe he will definitely agree with your opinion. This is fantastic, really fantastic!" The old Dwarf was enamored with the thick blueprints, gently brushing over the paper as if caressing an unparalleled treasure.


    The clear orthographic projections, precisely marked data, material requirements, and theplex technical parameter annotations excited him to the point of bing tongue-tied.


    His son waited until he reluctantly looked up before continuing, "I told you you''d like it¡­ Look what I brought back! A gift for you!"


    When he pulled his father out into the courtyard, a T-model car with ayer of white snow settled on its roof was parked there.


    The old Dwarf had no idea what it was, so he asked, "What is this?"


    "This is a T-model car! It can run without horses! You just need to add some alcohol to it!" his son introduced with a sense of pride.


    While they were talking, the car door was pushed open from inside, and a human girl, not particrly pretty, jumped out of the car.


    "Who is she?" The old Dwarf asked, somewhat puzzled, upon seeing the stranger.


    "They¡­ are the hope that I''ve brought back for our kingdom," the son of the old Dwarf said with a smile as he introduced her.


    Along with his voice, the car door on the other side was also pushed open, and another young man crawled out of the car.


    He was a bit chubby and looked even bulkier in his thick clothing. He took off his hat and nodded slightly to the old Dwarf, "Hello, sir, I am a friend of your son!"


    "We! Are here to help you set up the first batch of modern factories¡­ technical experts," the girl rubbed her hands together, exhaling a breath of air as she introduced herself.


    "Introducing myself, I am a specialist in steam engines and electrical technology," the young man said, scratching his head with slight embarrassment.


    "To be more specific, I am a doctor," the girl continued, "I minored in wireless during university¡­"


    "They can help us restore the production workshop of the Quick Gun K1," the Dwarf''s son exined.


    The old Dwarf immediately had an epiphany and warmly stepped forward to wee them, "I''m so pleased to meet you in such chilly weather! Come in and let''s talk, children! The warmth of the Ice Cold Kingdom''s Dwarves can melt snow and ice!"


    "Thank you!" the girl fluffed the curls by her ear, with a in dandelion ring on her finger.


    "Can I see the iron smelting equipment first?" asked the young man with the matching ring, impatient and following behind everyone, with a timid voice.


    "No rush! Now that you''re here, enjoy our bear meat and ice wine! Hahaha!" The old Dwarf was in such good spirits that he even forgot to look at the car, heading back into the house instead.

 Chapter 254: 250 new types of guns

    "Hey, Wes! What are you up to?" Luff called out to Wes, who was fiddling with a weapon in his hands at the shooting range.


    Wes smiled and hoisted the weapon in his hand, replying, "Just checking out this new weapon¡­ it feels pretty good to handle."


    In his hands, he held an M1911A1 pistol recently produced by the Great Tang Group. The original designer of this pistol was the renowned Browning, making it a descendant of a prestigious line.


    Moreover, due to its reliability and formidable power, this model of pistol had long served in the military, and it hadn''t beenpletely phased out of the market even well into the 1990s.


    This spoke volumes of the pistol''s performance, or at least of its superior cost-effectiveness. It also fully demonstrated the pistol''s ssic status.


    First off, because it utilized high-powered pistol rounds, it ensured reliable lethality in the battlefield environment,pensating for the soldiers'' otherwise insufficient firepower.


    Next was its reliability and durability, it rarely malfunctioned, and it truly withstood the rigors ofbat, winning everyone''s trust and preference.


    Last but not least, the weapon was not overly expensive to procure, which won the approval of the higher-ups, allowing its continued use over a long stretch of time¡ªof course, it''s also possible that they produced too many during World War II and were reluctant to switch...


    In any case, the handgun production department of Tang Mo began setting up a new production line on Dragon Ind to manufacture this pistol known as the S3.


    After all, it was unthinkable for Tang Mo to give his own product a strange, mismatched name like M1911 in this world.


    Just as his rifles were called K1, K2, K3, just as his machine guns were called G1, just as his revolver models had the official designation S1, and the Left-Wheel Handgun the production code S2, now the M1911 pistol was coded as S3.


    "I also came here to shoot a couple of rounds for fun, but I have no idea how the master designer came up with such aplex weapon, and it''s actually quite user-friendly!" After signing his name in the record, and receiving an S3 pistol from the manager, Luff too stepped up to the firing position.


    To tell the truth, before the adoption of 9mm caliber ammunition and double-stack magazines, the magazine capacity of semi-automatic pistols wasn''t much better than that of revolvers.


    Early semi-automatic pistol magazines typically held only seven rounds, with the possibility of loading one additional round in the chamber under extreme circumstances, making for a special carrying capacity of eight rounds. However, for safety reasons, shooters generally wouldn''t opt for this risky method of loading.


    Therefore, the early magazine-fed semi-automatic pistols didn''t really have any advantage in terms of round capacity, so they were not significantly more powerful or advanced than revolvers.


    Moreover, due to constraints in the feeding mechanism, semi-automatic pistols were not very reliable when feeding rounds and clearing a jammed shell took more time, so many people were not fond of this new type of weapon.


    To be frank, at first, both Wes and many of the security troops officers of the Great Tang Group didn''t quite favor this new type of self-loading pistol that had been developed.


    However, the new weapon wasn''t without its merits, with the biggest advantage being¡ªspeed of reloading!


    The technical parameter that truly led to the obsolescence of revolvers in favor of semi-automatic pistols was indeed the speed of reloading! The simplicity of the action of ejecting a magazine and inserting a new one after firing seven rounds greatly improved the rate of fire.


    With just a flick of the thumb, the magazine would drop free, and with a new magazine retrieved quickly from a pocket and inserted, another thumb press on the slide release button would chamber the round automatically, allowing for continuous firing...


    This was something straight out of a dream; for a shooter, it meant that all he needed to maintain firepower was a single pistol and several magazines.


    Simrly, this gave a shooter theposure to face multiple enemies, not needing to count the remaining ammunition in the cylinder like when using a revolver. All he had to do was keep firing.


    Even though the firepower density of a revolver from the first six to seven rounds matched that of a semi-automatic, and even exceeded it in reliability, the sustained firepower of thetter far outstripped the former in the long run.


    After several days of repeated practice, Wes began to love the fine handling of this novel weapon, and the continuous firepower boosted his confidence.


    He picked up a magazine from the table, slid it into the grip of the pistol, and then racked the slide with a swift pull, chambering a round.


    Then, aiming downrange with one hand, he squeezed the trigger. The pistol responded with a crack, a sh erupted from the barrel, and the bullet sped toward the distance.


    At the center of the bullseye on the target paper hanging downrange, a hole was punched through by the bullet. A second shot followed quickly, and a new hole appeared right beside the first.


    It wasn''t until all seven rounds had been fired that Wes ejected the magazine and flipped the switch beside him.


    The motor whirred and, propelled by chains, the target slowly returned to Wes''s position, where an attendant by his side helped him rece it with a new target paper.


    Wes lowered his head and loaded a new magazine into the pistol while admiring the score he had shot.


    "My goodness, how did you do that?" Luff peeked over curiously, looking at the target paper that probably had a score of 65 rings, his face full of astonishment, "That''s really impressive."


    Wes smiled, handing the target paper to the attendant beside him, "My job has only one purpose, to ensure the master''s safety wherever he goes... You guys aren''t as idle as I am..."


    He unted the pistol in his hand, "If you could fire a few hundred bullets a day, making the gun a part of your body, you''d be able to do it as well."


    Luff shrugged and grinned, shaking his head, "Forget it! I''m a staff officer. If I messed up one day, the master would probably kick me out on the spot."


    "So, love what you do," Wes and Luff, standing beside him, almost simultaneously raised the new guns in their hands and opened fire on different targets in the distance.


    Then, the targets were almost simultaneously retracted, Wes scored 64 rings, and Luff scored 60 rings.


    ...


    In a distant kingdom, a young man who had be the famous manager of a local arms factory was caressing the dandelion ring on his finger in his office.


    Outside the door, a servant knocked respectfully. After receiving permission, he let another young man enter.


    This neer looked weary from the journey, having not even had the chance to change his clothes before rushing to see the manager.


    He too wore a dandelion ring. Without any introductions, they both just looked at the ring and immediately broke into smiles.


    One rose to pour tea for the neer, while the other ced a bulging briefcase on the table.


    "Would you like some sugar? It''s a local specialty here, and it tastes quite good," the manager asked. Find your next adventure on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    After a word of thanks, the visitor stated his business, "I''ve brought you something... these are the design ns for the S4 pistol."


    He then took out a thick stack of blueprints, the first of which was a colorful illustration of a peculiar pistol with a magazine in front of the trigger.


    "The master said that this can be sold or used to exchange for interests... If Shireck makes a move on you, your lifees first; if not, just join them¡ªit doesn''t matter." He pointed to the gun, originally known as the Mauser C96, then took the warm tea from the other''s hands.


    "Join Shireck? They have indeed been pestering metely. I''ve been considering whether to turn against them," the young manager said, picking up several blueprints from the desk and examining the designs of the new pistols.


    "No need! On one hand, these outdated technologies are meant to lead them on a wild goose chase," the neer replied, unceremoniously taking a seat in the chair usually upied by the manager, "I''m here to assist you."


    "You are quite forthright. I''ll have the technical department handed over to you," the young manager said, sitting casually on his own desk and admiring the blueprints, "But is there really no problem with handing these over to Shireck?"


    Having a technical background himself, he had started from scratch in this foreign ce with design ns for an outdated rifle from the Great Tang Group.


    Now, an innocent man of considerable local influence, he still hadn''t forgotten his identity and mission.


    "Rest assured! I didn''t just bring the S4 pistol blueprints; I''ve also brought a set of telegraphs! From now on, we can directly hear Brunas''s voice!"


    "Really? Wouldn''t others be able to hear as well?" The manager was taken aback and asked with some confusion.


    "No one can understand ournguage... because of... this." The visitor took out a copy of ''Travels of Wright'' published by Brunas, boasting, "Our encryption system is far more advanced than others."


    "Alright, I''ll take your word for it. Next time those troublesome Shireck fellowse around, I''ll pretend to be at my wits'' end and have a proper talk with them," the manager said with a mischievous grin.


    "Well, congrattions, Mr. Future Head of Shireck," the other dandelion taunted with a smile.


    "You''re my chief technical engineer! Brother! You''re a man of Shireck now!" The manager said, and then burst intoughter.


    Theirughter subsided as they began poring over the desk, studying the new Mauser pistol ns. Honestly, this was far more advanced andplicated than themittee rifles they were currently producing.

 Chapter 255: Some luxury goods

    The Brunas Grand Hotel has always been a calling card of this city; for a long time after its construction, it remained unsurpassed.


    To say it is the most luxurious hotel in the world might be an overstatement, but it indeed is one of the most luxurious hotels in the world.


    What made it even more popr was its use of electric lighting, a novelty not yet widespread in this world, which made the hotel brighter and more distinctive.


    Besides, it offered many special services, including the local Brunas cuisine invented by Tang Mo, as well as the most popr song and dance performances.


    In the Leite Kingdom, or perhaps within the nearby kingdoms, the most influential singer, Susan, often performed here, and it almost always was her inevitable choice of amodation when she visited Brunas.


    At this moment, within thevishly decorated hotel lobby, on stage, Susan was softly humming a song that was making its first appearance in this world to the apaniment of the band.


    Her seductive red lips slightly parted, swaying minimally on the stage, a first-time appearance of white light beams hitting her, making her jewelry reflect dazzling light.


    "The military port''s night is so very still,


    The waves gently rock the warship,


    The young sailors, with waves as their pillows,


    In their sleep, show sweet smiles."


    Susan''s voice was very gentle, and while she sang this part, it was as if she was humming a luby.


    At that moment, there seemed to be a halo behind her, a sensation that mesmerized manydies of high society, who also longed for such a radiant moment.


    Truly the center of attention, truly brilliant and dazzling, truly envy-inducing, truly captivating to the point of making one linger and forget to return...


    Many men also swallowed hard, and numerous wealthy patrons were inquiring whose high-level executive Susan from the Great Tang Group was possibly entangled with on stage.


    If she truly had something to do with the mysterious Mr. Tang, they wouldn''t dare make a move, but if she was still unattached, it was time to show off and unt their magic charm.


    "Gentle is the sea breeze''s touch,


    Gently do the waves sway,


    Howborious is the sailor''s voyage afar.


    Upon returning to the mothend''s embrace,


    Let our sailors sleep soundly."


    On stage, Susan continued to sing with deep emotion, her graceful figure incredibly captivating.


    Under the stage, those in the know paid no attention to the murmuring inquiries of the rich bugs.


    Today was the day the Great Tang Group''s navy fleet set out to sea, with three Brunas-ss warships leaving the harbor, quickly heading towards the battlefield they were destined for.


    Leaving in advance were also 30 transport ships supporting the operation, these sailing vesselsden with supplies and shells, heading for Hotwind Port.


    In Hotwind Port, the Great Tang Group had already prepared coal and various supplies in advance, which would greatly shorten the supply line lengths for this southern expedition.


    War is a game of money, and the Great Tang Group had prepared a whole 100,000 Gold Coins for this, as well as purchased an additional 100,000 Gold Coins'' worth of supplies and coal fuel.


    If we include the cost of building the warships, or rather the current actual sale price of the Great Tang Group''s warships, the military expenses of this war had risen to the point of leaving the King of Leite Kingdom astonished.


    In the past, no nation would n for a war in advance and gather hundreds of thousands in military expenses¡ªit was too costly, no longer justifiable by victory to cover the war''s expenditures.


    "The military port''s night is so very still,


    The waves gently rock the warship,


    The young sailors, with waves as their pillows,


    In their sleep, show sweet smiles."


    On stage, Susan continued to sing, her voice filled with a maic quality that was very soothing to listen to. Being the top courtesan in the Leite Kingdom, she definitely had her own set of skills.


    At the very least, standing on the stage, her performance truly lived up to her value¡ªif people outside the Great Tang Group now sought to hire this singer, the price would be so high that even the wealthiest patrons would balk at the prospect.


    Remember, even the handbags that Susan carried when she went out were luxury items coveted by high societydies.


    Even if you were to buy an identical one outside, it wouldn''t suffice without the Great Tang Group''s LOGO to certify its authenticity¡­


    In reality, all these wealthy people are just lunatics with money to burn; what they need isn''t a particr item, but a symbol that can distinguish their rich status from the poor.


    Even a stic bag, as long as it lets people recognize at a nce its exorbitant price and shows off a status unique to the wealthy, then such an item could be infinitely expensive.


    Tang Mo was naturally familiar with this routine, so he easily convinced everyone around him to ept it.


    Now, luxury goods that don''te from the Great Tang Group are considered second-rate trash. Only those crafted by the Great Tang Group are genuinely considered luxury goods!


    And the factory that now makes luxury leather bags, or rather the workers there, used to make ammunition pouches and webbing belts for the K1 Quick Guns produced by the Great Tang Group.


    They also made military boots and army leather coats designed for the cold... Of course, ever since they started making the first set of ck leather trench coats personally designed by Tang Mo, and he wore them himself, the products from this workshop could no longer be described as good and cheap.


    Then, they began to produce all sorts of messy things, and the leather craftsmen here (many of whom were formerly just hanging around the workshop for a meal) were packaged as artisans full of the craftsman spirit.


    These craftsmen are now leisurely crafting real leather seats for Rolls-Royce cars, making leather shoes for King Leite VII or Prime Minister Suthers, and incidentally producing some saddles and gloves and belts...


    Their production pace was deliberately slowed down, doing just a little bit each day; it was absolutely forbidden to work too fast.


    The price of their goods was somewhat iprehensible: a saddle made for Tang Mo''s racehorses at the racetrack was now fetching 5000 Gold Coins each, and they were in high demand at that.


    And the Rolls-Royce cars took more than ten days to produce one, with a price tag equally steep and somewhat frightening.


    A pair of leather shoes from this sub-brand of the Great Tang Fashion Group would cost 300 Gold Coins, and required customization. The King of the Leite Kingdom, Leite VII, even made a ster cast of his foot to send to Brunas.


    "The sea breeze, you blow softly,


    The waves, you rock gently,


    The mariners on a long voyage work so hard,


    When the dawn''s glow reddens the sea,


    Look, our warships are ready to weigh anchor."


    In the midst of this song, 3 Brunas-ss irond warships leaving the port of the Great Tang Group joined arger and sleeker Irond Warship in the night and then sped off into the distance.


    The thick smoke from the three warships was obscured by the night, and the Soldiers standing on the deck gazed at the distant port, moved to tears by the beautiful night view.


    Brunas is the first genuine city that never sleeps in this world, its lights are like stars, and its night scene is unparalleled.


    Eventually, it may be surpassed by the safer and more reliable Dragon Ind, but indeed, it has illuminated this era, lighting the way forward for all living beings.


    At the backstage exit, Tang Mo held his head high, while Wes helped him adjust his tie, "Do you know why I deliberately sold the S4 handgun to Shireck?"


    "I''m sure you have your profound reasons," Wes said as he retracted his hand with satisfaction and spoke to Tang Mo.


    Tucked under his arm was a delicate S2 handgun, a Left-Wheel Handgun with six bullets.


    This banquet had strict security checks; almost no one but him was allowed to carry a weapon.


    Of course, if Tang Mo wanted to bring a handgun himself, nobody would object ¡ª but it seemed unnecessary to do so.


    Those who could enter here were mostly well-known individuals with backgrounds that could withstand investigation, and most would notmit the madness of assassination.


    So, having Wes carry a handgun was just a precaution; there was not much chance it would be used. If things really kicked off, the security Troops outside the venue could rush in to protect Tang Mo at any moment.


    Hearing Wes''s response, Tang Moughed and said, "Actually, there''s no special profound reason. It''s just about setting a trap for them to see if they can be led astray, dying the time it takes for them to get back on the right path, that''s all."


    "That''s impressive enough," Wes always thought that Tang Mo''s schemes were not quite in line with his actual age.


    Tang Mo exined further, "Yes, we are in the umtion phase. A brand-new bullet production line is being built on Dragon Ind and in Hotwind and Osa, and soon we will be able to mass-produce real automatic weapons."


    "Real... automatic weapons?" Wes thought that the S3 and S4 weapons were already quite good automatic weapons.


    Tang Mo nodded and mentioned the new weapon still in the mass production preparation phase, "Yes, the C-series weapons of the Great Tang Group."


    "C-series weapons? I think I''ve heard of them," Wes had also heard mention of this highly confidential weapon.


    "Yes, submachine guns, a kind of weapon that Soldiers can carry individually, firing automatically non-stop, just like the G1 machine gun," Tang Mo said with a proud smile on his face.


    These were his finest creations, weapons that would ensure the security forces of the Great Tang Group could crush their enemies.


    "My goodness," Wes certainly knew of the Maxim machine gun, which was the hottest selling weapon of the Great Tang Group now: the G1 machine gun!


    The G1 machine gun had given the defenders on the battlefield a tremendous advantage and had started to change the way battles were fought.


    Wes found it hard to imagine what it would mean for the world to have a portable, single-soldier version of the G1 machine gun on the battlefield.


    Tang Mo helped Wes picture the wonderful future, "By that time, the battlefield situation will changepletely, and our advantage will be truly realized."


    "Now, wars have already changed," Wes said after a thought, then he made ament.

 Chapter 256: 252 The person standing in the gray

    "That''s right, it has indeed changed, but... it hasn''t changed enough! It hasn''t yet be unrecognizable, nor has it be ghastly and terrifying... When the dayes that it truly metamorphoses into what it should be, you''ll realize... that no one but us likes war," Tang Mo said with a self-deprecatingugh.


    He was never a good person to begin with. He could feel immense pity for a child, yet he was incapable of taking responsibility for all the children in war.


    It was only with the boom of guns that his career might take off¡ªwar was actually the driving force behind human progress, and it was only through conflict that humans were willing to advance at all costs.


    What''s an arms dealer? A true arms dealer sells cannons to both sides, then hoards bandages and stretchers, while finding ways to spread hatred among humanity.


    So he didn''t mind bing the original sin of this world, because often the original sin is also the hope of this world.


    When darkness reaches its extreme, it bes a dazzling light, yet behind the light there is always a patch of darkness that it cannot illuminate.


    This world is never just ck and white; between these two colors, there is a vast expanse of despair-inducing gray.


    Tang Mo had always walked within this gray area, and he had grown ustomed to the feeling. He had no psychological burden, because even if there were no him, there would be Shireck, and others worse than him to fill the void.


    He didn''t mind the war, nor did he dislike peace; he simply whispered in the ears of those who longed for war, urging them to take up arms. And behind those who yearned for peace, he provided the rifles and cannons to protect them...


    He was willing to sell medicine and stretchers to those who stirred up war, and he was also willing to sell bullets and bays to those messengers of peace¡ª that was all.


    A servant walked in, gave a slight bow to Tang Mo, and then said as a reminder, "Sir, it is time for you to enter the hall."


    "Let''s go! Let''s see who our honored guests are today," Tang Mo said to Wes before leading him into the cheering venue.


    "Mr. Tang has arrived!" The servant cleared a path and announced loudly to the sparkling hall, his voice causing a brief silence throughout the banquet hall before everyone began to p their hands.


    "Hurrah!" Everyone was apuding, making way for Tang Mo to walk leisurely to the center of the hall.


    Standing amidst the crowded guests, the businessman who had just been discussing investment strategies with a friend was taken aback with delight as Tang Mo passed by, greeting him, "It is truly an honor to meet you."


    On the other side of the path cleared by the crowd, a bejeweled young girl clutched her chest, her face flushed with courage as she blurted out her introduction, "My name is Aileen... Sir..."


    They behaved as if they were starstruck fans, screaming crazily, even more fervently and devoutly than when they saw Susan.


    After all, he was their fashion godfather, the man who led them in luxury, telling them what the life of the rich was like.


    Cannons and warships¡ª those were concerns for the ambitious and the vulgar. They were only concerned with what mattered to them; they were only concerned with how to spend money to elevate their own nobility.


    They spared no expense to purchase any product made by Great Tang Group, including Great Tang Group''s cars, Great Tang Group''s fine hunting guns, Great Tang Group''s shoes and gloves, Great Tang Group''s suits and dresses, and even Great Tang Group''s jewelry and mechanical watches.


    In short, as long as the product had a connection with Great Tang Group, the price wouldn''t be cheap¡ªor rather, there might be a cheaper version avable, but everyone wanted their own "customized" version.


    Can''t let it be, can you? If you''re using a Model T car and I''m using a Model T, how can we distinguish between higher and lower sses? Thus, the Model T car had its luxury version, super luxury version, prestige custom version, super-prestige custom version...


    After all, there was no stopping these people from squandering the real gold and silver in their pockets, was there? And so the model names of Great Tang Group''s cars began to get messy.


    The biggest change was on the lower left side of the car''s rear, where markings like TC, TCD, and the like appeared, providing a direct visual distinction between the price tags of each car...


    On the stage, Susan, who had thrown Tang Mo a coquettish nce, continued her performance uninterrupted, her song now switching to the more lively "Brunas"


    "Brunas! Brunas! You are a city that never sleeps! The singing..." She sang her heart out on the stage, while Tang Mo engaged in soft conversation and mingled with celebrities in the fashion circles.


    There wasughter and merriment all around, with no sign that Great Tang Group''s warships were already assembling off the coast, with war practically having already broken out.


    Soon, the serious business at hand arrived. The host walked up to Tang Mo with deference, whispered a few words in his ear, and then strode back onto the stage.


    Susan had just finished singing and had gone offstage to touch up her makeup and change her clothes. The host stepped onto the stage, spread his arms, and announced loudly, "And now, please wee the father of fashion, Mr. Tang, to introduce his brand-new inspiration!"


    "Everyone here is very busy, so I won''t take up too much of your time... I hope you enjoy yourselves here! Brunas wees you all..." Tang Mo lifted his wine ss, gesturing towards everyone.


    "Hahaha!" Everyone at the eventughed, crowding around Tang Mo and admiring the young man with the handsome ck hair.


    Tang Mo didn''t keep them waiting too long, and without even stepping onto the stage, he stood there and began, "This summer should be a sky-blue summer. Beautiful things always easily move people. When a sky-blue dress is paired with glittering gems, the beauty bes natural andplete." Tang Mo was merely spouting nonsense.


    Even he had no idea if sky blue paired with gems would actually look good, but he had the capital to talk nonsense.


    After all, inside the Leite Kingdom or, frankly, in the fashion circles of many kingdoms, everyone was waiting for him to talk nonsense. His words were treated as edict, as the highest standard.


    There was no helping it, just like those so-called fashion moguls who draped themselves in rags yet imed they embodied beauty. When they had money, fame, and people relying on them to make money, true beauty somehow became less important.


    The truth was quite magical, because whether you actually designed or not didn''t really matter. Once the concept of beauty became linked with money and fame, it could never remain pure.


    Its so-called evolution, devolution, or even mere change, was nothing more than a prestigious excuse to indulge consumerism.


    Why has aesthetics be more niche? It''s because the process of aesthetic judgment is about distinguishing social sses. It inherently involves filtering and catering.


    What''s that? This bag costs 2 million? It''s so beautiful! How dare you say this white, transparent, and shiny thing is a stic bag? Stop joking! What you''re carrying is a stic bag, what I''m carrying is an aura of noble elegance, modest luxury!


    In the end, it''s all nonsense. People believe the nonsense from Chanel and Armani, but no one cares about themon folk''sints¡ªthat''s the difference.


    "Ah! Sky blue! Just hearing it makes one tear up!" A female tycoon from the clothing industry had already shed tears, having heard rumors that this year Brunas was pushing sky blue, so she had stocked up in advance.


    Half of her tears were moved by beauty, and the other half were excited by money¡ªshe was going to make a fortune, at least 1500 Gold Coins in one summer.


    Models who had been prepared in advance walked out one by one, showcasing their beauty and likewise demonstrating the brilliance of the uing summer to everyone.


    The apuse never stopped, as jewelers from other kingdoms, fabric merchants, and famous tailors all saw profit and hope here.


    "For franchising matters, you can talk to John; he is the expert in this area, isn''t that right?" Amidst the clinking of sses, Tang Mo introduced to those seeking coboration, "The fashion business of Great Tang is managed by him; I am actually just ayman."


    "How can you say that, sir! If you are ayman, then we are just a bunch of ignoramuses, hahaha!" A very famous tailor from the Dorne Kingdom offered a sycophanticugh.


    "You all think too highly of me," Tang Mo quickly brushed off thepliment with a modest wave, indicating he wasn''t as remarkable as others imed.


    However, the topic soon shifted to licensing and coboration, as everyone wanted to open a fashion store under the Great Tang Group on their own turf, and they were willing to share a portion of the business profits with them.


    To expand his influence, Tang Mo naturally agreed to the general idea of propagating Great Tang Group''s fashion concepts and swiftly lent his verbal support.


    "Well, let''s start testing the waters in Dorne and Suthers; after all, we are so poor that all we have is money," Tang Mo joked, but his words were what everyone wanted to hear.


    "Hahaha! Sir, you really are joking," roared a businessman withughter, as if he had heard a very funny joke.


    Everyone there knew very well that if Tang Mo imed to be poor, then they all were mere beggars on the verge of starvation.


    They''d work themselves to death for a year to make 10,000 Gold Coins, and that was considered decent. Worse yet, sometimes they only made a profit of 3000 or even 2000 Gold Coins a year.


    But it was well-known that the high-end products of Great Tang Group were priced in tens of thousands of Gold Coins, with coborations often in the hundreds of thousands. Projects with investments over a million Gold Coins weremon.


    That is why Great Tang fashion became the true fashion: because of capital! An exceedingly robust capital! A vast capital that people feared and revered...


    After all, who would pick a quarrel with money?

 Chapter 257: He does not like me.

    The life of gilded decadence was everywhere in Brunas, where everything was so novel and so tempting.


    In the past, Tang Mo had produced 100,000 pieces of railroad track, including those made on Dragon Ind, in Brunas, Northern Ridge, and other ces.


    These tracksid out over 800 kilometers of railway, with some extra kept as recements and for maintenance purposes.


    Of course, there were also some tracks in transit, so those had not yet be part of the railway and were not included in the count.


    Among these, the Leite Kingdom had the longest stretch of railway within its borders, totaling more than 470 kilometers, which ounted for over half of the total railway mileage. Your adventure continues at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    This included the railroads from Brunas to Northern Ridge, Northern Ridge to Ice Crystal City, and the yet-to-bepleted line from Brunas to King City.


    In addition, another railway on Dragon Ind was also under construction, though it wasn''t particrly long in kilometers.


    Aside from the railway line from Brunas to Wolf City and then to Ice Crystal City, which had beenpleted, none of the other railways were connected, and they had not yet recouped their costs.


    Tang Mo''s warships had only just sailed southward, and some new warships were not yet finished, so the anticipated gains from the pre-emptive strike against the Taren Kingdom hadn''t had time to be realized.


    The transfer of the Telegraph Office had only just beenpleted, and its management was still somewhat chaotic¡ªwith so many problems cropping up at once, even Tang Mo''s Great Tang Group felt a bit overwhelmed.


    Over the past year, the Great Tang Group had scattered many a dandelion, leading inevitably to a sense of internal emptiness and a slight feeling ofcking in managerial talent.


    Furthermore, the Tang Group had always controlled the numbers of its private army, andpared to the expansion of its factory scale, its armed forces clearly had not been significantly strengthened.


    While Tang Mo was clinking sses with several celebrities in the fashion circle at a cocktail party, a special envoy from the Leite Kingdom hurried into the hall and found Tang Mo, who was busy socializing.


    "Sir, I hope you can speak with me in private," the special envoy said in a lowered voice after taking a nce at the people around Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo sensed the tension in the envoy''s tone, so he nodded to the people around him, offered a word of apology, and gestured for the Leite Kingdom''s special envoy to follow him.


    The two came to a lounge next to the hall, where several guests kissing there embarrassingly made way for Tang Mo, hurrying out of the room.


    Wes closed the door and leaned against it, watching the troubled face of the Leite Kingdom''s special envoy, who was aware that Tang Mo almost never asked Wes to leave on such asions.


    Therefore, as soon as the door shut, cutting off the outside mirth andughter, the envoy immediately said, "I''m sorry, sir, even though your fashion event is going splendidly, I still cannot congratte you at this time..."


    "What''s the matter?" Tang Mo''s brows furrowed. He knew from the way the envoy spoke that the matter was not so simple.


    As expected, the special envoy from the Leite Kingdom promptly continued, "The Leite Kingdom has just erupted in a border conflict with the neighboring Kingdom of Gemalin. Their troops have attacked each other, and the situation is out of control."


    This was a message that had just been sent from the border areas. If not for the marvelous invention of the telegraph, such news would have taken several days to reach the King City.


    But now, the border conflict had barely erupted, and they were already aware of it here; this was themunication revolution brought about by Tang Mo.


    Hearing that war had broken out again, Tang Mo was somewhat displeased, as he was in the process of assembling his fleet to attack the Taren Kingdom, and a war breaking out elsewhere could potentially disrupt his ns and deployments.


    Moreover, he had been conciliating the Triple Kingdom Alliance, as Suthers, Dorne, and the Leite Kingdom had only just ended their own external expansions, and they were in the process of digesting their victories. It really wasn''t the time to further expand their territories.


    After all, it takes time to manage newly conquerednds, and it takes time to assimte and absorb the people living there. For any nation, seizing territory several times its own size in one go is not advisable.


    Take World War II for example, Germany, after conquering almost all of Europe, failed to turn Europe''s productivity into victory tokens that could serve its own purposes.


    In the end, while it might have seemed that World War II''s Germany had aparable poption, production capacity, and industrial technology to its adversaries, it fell into aprehensive disadvantage when the war reached a stalemate.


    Therefore, Tang Mo''s advice to the three nations was to consolidate the territories they had already swallowed, to recuperate for the time being, in order to expand more effectively and efficiently in the future.


    At least publicly, the countries agreed with Tang Mo''s position, so after annexing their neighboring countries, the Triple Alliance stopped their campaigns of conquest.


    The shadow of war had temporarily dispersed, and the surrounding smaller nations also breathed a sigh of relief, as everyone began to settle down and prepare for the next conflict.


    However, what Tang Mo had not expected was that the Leite Kingdom would act hypocritically, seeking trouble at the border on purpose and provoking conflict in an attempt to forcibly start a war.


    This was not in line with Tang Mo''s grand strategy, nor did it align with his current approach to selectively engage with the Taren Kingdom, so he felt that Leite VII was being a bit too arrogant.


    Therefore, he turned to the envoy from the Leite Kingdom and asked, "Didn''t I suggest that the kingdom should recuperate and avoid expanding the war further until its economy has fully recovered?"


    Upon hearing this, the envoy from the Leite Kingdom knew that Tang Mo had misunderstood, so he quickly waved his hands and earnestly exined, "No, no, no! Sir, it wasn''t us who provoked the border dispute."


    "That joke is not funny at all," Tang Mo said, looking at him, feeling as if the other party took him for a fool. With several kingdoms harboring ambitions for expansion and their military strength at hand, was there really any need for Tang Mo to guess how the border conflict had arisen?


    The envoy from the Leite Kingdom continued to stress, "At least ording to the information I''ve got, it was the Germelin troops who fired the first shot."


    Tang Mo scoffed derisively and said, "You have a thousand ways to make them fire the first shot. That sort of trick might fool the average person, but do you really think I would believe it?"


    "It''s the truth, sir! The Germelin troops took the initiative to cause trouble and they were the ones whounched the attack first... They used new artillery and were also armed with K1 Quick Guns," the envoy, though a bit embarrassed, persisted in his exnation.


    "Are you telling the truth?" Tang Mo instantly realized that his old rival might be causing trouble again.


    The envoy nodded desperately, confirming to Tang Mo, "Yes, they also used new types of shells and had an absolute numerical advantage. They have assembled at least 50 cannons and our troops are currently resisting fiercely on the border. However, they won''t be able to hold on much longer."


    After carefully reading the telegram he had received from King City, the telegraph confirmed that at least 50 new cannons had been assembled by the opposition and they were using explosive shells. If it were not formanders who had graduated from the Great Tang Military Academy arranging fortifications at the border in advance, the border defenses might have already been breached.


    Raising his eyebrows, Tang Mo asked the other party, "Are you saying that the Germelin Kingdom received enough munitions from the Shireck Consortium to take the initiative against the Leite Kingdom?"


    "That''s one way to put it," the envoy said, assured that Germelin Kingdom''s arms had nothing to do with the Great Tang Group since allnd transport for Tang Mo had to cross the Leite Kingdom to reach Germelin.


    Since it was not the Great Tang Group that sold these advanced weapons and equipment, it must have been the Shireck Consortium, who had been mass-producing imitations of Great Tang''s military products.


    "It seems our old rival doesn''t want us to peacefully surpass them," Tang Mo said with a slight nod to the envoy.


    The envoy then praised the telegraphs provided by the Great Tang Group: "King His Majesty is personally leading three corps to the border. Thanks to the telegraphs, we''ve been able to mobilize our troops so quickly."


    "At least the reinforcements are already on their way, that''s good news," Tang Mo nodded again.


    Seeing that Tang Mo seemed to believe his words, the envoy promptly requested, "We need your support, hoping to purchase more cannons, more machine guns, and more advanced weapons, sir!"


    "If you''re willing, I can immediately allocate 2 machine guns and 1,500 K1 Quick Guns on loan to you," Tang Mo immediately arranged some of his existing stock for the Leite Kingdom.


    Hearing Tang Mo''s words, the envoy immediately expressed his gratitude with a joyful expression, "Thank you so much! May the gods be with you."


    "The gods have never sided with me! They don''t like me," Tang Mo replied before heading over to Wes, "Tell Parker to urgently dispatch the 20 newly produced C64 cannons that were ready to be shipped to Dorne to the Leite Kingdom instead. I''ll exin the rest to the envoy from Dorne."


    "Understood!" Wes immediately nodded and then helped Tang Mo open the door.


    The sound ofughter and chatter from outside poured in, and Tang Mo saw many people whispering among themselves. Clearly, someone had used the telegraph to spread the news that war had broken out again, all the way to Brunas!

 Chapter 258: 254 new official positions

    "Boom!" A shell smashed into the rudimentary position, and a soldier holding a K1 rifle patted the dust off his head and poked his head out to look at the distant enemy troops.


    The opposing soldiers didn''t seem to want to attack right away but instead were waiting for sufficient ammunition to bombard the target area into t ground.


    These bloom shells produced by Shireck were imitations of Great Tang Group''s howitzer shells, albeit rougher.


    After all, the chemical agents inside their fuze ignition devices were just first-generation products with little improvement.


    Great Tang Group had always been improving its forms, which led to the sessive development of bullet and shell technology. They never stopped their progress, so the technology gap between them and conglomerates like Shireck didn''t narrow but widened instead.


    Of course, at the current stage, there wasn''t enough generation gap between the two sides, so the firepower seemed to match closely, making the battle quite indecisive.


    Another shell whistled past, hitting the hill behind these Leite soldiers and exploding loudly, kicking up a cloud of dust.


    Unlike Great Tang Group''s standard calibers of 75mm and 120mm, Shireck chose more aggressive calibers of 80mm and 130mm for their artillery. After all, there were no mandatory standards or regtions in this world, so they didn''t follow the same caliber standards as Great Tang Group when it came to producing more experienced ordnance.


    Additionally, for rifles, they also chose a slightlyrger caliber than Great Tang Group''s K1 needle-firing gun and used different bullets.


    In short, nowadays, if one purchased Shireck''s needle-firing guns, they would not consider epting weapons like Great Tang Group''s needle-firing guns anymore.


    Both sides'' weapons had formed different systems, and it seemed that most of the kingdoms buying needle guns and artillery from Shireck had strained rtionships with the Tri-Kingdom Alliance supported by Great Tang Group.


    The reason Shireck choserger calibers was that their artillery production precision was still problematic, including the fuze of the shells and the power of the charges. These aspects seemed tog behind Great Tang Group''s standard products, so they had to rely onrger calibers to make up for the deficiencies.


    This was simr to why most Soviet products were quiterge: since the precision wasn''t there, theypensated forck of uracy with increased size.


    The C64 cannon of Great Tang Group, to be honest, was technically outdated, but it was still the mainstream equipment for various countries.


    Simrly, in this war, both sides used rear-loading cannons extensively for the first time and switched all their infantry to breech-loading rifles, hence the Leite War was also known as the first breech-loading weapons battle.


    However, at this moment, the most equipped and main artillery on the battlefield were still the retreat cannons¡ªthey were actually of average firing precision and required very professional shooting operations to maintain an eptable level of uracy.


    So, although greatly outnumbered in terms of artillery, the Leite Kingdom''s border defense forces clearly had superior artillery skillspared to the ''shrimp soldiers and crab generals'' of the Kingdom of Germelin.


    After all, these gunners were all graduates of the Great Tang Group''s Military Academy, and while they might not measure up to the best, they were certainly more than sufficientpared to the rest.


    Moreover, the performance of both sides'' artillery was simr, so the artillery duel was truly protracted, which frustrated themanders of both sides.


    The troops of the Kingdom of Germelin were actually under pressure to attack; they needed to breach the border defenses of the Leite Kingdom before the reserves from deep within Leite territory could reach the battlefield. This was key to their victory.


    For this purpose, they prepared 5 corps, a total of 7,500 troops! All these troops were equipped with Shireck Consortium''s new needle-firing guns, and they were additionally reinforced with 70 breech-loading field cannons of 80mm caliber¡ªa formidable force indeed.


    At the same time, they had their own secret weapon, another 1,500 troops equipped with lever-action rifles secretly purchased from the Great Tang Group. These rifles had been covertly imported in batches from various countries.


    However, there was actually not arge stockpile of ammunition for these weapons, so they might just barely support a few operations.


    But this secretly assembled corps was also equipped with 10 of Shireck Consortium''s "store treasures"¡ª130mm caliber heavy field cannons.


    These pieces performed almost simrly to Great Tang Group''s C80 field cannon, but the shells were heavier, intensifying the lethality a bit. Stay connected via m-v l|e''-NovelBin


    At two and a half tons, it was heavier and harder to transport than Great Tang Group''s C80 cannon, so it required more pack horses and additional logistical support units for supply.


    Luckily, Great Tang Group had introduced the T-model automobile, which improved logistics for almost everyone, allowing this massive two-and-a-half-ton behemoth to be slowly moved to the front lines for battle.


    Previously, such heavy artillery was typically used as fortress cannons and couldn''t be mobilized with the troops.


    ```


    Compared to the products of the Great Tang Group, Shireck''s artillery did not have a performance advantage. In fact, theygged far behind. However, with sufficient ammunition supplies, the military of the Kingdom of Gemalin managed to overwhelm the border defense forces of the Leite Kingdom in terms of momentum.


    "Boom!" Another shell fell near the trench, the dirt kicked up causing the soldiers hiding within to be somewhat panicked.


    They had never fought a battle like this before, where there was no need to form neat square formations, only to hide in the trenches, lying in wait for the enemy toe over...


    In reality, the Kingdom of Gemalin had already attempted two offensives, but aside from losing hundreds of men, they hadn''t even reached the trenches of the Leite Kingdom.


    For the new recruits, just hiding in the trenches and popping their heads out to pull the trigger on distant enemies the size of rice grains was far too friendly a setting.


    Almost without risking their lives, they could repel the enemy, something unimaginable in the past decades.


    However, the wars of this era still couldn''t avoid casualties. A shell falling directly into a trench could immediately cause heavy losses.


    Even if the trenches were meticulously dug in S or even Z-shaped extensions, there would still be unlucky soldiers standing right where a shellnded.


    "Man down! Man down!" Finally, one more time, a shell scored a direct hit on a trench, instantly killing 3 Leite Kingdom soldiers and wounding at least 7 others.


    An entire infantry squad was almost wiped out. People rushed from both sides, pulling out theirrades buried under loose soil to see if they were injured.


    Not all units had the luxury of being apanied by medical personnel; in this era, most armies relied on soldiers to transport the wounded. Those with light injuries walked back to the field hospitals themselves, while those with serious injuries were left on the battlefield, left to their own fate until after the battle when soldiers would bring them to the rear.


    From this, it could be seen that the troop organization of the Great Tang Group was definitely ahead of its time. They had administrative staff, medics, and even specialized Engineer Corps and sniper detachments.


    Because of this, an infantry regiment of the Great Tang Group couldmand 3 battalions, with a total manpower close to 2000. While the corps of other nations of this era still adhered to the standard 1500-man structure.


    "My troops have suffered a bit too much, with over 100 soldiers injured or dead. Where are the reinforcements?" On a reverse slope far from the battlefield, inside a tent set up early on, the Leite Kingdom''smander pinched his chin and asked the young staff officer beside him.


    After pondering for a few seconds, touching the dandelion ring on his finger, the staff officer replied, "Based on the number of losses, we should be able to hold out here for over a day."


    "Then my corps will be crippled..." said themander wincing, "By that time, we won''t be able to participate in the subsequent operations."


    "We''ve almost run out of the reserved ammunition. If we keep fighting, the artillery will go silent, and then the situation will get even worse," the officer said, annoyed, bringing up the issue of artillery again.


    Their defensive line, having been targeted as a breakthrough point by the enemy, had been bombarded for a day and a night, and now everyone felt a sense of exhaustion.


    "We still have machine guns," the staff officer reminded.


    "Thank goodness you didn''t let me deploy the machine gun squad to the front line! If we had revealed that card, the situation would be even more passive now," the corpsmander said with an appreciative look, "Although this is your first time in actualbat, you''ve performed very well."


    Hiding such a powerful weapon brought a bit of confidence to themander''s heart. He knew the power of machine guns, and revealing them during a decisive battle would likely cost the enemy dearly.


    "Thank you for your praise, sir!" The young staff officer nodded slightly in thanks.


    "It''s not just praise! The defensive lines you helped build withstood the enemy''s attacks, and you also arranged our corps'' logistics and resource distribution without any confusion, everything in order..." The officer looked at the young man and said, "I n to write a report and apply to His Majesty the King to officially create the position of staff officer in the military."


    "You know, I''m just here for an internship," the young man said with a smile.


    "After your internship, you''ll have to find a job, right? Come work for me as chief of staff! Even the deputy corpsmander will have to listen to you! How about that?"


    "What else can I do? You call the shots," the young man said with augh, touching the ring on his finger again.


    "Sir!" While the two were conversing, a captain parted the tent p and entered, reporting, "A section of our position was hit by a shell, 3 dead, 7 injured."


    "Ah... where on earth are the King''s reinforcements?" The corpsmander looked at the map again, muttering annoyedly.


    ```

 Chapter 259: Lets chat for a while too

    In the southern part of the Leite Kingdom, within the territory of the Dorne Kingdom, on the square of a small town, a man was waving his fists, shouting hoarsely, "They took our food! They don''t treat us like humans! We should stand up and resist! Drive these bastards from Dorne off ournd!"


    He stood on a wooden crate, which bore the symbol of the Xilun Kingdom Commerce Association, containing flour that had been brought from afar, and the reason why so many people had gathered here.


    Because by standing here and listening to the man''s speech, everyone could receive a kilogram of flour, albeit not so fresh.


    But flour was still edible, even if not that fresh. So everyone was willing to wait a while, thus the ce was packed with people, almost like a sea of humanity.


    The expansion of the Dorne Kingdom had been rapid, and although it had stabilized recently, it had still annexed an area almost asrge as its own, doubling its territory.


    Suddenly having so much more territory to manage, the domestic officials of Dorne were at their wits'' end. They had no choice but to rx the management of some areas, allowing some low-level officials to engage in unrestrained extortion on the newly upied territories.


    After all, wars are fought for profit, and aside from developing newnds, the best way to profit was to exploit thebor of the upied territories.


    With managementgging behind and the resources consumed by warfare needing rapid replenishment, coupled with the entire kingdom thinking of continuing to expand the military, some dissatisfaction inevitably arose in the upied territories.


    For ordinary farmers, the confiscation of their grain and wealth was an unforgivable grievance.


    In the crowd, a farmer¡ªwhether prearranged or suddenly inspired¡ªraised his arm, angrily fanning the emotions of those around him, "Right! They are nothing but beasts! The food that we have toiled so hard to grow is being taken away by them! We should drive them out!"


    On another side of the crowd, another man became incited. He too raised his arm, shouting angrily, "This is our country! Outsiders can never be relied upon!"


    They were notcking in courage, nor were they short of determination to protect their country and homes. It was only because those officials who rode roughshod over them were too cowardly and greedy that their kingdom had been annihted by Dorne.


    The greedy, cowardly military had almost no fighting power, utterly defeated by the enemy''s modern weapons, and in the end, even King City had fallen.


    But this did not mean they could not defeat Dorne. As long as they had weapons like those of Dorne, they could take back everything they had lost!


    Now! Shireck had promised to provide them with weapons, advanced ones! They would soon be able to chase away the Dorne garrison and be the new officials, the new vers and farm owners, ruling the country themselves!


    At this thought, the man who had been covertly inciting the crowd, swinging his fists, began to shout with even more effort, "This is our country! Outsiders can never be relied upon!"


    The crowd grew noisy, whispering among themselves, and the mes in the eyes of many young people could no longer be hidden.


    Then, a timid and honest farmer, holding a hoe, stood in the midst of the crowd and began to express his doubts, "But... before, those farm owners, those ve owners... they also took away most of our food."


    Yes, in his view, those former officials were hardly any better than the officials from Dorne.


    They too would take possession of themon people''s daughters, just as they would molest the farmer''s wives, demand heavy taxes, and take every copper coin from their bodies.


    Immediately, someone stepped forward and shouted back at him, "That''s different! When we paid our taxes before, it was to our own nobility! Now that the people of Dorne have taken over, they are taking more than ever!"


    After all, the addition of a group of outsiders sharing the pie was uneptable, as to whether these foreigners really took more, who knew?


    A woman, apparently afraid that the men of her household would have to go to war again, asked anxiously, "They have guns! What do we have? Stones?"


    The man standing on the crate announced loudly and proudly, "We have guns, too! Lord Henry has already contacted Shireck''s men, and they''ve agreed to provide us with weapons!"


    This so-called Lord Henry was actually a major ve owner nearby, and most of the people here feared this cruel noble, so the voices of doubt suddenly became quieter.


    Still, some were fearful of the prospect of war, as they had seen Dorne''s troops passing through this small town.


    At least that military unit seemed very disciplined,mitted no offenses against civilians, and when they passed through, the young officer in charge even left behind a substantial amount of food.


    Onlyter did a local official who took charge of the town prove to be detestable, as he found excuses to confiscate all that food.


    So someone continued to question the man giving the speech on the crate, "But can we really defeat the military?"


    "Rest assured! Soon, the Xilun Kingdom to the south, and the Taren Kingdom even further down, will both attack Dorne! We are not fighting alone!" the man standing on the crate continued to incite everyone.


    Then, the burly men standing next to him nodded in understanding and opened the crate beneath their feet, taking out the rations that had already been allocated.


    One after another, they handed out cloth bags to the peasants and had them press their thumbprints on a piece of paper. Literate farmers read it and realized it was just a certificate for receiving rations and didn''t contain any excessive demands.


    "Down with Dorne!" Soon, those who had received their rations became excited, for them, whoever provided their sustenance was in the right.


    This was the most basic route to bribery¡ªif you give enough, then you can win the support of those who benefit. Sometimes these peasants are ignorant and shortsighted, only considering immediate interests, yet often overlooking or, shall we say, trampling on the interests of others or their own long-term benefits...


    More and more people began to shout along, with many seeming to feel that it was time to drive away those Dornish rulers.


    "Take back everything we''ve lost!" they cried out frantically, many blindly following and raising their hayforks or farm tools in the air.


    "We shall reverse the roles and rule over Dorne! There are more fertilends there!" the man giving the speech dered with righteous indignation: "Once our weapons are secretly transported over, we can proudly raise our own g! Be the masters of thisnd!"


    The peasants were stirred up as well, remembering tales of far-off ces: "We shall take back Hotwind Port! It is said to be filled with gold!"


    "We shall march into Leite! Into Brunas!" greedier voices joined the frenzied throng.


    A storm was brewing in Dorne...


    ...


    "Your Highness, the prince... has he lost his mind..." Tang Mo asked the orc standing beside the girl¡ªor rather, if she could truly be called a girl...


    There was a bit of discrepancy between this girl and the traditional image Tang Mo had of a young maiden, or rather, the girl standing before him was what would have been referred to in his past life''s memories as a "beast girl."


    Right now, the girl standing before Tang Mo had fluffy ears on either side of her head, which made it hard for him to contain the heat rising in his body.


    She, in turn, was sizing up Tang Mo with wide, appealing eyes that fluttered, prompting in a man the irresistible urge tomit a crime.


    It must be said that Tang Mo had seen his fair share of beauties before the crossing, and even after crossing paths with Alice, she was a top-tier beauty. But the temptation standing before him now... he had never faced such a challenge before.


    "She is the one we chose from among the Gales Kingdom''s refugees. The prince''s intention is... that she... is our way of thanking Mr. Tang... a gift," the orc who delivered the cat-eared girl said humbly.


    "That''s not really appropriate... How can a person be treated as a gift?" Tang Mo said, wavering and reluctant, even he himself could hear the shaking in his voice.


    He was neither a paragon of fidelity nor a chaste schr. Faced with such a novel and... delightful encounter, he still retained a spirit of exploration.


    "The prince asked that you please ept her... If you don''t, she will be killed upon her return," the persistent orc emissary urged.


    Orcs might be this world''s most ludicrous race, with their females asionally bing exotic beauties while the males were so ugly with green faces and sharp teeth, nowhere near a match for each other.


    To make matters worse, orc men passed on their strong genes to their sons, while orc women''s genes were carried on by their daughters, resulting in an odd race where the men were hideously ugly, and the women, strikingly beautiful.


    In fact, aside from being momentarily moved, Tang Mo didn''t really know what to do with this cat-eared girl.


    Keeping her close as a personal maid or such, he worried about loyalty issues; even serving tea and delivering water might involve the risk of her poisoning or assassination attempt. Even if it was just to indulge in a night of frivolity, Tang Mo didn''t want to be a debauched apparition under the peony.


    This was akin to a tycoon visiting a nightclub; although the beauties were enticing, they could easily be liabilities and lose even more. Hence, they often stayed clear of unfamiliar environments and people¡ªBrother Dong didn''t heed the warning, so he paid a heavy price, a lesson learned in blood.


    "Killed? That would be a crime against nature," Tang Mo remarked while stroking his chin: "Then she shall stay! Such a beauty, it''s nice to chat with... don''t you agree, Wes?"


    "Yes, you''re right," Wes nced at Tang Mo, teasingly adding ament: "Very right."

 Chapter 260: 256 Yueer

    Some people are born with good fortune, some with meager fates, and yet others find their lives transformed, soaring to great heights upon meeting their benevolent patron.


    Wes didn''t know if he qualified as such a patron, but it was clear that he had altered the destiny of a beastkin cat girl.


    The adorable kitten standing before him didn''t even have a name, as many of the impoverished among the beastkincked one.


    But this didn''t entirely testify to the cat girl''s dismal fate, as beastkin females of higher status had been caught up in the wars, some even sold off to other countries, never to be heard from again.


    It was precisely because she was born into the poorest family that she had escaped tragedy and awaited the return of the orc prince.


    This little girl, who had never had enough to eat or adequate clothing, was selected, well-fed for two or three months, and then dressed up and sent to Wes.


    It was the decent food and drink that had allowed her beauty to shine through like a dusty jewel finally revealing its dazzling brilliance.


    Now that this jewel hade into Wes''s possession, he felt as if he had a bit of the savior experience.


    He could save this girl, or at least provide her with a rtively stable life. Thus, he took interest in the girl who had been presented to him as a gift, asking, "You really don''t have a name?"


    "No! My mother always called me ''Stick'', she thought I was too skinny to do any work," the girl said, hanging her head low and eyeing the food in front of her, not daring to reach for it.


    The most powerful person she had ever seen was the prince of Gales. She thought she would be the prince''s woman, but instead, the prince fed her well and eventually had someone send her to Brunas.


    It wasn''t until she arrived at the port in Brunas that she saw what real wealth looked like.


    At the docks, a rich man propositioned the beastkin official escorting her, offering 1,000 Gold Coins to buy her.


    But when the beastkin official mentioned something about presenting her to a gentleman, the other man broke into a cold sweat, apologized profusely, and hastily retreated to a distance without another nce her way.


    Then... she got into a car and arrived at a ce where tall chimneys belched smoke into the air. The air smelled somewhat foul, but she could still sense the prosperity of the ce.


    People seen through the car window dressed elegantly, streets brimming withughing, frolicking children, and buildings that reached as high as ten stories¡ªand there wasn''t even a defensive wall in sight!


    As these distractions filled her thoughts, a te with roasted fish was ced before the little cat.


    "I don''t know what you like to eat, but I suppose cats always love fish," Wes guessed cleverly, sure he had guessed the girl''s preference.


    Seeing the fish, the little cat''s face fell. She had eaten plenty of fish in Osa Port, thinking it might be the most delicious food in the world.


    Then she ate fish for a long time at sea, and the mere sight of it began to make her feel nauseous.


    Now... it seemed that this formidable person before her wanted her to eat fish again. She felt so desperate; she really wanted to try some of the more distant meats and the tempting-looking meatballs instead.


    "It won''t do to be nameless," Wes said, looking at the cat girl who wasn''t interested in the fish. After a moment of thought, he spoke, "Stick definitely won''t do. From now on, you''ll be called Yue''er."


    "Yue''er..." The girl found the name far nicer than Stick, and she shyly nodded her head.


    "Try this," Wes pushed the te of meatballs that Yue''er had long been eyeing towards her, suggesting, "These taste good, too."


    Indeed, the girl reached out eagerly, feeling that the boy before her was the nicest person in the world.


    However, seeing how the girl grabbed the meatballs with her hands and stuffed them into her mouth made Wes suddenly feel like he had taken in a child rather than a concubine.


    After a moment''s pause, Wesughed, affectionately tousled the girl''s fluffy hair, and said to the guard behind him, "Find her a teacher to instruct her in manners. Once she''s learned them, send her to school."


    "Understood!" Wes nodded, finding the somewhat simpleminded cat girl to be quite amusing.


    "Eat here first! Eat whatever you like and feel free to look around, but don''t wander into any dangerous areas." Wes stood, straightened his clothes, and started for the door with Parker following, "I have matters to attend to, so I won''t be able to join you for the meal."


    Reaching the door, he turned to a guard left in the room, "You know where to take her and where not to, right?"


    "Yes," the guard said, standing tall.


    Wes nodded slightly and then strode out of the room, leaving behind the pretty figure of the girl wolfing down her food at the table.


    When Tang Mo pushed open the meeting room''s grand doors, Harry had already been in a flustered discussion with several senior members.


    The border war of Leite Kingdom had already erupted, and most of Brunas''s merchants had heard the news.


    In the past, they would have waited a week to probably confirm such news, but now it only took a telegram for these people to confirm that war had indeed broken out, with many goods beginning to be scarce.


    Seeing Tang Mo enter the meeting room, Harry immediately went up to him andined, "This might be the first time in human history that such a crazy transportation n has been devised."


    "Our Great Tang Group''s transportation troops are actually preparing to transport so much material to the front lines at an unprecedented speed? This is practically suicidal." On the other side, a department head in charge of transportation shook his head.


    Honestly, if the railway from Brunas to King City had already been connected, then these transports would not be too difficult to handle.


    But the problem was, it seemed as though the other side had seized this timing. They had initiated this fatal war at a critical time when the investments Tang Mo and Leite Kingdom put into the railway had not yielded any return.


    Severelycking in transportation capacity, Great Tang Group''s munitions and various materials could not be directly sent to King City, let alone to the front lines.


    And at this moment, the only support for the eastern border coulde from some of the resources Leite Kingdom had umted.


    But moving those resources out of King City also meant that King City would be vulnerable, and now Leite VII''s determination and resolve were put to the test.


    "300 cattle, 700 sheep, 1,000 pigs, 200 tons of flour, over 40 C64 breech-loading recoil guns, 10,000 rifles, 3 million rounds of bullets¡­ This is no small amount," Harry joined in the grumbling.


    This was not World War II, with its railway transportation andplete highway system, where transporting so much stuff would have been a piece of cake.


    Currently, Leite Kingdom''s internal roads were mostly around third-grade, which meant there were hardly any proper concrete or asphalt roads, much less highways or railways.


    The stuff just mentioned all had to be transported using horse-drawn carriages and the not-so-powerful T-model cars.


    Additionally, since the eastern region of the kingdom had not established aplete system of gas stations yet, the cars'' fuel might have to be carried separately.


    This was not a transport operation; it was a disaster!


    ording to the analysis of Great Tang Group''s Staff Department, the transportation troops could barely reach King City; they were already close to their limit.


    "Master, ording to the n, of the 100 cars we''ve mustered, I expect more than half will be incapacitated before reaching King City," Luff gave a rtively pessimistic forecast, which was also a fair conclusion reached after discussion by a group of staff officers.


    Pointing to the map spread out on the table, he waited until Tang Mo looked over before continuing, "There are not many gas stations along the way, so we need to prepare an additional 10 cars just to transport gasoline."


    Tang Mo pinched his chin, staring down at the map, eying the upleted railway, as if lost in thought.


    "The roads along the way don''t have any asphalt; it''s all bumpy dirt roads. The cars will be in poor condition when driving, and their wear rate will surely be higher than estimated," Luff observed Tang Mo''s silence and continued, "Fully loaded with ammo, after the carts pulling heavy artillery pass through, these roads will certainly be damaged and deformed.


    Cars traveling on such roads will take at least twice the time."


    "What if, I mean what if, we reallocate resources and push through thepletion of the railway from Brunas to King City in one go?" Tang Mo suddenly turned towards Parker, who had been silent this whole time, and asked.


    "Master, that would require a construction team of 3,000 people and enough rails," Parker exined somewhat hesitantly.


    "Divert the rails prepared for Dragon Ind and ensure the railway construction from Brunas to King City with all our might! Any problems? How many days would it take?"


    "Five days?" Parker estimated and replied, "No matter the cost, five days should be sufficient."


    "That''ll do! Harry!" Tang Mo looked towards his manager.


    "Yes!" Harry immediately responded.


    "Use our privatemunication channel and code, send a telegram to the people in King City! Have them present the telegram to Leite VII... and ask him if he can hold out with his troops and resources for 5 days!"


    "In 5 days! He''ll have no more worries about logistics," Tang Mo said confidently.


    "Yes! I understand!" Li''ao, who stood there, immediately turned to carry out the tasks Tang Mo had arranged.


    Tang Mo then looked at Harry again, "ce orders with all the merchants we can contact, purchase food, steel, copper, horses, and any other strategic resources you can name... The bill, I will sooner orter send to the king of Germelin!"


    -------------


    The second update will be made up during the day tomorrow; I won''t stay upte tonight. Just informing everyone, so you don''t wait, sorry.

 Chapter 261: 257 Worries

    "To hold out for five days... the question is whether or not we can actuallyst five days," muttered King Leite VII of the Leite Kingdom, his face grim as he looked at the telegram in his hand.


    He had already mobilized almost all the troops in the Royal City. Two legions were already on their way to reinforce the border, and he was about to leave the Royal City himself to go to the real frontlines.


    At this time, his greater concern was the vulnerable Royal City, where only thest legion remained to hold the fort, with the rest of the troops being far away.


    "Your Majesty, although there''s only one legion left, it is the most elite unit with the best equipment, so there''s no need to worry too much," the old Prime Minister said, attempting to reassure him.


    Explore stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    The troops at the border must be saved, and the defenses of the Royal City must not be rxed carelessly. This ce was the foundation of the Leite Kingdom, as well as King Leite VII''s true base of operations.


    If he had any confidence left, it was in this Royal City of Leite. As the king, he had managed the city for so many years and had umted some strength.


    Nevertheless, he still looked at the old Prime Minister with lingering worry: "You know what I am worried about."


    As his stronghold, the strongest power in the Royal City was naturally himself, but in recent years, another force had emerged here that could not be underestimated.


    This force was the Great Tang Group. If Shireck had once stood toe-to-toe with the King in the Royal City, then the Great Tang Group now had the same capability.


    On the surface, the Great Tang Group had countless supporters, all of whom had tied their interests to the Great Tang Group and would naturally waver at critical moments to stand on its side.


    In secret, the entertainment division under the Great Tang Group, along with the power of the Silver Fox Company, were also quite formidable¡ªthe organization was tightly run and possessed a vast amount of military arms.


    If these forces stirred trouble after he left the Royal City,bined with the Great Tang Group''s umted power elsewhere, all Tang Mo would need to do is call to arms, and King Leite VII might as well announce his abdication.


    It was a ssic case of making bridal clothes for someone else; hence the king of Leite hesitated, still undecided about leaving his Royal City even now.


    The old Prime Minister knew what his king feared most was the safety of his Royal City, so he spoke, "Your Majesty, things are much simpler than we think. Your worry ispletely unnecessary. Tang Mo won''t take the opportunity to attack the Royal City. Although he is greedy for wealth and indulges in pleasures, he does have his limits.


    If he truly desired a country, or wanted to expand his territory, he certainly had better opportunities."


    "Oh?" clearly, King Leite VII did not wish to ce his safety on such an ephemeral notion as a man having limits in his actions.


    Therefore, the old Prime Minister continued to exin, "Whether it was blockading the Por Kingdom or helping Northern Ridge defeat Suthers, he had the chance to cultivate his own forces and seize morend at those times."


    Indeed, Tang Mo had many opportunities to expand his territories. If he wanted, he could even directly im a piece ofnd.


    No one would refuse his demands, especially when the Great Tang Group was willing to pay a price; people were willing to do something in return.


    The old Prime Minister went on, "But he didn''t. He would rather develop Dragon Ind than invade a country. Hence, this old servant believes he is not fond of expansion."


    "Keep talking," urged King Leite VII, feeling the old Prime Minister''s analysis seemed correct andmanded him to continue.


    After receiving the king''smand, the old Prime Minister immediately carried on, "In fact, I believe he prefers construction! Rather than upying some richnd, he likes to build a new city, and Brunas is the best proof. The previous Brunas was just a small town, and he developed it into what it is now."


    He did not say this because he had received benefits from Tang Mo. After all, he was an official with a strong sense of professional ethics.


    He was indeed loyal, always serving the kingdom, or rather, serving Your Majesty. This time was no different, and every word he said was sincere.


    He truly did not believe Tang Mo would take advantage of the situation to do something rash, as it would be a foolish choice that would be strenuous and unrewarding.


    From his understanding of Tang Mo, he would not choose this time to exacerbate the internal conflicts within the Leite Kingdom, allowing outsiders to take advantage of the situation.


    If Tang Mo really wanted the Leite Kingdom, he wouldn''t let his fleet sail south, nor would he keep his security forces at a rtively low number.


    All he needed was to develop his own troops normally and then wait for a situation like this to consume the Leite Kingdom more efficiently.


    On the other hand, in a situation with external enemies surrounding, it was clearly not a good idea for Tang Mo to strike at the Leite Kingdom''s heels himself.


    Thus, the old Prime Minister was not worried at all that Tang Mo would make a move to attack the Royal City; he continued to assure his king, "Frankly speaking, if we also gather nearly a million people in the Royal City, just the gue and other problems alone could cause the city to copse."


    "You mean to say, Brunas is now better than the King City?" the King asked with dissatisfaction and indignation.


    He knew all too well that there were hardly any ces in the world better than Brunas now.


    The development of Brunas was clear for all to see, and it had surpassed the growth rate of Leite Royal City a long time ago.


    Even Wolf City, thanks to the railway, shadowed the Royal City in size, showing signs that it might surpass it.


    This caused the King great anxiety, yet he had no good solution at hand and could only stew in his own frustration.


    The old Prime Minister, although aware of his King''s bristling jealousy, still spoke the hard truth, "Though it''s hard to admit, Your Majesty, Brunas is indeed more prosperous and grander than the King City, isn''t it?"


    "What you say...makes sense," the King finally conceded, nodding in agreement with the Prime Minister''s words.


    Seeing that the King was persuaded, the old Prime Minister continued, sharing his idea: "Even, if he is willing to build a better city, we could exchange the King City for it!"


    The King was taken aback, then looked at him, asking with some confusion, "What do you mean?"


    Since this was one of his most trusted subordinates, he didn''t get angry but hoped for a reasonable exnation. Had it been someone else, he would have been enraged and would have started to question their loyalty.


    But the speaker was the Prime Minister, a loyal supporter of the King since the days when the Shireck Consortium reigned supreme in the kingdom, so the King knew the Prime Minister wasn''t speaking nonsense.


    Sure enough, the old Prime Minister exined: "King City is too close to Brunas. Once Brunas continues its growth and expansion, King City will, like the small towns surrounding Brunas now, be drained of its sustenance and eventually wither away."


    The aged man, who had always nned for the Kingdom''s prosperity and wished for it to thrive, shared his vision: "Instead of considering this when it''s toote, why not give King City to Tang Mo as a favor now? In return, we can find a city further east, move the capital there, and get what we deserve from Brunas."


    Upon hearing this suggestion, His Majesty began to seriously contemte the matter. He often reviewed the development of the King City, and he had noticed that its growth had indeed slowed recently.


    ording to data from ten years ago, many factories and workshops had been built around the King City, which theoretically should have led to a significant poption surge.


    However, the reality was that due to the mass migration to Brunas and Dragon Ind, the poption growth in the King City over the past two years had been nearly nil...


    To say that this data was entirely unaffected by the influence of Great Tang Group''s Brunas and Dragon City would be false.


    Clearly, the expansion of Brunas and its demand for poption had indeed caused the King City''s development toe to a standstill.


    Now, the suggestion put forward by the Prime Minister could indeed solve this problem. As long as there was enough distance from Brunas, it would not be able to affect the development pace of the King City.


    The King, hesitating, saw that his Prime Minister''s advice had an effect and continued to suggest, "For example, we could have Tang Mo promise to build the new King City into another Brunas,rge in scale, bustling with poption... and also... filled with many high-tech workshops...


    While we, on the newnd, can distance ourselves from the Great Tang Group and take control of our own development path."


    Hearing the Prime Minister say this, His Majesty was indeed tempted and asked with some anticipation, "Do you think he would agree?"


    "I believe he will consider it! And as long as he considers, he won''t find the idea of attacking the King City to be a profitable venture," the old Prime Minister said smilingly to King Leite VII.


    This was his true aim, to make Tang Mo realize that the King City had its price and there was no need to rush!


    If Tang Mo epted this price, he would definitely not risk the copse of Leite Kingdom to plot against Leite Royal City at such a time.


    "You... make sense," said King Leite VII, his mood lifted as he addressed the Prime Minister, "After I''m gone, I''ll leave this ce in your hands, Prime Minister."


    The Prime Minister bowed slightly and promised, "Your servant is willing to guard the King City for Your Majesty and will not let it fall into anyone''s hands."


    "I believe you!" Leite VII reached out to help the Prime Minister up and said, "Find someone to go to Brunas and have a good talk with Mr. Tang... about the price of the King City! As long as his offer is fair, what does moving the capital matter!"


    After all, the expansion of his Kingdom would always extend eastward, and moving the capital to the center of the Kingdom was undoubtedly better than being next to Brunas, wasn''t it?


    "Yes!" The Prime Minister bowed again in agreement.

 Chapter 262: Bayonet on 258

    "Charge!" Soldiers of the Kingdom of Germelin held their weapons and surged forward like a dark wave towards the defenses of the Leite Kingdom.


    The smoke from exploding shells had not yet fully cleared, and the soldiers in the trenches hadn''t had time to prepare for the iing enemy when they saw the densely packed forces already near their trenches.


    "Bang!" A soldier armed with a K1 rifle aimed at an approaching enemy and skillfully pulled the trigger.


    A gunshot followed, but because of the chaos, he couldn''t see whether he had actually hit his target.


    No choice, he had to duck back into the trench and reload his rifle¡ªaplex process, and indeed still too slowpared to bolt-action rifles, despite the needle gun''s loading operation.


    After firing, the soldier had to clean the barrel, then load a new bullet into his rifle, and amidst the chaos, he also had to be cautious that the long firing pin inside the barrel of his rifle wouldn''t cause any idents.


    This was one of the main reasons needle guns were quickly phased out: they were too expensive and tedious to reload, and the cartridges were difficult to preserve. In short, aside from being more advanced than flintlock guns, they were almost without merit.


    Finally, the soldier from Leite Kingdom had finished reloading and raised his rifle to aim at the distant enemy once more.


    The enemy was now much closer; he could even see that they were carrying almost identical weapons to his own.


    He pulled the trigger, then withdrew his neck, not even bothering to check if he had hit his target.


    The battle had been raging for two days now. The enemy couldn''t attack at night, so the fighting had been incredibly fierce for two consecutive days.


    In this era, there were noplex special tactics; coordinated infantry and artillery tactics had not yet been developed, so it was purely "artillery bombard, infantry charge, infantry charge then artillery bombard, artillery bombard then infantry charge..."


    However, with their overwhelming superiority in numbers, the Kingdom of Germelin was nearing sess. As theymitted more and more troops, Leite Kingdom''s defenses were increasingly stretched thin.


    The only Maxim machine gun in the legion had malfunctioned. After ughtering close to 500 people, an internal part of this machine gun seemed to have broken, so the legion''s only trump card waspletely out of the fight.


    All that was left was a contest of true will. Leite had lost more than 100 soldiers in two days ofbat, with another 200 wounded and unable to continue fighting.


    This was already a fifth of the total number of troops. If artillery men and other personnel were excluded, nearly a third of the infantry legion''s front-linebat forces had been put out of action.


    That the troops hadn''t copsed yet was entirely because among them were numerous interns from the Great Tang Military Academy holding the line.


    As the backbone of the force, they usually served as toon leaders for the infantry squads. Their regr training had made the unit remarkably tough.


    It was just unfortunate that with no major differences in weaponry between the sides, the battle inevitably became bloody.


    Soon, the enemy''s troops approached the trenches, and intense hand-to-handbat ensued. The sound of gunfire mixed with battle cries echoed throughout the position.


    "Fix bays!" Seeing the enemy troops getting dangerously close, an intern from the Great Tang Military Academy, wearing a bright yellow uniform, drew his saber andmanded loudly.


    A Leite Kingdom officer, holding a Left-Wheel Handgun, looked at the young officer and said persuasively, "Kid! You''re just here to intern, there''s no need for you to take risks here. Leave immediately and ry a message to themander, tell them we''ve done our best!"


    The young intern officer, holding a Longsword in one hand and a handgun in the other, smiled and replied, "I''m here to intern, but does interning mean I''m not part of the battle? Does it mean I''m not a soldier of Leite Kingdom?"


    A soldier, while fixing a bay to his gun, continued to urge, "But you really don''t need to persist here!"


    "You almost made me forget I''m just an intern, haha. I''ve never seen you as outsiders, so why won''t you ept me as one of your own?" The young officer sniffled and looked towards the direction of the enemy. "Enough talk, prepare to fight!"


    The soldier, bay already fixed, continued anxiously, "That''s not it, sir, we just..."


    The young man raised his handgun, pointed towards the direction from which the enemy charged, and shouted loudly, "There''s no ''just''... Unfortunately, my teachers taught me courage, they taught me strength, but they most certainly did not teach me to retreat! If I can''t consider you my own family, then... how can I ask you to stand by me, to live and die together?"


    "Sir!" All the soldiers gathered around him were moved by his words, everyone gripping their rifles tightly.


    The young officer nced at the formal officer of Leite Kingdom beside him, nodded his head slightly, and continued to shout, "All soldiers! Follow mymand! At all costs, plug the gap in the front lines! Drive the enemy back! Protect the civilians behind you! Protect our...


    our mothend!"


    "Yes!" Everyone responded with fervor.


    "Fix bays!" "Fix bays!" Not far away, inspired lower-ranking officers passed down the order, one after another.


    Soldiers pulled out their bays from their waists, attached them beneath the muzzles of their rifles, securing the catches, the gleaming des unusually blinding in the sunlight.


    "I won''t tell you ''charge for me,'' I will shout ''charge with me,'' now, charge with me! Soldiers!" The young officer, raising his Longsword high, was the first to rush out of the trench.


    "God bless Leite!" All of the nearby soldiers of the Leite Kingdom, holding their rifles with fixed bays, followed him and leaped out of the trench.


    "God bless the Leite Kingdom!" For a moment, their cries resonated through the sky.


    "Bang!" Holding a handgun in one hand and a Longsword in the other, the young officer took the lead, charging into the enemy crowd that was now very close.


    He swung his Longsword to deflect the thrusting bays and raised his handgun to fire a shot directly into an oing foe.


    At the Great Tang Military Academy, the instructors didn''t rigidly teach the students to engage the enemy in closebat; instead, they taught them to take advantage of every weapon at their disposal.


    The enemy clearly hadn''t anticipated this young officer to be wielding a handgun, a burst of blood bloomed on his forehead and he fell backward.


    The soldier from the Kingdom of Gemalin standing shoulder to shoulder with the fallen enemy clearly panicked, he turned his rifle around, only to be felled by a second shot.


    The Leite Kingdom soldiers following behind the young officer from the Great Tang Military Academy also surged with momentum, evidently surpassing their enemies in closebat skills.


    Continue reading at mvl


    With cries like an avnche, they thrust the weapons in their hands, killing their opponents or perishing alongside them.


    Casualties skyrocketed in an instant, beyond control. This brutal, irrational melee, amidst the chaos of the battlefield, allowed for any unexpected event.


    Enraged, it was entirely possible for one side to forsake defense in a bid to ensure mutual destruction with the enemy before them.


    Hence, soldiers from the Kingdom of Gemalin fell, as did soldiers from the Leite Kingdom; before long, countless bodiesy across the battlefield.


    "Bang!" A soldier from Gemalin, hidden among the crowd, raised his K2 lever-action rifle and shot dead a Leite Kingdom soldier attempting a bay thrust.


    Then, he spotted a valiant young officer from the Leite Kingdom, who had just taken down another enemy.


    His index, ring, and pinky fingers forcefully pushed forward, then snapped back into ce¡ªthe lever-action rifle was reloaded. He raised the rifle again, aiming at the young officer in the bright yellow uniform.


    "Bang!" A crisp gunshot rang out, and the young intern officer from the Great Tang Military Academy, preparing to sh with an enemy charging straight at him, felt as if his abdomen had been hammered by something.


    He looked down to see blood already seeping out from inside the bright yellow uniform, some flowing out of the bullet holes onto the fabric, trickling down along the seams to the buttons and the belt.


    "Damn!" He staggered, then got jostled by an onrushing enemy. As he fought to keep his bnce, a wave of dizziness washed over him.


    Another enemy charged at him, and by this time, the young officer was down on one knee. Using the Longsword as a crutch nted in the ground, he raised his other hand and fired, discharging thest bullet in his Left-Wheel Handgun.


    The enemy let out a cry of pain and copsed; the young intern officer dropped his arm holding the handgun and gasped for air that reeked of blood.


    "Bang!" Another shot was fired, and a burst of fresh blood sprayed from the young officer''s shoulder. He lost control of his body and crashed down,nding on the pile of corpses beneath him.


    More soldiers from the Leite Kingdom fell to gunfire, more riflemen from the Kingdom of Gemalin surged forward.


    The fight remained deadlocked, with gunfire intermittently breaking out. More soldiers from the Leite Kingdom joined the fray, engaging in hand-to-handbat, as their ammunition-depleted Gemalin counterparts were bayed to death by the enraged Leite soldiers.


    An hourter, cheers erupted from the battlefield, and the gpole bearing the royal standard of the Leite Kingdom was swung back and forth, the banner fluttering above the position.


    After a fierce battle, the position remained in the hands of the Leite Kingdom, repelling the Gemalin Kingdom''s assault once again.


    However, more soldiers from the Leite Kingdom had fallen, unable to see the victory they had bought with their lives.

 Chapter 263: 259 two fleets

    The sea breeze swept through the harbor basking in the morning sun, and a dense crowd was seeing off their country''s military personnel.


    Seagulls circled around the warship''s masts, startled by the solemn military music, frantically pping their wings.


    Standing on the dock, d in a brown military uniform, with a longmander''s sabre slung at his waist, the general looked on with satisfaction as the soldiers boarded the ship.


    These soldiers, carrying Shireck Flintlock Guns on their shoulders, were all brimming with energy. They boarded the warships in an orderly fashion, and the sounds ofmands echoed through the port incessantly.


    Sailors carried thest remaining supplies onto the ship, some leading goats, others carrying wooden barrels.


    Large baskets were filled with vegetables and fruits, and some dried meats could be seen¡­ On every warship setting sail, sailors would stuff their pockets full.


    No one knew how long they would stay at sea, so figuring out a way to bring some extra food was one of the little tricks to keep themselves alive.


    The kingdom''s g, slightly bigger than a bedsheet and sewn with a steering wheel pattern, fluttered in the sea breeze, and as their husbands or children boarded the warships, the crowd on the docks let out bursts of cheers.


    This was a port of the Taren Kingdom, a massive military harbor, muchrger than that of Osa.


    Maritime civilizations, or seafaring civilizations, are ustomed to such scenes; every family has someone involved in maritime work. Therefore, everyone maintains a reverent attitude toward the sea, and eachrge-scale voyage causes the public''s excitement to surge.


    Everyone prayed for the safe return of their family members, yearning for the bounty of the sea and for the men who ventured out to bring back more spoils of war.


    Thus, every departure to sea, especially when the navy fleet mobilizes on arge scale, draws many to see them off, and this send-off is more like a ritual.


    Eventually, as all the cheers merged into one, an officer approached the leading general, nodded slightly, and then reported, "My Lord, the fleet is ready! We can depart at any time."


    Hearing this, the general in the brown, splendid military uniform nodded, turning to look at another man standing on his other side, not in military attire.


    Several secondster, the leading general finally spoke slowly, "I hope the Shireck Consortium will ensure the promises you made to me will be kept!"


    "Our word is our bond! This is well known! Hotwind Port, including the entire western region of Dorne, belongs to the Taren Kingdom!" the man assured immediately, "The whole southern part of the Endless Sea, every passage, every trade route!"


    "Very well! Order the fleet to set sail!" The leading general of the Taren Kingdom nodded and strode forward.


    "Weigh anchor!" The aide following closely behind immediately shouted themand, and under hismand, one warship after another began to haul up their anchor chains.


    "Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails!" In the distance, the captains on the warships anchored further out, seeing the g signals from the boats in the port, issued their orders one after another.


    One after another, huge first-rate sailing warships slowly sailed out of the port, the pale yellow sails as far as the eye could see from the docks, almost blotting out the sky.


    A total of 70 warships, along with 30 supply transport ships, carrying nearly 30,000 people, set sail towards the distant horizon. Enjoy new stories from mvl


    They joined the warships waiting further out at sea, a mighty and impressive sight with hundreds of warships crowded together.


    Frankly, the Taren Kingdom is an even more straightforward maritime kingdom than the Por Kingdom, as most of its territory lies on inds, allowing it to concentrate most of its power on developing its navy.


    These warships'' hulls were a bit sharper than those of the Elf Race''s first-rate warships, and they were also slightly faster at sailing.


    However, each of these Taren Kingdom''s first-rate sailing warships had four fewer cannons than the Elf Race''s warships, so the Taren Kingdom''s warships sacrificed firepower for increased maneuverability.


    This was rted to the Taren Kingdom''s needs, as they required fast warships to control a wider expanse of sea and to ensure their kingdom was protected from other nations'' encroachments.


    Thus, when choosing their warships'' design, they ced greater emphasis on speed rather thanfort or other performance indicators.


    "The people of Shireck can''t be trusted," the aide, standing on the deck, said to the Taren Kingdom''s navalmander-in-chief.


    "I know, but this time, they really have handed us a great opportunity, a chance to take over the entire southern part of the Endless Sea," the leading general, a seasoned veteran of the Taren naval forces who was firm and somewhat ruthless, had earned his stripes maintaining maritime supremacy for the Taren Kingdom.


    The mobilization of such arge fleet by a kingdom could not be spurred by a few instigating words from Shireck. The King of the Taren Kingdom was merely seizing the opportunity to fulfill his ambitions.


    Soon, thismander named Valen revealed another purpose of their mission, "The warships Housen took away have beenpletely out of contact to this day, and the pioneering troops that went to develop that Nameless Ind have also disappeared."


    He looked at the calm sea surface and exined to his deputy, "We have reasons to believe that the fantastical Dragon Ind that has been rumored recently in the southern part of the Endless Sea, and the ind we found on our sea charts, are one and the same..."


    The name ck Dragon Ind actually varies among different countries, but since the Taren Kingdom had discovered the ind, it was not surprising that they had heard some information about it.


    Dragon Ind was not an isted ce; ships transporting goods to Dragon Ind were continuous, and the number of immigrants was in the tens of thousands. Keeping this kind of thing secret was simply not possible.


    His deputy, somewhat in disbelief, asked, "Does that mean, Housen''s fleet... was annihted by that Great Tang Group on Dragon Ind?"


    In his opinion, Housen''s fleet had 8 warships; even if they couldn''t defeat the enemy, they should have been able to escape.


    Even if they eventually had to abandon the craftsmen and the transport ships they took, the warships were faster and should at least have been able to retreat with a few of them, right?


    There had never been news of an entire fleet being wiped out at sea, without a single warship escaping.


    As for the news that the Por Kingdom was being blockaded and attacked at its doorstep, the Taren Kingdom had always dismissed it with contempt.


    Such mythical news was generally not true, and since the Por Kingdom and the Taren Kingdom were at opposite ends, one in the south and the other in the north, and indeed far apart, the news that reached the Taren Kingdom was inevitably distorted...


    As for the telegraph machine, Higgs was still replicating it, so it had not yet be widespread. Therefore, the head of Higgs in the Taren Kingdom had not received definite news about what was happening in the Por Kingdom.


    The military warships of the secretive Great Tang Group were more so enveloped in mists of rumor, leading people to more readily believe they were a legend rather than reality...


    "There''s no other exnation. If they didn''t go to this ce called Dragon Ind, and it''s improbable that they encountered a storm that annihted them all, then where are Housen''s people?" General Valen scoffed, "And this Dragon Ind, its sudden rise to fame is closely aligned with the time Housen and their team departed!"


    Hearing his generaly out the argument, the deputy immediately nodded and affirmed, "That''s possible... or rather, highly likely."


    General Valen''s face carried a cold, cruel smile as he snorted and said, "Hmph! That''s perfect, then. We can settle new and old grievances in one go, taking their Hotwind Port and then turning around to seize Dragon Ind. We''ll be collecting their interest."


    His n was simple: 70 warships, even enough topletely destroy Hotwind Port. After attacking Hotwind Port, he could get resupplies there, then quickly head north to attack Dragon Ind and Brunas.


    The Taren Kingdom''s massive fleet could entirely blockade Brunas and Dragon Ind, making the Great Tang Group pay the price.


    By then, he would be able to secure hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Gold Coins aspensation for the Taren Kingdom... Even whether Housen actually had any involvement with Dragon Ind would be irrelevant.


    After thinking it over, the deputy nheless reminded General Valen, "Lord, even Shireck was unable to deal with the Great Tang Group. One must not underestimate them."


    "What a joke! That''s onnd! At sea, our Taren Kingdom... has never feared anyone," General Valen burst outughing. His smile was cruel, filled with a thick scent of blood.


    The deputy knew that at this point, any reminder was futile, so he once again offered sycophantic praise, "What Lord says is true! Our Taren Kingdom''s navy fears no one!"


    General Valen patted his deputy on the shoulder as if an aristocratic title was already within easy reach, "When I return, His Majesty the King himself will personally confer upon me the title of Marquis! And then, you will be known as Lord Earl, hahaha!"


    "Hehehe! Then I must thank Lord Marquis for your patronage!" The deputy immediately snickered sycophantically, rubbing his hands together in ttery.


    Hearing his deputy''s ttery, General Valen was momentarily taken aback before his smile grew even broader, "Uh... hahaha!"


    Amidst theirughter, the vast fleet slowly progressed on the ocean. The fleet alone boasted more than 2000 ship cannons, which was an indication of how much money and provisions it must have taken to assemble such a naval force.


    What Valen and his men didn''t know was that as they headed north along their course, a small fleet with only 4 warships had just arrived at Hotwind Port.


    Before their arrival, dozens of transport and armed merchant ships had already reached this ce, bringing various war readiness supplies.


    This fleet was to refuel in Hotwind Port, load high-quality coal, and allow the sailors to rest for a few days before setting off for the Taren Kingdom...


    Then, they would bring disaster to this ind nation, a profound andplete disaster...

 Chapter 264: I should give them an explanation.

    On the eastern border of the Leite Kingdom, the trenches, already in disarray, were filled with bodies of soldiers from both armies, scattered in every direction.


    Mostly they were bodies of soldiers from the Kingdom of Gemalin, mingled with those from the Leite Kingdom¡­ They ally there quietly, allowing flies to crawl on their cheeks.


    Due to the weather, the trenches were filled with a stench, clearly indicating it was no longer a viable position to hold, so the border troops of the Leite Kingdom had abandoned it.


    On the artillery positions behind the defense line, a destroyed C64 cannony askew, one of its wheels long gone without a trace.


    The emptied ammunition boxes were carelessly discarded next to the cannon, and a crowbar used to pry them open was still stuck in the crevices of the sandbag fortifications.


    A man in the uniform of a Gemalin general covered his nose with a handkerchief as he carefully stepped over the body of a Leite Kingdom soldier lying on the ground, circumvented the badly trampled muddy road ttened by carts, and ascended a gentle slope.


    His troops had finally broken through the border defenses of the Leite Kingdom this morning, and now he had two corps advancing along the road.


    The speed of the offensive was much slower than expected; he hardly dare believe that his troops had already breached the Leite Kingdom''s defenses.


    To be honest, this thin line of defense of the Leite Kingdom had impressed him deeply, as it cost him the heavy loss of 1,200 soldiers just to break through here.


    Even with such heavy losses, he had not managed topletely annihte the enemy forces. His troops only destroyed the rear guard of the enemy, and the numbers were pathetically small.


    Considering the losses of the Leite Kingdom in the battle for positions, his six corps engaged one border corps of the Leite Kingdom and still found themselves so passive inbat; it was enough to make him feel a bit frustrated.


    The casualty ratio was 3 to 1; after sacrificing 1,500 soldiers, the forces of the Kingdom of Gemalin had eliminated 500 of the enemy and captured their positions.


    The enemy''s retreat was veryposed; they took the wounded with them, managed to take away more than half of their cannons, and drove off two-thirds of their carts.


    The carts left behind on the position were mostly damaged, many parts even disassembled and taken. The cannons that remained were all blown up, the extent of precision clearly showed that the Leite Kingdom''s troops had not fled in panic.


    They organized a retreat! And they did it very calmly. They didn''t even leave behind the seriously wounded and went as far as burning some documentspletely.


    That machine gun, which caused massive casualties to the Gemalin forces, was also not found; nor did they capture many prisoners¡­


    "Damn it... just what kind of troops are we fighting against," the general cursed, covering his nose, walking up the gentle slope and staring into the distant woods with a sullen utterance.


    In previous battles, the troops on both sides would form up and then advance with drums beating, and the fight would end after one melee.


    But now, a fight couldst for several days, with both sides struggling and killing over a piece of ground without a clear victor for a long time.


    This was just one battle. If the fighting continued in this way, the losses on both sides would rise further, to previously unimaginable extents.


    In the past, the loss of a few hundred men in a battle would decide the victory or defeat. The defeated troops would surrender, and the victors would continue to fight.


    But now, topletely defeat an enemy corps, it took the price of a corps! More than 2,000 soldiers died on both sides, all for a few meters ofnd.


    "General! Two corps can only rest in ce, and one corps has suffered such heavy losses that it can only be used as the rear guard," an officer walked up behind the Gemalin leader, handing him a report: "Of the remaining three corps, two are advancing along the road, and one is assembling in front¡­"


    "I''ve got it," the leader took the paper, nced at it, and stuffed it into his pocket: "Go find the people from the Shireck Consortium."


    The officer nodded at his words, then approached a man inspecting a C64 cannon nearby. After whispering a few words, he gestured toward his general.


    The Shireck Consortium man nodded, then followed the officer to the general''s presence: "I heard you were looking for me, General!"


    "Yes! It was me!" The general nodded, "I called you over to ask about your subsequent supplies. They should be arriving soon, right?"


    The man from the Shireck Consortium who had just been examining the abandoned C64 cannon immediately responded, "I just inquired, and 1,000 shells are on the way."


    He had not actually verified this, as he had no way to be sure where those shells were.


    All he knew was to keep the general before him reassured; whether or not the subsequent shells arrived, or when they would arrive, was irrelevant.


    After all, ording to Shireck''s n, they were destined to win this war; no one could stop Shireck''s victory.


    In the Northern Region, a storm is brewing. Soon enough, kingdoms like Por and Songmu will be too busy dealing with their own troubles to concern themselves with the affairs of Leite Kingdom.


    In Dorne, rebellion is on the verge of eruption. With the staunch support of Taren Kingdom and Xilun Kingdom, it looks poised to seed.


    The only one left is Leite Kingdom, struggling to stand alone¡­ The Great Tang Group, at least everything the Great Tang has in Brunas, will be spoils of war¡ªShireck''s spoils of war.


    "A thousand rounds of artillery shells are far from enough. I need at least 30 more cannons and 10,000 shells to ensure that we can continue to break through the enemy''s defenses in the uing battles!" A Germelin general pondered for a moment before presenting his new demands.


    The head of the Shireck Consortium calcted quickly and nodded in agreement to the other''s request, "Agreed!"


    He had just examined the breech mechanism of the C64 cannon¡ªingeniously designed and technically impressive.


    Looking at the breech part of the cannons that had been destroyed and rendered unusable, he knew Shireck''s own artillery paled inparison to the enemy''s.


    For that advanced technology, he must get his hands on the Great Tang Group! Those cutting-edge technologies must be Shireck''s!


    Only then could Shireck continue to thrive and reim the throne as number one in the world!


    "Now we are even further from our supply point. We need arge number of wagons, more manpower, and a sufficient number of soldiers to replenish our ranks¡­" the general listed some more demands.


    It couldn''t be helped; the losses he had suffered in the attack on the first line of defense were too great. Without reinforcements, his offensive would stall.


    "I''ll find a way! Rest assured!" The man from Shireckughed, then nced toward a tattoo-covered, muscr figure, "Send in the recruits you''ve gathered! Don''t screw up again!"


    A man, who now sported a hook where his hand used to be, nodded and walked down the hillock followed by several subordinates.


    "Qiumuluo! This is your chance to redeem yourself for your crimes! Don''t mess it up!" The Shireck official called out as he watched the man''s retreating figure.


    Qiumuluo, having lost nearly half his arm and looking a shadow thinner than before, paused in his steps. He stood motionless for a while before giving a slight nod of his head, then left without uttering a word.


    Unable to make his way in Leite Kingdom, he defected to the nearby Kingdom of Germelin to join the Shireck faction, continuing his opposition to the Great Tang Group.


    He had no choice; the Great Tang Group had put a bounty on his head, and only Shireck was willing to take him in because they shared an enemy in the Great Tang Group.


    Thus, Qiumuluo continued to serve Shireck, hoping one day to destroy the Great Tang Group and avenge his lost arm.


    "I''ll replenish your forces with 1,000 soldiers! Continue the assault! We can''t allow them to rebuild such defenses..." the Shireck official told the Germelin general icily.


    The general huffed in dissatisfaction before responding, "You don''t need to remind me! I know what to do!"


    ¡­


    A fast horse charged into King Leite VII''s camp, hurriedly dismounted in front of the tent, and rushed inside, gasping for breath.


    Upon seeing Leite VII, the knight knelt on one knee and handed a box and a letter to his sovereign.


    Leite VII took the box and the letter, first opening the missive, then turned ashen as he handed the letter to his trusted general.


    "This is bad¡­" After reading the letter, the general donned a mask of anguish andmented, "The border troops have been forced to retreat, abandoning their position¡­ It''s actually not that serious¡­ but."


    "Yes¡­ how to exin this to Mr. Tang." King Leite VII slumped back into his chair, head lowered: "The border legion fought so well all thanks to those trainee officers. I truly didn''t expect them to be so exceptional¡­ But the better they performed, the more I¡­ I do not know how to face those¡­ who are left¡­"


    Restlessly, he stood up again, holding the box. He nced at it and then, unable to resist, opened it.


    Inside were several messily stacked letters and rings of varying sizes, some bloodstained, some not.


    On one blood-covered ring, the unmistakable pattern of a dandelion stood out sharply against the dark stains.


    "They died for Leite¡­ so they¡­ are our heroes," the general said, looking at Leite VII.


    Leite VII nodded, "Are a few of the trainees from the Great Tang Military Academy¡­ are they here? Have theme see me! Someone, help me into my formal attire! Since they battled for me to theirst breath, I owe them that much!"

 Chapter 265: 261 blood debt must be paid in blood

    ```


    No monarch dislikes loyal subjects, nor will they pass up an opportunity tomend loyal and able generals. This is their core interest and their instinct.


    They will spare no effort in extolling those warriors who sacrificed their lives to uphold their rule, even elevating them to the status of deities.


    Even the culturally barren, cruel, and tyrannical Qing Emperor knew to praise Shi Kefa, so it''s nothing unusual for the King of Leite Kingdom, Leite VII, tomend his officers who died for him.


    Making a show of it wholeheartedly is naturally for the living to see. On one hand, he wanted to show those still fighting for him that their bravery and loyalty would be rewarded; on the other hand, he wanted to show the Great Tang Group that the talent provided by Tang Mo was highly valued.


    Only this way could he recruit more students from the Great Tang military academy, as Leite VII had been convinced that these individuals were truly precious and capable.


    In just a few months, only seven or eight intern officers trained a legion to such a state.


    The border legion, under the assault of several times their number of enemies, managed to hold out for days and even executed an orderly retreat in the end, preserving their basic formation¡ªan achievement even the most elite troops of Leite Kingdom dared not im they could aplish.


    Only now did Leite VII truly understand why the Great Tang military academy strictly controlled the quota for intern recruitment from various countries, making it seem as though everyone was moring for these interns.


    Now he was truly moring for these interns, even feeling an impulse to recruit the entire graduating ss under hismand.


    "I am proud of them! I''ve called you here to tell you that, if you are willing, I am prepared to promote your ranks immediately," said Leite VII,posing himself as he looked at the young officers standing erect before him.


    "We are willing to stay," replied several of the young men standing in the front row after a few seconds of silence, their hoarse voices responding.


    Their eyes were already red; they too had just received the news that some of their ssmates had fallen.


    Some were the upperssmen of those who had perished, some their underssmen, and even some were their direct ssmates, from the same graduating ss.


    They even knew the names of the fallen, their academic performances in school, the numbers of their dormitory doors, and which beds they had slept in.


    Their eyes moist, rims red, these young people, who had never frowned from hardship during training, were now choking with sobs.


    "I will order that all the interns from the Great Tang military academy be granted promotions. I have already ordered approval of the report submitted by themander of the border legion. In every battalion, and units above battalion, the position of staff officer will be established, and you will take on these roles!" Leite VII promised, looking at the distressed interns in front of him.


    "I hope you can train the Leite Kingdom''s military to be even better, to forge it stronger! I will not forget the blood debt owed to Germelin! Next, we shall make Germelin¡­ pay with blood for blood!" he unsheathed his sword and lifted it high above his head, crying out loud.


    "Make Germelin pay with blood for blood!" The young officers swung their fists in the air, shouting loudly in unison, "Make Germelin¡­ pay with blood for blood!"


    Leite VII did indeed have the power to take revenge; he had even already thought about how to begin his retaliation!


    He had already assembled two legions of troops, with two more legions converging from different directions toward the eastern front.


    In terms of military strength, Leite Kingdom was no longer at a disadvantage, and even held an absolute advantage in the training andmand coordination of their forces.


    With support from the Great Tang Group, Leite Kingdom''s military also held an advantage in weaponry. This force was equipped with arge number of cannons and at least five heavy machine guns.


    Of course, aside from this, the King of Leite''s biggest source of confidence was the longest railway transport line in the world behind him!


    Compared to the ordeal of the Germelin Kingdom, which had to painstakingly gather the weapons and ammunition produced by the scattered Shireck workshops and transport them to the front lines, Leite Kingdom''s transport was much simpler.


    Weapons and ammunition produced by Brunas were loaded directly onto trains and then shipped all the way to King City for unloading. This process was extremely rapid; otherwise, the King of Leite would not have entertained the idea of moving the capital.


    With this railway,bined with an absolute advantage in the number of automobiles and horse-drawn carriages, Leite Kingdom''s logistics naturally crushed their opponents.


    This was far superior to their opponent, the Kingdom of Germelin, where the difference in carriage numbers was hardly noticeable¡ªLeite Kingdom only had 200 more.


    However, when it came to automobiles, Germelin was no match at all. Leite Kingdom had 1,100 vehicles of various models, while Germelin had only six¡­


    Truth be told, neither Leite VII nor his fathers and forefathers had ever fought such a well-supplied war!


    In the wars of the past, all the renowned generals of this world could only carry as much cannon and bullet ammunition as possible, then receive a pitiful bit of support in terrible logistics.


    ```


    ```


    Everyone was conserving ammunition, cutting back wherever possible, unwilling to use up all their weapons and munitions in a single battle.


    But now, things were different. The emergence of railways and new transportation tools had boosted the speed of logistical supply to an unimaginable level.


    This made the squandering of ammunition possible, so the frontline troops had assurances for weapon upgrades. The military''s firepower was truly enhanced, and the war was fundamentally altered in appearance.


    Therefore, it can be said that the needle gun first appeared on the battlefield during the Northern Ridge War. But the real upgrade in the world''s warfare came with this "War of 11 Nations".


    In this war, the massive deployment of the navy''s irond warships, the introduction of modernmunication technologies influencing battlefield dynamics, revolutionary changes in logistical support, and the gradual shaping of military tactics urred.


    Although all these were one-sided developments, the war brought about the true eptance and poprity of new weapons among everyone.


    And with this war, the name Great Tang Group became truly well-known to households, just like the Shireck Consortium had in the past.


    ...


    "Our influence in other regions is still too weak, which is why we don''t have much of a warning about the Shireck Consortium''s actions," Li''ao exined somewhat guiltily to Tang Mo, who was sitting there.


    Just now, Leite VII had personally sent a telegram, informing Tang Mo of the border legion''s retreat and the tragic news of the death of six trainees from the Great Tang Military Academy.


    This was a first¡ªthe first time six graduates from the Great Tang Military Academy had died at once. Although there had been sacrifices before, they were usually isted incidents involving just one person.


    But this time, six had died in one fell swoop¡ªthis weighed heavily on Tang Mo''s heart, as if he had lost a group of rtives.


    He was still clutching the telegram, which emphasized Leite VII''s decision to promote all the trainees from the Great Tang Military Academy.


    Additionally, Leite VII had made a request in the telegram, asking for the Great Tang Military Academy to support the Leite Kingdom with more graduates, expressing a willingness to coborate for this purpose.


    Leite VII even showed rare generosity: On the matter of this coboration, I am willing to pay whatever it costs; we can discuss anything...


    The end of the telegram announced Leite VII''s conferring of the title of Earl upon Tang Mo¡ªan attempt to cate him.


    "It''s definitely not just a small move," Tang Mo clenched the telegram in his hand and, looking at Li''ao, suddenly spoke.


    He squinted his eyes and continued, "If it were simply Germelin''s attack, the scale would be too insignificant! They should know that merely with such tactics, it''s impossible to defeat me!"


    As he spoke, he stood up, leaning forward with his hands on the edge of the table: "Suthers, Dorne! Even Por and Songmu Kingdoms! They will surely act from all directions! Send the message out, let everyone be prepared!"


    "Yes!" Li''ao immediately nodded in agreement.


    "Have the fleet stay at Hotwind Port! Until we understand just how big a storm Shireck is prepared to stir up, adding new enemies is irrational!" Tang Mo instructed further.


    Li''ao paused, then nodded again, "Yes! Master."


    He hadn''t anticipated Tang Mo''s restraint; the young man had easily let go of an enticing opportunity, making the most rational decision.


    If these decisions had been made by a 60-year-old man, Li''ao wouldn''t have found it surprising. But the fact that they came from the mouth of someone who was not yet 21 years old demanded admiration.


    Although, Li''ao had witnessed Tang Mo''s shrewdness and steadiness more than once. Yet, each time he was still a little shocked.


    Li''ao did not know that thismand would ce the fleet, which was ready to head south, at the position where they most needed to be. Because a colossal navy fleet of the Taren Kingdom was advancing towards Hotwind Port.


    However, Tang Mo did not foresee that in Dorne, where the Great Tang Group''s intelligencework was not fully spread out, a storm was also brewing.


    At the same time, the borders between the Por and Songmu Kingdoms were also stirring, with arger scale war in preparation.


    As an experienced yer, Shireck certainly had its own influence. With their deep roots, they had more surprises in store for Tang Mo.


    And now, those involved in this matter were still unaware that a war in which 11 nations were participating, a conflict that spread across a third of the Endless Sea''s Eastern Continent, and rmed more than half of the world, was gradually unfolding due to their actions.


    ```

 Chapter 266: 262 new students

    ```


    Leading the fleet southward, Bernard flipped through the supply list irritably in the already hot weather of Hotwind Port.


    Honestly speaking, with the support from the Dorne Kingdom and prior arrangements, the supply level here had far exceeded his expectations.


    Here they ensured the sailors were well-provisioned, even every one of them got to drink milk, enjoy sweet tea with sugar, and they could go ashore to enjoy unique local delicacies.


    After resting at Hotwind Port for two days, their morale was high¡­ but they had yet to set sail southward when they received Tang Mo''s order prohibiting them from heading to Taren Kingdom.


    In Bernard''s view, thismand was somewhat awkward, as he had originally thought he would make his mark in the Taren Kingdom, but now he had to stop in his tracks, waiting in such a tranquil ce.


    Hotwind Port had expanded its docks, possessing a fleet of 5 sail warships as a escort, and outside the city there were power nts and some textile factories.


    The Great Tang Group had built a military factory here, transitioning to produce needle guns and various types of shells, and the n was to move the production of C64 cannons to this ce as well.


    Training workers was now the biggest obstacle to factory expansion, and getting as many people as possible exposed to the industry had be the best way for Tang Mo to expand his influence.


    As a result, several civilian factories began popping up like mushrooms after rain. Suddenly, this world had a few hundred thousand, even millions, of "proletariats".


    In Hotwind Port, the factories belonging to the Great Tang Group numbered over a hundred, including power nts, steel nts, textile factories, cement factories, ss factories, fertilizer factories, bulb factories, arms factories, telegraph offices...


    The same was true in Osa, with even a smelter added to the list¡ªthere were gold and copper mines there, after all.


    Compared to these two enves, Dragon Ind, as the "homnd" of the Great Tang Group, was built as a super-sized factory.


    Aside from the extensive petroleum industry on the ind, there was also a power nt on a scale already close to that of Brunas.


    There was no choice, as future aluminum electrolysis and new-style smelting forging would require electricity, and it was necessary to build up reserve power generating capacity.


    In addition, these ces also had some red-light districts and casinos, which were the traditional projects of the Great Tang Group''s entertainment business, and were naturally not absent.


    If not for the war breaking out, the Great Tang Group had recently begun nning to poprize the wondrous "machine" known as the "radio".


    With this device, the Great Tang Group could increase its influence in the cultural and public opinion domains,pletely crushing the fragile traditional channels of opinion dissemination.


    What a pity though, that the war erupted, affecting the pace of electricity poprization and temporarily shelving the production of radios.


    As a future port of significant importance to be developed by the Great Tang Group, Hotwind Port actually had another vital function¡ªtransporting increasinglyrge amounts of rubber for the Great Tang Group!


    Rubber is one of the most important materials for modern industrial civilization, and natural rubber is a material that is very difficult to rece.


    At least in the foreseeable future, the rubber industry is irreceable, and artificial rubber cannot rece itpletely.


    Besides, the cost of synthesizing artificial rubber from other raw materials is enormous, the output is insufficient, and the quality is very poor.


    It is estimated that it would take several more years for the Great Tang Group to develop a product that could rece natural rubber, and even with Tang Mo''s modern technology support, production capacity is still a major challenge.


    Just like products made of aluminum and titanium, Tang Mo knows the manufacturing processes, including the most cost-effective ones.


    But even so, he cannot immediately produce arge amount of aluminum and titanium products¡ªthat''s where production capacity is a constraint.


    There''s no way around it; this has to be built up little by little. What Tang Mo can save on is merely research and development time and the cost of trial and error.


    So you see, Hotwind Port is very important for the Great Tang Group. Once Tang Mo acquired this port and secured twice as much rubber raw material as before, he understood this principle.


    In the future, he nned to establishrge rubber ntations within the southern kingdoms like Taren Kingdom and Xilun Kingdom, making them provide a substantial amount of rubber products for the Great Tang Group.


    "It really is an irritating day; when can we finally take action?" Bernard mumbled as he put down the telegraph in his hands, sighing with a sense of resignation.


    ...


    Recently, the Great Tang Group''s military academy weed a few special students, whose arrival made all the other students in the school extremely curious.


    Among these students, a male and a female became the center of attention, representing the new students and even causing many senior students to feel immense pressure.


    Previously, there were many nobles'' children at the Great Tang military academy, including many legitimate sons of earls, whose status was esteemed beyond words.


    However, these children were still treated equally in the school, and so they had their share of hardships. With their efforts, they integrated themselves into the schoolmunity.


    ```


    Yet, a boy who joined the school yesterday has a status that not even a group of Earl''s sons could match.


    Whether Leite VII was putting on an act or genuinely moved, in the end, he gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, sending his own Crown Prince, his eldest son, to the Great Tang Military Academy.


    That means, barring any idents, after Leite VII breathes hisst, Leite VIII would have to address Tang Mo as Principal...


    Of course, this ''Principal'' title isn''t called in vain. The Crown Prince will soon discover that his position has be unshakeable and as stable as Mount Tai, thanks to his academic experience.


    The students standing by his side at this moment will be the Kingdom''s Ministers in the future, his true confidants, his support, his capital!


    For such an unlucky Crown Prince sent to endure hardships and training, this can definitely be considered a blessing in disguise.


    Of course, this true "second generation king" quickly made the acquaintance of many "second generation nobles," "second generation officials," and "second generation riches" after enrolling...


    And then, he became friends with these people, bing their admired "Old Eighth" ¡ª yes, "Old Eighth," you read that right.


    In the eyes of the students at Great Tang Military Academy, the most awesome person is undoubtedly their Principal, Mr. Tang, who is their sun, their deity, the light in their inner world...


    The second most formidable person in the academy is a legend, a legend who has now be the nightmare of all the students there.


    There was once a young girl who hit an inexplicable stroke of luck and became part of the first batch of students admitted to the school. She was exceptionally gifted, intelligent, and eager to learn, always achieving the top rank in every exam.


    Over time, the young girl became known as the "Queen" among the mouths of the first graduating ss, while those "first period instructors" still tremble at the sight of her.


    There''s no helping it, she hasn''t graduated yet, and is already the academic summit of the entire school, personally selected by the Principal as one of the first postgraduate students.


    She is nearly all the male students'' idol, the object of their secret adoration, the strong unattainable figure they are doomed never to pursue...


    Indeed, Yulin is no longer the little girl who passed messages to Tang Mo; she is now a talent meticulously cultivated by the Great Tang Group, a presence that surpasses her era in her field of expertise.


    The third student everyone admires is named Galsa, who I heard was once merely an apprentice to a cksmith.


    But now this senior doesn''t oftene to study at the school anymore. He follows Mathews and has pretty much be one of the main technical backbones of the Great Tang Group.


    The fourth big shot is named Dino, who was known as the invincible fighter of the entire school. No matter if you are the beloved son of an Earl or the direct descendant of a wealthy merchant, none are unafraid of him.


    The only person in the school who has beaten him is the Queen, Yulin, and the only one he dares not fight is Galsa.


    Further down the line,e the outstanding figures from the second batch of apprentices. Great Tang Military Academy has now been running courses for two years, naturally cultivating a second cohort of students.


    In fact, Tang Mo, eager to develop talent, recruits a new batch of students every half-year; the Great Tang Military Academy now has four batches of students.


    However, strictly speaking, the Great Tang Military Academy has yet to have any graduates ¡ª ording to Tang Mo''s requirements, one must study for four years to formally graduate.


    As for the geniuses like Yulin, still counting Galsa and others, they are currently studying while interning, not yet considered graduates.


    As they haven''t graduated, they remain the big sisters and big brothers of the academy. They are still the targets for the juniors to chase, still the direction of their efforts, still the invincible figures in their hearts.


    Another person who caught attention with this batch''s enrollment is a girl, or rather, a cat girl. Her mere presence standing there has already had a lethal effect.


    You could definitely say Yue''er is one in ten thousand, sent by Tang Mo to the school for education, which certainly makes the fifth cohort of the Great Tang Military Academy''s students feel extremely honored.


    Those gossipy students were even more excited about Yue''er''s arrival, unable to hold back their screams: they obviously knew the school''s tyrant, Her Majesty the Queen Yulin, had a crush on Principal Tang Mo. And this newly joined cat girl Yue''er, was almost Yulin''s rival in love.


    Indeed, has the school be a battleground for fierce fighters, a valley of joy? Everyone''s eyes shone, ready to watch a grand drama of pce intrigue unfold.


    After all, during the freshman self-introduction, this young girl revealed her identity, "I am an Orc given as a gift to Mr. Tang Mo; my name is Yue''er. Mr. Tang Mo gave me my name, I am very pleased to meet everyone..."


    The students waiting for the drama were not disappointed as this girl named Yue''er became famous in the first military training session. She unexpectedly had learnedbat skills and had a highbat value.


    In fact, Yue''er''s father was a soldier, but died in the battle between Gales and Por on the Sena ins.


    Yue''er had been learningbat from a young age, but she never showcased her true strength. Her swordsmanship was quite good, and she also had a natural talent for unarmedbat.


    ------


    My body is still not feeling great. Update presented, further updates dyed by one day to see how things go. Please be patient, everyone...

 Chapter 267: The Battle of Hotwind Port 263

    The world''s rotation wouldn''t change because a cat girl who could fight was discovered, at least not while she was still attending school.


    Just as Yue''er''s military training instructor discovered her astonishing talent, the Suthers Kingdom sent a rather pessimistic telegram to Tang Mo.


    The Suthers Kingdom had strengthened its national power due to sessful tax reforms but had also incited dissatisfaction among many people because of these reforms.


    Previously, because the Shireck Consortium had not stirred up trouble, this discord was suppressed, but now, due to Shireck''s instigation and maniption, the political situation in Suthers had be unstable.


    The King of Suthers and the Prime Minister were busy dealing with the internal strife, while on the borders, neighboring nations pressed with their armies.


    Left with no choice, the Suthers Kingdom had to send out a telegram asking for aid from Tang Mo, hoping he could take measures in advance to prevent Suthers from being unable to cope when a crisis eventually broke out.


    Therefore, Tang Mo had no choice but to mobilize a batch of supplies, urgently sending them to Suthers. However,pared to the support for Leite, the scale of this reinforcement was not so significant.


    Since Suthers had not yet erupted into war, most of the support sent this time consisted of economic products.


    Tang Mo hoped that the economic benefits brought by these supplies would stabilize Suthers'' internal affairs and help suppress those hostile factions that stirred up trouble at the source.


    The good news was that there was a railroad between Tang Mo and Suthers, a railway that connected Brunas to the Ice Crystal River and had long been operational, requiring no further investment.


    The magic of the railway was evident at this time. The mere two railroads that Tang Mo controlled yed a strategic role, allowing the supplies produced in Brunas and Dragon Ind to promptly reach their needed destinations without hesitation.


    While Tang Mo was deploying troops and dealing with the pressure from both Suthers and Leite, the idle fleetmander at Hotwind Port, Bernard, watched with wide eyes and jaw dropped as the sea surface filled with densely packed sails, too shocked to utter a word for quite some time.


    He truly couldn''t believe that while he waited at Hotwind Port, ready to set sail back home at any time, the enemy would deliver themselves to his doorstep... Could this be the legendary "Fortune falls into thep of those who stay at home"?


    Even funnier was that, after attacking the guarded armed merchant ships of Hotwind Port, the enemy waited over two hours. They waited until the furnaces of Great Tang Group''s fleet of irond warships were thoroughly heated, they waited until Bernard saw their messenger...


    "The Taren Kingdom orders you to surrender!" said the messenger arrogantly, "Otherwise, you will bepletely annihted by 100 Taren warships!"


    "I''m not the least bit interested in your joke," Bernard said, looking at the messenger d in brown military uniform, "Tell yourmander to wash his neck and wait for death!"


    "General Valen will remember what you have said today!" the messenger threatened Bernard coldly, "Your fleet will be sunk, and you will die in the cold sea waters!"


    Bernard was taken aback for a moment, then disdainfully looked at his adjutant, "I remember my words, and I also remember this General Valen. Remember what he said!"


    "Send him back!" he said, and then took off the Navy coat hanging on the wall, "My gship is easy to recognize, I hope you bring more people to try and capture me!"


    The Wolf No. 1 warship was indeed easy to recognize, being the first true cruiser in the world; its hull was much more slender than the Brunas-ss irond warships.


    It was fast, excelling in long-distance raids and interception operations. With its formidable firepower and iron body, its navalbat capabilities also utterly crushed every warship of the era.


    After all, it was designed to rece the Brunas-ss warships, naturally far surpassing its predecessors in firepower and speed.


    When ck smoke rose at sea, the mechanical roar, like the beat of war drums, spurred the courage of the Great Tang Group maritime security forces'' soldiers.


    They awaited the outbreak of war, or rather, they looked forward to its eruption, and their opponents seemed unaware of this fact.


    "Speed has increased to 20 kilometers! Boiler power is slowly rising! Although the warship is not at optimum condition, it''s ready to fight!" reported an adjutant on the bridge of a Brunas-ss warship to his captain.


    "Has themander boarded the gship?" the captain put down his binocrs, turned to his adjutant, and confirmed.


    "Commander Bernard has boarded the Wolf No. 1. Themand g has been raised on the mast. I saw it myself, no problem," the adjutant replied promptly.


    "Then, stand by and hand over themand to Commander Bernard," the captain said, taking a breath and picking up his binocrs again to look out at the distant sea. Experience more content on mvl


    The sailing warships from the Taren Kingdom were already very close. They seemed to have formed an "eight"-shaped formation, splitting into two groups in an attempt to pincer attack the four odd enemy ships belching ck smoke as they exited the port.


    On Wolf No. 1 cruiser''s bridge, Bernard suddenly felt a little nervous, afraid that the prey in front of him would escape...


    "Maintain a basic speed of 20 kilometers per hour! Execute tactics! Align in sequence! This ship leads, remaining warships follow ording to the prearranged n! Engage the enemy on the starboard side! Crush the enemy fleet on our right first!" Bernard issued his firstmand today after a tense few seconds.


    Immediately after, he issued his secondmand, "Left rudder! 15 degrees!"


    His purpose in adjusting the course was to position his fleet''s starboard side towards the enemy''s left-wing fleet in the distance, which is the stroke of the figure-eight formation.


    "Order the three sailing warships and two armed merchant ships from Hotwind Port to break away from the fleet and return to Hotwind Port!" He then issued his thirdmand.


    Ultimately, his fleet''s speed would exceed 30 kilometers per hour. By then, the sailing warships that had sailed out of Hotwind Port with the irond warships would be left behind, causing a disjoint in the fleet.


    To avoid unnecessary losses, Bernard decided to send thegging sailing warships back early. Although this would reduce the number of ships in his fleet, it wouldn''t affect his corebat strength.


    Half an hour earlier, General Valen had received the returning messenger and admired the opposingmander''s courage.


    He had 70 first-rate sailing warships, but the number of enemy ships that had just sailed out of Hotwind Port was a pitiful eight!


    Among these eight warships, only two were the first-rate sailing warships he was familiar with, plus two armed merchant ships to make up the numbers.


    He had never expected that the enemy, with such a weak line-up, would dare to sail out and meet them in battle. Then he saw something that almost made himugh¡ªthe only two first-rate sailing warships of the opponent were retreating with the two armed merchant ships, breaking away from the fleet.


    In his view, it was a clear sign of discord among the enemy''s fleet, where the main fleet units disobeyed orders, leaving the formation and fleeing back to the harbor.


    Therefore, he didn''t even n to attack those cowardly enemy ships, shifting his focus to those weird guys in front of him that emitted ck smoke and had no sails...


    "Turn the ship''s bow! Engage the enemy on the broadside! Prepare for a boarding assault!" Valen put down his monocr andmanded with a confident tone.


    Following his order, his fleet started to turn, beginning to cut into the battle line, causing Taren Kingdom''s fleet formation to change; the overall shape transformed from an "eight" to something resembling a "


    His aim was straightforward¡ªto lead his fleet in surrounding the enemy from the side and rear,pletely annihting the small opposing fleet in front of them.


    Almost simultaneously, Bernard''s fleet disyed a higher speed, with four warships closing in on the enemy fleet on the right, shortening the distance between them to 1500 meters.


    "Hum!" As they approached the enemy, the single-gun turrets on the Wolf-ss warships began rotating, aiming at the distant sailing warships.


    These turrets, equipped with recoil mechanisms, had long 150mm caliber barrels, which were the most terrifying weapons of the era¡ªsecond to none!


    With a frightening rate of fire, they were faster and much more ferocious than the 120mm caliber cannons equipped on the Brunas-ss warships.


    "Fire at will! Lock on targets!" The officer in charge of the guns ordered loudly. When attacking sailboat targets, the 150mm caliber guns didn''t need to fire salvos, which would be a waste of ammunition.


    Just one shell was enough to easily sink an enemy warship, which was an incredibly satisfying feeling.


    "Fire!" Bernard, having put down his binocrs,manded loudly. Apanied by the slight tremor of the warship beneath his feet, the thunderous roar of the cannons heralded the beginning of the naval battle¡ªa veritable ughter at sea had begun!


    In the stunned amazement of the Taren Kingdom sailors, at a distance ofbat they had never experienced, a 150mm caliber shell easily hit the target.


    The massive explosion instantly blew a swath of the hull into the air; the stricken sailing ship wobbled, and its towering mast quickly toppled over to one side.


    Even before they were within engagement range, the Taren Kingdom gunners were still waiting for the distance to be reduced to around 300 meters when they were sent flying into the sky by a projectileing straight at them.


    A ghastly explosion erupted from another warship¡ªthe ignited propent on the Taren Kingdom sailing ship didn''t give the sailors any chance to escape before the mes consumed them.


    The soldiers standing on the deck, along with the wooden nks they stepped on, were sted into the air and torn apart by the airflow, falling back into the sea along with the shattered wood.


    Themander of the Taren Kingdom''s fleet in charge of this operation was stunned in ce; he had no idea whatmands to give, or in fact, he didn''t even know what he was fighting against.


    Right in front of him, two warships were exploding, three others were sinking, and the remaining two had already caughtrge fires. He had lost nearly a third of his warships within the first minute of the battle!

 Chapter 268: The formation of 264 is in disarray.

    ```


    The Tang Group Navy soldier within the turret calmly slid a new round into the cannon''s breech after pulling open the new-style gunlock, then proceeded to push in the propent charge as well.


    Once the breech was closed, he raised his arm, and within a few seconds, the cannon abruptly jolted backward, recoiling over two feet before quickly returning to its original position.


    The not-so-thick armor te of the turret muffled the noise of the cannon firing, and the soldiers inside only heard a dull thud before continuing with the reloading process.


    Since they couldn''t see the results of their own fire, they could only listen to the nomissioned officer responsible for aiming loudly reporting the oues of the shots.


    For these sailors, naval battles were almost no different from ying a game; they just needed to repeat their tasks, and victory would soon follow.


    At least they could feel some tension of the battlefield, unlike the coal tending workers inside the ship''s hull, and soldiers like cartographers and cooks, who couldn''t even detect that the battle had broken out.


    "Boom!" The forward main cannons of the Brunas-ss warship following closely behind the Wolf 1 unleashed twin jets of me.


    Two shells struck their target almost simultaneously; the hit sailboat split apart with the front half still being pulled forward by the sails while the rear sank into the water.


    The Taren Kingdom''s squadron, which had originally intended to encircle the Great Tang''s fleet, finally came to understand the gap in strength between their vessels; a few warships began to turn in panic.


    But before they could turn around, they were hit by iing shells and swiftly returned to the embrace of the ocean deity.


    The remaining warships tried to intimidate the Great Tang warships by firing their cannons, only to swiftly face the second barrage from the Wolf-ss ships.


    The volley of shells flew directly into the Taren Kingdom''s formation and what ensued was utter chaos.


    Indeed, it was utter chaos ¨C one of the Taren warships lost its mast in an explosion; the massive mast cleaved into the water, and the Steering Wheel Royal g floated pitifully on the surface.


    The Taren warships, which had been lined up to show off their dense array of cannons, finally realized how na?ve and ridiculous they were.


    Before they could even fire a single shot, they were hit by cannon fire and turned into pitiable wrecks engulfed in mes and explosions.


    Amidst the sessive booms of cannon fire, the Taren general inmand of the squadron suddenly realized a grave problem.


    The ship he was on, positioned centrally in the formation... seemed to be approaching the enemy warships ever closer.


    The ships in front of him had been almostpletely destroyed or thoroughly sunk right in front of him.


    Now, it was his turn.


    He thought about turning and fleeing, but before he could take a step, the realization hit him that he was at sea, and there was no way to dodge the enemy''s gunfire.


    In fact, as he hesitated on whether to jump into the sea to escape, a shell struck,pletely obliterating his desire to flee. Because he was now dead...


    Equipped with recoiling cannons and shrapnel shells, the Tang Group Navy faced the Taren Kingdom''s sailboats and muzzle-loading cannons in what was essentially an uninteresting, one-sided fight.


    "What is that! What is that!" On the other side of the battlefield, General Valen, stunned by the thunderous cannon fire and continuous sts, yanked his adjutant''s cor and demanded loudly.


    He had yet to grasp what was happening because he couldn''t see the other side of the battlefield and could only guess blindly.


    Unfortunately, even his boldest guesses could not have anticipated that more than half of the 21 warships he had dispatched were already gone.


    "Push forward! Push forward! Share the pressure of the other side''s fleet! Don''t let them escape!" Worried about losses to his squadron, Valen shouted through gritted teeth.


    In his view, the enemy must be nning a desperate breakout attempt, abandoning the port to escape, which is why he made the decision to push all his forces forward, hoping to annihte the opponent''s fleet before they could breakthrough.


    "Push forward! Take out all enemy ships on the starboard side! Then speed up! Prepare to attack the enemy warships on the other nk!" Bernard, without any trace ofcency, issued a new order at this moment.


    Seeing that the enemy fleet on his wing was practically incapable of continuing the fight and all but out of the battle, he decided to pursue and take down this squadron first.


    Since the Great Tang warships had the advantage in speed, he could do whatever he wanted with it, acting virtually without restraint.


    With the gap in weaponry, it was naturally easy to crush the opponent, and as the distance closed further, the 75mm caliber broadside cannons of the Great Tang joined the battle.


    ```


    The cannons filled the gap in the number of artillery pieces on the warships of the Great Tang Group, and as soon as they joined the battle, theypletely bewildered the sailors of the Taren Kingdom.


    The soldiers of the Taren Kingdom had never seen such fierce firepower; they didn''t even have time to scream before being bombarded into disorientation by the shrapnel shells.


    By the time they managed to figure out what was happening, they were surprised to find they had be castaways, floating on the surface of the sea.


    The battle continued, with four irond warships lined up in a row, cutting off the battlefield and decimating the nking fleet of the Taren.


    Even up to now, General Valen of the Taren Kingdom was still making calctions about encircling and annihting the entire fleet of the Great Tang Group.


    However, the brutality of this war greatly exceeded his expectations. He didn''t even realize that at this moment, his other floti, consisting of 21 warships, was either sunk or damaged, nearly annihted.


    The navy warships of the Great Tang Group, lined up in battle formation, fully illustrated what it meant to kill with every pass. As they brushed past the enemy fleet, they sank all the hostile vessels.


    "Turn! Hard to port! Bite the tail of the enemy fleet! Sink them all!" Bernard continued to issue orders after gaining the upper hand.


    After 20 minutes ofbat, the fleet of the Great Tang Group turned once again. This time, the enemy''s figure-eight pincer movement had been thoroughly broken, leaving only the one stroke of the numeral left. Experience tales with mvl


    At this moment, due to prior maneuvering and turning, the fleet of the Taren Kingdom formed an approximate "


    In pursuit of the faster Great Tang Group''s fleet, this shape had almost turned sideways and was clearly deformed.


    Put simply, because the fleet of the Great Tang Group was faster, the formation of the Taren Kingdom''s fleet was already in chaos.


    Naturally, General Valen knew that this was very unfavorable for him, but now he had no good way to change what had already happened.


    He had a total of 55 warships on his side, positioned chaotically, with high dys inmand and dispatch, making them nearly impossible to control as if by hand. Rearranging the formation would take a lot of time, but he no longer had much time.


    As time went on, the fleet of the Great Tang, who had made way for visibility and position, had already bitten the tail of the Taren fleet. The Taren warships in the front, including General Valen''s gship, had already seen the destroyed segment of the Taren Kingdom''s fleet.


    They saw the still zing remains of the warships, the half-sunken vessels afloat on the sea, the broken Steering Wheel Royal g...


    Everything before his eyespletely bewildered Valen; he had not expected his floti not only to fail to stop the enemy from prating the encirclement but also to bepletely annihted...


    At this moment, Valen realized that the naval battle hadpletely spiraled out of control: all his prior arrangements for the battle had been nullified!


    The pre-battle tactical arrangement of pincer attacks from both wings was nowpletely ineffective. The fleet responsible for the pincer, 21 warships, had been heavily damaged by the enemy and hadpletely left the battle.


    The main force hemanded, due to chasing, was already in disarray and even had its tail bitten by the enemy.


    Reliant on shouting and g signals tomand the fleet, he was, in fact, unable to turn the tide of defeat.


    "Sir! The situation doesn''t look good!" After a nce at the ck smoke on the sea surface that had already bitten the tail of his fleet, the adjutant said to Valen with a fearful heart.


    At this time, General Valen also felt that sitting and waiting could lead to the loss of the entire fleet. So he immediately gave an order and shouted to his adjutant, "Turn immediately! Order all the nearby warships to turn! Chase our fleet''s tail!"


    He felt that by turning around and chasing the enemy''s fleet, at least more than half of the warships could be saved.


    Once they stabilized their footing, they could y to their advantage of having more warships and hold out against the enemy for a while. When night fell, the two sides could distance themselves.


    "Turn around! Turn!" The adjutant immediately went to convey General Valen''s orders. With the execution of this order, the main formation of the Taren Kingdom''s navy became even more chaotic.


    Viewed from above, the Taren Kingdom''s fleet now resembled a hook shape, but the distances between the ships were uneven, and they even obstructed each other''s gun ports, rendering them almost incapable of firing.


    The battlefield was pure chaos, filled with warships turning or evading. In this turmoil''s outermost fringes, four warships of the Great Tang Group had already grasped their targets and initiated a new round of attacks.


    Apanied by the sessive cannon fire, the warships of the Taren Kingdom started exploding and sinking again. One by one, the warships were hit, damaged, and then forced to slow down, ultimately sinking.


    Unable to tend to their fallenrades, unable to return fire, the Taren Kingdom''s captains andmanders, watching helplessly as the enemy caught up and then opened fire to sink their ships, could only issue haphazard orders in a cry of desperation.


    Some warships raised white gs, some chose to flee from the fleet, but they soon found that these choices apparently could not alter their fate of being sunk...

 Chapter 269: 265, a shell

    The cannon fuses of the Great Tang Group were far superior to any other shrapnel fuses of the era, with precision that made them appearpletely out of ce in their time.


    Although the yield rate of the shells wasn''t particrly high due to the precision processing, it was leagues ahead of the shrapnel that Shireck had just begun to mass-produce.


    Even more, these fuses had a safety mechanism that waspletely separate from the shell, to be installed only at the time of firing.


    When the soldiers used a special tool to twist the safety on the shell and put it in a fully activated state, the enemy''s nightmare seemed to begin.


    This shell was then loaded into the cannon, followed by the propent, and then the breech was tightly sealed.


    The brand new breech, an improvement over the C64''s wedge breech by a generation, opted for a threaded style more appropriate forrge-caliber artillery. This was better suited for naval guns and also increased the rate of fire.


    After the breech was rotated and locked into ce, the gun captain pulled the firing mechanism of the artillery eagerly, and the rear of the cannon jolted backward, the intense cannon sound reaching everyone''s ears through the steel tes.


    Despite wearing special earplugs, the sound was still earth-shattering. Some covered their ears, others turned their backs to the cannon, all trying desperately to relieve the pressure on their ears.


    The shell''s propent was ignited by the cannon''s fuse, and the powder aggressively became me inside the chamber. The gas expanded instantly, embedding the slightly oversized shell into the rotating threads, as it spun rapidly forward.


    As the shell spiraled down the barrel, the immense force deformed the surrounding metal by the rifling, elerating violently inside the barrel, before suddenly breaking free at the muzzle.


    In that instant, without the rifling forcing it to keep spinning, the air friction dropped and its speed suddenly leapt to hundreds of meters a second.


    The surrounding air was sted away by the shockwave, mes from within the barrel surged out the muzzle, wreaking havoc around the artillery.


    The next second, the shell, having broken the sound barrier, sped over a distance of more than 700 meters in just over a second, precisely hitting a sail warship that was firing.


    The shell''s casing, glowing red-hot from friction with the air, kept rotating slowly, maintaining an extremely stable trajectory.


    When the shell struck the rtively soft wooden hull, its fuse was activated upon impact, igniting the detonator inside.


    The detonator exploded immediately, igniting the shell''s internal charge. The fire instantly filled the shell, causing the air inside to expand dozens of times over.


    The shell''s casing, already red-hot from the heat of friction, shattered under the burden, releasing itself and cutting through everything it encountered.


    The shrapnel destroyed the surrounding woodenpartments, severed hammock ropes, and prated bodies soft as tofu, snapping bones more fragile than bamboo.


    The shockwave spread, mangling and tearing everything nearby, as if a gale were slicing through corpses and the ship''s sturdy structure with ease.


    The improvements to the fuse slightly dyed the detonation, greatly enhancing the destructive power upon hitting the wooden sail warship.


    As the explosion spread, reaching further areas, the part hit by the shell was already a total mess.


    When sailors, twisted and disfigured in the lower body, began to fall from mid-air, sailors further away already had their internal organs shattered and bled out.


    In the next second, the deck of the wooden warship heaved as the airflow from below lifted it, bulging as if inted like a balloon.


    The soldiers standing on the deck were flung into the sky along with the wood beneath their feet and then fell back down heavily.


    Due to the severe explosion, the seemingly impregnable ship was shed into even more sharp debris, filling almost all empty spaces amidst the flying shrapnel, reminiscent of the scattering of flowers by heavenly maidens.


    And all of this likely happened within a second, so that by the time it ended, even those with the capacity to think had no chance to react.


    As countless fragments fell to the ground, the lives around the explosion had already fallen silent, without a trace of sound.


    Then, with its keel structure damaged and deck supports broken, the integrity of the ship''s body was lost. The mainmast, torn by wind and released from its bindings, began to copse.


    It cleaved the yardarm on a mast ahead, bringing with it an abundance of canvas and ropes, crashing heavily onto the foredeck.


    The executive officer beside the stern wheel barely managed to climb up from the deck, feeling dizzy, before recognizing the captain beside him, only to feel the warship tremble beneath his feet.


    Then, arger explosion suddenly blew him away¡ªthe warship''s internal stock of gunpowder, the propent for muzzle-loading cannons, had detonated. The second explosion instantly disintegrated the entire warship into a heap of splinters.


    ```


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    Some were lucky, another warship following the one hit by cannon fire was struck, yet, it did not explode catastrophically.


    At this time, sailors on the tilting warship, which had already started to list, had their gaze drawn toward the explosion nearby.


    They watched in shock as theirrades were lifted into the air by the st, breaking into two pieces in mid-rise.


    When they turned their attention back to the deck beneath their feet, their warship had already listed by at least 15 degrees.


    Water intake had overwhelmed the massive warship''s masts, snapping the ropes and falling toward the listing side.


    Screams were continuous, and the moans of the injured sent chills down the spines of onlookers. Some had already jumped into the water to escape, while others were trying to salvage their warship.


    Finally, the muzzle-loading cannons fixed in ce broke loose because of the tilt, their wooden wheels crushing the toes of the gunners trying to stop them from sliding to the other side, rushing toward the lower side.


    Afterward, these heavy cannons collided with the ones on the opposite side, causing the warship''s list to worsen even more.


    Then, the warship capsized into the sea, rolling overpletely, dumping everyone on board into the water.


    Some climbed onto masts, some clung to sails, some stood on the side of the hull, and some had just poked their heads out of the gun ports they had crossed over.


    They saw, a few hundred meters away, a warship billowing thick smoke cut through the waves without sparing them a nce, as it followed in the wake of another identical warship ahead.


    From the beginning to the end, the capsized sail warship had only been hit by two shots, one of which was the pitiable 75mm caliber C64 antique ship cannon...


    But now it had capsized entirely and would soon sink into the ocean depths. It hadn''t even fired once, because the enemy ship was still 800 meters out when they were hit.


    Bernard had no intention of sparing any of Taren Kingdom''s warships, so after crushing twenty-one warships on one side of the "Ba" formation, he ordered the fleet to speed up and make a wide circle along their course.


    The fully heated boilers could now operate at full capacity, pushing the entire Great Tang Group''s fleet speed to 30 kilometers per hour.


    This speed dwarfed that of all fleets of the era, so after the Great Tang Group''s fleet made a wide circle, they overtook the enemy''s other fleet side, which was slowly turning around.


    In other words, when Valen''s fleet was maneuvered into theplex "vertical hook" formation, the Great Tang Group''s fleet caught up to them from the outside.


    The positions of both fleets had turned into an interesting "×Ó" shape, only the left stroke of the "×Ó" was a bit short.


    While cutting in, the Great Tang Group''s fleet turned its guns, aiming all turrets toward the other side.


    After all, they had initially faced the enemy with their starboard side and now had switched to engaging on their port side. This change allowed the other side''s gun positions of all warships to join the battle.


    Because Bernard''s fleet was moving so quickly and from the outside, Valen, who was in the middle of turning his fleet, still was unable to get a full view of the Great Tang Group''s fleet.


    He could only see the ck smoke lingering on the sea and the remnants of his sub-fleets scattered across the battlefield.


    Valen couldn''t understand why he had fallen into such a passive situation when he clearly had an absolute advantage in numbers.


    He brought 70 first-rate sail warships, which were the absolute dominators of the seas just a year ago.


    Each warship bore dozens of expensive muzzle-loading cannons, and each could amodate hundreds of brave and skilled soldiers.


    Yet now, he stood on his gship unable to see what his enemy even looked like.


    More than fifty warshipsy across the sea''s surface, his being in a position towards the front of the fleet''s arrangement. This position now had no view of the tail end of his own battle line; he could only watch helplessly as chaos spread within his fleet.


    As a naval general, he did not consider himself a fool. He had led troops for many years and achieved many sea battle victories.


    Before today, he was extremely confident, even somewhat arrogant, and even believed himself to be the best navalmander¡ªwithout peers!


    He knew he couldn''t issueplexmands frequently during battle, as the limitations onmunications meant he couldn''t coordinate the entire fleet in a timely manner.


    However, the overwhelming strength beyond hisprehension forced him to abandon the pre-arranged ns and to change his deployment on the fly during the battle.


    ```

 Chapter 270: 266 latency too high

    ```


    When he changed thebat orders, causing chaos, he felt more and more that he was going to lose this crucial naval battle.


    Because his opponent had already broken through the weakest part of his fleet and was gradually devouring it!


    Perhaps "devouring" is not precise enough, for the enemy''s attack was akin to engulphing¡ªengulfing his fleet!


    The fleet of the Taren Kingdom had four warships in poor condition that did not participate in this fight; Valen had ordered these four warships to protect the transport fleet from a further distance.


    So this time, the actualbatants of the Taren Kingdom''s navy consisted of 66 warships, with one sideprising a detachment of 21 warships and the main force with 45 warships.


    Now, Valen was certain that the detachment of 21 warships was practically annihted. Even if he were to win now, the number of people that could be rescued from the sea would not be many.


    Moreover, he hadn''t even finished the fight yet... His fleet was being pursued by the enemy, something he had never experienced before.


    "This cannot go on, General!" Even his adjutant realized this and spoke uneasily.


    "Shut up! I, of course, know this cannot go on!" Valen snapped desperately, staring at the distant sea, andshed out at his adjutant.


    He had originally thought that attacking Hotwind Port would be an easy task, but now it seemed it was not the case at all.


    Hotwind Port was not an easy target, not something that could be manipted at will. This time it seemed he had kicked an iron te.


    One does not feel the pain until after the foot has struck the iron te. Just as his fleet was forced to face annihtion after bumping into an unbeatable fleet... There was no potion for regret.


    "Should we rearrange the battle line?" his adjutant hesitated but still offered his suggestion.


    He felt that if they did nothing, they would continue to be passive and eventually everything would be out of control.


    "Any further orders, and our formation willpletely copse!" Valenmented in despair.


    He wished he could issue orders to rally the fleet, but hismands had to reach the nearby warships first and then continue to spread outwards.


    This took time; he had never seen anything like a wireless telegraph, nor did he have any illusion that his orders could be ryed to all the warships in a single second.


    Since transmitting orders required time, executing them would be dyed. The kind of operation where one drags a mouse across aputer screen to select troops and then issuesmands simultaneously can only be done in games. Your journey continues on mvl


    In real-life situations, there are no such smoothmand transmissions. There will always be exceptions, especially in the chaotic state of battle.


    In today''s battle, Valen''s fleet had effectively lost the ability to be directed properly. The fleet''s formation was tooplex and hadpletely diverged from the tactical arrangements made before the battle.


    There was no choice; this was a direct problem caused by backward tacticalmunication. It''s like how many today do not understand Dong Cunrui blowing up the bunker¡ªa story with parallels here.


    In an environment without individualmunication systems and where effective battlefieldmunication was unachievable, the bugle was themand, and the pre-nned strategy was the truth that had to be followed.


    Once a link in the chain broke down, it would immediately result in significant casualties, requiring soldiers or small units at the lower levels to stubbornly solve the problems and get the n back on the predetermined tracks.


    If Dong Cunrui hadn''t sacrificed himself to destroy the enemy''s bunker, the general offensive on this front would only be able tomence as scheduled; otherwise, the troops on the nk would have to retreat or be caught in a pincers by the enemy.


    To avoid losses, the nking troops would have to abandon their attack, leading to aplete abandonment of the offensive and starting all over again.


    Therefore, he chose to sacrifice himself at a critical moment, preserving the fruits of victory gained in the offensive¡ªa choice of tragic heroism that proved his greatness.


    And at this moment, Valen faced the same issue¡ªhe could not unify his troops to make all the warships respond immediately.


    The warships following close by could receive orders immediately, but those farther away were thrown into confusion, and right now, the troops being battered at the rear were still executing the tasks they received at the start of the campaign: encircling enemy vessels...


    Yes, they were still carrying out themand to encircle the Great Tang fleet, even though it now seemed rather absurd.


    At this moment, in Valen''s main fleet, most of the warships were executing orders that appeared strangely nonsensical.


    "What a joke!" Near the end of the formation, a captain saw the signaler on the mast of the warship ahead, waving his g.


    And he, who was familiar with g signals, knew that the signal transmitted was: Increase speed, turn left to prepare to meet the enemy.


    He frowned, not understanding what themand meant, for the enemy was on his right side and was attacking from behind his position.


    ```


    If he were to turn left now, wouldn''t he be exposing the ship''s stern to the enemy''s cannon fire? And after turning left, wouldn''t that be fleeing from the enemy in fear?


    "Captain! What do we do?" Clearly, the executive officer on this warship also noticed the w in the orders and asked with some confusion.


    "All the warships ahead are turning, and no one seems to know exactly what''s happening," the captain replied somewhat despondently. "Given the circumstances, shouldn''t we collectively turn right and encircle the opponent?"


    "But the order is to turn left!" The executive officer confirmed several times that the order indeed was to turn left. The warships in front were indeed turning left, which resulted in a disorganized formation.


    While saying this, he looked anxiously toward the ally warships that were turning ahead, and then reminded urgently, "Captain! If we don''t make a decision soon, we''ll fall out of formation with the fleet."


    "Turn left!" After pondering for a moment, the captain,cking the courage to disobey the military order and turn right on his own, issued the samemand as the captains before him.


    Given the current situation, even though turning left offered no better angle for counterattack, it did somewhat avoid the thrust of the enemy warships'' attack, thereby alleviating some of the pressure on the fleet.


    Therefore, the executive officer breathed a sigh of relief, swiftly ryed themand loudly, and directed their own warship to veer alongside the ally warships ahead.


    Meanwhile, aboard the Great Tang Group''s Navy Ship Wolf 1, Bernard watched as an enemy warship, amid mes, slowly sank into the sea.


    "Report! The lookout confirms, the enemy fleet is turning," the executive officer brought news of the enemy fleet''s maneuvers.


    "Turning? Full rudder right, another encirclement?" Bernard asked with a smile.


    The executive officer shook his head and said, "The enemy fleet is turning left, their intentions unclear. They might be trying to shake us off in retreat, or they could be nning to regroup."


    "..." Bernard hadn''t considered the enemy''s actions in any other context, for he had a telegraph and was ustomed to immediatemunication during training and exercises, forgetting the issue ofmunications dys long ago.


    From this moment, the sea battle took on apletely different character; Bernard began to guess what divine maneuver the opponent might have, thus forcing him to make cautiousmand decisions.


    He thought for a few seconds and finally ordered, "Regardless of their goal! We just need to keep on their tail! With our superior speed, no matter what tricks they pull!"


    This was a rtively safe tactic, so the executive officer had no objections and immediately went to convey Bernard''s orders.


    Thus, the Great Tang fleet continued forward along the enemy''s right side. Only when the remaining enemy warships all began to turn did they follow suit.


    It was as if both sides drew half a concentric circle on the sea, with the Great Tang fleet taking advantage of its speed to turn on the outer circle, maintaining a distance of about 800 meters, nipping at the tail of the Taren Kingdom Navy, continuing a coherent attack.


    Watching the Great Tang fleet calmly follow behind and sporadically sinking a sail warship, themanders of the Taren Kingdom''s fleet were utterly speechless.


    Giant water spouts erupted intermittently on the sea; these were the spectacr sights of the Great Tang Group''s cannonballs, deflected off target by the rocking of the ship, exploding in the water.


    Those water columns, even taller than the masts, flung brackish seawater onto the decks of the Taren Kingdom warships, frightening the drenched sailors pale.


    Manymanders aboard warships that had justpleted their turns were pale and shocked to see the enemy ships bearing down on them once again with ferocity.


    Their attempts to shake off their pursuer were in vain, and like a clinging curse or a shadowy nightmare, the enemy was relentless and unshakable.


    "Fire! Fire! We can''t wait any longer! The enemy warships are too fast! We have no way to close the distance!" On the ship at the very rear, a Taren Kingdom captain ordered in panic.


    The side guns, which could hardly wait, immediately roared, sending a dozen shells towards the distant target, but almost all missed without a single hit.


    Eventually, one solid shot struck the side of the irond, leaving only a small indent and failing to breach the steel side tes of the warship.


    It was only at that moment that the sailors of Taren Kingdom truly confirmed that the enemy warships were indeed made of steel.


    "Their warships are made of iron!" A sailor screamed in terror upon seeing his shot repelled by the enemy warship''s armor.


    Apanying his scream, two bow main guns on the opposite irond exploded with fire, sending two shells whistling towards them. In an instant, the sail warship became a fiery hell.


    Amidst flying flesh and blood, the sail warship that had just fired was torn in two, its ends lifting high, surely about to sink to the bottom of the sea...


    --------


    Another update ising, written slowly, probably after 12 o''clock.

 Chapter 271: 267 turns again

    This time, General Valen finally saw clearly the warship that was pursuing him¡ªhe saw through his own telescope the leading Wolf No. 1 cruiser.


    It was the first time he had seen a warship of this design: without sails and with a low profile, no wonder he could only see the diffuse ck smoke on the sea surface from a distance before.


    The sides of the warship were very high, and if one looked carefully at the bow, one could see arge cannon pointing toward the side.


    Only that cannon was mounted on a turret, a design he had never seen before, and it looked quite novel.


    Then, he saw that cannon spit out a burst of me, which looked like it had fired. Because the warships behind him blocked the view, Valen could not see the shells hitting their target, only hearing the distant sound of cannon fire like the rolling of thunder.


    Finally, after the fleet hadpleted its turn, the rtive positions of the two sides were essentially the shape of the number 11.


    Only the one behind that 11 was a little bit shorter.


    However, this was not a problem at all, forpared with before, the length of the Taren Kingdom''s fleet had already been significantly reduced¡­


    At this moment, after more than two hours of fighting, the formations of both sides had returned to the most basic state of two parallel lines.


    Compared with the previous formations, the Taren Kingdom''s main fleet had simply made a 180-degree turn, with no other change except that the course was opposite to that at the onset of the battle.


    As for the four warships of the Great Tang Group, it was as if they had circled around the enemy''s main fleet and returned to their original course.


    During these more than two hours ofbat, the warships of the Great Tang Group were almost unscathed, while the Taren Kingdom''s fleet had already lost 30 ships, leaving only a pitiable 36 warships still holding on.


    If it weren''t for the need to take a wide turn, the attack efficiency of the Tang Group might have been higher, and they might have been able to sink a few more of Taren Kingdom''s warships.


    General Valen, who already knew he was at a disadvantage, was at this moment also considering how to change the current situation.


    He had not dared to issue newbat orders before because he was afraid that the fleet formation would copse andpletely losemand.


    Now that his formation had returned to a simpler shape, this gave him another opportunity to act.


    Thus, this time he decided to order the fleet to turn right, to seize the T formation from the front, getting the initiative to open fire for a desperate counterattack.


    Although he did not know exactly how many of his own warships were left, he could still judge that at least 40 remained that could support his all-out effort.


    This time, he had already lost too much¡ªif he could not bring the final victory back to Taren Kingdom, then he might as well die for his country as the Navy''smander-in-chief.


    So he must go all-in, he must win, he had never thought of fleeing, let alone surrendering.


    "Order the fleet to turn! Full rudder to the right! Seize the broadside formation!" General Valen ordered furiously.


    He had been pondering for a long time, so he was a bit out of his mind by now. He wanted revenge, topletely annihte the Great Tang fleet before his eyes!


    Immediately after, the signalman standing at the top of his mast began to ry orders, and themand to continue turning was immediately transmitted to the warships on both sides.


    Since his gship had been the first to execute the turnmand just now, his warship had moved up several ces in the fleet.


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    This time, his warship was the first to begin the turn, and so his ship immediately took up the third position in the fleet order.


    What he did not know was that he now had only 32 warships left; four of the sail warships that had been caught up to could never execute his orders again.


    Explosions were stilling non-stop, and there were still warships hit by shells that lost the ability to continue fighting. Floating on the sea surface were wooden nks and bodies, as well as battle gs and sails.


    Finally, a captain of the Taren Kingdom, aboard a sailing warship in the middle of the fleet, could no longer bear the pressure.


    He leaned on the railing of the ship''s side, looking back at the enemy warships that were gradually approaching, devoid of his usualposure.


    Soon, he withdrew his head and turned to his executive officer: "Valen that bastard is trying to take us to our deaths! He has been rying the wrongmands all along!"


    "But what can we do?" the executive officer asked numbly.


    The battle had reached this stage, and everyone knew that the Taren Kingdom''s Navy had suffered heavy losses. Even if they ultimately won this fight, their remaining warships were alreadypletely incapable of maintaining the trade routes in the southern waters of the Endless Sea.


    Unless the rebellion they were plotting within Dorne Kingdom seeded, they might have a chance to catch their breath.


    Once the other side suppressed the rebellion and had the energy to do so, they would certainly make trouble at sea and vie for interest while Taren Kingdom was weak.


    The despairing truth was, the Taren Kingdom was a maritime nation, and its interests at sea were its core interests...


    "Order the warship to turn hard to port! We''re getting out of this damned ce!" the captain looked at his executive officer, trying to convince him to flee alongside the cowardly captain himself.


    Sure enough, the executive officer hesitated, because deserting in the face of the enemy was undoubtedly a serious crime, and he wasn''t ready to lose his promising future.


    But if they turned hard to starboard like the warships ahead, they would certainly meet the ferocious enemy ships behind them. Then, forget about promotion or wealth, there would be no chance of even saving their own lives.


    "Captain! This is desertion in the face of the enemy, if those above pursue the matter, we both will be dealt with by militaryw!" reminded the executive officer, trembling with fear.


    "This isn''t running away! This is a retreat! The enemy is too powerful! Do we really want to sit here and wait for death?" the more the captain spoke, the more he felt justified, and his tone became even more resolute.


    He looked at his executive officer and didn''t wait for a response, continuing on his own: "Besides, if all the warships are sunk here, wouldn''t the Taren Kingdom be finished? Our departure... carries the embers! Carries hope!"


    At this point, he was even astonished by the excuse or reason he''d found for himself, and his eyes shone with excitement.


    The executive officer swallowed hard and nced at the chaotic friendly warships behind them. Finally, his will to survive overcame his courage.


    He nodded and agreed, saying, "Then we turn hard to port... You, you make the call."


    Hearing his executive officer finallypromise, the captain secretly rxed the hand that had been gripping the hilt of the Longsword at his waist and finally suppressed the fierce look on his face.


    He waved his hand andmanded loudly, "Hard to port! Immediate hard to port! Let the warships behind us follow! We''re breaking off from the fleet, leaving this ce!"


    Soon, this warship began to break away from the fleet, leaving the captain of the lead Taren Kingdom warship utterly confused.


    He was sure that the order he ryed was hard to starboard, yet the other ship was now breaking away from the fleet, dashing off into the distance.


    "What is Mad Rush doing?" the Taren Kingdom captain, who happened to see the friendly warship behind him breaking away from the fleet and dashing toward the edge of the battle, furiously demanded.


    Under his gaze, the sail warship known as Mad Rush was moving exactly opposite to their turning direction, veering its bow to the left.


    "It seems... they''ve turned the wrong way," the executive officer heard his voice, looked behind, confirmed after a long pause, and finally spoke.


    "How could this mistake happen!" the captain, who had guessed something, walked to the stern railing, leaned on it, and stared at the departing Mad Rush, lost in thought.


    Following the lead of the sail ship called Mad Rush, the captain of another Taren Kingdom sail warship shamelessly followed Mad Rush, fleeing the battlefield.


    Two warships took the wrong turn,pletely disorganizing the subsequent ships. In the end, these bewildered warships, some turning left, some right, made the previously tidy formationpletely fall apart.


    And General Valen, who had justpleted the turn and was watching the fleet behind him, also saw this scene. He noticed that at least three warships had left the line of battle and begun fleeing the battlefield.


    He also counted the warships still with the fleet, and the number that remained was already fewer than thirty.


    Nevertheless, he still felt he had regained the advantage because he had seized a better position and was about to get the chance to open fire.


    He believed that as long as he had the chance to fire, there was the possibility of turning defeat into victory. So full of confidence, he thought there was still hope to turn the tide in this sea battle.


    But then, the executive officer returned to his side with a somber face, bringing news: "Sir! A message from the warships behind us! They say, the enemy''s warships are made of steel!"


    "Steel? The hulls are covered with steel on the outside of wooden ships?" Valen, not quite understanding his executive officer''s meaning, asked in confusion.


    "No, the term used... doesn''t seem like it''s covered with steel, but rather ''built with a steel hull,''" the executive officer exined.


    "Impossible! Steel warships, without sails... How do they achieve such speed?" asked Valen, incredulous.


    Without waiting for the executive officer to answer, he roared in a fit of anger, "Those cowards! To escape, they actually concoct such rumors that the enemy''s warships are made of steel! Scoundrels! Scoundrels!"


    He linked this report with the fleeing warships, and thus didn''t believe a single word of it.


    At this point, his formation was already in disarray, and he was left with only about twenty warships that could still follow him in battle.


    "Never mind all that! When we get back, I''ll deal with those cowards who desert in the face of the enemy!" Valen drew the Longsword from his waist, aiming toward the Great Tang Fleet, andmanded, "Follow me to a bitter fight! Prepare to fire!"


    ---------


    I still owe everyone 4 more chapters.

 Chapter 272: 268 fleeing for their lives

    A chaotic war presents a significant challenge for the decision-makers andmanders on both sides. It tests their abilities and challenges their understanding.


    Bernard was utterly bewildered by everything unfolding before him; he truly didn''t understand why the enemy would make such strange decisions.


    He personally witnessed the enemy''s sail warships splitting into two groups, moving in opposite directions.


    Several warships turned their rudders to the left and broke away from their own fleet, fleeing without looking back. Meanwhile, most of the enemy ships were now turning their rudders to the right, seemingly intending to take a position across his path.


    Following a brief moment of stupor, Bernard suddenly realized that he didn''t know what to do about the current battle situation. He couldn''t fathom what was going on in the mind of the enemymander.


    Clearly, most of the warships were following themand to engage his fleet in a decisive battle; otherwise, they wouldn''t be positioning themselves across his course.


    But then there were a few other ships, executing the oppositemand, preparing to leave the entire battlefield¡ªan action that was obviously illogical.


    Clueless about the enemy''s motives, he was at a loss about how to respond.


    There was no precedent for this in their own exercises;manders on both sides would find ways to turn defeat into victory, fighting to thest man rather than conceding easily.


    Thus, in Bernard''s mind, the possibility of the enemy''s chaos and rout was subconsciously dismissed; he had almost no experience with such scenarios.


    In the Great Tang Military Academy, the students wouldn''t normally consider the option of retreat. After all, in both equipment training and tactical thinking, they were far ahead of the era.


    "Dividing forces... what is going on?" Finally, he decided to consult his aide for a different perspective.


    The aide was also unsure about the current situation. In his view, the enemy splitting forces under such disarray equated to seeking their own destruction.


    "I don''t know, Commander... However, I think we should dispatch a warship to follow those ships!" After pondering, the aide spoke up.


    "Hmm?" Bernard looked toward his aide, waiting for an exnation.


    Choosing his words carefully, the aide continued, "The enemy has traveled from afar, they definitely have supply transport ships nearby. Perhaps... there might be a discovery."


    After thinking it over, Bernard nodded in agreement with the aide''s suggestion: "I agree with your opinion. Let Brunas 6, which is following at the rear, pursue the ships on the left!"


    "Understood!" The aide immediately went to issue the order.


    Thus, under General Valen''s binocrs, the Great Tang Group''s fleet also dispersed. One warship, billowing with smoke, charged towards those escaping sail warships, while the rest headed straight for him.


    Then, the warships fell into line, readying their broadsides. The gun turrets on the warships remained trained in the direction of his fleet.


    Quickly, really quickly¡ªthe Great Tang Group''s warships adjusted their firing angles and continued bombarding Taren Kingdom''s sailboats, which were much depleted by then.


    It was a truly desperate ughter; every sail warship hit by the 150mm caliber guns met a tragic fate.


    It was a one-sided massacre, with one side attacking and the other passively enduring the blows. On the Taren Kingdom''s warships, about a kilometer away and powerless to return fire, the sailors could only watch in horror as theirrades'' ships were sunk and their friends perished.


    "Boom!" With a loud explosion, another warship was hit by a shell. With optical sights, the uracy of the guns at 1000 meters was devastatingly high.


    The ship that was hit in the stern lost most of its tail, and without a rudder, it could only slow down and leave the formation.


    But this was definitely good news for them, as they might not sink immediately and would no longer have to face the dreadful onught of fire.


    Shortly after, another warship was hit by a 150mm shell and was blown apart into pieces.


    Those who have not faced gunfire cannotprehend its true power. The artillery, known as the God of War, is not praised without reason.


    Even in the twenty-first century, countries didn''tpletely relinquish artillery; in fact, there was even an intention to further enhance its use.


    The destructive power of a shell was also much greater than anyone could imagine. Even a 37mm secondary gun firing at a steel hull could punch a hole as big as a washbasin!


    What''s more, they were now using 150mm guns against wooden nks. Just look at the steel-reinforced concrete buildings destroyed by 150mm howitzer shells¡ªthose are tens or hundreds of times harder than wooden hulls...


    This shelling was truly devastating, toppling even the masts, and not a single ship was spared. One of the warships had a huge hole sted through its hull, with everything near it destroyed.


    Not even sparing a nce at their thoroughly decimated warship, the passing fleet of the Great Tang Group charged toward their next target.


    As the number of Taren Kingdom warships dwindled, both sides unleashed a barrage of fire along their battle lines. This time, the Taren warships couldn''t afford to focus on uracy or orders, and they fired their cannons in a frenzy of desperation.


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    The distance between the two fleets remained between 1000 and 800 meters, with the Taren fleet attempting to close the gap, only to realize their efforts werepletely ineffective.


    So, at an almost impossible range for hitting their targets, the Taren warships fired wildly, as if venting their rage.


    The result was that only a few shells hit the warships of the Great Tang Group, and those that did were mostly unable to damage the steel hulls of the ships.


    In contrast, the quality of the Great Tang Group''s gunfire was astonishing. Almost every salvo managed to cripple a Taren warship.


    Eventually, under immense psychological pressure and on the brink of total copse, several more vessels from the Taren fleet desperately fled, turning their course to port without any regard for the consequences.


    This flight threw the already diminished fleet into even greater disarray.


    General Valen had fallen into despair, realizing that he could no longermand the fleet, for there were no ships left that would heed his orders.


    The remaining vessels, a pitiful number less than twenty, were on the verge of beingpletely annihted. It seemed the Taren Kingdom''s lifeline at sea was about to be severed.


    Even if a few ships managed to escape, it would no longer change the oue. The Taren Kingdom was finishedpletely and utterly finished!


    All dreams of dominating the oceans, all the benefits of annexing Hotwind Port, had dissipated like clouds, fleeting and ephemeral.


    As he watched his fleet disintegrate and his once brave captains fleeing in panic with their ships, he knew he had lost, and lostpletely.


    He had lost not only his future and everything he had but also the fate of the entire Taren Kingdom.


    That was a navy of sixty-odd ships¡ªfirst-rate sailing warships! Those were the foundation that the Taren Kingdom had painstakingly built up, one ship at a time!


    A hundred-year navy is not just about the cultivation of naval technical talent or the establishment of a maritime nation; it is also about the umtion of the warships themselves¡­


    Building a wooden sailing warship is not as simple as one might imagine. The timber used for these warships takes decades to grow and years to dry, soaked in tung oil before it''s finally ready to use.


    So, the replenishment of several dozenrge warships at once is simply out of the question. Just like the Por Kingdom, which virtually lost its naval supremacy after losing over thirty vessels.


    This time, with even more ships lost, the Taren Kingdom faced an even grimmer reality¡ªafter all, they were not a kingdom with vast ind territory like the Por Kingdom; they were an ind nation.


    An ind nation losingmand of the sea is far more terrifying than a continental nation facing the same fate. Byparison, if the loss of maritime power means that Germany has cut off one of its arms, then the United Kingdom losing maritime power is akin to suicidal decapitation¡­


    The remaining ships, now less than twenty, were unable to hold their ground because the fleet of the Great Tang Group was still attacking, relentlessly so!


    Another volley of heavy cannon fire struck, sinking another Taren warship. Now, only fifteen vessels of the Taren Kingdom remained.


    Yes, only fifteen remained. From the formation that had only recently numbered neen, three had turned tail and fled. Among the ones left, another was now struck and sunk.


    Within Valen''s line of sight, a ship raised a white g, only to still be attacked by cannon fire, billowing thick smoke.


    It seemed the opposing side had neither the patience to take prisoners nor any intention of sparing the Taren fleet.


    Finally, Valen realized he had to do something to salvage his own honor or, perhaps, to cling to thest vestige of hope.


    He turned to the ashen-faced officers beside him and shouted, "Quick! Ry my orders! The fleet must turn hard to port! Leave this sea area¡­ Scatter! Let whoever can escape... escape!


    Then, themanders of the remaining ships, in a state of shock and despair, received a maddening order: "Disperse and leave the battlefield. Find a way to return to the Taren Kingdom."


    But they quickly realized that it may already be toote for escape.


    Because two more ships had been struck down and sunk¡­


    -----------


    Thank you to His Majesty the Emperor for the reward. I still owe updates... and I am truly ashamed.

 Chapter 273: The destruction of the 269 Taren Fleet

    The scene had already be extremely chaotic. General Valen stood at the stern of his warship, beside the helm, watching as the two leading warships began to turn their rudders.


    The warship closest to him had seen the signal gsmand at the first opportunity and, along with the enormous pressure brought by the enemy ships, had almost no hesitation in turning the rudder to the left, preparing to flee the battlefield.


    The warships farther away were already toote to change course as they had been caught up by the Great Tang Group''s warships and were under fire.


    Several more warships caught fire, and General Valen did not need a telescope to closely observe the colossal seafaring monster with its slender hull.


    Such a strong, invincible, and ruthless monster of a warship should have belonged to the Taren Kingdom, General Valen mused silently.


    Then, he saw the numerous main cannons on the warship about 1000 meters away, targeting his gship.


    Immediately after, he saw the slender warship''s cannons spew mes, and then the deck beneath his feet trembled violently.


    He watched as a massive explosion swept away the bow of his warship; the triangr sails and masts at the front broke off together, crashing into the sea ahead.


    The cannon on the bow''s side was lifted high by the explosion, then, along with the surrounding corpses and deck fragments, plunged into the water, creating a ssh.


    General Valen was knocked to the ground by the huge vibration, and after struggling to get up, he saw his adjutant with a piece of wooden decking piercing his face, convulsing non-stop not far from him.


    Clearly, his adjutant wasn''t quite dead yet, but in such a brutal state ofbat, no one would think to try to save him.


    Valen struggled to his feet; he did not want the remaining soldiers to think he had died in battle. He had to stand at a high point at the stern, visible to all the crew.


    "Steady! Steady!" Valen, clutching his longsword, staggered around the increasingly tilting warship, loudly reminding the surrounding soldiers.


    Then he saw that the warship, which had fired upon his, rapidly overtook his sailing warship, which had lost most of its speed.


    The enemy didn''t even bother to fire again, simply elerating past his damaged gship, rushing towards the fleeing Taren Kingdom warships in the distance.


    Valen wanted to shout for them toe back; he wanted to stop them for a decisive duel to the death.


    But he knew that was now a luxury. His warship was seriously damaged, incapable of continuing the fight.


    "General! The bow is sinking, we''re taking on water!" an officer climbed the stairs in a rush, reaching the stern, and reported loudly.


    As he spoke, his gaze inadvertently fell on the body of the dead adjutant on the deck, causing him to involuntarily swallow.


    While he was reporting, the gunner of the 75mm caliber cannon on the Brunas-ss warship, following closely behind the Wolf 1 Cruiser, saw the enemy gship, now essentially incapable of sailing, through his scope.


    Without any hesitation, this gunner pulled the firingnyard, unleashing a 75mm caliber shell.


    This shell hit the Taren Kingdom fleet''s gship urately, and the point of impact was precisely where the ck gunpowder was stored.


    The explosion of the shell ignited the ck gunpowder, which then burst into mes violently.


    On ordinary days, this powder was stored in barrels; now, for firing, many of the barrels had been opened.


    And so it was that the gunpowder in these barrels was ignited, instantly setting fire to various surroundings.


    The fire began to spread across the ship, and another 75mm caliber shell smashed into the hull of this huge warship. Discover more stories at §Þ??


    A more ferocious explosion tore off arge section of the hull; sea water poured in crazily, and the whole structure of the sailboat trembled violently, tilting sharply to starboard.


    Valen, supporting himself on the railing of the ship, watched his warship capsizing bit by bit with a pale face. He was powerless to stop what was happening and could only watch helplessly as his gship sunk to the bottom of the sea.


    "Commander! Order to abandon ship!" an officer stepped over the body of a sailor and approached Valen with difficulty, pleading, "If we don''t abandon ship now, it''ll be toote!"


    "I will sink with the ship! I am the sinner! I am the sinner of the Taren Kingdom!" Valen wailed, unwilling to ept the reality that the sea battle had ended in a disastrous defeat.


    However, his breakdown did not elicit any pity; another 75mm caliber shell flew in, striking right between Valen and the officer who hade to advise him.


    Then, the mes that suddenly burst open engulfed both Valen and the officer, and the Taren Kingdom fleet''s gship, which remained in the sea, disintegrated into a pile of scrap wood with the explosion.


    ...


    Brunas, while coordinating the dispatch of supplies to all surrounding kingdoms, took over the telegram from Hotwind Port from Li''ao''s hands.


    He looked down at the contents of the telegram, furrowed his brows, and turned to the telegraph deliverer, Li''ao, to confirm, "Taren Kingdom''s warships... appeared at Hotwind Port?"


    Li''ao nodded and answered, "Yes, master. The telegram sent by Bernard is very clear, the sea battle should have broken out by now."


    The telegram was sent by Bernard before the battle began, and Bernard had not sent back any more news during the battle.


    Tang Mo frowned deeply, staring at the telegram and said with some frustration, "Things are moreplicated than we thought."


    "Indeed, master!" Li''ao agreed with him.


    Then, he continued tofort Tang Mo, "I''m not worried about Bernard''s fleet, nobody can defeat our warships in a naval battle."


    Tang Mo ced the telegram aside and said to Li''ao with some concern, "Yes, but that''s not what I''m worried about."


    "What is it then, my master?" Li''ao continued to ask.


    Tang Mo didn''t beat around the bush and directly stated his concern, "I''m worried about Dorne. Their expansion has been too rapid, creating a series of social issues that have not been resolved and might be taken advantage of."


    "You mean..." Upon hearing Tang Mo mention Dorne, Li''ao also suddenly realized something and murmured.


    Tang Moid out his analysis directly, "The attackes from Taren; it''s impossible for them to mobilize such a massive fleet northward just because of some spection about the Battle of Dragon Ind. Therefore, this attack on Hotwind Port must have a different reason!"


    The timing didn''t add up! He was certain that the Dragon Ind settlers and transport vessels escorted by Taren''s warships, which were led by Housen in their entirety, were annihted or captured in the Battle of Dragon Ind.


    So no one could have passed a message to provoke Taren Kingdom into using such arge fleet to seek revenge at Hotwind Port, or to simply stir trouble.


    If it''s not about revenge, then the opponent''s movements are very much worth pondering. Tang Mo let out a coldugh, feeling that he had already guessed the enemy''s thoughts.


    Li''ao, being a smart man, caught on at once, and said in realization, "I understand, you''re worried that Taren Kingdom didn''te for revenge for the Battle of Dragon Ind, but for Dorne?"


    Tang Mo nodded, affirming Li''ao''s words, "Most likely that''s the case, the Shireck Consortium must also be involved, they''ve joined forces! They''re preparing to take action against us in Dorne."


    Li''ao was a bit shocked, as the situation in Dorne could be incredibly dangerous if the enemy had prepared to this extent.


    After all, with Taren Kingdom''s fleet headed north, there lies Xilun Kingdom between Taren Kingdom and Dorne Kingdom... It''s likely that this kingdom has also been preparing to make a move against Dorne Kingdom.


    With this thought, Li''ao looked at Tang Mo and asked, "Master, if things are really like this, what should we do?"


    Tang Mo didn''t have a good solution, as he now couldn''t divert any more military forces to deal with a new threat.


    Therefore, he could only let the people in Dorne handle the string of thorny issues that were about to erupt on their own.


    He instructed Li''ao, "Tell everyone in Dorne to be on high alert, and if problems arise, to take action immediately! I think they will run into trouble soon."


    "Yes, master, I understand!" Li''ao took note of Tang Mo''s orders, bowing his head without immediately leaving the room.


    Sure enough, Tang Mo continued talking as though speaking to himself, "Por Kingdom has had problemstely, their internal politics are inplete disarray, and Marquis Leibart is at his wits'' end, with the potential for unrest breaking out at any moment."


    He discussed the various issues that had arisen recently from north to south, and each one was challenging enough on its own, let alone with all these issues bursting forth at once.


    Calling this a coincidence would fool no one; the only one who could muster such massive forces and was willing to target the Great Tang Group appeared to be only the Shireck Consortium.


    "The rtionship between Songmu Kingdom and Por Kingdom has always been tense, so the unrest in Por Kingdom is also causing them distress, worrying about issues on their own borders at all times, hence they too are mobilizing troops andmanders." As Tang Mo spoke, he looked at the aged Li''ao, "The northeastern border of Suthers Kingdom is under great pressure, Shireck has joined forces with several surrounding kingdoms to press the frontier, and Suthers itself is in a state of internal and external troubles."


    "The eastern border conflict of Leite Kingdom continues without a clear winner, leaving us without the possibility to break the stalemate." Having said this, Tang Mo paused for a moment.


    Li''ao felt he should remind of the possibility that Bernard might have already achieved a great victory at Hotwind Port, "On the contrary, with the recent Battle of Hotwind Port, we have gained some advantage. Is there a way to utilize that?"


    --------


    I will add another update after 12 a.m., which should be presented before 12:30 a.m., so please be patient.

 Chapter 274: Defend Dorne at 270

    Tang Mo shook his head, rejecting Li''ao''s suggestion, "It''s no use. Our fleet must stabilize Dorne before it can head south from Hotwind Port. Without Hotwind Port, our logistical support is under too much pressure."


    If Dorne falls under attack by Xilun Kingdom and Taren Kingdom onnd, then the safety of Hotwind Port is not guaranteed.


    At present, Tang Mo''s only reliance was on Bernard''s fleet, so he couldn''t afford to let the fleet venture further south.


    Should Hotwind Port fall... his fleet would have no supply station to return to, and the cost of such an eventuality was unpredictable.


    Therefore, Tang Mo made his decision in an instant, even if it meant ordering the fleet to withdraw back to Dragon Ind immediately instead of allowing Bernard to take the warships near Taren Kingdom''s waters on a risky venture.


    Then Tang Mo added, "Moreover, even if we blockade Taren Kingdom, forcing them topromise, we cannot resolve Xilun Kingdom''s issue in the short term."


    Li''ao, somewhat irate,ined, "Damn Shireck, they always use such underhanded methods to trouble us."


    To Tang Mo, however, it was not a concern; he had seen too many such incidents before he traveled to this world.


    Everyone undercutting each other, calcting against each other, setting traps for each other, and ughtering each other. After all, cooperation is temporary, antagonism is eternal.


    Hence, it was only natural for Tang Mo to pull out a cigarette from his case, ce it in his mouth, and mutter with an ambiguous smile, "There''s nothing surprising about it. If they had more forceful methods, they would have used them long ago. They can only skulk in the shadows because it shows that they have no good options against us, who hold the technological advantage."


    "What should our next move be?" Li''ao asked further.


    Tang Mo lit the cigarette, took a deep drag, and said to Li''ao, "We should focus on ourselves... We must have that confidence! As long as we do our job well, everyone else will end up under our feet!"


    "Understood, Master." Li''ao bowed slightly.


    "Go now! Send a telegram to our people immediately, have them prepare themselves, and remain vignt!" Tang Mo leaned back in his chair, the cigarette pinched between his fingers, appearing to enter a meditative state.


    Without a word, Li''ao backed towards the door and left Tang Mo''s office as if afraid of disturbing him.


    ...


    In the guardhouse beneath the walls of Dorne''s King City, a young man was drafting a new logistical supply cement chart.


    He rubbed his temples, showing signs of fatigue by twisting his neck, then looked out at the bright sunshine through the window.


    Truth be told, his capabilities had been recognized by many, including the monarch of Dorne Kingdom, a very enlightened His Majesty.


    As a young man from Brunas, he had been named as the captain of the 1st Regiment, 2nd Battalion of Dorne, which was quite a promotion.


    And he hadn''t let down those who trusted him. He rapidly trained the troops into one of the strongest in Dorne, and they were greatly favored by His Majesty.


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    Hence, in recent times, when the atmosphere had been tense, his troops were stationed inside King City, responsible for one of the defensive directions.


    "Sir, this is your telegram!" A soldier walked in, handing over a dispatch from Brunas to his superior, "It''s from Brunas."


    "Hmm?" The young officer was startled, then took the telegram from the other''s hand and carefully read its contents.


    At first nce, it seemed like a telegram offering mere pleasantries, holding little substantive value.


    However, the young man, whose finger bore a dandelion ring, could read his own specific message in those ordinary sentences.


    Cryptography is a beautiful thing; it can encrypt the information to be transmitted, or it can hide the message in the mostmonce sentences.


    After reading the telegram, the young man casually ced it on the desk, waved his hand to dismiss the soldier who had delivered it.


    Then, he stroked the ring on his finger, his eyes gleaming sharply: danger was approaching, and now he had to rely on himself to sort out all the problems.


    The question was¡­ from where would the troublee, and just how troublesome would it be? What preparations were needed?


    As he contemted how to deal with the crisis before him, the guard knocked on his door again, "Someone outside wishes to see you, Sir. He''s a confidant of the Minister of Military, here to deliver a message."


    "...Let him in," the young officer smiled, sensing that he might have grasped the crux of the problem.


    "Sir, Minister Sumer has received a report that there are rioters preparing to assault King City. Minister Sumer hopes you can lead Your Troops out of the city and quell those damned rebels!" The messenger, as soon as he entered, stated his purpose.


    "I am under the King''s orders to defend King City, and I cannot abandon my post simply because a military ministermands it. Unfortunately, please tell Minister Sumer that I am unable to carry out his orders," the young officer, seated at his desk and not even standing up, replied with a coldugh.


    "Sir, let''s speak inly¡ªif you agree to carry out thismand, Minister Sumer guarantees that you''ll be promoted to legionmander, perhaps even higher," the visitor said in a persuasive tone.


    "You know, I remember a phrase my teacher once said in ss... high ces are exceedingly cold," the young officer said, his hands fiddling with something under the desk.


    "Let''s be direct! Even if you stay here, nothing will change," the messenger said sternly, his tone turning cold as he gazed at the young officer.


    "I feel that standing on the side of righteousness, or rather, at a time like this, standing with His Majesty, seems more in my interests, doesn''t it?" the young officer, obviously not swayed by the messenger''s gambit, replied with a smile.


    "Minister Sumer predicted your choice, which is why... he sent me to see you..." The man reached into his coat to draw his Left-Wheel Handgun as he spoke.


    It was a very expensive weapon, rarely seen in the market, an original advanced firearm from the Great Tang Group, both high-performing and finely crafted.


    His movements were swift, catching his target off guard like an agile cheetah. In an instant, his fingers touched the warm surface of the gun.


    Unfortunately for him, fast though he was, there was someone faster¡ªthe young officer raised his arm, revealing the handgun already sped in his palm.


    In the blink of an eye, the young officer showed no hesitation and pulled the trigger, a bullet piercing the messenger''s chest.


    "Ah!" the man, unprepared for the officer''s readiness, screamed in agony as the gun he had just held fell to the floor with a dull thud.


    Blood sttered instantly, and the gunshot alerted nearby guards. The door was smashed open from outside, and a soldier wielding a rifle charged into the room, pointing the cold barrel at the man lying on the ground.


    "The coup has begun! We have already won! Hahaha! You''re all going to die! All of you!" The man on the floor, clutching the bloody hole in his chest, screamed with all his strength.


    "Sir! Are you hurt?" asked an anxious voice as he looked at the still-breathing man on the floor.


    "I''m fine!" the young officer, picking up his weapon, walked past his desk to the fallen man and looked down, "I hope Minister Sumer won''t be too disappointing! Farewell!"


    After speaking, he pulled the trigger again, and before more guards rushed in, he finished off the would-be assassin.


    "Sir..." An officer who had quickly arrived at the blood-covered office frowned and addressed the young officer.


    "Gather the Troops! Head for the Royal Pce immediately! Protect the King!" The young officer stretched out his hand, took the Longsword from a nearby soldier, hung it on his waist, andmanded, "You stay here! Take charge of 100 soldiers from the first squad and control the city gates and the camp! Anyone who approaches and you don''t see the King or me... open fire!"


    "Yes, sir!" The officer snapped to attention and saluted, then added, "Be careful, sir."


    "I will!" the young officer patted the man''s shoulder, picked up his handgun, and walked out.


    ...


    "Soldiers! The King is now in danger! We must go and save him! There is no need to fear! No need for nerves! We are here to defend our country, to protect our King!" said the young officer as he climbed onto his horse outside and shouted to his assembled Troops.


    He jerked the reins, making the warhorse turn in ce, and continued to shout loudly, "Who''s willing to stand with me to defend Dorne, to protect the King?"


    "Willing! Willing!" All the Dorne Soldiers answered loudly. Though only a few hundred strong, their shouts were thunderous, creating the momentum of a thousand men: "Protect the Emperor! Defend Dorne!"


    "Then! March with me! To the Royal Pce!" the young officermanded loudly as he kicked his horse''s nks.


    Carrying K1 Quick Guns, the Dorne Soldiers marched out of their barracks in neat rows, heading toward the Royal Pce along the bustling streets, without heavy artillery but with dozens of horse-drawn carriages, which lengthened their ranks considerably.


    "What''s happening?" A civilian, unaware of the events, pointed at the Soldiers suddenly appearing on the street, armed to the teeth.


    "Don''t know, but... definitely not something good!" An old man at the civilian''s side, watching the Soldiers walk by, remarked with an anxious tone.

 Chapter 275: 271 diligent in serving the king

    "Hyah! Hyah!" A young man d in luxurious attire fiercely squeezed the horse''s belly with his legs, galloping down the road.


    Passersby hurriedly got out of the way, all clueless about what had happened as they pointed and discussed amongst themselves.


    Recent times had been anything but peaceful, with rumors of civil unrest everywhere, leaving the townspeople anxious and in the dark about the unfolding events.


    Just this morning, there seemed to be frequent troop movements within King City. The military units near the Royal Pce appeared to be changing guards, with many Ministersing and going, leaving ordinary folk unable to grasp the situation.


    Now, they made way for a young man on a warhorse. Before they had time toin, they saw several Cavalry approaching from a distance, carrying intimidating muskets.


    Everyone quickly moved aside once more, watching as the fearsome Cavalry charged past them.


    "What''s going on..." a man mumbled in dissatisfaction, fanning the dust before him, and grumbled impatiently.


    "Who knows!" another bystander squinted his eyes, grimaced disdainfully, andmented sarcastically as he watched the Cavalry disappear into the distance.


    The young man being pursued was the first to round the street corner, only to be met by a formidable procession of Soldiers. He paused for a moment, then a smile spread across his face.


    Consequently, he pulled on the reins, dismounted under the watchful guns of the alert Soldiers, and led his horse over to the mounted military officer facing him, "You really are impulsive! To think you''d lead your Troops out of the barracks like this."


    "I was somewhat apprehensive earlier, uncertain if what I was doing was right... But seeing you convinces me I made the right choice," said the officer on horseback, looking down at his youngpanion leading the horse, and smiled.


    "Sumer has surrounded the Royal Pce with his men, and both sides are on edge, ready to sh at any moment," the young man leading the horse ryed a critical piece of news, looking up, "Did you know about this beforehand?"


    "Not at all! I only received a warning, then there was an assassination attempt, so I brought my men to settle the score with the bastard who wants me dead," the young officer replied with augh.


    "It seems I might as well have gone directly to the Royal Pce," the one leading the warhorse said with self-deprecating humor.


    "So, my appearance here has taken Sumer by surprise, hasn''t it?" the young officer brandished a dandelion ring on his finger, "Seems like you''ve brought me a gift?"


    As he spoke, he noticed the approaching Cavalry who had begun to slow down and prepare to open fire.


    "Stop them! Prepare for battle!" the young officer on the horsemanded coldly.


    His Troops immediately unslung their rifles from their shoulders, worked the bolts, and a cascade of ttering sounds followed.


    Without hesitation, the Soldiers raised their weapon muzzles at the onrushing Cavalry. Hundreds of rifles stood imposingly, their presence alone deterring the Cavalry charging towards them.


    "We are under orders to capture a traitor!" The leading Cavalryman, not daring to face the array of rifles, angrily shouted after reining in his warhorse to a halt.


    "Ordered by whom?" the young officer holding the reins asked with a sneer.


    "It, it''s Minister Sumer!" replied the Knight, clearly nervous and flustered, yet he responded.


    "Oh, it''s him..." The young officer reacted as if everything suddenly made sense, his tone allowing the pursuing Knights to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Then, just as they rxed, the young officer''s demeanor did aplete one-eighty, and hemanded coldly, "Take them all!"


    Before the Knights could react, a group of Infantry charged forward, encircling them with the chilly points of their bays and the dark muzzles of their guns, which promptly quelled any thoughts of resistance.


    They obediently surrendered their weapons and raised their hands high. The lead Knight, however, mustered some courage and shouted defiantly as he was being detained, "Minister Sumer won''t let you off! You''re all doomed! Doomed!"


    "Should we now head to the Royal Pce, or should we first visit Sumer''s residence and take down his stronghold?" the young man leading the warhorse said as he mounted up.


    The officer leading the Troops waved his hand and dered, "Making Sumer''s family suffer is your business, I am an officer of the Dorne Kingdom. How can I justify not supporting the King at a time like this to His Majesty?"


    "If you''rete even by a moment, you won''t have to justify anything," the luxuriously dressed young man retorted with augh as he took the reins and turned his horse, then spurred his mount and rode off.


    "Onward to King City!" the young officer bellowed his order, swinging his arm forward, and his great army resumed its advance.


    ...


    "If we don''t attack now, it will be dangerous!" Sumer, the military Minister and liaison for Shireck, paced back and forth like an ant on a hot pan and muttered impatiently.


    The man from Shireck Consortium soothed him with a smile, "Calm down, Minister Sumer! We have a thousand men! The Kingdom has only about three hundred guards inside. What''s there to fear?"


    "I''m worried about the insubordinate bastards in the 1st Legion!" Sumer couldn''t help but feel enraged when he thought about the troops that refused to follow hismands.


    He was the Minister of Military Affairs, after all, and all matters concerning the troops should have been under his control. Yet, many officers were reluctant to follow his orders.


    It was at this time he truly epted the conditions offered by Shireck and prepared to carry out a military remonstrance to takeplete control of Dorne''s political power.


    The person in charge at Shireck looked at Sumer and asked, "Haven''t you already sent someone to deal with them?"


    "But that is ultimately an unreliable method." Sumer immediately replied¡ªalthough he had dispatched assassins with the intent of throwing the disobedient troops into chaos by assassinating theirmander, this was never a surefire strategy.


    If the assassination were to fail, the other party would certainly be infuriated, and what might happen then was anyone''s guess, he thought.


    Seeing the fullck of confidence on Sumer''s face, the man from the Shireck Consortium stroked his chin andpromised, "Then we move to attack! Not waiting for His Majesty the King to concede."


    "Good, good..." Sumer was startled at first, but then he burst into tion and rubbed his hands together, eagerly agreeing.


    "Order the attack!" the Shireck official ordered looking at his subordinate.


    The subordinate nodded slightly and then shouted towards the soldiers surrounding the Royal Pce in the distance: "Attack!"


    "Bang!" Raising the weapons in their hands, these soldiers pulled the triggers against the soldiers prepared to fire back at the gates of King City, resulting in a cacophony of gunfire.


    Immediately, soldiers guarding the Royal Pce fell, and the remaining pce guards began to return fire¡ªthe sound of gunfire escted instantly, causing the civilians who were watching themotion to scatter like birds and beasts in just a blink.


    "They''re fighting!" A civilian, who had been peeking at the gun battle from behind a corner, ran away at full speed while loudly shouting.


    Behind him, hundreds of soldiers armed with bays had already charged towards the gate of the Royal Pce.


    The gates were quickly overrun, but the battle inside the Royal Pce raged on, filled with shouting and relentless gunfire.


    Just then, a military force suddenly emerged on the streets, and upon reaching the square in front of the Royal Pce, they swiftly deployed into formation.


    From behind a carriage, the soldiers pushed forward a Maxim machine gun, and the gunner hid behind the shield, expertly making ready to shoot.


    When he saw this force, Sumer went deathly pale; he looked at the Shireck official beside him in desperation, unsure of what to say.


    The man from Shireck Consortium was also somewhat panicked; although he had assembled thousands for the day''s operation, most of them were positioned outside of the city.


    "Didn''t you say your men were the best killers?" The agitated person in charge at Shireck Consortium retorted, losing hisposure.


    By then, he didn''t even mention the fact that his force had 1000 men. Among those, at least 700 had already breached the Royal Pce, engaging in close-quarters battle with the guards inside.


    Stay connected via §Þ??


    "Make way! We havee to protect the Royal Pce! If you continue to stay here, you will be dealt with as rebels!" A soldier yelled at the insurgent forces led by Sumer in the square.


    His answer was the gunfire of the rebels.


    "They''re firing on us!" Seeing his own soldiers fall, an officer drew his sword and shed forward fiercely, "Return fire! For His Majesty the King!"


    "Tat-tat-tat-tat!" This time, themand was answered by an imported G1 machine gun. The Maxim gun went crazy, spitting mes, and bullets flew across the square, sweeping into the ranks of the insurgents.


    The screams of agony suddenly became incessant, and the unprepared insurgents were thrown into utter chaos within moments.


    They had heard of the formidable reputation of the G1 machine gun, but they had never seen its performance in realbat before.


    Today, the soldiers of these forces witnessed the G1 machine gun and its terrifyingly effective suppressive power.


    The insurgent troops on the other side of the square were cut down by bullets, many falling off their horses. Some soldiers didn''t even get the chance to fire another shot before being pierced through by bullets flying straight at them.


    As row after row of soldiers were struck down by bullets, the rebelmanders, who hadn''t yet realized what was happening, had no choice but to turn their gaze to Sumer, who until then had seemed confident of victory.


    They waited, or rather, they hoped for Sumer to issue a new order that would allow them to escape from what had appeared to be an undoubtedly sessful coup.


    But in an instant, his soldiers suffered heavy losses, and even their formations were disrupted by the machine gun fire. The insurgents left in the square routed inplete disarray, and many were gunned down from behind as they looked back.


    The insurgents who had already stormed the Royal Pce were unaware that their escape route seemed to have been cut off by their enemies.

 Chapter 276: 272 Now they are yours

    As King City of Dorne was thrown into chaos, the door to Tang Mo''s guest hall was pushed open from the outside, and two dwarves from afar stepped into the room where Tang Mo was.


    They courteously saluted Tang Mo, and then they were arranged to sit not far from him.


    "It is a great honor to meet you, Mr. Tang," a dwarf with a full beard said politely.


    The other dwarf also added, "Your reputation has already spread to the Ice Cold Kingdom."


    "You tter me," Tang Mo said with a smile, casually crossing his legs and flicking the burnt ash of his cigarette into the ashtray, before speaking modestly, "We''re all busy people, so there''s no need to beat around the bush. I''m sure you haven''te to tell me that bards have spread my deeds to the Ice Cold Kingdom, have you?"


    "Mr. Tang, here''s the thing," the dwarf sitting beside him, who was clearly an assistant, started the conversation.


    Indeed, the real envoy next to him got straight to the point, "Our Ice Cold Kingdom hopes that Great Tang Group can set up a branch in our country, and we are willing to offer you conveniences."


    "That''s not bad, let''s hear it, we might actually find some mutual interests," Tang Mo nodded, knowing those who came to him were usually such customers who wished to make purchases.


    Of course, general customers were now mostly handled by Harry, so these two dwarves in front of him were probably not simple customers.


    The business cooperation they proposed must have been significant enough that even Harry felt he couldn''t make the decision on his own, which had piqued Tang Mo''s curiosity.


    Harry''s vision was certainly very high now, being stimted by projects worth hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins every day. The current general manager of the Great Tang Group, Harry, was actually bing less sensitive to sums below a million.


    Firstly, the indirect dwarf offered a rather marginal condition, "We can provide ports further north, as we are also a maritime country! We can sign a contract with you to ensure you can use our ports for a long time."


    "That''s just a transportation convenience and doesn''t represent profit." Indeed, Tang Mo wasn''t impressed by what seemed to him a meager bargaining chip, and he dismissed it directly.


    Seeing Tang Mo''sck of interest, the leading dwarf quickly added, "Actually, we need military arms to secure our border interests. At the same time, we can offer steel, coal mines, oil¡ªthese are all abundant resources on our territory."


    As an experienced businessman, Tang Mo certainly knew what the arms trade entailed.


    He was well aware of the importance of those mineral resources to his factories, so without any pretense, he nodded and said, "Hmm... I''m interested, please continue."


    This was efficiency, as well as forthrightness. Heaven knows if both people stood there ying riddles and being vague, an agreement for a single cannon purchase could drive the negotiating parties crazy.


    Hearing Tang Mo say he was interested, the lead dwarf held back hispanion who wanted to speak and continued, "If you''re willing, we can offer part of our mineral resources or outright assign mines and oil fields in exchange for your technical support."


    "Besides, we dwarves have plenty of skilled craftsmen. We previously replicated Shireck Firearms quite well, and we also have considerable research on precision machinery like clocks. If you set up a factory in our country, we can ensure your production schedule."


    "So, what do you want?" Tang Mo asked, nodding slightly.


    The leading dwarf put forth a condition. "A brand-new rifle, different calibers, different designs, performance on par with the K3 rifle! This must be an exclusive weapon to dwarves, you shall not sell it to anyone else."


    "Agreed," Tang Mo replied, recalling weapons like the Mosin-Nagant, Lee-Enfield... He agreed quite decisively.


    The dwarf continued with his demands, "The G1 machine gun¡ªwe want the most authentic production line, theplete set of manufacturing equipment."


    "As long as you can afford the price," Tang Mo didn''t refuse and agreed very swiftly and naturally.


    The dwarf continued, "The C64 cannon!"


    "Agreed!" Tang Mo nodded without any hesitation.


    "The C80 cannon," the dwarf spoke again.


    "No problem," Tang Mo nodded once more.


    "And also..." The straightforwardness of Tang Mo even made the two dwarves somewhat embarrassed, and they slowed down their pace of making demands, feeling somewhat ashamed.


    Tang Mo cut off their hesitation and reminded his guests with a gesture, "No need to be so specific. All weaponry¡ªK1, K2, K3, even future K4 rifles, cannons, machine guns, warships... If it''s military hardware, I can sell it, as long as the price is right."


    "...Sir, you truly are the most pure merchant I have ever met," the leading dwarf hurriedly offered his ttery.


    Tang Mo humbly dismissed thepliments, "Of course, I''m a merchant. Since I''m a merchant, why should I overthink? Being straightforward is better for everyone, isn''t it?"


    "You''re absolutely right, sir," the other dwarf praised excitedly.


    "So, any other demands?" Tang Mo wasn''t swayed by the ttery, leaningfortably on the custom sofa, he asked.


    After musing for a while, the leading Dwarf continued with his purchasing list, "We want to build 2 advanced power nts to supply electricity to our King City."


    "There''s no problem with that." Tang Mo had guessed why the other party seemed so hesitant and anxious¡ªit seemed that what they wanted was almost all of Great Tang Group''s technology.


    Sure enough, the leading Dwarf''s request did not disappoint Tang Mo, "We want to construct two railways, with lengths ranging between 200 to 300 kilometers."


    "Actually, I can provide the production line for the rails, so you can produce them yourselves." Tang Mo seemed even more generous as he was nning to speed up the construction of the railways.


    The Dwarf was a bit incredulous of Tang Mo''s generosity and asked subconsciously, "Really?"


    "Of course, as long as you can afford it." Tang Mo''s reply was still the same, familiar to the ear.


    After hesitating for a moment, the Dwarf continued, "We want a production line for a next-generation car that is better than the T1 model!"


    "Why would you think that I have such a thing?" Tang Mo was taken aback; he hadn''t expected the Dwarves to make such a request.


    The Dwarf Envoy smiled and said, "Because I''ve noticed that no matter what the product, you always have a better version for yourselves."


    "You Dwarves are very clever; I like doing business with clever people. The same saying applies¡ªif you can pay the price, I can sell you a brand-new automobile production line." Tang Mo reiterated the phrase "if you can pay the price."


    After nearly getting everything they wanted, the Dwarves seemed to grow bolder. The leader continued with what was almost a package purchase of the entire Great Tang Group''s technology, "We also want all industrial machinery that the Great Tang Group can produce."


    Tang Moughed and eximed, "You really want a lot."


    "Are you unwilling to sell these machines?" The leading Dwarf thought this was Tang Mo''s limit.


    However, he saw no displeasure on Tang Mo''s face.


    He only saw Tang Mo humorously reply, "How could I? I''m afraid you can''t afford it."


    He took a puff of his cigarette, exhaled a ring of smoke, and spoke seriously, "Now we can discuss the issue of price."


    Having said that, he paused and then emphasized, "You must understand that what you''re about to purchase is virtually everything Great Tang Group has. Technology is very valuable, and to obtain the most advanced technology in this world will naturally be very expensive."


    "We can pay with gold," the Dwarf nodded and said.


    "Of course." Tang Mo also nodded and continued to listen as the other party named the price.


    "We also have gold mines, gold mines that can be mined immediately." The Dwarf continued to raise the offer because they had a basic judgement of the value of what they wanted.


    Moreover, their purpose foring to Brunas was not solely for procurement.


    Tang Mo was quite interested when he heard about gold mines, since he urgently needed gold to support the issuance of his paper money. Thus, he curiously inquired, "One?"


    "Five!" However, the Dwarf gave an astounding number.


    "That really is good news." Tang Mo blinked, and then his smile became much more sincere. Only at this moment did he truly confirm that these Dwarves had indeede to buy, that they indeed had the capital¡­


    The Dwarf then continued to introduce their family assets, or rather the funds for this procurement, "Additionally, we have copper mines! Tin mines! Saltpeter mines¡­ Silver mines, tungsten mines. Plus, we have an oil field with a very decent output."


    "Your Kingdom truly is filled with treasures everywhere." Tang Mo sighed¡ªit was rare indeed for a country on this world to be able to offer 5 gold mines in one go, apart from the Ice Cold Kingdom.


    "Previously, due to transportation issues with the roads, these treasures were difficult to mine, and the production capacity was very low. Moreover, buyers intentionally suppressed the prices," the Dwarf exined somewhat guiltily.


    "And now? What''s different?" Tang Mo was taken aback.


    "Well, now they are yours¡­" The Dwarf spread his hands with a rogueish gesture.


    "¡­" Tang Mo expressed his speechlessness¡­


    "They''repletely different when in our handspared to yours. Therefore, we hope you can give a fair conversion price," the Dwarf exined again, somewhat embarrassedly.


    "Hmm¡­ That makes sense. I will offer you a price you won''t refuse." Tang Mo nodded slightly; since the other party was sincere in their purchase, he didn''t mind sincerely appraising his goods.


    --------


    Dragon Spirit will take a break today, just two releases.

 Chapter 277: 273 lifting the table

    ```


    "Do you think the price is enough?" the Dwarf countered.


    Tang Mo fell silent for about a minute before he spoke, "I''ve roughly calcted, and there shouldn''t be any problems. The current issue is, I feel what you want is not just my technology."


    The leading Dwarf pondered for a while, eventually looking at Tang Mo and solemnly stating, "The Ice Cold Kingdom is a young kingdom, having just been born 92 years ago. His Majesty, Ice Cold the Fifth, has inherited his grandfather''s ambition to expand territory and hopes he can change his title..."


    "I understand," Tang Mo said, slightly taken aback, and then he nodded.


    "How do you feel about the title ''Ice Cold Empire'' for the kingdom?" the Dwarf asked, somewhat eagerly and nervously.


    Tang Mo continued to nod slightly, then gave a nomittal response, "I think it''s quite good."


    Then, he looked at the Dwarf, confirming, "I think I understand what you mean. You want exclusive procurement rights to all products of the Great Tang Group... at least, exclusive rights within the Northern Continent."


    In fact, the Dwarves had offered no small thing, and it seemed very sincere at face value. Tang Mo knew that if he spoke up now, the Dwarves might offer even more.


    However, what they wanted was not just technology and products. They wanted the full support of the Great Tang Group to help the Ice Cold Kingdom expand outward.


    This expansion would likely include many Dwarf Kingdoms, which would soon turn to the Great Tang Group, seeking to coborate.


    The Dwarves did not want a repeat of incidents like those with the Por Kingdom and the Songmu Kingdom. They wished for a world where... there was only one Dwarf nation.


    A Dwarf Empire... a rather interesting notion, Tang Mo thought to himself.


    These Dwarves hoped that the Tang Group would support only them, leveraging the Group''s technology to absorb the surrounding kingdoms.


    Seeing that Tang Mo had grasped their meaning, the Dwarf continued, "If the Great Tang Group fully supports our Ice Cold Kingdom, then within the borders of the Ice Cold Kingdom, or rather, within the territory of the Ice Cold Empire, the businesses of the Great Tang Group will have unfettered ess, and you... you will be the most respected individual."


    ...


    Tang Mo said nothing; he was contemting the pros and cons of supporting the expansion of the Ice Cold Kingdom into the Ice Cold Empire.


    By his core interests, supporting a nation''s annexation of its neighbors did not maximize benefits. As an arms dealer, only division and war could provide him with a continuous stream of profit.


    However, as an arms dealer... he not only had the ie from war, but also an immeasurable, vast array of other profits.


    Pharmaceuticals, food, finance, cars, ships... all things considered, war and peace could both bring him enormous profits.


    A unified nation that supported him might not be such a bad idea after all.


    Besides, it was quite clear that in this world, where empires were not numerous and each yed a significant role, the aspiration to ascend to an empire was a highly tempting proposition.


    Many kings wanted to be emperors, and many kingdoms hoped to transform into empires¡ªthe criteria for judging a nation ultimately boil down to its poption and territory.


    As long as the expansion reached a certain scale, as long as governance was adequate, as long as there was a sufficient poption and broad territory, as long as the emperor was strong, as long as... the other empires acknowledged it, a new empire would form until... it copsed from within or was conquered and absorbed by another.


    "So, what do you say, sir?" Seeing that Tang Mo was still weighing his options, the Dwarf could not sit still and asked.


    "The offer is tempting, butcks execution capability," Tang Mo shook his head, looking at the Dwarf. "Many empires exist in this world, each of them strong. Even Shireck can''t sway the will of the empires."


    He paused, then continued looking at the Dwarf, "I have no problem supporting the transformation of the Ice Cold Kingdom into an empire, but His Majesty the Emperor of the Ice Cold Empire might not recognize a poor rtion like me."


    Saying this, he pointed to himself, "If youter deny your promise to me, I''ll have to trouble myself with collecting debts. It''s bothersome and strenuous¡ªnot as easy as earning money while lying down, as I am now."


    "So, what kind of assurance would you require?"


    "I need to think about it," Tang Mo stood up, headed towards the door, and instructed the servants waiting there: "Treat our guests well..."


    ...


    "You''re rebelling! Betraying! Get back or we''ll open fire!" At the end of a corridor in the Dorne Royal Pce, a heavy carved wooden door was riddled with bullet holes.


    An officer leaned against the doorframe, shouting at the soldiers on the other side: "His Majestymands you to step back! This is an order!"


    ```


    The answer to his question was a series of gunshots, bullets hit the precious marble, chipping away at it, wooden doors were shattered sending splinters flying, gunsmoke spread through the seemingly luxurious corridor, shrouding it as if in fog.


    Unfortunately, if there was no smell of burning sulfur in the air, the mist would be better off without the nauseating smell of blood mixed in.


    Because on the floor of the corridory many soldiers'' bodies, a fierce battle had just erupted here, bays stained with blood, leaving both sides grievously wounded.


    The soldiers of the King''s Guard, their arms wrapped in white bands, were nervously loading their rifles with ammunition, their numbers greatly diminished but still persisting inbat.


    In the room, the woundedy on the expensive carpets uttering sounds of desperation, while in the corner, trembling servants and maids didn''t know what to do.


    On the table, expensive chess pieces iid with gemsy scattered, teacups shattered on the floor, a teapot toppled beside the chessboard, with no one to tend to it.


    The Dorne King sitting trapped in his seat was ashen-faced, regretting not taking Tang Mo''s advice and not paying heed to the rebellious forces stirring within his own territory.


    "If I surrender myself... will it, will it save everyone''s lives..." The King raised his head, looking toward the young officer guarding the doorway.


    This young officer was not themander of the guards; themander had been sacrificed in the chaos outside the Royal Pce. Now this young officer was acting as themander, even though he was originally just a minor captain of the guard.


    Upon hearing the King speak, the young officer handed his rifle to his subordinate and approached the King, persuasively saying, "Your Majesty! Reinforcements will soon arrive, you must not waver at this moment! Hold on! There is always hope!"


    If His Majesty the King wanted to perform, then he must y his part fully, mustn''t he? Seeing that their defenses were about to copse and the few remaining soldiers would notst long, if the King did not speak like this, the frightened guards might soon push him out as a bargaining chip to surrender and save their own lives.


    Now that he had asked, everyone''s spirits were lifted, and their loyalty bolstered¡ªthey could, of course, continue to hold on a bit longer...


    Indeed, the King''s performance had an effect, as the soldiers behind the young man shouted toward the corridor where the rebels were, "Grandpa is right here! If you''ve got the guts,e and get in!"


    "How, how much longer can we hold out?" The slightly uneasy King of Dorne looked at the door riddled with bullet holes, his pale face asking.


    "This ce is easy to defend but hard to attack, we can at least hold out for a bit longer, soon, loyalist troops will break through from outside, so they''ll be in more of a hurry than us," the young soldier consoled while his gaze fell on the dandelion ring on his hand.


    "Will the reinforcements... definitelye?" The somewhat panicked King grabbed at the straw of hope to confirm.


    "If not, then I''ll also fire myst bullet, Your Majesty!" The young officer fixed his gaze on the eyes of the Dorne King, who for some reason, saw in those not-so-beautiful eyes, a boundless strength.


    In fact, the young officer did not know if his damned older and younger ''brothers'' would reallye to the rescue, as they had not been in contact beforehand.


    He only knew that if they sensed danger, they would surely find a way to rush over, fearlessly charging to his side to save him.


    It was a trust, which is why his eyes were filled with determination, bursting with infinite power.


    "I remember... you''re from Brunas..." The Dorne King looked at the young man before him, suddenly asking.


    "Yes, I''m a graduate of the 3rd ss of Great Tang Military Academy," the young man stated inly his identity: "I am proud to have studied there."


    "After today, you will be the captain of my royal guards!" the King said after a few seconds of silence, it was unclear if it was a promise of promotion or a genuine sentiment.


    "Very well!" The young man stood at attention, performing the Great Tang Military Academy salute to the King of Dorne.


    He then returned to the doorway, took his rifle back from his soldier, peeked out, and immediately withdrew, "Prepare for battle! It''s been half a day without gunfire, they''re probably thinking of some bad ideas!"


    He hadn''t finished speaking when he saw on the corridor side, someone carrying arge table over, hung with all sorts of items, including quilts and cutting boards.


    Clearly, after half a day''s unsessful charges, the attacking rebels had thought up a "siege tower."


    "Charge!" Pushing such a shield, the rebel soldiers stepped over the bodies of theirpanions, continuously wriggling forward.


    And the guards of His Majesty the King on this end started to look distressed, with only a dozen of them left, if they lost the terrain advantage, they definitely wouldn''t be able to defend this room.


    They also had nowhere left to retreat; if there was any other ce to escape, they would have already escorted His Majesty the King and retreated.

 Chapter 278: 274 Not enough blood

    "Prepare for baybat!" The young officer fired a shot at the table, and the bullet struck a framed picture hanging on it, leaving a bullet hole in the head of the King''s grandfather before discarding his own rifle.


    He drew his Longsword from his waist, and the soldiers, wielding rifles already fitted with bays, waited for their final moment toe.


    The table on the opposite side was getting closer, and behind it the insurrectionist soldiers seemed to see hope, shouting madly, pushing forward the table with all four legs.


    "Kill!" As the enemy''s table approached the doorway, the young officer was the first to charge from the side. He did not give the enemy a chance to react, lifting his pistol high, and pulled the trigger at the crowd hiding behind the table.


    The crisp sound of the Left-Wheel Handgun echoed down the hallway, and a soldier from the crowded insurrectionist group screamed as he was shot and fell.


    The young officer defending the door took aim at another insurgent peeking out and fired, and then several guards armed with bays rushed out from behind him.


    These guards held their rifles horizontally, butts up, stabbing their bays diagonally downward, knocking down the insurgents pushing the table at the front.


    In an instant, five or six insurgents screamed and fell down, and it seemed at that moment that the guards who charged out had regained the advantage.


    With their shoulders against the thick table, they pushed together and managed to move the table backward about half a meter.


    However, there were just too many insurgent soldiers in the hallway, crowding, some with guns, some with swords, with no end in sight.


    The insurgent soldiers also braced against the table. Numerous and powerful, they quickly regained their courage after a moment of cowardice.


    The soldiers from both sides wrestled with the table between them, and the side with fewer numbers was slowly being pushed back to the door.


    "Bang!" The young officer, holding the Left-Wheel Handgun, fired again, one shot after another until the chamber was empty.


    But before he could reload, the numerous insurgents, officers, and soldiers alike, opened fire in retaliation.


    A Kingdom guard standing next to the young officer took a bullet to the head, didn''t even have a chance to scream before he fell straight down. His blood sttered on the faces and bodies of other guards, still warm.


    As time ticked by, more and more Kingdom guards fell. The two sides blindly stabbed at each other over the table, and ultimately, the side with more people had the advantage.


    After two more guards were stabbed and fell, the young officer''s pistol was also out of bullets.


    He leaned against the table, gritting his teeth as he pushed, but still, he kept being forced backward. He clenched his teeth so hard, his face was pressed against the table, yet he still couldn''t prevent the table from advancing.


    Suddenly, he felt something pierce his back, and he could feel a liquid spreading beneath his uniform.


    Then, he felt something slice across his neck. He couldn''t free his hands to check if he was wounded; he could only keep propping himself against the table, daring not to move an inch.


    After that, he felt something else pierce the shoulder that had just been hit, and another strike in the same spot again.


    He could see his red blood soaking through his clothes. The sticky liquid dripped down his cor, drop by drop, onto the marble floor at his feet.


    He could feel his strength ebbing away, and he noticed the speed at which he was being forced back was increasing.


    "Ahh!" Filled with intense resentment, he roared fiercely, and the table seemed to be pushed back incessantly by him.


    A year and a half ago, he was just a poor boy. Every day he would only help his mother dry fish at the Brunas port to supplement the family ie.


    Until one day, a friend told him about a school that didn''t charge any fees and was epting students for sses. The curriculum there sounded incredibly interesting; every day the teachers would tell stories they had never heard before.


    So, he went.


    There, he learned arithmetic, and there he learned swordy and hand-to-handbat.


    Even now, he vividly remembered the ss where the teachers introduced them to the magic of the steam engine. He saw for the first time such a huge machine moving on its own, driving a whole row of machine tools.


    In school, he discovered for the first time that there were things in this world worth clinging to. He cherished the brothers he had lived with in the dormitory for over a year, treasured the girls who smiled at him in ss, never in his life had he imagined having such a wonderful life.


    If only he had been braver, would he have dared to give that letter to "Queen" Yulin? If only his grades had been higher, could he have received Mr. Tang''s schrship? If only he...


    His consciousness began to blur, yet stubbornly he continued to brace against the table, unwilling to back down a single step. At 22, this young man was roaring like a beast at the end of a splendid corridor.


    Thank you... Thank you, Mr. Tang Mo, for teaching me so much. All I can repay you with is this little bit... I''m sorry.


    Step by step, the table finally came to a stop, halting near the middle of the corridor. Because of the overwhelming number of corpses, it was just too heavy, and he could no longer push it an inch.


    And he simply had no strength left; he wanted to rest for a while.


    "It''s over," a familiar voice sounded from the other side of the table, followed by a young officer flipping over the table andnding beside him.


    The blood-soaked young officer suddenly lost all his strength, copsing, but the neer caught him in his arms.


    "I held the line." As the young officer spoke, blood frothed from his mouth. A bay had sliced through his blood vessels and pierced his heart and lungs, yet he felt no pain at all.


    "Hmm! You''re better than me, you were always better than me in school," the young officer holding him said, forcing out a smile uglier than crying itself.


    "My grades... weren''t as good as yours... you... forgot..." The young man in his arms slowly closed his eyes: "Help me... look after... my...


    mum."


    Thatst sentence exhausted all of his strength. The young officer holding him bowed his head, showing no expression, hugging the body in his arms tightly, only choking up and whispering softly, "Okay."


    "Who did this?" Afterying the corpse down, cing his ssmate''s hands folded over his chest, staring at the bloody dandelion ring on his finger, the young officer who had hurried over but was still one step toote stood up, his voice dark as he asked.


    His voice echoed in the corridor, like a malevolent ghost hungry for manflesh: "Who did this?"


    "There''s no need to ask." King Dorne approached the officer, looking down at the body lying on the marble floor in the sticky, fresh blood, his tone simrly menacing.


    Then, suddenly lifting his head, he looked at the mutinous soldiers being detained and coldly issued an order, "Those involved in the rebellion, execute them all!"


    "Bang!" A soldier pulled the trigger, and the mutinous soldier he was pointing his gun at clutched his chest, sliding down the wall to the floor.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The next second, gunshots erupted in the corridor, one after another, as the mutinous soldiers who had just thought victory was within reach, pushing the table near the door, fell to the gunfire.


    "I didn''t shoot, I was far from the table!" one mutinous soldier screamed in despair, but before he could finish, he was shot in the head.


    A mass of mutinous corpses piled up in the corner, blood spreading out and flowing everywhere along the smooth, marble floor.


    This coup, or rather mutiny, was doomed to be bloody and brutal, and no one could change that.


    "I promised him... to make him the captain of my guard!" Looking down at the young body lying on the ground, King Dorne wept amidst the gunfire.


    Even King Dorne, who had seen much and thought himself to be a master of power with a heart as hard as iron, wept at this moment.


    The more one endures, the more one treasures the most genuine, simplest emotions. As a king, to have a subject who remains loyal at a critical moment, gave King Dorne a sense of warmth.


    The throne, which he had assumed in istion, was too cold, so this bit of warmth moistened his eyes that had been dry for so long.


    "The forces of Sumer and Shireck are outside, Your Majesty," said the young officer with an intense aura, looking down at the corpse of his ssmate, seemingly dissatisfied with the smell of blood permeating the air.


    There was too little blood here, too few bodies here, how could such a small number... be enough? How could it be worthy of his brother? The scene was not spectacr enough! The blood, not nearly enough!


    "Those bastards! I''ll kill them myself!" King Dorne clenched his fists, his teeth gritted in anger.


    "Or, leave it to me. Death, for them... would be a mercy," the young officer said, lifting his head, his face still wet with blood.


    "Okay!" King Dorne agreed without a second thought, then he remembered something, "Right, you were his ssmate?"


    "Yes." The young officer watched as his men moved the table to one side, answering absently.


    "Your troops are now my guards, you will act as captain of the guard!" King Dornemanded: "Send people out, summon the ministers!"


    "Most of them won''t make it." The young man in luxurious clothes, who had just been racing on horseback through the streets, stepped over several bodies of the mutineers and approached King Dorne: "Many have joined the mutiny; others who did not side with the rebels were killed by mutineers."


    "Also, there''s one more thing to tell you..." He knelt on one knee andid his hand on his younger schoolmate''s forehead as if performing a ritual.


    After a few seconds of silence, he said softly without raising his head to King Dorne, "The army of Xilun Kingdom has crossed the border... that''s thetest news."


    ---------


    Thesest two days, I haven''t been feeling well, my condition has been poor, so updating will be slow, let me adjust... Once I recover, I will make up for the missed updates, I definitely owe you 3 chapters!

 Chapter 279: The Power of 275 Being Ignored

    Brunas, the headquarters of Great Tang Group, was where Tang Mo''s strongholdy. A meeting regarding the current situation was taking ce.


    The situation had be very clear now. The opposition was obviously targeting Great Tang Group, encircling all the powers that Great Tang Group could influence.


    To the north, Por Kingdom and Songmu Kingdom were both facing border pressures, and to the south, Dorne Kingdom was extremely passive.


    The Central Leite Kingdom was also waging war against the Kingdom of Gemalin. Shireck had clearly nned this for a long time.


    "Nicely arranged, drawing Leite into conflict with Germelin while dragging Dorne and Suthers into war as well. This time, the enemy is much better prepared than thest," Tang Mo leaned back in his chair, looking at the map, it was unclear whether he was being sarcastic or actually praising.


    He shifted his gaze to Harry on the side, "I hear that the profit of the munitions department has increased by three hundred percent recently, a delightful situation, indeed."


    "Master, our situation is not favorable. Therge number of munitions orders has depleted our own material reserves. If the war drags on, we will soon fall into the trap of a shortage of supplies," Harry reminded Tang Mo.


    The adversary, also an arms consortium, naturally could gauge the extent of Great Tang Group''s reserves to some degree.


    Indeed, Great Tang Group might have risen swiftly, appearing fierce, but it also had its own Achilles'' heel.


    This Achilles'' heel was materials¡ªthe rapid development, though swift, necessitated a massive consumption of materials, so the stockpile couldn''t be all thatrge.


    Granted, Great Tang Group had more efficient factories that could produce more advanced artillery shells and more powerful cannons, and they could even build irond warships that Shireck could not produce.


    But if the war broke out on toorge a scale or dragged on indefinitely without end, then Great Tang Group''s supply would face serious problems.


    This was essentially Shireck''s overt strategy. They had targeted Great Tang Group''s inability to withstand the consumption of arge-scale war through its material stockpile.


    It couldn''t be helped. The higher-ups at Shireck saw it rightly because Tang Mo''s Great Tang Group indeed could not withstand such depletion.


    Despite Tang Mo purchasing arge amount of steel and even constructing severalrge steel mills, and poprizing more advanced iron-making technology, the steel produced by Great Tang Group was dispersed among a multitude of rted industries.


    Steel was needed for railways and trains, and even if the carriages were made of wood, the tracks indeed consumed real steel.


    Steel was also needed to build ships and manufacture automobiles, and Tang Mo''s factory equipment also required steel, so there was much less steel that could be allocated for weapons production.


    Likewise, most of Tang Mo''s metal reserves were used in expansion, the outbreak of war elerated the consumption of these metals, and Great Tang Group''s metal reserves began to tighten.


    The frontlines of the war not only consumed Tang Mo''s material reserves but also his human resources.


    To respond to the war, countless able-bodied workers were assembled and focused on transportation and military training, which also slowed down the pace of Tang Mo''s production expansion.


    Without the war, Tang Mo''s expansion rate would have grown geometrically, but now the pace had clearly slowed down by several times.


    These were all issues that caused difort for Tang Mo''s Great Tang Group, but they had to be endured nheless.


    "There''s no way around it. If we talk about absolute production capacity and material reserves, Shireck Consortium holds an absolute advantage, and that''s not something we can change in the short term," Tang Mo looked at his subordinates, admitting his own weakness.


    However, he then said, "But we have our strengths, ones that were overlooked by everyone in the past, but are now increasingly important!"


    He stood up, walked over to the map, and drew arge circle on it with his hand: "Indeed, Shireck has greater overall strength than us. But why did they lose more than a year ago?"


    "Because they couldn''t concentrate their forces against us! They are so massive that they don''t even know what''s happening in their local areas!" Tang Mo said, with a mocking smile.


    Then he pointed to the warzones on the map and continued, "Their power requires transportation, and time to concentrate in the needed areas. We are clearly superior to them in terms of transportation!"


    "Further afield, their supplies cannot be assembled in the warzones. The consumption along the way is enough to make them copse. So in fact, what affects the oue in the warzones is still the proximity to these areas... these regions!" His finger slid across the map, narrowing down to the nearby countries.


    "Looking at the Shireck Consortium in these regions alone, or say, the industrial base of these nations, they are not even on the same scale as us!" Tang Mo confidently drew his conclusion: "We are at least twice, if not three times their size!"


    If the products can''t be delivered to the ces where they are needed, it''s no different than not being able to produce them at all.


    This era was deformed because, due to Tang Mo''s emergence, the entire world''s technological development waspletely chaotic and random.


    Scientific technology and theoretical knowledge could not catch up with the development of technology; most of the technology introduced by Tang Mo actuallycked sufficient theoretical support in other regions.


    To put it bluntly, these technologies could not be easily replicated, and even if they were copied, the imitations were crude, with few able to fully grasp them.


    Simrly, in areas where Tang Mo had not had time to develop, the world''s technological level remained backward,gging to aughably pathetic extent.


    Take a simple example: this world already had cars, which were a new product introduced by Tang Mo, and were even in use in many regions.


    However, only the Leite Kingdom and Dragon Ind hadplete,rge-scale production bases for refining gasoline.


    What''s more ridiculous is that Tang Mo''s methods for transporting crude oil were basically still primitive; he had no oil pipelines, nor did he have tanker ships specialized for transporting oil.


    Therefore, the gasoline produced on Dragon Ind was actually transported to Brunas inrge quantities using a mode involving wooden barrels and sailing ships.


    Simrly, all the liquids produced by the oil refineries of Brunas and the Leite Kingdom were mostly transported to other ces using primitive methods.


    Who could have imagined that the fuel for the gas stations in Ice Crystal City, ensuring enough gasoline there, depended on a magicalbination of horse-drawn carriages and wooden barrels that were originally for wine and spirits?


    Tang Mo had introduced a square iron gasoline barrel, but this luxurious method of transporting oil was only popr in Brunas, after all, iron was still a rtively expensive material.


    In ces outside Leite and Dragon Ind, iron as a material was still rtively unfamiliar, and most of the time, areas which could make do with wood did not use iron materials.


    "Although the enemy has made meticulous arrangements, have they... forgotten something?" Tang Mo asked his subordinates as he stood beside the map.


    "The Por Kingdom and Songmu Kingdom are too far to quench the immediate thirst, Suthers is troubled from within and without, the Leite Kingdom is struggling on the border, Dorne is too preupied with its own troubles..." Luff shook his head, unable to think of any forces they could still mobilize.


    "The same is true for Dragon Ind; even if Roger suspended construction there, he wouldn''t be able to help us out in the short term," Li''ao added, shaking his head as well.


    "We still have a force they haven''t taken into ount..." Tang Mo smiled, cing his hand on a spot on the map, "Let''s hope they can give our enemies a surprise!"


    ...


    "Report!" A Germelin officer pushed open the door of hismanding general and shouted loudly.


    The generalmanding the troops invading Leite lifted his head, along with a group of military officers and a representative of the Shireck Consortium who were studying the battle situation, to look at the officer specially in charge of delivering intelligence.


    "What''s the matter?" the general asked, looking at the messenger whoseplexion didn''t look quite right: "What happened?"


    "A message from the officers on the nk! They said we seem to have been ambushed by the Leite military!" the messenger hesitated before conveying the news from the nk.


    "Hm?" The general frowned, somewhat unwilling to believe such news: "That''s impossible! How could the Leite Kingdom still have such arge army? How many people are they?"


    "The messenger said that the enemy has two legions... and there''s likely... another legion behind them¡­" the officer stammered.


    "That''s impossible!" This time, it was the Shireck''s person who cried out loud: "Where did they get so many troops from?"


    The messenger felt awkward, nced at his general, and after seeing the doubt in thetter''s eyes, looked back at the Shireck representative and said: "Sir, the message is authentic. The messenger said... said that the troops were flying... the g of a wolf, a wolf g."


    "Northern Ridge!" The Shireck representative''s face turned pale in an instant; only then did he remember that the Leite Kingdom seemed to have an "autonomous region" that obeyed orders but not promations.


    Usually, everyone remembered the rapidly industrializing Northern Ridge, but habitually neglected the fact that Northern Ridge always had a military force in existence.


    What no one knew was that for the past two years, Northern Ridge had never been idle; since Earl Fisello of the Northern Ridge was assassinated, his military forces had been expanding.


    With the support of the Great Tang Group, the economic situation in Northern Ridge was enviably good, which meant that Ronin Alice, who had inherited the earldom, had always had more than enough funds to maintain her troops.


    What everyone didn''t know was that the small Northern Ridge possessed six regiments of troops. These regiments were not traditional legions but modern infantry regiments reorganized by graduates from the Great Tang Military Academy.

 Chapter 280: 276th Great Victory in Nanyang

    These infantry regiments had 10 more advanced 75-mm caliber howitzers. Although the caliber remained the same, they had been upgraded from recoilless guns to the more modern recoil guns.


    Simrly, the new-style recoil guns that also used breech loading had a faster rate of fire, were more urate, held more ammunition, and had a more terrifying range.


    At the same time, the soldiers in these infantry regiments had also learned from the security troops of the Great Tang Group, equipping themselves with M35 steel helmets and adopting the same military uniform style. Thus,pared to the brightly dressed militaries of other kingdoms of the same era, this troop had better concealment.


    The soldiers were equipped with the K3 rifle, the same model used by the Tang Group''s security troops. This rifle, utilizing advanced brass-cased ammunition, was much more advanced than the needle guns used by both sides on the battlefield.


    Even more frightening was the fact that each infantrypany had two Maxim G1 machine guns. Together with the machine gun units directly under the regimental headquarters, this firepower was not something the Leite Kingdom''s troops couldpare with.


    After reorganization, a Northern Ridge infantry regiment wasposed of three battalions, and each battalion had threepanies. Messilybined, apany had around 200 people, totaling up to an impressive 2,000 people for the entire regiment.


    Each regiment was equipped with 20 heavy machine guns, almost equaling the total number of heavy machine guns purchased by the entire Leite Kingdom...


    Not to exaggerate, but this was absolutely the equipment level of Cashin''s direct troops from the year 1940. Dominating these rookies with military technology levels not advanced past the Qing era, it was definitely overkill.


    In fact, Northern Ridge only had five infantry regiments, and the remaining one... was the world''s history first formally organized artillery regiment!


    This regiment was equipped with 20 75-mm caliber howitzers and another 20rger 105-mm caliber new artillery pieces. This kind of artillery was modeled after the German L16 type produced during World War I.


    The trajectory of these big guns was excellent, and they had a very long range, with a weight that was also moderate, making them highly suitable for the troops of this era.


    After all, most of the time they needed to be hauled by horses, so lighter weight was definitely an eye-catching parameter.


    As for the recoilless guns, the Northern Ridge''s military had already phased them outpletely. These second-hand artillery pieces weren''t wasted at all; they were directly resold to the Songmu Kingdom after marking up the price...


    Of course, putting aside these advanced weapons, just the fearsome reputation of the Northern Ridge Legion alone was enough to send chills down one''s spine.


    This troop had been known for its well-trained and formidablebat strength under Earl Fisheo, often achieving victory despite being outnumbered.


    However, because the Leite Kingdom had not used the Northern Ridge''s military in its external expansions over the past year or so, people gradually forgot that there was still a strong army on the piece ofnd sandwiched between Suthers and Leite.


    After all, other forces of the Leite Kingdom were also performing well, absorbing neighbors'' battles and attracting too much attention, so much so that everyone had forgotten that the Leite Kingdom''s strongest forces had not been mobilized at all!


    Regrettably, now, this troop... they had moved!


    However, due to the length of the logistic supply routes and therge amount of heavy weaponry, the Northern Ridge''s force was not fully mobilized.


    In fact, the Northern Ridge troops approaching the battle zone did not deploy the heavy artillery, and most of the 75-mm howitzers did not follow through.


    Nevertheless, to deal with any defenses that the enemy might adopt, the Northern Ridge''s troops still brought 10 105-mm howitzers for heavy fire support.


    The total number of Northern Ridge troops arriving at the battlefield was not particrlyrge; in fact, it was only 2 infantry regiments and two artillerypanies to reinforce them.


    Now, the troops of the Kingdom of Germelin invading the territory of Leite found themselves in aplex situation.


    To their north were the recently arrived Northern Ridge troops, whose numbers they still didn''t know. Even by the most optimistic estimates, they were up against an army of 3,000.


    On their other side was the force led by King Leite VII, numbering over 5,000 and known for their formidablebat strength.


    From any direction, it was clear that in this uing battle, the forces of the Kingdom of Germelin were at an absolute disadvantage.


    Previously, the Germelin forces had already lost a vast number of troops while attacking the border guard of the Leite Kingdom.


    The reinforcements that followed were mostly poorly trained militia, including a rabble of freebooters led by Qiumuluo.


    Even including the private military forces helped by Shireck, themanders of the Kingdom of Germelin had more than 8,000 troops at hand, but it was clear that theirbat effectiveness was uneven.


    The bigger problem, however,y in logistics. As the Germelin Kingdom''s forces advanced, they moved further and further away from their supply depots.


    Ammunition replenishment couldn''t keep up with consumption, and the army''s provisions were bing ever more scarce. What they were just discussing was ways to improve the transport conditions.


    But now, it was clear that the Leite Kingdom had no intention of giving them time to improve their logistics.


    After many changes in expression, the General of the Kingdom of Germelin looked towards the Shireck Consortium representative standing nearby and asked, "What do we do? We are already struggling against the main forces of the Leite Kingdom head-on!"


    The person in charge of Shireck''s face looked grim, but still, he spoke up to reassure the other party, "Don''t worry! They''re just bluffing!"


    He hadn''t expected that the Leite Kingdom would tolerate the Northern Ridge Troops leaving their territory, nor had he expected that this force would appear here at this time.


    A General from the Kingdom of Germelin sneered dismissively, "Bluffing? I''m afraid by the time we achieve victory on the other fronts, Germelin here might be finished first!"


    The enemy had nearly 10,000 men, while his own side only had 18,000. Without an advantage, the Germelin side truly dared not engage in battle recklessly.


    "Rest assured! Soon, their disadvantages in other areas will cause them to retreat!" Without a better solution, the person in charge of the Shireck Consortium could only emphasize the entanglements on other fronts.


    ...


    On the streets of Brunas, an olddy selling newspapers waved the papers in her hand, unabashedly shouting, "Extra! Extra! Great victory in the Southern Seas! Great victory in the Southern Seas!"


    Not far from her, another olddy was also peddling the newspapers she held, "Come and see! Come and see! Great Tang Group warships capture 30 enemy vessels! Victory after victory!"


    Helplessly, the children in Brunas all had to attend school, so the sight of newsboys selling newspapers had never urred in Brunas.


    When newspapers were first introduced, it was the elderly who were relied upon to sell them, which provided many jobless elderly people with a precious opportunity to earn money.


    It can be said that in Brunas, this magical city, as long as you want to work, you can definitely find a job.


    The atmosphere, originally heavy due to the war, became much livelier with the publication of this great victory in the newspaper.


    Everyone likes to hear good news, so when the workers heard that the Great Tang Group had won a glorious victory in a far-off ce, smiles appeared on their faces.


    It seemed as though the war would soon pass, good days would continue, everyone''s lives would return to normal, and everything would revert to the way it was before the outbreak of the war.


    No, perhaps, things would get even better!


    Inside the factory, a worker sorting parts on the conveyor belt before him remarked, "Captured thirty transport ships? Hey! Sunk 70 enemy ships?"


    Hispanion nodded in agreement, "Exactly!"


    The newspaper reported the confirmed results of the battle at Hotwind Port. The Great Tang Group''s fleet had sailed south to Taren and achieved an unprecedented victory at Hotwind Port.


    Commander Bernard annihted the enemy fleet advancing northwards in provocative action, achieving such splendid results that they were hard to believe.


    His dispatched warships chasing the fleeing enemy discovered the enemy''s transport convoy, and after sinking all the escort warships, the enemy surrendered quite willingly.


    Thus, the troops, food, and supplies carried by the thirty transport ships all became Bernard''s spoils of war.


    "Out of humanitarian considerations, they rescued over 1,500 drowning enemy soldiers!" In this busy workshop, where workers were taking turns resting, one was holding the newspaper, with a cup of water still on the machine beside him.


    The worker closed the newspaper and spoke disdainfully, "If you ask me, those drowning men should have just been left to drown in the sea!"


    "Right! Waste of food! They should''ve just drowned!" A working colleague, full of shared indignation, joined in the outcry.


    "Didn''t the newspaper say¡­" the workers putting the polished parts into a basket spoke without looking up, "¡­that all these prisoners of war must serve 10 years, working in the harshest mines to pay off their debts. Heh heh."


    Many of the workers in this factory were once ves themselves; they knew all too well what kind of life a ve faced.


    "They got off lightly! Being ves here is happier than being free people elsewhere!" Another worker passed by andmented.


    His words immediately met with a chorus of approval, for many had seen ves purchased by the Great Tang Group, and knew their treatment was far better than that of ves elsewhere.


    ...


    "The counterattack is set for the east of Leite! We''ll take care of the Kingdom of Germelin first! After that, everything else will fall into ce!" Tang Mo tapped on the map and said to his subordinates, "Redman is already heading to the war zone. He will takemand of the troops from Northern Ridge and pincer the Germelin forces!"


    "Furthermore, after stabilizing the situation in Dorne, the Navy fleet will head south! Whether it''s Taren Kingdom or Xilun Kingdom... none of them will escape!" After finishing his words, Tang Mo sneered, "Think they can drag me into a quagmire of resource exhaustion? I''ll strike for a swift victory instead!"


    "Mobilize all production capacity! Once we''ve pummeled our enemies, we''ll recoup the profits dyed by the war!" Lastly, Tang Momanded.


    "Yes, Master!" All the attendees at the meeting stood up, responding to Tang Mo with their chins held high.

 Chapter 281: 277 Directors

    Within a hidden and obscure castle, a circle of tycoons, each with differing physiques, sat around a huge round table. They were some of the most affluent merchants in the world, each owning businesses so vast they made one''s scalp tingle.


    Moreover, these individuals shared anothermon identity, that of directors of the Shireck Consortium, essentially shareholders of the consortium.


    They were all members of the Shireck board of directors, and it was together they discussed and decided upon the future direction for Shireck.


    However, at this very moment, a woman''s roar was echoing through the hall, "Who... who gave you the authority to target the Great Tang Group with such a massive operation?"


    "Sofia! We didn''t inform you of this matter, after all, you are not in charge of this area," a fat man picked up his wine ss, exining dismissively.


    The fiery-haired Sofia pped the table, cursing in great dissatisfaction, "Idiots! Do you realize how much power you''ve mobilized? How many years will it take us to cultivate these forces?"


    This time, even Shireck could say they had suffered a severe blow, mobilizing almost all of their assets in a fight against the Great Tang Group. For the usually cautious Shireck, this was undoubtedly an unreliable gamble.


    "Rest assured, our n to attack the Great Tang Group is wless, so your worries arepletely unnecessary," another gaunt old man, although displeased with Sofia''s shouting, still managed a smile and tried to soothe her.


    He was a smiling tiger, always wearing a grin, yet everyone in the room who knew him was aware that this old man, even with a smile, might not necessarily be thinking anything pleasant.


    Sofia looked at him, disclosing a piece of intelligence she had, "My worries arepletely unnecessary? Are you aware that the Great Tang Group''s warships sunk 30 first-rate sail warships in the Por Kingdom?"


    While the Por Kingdom was tight-lipped about such matters, a diligent investigation could still uncover the truth.


    The Great Tang Group had deployed only a few warships to sink a considerable number of the Por Kingdom''s sail warships, a piece of news that had Sofia on high alert.


    The fat man immediatelyughed, extremely proud of his arrangements, shaking his head as he said, "Of course I know, and that''s why this time, we''ve assembled a fleet of 70 warships from the Taren Kingdom to head north!"


    In his view, 70 warships were a formidable force capable of wreaking havoc at sea, with no risk of failure to speak of.


    Even the fleet of a maritime powerhouse wouldn''t dare to im they could definitely eliminate an enemy''s 70 first-rate sail warships in one fell swoop!


    Sofia surveyed those around her and asked coldly, "Have you ever considered... what if this fleet were to bepletely annihted?"


    She had a telegraph machine and had arranged for merchants to send her news from Brunas immediately¡ªthus, on her way here, she learned of the Southern Ocean Major Victory reported in Brunas''s newspapers.


    Though she was reluctant to believe that Brunas''s fleet had truly wiped out the Taren Kingdom''s fleet, she felt it necessary to be fully prepared for any eventuality.


    Several tycoons immediately eximed in shock, "Impossible!"


    Another director, who had nned this decisive battle against the Great Tang Group, finally spoke confidently, "It doesn''t matter, even if they did annihte Taren''s fleet, we''ve already sealed our victory on the way there."


    Sofia, still seething with anger, emphasized, "You mobilized the forces of six kingdoms¡ªGermelin, Taren, Xilun, Phk, Elm, and Mahogany. You evenid all the underground contacts from Suthers and the Dorne Kingdom out on the table!"


    This time, these damned individuals had mobilized too much of Shireck''s foundation, to such an extent that no one could afford the cost of failure.


    Just thinking about these sacrifices pained Sofia, for they were the very foundations painstakingly built up over decades by the older generation of Shireck directors!


    How much had they sacrificed toy roots in these kingdoms, to build influence and thereby sway the decisions of these kingdoms?


    And after this battle, regardless of whether they won or lost, they would lose some of that influence¡ªsuch was the price of waging war!


    The fat director nced at Sofia and spoke coldly, "As long as we win..."


    Sofia, relentless, fixed her beautiful eyes on the fat director and cut him off sternly, "That''s after we win! Do you even understand what you''ve already sacrificed right now?"


    The smiling tiger of an elder rebuked Sofia discontentedly, "Sofia! Enough! You are merely one of the members of the board of directors! You are not our boss! Don''t go too far!"


    "You are gambling with my property! Shouldn''t I question it?" Sofia sat back in her seat, adjusted her tone, and began to speak again.


    The fat man''s expression turned grim, but still suppressing his anger, he boasted, "Recently, our arms trade ie has doubled! Shireck has never been as glorious as it is today!"


    After all, war had broken out, and as an arms consortium, how could they not profit from it? With six countries purchasing arge amount of munitions, the consortium''s ie naturally soared.


    In addition to the profits from railways and other sectors, during the war, their profits swelled to twice their usual size, which was, of course, to be expected.


    "But in two months, you will lose the markets of 11 kingdoms! No, you will even lose the markets of 20 kingdoms!" Sofia clenched her fists, fuming at the thought of these fools gambling away her family fortune.


    "These are all your assumptions!" Someone dissatisfied with Sofia''s remarks shouted harshly.


    "Assumptions? Your stupidity will soone with a price!" Sofia stood up, dropped a harsh word, and turned around to leave the hall.


    "You..." Several people stood up, highly displeased, apparently wanting to reim their dignity.


    "I don''t have time to argue with you here! Goodbye!" Sofia didn''t look back as she pushed open the splendid doors and strode out of the hall.


    "Hmph! I knew it, we should have kicked her out of the board!" The fat man said coldly, "When we win, we''ll strip her of her shares!"


    "Women, after all, are short-sighted creatures. Relying on them is useless..." The old man said with a chuckle, pacifying the fat man, but he did not refute thetter''s words.


    Another envious ugly womanined, "Other than her looks and the ability to seduce men, what else can she do... Look at her high and mighty attitude, thinking she''s so great just because she''s a whore?"


    In the corridor, Sofia walked whileining to the maid at her side, "These people are all idiots; staying with them will eventually cost me all my money."


    The maid, who was walking beside and slightly behind her, confirmed, "Master, you mean?"


    "Prepare another n!" Sofia paused for a few seconds and then instructed in a low voice, "And be extra vignt against these fools..."


    The maid bowed her head slightly, "Yes!"


    ...


    In themand headquarters of Gemalin Kingdom''s forces, which had stabilized their front lines several kilometers back to the east of Leite Kingdom, the Gemalin general paced back and forth with a worried expression.


    At his side, a representative from Shireckforted the general and surrounding officers, "The enemy''s forces should have the upper hand; we can only stand firm and wait for reinforcements to arrive."


    While speaking, the representative nced at his trusted aide, the towering Qiumuluo, "Furthermore, if we can hold out for just a few days, the pressure on other fronts will force these troops to retreat. At that time, victory will be within our reach!"


    The Gemalin general, who had heard of the formidable reputation of Northern Ridge Iron Army, was still concerned, "But how do we hold out for a few days? I''m worried that the Northern Ridge forces will crush our nks..."


    "Don''t worry! The same tactics they used to block us, we will now use to confront them!" The Shireck representative, who hade up with a strategy, proudly dered.


    "Hmm?" The Gemalin general was puzzled and then looked towards the Shireck representative.


    The representative quickly revealed his tactic, "Before we retreated, I captured nearby farmers to dig the same kind of trenches on the border! They would never expect that we would use their tactics against them!"


    "Let your troops rely on this trench for defense until therge artillery arrives at the front. Once they do, we''ll have a chance to win!" The Shireck representative believed that once the 130 mm caliber heavy artillery arrived at the front, they would secure the victory.


    Without a better idea, the Gemalin general could only nod in agreement, "It is... a strategy."


    Seeing the general still a bit anxious, Qiumuluo offered reassuring words, "We have the support of 130 mm cannons, and we''ve been fighting so many days. They can''t possibly concentrate so much artillery in such a short time; we''ll surely hold out even longer!"


    "I hope that''s the case," said the still perturbed Gemalin general, although he looked a bit more rxed as he spoke with a prolonged intonation.


    Before long, afterpleting their retreat, Gemalin Kingdom''s forces relied on the hastily constructed trench defenses to withstand the advancing Leite Kingdom''s forces.


    Leite Kingdom''s forces didn''t rush their attack but instead stopped and waited a full day for all reinforcements to arrive before setting up their formation on both nks andunching several probing assaults.


    Then, in the northern sector of the theater, themander from Northern Ridge, Redman, decided to take the initiative in a general attack, seeking to pierce Gemalin Kingdom''s trench defenses!

 Chapter 282: 278 scattered soldiers and brave warriors

    "Boom!" Compared to the artillery preparations of the Kingdom of Gemalin, the firepower of the Northern Ridge Troops was obviously far more intense.


    The terrifying artillery fire engulfed the entire position, with ck smoke billowing everywhere. There were craters seething with heat and trenches that had been blown apart.


    The soldiers of the Kingdom of Germelin thought that the firepower they used when they attacked the Leite Kingdom''s border defense line was the strongest in the world, but only now did they realize their ignorance.


    It turned out they severelycked imagination¡ªthe ferocious artillery barrage in front of thempletely overturned their expectations.


    The Northern Ridge Troops had 30 cannons, all of which were new-model artillery with higher rates of fire, better uracy, farther ranges, and more powerful shells.


    Despite the Kingdom of Germelin possessing 130 mm caliber recoilless guns, their slow rate of fire of a few minutes per shot, along with their annoyingly heavy weight, prevented them from providing timely and effective fire support.


    They were good enough for hitting some fixed targets on the border, but once it came to apanying troops in an assault, they became utter trash.


    Now, the Northern Ridge''s quick-firing 105 mm caliber howitzers were the true kings of the battlefield.


    "Boom!" Another shell, following a high, arcing trajectory,nded almost vertically on the Germelin Troop''s position, lifting a cloud of dust and shaking the earth.


    The aggrieved Germelin soldiers could do nothing but curl up in hastily dug trenches, tragically waiting for the enemy to end their barrage.


    Their trenches were mere scratchings on the surface, equivalent to digging ditches in the ground, offering almost no protection.


    However,pared to when theyunched their attack on the border area, they obviously had learned quite a few lessons. At least, they wouldn''t crowd together and form square formations to collide head-on with the enemy on open ins anymore.


    Unfortunately, it seemed the Northern Ridge Troops had no intention of engaging them with traditional tactics. After a round of intense artillery preparation, their infantry began to advance.


    Following a shrill, somewhat heart-throbbing whistle sound, a session of roaringmands rose from the trenches: "Attack!" "Attack!"


    All of the soldiers of the Kingdom of Germelin were waiting, waiting to greet the soldiers of the Leite Kingdom with a painful blow using the trench crawling and shooting techniques they had just learned.


    But what they were met with was a scene that left them stunned: the Northern Ridge Troops didn''t form square formations for their assault but rather dispersed their formation as soon as they arrived, resembling a group of irregrs.


    However, these damned irregrs... really weren''t that easy to aim at. They split into small groups, covering each other, some firing from temporary cover, others advancing bent over, without a hint of so-called courage.


    After finally lining up a target, the enemy would quickly throw themselves down into the dirty mud, disappearing from sight.


    "Damn, what kind of tactic is this?" A veteran from the Kingdom of Germelin managed to fire off a shot, missed his target, andined furiously.


    The enemy quite obviously had trained for this, running zigzag patterns with no discernible rhythm, and in most cases, they were simply crawling on the ground.


    Soon, many of the soldiers on the Germelin defense line had realized the tactics of their opponents. One soldier, with a mixture ofughter and tears, asked hisrade, "Are they all... crawling on the ground?"


    "Damn... we can''t even see them!" Another soldier hastily fired off a shot and ducked back into the trench, cursing as he reloaded his rifle.


    Reloading a bolt-action rifle was actually quite troublesome as they had to clear the chamber. These weapons had obvious shorings but were a significant step up from flintlock rifles.


    These poor soldiers from Germelin had never fought such a strange battle and had no experience in dealing with the situation at hand.


    Only now did some clever ones realize that the way to attack a trench system was to advance dispersed, just like the enemy was doing...


    Unfortunately, they had no chance to try this tactic in return because they had to first repel the enemy in front of them.


    "Over there!" A sharp-eyed soldier from the Kingdom of Germelin saw an enemy jump up and rush forward a few steps and shouted excitedly.


    By the time he and his fellow soldiers swung their guns to aim at that target, those who had leaped up were already down on the ground, out of sight once more.


    "They''re up again over there!" On another side of the trench, soldiers from the Kingdom of Germelin shouted once again.


    With their shouting, Northern Ridge soldiers who had crouched and made it to closer proximity once again hit the ground, disappearing without a trace.


    In front of the positions were craters created by the artillery shells, and once these soldiers got into these natural shelters, the enemy had no way to deal with them anymore.


    Meanwhile, inside the craters, the Northern Ridge soldiers skillfully poked their heads over the edge, eying the enemy trenches that were now within reach.


    "Fix bays! Prepare for hand-to-handbat!" In the enemy trenches not far away, officers of the Germelin forces had already started giving orders to prepare for hand-to-handbat. Theirmands were very clear, as if crystal clear.


    "Roughly 24 meters by eye! Within the covering range!" A Northern Ridge soldier who had ducked back looked at therades waiting behind him. As he made his estimation, he also gestured with his fist, flicking out his thumb and then suddenly swinging it forward.


    All the soldiers nodded neatly, then they each pulled out a stick grenade from their waists, unscrewed the safety cap, pulled out the fuse, and exchanged a nce with each other.


    Once everyone was ready, they yanked at the fuses simultaneously and then sprinted forward, hurling the iron lumps in their hands.


    In the horrified eyes of the Germelin soldiers, a flurry of little ck dots suddenly flew up before them, and then those dots grewrger in their vision... and hit the ground.


    Bowing their heads instinctively, they saw an iron lump with a wooden handle smash at their feet, its tail still trailing faint smoke.


    Before they could react, the iron lumps exploded, instantly engulfing everything near the trenches.


    Huge explosions continued inside the trenches, turning the world dark; columns of smoke rose left and right, piercing the sky.


    The ground itself seemed to tremble as soldiers inside the trenches were jolted haphazardly by the brutal shockwaves. They had just been preparing for hand-to-handbat when the enemyunched an utterly unreasonable surprise tactic, opening the prelude to the assault.


    The Germelin soldiers, suppressed by a barrage of grenades, were now thoroughly disoriented, unable toprehend why the enemy''s artillery fire had suddenly intensified tenfold.


    The massive explosions all concentrated near the trenches took a devastating toll on the Germelin soldiers. Some grenades that happened to fall into the trenches caused enormous casualties in the blink of an eye.


    The soldiers who were flipped onto the ground by the sts scarcely had time to get up before they saw figures leaping into their trenches.


    What followed was the sound of dense gunfire¡ªthe opposing troops were equipped with a plethora of Left-Wheel Handguns, which were far more useful in the confined trenches than lever-action rifles.


    Of course, that didn''t mean the Northern Ridge troops were without lever-action rifles; on the contrary, the squadmanders of the Northern Ridge troops were all armed with lever-action rifles.


    The concentrated fire immediately overwhelmed the Germelin forces, who had thought they were the strongest firing force in the world. But now they realized they were wrong.


    The firepower from the other side was so intense that the Germelin soldiers didn''t even have time to raise their hands before bullets took them down.


    Indeed, the ordinary Northern Ridge soldiers, equipped with KAR98, or K3 rifles, were not much slower in rate of firepared to lever-action rifles.


    They used metal cased cartridges, which gave them a far greater advantage in sustained fire over the mass of Germelin troops equipped with needle guns.


    "Bang!" A Northern Ridge soldier with a rifle flipped an enemy soldier with a shot in the trenches, then shed a gleaming bay and flipped another soldier to the ground.


    Next, he pulled out another grenade from his belt, detonated it and threw it. Three Germelin soldiers, who were charging forward with bays, met their fate when the grenade they stumbled upon exploded, engulfing them in fire in an instant.


    After punching a hole in their defenses, the follow-up Northern Ridge forces rushed to fill it. These rigorously trained Northern Ridge soldiers aggressively expanded their victory by attacking along the trench in both directions.


    With the support of grenades and lever-action rifles, the trench clearing was even faster than imagined. The forces of the Kingdom of Germelin quickly copsed, piece by piece their positions rapidly captured by Northern Ridge forces.


    A line of trenches that had stalled the Germelin forces for days crumbled in less than an hour under the onught of the Northern Ridge forces.


    Once the line was breached and both sides became entangled in closebat, thebat training of the Northern Ridge troops shone through even more starkly.


    The Northern Ridge forces, seemingly much more adept at small-unit maneuvers, quickly expanded their gains, using squads or toons asbat units, infiltrating deep behind the Kingdom of Germelin''s lines.


    Viges that served asmand posts or ammunition depots, or the makeshift camps built up, were also hit hard simultaneously.


    The entire battlefield was in chaos, with Germelin troops fleeing in dismay. Out of more than 3000 men in two legions, fewer than 500 were killed on the battlefield, with the rest routed during the escape, obliterated while scattering in retreat.


    Withmand already ineffective, themanders of the Kingdom of Germelin couldn''t even discern what had happened, when suddenly they heard news of their defeat.


    Then came theplete rout across the board.


    ------


    There will be one more update today to make up for the previous one, which I''ll deliverter, probably after 12 o''clock.

 Chapter 283: The Chaotic Command Center 279

    ```


    Everyone was still investigating what exactly was happening when gunshots could be heard outside themand post. Everyone fled in a frantic disarray, with the neighing of war horses and the distant sound of artillery causing everyone to only think of retreating.


    "What''s going on?" the leading general of the Germelin Kingdom, having heard themotion, charged out of hismand post with his guards.


    This was a manor in a small town, previously owned by a minorndlord, and now it had been requisitioned to serve as the headquarters for the Germelin Kingdom''s troops.


    The small town was dotted with parked wagons, countless horses, and a plethora of servants and attendants looking after the animals.


    The sentry troops were inplete disarray because outside the town, the enemy''s gunfire and their own gunfire were intermingling, clearly indicating that a battle had already begun.


    And on the streets of the town, amid themunications soldiers leading panicked horses in retreat, there were asional mix-ups with some wagons.


    "My lord! The enemy has broken through the defenses! They''re already here!" An officer, apanied by a few guards, rushed past, pointing towards the distance and shouting toward the general who had just reached the doorway.


    "Huh! Huh!" A soldier tried to control his warhorse, struggling with the reins. But just when he had finally managed to calm his horse, a shellnded right in the town.


    "Boom!" A massive explosion blew off the roof of the nearby stables, and seven or eight war horses fell to the ground, while the rest broke free of their constraints and charged into the crowd of people running everywhere.


    It couldn''t be helped, this was the centralmand for the entire Germelin Kingdom''s offensive forces. In a headquarters without advanced equipment such as telegraphs, the mostmon sight was cavalry and mountedmunications soldiers.


    Almost all orders had to rely on war horses andmunications soldiers for delivery, so it was no wonder that arge number of horses were concentrated here.


    Of course, aside from the horses, there were countless nonbatants, such as the representatives from the Shireck Consortium who hade here to observe the battle.


    In addition, there were chefs who cooked for the headquarters staff, clerks who specialized in writing records, and many nobility officers who had brought their womenfolk in defiance of military discipline...


    And these people were actually far from being a burden.


    Because the items a headquarters must carry with it could be described as multifarious: there were specialized wagons, carts transporting a variety of vegetables, and of course, herds of cattle and sheep, poultry and ducks...


    A shell falling on these things truly made for a chaotic scene, with chickens flying and dogs jumping.


    At this moment, what presented itself before the Germelin general was such a scene that was simultaneouslyughable andmentable.


    Just as he angrily watched hismunication soldiers clear a path through the chaotic crowd on their war horses and flee without looking back, a chicken flew right past him.


    "What exactly is going on? Which side''s defenses have been breached? Huh?" The general, infuriated, grabbed a fleeing officer and bellowed his questions.


    "I, I don''t know! The enemy is just outside!" The officer, who had intended to draw his handgun and shoot the fool blocking his way, swallowed his saliva and regained someposure after recognizing the general''s face and began to exin.


    How could he know what had happened when the scene was so chaotic? The enemy had already reached this point; if he didn''t run now, was he supposed to wait for them toe to him?


    Seeing that the general who had stopped him was at a loss for words and didn''t respond, the officer shook off the hand holding him and ran toward the east without looking back.


    He had no choice; that direction was the deep rear, the direction of the Germelin Kingdom. Fleeing in that direction was certainly the right move.


    "Stop! You! Go check the left nk, see if there''s a problem there!" Not bothering with the fleeing officer, the general personally intercepted a messenger soldier who was about to run and ordered loudly.


    The messenger soldier pulled on the reins, then turned the horse''s head and, avoiding the general''s block, rode off without a backward nce.


    It was at this time that themander of the Germelin Kingdom realized that thesemunications soldiers were basically no longer paying attention to the tasks he assigned.


    "You! Find a fast horse! Go to the left nk and see if the position there is still holding! Hurry!" The general turned around to the guards who were still following him andmanded.


    He knew that at this time, only those close and trusted aides who he knew well were somewhat reliable to get things done.


    "Bang!" A gunshot echoed from a distant street corner; a Germelin soldier fell in response, and soldiers wearing helmets he had never seen before took advantageous positions, leaning against a wall corner and raising their weapons.


    ```


    "Bang!" Another gunshot rang out, and a soldier on the general''s side blossomed a spray of blood from his chest and fell in response. The remaining soldiers, electrified, quickly surrounded the general and sprinted towards a safer location.


    "Forget about me! Go confirm... confirm¡­" The general tried to shake off the guards pulling at him, but in the end, he was dragged back through the gates.


    "General! It''s over! We should retreat quickly!" the Guard Commander, clutching his handgun, leaned against the door and nce outside at the battle situation. That unknown enemy soldier who had opened fire at the street corner had now vanished without a trace.


    He ducked his head back in, looked at his men and the somewhat dazed general, and shouted, "You! You two! Find us a carriage! Quick! We need to get the general out of here!"


    Not far behind them, Shireck''s person in charge had just, with the help of a burly man covered in tattoos, climbed out of a first-floor window.


    "Qiumuluo! When we get back, I will surely¡­" The Shireck person in charge, grateful, turned back to make a promise to Qiumuluo.


    But before he could finish, a bullet flew from nowhere, striking him in the head. The figure copsed as his brain sttered, drenching Qiumuluo''s face with blood and brain matter.


    The startled Qiumuluo knew this direction was also dangerous, and gritting his teeth, he switched to another window and struggled to climb out, running desperately into the distance.


    Just as he was about to dive into the small woods next to him and make a sessful escape, a mortar shell flew in from nowhere and exploded right behind him.


    "Boom!" After the loud explosion, Qiumuluo''s figure fell to the ground... Shortly after, several fleeing stragglers came across the crater, spotting the big man lying next to it.


    Then, they heard Qiumuluo''s cries for help. He promised them a reward if they took him with them. After some contemtion, the stragglers dragged the legless Qiumuluo into the nearby woods.


    Meanwhile, in the town, more and more Northern Ridge troops wearing M35 helmets were appearing. They agilely upied some high-rise buildings and began suppressing the panicked Gemalin deserters from the rooftops of these two-story structures.


    "Don''t shoot! We surrender! We surrender!" A group of Gemalin soldiers huddled inside a building threw their weapons out the window, shouting loudly.


    Soon enough, Gemalin soldiers hiding in stables, behind carriages, and inside buildings began to plead loudly for mercy, shouting their surrender.


    The retaliatory gunfire quickly thinned out, leaving only one soldier after another, walking out of the rooms with their hands raised in surrender.


    "General!" Seeing the soldiers outside throwing away their weapons, the Guard Commander looked helplessly at his superior, "What should we do?"


    The people he had sent to find a carriage hadn''t returned, and they no longer had a chance to break out. They had the option of fighting to the death in the room or surrendering meekly.


    Of course, few within the room wished to fight to the death because surrendering at least held the promise of life, whereas a fight to the death left nothing at all.


    "..." The general did not speak but instead pulled over a chair and sat down heavily. Then he lifted his head and ordered his Guard Commander, "You go out and find their officer. Tell him... I... am here, ready to surrender."


    "... Yes!" After hesitating for two seconds, the Guard Commandercked the courage to persuade the general to continue the fight. He nodded, stepped out the door, and dropped the Left-Wheel Handgun produced by the Shireck Consortium.


    He raised his hands high and approached the closest soldier wearing an M35 helmet to say, "We surrender! I am the Guard Commander for the highestmander here. My superior is inside the manor, and he wishes your officer would allow him to surrender with dignity."


    "Hey! Sergeant! Listen to this guy; there''s supposedly a big shot over there! Wanna go have a look?" Holding his K3 rifle with a fixed bay, the soldier turned and bellowed loudly.


    A sergeant carrying a lever-action rifle and with a hand on the grip of his Left-Wheel Handgun on his waist came over, stepping over the bloodstains on the street, "What''s going on? Why the yelling?"


    "He says there is a big shot in the manor," the soldier pointed towards the manor not far away and then gestured towards the approaching Guard Commander as he spoke.


    "Come with me!" The sergeant gestured with his chin toward the distant manor, leading the two back inside it.


    He cautiously had the Guard Commander push the door open first, and only after seeing everyone inside had discarded their weapons did the two men from the Northern Ridge indicate they coulde out.


    Naturally, the Gemalin general did not get his dignified surrender ceremony because he was forced to give up his weapon and was escorted back to the Northern Ridge troops'' encampment.


    Two days after, the Leite Kingdom troops had essentially cleared the invading Gemalin deserters from within their territory, pushing the battle lines back to the original border area.


    However, they did not stop there. After a brief rest, thebined forces of the Leite Kingdom, including the Northern Ridge troops and the Kingdom''s main force totaling 10,000 men, crossed the border and prated into the Kingdom of Gemalin''s territory.

 Chapter 284: 280 Academy Phase 2

    Apanied by the Leite Kingdom''s counteroffensive, the m¨ºl¨¦e between the 11 nations seemed to have undergone a fundamental change.


    However, soon conflicts erupted in other regions, once again rendering the oue of the war unpredictable.


    In the north, the Por Kingdom engaged in warfare with the Elm Kingdom, battling fiercely along the border.


    Compared to the eastern front of the Leite Kingdom, the state of warfare here was somewhat different, with both sides still employing tactics from two years earlier, yet using advanced firearms like needle guns and breech-loading cannon.


    This instantly escted the bloodiness of the war to an unbearable level, with both sides suffering over 30,000 casualties within 3 days of the outbreak of hostilities.


    The Por Kingdom held absolute superiority in machine-gun firepower, but the Elm Kingdom had the advantage in troop numbers and artillery, resulting in a stalemate with rapidly escting losses.


    The Songmu Kingdom was also forced to withdraw from the borders of the Por Kingdom, to counteract the attack from the Rosewood Kingdom.


    However, having reserved its strength and equipped with some weapons from the Great Tang, the Songmu Kingdom managed to attain a certain level of advantage on the battlefield.


    They invaded the territory of the Rosewood Kingdom but, due to insufficient reinforcements, could only mire themselves in a bitter fight, stabilizing the front line roughly 50 kilometers inside the Rosewood Kingdom.


    At that moment, they were unable to advance despite having the capability, and felt reluctant to retreat, having no choice but to hold their position and slowly deplete their forces.


    The Suthers Kingdom and the Phk Kingdom also went to war, as tax reforms in the Suthers Kingdom had sparked a minor internal rebellion, cing them in a defensive position on the battlefield. Chapter Discover:


    With Tang Mo''s support, Suthers managed to secure their defenses, but expecting them to counterattack was unlikely.


    Moreover, the bulk of Tang Mo''s supplies had been transported to the eastern war zone of the Leite Kingdom, leaving him without the capacity to support arge-scale counteroffensive in Suthers.


    Now, the greatest pressure on the Great Tang Group actually came from the south, the Dorne Kingdom¡ªwhere a coup had just taken ce and Dorne was forced to face the joint attack of two neighboring countries, a situation fraught with peril.


    The Taren Kingdom amassed a 30,000-strong army onnd, while the Xilun Kingdom''s force of over 50,000 troopsunched a two-pronged attack on Dorne.


    These forces initially advanced unrestrained, with the troops from the Xilun Kingdom in the southeast closing in on Dorne''s King City, and the Taren Kingdom''s forces in the southwest approaching Hotwind Port.


    The Dorne troops, having to maintain control over upied areas, were dispersed across the vast territory without proper preparation for a consolidated defense against war.


    Thus, despite having a nominal force of 70,000 troops on paper, Dorne could not withstand the sudden assault from the neighboring countries and kept retreating.


    However, once they were relentlessly pushed back to strategic points, Dorne''smanders realized they had no further room to retreat.


    So, in the direction of the King City, Dorne''s newly appointedmander-in-chief led a hastily assembled force of 20,000 troops into a narrow encounter with Xilun''s 50,000-strong army. This young officer, named Bolton, was 27 years old, a graduate of the second ss of Great Tang''s military academy, and a cksmith two years prior.


    Meanwhile, near Hotwind Port, Dorne''s young navalmander led 10,000 soldiers against the 30,000-strong army from the Taren Kingdom. Thismander, also a graduate of the second ss of Great Tang''s military academy, was named Strauss, and at 28 years old, was the son of a fisherman.


    These two decisive battles were almost certain to determine the fate of Dorne, or perhaps that of the Great Tang Group itself.


    Nobody was optimistic about Dorne''s chances, as they were truly pushed to the brink. Themanders weren''t renowned generals, and the number of troops mobilized was far too few.


    But what no one knew was that Dorne was not fighting alone; nearly simultaneously with the coup, the Great Tang Group had already made its response.


    The world''s only steam-powered transport ship constructed entirely of steel had just been put into service, tasked with transporting an entire battalion of the Great Tang Group''s 1st Regiment to Hotwind Port.


    At the same time, as themander on the southwest front, Strauss unexpectedly ordered a retreat, sprinting back over 100 kilometers all the way to the vicinity of Hotwind Port, where he finally set up defensive positions and began erecting fortifications.


    His retreat skillfully avoided the brunt of the Taren Kingdom''s forces, forcing them to extend their supply line by over 100 kilometers.


    Then, when the Taren Kingdom''s troops arrived at Hotwind Port and rested for a day before preparing to attack, the battalion from the Great Tang Group also reached the battlefield.


    Theparison of forces didn''t really change dramatically, but each infantry toon in the Great Tang Group''s infantry battalion was equipped with two heavy machine guns, and the security troop''spany, including the independent machine gun detachment in thepany headquarters, had 7 machine guns, totaling 23 heavy machine guns in a full battalion.


    This number was almost equivalent to the entire heavy machine gun arsenal of the Dorne Kingdom, which gave Strauss an immediate firepower advantage over his opponent.


    And then...


    Something happened that made themanders of Taren Kingdom curse their luck.


    Strauss decided to go all-in and released over three hundred sailors and officers from the Taren Kingdom Navy, whom he had fished out of the sea.


    Yes, he released them! He let these prisoners go right in front of both armies, allowing them to bring back the news of their main fleet''s total annihtion to their ownnd forces.


    This move was the very "Encirclement and Suppression" strategy he had learned at the Great Tang Military Academy, tantamount to a critical psychological blow that directly shattered the Tarennd troops.


    In a fit of desperation, the Taren Kingdommander disregarded everything and, relying on his numerical superiority, attacked Hotwind Port, and then he met his tragedy.


    With the support of naval artillery, Hotwind Port''s defenses were like a meat grinder far beyond its time, where the Taren troops tasted the vor of utter despair.


    After a fierce assault, 2,000 soldiersy dead on the battlefield, and the attacking troops hadn''t even reached the outskirts of Dorne''s defensive positions.


    Subsequently, the unbelieving Taren Kingdommanderunched an even more frenzied attack, sending in 4,000 men at once, hoping to break through the Dorne military''s lines in one fell swoop.


    This time he heard the endless roar of machine guns, with crossfire and heavy artillery shelling that instantaneously shattered all his dreams of breaking through the lines.


    The already demoralized Taren Kingdom troops could only just barely stabilize their footing after the continuous setbacks from their attacks.


    To keep his troops in line, themander of Taren Kingdom tried everything, but the next morning, Strauss led all his troops in a counterattack.


    Thispletely dispersed the already copsed morale of Taren''s troops. They put up only a token resistance before retreating entirely.


    From that moment on, things started to be bizarre: knowing the situation was hopeless, themander of Taren Kingdom had his own n.


    While leading his troops to retreat, he plundered the local popce, intending to take some benefits back to Taren Kingdom to make up for the losses of this failure.


    However, this robbery incited the fury of the locals. Compared to Dorne''s upants whom they were not fully pleased with, they found that those iming to liberate them were even worse.


    Thus, these people began to actively get in touch with the scattered Dorne troops within the upied area, who had not been mobilized, providing them with information, passing messages and organizing to intercept these retreating Taren troops.


    In the end, what was supposed to be a total rout turned into a peculiar war where fragmented Dorne forces, already in disarray at the rear, pursued and hit Taren''s main forces out of the national border.


    And then, when everyone thought that Strauss would pursue the routed Taren troops along the way after the great victory,


    Strauss instead divided 7,000 men to seek out the bad luck of the Xilun Kingdom forces.


    Just as these 7,000 troops rushed toward King City, Bolton led more than 20,000 Dorne troops, taking advantage of the terrain, to set up ambushes and cut off Xilun Kingdom''s supply lines.


    In a bloody battle, Bolton led 2,000 troops to great victory, burning more than half of Xilun army''s food and forage, destroying at least a third of their ammunition, then returned triumphantly.


    At the cost of 1,200 men, he crippled the ability of Xilun Kingdom''s 50,000-strong army to continue northward, ensuring the absolute safety of King City.


    What enraged Shireck''s liaison was that Xilun Kingdom had to wait on-site for five precious days and even sent troops back to protect their supply lines.


    By the time this force began to move forward again, what stood in their way were three trench defense lines meticulously constructed by Bolton.


    After attacking ferociously for five days and at the cost of 2,000 men, themander of Xilun Kingdom realized what kind of trick his opponent had yed.


    Bolton had been ceaselessly building defensive fortifications. Each time hepleted a line of defense, he would willingly give up the previous battered one, maintaining a steady rhythm of slow retreat.


    These troublesome defense lines indeed wore down the force of the Xilun Kingdom troops, much to the chagrin of theirmander.


    More importantly, these lines were buying time! With the days passing by, Dorne was gradually recovering from the shocks of political turmoil and was reassembling its troops.


    Any fool could see that continuing in this manner of attrition, Dorne, clearly regaining its national strength, would hold the home-field advantage and make Xilun Kingdom and Taren Kingdom pay a much heavier price.


    Therefore, the Xilun Kingdommander sent messengers urging the troops responsible for attacking Hotwind Port to hasten their assault...


    What he didn''t know was that a full force of 7,000 men was already nearing the King City war zone and, relying on their familiarity with the terrain, was moving at full speed towards the rear side of the Xilun Kingdom forces.

 Chapter 285: Victory of 281 Shuangjie

    ```


    Perhaps no one expected that this great battle in Dorne would ultimately make heroes out of two young generals who had graduated from the Great Tang Military Academy.


    After this war, their names would be sung throughout the world alongside the military exploits they had achieved.


    Now, they were not yet the renowned Dorne Duo of the future, but they were in the process of showing the world the talent that had been buried in obscurity.


    Three dayster, in the afternoon, over 7,000 Dorne troops, shielded by more than 20 machine guns, encircled the 50,000-strong army of the Xilun Kingdom from the rear.


    A semnce of chaos spread instantly, and at this point, themander of the Xilun Kingdom was still unaware that his retreat had beenpletely cut off.


    He sent his trusted subordinate leading 3,000 soldiers to counterattack along the road, attempting to recapture his supply line and retreat path.


    The result was that these 3,000 soldiers suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat to their point of origin once again.


    It wasn''t until then that themander-in-chief of the Xilun Kingdom realized that the army appearing behind him was not a minor Dorne harassing force as he had guessed.


    After the first counterattack failed, themander of the Xilun troops immediately became aware of the gravity of the situation, and he once again rallied 5,000 of his main force, tookmand in person, and tried to recapture the route.


    After a fierce battle, he finally acknowledged the fact that his troops were encircled, and what was intercepting him was not a small detachment but arge army with formidable firepower.


    Thus, the attempt to recapture the retreat route turned into a breakout, and the nature of the battle changed immediately. Themander of the Xilun Kingdom called back another 5,000 men from the front to fight again.


    The dy inmunication made the coordination of the Xilun troops extremely slow, and the frequent movements caused great unease among the other soldiers. Chapter Discover:


    They watched asrge numbers of troops were withdrawn from their sides, not knowing whether they were retreating or heading somewhere else to continue fighting, so everyone was confused.


    By this time, themander of the Xilun Kingdom, including the person in charge from the Shireck Consortium with the army, still did not know that the Taren Kingdom''s troops had already been defeated, and that they werepletely surrounded.


    On the other hand, the security forces of the Great Tang Group had their own manpower radiomunication devices. They used pedal-powered generators to send telegrams to the Dorne troops in the direction of the King City early on.


    The more timely and urate information allowed the Dornemander in the direction of King City, Bolton, to immediately order a full counterattack, preparing to pin down the Xilun troops on the front line.


    Meanwhile, as Boltonunched his counterattack, he also started spreading rumors that the Xilunmander had fled, also aiming at a "psychological warfare" maneuver.


    As a result, the Xilun troops on the front line, who had lost theirmand, took the rumors for truth, because they really could not find their general...


    A greater chaos finally erupted. The 20,000 Xilun troops at the front surrendered, abandoned their camp, and were unable to break through the encirclement. The remainder of the Xilun troops copsed in an instant.


    The farcested for two days. Out of the more than 40,000 troops of the Xilun Kingdom, aside from a few hundred stragglers who managed to escape, the rest became prisoners of Dorne Kingdom.


    Even the person in charge of Shireck was captured, taken back to Dorne King City by Bolton, along with arge shipment of military supplies meant to support the effort, which now became the spoils of Dorne''s great victory.


    The war ended in such a confused manner, but the results were incredibly shocking: On the southern front, where the enemy had the greatest advantage, two kingdoms had almost lost all their mobile forces, almost as if they were stripped naked, leaving themselves at the mercy of the Dorne Kingdom.


    This war also saw many historical firsts. For example, it was the first time naval artillery supportednd operations¡ªthe old muzzle-loaded cannons couldn''t reach that far.


    Another example is the use of telegraph machines on the battlefield formunication, allowing widespread troop movements and coordinatedbat.


    Plus, it was the first war in the world''s history to have battlefield scenes recorded by cameras. Journalists from the Great Tang Group''s security forces used photographic equipment to capture many valuable images of the war.


    These ck-and-white photos became precious visual records for review and analysister on, and they also became important archives that bore witness to the magnificent victory in this war.


    In this local battlefield of the war involving 11 countries, termed as the "Victory of the Duo," the losses of the Shireck Consortium were simply innumerable.


    The two kingdoms had deployed an army of 80,000, with more than 600 artillery pieces, including 30 of the 130 millimeters in caliber, and over 300 of the new breech-loading cannons.


    Equipped for this 80,000-strong army were also 50,000 Shireck-made needle guns, 10,000 left-wheel handguns, and lever-action rifles.


    Along with the horses and vehicles that brought the heavy artillery to the front, as well as the artisans and servants that apanied them, all of these were essentiallypletely lost.


    The remnants that managed to return to the Taren Kingdom salvaged some Gold Coins and valuable items, but the Xilun Kingdom''s forces were truly and utterly obliterated.


    ...


    "Finally, some good news," Tang Mo, who had been waiting for almost 20 days, put down the telegram in his hands and let out a sigh of relief.


    ```


    He was also very nervous, fearing that his people might mess up in Dorne. If that happened, he would have to consider giving up on Dornepletely, abandoning Hotwind Port, and even temporarily postponing his ns for settling ounts with the Taren Kingdom.


    If Dorne couldn''t hold, there was a very real possibility that the Leite Kingdom itself might be at risk, and Brunas could potentiallye under attack from Shireck.


    If it really came to that, he would have to give up on Brunas and retreat to Dragon Ind, losing over a year''s worth of development time at least.


    However, the good news was that all of these worries did note to pass. The Battle of Dorne had been won, and the development of the Great Tang Group in the uing years would no longer be threatened.


    "The dwarves from the Ice Cold Kingdom..." Harry''s face also revealed a smile. He was walking faster than usual when he came to deliver the telegram.


    He couldn''t help it; the good news was just too significant. They could continue to develop, continue to expand, and continue... to make even more money.


    "Now that we don''t have to worry about watching our back, it''s time to think about how we''re going to make money," Tang Mo said with a smile to Harry. "Although I haven''t figured out how to deal with Shireck and avenge today''s grudge, causing them a bit of trouble shouldn''t be a problem."


    "Go! Fetch those anxious dwarves and tell them... I agree to their request." Having said that, Tang Mo pressed the telegram on the table, stood up, and walked towards the window.


    What a splendid afternoon it was. After victory, even the familiar scenery of the factory district seemed to take on a different vor.


    "Yes!" Harry left Tang Mo''s room.


    ...


    "Have you resolved your troubles?" The Dwarf Envoy asked in disbelief upon seeing Tang Mo.


    "Of course, otherwise how could I brazenly consider your request... If I had been defeated, how much of the promise I made to you could have been fulfilled?" Tang Mo gestured for the Dwarf Envoy to sit down, and asked with a smile in return.


    "..." The dwarf fell silent. He knew the immense pressure Shireck could bring to an opponent, so he was very clear about the enormous cost of resolving Shireck''s challenges.


    In the end, he felt there was no need for Tang Mo to lie to him. It seemed that the Great Tang Group had indeed won a splendid victory on the battlefield.


    "Soon, you''ll see the results in the newspapers. The war is over, and what''s left... is just garbage time," Tang Mo said with a smile, sitting opposite the Dwarf Envoy.


    The dwarf was silent for a few seconds before finally nodding and bringing the topic back to the trade between the Ice Cold Kingdom and the Great Tang Group: "Have you truly agreed to our request?"


    "Yes, I''ve thought it over for a long time and feel that having a friendly partner in the north is in the interest of the Great Tang Group," Tang Mo nodded and said.


    The dwarf didn''t speak because he knew Tang Mo would certainly propose additional terms¡ªthe original price was not the same after the Great Tang Group defeated Shireck.


    "The Ice Cold Kingdom, or shall we say the Ice Cold Empire... mustpletely sever ties with Shireck, prohibiting them from conducting any business within the regions controlled by the Ice Cold Empire, within the span of their influence," Tang Mo said with a smile, uttering the coldest of demands.


    "Agreed! We ept this condition," the Dwarf Envoy, having anticipated the additional condition to be rted to Shireck, nodded in agreement with Tang Mo''s terms after a brief reflection.


    As long as the Great Tang Group supported the Dwarf Kingdom in industrialization, the dwarves wouldn''t really need to bother with Shireck''s outdated technology.


    Therefore, cutting off ties with Shireck and first building an industrial system to learn the technology of the Great Tang Group was in the interest of the Ice Cold Kingdom.


    "So... here''s to a pleasant cooperation!" Tang Mo extended his hand, smiling.


    The handshake ritual originated in Brunas, and anyone who had dealt with the Great Tang Group knew very well that when the people of the Great Tang Group extended their hand, it signified that a deal had been reached.


    And with a coboration with the Great Tang Group, Gold Coins woulde pouring in, unstoppable! This was the reason the Great Tang Group caught everyone''s attention and why people went crazy for it.


    "To a pleasant cooperation!" The dwarf stood up, extended his hand, and sped it with Tang Mo''s.


    The next day, Brunas''s newspapers published the news of the great victory in Dorne. For a moment, everyone who saw the content of the newspaper was dumbfounded because they had not expected that the second ce to be decided would be Dorne.


    In fact, at almost the same time Tang Mo learned of the great victory in Dorne, the King of the Taren Kingdom had only just found out that his Troops had been routed and had returned to the country.


    He hadn''t even had the chance to deal in his wrath with the defeated generals when he heard an unbelievable piece of bad news from the messenger soldier who hade to deliver the message.


    The Taren Kingdom''s Fleet... had been utterly annihted at Hotwind Port.


    ------------


    Two more chapters today

 Chapter 286: 282 Ministers of the Taren Kingdom

    "You''re saying that my entire fleet has been annihted!? You want to tell me that all of my 70 warships... first-grade warships! Have all sunk!?" The King of the Taren Kingdom sat on his throne, shattering the ss in his hand on the floor.


    The grand hall wasn''t particrly glittering with gold, nor were the Kings of Taren known for their extravagance. They seldom renovated their pce because they invested a significant portion of their ie into fostering their fleet.


    Therefore, the number of warships in the Taren Kingdom was very high. In addition to first-grade warships, there were hundreds of second-grade warships and armed merchant ships to secure their trade routes.


    The King who had just spoken now stood up in anger, walked up to his Prime Minister, and asked furiously, "Those were 70 warships! 70 warships! Those ships were enough to destroy a kingdom! Yet you tell me they''ve all gone... all sunk! Have you gone mad, or are you a fool?


    Hmm?"


    "Your Majesty! The situation is likely as such! Our fleeing soldiers have brought back some prisoners who were sent back by the enemy, which has confirmed they indeed belonged to our fleet," said the Prime Minister, his face also looking dreadful, but he had no choice but to speak up. Chapter Experience:


    Although unwilling to ept reality, he knew that if they didn''t immediately think of countermeasures, this kingdom built upon the sea was quite doomed.


    As a Prime Minister, he certainly did not wish to see his king taken prisoner, nor did he want to witness the destruction of the kingdom he served. Therefore, he had to do his utmost to help this madman before him ovee the crisis.


    "Your Majesty! Now that it hase to this, we must think of a way to face the crisis at hand," a navy General could not help but speak up at this point as well.


    The surrounding Ministers were buzzing with discussion, as they too had just learned of the news that the fleet that had sailed out had beenpletely sunk.


    Those were 70 warships! Almost the entire wealth of the Taren Kingdom. Such a loss was not easily borne.


    The King''s face remained unpleasant as he looked at the speaking navymander and questioned loudly, "What can be done? What can you do? Hmm?"


    "We, we need to, need to, replenish, replenish warships! More warships!" the navymander answered nervously.


    His answer was not satisfying as those warships had been sunk, and hastilyunching a few new ones wouldn''t change anything.


    The disparity in the strength of the two sides was too great, the enemy''s quality advantage could not bepensated with a numerical advantage, which was the most fatal issue.


    It was obvious that the Great Tang Group had very formidable new warships, which was also a definite piece of information obtained from the prisoners sent back.


    These prisoners had all experienced that naval battle, and their memories of the enemy''s terror were fresh. They brought back very important news, news about irond warships.


    The Great Tang Group''s possession of steel-made warships was no longer a secret; after all, the captured sailors had witnessed those powerful ships themselves.


    They were interrogated separately, yet provided almost identical intelligence: the enemy irond warships could fire at ease from a distance of 1000 meters, sinking sail warships.


    This message was also corroborated by thend forces: during the attack on Hotwind Port, they faced unprecedented shelling, with the enemy using very powerful cannonballs, even more powerful than those provided by Shireck.


    Arming warships with such cannonballs clearly meant that ordinary sail ships could not withstand them, so it was easy to understand why those sail warships were sunk.


    Thinking of the cannonballs presented yet another insoluble problem: traditional wooden warships simply couldn''t withstand such attacks no matter what.


    Too fragile in defense, this made the expensive sail warships lose their purpose. The only path to reinforced defense was to find a way to thicken the hull to withstand cannonball attacks.


    But this led to another problem: thickening the hull and covering it with steel would further increase the ship''s own weight, slowing down the already sluggish speed of the warships.


    Losing speed, these "turtle shells" would be even harder to maneuver, which also meant they would be more challenging to deploy, and fleet coordination would be even worse¡ªthis waspletely adding insult to injury.


    "The intelligence brought back by those prisoners sent back is truly shocking; I even feel that it''s a kind of bluff by the enemy..." At this moment, a Minister spoke up with a pretense of depth, sharing his thoughts.


    "A bluff? Are you saying they didn''t annihte Valen''s fleet? Or are you suggesting that our defeat onnd is a lie?" Another Minister scoffed, speaking sarcastically.


    These two usually had differing political views, so their arguing at this time was not at all surprising.


    The Prime Minister nced at the two quarreling men, sighed, and advised the King standing before him, "Your Majesty! It is very certain that the enemy possesses a formidable navy. We must now carefully consider how to respond if the enemy''s warships sail south."


    Hearing the Prime Minister ask about countermeasures, the navymander who had just spoken said worriedly, "If the enemy blockades us... that would be dangerous."


    A Minister in charge of food supply was startled and immediately spoke up loudly, "Our grain here... it all has toe by sea..."


    "The food supply shouldst us a while, but I''m worried about the copse of trade," said the Minister in charge of trade, his face pale as hemented with a hint of a cry.


    There was no way around it; for the Taren Kingdom, which heavily depended on maritime transport and trade, the loss would be unimaginable if their transport routes were cut off and their ports blockaded.


    Thus, he was already in despair, exining to everyone with a mask of agony, "At most seven or eight days, without our trade routes, we will copse."


    The King too was very concerned about this actually happening; if his trade was destroyed, what could he use to revive his navy fleet and recover the copsed army?


    When money and food were needed everywhere, and these things were suddenly all gone, this truly was a devastating blow to the King of the Taren Kingdom.


    And standing by his other side, the Minister in charge of food supplies, also didn''t forget to twist the knife further in the King''s wound, "Is the food supply really enough? Without maritime resupply... that''s also very dangerous."


    "Speaking of which, if they have such a powerful fleet, then why didn''t they sail south earlier and attack us..." It was then that someone finally remembered another issue: If the Great Tang Group''s fleet was so powerful, why didn''t they juste and attack directly?


    The navalmander thought for a long time,ing up with only one uncertain possibility, "Perhaps the enemy was afraid that we would stage a sneak attack on Hotwind Port..."


    Indeed, he had guessed correctly; Tang Mo was worried about Hotwind Port having issues, which was why he had the fleet stationed there, ready to act.


    However, the senior officials of the Taren Kingdom were unaware of this, and they immediately imagined the enemy fleet''s presence at Hotwind Port as the enemymander''s prescient decision-making.


    Thinking along these lines, these decision-makers of the Taren Kingdom found it even harder toprehend the speed of Great Tang Group''s information dissemination.


    "Hiss... Did the enemy know we were going to Hotwind Port?" One Minister asked incredulously, looking towards his colleague.


    The colleague spread his hands and shook his head, "It must be an intelligence leak! Such arge-scale operation, it''s impossible to keeppletely secret."


    Mobilizing troops, assembling the fleet; if the enemy really had spies within Taren, they would definitely transmit information ahead of time... The question was, how did they manage to deliver intelligence so swiftly?


    "But the enemy''s preparation is too thorough, right?" The official who raised the question was somewhat resentful as he asked again.


    "It''s very likely that Shireck hadunched an offensive in another direction first, raising their alert!" another Minister exined.


    "And the enemy could actually halt their own fleet at any time?" This time it was the navalmander''s turn to be incredulous.


    The Prime Minister''s face darkened as he snapped, pulling the discussion back on track, "What''s the use of talking about this now?"


    The King too was restless and anxious, looking at his Ministers and repeating the Prime Minister''s words, "Yes, what''s the use of talking about this now? What are the solutions? Speak solutions!"


    "Gather, gather the remaining fleet?" one Minister proposed.


    The navalmander shook his head and said, "Gathering all of our warships now may not even add up to 150."


    "There are still that many warships; should be enough to put up a fight, right?" The Minister seemed somewhat reassured after hearing the number.


    The naval general looked at this Minister as if he were looking at an idiot before responding sarcastically, "Are you joking? Do you know how many inds we need to defend, how many ports we must protect?"


    "Then speak! Apart from those we can''t mobilize, how many warships can we gather?" the Minister retorted defiantly.


    The navalmander thought for a few seconds before giving a despair-inducing answer, "Of these remaining warships, we may not have even 30 that we can gather."


    The officer continued with aint, "The fleet that General Valen took with him was pretty much all of our mobile strength."


    "That damned bastard Valen, couldn''t he have run if he couldn''t win?" Suddenly, some Ministers, who didn''t understand naval warfare, started berating the now dead naval General Valen.


    Since the dead cannot argue back, whatever they said now could be refuted by others, but cursing that damned Valen wouldn''t be questioned by everyone.


    Of course, they had already forgotten that General Valen had once been a famous and formidable admiral at sea. They also forgot that Valen had led the fleet to a small-scale naval victory before, seizing a small ind from another kingdom.

 Chapter 287: I apologize 283 times.

    Forgetfulness is a virtue, and also a means of self-protection.


    At this time, a minister in charge of governing a portion of Taren Kingdom''s terrestrial territory suddenly spoke up with concern, "What worries me is whether the Dorne Kingdom willunch an assault on us from thend."


    You see, Taren Kingdom''s problem right now isn''t just that their entire navy fleet has been annihted. Their not-so-outstanding army has also just copsed, hasn''t it...


    Compared to the construction of their navy, thend forces of Taren Kingdom, which had always prospered by the sea, did not seem to be as brave and adept in battle.


    This body of troops, aside from the 30,000-strong main contingent sent to attack Dorne, mostly hasn''t been re-equipped yet, their hands still grasping the thoroughly outdated Shireck Flintlock Guns.


    Simrly, Taren Kingdom, always proud of its formidable navy, didn''t actually have strong coastal defenses either.


    All their batteries were equipped with outdated muzzle-loaded cannons; some were even decades-old equipment that hadn''t been reced at all.


    The hundred or so breech-loading cannons recently assisted by Shireck had been taken by thend forces to put on a show of strength in the attack against the Dorne Kingdom.


    They had initially nned to test the power of these breech-loading cannons, thinking if they worked well, they''d purchase more. But those advanced new-style cannons were all recklessly left on the battlefield in Dorne.


    Sometimes things are so fantastically ironic: they had hoped that after their victory, they could use the plundered resources to thoroughly update their military equipment, yet they ended up losing the battle.


    Hearing the minister speak up, the King of Taren froze, then rted that he had just remembered hisnd forces were also doomed.


    So he looked at the minister, muttering subconsciously, "You mean ..."


    The minister didn''t wait for the King of Taren to finish and replied, "Yes! Once theyunch an attack, our already defeated troops definitely won''t be able to hold the line, and by then... we will have lost the hard-wonnds we''ve been expanding and upying for decades..."


    Thesends were hard-won and greatly alleviated the problem of Taren Kingdom''s insufficient territory and weak national power.


    If these ind territories are lost, then it would be wildly unrealistic for Taren Kingdom to maintain a fleet of the former scale.


    Chapter Continue:


    "Damn it, we''ve never encountered such a situation before... We''ve never lost so many warships in a single naval battle..." After a brief silence, the ministers startedining again.


    There was no way around it; they were incapable of saving the situation at this time, but joining in thementation was something they could still do.


    Consequently, one heard others nodding in agreement, "Yes, we lost the sea battle, and now onnd as well... This, this is really ..."


    The entire hall was noisy and morous; the topic had once again gone off course, and they began to argue, to me each other.


    You said a few words, he said a few words, and after a long time, not a single constructive suggestion had been made, infuriating the King of Taren to the point of a heart attack.


    Finally, a minister who seemed to have some insight spoke up, offering his opinion, "As for Shireck, we must make things clear with them! They led us to provoke such an adversary, shouldn''t they makepensation?"


    While his motive was to kick others while they were down due to differing political views with those ministers backed by the Shireck Consortium, he had still made a couple of actionable suggestions.


    Hence, his words immediately gained the approval of some ministers, "Exactly! Those workshops, ports, and mines belonging to Shireck, we need to take them back! Topensate for our losses!"


    On the other hand, those ministers who had cozied up to Shireck and received many benefits from them had be as quiet as cicadas in winter, basically not daring to speak up.


    The war had started because of their advocacy, and now that they had lost, even shaking the foundations of the nation, they naturally didn''t dare to spout nonsense anymore.


    Just as Sofia had thought, Shireck had used up too much of the connections and influence it had umted, as well as a considerable amount of its reserves, virtually losing its influence over all participating nations overnight.


    Although Shireck was yet reaping war profits, after this conflict, they would be bitten by the cost, inevitably forced to swallow the bitter fruits of their own doing.


    When those ministers who had been close to, or rather had sided with Shireck fell silent, the voices of the other ministers seemed particrly harsh.


    Immediately, a minister started moring for Shireck to make reparations, "Let Shireck rify! They''ve sent us off to die! We''re in dire need of warships, they mustpensate! Warships! At least 30... no, 50 warships aspensation!"


    His thinking was good: if Shireck immediatelypensated Taren Kingdom with a fleet, then at least at sea, Taren Kingdom could maintain the situation.


    s, he failed to consider, if Taren Kingdom''s own fleet of 70 warships could be so mysteriously sunk, how long could another 50 simr warships hold on?


    What''s more interesting is that the Kingdom of Tarran lost not only 70 warships, but also 30,000 elite navy soldiers!


    These sailors,manders, captains, first mates, helmsmen, shipwrights, sail makers... how are they to be replenished?


    It takes time to umte so many professionals, and even with cramming, it is impossible to train them in less than three months.


    Therefore, the hope that Shireck would provide dozens of new warships to rebuild the navy of Tarran and repel the invading enemy was simply an unrealistic fantasy.


    Yet even though it was an unrealistic fantasy, at this moment, the ministers who had lost all hope were willing to cling to anything to prevent being consumed by despair.


    cing their hopes on Shireck to make reparations and quickly restore some maritime power had be many people''s life-saving straw.


    Many were whispering and discussing fervently, thinking it was a viable n, yet forgetting that Shireck itself was not an entity to be trifled with.


    At this time, an army officer surveyed everyone and opened his mouth scoffingly, "Are you joking?"


    "What''s the matter?" a group of ministers engaged in wishful thinking looked at him dissatisfactorily.


    After a coldugh, the officer reminded everyone: "The person in charge of Shireck died amidst the chaos of war, he never returned, so now who do you expect topensate for our losses?"


    "..." Everyone was stunned, and then the whole hall became extremely quiet, and those who had just felt they had found a life-saving straw were once again crushed by cruel reality.


    At this moment, an idea shed through the Prime Minister''s mind, and from the name Shireck, he thought of another arms dealer.


    Thus, he turned to the King and said, "Your Majesty! Speaking of which, since the Great Tang Group manufactures arms, would it be possible for us to buy a batch of new warships from them?"


    "This?" The King of Tarran was shocked by his Prime Minister''s leap of imagination. After being stunned for a few seconds, he asked incredulously, "After fighting them for so long, will they still sell us their goods?"


    "That''s not the right way to think about it, we''ve been the ones being beaten all along, haven''t we?" the Prime Minister of Tarran thought for the first time that being so thoroughly defeated might be a good thing.


    "Can we really say that?" Immediately, a minister was startled by the Prime Minister''s words, he seemed to see a brand-new door slowly opening before him, a blinding column of light shining right in his face, so bright he couldn''t open his eyes.


    The more the Prime Minister spoke, the more sense he felt it made, and he thought there might be a good basis to negotiate with the Great Tang Group: "Of course, those prisoners who were sent back didn''t they say, we didn''t even sink one of their warships..."


    "So..." The King was also caught in the rhythm and spoke up, his eyes brightening.


    The Prime Minister immediately nodded and expressed his thoughts: "So there isn''t any deep-seated hatred between us, is there? Surely, propermunication, along with somepensation and an apology, will resolve things, won''t it?"


    Indeed, there was no deep-seated hatred between them, it was all Shireck fomenting discord. Perhaps by sitting down for a good talk, they could immediately reach a consensus...


    Suddenly, a minister came to his senses, nodding and praising the idea: "It seems... the Prime Minister does have a point."


    The Prime Minister''s thoughts became more fluid, his ideas seemingly clear: "In any case, this is also a solution. Send an envoy immediately... No! Send two! One ovend to Dorne, and another by sea to Hotwind Port! Let them seek peace!


    Seek peace with the Great Tang Group! Seek peace with Dorne!"


    "Additionally, let''s try to gather as many warships as possible and ready ourselves for battle! At least, under the cover of our artillery, we can protect King City, right?" a navy officer added then.


    "And we have to regroup the defeated troops on the borders... We must present a front that we will defend to the death. Only then can we gain more leverage at the negotiating table!" an army general alsomented.


    This supplementary advice appeared much more professional; a minister immediately suggested to urgently transport food, while another advised quickly mobilizing troops to guard the key ports.


    "Furthermore, we must also proceed with pursuing debts from Shireck! Get back as much as we can! We''re fighting their war! How can they not pay up when we''re risking our lives?" the Prime Minister looked towards those ministers aligned with Shireck and added coldly.


    At this point, obtaining a few thousand rifles would be good, and managing to get a couple more cannons would be beneficial, because... any bit more strength, even a little, was good.


    "Also, send someone with my personal letter immediately to seek aid from the Kingdom of Xilun! Perhaps, over there... they won..." full of hope, the King alsomanded.


    In his view, maybe the Dorne Kingdom had concentrated their forces on attacking his side, and the Xilun Kingdom... might have already breached Dorne''s King City...


    ----------


    Today''s update is a bit stuck, so there are only two releases. If I feel better tomorrow, I''ll continue to provide more updates. Please be patient, everyone.

 Chapter 288: 284 Great Tang Military Academy

    Mounted on his steed, the young officer watched as his troops marched down the muddy road, his heart swelling with pride and his bearing striking and dashing.


    The man in even morevish military attire, with a patterned steel helmet on his head that looked somewhat out of ce, was none other than His Majesty, the King of Dorne.


    At the moment, he was inspecting his advancing troops alongside his most trusted confidant, who had just been promoted to the Army''s totalmander in charge of 20,000 troops for the counter-offensive against the Xilun Kingdom.


    The continuous line of troops progressed along the road, with horses dragging cannons, pulling cartsden with ammunition, and being led by soldiers marching tirelessly on the highway.


    Because so many troops had passed through, the road was utterly crushed and everywhere was muddy and pitted, resulting in a not-so-fast march.


    However, this was already the ultimate speed a contemporary troop could advance; normally, a troop''s daily marching speed in a purely marching state without encountering enemies was about 40 kilometers per day.


    Yes, that slow¡­


    But there wasn''t a hint of dissatisfaction on the face of the Dorne King because his troops were advancing into enemy territories with practically no resistance from any hostile armies.


    After all, the 50,000-strong military of the Xilun Kingdom had already be prisoners of war and were now being held, ready to be dealt as ves to the Great Tang Group, which was in dire need of human resources.


    The young general mounted on his horse was a rising star within the Dorne military, with his renown spreading far and wide over time, Bolton.


    This man, not yet thirty, nowmanded over 20,000 of Dorne''s elite troops and was also His Majesty''s most favored close official.


    Mounted on his horse, he watched the troops pass by, their rifles slung over their shoulders in an orderly array, and began to exin to the King at his side, "ording to the standards of the Great Tang Military Academy, ranks within the whole military should be separate from duties, which can, to some extent, distinguish the individual contributions within the military hierarchy."


    He exined slowly and clearly, for such a rank system had been tested and was a convenient military reform: "For instance, the captain responsible for protecting the King was previously essentially a battalionmander by old standards but was most often referred to as Guard Commander, which simply doesn''t reflect the rank he should truly hold.


    Thus, everyone can only vaguely respect this officer without immediately grasping the importance of this military person for the nation."


    "I''m still a bit confused," admitted the King of Dorne, whocked experience in this area and was somewhat perplexed.


    Bolton decided to strike while the iron was hot, seeing as he was the real favorite now, with the Dorne King even treating him like a son: "Let me tell you about the provincial and county system used by the students of the Great Tang Military Academy."


    This wasn''t just a feeling of self-importance; he was almost literally the King''s son at this point, as the King of Dorne had two daughters and had told Bolton explicitly that he nned to choose one of them to marry him.


    The other daughter would marry Strauss... For the King of Dorne, this was a way to make the best use of his non-typical daughters.


    "Yes, go ahead," said the Dorne King, who, the more he saw his future son-inw, the more pleasing he found him, and chuckled as he spoke.


    "In the Great Tang Military Academy, students are granted military ranks, which are consistent with the ranks held inside the military," Bolton immediately borated.


    Now almost considered the foremost figure in the Dorne military or, at the very least, on par with Strauss as a representative of the new generation, and as one of the King''s most trusted militarymanders, he confidently held forth: "Firstly, upon enrollment, all students hold nonmissioned officer ranks, distinguishing them frommon soldiers.


    They''re officers, so when they graduate, they won''t need to start at the rank of regr soldiers."


    This confidence,bined with his actual battle achievements, filled the King of Dorne with joy¡ªthis was his son-inw! A loyal subject who had saved his life and a reliable high official! Utterly beyond reproach!


    As Bolton spoke, the King of Dorne agreed wholeheartedly with such arrangements: "It should be so. You''re so excellent; naturally, you should not be treated like ordinary soldiers."


    To him, the graduates of the Great Tang Military Academy obviously couldn''t be regarded the same as ordinary soldiers; that would be aplete waste, like using fine jade for window ss.


    Completely convinced of the Great Tang Military Academy''s teaching quality, he now thought that snagging its graduates to hold positions such as divisionmanders was simply basic protocol.


    "In the school, if a student has excellent grades andpletes all assessments before graduation, they can be granted a higher rank," Bolton mentioned with undeniable pride in his school, as if a nobleman introducing his distinguished family lineage.


    He casually provided an example of the military rank promotion system within the school: "For instance, securing a schrship and ranking in the top 50 in one''s ss brings a 30 Gold Coin reward and a promotion to Sergeant; reaching the top 30 warrants a 50 Gold Coin reward and ascension to Staff Sergeant."


    "I see, so it''s about gaining ranks through academic achievement in school?" The King of Dorne grasped the concept, feeling quite receptive to innovation.


    Bolton nodded and briefly introduced the rank system in modern militaries, "Yes, after Staff Sergeantes Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain; above that is Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel; and higher up there are Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General."


    This system was clearly copied straight from Tang Mo, practically unchanged, just directly adopted for use.


    He had wanted to use the ancient Huaxia military rank system, for example using terms like Cavalry Colonel for school officials, or Guerri General for generals.


    However, because it was tooplicated, and he himself found it a bit unclear, he figured that the terms junior, middle, senior, and the like were more straightforward and ended up using the mostmon modern military titles.


    After all, anyone could understand them at a nce, so he copied the insignia as well, since nobody knew the original source of these things, there would be no sense that there was any problem.


    Tang Mo was actually a very simple person; he wouldn''t bother to change things that could be easily copied. For instance, with calibers of artillery, he used the 105 caliber exactly as detailed in the designs without pursuing anything unusual or unique.


    Simrly, when it came to using things he was familiar with, he waspletely unreserved, such as the march step of the Great Tang Military Academy, which was exactly the same as the orthodox Huaxia march step, majestic and earth-shattering.


    The military salute was the same, Tang Mo directly took the Huaxia military salute for use, without intending to change it at all...


    The King of Dorne smiled and found a point of interest to break into the conversation, remarking thoughtfully, "It''s quite interesting that your school has generals, and even divides them into three ranks."


    "Our academy currently has a teacher with the rank of general; his name is Luff, he is the Chief of Staff for the Great Tang Group," Bolton did not intend to conceal this, assuming that anyone determined would investigate and find out. He introduced his teacher, or rather, the teacher of the militarymand subject.


    "Luff..." The King of Dorne keenly noted the name, feeling that if any interaction urred in the future, it would be good to forge a strong rtionship with this heavyweight.


    On the other hand, Bolton continued to introduce othermanders, "Additionally, the Great Tang Group has threemanders with the rank of Brigadier General, namely Tagg, Bernard, and Redman."


    "Tagg... Redman... Bernard..." Simrly, the King of Dorne silently noted these names, feeling he should take the time to study these as yet uncelebrated figures.


    After ncing at the King of Dorne, Bolton thought he shouldn''t trip up his future father-inw on such a minor issue, so he added, "Bernard is the Navy Brigadier General whomanded the fleet to the great victory at Hotwind Port."


    "Oh... no wonder." The King of Dorne was taken aback and immediately ssified the navalmander named Bernard at the "extremely formidable and dangerous" level.


    Just then, Bolton followed up with, "General Redman has already crossed the border a few days ago, leading his troops on a counterattack, entering the territory of the Kingdom of Gemalin."


    "Indeed impressive." The King of Dorne was startled once again, reinforcing his memory of the name Redman.


    The next moment, he realized, if Luff and Tagg could be on par with Bernard and Redman as Brigadier Generals of the Great Tang Group... how could these two possibly be ordinary individuals?


    Therefore, as the King of Dorne, for the first time, he recognized that the Great Tang Group had be an existence to be feared in terms of talent reserves.


    After a few seconds of silence, analyzing an array of details in his mind, the King of Dorne turned to his future son-inw and asked, "So, may I ask you?"


    "Me?" Bolton was taken aback, then remembered how his "youthful ignorance" had led him to challenge the top student in his grade.


    Being utterly outyed in physical education, pummeled inbat ss, still losing by one ring in shooting ss, and eventually beaten by seven points in the final exam results... truly... embarrassing.


    The current top student of the second term, as he heard, was in Suthers... also the esteemed Prime Minister''s rapid-rising son-inw, while simultaneously managing the entire financial tax system of the Suthers Kingdom...


    "Yes, you!" the King of Dorne curiously looked at Bolton, asking.


    "What''s there to say about me, just an unknown," Bolton modestly brushed it off, a bit embarrassed.


    After all, before this war, he indeed was not well known... evenpared to the third in the grade, Strauss, he didn''t have much to boast about.


    Better not to brag too much and risk being exposed for exaggerating, right? That would be humiliating.

 Chapter 289: We have already won.

    The King of Dorne listened to what Bolton had to say and seemed even more interested. He knew this young man truly had the skills, so he became even more curious about just what level those graduates from the Great Tang Military Academy were at.


    Thus, he continued to inquire, "What kind of level were you at in school?"


    "Me? In the grade examinations, I ranked 4th, which is pretty good, I guess." Bolton said with a touch of embarrassment, scratching his nose as he mentioned his graduation ranking.


    Honestly, that was already an exceptional result because the questions Tang Mo used to test these graduates were meticulously picked and incredibly challenging. Simply obtaining a diploma instead of being held back proved the graduate''s capabilities.


    The King of Dorne was taken aback; he had not expected that his nation''s pir of the future was not the most excellent talent...


    ording to his conjecture, the Double Pride of Dorne, Strauss and Bolton, these two young men, surely must be personages of the caliber of Mohcik Klosevitz. But he never imagined that there could be anyone even more outstanding than Bolton!


    So, he eximed in surprise, "A young man as talented as you ranked only 4th in the Great Tang Military Academy?"


    Little did he know, these words made Bolton feel a chill down his spine, and he subconsciously shrank his neck, nced around, then heaved a sigh of relief before he exined, "Don''t just say anything! I was ranked fourth among the second batch of graduates! Your Majesty! If Dino were to hear that, he might beat me to death..."


    He stressed the word "second batch" because he knew that among the first batch of students, he might not even make the top twenty... or even the top thirty...


    The King of Dorne immediately picked up on the implication, and asked in astonishment, "...You mean there are people from the first batch of graduates who are better than you?"


    "Your Majesty, you don''t understand... anyone who makes it into the top ten at the Great Tang Military Academy is like a god... they are destined to be great figures in the future..." As Bolton spoke, his tone resembled that of a pilgrim.


    In fact, while he was saying these words, an image of a girl arose in his mind, a girl who should have graduated but had never, a girl known as ''the Queen''...


    "This..." The King of Dorne, seeing Bolton with the zeal of a devout believer describing his revered deity, began to grasp the terror of the Great Tang Group''s military academy.


    Reminiscing on this, Bolton sighed deeply, filled with emotion, "To make it to the top twenty, I would wake from dreamsughing..."


    "Is it really that incredible?" The King of Dorne felt that Bolton might be exaggerating a bit.


    However, what Bolton said next left himpletely stunned, "Your Majesty, let me put it this way; if any of those upperssmen were willing to serve you, the Dorne Empire would merely be a beginning."


    A few seconds of silence followed before the King of Dorne, as if realizing hispse, forced a smile to cover his embarrassment, "Wha, wha... what?"


    Bolton knew that digesting such information required some courage and time. But he was not in a hurry because, sooner orter, everyone woulde to know just how terrifying that school established by Mr. Tang was...


    And by that time, all the influential people in the world would understand just how terrifying Tang, the principal who had been controlling everything and the man behind the Great Tang Group, truly was.


    ording to Bolton''s own assessment, if he were an ant, then Mr. Tang was a deity. His current honors were nothingpared to that younger principal!


    Imagine this, he was like a cat ying with a mouse, already surpassing most by being a formidable figure in Dorne. Yet this cat, when facing Principal Tang, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, could truly fathom the vast gap only himself could appreciate.


    When a tiger roars in the mountains... what insect dares to make a sound?


    At this thought, Bolton found the topic dull, shook his head, and changed the subject, "Let''s drop it; I was just speaking in passing. Let''s return to the topic of military reform."


    "Alright, continue," said the King of Dorne, evidently finding the topic of military reform more rxing.


    He had already made up his mind to dispatch an envoy immediately, to recruit as many talents as possible from the Great Tang Group''s military academy and any other schools, whatever the cost.


    These were not just any ordinary graduates! In critical moments, these talents could save lives!


    Even if they were mediocre, establishing a good cooperative foundation with the Great Tang Group and strengthening the friendship would be worth the investment, wouldn''t it?


    Importing talents! That''s the top priority! The King of Dorne mused inwardly¡ªconsidering Suthers Kingdom! They say a tax reform issue caused some instability within the nation.


    The talent on his own side was impressive, mainly skilled inbat and loyal, never giving him any trouble.


    Poor him, he didn''t yet know that the young man stirring up trouble, causing some chaos in the Suthers Kingdom but affirmed by the King and ministers of Suthers, was also a graduate of the Great Tang Military Academy.


    And this young man was also from the second batch, ranked first among the second batch, even higher than Bolton and Strauss...


    Bolton did not intend to disrupt King Dorne''s fantasies at this time; he continued to bring the topic back to military ranks and military reform: "Clearly, with the development of weapons, the existing organization can no longer meet thebat needs of the troops, so a new organization should rece the old one."


    There was no other way, his major in school was militarymand, unlike that economics maniac who ranked first in their grade. His familiarity was more with the military field, and at least in this aspect, he was very impressive.


    Therefore, he exined to King Dorne the necessity of military reforms: "A battalion organization of 500 is really too few, by normal standards it should be around 650, apany should have 200 soldiers, and a corps should maintain around 2100 soldiers."


    "That many?" King Dorne was startled and felt that such a reorganization was a bit too ruthless: a corps would have 600 more soldiers than the original army, an increase of an entire battalion''s strength!


    What he didn''t know was that in the Great Tang Military Academy, voices had already begun to study whether to expand the infantry corps to 2500 soldiers to meet future independentbat needs.


    And as the military grew in size, the graduate group of the Military Academy and the teachers had all begun to prepare for the formation of a "division," an evenrgerbat unit.


    ording to the concept of the Great Tang Group, or rather Tang Mo''s idea, a division would be under the jurisdiction of four corps, in addition to divisional artillery and logistical support troops, independent defense forces and heavy weapon units, and considering future anti-tank units and possible tank units... altogether, they would have a staffing of over 15,000 people.


    If using the United States'' division troop numbers, a division''s organization would exceed 17,000 people, nearly the total strength of ten army corps.


    That is to say, Bolton, who was nowmanding Dorne''s great army to attack the Xilun Kingdom, was probably just the equivalent of a divisionmander...


    Of course, he was already very fortunate, because just a few days ago, Major General Tagg of the Great Tang Group had just expanded his own troops to a corps.


    "Consider this, like the battalion-levelbat group of the Great Tang Group''s security forces that you just saw, with nearly 700 soldiers, equipped with battalion artillery and machine-gun teams, but if we cut down the rifle soldiers, wouldn''t that be somewhat undesirable?" Bolton quietly persuaded, advising King Dorne.


    "Indeed..." King Dorne was quite moved and nodded in agreement.


    "And doesn''tmanding such a force require even more professional talent?" Bolton continued to ask.


    King Dorne subconsciously nodded again: "It does..."


    "Then, just using titles like team captain, battalionmander, corpsmander, wouldn''t be enough to reasonably distinguish these talents. Surely we can''t, give the title of battalionmander, and yet have them lead five field medics, right?" Bolton questioned again, aiming directly at the crux of the ambiguity in the original military positions.


    "Uh... I also feel it is inappropriate," King Dorne had realized the problem and continued to nod in agreement.


    Bolton smiled and concluded, "Right! Therefore, the use of military ranks is now imperative."


    "Within a battalion, there could be 20 captains or majors, but only one battalionmander, which would increase the ability to amodate talent." He was prepared to implement the military rank system of the Great Tang Group in Dorne.


    The same military structure was needed to apply themand techniques he learned, to take full advantage of the Great Tang Group''s weapons performance.


    King Dorne continued to express his approval: "That makes sense..."


    "So, Your Majesty, we should rationally reorganize the troops to adapt to the futurebat needs," Bolton pressed on while the iron was hot.


    King Dorne thought of an issue and asked Bolton with some difficulty: "But, after such a reorganization... from where will we get the weapons and equipment?"


    "Don''t worry! The Great Tang Group will support you!" Bolton immediately assured, because he knew the Great Tang Group would never turn down arge order for weapons procurement.


    "That will require a lot of money." King Dorne was financially embarrassed; his kingdom had just undergone a coup, followed by disturbances and then an invasion. Only now had they managed to repel the enemy with difficulty and he guessed there wasn''t much spare cash avable.


    "We are very wealthy now!" Bolton confidently replied.


    King Dorne was startled, then burst outughing: "Hahaha! You''re right! As long as we win this war, I will be very rich! Richer than before!"


    "Your Majesty..." Bolton pointed at the ground, reminding King Dorne that they were already on the territory of the Xilun Kingdom: "We have already won..."


    "Hahahahaha!" This time, King Dorneughed even more joyously and unrestrainedly.


    ------


    Starting tomorrow, catch-up updates.

 Chapter 290: 286 grams of gold is the absolute principle

    Brunas'' atmosphere had be very rxed, as the news of victory was confirmed one after another.


    The triumph at Hotwind Port had been verified because the returning transport ships brought with them a massive number of prisoners, bound for hardbor at Northern Ridge.


    Having seen the abundance of prisoners and having witnessed the victory, those who had gathered here for the sake of wealth and showmanship naturally reverted to their original states.


    "zing lights and wine green," a phrase used in modern society to describe prosperity, was at this time an expression exclusive to Brunas.


    Most had never seen Dragon Ind, so they sang praises of Brunas'' flourishing state. The gloom of war gradually dispersed, and the ce started to regain its rightful vitality.


    This could be glimpsed merely from the total amount of alcohol consumed in Brunas. Just by investigating the daily consumption of a variety of alcoholic beverages, one could clearly discern the level of Brunas'' economic prosperity.


    In fact, the outbreak of the war not only made Shireck a tidy sum, but Great Tang Group was also a winner in thisrge-scale regional conflict.


    Brunas and Dragon Ind could produce tens of thousands of shells a month, and yet, even with production at full capacity and overtime, they still could notpletely meet demand.


    Simrly, the production lines for breech-loading rifles had already been handed over, sold to various kingdoms for their own production.


    But even so, Tang Mo had made so much money that he was beyond counting it¡ªthe flourishing arms market propelled the operations of Great Tang Bank.


    The issuance of paper currency allowed Great Tang Group to reap tenfold or even a hundredfold profits, and Gold Coins began to be phased out in Brunas''mercial circles. The paper currency issued by Great Tang Group started to rece traditional metal money, epted by merchants and the workers of Great Tang Group.


    This was positive news, giving Great Tang Group even more room for maneuver. Modern financial knowledge came into y, the power of capital developed rapidly, and it had started to bare its ferocious fangs.


    "Strauss and Bolton are doing well in Dorne," Tang Mo put down a telegram from Dorne, stretched contentedly, and praised.


    He had not expected the dandelion seeds he had sown to bear fruit so quickly, to control the situation so masterfully.


    In fact, the reason why these seeds rooted and sprouted so swiftly was deeply rted to the era''s desperate yearning for wisdom.


    Everyone longed for a series of transformations because almost all enlightened individuals had acknowledged that the old development model had hit a bottleneck and could no longer achieve breakthroughs.


    What could break the mold and lead the world forward was not the conservative likes of Shireck, but a more advanced, more powerful force.


    The dandelions that hade into contact with the first Industrial Revolution and, through early learning and exploration, unraveled the threads of modern development, shone in this transformation, bing the backbone that led the world.


    Their strength surpassed that of the era; their power stemmed from foresight built on the advancement of scientific technology.


    While everyone was still marveling at Great Tang Group''s wireless telegraph technology, telephone technology had already been demonstrated repeatedly to students in various schools of Great Tang Group.


    All students graduating from schools of Great Tang Group received education that was ahead of their time. It was akin to bringing a group of college students from the 1990s back to the neenth century; regardless of their plight, their vision and knowledge would surely surpass the entire era.


    "These young people have it tough, too. When they came here, they bore too much burden," Li''ao spoke softly from behind Tang Mo.


    Many students had grown up under his vignce, and he had personally taught and nurtured them in intelligence work. Many of these children were ones he had high hopes for.


    Regrettably, recently a number of dandelion rings had been sent back, these rings, whether stained with blood or spotlessly clean, had all once represented vibrant lives.


    These young lives lost were each the pride of their time, and any could have been a force to change the world in the future.


    Yet they had perished in this era due to misfortune. It must be said that this was not only a loss for Great Tang Group but also a loss for the entire world.


    When they first came here, many were the sons of cksmiths, tile makers, craftsmen, fishermen, or perhaps simply orphaned boys with no one to turn to.


    These children came to the schools of Great Tang Group truly believing this was their only chance to change their destinies.


    And indeed, it had changed their destinies, allowing them to be the favored children of the heavens, looking down upon the era from high above.


    "It''s their own effort; I just gave them an opportunity," Tang Mo looked out the window, his mind filled with images of the young dandelions that had died for him, and he unconsciously pulled out a cigarette case from his pocket.


    "Master, in this era... not everyone has an opportunity," Li''ao keenly knew that talent was not scarce, it was the chance for these talents to emerge that was rare.


    Even a madman, if used to the extreme, could be capable of starting a world war, or helping a handsome man tattooed with architectural blueprints to escape from jail.


    Who could have imagined that when a failed art student smashed up a bar, the number of people involved in the ensuing brawl would ount for more than half of the world''s poption...


    "Let''s not talk about these unhappy matters. Have someone send the Third-ss Great Tang Medal to Dorne! After all, Strauss and Bolton are my men; when it''s time to reward, they should be rewarded," Tang Mo said with a smile.


    His dandelions can be considered spies, or talents lent out; as for what role these people ultimately y, that depends on what role Tang Mo hopes they will perform.


    Therefore, these talents cannot simply be sent out and then forgotten; what he needed to establish was aplete modern system, a modern system that depended on him personally. That was the true purpose of the Dandelion n.


    Otherwise, why would the Great Tang Group, not exactly known for its charity, offer its precious trained talents for others to use for free?


    Experience had proven one thing: in this world, the things offered for free were often the most expensive... Of course, within the realm of freebies, the lottery draw was another form of domineering existence from a different dimension.


    And Tang Mo was treating the Tang Military Academy as a lottery pool to cultivate talents... This was Brother Teng''s secret to getting rich.


    You want talents from the Great Tang Group? Come and draw lots! You might not get the first or second pick, but the seventh or eighth? That''s still a lucky jackpot, isn''t it?


    Hurry! Lucky draw! Just pay a fee, and you can draw an intern from among the fresh graduates! He might not be the best... but! He is certainly worth it!


    Come on! What''s there to hesitate about?


    In the end, this was a game for the rich, and the kings who got addicted to this game had be like big spenders, incapable of quitting.


    Take, for example, Leite VII of the Leite Kingdom; he hadpletely fallen for the lottery draw, having participated twice in a row, taking away dozens of interns.


    And the Dorne King, newly involved in this project, was also deeply addicted, bing a true big spender¡ªDorne''s envoy in Brunas had already spent 20,000 Gold Coins on this.


    Doesn''t sound like much? This was just the beginning. To attract talents, an expenditure of 20,000 Gold Coins was really just a threshold.


    In order to meet these fresh graduates, Dorne''s envoy hosted a luxurious banquet for young people, which cost over 1,200 Gold Coins...


    And Suthers, striving for more talents amid internal and external troubles, spent a considerable amount too. They went through two rounds of spending, taking away 20 graduates, nting seeds of hope.


    Of course, these nations would soon realize that the money they had spent was more than worth it. As the oue of the Battle of Dorne became known to other powers, graduates of the Tang Military Academy became hotmodities, as valuable as gold.


    No one would refuse such a temptation, as if introducing these talents could elevate their own kingdom into the ranks of the world''s powers.


    Some kingdoms wanted talents for civil affairs, some needed exceptional doctors to ensure the health of their monarchs, some required technical engineers, some needed leaders tomand troops...


    In the past, these kingdoms could only rely on the nobility system, cultivating slowly and inefficiently, waiting endlessly to asionally obtain some mediocre talent.


    But now, it seemed everyone had found a shortcut, a shining path to reliably acquire talent! All they had to do was go to the Tang Military Academy with money for the lottery draw, and if they got the first among the graduates, wouldn''t that be heaven-defying?


    Who would think their luck was poor? Just draw! If not, rely on being wealthy and draw a few more times, right?


    Spend, draw, money...


    What? Expensive? That''s not our problem, okay? If you''re too poor for this game of the rich, then just drop out...


    With everyone harboring this mentality, the grand feast would continue endlessly¡ªrich peoplepeting over who has more money, without losing face...


    Hearing Tang Mo''s instructions, Li''ao bowed slightly and promised, "Yes! Master."


    Tang Mo paused and then added, "Keep a close eye on the pension funds for various departments! Since we are using their people, we must pay! Your Silver Fox, the military academy, and the security department, all must contribute... Maximize the amount, calcte on the higher end!"


    "Understood! Master! I will keep a close watch on this matter, not a penny of the dandelions'' pension funds will be missing," Li''ao assured him.

 Chapter 291: 287 Innocent

    After a brief pause, Tang Mo suddenly remembered the little cat-girl the orc tribe had sent over before, the little girl named Yue''er, who seemed to be quite a handful as well.


    He looked at Li''ao and began to inquire about the beautiful cat-eared girl''s bad reputation at school, "I heard Yue''er got into another fight at school?"


    "A fight? You''re joking, she beat someone up again..." Li''ao immediately responded. These were typically matters he sorted out and reported to Tang Mo, who, if interested, would ask directly as he was doing now.


    "Over what?" Tang Mo was indeed very interested, after all, some people are just fated to be, forck of a better word, furries, and it just so happened that this world allowed such whims to be realized.


    When Li''ao brought up the incident, he couldn''t help butugh a little, "It seems there were two nobility students wasting food, and she happened to see them..."


    Actually, Yue''er was quite an interesting character. She had been isted at school since most students were overshadowed by the influence of Queen Yulin and didn''t dare to "switch affections."


    For Yulin, Yue''er was a love rival, yet she was "Tang Mo''s woman," so without showing kindness or provocation, the situation was left cold.


    Therefore, Yue''er was not very popr at school, always alone and lonely.


    On the other hand, as the orc tribe''s gift to Tang Mo, Yue''er was also not very well-received by Alice. Alice not seeking trouble with her was actually her showing respect to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo was somewhat envious of the harmonious scene of thedies getting along well and the harem being in a state of bliss.


    And with Yue''er entering Tang Mo''s life (though not quite by his side yet), the various female leads, who secretly considered themselves the main heroine, had already started to behave passive-aggressively.


    "Ha, she''s an interesting girl," Tang Mo said with a smile on his face after learning the reason for Yue''er''s fight.


    Theposition of the Great Tang Military Academy had beplex. Many nobles had arranged for their children and even cronies to be ced within the academy, so the student body was no longerposed solely of orphans and the children of the poor.


    Those students who had always been wealthy, either highly talented or with strong backgrounds, naturally did not understand the value of hard work as their seniors did.


    Wasting food was a rare urrence; teachers would punish it if found, but there were still students whoined about the school''s food, and that was inevitable.


    Even the cafeterias at top universities in the twenty-first century were often the most criticized by students.


    Although the Great Tang Military Academy was the most elite school in this world, the school cafeteria, following the management philosophy of Auntie Cui Xi, had produced a series of Brunas specialties like pineapple fried with apple, and tomato mixed with bitter gourd...


    "She has a strong attachment to food and can''t stand waste, probably due to her family background and experience," Li''ao exined for Yue''er, knowing that Tang Mo was genuinely amused by her.


    Tang Mo nodded in agreement and then made his judgment on the matter, "No problem, it''s just kids fighting. As long as the other party doesn''t cause trouble, you don''t need to intervene."


    In truth, he was merely giving instructions; the objective was for Li''ao to keep a close eye on Yue''er, not out of fear that some nobility students might cause a fuss.


    Honestly, so far, no fool at the school was unting their sense of superiority because once these nobility students witnessed real power and knowledge that was ahead of their time, they were thoroughly impressed.


    No one was foolish; everyone was unwilling to forfeit the chance to be someone superior. They were well aware that only by securing their position there could they one day firmly hold their ce as sessors.


    Isn''t it obvious that even the Crown Prince of the Leite Kingdom behaves himself at this school?


    This was truly a case of "even if you are a dragon, you have to lie low; even if you are a tiger, you must keep down"¡­ Don''t overthink it, there''s no such thing as an overpowering figure from across the river!


    "Yes! I understand," Li''ao bowed his head, indicating he noted Tang Mo''smand.


    Then, he added, "Honestly, she has a talent for fighting. This cat-girl also has an excellent memory, almost photographic."


    "Oh?" Tang Mo knew Li''ao had some new information to report, so he signaled for him to continue.


    Li''ao began to report on Yue''er''s academic progress, "When she arrived, she could barely read, but now she''s able to keep up with her peers in many subjects."


    This talent was indeed very impressive, showing that sometimes fate likes to open one window while pushing open a door for someone...


    The world is just that unfair. Many academically brilliant kids y the piano well too, and lots of students who get into top universities are good at sports like basketball and ser.


    And those who don''t do well academically... sometimes they''re also quite unattractive, as if fate targeted them when distributing attributes during character creation... (This sentence is basically an autobiography of the author, who wrote this with tears in his eyes)


    Tang Mo shifted his gaze to Li''ao, asking about what truly concerned him, "How''s the investigation into her identity going?"


    "The message from Osa Port confirms that the orc prince didn''t lie; Yue''er''s identity is clean, and the school''s teachers have also confirmed that she barely knew a few words when she first joined the school, which is not something that can be faked," Li''ao replied.


    They had started investigating this orc beauty, whose background was not very clear, from the moment they received her as a gift.


    The investigation was thorough, involving the newly developed underground orcworks, as well as high-level intelligence personnel within Osa Port.


    Anyway, the investigation was very thorough because Yue''er is an important figure rted to Tang Mo, the owner of the Great Tang Group, and her background check had to be crystal clear and squeaky clean.


    "Where''s the detailed report?" Tang Mo knew that this report would contain a lot, including witness statements, testimonies from visits, and a series of other investigative results.


    Li''ao replied, "Subordinates have already had it organized. But..."


    "But what? Speak your mind." Tang Mo raised an eyebrow, knowing that Li''ao''s hesitation was not about Yue''er herself.


    Indeed, Li''ao began to speak of Yue''er''s family background: "Yue''er''s family... they all seem to be gone... Some died in the war disaster between the Por Kingdom and Gales Kingdom, others... passed away during the escape. It''splicated, but it has been confirmed... these people are no longer alive."


    "What are you trying to say... just spit it out." Tang Mo brought the cigarette to his mouth, took a deep drag, and said.


    Li''ao chose his words carefully and then said, "The orc prince''s gift, he gave it very thoroughly... or rather, very cleanly. Whether he did it deliberately or not, Yue''er harbors hatred towards both Por and Gales... She is unlikely to work for the restoration of the Gales Kingdom, nor does she have any connection to the Por Kingdom."


    "She''s a thoughtful person, huh." Tang Mo was startled, then felt some pity for the seemingly innocent cat girl.


    It''s likely that some of her family truly died in the war, while the death of others seems a bit more ambiguous.


    Sometimes, the world is truly cruel. It doesn''t take away your beauty or wisdom, but everything around you, including the people you love most.


    Li''ao waited for Tang Mo to throw away the cigarette butt before asking, "So... Master, what about Miss Yue''er?"


    Tang Mo thought for a few seconds and felt that he should give the lonely young girl some more time: "Since she''s happy at school, let her continue to have fun there."


    Because of him, she had a future full of dazzling light, but perhaps because of him, she also lost one of her rtives... This feeling made Tang Mo feel as if he was carrying some burden.


    Karma, sometimes if you care, it weighs on you; sometimes when you forget about it, it drifts away, bing traceless...


    "Yes!" Li''ao bowed slightly and then moved to the door, turning to leave Tang Mo''s room.


    "What do you think... How is it?" Tang Mo didn''t turn his head and asked Wes behind him.


    Wes curled his lip, "A sweet trouble, you actually don''t need to worry so much about it. Since you didn''t direct it, it has nothing to do with you."


    "You think so?" Tang Mo looked at him.


    Wes nodded, "In times of chaos, human life is the cheapest thing..."


    "True," Tang Mo''s shoulders lightened of the "karma" as if it were smoke, "If I worried about these things, I, as an arms dealer, might be choked to death by my own feelings."


    He is a purveyor of war; if he truly cared about life, that would be the biggest joke in the world.


    As Tang Mo said, he was not a good person.


    His concern for Yue''er''s rtives was nothing more than an affection he had for the cat-eared girl.


    Who in these times is pure as a lotus?


    In the school, Yue''er scratched her soft, furry ears, recalling the young man with ck eyes and ck hair she had met that day.


    He brought her to this ce with spacious, bright ssrooms, and teachers who taught her various knowledge; he must be the best person in the world.


    There was delicious food here that allowed her to be satisfied with every meal, and at night there were bright electric lights, with a pile of things she had never seen before.


    If not for meeting this man named Tang Mo, her life would certainly not have been so splendid, right?


    If she married him... Then maybe it would be the happiest thing in the world, right?


    Her mother told her, to live happily...


    But...


    Without you, is my happiness... really happiness?


    ---------


    There will be another updateter, you can watch it tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 292: Mr. Tangs 288 Bad Taste

    The life of an arms dealer is actually very busy. After understanding why his woman was fighting in school, Tang Mo then had to rush to turn some of his drawings into cash.


    It was a rather magical process where he needed to sketch out the designs from his mind and then have professionals refine them to the level he required.


    The Great Tang Group had many professional draftsmen, all of whom were experts personally trained by Tang Mo. Mathews had previously done simr work for a period.


    Lately, Tang Mo had been coborating with the Dwarves to supply a brand-new weapon system for the Ice Cold Kingdom.


    This was a request from the Dwarves; they wanted to have weapons different from other countries, believing that this would reflect the uniqueness of the Ice Cold Kingdom.


    Then, Tang Mo felt that exchanging a bunch of drawings for a bunch of gold mines seemed a bit too much like "tricking" his big clients, so he decided to produce a few samples first to let the Dwarves have a look.


    By the time these samples were manufactured, the news of Dorne''s victory had been confirmed, and all of Brunas was in a time of peace and celebration.


    At the shooting range, Tang Mo picked up a brand-new rifle, a model that had not yet been mass-produced in this world, and disyed it to the Dwarf Envoy.


    He worked the bolt, producing a crisp click. The entire action was done so smoothly that it was pleasing to the eye.


    Afterpleting a series of actions, he assumed a standard aiming posture and began his introduction, "This is the brand new K4 rifle I crafted for the Ice Cold Kingdom. Its performance is on par with the K3 rifle currently being used by the Great Tang Group, and it is the most advanced bolt-action rifle in the world."


    "It uses a different ammunition, with a caliber of 7.62 millimeters, employing more advanced technology, with excellent ballistic performance and sufficient power..." After finishing his exnation, he showed the Dwarf Envoy how to load the weapon, and the entire process was also very smooth.


    He then handed the rifle to the Dwarf Envoy, allowing him to operate it as well. After a few reminders from Tang Mo, the Dwarf Envoy managed toplete the loading process, albeit with some difficulty.


    He set down the rifle, extremely pleased with the metallic cartridge-firing firearm, and eximed, "Magnificent! This weapon is indeed very good."


    Honestly, the majority of the military in the Ice Cold Kingdom were still equipped with the Shireck Flintlock Gun, a weapon that had yet to undergo a widespread update.


    The main force of the Ice Cold Kingdom''s military only consisted of a small portion that used needle guns purchased from the Great Tang Group.


    Needle guns were clearly outdated now, especially since the Northern Ridge Legion, supported by the Great Tang Group, had demonstrated new rifles that used metallic cartridges on the battlefield.


    Now everyone was very interested in these rifles, and the Shireck Consortium, after acquiring a weapon production workshop from the East, had developed their own simr weapons.


    In such a context, it became unsurprising that the Dwarves of the Ice Cold Kingdom wanted simr weapons¡ªafter all, they were offering gold mines, oil fields, and a port in exchange.


    Tang Mo took the Dwarf Envoy over to an open area nearby and introduced him to new artillery, "Additionally, I''ve prepared for you a brand-new 122 millimeter caliber howitzer. This artillery piece is also more advanced, with arger charge, longer range, and more powerful firepower."


    This artillery didn''t employ any cutting-edge technology. It wasn''t the famous Soviet 122 millimeter howitzer from World War II, but rather a Russian cannon from 1909.


    However, even such outdated artillery was still the best cannon the Dwarves could obtain in this world.


    As the Dwarf Envoy watched the soldiers of the Great Tang Group''s security forces demonstrate the entire firing process, shooting out a nk, he fell in love with the formidable-looking weapon.


    He began to fantasize about the scene where these weapons would fire violently on the northern battlefields, crushing the enemy forces.


    Therefore, he said excitedly, "You truly are an efficient designer. We had not anticipated, in just a few days, that you would be able to design so many unique weapons and equipment for us."


    "Actually, there''s even more... I''ve made improvements to the production line that will allow you to produce weapons and equipment faster and also elerate the production of the associated ammunition," Tang Mo continued, making his client feel that their expenditure was worthwhile.


    "Really... Thank you so much." Indeed, the Dwarf was very appreciative of this thoughtful service.


    All of a sudden, Tang Mo addressed the Dwarf Envoy, "By the way, if you would like to give your own rifles a name instead of using our K series numbers, I do have a good suggestion."


    "Oh?" The Dwarf Envoy was startled and looked at Tang Mo, waiting for him to continue.


    Then, he heard Tang Mo continue with the "name" of the rifle, "I personally call this rifle the Mosin-Nagant. How about that? Doesn''t it sound good?"


    Indeed, the rifle he gave to the dwarves was actually the Mosin-Nagant Rifle. He merely presented the blueprints of this weapon and brought it into reality.


    Completely oblivious to the fact that he had been cunningly manipted, the dwarf pondered the rifle''s name seriously, "Mosin-Nagant... it''s a bit of a tongue-twister, but I feel you have the right to name this entirely new weapon."


    "Simrly, my people have already replicated the blueprints, including those for the steam engine, the various machine tools required to produce the steam engine, including electricmp technology, generator technology, telegraph technology, and the production facilities for railroads..." Seeing the other party muttering the name Mosin-Nagant over and over again, Tang Mo felt a small sense of satisfaction.


    His sudden whim wasn''t significant enough to undermine the entire coboration. So, he continued, "Essentially, all the technologies Great Tang Group currently possesses, the blueprints are all here. Two whole ships, weighing several tons..."


    There was no helping it, just the blueprints for firearms were a huge stack, let alone the steam engines, which were an even thicker pile, and then there were also those for rted equipment, for machine tools... The blueprints prepared by Great Tang Group for this transaction could fill hundreds ofrge crates.


    "Well then, my lord... Our sincerity is also here," the Dwarf Envoy pulled out a stack of contracts from his breast pocket,id them on the table, and pushed them towards Tang Mo.


    Harry brushed aside the contracts and found that on top were five ownership deeds for gold mines, including the mining ves within, thend certificates nearby, and some orders personally signed by the King, ensuring that Tang Mo could legally establish his own railroads and highways within the territory of the Ice Cold Kingdom, and purchasend as well.


    This was essentially a modern version of an "unequal" treaty, which even sold out a part of their sovereignty.


    But because Tang Mo had offered so much, the higher-ups of the Ice Cold Kingdom no longer cared about the issue of sovereignty. It appeared they were losing partial sovereignty over some regions, yet what they would gain was brand new and vast territories like never before.


    "By the way, every nation, every military, when theyunch an attack or a charge, they shout a slogan... Everyone shouts ''Long live,'' isn''t it quite boring?" Tang Mo took the contracts from Harry''s hand, casually flipping through them, then suddenly asked another question that had nothing to do with the trade.


    "Sir, what... what do you mean?" puzzled, the Dwarf Envoy asked in response to Tang Mo''s sudden inquiry.


    "I mean, I think a unique chant, different from other countries, one that feels more spirited, might boost morale a bit, making one''s military appear more imposing?" Tang Mo put down the contracts, very pleased with the sincerity of the dwarf.


    "It... sounds like you''re right," the dwarf nodded slightly, agreeing with Tang Mo.


    "So, I can give you an interesting slogan for free. What do you think...?" Tang Mo started his mischief again.


    "Although I am not in a position to decide on that, I do really appreciate your kind offer. So, what is this new slogan you''re speaking of?" the Dwarf Envoy did not immediately agree.


    "Ura! How about that?" Tang Mo clenched his fist, imitating a robust chant, and gave a little performance.


    "Ura? Ura! Ura!... I must say, you truly are an expert on warfare! I only shouted it a few times, but I feel this slogan is very good... What...


    does it mean?" the Dwarf Envoy was immediately drawn to this somewhat strange chant and after trying it a few times, he looked at Tang Mo and asked.


    "It represents the determination of the Ice Cold Kingdom, harder than ice, colder than snow..." Tang Mo rattled off a made-up exnation.


    After hearing Tang Mo''s nonsensical exnation, the Dwarf Envoy had no idea that the slogan originated from the world Tang Mo lived in before he crossed over.


    He was, however, quite interested in the chant, repeating it several times and nodding, "Ura... very nice, indeed very nice. I will take this slogan back to the Ice Cold Kingdom, and if our King agrees to use it, we will pay an additional fee for it."


    "No need, this one''s on the house!" Tang Mo, indulging in his mischief, waved his hand generously.


    The dwarf felt strangely relieved and excited to get something for free from Tang Mo, "You are truly generous, my lord!"


    Turning to face the Dwarf Envoy, Tang Mo said earnestly, "The dwarves will be Great Tang Group''s sole strategic partner in the Northern Region! The only partner!"


    The Dwarf Envoy also assured Tang Mo seriously, "Great Tang Group will also be the most valued partner of the Ice Cold Kingdom, or shall we say, the forting Ice Cold Empire!"


    "Pleasure doing business with you!" Tang Mo once again extended his hand.


    "Pleasure doing business!" The dwarf extended his hand too and shook hands with Tang Mo.


    ----------


    I still owe everyone an update, yes, it''s about to be paid off... Heh heh.

 Chapter 293: 289 Shirecks bad news

    ```


    "Tap, tap, tap..." The hurried footsteps echoed through the beautifully decorated corridor, as the stern-faced maid, holding a stack of telegrams, rushed through the hall and pushed open the door at the end.


    She walked to the bedside and spoke to the woman who was hugged left and right on the bed, with ming red hair, "Ma''am, the news has just been confirmed... Dorne has defeated the Kingdoms of Xilun and Taren."


    The womanzily withdrew her lotus arm from underneath her nakedpanion, scratched her fluffy red hair, and asked in a drawn-out voice, "So, does that mean the news from a few days ago is all true?"


    Indeed, there had been news that the Dorne Kingdom had achieved aprehensive victory and had defeated both Xilun and Taren.


    But this news had not been confirmed, and it seemed too fantastic to be true, so Sofia could only choose to wait for the real, confirmed news to arrive.


    Now, the news had arrived.


    The maid nodded slightly and continued, "Yes, ma''am! It has been confirmed, the fleet of the Taren Kingdom has indeed been annihted."


    Because the decisive naval battle took ce at sea, and the war had interrupted the message transmission channels from Hotwind Port, the news had only now been verified and delivered to Sofia.


    There was no helping the dys in the intelligence system, which had always been like this; people of this era had grown ustomed to such speeds of news dissemination.


    On the other hand, telegrams from Brunas were faster and more convenient¡ªonly Sofia dared not trust intelligence from a single source, particrly from the single source of the enemy.


    As a decision maker, she feared that the Great Tang Group might employ deceit, spreading false news to influence her decision-making and strategy here.


    Only to hear the maid continue, "The news came from Brunas, where arge number of ves are being sent to Northern Ridge. Among these ves are sailors from the Taren Kingdom."


    Sofia rose from the bed, draped on her silky robe, pulled a chair towards her, and sat down, her curves distinctly outlined, "It really is... a bit hard to swallow. What else is there, go on."


    With the navy fleet destroyed, the Taren Kingdom had basically been knocked out of this war, and even if the Dorne Kingdom did not attack it onnd, it was utterly incapable of resisting the fleet of the Great Tang Group.


    Thus, it was only a matter of time before this kingdom fell to Great Tang, or to put it another way, waspletely absorbed by a kingdom controlled by Great Tang.


    "Additionally, the ground troops of the Xilun Kingdom, a 50,000 strong army, have all surrendered to Dorne and became captives. If there are no idents, the news of the Taren Kingdom''s military''s defeat should also be true," the maid reported in a calm tone that was neither sad nor happy, offering a simple overview of the course of the battle at Dorne.


    This included a series of maneuvers by Dorne''s twin heroes, though not urate and detailed, but information gathered from the fleeing troops from the Taren Kingdom still corroborated some facts.


    At the very least, this battle had surprisingly quickly determined a victor, with the Taren Kingdom''s naval debacle apanied by an army that made an astonishing retreat over a thousand miles...


    As she listened to her maid, or rather her capable assistant, report on these events, Sofia''s face grew increasingly grim.


    Normally, her mood had been quite good these past few days, as she had seduced a female baron, and the two were in the midst of a "passionate affair," naturally full of romance.


    Unfortunately, bad news after bad news of the war kepting, until now, Sofia felt that Shireck''s council hadpletely lost control of the oue.


    So, irritated, she grabbed a perfume bottle and smashed it on the floor, letting it roll into a corner of the room, "...I had considered defeat, but I hadn''t expected... defeat toe this fast, or to be this devastating."


    "Ma''am..." The woman on the bed cried out in rm, awakened by the noise.


    "There''s a little trouble with business! No matter!" Sofia said without turning back, and sure enough, the woman didn''t dare to ask any more, hurriedly dressing in her underwear and fleeing the bedroom with her clothes.


    "Ma''am!" Only after the woman left did the maid continue.


    Sofia gestured with her hand, "I''m fine! Just a bit of a headache... The current situation is already very unfavorable for us."


    She got up irritably, pacing through her opulent home, muttering under her breath with grinding teeth, "We have nearly lost the five kingdoms fully controlled by the Great Tang Group, and the national power of these five kingdoms is now quite strong."


    Indeed, the trade alliance of five nations, almostpletely out of Shireck''s control, was indeed rising in strength day by day.


    Even the Songmu Kingdom, thest to join and not very powerful in terms of national strength, was undergoing its industrial revolution due to the acquisition of arge number of mechanical devices.


    ```


    Not to mention the Por Kingdom, which has annexed most of the Gales Kingdom, as well as Suthers, Leite and Dorne¡ªthe four kingdoms that likewise swallowed up their neighbors.


    With either direct or indirect support from Tang Mo, all these kingdoms have begun to digest the spoils of war and are starting to perfect their own institutions, gradually transforming from outdated kingdoms into more advanced and powerful capitalist empires.


    Once these nationsplete the restructuring of their domestic affairs, they will possess the potential to overwhelmingly outrun their neighboring countries and, at the same time, will further weaken the influence of the Shireck Consortium.


    "Moreover, we have now effectively lost the Kingdom of Gemalin, Xilun Kingdom, and Taren Kingdom... As for the Por Kingdom and the Rosewood Kingdom... and the Phk Kingdom... that will depend on whether we can manage them..." Sofia, with a troubled look, paced back and forth in her bedroom.


    "Mdy, be careful of the ss..." Out of concern that the barefoot Sofia might be hurt by the shards of the perfume bottles, the maid cautioned her.


    "Have someone clean it up!" Sofia startled, then continued barefoot toward the balcony, pushed open the floor-to-ceiling windows, and walked up to the railing.


    As she made her way, her mind was upied with how to strategize, to possibly keep the remaining three kingdoms intact, or at least not to have them gobbled up by the Great Tang Group in one bite.


    In the end, after long contemtion and without any particrly good strategy, she opened her mouth in some annoyance and cursed, "Damn it, we''ve just lost control of three kingdoms at once, and we''re losing a huge market! In the future, we will be increasingly unable to shake this rival, the Great Tang Group."


    "Then, Lady Sofia, what should we do next?" The maid, who had never encountered such a thorny issue, could only earnestly ask her mistress.


    In fact, she was capable and had the authority to deal with minor issues herself¡ªbut recently, there had been an exception; for any matters rted to the Tang Group, she found she could no longer cope and had to leave them to Sofia to resolve personally.


    "There aren''t many good options! Go to Brunas for me," Sofia, after pondering for about a minute, suddenly instructed her confidante.


    "Hm?" The maid was taken aback because it had been a long time since she''d been sent out on any mission, as ordinary opponents neither required nor warranted her involvement.


    Normally, a Shireck executive could handle issues within a kingdom; the Shireck Consortium was toorge to need the council''s members to deal with trivial matters.


    But now, it seems... it wasn''t just a so-called ''normal situation.''


    Sofia turned to her most capable subordinate, instructing, "Have a good talk with that Tang Mo, tell him that not all is unanimous within the Shireck Consortium, and there are those who are still willing to converse with him earnestly... "


    She knew she didn''t need to borate; her subordinate would grasp her meaning. So she waited a few seconds for her aide to adjust to the sudden travel arrangement before continuing, "Then, try to make him understand that money... cannot be earned by one person alone, and sometimes having a rival can actually make business more lucrative."


    "You mean?" The maid roughly understood Sofia''s intention, but she still wanted to confirm the details with her mistress.


    Sofia smiled, a breathtakingly beautiful smile filled with confidence and pride, which left the maid utterly enchanted, "I don''t mind bing his adversary¡ªan adversary who coborates behind the scenes, yetpetes on the surface! As long as it''s profitable, I''m willing to concede a portion of the profits... "


    "Then, what shall we want in return?" Understanding Sofia''s intention, the maid inquired.


    "Warships! Brand-new warships, steel warships! And also merchant ships! For this, I am willing to covertly assist and cede the Por Kingdom, the Rosewood Kingdom, and the Phk Kingdom to the Great Tang Group."


    "What if he doesn''t agree?" the maid asked worriedly.


    Sofia''s expression turned cold, and with a chilling look in her eyes, she curtly responded to the maid''s concern, "If he doesn''t agree, then we''ll just have to protract the conflict until the Great Tang Group''s supplies run short, until we ourselves are fragmented, and nobody gains any advantage from our mutual losses."


    "But..." the maid looked at Sofia with concern.


    She knew that dragging things out required capital, and if the Great Tang Group could quickly resolve the remaining belligerent nations, then the initiative wouldpletely shift into the hands of the Great Tang Group.


    So, the basis of the negotiation seemed to hinge on whether the war could continue. If the war were to end, then Shireck''s desire for new warship technology, or for the oceans, would merely be a pipe dream.


    Sofia looked into the distance with a hint of resignation and sighed softly, her demeanor softening as she said, "I know! It all depends on whether the Por Kingdom, the Rosewood Kingdom, and the Phk Kingdom can withstand his next... assault!"


    "Go!" After a few seconds of silence, Sofia, looking towards the distant sunrise, spoke, "Once you get to Brunas, send me a telegram."


    "Yes! Your subordinate understands!" The maid gave a small bow and then left the room.

 Chapter 294: 290 pounds, woman and old man

    "Damn it! They''re all wastes! Wastes!" the fat man from Shireck Council, who had always been lusting after Sofia''s beauty, clutched his wine ss and cursed furiously.


    The always-smiling sly old man also had no smile on his face this time, cursing coldly as ice, "Wastes? They all deserve to die! 50,000 troops! To think, to think they werepletely annihted just like that, bing prisoners at the enemy''s feet?"


    They had gathered together to discuss the just-confirmed news¡ªthat the war they had waged seemed to be spiraling out of their control, hurtling in a direction they did not wish to see.


    Dorne had won, achieving a glorious, unprecedented victory under the leadership of two unknown young people.


    After this war, the world would see the rise of two great generals, their names shining like stars.


    Yet at this very moment, these two names made the wealthy council members of Shireck grind their teeth in hatred!


    The fat man was almost roaring as he vented his dissatisfaction and fear, "Who could have thought, with such an advantage, they still lost! Lost!"


    Yes, fear¡ªhe had grown ustomed to controlling everything, used to the feeling of superiority that came with knowing the oue of a war before it even began.


    But now, everything was slipping from his grasp, filling him with a sense of danger, so he erupted in pathological fury.


    His voice was piercing, echoing in the opulent, yet slightly empty room, "Those were 70 warships! 70! A year ago, those warships could have wiped out a kingdom!"


    "What''s the use of saying this now? Can saying this change anything? Shouldn''t we be thinking, thinking about what to do next?" The envious woman, who was continually jealous of Sofia''s beauty, contorted her already ugly face, which now resembled a demon.


    The fat man suddenly stood up from the sofa in a fury, yelling, "Use all our power, we must eradicate this damned Great Tang Group no matter what!"


    Truth be told, he no longer cared about profits, even if it meant losing money, even if it was just to deter potential rivals, he wanted to crush the Great Tang Group, topletely vaporize this enemy!


    "But, moving forces like this, the other members of the council will not easily agree, we convinced them before, but now the situation has obviously changed," the old man reminded, though reluctantly and helplessly.


    The council was not under their sole control; they had previously convinced the members to agree to their n, but now they might not have the power to persuade others to continue backing their desperate gamble.


    After all, everyone joined the Shireck Consortium to earn money and control more power through munitions.


    Viting the t of making money and threatening the council members'' power, everyone would be cautious, conservative, suspicious...


    The woman, actually only in in appearance but appearing somewhat ugly beside Sofia, also spoke with resignation, "We''ve paid too high a price in this war! Under these circumstances, to continue the war... has no benefit..."


    But the fat man, still unwilling to ept defeat, looked at his two partners and said with extreme reluctance, "The entire revenue of six kingdoms... even if we win this war in the end, we won''t be able to cover our losses..." The old man sighed, speaking with difficulty.


    The woman, feeling powerless, hmphed and followed up, "Others will be very angry with us, because it was ultimately us who decided to start this war."


    "Damn it! Those bastards! 80,000 troops, just like that, they lost! Lost!" Seemingly spurred by the two people''s despondency, the fat man suddenly mmed his ss onto the floor, roaring angrily again, "All wastes! Wastes!"


    ss shards scattered, wine soaked the precious carpet, and the guards at the door were startled, but none dared to rush in to see what had happened.


    "Now, the Taren Kingdom is beyond saving, even if we wanted to help, the oue wouldn''t change," the old man said as he looked at the ss splinters that had fallen at his feet, ncing at the fat man with displeasure.


    The Taren Kingdom was within the fat man''s sphere of influence, and the businesses there belonged to his family, so his loss this time could be said to be the greatest.


    However, there was no sympathy to be had here, as everyone was a merchant; perhaps in a time of crisis, the first to act against a friend would be one of their own.


    The woman seemed to take pleasure in the fat man''s misfortune, "They will be blockaded by Great Tang Group''s warships and then fall intoplete decay! If they surrender, they will turn to the Great Tang Group, and from the result, we''ve lost there forever."


    "Forever, nothing! I will take it back sooner orter!" The fat man, his face full of annoyance and anger, still forcefully spat out his fierce words.


    "This Great Tang Group is different from all the opponents we''ve faced in the past, our previous opponents didn''t have advanced technology or the foresight to cultivate their own talents," the old man warned.


    The woman put on an indecisive look and asked in a whorish tone, "The question is, what do we do?"


    Actually, being able to be a member of Shireck''s council, who isn''t a cunning fox? It''s just that they asionally let interest cloud their judgment and make some bold tries ¨C they''re not actually stupid¡­


    "Clearly, we cannot give up on this war, at least, we must let the war continue! Because once the war ends, our profits will plummet back to their original state," the old man pondered for a moment before voicing his opinion.


    He looked at the fat man who had always cooperated with him and the woman, then began to exin, "Without the profit from the war, the financial figures will look very ugly, which will make us lose the trust of the other council members."


    "They are already very annoyed. Once there''s another problem, they will definitely be furious," the woman countered dismissively.


    However, the old man''s idea aligned with the fat man''s desire to continue the war to avenge his grudges, so the fat man strongly supported the old man''s idea.


    Thus, he immediately said, "Then let''s find a way to keep the war going! At all costs, keep it going!"


    "But¡­ if we continue like this, our ie will also be increasingly ugly¡­" the woman reminded.


    Even though Shireck''s arms sales had increased during the war and the revenue seemed decent, the longer the war dragged on, the fewer forces there were to buy Shireck''s weapons ¨C issues were bound to arise sooner orter.


    After thinking it through, the sly old man expressed his thoughts, "Shouldn''t we¡­ perhaps listen to, listen to that woman Sofia''s opinion? At least judging from the oue, she¡­ her perspective seems correct."


    In his view, as long as they could stabilize the situation and make money, bringing Shireck back to its peak, asionally listening to Sofia''s opinion wasn''t a bad idea.


    However, clearly the ugly woman was reluctant to bring up Sofia ¨C she scoffed coldly, dissatisfied, "She just got lucky, betting on the right side against us, that''s all!"


    "Listen to her? I''d rather die!" The fat man thought that if he had to seek Sofia''s help at such a humiliating time, how could he ever get a chance to strike in the future?


    After some thought, to prevent the old man from forming an alliance with Sofia, he divulged news he had long hidden, "Actually, set aside the failures on the battlefield, we''ve had some gains."


    "Hmm?" The woman looked towards the fat man.


    "What do you mean?" The old man also turned his gaze, asking.


    "The good news is! Our acquisition n in the east ultimately seeded, and after a bit of struggling and requesting a good price, that young man handed over some of the new weapon technologies they came up with!" The fat man boasted before proceeding.


    "Hmm?" Hearing this, both the woman and old man became more interested.


    The fat man then began to exin, "My spearheaded merger had an effect ¨C we acquired the workshop, and as a result gained control over two fully new types of weapons! There''s apletely new automatic weapon! More advanced! Brand-new automatic weapons!"


    "Oh?" Hearing about the new weapons, both the old man and the woman''s eyes lit up even more ¨C they were arms dealers, and new weapons often meant more profit and revenue!


    The fat man shook his head confidently, "Hehehehe! With metal-jacketed ammunition, with new rifles, and advanced automatic pistols... we will at least be able to stand up to that damn Great Tang Group in most of the arms business!"


    "At least! This is the only piece of good news among a bunch of bad news," the old man sighed in relief, then posed a question that the woman beside him was also interested in: "That young man¡­ what''s his name?"


    "His name is Fink, a very talented young man! I beat him, made him the person in charge. If he cane up with some more new weapons, I n on nurturing him," the fat man wasn''t foolish, and he directly imed his dominance over the young man.


    Talent, of course, should be held tight in one''s own hands.


    The old man nodded slightly, "Very good! You''ve done the right thing! It''s time to show that old hag Sofia that we value technology too!"


    "Exactly! We''ll soon rejuvenate Shireck, and regain Shireck''s ruling position! We are unbeatable! Hahahaha!" The fat manughed proudly and loudly.


    "Shireck is invincible! Hahaha!" The old man also joined in theughter.


    "Long live Shireck!" The woman echoed coldly from the side.

 Chapter 295: 291 doesnt need to be so accurate.

    In the shooting range of Brunas, Tang Mo watched with interest as Wes emptied a handgun magazine and then continued to reload.


    Good marksmanship is cultivated with bullets; without extensive live-fire practice, talent alone is useless.


    One must shoot year after year, day after day, to maintain their feel for the gun and preserve muscle memory, ensuring the most urate shooting action in the shortest time possible.


    Wes was Tang Mo''s personal guard. Until he found a sessor he could trust, Wes was thest line of defense by Tang Mo''s side.


    Such a person must always maintain the bestbat readiness, so Wes always seized every opportunity to train hisbat skills.


    His proficiency with the handgun was nearly divine, with almost every shot hitting the bullseye. And his drawing speed was unbelievably fast, like lightning.


    "Bang!" With thest shot fired, Wes ced the test model of the PPK handgun on the tray and turned back to Tang Mo with a hint of reluctance: "You always manage to create weapons that people love."


    To be frank, the PPK handgun is a very portable weapon with decent power, and in the hands of Wes, it''s nothing short of a divine tool.


    Compared to the muchrger M1911 handgun, the PPK seems more suitable for bodyguards or spies.


    However, the PPK handgun also has its drawbacks, the foremost being that its firepower is rtively small.


    The M1911 handgun has arger caliber and uses ammunition that is far more powerful than the 7.65 mm rounds used by the PPK, naturally offering much greater stopping power.


    Thus, in the hands of an expert like Wes, the M1911 handgun, which can resolve issues with one shot, actually has a greater impact.


    With the same 7-round capacity, the PPK''s seven bullets may not resolve the problem, but the M1911 is much more reliable.


    Therefore, Wes still prefers the powerful M1911 handgun and, after experimenting with many types of handguns, he favors the M1911 and "bolt-action rifles."


    If allowed to carry, Wes would rather carry a bolt-action rifle, or the Mauser automatic pistol, which has great firepower and can also serve as an automatic weapon in a pinch.


    Although it is greatlycking in uracy, Wes prefers such powerful automatic weapons, especially sincepared to the old Shireck flintlock pistols, all the pistols currently involved in the Great Tang Group''s handgun bidding trials could be considered top-quality.


    Luger pistols were also fabricated as prototypes, but Wes does not like these unstable firearms when firing.


    Despite their high price and the use of many new technologies, Luger pistols have many intrinsic ws and struggle topete with the more stable PPK and M1911.


    In fact, even during the San Dezi era, not many Prussian nobility officers carried Lugers; most were provided to the police and second-line troops... after all, the harsh battlefield conditions made such precious pistols unsuitable.


    In the world before Tang Mo crossed over, around 1910, many excellent handguns emerged.


    Both Jack and Belgium had decent designs; the Browning high-power pistol and Jack''s CZ pistol were well-known.


    And in Tang Mo''sboratory, these handguns were also replicated by skilled craftsmen to test the limits of each model.


    Ultimately, the M1911 and PPK handguns became Tang Mo''s preferred semi-automatic pistols, and older guns like the Mauser bolt-action rifle were deemed heretical and sent elsewhere to fool Shireck''s idiots.


    After all, what Tang Mo really wanted to develop was not the automatic pistols that never became widely popr through the 21st century but more reasonable submachine guns that used pistol ammunition!


    He definitely didn''t want something the size of a Uzi that only performed moderately in closebat situations.


    The Mauser pistol''s only highlight is its power at medium range¡ªit has a much longer effective range than standard pistols, especially when equipped with a holster that doubles as an improvised stock, significantly improving uracy.


    But with the stock attached, the automatic pistol basically bes the same size as a submachine gun and is no longer a handgun...


    This is also why the Mauser automatic pistol, which would be considered overpowered among handguns, only shone brightly on the Huaxia battlefield¡ªthere were no submachine guns!


    So, Huaxia was the natural advantaged battlefield for the Mauser automatic pistol, a result of the environment, not because the weapon itself was outstanding.


    Therefore, this weapon is not irreceable; on the contrary, it is very easy to rece: just produce proper submachine guns.


    "To be honest, I haven''t yet decided how to name this type of handgun, S4 or S5?" Tang Mo, feeling thefortable sunshine on him, asked Wes.


    After some thought, Wes responded to Tang Mo''s question, "Actually, I prefer therger one that can solve problems."


    "Hmm, men, they all like the bigger ones," Tang Mo teased with a hint of mischief.


    Wes chuckled mischievously and then said, "Then consider this gun named by me."


    He weighed the M1911 in his hand and named this other-worldly pistol the S4, while the PPK pistol logically became the S5 type semi-automatic handgun.


    Instantly, he grew even fonder of the S4 handgun, since it was a pistol he had named, and the more he looked, the more he liked it.


    Tang Mo, however, with a sly smile, waved to a servant holding a tray nearby, "Bring that thing over!"


    The attendant hurried over and handed the tray covered with a white cloth to Tang Mo. Tang Mo did not lift the cloth immediately but looked at Wes and asked, "Do you remember the joke I told you?"


    "Which one?" Wes tried hard to recall the various risqu¨¦ jokes Tang Mo had told him.


    "The one about being quick with fists within ten steps¡­" Tang Mo knew Wes had probably gotten the wrong idea, so he provided a prompt.


    Wes was taken aback, then nodded pretentiously, "Remember, you once said to me, ''Beyond ten steps, the quicker gun¡­ and within ten steps, the gun is both quick and urate.''"


    "That was just a joke," Tang Mo said with a smile as he unveiled the tray, revealing its contents to Wes, "Now, whether it''s urate or not doesn''t really matter anymore."


    Tang Mo didn''t choose the German MP series submachine guns for his troops because he favored another type¡ªthe American Thompson submachine gun.


    This was a somewhatplex but decently performing submachine gun; however, Tang Mo liked it for another reason¡ªit had repeatedly appeared in gangster movies.


    The Chicago Typewriter, concealed in a violin case and carried around by hitmen in ck suits, had an impressive aura.


    Of course, what Tang Mo directly manufactured was its modified version¡ªthe US military version without a foregrip but with a horizontal forend instead.


    This weapon was conceived around 1928, so there were no technical difficulties involved. Compared to this, the superior German MP-38 submachine gun came quite a bitter.


    In fact, in terms of performance andpatibility, Tang Mo would have preferred to choose the MP-38 submachine gun because its manufacturing technology was more advanced, its uracy was higher, and it performed better in other aspects as well.


    Not to mention just the fact that the German submachine gun could be folded was very appealing to him: Tang Mo highly valued weapons that were easy to carry.


    However, while Tang Mo hesitated over which weapon to choose, another factor influenced his decision: bullets!


    Tang Mo had already decided to mass produce the M1911 pistol, or rather the improved M1911A1 pistol, which used bullets of 11.43-mm caliber.


    Another pistol Tang Mo liked, the PPK, used 7.65-mm caliber bullets¡ªyes, yet another new type of bullet.


    Meanwhile, the rifle bullets used by the security troops of the Great Tang Group were 8-mm caliber, which was again apletely different type of metal cartridge.


    At the same time, the caliber of the Maxim heavy machine guns produced by the Great Tang Group was also 11.43 mm ammunition.


    This left Tang Mo entangled in a rather awkward dilemma: the caliber of his bullets was too numerous and too varied.


    If he were to produce the MP-38 submachine gun, which used 9-mm caliber pistol bullets, he would have to start another production line for 9-mm caliber pistol bullets.


    With the existing bullet production lines, the Great Tang Group would have to produce 6 different calibers and types of bullets: .45 caliber (11.43) pistol bullets, .32 caliber (7.65) pistol bullets, 9-mm caliber pistol bullets, 8-mm (7.92) caliber rifle bullets, .45 caliber (11.43) machine gun bullets, and paper cartridges for needle guns¡­


    This was something Tang Mo, or the Great Tang Group, was unwilling to ept.


    Therefore, Tang Mo had to consciously reduce the number of bullet types in order to streamline his production lines and simplify the logistics of troop resupply.


    In fact, weapon development has a certain continuity. Tang Mo chose the more advanced Colt Left-Wheel Handgun, thus setting the bullet caliber at .45 (11.43).


    Consequently, the M1911 pistol''s bullets were also .45 caliber, which greatly simplified Tang Mo''s bullet production.


    Therefore, when it came to choosing a submachine gun, Tang Mo had no choice but to make somepromises, giving up the MP-38 submachine gun he favored more and turning instead to the Chicago Typewriter, the Thompson submachine gun.


    Although the weapon was not entirely satisfactory, it was still a very mature and effective weapon. If the downside of this weapon was that it was bulky and expensive, in this era, that was not a problem at all.


    This weapon was only to equip Tang Mo''s security troops, so he was more willing to simplify things and have the new submachine gun use existing bullets.


    So, when Tang Mo unveiled the white cloth, what Wes saw was a beautifully crafted Thompson submachine gun.

 Chapter 296: 292 Technology Diffusion

    As trenches began to frequently appear and started to block the attackers, causing the assants to pay a heavy price, everyone was eagerly awaiting a type of automatic weapon that could be used by individual soldiers. Whoever could produce such a weapon might once again transform the mode of warfare.


    As long as the firepower was fierce enough, it could tear apart the enemy''s trench defenses, allowing victory to be secured with fewer losses. Therefore, even if the price was high, everyone did not mind shelling out some extra Gold Coin.


    Of course, in reality, the prevalence of machine guns was pitifully low, and most armies were not actually going to equip their soldiers with expensive weapons like the submachine gun on arge scale. Compared to submachine guns, militaries preferred to have more machine guns to boost their firepower.


    This was a very contradictory psychology; on one hand, everyone hoped to be equipped with arge number of K2 rifles or better individual automatic firing weapons, to end trench warfare.


    On the other hand, they felt that they did not have enough heavy firepower to support their defenses, so they wanted to be equipped with more machine guns.


    There was only so much money, so deciding what kind of weapons to prioritize purchasing became an issue of trade-offs for many troopmanders.


    After all, there were not many nations with deep pockets, and there were even fewer people like Tang Mo, who was ready to equip his entire military with submachine guns.


    Moreover, Tang Mo had no ns to immediately expand the production of automatic weapons; he intended to keep these weapons secret for a while longer, allowing the battlefield to fully digest the existing arms first.


    Arge number of advanced weapons had suddenly emerged in this world because Tang Mo could disregard thews of factual development and forcibly develop some experience-based weapons that would have otherwise only been forged through warfare.


    He could unreasonably bring out mature weapons that were certain not to take a wrong turn, something that others could not achieve.


    But doing so also brought a series of problems, which was that the battlefield presented a pathological and chaotic state.


    Actually, it was quiteughable; most militarymanders, more than two years ago, were stillmanding their troops to engage in dense phnx charges, using firing squad tactics in a row to determine the oue.


    Later, when breech-loading rifles were introduced by Tang Mo, the situation on the battlefield began to change, and the casualties of phnx gun battles shot up dramatically, causing both warring sides to be overwhelmed by such horrific losses.


    With the advent of metallic cartridges, trench warfare became an entirely new tactic, a kind that others had never seen before.


    Until trench warfare began to be frequently used around Leite Kingdom, mostmanders in other war zones had not even seen what a machine gun looked like.


    Breech-loading cannons, another novel item, were also scarce, and everyone was still inexplicably experimenting with new tactics to adapt to new weapons.


    The graduates of the Great Tang Military Academy elerated the spread of new tactics and weapons, but they also brought a series of practical problems.


    For example, the concept of position warfare appeared prematurely when tank technology was not yet mature, which directly led to a dramatic increase in the cruelty of war.


    In variousbat areas, it becamemon to see soldiers lining up in neat formations, charging the enemy''s machine gun positions like madmen.


    There also began to appear wars of attrition where both sides used trenches, neither side initiating an attack, fearful of incurring heavy casualties.


    Everyone was haphazardly trying new tactics and developing a whole array of bizarre weapons, hoping to use these weapons to end the current chaotic state.


    In Por Kingdom,rge Left-Wheel Handguns capable of firing over a dozen shots consecutively appeared, and the Songmu Kingdom''s military purchased arge number of K2 lever-action rifles to solve the problem of insufficient closebat firepower.


    Leite Kingdom tried to rely on purchasing more artillery, creatingrger caliber guns to eliminate enemies hiding in trenches.


    Things in Dorne Kingdom were even more interesting. Because ofgging tactics, Bolton and Strauss led their troops to attack, and the opposition was still chaotically organizing their units into phnxes for defense¡­


    "What is this thing?" Wes frowned and asked as he looked at the new weapon with a wooden stock and a metal barrelid out in front of him.


    Instinct told him that the new weapon before him seemed to be very unfriendly to a man who liked to duel, like himself.


    Sure enough, Tang Mo smiled as he reached into the tray, grabbing the Thompson Submachine Gun, and took a magazine from the tray as well, inserting it into the gun.


    He then naturally pulled the bolt back, aimed at a distant target, and pulled the trigger.


    "Tatatatat!" The dense gunfire, apanied by the faint blue smoke drifting from the muzzle, startled Wes, who stood beside Tang Mo.


    One after another, metal shell casings fell at Tang Mo''s feet, and the wooden target in the distance was riddled with bullet holes from Tang Mo''s shooting.


    After emptying the 30 rounds in the magazine, Tang Mo stood the submachine gun upright and turned to Wes, "The C-1 Submachine Gun! With a 30-round magazine or a 50-round drum for ammunition; it''s a new weapon that can fire continuously once loaded!"


    The drum magazine was not a reliable method of feeding ammunition, its structure tooplex, prone to malfunction during the process, and its reloading exceptionally cumbersome.


    Therefore, on the battlefield, regr magazines were the more dependable method for feeding ammunition, though drum magazines still remained popr among many soldiers, since sometimes having more rounds meant greater security.


    However, Tang Mo, who prioritized portability, preferred to equip his Thompson Submachine Gun with a magazine, rather than the more famous and bulky drum magazine.


    "It can rapidly turn the target, or rather everyone within the target area, into a sieve! Don''t doubt it, it''s a true weapon of mass destruction!" Tang Mo said as he handed the still-warm submachine gun to the stunned Wes.


    "It uses the same bullets as the S4 pistol, so its power is considerable... you just aim at the target and pull the trigger, and all your troubles will be blown away! Convenient and quick..." Tang Mo watched as Wes subconsciously received the submachine gun, and he took a new magazine from the tray and handed it over.


    Under Tang Mo''s guidance, Wes ejected the spent magazine and reloaded a new one, pulled back the bolt, andpleted the chambering action.


    Then, following Tang Mo''s gesture, he braced the butt of the gun against his shoulder and squeezed the trigger at a new target.


    A series of rapid gunshots rang out again, with shell casings falling to the ground like raindrops, producing a pleasant clinking sound.


    Afterward, the target a few dozen meters in front of Wes was shattered by the barrage of bullets, leaving only one third of it barely standing.


    "It can be called the king of closebat." Tang Mo said,ughing while patting Wes''s shoulder: "My guard troops will be the first to be equipped with this weapon! What do you think?"


    "What can I say? No one who crosses you will end up well," Wes said, looking at the submachine gun in his hand and suddenly feeling old, as if he could retire.


    He had been trying hard to keep up with Tang Mo, to adapt to the new weapons Tang Mo developed¡ªfrankly speaking, when he saw the Left-Wheel Handgun, he knew the martial arts skills he once prided himself on were almost obsolete.


    Nevertheless, he had mastered the shooting skills of the handgun and learned how to kill enemies more efficiently.


    And now, just when he thought he had finally gotten a handle on pistol shooting techniques, Tang Mo had developed an even more formidable weapon!


    "Don''t be so discouraged! Actually, it has its drawbacks," Tang Moforted Wes with a tinge of regret.


    "I don''t see any drawbacks..." Wes grumbled, staring at the rapid-firing weapon in his hands that could spit out dozens of bullets in an instant.


    "There are. There are!" Tang Mo hurriedly assured him.


    Then, he gestured and said, "Don''t you think it''s... a bit too big?"


    "It''s not easy to carry, and it can''t be tucked into a pocket like a handgun." Tang Mo gestured with his hands to indicate the length of the gun, annoyed that he couldn''t choose the MP-38 submachine gun with the folding stock: "It''s definitely not something you can bring to a banquet... right?"


    Upon hearing Tang Mo''s exnation, Wesughed. Indeed... this weapon was a bit too big and wasn''t suitable for many asions.


    But for Great Tang Group''s security teams, factory patrols, and other special situations, the power of this weapon could only be described as otherworldly.


    "Your troops will get priority in being equipped with it! Don''t worry!" Tang Mo saw the longing in Wes''s eyes and said directly: "You''re also wee to practice as much as you want because... we are not short on bullets."


    The .45 caliber bullets were already being produced on arge scale by Great Tang Group, especially since the S4 pistol, also known as the M1911 pistol, had also started mass production.


    At the same time, the PPK pistol, as a new personal defense weapon, had also begun mass production and was extensively equipping Great Tang Group''s administrative and intelligence personnel.


    And to simplify their product lines, Tang Mo had already shut down all production lines rted to needle guns and recoilless rifles.


    These pieces of equipment had been disposed of or transferred elsewhere. Brunas was no longer producing needle guns, and Northern Ridge had also ceased production of this type of weapon.


    The gship product of Northern Ridge''s firearms factory was now the K3 bolt-action rifle, which is the Mauser KAR98K rifle.


    The production line of Great Tang Group''s K2 lever-action rifle had also been entirely moved to the suburbs of Leite Royal City, since Great Tang Group was no longer interested in this type of weapon.


    Simrly, the technology for recoilless rifles had already been disseminated by Great Tang Group, and now 75mm recoilless rifles could be produced by Northern Ridge and Leite Kingdom, although this production was still under the supervision of Great Tang Group.


    Unknowingly, Great Tang Group had shifted many of its downstream production projects to other regions, driving industrial development in those areas.


    And Great Tang Group was consciously starting to keep its cutting-edge technology on Dragon Ind, a ce more suitable for secrecy and development... its true stronghold.

 Chapter 297: Materials Issue 293

    While Tang Mo and Wes were chatting, Harry came over with a stack of files. Seeing him, the waiter waved gently and stayed well away with the tray.


    Wes fiddled with the Thompson submachine gun and seemed to be quite enamored with it¡ªafter all, submachine guns are quite fun, aren''t they?


    Harry nced at Wes who was aiming and then ying with the gun and, without paying much attention to him, reported directly to Tang Mo, "The shipyard at the port has confirmed it."


    "Hmm," Tang Mo gestured for him to continue.


    Harry delivered some not-so-good news, "In the short term, we can''t build ships any faster, because the production capacity for steel simply can''t keep up."


    "We are building 2 warships at Dragon Ind at the same time, and there are also 4 transport ships, which have taken up all the docks," he said as he pulled out a document from the ones he was carrying and handed it to Tang Mo.


    Then he took out a second document and passed it over as well, "Brunas'' fiverge docks are all producing Wolf-ss cruisers, and the remaining four docks are producing transport ships..."


    Tang Mo first took the first report and, upon seeing the information it contained, revealed no sign of anger. He was just reading through the content to understand the issues at hand.


    In fact, the shipbuilding system of the Great Tang Group was indeed running at full capacity¡ªTang Mo had built 15 iron ships in one go, including 8 transport ships and 7 warships.


    These steel behemoths took up arge amount of steel and also exhausted Tang Mo''s shipbuilding workforce.


    Most of those shipbuilders actually only had experience in making sailing ships and had been rushed into bing builders of steamships.


    And the Great Tang Group actually had anotherrge shipyard in Osa that used to produce sailing warships but had been converted into a shipyard producing civilian sailing ships.


    Now it only producedrge-tonnage transport ships, most of which were specially designed for transporting oil, with a cargo hold full of barrels carrying hundreds of tons of crude oil at a time.


    Nevertheless, sea transport capacity was still insufficient. Tang Mo needed a vast number of ships, countless fleets, to replenish production materials for his Dragon Ind and Brunas.


    "That is to say, we have 15 steam-powered ships being produced simultaneously, using up tens of thousands of tons of steel... indeed, it''s a bit much," Tang Mo thought to himself as he took the second set of documents from Harry, rubbed his forehead, and continued reading.


    If these warships and transport ships were to beunched, the maritime power of the Great Tang Group could indeed soar to unprecedented heights.


    Moreover, once the 5 Wolf-ss warships wereunched, he was confident that he could sell all the Brunas-ss warships in his hands¡ªit was clear that this could let him recover a great deal of investment.


    You should know, irond warships are a novelty, and any maritime power would drool over such weaponry. As long as there is a chance to buy, they won''t care how much they spend.


    With some concern, Harry reminded Tang Mo, "At the same time, we are also producing arge number of rails. Many factories, including those in Northern Ridge, are running at full capacity to produce rails. We areying a 300-kilometer-long railway, which is the limit of what we can handle."


    After tasting the benefits of railway transportation, both the Leite Kingdom and the Great Tang Group were striving to expand their railway mileage.


    This was a trend, and so there was nothing Harry could do about it. But such infrastructural projects did consume arge amount of steel, and so indeed affected the material reserves of the Great Tang Group.


    While speaking, Harry handed another report to Tang Mo, "Additionally, we are supplying several battlefields, providing ammunition, bullets, rifles, and other weapons and equipment... To be frank, the scale of the war has never been asrge as it is today."


    Tang Mo said nothing, took the report, and after looking at it briefly, held onto it, "What''s your opinion?"


    This was him testing his student¡ªHarry was his proud disciple, and also the person he was preparing to rece Roger in foreign matters.


    Of course, for internal affairs or secretarial work, Tang Mo was prepared to hand them over to Yulin¡ªjust waiting for this queen to sessfully graduate from the military academy.


    Harry was unfazed and answered Tang Mo''s question directly, "Our weapons are very advanced, so the rate of killing is also unprecedented. Under these circumstances, troop losses are soaring."


    ```


    Clearly, he had done a substantial amount of work. This young man, who had also ranked at the top in the academy, was far from mediocre: "To ensure that the troops can bear substantial losses, the size of the troops had to be increased from the past... This was an unavoidable matter."


    He shared the answer he had thought out with Tang Mo: "In the past two years, a war involving abat force of tens of thousands had been considered arge-scale war, and Shireck had nned for the Northern Ridge war nearly a year in advance."


    Seeing that Tang Mo had no intention of speaking, he continued: "But now, assembling an army of over 30,000 is merely the basic requirement for a simple battle encounter, and it seems that a few thousand troops can hardly satisfy strategic needs."


    "Of course, except for our security forces; since our security forces have equipment that leads the entire era, our troops don''t need to worry about such issues." After finishing, he stopped as if waiting for Tang Mo''s evaluation.


    Tang Mo rolled the document in his hand into a cylinder, not lifting his head, he instructed: "You have analyzed well, continue!"


    "Although we don''t need to worry, other countries do have such troubles. Their forces suffer losses too quickly in the face of new weapons, forcing them to mobilize more troops to participate in the war." After pondering briefly, Harry continued.


    "The Dorne battle engagement involvedbat forces of over 100,000 from both sides, which by past standards, would have been a war of national extinction." He cited the recently concluded Dorne battle as a specific example: "And now, after this battle, both sides still have the capacity to continue the war...


    Bolton just sent news that the Xilun Kingdom had another 20,000 troopspletely wiped out and has still not surrendered."


    "Go and call Mathews and Parker!" Tang Mo thought for a few seconds, then loudlymanded a servant who was standing at a distance.


    Watching the servant depart, Tang Mo then turned his head to Harry and said: "I know your opinion, I want to hear from the production department, and then I will make arrangements."


    Soon, Mathews and Parker hurried over from the factory area.


    Upon meeting, Parker was first to speak of the excellent achievements the Great Tang Group had made in the past month: "In terms of total power generation, we have made some progress, and now there is a bit of surplus power, which can support us in continuing research on metal ting."


    The head of the production department had grown considerably over the past year because in the past he wouldn''t have been able to report such good news to Tang Mo so fluently.


    Previously, he always started with the bad news... However, it was clear he had begun to realize that sometimes, the order in which reports are given is actually very meaningful.


    This change couldn''t be said to be bad, after all Tang Mo knew that people always grow¡ªwhether they be more mature or gradually age, they will eventually grow...


    "Additionally, we have also been experimenting with the electrolysis process for aluminum, and in fact, we have already obtained some aluminum metal..." Mathews also began talking about his recent experiment projects with great interest.


    Electroting and aluminum electrolysis were major projects that Tang Mo''s factory was recently researching. Once sessful, with new materials and new ting processes, the quality of Great Tang Group''sponents would rise to a whole new level.


    Seeing that Tang Mo was silent, Parker hurriedly started discussing the matter of personnel sent to the Ice Cold Kingdom: "I have ordered 300 people to head to the dwarves'' Ice Cold Kingdom to develop and operate copper and gold mines, as well as oil fields and other industries.


    However, the extraction of minerals there won''t quench our immediate thirst as it is a distant solution and cannot alleviate our material scarcity crisis right away."


    Then he brought up a piece of intelligence that Tang Mo actually already knew: "King Leite VII has already ordered that iron ore be temporarily ssified as a strategic material not avable for trade, which to a certain extent, canpensate for some of our losses."


    After listing a whole bunch of good news and some that was neither good nor bad, Parker finally mustered the courage to voice his opinion: "If it were up to me, we should postpone some unnecessary production, like automobiles... We can currently produce more than 6,000 T-model cars a year, and that really isn''t necessary."


    It seemed that he, just like Harry, also hoped that Tang Mo would suspend the production of some products to focus on expanding the production of essential goods: "If we don''t produce so many cars, we won''t need suchrge refining capacity for oil... which can then be shifted to weapon production."


    After speaking, he fell silent as if waiting for Tang Mo to speak up, or perhaps for others to agree.


    Soon, Mathews also began to speak, it appeared he also agreed with Parker and Harry''s views: "At least, we can save 3,000 workers, which is not a small number, and we can also save the steel consumed in car production..."


    "I understand all that you''re saying, but if we halt the production of cars, our existing transport capacity will slowly decrease, and we will still end up in a passive situation wheregging transport capacity restricts our uing expansion," Tang Mo considered their input for a minute and then presented his own opinion: "But now, whoever backs down first might slow down their pace of development and lose future victories!"


    ------


    The second update will be a bitte; everyone can watch it tomorrow morning.


    ```

 Chapter 298: 294 most interesting scenery

    Tang Mo knew that both Parker and Mathews had very sensible suggestions, yet he still felt there was no need to back down at this time.


    As long as he maintained the current production status and continued to develop, he could ultimately hold out until the day the war ended.


    Once everything returned to peace, or rather, to the interlude between wars, he would be able to absorb the surrounding resources at a faster pace and push the Great Tang Group to an even more dazzling pinnacle.


    So, he began to exin, "Right now, every day, vehicles needing part repairs due to breakdowns are waiting for the parts we produce. And those enterprises waiting to purchase vehicles topete in the transportation and logistics industry are also waiting for the finished vehicles we produce...


    If we were to stop production now, then the painstakingly established transportationwork would fall into paralysis. This... cannot possibly be what we want to see."


    "The same applies to the ships! If we can''t continue to expand our maritime transportation, we will reach a bottleneck, and the ensuing development will be stagnant for a long time!" He stood up as if he had made up his mind and said firmly, "So! We must grit our teeth and continue... all our production! We cannot stop!"


    In fact, Tang Mo was well aware that halting some seemingly non-essential productions could seemingly bring many conveniences to himself.


    But the subsequent problems would slow the development of Great Tang Group. In Tang Mo''s view, the current difficulties were only temporary, and failing to expand production capacity swiftly was what would leave them in a reactive position and fall behind.


    Was Great Tang Groupcking raw materials for production? Yes, it was! But not that much! At least for now, while Great Tang Groupcked raw materials, the mining resources it owned were very abundant.


    Which meant, Tang Mo had iron mines, copper mines, and oil fields... He almost had all the resources he could wish for.


    On the other hand, did Great Tang Group have production capability? The answer was also yes! Great Tang Group had advanced assembly line workshops, arge number of industrious workers, and a rtivelyplete management system.


    These could also be converted into production capacity! If conditions allowed, Great Tang Group could double its capacity!


    Unfortunately, due to the constraints of production materials, Tang Mo was unable to fully utilize the capacity of Great Tang Group, which was the biggest problem faced by Great Tang Group at the moment.


    Could this problem be simply attributed to ack of production materials for Great Tang Group? Obviously, it couldn''t.


    Then, could this problem be attributed to insufficient production capacity of Great Tang Group? Actually, it wasn''t that simple either.


    What Great Tang Group wascking now was the ability to gather dispersed materials from various ces and transform them into production materials!


    That is to say, Great Tang Group''s weakness was theck of sufficient time to establish a trafficwork, umte massive logistics and transportation capacities, and to have insufficient raw material rough processing capabilities.


    You say Great Tang Group was short of funds? It actually controlled six real gold mines and had arge reserve of Gold Coins; in truth, Tang Mo was quite wealthy.


    You say Great Tang Group was short of ores? That wasn''t quite true either, as Great Tang Group had severalrge iron mines within the borders of the Leite Kingdom alone, and at the same time, in Dorne and Suthers, in Osa, there were many assets of iron and copper mines.


    It''s just that in a short time, these iron mines could not be transported to Brunas, could not be immediately turned into munitions, and could not be sent to the battlefield.


    So, as long as Tang Mo kept building railroads, building roads, manufacturing vehicles, manufacturing ships, he would obtain more and more iron ore and umte more and more resources.


    From the perspective of the game, this meant Tang Mo had arge number of troop-producing buildings and also upied several gold mines, but couldn''t immediately convert these upied gold mines into troops due tock of peasants.


    Therefore, the best option to improve this situation wasn''t to grit one''s teeth and produce a small number of troops, even though doing so might yield a certain number of forces in the short term. From a long-term perspective, this approach was actually of poor return.


    The correct choice was to produce a great number of peasants immediately; as long as they maintained equilibrium at the front lines, even if they temporarily fell into a disadvantageous position, with the follow-up resources gradually expanding, the advantage would be re-established...


    Tang Mo did a simple analysis of his current situation: Dorne and the southern seas had just achieved two great victories, his troops were unstoppable, and the advantage was obviously significant.


    The Leite Kingdom had also begun a counterattack, defeating the invading troops from the Kingdom of Germelin, so he also held an advantage on that front.


    Although Suthers was beset with internal and external troubles, it was still possible to hold out. The Songmu Kingdom actually was rtively safe.


    Even if the Por Kingdompletely copsed and was recaptured by Shireck Corporation ¡ª he wouldn''t suffer any fundamental loss.


    It was just one Osa Port, no big deal.


    What''s more, whether Shireck Corporation could recapture Osa Port was still uncertain, as there were quite a few Orcs entrenched there, plus the fleet that could move north at any time ¡ª it was not certain if Shireck was willing to touch this trouble.


    Upon analyzing the situation, it appeared that Great Tang Group was actually dominant on all fronts, or at least held absolute superiority in half of the regions.


    In such a situation, continuing to expand one''s own economic advantage and establish a better cycle is certainly the right choice.


    That''s why Tang Mo made up his mind and so firmly rejected Parker and Mathews'' suggestions.


    He didn''t believe that Shireck would dare to endlessly fight against a Great Tang Group like this! On his side, there was a problem of material shortage, but what Shireck faced was not just a shortage of materials!


    Shireck''s overall size was indeed bigger than that of the Great Tang Group, but it couldn''t mobilize all its forces to where they were needed in time.


    So, in a specific area, Shireck''s disadvantages were still very obvious. The challenges faced by the Great Tang Group were also present for Shireck, but in areas where the Great Tang Group had advantages, Shireck''s disadvantages were even more pitiable.


    Take the oue of battles for example, the Great Tang Group, despite great difficulties, still came out victorious.


    On Shireck''s side, they had already lost control of many kingdoms, and as their defeats in war piled up, their control over other non-warring kingdoms would be greatly weakened.


    In such a scenario, persisting in war was clearly not a wise choice, and Shireck''s side would certainly choose to end the war with dignity!


    Unless... the other side had meticulously calcted that in the end, the Great Tang Group would copse first due to ack of materials.


    But Tang Mo knew that under such conditions, it was impossible for Shireck to urately calcte the critical point of the Great Tang Group''s material consumption.


    Because that critical point was floating and constantly changing with the situation on the battlefield.


    If the Great Tang Group were defeated at the front line, if the Leite Kingdom''s troops copsed like andslide, and if the Dorne Kingdom also suffered heavy losses, then Shireck would indeed have the chance to wear down the Great Tang Group.


    But such a scenario was too improbable. Tom believed that if he were in the decision-maker''s position on Shireck''s side, he would also not dare to blindly and arrogantly bet on such a sure-lose gamble.


    On the contrary, Tang Mo felt that with such a great advantage, it would be an injustice to himself not to take the gamble.


    He was even certain that the other party would soon send someone to find him, trying to end this now meaningless war.


    However, he had also already thought of a strategy. He would dy his opponent, preventing them from discerning his bottom line, to gain benefits that could not be obtained through war.


    For example, he wanted the Taren Kingdom and the Xilun Kingdom, the Por and the Rosewood Kingdoms, the Germelin and the Phk Kingdoms...


    That''s right, he wanted thend of all 6 warring kingdoms! All of their poptions! All of their mines!


    At that moment, Tang Mo suddenly understood the thinking of those war gamblers¡ªjust one grand bet, and the spoils of war were irresistibly tempting.


    If a single victory could solve all problems, then why not choose war? After all, before war began, everyone believed, based on the data on paper, that they had at least some chance of winning, didn''t they?


    "After all, we have the advantage in all battle zones! As long as we keep winning like this, we can once and for all resolve Shireck''s troubles! Just this one time if we win, we will be able to sit at the same table with them," Tang Mo looked at his subordinates, clenched his fist, and encouraged them confidently.


    "So, Master... If you have already decided, then... I have no objections," Mathews was the first to give up his insistence, looking at Tang Mo as he spoke.


    Parker immediately voiced his support for Tang Mo''s decision, "I''m with you, Master, you know I''ve always followed your lead."


    "Then we''ll continue to maintain production as you wish, Master," Harry didn''t insist on his own opinion, he only needed to present his views; the actual operation was up to Tang Mo''s decision.


    After all, up until now, Tang Mo had never had any issues with decision-making, and the Great Tang Group had reached its current heights entirely under Tang Mo''smand and operation.


    "You''ve done well," Tang Mo praised his subordinates; he was pleased they could present their views and help him check for any oversights, the main reason he sought their opinions.


    "Next time, provide more opinions to fill in the gaps for me," Tang Mo said. "In the future, you all will be figures who dominate a territory for the Great Tang Group... Everything... must be done better!"


    "Yes, Master!" Mathews, Parker, and Harry answered in unison.


    "And you? In the future, don''t you want to dominate a territory and be a high official of the Great Tang Group?" After the three left, Tang Mo turned to Wes.


    Wes shook his head, smiling as he answered, "Not for me... That would mean only living in one ce, how boring. I want to be by your side, that''s the way to see... the most interesting sights."

 Chapter 299: 295 road maintenance workers

    Xi Mai was a farmer from Northern Ridge who previously had two acres of farnd, whichter expanded to five.


    However, he was still not content, and on the rmendation of an acquaintance, he sold his ownnd and then came to Brunas by himself.


    Later, he signed a contract and arrived at Dragon Ind alone, where he was no longer a farmer, but became a road maintenance worker.


    Great Tang Group was engaged in infrastructure construction everywhere, which likewise required arge workforce for maintenance to function effectively.


    On Dragon Ind, maintaining roads and railways was an extremely arduous task, often lonely and solitary.


    The road maintenance workers of Dragon Ind could not live in big cities; they had to reside in "maintenance workers'' dormitories" built for them deep in the jungle.


    These dormitories were very simple, essentially just old wooden huts with basic furnishings, still relying on gasmps for lighting and the most primitive stoves and iron pots for cooking.


    Every two or three days, delivery vehicles would pass by their dormitory, and no matter whether someone was there or not, the drivers of these trucks would leave food at the doorway, then turn around and leave.


    If Xi Mai and his colleagues were in the dormitory, these delivery drivers would stop to chat for a moment, but if no one was home, the drivers would pile the supplies at the door and then depart.


    After all, in this forest, there was no one to steal these things, so at night when Xi Mai and his colleagues returned, they would carry the well-packed goods back to their little wooden huts.


    The supplies included local fruit canned goods, ham and sausage filled with starch and other scraps, as well as bread sealed in cloth bags.


    Of course, the bulk of it was ordinary food, such as grains like flour and rice, plus other ingredients like sugar and sea salt. There were also little items such as matches, which added some interest to these basic jungle hut dwellings.


    In addition, ording to the supply standards of the Great Tang Group, there were outdated newspapers and reading materials likeic strips promoting the Great Tang Group.


    Such a primitive lifestyle was unbearable for the high-level workers of Brunas, so typically, these maintenance workers were recruited from the backwater hintends, and their work was verybor-intensive.


    Every morning, Xi Mai had to get up ording to regtions, then get equipped, and start working with the twopanions from his dormitory.


    His work equipment included a K1 Quick Gun, a set of individual soldier gear, a sharp mountain knife, and an Engineer Corps shovel and saw, along with a wooden mallet and a bucket.


    As dawn just began to break, the three of them would set out in a group, proceeding along the newlyid road, inspecting every stretch within their patrol range.


    He had to carefully observe the road surface, repairing any potential cracks, checking for copses orndslides, and any damages.


    Simrly, they had to chop down the shrubs that ceaselessly encroached on the road, uproot nts attempting to approach the road, and check road signs for being knocked over by animals or obscured by branches or the like.


    Every day, they would sing long, drawn-out mountain songs as they walked along the deserted road, doing their best to eliminate all potential traffic hazards.


    asionally, a vehicleden with supplies or personnel would speed past them, with the driver sometimes loudly greeting them.


    But most of the time, the cars that whizzed by only sounded their horns twice as a greeting, and they would remove their steel helmets and wave back in acknowledgment.


    Frankly, it was a very monotonous job, but it was also very meaningful.


    Because if no one did this work, in just a few days the forest would devour the well-built road, and all traces of civilization would be swept away by nature.


    Moreover, for Xi Mai, it was also a veryfortable job with quite a lucrative ie.


    Great Tang Group always treated hardworking immigrants with considerable tolerance and favor. After working on the ind for fifteen years, one could im a set of housing on Dragon Ind, which, considering Brunas''s housing prices, was an extremely exciting and generous offer.


    Additionally, every day these maintenance workers received an extra two silver coins on top of their regr ie, and Xi Mai felt he had nothing toin about.


    It was much more than what he could earn from farming, at least far better than his previous ie. Moreover, the Great Tang Group allowed a day off every month, a benefit Xi Mai had never even dared to dream of before.


    On his day off, he could take a car to Dragon City to have some fun. Those tender-skinned girls, although pricey, were definitely worth it.


    At least, for a man like him who had no family and had no intention of taking a wife, that kind of ce was simply paradise.


    Halfway up the empty mountainside, Xi Mai''s mountain songs echoed once again. He was chopping branches off the roadside with his hoe while enjoying the world that belonged to him.


    In his world, he didn''t need tomunicate with unfamiliar people, nor did he need to socialize with any leaders. He just had toplete the work he needed to do to enjoy every day that was his own. This was happiness, a tranquil happiness.


    Not everyone aspires to study, to be known among lords... There are also many people who in times of chaos merely seek to scrape by within their own world, indifferent to worldly affairs and uninterested in fame.


    Perhaps Xi Mai wouldn''t attract universal attention like Strauss or Bolton, but he had a greater chance of honestly living out his own life.


    This is the joy of themon folk, this is Xi Mai''s... life philosophy.


    Behind him, not far away on the mountaintop, a grand castle was beginning to take shape. It stood amidst lush jungle, seen from afar, where only the towering peaks could be glimpsed, the tall spires above adorned with the fluttering great Dragon Banner.


    Xi Mai had already been living here for nearly three months. He passed by this spot every day and knew that the distant castle was a ce called Dragon''s Den.


    It was a massive and impregnable fortress built on a mountain ridge, said to be the home of the ind''s master, Mr. Tang''s castle.


    As an employee of the Great Tang Group, Xi Mai naturally knew of Mr. Tang. He held a great reverence for this mysterious man he had never met, because he knew that it was Mr. Tang who had given him this elegant and peaceful job.


    Another car sped past Xi Mai and the others, followed by a second, a third, and then a fourth and fifth.


    It was the first time Xi Mai had seen so many cars driving on the road he maintained, and the first time he had seen so many people sitting in cars.


    He saw that the drivers were soldiers from the security forces wearing steel helmets, with armedpanions seated beside them.


    It was also the first time he had seen these trucks, which seemed to be thetest models produced by Dragon City, more stable and upscale-looking than the improved versions of the T-model truck.


    The trucks had a square front, with a long bo, round headlights on either side, and the whole back of the truck and roof were made of wood, with a dragon emblem of the Great Tang Group on the doors.


    The back of the truck had no roof, just iron bars without a canvas cover, inside sat densely packed people in ragged clothes, numbly observing Xi Mai and others who stepped aside.


    These weary-looking people came from the eastern part of the Leite Kingdom, a region recently conquered by Leite, all of them ves, farmers from the conquerednds.


    Having lost theirnd, they had been relocated to Dragon Ind, where they were needed more¡ªyet they were not as fortunate as Xi Mai.


    They were simply here to work, with no stipends, no welfare housing benefits, just pureborers.


    At the very end of the truck sat soldiers from the Great Tang Group''s security forces, fully armed, wearing long grey-green coats, M35 helmets on their heads, clutching K2 lever-action rifles designed specifically for guard duty, their faces expressionless as they slightly swayed with the jolts of the moving vehicle.


    Clearly, these people were all being sent to Weigang¡ªthe ce where Housen once killed the patrol captain is now a small town that has been given a new name in advance: "Weigang."


    It was also set to be built as a port, moreover, a civilian port. ording to the Great Tang Group''s ns, this ce would eventually be a superrge, civilian ship production, maintenance, and supply base.


    Then, a railway and highway would connect Dragon City and Weigang, with the oil fields in between being developed into an industrial city centered around oil processing. Tang Mo even reserved a space at Weigang for building a nuclear power nt.


    ording to the ns of the Great Tang Group, or rather, Tang Mo''s vision, Dragon Ind would be the most concentrated industrial zone in the world, serving as the core technical research and development base of the Great Tang Group.


    With Dragon Ind at the center, the influence of the Great Tang Group would radiate out to all areas surrounding the Endless Sea, which would be the internalke of the Great Tang Group!


    s, for now, all of this was merely a n. Weigang''s shipyards were still just a construction site, and Weigang itself was only a small town filled with prisoners, captives, and ves.


    And Dragon City, rather than a super city under construction, might be more aptly described as arge work site.


    But all this was of little consequence to Xi Mai. The expansion of the Great Tang Group, or rather, Tang Mo''s empire, was far removed from him.


    So, when the dust raised by the cars hadrgely settled, he opened his throat once more, letting his voice echo in the forest: "The mountain road winds endlessly... without end... With my ax in hand..."

 Chapter 300: Capture 296 cities

    In the Germelin hintend, a city on a major transport route, the locals were already in utter chaos.


    News had long since spread that the Leite Kingdom''s troops had marched in and the Germelin frontline troops werepletely annihted.


    In fact, that was the case: with the main force of the Germelin Kingdom invading the Leite Kingdom being wiped out, it had be a matter of time before the Leite troops invaded Germelin.


    Evacuees carrying luggage, dragging their families from the border areas, retreated here, and mingled among them were some wounded soldiers and nobility''s carriages seeking refuge.


    The hodgepodge of people congested the roads, making the entire city seem overcrowded and creating an oppressive atmosphere.


    Watching the crowded streets from his window, the city lord of Germelin, an Earl of the Kingdom,ined angrily, "Useless! All useless!"


    Just moments before, he had received a message that a small town 30 kilometers away from him had been captured by the Leite Kingdom''s troops, and his location had be the front line of the war zone.


    An officer hurried in, standing behind Lord Earl and reported with his head bowed, "My lord! The enemy is approaching! Only two of our scouts have returned, the rest are out of contact!"


    They had hoped to rify the situation around them, but the scouts they sent out were clearly no match for the rangers from Northern Ridge. The differences inbat experience and weaponry were such that defeat was hardly a surprise.


    Since most of the scouts had not returned, the nearby circumstances remained unclear, shrouded in the fog of war, which would make anyone uneasy.


    Hearing that his scouts had not returned, the Earl subconsciously thought they had fled rather than being annihted by the enemy.


    In his view, the likelihood that so many scouts were wiped out was slim to none; more likely, the scouts without constraint had turned into deserters.


    And indeed, he was not mistaken in his thoughts, as quite a number of the scouts he had dispatched had be deserters¡ªafter all, the level of their regr training left much to be desired, so the presence of deserters was hardly surprising.


    This was much like certain Kuomintang troops during the Liberation War: seemingly numerous and well-armed but in reality poorly trained, with extremely low initiative, unable to dispatch small units for recon or transfer them promptly... They were ultimately crushed with ease by the Liberation Army, like zombies.


    Thus, he cursed vehemently, making the reporting officer even more unable to lift his head, "Cowards! At the country''s time of need, relying on these basemoners is a mistake! They are all natural-born ves! After this is over, they all should be executed!"


    "What, what should we do now, my lord?" asked the officer,pletely at a loss about what to do, thus inquiring in hope of some ingenious n from the person in charge.


    He knew that things were unsafe outside the city; the Leite military forces had already advanced to an unknown location, and any encounter outside the city walls would likely lead to a dead end.


    Defending from within the city was actually a more rational defense strategy, as even if the enemy began their siege, surrendering could allow them to negotiate terms, rather than inexplicably losing their lives.


    As expected, an Earl would still be an Earl, who, even in times of such chaos, held onto some of his own ideas¡ªat the very least, he had to maintain his demeanor and seemingly offer some of his own thoughts.


    The Earl then spoke to reassure the officer, "Don''t panic! Have our men hold the city walls! They havee from afar, surely without many cannons; we definitely have an advantage in cannon numbers..."


    In the Earl''s view, since the enemy had already advanced nearly 200 kilometers forward, deep into the Germelin Kingdom''s hearnd, the artillery apanying the advancing troops would have been long left behind.


    In these times, having artillery that could keep up with the infantry was rare; and even if there were some, their calibers were so small they could not shatter city walls.


    Having realized this, the Earl grew even more confident, feeling his chances of holding the city were greater.


    But the officer by his side was anxious, stumbling over his words with uncertainty, "Is, is that so, my lord?"


    "Yes! Listen to me, it''s the right call! Hurry and make arrangements! Quick!" The Earl cleared his throat, waved his hand irritably, and dismissed the officer.


    "Yes, yes! My lord!" With no other option, the officer could only brace himself and agree.


    He had his own calctions in mind, thinking he would first go to the city walls to have a look. If the situation turned dire, he could open the city gates and negotiate openly with the opposing forces.


    So he turned to leave but hadn''t taken two steps when, from the distant horizon, a crisp explosion was heard.


    The sound of the st made the Earl and the officer in the room shiver instinctively. The officer shrank his neck and, looking towards the Earl, realized that Lord Earl had also recoiled and was looking back at him.


    The two of them were momentarily embarrassed, but the Earl was the first to recover, straightening up, coughing, and asked with feigned authority, "What was that sound?"


    "Hmm?" The officer blinked in confusion, not knowing what had happened. After all, hadn''t he just been here, never leaving the room?


    Recalling that the Lord Earl had not left either, he fiercely berated with embarrassment and anger, "Go and look! Hurry and see what''s happening! What''s all this noise about outside?"


    "Yes, my lord!" The officer nodded briskly, then turned and ran outside the room. The Earl, watching the officer''s retreating back, suddenly felt that perhaps this officer was no longer so reliable.


    He snatched his weapon belt from the coat rack, hastily wrapping it around his waist, and then, apanied by a few of his guards, he made his way to the gates of his estate amidst their protective circle.


    The mor outside grew even louder, as if the refugees crowding the roads had plunged into chaos, everyone frantically running, causing a scene of utter pandemonium.


    Before they had even left the estate gates, gunfire was heard in the distance. The sounds were still far away, yet they made the Earl increasingly uneasy.


    "Bang!" Another gunshot rang out, this time seemingly close by. The Lord Earl instinctively reached for the left-wheel handgun at his waist, his expression tense.


    Just then, the officer who had gone to scout came running back frantically, pushing through the crowd and tumbling before the Lord Earl, wailing with the news of doom, "My lord! My lord! It''s terrible! The troops from Leite Kingdom have breached the city!"


    "What? They''ve broken through? What about the soldiers defending the city? What are they good for?" The Lord Earl was shocked, his eyes wide as he demanded answers.


    He had 3000 soldiers, a significant portion of whom were his private army, better trained and equipped than the Kingdom''s troops, his true loyalists.


    Yet, these loyalists, seemingly unable to hold out even for a single day, had let the city fall to the advancing Leite military, who appeared to have arrived without significant heavy weaponry...


    For a moment, the Lord Earl, who had prided himself on thebat prowess of his private army and had deemed himself somewhat talented in warfare, turned deathly pale and faltered, nearly copsing to the ground.


    The officer, who knew not whence came his information, pointed towards the direction of the city gates and yelled, "Their cannons have sted open the gates, our men are scattered!"


    "Counterattack! Counterattack! Push back the attackers! Push them back!" The Lord Earl barely gathered himself from the panic and despair, furiously shouting as he prepared to lead his trusted guards toward the direction where the gunfire was steadily intensifying.


    The officer, fearful of death and keen to flee or surrender, quickly tried to persuade, "My lord, our troops have dispersed! Let''s flee while we can!"


    But this Earl of Germelin possessed a certain resolve, ring at his cowardly subordinate, he fiercely scolded, "Flee? Flee what? I am the City Lord! I am the Earl! I am the Earl of Germelin! There is no ''flee'' option with me!"


    Fired up by the chaos before him, he recklessly drew the S2-type left-wheel handgun, manufactured by the Great Tang Group, which gave him a profound sense of security, and aimed it at the craven officer.


    The officer, not expecting the Earl to draw his gun so uncharacteristically, was still standing there, frozen in shock.


    "Bang!" Before the officer could beg for mercy or say anything else, the Lord Earl pulled the trigger of his handgun, firing a bullet.


    "Ah!" The bullet struck the officer squarely in the chest. He screamed and clutched at his chest as he fell backward, tumbling down a short flight of just three stairs, to lie dead where he fell.


    Feeling as if he had regained control of the situation, the Lord Earl waved his left-wheel handgun in front of his luxurious estate''s gate, vigorously motivating his guards, "Listen up, everyone! Follow me into the fray! Drive back the enemy! Anyone who charges with me will get a reward of 100 gold coins after! No, make it 200 gold coins!"


    As the saying goes, under substantial rewards, there will be brave men, and he believed that such a hefty sum would surely inspire some to fight to the death for money.


    Thus, he grandly dered, as if he too were sacrificing a great fortune for the country, "For the Kingdom of Germelin!"


    "For, for the Kingdom of Germelin!" A few guards, cautious and tentative, echoed the Lord Earl with a ragged chorus of slogans.


    "Bang!" At that moment, another gunshot rang. Several soldiers with M35 steel helmets and rifles at the ready were taking aim from the street corner.


    One soldier, helmet adorned, raised high a wolf banner, running from one side of the street to the other.


    All the guards from the Kingdom of Germelin started to panic; it was their first time encountering the enemy so close.


    In the frenzy, someone finally noticed the Earl lying on the ground with a bullet in his head: "Ah! The Earl, Lord Earl... he''s dead! The Lord Earl is dead!"


    "Run! The Lord Earl is dead!" Another guard, seeing the Earl''s bloody face, also began to shout.


    "Run for it!" The remaining people started yelling, some kneeling to beg for mercy, others scattering like birds and beasts.

 Chapter 301: Playing with fire

    "Strauss and Bolton, those little rascals, they''re doing so well in the south that I''m under a lot of pressure here," Redman, d in a dusty military uniform threw his gloves to a nearby orderly soldier, striding past the bodies on the ground, andined to an officer beside him.


    "General!" Although they did not have formal ranks from the Leite Kingdom, soldiers from Northern Ridge still habitually referred to Redman as General, "Our troops are too dispersed; we should regroup and take some time to reorganize."


    "The 2nd Battalion of the 1st Regiment is still at Canze, the 1st Battalion just arrived at Xi Mei, and we have already reached close to the Royal Pce of the Germelin Kingdom," this Northern Ridge staff officer had also studied at a military academy, so his analysis of the battlefield was very professional.


    If one looked at the previous course of the war, the Northern Ridge Legion seemed to be spread too thin, their two infantry regiments dispersed over a vast area, even to the point where they could not take care of each other''s fronts and rears.


    The caravan of horse-drawn and motorized vehicles transporting heavy artillery was now crowded on the roads, and these mule-drawn units, because they were transportingrge amounts of ammunition and heavy artillery, were not moving any faster than the other friendly forces.


    Following these mule-drawn units were other military forces of the Leite Kingdom; more than ten thousand troops were advancing, with another ten thousand or more following behind.


    The Leite Kingdom had rallied more than twenty thousand troops, which, together with the two infantry regiments of the Northern Ridge Legion and a strengthened artillery battalion, had invaded the Kingdom of Germelin.


    However, due to the Northern Ridge Legion''s rapid advance, these follow-up troops had already been left behind, approximately ny kilometers away from the actual frontline.


    King Leite VII of the Leite Kingdom had not anticipated that the Northern Ridge Legion, under Redman''smand, would push forward with such terrifying speed.


    Along the way, he only saw captives of the defeated Germelin soldiers who had failed to retreat in time. Most of the time, his troops were merely upied with taking over thend and cities, as well as guarding the prisoners.


    He was genuinely very happy with the way the war was going¡ªhe was expanding his territory without expending much effort, starting another round of conquest and colonization.


    Under his reign, the Leite Kingdom had already tripled in sizepared to when his father was in charge; this achievement had somewhat gone to his head.


    The ability of the Northern Ridge Legion to control such a vast area while being so dispersed was partly due to theirmanders being more flexible, with higher initiative, able to make independent judgments, and quickly respond to potential crises.


    On the other hand, it was also because their weapons and equipment were indeed far superior to those of their opponents.


    They had hand grenades, these new weapons could clear out houses and trenches, and they could alsobat enemies attempting to engage at close range.


    They were also equipped with some mortars developed by the Great Tang Group that had never appeared on the battlefield before¡ªthese mortars were always non-sale items of the Great Tang Group, allocated only to a portion of the Northern Ridge Legion.


    With such light and portable artillery, the Northern Ridge troops had a certain degree of artillery support when facing defensive structures like castles.


    After all, the mortars could keep up with the troops, they were simple to operate, and their ammunition was sufficiently powerful.


    This time, it was a mortar from the Northern Ridge Legion that had sted open the city gates; following infantry with their KAR98K rifles, also known as the K3 rifle, taught a lesson to the soldiers of the Germelin Kingdom who were only equipped with Shireck Flintlock Guns.


    The weaponry of the two sides was not from the same era; the Shireck Flintlock Gun''s uracy was unreliable beyond a few tens of meters, while the 98K rifle could easily hit targets at abat range of 300 meters.


    In a street fight, or to be more urate, an engagement that could hardly be called a street fight, Redman managed to secure control of this location with just over 500 soldiers from one battalion.


    Under the pressure from the Battle of Dorne, Redman had to quicken the pace of his advance; he had to amass some capital for himself in the Germelin battlefield, otherwise, his rank of Major General would soon fail to hold sway.


    Being a teacher and yet not fighting as well as his students was, for Redman, a downright disgrace.


    "Where is the city lord?" Redman looked towards a prisoner kneeling on the ground, guarded by soldiers, and asked.


    "Sir... the city lord... he, he is right under your foot!" Ovee with fear, the prisoner was gasping and could barely get his words out smoothly.


    He stammered, afraid that speaking too slowly would get him shot, which only made him stutter more: "He, he has been, been¡­ shot dead with a single bullet!"


    Redman looked down at his feet and indeed saw a man in opulent clothing lying on the ground, shot clean through the forehead, his blood already dried.


    "The position of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment! Where are they now?" Redman irritably moved to avoid the thoroughly dead city lord Earl and nced at the staff officer beside him for an update.


    The staff officer signaled for two cadet officers to help spread out the map and pointed to a location exining, "The 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment was here two hours ago, now they could only have advanced to about 20 kilometers behind us..."


    "That slow?" Redman asked disdainfully¡ªalthough the advance speed of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment was exemry by past standards.


    "There''s no way around it, General," the staff officer exined to Redman. "They have to look after the heavy artillery behind them. If they''re too far away, idents can easily happen."


    Redman nodded in slight resignation, then pointing to a mark on the map, he asked, "So this is the Royal Pce of Germelin, right? Are we still 30 kilometers away from there?"


    "Yes, 30 kilometers away... However, sir, we''ve been marching for a whole day and night. If the soldiers don''t rest, their condition will be very poor," the staff officer seemed to know what Redman was thinking. He nervously reminded his superior that the troops had their limits.


    "Why are you so nervous? I never nned on taking the entirepany of officers and soldiers to their Royal Pce," Redman said with a sheepish smile, trying to give some reassurance.


    However, the staff officer obviously heard something strange in Redman''s words, "You''re not taking ''the whole'' pany'' ''of'' ''officers'' ''and soldiers''...?"


    "Right! Just the scout unit, 1st toon, I''ll only take around 200 men," Redman patted the other''s shoulder, with a kind of "see how reasonable I am" look.


    "General! I must be responsible for your safety!" the staff officer nced at the few military officers around him and emphasized in a very serious tone, "We cannot divide our forces like this!"


    "Then 1st and 2nd toon wille with me, and I''ll leave the scout unit with you," Redman smoothly offered a more "prudent" solution.


    "..." The staff officer waspletely speechless. He stared at Redman and emphasized, "General! It''s not about whether you take one toon or two! This is the Kingdom of Germelin! We''re already in the enemy''s territory! Dividing our forces like this is absolutely taboo in military strategy!"


    "It doesn''t matter! We''ll seize the opportunity before the enemy can fully mobilize the surrounding troops and make a direct assault. If we break into the Royal Pce, the enemy will bepletely defeated!" Redman''s idea was the exact opposite of the staff officer''s, "The more chaotic it is, the more it works in our favor.


    In the chaos, our troops can fight more bravely, whereas the enemy can only passively take a beating!"


    Redman was extremely confident in the Northern Ridge troops trained by the Great Tang Group; he even believed they were the most elite troops in the world.


    Apart frombat with the security forces of the Great Tang Group, the Northern Ridge troops should crush any opponent they face.


    "But, General! Two toons are really too few! Wait for two days, or at least one day, for the follow-up troops to catch up. Even if it''s just ourpany, we can then continue the attack!" At this moment, themander of the 3rdpany of the 1st battalion, who was also thepanymander where Redman was, spoke up to persuade.


    "I''ll give you 2 hours! Rest for 2 hours! Afterwards, the whole army will continue to advance. Attack the Royal Pce of Germelin! Leave behind... 20 men, to wait for the follow-up troops to take over here," Redman said, looking at the streets of the distant city still slightly smoking.


    Clenching his teeth, themander of the 3rdpany stood at attention, saluted, and agreed, "Yes, General!"


    Seeing that themander of the 3rdpany was also reluctant to give up the credit of capturing the enemy''s Royal Pce, the staff officer could only sigh, "Let''s do it this way then. But... give them three hours, General! One more hour for the soldiers!"


    "Hahaha!" Seeing that his order for an immediate attack went unopposed, Redman was in high spirits and nodded, "Then three hours it is! After resting for three hours, leave behind 20 soldiers to guard this ce, and the rest... continue to advance! The target... Royal Pce of Germelin!"


    "Yes!" The two officers hurried away to convey the orders, making sure to give the troops time to rest.


    The Royal Pce of Germelin was at this moment unaware that an enemy force was less than 30 kilometers away.


    This ancient and massive city sprawled across the horizon, looking both solemn and solemn.


    Inside the city, within the Royal Pce, the King of Germelin paced anxiously in front of his throne.


    The knights he had sent out for information had brought back various pieces of confusing intelligence, and as a result, the highmand of the Kingdom of Germelin had been unable to make the most effective response.


    Hence, there was no choice. Some knights said the enemy army was still near the border; others imed the enemy had already crossed the Germelin River, encircling the King City on both sides.


    In short, there was every kind of news.


    But even the King of Germelin himself did not believe the enemy would attack so quickly. In just under a month, they had advanced from within the borders of the Leite Kingdom to the upper reaches of the Germelin River.


    So, everyone was waiting for these rumors and pieces of intelligence to converge, to form a clearer picture of the situation before issuing orders to respond.


    At that moment, a knight stumbled into the gates of the Royal Pce, pushing past the soldiers blocking his way while running forward and shouting loudly, "The enemy army! They have taken Hesha Fortress... less than 30 kilometers from the King City now!"


    ----------


    Dragon Spirit was staying upte again... indeed, the second update will be a bitte, everyone can watch it tomorrow morning...

 Chapter 302: 298 Two Roads That Dont Go Through

    Hesha Fortress was the western gateway of the King City of the Kingdom of Gemalin; the troops stationed here to defend the Royal Pce usually numbered no less than 3,000.


    Even when troops were marshaled to attack the Leite Kingdom, the garrison at Hesha Fortress remained untouched, and to be safe, the King of Gemalin had also dispatched a rather reliable Earl to guard the ce.


    Although due to the limited economic strength of the Kingdom of Gemalin and the insufficient production capacity of the Shireck Consortium, the most elite needle guns had not been issued to the troops stationed here, the fortress did indeed receive several pompous muzzle-loading cannons a few days ago.


    In theory, no matter what, it should have been possible to hold out for a while, or at least resist for dozens of days, to buy time for the King City''s defenses.


    But now, the knight kneeling before the King of Gemalin, with tears in his voice, began to report what he had witnessed, truly shocking everyone present.


    It was only now, at this moment, that the King of Gemalin realized that some of the rumors he had dismissed as unfounded were, in fact, true events.


    It turned out to be true that troops from the Leite Kingdom appeared in the hintends of their own kingdoms! And previously, he had wrongly executed the knights who went out to gather information on ount of cowardice.


    "Your Majesty! The troops of the Leite Kingdom have indeed upied Hesha Fortress! I saw it with my own eyes! And... I have intentionally brought back two witnesses from Hesha Fortress..." The knight who had witnessed the fall of Hesha Fortress lowered his head and reported to the King and all the Ministers.


    This time, he was ordered to bring back witnesses and to investigate as clearly as possible, so he did his utmost to gather intelligence that was rtively more detailed.


    As he spoke, he described the enemy''s strength as best as he could, "The enemy doesn''t have many troops, but their equipment is quite sophisticated. I didn''t dare to get too close, but I can confirm that the g of the Leite Kingdom now flies over Hesha Fortress..."


    In fact, he had also seen the soldiers of the Northern Ridge Legion. Those peculiar soldiers wearing steel helmets, d in long grey-green trench coats, equipped with special harnesses, and armed with new-model rifles were very recognizable.


    They were neither dressed like the traditional forces of the Leite Kingdom nor did their distinct attire resemble that of other countries.


    Hearing the knight''s report, who had gone to scout for intelligence or rather to confirm the enemy''s location, the nearby Ministers immediately grew flustered, "Your Majesty, the situation is more difficult than we imagined!"


    "Could it be... that Earl Herx has betrayed us?" another corpulent nobleman eximed in panic, looking at his peers with uncertainty.


    His first reaction was that themander overseeing Hesha Fortress had surrendered; otherwise, how could more than 3,000 soldiers fail to hold out for even a day and lose the well-fortified Hesha Fortress?


    However, his spection was immediately refuted by someone nearby, "That should be impossible... Earl Herx is unlikely to betray us... He''s Your Majesty''s cousin, after all!"


    This Earl had always been loyal and somewhat capable, not the type of fool who would defect at the moment of battle.


    Listening to the Ministers'' discussions, the King of Gemalin''s expression was uncertain; he also didn''t believe his cousin had turned traitor, but he couldn''te up with a reason as to how such a sturdy fortress had been so easily lost.


    Just then, the knight who went to gather news spoke up with the information he had collected, "Your Majesty! I rushed back from Hesha Fortress, and there''s a rumor among the fleeing soldiers... It''s said that Lord Earl Herx has died for the country..."


    "What?" As soon as this news was released, it shocked all the Ministers and some of the remaining generals in the Royal Pce.


    They thought the loss of Hesha Fortress was idental, and they would rather believe that Hesha Fortress had surrendered without a fight than ept it had fallen after resistance.


    Because if Hesha Fortress could be taken by the enemy, the same fate would await the King City they were in.


    So when they heard Hesha Fortress was indeed captured and the King''s cousin had died for the country, everyone''s expression changed, "This... this..."


    Finally, the King could not hold back anymore and turned to a trusted Minister to demand, "Is there any news from Shireck? What about our reinforcements?"


    The messengers sent for help had left ten days ago, and it was one of the methods the Kingdom of Gemalin hade up with to save itself.


    With an embarrassed look, the favored Minister admitted, "The envoys have brought word that Shireck is trying to gather resources, but it will take time for these resources to be transported to our King City from the surrounding regions."


    Before the King could respond, another Minister burst out dissatisfied and loudly, "What kind of joke is this? Where do we have the time?"


    Immediately, other Ministers joined in agreement, most of whom were not aligned with the Shireck Consortium, "Exactly! By the time their reinforcements arrive, our Royal Pce might be breached!"


    Previously, when the Shireck Consortium maneuvered to dere war on the Leite Kingdom, all of them were the opposition; none of them were optimistic about it.


    But in the end, the King was blinded by the benefits and sided with the Shireck Consortium. He received the "assistance" of military arms from Shireck Consortium and was full of ambition to conquer the Endless Sea.


    Now that their military defeat was imminent, their dreams of swallowing up the Leite Kingdom and bing a world-ss power also came crashing down...


    In the midst of themotion, the King heard the exasperated roar of a Minister, "It was they who urged us to go to war! How can they bail on us now that things have turned out like this?"


    Then, in a daze, he heard another minister fervently defending the Shireck Consortium, "It''s not that we''re abandoning hope, they just hope we can hold out for one or two months. But now it seems we can''tst that long!"


    It wasn''t that the ministers influenced by Shireck werepletely blinded by gain; it was just that they could now only cling to the aid of the Shireck Consortium as a lifeline.


    At present, the most sensible and easiest method to save the kingdom was none other than waiting for Shireck''s additional material reinforcements.


    As long as they could hold out for a while, the Kingdom of Gemalin could still arm a few tens of thousands of troops.


    By then, equipped with the Shireck Consortium''s advanced weapons, this force might truly be able to repel the military of the Leite Kingdom, just as the Leite Kingdom had crushed theirs.


    But before they could finish speaking, a dissenting minister immediately retorted, "Forget a month, we might not evenst three days!"


    This statement awakened everyone who had been dreaming.


    Therefore, without further questioning why Shireck''s reinforcements were so slow, the King of Gemalin immediately turned to a general at his side and asked, "How many troops are left in the city?"


    "Not many! The best 3,000 have already been sent to the offensive units, and the rest are just a few hundred, along with some recently conscripted recruits..." the general replied hesitantly.


    The King was aware there was deception and sternly chastised, "Exactly how many? Speak! What use is all your prevaricating?"


    "Roughly around 3,000, I suppose!" the general replied, his head bowed, feeling the number somewhat embarrassing.


    The King''s body swayed, and he almost lost his bnce, "Three thousand? Only three thousand?"


    He knew that the capable troops had already been sent to the front and were likely all annihted by now.


    The remaining troops defending the city were actually not very strong. Most soldiers were equipped with Shireck Flintlock Guns, and there were pitifully few needle guns.


    The number of contraband Great Tang Group''s Left-Wheel Handguns and K2 lever-action rifles was negligible, and there were no decent cannons avable for use.


    Or rather, they dared not use cannons for fear that a real exchange of artillery fire would destroy the centuries-old King City in an instant...


    "This is a joke! With 3,000 men defending such a long stretch of the city walls, it would be good if we could station 800 men on one side!" a minister questioned angrily at the same time.


    The general corrected him, "You haven''t counted the forces guarding the Royal Pce; we can''t move all the Royal Pce Guards to the walls, can we?"


    "If we lose the walls, can the Royal Pce still be held? At this moment, we should first think of ways to defend the King City..." the minister retorted with an air of ''don''t assume I don''t understand.''


    But the general, unwilling to concede, scoffed derisively, "What do you understand? If something happens to the Royal Pce, how can we ensure His Majesty''s safety? What if someone takes the opportunity to cause trouble..."


    "Who would cause trouble at a time like this?" the anxious minister spread his hands and asked in return.


    "What if there is trouble! If something goes wrong, even dying a hundred times won''t be enough to atone!" the general stood his ground.


    The minister became furious with embarrassment, "You!"


    "You what you!" the general retorted in kind.


    "Enough!" Finally, the King of Gemalin could no longer bear it and reprimanded them with a shout, quieting the hall immediately.


    In desperation, he turned to another minister on the other side, seeking ast-ditch solution, "What about the peace negotiations? Any progress?"


    Naturally, the peace they sought was with the Leite Kingdom. Since they had thought of asking Shireck for reinforcements and supplies, they had certainly considered negotiating with the Leite Kingdom.


    Moreover, the upper echelons of the Kingdom of Gemalin had already prepared for a series of concessions such as ceding territory and indemnities.


    The minister lowered his head and replied dejectedly to the King''s question, "Our envoys who went to the Leite Kingdom to negotiate peace haven''t sent any message back, and it seems that the peace negotiations with the Leite Kingdom are unlikely to proceed smoothly."


    "That''s aplete joke! If you were them, would you negotiate with us under these circumstances?" the Gemalin Prime Minister shook his head and said regretfully, already knowing the negotiations were unlikely.


    At this point, the King was out of ideas andmented, "What to do, what to do!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 303: 299 Xiancheng

    ```


    What to do, what to do... Such questions, if asked, are essentially the same as saying, "I have no freaking idea!"


    The situation was incredibly fantastical, and it seemed that the King of Germelin now had no good solutions left.


    He wanted to rely on Shireck, but the nearest reinforcements from Shireck were probably still being loaded onto vehicles in a neighboring country, waiting for transport.


    He hoped to negotiate peace with the Great Tang Group and the Leite Kingdom, but now it seemed that the Great Tang Group didn''t even want to sit down and talk.


    "Your Majesty, at least we must hold King City! That is the only thing we can do now," the Prime Minister suggested with an ugly expression, walking up beside the King. "If we cannot hold this ce, any talk is futile."


    "You make sense! Command the troops to hold the walls! As long as we can hold out here, there will be changes! The situation will evolve in our favor," the King nodded, agreeing with this view.


    He, too, realized that they must thwart the attack of the Great Tang Group to have a chance at negotiations... If he lost King City, then there was no need for the Great Tang Group to speak with him.


    For the same reason, only when he defended King City, stopping the advance of the Great Tang Group, would he have the chance to wait for Shireck''s reinforcement supplies, the chance to wait for a change.


    "You! Go personally to the west gate! Command the troops there, and hold it at all costs!" The King gritted his teeth and said to the General in charge of the city''s defenses.


    After saying this, he added, "Man each side of the walls with 700 soldiers! Then, for the west side, closest to the enemy''s direction of attack, I will give you another 300 men!"


    This was all the military force he could gather, amounting to a total of 3,100 soldiers. This meant that at most, only about 100 soldiers would remain to defend the Royal Pce.


    Although this was a risky move, the King knew if they could not hold the walls, or the outer defenses, they definitely wouldn''t be able to hold the Royal Pce.


    As the saying goes, there can be no intact eggs under a toppled nest; he was very clear on this principle. So, he decided they should at least hold the outer city first¡ªthe Royal Pce and all else would be consideredter.


    With that, the troops of Germelin had at least 1,000 soldiers at the main frontline, which could be considered a modestbat force.


    However, among these 1,000 men, roughly 800 were equipped with Shireck Flintlock Guns and others wielded cold weapons like Longswords.


    There was no choice... These were arms cobbled together. Some men hadn''t even trained to fire a gun; giving them firearms was no use if they didn''t know how to handle them.


    So, the leader receiving the reinforcement of 300 men looked at his Sovereign with gravity, nodded solemnly, and promised, "I shall hold the fortress, fight to thest man!"


    "Go!" The King of Germelin also nodded, waving his hand to indicate that the leader could leave with some of the Royal Pce Guards.


    The leader turned and left without dy. Soon, he led the guards briskly towards the west wall, where soldiers defending the city were seen hurriedly running down from the ramparts.


    "What''s happened?" The leader asked sharply, his hand on the Left-Wheel Handgun smuggled through special channels at his waist.


    The soldier was in a panic, ncing back towards the direction of the ramparts, then exined, "The enemy, the enemy has fired at us!"


    Upon hearing this report, the defensivemander''s heart sank with a sense of dread.


    Without regard for anything else, he rushed to the ramparts with his men, hoping to catch a glimpse of the enemy.


    Once he reached the top, he saw the west gate hit by some unknown artillery shell, raising a billow of dust.


    "The gate has fallen! The gate has been breached!" Soldiers in disarray came rushing towards him, dropping their armor and weapons in panic. The leader, enraged, drew his Left-Wheel Handgun and shot the fleeing soldier to the ground.


    Raising his handgun, he shouted, "Anyone who disrupts the morale, who retreats during battle, will be killed! All back to your posts!"


    The more than 300 Royal Pce Guards who came along, well-equipped, each had a Shireck Flintlock Gun and had conducted some training. They now took up their weapons as ordered.


    They pointed the bayed muzzles at the disoriented city defenders, managing to momentarily quell the chaos.


    Quickly, an officer pushed through the crowd to themanding leader, pointing behind him as he spoke, "General! The enemy has bombarded the gate, and they''ve sent a prisoner with this..."


    As he spoke, he handed a letter to the leader who had hastened tomand the defense: "They have cannons; we can''t hold them back."


    King City had cannons, too, but the cannons on these walls were all muzzle-loading, and hadn''t been refurbished in many years.


    Although these cannons weren''t advanced, given theirrge caliber and heavy weight, they hadn''t been too outdated two years ago.


    They could still be somewhat intimidating when facing the potential threat of enemy field artillery during a siege.


    But now, faced with the Great Tang Group''s secretly developed mortars, which were elusive and held an absolute advantage in range, these muzzle-loading cannons seemed outdated.


    Their range and uracy were poor, and their firepower was insufficient; they were almost powerless against the mortars.


    The General took the letter of persuasion to surrender, unfolded it, and his expression became very interesting. On the letter was written only one sentence: "Surrender within 10 minutes, or all will be killed."


    He really wanted to scoff at the letter, throw it away, step on it, and sneer arrogantly, then put on a righteous facade.


    But his hand trembled slightly, and in the end, he did not have the courage to let go. ncing at the deserter lying dead on the ground, whose head he had just blown off with a gunshot, he suddenly felt the soldier''s death was somewhat unjust.


    Unfortunately, he had no intention of avenging the fallen soldier; after all, he still cared about his reputation to some extent.


    Everyone knew this battle was tough. If they lost King City, could they really co-exist with the city walls, risking their own lives?


    In his home, he had a gentle wife and beautiful concubines, and plenty of Gold Coins andnd deeds... he didn''t know which bastard would benefit from his death.


    Thinking it over carefully, it seemed better to surrender, save his own life, and then livefortably as a wealthy man...


    Thus, he turned to the officer who had been stationed on the city wall and asked, "You are holding this letter... are you going to... the Royal Pce?"


    The officer was unsure of the General''s intentions and exined ambiguously, "I was preparing to report to my superiors..."


    "This wall that has stood for a hundred years... what a pity..." With a meaningful nce at the section of the wall that had been destroyed by cannon fire, the Generalmented, "Gone in an instant..."


    "What if... we... surrender?" Seeing the General''s hesitation, the officer, thinking of his future, tentatively asked.


    "Hmm..." The General did not make it clear whether it was a sigh or an agreement, but his vague response at that moment was certainly significant.


    The officer immediately understood and leaned closer to the General, lowering his voice as he spoke, "I''ve just sent someone over... they guarantee not to harm our families, and to leave our houses, estates, and servants to us..."


    Hearing this, the General''s expression improved slightly, and he nodded, "I don''t know if there are any King''s loyalists among the men I brought... do you have a n?"


    "Rest assured, General... all the men behind me are smart enough to want to surrender." The officer signaled to the men behind him; many soldiers raised their guns, subtly confronting the Royal Pce Guards the General had brought.


    With the atmosphere growing very tense, the General immediately called out to the guards behind him, "Today, the enemy forces are overwhelming, and I am considering everyone''s lives, deciding to surrender the city... Those who wish to fight, I won''t hold you back, leave quickly!"


    At this point, these Royal Pce Guards really had no choice left. Even if they left, without the barrier of the city walls, they did not have the courage to continue fighting.


    Nevertheless, seventeen or eighteen men grabbed their weapons and scrambled down the city walls amid the chaos; some were heading back to the Royal Pce to ry the news, while others had indeed resolved to go back and fight to the death.


    The rest dropped their weapons. Minutester, Northern Ridge soldiers wearing M35 helmets climbed up to the city tower and entered Gemalin''s King City.


    The g symbolizing the Kingdom of Gemalin was thrown down from the city tower and a wolf g representing Northern Ridge was raised. The capturing Northern Ridge soldiers around them immediately cheered, "Long live Northern Ridge!"


    "Long live Earl Alice!" Another group of soldiers holding 98K riflesughed and joined in the chanting, and the entire King City of Germelin seemed to tremble amidst the cheers.


    The local civilians, terrified, locked their doors and windows tightly, and many streets were deserted. Some civilians, who had just learned that the enemy had breached the King City, could not help but break into loud weeping.


    Inside the Germelin Royal Pce, the King heard the cannon fire that had earlier intimidated the city''s defenders. He paced nervously in front of his throne, asionally looking in the direction of the cannon fire, his forehead dripping with sweat.


    Finally, a soldier carrying a gun stumbled in, startling all the Ministers present.


    Such a ce was supposed to be off-limits to armed soldiers, but obviously, with the situation in chaos, no one was enforcing such rules.


    "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The west gate has surrendered! Surrendered!" As soon as the soldier entered, he shouted out a message that made everyone''s legs go weak.


    All the Ministers were stunned on the spot. The previously bustling hall instantly became eerily silent; even the drop of a pin could have been heard clearly.


    Thud! The dazed King of Germelin fell and sat in front of his throne on the stone floor.


    -------


    Thank you, Teacher Zhang, for the reward. I am ashamed that the updates have been erratic.

 Chapter 304: Though far away, will be punished all the same.

    "Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud..." The dense sound of leather boots striking the stone floor echoed in the somewhat empty great hall.


    Redman, with his staff officers, his aide-de-camp, themander of the 3rd battalion of the 1st regiment of the Northern Ridge Legion, and the general who had just surrendered, nked by a dozen soldiers, walked through the most opulent hall of the Germelin Royal Pce.


    The murals here were very famous, having beenmissioned from renowned painters at great expense, depicting the story of Gemalin''s ancestors achieving a great victory at the Germelin River.


    It was after this great victory that Germelin was officially able to establish its kingdom, grow and develop amidst the strong enemies encircling the Germelin ins, eventually expanding to the scale it was at that day.


    Unfortunately, it was all over now.


    As they walked, Redman suddenly halted, and everyone stopped, turning their attention to the Great Tang Group''s brigadier general who had unexpectedly ceased moving forward.


    The former hunter of the Northern Ridge pulled out an exquisitely wrapped cigarette pack from his pocket, took a cigarette from the soft pack, and ced it in his mouth.


    The aide-de-camp immediately struck a match smoothly, cupped the me with his hands, and brought it close to Redman, lighting the cigarette for him.


    Redman took a deep drag, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and continued striding forward contentedly and gracefully; then, a series of dense leather boot sounds once again began.


    Ever since Tang Mo concocted cigarettes and began puffing clouds of smoke, these things had started to spread on a small scale.


    After giving it a few tries, many of the senior ranks of the Great Tang Group had be enamored with this seemingly stylish "hobby."


    They began imitating Tang Mo''s smoking, and subsequently, the cigarette production of the Great Tang Group steadily increased.


    Until recently, many of the nobility and merchants of Brunas began smoking and treating it as a fashion, solidifying the trend of this item "invented" by Tang Mo.


    Li''ao, along with the bartenders, Roger, and others started smoking, and even Marcus and Parker learned it quite thoroughly.


    However, they all dared not smoke in front of Tang Mo, only in secret, so in the meeting rooms of the Great Tang Group, Tang Mo was still the only one smoking.


    The surrendering general followed behind Redman. After handing overmanding authority and letting close to 1000 soldiersy down their weapons and surrender, he discovered that his opponents numbered less than 500.


    To his chagrin, these 500 men had marched forward for hundreds of miles without encountering any significant resistance.


    At the same time, he felt somefort, because at least he was not the only failure in the Gemalin Kingdom...


    That''s the way people are, as long as one can find a reference worse than oneself, one can indefinitely continue on a path of failure.


    So when he learned that the other three defensive sides of the King City had also surrendered without a fight, captured by a few dozen soldiers, the generalpletely gave up.


    Two soldiers leading the way pushed open the heavy doors, and a side hall appeared before Redman.


    A number of people gathered there, dressed resplendently, including old men and middle-aged ones. Some were standing, some sitting, but they all turned their gaze to Redman as he pushed the door and entered.


    A man of around 50 stood there wearing a crown, watching expressionlessly as Redman walked into the side hall, followed by soldiers armed to the teeth, and approached him.


    "Who are you?" The Germelin King, much older than Redman, tried his best to remain calm and asked.


    He hoped the other party would afford him the proper treatment due to a captive king...


    Previously, the king of another kingdom vanquished by the Leite Kingdom had chosen a tragic way to end his life.


    He set fire to his royal pce, burying himself and his kingdom together in ashes¡ªincluding the king''s children and queens along with the pce.


    The King of Germelin did not have the courage to burn himself as firewood, so he could only wait here with his ministers for his fate.


    At least he could still hope that the Leite Kingdom or, more precisely, the Great Tang Group would treat captives well and grant him some dignity.


    "My name is Redman, and I am now themander-in-chief of the Northern Ridge Legion''s frontline forces," Redman introduced himself and then, without any courtesy, flicked the cigarette butt that was between his fingers onto the ground and stamped it out with his dusty boot.


    Redman''s action caused His Majesty of Gemalin to frown slightly because few had ever behaved so crudely before him.


    Even representatives from Shireck''s syndicate, managers, and envoys from other nations maintained a basic respect when meeting him.


    Yet the man before him was so arrogantly wild, discarding things randomly before him and twisting his foot forcefully upon them...


    Seeing this act, the King of Germelin felt as if the other man was trampling on his face, or rather, trampling on his dignity.


    "This is the King of the Kingdom of Gemalin! Please maintain the proper etiquette in his presence," the Prime Minister of Gemalin couldn''t hold back any longer, the elderly man looked at Redman and reminded him.


    Redman let out a coldugh, turned to look at the surrendered Gemalin General and asked in a drawn-out tone, "Is it him?"


    This arrogant gesture infuriated all the ministers of Gemalin present, a few of the truly fearless even wanted to charge at Redman but were firmly held back by their colleagues.


    "You!" Despite still feeling apprehensive, the Gemalin King, his chest burning with anger, couldn''t help but want to rebuke.


    However, before he could make a sound, Redman had alreadynded a resounding p on the Gemalin King''s face. The p was delivered in a sh, the backhand strike full of force.


    "p!" The crisp sound silenced the entire side hall instantly. The noise and curses stopped abruptly, and everyone seemed to be frozen in ce, stunned.


    "Is it him?" Redman looked at the surrendering general again, asking in a drawn-out tone for the second time.


    "Yes!" This time, the surrendering general answered exceptionally quickly and decisively.


    The general swallowed his saliva, imagining himself in Redman''s imposing position one day, feeling somewhat ted for a moment.


    So cool! He thought weakly.


    "..." Holding his face, the Gemalin King was in a daze. The stinging pain on his cheek gave him an unreal feeling.


    He even felt a bit wronged, because he thought that even if the King of Leite Kingdom himself were present, it shouldn''t be, it couldn''t be right to p him like this...


    "I am not killing you... because my master, Lord Tang Mo, is preparing to hang you in Brunas! To memorialize our fallenrades!" Redman imed dominantly, hand on the pistol at his waist.


    He stepped towards the Gemalin King, and with each step he took forward, the other man was intimidated into retreating a step backward.


    Only after forcing the King to take five steps back did Redman continue, "You actually dared to have someone kill people from the Great Tang Group¡­ Who do you think you are?"


    After finishing these words, he swept his gaze over all the ministers of Gemalin present: "No one can escape unharmed after angering my master! Not even deities!"


    "Rest assured, your death will not be in vain; it will serve as a warning to the world, reminding those who dare to raise their guns against the Great Tang Group''s people to ponder carefully whether they can withstand the Great Tang Group''s retaliation!" Redman grabbed the Gemalin King by the cor, yanked him forward, and pushed him towards the soldiers behind him.


    The wolf-like soldiers had been waiting for this moment. They pounced on the Gemalin King, pinned him down, and bound him with ropes.


    "You can''t... can''t treat a... a King this way," the Prime Minister of Gemalin, trembling, stretched out an arm, shouting loudly.


    "I can!" Redman''s other hand clenched a blood-stained dandelion ring in his palm and said coldly, "And furthermore, my master¡­ didn''t say I should bring you back to Brunas."


    As soon as his words fell, an aide-de-camp beside him shot and killed the Prime Minister of Gemalin, and everyone fell silent, with no sound to be heard in the side hall.


    "Behave! Those who cooperate might live; those who resist will be executed!" Apanying Redman''s order, a dozen soldiers raised their gleaming bays, making the remaining ministers of Gemalin as docile as a group of quails.


    ...


    In Brunas, at the headquarters of the Great Tang Group, Tang Mo picked up a beautifully crafted bottle of wine, signaling to Harry, "Do you know what this is?"


    "This is our fine wine, sir," Harry recognized the bottle and knew it was the fine wine produced in Brunas.


    Tang Mo pulled the cork from the bottle, pouring wine while he continued to inquire, "Hmm, what else do you know? Be more specific."


    "Reporting to you, sir, this is Brunas 2-Year, a high-quality distilled spirit we brewed; it''s the best product of the Brunas Winery Group, and also one of the most expensive beverages in the world," Harry answered fluently.


    Seeing Tang Mo not speaking, he added, "A genuine bottle of Brunas 2-Year is priced at 300 Gold Coins on the market, which is roughly enough to buy a top-of-the-line T-model car."


    "But even so, this wine is still scarce. I heard that the real Brunas 2-Year¡­ most of it is still in cers because everyone knows, once Brunas 3-Yeares out, they will be even more valuable." Since John was the one selling this type of wine, Harry only knew so much.


    Tang Mo nodded, handing a filled ss to Harry, "You are right."


    He then took up a ss himself, "However, the reason I asked you to say all this was just to remind everyone present, the Great Tang Group is still very young¡­"


    He turned to look at the envoys seated there, smiling confidently, "In a few months, everyone will know¡­ those who offend Great Tang will be destroyed, no matter how far away they are!"


    -----------


    Staying upte has truly be increasingly inefficient¡­ ying around and procrastinating¡­ Stuck in a vicious cycle¡­

 Chapter 305: 301 must die

    "Perhaps you don''t understand this statement yet! But soon you will remember it firmly." Tang Mo raised his wine ss, "To...to this world that is destined to be ever more splendid!"


    "To this world!" Everyone present followed Tang Mo in raising their sses, and with some anxiety, they drank the fine wine in their cups.


    To be frank, they indeed found the wine in their sses quite good, tasty, and with a lingering aroma... It''s just that each time they remembered they had just drunk something worth an engine of a T-model car, they felt a somewhat inexplicable sense of heartache.


    This war seemed to have no impact on Great Tang Group at all, or it could be said that it seemed to have no impact on the regions controlled by Great Tang Group.


    The civilian sailing ships at Osa Port were still being produced non-stop, with no intention of switching to warship production at all.


    Even the fort at the port showed no signs of expansion, after all, the Brunas-ss warship moored outside the harbor was more intimidating than any artillery battery.


    The muzzle-loading cannons originally deployed at Osa Port had been dismantled, and the local equipment was put into new production.


    ording to the arrangements of Great Tang Group, there was a light industrialyout here, with chemical nts and the textile industry being the main focuses.


    The situation at Hotwind Port was simr; in line with the ns of Great Tang Group, this ce was set to be an important shipbuilding and ship maintenance base in the southern part of the Endless Sea.


    Here, they nned to build oil depots and coal yards to facilitate maritime transportation throughout the southern part of the Endless Sea. In the future, it would also have the ability to repairrge civilian vessels.


    Compared to that, Brunas''s port was more versatile, capable of repairing civilian ships as well as building and repairing military warships.


    The focus over at Dragon Ind leaned towards constructing warships, with the construction of the port''s shipyards also centering around the production ofrge warships.


    Brunas remained peaceful and joyous, and except for what was reported in the newspapers, there seemed to be no effect from the war at all. As the saying goes, people sang as usual, drank as usual, and danced as usual. Everything here seemed unrted to the outside world.


    One of the reasons Tang Mo had convened these envoys was to tell everyone that he had already won this war and had be an existence of the same caliber as the Shireck Consortium.


    Soon, the envoy from Leite Kingdom approached Tang Mo, looking around before speaking, "Mr. Tang, dealing with a King of a Kingdom is a very taboo matter... It will make Great Tang Group pay a considerable price in its interactions with other countries."


    "After all, no royal family would wish to deal with someone who has executed members of another royal family, which would cause Great Tang Group to meet resistance and obstruction in expanding its business." The envoy tried to express this as tactfully as possible, while still making the stakes clear.


    Seeing Tang Mo simply smiling without speaking, the envoy continued to offer his suggestion, "What the King of Leite means is, he can help handle it, the King of Germelin could be sent to Laines..."


    "Laines?" Tang Mo swirled the liquid in his ss, nced at the envoy from Leite Kingdom, and shifted the topic slightly with a smile, "Has His Majesty already decided...to select that ce as the new King City?"


    "Yes, His Majesty and the Prime Minister have settled on Laines, which is situated in the ins with developed transportation and rivers..." The envoy, who had been thinking about the matter of the King of Germelin, was caught off guard by Tang Mo''s change of subject and felt somewhat unustomed.


    "Laines... is a fine ce." Tang Mo reached out, put his arm around the Leite envoy''s shoulder, and gently patted twice, "How is the preparation for the victory paradeing along?"


    "Uh... this..." The envoy no longer knew how to respond to Tang Mo''s abrupt questions.


    "What do you think, 100 cars pulling 100 heavy guns; 400 warhorses dragging another 100 big guns; then another 100 vehicles loaded with fully armed soldiers...passing by His Majesty''s reviewing stand...will the scene be spectacr?" Tang Mo continued to swirl his wine and talk about something that seemedpletely unrted.


    The Leite envoy swallowed hard, imagined the magnificent scene for a moment, and was momentarily in a daze.


    If Leite VII could truly witness such a powerful military parade passing by the reviewing stand, it might be the pinnacle moment of his life like never before.


    "I might help a bit more by inviting representatives from the nearby Empire of Na and the surrounding Kingdoms, who are within easy reach, to attend the parade... What do you think?" Tang Mo continued to ask with a pleasant demeanor.


    "That, that would be...more than wonderful." The envoy certainly didn''t think Tang Mo would help in such a manner unconditionally, so he grew even more nervous.


    "In fact, afterpletely controlling both banks of the Germelin River and annexing the Kingdom of Germelin, His Majesty has already be the sovereign of three and a half Kingdoms," Tang Mo continued to speak to the envoy, "Expansive territory, formidable military forces..."


    At this point, he paused, seeming hesitant. Eventually, he resumed speaking, uttering words that made the Leite envoy shiver involuntarily, "To be honest, I''m not very interested in constructing the King City of Laines. So why not just construct the Imperial City of Laines instead?"


    "I think, on the day of the victory parade, the King of Leite should directly ascend to the throne and officially be Leines I... Mr. Envoy, do you think...is that good?" As the envoy was too shocked to speak, Tang Mo continued to blunt the edges of his words even more.


    "First, sir... No, you''re not joking, are you...?" The envoy finally regained hisposure, unable to suppress the excitement within him, and stammered to confirm that everything he heard was indeed true.


    "No joke," Tang Mo confirmed. "Great Tang Group hase this far and now requires the support of an empire for its own development..."


    "I, I''ll ry this great news to His Majesty immediately!" Having confirmed the news of Tang Mo''s support for the King of Leite to proim himself Emperor, the envoy was eager to pass on the stunning news to the future Emperor.


    "Don''t rush... we should sit down and talk about terms, shouldn''t we?" Tang Mo pressed down on the envoy, who was about to rise, pouring a bucket of cold water over his expectations.


    "Tell me, if I support the Laines Empire, won''t others think Tang Mo is just a dog raised by the Laines Empire?" Tang Mo asked while turning to the Leite envoy beside him.


    The envoy swallowed hard, hurriedly shaking his head in denial: "How could that be! You and His Majesty are surely lifelong friends. No one would think that, that you are His Majesty''s, his, his dog."


    "I think so too." Tang Mo nodded, as if agreeing with the envoy''s statement, but what he said next was about an entirely different matter: "I''m concerned that others might think this way, so I n to clear up this misunderstanding in advance."


    "What do you think would be an appropriate action?" The envoy, somewhat unclear about Tang Mo''s line of reasoning, asked cautiously.


    "Firstly, for Germelin''s... former King... who killed my people, I hope I can strangle him in Brunas," said Tang Mo amiably. "Following a righteous trial, one that''s announced to the world."


    "I understand," the envoy hesitantly agreed, instinctively.


    "In addition, Great Tang Group can support His Majesty''s im to the throne, but Great Tang''s influence is ultimately limited. Whether the Laines Empire will be recognized by others in the foreseeable future is another matter," Tang Mo emphasized seriously.


    "Understood, understood!" The Leite envoy also knew that it wasn''t easy to be genuinely recognized as an empire; Great Tang Group''s support for Leite VII was one thing, but others'' recognition was another matter entirely.


    "For the remaining terms, you can go back and tell His Majesty... to follow thest agreed upon conditions!" Tang Mo said to the busily nodding envoy.


    After finishing his words, he paused for a few seconds before teasingly adding, "Tell me, why am I letting you deliver such favorable terms... what for?"


    "Sir... I, I, I understand," the envoy quickly stated his position.


    "Still calling me sir... so formal," Tang Mo said with a smile.


    "Master..." The envoy knew which choice to make, or at least... following Tang Mo was the best future he could opt for.


    Even just calcting the speed of property value appreciation in Brunas, his entire lifetime of hard work would barely match up.


    "Well, go ahead! Share the good news with His Majesty, and don''t forget he should be rewarded. Then remember toe back and visit the bartender, and sign a contract with him," Tang Mo nodded and released his hold on the Leite envoy.


    The envoy stood up, bowed respectfully, and then cleared the ce beside Tang Mo.


    Soon after, an envoy from the Kingdom of Germelin, who had just received the news that their own sovereign was captured, hurried over.


    Having no mood for drinking, he stood beside Tang Mo empty-handed and pleaded, "Sir... I just heard that you... seem to have captured our King?"


    "There is such a matter," Tang Mo nodded, affirming.


    Harry had been negotiating with this envoy for the past few days without any progress, merely stalling for time.


    The other party, extremely anxious, lowered his head to beseech Tang Mo: "Sir, the incident where our military mistakenly injured your student was all a misunderstanding..."


    "Saying such things now is pointless," Tang Mo nced at the man and asked, "I quite admire your courage. So, how about it... willing to stay and work for me?"


    "Sir! To kill a King..." The envoy felt it was his duty to advocate for his sovereign.


    Tang Mo sighed and stood up to say, "Today, no matter who pleads for him, I am determined to execute him... unless he can bring my people back to life. I''ll ask you onest time... will you join me, or refuse?"

 Chapter 306: I said 302

    ```


    "I''m sorry, I feel that I must fulfill the duties of a subject," said the messenger after a few silent seconds.


    Tang Mo nodded slightly and then waved his hand, signaling that the other could leave.


    "Shall we?" Harry, standing at Tang Mo''s side, asked as he watched the messenger''s retreating figure.


    Tang Mo nced at Harry andughed: "You''re quite ruthless now, aren''t you? Kill all those who don''t surrender?"


    He gave Harry a yful kick: "Scram! Give him 10 Gold Coins for his travel expenses and send him off from Brunas! The man''s a true hero who''d rather turn down money than betray his former lord. You should admire him, not harbor thoughts of killing him."


    "I understand, Teacher." At that moment, Harry preferred to call Tang Mo ''Teacher'' rather than ''Master''.


    Soon, the envoys from Suthers and the ones from Dorne gathered around, all bent on persuading Tang Mo to abstain from hanging the King of the Kingdom of Germelin.


    In this era, the Nobility followed their own set of game rules. Killing a King lightly would greatly displease the other Kingdoms.


    All were royal families, all were people who regarded their Kingdoms as their own households, and killing was certainly not something done lightly. This was a consensus and was rarely challenged.


    Just like when the attempt on Earl Fisheo''s life shook the noble circles and even Shireck was put in a difficult position.


    Back then, the suspicions were on the Shireck Consortium, with no concrete evidence. But now, Tang Mo truly nned to execute a King publicly!


    To be honest, this was somewhat irregr because Tang Mo was only an Earl in the Leite Kingdom, a "noble of a single generation" with no substantial foundation¡ªan upstart not presentable on the stage of true Nobility.


    In the eyes of the royal families of other nations, someone of such a background did not qualify as true Nobility, even if Tang Mo was incredibly wealthy, even if he was a fashion icon, even if he was an arms dealer on par with Shireck, even if he truly had the power to kill a King.


    "Please reconsider! This will make many royal houses hostile towards you¡­ and be very detrimental to your business," the envoy from Suthers earnestly advised Tang Mo.


    "To avenge a few young people, you brought down the Kingdom of Germelin. That alone is enough to make others wary. There''s no need to actually kill a King..." The envoy from Dorne also felt that some things needn''t be done so tantly.


    Tang Mo listened to their words and without thinking, immediately replied: "If you were following me, wouldn''t you want me to avenge you? To drag out the one who ordered your deaths and the hidden hands behind them and bury them beside your graves?"


    His words silenced the two envoys. To be honest, as ministers tasked with missions, deep down they longed for a leader who was powerful and sought justice relentlessly.


    When one of their own was wronged, they sought to reim what was owed; when one of their own was killed, they sought to repay the bloodshed. Such a person was actually the kind of master many dreamed of following.


    They did not need to concern themselves with righteousness, nor did they need to ponder if it was worth it. They just needed to focus on executing orders, knowing that even if they died, someone would naturally take care of everything for them.


    And Great Tang¡­ it seemed to be such an existence.


    "I want everyone who works for me, everyone who fights for me, to know¡­ to be certain! Their sacrifices, their efforts, their choices... All of it! It is all worth it!" Tang Mo said loudly, his voice so powerful that it drew the attention of other envoys who hadn''t approached.


    "My people from Great Tang Group! Are not just any turtles or snakes that just any stray cat or dog can kill! Never mind that he''s a King! Even if he were the Emperor, if he dares to touch my people, his fate is sealed! Not even a god can save him! That''s what I said!" Tang Mo''s tone was reminiscent of someone from a certain movie.


    "Spread this message!" Tang Mo sat down, taking a wine ss from Wes''s hand and downing what remained of the Brunas 2-year in one gulp: "Do you know who those dead were? Every single one of them was from Bolton! Every single one from Strauss! Each of them an elite from the Great Tang Military Academy, capable ofmanding the battlefield!"


    "I understand." The envoy from Suthers knew there would be nopromise here and could only nod in response: "I will immediately send a telegram back to inform His Majesty the King to issue a statement, denying any royal status to the former King of Germelin..."


    This was an urgent fallback n, aimed at minimizing the negative impact of Tang Mo killing a King.


    "I will do the same. I will persuade His Majesty to issue such a statement right away," the envoy from Dorne said with even more caution, bowing slightly as he spoke.


    He was from Dorne, but he knew what Bolton and Strauss meant to Dorne. They were Dorne''s twin jewels, symbols of Dorne''s rise, heroes to the Dornish people, the most trusted by His Majesty the King of Dorne.


    ```


    If there had been ssmates of the two young military geniuses among the dead, the situation might have been even worse.


    If those two highly favored by the Dorne King, whose reputations were soaring, caused trouble, it was possible that the King of Dorne might make the same choice as Tang Mo¡ªkilling a king was no big deal.


    "Don''t make it sound like I n to kill all the royalty in the world, okay? I am a reasonable person!" Tang Mo''s tone softened as he spoke, defending himself: "Go have a drink! Stop bothering me."


    The envoys from the two kingdoms bowed slightly and hurriedly exited, realizing that the way the people from the Great Tang Group looked at Tang Mo had changed.


    A master willing to protect his own was definitely worth serving. Tang Mo didn''t kill a king without gaining something; in overturning the royal table, he managed to solidify the loyalty of the Great Tang Group into a single, unbreakable iron te.


    From today, or rather, from the moment Tang Mo decided to hang the king of the Germelin Kingdom, these elites of the Great Tang Group turned into wolves, mad dogs, bloodthirsty sharks, and vultures circling the sky.


    They would charge through fire and water for an order from Tang Mo, and would y gods for a nce from him.


    What seemed like insignificant exchanges of interest andpromises actually harmed the enthusiasm and loyalty at the grassroots level. Tang Mo didn''tpromise, and therefore, he harnessed these forces. To be frank, the choice might not be absolutely correct, but Tang Mo made it and there was no turning back.


    "Let here over," Tang Mo said to Harry, who stood by his side.


    Harry nodded slightly and then beckoned to someone in the distance; a woman wearing a gorgeous dress approached with a calm stride.


    She stopped in front of Tang Mo, lifted the hem of her dress on both sides, and performed a standard noblewoman''s curtsy for a social gathering, which looked very proper.


    "Sorry to have made Shireck''s honored guestugh," Tang Mo remained seated, and without even introducing himself, directly said, "Harry was supposed to talk to you, but since you kept asking to see me, and I happen to have some time today, I decided to see what Shireck''s fearless female envoy came for."


    "I am here to seek cooperation," the maid representing Sofia had finally managed to reach Brunas and then revealed her identity in order to meet Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo nodded slightly and said to the woman, who could score at least eighty points in appearance: "Of course you''re here for cooperation, as you don''t need to notify me if you''re starting a war."


    He was mocking Shireck for waging war without deration and never ying by the rules. The maid, clearly a skilled negotiator herself, just smiled without dwelling on the topic.


    She promptly ttered Tang Mo and after smiling said, "Those shortsighted directors believe that the Great Tang Group is not worth waiting for, so they don''t need to go through the hassle of dering war. But I am here on a mission to seek cooperation for my master; you are an equal partner, so¡­"


    Tang Mo waved his hand, cutting off her argument: "You''re mistaken! My Great Tang Group and Shireck are now equals... or rather, enemies. Your master is just one of Shireck''s directors, and I... am the owner of the Great Tang Group! It is quite clear that your master doesn''t call the shots in Shireck, but in the Great Tang Group..."


    At this point, he looked at Wes and Harry standing beside him; both menughed, their smiles beaming.


    "My word is final," Tang Mo turned his gaze back to the woman and stated: "So, what benefit can I gain from cooperating with you?"


    "ess to some of Shireck''s channels," the woman offered Sofia''s bargaining chip: "As long as you''re willing to cooperate, you''ll soon discover that the channels it would take you years, even decades to establish, will open their doors to you."


    "Hahahaha!" Tang Moughed uproariously, full of scorn: "Do you think I''m an idiot? You want to white-knuckle my products, make a profit off the margin, and then turn around and control my sales channels?"


    He signaled Wes to pour him another drink and then took the ss from Wes''s hand: "Do you think I''ve gotten to where I am today by randomly producing a few lousy guns?"


    Wasn''t that the case? The maid criticized internally, but her face betrayed no hint of it: "How could that be, Mr. Tang, you''re definitely a smart man."


    "Then be ready to do business with something real!" Tang Mo didn''t refuse the offer of cooperation, but he stated his terms: "You should also have a telegraph machine by now, I''ve lost quite a few of those recently... Since you can contact your master, go ahead and find out what price she''s willing to pay."


    "Sofia..." Tang Mo stated a name that took the maid by surprise: "I''ve done my research on you... and clearly, as you said, Shireck is not united as one!"


    ---------


    It seems I owe three chapters... Don''t worry, I''ll make it up slowly.

 Chapter 307: 303 boys

    ```


    "Excuse me, are you a student from the Great Tang Military Academy?" On the streets of Brunas, an elderly man dressed in respectable clothing, smilingly stopped a few young students.


    These youths were d in military uniforms but did not bear the shoulder patches of the Great Tang Group''s security forces. Their jackets were well-tailored, and they wore badges on their chests that represented their identities.


    From the armbands on their sleeves, it was evident that these students had already attended sses for over three months, which meant they could essentially be considered second-year students.


    There was no helping it; the Great Tang Group adopted the cramming method of teaching. In addition tobat and physical fitness sses, these students had to earnestlyplete four semesters'' worth of courses in just three months.


    In this era, there were no gaming consoles or Inte cafes, and even storybooks andic strips were rare sights. The sole recreational activity for all the students was to stroll along the bustling streets of Brunas.


    Actually, if one understood the significance of the badges worn by the students from the Great Tang Military Academy, it would be easy to recognize that the students who had been stopped in the street had in fact been attending sses for five months.


    After passing exams, such students could fully qualify to join the security forces of the Great Tang Group, or choose to work for the Great Tang Group ording to their preferences.


    Alternatively, they could also actively decide to be like a dandelion seed, traveling to other kingdoms or even other continents.


    Realizing that their path was blocked, the tallest and most handsome boy among them, somewhat sheepishly scratched his head and responded, "Hm? Is there something you need? I am indeed a student at the Great Tang Military Academy."


    He was unsure why he had been stopped and tried hard to recognize the old man across from him, attempting to recall if he had ever met him before.


    In reality, beforeing here to study, he had been just a hunter''s son. Owing to his notable talent, he was selected to stay and became a proud student of the Great Tang Military Academy.


    Given his former status, it was unlikely that he could have known such a person of high nobility.


    Before he could remember whether he truly knew this elderly man, the old man took the initiative to introduce himself, "It''s like this, I am the butler of Viscount Qiao from the southern province of the Gobur Kingdom."


    Clearly, the old man''s introduction was to no avail, as none of the students recognized any Viscount Qiao from the southern province of the Gobur Kingdom.


    They did recognize the Gobur Kingdom, however, since they often simted battles on sand tables, invading the Gobur Kingdom, capturing the opponent''s king city, or evenpeting to see who could conquer this not-so-powerful kingdom in the least amount of time.


    Of course, they also knew that the Gobur Kingdomy to the south of the Taren Kingdom and was a rubber-producing country with dense jungles and a poption that was generally very tanned.


    The curious students from the Great Tang Group''s Military Academy eyed the old man blocking their way and inquired, "Oh, hello. May I ask what brings you here?"


    To be frank, he had no idea what the other party wanted, as he was sure he didn''t know the Viscount Qiao''s butler.


    The old man did not leave him guessing, but directly stated his purpose: "The Viscount''s daughter hopes to have dinner with you... Would you be willing, sir?"


    Ofte, many nobles seemed very willing to send their daughters or granddaughters to travel to Brunas, even spending hefty sums to arrange for them to study among the students at the Great Tang Women''s Academy.


    These daughters and granddaughters of the wealthy nobility also enjoyed visiting or studying in Brunas because it was the fashion capital, a ce they dreamt of going to.


    Here, exquisite jewelry andvish clothing were everywhere. Here, one could wear skirts that showed the legs without being regarded as peculiar.


    Likewise, here they could meet many other wealthy girlfriends, and throw parties with handsome military officers from various countries who hade to purchase arms.


    There were ten to a hundred times more wealthy people here than elsewhere, and consequently ten to a hundred times more chances to meet them. So, women sought to try their luck here, to see if they could snag a wealthy husband.


    However, recently, with a piece of news gradually spreading, these nobledies started directing their attention towards the student body of the various schools of the Great Tang Group, following instructions from their families.


    This news was that in just 17 days, Professor Redman from the Great Tang Military Academy, previously of little renown, had actually stormed into the king city of the Kingdom of Germelin and captured the king of Germelin!


    In the past several hundred years, there had never been a war fought so swiftly, nor a person so divinely skilled in the art of war!


    As a result, Redman suddenly rose to fame. Some called him a contemporary great general, while others hailed him as the new War God of the Northern Ridge.


    ```


    ```


    The previous Count Fisheo was indeed skilled in warfare, but he did not possess the same level of renown as Redman. No matter how capable Fisheo was, he had never led a force that could vanquish a kingdom.


    Redman, however, was different; he led a mere contingent of slightly over 4,000 troops, not even fully utilizing them, as he took just 1,500 men deep into the heart of the Kingdom of Germelin and triumphed in three battles, seizing the King City.


    Now, the defeated monarch of the Kingdom of Germelin was being escorted back to Brunas, yet everyone had already confirmed the news of Germelin''s demise.


    The well-informed nobility and the wealthy families of generals had heard the news and confirmed one thing¡ªthe military academy of the Great Tang Group was truly a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.


    If one could find a son-inw there, or recruit talents willing to work for them, it would undoubtedly add wings to one''s family, one''s career, one''s nation¡­


    This Viscount Qiao in front of them obviously belonged to those privy to information¡­ He knew so early because he was currently doing business in Brunas.


    Thus, he wisely had his daughter wait here like a hunter ready for its prey, ready to catch a husband through an encounter that resembled a modern twist on the ancient practice.


    This young cadet who had finally earned a day off awkwardly waved his hand, showing no realization of the romantic encounter before him, as he asked, "Ah? I don''t know the youngdy of Viscount Qiao''s family¡­ why would she want to invite me to dinner?"


    The elderly man stepped aside, extended his arm, and pointed towards a luxurious carriage parked in the distance, tantly and straightforwardly exining, "Our young miss is in that carriage over there. She is very interested in the uniform you are wearing, and in you¡­"


    The handsome young man invited was struck speechless. He truly had never expected that the girls of Brunas were so bold as to start stopping people in the streets for a chat.


    The atmosphere suddenly turned a bit awkward, and ultimately, the cadet looked at his ssmates beside him and declined, "I''m sorry, sir, I think I must decline the viscount''s daughter''s invitation, as we have training in the evening and I cannot ask for leave."


    Being a straightforward guy, he always felt women could affect the speed with which he drew his weapon¡­ Yes, literally, don''t misinterpret.


    However, upon hearing his refusal, the persistent old butler continued, "Oh¡­ that is truly regrettable news, then¡­ Sir, may I have a way to contact you? We will be staying here for quite some time, and if there''s a chance¡­"


    In the end, the young man couldn''t resist the butler''s persistence and told him of his next break, "If you want to find me¡­ well, the weekend after next, I have a day off. In the evening, you can go to the front gate of the school and let the messenger room send me a message, just say it''s for Hershel from room 319¡­ they will help."


    "I am truly grateful to you, sir," the old butler immediately expressed his thanks enthusiastically, making sure to bow slightly after the young man had walked away.


    "Father! Do you really think that handsome young man is better than the eldest son of Sir Byton''s family?" the young girl inside the carriage asked through the window, puzzled.


    "You don''t understand, all the cadets here have the potential to be a great general in the future¡­" The middle-aged man beside the girl watched the group of military academy cadets walking away, reassuringly said, "Besides, you like that young man, don''t you?"


    "Indeed¡­ he''s much better than the sons of Sir Byton," the girl thought back to the dopey son of thendlord who resembled a round ball of flesh, and felt that the handsome young man she just saw was simply perfect.


    Yet she still worried about her prospect after marriage, "Father! Aren''t you rushing to marry me off without even investigating his background? After all, I am your daughter!"


    "Do you have any idea how much the King of Leite Kingdom would pay for a young student like him? Money? To these people, it''s just a number!" Viscount Qiao earnestly advised his daughter. "Don''t mess this up! This is the best match you could possibly make!"


    "It''s still all for your business," the girl muttered under her breath, not daring to say more.


    At that moment, the butler returned to the side of the carriage, bowed slightly, and reported, "Master, I''ve found out¡­ the young man''s name is Hershel¡­ He has agreed to meet with the miss in two weeks'' time."


    "Prepare well!" Viscount Qiao directed his daughter. "Don''t go messing around with those flighty friends of yours anymore!"


    "Humph," the girl turned her head away, displeased with her father''s arrangements.


    On the other side, the students were stopped once again on their way¡­


    Almost exactly as before, there was another daughter of a rich and powerful family inviting them over, seemingly wishing to get to know these young talents.


    But this time, the butler who was rebuffed returned to the side of a luxurious automobile... It was clear that the one who had approached them this time, had a status far above a viscount''s daughter.


    Even in Brunas, not many could afford such a luxurious car, so this was likely the granddaughter or daughter of an earl.


    ```

 Chapter 308: 304 girls

    In a luxurious private room of the Silver Fox Tavern, several students from the military academy found their seats and ordered their preferred drinks from the attractive waitstaff.


    They were so young, some of them even preferred a mix of milk and fruit juice to alcohol.


    These youngsters of the era hadn''t realized they were already significant figures, giggling and discussing the various scenes they had just encountered on the streets.


    Although they were still young, or had yet to truly enter society, they understood that all they had just experienced was the glory their predecessors had left for them.


    And their task was to continue this glory, to leave behind something equally worth boasting and cherishing for their sessors.


    A burly student propped his arms on the table and, as soon as the waiter had closed the door to the private room, turned to the handsome guy next to him with a chuckle and teased, "Haha! The romantic encounterse one after another, unstoppable."


    On their way here, they had encountered several girls who flirted with them, some from well-off families sending their housekeepers or maids to convey their intentions, while others from modest backgrounds approached them directly.


    Some of the youngdies were middle-ss city dwellers, most of whom worked in textile factories or governmental departments, with their own jobs and decent ies.


    Life in Brunas City hadpletely changed their lifestyles, endowing them with the bold ideology of pursuing their own happiness.


    And so, these students from the Great Tang Military Academy actually faced women approaching them for contact information as they passed by the streets just a while ago.


    In those times, without the convenientmunication tools like smartphones or WeChat, what they asked for were mailing addresses for letters, or direct addresses to find them.


    The gates of the Great Tang Military Academy were usually inessible to ordinary people, just as the gates to the Great Tang Group''s factoryplexes were out of reach.


    However, this did not deter the girls'' enthusiasm; they would loiter at the entrance of certainmunication rooms or wait at a previously arranged ce for their beloved.


    s, for the straight men of the Tang Army''s military or technical colleges, most of the girls were destined to be disappointed.


    The young people studying there had set their sights high. They knew how vast the world was and how brilliant their futures could be.


    They understood the trajectories of grenades, the future directions of new weapon technologies, novel tacticalyouts, and how to arrange logistics and dispatches for corps-level troops.


    These youths were loyal and brave, unwilling to revert to their former selves, so they strove to change, to be better beings.


    At the academy, the knowledge they gained made them look down upon the world like deities. In their eyes, all the different people, even kings, were nothing but more powerful ants.


    How could one truly fancy an ant? Or rather, how could they demean themselves by marrying a woman who was simply no match for them?


    Those predecessors who went on missions and casually married a wife to conceal their identity or facilitate operations¡ªthat was a sacrifice! A temporarypromise for eternal truth! Well, some were just fond of their pleasures...


    So, if one is to choose, aren''t there plenty of options from the neighboring Tang Women''s Academy, Tang Vocational and Technical College, Tang Military Academy, Tang Medical College, Tang Industrial Technology College... Aren''t there enough girls to pick from?


    The youngdies from these institutions are truly a match in terms of family background, aren''t they? They are knowledgeable, well-educated, agile, and strong¡ªthey could shatter stones with their fists (well, not really), or kill their husbands with just a toothpick (absolutely not)...


    The tall and handsome student with an innocent face turned to his burly ssmate andined, "You damn guy! You still have the mood to mock me at a time like this."


    The burly student spread his hands with an even more uninhibited smile, "Why not? You are the ss heartthrob, after all."


    "That''s exactly what bothers me," the handsome student leaned back and casually ran a hand through his hair, striking a pose, and dered, "Can''t help it, I''m just too good-looking."


    "Are you mocking me?" Elsewhere, a less attractive male student sighed with a hint of resentment, seemingly battered in spirit.


    "On the contrary, I''m mocking myself... those truly capable youngdies always like me at first sight, but soon after, once they get to know you, theye to me just to inquire about you," the handsome studentmented with even more apparent sorrow.


    Helpless to change it, among this group of students, he had the worst academic performance but attracted butterflies and bees because of his good looks.


    But everyone knew that within the academy, what mattered wasn''t how you looked. Most of the time, academic ranking meant better resources and higher social status.


    Just look at those who ranked first in their ss; they were practically all serving as Prime Ministers in various countries.


    Those who finished second or third were also likely leading troops as generals or had be important chess pieces infiltrated within enemy ranks.


    Only those students at the bottom of the ss, or the mediocre ones, would be assigned to serve in the Great Tang Group''s security troops to gain experience, starting as junior officers.


    Therefore, when the female students who truly understood these inner workings began to look for partners, the most popr were definitely those top-performing students who might be great men in the future.


    What? Looks? This world is full of trash that''s only skin-deep. If you want handsome guys, there are plenty in the entertainment industry. Whoever wants them can have them.


    Those girls who fancy celebrities only do so because they can''t marry into a wealthy family or snag a real talent ¨C they''re just the rejects.


    The handsome guy then looked at a male ssmate with very ordinary, or rather, slightly ugly looks, and said enviously, "Not everyone can get a Great Tang schrship, let alone twice."


    He was truly envious. A big shot who could win the schrship twice was an absolutely formidable figure wherever he went.


    So with an almost jealous tone, hemented, "Even if you washed your face with sulfuric acid, you''d still be the best among us in our year."


    "Pfft... Hahaha¡­" Several ssmates burst intoughter.


    The sturdy ssmate went even further with the joke, saying overbearingly, "He''s already washed his face with sulfuric acid! Hahaha!"


    "Get lost!" The student who had won the schrship twice stood up pretending to be angry, and before he sat back down, the waiter who came to serve drinks pushed open the door.


    Everyone quieted down and then politely thanked the waiter. The students from the Great Tang Military Academy didn''t have to pay for their consumption at the Silver Fox Tavern; in fact, they hardly needed to spend money throughout Brunas City.


    However, all expenses here were recorded, and everyone cared about their conduct scores, so they didn''t act recklessly.


    For example, if you ordered a set of well-fitting military dress uniform here, there would be absolutely no problem. Once you ced the order, skilled tailors would custom-make it with the finest materials to fit you perfectly.


    This suit, if bought with money, would probably cost hundreds of Gold Coins, as the tailors who handcrafted it were famous in the clothing industry and charged exorbitant prices to tailor for the nobility.


    However, if a student were to recklessly spend tens of thousands of Gold Coins at Brunas''s luxurious casinos, although it was technically allowed, everyone would try to avoid doing so as much as possible.


    Of course, Brunas had various entertainments, like firework alleys and other such ces, where students would be received if they visited.


    It was just a pity that so far, no student had chosen to spend their time in such ces; everyone subconsciously opted for more sensible ces to spend their money.


    For instance, everyone would typically go to the finest restaurants in Brunas for a feast, and nobody would spare Tang Mo''s money on this ount.


    In such restaurants, where a meal cost at least 100 Gold Coins and they never offered discounts, the students from the school didn''t have to pay an extra fee when they dined.


    Moreover, after these students arrived, they often packed up and took away arge amount of food, some for their senior or junior ssmates as takeout, some prepared for a girl they admired... Anyway, there was no problem with that.


    This was a welfare for all students at Great Tang Group''s schools and another reason they loved the city of Brunas.


    "Forget about everything else, just confess! How many girls from the school are chasing after you? Tell me, isn''t it a hundred, no, a thousand times better than those vulgarities we mentioned just now!" As soon as the flirtatious waiter left, the handsome guy resumed teasing.


    "Are you talking about the girl who breaks bricks?" The sturdy guy said with envy, "That girl is really something ¨C thick legs, big butt... you can tell she''ll give birth to a son."


    "No! I''m talking about the chemistry major, the one who the other day was seen cleaning up her experiment''s poisoned mice, a whole iron box of them!" The handsome guy maliciously corrected his sturdy ssmate.


    "You guys... all get lost!" The schrship-winning ss genius mmed the table, expressing his dissatisfaction, "Keep talking nonsense, and you''ll have to cover your own meal!"


    "Don''t, don''t! I still need your help with math, big brother!" The sturdy ssmate was the first to back down, and the handsome guy quickly waved his hands, "You have to exin those physics problems to me properly, or I''m done for."


    "Sigh¡­" The ss genius who was used to his troublesome friends rubbed his temples and exhaled, feeling he should stay away from these idiots.


    "Have you heard? Her Majesty the Queen has finally be a teacher," the ss genius said somewhat mncholically as everyone fell silent.


    Out of ten students, it seemed eight secretly adored Her Majesty the Queen. As soon as the ss genius asked, the handsome guy and the others immediately knew there was another admirer of Her Majesty sitting among them.


    Unfortunately, these guys could only secretly pine for her; not one dared to present a love letter... Of course, there were daredevils among the senior students ¨C I heard they got beaten up pretty badly...

 Chapter 309: 305 Worries

    Mathews nced at Tang Mo sitting beside him and eximed, "That really is a grand move."


    Harry nodded in agreement, saying, "I knew Shireck was wealthy, but this level of wealth is truly astonishing."


    Just one day before, a secret envoy from Shireck¡ªthe maid¡ªhad astonishingly taken out 70,000 Gold Coins in cash at Brunas and directly purchased a telegraph machine.


    Then, she boldly used the telegraph to get in touch with Sofia, who was far away at the me Castle.


    Sofia clearly came prepared this time, but Tang Mo also knew that the other party couldn''t really stir up any trouble, so he didn''t waste too much energy on Shireck.


    Now, he had far too many matters demanding his attention. Shireck, once the number one enemy, had now degraded to a mere insignificant henchman.


    The Great Tang Group had essentially already secured victory in the 11-Kingdom War, had propped up the Laines Empire as a quasi-imperial power, and had already annihted one enemy participant.


    As for Taren and Xilun, everyone knew their copse was just a matter of time. If it weren''t for the reach being too far, the three northern participating kingdoms would probably not fare much better.


    At this moment, Tang Mo needed to worry about the relocation of the capital of the Leite Kingdom, support the building of the Laines Empire, attend to his own school, the industrial production, and even the ever-lengthening railway lines.


    With so many things on his te, how could he have time to care about a damn representative from Shireck Consortiuming to negotiate?


    "They are using a specific codebook, and breaking it will take time," said Luff, the military''s Chief of Staff, somewhat frustrated. "If they are using a particr book, it might take about a week; if they''ve created their own codebook, then it might take us even longer to understand what they''re actually saying."


    "We don''t need to dig that deep. If we could decode every telegram, that really would be something," Tang Mo reassured the military intelligence department.


    Sure enough, the conversation soon turned to the frequently discussed topic of the Leite Kingdom''s relocation of its capital.


    Harry reported, "We''ve also received news from Leite VII. Next month, he ns to hold a military parade in Laines City and announce the relocation to Laines."


    This indicated that King Leite VII of the Leite Kingdom had fully epted the conditions offered by the Great Tang Group in exchange for its support of his im to the throne.


    The series of exchanges included ceding allnds west of the old capital to the Great Tang Group, legally agreeing to its permanent autonomy, apart from paying a certain amount of taxes while retainingplete foreign and military action sovereignty.


    In other words, aside from nominal sovereignty, the Great Tang Group had essentially be a rtively independent state within a state.


    After a pause, Harry, who was in charge of the matter, continued, "Over there, we''ve already deployed three construction teams to build new structures. The urban nning area contracted to us includes the Imperial Pce, the train station, and themercial district."


    "Managing over 4,000 people for food, clothing, amodations, as well as the transportation and use of cement and asphalt, and the distribution of steel reinforcement¡­ in short, the workload is immense," he said as he flipped through the documents in his hand: "Also, there are 200,000 prisoners of war and captured ves, who now crowd Laines¡­ it''s quite lively there at the moment."


    Everyone listened intently because they all knew that once the construction of Laines City wasplete, the Great Tang Group would immediately possess an old king city that was rtively bustling.


    It wouldn''t requirerge-scale transformation, and having a poption of several hundred thousand people was precisely what the Great Tang Group urgently needed for its development.


    Harry went on to add, "Themercial district is our own territory; we are nning to build opera houses, shopping malls, including our private docks, and bridges, and construction has already begun."


    In the new Imperial City,merce was naturally a major focus, and everything there had to go through the hands of the Great Tang Group, because the economy of the Leite Kingdom was now closely tied with the Great Tang Group.


    It was a situation that couldn''t be helped, as the development of the Great Tang Group had already infiltrated all sectors of the industry.


    For example, the fashion industry, including the recently booming photography studios and ready-made noble clothing, were all initiatives by the Great Tang Group.


    ```


    It''s no joke to say that if the Great Tang Group falls apart, the economy of the entire Leite Kingdom would copse in an instant¡ªthis isn''t a joke, it''s a statement of fact.


    "The Imperial Pce is part of our exchange; therefore, we are responsible for its construction, adhering to thetest safety standards, including underground shelters, possible escape routes, surface buildings, high-rise constructions, and the perimeter walls..." Harry said as he walked over to a sketch and pointed at the blueprint hanging there.


    The entire Imperial Pce was constructed by the construction team of the Great Tang Group, and although many structures inside wouldter be modified by craftsmen trusted by the King of Leite, the basic design philosophy was still determined by the Great Tang Group.


    "A train station is also under construction. We are connecting the rail line between King City and Laines. Oncepleted, most of the Leite Kingdom will be interconnected," Harry said, his tone even more disgruntled when speaking of the train station.


    It was precisely because so many railroads had to be built that Tang Mo bit the bullet and didn''t shift his production capacity, which directly led to a severe shortage of Great Tang Group''s war production capability.


    Theck of capability ultimately led to the Northern front, which was initially ted forplete victory, bing mired in a stalemate.


    The Por Kingdom and the Rosewood Kingdom, to everyone''s surprise, had tit-for-tat battles with the Songmu Kingdom and the Por Kingdom, presenting an appearance of evenly matched forces.


    Simrly, the Phk Kingdom was also only causing trouble at the border and had not put forth its full strength in the war.


    Now, to the west of Osa Port in the Por Kingdom, there had been an orc uprising. A leader iming to be a prince led his tribe in driving away the elves who upied the area and re-established the Gales Kingdom...


    In short, a series of chaotic events caused turmoil across the entire world, and the Por Kingdom had already expressed its dissatisfaction with the Great Tang Group through its special envoy.


    Therefore, Harry voiced his reservations about continuing to build the railroad so quickly¡ªording to his n, the rail project could have been dyed and built more slowly.


    "However, we''ve recently invested a bit too much into rails, and the factories are struggling to keep up," he said, suggesting his view.


    "We''re constructing the second railway from Northern Ridge to Brunas, the Dragon Ind railway is about to bepleted, and the one from Dorne to Leite has also begun, as has the railway from Suthers to Ice Crystal City," he said, gesturing on another world map hanging on the wall.


    "The total mileage of the railways has already exceeded 1,000 kilometers, indicating that even in times of war, the majority of steel is still used for railways and ships..." He really wanted to remind Mathews, Parker, and others who were desperately producing rails that the war wasn''t over yet!


    "The transfer of the old King City is also proceeding in an orderly fashion. After King City bes the new capital in Laines City, it will be renamed Jade City, as you wish." This name was given by Tang Mo, who provided a crystal-clear and beautiful name for this newly annexed city under his rule.


    Although the city had nothing to do with beautiful jade, Tang Mo still hoped it could be a piece of fine jade in the palm of his hand, a divine gem to be crafted.


    "Once the relocation isplete, all thend between Jade City and Brunas, including the Jade City-Brunas railway, will be the property of the Great Tang Group." After delivering the good news, Harry looked to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo was quite satisfied with the Prime Minister''s proposal for equivalent exchange and nodded with a smile, saying, "Hmm! That is good news indeed."


    "We n to set up textile factories and food processing nts between Jade City and Northern Ridge, using railways to link Ice Crystal City, Wolf City, Brunas, and Jade City, creating a closed loop to speed up the flow of materials in the region," Harry continued,ying out the industrial ns of the Great Tang Group after seeing Tang Mo''s affirmation.


    Over the next year or so, the expansion of the Great Tang Group would follow the n established at this meeting. Everything they discussed now was a phased goal for the future development of the Great Tang Group: "We''ll build steel mills and weapons factories between Jade City and Brunas, expand our business, build more steel nts and power nts..."


    "Simrly, between Jade City and Laines, we also want to build a series of factory zones to produce outdated parts or weaponry, including helmets, pistols, rifles, ammunition, and other products," Harry, still following the old method, did not mind relocating production to the outermost edge of the empire.


    "In Brunas and Dragon Ind''s main factory area, we n to produce heavy artillery, ships, automobiles, and advanced individual automatic weapons!" After finishing, Harry made way for Parker.


    Parker had recently been preupied with the cooperation with the Dwarves of the Ice Cold Kingdom, so he stood up, approached the map, and began speaking, "From the Dwarf side, the Ice Cold Kingdom''s supplies have been loaded onto ships heading north, and should soon reach Osa Port."


    "The material list includesthes, steam engines, electric motors, car engines, and various production lines." He spoke while pointing at the warship on the map, represented by a ma.


    He then added, rifying the orders for the warship to apany the transport fleet northward to visit the Ice Cold Kingdom, "Per your orders, the Brunas No. 4 will arrive at the Ice Cold Kingdom as an escort ship and stay there for ten days for a friendly visit."


    ```

 Chapter 310: They havent come yet

    Tang Mo merely nodded at these reports; such matters were routine, parallel to weekly briefings. He was there to attend the meeting, yet the content was for the other participants of equal rank.


    The point of such meetings was to let unrted individuals grasp an overview of their colleagues'' departmental progress, which somewhat helped in assessing the current situation.


    "Next, we''ll move on to the war report." Soon after the production heads had finished speaking, it was Chief of Staff Luff from the seemingly triumphant military''s turn to take the floor.


    Hearing Harry call his name, Luff didn''t hesitate. He stood up, walked to the map, pointed at the southern waters, and then gestured to the south side of the Endless Sea: "Bernard''s fleet has begun moving south on your orders and should reach Taren within the next couple of days! The war could very well be over by the end of this month."


    Li''ao, who had been watching the deposed Germelin closely, chimed in, "Leite VII didn''t obstruct our convoy while escorting King Germelin. The convoy has now reached King City and will soon be here."


    Tang Mo would have liked to appoint a general, someone suitable to take over, but after some thought, he realized hecked legal talent.


    Therefore, he bit the bullet and chose someone he considered mature and reliable: "Very well! The trial will be handled by¡­ let''s give it to Li''ao. We don''t have a Justice Department yet."


    There was no way around it; the military folks were just too young, with most around their thirties. They were capable on the battlefield, but to judge a man was another matter entirely.


    "What a pity, I should have established such a department. After all, our Great Tang Group should truly be the Nanshan''s invincible Pizza Hut of this world," Tang Momented inwardly with a hint of regret.


    ...


    "No news yet? How is there still no news?" The current monarch of Taren Kingdom was King of Taren X; his reign had not been brief.


    He was ambitious, hoping to continue expanding the boundaries of Taren Kingdom during his rule¡ªand indeed, prior expansions had gone smoothly.


    His kingdom had previously defeated Gobur Kingdom, acquiring a portion of its northern territory, a sessfulndfall that evolved Taren Kingdom from an ind nation to one possessing maind territory.


    This victory made him somewhat overconfident, and in a moment of forgetfulness, he heeded Shireck''s goading and ordered his fleet to challenge¡­ the Great Tang Group, an entity they should have never provoked.


    Initially, everything seemed to be going well: 70 warships headed north toward Hotwind Port, and the army crushed Dorne''s defenses with unstoppable momentum¡­


    Yet this streak of good luck came to an abrupt end.


    "Your Majesty! Given the distance to Hotwind Port, even if there is news, we will have to wait longer¡­" the Prime Minister of Taren Kingdom quickly intervened, trying tofort the king.


    "Wait! How can I wait? It''s been more than ten days! More than ten days without a single word! How can my mind be at ease!" King of Taren X paced before his throne, unable to calm down.


    What they did not know was that the diplomats they had sent never delivered the messages to Dorne; they were killed en route.


    The envoys sailing toward Hotwind Port on a warship were sunk halfway there¡ªunlucky enough to encounter the Great Tang Group''s fleet sailing south. They didn''t even have a chance to reveal their identities before being sunk.


    The non-swimming envoys fed the sharks, not even given the opportunity to disy their silver tongues.


    The envoy traveling bynd had even worse luck; he was robbed by the deserting soldiers of his own kingdom while following the main road.


    Intending to reproach them with an official air, he was instead shot dead by these bandits, whocked the courage to face Dorne''s troops but not the gall to plunder under the guise of opposing Dorne.


    Consequently, the chance for negotiation or even surrender was lost¡ªunbeknownst to anyone.


    "My fleet is suffering massive losses! My soldiers are retreating! The enemy''s Longsword hangs over my head! And you ask me to wait for news?... How can I possibly wait calmly for news?" The voice of King of Taren X boomed fractiously, reverberating throughout the grand hall.


    "Send someone again! To propose peace! To propose peace! Say that I willpensate for their losses! Say that I will also pay an extra 100,000 Gold Coins¡­" The utterly distraught King of Taren could only grasp at straws in his desperation.


    The Prime Minister knew he had to give his monarch something to do to avoid worsening his frantic state, so he quickly signaled a minister with his eyes.


    Understanding the cue, the minister stepped forward and suggested, "Your Majesty is absolutely right! Why not select new envoys, send them by both sea andnd, and make another attempt at peace?"


    As expected, hearing support for his mad decision made the King of Taren look significantly relieved. He slumped into his chair with a gesture of reassurance, "You handle it! Go on, handle it! Choose the smartest! Dispatch immediately! Immediately!"


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" The minister bowed slightly, exchanged another look with the Prime Minister, and then left the grand hall.


    "Your Majesty, you can rx now... The emissary will set off soon, and the situation has not deteriorated to an uncontroble extent," the Prime Minister finally spoke up to offer somefort.


    King of Tarran, who felt he had aplished something, waved his hand tiredly this time, "There''s no need tofort me... How is the coastal defense preparation going?"


    The Navy of the Tarran Kingdom was very strong, so coastal defense had always been a neglected aspect. Now, with the Navy defeated, coastal defense was inplete disarray, forcing the King to personally inquire about the preparations.


    "Shirek has newly manufactured 20 muzzle-loaded cannons, which have been equipped on the battery... The port should be safe, but what I''m worried about is the enemy''s upation of other inds..." The Prime Minister was not supposed to meddle in military affairs, but the chaotic situation led him to be directly involved in city defense matters.


    "If ites to it, pulling the troops back from the maind is also a good solution..." The Prime Minister offered his opinion.


    Now facing a shortage of manpower while still needing to defend the vastnds of the Tarran Kingdom was undoubtedly asking for trouble.


    If they could pull back the 20,000 soldiers stationed on the maind, the defense of the King City and the surrounding inds could be somewhat more assured.


    Unfortunately, the King clearly had no intentions of giving up the territories he had conquered, or rather, his achievements.


    The King rejected the notion impatiently, "That is the territory I conquered! If it is lost, how can I face my ancestors? Don''t bring this up again, didn''t you say the situation hasn''t crumbled to a point of no return?"


    The Prime Minister had prepared a very good strategy to present, but hearing the King say this, he could only obediently close his mouth.


    Previously, he nned to return all the northern territories upied by the Gobur Kingdom. If the Dorne Kingdom''s counterattacking troops continued their advance, it would mean they were waging war in the northern territories of Gobur Kingdom.


    At that time, if they retreated, thend threats would vanish; if Dorne did not retreat and continued to fight, Gobur Kingdom might be dragged into the conflict and possibly dere war on Dorne Kingdom.


    That would be tantamount to gaining an ally for themselves out of thin air, or at least creating a barrier¡ªno matter how you looked at it, it was a good strategy.


    Meanwhile, the troops withdrawn from the maind could bolster the defense of the inds, and the returning poption could offset the demographic loss brought on by the defeat...


    In short, this was a master n that could kill three, even four birds with one stone¡ªsadly, King of Tarran had no intention of considering it.


    It was unfortunate that the hastily conscripted soldiers still needed training andcked anybat effectiveness; they might not even be capable of defending the King City...


    The Prime Minister shook his head regretfully and sighed as a reminder, "Your Majesty! Relying on those thousands of conscripted peasants and fishermen, we can''t defend the city walls!"


    "Then recruit another 3,000! If 8,000 isn''t enough, make it 10,000! I refuse to believe they can endure a prolonged siege here aftering from afar!" the King of Tarran roared in frustration.


    The Prime Minister bowed his head and stayed silent. The atmosphere turned awkward, and the King of Tarran could hardly bear it, muttering impatiently, "They haven''t attacked yet! They haven''t attacked yet!"


    ...


    What the King didn''t know was that a fleet consisting of a cruiser and four Irond Warships were making their way toward Tarran along the seanes and had already entered Tarran''s near seas.


    Ominous ck smoke rolled across the horizon as five warships, apanied by a supply ship, boldly approached the coastal waters of the Tarran Kingdom.


    A 1st-rate sailing warship out on patrol caught sight of the daunting ck smoke in the distance and quickly turned around to escape.


    However, themanders on this warship soon realized in horror that their sailing vessel couldn''t even reach half the speed of the enemy ships.


    The distance between the two parties rapidly closed, and then without any hesitation, the enemy opened fire.


    The warship, its stern blown off by the barrage, immediately raised the white g, but the enemy showed no signs of sparing them.


    Like demonic machines spewing ck smoke, the fearsome Irond Warships drew closer with their mechanical mor and opened fire repeatedly until the sailing ship was sted into fragmented bits and pieces.


    All around, the sea was littered with broken wooden deck nks, with masts set amongst sails soaked in seawater.


    Amid the wreckage of these warships, some bodies dotted the water''s surface. The warship that was supposed to be on alert was sunk before it could send back even a single message, now lying in ruins off the coast.

 Chapter 311: 307 shells King City

    An oceanic nation, what is it most afraid of? The greatest fear is to wake up one morning and find the enemy fleet lying across the sea...


    When the civilians of the Taren Kingdom had finished their midday meal, they noticed soldiers hurrying through the streets, and the atmosphere suddenly turned deste and oppressive.


    They quickly learned what had happened¡ªa fleet had appeared off the coast of their King City, positioned atop the sea they relied on for their survival.


    Some citizens gathered the courage to peer from more secluded ces, where they witnessed a smoke-choked sea and dark gray warships with seagulls circling above them.


    Then, before these civilians could retract their heads, they saw shes of fire spewing from the warships.


    The 150mm caliber naval guns roared to life, as the gship Wolf 1 opened fire on the King City of the Taren Kingdom.


    The first shell struck the docks inside the harbor, instantly throwing people and the stacked goods on the dock into chaos and casting them into the sea.


    Panic ensued as everyone started to flee for their lives; soldiers discarded their weapons and blended into the crowd of porters, bumping around aimlessly like headless flies.


    Soon after, the royal coastal batteries started firing back, but these outdated muzzle-loading cannons sounded feeble inparison, like the soft panting of a woman.


    The firepower of the two sides wasn''t even on the same level¡ªa single barrage silenced the coastal batteries amidst rolling smoke and dust, as if they werepletely paralyzed.


    Following this, the fleet made short work of the sail-powered warships attempting to break out from the harbor, cleaning them up as easily as slicing through melons.


    Not one of the more than 20 warships escaped; they were all sunk on their escape route. These painstakingly assembled warships hadsted less than an hour.


    The most tragic sight was of a sinking warship, whose broken mast still protruded from the sea, while the churning waves thrust broken deck nks and clutter toward the coast, silencing the whole of King City.


    It wasn''t until then that the civilians seemed to realize the thunderous cannon sounds had stopped¡ªthe pounding that felt like it was striking directly on their chests came to an abrupt end.


    But before anyone could breathe a sigh of relief, the peculiar fleet,prised of sail-less warships, opened fire once again.


    This time, their target was the urban area of the King City! Columns of ck smoke soared into the sky, and in an instant, hundreds were buried under the explosions.


    The soldiers garrisoned on the city walls turned pale with fright, with more and more of them throwing down their weapons and turning to run.


    Most of them were just recruits, who had received less than a month of training. It was pure folly to expect them to face the artillery fire head-on.


    And it wasn''t just the recruits¡ªeven among their officers behind them, few maintained the resolve to fight at this point.


    Originally, the Taren Kingdom was a maritime power. Competent and ambitious officers were concentrated in the Navy, along with most of the talent.


    The Army was merely a facade; in most cases, nothing more than a ceholder. To hope they could turn the tide was nothing short of a joke.


    But now, they had no choice but to rely on these unreliable Army soldiers and officers¡ªbecause the stronger Navy had by this time already sunk to the seafloor to feed the sharks.


    Of course, there were those luckier, or perhaps unluckier ones, who were sent to the Northern Ridge to work as miners, undertaking the most dangerous and exhaustingbor every day.


    Perhaps for them, death was even a better release. Regardless, these elite sailors, now captives, were no longer something the Taren Kingdom could depend on...


    The onlooking civilians, frightened, pulled their heads back in; the smell of explosive gunpowder was already spreading through the air.


    Atop the city walls, high-ranking officers were struggling to restrain the increasing number of soldiers trying to flee, then they watched, stunned, as a nearby section of the wall was sted open by artillery.


    Over a meter of the stone wall copsed, and although it didn''t fallpletely, the battlements and watchtowers were no longer in sight.


    The few soldiers stationed there were reduced to severed limbs and scattered body parts¡ªnaturally, some vanished without a trace, but no one was aware of that.


    Swallowing hard, the officer who had just been dragging a fleeing soldier by the cor let go of his grasp, beckoning to his troops crouched behind the battlements, shouting, "Quick! Get out of there! Move! Hurry!"


    Those soldiers who heard his cries did not hesitate to follow theirmander''s order, running with practiced efficiency.


    They left behind their weapons, and didn''t bother with the 30-year-old Shireck muzzle-loading cannon beside them, turning on their heels to run with theirmander.


    Outside the city, in a camp far from the coast, upon hearing the booming of the cannons, the recruits scattered in disarray, and the apanying nobility officers also took to their heels and fled.


    3000 newly conscripted "new recruits," who were hastily gathered just yesterday and given Gold Coins as a reluctant incentive, scattered like birds and beasts in an instant, leaving not a single one behind.


    Even the guards watching over the weapons stored in the camp had vanished without a trace, leaving 2000 Shireck Flintlock Guns¡ªcobbled together from various sources¡ªuntouched, abandoned without anyone to question it.


    And all of this happened in less than two hours after the battle had just begun. The entire Taren King City seemed as weak as Beijing City before Li Zicheng.


    Unfortunately, the warships of the Great Tang Group''s security Navy, lying across the ocean surface, had no intention of sending people tond. They were content to stay at sea, bombarding the unfortunate city with their 120mm and 150mm caliber artillery, round after relentless round.


    "Don''t fire! Everyone stop firing! y dead! Can you just y dead for me?" The Taren general responsible for the artillery battery hadn''t fled, but the overwhelming enemy shelling had nearly scared him senseless.


    His cannons had a range of just over 1000 meters, but their uracy faltered past 500 meters.


    Yet the enemy''s shells were devastatingly precise, striking their target eight times out of ten; after just two volleys, he knew he was in for a beating.


    So, very quickly, he began to give up¡ªsimply put, he ordered all his guns to cease fire, enduring three full barrages from the enemy without flinching, teeth clenched, refusing to return fire.


    Finally, he was sessful, he endured until "victory"! Assuming his position waspletely destroyed, the enemy redirected their assault towards the city, paying no more attention to his artillery battery.


    In truth, his battery didn''t have many functioning cannons left: the main force of 30 Shireck muzzle-loading cannons were relics of the past era, inferior in quality to the Navy''s muzzle-loading naval guns.


    But weren''t those warships equipped with the most advanced Shireck naval muzzle-loading cannons now soaking at the bottom of the sea?


    The equipment he had was already 20 years out of date; was there really any hope for him to do something with it?


    Moreover, one-third of those big guns had already been destroyed. He had tried his best... really.


    "Sir! Sir!" an officer, clutching at the Longsword at his waist, ran up to the artillery tform in a panic and, after ncing at a cannon barrel that had fallen to the ground, he spoke fearfully, "Sir... His Majesty... His Majesty sent me to... to check, see why... why the tform isn''t...


    returning fire..."


    On his way here, he passed deserters and chaotic civilians, and he could see that the fact this battery held and didn''t flee already spoke to "well-disciplined troops."


    After all, artillery was a technical branch that required constant year-round training, so there was a fundamental differencepared to those new recruits on the city walls.


    But that was as far as it went.


    "We did just fire back! But the enemy shelling was too fierce, our losses heavy, we had no choice but to cease bombardment temporarily..." the officermanding the artillery exined.


    He did indeed just open fire, and for sure, they received quite a bruising from the enemy warships.


    As he spoke, two soldiers passed by in front of him carrying a body, lending his previous answer more credibility.


    The messenger officer, a confidant of the King, understood the difficulties of the artillerymander, but still he pleaded weakly, "Sir! If you return fire, the enemy will stop bombarding the King City!"


    "I''m helpless! We fired a volley earlier, and in response, they fired five volleys at us. Now a third of our cannons are destroyed, our casualties heavy, we truly can''t continue the fight!" The artillery officer was adamant about not resuming fire.


    There was no way; firing now would indeed be like adding fuel to the fire, and he wasn''t ready to light himself up to illuminate others.


    "His Majesty promises, if you return fire, you''ll be rewarded with 500 Gold Coins, and the gunners will receive an additional 1000 Gold Coins!" The messenger officer, out of options, promised a hefty reward.


    As the saying goes, generous rewards bring out brave deeds, and throughout history, there have always been those willing to risk their lives for a few coins.


    Unfortunately, themander of the artillery before him remained unmoved. "Ha... Earning that money is one thing, but you have to be alive to spend it, don''t you!"


    While speaking, he nced at a body that nobody had tended to yet¡ªits head was sted open, a gruesome sight to behold.


    "His Majesty orders you to keep firing! If you disobey... I will..." The King''s confidant clenched his teeth and decided to threaten.


    "How dare you send us to our deaths?" the deputymander of the artillery battery, who was standing behind, couldn''t hold back any longer. With a loud shout, he drew his Longsword and struck at the King''s confidant.


    The King''s confidant was caughtpletely off guard, and just as he turned around, a sword pierced through his chest. He clutched the de, staring at his assant in disbelief, "You! You dare... You dare to rebel! The King... His Majesty will not let you go...


    you..."


    He wanted to say more, but his opponent kicked him in the stomach, using the momentum to pull out his Longsword, and blood spurted out, leaving even the artillerymander stunned on the spot.

 Chapter 312: 308 self-detonation

    "Sir! If this man lives, we''ll all die here!" The aide-de-camp dropped his own sidearm and, staring at his superior officer, began to exin.


    Behind him, several officers and the nearby soldiers were also standing there in a daze, waiting for their immediate superior to say something.


    "s..." The head artillerymander also knew that during such turbulent times, if they truly wanted to y the role of loyal subjects and valiant generals willing to die for their country, that would be fine, but what they feared was being both covetous of life and afraid of death while not wanting to be held ountable afterward.


    He had given the order to fire the cannons earlier, intending that when it came time for retribution after the fact, those on the artillery tform above and below could have an exnation.


    After all, we did fire the cannons. It''s not that we didn''t fight; it''s just that we didn''t dare to fight¡ªthere''s a difference there.


    But now, it seemed that things had taken a different turn¡ªthey had killed the King''s confidant, and once such an act was defined, it would be considered rebellion and revolt, with no good end in sight.


    After heaving a sigh, themander already had a countermeasure in mind and spoke, "We never saw this man! Understand?"


    After all, with the current chaos outside on the streets, it wouldn''t be strange for a military officer sent with a message to meet with some ident, alive without a trace, dead without a body.


    "As long as we stick to this story! We can save our lives!" He looked at those soldiers who were still somewhat hesitant, contemting whether to silence them permanently when the critical moment came.


    However, those people soon nodded¡ªthey too did not want to face that terrifying fleet in cannon fire, having already suffered a disastrous defeat previously.


    The enemy''s cannons were not only precise, but their power was also "terrifyingly immense"; one shell of shrapnel could blow an entire section of the artillery wall to pieces.


    "Understood!" A few officers, obviously quicker on the uptake, hastily nodded in agreement.


    "Understood!" Those soldiers were a bit slower to react, but all nodded in assent, nheless.


    The artillerymander, preupied with figuring out how to dispose of the body without being discovered, hadn''t continued to issue orders, when he heard his aide-de-camp say, "Sir, what if the King sends someone elseter? What do we do then?"


    His words startled everyone, and the faint joy of not having to continue firing was swept away in an instant.


    Indeed, if the King sent one person, and they imed to have not seen him, it was inconsequential; idents happen.


    But if the King sent a second person, or if that second person came with attendants, then how would they exin themselves?


    For a moment, everyone was at a loss, anxiously anticipating the arrival of the next royal messenger.


    "Do you have any good ideas?" The artillerymander looked at his aide-de-camp and asked. After all, it was his aide-de-camp who had killed the man, so if there was a difficult problem, he should be the one to think of a solution, shouldn''t he?


    After pondering for a few seconds, the aide-de-camp then turned to his superior officer and fiercely suggested, "Why not... blow up the artillery tform!"


    This was like draining the pond to get the fish¡ªonce the artillery waspletely gone, they wouldn''t be forced to fire anymore!


    However, thinking about his service of more than a decade there, the artillerymander couldn''t help but inhale sharply with reluctance.


    But he quickly came around¡ªthe option did seem like a way to cover everything up.


    As long as they blew up the artillery themselves, they wouldn''t have to hide the fact that they encountered the King''s messenger¡ªthey could just blow up the body along with the ck gunpowder, and it would truly be a case closed without evidence, ending it once and for all.


    That way, they would be seen as loyally executing His Majesty''s order, perfectly matching his earlier intention when ordering the tform to fire¡ªit would preserve their reputation and prevent any risk.


    Hence, he nodded, surprisingly agreeing with the aide-de-camp''s suggestion in principle, "Alright! We''ll do as you said!"


    Far in the distance, the sea was still filled with booming cannon fire, and more and more pirs of fire and smoke rose from the city. Civilians, packed together as they ran for their lives on the streets, were nowpletely devoid of order.


    Quickly, they dumped the body of the king''s trusted envoy into the storage chamber for ck gunpowder. With the artillery tform littered with bodies from the recent fierce battle, no one found it odd to see a few men carrying a corpse passing by.


    Then, they loaded about half of the cannons with gunpowder and haphazardly set them off, destroying the cannons.


    With each st, everyone thought that the artillery was firing again. Some Taren Kingdom soldiers and officers holding out on the city walls even let out bursts of cheers.


    They thought their reinforcements had arrived, that the tform was still able to return fire amidst the mes and ck smoke, lifting their martial spirits.


    Unfortunately, before their cheers hadpletely subsided, an earth-shattering explosion came from the direction of the artillery tform.


    ```


    For a moment, the ground beneath their feet shook violently as huge stone bs, several meters long used in the construction of the battery, were hurled into the air, and countless dirt and sand surged up hundreds of meters high.


    Then, rocks and soil began to fall from the sky, some even drifting to the ramparts where the soldiers defending the city were stationed.


    Those soldiers of the Taren Kingdom, who had just a second ago been waving their arms in cheer, hadn''t even managed to lower their arms before they werepletely dumbfounded by the scene unfolding before them.


    From their viewpoint, they saw the majority of the battery explode into the air and amidst the flying debris, a heavy cannon seemed as insignificant as a stick.


    The magazine, storing the ammunition for dozens of cannons, had ignited ten tons of gunpowder in a spectacr fireworks disy. The defenders of the battery, who hadn''t run far, had grossly underestimated the power of the explosion they had ignited.


    But to everyone''s eyes, it was as if the battery was returning fire, and then the enemy warships fired back. The defenders heroically held on until, tragically, a shot hit the ammunition depot...


    Bernard was stunned. He looked at the distance where the explosions and the fire had already rendered the shore batteries a terrible sight, and then turned to his deputy: "Which warship is still bombarding in the direction of the battery?"


    "No idea, sir. A few minutes ago, the enemy battery returned fire again, with only a few cannons firing. We weren''t really threatened, so we didn''t order the warships to suppress..." The deputy also wore a dazed expression.


    "So they blew themselves up?" Bernard said incredulously. Unbeknownst to him, he had actually stumbled upon the truth.


    "Perhaps it was a mishandling... In the chaos, they ignited their own ammunition store," his deputy offered an exnation for the enemy.


    Bernard nodded and did not waste any more time on this topic. Whether that battery was there or destroyed, it really didn''t hinder his determination to attack King City of Taren forcefully.


    The King of Taren watched the distant firing battery through a telescope from the highest building in his Royal Pce.


    After seeing shes of gunfire and hearing the familiar boom of cannons, His Majesty contentedly set down his telescope.


    He turned to his Prime Minister, pointed towards the direction of the distant battery, and boasted with a smile to his minister, "Do you see that? Do you see that! Within my generals, there are still those who are loyal! There are those who can fight tough battles!"


    In reality, everyone knew all too well that the one who could truly fight was the Navy General Valen, whose whereabouts and condition were unknown...


    As for the general defending the battery, who knew why he could act so brave and loyal...


    While several high officials were pondering to themselves, the battery that had been sporadically firing suddenly erupted in mes, and a segment of the wall was sted into the air.


    Everyone''s eyes widened in shock, then they too began to shake and sway. Taren''s Prime Minister lost his footing and fell to the ground; he even saw the water in the cup on the table in front of him trembling.


    Then came the st wave that hit them in the face. It had lessened in intensity by the time it reached the Royal Pce.


    The sound of the explosion nearly pierced everyone''s ears simultaneously, and that infuriating roar drowned out all other noises in an instant.


    Even the oppressive thunder of the cannons from the sea, which had weighed heavily on everyone until now, seemed to fade away at that moment.


    Ignoring his image, King Taren X, having just steadied himself, looked eagerly towards the direction of his battery.


    Thereafter, he saw the towering smoke and the unrecognizable ruins of the destroyed battery. At that moment, he felt his heart bleeding.


    Just a second ago, he was praising the general who manned the battery. Just a second ago, he was boasting that he finally had a reliable support.


    Then, in the next second, it seemed that his capable minister was blown sky-high, and his hopes appeared to have been obliterated in that thunderous st.


    "What''s going on...?" he muttered, staggering towards the window. The Prime Minister, who had just risen from the ground, quickly grabbed the sleeve of the seemingly frenzied King Taren X.


    If not for his exceptional reaction, King Taren X would have be a king who died by jumping from a building in a fallen kingdom.


    "Hurry! Go see! Go check the battery! See what has happened!" ordered Taren X hysterically, having been jolted back to reality by being held back.


    The Prime Minister, who had not let go of the King''s hand until now, was also slightly dazed, for he had subconsciouslye to realize that the Taren Kingdom... might have cooled off just like that battery!


    Before, he had not imagined that the enemy''s Navy would be so powerful¡ªhe even thought that, even with the enemy''s blockade, there would be enough time for them to manage.


    But he never anticipated that the enemy''s blockade would be so... unreasonable.


    "Your Majesty! Send someone to sue for peace now! If we dy, it might be toote!" The Prime Minister, having regained his senses, immediately cried out with inexplicable sorrow.


    ```

 Chapter 313 The Turmoil of the 309 Cities

    ```


    Negotiating peace is never an easy task, especially when the enemy has reached your doorstep. Treaties like the Pact of Chanyuan, those made under the city walls, and at Bianqiao Bridge... all were signed from a position of weakness.


    Think about it, it''s quite realistic: when someone has a cleaver at your neck and killing isn''t considered a crime, who would willingly let it go so easily?


    So, at such times, it''s definitely a matter of paying up if you have money, giving away your daughter if you have one... As for having nothing, kneeling and calling out ''dad'' twice surely isn''t shameful.


    After all, survival is what truly matters. The Song Dynasty managed to wear down the Liao with the Pact of Chanyuan, and the Tang Dynasty ensnared the Turks with the Pact of Bianqiao Bridge, because having a glimmer of hope is still having hope to some extent.


    But when you''re on the receiving end of a beating, negotiating peace with the enemy bes an art of finesse.


    Take this case, for instance, when the Taren Kingdom faced the warships of the Great Tang Group stationed outside its King City, it found thatmunicating properly with the adversary was seemingly impossible...


    The King sent out his envoy, determined to have a proper discussion with the enemymander, only to have the white-gged sailboat sunk midway as soon as it set sail.


    Consequently, it wasn''t easy to find another captain with the guts to venture out to sea with his men, even with a reward raised to 200 Gold Coins.


    There was no choice in the matter; after all, the old saying goes, one must be alive to spend money after earning it.


    In such an almost certain death situation, no one would jest with their life, and everyone could only feign ignorance, helplessly watching their harbored ships being sunk by enemy vessels.


    Panic has already spread throughout the city, with many people beginning to flee outside the city walls. Those with money and influence had estates outside the city and were naturally taking refuge there.


    Soon, King Taren X realized, to his astonishment, that he couldn''t even gather all his ministers anymore.


    There was no helping it¡ªsome were genuinely killed by the bombardments, some had fled, others were too scared to leave their homes, and the rest were truly ill and couldn''t get up.


    All things considered, the state of the country seemed to be copsing, and King Taren X was utterly unable to stop this process. He couldn''t even control his own military anymore.


    The new barracks outside the city had been emptied, and even though the soldiers stationed within the city included both new recruits and veterans, most had already disintegrated.


    Even if some units were still holding their ground, there were no suitable orders left to give them.


    After all, it seems they could maintain their integrity by staying put, but if you asked them to move, who could guarantee they wouldn''t disband en route?


    Thus, the best strategy wasn''t to mobilize these still existing troops but to have them stand their ground in their current positions and maintain a state of immobility...


    However, the reality was troops dwindling as the days passed, the enemy''s attacks weren''t inconsequential. Those stationed on the city walls were being drained, their remaining survivors scattering.


    Thus, the city''s military strength was diminishing, and now all that King Taren X could control was his guard, about 1000 men or two battalions'' worth of power.


    This was hisst bastion, the reason he had been able to sit securely in his Royal Pce so far.


    Without these troops, the routed soldiers and frenzied refugees could have surged into the Royal Pce to loot and plunder, just as they were doing outside.


    At this moment, the smoke billowing inside Taren King City wasn''t solely caused by artillery fire; some of it was ignited deliberately.


    These defeated soldiers and refugees stirring chaos within the city walls would often barge into houses to loot, kill, and vite women, seizing the chaos to do things they desired yetcked the courage to do before.


    The destruction they caused was ten, even a hundred times greater than the damage wrought by the furious cannons of the warships.


    It was these scattered troops that were turning Taren King City into a living hell, the consequence of hurriedly summoning thousands of inexperienced, untrained recruits into the city.


    Crying and shouting gradually began to surge uncontrobly; children were screaming in terror, and some not-so-sturdy buildings copsed amidst the bombardments, dust filling the streets strewn with corpses in various attire.


    "Move aside! Everyone move out of the way!" On the fleeing carriage, a steward brandished a Left-Wheel Handgun made by Shireck, loudly demanding the chaotic throng blocking the road to clear a path.


    These utterly panicked civilians had no time to heed him, clutching their valuables, dragging their children, slowly shoving and wriggling forward.


    "Bang!" Atst, the frustrated and helpless steward couldn''t restrain himself and pulled the trigger. A gunshot echoed through the streets as a woman screamed and fell to the ground.


    The bundle in her arms spilled out, with seven or eight silver coins and a few dozen copper coins scattering about, instantly stirring the crowd.


    Some, shocked by the gunshots, began to jostle left and right, while others bent down to scramble for the spilled coins, crawling and rolling over each other.


    ```


    No one paid any attention to the woman whose chest kept spurting fresh blood; her child beside her didn''t even have a chance to cry out before being knocked down and swallowed by the crowd.


    "Don''t grab! Mine! Mine!" A greedy man snatched up a silver coin and suddenly looked up, realizing that he was right next to the carriage that was taking the opportunity to move forward.


    He saw an old woman adorned in gold and silver inside the carriage and also saw a noble lord of high standing. Greed and madness finally made him forget all cowardice and fear, and he grabbed hold of the carriage door.


    "They have money! They have money!" Someone amongst themoners had the same thought, and from within them came a shriek that incited the others¡ªa sound that made the poor boil over with excitement.


    Consequently, an uncountable mass of people began to charge toward the carriage, and the whole vehicle started to shake from the onught.


    "Bang!" The steward on the carriage aimed at a beggar crowding around the side of the carriage and shot him. The old beggar didn''t even have the chance to fall; he was carried along by the surrounding people as he sprayed blood, and his screams were instantly drowned out by the frenzied shouts of the crowd.


    "Crash!" The carriage windows were smashed in, terrifying the women inside.


    The noble lord inside the carriage was also wielding a handgun, firing at the hands that had already reached into the carriage.


    Amidst the shaking carriage, a filthy hand seized the arm of a noblewoman, who couldn''t help but let out a piercing scream, "Ahh!"


    Apanied by her screams, a series of gunshots rang out.


    Themoner who had been shot still had his hand hanging inside the carriage, his body unable to fall due to the pressing crowd, while more and more people shook the carriage with reckless abandon.


    Eventually, the nobleman, who had fired six shots, realized his handgun was now empty, and the steward on the carriage had also run out of bullets.


    Stumbling and losing his footing, the old steward fell from the carriage,nding directly on the heads of the surrounding crowd. Those who were desperately looting didn''t even bother to step aside; instead, they lifted him up and began going through his pockets.


    The gold coins he had hidden in his pockets were snatched away, and the sterling silver pocket watch he cherished vanished in an instant.


    Even his buttons were ripped from his clothes within two seconds, and the holster from his coat pocket along with any leftover bullets were taken as well.


    Soon, his handgun was stolen, his clothes were torn to shreds, and, ultimately, he was thrown to the ground. Before he could plead for mercy, someone stepped on his mouth.


    Feet were on his stomach, on his chest, and as he tried to use his arms to protect his head, they were blocked by the countless thrashing legs.


    In just a few seconds, he was trampled to death beside the carriage.


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    At that moment, the carriage door, under extreme pressure, was finally broken through as a man was shoved inside. He managed to grab hold of ady''s leg, smearing his saliva on her shoe.


    The nobleman then finally realized that if he did not do something immediately, he was sure to die right there, so he pulled out gold coins from his pocket and threw them desperately out of the carriage.


    The people preparing to enter the carriage began scrambling for these coins, and those attempting to rush the carriage seemed to slow down.


    But quickly, he found the gold coins he brought were too few. He even stripped off his family ring and threw it outside the carriage.


    Then, he found that those who had stormed the carriage were frantically searching his pockets. He raised his foot and kicked one in the stomach.


    When he tried to kick again, he was choked from the other side¡ªa grip tightened around his neck. In an instant, all he felt was fear, his hands desperately trying to grab the muscr arms strangling him.


    By now, he was oblivious to his wife, whose clothes had been torn open; he tried to breathe but couldn''t wrench free from the arms that hadbored over the years.


    Soon, his legs had nothing left but the power to fumble blindly, while the woman beside him had already fallen silent.


    The carriage could not withstand anymore and toppled over, crashing down on the civilians on the other side.


    In the ensuing chaos, all the lootingmoners realized something: those high and mighty nobles, along with their fiercely loyal and ruthless henchmen, seemed... utterly defenseless!


    Thus, these bloodied drifters continued their rampage, smashing the doors and windows of nearby buildings, bursting into rooms to find whatever they desired.


    If the owners were home, they killed them. If the houses were empty, they simply took whatever they saw.


    These people moved in packs, some even wearing the Taren Kingdom military uniforms and carrying Shireck''s flintlock guns.


    Armed with guns, bays, and longswords, they gradually joined with other robbers and the shattered troops, bing a band of bandits no ordinary citizen could withstand alone.

 Chapter 314 Addicted to 310

    In such circumstances, it had be impossible for King Taren the Tenth to continue controlling his own city.


    The nobility, especially the lower nobility, no longer dared to move about freely within the city. Some of them had watched, with their own eyes, as noble caravans were robbed clean by deserting soldiers and rioting citizens.


    Naturally, they dared not leave their homes anymore. Within their own estates, relying on their strongmen to guard the gates or secure the mansion castles, they still had some defensive capabilities; once outside, they became fish on the chopping block, awaiting ughter.


    The high social status and ss divisions they once relied upon were now cast aside by the rioting citizens and deserting soldiers, their eyes red with killing.


    Without the deterrent ofw, without the constraint of reason, andcking the protection of guns and Longswords, these parasites on society''s branches had nothing left but cowardice and baseness.


    Chaos was everywhere, the King''s orders could no longer be delivered, and the garrison forces were each fighting their own battles, with mostmanders unable to restrain their troops anymore.


    Meanwhile, at the same time, an officer sent by King Taren the Tenth to inspect the artillery battery, along with his guard, finally reached the vicinity of the ruined battery.


    Frankly, he himself knew thating here to inspect was actually pointless¡ªalong the way, having seen countless deserting soldiers and rioting citizens, he was already well aware that everything was out of control.


    Even if he did notice something odd at this point, what courage would he have to question the artillery defenders? With what clout could he issue orders to a bunch of unruly soldiers?


    If they took a dislike to him, who would care if he was shot dead amidst the chaos? The authority he represented was a tiger''s skin in normal times, but now it was nothing.


    However, when he found the artillery defenders stationed in ce, he was still shocked by the scene before him.


    Unlike what he had imagined, these defending soldiers were covered in dust, and many were even injured. Most of them looked quite wretched, as if they were a group of down-and-out refugees.


    Besides having more survivors than expected, observing these soldiers, they indeed seemed like heroes who had fought bravely to the very end.


    No joke, these soldiers had indeed fought, and had fought hard. Their battery had only exploded and be inoperable, but their valor had left a deep impression.


    "Sir, you''ve worked hard!" The second inmand from the King, moved almost to the point of tears, grabbed the hand of the artillerymander and chokingly offered his condolences.


    He even noticed that themander''s hands were covered with small cuts, clearly abrasions from falling¡ªthe traces of a tumble.


    "What did you say? Louder! My ears!" themander pointed to his own ears and shouted back loudly.


    The representative of the King, the second inmand, faltered slightly, nodded, and then began to shout, "I will certainly tell His Majesty the King! We must reward you loyal and brave soldiers well!"


    The artillery deputymander beside him was startled, hearing the other''s shouts, and thinking to himself that this second inmand sent by the King was also an Academy Award-level actor! A true talent!


    Although it indeed was the time to appear sincerely concerned, the acting was almost too convincing.


    It seemed the other side was also full of the will to survive, afraid of letting slip any hints of their issues, which might lead to them being stealthily killed by these soldier ruffians.


    What he didn''t know was that it was actually their own performance that had been too convincing, masking all clues and leaving no chance for the other side to detect anything amiss.


    Because they had severely underestimated the explosive power of the munitions, they were not far away when the battery exploded.


    More than a dozen unfortunate soldiers were genuinely killed by the explosives they had lit themselves, and a dozen more were genuinely sted with internal injuries.


    Of course, there were even more with lighter injuries, and unknowingly, they had used their own errors to create the most authentic impression of a defeat.


    No one would have thought they could be so ruthless in their acting, willing to risk blowing themselves up to cover up the fact that they had flinched in battle... Such a thing was simply too fantastical.


    They weren''t pretending, they were for real! Even themander''s deafness was the genuine article... a real injury!


    What''s more amusing is that not only were the injuries severe, but the appearance of these artillery defenders was also superbly made up.


    Because they were too close, they were covered in ayer of ash, looking as if they had crawled back from hell itself.


    Most of their uniforms had be unrecognizable, and on some of their faces, the blood had mixed with the dust,manding respect from onlookers.


    This was far better than domestically-produced anti-Japanese war dramas, absolute high-fidelity prop quality, with perfect marks for costume, makeup, and set design...


    So, despite there being just a hint of discrepancy in the number of survivors, in this moment when no one was scrutinizing the details, such a minor slip-up was insignificant.


    This was precisely why, in the eyes of the King''s trusted confidant Number Two, with his bright red eyes, these people were undeniably the Kingdom''s most trustworthy and brave loyalists.


    "Everyone has worked hard! Worked hard! His Majesty the King will not forget your contributions! There will definitely be rewards! Definitely!" Completely moved, thinking he had found his organization, the King''s trusted confidant Number Two felt instantly assured of his safety.


    Standing among such a group of patriots and valorous warriors loyal to the King, what else was there for him to worry about? Apart from the Royal Pce, this was the safest ce at the moment, wasn''t it?


    With this thought, he instinctively puffed out his chest, speaking with a few degrees more bravado than before.


    "Hmm?" Hearing news of rewards from His Majesty the King, a group of gunners with guilty consciences were momentarily stunned.


    They were unclear about the situation and even suspected the other party of spouting nonsense to deceive them¡ªno joke, the artillery position was lost under their watch, right? How could they not only avoid me but also receive money as a reward?


    Fearing that it was a trick to appease them for the moment, then preparing to question them with an armyter, some of the artillery officers even began exchanging nces.


    "This, this... we lost the artillery position..." The artillerymander felt a bit awkward, guiltily reminding and preparing to exin.


    The other party still casually waved his hand, excitedly exining, "General, don''t mind it! The city is already inplete chaos."


    "Even now, there''s no news from the city walls! Everywhere there are deserters, groups of dozens or hundreds robbing homes,pletelywless!" The King''s trusted confidant Number Two, while moved, gestured towards the smoke billowing more and more from the distant city.


    Then, turning his attention back to the artillery soldiers, he cursed through clenched teeth, "The refugees and bandits show no regard for thew, even daring to ambush the Nobility. Almost all the roads are impassable, and I too faced countless dangers on my way here..."


    "General, at this moment, finding loyal officers and capable soldiers the King can rely on is a stroke of luck amidst misfortune!" Here, the King''s trusted confidant Number Two couldn''t help but be emotionally stirred.


    After expressing his emotions, he didn''t forget to deliver what he thought was a spectacr ttery, "The Taren Kingdom is blessed by the gods to have a loyal and good officer like you, General, and so many courageous and fearless soldiers!"


    "So, rest assured! Once you and I return, I will definitely speak well of you to His Majesty... When the timees... General, you must not forget about this little brother of yours."


    Uh... was there a mistake somewhere? The artillerymander, whose ears were still not functioning well, hadn''t quite grasped what he''d just heard.


    "Wait, what did you just say?" Suddenly, he realized something, turning to look at the King''s trusted confidant Number Two who was cozying up to establish a connection.


    "Ah... it seems the General''s ear injuries are still severe! I said... once you and I return..." The King''s trusted confidant Number Two looked sympathetically once more at the artillerymander''s ears, noticing the dried blood beneath them, and became even more convinced in his judgment. Your next read is at empire


    "I''m going back with you?" Pointing incredulously at himself, the artillerymander seized the key point, looking somewhat bemused.


    He didn''t want to go to the Royal Pce, which seemed even more dangerous at the moment! He wanted to stay here by the destroyed artillery position, doing nothing but waiting for an oue, alright?


    The King''s trusted confidant Number Two, thinking that the other party was shocked by his own surprise, proudly repeated, "Yes! Not just you, but all these elite soldiers will return with me! To defend the Royal Pce! To fight the enemy to the death!"


    "Fight to the death?" Hearing these words, almost all of the artillery''s officers and soldiers were taken aback. To defend an artillery position that they themselves had blown up in a fiery self-destruction, nearly losing their lives, and now to guard the Royal Pce?


    "Yes! Fight the enemy warships to the death! Rest assured, General, the King feels the same as you; he will not surrender!" Feeling that he grasped the key point appealing to everyone present, the King''s trusted confidant Number Two started to embellish his own tale.


    Bloody fight to the death, hell with not surrendering like you! Themander inwardly cursed non-stop and turned away, ncing at his adjutant.


    "What should we do now?" he signaled with a look to his adjutant.


    "Who knows, we''ve overyed it, everything else is so pitiful, and now we''ve somehow shown our faces..." The adjutant made a helpless expression, conveying his speechless sentiment.


    "I don''t know either... who would have thought these rascals wouldn''t even act..." The artillerymander took the cue, slightly shaking his head.


    Then he nced at the King''s trusted confidant Number Two, "I need to give some instructions to my adjutant! We''ll set off right away!"


    After saying this, he pulled the adjutant aside, making a throat-slitting gesture behind their backs, "Otherwise... if we''re going to do it, let''s not stop halfway..."


    "Ah?" The adjutant grimaced... You started it, and now you''re addicted to killing?

 Chapter 315 Prime Ministers Uncle 311

    Brunas, inside the office building of the Great Tang Group''s factory area, a chubby man walked into Tang Mo''s office with John apanying him.


    He curiously surveyed the bookshelves that had already been cleared out by half, looking somewhat confusedly at the Elf John who had been apanying him in all sorts of dining and entertainment in Bruna: "What''s going on? Is Mr. Tang moving?"


    "Yes, our headquarters is nning to relocate to Dragon Ind and is currently preparing for it," John replied with a smile.


    "You''re leaving such a bustling ce?" The chubby man could not hide his disbelief as he continued to ask, "Is Dragon Ind better?"


    "At least in the future nning, Dragon Ind is indeed a better choice," John did not hide his longing for Dragon Ind.


    There, it would be the beacon of this world, the most prosperous ce in the entire world, the pinnacle of technological development!


    While the two were talking, Harry helped push open the door for Tang Mo, who entered the room with Wes, who was almost always by his side.


    "Wee! Mr. Mo Kangsen," Tang Mo greeted warmly as he entered.


    The man named Mo Kangsen, who was over forty and quite portly, jiggled all over as he smiled: "I assume you must be Mr. Tang Mo! It''s really great to meet you!"


    "Have you been enjoying yourself here, Ambassador?" Tang Mo gave a token hug to the man, realizing that even with arms wide open, his hands could not reach the other''s back at the same time.


    He didn''t actually want to embrace the other man with true fervor, so he just posed and stepped back.


    "Of course! It''s been very enjoyable!" Mo Kangsen excitedly began to describe all that he had seen and done in Bruna.


    This ce could indeed be described as the most modern, avant-garde metropolis in the entire world. Even the sewer system, which had justpleted a 50% overhaul, was enough to make other cities go mad with envy.


    Because of the sewer system, the streets here were impably clean; because of the electric lights, it was truly a city that never slept!


    This was also the capital of fashion, the capital of technology! Cutting-edge clothing that you couldn''t see elsewhere filled the streets here, and the telephone, an unthinkable luxury in other ces, could also asionally be seen here.


    One could responsibly say that after living here for some time, going anywhere else was practically like going to jail¡ªexcept for Dragon City.


    "Believe me! This is nothing like what I imagined! It''s too bustling here, even more so than Ndu City..." Thus, Mo Kangsen was not stingy with his praise.


    Like New York in the 20th century, this was a paradise for the rich! As long as you had money, you could find unimaginable pleasures here.


    Every time he recalled the wonderful experiences he had these days, things he had never experienced before, Mo Kangsen felt a bit nostalgic.


    Waving his arms, he was like a three-hundred-pound child: "To be honest, at first I thought this was just a slightly famous backwater town, but who would''ve thought it would be so much fun."


    "I''m d you like it," Tang Mo said with a smile as he watched Mo Kangsen''s gestures.


    Remembering how he had spent money like water in the casino, and the awed looks from the people around him, Mo Kangsen began to feel a bit heady.


    However, his gambling luck was indeed poor; he hadn''t only lost the several thousand Gold Coins he brought but also umted a huge gambling debt.


    He wasn''t worried about this debt; although it wasn''t a small amount for him, it wasn''t enough to break the bank.


    Nevertheless, he was very grateful to Tang Mo for the hospitality shown to him here, so he asked, "I lost 30,000 Gold Coins in a casino here, and I heard that you generously wrote off my debt?"


    "It was a trifle," Tang Mo said as his smile widened.


    Mo Kangsen didn''t care much either; he knew Tang Mo was trying to curry favor with him, so he just nodded and went on, "The girls here are pretty good too, I almost died in bed from enjoyment. But I liked it, and I''ve already paid for several of them, so now I owe an additional 20,000 Gold Coins."


    Just as expected, Tang Mo kept up his generosity: "By the time you walk out of this room, your debt will have flown away again."


    "You truly are a straightforward man," Mo Kangsen continued to nod, seemingly not taking the 50,000 Gold Coins seriously at all.


    Because he knew, no matter how much Tang Mo spent on him, he would make Tang Mo earn it back manifold in the future.


    That is the joy that power brings.


    Of course, what came before was just the groundwork, and Tang Mo understood all too well the role of adding flowers to the brocade. This wasn''t his first time bribing someone, so naturally, he was well-versed in it.


    So he continued to shell out money without hesitation, "Not just that, Mr. Mo Kangsen, you will also find that no matter where you borrow money in Brunas, someone will lend it to you..."


    Initially taken aback, Mo Kangsen soon felt a sense of pleasure as if he was being pampered, "Uh... hahahahaha! I''ve never been so happy! Really! They often bribe me with money, but I''ve never felt so delighted to take a bribe. You are quite an interesting person, Mr.


    Tang Mo."


    Just as he mentioned, numerous people had given him money before, but this time he took it with the most joy and a sense of aplishment.


    "As long as you''re happy," Tang Mo remarked with an air of nonchnce.


    He hadn''t sat down since he walked into the room, and now he made a weing gesture, "I''ve heard that you''re quite fond of the cars produced by Great Tang Group?"


    "Absolutely! I''m interested in that Rolls... Roll, Rolls What''s-it-called... yes, Rolls-Royce car of yours! I heard they are expensive, and I want to buy one," eximed Mo Kangsen, moving closer to Tang Mo while deliberately emphasizing, "I will buy it!"


    "Follow me!" Tang Mo led Mo Kangsen out of his office and down to his private underground garage, where he had Harry and Wes help unveil a newly hand-built car parked inside.


    This was a Rolls-Royce Phantom MkIII, which had essentially transcended the category of civilian sedans and had be a true luxury item.


    Tang Mo didn''t beat around the bush and introduced, "This is thetest model Rolls-Royce! It hasn''t even hit the market yet, so it is practically priceless."


    "It''s so beautiful; to me, it is simply a work of art," said Mo Kangsen, visibly stunned by the car in front of him, having never seen one as beautiful before.


    After Harry finished detailing the performance to Tang Mo, Mo Kangsen grew even fonder of the yet-to-be-released car.


    He reached out with affection to touch the glossy paintwork but seemed afraid to make contact with something so beautiful, as if he was a stranger to such elegance.


    In truth, he had seen many rare treasures, but those paled inparison to this car that symbolized the pinnacle of industrial achievement.


    To Tang Mo, industrial products were nothing special. He ran his hand over the streamlined hubcap on the wheel, "The entire body has been polished and waxed, giving off a soft glow! Its ck color is a byword for elegance, its sleek lines are proof of its mastery over the wind."


    "The way you describe it, it looks even more beautiful... truly stunning..." Mo Kangsen was fixated on the car and praised it, "It''s more beautiful than any car I''ve seen before! I dare say if it goes on sale, a veryrge number of people would be willing to pay for it."


    "Are you saying, people would really be willing to pay a price of 10,000 Gold Coins for a car?" Tang Mo asked, looking at Mo Kangsen.


    "That expensive?" Mo Kangsen was surprised but then quickly nodded in agreement with Tang Mo''s asking price, "Indeed... you get what you pay for... it''d be an all-around pleasure to ride in this car."


    "It has a veryrge trunk," said Tang Mo as he introduced the car, opening the trunk to show, "I usually keep some little things in here that everyone likes."


    The entire trunk was stuffed with shimmering Gold Coins. The densely packed, full-color coins arranged together were indeed somewhat astonishing at first nce.


    Startled by the sight of the glinting Gold Coins, Mo Kangsen couldn''t help but draw a sharp breath.


    He looked away from the coins to the Tang Mo beside him, "What... what are you implying here?"


    "The car is yours now!" Tang Mo shut the trunk lid and patted the car twice, generously stating.


    Having no particr feeling for the coins but truly loving the car, Mo Kangsen''s face brightened with a smile, and he rubbed his hands together, hesitant to refuse, "Mr. Tang... this, how can I ept this..."


    "There''s nothing to feel embarrassed about. I know about your influence within the Empire of Na, your uncle is the Prime Minister, and your daughter is the Imperial Concubine of the Empire..." Tang Mo waved his hand dismissively as he revealed Mo Kangsen''s identity.


    As the envoy representing the Empire of Na in Brunas, Mo Kangsen''s smile grew even brighter, aware his status justified the value, and he was extremely pleased.


    However, Mo Kangsen, who was long ustomed to countless bribes, stillvished his admiration on the brand new Rolls-Royce after looking it over for a while, touching the car as he asked, "The money from Mr. Tang... I guess, isn''t so easy to take, right?"


    Tang Moughed, gesturing and saying, "It''s not as difficult as you think... If the Empire of Na sends a gift at the coronation ceremony of Leines I, Your Majesty, the Great Tang Group can be a great friend to you."


    "Hmm?" Having already discussed these matters at length with Harry, Mo Kangsen''s attention was captured by the word ''friend''.


    Tang Mo continued, "I presume, Mr. Mo Kangsen, that you also wish to further advance your position?"


    "Tell me more, I am very interested in these matters," said Mo Kangsen as he opened the car door, touched the leather seats, and expressed contentment.

 Chapter 316 Not everyone has a good uncle like 312.

    Tang Mo put forward his bargaining chip; he was prepared to support Mo Kangsen''s rise to be the new Prime Minister of the Empire of Na, "If, I mean if, Your Excellency could acquire enough money, could you perhaps exert a bit more effort in certain areas? Your uncle is nearly 70 years old; you can''t live under his wings forever..."


    "You''re prepared to support me as the Empire''s Prime Minister?" Mo Kangsen finally looked at Tang Mo, with a face full of surprise.


    Tang Mo then tossed out more of his bargaining chips, making Mo Kangsen''s heart falter, "Not only that, I can also support your daughter to have a smoother journey in vying for favor..."


    "The car''s not bad." After closing the car door, Mo Kangsen gave apliment.


    This too was an attitude, one that epted cooperation.


    Knowing the cooperation was secured, Tang Mo followed with a smile, "Yes, the car''s not bad."


    "The Empire of Na doesn''t have time to prepare a generous gift," Mo Kangsen finally began to talk business.


    With a wave of his hand, Harry came over carrying a suitcase that had been prepared aside, "No worries, here are 200,000 Gold Coins. A state gift only needs 150,000; I think that''s enough, don''t you?"


    Mo Kangsen looked satisfied as he watched Harry open the suitcase to reveal neatly stacked Brunas banknotes. He nodded, knowing that with these notes in Brunas, he could buy anything, "You''re very smart! Has anyone ever told you that, Lord Tang Mo?"


    Tang Mo did not speak; he had heard too much of this kind of praise, mere idle words, and anyone who took them seriously was a real fool.


    Mo Kangsen also didn''t linger on Tang Mo''s silence and continued to address the real issues, "On this visit, I represent the Empire''s gesture of goodwill to the Great Tang Group. As an Empire, we don''t intend to ce all of our hope in one spot, so the Shireck Consortium, as well as the Great Tang Group¡­ We will purchase from both."


    He knew that to be the Prime Minister of the Empire of Na, he needed the support of financial backers like the Great Tang Group, and he must do more for such supporters as well.


    In addition to indulging in luxury and nearly dying from debauchery during these days, he had actually attended to some serious matters.


    For instance, he visited the factories of the Great Tang Group, where he saw the munitions being produced, and also inspected the shipyards. The most advanced weapons and equipment in the world left a deep impression on him.


    The Empire of Na had dispatched Mo Kangsen to Brunas with another mission, which was to inspect the Great Tang Group and prepare for a series of arms trade deals with them.


    Tang Mo nodded; having given out so much in bribes, naturally he wanted to see a return on his investment. He was a businessman, not a phnthropist.


    So, when the other party brought up the matter of arms procurement, he responded quite naturally, "I''ve heard, but I have great confidence in my products."


    "It will be a fairpetition. The Empire''snd forces are about to be equipped with new rifles, and we are very interested in the new weapons from the Great Tang Group," Mo Kangsen leaned on the car as he spoke to Tang Mo.


    For an Empire, rearming is certainly a big affair -- more troops often meant arger procurement budget, likewise meaning greater profits and more under-the-table dealings.


    Recing the weaponry for several hundred thousand troops isn''t a small matter; any arms dealer would do whatever it takes to secure such business.


    Normally, an Empire''s rearmament wouldn''t be so urgent because they have many soldiers, and typically only a part of their weaponry is reced each year, spreading the rearmament over several years.


    However, because the Great Tang Group had driven a revolution in weaponry, a series of victories and the rise of the Leite Kingdom had made the Empire of Na feel a very real crisis.


    Therefore, they werepelled to start recing their own weaponry, also beginning to focus on examining whether the Great Tang Group''s weapons were truly as good as the legends proimed.


    Confidently, Tang Mo dered, "Our weapons can bring victory to the Empire! So, purchasing our weapons is the best choice!"


    "But your weapons are also more expensive! The Empire''s standing army has 250,000 men! If we include reserves and emergency stocks, we need 500,000 rifles, or even more!" Mo Kangsen continued.


    He looked at Tang Mo, detailing bit by bit the types and quantities of military equipment the Empire might purchase from him, "Moreover, we need at least 1,000 of your G1 heavy machine guns, more than 200 heavy cannons, more than 200 light cannons, and over 20,000 pistols... It''s a big order."


    These were details that were supposed to be kept confidential, but he spoke of them openly, clearly influenced by Tang Mo''s bribe.


    Wes nodded slightly and then added more content to the transaction, "If it were up to me, I''d also suggest you purchase artillery towing vehicles, as well as transport trucks, troops-carrier trucks... Well, to put it this way, even 3000 vehicles might not be enough."


    "Of course, in order to enable His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire of Na to control his increasingly powerful military, you would also need at least 100 wireless telegraph sets, corresponding power generation equipment, maintenance equipment, and training for personnel to use these devices," he continued while gesturing for Harry to take notes on the side.


    Mo Kangsen agreed with his point of view and continued to add, "Now, after I have visited your navy shipyard, I think your irond warships are also fine products."


    After finishing, he still seemed somewhat unsatisfied because he was also very interested in the peripheral equipment of the Great Tang Group, "The steel helmets, military uniforms, backpacks, field tents, and raincoats that you produce... have all left a deep impression on me."


    "Indeed, if you add coastal defense guns and fortress guns, and the construction of fortresses, it''s estimated that the entire military rearmament n would take at least two years toplete, and the cost of procurement could be as high as over 10 million Gold Coins," Tang Mo calcted roughly the overall price of procuring weapons and equipment.


    In fact, he had still lowered some of his own profit¡ªbecause if he was to extort a sum from the Empire of Na, the total value of this business deal would absolutely exceed 15 million Gold Coins.


    Without hiding his stance, Mo Kangsen spoke directly, "I''m now on your side, I will try my best to convince the Prime Minister... But you know, this kind of thing... it''s not something I can handle alone..."


    "Mr. Mo Kangsen! I think you''ve got one thing wrong," Tang Mo interrupted the imperial envoy, "You''re not alone! Behind you stands the Great Tang Group!"


    "Great Tang Group''s products never fearpetition! Our technology leads the world, and the performance of our products is undoubtedly second to none! There''s no question about that!" Tang Mo said assertively.


    Mo Kangsen nodded, then shook his head, "But, as you know, in this world, it isn''t necessarily the best products that are most favored! There are many twists and turns involved..."


    "That''s why I need you to help me sort out these twists and turns! If it''s a matter of reason, we will reason with them! If money can solve it, then I will pay up! For the upright, we win by being upright; for the greedy, we win by ying to their greed!" Tang Mo said, staring at Mo Kangsen.


    Mo Kangsen''s smile faded as he asked solemnly, "What if they are bribed by Shireck and refuse to reason with us?"


    Tang Mo sneered, "Then we''ll be unreasonable too! Mr. Mo Kangsen! I... am not exactly a nice guy myself!"


    After saying this, he patted Mo Kangsen, the portly fellow, on the shoulder, "I hope you can convince His Majesty the Emperor, so that he understands if he does not purchase weapons and equipment from the Great Tang Group, he could indeed lose the next war..."


    "I will tell my uncle everything I have seen, the strength of Great Tang Group''s weapons, and inform His Majesty the Emperor as well."


    "Well then, I hope you enjoy yourself here before the victory parade! Have fun and feel at home," Tang Mo said as he saw his guest out.


    Mo Kangsen smiled, patting the new Rolls-Royce by his side, "Someone wille to collect it, I really like it a lot! Thank you!"


    After Mo Kangsen left, Wes approached Tang Mo and spoke, "Isn''t taking out hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins in bribes at once a bit... too much?"


    "Not everyone has a good uncle! Wes!" Tang Moughed heartily, "He''s smart, knows where he stands, and his uncle is even more valuable, so a hundred thousand Gold Coins isn''t much! It''s even a bargain."


    As he spoke, he walked toward the garage door, "Don''t wait for them toe asking for it either. Arrange for someone to deliver the car to him before dinner!"


    "Understood!" Wes nodded slightly, following Tang Mo out of the garage filled with luxury cars and carriages.


    After settling matters concerning the support of Emperor Leines I''s ascension to the throne, Tang Mo led Wes back to his office, where he found the somewhat exhausted, travel-worn Alice.


    The countess had just visited her triumphant troops at Northern Ridge; her forces had wrought one miracle after another in the war that annihted the Kingdom of Gemalin.


    Even now, the carriage holding the imprisoned King of Gemalin was still at the border of Northern Ridge, almost reaching Ice Crystal City. Once there, he would be able to take a train all the way to Brunas.


    Or rather, the moment he boarded that train, the former King of Gemalin might finally realize what exactly he lost to.


    "I missed you! I missed you so much!" Alice didn''t wait for Wes to leave before she threw her arms around the neck of her longed-for lover.


    The scene turned steamy in an instant, and Wes didn''t dare linger. He immediately left to close the door for Tang Mo.

 Chapter 317 313 Womans Heart

    "I hear you''ve kept a little orc cat-girl by your side?" After a spectacr and fierce bout of wrestling between two, Alice leaned against Tang Mo in bed, tracing circles on his chest with her fingers.


    "The orcs sent her over¡­" Tang Mo really wanted to reach into his clothes for a cigarette, but he was simply toozy to move at this point.


    A smirk filled with deep meaning spread across Alice''s face as she teased Tang Mo, "In that case, why don''t you give her to me? I''ll keep her by my side and treat her like a real sister, how about that?"


    "Let''s talk about thatter," Tang Mo said, embracing Alice, with an air of a king who dodges the topic. Indeed, all those harmonious harem scenarios in the novels are deceptive.


    Every woman harbors jealousy, and those men with multiple wives and concubines are unlikely to treat them all equally.


    So, a sessful man can certainly collect many women, but it''s essentially a real-life version of ''Empresses in the Pce,'' managing to maintain a facade of harmony is pretty much the limit.


    "Hahaha!" Alice, upon hearing Tang Mo''s insincere promise to discuss itter,ughed until she was shaking like a leaf, "I knew you wouldn''t bear to part with her. Aren''t all you men like that? Always indecisive, isn''t having me enough for you?"


    That''s not something you can say lightly. I''ve seen plenty of women, but it''s the first time I''vee across a cat-girl. If I hadn''t met her in person, how would I know I carried the gene for a cat-girl fetish?


    Tang Momented in his heart and then awkwardly changed the subject, "It''s so rare that we meet, why discuss such things now..."


    "Alright, alright!" Seeing Tang Mo''s embarrassment, Alice knew that dwelling on this matter would only cause trouble for herself and the man she liked.


    Not to mention far-off matters, even within the schools of Brunas, wasn''t there a notorious big sister figure named Yulin? The littless was as cunning as theye, practically considering herself Tang Mo''s official wife already.


    A couple of days in school, and her arrogance was unmatched¡ªas if the other women who couldn''t keep up with Tang Mo''s thoughts were all as insignificant as chickens and dogs in Yulin''s eyes.


    Alice, in fact, had considered furthering her education at school, knowing well that Tang Mo''s institution offered many interesting subjects.


    But she still had vast estates to manage, the legacy of her father that she couldn''t just abandon.


    Every time she thought about it, she felt mncholic, so she could only get a full set of textbooks from Tang Mo to study by herself, bing a graduate of the Northern Ridge Women''s Academy in all but name¡ªher major was in economics.


    Since there was already a formidable queen in the Great Tang Military Academy, Alice didn''t really pay much attention to another cat-eared girl.


    She had been in noble circles for so long that she naturally knew and was ustomed to most nobles having a whole host of lovers and concubines.


    Actually, her father, Ronin Fisallo, was the outlier, having loved only Alice''s mother throughout his life, and even after her death, he did not remarry.


    "I know not just any woman can catch your eye, so I can''t be bothered with such things... You should be more concerned about your little sister Yulin. Make sure she doesn''t cause trouble for Yue''er at school," Alice snuggledfortably against Tang Mo, setting up a facade of obedience.


    In truth, there wasn''t really such a thing as male or female dominance in the world; it was just an excuse for the downtrodden to justify themselves. No man dared to show his dominance in front of Wu Zetian, and it was likely that no woman would cry for equality and freedom in Genghis Khan''s tent.


    In front of capable men, women oftene across as gentle and lovely. Conversely, they can be irritable and strong-minded¡ªa reflection of the author''s own low status within the family.


    Alice knew that Tang Mo was not a womanizer, wouldn''t think about stripping every woman he met; it took him quite a while to even ept her advances beyond friendship.


    Considering her beauty as the standard, a goddess that Tang Mo would actively pursue was probably as rare as a phoenix feather or a unicorn horn.


    She had also heard that the new darling of the fashion and art world, Susan, boosted by Tang Mo, had long aimed to climb into Tang Mo''s bed.


    Unfortunately for her, Alice knew that the songbird had not seeded to this day, Tang Mo hadn''t even taken the initiative to touch her hand.


    This filled Alice with a sense of aplishment because, until now, although many different women had appeared around Tang Mo, she was the only one who had managed toy in bed with him and talk about life and aspirations!


    "I''m destined to be busy, you know that, and soon I''ll be heading to Dragon Ind¡­" Tang Mo meant to say he''d be too upied to think about women.


    But to Alice''s ears, this inevitably caused some disappointment. For a woman, having her beloved man too busy to spend time with her was more disheartening than him having time to cater to other women as well.


    So she spoke with mncholy, "I know... we''re going to part ways again. And this time, I can''t see you often, even by train."


    "It''s not as bad as all that, I''ll stille back to Brunas often," Tang Mo realized that Alice was upset about him not being able to be with her, so he quickly tried to exin.


    Alice''s mood brightened a bit, she nuzzled Tang Mo''s chest with her soft hair, finding a morefortable position, "Mm, I will also often go to Dragon Ind..." Explore new worlds at empire


    "I''ve looked at the economic reports from Northern Ridge." Tang Mo was distracted by her actions and hurriedly found a serious topic to dispel his improper thoughts.


    After several hours of exertion, he was out of strength, okay? By now, Tang Mo had entered sage mode, truly embodying theposure of a sage (albeit pretending), unmoved as Hui Shi under the willow.


    "How is it?" Alice asked curiously, just like a student waiting to have her homework checked.


    Tang Mo affirmed her because Northern Ridge had indeed presented a very impressive report card over thest six months: "Surprisingly good, it seems the books you read have been of great help to you."


    Under Alice''s leadership, Northern Ridge had built its ownrge-scale steel smelting base, expanded its steel output, and increased the production speed of end products like steel rails and screws.


    The industrialization level of Northern Ridge was now quite high, to the extent that even Wolf City had begun to widely adopt electric lighting.


    The telephone lines from Northern Ridge to Brunas were beingid, and they were also constructing an experimental power supply line to test the performance of transformers and the feasibility of long-distance power transmission.


    All this was technological reserve; though Tang Mo could find relevant blueprints on his ownputer, whether such technologies were truly useful ultimately had to be thoroughly understood by those implementing them.


    Alice felt a touch of pride; she had self-studied Tang Mo''s books and had indeed grasped their essence.


    However, she was even happier about the fact that Tang Mo had provided her with a group of capable assistants¡ªthese girls from Brunas were each clever and remarkably skilled: "Your economic theories in the books are profound, and I only understand the surface. But the students you sent me are quite good."


    "I''m d I could help," Tang Mo was also satisfied with the girls who had gone to Northern Ridge; they had demonstrated capabilities and a level of ability that transcended their era.


    Alice never ran out of praise for them. With their help, she was able to carve out time to visit Tang Mo: "They are all excellent, and their knowledge is extensive. Sometimes I even feel a little envious of them, being able to delve into such deep economic theories."


    "You''ve actually expanded the workforce by forceful means from 40,000 to 90,000... The approach is a bit extreme, and it may provoke dissent from many." Tang Mo noticed the details of how Northern Ridge expanded its workforce in the report.


    "It won''t happen, on one hand, I''ve increased their remuneration, on the other hand, I have promised them sustenance. Most of them are children who would otherwise be idle at home, so I thought it made sense to bring them to the factories as apprentices," Alice saidnguidly, yawningfortably as she spoke to Tang Mo.


    "You should still be careful," Tang Mo advised.


    "Okay, I''ll ask them not to be so rough," Alice''s hand glided over Tang Mo''s chest, soft and smooth, and her gaze suggested... she was doing it on purpose.


    Tang Mo caught her mischievous hand: "Cultivating barrennds to sow cotton is a highlight. Some regions in Northern Ridge have a climate well-suited for growing cotton, better than farming crops."


    "Isn''t it because your factories require arge amount of cotton that I started nting it?" Alice attempted to break free from Tang Mo''s grasp with a mischievous smile, but inadvertently revealed her smooth, slippery shoulder.


    "Thank you," Tang Mo conceded the struggle.


    "You know... we don''t need to say thank you to each other," Alice finished and kissed Tang Mo''s lips.


    ...


    "As a secret weapon, the C1 submachine gun has already been sent to Northern Ridge, and I''ve also sent people to train your guard and instruct them on this new weapon," Tang Mo said, lying more saint-like on the bed after an hour.


    "I know," Alice''s voice was as faint as a mosquito.


    "I''m also keeping an eye on thetest upgrade to the 105mm howitzer. Aside from the special 122mm caliber artillery supplied to Ice Cold Kingdom, your artillery could be said to be the most powerful field artillery in the world," Tang Mo continued, looking at the ceiling.


    "I know," Alice whispered again.


    "As a new weapon, armored cars will sooner orter shine on the battlefield, recing the cavalry, bing the new darling of the battlefield. Have you seen the brand new armored cars?" Tang Mo asked further.


    Alice''s response was still the same distracted reply: "I know!"


    "..."

 Chapter 318 314 swap conditions

    In a meeting room within a building in the Brunas city district, an envoy from the Por Kingdom was meeting with the intelligence leader of the Great Tang Group, a core member named Li''ao.


    The envoy from the Por Kingdom, who had been stationed in Brunas, was very busytely. With the outbreak of arge-scale conflict between the Por Kingdom and the Elm Kingdom, the Por Kingdom''s former archenemies¡ªthe Orcs of the Sena ins¡ªunexpectedly dered their nation restored on the western side of Osa Port.


    Somehow, they had gotten their hands on a batch of advanced weapons, then defeated two Elf Race legions sent to suppress them, making the restoration of their nation a fait apli.


    Thus, the anxious-looking envoy from the Por Kingdom recently had been following orders from his homnd to rify the Great Tang Group''s stance on this matter.


    "Mr. Li''ao! You know! Although there were some unpleasant moments between the Por Kingdom and the Great Tang Group in the past, the subsequent cooperation has always been sincere on our part," he said, exining as soon as he sat down to the weing Li''ao.


    "I am well aware of that," Li''ao said, his expression neither sad nor happy as he toyed with the ring on his finger.


    He was wearing three rings in total. One of them was a ring given to him by Tang Mo during the allocation of Elf jewelry. Although the ring was nothing special and hardly matched his current status, he still wore it.


    Among the other two rings, one was a very valuable jewelry ring that demonstrated Li''ao''s present status, adorned with a gem engraved with a gorgeously blooming dandelion.


    Another ring was in the style of his hometown, a recent acquisition that soothed his homesickness and was thus very dear to him.


    After Li''ao casually responded while fiddling with his rings, the envoy from the Por Kingdom, in a rush, questioned, "Then, why is there even a hint of the Great Tang Group''s shadow in the matter of the Orcs'' national restoration in the western region of Osa Port?"


    "I have already answered this question. The Great Tang Group''s arms sales records are all verifiable, and I have already reviewed them. We have not sold any weapons to the Orcs," Li''ao exined innocently.


    The Great Tang Group indeed had not supplied the Orcs with new weapons, not even giving them many bolt-action rifles.


    Having received news from his mothend, the envoy said with confidence, "But we have conclusive evidence that the Orcs possess metal-cartridge rifles from the Great Tang Group!"


    Li''ao pondered for a moment and then replied, "We are investigating this matter, but what is certain is that we have not sold any metal-cartridge rifles to the Orcs. We''ve only produced one type of metal-cartridge bolt-action rifle, the K3 rifle. Are you sure that what they have is the K3 rifle?"


    He actually knew the ins and outs of this matter, so he could affirm that those rifles were not the K3 rifles produced by the Great Tang Group, which meant that they were not Mauser 98K rifles.


    Sure enough, the envoy was also aware of this and immediately began to stammer: "This... this..."


    "As you know, the world has advanced to a point where the Great Tang Group is not the only one that can produce metal-cartridge rifles, as the technology has gradually spread out," Li''ao said with a long drawl, ncing at the other party.


    Knowing the origin of those rifles made him more assertive. He chuckled, looking at the other party in a way that made the envoy''s skin crawl.


    Thus, Li''ao stated with even more certainty, "Moreover, we cannot confirm that the rifles in the hands of those Orcs came from the Great Tang Group. It''s possible they purchased second-hand weapons from other sources, and that ispletely beyond our control."


    "But Mr. Li''ao! We withstood pressure from the Elm Kingdom, but now we are threatened by the Gales Kingdom¡ªthe situation is very pessimistic," the envoy said, beginning to apply different pressure on Li''ao.


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    Li''ao was not swayed by this tactic at the moment since, ording to the pre-established n of Great Tang, the Por Kingdom was not a kingdom that Great Tang Group was heavily supporting... In fact, they had lost Great Tang''s full support since they had owed Tang Mo money.


    So Li''ao nced at him and said, "Mr. Tang''s suggestion is that since Gales has been restored, we coulde forward to help you sign a permanent, non-aggression treaty."


    "What? Acknowledge the restoration of Gales! Impossible!" The envoy was taken aback, then suddenly became agitated.


    Li''ao remained calm and smiled as he responded, "Nothing is impossible! Mr. Envoy¡­ we can offer apensation¡­ apensation that your King will not refuse."


    "How do you know we would not refuse... The discord between us and Gales... is irreconcble!" The envoy was visibly agitated, shouting indignantly.


    Li''ao sneered and counter-queried, "Really? I think you should hear our terms¡­"


    "..." This time, the envoy from the Por Kingdom didn''t dare to speak.


    Li''ao changed his expression to a smile and said, "The Elm Kingdom will surrender in one month, ceding all territories south of the Elm River... That''s Elf territory, far richer than the Gales territory you upy."


    "What! You¡­ how could you... How could you make the Elm Kingdom make such a huge concession?" The envoy was stunned, staring at Li''ao in disbelief.


    Li''ao continued to smile, "This is part of the peace agreement we''ve reached with the Shireck Consortium... If you''re not quite satisfied, I can give that territory to the Songmu Kingdom and also dere non-recognition of Gales''s restoration, to demonstrate our stance."


    The envoy quickly waved his hands, "No! No! No need for that! Absolutely no need for that trouble! I''ll return immediately and convey this news to His Majesty the King! He will make a decision!


    I believe he will make the right choice! Please give the Por Kingdom some time."


    "As I said, nothing is impossible," Li''ao said with a nce and a tinge of disdain.


    "Mr. Li''ao, you... you are right¡­ It was my... my rashness," the envoy admitted, his voice full of obsequiousness.


    He was certain that his King would ept such terms because the territories south of the Elm River,pared to the Sena ins, were clearly richernds.


    Thus, he was eager to rush back to the Por Kingdom with the good news¡ªcertainly, he would be rewarded.

 Chapter 319 315 Special Collaborator

    In the same building, Harry was discussing coboration with a maid representative from Shireck, Sofia.


    The maid, her tone icy, emphasized as she stared at the unruffled Harry, "We''ve already expressed our sincerity, you know. Thetest batch of Shireck Type 1 rifles has been delivered entirely to the orcs, just as you requested!"


    Indeed, those rifles came from Shireck and did not belong to the Great Tang Group, leaving the Por Kingdom with no avenue to trace the origin of these firearms.


    Even if they knew Shireck was orchestrating everything from behind the scenes, they could not implicate the Great Tang Group¡ªfor outwardly, the two seemed to be at loggerheads, with no apparent connection.


    It could even be said that the weapons produced by both sides were not of the same kind, employing entirely different designs for firearms...


    For Shireck was now mass-producing the 1888 Committee rifles, an outdated German metallic cartridge bolt-action rifle initially sold to Huaxia.


    These weapons were deliberately leaked to the Shireck Consortium by Tang Mo, along with obsolete Mauser pistols, considered the price for infiltrating Shireck, and were handed over to the consortium eager for new technology.


    Young people who took these technologies and went over to Shireck had now be key individuals in the consortium''s talent development and had be nails that the Great Tang Group had hammered inside Shireck.


    In response, Shireck''s attempts to ce moles inside the Great Tang Group''s ranks had not achieved such an effect in the short term, for the identities of the personnel simply could not reach that elevation.


    Shireck could only stealthily send schoolchildren to schools affiliated with the Great Tang Group, hoping they might prove useful in the future. Alternatively, they could take advantage of hiring waves to ce apprentices and other minor figures in the lowest ranks of the Great Tang Group.


    Sending schoolchildren into the Great Tang Group''s schools was not an easy task. First and foremost, the Great Tang Group had its own identity and security vetting mechanisms, and a major focus of the Silver Fox Taverny precisely in this area.


    On the other hand, students who managed to infiltrate the schools and who were exposed to the Great Tang Group''s advanced knowledge and fully embraced their ideological education often directly said goodbye to the outdated, declining Shireck Consortium.


    They would typically go straight to the Great Tang Group''s intelligence department, confess their original mission, and weep profusely in hopes of staying on to continue their studies.


    Of course, even presumed smart, stubborn spies found it difficult to make their mark. By the time they truly came into their own under the tutge of their seniors in the Great Tang Group, capable of handling responsibilities alone, it generally took a year or more.


    While this time span was not especially long, it was certainly not short either¡ªby the time they figured out a way to send information back to Shireck, it would likely be outdated.


    Regarding the second method, although the Great Tang Group indeed recruited workers broadly, including miners and various skilledborers, such people were all at the bottom rung and had no possibility of essing Great Tang''s secrets.


    They might spend their entire lives doing just one part of a production line, not even setting foot in an adjacent workshop once.


    Expecting such informants to provide high-value intelligence was undoubtedly foolish, especially considering that at that time there were no cell phones or the Inte, and radio telegraph and generator equipment were asrge as a suitcase, makingmunication extremely difficult.


    In the collective dormitories of the Great Tang Group, trying to set up telegraph equipment and connect to electricity... even the thought seemed fantastical.


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    Even assuming one could pose as a family, with a separate room or residing within Brunas City, such espionage activities were very dangerous.


    After all, this was the hearnd of Silver Fox, where anyone could be Mr. Tang''s spy and the smallest detail could expose an entire spywork.


    So, both methods of imnting moles were not particrly effective. Shireck simplycked the aptitude to present any treasures and didn''t have talents that could catch the Great Tang Group''s eye.


    Perhaps Shireck''s management talent might be of interest to the Great Tang Group, but Tang Mo would never allow such a dangerous potential threat within hispany.


    Harry''s confident and indifferent demeanor left the maid, who had resided in Brunas for some time, feeling on the verge of an outburst, as no one had ever postured like this in front of her.


    Her breathing became irregr, and she seemed like a keg of powder about to ignite at the contact with a spark.


    So, in anger, she raised her voice, "Up to now, we ourselves haven''t been equipped with such advanced rifles! We''re working for you, yet you show no sign of reciprocation!"


    "Mind your words, miss! The mere fact that we agreed to coborate with you is already an act of pity and mercy! Isn''t that sincerity and concession?" Harry maintained his infuriatingposure, as he had no reason to fear the other party.


    This was Brunas, the stronghold of the Great Tang Group, and for him, it was one of the safest ces in the world.


    If it were on Shireck''s turf, he might have worried about whether the other party would turn hostile, but now... his guards were right outside the door, and it was the woman across from him who should concern herself with her safety, not him.


    All he needed to do was yell, and guards armed with thetest, most dignified, mostpact, and most art-like PPK pistols would rush in to help him settle everything.


    Not convinced? Bite me.


    Therefore, he threatened the rather attractive maid without any care orpassion, "If we wanted to, we could take everything we want on the battlefield, we don''t need to negotiate cooperation with you."


    "Humph! You are aware of the principle that ''some tasks are better left to the opponent than done by yourself,'' like this time supplying weapons to the orcs!" Sure enough, after realizing that sheer forcefulness wouldn''t get her the terms she wanted, the maid''s tone softened somewhat.


    The aggressive pressure disappeared, and the other party began to reason with facts.


    Well, at the negotiation table, starting to reason... that was not a good sign.


    When a group of ruthless bandits sat down to discuss principles, justice, and morality, it was either because they had aged and could no longer wield knives, or they saw that those whom they once preyed upon were now wielding sharp daggers themselves...


    Harry pretended to be puzzled and looked at the maid, "Haven''t we already expressed our gratitude? We''ve also agreed to the intention of cooperation with you."


    "You!" The maid nearly lost control of her anger, almost erupting again.


    "Anger won''t solve anything, miss," Harry made a calming gesture, soothing the maid who was about to swear.


    The maid took a couple of deep breaths,posed herself, and spoke indignantly, "I can''t believe youck even the most basic sincerity! I want to talk to Mr. Tang personally!"


    "Actually, your mistress Sofia doesn''t have as much authority within Shireck as I have within the Great Tang Group. It''s already quite an honor for Shireck that I''m personally negotiating with you," Harry said, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand.


    He continued, "Previously, Mr. Tang met with you out of curiosity¡ªdon''t misunderstand..."


    "Hmph!" The maid realized that it was unlikely Tang Mo would meet with her personally, so she just snorted and withheld furtherment.


    "So, miss, can we talk about serious matters now? My time is precious, and I don''t want to waste it endlessly here." Harry leaned back in his chair.


    The maid thought she had conceded enough, so she felt she could still push for some benefits, "What else is there to talk about? We''ve already agreed to force the Rosewood Kingdom and the Por Kingdom to cede part of their territory. As for matters rted to Germelin..."


    "The matter of the Kingdom of Gemalin has been settled. Tomorrow... the King of Gemalin will arrive in Brunas City, where he will be executed in front of everyone... Quite dignified, isn''t it?" Harry interrupted the maid.


    "Haven''t you learned negotiation skills?" The maid''s blood pressure spiked instantly.


    "Whether we know how to negotiate is not important. What''s important is, my master Mr. Tang once said," Harry spoke with reverence and admiration when mentioning Tang Mo.


    "He said." He didn''t wait for the maid to ask before continuing, "''Whatever cannot be acquired in war, cannot be touched at the negotiation table! Victory is the foundation of everything!''"


    "It''s really unexpected. The tradition that Shireck had always adhered to has been truly carried on by an outsider," the maid sneered coldly, no longer continuing the conversation.


    "Once you''ve given us what''s due, we can proceed with the trade. The design blueprints you want for the warship, the technical processes... and the design ns for the shipyard..." After verbally taking the upper hand, Harry also spoke about the conditions offered by the Great Tang Group.


    "The Shireck Consortium agrees to relinquish... Taren, Xilun, Germelin, Phk, Rosewood, and Por¡ªthe six kingdoms¡ªand officially recognizes the Laines Empire..." Harry seriously stated the terms that had been agreed upon earlier, "Moreover, Shireck must turn over a list of spies embedded within our ranks."


    "The production line for the cars! I want the production line for the cars!" Realizing her spies were likely doomed, the maid demanded in a frosty tone.


    Harry nodded, which was part of the bargaining chip Mr. Tang had decided to offer and was still within the tolerable range, "We can only give you the production line for the Model T car... but it''s for refurbishing, and you can only im it''s technology you''ve stolen..."


    "Agreed!" The maid was also aware she couldn''t get her hands on the truly advanced, cutting-edge technology, but was satisfied nheless.


    Shireck needed time to digest these designs and inspirations, to catch up with the pace of development of the Great Tang Group... although they were already falling further and further behind.

 Chapter 320 316 hanging

    After an arduous journey, the King of the Kingdom of Gemalin felt that he was truly on the brink of death. He had been continuously in a carriage, be it an automobile''s, a horse-drawn carriage''s, or a train''s.


    Although, the final leg of his journey had passed by on a train, leaving him deeply impressed by the smooth mode of travel, it was still not asfortable as lying in the Royal Pce, embraced by his consorts on either side.


    It wasn''t until he saw the train that the King of Germelin realized just how utterly he had been defeated¡ªhis logistics and supply transport were a century behind the enemy''s.


    The goods produced by the Great Tang Group could be transported directly to Ice Crystal City by railway and thereafter continuously shipped to the vicinity of the original border between the two countries by automobile on smooth roads.


    Only upon entering the Kingdom of Gemalin did the transport be difficult, a stark contrast to his prior assumptions.


    For a long time, both the Kingdom of Gemalin and the Shireck Consortium based their judgments on the capabilities of their own nation.


    They concluded that the enemy would spend a considerable amount of time and energy transporting supplies from the rear to the vicinity of the border.


    Especially since the core production base of the Tang Group, located on the West Coast in Brunas, was far too distant from the war zone.


    But it was now clear to him that the enemy''s logistics hub was almost on the border between the two countries, even closer to it than his military''s supply bases were.


    After all, without much effort, the Tang Group could transport their supplies to the vicinity of the Gemalin-Leite Kingdom border day and night by train.


    It was precisely because of these supplies that General Redman, now regarded as a living War God, had managed to capture the Royal Pce of the Kingdom of Gemalin in just 17 days.


    Owing to this battle, the Kingdom of Gemalin was destined to go down in history, only as a backdrop, a negative example.


    And when the King of Gemalin saw Brunas, he finally understood that his opponent was a monster that had transcended the era.


    The lights here were more numerous than the stars, brightness was everywhere at night, the ce surpassed his own Royal Pce, and every person living here seemed like nobility.


    "Germelin F¨ªr¨ªch! The judge now proims! You are guilty of initiating war, massacring civilians, and murdering four interns from the Great Tang Group''s military academy... do you plead guilty?"


    "Heh heh heh..." The King of Germelin, somewhat unfamiliar with his own name, cracked a smile. His gaze drifted past the hanging noose to focus on Li''ao seated at the judge''s bench, he scoffed disdainfully, "A banished criminal dares to judge me?"


    He now knew the gravity of his situation. While his heart shuddered with fear, he showed no signs of cowardice, "You dare judge a king? You''re not even nobility! I am guilty of no crimes! No crimes at all! Soon you will pay the price for your ignorance!


    You will be the public enemy of royal families worldwide!"


    "The used did not defend himself. Defense counsel, do you have anything to add?" Li''ao coldly turned to thewyer standing next to the King of Germelin and asked.


    He hated being called a criminal; that was a dark chapter of his past he did not wish to revisit. Although he now wielded tremendous power, he had actually be more noble than a genuine noble.


    "Nothing more, Your Honor!" thewyer, called in to make up the numbers, replied earnestly¡ªobedience to the new legal protocols of Brunas.


    "Then let the jury deliberate the verdict."


    "Guilty!" The first person in the jury box, looking like a wealthy merchant, announced his verdict impatiently.


    "Guilty!" A woman wearing a floral long dress expressed her verdict loudly and with disgust.


    "Hang him!" An old man beside the woman grew angry. He believed anyone who dared harm the interests of Brunas deserved to be hanged immediately!


    "Guilty!" "Hanging!" "Hang him!" "Kill him!"


    The courthouse echoed with people''s wrath, for everyone knew that this king before them had killed several young people from Brunas.


    They didn''t care whether he was a king or not; in the end, Tang Mo would bear the brunt of the issue, leaving them uninvolved.


    They just wanted to see with their own eyes the bastard who harmed Brunas'' interests and killed its people receive justified punishment. They were merely curious about what a king would look like hanging from the gallows.


    "Mr. Germelin Firich, I now dere, you have been found guilty on 14 counts of crime!" Giving a slight nod to the jury, Li''ao apparently adopted the jury''s opinion. Then he stood up and looked at the somewhat panicked King of Germelin with a sneer, "Sentenced to death! Immediate execution! As the criminal was once a head of state, firing squad shall be reced by hanging..."


    "Prepare to execute!" He looked down at the king of Germelin below, now the former king, and said with admiration, "Brunas'' gallows are not yet famous, and you will be the first high-profile person to be hanged on it! Congrattions!"


    Then, the executioners standing on both sides of the king of Germelin helped him up and led him to the rope.


    The teardrop-shaped noose swayed slightly, and the twisted hemp rope was greasy, looking quite nauseating.


    Germelin Firich finally realized that the other party seemed truly intent on killing him and all his illusions shattered at that moment.


    The other party was not trying to scare him, had not interrogated him about how much private wealth he had hidden, nor tried to sway him into helping pacify the Kingdom of Germelin so that order could be restored more quickly and the upied areas ruled more effectively.


    It seemed they had no long-term ns at all, just a simple and very persistent desire to hang him, the king.


    He should not die here, he should not be hanged in such an utterly unreasonable court.


    So, he began to struggle, to struggle desperately.


    "I did not give the order to ughter! I didn''t tell them to kill civilians! That was all the individual actions of soldiers! I... I should not be responsible for this! I am a king!" he said desperately, shaking his head and kicking his legs on the ground.


    However, because it was within close range, he was quickly pushed in front of the noose, his head tilting back at all costs, as if only by doing so could he keep further away from the Grim Reaper.


    Finally, the noose was ced around his head, and despite his efforts to struggle, his hands bound together, the cold hemp rope was still looped around his neck.


    At that moment, Germelin Firich felt an uncontroble terror and even screamed out in fear.


    He wanted to struggle, but he could only make a few useless twists of his body, leaving his ugly, death-stricken face visible for all to see, without even a hood over his head or a gag in his mouth.


    "I didn''t order the killings! It was Shireck! Shireck''s men deceived me!" he continued to shout while struggling.


    But none of the jury or the onlookers who hade to witness his hanging seemed to change their minds; they simply watched coldly, saying nothing.


    "I was deceived! They lied to me! I didn''t order the attack! The war wasn''t started by me! It was Shireck''s people! Shireck''s bastards!" he yelled desperately.


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    But no matter how much he shouted, no one paid him any heed.


    The executioners on either side still controlled him like iron pincers, leaving him unable to move.


    So he could only continue to yowl, "Let me down! I can cooperate with you! Whatever you ask me to do, I''ll do it!"


    "I can help you govern Germelin, I''m very familiar with it! I can be useful! I still have value!" he tried hard to prove his worth.


    When he found that no one was moved by his pleas, he had no choice but to invent stories of hoarding Gold Coins: "I! I still have hidden private wealth! I have money! Don''t you want that money? I have money! I can take you to find it!"


    "Ransom! I demand ransom for myself! A hundred thousand Gold Coins! Two hundred thousand! If you let me go..." he believed that if they would spare him that day, he would definitely have a chance to live.


    "No, you cannot do this!" As he shouted out such a sentence, he suddenly realized that yelling like this seemed futile, so he instantly changed his plea, "Mercy, my lord! Mercy! I was wrong! I was wrong!"


    In his desperation, he even shed tears. At that moment, he was quite certain that if time could be turned back, he would never entertain the naive thought of annexing Leite Kingdom and taking over Brunas.


    Given another ten guts, he wouldn''t dare to make another move. Unfortunately, in this world, there is no medicine for regret. Now, it''s all toote.

 Chapter 321 317 Armored Vehicle

    Adding steel tes to automobiles was almost a matter of course, as the form of warfare had changed, Front-line military urgently needed a powerful weapon that could apany them in a charge and provide them with cover.


    As the pace of war elerated, cavalry began to return to the ranks of troops on arge scale, because they were the easiest to obtain and could move at high speeds over short periods.


    However, modern cavalry resembled dragoons more, fighting dismounted with rifles and only employing traditional cavalry tactics when high-speed maneuvering or charging to rout enemy forces was required.


    But this type of cavalry saw no technological advancement, People were simply desperate for a fast-moving force, so they had no choice but to make do with this ancient type of unit.


    But Tang Mo had the strength to transform an automobile into an armored vehicle¡ªhe had all the technology required for an armored vehicle.


    He could mass-produce cars, and specifically, the best-performing ones. He didn''t need to worry about theck of power in Model Ts, because he already had better engines in hand.


    Even, like the United Kingdom during the First World War, he could directly use Rolls-Royce cars as armored vehicles, luxurious... and extravagant...


    Therefore, a good car was the basis for converting into an armored vehicle, and Tang Mo had this base, which was beyond doubt.


    At the same time, Tang Mo had suitable weapons for armored vehicles! He had Maxim machine guns, which other forces were still attempting to replicate and had not yet equipped inrge numbers.


    Therefore, only Tang Mo, or rather, only Great Tang Group naturally came up with the first practical armored vehicles, and only Tang Mo could afford such expensive weaponry.


    The costliness of this weapon was not in its production cost, for a car, a pile of steel tes, and a machine gun theoretically wouldn''t be too extravagant.


    It was merely abination, an immature prototype, a temporary solution devised for urgent problems.


    The real expense of armored vehiclesy in the still immature logistics that had to be established around them.


    First, these were not tanks, so their off-road capability was extremely limited, which meant they mainly had to rely on roads for maneuverability.


    This limitation directly affected the proliferation and use of such weapons since there were not many areas with good roads or even railway support at that time.


    Temporarily constructing railways and roads to use these weapons was an expensive infrastructure investment, and though these constructions had other benefits, undertaking massive infrastructure projects simply to use armored vehicles was clearly no cheap feat.


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    Secondly, armored vehicles presented the military logistics, especially fuel logistics, with new challenges. They were gas guzzlers, at least for the current logistical systems, and they represented a colossal beast that devoured logistical resources.


    At present, most military logistical supplies still relied on horse-drawn carriages, and to nourish armored corps with such outdated systems was naturally strenuous.


    The production capacity for petroleum products, including gasoline and diesel, was also insufficient, and refineries had not yet expanded on arge scale; gasoline itself was a rtively scarce and important material.


    On normal days, such materials also had to support the huge consumption of civilian cars, and only oil-producing powers or regions, like Tang Mo, who nned ahead, had the capital to use gasoline-powered armored vehicles.


    At the same time, training arge number of drivers for the troops, increasing the number of maintenance workers who could perform battlefield repairs on armored vehicles, and ensuring ammunition supply for armored vehicles... these all represented a substantial additional expense.


    Last, the technology for this weapon was not so mature; its wheels were a very apparent weak point, easily crippled on the battlefield. Compared to tanks, a shallow trench could be an insurmountable obstacle for them.


    Wheeled systems, or vehicle wheels, had inherent ws when facing trenches and mud, and these could only bepensated for by using tracks.


    But if tracks were used now, the already overburdened engines would seem underpowered.


    Increasing engine power would raise fuel consumption, and the increased fuel consumption would further exacerbate the logistical system that was already on the verge of copse.


    This was basically a foolish act of adding more water when there was too much flour and more flour when there was too much water, and the end result was nothing but Tang Mo using his own technology toe up with usable light tanks ahead of time, yet unable to deploy them due to logistical supply issues.


    Another equally important point was that vehicr radios were nowhere to be seen, and Tang Mo did not even n to produce them, which meant there were also issues with themunications andmand of armored vehicles, limiting the use of such weapons.


    So, Tang Mo wasn''t foolish; he just followed historical trends to create a concept weapon to meet customer demands in this oil-deficient era.


    Even then, he came up with this thing simply to satisfy Emperor Leines I''s expectations of his own victory parade.


    Speaking of Leines I''s victory parade, we must start with his "achievements." King Leite VII had, in less than two years, expanded his territory almost to the border of the Empire of Na.


    In terms ofnd area, although Laines was still slightly smaller, it was clear that both were nowparable in size.


    What the Laines Empire needed to do was to assimte their upied territories and stabilize their rule over the newly seized areas, a process that often took several years or even decades.


    After gaining control of so much territory, Leite VII decided to proim himself Emperor. He prepared for a long time in Laines, or to be precise, he built a grand avenue and erected a viewing stand alongside it.


    As for other ces in Laines, they had all been handed over to Great Tang Group for construction, so the future capital of Laines currently resembled a vast construction site.


    However, this did not affect the scale of the uing victory parade in the slightest. ording to the n agreed upon in advance, Great Tang Group would send an armored battalion to participate in the parade.


    This battalion would be equipped with ten of thetest armored vehicles, equipped with Rolls-Royce''s newest engines, and they would pass the reviewing stand, disying their elegance to all the guests.


    Following them in front of the new Emperor would be a hundred cars carrying soldiers, provided by Great Tang Group with drivers; these soldiers would be from the Northern Ridge''s First Infantry Regiment.


    Then, passing the viewing stand would be a hundred trucks towing various types of artillery, showcasing to the people what the future mechanized troops would look like.


    Of course, for an arms dealer, this event was essentially a massive advertisement for themselves, so Tang Mo would certainly not refuse such an opportunity.

 Chapter 322 Finale of the Battle of the Eleven Nations at March 18

    These new trucks pulled 105mm howitzer guns, 75mm field artillery, field medical trailers, field kitchens, and other equipment past the parade ground.


    Following them was the Second Infantry Corps from Northern Ridge, marching in a pure infantry formation past the presidential stand.


    They were equipped with soldier gear from Great Tang Group, a gship product that had performed outstandingly well in this war. Therefore, even before their official debut, they had already caught the eye of many.


    Including the steel helmets from Great Tang Group, many countries were already replicating them. It''s said that this gear could effectively reduce the casualty rate among soldiers.


    At the same time, ammunition pouches, weapon belts, raincoats, bays, and hand grenades could all potentially be hot sellers in the future.


    The envoy from the Empire of Na, Mo Kangsen, was inspecting various weapons and equipment from Great Tang Group, and he had already decided that the Empire of Na would purchase at least 100 G1 machine guns, which are Maxim heavy machine guns.


    Moreover, the Empire of Na was also very interested in the warships from Great Tang Group. After all¡­ to the east of the Empire of Nay an ocean, the Sea of the Demon King.


    They, too, had thousands of miles of sea defense and naturally favored the new warships from Great Tang Group. Compared to the previous generation of warships, the new irond warships were faster and more powerful, thus fewer were needed to ensure the safety of their coastlines.


    In those days, there wasn''t much theory about sea power. Generally, the only reason and-based major power would value the navy was to ensure the safety of their coastlines. It was a limitation of the era, nothing surprising.


    Just as Great Tang Group was really strangling the King of Germelin Kingdom and beginning preparations for the victory parade in Laines, far in the north, amidst a world of ice and snow, a Dwarf soldier cocked his rifle.


    In his hands, he held a pin-fire rifle from Great Tang Group, still using somewhat outdated paper cartridge bullets.


    However, in the Ice Cold Kingdom, this was already a very advanced weapon. He took aim at a distant target, then pulled his trigger.


    "Bang!" With the sound of gunfire, the distant target fell to the ground. It was a Dwarf d in thick cotton, holding an antiquated Shireck Flintlock Gun in his hands.


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    "For His Majesty! Charge!" The Dwarf who fired the shot shouted loudly, then clumsily stood up, trudging through the thick snow toward the fallen enemy.


    "Ura!" Shouting a rallying cry whose meaning was unclear but packed with fervor, the soldiers from Ice Cold Kingdom who had been lying in ambush surged forth, swarming across the border like locusts.


    The long-nned war erupted at that moment, and the soldiers of Ice Cold Kingdom, armed with new weapons, confidently fired the first shot of a war of expansion.


    "Ura!" The reason these Dwarf soldiers cried out the slogan whimsically given to them by Tang Mo was that their King took a liking to this sinct and mysterious word.


    He interpreted this term to represent a mysterious power controlled by a genius weapons designer, or perhaps it was just an idental choice made by a Dwarf King without a second thought.


    "Ura!" More soldiers from Ice Cold Kingdom swarmed into the territory of their neighboring country, with no turning back.


    "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The opposing Dwarf soldiers began to panic. They were just a patrol squad and hadn''t realized that they had been targeted by therge ambush force of the enemy.


    They retreated quickly, without even a nce at the bodies on the ground. Soon bullets imed the lives of two more, and the rest threw down their weapons and knelt, begging for mercy.


    After receiving their first batch of supplies from the Great Tang Group, the Ice Cold Kingdom immediately embarked on expansionist activities.


    They waged an undered war on their neighbors, and the conflict erupted without warning just as the Eleven Kingdoms War was drawing to a close.


    The reason the war between the Ice Cold Kingdom and its neighbors isn''t counted as part of the Eleven Kingdoms War is that thetter was essentially Shireck''s final attempt to eradicate the newly emerged Great Tang Group, whereas the war initiated by the Ice Cold Kingdom wasn''t centered around the grudges between Shireck and Great Tang.


    The calm waters of theke had begun to ripple; the emergence of the Great Tang Group had already altered the developmental trajectory of this world.


    Tang Mo wasn''t the least bit surprised upon seeing the telegram about the Ice Cold Kingdom''s deration of war on its neighbors, just as he wasn''t surprised to learn that the Kingdom of Phk had initiated peace talks with the Suthers Kingdom.


    The Eleven Kingdoms'' War had progressed to a point where the oue was nearly decided.


    Suthers, due to internal strife, was unable to retaliate against the provoking Kingdom of Phk. However, both sides'' border garrisons adopted trench warfare tactics, so despite the outbreak of hostilities, neither could gain an advantage.


    Since the Kingdom of Phk had already realized that the war was destined to fail, their request for peace talks was not at all surprising.


    The Songmu Kingdom''s cession of the territory south of the Songmu River was also the result of Sofia''s maneuvers. Due to the failure of the Eleven Kingdoms War, the other directors of Shireck began to support Sofia, urging her to end the war that had no chance of victory.


    Thus, in a desperate move, Sofia saved the Kingdom of Phk by sacrificing five other countries. It was a trade-off, and Tang Mo had to pay a price to save face for his internal allies in Shireck.


    The end result was that the Great Tang Group generously conceded a step, allowing Sofia to save the Kingdom of Phk and earn the trust of the Shireck Board.


    And Sofia, in turn, secretly did Great Tang Group a small favor¡ªshe managed to cancel the n to reinforce the Xilun Kingdom.


    Without the support of this n, Dorne Kingdom''s main force moving southward easily overcame the Xilun Kingdom and annexed arge portion of its territory.


    As a result, Bolton, who led the troops southward, reached the gates of Xilun King City in just 21 days, nearly breaking his mentor Redman''s record of 17 days to annihte the Kingdom of Gemalin.


    With the Rosewood Kingdom and the Songmu Kingdom reaching a peace agreement, the Eleven Kingdoms War wasrgelying to an end.


    Now, only the Taren Kingdom continued to hold out¡ªits King City was blockaded, and the entire country had already fallen into paralysis, but Taren the Tenth showed no intention of surrendering¡ªin fact, he didn''t fail to surrender but had attempted to do so numerous times with Bernard simply ignoring him.


    After more than a decade of bombardment and blockade, the current Taren King City was engulfed in thick smoke everywhere, with looting and turmoil rampant.


    The stockpile of food supplies had begun to run low, and the order andw had long copsed, with everything seemingly heading towards a point of no return.


    --------


    In the past couple of days, Kaven didn''t dare to ask for leave, so this update is rather brief. I''ll adjust over the next two days and catch up on the missed updates. Counting four owed updates, I strive to repay the debt by the end of this month.

 Chapter 323 319 King Citys Last Stand

    KIng Taren the Tenth, after all, was unable to await the arrival of his loyal artillerymander; nor did reinforcementse from the direction of the artillery.


    Pacing restlessly throughout his own Royal Pce, until darkness fell once again, he could note up with a satisfactory solution.


    The whole King City had, in fact,pletely spiraled out of control, and Taren the Tenth was utterly unable to restore order, nor could he return it to its usual functioning.


    Even though the cannonade had ceased several days prior, and attacks from the seas had long since dissipated, the entire King City still couldn''t revert to its original state.


    Themoners, having seen red, or rather left with no way out, and the disorganized troops, continued to wreak havoc within the city, showing no intention of stopping.


    Various rumors and tales filled the air, many strange legends, leaving the already scared popce wholly unable to discern the truth.


    Some rumors imed that the King had died, killed by the artillery fire a few days ago; the Ministers kept it secret, only to maintain their grip on power.


    In normal times, King Taren the Tenth need only make a few public appearances to dispel such rumors immediately without a trace.


    But now, with the chaos outside, and with no means of media such as televisions, King Taren the Tenth''s appearance became a significant problem.


    He had no choice; King Taren the Tenth was neither a capable ruler nor a sage, and he didn''t have the courage to risk being attacked and step out of the Royal Pce to prove he was still breathing...


    As a result, such rumors found an evenrger audience, with many people vehemently believing the tales recounted by their wives'' aunts'' cousins'' second uncles'' seventh brothers'' sons'' friends... who allegedly witnessed, on that very day, King Taren the Tenth having half his head blown off by a cannonball, a sight terrifying enough to kill a person.


    Of course, there were others who said that it was the lower half of his body that had been hit, and that his... capabilities were gone, so the concubines in the harem were in for a hard time now.


    There was also a legend that the enemy hadnded!


    Yes, this legend too was spread with conviction, with many pounding their chests to guarantee that they saw the enemy Troopsnding.


    Yet, these witnesses could never clearly describe the enemy''s attire, the exact numbers, or articte the invaders'' purpose, but they would still assert to anyone who inquired about it that the enemy hadnded! That they were rampaging through the city, killing, and setting fires!


    Honestly, by then, those with discernment understood that the rumors of the enemynding were deliberately being spread with an agenda.


    The people who disseminated these rumors had a simple objective; they were capitalizing on the chaos for profit and naturally needed the chaos to persist.


    Since the enemy was no longer bombarding them, they had to create new anxieties, to facilitate their actions more conveniently, and artificially, to craft a scapegoat viin!


    The principle was simple; these peoplemitted heinous crimes without restraint, and once their deeds were done, they''d conveniently me the invading forces. The losses would be covered by others.


    And themselves? They reaped all the benefits and, by hiding and waiting out the storm, would no longer be held ountable for their sins.


    Against such a chaotic backdrop, the King City of the Taren Kingdom had be a living hell on earth.


    A city with hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, upon losing order and effective governance, quickly became a quagmire that consumed lives.


    Any city requires countless officials and workers, toiling tirelessly night and day. Should their efforts be disrupted or halted, everything would consequently copse.


    Modern cities are fragile, and so are the people living within them. Theyck the capacity to confront destabilizing situations and are devoid of the basic experience to survive on their own.


    In reality, a mere disruption of the water supply could copse a metropolis of millions in just a few weeks.


    Forty-eight hours without electricity, and the foundations of modern civilization would crumble, smartphones would be useless, the inte would disrupt, and panic would ensue.


    Theck of water and electricity alone is enough to turn the inhabitants of a city into beasts, irritable and hostile toward one another, spawning tragedy in the form of looting, riots, and killings.


    In arge city with millions of people, stockpiled food would be depleted within weeks. By then, the gates of hell would swing open, true despair would spread, and all suffering and sin would have only just begun.


    Though the era of this otherworldly city had yet to see such extreme growth andplexity, the city itself remained inherently vulnerable.


    Take King City of Taren as an example, where it had been seven or eight days since anyone hade to collect the residents'' excrement¡ªwhich was normally taken out of the city to be sold as fertilizer to farmers.


    But who would collect these foul-smelling wastes now? Therefore, these nauseating excrements piled up amidst the rubble and buildings, bing increasingly visible on the streets and alleys.


    This filled the air throughout the city with a rotten, stench-filled odor, with sewage ponds already overflowing, swarms of insects had formed, and, in fact, infectious diseases had already begun to spread.


    Because of the previous days'' frenzy of grabbing goods for free, bodies were visible everywhere in the yards and streets of the city.


    Some corpses began to rot due to the weather, and most of the bodies inside rooms or buildings were undiscovered or left unattended.


    They were carriers of gue, and also breeding grounds for harmful animals and insects, such as flies and rats.


    These bodies should have been organized and incinerated immediately, but now no one cared about these matters.


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    The few teams that could be organized were almost always near the outer city walls or around the Royal Pce.


    In the remaining areas of the city, you could hardly see a person, let alone patrol teams cleaning up bodies.


    Kind-hearted civilians had mostly fled to the outskirts by now, and wealthy magnates and bureaucrats protected by guards had escaped to their country estates.


    Those who stayed were either too old, weak, ill, and attached to their homes, or opportunists with ulterior motives; naturally, they wouldn''t concern themselves with anyws or regtions.


    So, from any perspective, King City of Taren could now be considered a city of the dead.


    "Where are the people I sent to gather information? Where are they?" King Taren the Tenth hysterically red at the Prime Minister and several Ministers, and shouted loudly.


    He had previously allowed the Ministers to go home overnight, but each subsequent day, fewer would return to the Royal Pce for the council, so Taren the Tenth simply detained them all within his own pce.


    He even sent for the detained Ministers'' families, turning the entire Royal Pce into a congested, smoke-filled ce overcrowded with people.


    That was a few days ago, when hismands still carried some weight¡ªnow, he dared not easily dispatch his confidants or troops outside the pce.


    Because the two trusted guards he had sent to the batteries had left and never returned, and most of those he had dispersed to gather information in thest few days had also vanished without a trace.


    Clearly, these men were armed when they left, so the likelihood of them being intercepted was actually very low¡ªit was more usible that they had simply fled as soon as they left the pce, without attempting to carry out the tasks assigned by the King.


    "Your Majesty! I don''t know either..." the Prime Minister quickly deflected, having lost hope for the Kingdom.


    In the past few days, he hadn''t even dared to send envoys to themanders of the enemy warships lying at sea, because those envoys too had gone and not returned, not bringing back even a hint of progress.


    And the current state of King City, already nearly consumed by internal strife, was beyond salvation¡ªwithout being able to even find those sent out, how could one manage and control the entire city?


    Moreover, the food stored in the city was rapidly depleting, and famine would soon ensue. When the hungry rioters descended upon the Royal Pce to seek food, what was to be done?


    At that thought, the Prime Minister couldn''t help but smirk bitterly to himself¡ªhis tenure as Prime Minister of Taren Kingdom seemed to have reached its end.


    "You don''t know! You don''t know anything! Do you?" King Taren the Tenth bellowed in frustration and anger, his voice rising to a screeching pitch.


    "Useless rubbish! All of you, rubbish! Traitors!" he yelled helplessly, venting his dissatisfaction and fear.


    Then, he grabbed a water cup and hurled it at the feet of the Prime Minister and other Ministers detained in the pce, screaming, "Get out! All of you, get out!"


    The Ministers and Prime Minister, as if granted a reprieve, quickly exited the hall, while the already enraged King Taren the Tenth turned his attention to a trembling servant standing by.


    "You...e here!" he gestured to the servant, his face darkening.


    Seeing the king summon him, the servant wore an expression uglier than crying and reluctantly moved his frail body towards His Majesty.


    Witnessing such reluctance and fear, King Taren the Tenth grew even more irritable. He strode toward the servant and, with a swing of his arm, delivered a loud p across the servant''s face.


    The servant was spun in ce by the strike, taking several stumbling steps before barely regaining his foothold. But before he could straighten up, the King''s fists, like a violent storm, struck once again.


    Minutester, King Tarran, panting heavily, stood over the bloodied, lifeless servant, scanning the remaining silent maids and servants: "What are you afraid of? What? Why are you afraid?" he demanded.


    As he spoke, he kicked the battered body on the ground twice more: "What are you afraid I''ll do? Huh? Speak! Why are you so afraid of me? Say it!"


    ...


    Only after the guards, shaken with fear, removed the servant''s corpse and the maids mustered the courage to wash the blood-stained floor did the assembly hall fall into eerie silence, broken only by the sound of rags wiping the ground.


    It was a strange, frightening, quiet.

 Chapter 324 320 new-style warship

    In a shipyard workshop of Shireck, thousands of people gathered around arge ship temporarily modified, conducting the final checks.


    This ship was designed by Shireck''s genius engineer, built through enhancements as an entirely new type of warship that overturned previous sailship designs, adopting an unprecedentedyout.


    Indeed, this was a steamship, powered primarily by steam engines, no longer reliant on sails, but propelled continuously by the power of machinery.


    "Gentlemen, we have proven that the smartest people in this world aren''t just from that shitty Great Tang Group! We also have technicians worth boasting about! They too can create the most advanced weaponry in the world!" On the scaffold, the plump Shireck director proudly waved his arms and boasted to all the dignitaries present for theunching ceremony.


    Behind him, the oddly-shaped warship was slowly pushed towards the sea by the workers.


    This dock was actually quite old; its size was notrge and indeed not the best choice for constructingrge-tonnage warships.


    However, the volume of this warship was notrge either, andpared to the irond warships of the Great Tang Group, its length could even be considered somewhat pitiful.


    There was no helping it, as the actual Brunas-ss warships of the Great Tang Group were hovering around a hundred meters in length, whereas the warship before them was less than 60 meters long.


    But this was already thergest irond warship that the Shireck Consortium could build, because if it were any longer, the keel joining techniques they possessed would not suffice to support the heavy hull.


    Despite this, it was still incredibly heavy¡ªthe steel-ted hull meant this warship sat much deeper in the water than other sailships.


    Because of the deep draft, this ship couldn''t enter shallower rivers, and even some smaller seaports were inessible to it.


    The fat director of the Shireck Consortium was unfazed by these ws because the warship before him was truly the first steam-powered warship that Shireck could produce.


    Therefore, he spoke excitedly, sparing no words of praise, and triumphantly announced to all the onlookers: "Next, we are about to witness theunching of this new type of ship! It shall be our new weapon!"


    Warm apuse erupted from below, as everyone felt that after a long silence, Shireck was finally back on the right path to development in certain areas.


    The decayed Shireck was finally awakened, no longercent, atst focusing on innovation and development like they did a century ago.


    For the shareholders of Shireck, there could be no more exciting news. Their stocks would be more valuable, their worth would rise! The future was also looking more promising.


    So they pped excitedly, expressing their emotions. Although they had lost the 11-nation war, Shireck would eventually gain even more!


    The fat man was quite proud, for it was he who had brought this endless potential for development to the group. So recently, he had be the most esteemed representative among the directors and had regained some power that was rightfully his.


    The Taren and Xilun kingdoms were no longer viable, but he had found new profit streams, received fresh recognition, and he would be morepetitive and wealthier than before!


    "A groundbreaking warship has been tirelessly built by us! This is our new... hope!" So, his face beamed with smugness, and he was filled with confidence in himself.


    A production line, modified with the steam and electrical engines as the basis from the Tang Group, had entered the final stages of adjustment.


    This line could produce more advanced Shireck Automatic Pistols¡ªa new type of weapon that could provide soldiers with continuous fire support at medium and close range.


    It was so advanced that Shireck''s executives regarded it as a secret weapon; unmatched in performance, it was a true masterpiece.


    In fact, this weapon was just the Mauser "broomhandle," intentionally leaked to Shireck by Tang Mo; its technology wasn''t actually advanced.


    The weapon had significant recoil, andpared to submachine guns, it was rather imitation, so its performance was only mediocre.


    However, because there were not many submachine guns in the Huaxia war zone, it shone brightly and became a popr piece of equipment.


    As for Tang Mo, he himself could manufacture submachine guns, so he didn''t value this weapon that wasrger than a pistol but less effective than a submachine gun... However, as a "letter of loyalty" for defecting to Shireck, it was indeed sufficient. Your journey continues at empire


    "Honestly, your genius design has impressed me deeply! Compared with you, ourpetitors are downright idiotic!" The fat Shireck director concluded his speech and, amid the apuse, walked down to the stage. Soon, he stood beside a young man, taking a ss of wine from one of his attendants andvishing praise on the young man.


    "You are the most far-sighted decision-maker I''ve ever seen, Mr. Hansen!" the young man said with a smile, offering up ttering words that werefortable to hear: "Few have the courage like you to spend so much money on building an experimental warship."


    "Compared to sailboats, it virtually has no disadvantages¡ªjust that it''s a bit more expensive," the young man remarked as he gazed at the giant object that had beenunched into the water in the distance.


    "This is all your achievement! I''ve been lobbying the council to bring you in as a new Consortium director... To be honest, it was a tough decision, however... clearly, you''re worth this treatment!" The man named Hansen, filled with sincerity, assured the young man: "As long as you can keep inventing and creating better weapons, anything is possible!"


    "You will attain the greatest wealth in the world, possess countless beautiful women, and you can scoff at kings and even Emperors!" Hansen depicted a wonderful future, encouraging the young weapon design master beside him: "Just as long as! You can continue to create more, new weapons!"


    "I will! I feel I have a talent for this... Don''t you think so?" the young man asked, gesturing with his wine ss in hand towards the extravagantly shaped warship in the distance, speaking confidently.


    "Hahahaha! I believe you will! Just as you say, you are a very talented young man!" Hansen burst intoughter, and after having his fill ofughter, he spoke in agreement.


    To be frank, he really liked this young man¡ªambitious, young, filled with passion, and knowledgeable about technology. He could design exquisite weapons and also had a sharp eye for business.


    Hansen had been grooming him as a close confidant, feeling that by helping the young man into the council, he would gain another ally to support himself.


    After all, when the young manpromised and sold his workshop, he didn''t ask for cash but for Shireck shares¡ªthough it was just a little bit, it removed the greatest obstacle to his entering the council.


    There was no way around it; his workshop was too important for Shireck¡ªit had a set of industrial technology equipment simr to that of the Great Tang Group.


    Moreover, it had two types of new weapons ready for mass production¡ªone was a semi-automatic individual weapon, and the other was a very advanced metal cartridge bolt-action rifle.


    The sessful acquisition instantly provided Shireck with two products that could match the individual weapons of the Great Tang Group in performance, thus saving the precariously positioned Shireck Consortium from crisis.


    The young man in front of him had not disappointed Hansen''s expectations. After joining Shireck, he immediately constructed a brand-new warship for them!


    An armored, brand-new, steam-powered warship d in iron! He resolved Shireck''s troublesome issues in the most direct way possible.


    Shireck''s technicians, who had never seen Great Tang Group''s irond warships, struggled without sess to understand the principle behind the propeller.


    Even if they guessed the design of the propeller, theycked the experience to solve the issue of the drive shaft''s sealing technology¡ªthey werepletely ignorant about this technological aspect,cking both data and theoretical support.


    Therefore, Shireck''s steamships had long been unable to hit the water, which left Shireck significantlygging behind the Great Tang Group in the realm of naval weapons.


    The young man who had just joined Shireck thought outside the box and solved their dilemma.


    He employed the principle of water wheels, installing two huge, symmetrical water wheels high up on either side of the ship, driven by a steam engine to turn the wheels and propel the ship forward.


    Yes, Shireck''s first generation irond warships used the design of a paddle wheel ship, a somewhat outdated thought process.


    However, being outdated brought its own advantages¡ªat least this ship did not need to consider watertight structures for the drive shaft, and so the design was substantially simplified.


    Although the speed of this type of ship was slow, it was indeed faster than a sailboat, and, crucially, it didn''t rely on sails. It could sail against the wind, substantially increasing its versatility.


    Of course, the paddle wheel ship had its own ws¡ªthe biggest two being low propulsion efficiency and the paddle wheel obstructing the cement of cannons on the warship.


    Compared to the Great Tang Group''s warship, which had numerous cannons on its nks, Shireck''s new irond had only a couple of cannons, mounted at the bow and stern!


    But these two cannons were copied from the Great Tang Group''s breech-loading cannons by Shireck, with a performance that was much betterpared to the muzzle-loading cannons on previous sailing warships.


    Moreso, these two cannons were installed within rotating turrets, protected by iron tes, thus their survivability was much greater than a muzzle-loader set straightforwardly behind a gun port.


    All in all, this was a brand new warship¡ªthe most advanced warship of Shireck!

 Chapter 325 321 Construction Laines

    Laines was originally a small town where everything was quite ordinary, except for its proximity to the Laines River, which made transportation rtively convenient by water.


    However, the recent changes here have begun to baffle the generations that have lived in this ce.


    For they saw outside their city people constructing arge tform, about one meter high and nked by a row of thick cement pirs.


    Then, from these cement pirs, steel began to extend to both sides, and eventually, workersid out awork of steel beams on these extensions and attached bricks and tiles to them.


    It resembled a gigantic gazebo, connected to the original city by a wide concrete road.


    Those familiar with all this knew that a railway station was being built, and it was going to be a veryrge one at that.


    A railway would stretch westward from here all the way to the old Leite Royal City, now known as Jade City.


    Soon, the railwaywork would be connected, with one route heading north to Ice Crystal City and then directly to Northern Ridge Wolf City, another heading west to Jade City and then continuing westward to Brunas.


    Of course, another line was being built to the south; with Jade City as the transportation hub, it would connect to Dorne King City,pleting the basic construction of an entire railwaywork.


    All of this would take time to umte, with a kilometer by kilometer of railway track being diligentlyid and built. This would require countless amounts of steel and the collective efforts of innumerable workers.


    The Laines railway station, as a brand new rail link, would also begin toy tracks, extending to both sides, one connecting to Jade City and the other to the Germelin region.


    This magnificent station is a microcosm of the recent changes in Laines. Apart from the station, a huge waterworks is also under construction, with many roads in the city being dug up for the instation of water supply pipes.


    At the same time, an entire city sewage system was being built, modeled after Brunas''s design and considered one of the most advanced urban sewage systems in the world.


    In addition, a pce was being constructed almost simultaneously, a truly luxurious pce for the Emperor to reside and work in.


    There was also an apanying power nt, factories for various industrial products, and workshops... The ce was like a giant construction site, with frantic construction happening everywhere.


    On the side of the city, a piece ofnd was being furiously worked upon; this would be the most luxurious shopping street in the new city.


    ording to Great Tang Group''s construction ns, this would be an affluent district filled with shops andprehensive infrastructure.


    And thend price here would be frighteningly high, only the wealthiest imperial tycoons and nobles could afford to live in this area.


    As the builder of thismercial district, Great Tang Group would rely on real estate to generate massive funds, evoking envy from all.


    Bing an empire was not a simple matter; recently, the ministers of Leite had countless issues to deal with, so they couldn''t be bothered with trivial matters such as a consortium specting on capital city real estate prices.


    Besides, even if someone had noticed, nobody would concern themselves with such trifles. After all, Great Tang Group had given each of them an apartment, making them direct beneficiaries of themercial district''s development.


    And as for Emperor Leines I, he would care even less about such matters since he had a pce under construction, making him the one who profited the most from this real estate development zone.


    To highlight the grandeur of this new imperial capital, a very wide thoroughfare ran through the entire city.


    Purchasing and transforming old residential buildings waspletely impossible, so this thoroughfare that traversed the entire imperial capital actually marked the boundary between the old and new urban districts.


    The old city district was basically undergoing renovations, which wouldn''t start immediately, while the new city district including the pce, the affluent business district, the railway station, and the new docks...


    Such a massive expansion project was actually more time andbor-efficient than building a new city from scratch.


    On one hand, this was due to improved construction technology and the widespread use of concrete, and on the other, it was because the new imperial capital didn''t consider building city walls.


    After all, city walls could no longer serve a serious defense function in the face of ever-evolving weaponry.


    75mm caliber howitzers, 80mm caliber mortars could actually damage city walls significantly.


    If reced with 105mm caliber howitzers or 120mm mortars, that kind of damage would be very effective.


    The artillery could easily destroy the walls, and the defenders concentrated on them would be very obvious targets, which was not the oue any city defensemander wanted to see.


    As for the new methods of defending cities, they are still being explored. The more mainstream tactic is to eliminate enemies approaching the city in the field, rather than allowing them to fight inside the city.


    However, within the Great Tang Military Academy, research groups have already begun studying urban warfare theory, but at least for the present, this strategy is really not mainstream.


    Therefore, city walls now have only one use, which is to confine the civilians within the city, to restrain them and to raise their level of public order, and to make it easier to seal off a city.


    But these functions, whenpared to the cost of constructing walls, are really too trivial. The consensus now being epted by many people is that city walls restrict the development of a city.


    Don''t you see, Brunas, as thergest city in the world, has long done away with such things as city walls.


    The original, which did not seem very tall, has beenpletely demolished, not even leaving a trace behind.


    Where the walls once stood, skyscrapers have been erected, which are much taller than the original city walls.


    So, ording to the n, the old walls of Laines will also soon be demolished, and the stones from the walls will be used in the construction of new buildings like train stations and the Imperial Pce.


    The residents of the former Laines even feel fear over this because they have lived under the protection of these walls for generations; losing this barrier suddenly has stripped them of a support, making them feel unsettled and anxious.


    But all this is destined to be temporary, for soon they will find that without the constraints of city walls, their lives will be much more convenient.


    In fact, Laines is not the only city dismantling its walls; Jade City and Wolf City are also taking down their walls, and as for Dragon City and Weigang, there was never any intention to build walls there.


    And other things have already started to make their lives lookpletely different¡ªfor a small, ancient city like Laines, it had never seen a crane before.


    Especially since this is a new type of device powered by an engine, a machine entirely made of steel with immense power.


    The children of Laines most enjoy squatting nearby every day, watching the cranes fixed on the construction site lift loads that would take dozens of people to lift, hoisting them easily to great heights.


    This is an unprecedented experience, especially therapeutic and stress-relieving¡­


    Besides the cranes, the children have another interesting ce to go, and that is the temporary camps outside the city to see those automobiles they have never seen before.


    For these children, automobiles are definitely a novelty, able to move without being pulled by warhorses, a veritable miracle.


    The military of the Leite Kingdom is equipped with hundreds of Model T automobiles, and many are improved versions of the Model T.


    However, the staff of the Great Tang Group have a wide variety of automobiles at their disposal. Some managers have even reced their cars with thetest luxury sedans.


    The workers also have trucks that carry more and are easier to drive to choose from, and these vehicles, both in terms of appearance and actual functional performance, are somewhat higher grade than the moremon Model T.


    The development of the Great Tang Group has been so rapid that it has made this world look distorted and fantastical.


    Now many ces still have only horse-drawn carriages, yet in some extreme cases, automobiles from 1935, 1913, horse-drawn carriages, and even rickshaws can appear in the same scene.


    Railroads have shown their unique role in the war, but in more parts of the world, there isn''t even a proper dirt road¡­


    Such is reality; Tang Mo is about to create the world''s first airne, yet some armies¡­ or rather, the vast majority of armies in this world, are still using flintlock guns¡­


    In Brunas, most people are ustomed to independent bathrooms and water supply systems, yet even in Jade City, these amenities are not fully poprized.


    In Brunas, the electricity coverage rate has already exceeded 90%, but in other regions of the world, you might not even find a single electric wire.


    In Brunas, many important departments have already started to equip telephones for real-time voicemunication, but in cities other than this one,munication stillrgely relies on courier services.


    In Brunas, gangsters might have various models of Left-Wheel Handguns, but in other cities, Rangers might still be wandering the streets with Longswords.


    In Brunas, doctors have even begun to inject medicine to treat various diseases, while in other cities, bloodletting is still widely practiced, witch doctors are still a profession, and praying to deities is considered an "effective" medical approach¡­


    Now, these changes are all about toe to Laines, and in the near future, this formerly obscure little city will be the capital of the Laines Empire, transforming into a new city that captivates the attention of the world.


    Here, you can see¡­ a glorious future.

 Chapter 326 Incomplete Emperor 322

    On the outskirts of Laines, there was a vast encampment housing soldiers from three legions, as well as a huge tent erected temporarily for the amodation of Leite VII.


    It could be said that quite a few of the high officials of the Leite Kingdom had moved here with their families, waiting for the moment Jade City''s construction would bepleted.


    However, it would be a lengthy process, so they would have to live in tents for at least several more months, sharing the open wilderness with 5000 soldiers.


    It wasn''t that they were eager to move; rather, the King of Leite was anxious to hand over Jade City to Tang Mo as soon as possible so that the Great Tang Group could initiate their grand n of ascension to the throne.


    The whole n would cost a staggering sum of money, an amount far beyond what a kingdom in constant warfare could afford.


    Without offering something as coteral, no one could possibly kick off such a massive project, and Tang Mo wasn''t a fool¡ªhe wouldn''t help Leite VII be the world''s newest emperor for nothing.


    Therefore, many ministers of the kingdom werepelled to move, joining their king or rather their future emperor in what amounted to a six-month camping trip.


    This relocation, while chaotic, also breathed unprecedented vitality into the whole Leite Kingdom.


    During the process of relocation, the kingdom''s decaying underbelly was swept clean, at least on the surface, it seemed to flourish.


    Economy, with a year-long push from the Great Tang Group, began to revive, and the momentum of this mass migration swept across most of the nation.


    Countless fortune seekers had already flocked to Laines, and indeed, they found their first pot of gold here.


    The King generously decided that workers involved in the construction of the new city would all receive their own homes in the future city.


    This attracted a multitude, sending many into frenzies. While ministers grumbled andined, once they received the resettlement fees prepared by the Great Tang Group, they all became understanding and reasonable.


    There was no choice... It wasn''t ack of principles on their part; it was just that the Great Tang Group had offered too much...


    ...


    Looking at the ck and white photographid out on the table, the man who was not yet Leines I, His Majesty the King of Leite, still couldn''t quite believe his own eyes.


    The truth was, living in a tent was inconvenient and sometimes boring. Leite VII spent most of his time inspecting the construction site of Laines City to pass the time.


    After all, even though his coronation, victory parade, and relocation were expensive and exhausting, there really wasn''t much for him to do personally.


    Some matters would naturally be taken care of by others without his need to intervene, while some were no longer under the jurisdiction of the soon-to-be emperor...


    Therefore, he began to take an interest in Great Tang Group''s strange technologies, coincidentally, some of which would soon make an appearance at his coronation ceremony.


    At this moment, for the first time in his life, he witnessed a technique that could faithfully replicate a scene before his eyes, a "painting" technique.


    Or rather, it was no longer a mere painting technique, but an unprecedented form of image presentation.


    It was from the Great Tang Group''s technicians that he first heard the word "photography."


    And then hepletely fell in love with this technology that could faithfully record real-life scenes¡ªhe certainly wouldn''t know that in the future a sorcery called ''Photoshop'' would emerge, rendering photos unreliable.


    Shifting his gaze from the ck and white photograph, he tried not to look at the image of himself in the photo anymore and instead began to examine an entire set of even moreplex equipment.


    The person who delivered this equipment called these strange-looking contraptions, even moreplicated than a Maxim machine gun, a "movie camera."


    "It can record moving images... Though not as clear as photographs, it can indeed capture consecutive actions," the photographer said, an old man who used to be a painter and now was one of the world''s first photographers.


    After all, the art of filming required a certain level of aesthetic, and with film still being prohibitively expensive, it was more suitable for professionals to handle it, to lower the costs.


    "We will faithfully record the entire parade, as well as the whole coronation ceremony... This will be a very important piece of visual documentation," he exined about the equipment while elucidating Leite VII.


    Hearing this, Leite VII immediately perked up, "Are you saying that this will be the first grand ceremony in the world to be recorded with moving images?"


    Many had be emperors before him, but very few had the most glorious moments of their ascensions preserved in imagery.


    Many Emperors in the past hired painters, sparing no expense to have their moments of greatest glory recorded.


    But no matter how hard they tried, all they got was an ordinary, albeitrge, painting.


    I am different. When I ascended to the throne, there were cameras to take photos and video recorders to capture the event. I will be immortalized in history due to these precious visual records!


    The entire world can''t erase my moments of glory, and anyone who studies photography in the future won''t be able to bypass the fact that I was the first!


    What a fortunate thing this is! This is simply the best gift Tang Mo has given me! Now, as the founding Emperor, what I care about the most is ensuring that my deeds are forever passed down, isn''t it?


    The photographer excitedly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty! ording to the Great Tang Group, they will use special equipment to record the entire military parade, as well as your coronation ceremony."


    Being selected to film the coronation of an Emperor, he was also incredibly excited. This was the first time in the whole world that such an important moment was being recorded with photographic equipment.


    He too could make history and be a monument! This was the beginning of photographic technology and also the peak of his own artistic career!


    After a brief moment of distraction, Leite VII suddenly burst intoughter, "Ha... Hahaha! Mr. Tang Mo is an interesting person. I find him more and more to my liking!"


    He was extremely satisfied with this special gift from Tang Mo, perhaps more so than ever before.


    Although it was just a small detail of the entire ceremony, this detail truly moved him, causing him tough heartily.


    As an Emperor, isn''t what I want and wait for to create history and be the beginning of an era?


    Now I have achieved that, not only founding a dynasty but also bing a pioneer in another field, being the first!


    This feeling... it''s really good!


    After the photographer left, Leite VII sat back in his seat and dismissed his attendants.


    Once he was sure there were no eavesdroppers nearby, a trusted Minister by his side began to speak calmly, "ording to the previous agreement, he will be the Empire''s first hereditary prince."


    "Hmm, give it to him then. With his support, my reign as Emperor will be more stable," Leite VII replied somewhat reluctantly.


    "Yes, and at the same time, we must fix Brunas''s paper currency as the imperial currency. Its credit will be guaranteed jointly by Brunas and the Empire, and Brunas''s paper money will be renamed Imperial Paper Currency, with the unit being... yuan." The Minister continued to inform Leite VII, "The issuance and operation will all be controlled by the Great Tang Group."


    Leite VII, sensing the dissatisfaction in the Minister''s voice, sighed andined, "Honestly, even though I only understand the basics, I''d rather not have my country''s currency issued and controlled by a merchant."


    "Your Majesty..." The Minister wanted to advise further, for he truly did not wish for the nation''s economy to be in someone else''s hands.


    "Listen to me! I''m not a fool; I know that there are endless tricks involved. With control over the state-sanctioned currency, Tang Mo could easily manipte everything, and my Emperor''s power has been unprecedentedly undermined," Leite VII said, recalling his duplicitous Finance Minister Simon.


    "But, I''m also aware that it''s a transaction. He has hundreds of students serving in my military, more than half of the Ministers in court act in ordance with the Great Tang Group''s wishes... Even my ''loyal'' Prime Minister has be the damned neutral party! Tang Mo''s infiltration is even more thorough than Shireck''s; I''m practically an Emperor in name only," he said, clearly bing angry.


    "Your Majesty, you''re taking this too seriously. In reality, we still have a cooperative rtionship, and Mr. Tang Mo has no intention of meddling with the power of the Laines Empire," the Minister knew his master did not like to hear this, so after saying it, he hastily added, "Although his power is, indeed, too great."


    Leite VII replied with a grim expression, "I know... That''s why I''ve been biding my time until now! As of today, the conflict between him and me has be irreconcble."


    "Ah..." The Minister could only feign a sigh, seemingly with a hint of helplessness.


    "He wants the right to issue currency, he wants the economy of the entire country... Even just for self-preservation, what he wants is simply too much... but I have no choice but to grant it to him, for his support is the foundation of my im to the throne," Leite VII said, sighing involuntarily after hearing the Minister''s sigh.


    Still wary of the other party, yet needing to seek their support; this feeling is really not good, very unpleasant indeed.


    "Right now, the entire country is in a delicate bnce, but this bnce could be broken at any moment." He felt powerless about the situation, so he had no choice but to ept, "I can trust him, and maybe he really won''t betray me, but what about in ten years'' time? What if he dies, or if I fall ill and die? Will his son covet the throne under my son''s rear?"


    "Your Majesty! Those are issues for the future... Worrying about this now..." The Minister, fearing his master might entertain dangerous rebellious thoughts, quickly interjected with reassurance.


    "I know... I know..." Leite VII, frustrated, cut the Minister''s reassurance off.

 Chapter 327 323 Diary

    I am an arms dealer, and my daily life is actually very monotonous. When I open my eyes in the morning, I have to work busily all day long.


    Every morning, I read the newspapers while having breakfast, and then I listen to thetest news reported by my intelligencework.


    Some of this news consists of summarized content that needs continuous attention, while some are unpredictable, emergency incidents.


    If you want to make money, you need to know about everything happening in this world. The difference in intelligence often affects the decision-making process for handling a situation, and these decisions can ultimately determine the sess or failure of the whole matter.


    The better you handle the details, the faster you can solve problems. And solving problems faster usually means earning more money.


    To be honest, I am already about the richest person known in this world. As long as I keep developing systematically, I will certainly be the world''s wealthiest person.


    In the morning, I need to check thepany''s ount summary report. Through this, I can get a rough idea of how much money I currently have.


    Yesterday, I printed about three million Gold Coins'' worth of banknotes and issued them.


    With this money, the current Great Tang Group actually controls 41 million Gold Coins, with a total currency issuance value of 54 million Gold Coins... it''s basically within a reasonable range.


    Of course, that doesn''t include Great Tang Group''s fixed assets... thend I own, the factories on thend, and other various things, plus technology¡ªperhaps the valuation could be even higher, around... a few billion perhaps.


    I might have temporarily reached the small goal of two to three, or perhaps four to five Jian Linrades; frankly speaking, industries are really not as lucrative as ying around with real estate.


    The good news is that I have also started to y with real estate, and it has begun to ount for a significant part of my ie.


    The bad news is I have no intention of relying on this to develop. I am an arms dealer; I prefer to use the things I sell to destroy everything and then use the things I sell to rebuild the world.


    In my view, most things in the world are weapons.


    Medical drugs are weapons¡ªas long as I control medical care and the R&D of drugs, then all the sick people in this world will be my Soldiers, and everyone''s health will be my battlefield.


    When I can decide who can get medicine and who can only wait to die, the drugs that save lives will be weapons, weapons that control the world.


    Simrly, fashion and art are also weapons. I can use them to change the target''s perception, destroy their worldview and values, and make my enemies unknowingly be my lickspittles, kneeling ves.


    The ridiculous part is they won''t realize they''ve been conquered. They''ll think they''ve been reborn, be superior beings, and will willingly sacrifice their own personalities and life savings for this.


    Money is also a weapon. When money reaches a certain amount, I can use it to destroy a powerful enemy.


    In fact, even countries with nuclear weapons can be defeated if their economies copse, if they be poor and desperate. Powerful weapons will only be a burden that crushes them.


    For example, right now, with just onemand, the Laines Empire that is still in preparation could copse, bing and of misery and utter despair...


    Simrly, public opinion is a weapon. By controlling public opinion and seizing the world''s voice, if I wish it, the whole world can only hear one sound, then I am like a deity.


    And by that time, every word I say will also be public opinion, the most powerful weapon.


    If I say someone is evil, they be the epitome of Satan, a devil, a wrongdoer. If I say someone is innocent, they be as pure as angels, as Buddha.


    Let''s talk about food¡ªit''s the very foundation that keeps the world running. To put it simply, agriculture is the only indispensable core of a society.


    Without food, even if the inte evolves to 8G, even if you have nuclear bombs andser cannons, you will ultimately return to dust.


    So, if I can control all the food in this world, food is also a weapon, or rather... the very act of monopolizing it is the most formidable weapon.


    Simrly, the cannons, machine guns, and bullets I produce are also weapons, and they are the most traditional and effective weapons.


    In fact, they are the foundation of it all. Without them, all the things mentioned before are just illusions, rootless duckweeds.


    As an arms dealer, I am all too clear about the rtionship between the barrel of a gun and the pen, between the money bag and the medicine pot.


    Having mastered these, or rather, having controlled these, one can control everything in the future.


    In fact, I have already monopolized most industrial products from ces including Dorne, Suthers, and Leite, dominated the economic life of these regions, controlled economic development, and even infiltrated their governments.


    If I wish, I can manipte the market and make ten times or a hundred times the profit I desire in an instant.


    But I won''t do that.


    Because the reason I have everything under my control is to prevent anyone else besides me from manipting it! Stay tuned for updates on empire


    This monster is too dangerous; if left to those reckless madmen, it would be a superweapon that devours the world and destroys society.


    But with the weapon in my hands, I can at least assure that it won''t be used¡ªor more precisely, I can make sure I won''t use it as long as I have other options.


    At noon, I usually dine with some politicians or tycoons, using that little time to meet with people I must see.


    They alle to me with various agendas¡ªmost to make money, and some to pledge their allegiance.


    If I meet someone whoes to show off their talents or, rather, to contribute their technological inventions, then things be much more interesting.


    Truth be told, I am very weing of these capable individuals. They can bring vitality to the entire group and make me feel that the world I face is a living, thinking entity.


    This is quite fascinating; these people are much more appealing than the lunch itself. Whenever they confidently unroll their blueprints and introduce their technological achievements, I am always willing to listen patiently to their self-assured voices.


    Although, at times, they present to me what I am already familiar with, I still find it immensely delightful.


    In the afternoon, I typically spend time in theb or drafting room, guiding some students in experimenting with new technologies or getting my hands dirty and creating something myself.


    To be honest, some things are very dangerous, and even with a perfect manufacturing process, safety isn''t guaranteed.


    Even I need to be extremely cautious; these are cutting-edge experiments of immense importance to the world.


    As someone with a mind brimming with technical knowledge, I believe it''s my obligation to help the world proceed on the right path.


    It''s my responsibility, my duty, and also my... means of making money! While I take Gold Coins, I give back much more to the world.


    Tang Mo engraved his thoughts into his diary¡ªneatly, penning down every word. He would write an entry asionally to record and sort out his feelings.


    Simrly, many times his diary would be excerpted for the students to analyze Tang Mo''s thoughts, letting them learn from his advanced ideas.


    This is a most effective teaching method. Everyone is curious about Tang Mo''s thoughts, and it also allows them to see a differentndscape through his perspective.


    Just as Tang Mo was writing furiously, the door to his office opened and Harry came in, holding the finalized report of the fashion and art circle.


    He put these documents on Tang Mo''s desk, then ced the stack that might interest Tang Mo at the very top.


    Taking a step back, he finally reported, "Master, here are the photo profiles of the first batch of movie stars that have just been finalized. You can take a look and offer some thoughts."


    Tang Mo paused, then put down his pen and picked up the thick album, bowing his head to turn to the first page.


    He then saw one stunning face after another¡ªsome resembling Audrey Hepburn, some Gal Gadot, and others almost identical to Sophie Marceau.


    The world is vast, vast enough that finding familiar faces isn''t as unlikely as one might think.


    Tang Mo believed that those subordinates who had chosen the movie stars certainly hadn''t seen the movie stars from his world, yet they had still selected, based on male instinct, a collection of females that could be considered works of art.


    "If you find any unsuitable, just tear them out and throw them in the trash," Harry said with a smile to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo closed the album and handed it back to Harry¡ªbeing a man, he too harbored his own instincts: "Keep them all."


    "Then the number of female guests for tonight''s celebration party will be somewhat plentiful," Harry remarked as he took back the album.


    Tang Mo was indifferent, "Do you think I am someone who cares about a few bottles of fine wine or some delicacies? How about a masquerade ball instead?"


    "As you wish, Master," Harry agreed without any objection. He knew that even if Tang Mo wanted to have a party where no clothes were worn, the women on that list would probably be willing to attend.


    Tang Mo nodded slightly, then instructed, "Send them some pretty dresses, after all, there will be quite a few tycoonsing tonight."


    "Understood!" Harry bowed slightly and then backed toward the door.


    Tang Mo looked down and continued writing his diary: "I don''t like parties, attending parties is a waste of time... And those women, I''m not the least bit interested..."

 Chapter 328 324 Entertainment Circle Raising Gu

    Tang Mo certainly liked parties, as they were reminiscent of the morous social gatherings filled with beauties that he often hosted in his previous life. Here, there were true socialites and enchanting belles; it was a ce any man would enjoy.


    Naturally, if you didn''t have money, you could never throw such a party. Even the wealthy could only join in, without the means to organize one themselves.


    How much money did Tang Mo have now? Even he wasn''t quite sure anymore. The amount of money he possessed was beyond theprehension of others in this world.


    Therefore, he had the capability to host such parties, and his technology could make these events appear even more modern and vibrant.


    Because of electricity, the hall truly had sufficient lighting, and everything began to somewhat resemble the settings Tang Mo was familiar with.


    The guests tonight were all wealthy merchants, with no politicians in attendance, because this was essentially a gathering within the entertainment circle, intended to introduce the first generation of leadingdies selected by the Great Tang Group to the rich tycoons.


    If these divinely bestowed actresses weren''t too ambitious and didn''t aspire to reach the pinnacle of the world, they could easily find a patron at this event and develop their careers within Great Tang Group''s moviepany, then leave their mark in the annals of cinema history.


    As long as their acting skills were good enough, they might even be "queen of the screen" in the truest sense, bing the first exceptional actresses of this era.


    The Great Tang Group was already considering setting up the Brunas Awards, which would honor those with extraordinary influence in the film industry.


    And if a woman wanted to go further and reach the top, she would need to ovee challenges, elevate herself enough, then stand before Tang Mo.


    There were too many outstanding women in this world, and having a beautiful face was merely the least valuable addition in the cruel contest among women.


    Do you know how little it can cost to buy one of those seemingly iparably beautiful women? A few dozen Gold Coins are considered a high price.


    In the shadows, ten Gold Coins could buy a life, and a hundred Gold Coins were a sum that could drive someone insane.


    You think the Nobilitymits all sorts of atrocities? In reality, in this world, most women willingly climb onto the beds of noblemen because without their patronage, they might not even have food to eat.


    So, after Tang Mo finished his pleasantries with several merchants, beautifully dressed women asionally passed by gracefully, whether intentionally or inadvertently.


    Just like in photographs, some of these women resembled Anne Hathaway, while others bore a striking simrity to Scarlett Johansson. It was truly a feast for the eyes, fragrance filling the room.


    It could be said that this was a garden of women exclusively for Tang Mo, a garden for him to appreciate and y with any way he wanted.


    "They all belong to you tonight, Master. If you wish, all of them could be in your bed tonight... Three? Five? Or even... all of them...


    It''s possible."


    "If you''re going to joke like that, I might just train you to have a preference for men," Tang Mo said with a grin, looking at John who had appeared by his side with a drink in hand.


    John, who had just been looking somewhatscivious, immediately reined in his smile and exined seriously, "Master, I mean no disrespect. I merely think that these women are indeed very remarkable. Even measured against the standard of the legendary Elf Queen, these women can be described as beautiful."


    "Elf Queen? Was she very pretty?" Tang Mo was more interested in this exotic and unfamiliar interworld style he had never seen.


    He had, without doubt, been in super friendly rtions with countless beautiful humans, but he had truly never tried it with Tyrande or Sylvanas...


    "She''s a character from legends. Even if she really existed, by now, there''s probably nothing left but burial artifacts and bone dust," John spoke of the Elf Queen with no reverence, indicating that the woman either truly didn''t exist or had been dead for too long.


    Tang Mo extended his hand regretfully and gently clinked his ss against John''s: "To the beautiful Elves."


    "To the happiness of the female Elf... who bes your first," John toasted, solemnly.


    Sipping a taste of the unimaginably expensive Brunas vintage, John spoke with utmost admiration, "Sometimes I actually admire you, Master. I know you''re aware of Susan''s situation, right?"


    "What are you referring to?" Tang Mo saw a woman resembling Eva Green not far away throwing him a clumsy flirtatious nce. He quickly averted his gaze to prevent any misunderstandings.


    This really wasn''t a joke. A mere look from him could now make these impassioned women indulge in wild fantasies or even believe they had caught his favor.


    ``` Read new chapters at empire


    They would likely find a waiter or a guard, and say they had received Tang Mo''s permission to wait in his bedroom...


    John didn''t mind at all. After he noticed Tang Mo avert his gaze, he boldly raised his wine ss to the beautiful woman but simultaneously said to Tang Mo, "I find this kind of conversation rather dull, you know. ying verbal fencing tires me out."


    "I''m not ying verbal fencing. I genuinely don''t know what you''re talking about," Tang Mo continued to pretend cluelessness.


    "Susan has been waiting for you to make her your woman... yet you show no interest whatsoever," John said, having exchanged meaningful nces with thedy opposite him, before turning to Tang Mo, "Do you have no interest in her at all?"


    "Ah, so that''s what you''re referring to... John, you must understand, a man like me doesn''t allow just any Tom, Dick, or Harry into my bed," Tang Mo feigned sudden realization, then after a brief pause, shook his head, "She may wish for it, but she''s not qualified..."


    He didn''t want to keep a woman with no distinctive features by his side; after all, he was a picky person.


    To him, Susan was too ordinary, unclean, and overly ambitious; with so many DEBUFFs, she obviously wasn''t a good choice.


    Sure enough, upon hearing Tang Mo speak in such a manner, John nodded, "So, you already know that Susan has been eliminating rivals, pushing out those beauties trying to make a name for themselves?"


    Being in charge of managing the group''s arts and entertainment circles, he naturally was privy to many internal scoops, "There was a nice girl named Qina before, but Susan found an excuse to squeeze her out of the theater troupe. Then another woman named Fanny also failed, expelled from the troupe..."


    "Yes, I''ve heard some," Tang Mo expressed no surprise, as he had long been aware of these matters.


    John startled, then stared at Tang Mo with some astonishment, as though trying to read something from him, "You sanctioned this situation, then?"


    "Sort of! If those ambitious, capable women wish to climb into my bed, they should at least show some capability... so, they should at least take down Susan so that I know she has the ability to rece her and be a better choice for me, shouldn''t I keep my pants on until then?" Tang Mo nodded thoughtfully, as if agreeing with John''s guess.


    Upon hearing Tang Mo admit he was indeed ''raising gu'', John was briefly taken aback then suddenly burst intoughter, "Huh?... Hahaha! Master, the first time I met you, I thought you were an interesting person, really, now I''m even more certain of it, you truly are an... interesting person."


    "You may discover even more sides to me in the future," Tang Mo swirled the wine in his ss.


    John tentatively asked, "Would you like me to give Susan a little warning?"


    Tang Mo stopped John from interfering, all confident, "No need, just keep an eye on her and prevent her from ying foul. I weepetition, but not the malicious kind that breaks the rules."


    "Understood!" John nodded slightly, "But aren''t you worried that, in the end, no one will be able to rece Susan throughpetition?"


    "That won''t happen. If therees a day when she exasperates me to the point of losing patience... I could indeed give her a fitting end!" Tang Mo looked at John confidently, "Do you think she could withstand troubles from a graduate of the Great Hall Women''s Academy if I really sent one after her?"


    John''s expression turned animated, seemingly eager with anticipation, "I''m actually quite looking forward to that scene... Hehehe."


    "Enough with the sillyughter! Get to work," Tang Mo waved his hand, John nodded and, holding his wine ss, backed away.


    He moved to a corner, looked at two waiters who had followed him, and asked in a tonepletely different from before, "Did you get all that?"


    "Recorded it, sir!" both waiters replied very respectfully with a nod.


    "The eldest son of Marquis Brunas has taken a liking to Number 116," one of the waiters reported the result of his work after replying.


    "The wealthy Smith has just inquired about Number 76... I''ve already arranged someone to watch her," the other waiter followed up.


    John nodded slightly, then signaled the two waiters with a look. They both bowed slightly and quietly withdrew, blending into the crowd of attendees.


    "I''ve put the pieces in ce, the rest is up to you..." John turned his head and spoke to a tall man with a teasing tone in his voice.


    This man, who had no name and was always referred to as ''the bartender'', didn''t speak but simply walked away. As he passed by the stage, the live band was ying their instruments and singing, lifting the atmosphere of the banquet to a climax.


    ```

 Chapter 329 Shipbuilding 325

    The Great Tang Group had been constantly improving their shipbuilding technology, and the most widely tested manufacturing innovation they worked on was a new technique known as welding.


    An irond warship is assembled from pieces of steel, and there are only two ways to join steel¡ªwelding and riveting.


    Riveting is a more primitive and cumbersome method of connection, but it has its advantages, the main one being¡ªit''s old enough. A technology that is old enough indicates that it is mature and reliable.


    The Brunas-ss warships that Tang Mo initially built actually used arge amount of riveted structures, but afterward, he began experimenting with welded structures on the Wolf-ss warships.


    Even though welding is a very advanced manufacturing technique, the biggest problem with new technologies is that training new workers takes time, and it also needs time to be assimted.


    There was no choice, even for the Great Tang Group, but to train their welding workers step by step, enabling them to master this skill as quickly as possible.


    At the same time, the production of the gases needed for welding also took time, so it was only recently that the Great Tang Group reluctantly began to use the brand-new welding technology to build civilian ships.


    With the new technology avable, what''s known as civilian ships, or simply iron steam-powered transport ships, began to be mass-produced at an even faster rate.


    Overall, the new type of warship employed a design of the free wheel from the World War II era, but was simplified in some special equipment, making it more adapted to the current technological manufacturing capacity.


    After all, even for the Great Tang Group, the skill level of the workers was roughly around the year 1910, far from reaching the mature level of the 1940s.


    It was possible to barely manufacture items from around 1940, but that would require concentrating arge number of top talents and could not be mass-produced, which would be more trouble than it''s worth.


    Of course, since the blueprints were directly copied, most of the technical parameters used were those of the free wheel, and they were basically the same model.


    What these ships needed was practicality, the ability to be produced quickly inrge quantities, and standardization and homogenization¡ªthey didn''t require any particr performance or aesthetic.


    The empty ship had a discement of 7,000 tons, the overall length of the ship was 135 meters, and its width, or beam, was an uneven 17.3 meters, with a draft of about 8.5 meters.


    This size was alreadyrger than the warships Tang Mo had previously designed, which did not have this width or this level of discement.


    In order to obtain as many supplies as possible anywhere, the propulsion system used the most traditional and widely used coal power.


    The entire ship was equipped with three steam engines that together drove a propeller, with a total output of 2,000 horsepower.


    Despite this, the cruising speed of this type of ship was still a weakness, as it only had a meager speed of 20 kilometers per hour!


    Yes, this speed is about equal to 10 knots, which,pared to the Wolf-ss cruisers Tang Mo built, was far too slow.


    Moreover, it only had very few electrical lines, and even the telegraph was an optional extra, with most of the cabins inside the ship not having electrical lighting.


    Thisrge transport ship had an endurance of 20,000 kilometers, a single resupply could nearly reach any port in the Endless Sea, which was a very practical performance, allowing shipping to be more efficient and fast.


    Unlike during World War II when ships had to be outfitted with anti-aircraft guns and deck guns to counter Nazi Germany''s submarines and nes, these ships did not need to be equipped with any weapons.


    So, weapons were also optional¡ªthe ship could mount a 75mm caliber naval gun on each side, which was more than adequate for dealing with pirates or even the navies of other nations.


    Due to the reduction of weight in other areas and the omission of cannons, the ultimate load of these transport ships was increased to 10,000 tons, which could carry about 6,000 tons of cargo.


    Almost identical to the free wheel, these ships could carry 250 new trucks produced by the Great Tang Group or 400 T-model cars in one go, with these automobile goods weighing approximately 2,500¡ª3,000 tons.


    After transporting these vehicles, they could still make space to transport an additional 1,000 tons of ammunition, and lighter weapons weighing about 500 tons: including light G1 heavy machine guns, 5,000 K3 rifles, 200 mortars, and about 80 75mm caliber field howitzers.


    Then, they could also transport 500¨C1,000 tons of food supplies at the same time¡ªthis was roughly the entire arsenal needed for two standard infantry regiments of the Great Tang Group''s security forces.


    Of course, if loading a single type of cargo, these ships could carry a lot, a lot more. If transporting only T-model cars, they could load up to 2,840 at a time, and if they were transporting bullets exclusively, they could effortlessly transport 230 million rounds of standard K3 rifle ammunition.


    These ships were very simple, but also veryrge. They wererger than all previous sea vessels, and the amount of materials they could transport at once was frighteninglyrge.


    Therefore, in order to allow these cargo ships to set sail at full capacity, the Great Tang Group will increase the production capacity of all products, so as to support the growing ocean shipping capacity.


    One such ship has a carrying capacity that rivals an entire fleet of sailing ships from the past, this is a revolution, aplete overhaul of the past maritime transportation methods!


    This type of ship utilizes a 2,000 horsepower reciprocating steam engine as its power source. Although it cannot vastly surpass the speed of sail ships, it is still much faster than the sail ships of the past.


    The designs of these Ice Crystal City-ss ships may be outdated, but they are very reliable; they make extensive use of mature technologies and save costs where unnecessary.


    After all, the sailors of this era are half-ves ustomed to hard lives; they have grown used to living in dimly lit cabins, and for a dozen people to share a porthole, they can already be described as fortunate.


    They don''t need overly sophisticated food, nor do they need refrigeration equipment; their meals, which wouldn''t even be consumed by pigs in the 21st century, have lower wages than the base sry of a newly graduated insurance salesperson.


    Thus, these people won''t mor for electric lights and other various welfare benefits; having a dormitory and the ability to sleep on a stable iron-framed bed is already a happiness for them.


    Compared to preparing a better working environment, giving them a raise is something that will make them ecstatic. Working on this ship, at least they don''t have to worry about pirate raids; this additional safety has already made them extremely grateful.


    After all, the speed of most pirate sailboats in this world is only about 12 kilometers per hour; it is virtually impossible to catch up with a cargo ship that travels at 20 kilometers per hour.


    Even if they could catch up with these Great Tang Group-version liberty ships, with a discement of over 7,000 tons, the colossus could easily shatter any blocking sailboat and then leave without any guilt.


    This type of vessel only has lighting in the cargo hold, the captain''s cabin, and the bridge; other areas use temporary gasmps for emergencies.


    Welded keels ensure the reliability of the hull, and less important parts extensively use wood as a substitute, which greatly reduces the cost of these ships.


    For ease of manufacture and maintenance, the vessel''s amodations, the bridge, and the engine are all concentrated in the midship, connected to the propeller by a long shaft.


    In order to lower costs, thetest engines are not installed on these cargo ships; they still use slightly bulky and outdated steam engines, allowing them to refuel in most ports and the mature technology greatly reduces the likelihood of mechanical failures.


    Of course, the Great Tang Group will not admit that using steam engines is to clear inventory, revitalize Northern Ridge''s steam engine manufacturing nts, allowing the investments in Northern Ridge to gain profits from upgrades and transformations.


    The Great Tang Group also will not admit that the production capacity for the newest engines is severely insufficient, and the failure rate is high, so for the time being, they cannot rece the mature steam engines.


    To adapt to the not yet mature shipbuilding methods, Tang Mo has revised and optimized the designs, making the construction of ships faster and cheaper.


    Any non-essential bulkheads have been removed, and there is almost no anti-sinking design; the sole purpose of this is to increase the construction speed and to save the precious steel resources.


    The first Great Tang Group liberty ship took 91 days to build, and this was a record setting time achieved by concentrating arge number of skilled craftsmen working their utmost.


    However, subsequently, the construction time for these ships has been increased to just 68 days per ship! This speed is simply astonishing because even in the ancient era of sailing ships, building a warship took much longer than this record.


    Back then, the timber required for a warship needed to be aired for several years, and the construction of a warship often took more than a year.


    This is why there is a saying "ten years for an army, a hundred years for a navy," the "hundred years for a navy" not only includes the cultivation and umtion of talent but also epasses the exasperating building speed of the navy.


    Actually, today, as the Great Tang Group is about to conclude the 11-country war, there are already five liberty ships sailing on the sea. And next, these miraculous merchant ships will beunched every nine days.


    Soon, the Great Tang Group will be able to form a fleet that travels over 20 kilometers per hour and can transport tens of thousands of tons of products at a time, letting them sail on the Endless Sea that once represented istion and forbiddance.


    For the whole world, this shipbuilding speed is undoubtedly a miracle; it has turned the Endless Sea from a natural moat into a transportation hub, making it a highly coveted strategic location.


    And when these transport ships, loaded with vast amounts of materials, head towards Hotwind Port, the fragile logistics of the Tang Group''s fleet off the coast of the Taren Kingdom will have been thoroughly secured.


    Even without specialized maritime supply ships, it is still possible to manage an improvised transport of some fruits and vegetables, and to replenish some coal with small boats.


    In fact, the ammunition a warship carries to attack a port is really more than enough; there''s hardly a need for resupply.


    Besides, Bernard has received orders that seem to indicate that there won''t be a need forrge-scale bombardments in the near future.

 Chapter 330 326 only has one option

    That afternoon, while the soldiers stationed on the battered walls of Taren King City were carefully nursing their barely-better-than-swine-feed meals, a group of enemy troops from distant warshipsnded.


    He didn''t even dare to touch the Shireck Flintlock Gun next to him, letting the me in front of him scorch the old container.


    Inside the container, the pasty food was bubbling eerily, emitting a somewhat nauseating smell¡ªthis meal, whose time of the day was unrecognizable, was it lunch or dinner?


    Even the lowest-ranking seamen on the Great Tang Group''s battle ships wouldn''t want a taste of such trash. A sailor carrying a K3 rifle frowned down at the clueless soldiers of the Taren Kingdom, with undisguised disdain.


    "Where''s yourmanding officer?" The elf sailor was wearing a very ordinary cap with a visor, and in the center above the visor was the emblem of a dragon.


    "He''s, he''s behind, behind that rubble, over there... The opposite side of the rubble, it''s less likely to be hit by cannon fire," the soldier replied with honesty as if he were answering his own superior, revealing everything willingly.


    He spilled the beans, all without any need for threats or intimidation, reporting the location in great detail and even exining the reasons for their cement there.


    "Go get him toe here!" The elf sailor waved his hand impatiently and pulled out a well-packaged tbread from his pocket, handing it to the soldier: "This is no food for humans; take this as a reward! Hurry and call someone!"


    "Yes! Yes!" The Taren Kingdom soldier took the tbread and nodded his head eagerly before running towards the ruins, clutching the bread.


    He didn''t even bother to pick up his battered Shireck Flintlock Gun, which looked as though it might not even work anymore.


    Soon the soldier returned with an officer. The officer also seemed to have given up hope, not even bothering to bring his service pistol or longsword as he walked over.


    "I hope you can deliver a message for me to your king..." Finally, the elf soldier guard addressed the approaching human official.


    The officer rubbed his hands in a sycophantic manner, "Of course! Of course! Not a problem at all... truly!"


    He naturally felt a fearful respect towards the terrifying seamen disembarking from the warships, obeying them like a domesticated dog.


    Behind the officer, the soldier who had been given the tbread was wolfing it down, savoring the best thing he had ever eaten.


    The tbread was delicious, not only hefty in size but also salted and vored with green onion, which seemed almost unbelievable. In Taren Kingdom, even officers might not get to enjoy such delights.


    ...


    In the Royal Pce, the wall-defending officer who hade to deliver the message was standing aside as if he had hypnotized himself into a statue. Normally, with his status, it would be difficult for him to stand here and listen to the court''s top officials debate such significant matters.


    But he was directly involved, so no one dared to send him away. They just had him wait there until the king and the ministers came to a decision for him to report back.


    The hated monstrous warships lying at sea had finally sent envoys to dere their demands.


    But these demands, heard by the king and his court within the great hall, were nothing short of an intolerable mockery and disdain.


    With a somewhat bemused expression, the Prime Minister repeated the message conveyed by the officer, "They only gave you two choices, one is to die by a random gunfire in the pce¡­ The other is to go to Brunas, to live incognito as a wealthy man."


    Each time these options were mentioned, they caused the king to shiver uncontrobly, both from anger and fear.


    Eventually, King Taren the Tenth, with a facade of fierceness but an inner frailty, vented his frustration and roared in desperation, "Bastard! Who does he think he is? He dares..."


    "Your Majesty! He really dares!" A minister, somewhat embarrassed, interrupted the King''s outburst, well-intentioned in reminding his sovereign, as they had just received shocking news.


    A special envoy from Shireck had taken the risk to enter Taren King City, bringing with him several messages that plunged King Taren the Tenth and his ministers into utter despair.


    The first piece of news is that the King of Germelin was hanged in Brunas! This matter is absolutely true, the Great Tang Group haspletely gone mad, they have even overturned the rules of the game among the nobility, and this has caused shock within the circles of the nobility.


    The second piece of news is that the Shireck Consortium is negotiating peace with the Great Tang Group. ording to the terms agreed upon by both parties, the six countries involved in this war will all fall under the sphere of influence of the Great Tang Group, and the Shireck Consortium will no longer operate within this sphere of influence.


    The former news shattered the illusions of Taren X and made him fully realize the danger he faced¡ªthis was a real threat to his life, not just a game!


    Thetter news equated to telling Taren X that the Shireck Consortium had given up on him, would no longer support him, would no longer provide him with supplies... It was as if his hopes of continuing his defense had been utterly dashed.


    Taren X''s train of thought was interrupted, at first he was slightly stunned, then his whole demeanor seemed to worsen.


    He waved his arms furiously, cursing loudly, "Bastards! Bastards! Even if I die here, if Imit suicide here, I will not surrender! I will never surrender!"


    "Your Majesty, please reconsider! If you continue to act recklessly, the situation will be even more passive!" Many ministers present immediately began to persuade him.


    To be frank, they were all willing to surrender, because their lives hadpletely changed over the past dozen or so days.


    First, they and their families were confined within the Royal Pce, which had brought disastrous changes to the lives of these ministers. Trapped with their entire families within the Royal Pce, what kind of situation was this?


    So in reality, these people did not have the determination to resist till the end. They simply hoped the war would end quickly so they could take control of the respective regions and resources.


    The utterly outraged King Leite VII simrly interrupted the others'' advice, his smile not reaching his eyes as he retorted, "What do you mean? As the King of Taren, as a King! Am I not even allowed to choose death? I would rather die and pin the infamy of treason and ughtering nobility on that surname Tang bastard! He won''t get away with it! He will be despised by all kingdoms!


    He will be hanged! Hahaha! Hahahaha!"


    In fact, when he was shouting these words, he was also feeling apprehensive, for he knew that the Great Tang Group had apparently never hesitated to kill an emperor...


    However, to continue to hold out, he still pretended to be resolute, insisting that he would fight to the death...


    But soon, someone threw cold water on him again, "Your Majesty, the army is inplete disarray, and this ce could be breached at any moment! You have to think about your own safety!"


    Another minister stood out and began to persuade him, "Yes, Your Majesty! Sometimes retreating is not shameful, especially when the other side has promised to give you arge sum of money..."


    By surrendering, at least they would still have their own wealth and luxury, whereas resisting to the death would bear no benefits. If they did not persuade their King to surrender now, when would it ever be time?


    "Is this a problem that money can solve? Huh? I am a King! I am a King! This is my kingdom! Everything is mine!


    Mine!" Seeing that so many people were advising him to surrender, King Taren X of Taren Kingdom had almost be reckless.


    The ministers, who had almost lost all respect for him, upromisingly exposed Taren X''sst shred of dignity, or rather, they revealed his most ring wound, "But all of this will no longer be yours soon! Your Majesty! If you continue to hold out, this ce will copse and fall very quickly, and you will lose your life..."


    "..." Taren X, who had been contradicted, didn''t even manage to scold the other before he was left stunned and silent.


    "Think carefully! It''s bing unsafe even to step out of here! The whole King City is now in chaos, we have no chance of waiting for Shireck''s reinforcements... Surrendering might be your best choice!" During his moment of distraction, even more ministers seized the opportunity to join the persuasion effort, seeing that the King seemed at a loss for words.


    After dismissing everyone, a dispirited Taren X sat on his royal throne, his face a picture of despair as he looked at Prime Minister Taren, who was not too far from him.


    "What''s your opinion? Prime Minister... Should we continue to hold out here... or... or... or..." He struggled for a long time, unable to say the two familiar yet strange words "surrender."


    "Defending... is not the solution... We hold out, but we must have hope to do so. The soldiers defending the city and theirmanders, many of them have already heard about Shireck''s betrayal... With hope already gone, expecting these hopeless defenders to fight to thest man for you is clearly unrealistic," the Prime Minister seriously exined to Taren X.


    "So... there''s really only the second path to take?" Taren X still seemed somewhat reluctant.


    "From my perspective, the other side hasn''t given you an option... From the beginning to the end, you''ve only had one wise choice," the Prime Minister answered earnestly.


    "Sigh..." After a long silence, Taren X''s resigned sigh echoed in the somewhat empty hall.

 Chapter 331 327 a dead person

    A monthter, when the gigantic freewheeler arrived at Hotwind Port, it startled the workers who were building evenrger cranes on the docks.


    They had truly never seen such a huge ship, let alone such a massive iron vessel.


    As the ship blew its whistle and docked beside the pier, like a giant beast, it made the beside massive sailing ship unloading its cargo look incredibly tiny byparison.


    Even though the sailing ship was already quiterge, besides the tall masts, one could not see the deck of the freewheeler from its deck.


    Leaning on the railing on the ship''s side, a sailor overlooked the entire dock, where porters wereing and going busily, and not a single one was not curiously sizing up this steel behemoth.


    A total of 100 trucks and the parts for two cranes for loading and unloading, with the rest of the cabins filled with bagged cement, just the transport capacity of this single freewheeler could almost rejuvenate Hotwind Portpletely.


    Just a few months ago, the ce was nearly attacked by the Taren Kingdom''s troops, but a few monthster, it had already be thergest freight port in the south.


    Near the port, the newly constructed coal yard was filled with ck coal piled up like mountains, and a direct road for transporting coal to the port had just beenpleted and opened to traffic.


    The railway of Hotwind Port leads to the Dorne King City. To be honest, its construction was not fast. From the start until now, it had been progressing at a steady pace of about five to six kilometers a day.


    There was really no helping it, the ce indeed needed development, but the Great Tang Group really couldn''t spare the strength to develop it for the time being.


    A massive number of railway workers were working on the railway between Jade City and Laines'' capital city. The railway between Ice Crystal City and Jade City was also being furiously constructed.


    Car production never ceased, and the Great Tang Group''s car production lines were running at full capacity, even with overtime on holidays.


    Over 100 cars were produced daily, about 60 of which were sedans, and the rest were trucks. At this rate, the Great Tang Group could produce nearly 40,000 cars a year, which was an astonishing figure.


    With the frenzied construction of freewheelers to dominate the shipping trade of the entire Endless Sea, the capacity for steel production was really struggling to keep up.


    Clearly, it wasn''t that the technology or funding couldn''t keep up, but the pre-industrial production capacity....


    Car production capacity was already maxed, yet it still couldn''t meet the demand, but expanding car production was impossible because producing more cars was futile without enough gasoline supply.


    Simrly, building more oil refineries was useless, because the capacity of the oil fields was there, and more refineries wouldn''t help without crude oil supply.


    So they could only go about expanding oil fields honestly, to increase the total oil production¡ªa lengthy process that couldn''t be solved as quickly as starting from scratch.


    For example, rail production capacity was maxed, but to continue building more rail production nts meant increasing the source steel production.


    But steel production was also maxed, so they needed to mine more iron... Such matters restrained the development of the Great Tang Group, as well as the development of the entire world.


    Reality was harsh; even if Tang Mo were to create powerful Tiger tanks now, there wouldn''t be enough fuel to feed these gas guzzlers.


    "I hear that Taren''s King City has been renamed Winterless City..." A porter, moving goods transported from the southern regions of the Endless Sea, chatted with a colleague nearby.


    "Yeah, I heard the King actuallymitted suicide, the entire royal family vanished without a trace... I heard they might be plotting to restore the kingdom in secret..." The porter beside him hoisted bags of cement on his shoulders and walked towards the trucks waiting to be loaded without turning back.


    The talking porter also carried cement and followed, saying as he went, "Restore the kingdom? I heard those civilians in Winterless City hate him to death, does he have the face to restore the kingdom?"


    "Couldn''t agree more... Anyway, now, Taren and Xilun... seem to bepletely finished." This porter, carrying two bags of cement on his shoulders, panted out a breath and then ended the conversation.


    Lately, what everyone talked about the most was the upation of Taren Kingdom and Xilun Kingdom. The King of Xilun Kingdom died heroically in the defense of the King City, marking theplete end of the country.


    Meanwhile, the situation in Taren Kingdom was moreplicated. Most of its territory was upied by Dorne Kingdom, but the King City and nearby inds all became the property of the Great Tang Group.


    These inds were well suited for rubber ntations, and the southern regions of Dorne Kingdom could also grow rubber. And it seems there were oil fields on these inds as well as the southern part of Dorne, all of significant scale.


    Such resources could all be fed back to the Great Tang Group. One of Taren Kingdom''s inds was even renowned as Iron Ind for its rich iron ore, which eased the raw material shortage of the Great Tang Group immediately.


    That was only the obvious upside; in the long-term n, the southernmost Winterless City, formerly Taren King City, was an important port in the southern region of the Endless Sea.


    Linked to it was Hotwind Port, followed by Brunas to the north, and then even further north were Osa and Eternal Winter City, whose ports the Dwarves were ready to cede...


    Great Tang Group had nearly assembled half the grand ports of the Endless Sea, like a gaping maw, devouring the entire Endless Sea.


    And soon, the vessels linking these ports would be the famed Liberty ships. Cheap and easy to produce, Great Tang Group could churn out a hundred or a thousand at a time, using them topletely crush the fragile system of sail-powered maritime transport.


    ¡­


    In Brunas, a sailboat docked at the port''s pier, and its wooden gangway was lowered. A man wearing a sun hat with a gloomy expression descended from the deck.


    To put it bluntly, his journey had not been particrly wretched, butpared to his previously whimsical life, he now had practically nothing.


    The king who had lost his kingdom, Taren the Tenth, squinted at the massive city in front of him, suddenly feeling bewildered.


    He didn''t know that the king of Germelin had almost the same reaction, having been struck with awe upon seeing all this.


    "It''s really too big..." Taren the Tenth''s youngest daughter seemed to have forgotten that her father had just lost everything, her eyes wide as she scampered down the gangway, gazing at the port''s cranes, surprisingly giant in size.


    At her own home port, she had never seen such tall structures, and of course, had never witnessed such a noisy yet orderly scene.


    Each crane was working non-stop, with only their passenger dock devoid of mountainous piles of cargo.


    The sound of car engines, the noise of the waves, the mor of the working cranes, the shouts of the workers, and the nging from the shipyards being built all interwove, making the ce somewhat noisy.


    But this kind of noise truly conveyed a sense of booming prosperity, an impact that instantly conquered the children who disembarked, and also astonished the members of the Taren royal family who had apanied Taren the Tenth to Brunas.


    Taren the Tenth had seven princesses and over a dozen children, the eldest being fifteen years old this year, and the youngest still needed to be held.


    They all came to Brunas because, at the veryst moment, Taren the Tenth had chosen dignity. He dignifiedly gave up his kingdom, dignifiedly chose a manner of death, and then dignifiedly announced to the world that he hadmitted suicide.


    Now renamed Tark, he and his family arrived in Brunas by ship, where he would receive a significant sum of money and a luxurious residence of considerable value.


    This was the dignity promised to him by Tang Mo, although an officer Housen of the Taren had killed a captain of the Great Tang Group''s patrol team, avenging that captain by eradicating Taren could definitely be said as revenge.


    A life for a kingdom... it seemed fair. At least Tang Mo thought that such equivalent rpense for debts was fair.


    "Quiet!" The girl''s mother looked very dignified as she scolded, then realized her husband showed no displeasure over their daughter''s exmation.


    The former Taren the Tenth, or rather, Mr. Tark as he was now known, had his attention captured by the luxury car parked in front of him.


    Experience new tales on empire


    "Mr. Tark?" The driver politely opened the car door for Taren the Tenth, making a weing gesture: "I am your driver, sir. The cars behind are all prepared for you and your family."


    With that, Taren the Tenth followed his pointing finger towards the other side and then noticed that there were already seven or eight cars waiting there.


    Besides his luxury car, the rest of the vehicles seemed pretty nice. Taren the Tenth really hadn''t expected that Mr. Tang, whom he''d never met, would truly fulfill his promise.


    He had promised to give him a million Gold Coins, allowing him to live a life of affluence in the days toe, and also promised that he could live incognito, undisturbed by anyone.


    What Taren the Tenth hadn''t anticipated was that he would also encounter modern life in Brunas, something he had never experienced before.


    His residence had electric lights, flush toilets, soft Simmons beds, and he could even retain his original butlers and servants.


    Even more, he could keep his own bodyguards if he could afford them; he was allowed to maintain a bodyguard unit of up to ten men.


    This was certainly much better than surrendering to the King of Dorne. Because of wary considerations, a dethroned monarch would unlikely enjoy such good treatment.


    "Sigh..." Exhaling, Taren the Tenth bent down, entered the small car, and sat on the soft rear seat of the automobile,fortably closing his eyes.

 Chapter 332 328

    Arriving in Brunas with Taren X were several dozen ships of mysterious origin, none of which flew a national g, nor were their sails uniform in color, and even their sizes were not quite the same.


    These ships hailed from many different countries or regions, but after being inspected, they were allowed to unload in Brunas.


    Experience more on empire


    Unbelievably, these long-distance sailing ships were filled with iron ingots from an unknown source! Entirely iron ingots! A massive quantity of iron ingots! Top-quality iron ingots.


    After verifying the secret signal, the Shireck maid on the pier handed the document in her hand to a subordinate beside her, watching, expressionless, as the workers and cranes moved the costly, high-quality iron materials from the sailing ships.


    The workers waiting at the dock scrambled to load these goods onto the long-awaited horse-drawn carts and trucks, which then hurriedly made their way to the nearby train station.


    There, trains that could go directly to the Great Tang Group awaited, freight trains that could deliver the iron materials straight to the steel mills, where these raw materials would be refined and processed into the steel products needed by the Great Tang Group.


    Including steel capable of being made into railway tracks, steel for manufacturing gun barrels, steel that could be transformed into sheet metal, steel that could be used as the framework...


    In short, the Great Tang Group had an immense need for steel, and clearly, constructing an entirely new world would require even more steel.


    "We can''t keep this secret for too long," the maid said, looking at Harry, who stood silently beside her. "Even if you''re good at keeping secrets, our ndestine cooperation won''t stay hidden for long."


    "We don''t need to keep it a secret," Harry responded with a rxed smile as cart after cart of iron ingots was moved out of the dock. "As long as there''s no evidence, that''s all that matters."


    "Sometimes, they don''t need any evidence to take action," the maid replied coldly.


    Harry remained unconcerned,zily stretching. "Hmm... so why would they want to take action?"


    "What do you mean?" the maid asked, giving him a sideways nce.


    Harry finished stretching, dropped his hands, yawned, and then answered: "Why would they stop something that''s to your advantage?"


    Lately, he had been working with Van Kums on a financial data model, and for three nights straight, he hadn''t had a good sleep.


    They were about to aplish a feat no one in the world had yet touched, their data model could y the world''s financiers like pawns on a chessboard.


    It was a great mathematical model that transcended the entire era. Once it started operating, the Great Tang Group would have the world''s financial jugr in its grasp.


    The concept was, of course, proposed by Tang Mo, and once Tang Mo presented it, he and Van Kums became obsessed.


    In fact, much of their work was essentially verification or recalctions, but in the process, it seemed they had opened the door to a new world.


    Van Kums had begun to worship Tang Mo as a deity, and Harry had elevated his own mentor to the altar.


    Both of them now felt an urge to kneel before Tang Mo, because the work they were doing, the path they were walking, belonged to realms they had once thought only the divine could touch.


    This was indeed a strange feeling. Having touched upon this domain, they could almost exin all the current financial and trading systems of the world and predict their future trends.


    "You support us with steel and other metals, we support you with processed parts and also help you assemble more advanced machine tool equipment. Who would stop such a beneficial thing?" Harry countered the maid standing next to him.


    This was part of their secret cooperation. The Shireck Consortium would use its vastwork of rtionships and years of umted expertise to mobilize all avable resources to support the Great Tang Group, ensuring that Great Tang no longer had to worry about raw materials.


    In turn, the Great Tang Group would produce more advanced machine tools, including electric motors and steam engines, and sell them to Shireck¡ªor rather the workshops controlled by Sofia Shireck¡ªto help Sofia increase her production capacity.


    Their cooperation was mutually beneficial as Sofia gained advanced mechanical manufacturing capabilities from the Great Tang Group, and the Great Tang Group obtained precious raw material supplies for the next six months.


    This coboration, it was uncertain who benefited more, allowed Shireck to gain some of the advanced production technology and corresponding mature products of the Great Tang Group. This enabled Shireck to improve itspetitiveness, and at least in regions not within the reach of Great Tang, they could profit handsomely.


    With this ie and the progress brought about by the absorption of Great Tang technology, Shireck would be able toplete its own strengthening and advancement, bing even more powerful.


    On the Great Tang Group''s side, it might seem they only acquired arge amount of raw materials, but it wasn''t that simple.


    What the Great Tang Group currentlycked was the raw material supply to support its vast technology. Once they ovee the most difficult developmental phase and build their mines andnd into qualified raw material supply bases, the Great Tang Group could then take full advantage of its technical superiority.


    By that time, the overwhelming effect of technological superiority would immediatelye into y, and while transforming qualitatively, it would also achieve a quantitative change!


    Imagine a Great Tang Group that is not short of gasoline or steel, how formidable an existence it would be¡­


    "At the end of this coboration, you will acquire almost all the advanced technologies, including wireless telegraph, steamship, and automobile technology. What is there to be unsatisfied with?" As Harry spoke, another truck loaded with ingots passed by where he stood.


    The truck could carry about two tons of cargo, and it was fully loaded at the moment, so the entire vehicle appeared heavy, and its shock absorption seemed a bit sluggish.


    Watching the full truck drive past him, Harry felt as if he were seeing the heavy ears of grain at harvest time.


    "Hmph... you actually already have newer technology, don''t you? The car technology you gave me before... was just your previous T-model car..." The maidined dissatisfied.


    "Be grateful! Even a T-model car, you were not able to produce before!" Harry retorted disdainfully, "Without the help of our technicians, you wouldn''t be able to produce a T-model car for another two years, and now you have a simr production line and you''re still not satisfied? That''s too greedy, isn''t it?"


    For a moment, the maid seemed to see Sofia''s image on Harry''s face, and she paused slightly, then fearfully diverted her gaze elsewhere.


    She could feel her heartbeat seemingly change a bit, but she quickly calmed down.


    Then, ignoring Harry beside her, she kept telling herself inwardly that she was a lesbian, a lover of women, and the person she liked the most was the powerful Sofia.


    But... are there really men in this world as powerful as Sofia¡­ A young man, a few years younger than her, a strong young man¡­


    Uncontrobly, her gaze shifted back to Harry, just in time to catch him with a pair of gentle eyes looking at the distant sea.


    In an instant, the powerful, focused, resolute, steadfast... everything imaginable rushed into the maid''s deste heart.


    At that moment, she felt dizzy and nearly had a nosebleed.


    Harry had just been contently watching a brand-new Liberty ship navigating the sea, knowing that it was the Liberty ship that had beenunched yesterday on its trial voyage.


    He was very satisfied with the progress at the dockyard and made a mental note to praise Mr. Parker, who was supervising the operation of the dockyard, at the next meeting.


    When he realized that the Shireck liaison beside him had been silent for quite some time, he turned his attention away from the sea.


    And as he looked at her, he saw the maid''s eyes brimming with curiosity as she scrutinized him up and down.


    "What are you doing?" Harry felt that the way she had looked at him was somehow familiar. He stepped warily aside and asked subconsciously.


    "Nothing... We have many beautifuldies at me Castle. Next time, shall I bring one for you?" Blurted out the maid, as if possessed.


    She probably didn''t even know what she was doing...


    Harry remembered that look; it was the same one his female ssmates had when they eyed thetest handbags on the street - full of appreciation, a desire to possess, driven by a collecting fetish and a controlling desire - a demeaning lowbrow taste...


    "No need, thank you, I don''t have time for women." Harry was as straightforward as a beam of light. In his world, the female form certainly did not appeal to him as much as mathematical models did.


    The maid finally realized how she must appear to ordinary people, what sort of monster.


    She wished she could p him and then shout loudly to bring him back on the right track, "Wake up! You need a woman! A good woman who is worthy of you!"


    But on the surface, she still smiled politely, "It''s okay, if you don''t need one, then it''s easier for me."


    Another vehicle fully loaded with ingots drove past the ce where they were standing, drawing Harry''s attention away, and the conversation came to an abrupt end as if nothing had happened.


    A secondter, the maid began to miss her beloved Sofia again, while Harry returned to contemting his data models.


    On the distant sea, the horn of the Great Tang Group''s massive Liberty ship sounded, its wail obscuring all the awkwardness.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 333 329 match

    There has never been a shortage of games in this world, especially for the wealthy, who often invent games to while away their abundant time.


    Brunas boasts a colossal racecourse where horse races take ce daily, allowing people to squander their money and time on bets.


    Here, tens of thousands wave their betting slips and scream wildly; however, the vast majority are visitors¡ªafter all, locals who work here can''t afford such leisure.


    The casino is naturally a den of iniquitous consumption, and as Brunas''srgest bookie, Tang Mo earned a daily profit that could easily sustain the daily expenses of an infantry battalion.


    Many tycoons recklessly spent here, enjoying games that thrilled their nerves and willingly spending thousands of Gold Coins on grand adventures to prove they were alive.


    Simrly, the flesh trade in Brunas reached new heights with innovative twists. Here, one could find pleasure houses with unprecedented role-y scenarios.


    If you''re willing to pay, they offer every imaginable service, from heroic rescues ending in heartfelt rewards, chance jungle encounters with vige girls, love at first sight with wartime nurses, to pets transforming into humans to repay favors...


    Well, there''s nothing you can''t y if you can imagine it.


    Of course, besides these traditional entertainments, Brunas recently introduced a host of new attractions.


    Boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, mixed martial arts... even convict death matches for the thrill-seekers. There are no human rights issues here, so naturally, noints about illicit underground fighting rings. Stay tuned for updates on empire


    The rich still crave excitement; they had their secret games before, but watching a life-and-death struggle together and being able to wager on the oue suits the bored nobles and super-rich with money burning holes in their pockets just fine.


    Now that there was legal killing, Tang Mo didn''t mind revealing even more intriguing activities for all to enjoy.


    He carefully cultivated three ser teams, Northern Ridge Wolves, Brunas Victory, and Jade City¡ªjust like that, ser began to flourish in this other world.


    Tang Mo personally attended the first ser match, and many tycoons and nobles snapped up all the tickets to show their support.


    After that, the sport took off, with each match drawing a full house. Eventually, both Brunas Victory and Jade City were defeated by Northern Ridge Wolves, who became the champions of the inaugural club cup.


    After a two-month break, thepetition would resume, this time with more teams participating¡ªDragon City Elites and Great Tang Military Academy would join, along with Great Tang Group Workers, Royal Laines, and Ice Crystal City Adventurers...


    Furthermore, in the developing city of Laines, an enormous stadium was being constructed to support the potentially prosperous future of ser.


    However, due to limitations in transportation technology, expanding the scale of the ser league was still not an easy task...


    Meanwhile, Tang Mo''s Great Tang Group TBA basketball program was also underway. The wealthy, hearing the buzz and witnessing the fervor of ser, eagerly joined the sports feast.


    Following Tang Group''s drafted rules, many built their own basketball teams, as this sport had slightly lower requirements for the venuepared to ser.


    Ser, basketball, boxing, kickboxing, and other sports were regrized or invented by Great Tang Group, instantly enriching people''s daily lives.


    Conversations became more varied, life more colorful, and before anyone realized it, something new and previously nonexistent began quietly spreading in Brunas.


    Yes, the radio! Its advent sent people into a frenzy. They could listen to current affairs and politics at home, hear advertisements for store discounts, get news from other ces, and stay up-to-date with thetest local governance policies.


    This greatly facilitated the public''s life, offering them more exciting private lives¡ªradios would broadcast stories of all sorts, and since Tang Mo had mature experience in this area, his radio stations were very professional from the start.


    He developed programs such as story-telling, current affairs news, promotion ads, music songs, sports event broadcasting, among others.


    Such a rich array of programs, coupled with the era''s scarcity of entertainment, made radios yet another blockbuster product of Great Tang Group.


    Their poprity even surpassed that of cars because they were cheaper and more versatile, making radios a hotmodity where one might have to pay extra to get one.


    Then Tang Mo offered aplete n, with ser, basketball, volleyball, sprinting, marathon, diving, swimming, shot put, discus, hurdles, shooting, fencing, sanda, boxing, wrestling, badminton, tennis, table tennis, archery, weightlifting, equestrian¡ªall listed aspetitive events and all to be held in Brunas.


    The group that organized the first Olympic Games in another world was unexpectedly a group of student council members from the Great Tang Women''s Academy.


    This was their first time to shine, and they demonstrated their strength to everyone with their work.


    With their nning, the entire Brunas Sports Event was drafted in just 35 days, from rules to qualifications and from details to guidelines, and they did it almost wlessly.


    As the event was organized by a group of female students, thepetitions were designed from the start to be gender-separated, marking the first time in this world that women''s right to participate in sportspetitions was explicitly recognized.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    For this world, this may also have been an innovation, as well as a change brought about by the Great Tang Group.


    However, at this moment, Tang Mo, the founder of the Great Tang Group, had already turned his attention to something else that was quite interesting¡ªracing!


    If there are some romances that some men cannot refuse, then cannons would count as one, flying as another, and racing would definitely make the list.


    No man dislikes machinery, and likewise, no man dislikes the sh of machines and the roar of engines. Racing is such apetition that many men find irresistible.


    Faster, more furious... Racing is truly a perfect vessel that showcases human technology and mechanical engineering. To surpass, to merge oneself perfectly with the machine, to turn oneself into an extension of the machine, this fascinates many men and excites them.


    Compared to a 350 horsepower muscle car, women seem less important. If they could fit this car with a nitrous oxide cylinder, these die-hard men might spend the rest of their days with this car.


    To Tang Mo, there was no crazier race that could better advertise how excellent his cars were and how overwhelmingly superior their performance was.


    This was a giant advertisement, eagerly anticipated by everyone. His cars, engines, and other technologies, were poised to dominate this field for a century¡ª he would be the absolute ruler of this realm!


    It was apetition that promised to rake in money as well as burn through it. Just the research and improvement of engines could consume hundreds of millions or even billions of funds in this pinnaclepetition of human mechanical civilization.


    And that didn''t include the costs of a gigantic venue¡ª football stadiums were trivial inparison to the race tracks.


    But none of that mattered to Tang Mo. He knew that by bringing this venture to life, he would reap countless benefits.


    He was like a master painter on a nk canvas, where any stroke he made would be a ssic for generations toe.


    All he needed to do now was keep making rules, bringing those he was thoroughly familiar with to this world to stay leagues ahead in countless domains.


    What''s the easiest way to make money? Be the rule-maker in every field! Right now, Tang Mo was like a deity, madly drafting rules in every realm he could touch.


    He was the rule-maker for all industries, the omnipotent god who, even in y, was the best¡ª the one who yed most lucratively!


    "How could anyone''s car be faster than yours?" John, who was in charge of the n, asked with some confusion as he looked over the racingpetition n that Tang Mo had proposed.


    "Doesn''t this just prove that my car is the best in the world?" Tang Mo asked with a smile.


    "Your car is certainly the best in the world," John affirmed without hesitation, not even needing to think.


    Tang Mo looked at him, "How do you prove it? In a few months, Shireck will be able to mass-produce their cars, and the Dwarf vehicles should be able to do the same."


    "As time goes on, Laines will have their own carpanies, Dorne as well; Suthers''s car production lines are already almost finished building..." As Tang Mo spoke, he gestured expansively with his hands: "The number of people in this world capable of producing cars might be more than you can count on two hands."


    "So, when their cars hit the market, and they start promoting how advanced their cars are, how do we prove ours are better, that there''s a reason they''re pricier?" Tang Mo pressed.


    Then, without waiting for John to respond, Tang Mo continued, "Further, developing new engines needs testing, needs the enhancement of their stability, testing their operation in the most extreme conditions, and all of these can be achieved throughpetition, right?"


    Once thepetitions matured, the advertising fees for a single race track could sell for a high price of thousands of Gold Coins, and an entry fee for a carpany could sell for more than ten thousand Gold Coins! Tang Mo thought to himself with an inward scoff.


    "Go on then! Do as I say... and soon, you''ll understand the brilliance of these things," Tang Mo gestured dismissively, feigning deep certainty. This confident demeanor gave John the confidence to proceed without hesitation and begin preparations for the racingpetition.

 Chapter 334 Buy a team for 330

    This world is not short of people with vision, and in the afternoon, Tang Mo received an aristocratic visitor¡ªan Earl.


    The visiting Earl was not particrly special; he was just very wealthy¡ªthat Earl was a confidant of the Dorne King, and it was he who had introduced Strauss to the Dorne King.


    Previously an Earl, he had been promoted to Marquis for his merits in introducing Strauss and for donating a substantial amount of money to the war effort.


    Of course, his easy promotion to Marquis also indirectly indicated something¡ªthe Dorne King, too, had entertained the idea of ascending to Emperor.


    This Marquis with a unique vision excelled in investing; he had purchased a sizable share in the workshops controlled by the Great Tang Group early on, which meant he had be a shareholder of Great Tang Group''s subsidiaries.


    This made him extremely wealthy and also cemented his resolve to stay in line with the Great Tang Group.


    When one catches the wind of the times, even a pig could fly, no? Moreover, this Marquis, he was certainly not a pig.


    "May I inquire what urgent matter brings the Marquis to me?" Tang Mo''s time was actually very precious, as he dealt with many issues every day, so the chances of him meeting someone privately were not plentiful.


    Even inside the Great Tang Group, many people joked that to warrant a meeting with Tang Mo, one probably had to be of king''s status.


    Of course, if someone was wealthy and willing to invest, Tang Mo didn''t mind spending twenty minutes for a good chat.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "My lord, I havee this time to inquire... whether you have considered selling a football team?" The middle-aged man known as the Marquis of Bailu went straight to the point as he spoke.


    Clearly, he knew that Tang Mo''s time was extremely valuable; normally, when Tang Mo was willing to meet someone, he preferred getting straight to the point, without any frivolous banter.


    He was simply too busy; the time spent posturing and pretending depth could be better used designing a couple of blueprints to earn more money.


    "A football team? Haven''t I already released the rules for forming a basketball team? If you''re interested, you can recruit your own people, form a team... just pay an entry fee of 100,000 Gold Coins, and you can participate in the uingpetitions..." Tang Mo looked directly into the other''s eyes and spoke candidly.


    "I wasn''t referring to the basketball team, though... I am indeed forming a basketball team. However, this time my visit is to talk to you, to discuss matters concerning a football team," rified the Marquis of Bailu.


    "A football team? The Marquis is interested in a football team too?" Tang Mo was surprised, for he hadn''t expected anyone to be so eager to delve into the football scene at this time.


    Honestly, it''s a moneymaking circle, and a very lucrative one at that. The earlier one enters this circle, the more likely they are to make even more money.


    Once the sport develops, or more urately, under the inevitable support of Tang Mo, each team would be sought-after.


    Tang Mo had originally nned to sell these teams at that time, to maximize his profits.


    But he truly hadn''t expected that in this world there would be such bold and insightful smart people. The Marquis of Bailu before him dared to invest in the not-yet-widespread football enterprise.


    "Of course, I''m very interested," the Marquis of Bailu earnestly replied.


    "The Wolves are not for sale; they are currently assets of the Earl of Northern Ridge, and I cannot agree to that¡­" Tang Mo thought carefully before he set limitations upfront.


    Upon hearing what Tang Mo said, the Marquis of Bailu''s eyes immediately brightened. He stood up abruptly from his seat, his voice uncertain as he probed, "Does this mean, you agree to sell a football team?"


    "Of course, why not? For a high enough price, I rarely have items that are not for sale," Tang Mo dered his stance.


    "I am willing to pay 2 million Gold Coins to acquire the Brunas City Victors!" The Marquis didn''t aim to buy the winning Wolves from the start; he knew that was unrealistic.


    However, more than a championship, what he saw potential in was the title of the Brunas City Victors! He keenly sensed that the name was the truly valuable part of the team.


    "You know I''m not short on money," Tang Mo said, a statement he had wanted to utter for a long time and now could confidently use to show off. Without waiting for a reply, he continued, "2 million Gold Coins for the naming rights of the Brunas City''s team seems a bit childish, doesn''t it, Marquis?"


    "Then... Mr. Tang, how much would you be willing to sell the Brunas City Victors for?" The Marquis of Bailu felt his wallet was likely to take a hit.


    "5 million Gold Coins! You can pay in installments! I know you have many assets in Dorne, I can eptnd, real estate, mines¡­" Tang Mo quoted what was certainly not a low price outright.


    "To be honest, even if ser developed into a sport five times its current size, this price wouldn''t be considered cheap."


    However, while the Marquis of Bailu hesitated, Tang Mo added something that made his heart skip a beat, "I don''t mind if you change the Brunas Victory Team to the Brunas Bailu Team... and I can guarantee that there will be only one team in Brunas City..."


    "Deal! My lord! 5 million Gold Coins!" It took the Marquis of Bailu just three seconds to make his decision.


    "You''ve made the right decision! Trust me, the future value of this team will definitely exceed 100 million Gold Coins." Tang Mo said with a smile as he reached out his hand.


    Those who were familiar with Tang Mo or had dealt with him knew his rules well; the Marquis of Bailu immediately extended his hand and shook hands with Tang Mo.


    The Marquis of Bailu had many industries under his control, including textiles, and he had been considering how to market his brand. Ser opened an exciting door for him.


    When the Brunas Bailu Team yed their games a few monthster, his industries would also be repeatedly mentioned along with the Brunas name, which was exactly what he needed.


    In his view, spending 5 million Gold Coins to bind his industry to the famous Brunas City was definitely not a loss.


    Moreover, if the team were to win the championship, he would gain additional benefits, including tangible economic returns and extra reputation.


    "Thank you! Mr. Tang! I will never forget your kindness." The Marquis of Bailu, choosing to believe Tang Mo''s words, truly believed that he had gotten a bargain, so he became even more humble towards Tang Mo.


    Then, on the evening of the day the Marquis of Bailu left, a super-rich individual from the Songmu Kingdom made the same decision.


    He owned nearly all of the saltpeter mines within the borders of the Songmu Kingdom and was also an important partner of the Great Tang Group.


    The purpose of this elf Earl''s visit to Tang Mo was the same as that of the Marquis of Bailu. He too saw the potential in ser and wanted to invest early to gain an advantage.


    Recently, with the support of the Great Tang Group, the elf had traded his saltpeter mines for a variety of other industries. For instance, a significant part of the Earl''s industry now included food.


    Read chapters at empire


    As he was undergoing restructuring and had umted some spare cash, the elf Earl aimed to acquire the only remaining team in Tang Mo''s possession that had yed in the first round¡ªthe Jade City Team.


    Naturally, Tang Mo did not refuse the request of this astute individual, selling the Jade City Team to him for 5.5 million Gold Coins.


    Almost the moment the transaction intent was confirmed, the Jade City Team acquired a new name: Jade City Songmu Group Team.


    There was no helping it. Influenced by the Great Tang Group, many nobles and wealthy merchants with significant industries had recently started rebranding their industries as XX Group.


    This was a trend. Names like consortium, which seemed to pale in the face of ''group,'' appeared quaint and hardly usable anymore.


    Suddenly, XX Groups sprouted like bamboo shoots after a rain, and the term ''group'' became less venerable and sacred due to its overuse.


    Regarding this matter, the Great Tang Group didn''t have a good solution, because now, even a slightlyrger steel smelting workshop would dare to im the title of X Steel Group...


    Besides, those imitating Great Tang Group were not merely small enterprises; the Ice Cold Group from Ice Cold Kingdom, the Southern Group from Dorne Kingdom, and a coalition of tycoons from the Leite Kingdom who had formed a joint group, were all substantial in size.


    Although small in scalepared to the Great Tang Group, these groups genuinely deserved to be called groups, and there was no denying that.


    In fact, Tang Mo had been pondering recently whether he should split up his various businesses to make them appear more independent.


    Right now, Tang Mo''s holdings spanned from low to high, including food production in Brunas and Dragon Ind, ore processing such as steelmaking and forging, machine tool production, power and energy generation, entertainment-rted industries, the emerging sports industry, luxury art goods, military industry, pharmaceutical and medical industries, automotive industry, shipbuilding industry, to banking and financial industries...


    Any one of these industries, taken separately, was a group in its own right; thus, confining them under Great Tang Group seemed unfavorable for the expansion and development of these industries.


    Therefore, Tang Mo intended to reorganize Great Tang into a higher existence, leaning the core leadership circle towards a more reclusive background.


    After all, the size of the economy he controlled had be so vast that his key subordinates now wielded power greater than the kings of kingdoms. Staying behind the scenes was safer for him and his subordinates...


    At least on the surface, it would make Great Tang Group appear less intimidating.

 Chapter 335 331 Dragons Den

    The howling sea breeze caressed Tang Mo''s face with indescribablefort and pleasure. If one has to be candid, the ride aboard a Wolf-ss cruiser cannot be described asfortable.


    Such warships were not designed forfort. They are behemoths that dominate the seas, a tool for the Great Tang Group to ensure its maritime hegemony.


    They are killing machines, formidable weapons for rapid assaults, but certainly not crafted for thefort of their upants.


    Despite a series of modifications to Tang Mo''s cabin, life aboard such a vessel was still not an easy affair.


    However, for Tang Mo''s safety, the higher-ups of the Great Tang Group had rejected ns for him to travel on a luxurious sailboat or the alternate option of a Freedom-ss liner.


    In the eyes of the leadership of the Great Tang Group, sailboats¡ªoutdated, slow and unsafe¡ªwere utterly unsuitable for someone like Tang Mo.


    As for the Freedom-ss liner, which came with a myriad ofbels from the outset, it was even more out of the question for such an important individual as Tang Mo.


    After all, its slow speed and the significant skimping in its design, where safety requirements had been sacrificed for budget, resulted in a barely functional piece of junk.


    Thus, the final decision was for Tang Mo to travel to Dragon Ind on a warship, and the main leadership of the Great Tang Group would relocate to Dragon Ind along with him.


    Read chapters at empire


    Tang Mo finally departed from Brunas. The moment he boarded the ship, it seemed as though the city lost its luster.


    All those in the know understood that Dragon City would be the new core city of the Great Tang Group, no longer the once dazzling Brunas.


    "Principal! Dragon Ind is within sight! Ahead lies a steel transport fleet from Dorne," a navy officer approached, stood at attention, saluted, and proudly reported.


    "You''ve worked hard," Tang Mo gathered his thoughts and smiled at the officer. Typically, one could discern the rtionship between Tang Mo and the speaker based on the form of address used.


    Those close to him often called him "Master," others preferred "Teacher," while those who addressed him as "Principal" or "Mr." suggested a certain distance.


    On the distant seas, indeed, there was a vast fleet of sailboats, which had also spotted the Wolf 2 cruiser maintaining its course.


    What surprised these sailors, frequent voyagers on the Dragon Ind route, was their first sight of a Wolf-ss cruiser; since Wolf 1 had previously beenmitted to missions in Winterless City, the security of the passages was ensured by Brunas-ss irond warships.


    "Look! A new warship! It''s not a Brunas-ss!" Those sailors, used to hauling bricks to Dragon Ind, were quite familiar with the designations of the older generation of Great Tang Group warships.


    "That''s a new warship, longer¡­ and it looks prettier too," another sailor said enviously as they gazed at the distant vessel.


    Indeed, they envied it¡ªfor they had drunk with the sailors from the Brunas-ss warships in the bars on Dragon Ind, having learned of the impressive amount those men earned.


    "Two more Brunas-ss warships?... What''s the joke... such arge fleet. Has something happened on Dragon Ind?" The first mate became anxious upon seeing an entire fleet of the Great Tang Group.


    He thought of the iron ingots piled in his cabin¡ªtheir key to wealth on this trip. Nothing could go wrong!


    The captain came over at that moment, squinted towards the Wolf-ss cruiser and after a careful look, he said, "Doesn''t seem like something''s happened. Besides... what could possibly trouble a Brunas-ss warship? The navy of Zheng Country? Don''t be foolish. Even if all the sail-powered warships of the Endless Sea were to converge on Dragon Ind, it would be to seek their own demise."


    After finishing his words, he took out a cigarette, lit it with a match and contentedly started smoking before nonchntly tossing the match into the sea¡ªonly he had the privilege to smoke onboard, a captain''s prerogative.


    This brand of cigarette, hailing from Brunas, was highly popr in Hotwind Port; many of the wealthy enjoyed purchasing packs because they''d heard that these were the very same brand favored by the God of Wealth.


    He took a deep drag of his cigarette before continuing, "See that g? It''s somewhat different from the usual Dragon Banner of the Great Tang Group..."


    The first mate looked carefully before noticing the subtle difference, "Two gs... The red Dragon Banner is up, but that golden Dragon Banner¡­ Hisss¡­ surely not? Is that a family crest?"


    The captain nodded slightly, his expression inscrutable, "Hmm, might be some important personage from the Great Tang Group heading to Dragon Ind..."


    The first mate was taken aback, then spected, "Maybe that gentleman... is on board the ship."


    "Very likely! Hoist the signal gs, let the signalman send out greetings and signals of respect! Have the fleet reduce speed and yield the way," the captain ordered with a nod.


    Atop the mast of the leading armed merchant vessel, the signalman began manipting the small red and blue gs in his hands, sending a message in semaphore to the smoke-emitting warship in the distance.


    This semaphoremunication code had been standardized by the Great Tang Group; it was increasingly being epted by maritime transport fleets, with everyone starting to use this "universal g signal" code.


    "The other ship is slowing down to give way!" On board the Wolf-ss cruiser, the captain set down his binocrs with adjustable focus and looked to Tang Mo, who had just entered the bridgemand center.


    Tang Mo was startled, then said, "Is there such a rule?"


    "Generally speaking, civilian ships are supposed to give way to warships at sea," the captain exined.


    Then, his executive officer grabbed the ringing telephone receiver in front of him and put it to his face, "This is the bridge! ...Understood, I''ve got it."


    After he hung up the phone, he walked over to Tang Mo and his captain, stood at attention, and saluted, "Report! The lookout at the mast has just confirmed that the other party has sent greetings through g signals, expressing their respect to us."


    "It might be that they saw your g," the captain immediately thought of the problem, "And guessed something."


    "Ah, money is indeed great, isn''t it..." Tang Mo joked, "Then pass on my thanks to them."


    "Yes, Principal!" The captain stood tall and proud, immediately responding.


    ...


    "Attention!" At Dragon Harbor''s port, on itsrgest dock, all the officers and soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment of the Great Tang Group''s security troops stood at attention in the salty sea breeze, steel guns raised in their hands.


    Tang Mo descended the gangway and saluted these military men, while Tagg, with his chin held high, apanied Tang Mo, energetically walking past the troops on parade.


    Now the Great Tang Group had three regiments of security troops in total, with one regiment stationed on Dragon Ind, another regiment dispersed in Brunas, and thest one, just formed a few months ago, already deployed to Jade City.


    "Seeing you all truly makes me happy," Tang Mo said as he walked forward, speaking to Roger and Tagg behind him.


    These were the two men he trusted most; hence, he had stationed them on Dragon Ind. Indeed, their character had proven to be solid, and they did not disappoint Tang Mo''s expectations, transforming Dragon Ind into a robust stronghold.


    Dragon City was still not asrge as Brunas¡ªafter all, as an ind, its development could not match the rapid pace ofnd-based cities like Brunas.


    But its advantagey in being isted and secure, and it was also suitable for Tang Mo to test a series of new weapons. Now that cars had been mass-produced, airnes naturally appeared on Tang Mo''s agenda.


    And testing things like airnes under others'' watchful eyes was somewhat unsafe, so Tang Mo had decided from the start to build an airne testing facility on Dragon Ind.


    Between Weigang and Dragon City, there was arge expanse of jungle that could be utilized, where thend was either superior oil fields, very good farms, or at worst, forests rich in timber resources.


    Establishing an airne testing facility amongst these jungles could almost be said to be a piece of cake.


    "After all, I have not let you down; when these old bones of mine return to the earth and I meet your parents, I''ll have something to show for it," Roger, who now looked much older, said. Managing an entire ind was obviously taxing for him, given his level and ability.


    "You''ve done very well," Tang Mo showed great respect for this elder, who had always been diligent by his side, "I am here now, you can take a break."


    "That''s great! My old bones¡ªoh..." Roger''s face wore a smile as he looked upon the city he had built from nothing, filled with a sense of pride.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Your castle has beenpleted; it''s been wired for electricity following your requests, with telephones and telegraph rooms, and all the servants have been personally selected by me," Roger said as he helped Tang Mo into the car.


    "I am very assured," Tang Mo nced at Tagg, and Tagg nodded slightly, then joined Roger in another car.


    Three Rolls-Royces, with the rest being trucks responsible for security work. It was unlikely thatrge-scale enemies would appear on the ind, so no military armored vehicles were arranged to escort them.


    Still, five trucks, two in the front and three at the back, protected the vehicle carrying Tang Mo and his party, loaded with the fully-armed elite of a security troop toon.


    These elites had always been Tang Mo''s personal guard, arriving together with the warship. This was also due to the considerations of security personnel from Brunas.


    In any case, they trusted no one; if need be, they would suspect their own colleagues and devise security ns.


    Along the bumpy ride, Tang Mo caught sight of Swan Castle¡­ Now, it had a new name: "Dragon''s Den."


    In the future, as the most core stronghold of the Great Tang Group, this would be Tang Mo''s home. It had the safest defense systems and was also equipped with the most modern and luxurious interior decorations, even featuring the world''s most advanced technological equipment.


    The entire castle was served by electricity, connected by telephones, equipped with independent backup generators, secret safe rooms, alternative escape tunnels, and an exclusive armory for Tang Mo¡­


    In short, this ce was perfect enough to make any sovereign drool with envy.

 Chapter 336 332 sneezes

    In the narrow corridor, the leading soldier, wearing a camouged helmet, observed the path ahead through the crosshairs of his weapon with a stern face.


    When he reached a corner, he slowed his pace. Suddenly, the hand that was holding the forestock of his gun in front loosened, and he raised a fist behind him.


    Enjoy new tales from empire


    The soldiers trailing behind him immediately halted, steadying their Thompson submachine guns as they waited for the nextmand.


    The soldier with the raised fist opened his fist, turned it into a palm, and swung it outward a few times with a small motion.


    Two soldiers toward the middle of the team instantly understood the signal. One of them sidestepped to lean against the wall and, with his weapon ready, slowly moved forward two steps.


    Compared to the group hugging the wall, these two had a better field of view. They saw no threats at the other end of the corner.


    However, out of caution, they still looked down and spotted some unnatural dust on the ground.


    They pressed down with their hands to indicate the ground and then put together their index and middle fingers, swinging them sideways three times to signal the presence ofnd mines.


    The leader of the small squad nodded slightly, then began to slowly kneel down. He was wearing a bulletproof vest that was reinforced with steel tes,plete with smoke and hand grenades, and on one side, a total of eight magazines in sets of four.


    This could be the best individual soldier equipment in the world; he also had an S3 pistol (M1911) at his waist, a military water bottle, and a not very useful first-generation gas mask.


    Even thebat dagger had been moved to his shoulder for quicker ess.


    All members of the squad wore ck cloth masks, with not much difference from the modern special forces, except for their somewhat outdated M35 military helmets, which gave them a fantastically surreal look.


    All wore goggles, which somewhat limited their vision, but also made them appear more sci-fi, like bio-soldiers from some anime.


    Kneeling on one knee, the squad leader received a special device handed over from behind by a teammate.


    It was a small mirror mounted on an extendable pole. The leader stretched this mirror out, close to the ground, to observe the other side of the corner with the principle of light reflection, to detect any dangerous targets.


    Soon, he spotted an ambush at the end of the corner, near a door, where a threat was peeping out and monitoring this area.


    He retracted his observation mirror and handed it back to the teammate behind him, then made a gesture to watch forndmines underfoot and to prepare for an assault.


    All team members nodded uniformly. Then the two soldiers who had broken away as bait swiftly charged past the corner.


    After they grabbed the attention of the ambusher, the leading captain immediately stuck out his Thompson submachine gun and pulled the trigger at the enemy who had just emerged, ready to fire.


    "Tut-tut-tut-tut!" A burst of gunfire sounded, and the target hit by the bullets sprayed red powder all over, copsing to the ground covered in dust.


    "Tut-tut-tut-tut!" As a result, before the assault troops could rejoice at having taken down the ambusher, another ambusher from another door on the other side leaned out and began spraying bullets at them, unguarded.


    The figure emerged incredibly quickly, like lightning in a split second, and the submachine gun in his hand spat out mes.


    "Tut-tut-tut-tut!" This time, blue smoke filled the corridor, and at least five members of the squad were hit. They waved their hands, trying to disperse the choking and annoying dense smoke before their eyes.


    "Phew... damn it!" The lead captain was the unluckiest; he had been hit by about five shots, and his uniform was covered with blue powder.


    This gear was expensive, and he would definitely have to wash it himself when he got back... Thinking about this, the "sacrificed" captain looked utterly disheartened.


    But the soldiers behind him who hadn''t been killed in action had no time tough at their captain when they saw a grenade roll to their feet.


    The captain, who had just cursed out loud, along with everyone by his side, felt a deep despair rise within them in that second¡ªthis opponent''s move was too ruthless...


    Then, the blue smoke spread once again, and the scoring instructor, frustrated with the team''s performance, lifted his tin-horn megaphone: "The exercise is over!"


    As expected, these neers had failed again. An assault battle within a building like this was not something first-year students could handle.


    They were sure to be taken to task by the veterans, though it seemed this year''s students were getting a particrly tough treatment.


    Normally, although the old soldiers would set some traps for the neers to show them their ce, they wouldn''t typically use grenades in most cases, as the color smoke grenades used in the exercises were not cheap.


    Themander, now stained with blue powder, took off his goggles, then pulled off the ck cloth covering his face, and finally his helmet, revealing disheveled hair.


    Only then could it be seen that the squad leader was actually a beautiful girl with fluffy ears.


    "Ah... is the new recruits'' exercise this strict?" sheined as she looked towards the "enemy" who had ''killed'' her.


    This enemy didn''t even wear a helmet, simply pulling off the goggles from her face, revealing an incredibly beautiful visage.


    Her hair was tied back at the head, and even so, it seemed to have fallen down to her waist. She was not wearing a bulletproof vest, so her impressive figure was unmistakably disyed.


    At this moment, this young girl was holding a Thompson submachine gun, walking over to the defeated Yue''er, "You are supposed to protect Sir in the future. Being this weak won''t cut it."


    "I''m his woman, not his bodyguard." Yue''er, feeling discontent, rubbed her own ears, convinced that they must have been stained with blue powder, which would definitely make her bath moreborious.


    "If you think it''s hard to wash off, then don''t get hit next time." The girl who had just opened fire was the so-called ''Queen'' of the school by the male students, Yulin; she guessed Yue''er''s thoughts at a nce.


    She is now a teacher at the Great Tang Group''s military academy, mainly teaching chemistry and physics. However, in firearms,bat, and other subjects as well, she graduated with full marks, a true monster.


    "I think you''re singling me out! You never personally enter the field during other students'' exercises!" Yue''er pouted, clearly dissatisfied.


    Yulin didn''t retort; she handed the gun to an approaching instructor, "Others are others. They are not Sir''s woman, but you are¡­"


    "Next time I will definitely beat you! Hmph!" Yue''er said haughtily.


    "We''ll talk when you''ve beaten me." Yulin''s expression was one of disdain, as if looking at her own daughter. However, she was only 17 years old herself.


    Indeed, one is the school''s number one powerhouse, the other the principal''s silly new bride. It seemed all the surrounding students wished they could be invisible, desperately hoping not to be dragged into this nuclear showdown.


    "Go take a bath! I''ll treat you to braised beef and vegetarian meatballs for lunch." Yulin was ustomed to looking down from above, as if she were a true queen.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Don''t think I''ll be grateful to you. I will eventually beat you until you''re red! The kind that requires a full body wash!" Yue''er handed over her weapon to a nearby instructor as well, leaving behind a hardly impactful harsh remark, and walked away without looking back.


    "What are you looking at? Do you bunch of idiots need to take a bath?" Yulin sneered at the new students trying their best to blend into the surroundings.


    In an instant, everyone knew that the cat-girl Missy whom Yulin dared not deal with had left...


    "Rest for five minutes; the exercise participants will swap their guns! Check the ammunition! The second exercise begins!" Yulin looked towards the new student with the least blue on him, "You''re in charge ofmanding, go formte the attack n!"


    A group of young neers, as if granted amnesty, immediately picked up their weapons and scattered like birds and beasts. The one who yed dead as bait also hurried to prepare a new ambush n.


    With Yue''er gone, Yulin naturally would not apany them for the exercise anymore, so this time it was up to him toe up with a defense n.


    Everyone knew that Yulin, the big sister, had not been in the best of moods thesest two days, and no one dared to provoke her in that state... Her Majesty the Queen.


    After all, everyone knew, Tang Mo had left Brunas, while Yulin, due to work reasons, had to stay in Brunas, so in a sense, they were... separated (by mistake)?


    Therefore, with Her Majesty the Queen holding back her frustration, naturally, no one dared to provoke this prematurely mating-seasoned female T-rex (big mistake)...


    Tang Mo, now on Dragon Ind, sneezed three times in his bathtub. He rubbed his nose, wondering if he had caught a cold from the sauna he had just taken.


    He picked up the wine ss resting at the edge of the bathtub, shook the ice cubes inside, and somewhat regained the feeling he used to have in his own vi.


    Honestly, this feeling was too good, almost making him forget that he had crossed over to another world.


    It seemed that in just a few years, he would be able to turn this ce into the spitting image of Earth, and he would reach a summit he had never reached in the world of Earth during this process.


    "Achoo!" Who is cursing me? Tang Mo sneezed again, thinking to himself.


    In the bathroom in Brunas, Yue''er cursed as she scrubbed the blue powder off her ears, "You stinky guy! What did you say about going to Dragon Ind?"


    "Achoo!" Tang Mo sneezed yet again, truly beginning to suspect that he had caught a cold.


    In the conference room in Wolf City, where Alice sat at the conference table listening to her subordinate discuss themercial street construction n for Wolf City, she cursed in her heart, "Damn guy, leaving without a word..."


    -----------


    Dragon Spirit broke its promise to make up for the missed updates in April... Sorry. But Dragon Spirit remembers, owing 4 updates, there will be no shortfall, and they will definitely be made up!

 Chapter 337 333 Expensive Training

    Tang Mo had recentlye to strongly believe in metaphysics, and terms like principal and Ind Master make him feel uneasy, as they were honestly not very auspicious.


    However, he could only endure it, since his direct lineage all came from the Great Tang Military Academy; it didn''t seem quite right to not address him as principal.


    Having no choice, as he wasmitted to cultivating a loyal and capable line of followers through talent development, he had to honestly ept the title of principal, right?


    Yet, with additions like Dragon''s Den and towers and the like, Tang Mo felt like he wastely piled up with DEBUFFS, the sort that spelled his own doom...


    He tried hard to change something, but in the end, he realized he couldn''t change anything; he couldn''t have all his subordinates can him master, he wasn''t that narcissistic.


    But what to call him if not master? If he were to choose another impressive-sounding term, he might as well go with F¨¹hrer... Hmm, this was a title Tang Mo thought of offhand and felt it was even lessfortable than principal.


    Indeed, the term F¨¹hrer did not have much significance in the other world, but in the world familiar to Tang Mo, if it wasn''t connected with the nation, it was downright eerie.


    On Dragon Ind, Tang Mo once again immersed himself busy activities of technological development. Under his direct leadership, the engineers who had gathered here ahead of time were busy designing various models of gliders.


    Aviation was not like terrestrial or maritime technology; although these were cutting-edge, there had still been some reservoir of talent.


    For example, even though automobile drivers came into existence only after the creation of cars, there were certainly no shortage of coachmen and drivers before that.


    They had some sense of driving a car, with only ack of proficiency. Under such conditions, with just a little training to adjust their habits, it was possible to get automobile drivers quickly.


    Simrly, although steamships hadn''t been around for long, there were still plenty of sailors; old sailors who had been traversing the seas for years could, with a little adaptation, continue to work on the new steamships.


    But airnes were different; airnes were truly something new, and this world had no superman who had flown about in the sky in advance.


    Tang Mo knew that although there were dwarves, elves, orcs, and even the ugly demi-human creatures like goblins on this world, they did not actually have any magical powers like magic.


    These species had to earnestly learn physics and mathematics, master technology, and rely on their ownbor to work.


    The kind of magicians from film and television who could fly with the wind and cast fireballs with a wave of their hand did not exist.


    And the legendary dragons had beenpletely extinct for tens of thousands of years due to the rise of mammals. These ancient creatures relied onying eggs to reproduce, but when they went out to hunt, those eggs became easy prey for small mammals.


    Eventually, this led to the solitary monsters bing fewer and fewer, hunted to extinction by early humans, elves, and other species, bing history.


    Tang Mo had even attempted to find a real dragon, but in the end, he had only acquired somememorative items like ws and scales... Of course, there were also fossils; the collection room in his Dragon''s Den housed aplete dragon skeleton.


    Unfortunately, this creature had no connection with the dragons Tang Mo was familiar with ¡ª not even the Western dragons. It resembled a Pterosaur, with huge wingspans for flight and a rtively small body,cking the majesty of those mythic magic dragons.


    As for dragon knights, or magicians and such, it was confirmed that these were all just tall tales spun by minstrels; they didn''t exist in the real world...


    Since it could be confirmed that magic did not exist in this world, Tang Mo could only ept the reality that there were no people who knew how to fly in this world!


    He had to train pilots himself, a long process, frustratingly slow no matter how urgently he wished otherwise.


    Tang Mo had to use the most primitive method, establishing an aviation school on Dragon Ind, starting from the basics, to teach those young people who came to learn the fundamentals of aviation.


    Bing a pilot was much more troublesome than bing a driver. For most people in this world, the entry criteria for the flight school were too stringent.


    It was inevitable; they had to be able to rotate hundreds of times in a tumbling device without vomiting, and walk in a straight line after spinning in ce dozens of times.


    After all, these assessments were like games and were no easy task, but they were just the basic requirements.


    Since airnes would definitely be top secret for a while, they were Tang Mo''s secret weapon. Therefore, it was essential that these pilots were loyal, hence the identity investigation for the selection process was rtively strict.


    Merely being loyal and physically qualified was far from enough, because as early pilots, they also had to possess the ability to navigate and deal with mechanical failures on the aircraft.


    In other words, they had to be smart enough to learn modern cultural knowledge, be familiar with mechanics, and understand the principles of aircraft...N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Among these candidates, Tang Mo needed to select the very best and in the end, find a group of top talents who were especially knowledgeable about the aviation troops, training them to be the first batch of air dispatchers andmanders, like sparks ready to ignite.


    Training such a group of professionals was definitely expensive. As operators of the most advanced weapons, their bodies were worth their weight in gold.


    These individuals had to consume the best food daily and use the most advanced products to ensure sharp senses, sustain physical exhaustion, and maintain their peak condition.


    They needed to be familiar with high-altitude environments, train frequently in the clouds, and learn to parachute before even getting on a real airne.


    Tang Mo could not afford to lose these precious pilots, and having the technology for parachutes, naturally, he wasn''t going to waste such valuable human resources.


    Therefore, before the airnes were even really manufactured, Tang Mo had already started producing parachutes to equip his aviation school.


    Above the ssrooms of the Great Tang Aviation Academy, located in the most mysterious central region of Dragon Ind, several expensive hardshell airships hovered every day.


    These not-so-useful yet costly airships were specifically designed to train the pilots in parachuting.


    Although they couldn''tpletely emte the speed of parachuting from an airne, they could still give the pilots some form of questionable escape skill beforehand.


    Raising a pilot was extremely expensive; before these selected talents had even touched a real aircraft, each had already cost Tang Mo hundreds of gold coins.


    Do you know what that means? It means that the money spent on each of them, the money spent on every single individual, was enough to save the fledgling Great Tang Group. Read exclusive content at empire


    The gross profit of a textile factory for a month wasn''t enough to support a single pilot! That was the current state of affairs in the world, and the price Tang Mo had to pay to get a jumpstart on training pilots!


    As these pilots boarded hot air balloons andmenced their daily pre-flight aviation experience training, right next door, at the experimental site, nes for static testing were parked inside hangars.


    This ce seemed more like a lumber mill than an aircraft manufacturing factory ¨C the workshops were filled with wood, as early nes were mostly constructed from timber.


    Of course, Tang Mo wished he could start with manufacturing those monones with metal skins, but the reality was his pilots should begin training with earlier models that were easier to handle and safer. Consequently, he had no choice but to start production with old-fashioned aircraft, taking no shortcuts.


    All designs of airnes are interrted and not subject to arbitrary changes: because the nes were wooden, the engines couldn''t be too powerful, otherwise the fusge structure might be easily damaged, so only low-powered engines could be used.


    And since the engines performed averagely and the body made of wood was heavy, the speed of the aircraft was essentially limited.


    The nes Tang Mo produced were not of German make, but the renowned advanced British "Camel".


    In thete stages of World War I, the United Kingdom continuously introduced fighter aircraft with better performance. Honestly, in that era''s aviation technology, including engines, the United Kingdom was truly at the forefront.


    This British-produced "Camel" fighter had excellent maneuverability and powerful firepower. In thest year of World War I, it shot down a total of 1,294 enemy aircraft, bing one of the most outstanding fighters of the time.


    The "Camel" aircraft was designed by Sopwith F.1 Bine, the Sopwith Aviation Company in the UK, with a maximum level flight speed of 195 kilometers per hour and a ceiling of 5,800 meters.


    The aircraft''s engines had two machine guns mounted side by side on top, and synchronizing gear was adopted for the guns. The machine guns had protruding humps above them, resembling two camel humps, hence the name "Camel".


    Fortunately, these water-cooled machine guns were basically replicas of the Maxim, which meant Tang Mo could easily install these mature weapons onto the aircraft.


    The design of the aircraft began in 1916 when airnes in World War I started to make a name for themselves, and intense airbat demanded high maneuverability of fighters. Under this context, the "Camel" took its first test flight on February 22, 1916, and was swiftly put into production, joiningbat in July 1917.


    The "Camel" was a single-seat fighter, equipped with two machine guns and capable of carrying 45 kilograms of bombs. Ace pilots like Trollope and Ute at the time, leveraging the renowned aircraft''s agility and powerful forward firepower, achieved the feat of shooting down six enemy nes in a single day.


    The British Air Force and Naval Air Service both equipped themselves with this type of aircraft, totaling over 3,000 units. In all, 5,490 "Camel" aircraft were produced, and apart from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Greece, and the United States all used this ne.


    It was easy to handle and had very good overall performance, making it quite suitable for Tang Mo to train his pilots.

 Chapter 338 Go back to 334.

    ```


    With Tang Mo''s arrival, the construction speed on Dragon Ind also began to elerate crazily. The scale of Weigang had already be quite immense, and its dockyard was even finished, beginning mass production of the Liberty Ships that Tang Mo now needed most.


    Currently, the Great Tang Group owned nine Brunas-ss warships and three Wolf-ss warships, making it the most powerful naval force in the world.


    This was beyond doubt, as a single Wolf-ss warship, in coboration with three Brunas-ss warships, had already annihted Taren Kingdom, which used to dominate the southern part of the Endless Sea.


    If Tang Mo were to assemble these twelve warships, he could almost take down any country''s port, orpletely destroy the maritime trade routes of any hostile nation.


    However, not all the warships at Tang Mo''s disposal belonged to him¡ªin the twelve warships controlled by the Great Tang Group, one belonged to the Leite Kingdom, or, to be precise, the future Laines Empire.


    Additionally, one had already been sold to the Dwarves of the Ice Cold Kingdom, and another to Dorne, which would serve as the gship of the Dorne Kingdom''s navy in the future.


    At the same time, another warship was destined to be sold to the Songmu Kingdom, and another was likely to go to the Por Kingdom.


    That is to say, of the nine Brunas-ss irond warships at the Great Tang Group''s disposal, only five were truly their own.


    And the Great Tang Group didn''t even n to keep those five warships, as they had already nned to sell all of their Brunas-ss warships.


    The Laines Empire was interested in purchasing, and the Empire of Na was also preparing to buy the blueprints to construct more Brunas-ss warships on their own.


    Also expressing interest in purchasing was Dorne, now a major maritime power. This nation had seen an unimaginable lengthening of its coastline.


    Previously, Dorne was a country by the sea, and one of its major ports, Hotwind Port, was permanently sold to the Great Tang Group.


    Following the coastline south, Dorne actually bordered the Taren Kingdom, and now all those coastlines belong to the Kingdom of Dorne.


    Most of the inds belonging to the Taren Kingdom had been permanently transferred to the Great Tang Group as the private domain of Tang Mo, the owner of the Great Tang Group.


    However, the othernd-based ports already belonged to Dorne, thus Dorne was in great need to establish a huge and powerful navy to protect its coastline.


    Therefore, Dorne''s envoys were always active, hoping that the Great Tang Group could sell them more warships to help Dorne build a modern and powerful naval force.


    Truth be told, Tang Mo was also hoping to sell more irond warships, because selling navy ships, even on twenty-first-century Earth, was an extremely profitable business.


    Haven''t you seen how Russia sold an aircraft carrier to India for one dor, then charged thetter three billion dors in refurbishment fees?


    Haven''t you seen how Russia extorted Huaxia by selling a Modern-ss destroyer, which wasn''t very advanced, for a sky-high price of over one hundred million dors?


    Haven''t you seen how the Beiyang Fleet overpaid for warships, and yet the sellers still showed an ugly reluctance to sell if they didn''t wish to?...


    In any case, the business of selling modern military ships is definitely profitable. And now, the Great Tang Group seemed to have entered a stage where they were rtively short on cash.


    The investment in the aviation sector would definitely not pay off in the short term, and the idea of recouping the cost in the railway sector was almost a pipe dream.


    Most of the reserve funds in the Great Tang Bank were untouchable, and Tang Mo also needed to ensure that the "Tang Bills," now the legal currency of the Laines Empire, continued to be stable.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Tang Mo''s mines were expanding production, so for the time being he couldn''t afford to sell raw materials for profit¡ªhe didn''t have enough for his own use.


    The shipbuilding industry was serving their own needs, producing Wolf-ss warships that were not for sale, and the Liberty Ships, for the time being, could only be provided exclusively for their own fleet, so the shipbuilding business was also a "loss-making" project at the moment.


    The production capacity for cars had been pushed to the max, and there was also a transition to manufacturing newer models with better performance, both trucks and cars. Plus, Tang Mo had set a very low price to poprize automobiles, so while the automobile project was profitable, the earnings were indeed not much.


    Plus, with the recent cessation of war, the arms trade had to proceed routinely and steadily fulfill the orders. Therefore, the Great Tang Group had been continuously spending money, while the ie-generating projects had been few.


    As a result, Tang Mo could only ce his hopes on his chemical nts. Medicine and fertilizers had be the life-saving means for supporting nearly half of his group.


    In such an environment, the navy ships in Tang Mo''s hands turned into money trees¡ªas long as people were willing to spend, he didn''t mind selling all those surplus Brunas-ss warships!


    The railway on Dragon Ind had already connected Weigang with Dragon City, although there was only one line¡ªfor early railways, there was actually no need to build two tracks for going and returning. They only needed to construct parallel tracks at certain sections to allow two trains to pass each other.


    This greatly reduced the consumption of steel for tracks, saved the time forying them out, but also indeed reduced the transportation efficiency.


    ```


    So, the second railway on Dragon Ind has already begun construction, and two parallel railways can perfectly enhance transport capacity.


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    At the same time, Dragon City has also started building a university, aprehensive one, with a moreplete scale andrger size.


    Tang Mo aims to cultivate more professional talent here, because as technology advances, he will need more and more people with modern skills.


    Without the support of one hundred thousand technicians, engineers, and schrs, he could probably never develop an atomic bomb on his own in this lifetime.


    And by himself, he couldn''t possibly create high-tech toys like stealth aircraft, super carriers, artificial satellites, and space stations...


    So, he needs more subordinates, more technical talent, more high-level workers, more grassroots support.


    He needs the whole world to modernize, so he can make more money relying on technology. If the world stays at its current stage, even if he managed to develop anti-aircraft missiles, who would he sell them to?


    Naturally, Dragon City University will have to be built, and so will Weigang University. Schools must also be built in Hotwind Port and Osa to select and train more local talent.


    Even if these talents do not end up working for the Great Tang Group, once they scatter, they will drive the progress and development of the whole world. In the future, they will be an invisible force propelling the world onto the fast track of development.


    Meanwhile, to support the growing poption, the infrastructure on Dragon Ind is also being expanded and innovated. Larger generator sets are being constructed, and more electricity will enable Dragon Ind to develop even faster.


    Compared to Brunas, Dragon Ind actually has certain advantages in development. It is a city built from scratch on levelnd; everything has been constructed ording to n, saving the effort required for renovation.


    Everything here changes with each passing day. The development here is more than twice as fast as in Brunas. The most important factor restricting development here is poption, and Tang Mo is working hard to transport more people to Dragon Ind.


    Ships fully loaded with people set out to sea every day from Osa, Hotwind, Winterless City, Eternal Winter City, including Brunas.


    Orcs, Elves, Dwarves, and Humans... groups of people hoping to strike it rich are all trying every possible way to get on a ship headed for Dragon Ind.


    Sometimes, an entire shipload of criminals from Zheng Country would be directly cut off and then find another ship to send them to Dragon Ind.


    In short, although the poption is mixed, it has already grown considerably on Dragon Ind, swelling from the original hundred and some thousand to an astonishing two hundred and fifty thousand or more recently.


    "Dorne is willing to pay 1.5 million Gold Coins, 500,000 in cash, and 1 million in repayable loans to purchase the Brunas No. 2 Warship... They agree to our dying delivery," Roger, now back at Tang Mo''s side, took over these reporting duties.


    Harry has been overseeing work in Brunas recently, and Luff, as Chief of Staff, happened to join him on Dragon Ind. Surprisingly, the most reliable Tagg became the stabilizing force and was sent back to Brunas to oversee military affairs.


    Tang Mo stood by the window, gazing at the forest sea outside, and without turning his head, he asked, "With this one included, that would make it three Brunas-ss warships they have bought, right?"


    "Yes," Roger nodded, then looked down at the report, "The Laines side wants to buy two... Next month, ording to the previous contract, we will hand over Brunas No. 7 to them. They hope we can deliver Brunas No. 1 at the same time."


    "Give it to them! No problem. In two more months, more Wolf-ss cruisers will be ready tounch. We have already ovee our most difficult period," Tang Mo contemted for a moment and then decided to fulfill the other party''s request.


    After all, war is unlikely to break out soon, and even if someone dared to challenge the Great Tang Group''s naval supremacy with a few Brunas-ss ironds, Tang Mo''s three Wolf-ss warships are more than enough to teach them a lesson.


    "We''re trying to transport Gold to Dragon Ind, but for fear of losing it in a shipwreck, we can only manage about five tons at a time," Roger continued his report.


    Since the core of the Great Tang Group has moved to Dragon Ind, it seems that the most important treasury should also be moved to the safer Dragon Ind.


    Tang Mo ns to turn Dragon Ind into the world''s only financial center. In the future, global trade can bepleted right on Dragon Ind.


    Thus, constructing a world central bank here to gather all the Gold in the world has be a necessary preparation.


    Tang Mo, still fixing his gaze on the distant jungle, said to Roger, "That''s fine, being a bit cautious is never a bad thing."


    "Following your order, we''re preparing to send a fleet to Zheng Country, and Lord Li''ao wants to go back for a visit," Roger broached another matter.


    "It''s fine for him to return in his finery, but this time, let''s not let him go," Tang Mo considered and gave his opinion, "Tell him, not to worry... Wait for the next time. I''ll apany him back, on the Wolf No. 1... to go back."


    Roger was taken aback, then smiled, "Understood."

 Chapter 339 The path taken by Great Tang Group 335

    Eternal Winter City was the non-freezing port in the northern part given to Great Tang Group by the Dwarves as payment to settle debts.


    This port is a natural ice-free harbor, arguably the best in the entire Dwarf Ice Cold Kingdom.


    Though they were somewhat reluctant to part with it, the fact was that by the standards of Great Tang Group, this might be the only non-freezing port in the Ice Cold Kingdom territory that could be used immediately.


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    Before the workers of Great Tang Group arrived, this ce seemed to have a smaller scale than even the Osa Military Harbor which the Elves had ceded to Great Tang Group.


    Or rather,paring it to the Osa Port which was already undergoing thorough reconstruction by Great Tang Group was perhaps iming too much credit.


    The annual throughput here was very limited, which was an important criterion for Great Tang Group to determine the usefulness of a port.


    However, once the people of Great Tang Group arrived, they began remodeling this somewhat chilly harbor.


    Countless machines were delivered here, some were handed directly to the Dwarves, while others were kept at the port.


    Compared to its previous destion, the ce was now bustling with prosperity; the local Dwarves started to call it "the humans'' gold mine."


    Just by securing a job here, these Dwarves could earn money they never dared to dream of before.


    Although the wages seemed low and wouldn''t recruit any workers in Brunas at the same level, for the Dwarves, what the humans offered was far too much¡­


    Upon the Dwarves'' request, part of the wages could be paid directly in alcohol, so a sizable brewery was built alongside the port.


    The new brew was named Eternal Winter Ale; after the Dwarves got drunk and rambled on, this fine strong alcohol was referred to as "that brewery''s alcohol from Eternal Winter," which eventually shortened to "Eternal Winter''s."


    Later on, somehow through repeated mimunications, it started being referred to by a nickname simr to "vodka"... Hearing this name, Tang Mo felt even more that theserge-bearded Dwarves were striding unhesitatingly down the path of hairevolution.


    Of course, these Dwarves were still rtively normal now; they''d congregate here to put in their work, collect their wages, and then splurge their earned silver coins in the in-port bars.


    In terms of strategic position, Winterless City was even more important for Great Tang Group than Osa, as this port could be said to be one of Great Tang Group''s most crucial strategic points in the future.


    Because of the coboration with the Dwarves, Great Tang Group owned countless mines in the North, as well as an oil field.


    These strategic materials, along with other strategic supplies purchased from the Dwarves, were almost all loaded onto ships here, to be transported overseas.


    Should something go wrong here, at least two-thirds of Great Tang''s gold mining output, half of its copper mines, and a quarter of its rare metals would not be able to reach Brunas and Dragon Ind on time.


    From any perspective, these losses were uneptable to Great Tang Group, so the construction here was naturally elevated to a quite significant level of importance.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Throughout the year, a Brunas-ss warship from Great Tang Group patrolled the nearby seas, and at the same time, Great Tang Group also stationed a 500-man "foreign legion" here for training.


    This Troop was from the Orc race; after the sessful restoration of the Gales Kingdom, they requested that Great Tang Group help train their military.


    Tang Mo did not want to let arge number of Orc Troops into Brunas, so he sent them to Winterless City to undergo formal training.


    This Troop used a rotation system; each unit would be stationed here for 60 days, quickly learning some drill maneuvers and the most basic tactical movements before being rotated out.


    On one hand, time was indeed tight, so the training couldn''t cover much, while on the other hand, the surrounding Dwarves didn''t have a favorable impression of these Orcs.


    In summary, amid busyness, Eternal Winter City embarked on its own path to rise, incorporating its steel factories, train stations, power nts, and other supporting facilities, including the ever-expanding brewery, into the production cycle of Great Tang Group.


    Every early morning, the port saw departing sailboats,den with raw iron ore or crudely refined iron and steel ingots, setting off to the open sea, disappearing over the horizon.


    Every half an hour, one such ship would leave the port, which was nothing short of a management miracle for the then-backward Eternal Winter City.


    Countless Dwarves worked here, including hired poor folk, ves bought from Dwarf Nobility, and of course, prisoners temporarily pulled from jails to help fill numbers.


    After all, as Great Tang Group was paying, the Dwarves would go out of their way to help fill the manpower gap for Great Tang Group.


    Because of the cooperative rtionship, there was a great deal of trust between both parties, resulting in substantial support from the Dwarves.


    While waging war abroad, the Dwarves mobilized 200,000 people, braving the severe cold to construct a railway between Kings City and Eternal Winter City.


    At the same time, another 50,000 were constructing a massive military factory in the suburbs of the Dwarven Kings City, a factory that would be capable of producing a variety of weapons, including rifles and machine guns, in the future.


    Beside this military factory, 30,000 people were ceaselessly building an automobile nt. Massive factory buildings were rising from the ground, a marvel of the Ice Cold Kingdom.


    Meanwhile, outside Eternal Winter City, severalrge factories were also under construction, including a textile mill, a generator factory, and arge chemical nt.


    Although both parties had signed a contract, and the Great Tang Group had nearly packaged and sold all of its heavy industry technology to the Dwarves, there were still light industry and other technologies that the Great Tang Group was allowed to produce and sell within the Ice Cold Kingdom ording to the contract.


    Thus, the Great Tang Group could operate in pharmaceuticals and fertilizers, among other products, with a special license and only required to pay half the usual tax.


    There was no alternative, as the Great Tang Group was the Ice Cold Kingdom''s most favored trade partner. This status was somewhat simr to most favored nation status, although it was unfortunately one-sided.


    In any case, in Eternal Winter City, everything revolved around building a portrge enough to ensure a continuous flow of materials such as gold, copper, iron, rare metals, oil, etc., to Dragon Ind.


    Early this morning, the Dwarf sailors working at the dock, along with some Dwarfborers, couldn''t help but drop what they were doing.


    They all looked up to see a towering Irond Warship belching plumes of ck smoke as it slowly docked.


    They had seen smoke-belching ships before; the Brunas-ss Irond Warship often came to the port to coal up, always billowing ck smoke when it set off.


    But the ship before them was obviously much, muchrger than the Brunas-ss warship! These sailors couldn''t discern the differences between these steel behemoths.


    So they were stunned, thinking that the Great Tang Group, which ruled these waters, hade up with some sort of brand-new warship.


    However, they soon realized that it was a transport ship, a supermassive one at that¡ªone that could take the ce of an entire fleet... a formidable transport ship.


    The newly erected crane lifted car after car, transferring them to the dock to be unloaded.


    All morning, the crane worked nonstop; due to an error, it even dropped an expensive sedan on the ground, turning it into a pile of scrap metal.


    Everyone was shocked because they witnessed with their own eyes that the belly of this great vessel, which hade from afar, contained no fewer than 100 automobiles! And it seemed there were still many more cars inside the ship yet to be lifted out!


    This loading capacity was nearly 20 to 50 times that of a sailing ship! After all, a sailing ship could only carry about five cars at a time.


    Because a sailing ship had only a narrow cargo hold hatch, automobiles could hardly fit inside the ship''s body. Consequently, for anyrger cargo, they had to be ced on the ship''s deck, which severely affected the sailing ship''s cargo capacity.


    "My god! That''s an unbelievable capacity!" eximed a Dwarf, rubbing his eyes as if he had drunk too much and was still not sober.


    After unloading 100 cars of various models, the crane started to lift machine tools to the dock.


    This time, the workers were even more careful, with the leading dignitaries even dering that damaging one machine would incur a fine of 500 Gold Coins!


    Many of these machines were already familiar to the Dwarves; the city''s outskirts housed the power nt, and right next to it, the telegraph office, was filled with such remarkable machinery.


    With these fascinating devices, Eternal Winter City could swiftly contact Kings City and evenmand the Irond Warships stationed outside the harbor.


    "Such a ship could almost rece a whole fleet... no wonder we started expanding the dock a month ago..." mused a Dwarf noble, watching the free-sailing ship, "We thought we wouldn''t need such arge dock... Turns out, it was all for this behemoth!"


    "It looks like sea trade is going to be dominated by the Great Tang Group from now on," another Dwarf noble sighed. He was involved in maritime trade himself, which was why he stood at the dock at this time.


    "Hahaha!" The first nobleughed heartily, "Don''t worry, there surely can''t be that many of these huge ships..."


    Before he could finish, he saw another ship, identical to the first, slowly approaching another dock in the distance...


    "Damn it..." he swore involuntarily. In his opinion, even though the Great Tang Group was powerful, surely it couldn''t afford to construct so many massive steel vessels at once.


    The maritime trader beside him shook his head, "Sigh... you''ve obviously never dealt with the folks from the Great Tang Group... If they set their sights on that path, they would crush anyone in their way to dust..."

 Chapter 340 336 good son

    Indeed, as if to confirm his words, the third colossal vessel sounded its steam whistle, like a gigantic beast lying across the sea''s surface, intimidating all surrounding creatures.


    The deep, powerful humming immediately awakened the entire port, and everyone who could see this enormous ship stood up straight to gaze at it.


    Seagulls swirled around the giant ship, which,cking a corresponding dock, had to reduce speed and wait nearby.


    At another dock, the second Freedom-ss ship began to unload its cargo, this time being military supplies sold by the Great Tang Group to the Ice Cold Kingdom.


    Box after box of hand grenades, along with a hundred heavy machine guns and matching ammunition, plus 4,500 second-hand needle rifles.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Of course, what was even more frightening was that Tang Mo had also brought ten automobiles refitted as armored vehicles to the Dwarfs, as well as 150,000 specially made, thickened cotton coats.


    Just the three Freedom-ss ships alone brought enough supplies for Eternal Winter City to digest for a while. Because the cargo hold of the third Freedom-ss was filled with various machinery and equipment, enough for Eternal Winter City to build several factories.


    The same scene was unfolding in Winterless City as well.


    There, the Great Tang Group needed rubber and steel for industrial development, also an important and indispensable source of raw materials.


    Hence, building Winterless City was also a matter of concern for the Great Tang Group.


    The builders here were not hired workers or ves, but hundreds upon hundreds of prisoners of war. With the fall of Xilun and Taren Kingdoms, countless prisoners could only work off their servitude through hardbor.


    These wretches received no wages and had to work diligently for the Great Tang Group simply to stay alive.


    Compared to the Ice Cold Kingdom''s n to build a long railway, the construction of Winterless City was much simpler¡ªit was situated on an ind, so only a port needed to be built.


    When five Freedom-ss ships sailed south and entered the port of Winterless City, rebuilt from ruins and rubble, the ce was no longer lifeless.


    Arge amount of materials unloaded at the dock gave everyone hope. The entire city was about to be revived, swiftly... revived by the Great Tang Group!


    As the saying goes, when the war ends, that''s when everyone desperately begins to overhaul their weapons.


    In the past month or so, thepetition between the Great Tang Group and the Shireck Consortium had be even more intense than during the wartime.


    The Shireck Consortium won orders from six Kingdoms, selling them a bolt-action rifle known as the Shireck Model 1.


    This rifle was the 1888 Commission Rifle that Tang Mo had leaked to Shireck; while unremarkable in performance, it was at leastparable to the Great Tang Group''s K3 model rifle.


    Armed with this weapon and aided by Shireck''s traditional influence, they still made a fortune from weapons sales.


    After all, the Kingdoms where they could still exert influence were each facing immense pressure from expansionist states supported by the Great Tang Group.


    The Triple Kingdom Alliance could truly be said to have risen at lightning speed over the past half-year; each of these countries gained some advantages from the War of the Eleven Kingdoms.


    The Leite Kingdom, in particr, extinguished another country during this war, doing so with lightning speed.


    After a series of annexations of neighboring countries, Leite VII finally became impatient and embarked on his path to the throne.


    The Great Tang Group also supported this King bing Emperor, so the talk of a Laines Empire was already buzzing, and His Majesty the Emperor was wholeheartedly preparing for his coronation.


    Simrly, the Dorne Kingdom, which had always quietly amassed wealth, reaped immense gains during the War of the Eleven Kingdoms.


    They extinguished the Xilun Kingdom, took over more than seventy percent of Taren Kingdom''s territory, and theirnd area nearly matched that of the Laines Empire.


    It was only because the war had just ended that the King of Dorne Kingdom was still wary of the new upied territories, otherwise, he might have also mored to create a Dorne Empire.


    In fact, it seemed that only the Suthers Kingdom had missed out on the wave of expansion this time.


    However, although Suthers did not continue to expand, they solidified their control over previously acquired territories andpleted domestic political reforms.


    In fact, if one were to solely discuss the potential for future development, Suthers Kingdom seemed to be even stronger, which was something Tang Mo had long discussed with other Great Tang Group executives.


    So, for Tang Mo, or indeed, for all races in this world, peace was nothing more than an interlude for upgrading weapons and recuperating, only war was eternal!


    Just after this year''s Spring Plowing Festival passed, Suthers announced its purchase of K3 rifles from the Great Tang Group as the Kingdom''s standard weapons.


    Three dayster, the Defense Minister of the Laines Empire dered that the Laines Empire would acquire 100,000 K3 rifles, 1,000 heavy machine guns, and 600 artillery pieces of various types from the Great Tang Group to rece the existing arsenal.


    Merely five hours had passed when Dorne''s envoy hurried into Harry''s office, followed by Dorne''s announcement that it would purchase 50,000 rifles, 1,200 machine guns, and 700 artillery pieces of various types from the Great Tang Group.


    However, surprisingly, despite the Great Tang Group''s relentless lobbying in the Empire of Na¡ªeven going so far as to bribe figures such as Mo Kangsen¡ªthe Empire of Na still chose the Shireck Model 1 rifle for their rifle purchase.


    Interestingly, after acquiring the Shireck Model 1 rifles, the Empire of Na turned to the Great Tang Group for their machine gun purchases and also paid a hefty sum for the blueprints and manufacturing rights to the Brunas-ss warships.


    Although the Great Tang Group faced a slight setback in the arms business, its development in other areas was so rapid it was almost beyond belief.


    In just over two months, the railroad between Ice Crystal City and Jade City had beenpleted. The trans-border railway from Ice Crystal City to the Suthers Kingdom was also sessfully opened.


    The southbound railway from Jade City hadn''t connected with the northbound railway from Dorne''s King City yet, but it was estimated that would happen within a few months.


    Every nation that built railways used the rail gauge standard of the Great Tang Group. Shireck and the Great Tang Group adopted the same standards, so there was really no choice for anyone.


    The construction of Laines City continued unabated, and Leines I wasn''t idle. While waiting for the construction of King City toplete, he led his troops to quell two regional uprisings, thereby solidifying his rule.


    Great Tang Group''s pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, and everyday goods had be hotmodities. With the war over and the economy recovering, the concept of revenge spending was intentionally indulged, so these products began to prevail.


    Methodically, the regions controlled by the Great Tang Group, including Leite, Dorne, and Suthers, all began to establish new educational systems and new medical systems.


    This influence was subtle; after all, seeing the sess of these initiatives in Brunas, no one could remain unmoved.


    Lately, Tang Mo wasn''t so busy. While focusing on the training of pilots, he also organized a football invitational in Dragon City.


    In the stands of the stadium, Tang Mo watched the yers dashing across the field with a bittersweet smile, feeling a profound sense of connection to the pure essence of Huaxia.


    The yers of Brunas''s Bailu team were celebrating their goal. The young forward was waving his arms, shouting joyously to the almost silent stands of the sports field.


    Just before, the ce was full of cheers and shouts of encouragement. But 20 minutes into the second half, the whole stadium seemed to have lost its voice.


    13 to 0... This was a scoreline filled with fantasy elements. Dragon City''s elite team hadn''t scored a single goal and had conceded 13 to the Bailu team.


    The entire elite team was bewildered. They knew the Bailu team was strong, but they hadn''t expected them to be so formidable after being purchased.


    "I''m starting to regret..." Tang Mo turned to the Marquis of Bailu beside him, his tone heavy with irony, "Where did you find those two forwards?" Enjoy more content from empire


    "Hahaha! One of them is my son! Surprising, isn''t it?" The Marquis of Bailu was immensely proud, believing the best business he had ever done in his life was buying the Brunas Bailu team.


    "Number 11?" Tang Mo hadn''t expected the Marquis of Bailu to have the gic talent for producing a football forward.


    "No, it''s number 17!" The Marquis of Bailu pointed toward the field. "Number 11 is my guard, and his talent is truly remarkable."


    "Name your price. Number 11... I''m buying him." Tang Mo felt it was necessary to set aside his pride and find a good striker for the Dragon City elite team.


    "Just for ying football?" The Marquis of Bailu didn''t reject the offer.


    "Yes, just for ying football, sign a contract." Tang Mo wasn''t about to purchase a ve, especially since he himself had drafted the transfer rules.


    "Then I''d rather sell you number 17... my son," the Marquis of Bailu unexpectedly said.


    Tang Mo was taken aback, but he quickly guessed the Marquis of Bailu''s thinking: If the elite team from Dragon City won and his son stood out, everyone would still think of the Marquis of Bailu.


    And if the elite team remainedckluster and the Bailu team won, the Marquis of Bailu would still emerge as the big winner¡ªthis was the so-called win-win situation, where he would win twice all by himself.


    "You''re a born footballer!" Tang Mo couldn''t help but admit that the Marquis of Bailu had a real knack for business, and in this world, there were indeed clever minds.


    So he nodded, "I''ll take your son. Afterward, I''ll send him to Dragon City University for training, and I''ll cover all his expenses."


    "The Bailu family appreciates your generosity, Mr. Tang!" The Marquis of Bailu''s smile faded as he expressed gratitude, "I always stand with the Great Tang Group."


    "Oh!..." As they were speaking, Dragon City''s elite team finally found a gap in the opposing defense and scored a goal that saved face.


    The score on the field changed to 13 to 1, and the Dragon City fans in the stands finally erupted into cheers, proving they were still alive...


    Despite its beauty, there seemed to be a w... looking at that painfully striking score on the field, Tang Mo inwardlymented¡ªsome things, the stronger they be, the less yable they are. It''s unavoidable.

 Chapter 341 337 kneeling request when the Qing Dynasty is full

    A Dwarf mounted on a pony gazed at the distant battlefield, a huge castle stood at the end of the frozen wilderness.


    That was Furnace Fortress, the center of the Dwarf world. After the strongest Dwarf Empire that had established the global mary system crumbled, this ce became the holynd in the hearts of all Dwarfs.


    Now, the holynd was right before him, and his troops were less than a day''s march from here.


    However, whaty on this road was not flowers to wee him, but the densely packed formations of the enemy.


    The rotten Northern Dwarf Empire was a once-mighty nation, now on itsst legs, merely a shabby house ready to copse with a single push.


    Four months ago, the Ice Cold Kingdom, as a newly risen kingdom, joined the ranks of those challenging the Northern Dwarf Empire.


    They were stronger than the other Dwarf Kingdoms around, possessing more advanced tactics and a more formidable military, equipped with more advanced weapons, and had a tactics team from who knows where advising them.


    Contrary tomon sense, the Ice Cold Kingdom''s army started a war in the unsuitable winter season, catching the Northern Dwarf Empire off guard.


    Then, the Ice Cold Kingdom''s forces split into five routes, bursting into the hearnd of the Northern Dwarf Empire. These troops swept through resistance and directly shattered the Northern Dwarf Empire''s defensive system.


    To the north, 10,000 Dwarf cavalry from Eternal Winter City advanced 400 kilometers in five days, moving into the rear of Furnace Fortress.


    Supporting this force were 200 transport trucks and 40,000 war and pack horses that the Ice Cold Kingdom had gathered.


    The two armies on the main front made rapid progress as well, one capturing Tos Fortress, the most relied upon stronghold on the Northern Dwarf Empire''s border, while the other advanced eastward and took Rubin, the economic hub of the Northern Dwarf Empire.


    The Dwarfs that took Tos Fortress used 30 cannons with a caliber of 105 millimeters. These second-hand heavy cannons were even directly appropriated from Brunas''s security troops, all to support the Ice Cold Kingdom''s troops in sessfully capturing Tos.


    The Ice Cold Kingdom''s main force that attacked Rubin created a miracle by routing a 100,000-strong army of the Northern Dwarf Kingdom with only 40,000 troops. The superiority of needle guns was fully exhibited in this battle.


    The 100,000-strong army of the Northern Dwarf Kingdom, armed with flintlock guns, was practically pounded into the ground by the Ice Cold Kingdom''s troops in the battle.


    Amidst the rising waves of crazed "Ura" cheers, the Ice Cold Kingdom''s troops were the first to break through the enemy lines, leading to aical scene of capturing prisoners.


    The two forces in the far south were not trifling either, with one crossing the southern ice river, cutting off Furnace Fortress''s southern supply line.


    The other force swept through the richer southern regions like an autumn breeze through fallen leaves,pletely thwarting the Northern Dwarf Empire''s n to leverage its vast territory to conscript more soldiers for war.


    Looking at the fighting style of this "surprise force" from the southernmost route, it was almost a rey of Tang Mo''s advance into the southern part of Suthers.


    If anyone were to say there wasn''t a student of Tang Mo involved in themand, no one would believe it¡ªthis student had almost replicated Tang Mo''s ssic case of attacking the south of Suthers, pursuing a campaign of living off the enemy territories, causing turmoil in the southern parts of the Northern Dwarf Empire as a liberator.


    In the old world''s semi-ve and semi-feudal system, the ssic propaganda routine of "follow me with a gun in hand" was unsurprisingly effective.


    Ultimately, after four months, the Ice Cold Kingdom miraculously arrived at the foot of Furnace Fortress and was about to encircle this mighty city with over 4,000 years of history.


    To defend its capital, the Emperor of the Northern Dwarf Empire at Furnace Fortress gathered a 150,000-strong army by hook or by crook, personallymanding them in preparation for a decisive battle with the Ice Cold Kingdom''s troops here.


    The Ice Cold Kingdom''smander-in-chief¡ªor rather, the nominalmander-in-chief Dwarf General Moss¡ªwould lead thebined force of 75,000 to spark this fate-deciding decisive battle.


    In this battle, the Northern Dwarf Empire''s battle ns were very clear: they were to defend Furnace Fortress, the great city symbolizing the true heritage of the Dwarfs.


    For Dwarfs, this ce was akin to Jerusalem, it was like Constantinople, it was virtually Kiev Rus (erroneously)...


    Therefore, the Emperor of the Northern Dwarf Empire spread his 150,000 troops across the four fronts of Furnace Fortress.


    The most troops were stationed on the western side to engage the enemy head-on, about 100,000 troops. On the northern and southern sides, there were about 20,000 troops each, with the eastern side being the safest, hence only 10,000 troops were ced there as reserves.


    The majority of this force was still armed with Shireck''s flintlock guns, and their equipment was generally outdated, with many troops not even having a fullplement of artillery.


    Since almost all of the field troops had been lost, the Northern Dwarf Empire had no cavalry or expensive automobiles, those kinds of advanced contraptions anymore.


    ```


    Although they were outnumbered, the military of the Ice Cold Kingdom was clearly more advanced and powerful. They were equipped with at least 100 75mm caliber field howitzers, all of which were thetest products of the Great Tang Group, essentially the renowned French 75mm gun.


    The performance of these cannons was very advanced, and they could advance with the troops. They were far superior to the 250mm caliber Doomsday version muzzle-loading cannons deployed on the walls of Furnace Fortress.


    Whether in terms of range, power, precision, or rate of fire, these cannons were more than capable of crushing any opponent of the era.


    Nearly all the dwarves who took part in thebat had almost all switched to bolt-action rifles, which varied in quality; the vast majority were second-hand.


    Yes, due to the urgency of time, about a third of the frontline weapons of the Ice Cold Kingdom were second-hand weapons directly brought in from the control areas of the Great Tang Group. Arge part of them came from the rearmament of the Northern Ridge troops, as well as the rearmament of the security forces of Great Tang.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Of course, some were produced by the Great Tang Group in an overtime rush due to time constraints, with their quality even declining significantly.


    How bad were they? They were about the lower limit of the quality of Great Tang Group''s weapon production... But this lower limit seemed to be a bit ¡ª¡ª just a bit ¡ª¡ª higher than Shireck''s.


    If one didn''t consider the number of soldiers, it seemed as if the Ice Cold Kingdom had an absolute advantage, but they also had their own concerns and hidden dangers.


    Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire


    Their forced entry into the Northern Dwarf Empire in winter had three objectives: on one hand, to leverage the higher logistical support provided by the backing of the Great Tang Group; on the other hand, to catch the Northern Dwarf Empire by surprise; the third was to use the winter season to block other dwarf kingdoms from having a share of the spoils.


    The first point is easy to understand. Because they had automobile supplies and a weapon advantage, waging war in winter was not an impossible task for the Ice Cold Kingdom.


    In contrast, the Northern Dwarf Empire, disadvantaged in logistical supplies, was extremely reluctant to go to war in winter¡ªthey''d rather fight in summer when the roads were easier to traverse.


    The second point meant starting the war in winter when food reserves were at their lowest, which could put the Northern Dwarf Empire on the back foot. The Ice Cold Kingdom had grain supplies from the southern regions that were plentiful and cheap, but as a standardndlocked country, the Northern Dwarf Empire did not have that luxury.


    In a situation where everyone used to understand each other''s capabilities, the Northern Dwarf Empire wouldn''t seriously prepare for war in winter, both tactically and strategically, they were veryx.


    The third point was even easier to understand. The other dwarf kingdoms surrounding the Northern Dwarf Empire, who coveted Furnace Fortress, were well known to all. So if they wanted to swallow Furnace Fortress whole, they had to be smart.


    In the past, there had been instances when one kingdom was close to defeating the Northern Dwarf Empire, but the others would either support the Northern Dwarf Empire or outright encircle Wei to save Zhao.


    Therefore, to achieve its war goals, the Ice Cold Kingdom needed to be fast. They had to capture Furnace Fortress before the other kingdoms could react and before the end of winter, to secure their new border.


    By that time, they would be the new overlords of the dwarf world, the new hope for once again unifying the dwarves!


    But everything had to be quick! Very quick! They had to end the war before the other countries could mobilize slowly during winter.


    Then, with the subsequent support from the Great Tang Group and the continuous supply of arms, they, with the might of having swallowed the Northern Dwarf Empire, made the neighboring countries too wary to wage war, and could slowly digest the fruits of victory.


    As for any foolhardy clowns who might dare to dere war on the Ice Cold Kingdom... everyone was actually prepared.


    With tens of thousands of battle-hardened troops and the miraculous staff team of Great Tang, it would be more than enough to defeat a few small kingdoms that didn''t know any better. After annihting several armies of other kingdoms that came to attack, the rest would no longer dare to act rashly.


    In short, as long as the Great Tang Group was strong, clinging to the Great Tang Group''s thick thigh and calling it "daddy" was the way to go. As long as they offered enough, "daddy" wouldn''t abandon the Ice Cold Kingdom, the dutiful son!


    Although it was somewhat shameless to say this, and the Ice Cold Kingdom would never admit to having such a thought, the fact was that this was exactly what they did.


    After using gold, copper, iron mines and oil as debt repayment, they were even nning to use tariffs to bargain.


    Indeed, voluntarily bing a vassal state to the Qing dynasty in reality, they definitely ranked as an oddity among powerful nations.


    However, unlike the Qing dynasty which suffered humiliation after losing battles, for the Ice Cold Kingdom, this was a high-stakes gamble.


    If they won, they could be the overlords of the dwarf world, sacrificing only a small part for what countless generations had dreamt of.


    "No matter what, Furnace Fortress is now within our sights!" Moss sat on horseback, eyes filled with longing for the city.


    He hoped to be the first hero to break into Furnace Fortress, a hero of the Ice Cold Kingdom, or rather, of the entire dwarf world...a hero!


    ```

 Chapter 342 Battle of Furnace Fortress 338

    "Boom!" A grenadended in the position of the Northern Dwarf Empire''s troops, raising a cloud of dust that eclipsed the sun.


    On the edge of the explosion, a soldier was struck in the head by shrapnel and fell, his face covered in blood. Further away, soldiers were knocked askew by the st.


    The troops of the Northern Dwarf Empire had actually never fought such a battle before; they were suppressed by the enemy''s artillery fire and couldn''t lift their heads, yet they couldn''t see the enemy''s artillery troops at all.


    The traditional tactic of lined-up battle formations had clearly be outdated, and engaging in such tactics was now no different from courting death.


    Tactics had fundamentally changed because of the advancement of weapons. Nowadays, an attacking formation in line was met with one oue, that was being effortlessly annihted by the opposition''s machine guns.


    The Northern Dwarf Empire had no experience with such modern tactics, which is why they suffered a great loss in that decisive frontal confrontation.


    100,000 troops were heavily decimated in that decisive battle, which directly led to the present situation where the Northern Dwarf Empire could not send more elite forces to participate in the Furnace Fortress battle.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Northern Dwarf Empire also didn''t have time to ponder over new tactics, so they could only think of some clumsy methods to solve the problems they faced.


    On one hand, they abandoned the tactic of square formations, allowing their troops to take cover on the spot, thus avoiding concentrated attacks of artillery and machine guns.


    However, this tactic was primitive; they had no contact with things like trenches, so there was almost no digging operation.


    Therefore, on the outskirts of the defensive line around Furnace Fortress, there were, in fact, no sturdy defensive positions like trenches to stop the advance of the Ice Cold Kingdom''s troops, only some hastily constructed breastworks.


    These constructs provided basically no defense against the attack of 75mm caliber grenadeunchers.


    Moreover, the Ice Cold Kingdom, in addition to 75mm field artillery, also carried arge number of lightweight, easily portable mortars.


    These mortars were truly divine when it came to attacking enemy targets around 2 kilometers away.


    Due to higher charges, greater power, the 80mm mortars were superior in force and not inferior to the 75mm field artillery, and their response was more timely.


    After all, for the most part, the dwarfs assigned these mortars to their own battalion-levelbat units, and coordinating these guns was much easier than requesting indirect support from 75mm caliber grenadeunchers.


    In such circumstances, the advance of the Ice Cold Kingdom''s troops was naturally very rapid, not because they were too strong, but because their opponents were too weak.


    If such a war were to take ce in an area closer to the Leite Kingdom, both sides would dig trenches for deployment to reduce troop losses.


    Even though the effectiveness of trenches might not be significant, at least there would be such arrangements, which would dy the enemy advance, lessen their own losses, and make the defense appear more dignified.


    The poor Northern Dwarf Empire had not studied such matters at all; their tactics were, in Tang Mo''s words, still stuck in thest century.


    The state-of-the-art weapons from the Great Tang Group had changed the wars of this world, and it hadn''t been a long time. In such a short time span, many countries hadn''t even heard of tactical measures like trenches, let alone the appearance of new countermeasures like hand grenades against trenches.


    Now, themanders of the Dwarf Empire to the north were certainly brave and tenacious, but their soldiers didn''t even have a single steel helmet among them.


    There was no helping it; after all, the theory that steel helmets could effectively prevent shrapnel injuries and significantly reduce troop casualties was something they had never even heard of.


    In fact, even if they had heard of it, finding a seller capable of supplying 100,000 steel helmets at a moment''s notice was not an easy task.


    Even the more powerful military of the Ice Cold Kingdom hadn''t equipped steel helmets; they had reserved their limited transport capacity for more precious strategic resources.


    For the Ice Cold Kingdom, the lives of warriors were secondary; what mattered were machine guns and machine gun bullets!


    People didn''t need to be shipped from overseas, but bullets, shells, even cars, and the gasoline those cars needed had to be loaded onto ships in Brunas, then transported across the ocean to Eternal Winter Port.


    "How can they be so strong... Didn''t the Ice Cold Kingdom just sell Eternal Winter Port because they were too poor?"mented amander of the Dwarf Empire to the north, putting down his monocr after peering out from behind a low wall where he was hiding.


    In just 15 minutes, it seemed that his battalion could no longer hold on¡ªthe assault methods of the enemy were something he had never seen before, so he couldn''t think of any countermeasures.


    Those Dwarves from the Ice Cold Kingdom, the officers often had Left-Wheel Handguns, which to the defenders at Furnace Fortress appeared to be divine artifacts beyondprehension.


    The enemy''s weapons could fire 6 rounds consecutively, whereas his own side could barely fire off one shot after ages; this wasn''t a fair war at all, was it?


    And many of the veteran soldiers of the Ice Cold Kingdom were equipped with lever-action rifles purchased from the Great Tang Group, which made them more efficient inbat and posed an even greater threat to the Dwarf Troops of the north.


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    "My lord! The frontline looks like it can''t hold on much longer!" a Dwarf wrapped in bandages stumbled over, clearly putting on a pitiful front.


    "I see it! You don''t need to tell me again!" the Dwarfmander responsible for this sector of the battlefield shouted in frustration: "500 men! You couldn''t hold out for even 20 minutes before being crushed by the enemy!"


    "My lord! We did our best! They don''t even show their heads! We have no way of returning fire!" pleaded the battalionmander, his voiceced with a whining tone.


    In truth, he had no good counters, for the Ice Cold Kingdom''s military used updated tactics from the Great Tang Group when they attacked.


    After crushing the enemy''s morale and destroying their frontline defenses, the Dwarf Troops of the Ice Cold Kingdom would do everything they could to approach the enemy''s defensive lines.


    Then, they would determine the enemy''s defensiveyout, and immediately bring up the mortars and heavy machine guns¡ªthis was why the early heavy machine guns often came with shields and wheels.


    In early siege warfare, heavy machine guns yed a role simr to that of infantry support. Before the advent of assault guns and infantry fighting vehicles, they were the most reliable pir of fire support for the infantry.


    When the gunners risked enemy sniper shots to push the heavy machine guns close enough to the enemy''s attacking position, the battle was usually already over.


    The countermeasure to this type of machine gun advance tactic was actually very simple: prepare heavy machine guns on one''s own position as well.


    (Please forgive Dragon Spirit''sck of talent in creating names; it''s Furnace Fortress till the end.)

 Chapter 343 Sudden death at 339

    s, the Dwarf Empire of the north had no machine guns. Thus, the Ice Cold Kingdom''s tactics were invincible when facing the Dwarf Empire''s troops!


    Unless there were sharpshooters who could barely suppress the machine guns, troops armed with Shireck flintlock guns simply had no way to contend with the devastating weapon that was the Maxim.


    Moreover, expecting soldiers armed with flintlock guns to fire in the rhythm of snipers was not a very promising option in the first ce.


    "Rat-tat-tat!" Off in the distance, that infuriating, unstoppable, constant gunfire began again.


    The roar of the heavy machine guns was like a death chant echoing in the soldiers'' ears of the Dwarf Empire, as if it were a religious rite of passage.


    "Damn it! How have they not run out of bullets yet? Do their bullets cost nothing?" the despairingmander asked, his voice tinged with a sob.


    He wasn''t really expecting an answer, for he knew no one would give him one. He just wanted to vent, to let out the crushing despair and helplessness that was overwhelming him.


    Just like that, a whole battalion of soldiers who had just filled the gapsy prone on the ground, bombarded twice by artillery and swept by machine gunfire for several minutes, leaving few survivors.


    The few soldiers who had luckily survived the frontline copse scrambled back to their starting point, only to shockingly discover that apparently none of theirrades had made it back.


    Though nowhere near full strength, a battalion had over 400 men, yet in less than half an hour, fewer than 100 remained, a sight that would demoralize anyone.


    That fluttering g of the Ice Cold Kingdom in the sky was getting closer and closer to Furnace Fortress, and the white gs being raised all around seemed to be multiplying.


    Valiant fearlessness is just an adjective; when a battle bes a rout, the vast majority of people will choose to go with the flow and surrender.


    "Sir! Sir!" Seeing his immediate superior preupied with a white g raised high on the nk, the disheveledpanymander couldn''t help but speak up.


    He was still waiting for reinforcements. Otherwise, his men were doomed on the battlefield! It wasn''t easy for him toe back; retreating casually in battle made it very easy to be mistakenly shot by the enforcement squad.


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    "The right wing... is gone!" Themander, snapping back to reality, felt that his luck for the day had pretty much run out.


    With the nk''s position surrendered, his location became a perilous front line¡ªnot the worst fact. What was truly terrifying was that there was practically no retreat left for them; the walls of Furnace Fortress, pocked and riddled, stood just a few hundred meters away.


    "Hold your ground! I have no more troops to support you!" themander shouted at his subordinate.


    "Sir! You can''t just..." Thepanymander began, but swiftly mped his mouth shut. He saw his immediate superior had already drawn his Shireck flintlock gun.


    "Reserve troops, follow me! Fix bays! Push the enemy back! Retake the position we''ve lost on the nk!" Not aiming to execute anyone as a warning, themander, pistol in hand, was ready to lead the charge himself.


    He loudly encouraged his soldiers, "For Furnace Fortress! For the Dwarf Empire of the north! Attack! Attack!"


    "For..." The soldiers behind him had just begun to prepare a tragic cry to join the slogan and charge with fixed bays when their shout was cut off by a roar from the opposite side.


    "Ura!" Soldiers of the Ice Cold Kingdom who had seized the enemy position let out a deafening cheer; this war truly thrilled them.


    The enemy was like paper, crumbling at the slightest touch; they just needed to advance and the enemy would quickly copse and retreat.


    To be honest, Moss had never fought such an overwhelmingly easy battle before. Those drawn-out engagements where they would fight a whole morning just to annihte 600 enemies were insignificant inparison to this war.


    Moreover, because the opposition hadn''t dug any trenches, nor had any kind of adequate defensive positions, the few armored vehicles provided by the Great Tang Group in support of the Dwarves finally made it to the front lines, where they exhibited their godlike prowess, bing invincible war machines.


    Due to their limited uracy, the tactic of aiming for the vehicle''s wheels was one that the soldiers of the Northern Dwarf Empire could not use, nor even think of.


    Additionally, since the terrain on the battlefield was quite t and open, these armored vehicles indeed became like primitive tanks.


    Once they appeared on the battlefield, they swaggered through the bullets and barrages, reaching the enemy lines with ease, then calmly began mowing them down with the Maxim guns mounted on top.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Expecting a flintlock shot to prate steel tes, especially from a hundred meters away, was unrealistic. Thus, those Northern Dwarf Empire soldiers who fired from afar undoubtedly became foolish targets to be shot down.


    Still, even so, the limitations of the armored vehicles were unmistakably exposed in this experiment-like battle.


    Without the enemy having even attacked, three of the armored vehiclesing from afar broke down en route to the attack.


    Of the ten armored vehicles that had travailed from the rear to the front line, only six made it, and then three of them went out of operation before even joining the battle.


    Within the remaining three, one had flipped over after falling into a shell hole, injuring the driver inside; another''s wheels were identally shot, losing itsbat capability mid-way.


    Only one made it into the battle sessfully, and it achieved substantial victories¡ªit effortlessly captured a small elevation and defeated the 1,000 soldiers defending it.


    It was also the appearance of this monstrosity thatpletely broke the psychological defenses of the Furnace Fortress troops, leading to widespread surrenders.


    Hundreds of Furnace Fortress soldiersid down their weapons and handed over their defensive positions. This caused the entire frontline defenses to waver.


    By the time the fortress''smanding officers managed to stabilize their troops, it was already the afternoon of the day the battle broke out.


    Having barely secured a moment to breathe at the cost of many lives, the Furnace Fortress troops hadn''t even had the chance to eat a dyed lunch when a series of bad news came pouring in.


    The first piece of bad news was that the southern defense line of 20,000 troops had been breached by the enemy, almostpletely annihted, and was forced to fall back to the city to continue resisting behind the walls.


    The second piece of bad news was that the northern troops had surrendered. They lost the courage to continue the fight against the 10,000 cavalry troops from the Ice Cold Kingdom and put down their Shireck Flintlock Guns.


    The third piece of bad news was that, because of the first two pieces, the lord of Furnace Fortress, the aged Emperor of the Northern Dwarf Empire... had died suddenly... his breath failing toe...


    -------


    This doesn''t count as a make-up update, but I actually only wrote an extra 1,000 words today, truth be told, I didn''t manage to write more, I''ll continue to make it up tomorrow...

 Chapter 344 Fashion Spokesperson at 340

    The news of the Emperor''s demise in the Dwarf Empire of the North hadn''t spread, and the change of hands of Furnace Fortress was still fresh news, yet all of this seemed unrted to the distant southern regions.


    In the Empire of Na, within the Imperial Capital''s Imperial City, a grand pce stood where a woman listlessly fiddled with the leaves and branches on a windowsill flowerpot with her fingers.


    She was stunningly beautiful, yet a persistent fierceness lingered in her brows as if she were troubled by some vexing matter.


    "Your Highness!" a maid entered nervously, reminding her mistress that she had urgent matters to report.


    The woman didn''t turn around, instead shezily and coldlymanded, "What is it this time... Go on."


    Lately, her mood had really been terrible, another new Imperial Concubine seemed to carry the Emperor''s child, whether a boy or girl was still unknown, which was absolutely another new threat to her.


    How many days had it been since the Emperorst visited her? She could barely remember, probably twenty days?


    Clearly, neers were more pleasing. For a man, a neer signified freshness, also representing the lust for conquest and other mixed feelings.


    In any case, keeping a man''s long-term affection for one woman was certainly not easy¡ªespecially for an Emperor.


    Of course, history had seen many Emperors who were devoted to one person, so nothing was absolute...


    Actually, thest time the Emperor came here, she had been quite pleased, and she even mentioned a suggestion from her father regarding the procurement of arms.


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    Then, His Majesty the Emperor hadn''t visited her for twenty whole days, which left her with deep regret, regretting why she bothered to help her father with that damned arms business when she had nothing better to do.


    The maid spoke cautiously, "Your father is outside..."


    Previously, the Imperial Concubine had ordered not to see anyone¡ªfor a female officer, a servant, it was really not easy to leave the powerful father of the Imperial Concubine, a prominent official of the Empire, standing outside.


    "Not seeing him! Not seeing him!" the daughter of Mo Kangsen, the distinguished Imperial Concubine of the Empire with faint wrinkles now appearing at the corners of her eyes, a beautiful woman, agitatedly refused.


    "Hahaha! Daughter! I know you are angry with me, but this time, you really should see me." The corpulent Mo Kangsen burst into his daughter''s room without giving the guards any face.


    After all, Mo Kangsen''s uncle was the top official of the Empire, and Mo Kangsen himself wielded great authority; the guards certainly didn''t dare to mess with him.


    Following Mo Kangsen was an equally stunning woman, dressed in an exquisite gown the Imperial Concubine had never seen before, reeking of wealth andmanding respect.


    "Humph!" Still harboring resentment towards His Majesty''s attitude, the Imperial Concubine turned her head away, though she showed no intention of having the attendants who followed evict anyone.


    "This is the person you''ve been longing to meet; I, your father, have brought her to you. Why do you still wear that expression..." Mo Kangsen carelessly pulled up a chair for himself and plopped down onto it.


    His weight actually made walking difficult, and since his return to the Empire of Na, his health had be somewhat... frailer.


    Thus, he missed his time in Brunas even more, where he could do anything he wished with the assistance of women, truly a nostalgic indulgence.


    Unfortunately, here in his homnd, Mo Kangsen had to maintain some decency. If he were as extravagant as he was in Brunas, his reputation would surely crumble.


    "Who?" It was only then that Mo Kangsen''s daughter, the Imperial Concubine, turned her attention to the woman who had entered the room with Mo Kangsen.


    To be frank, the woman who entered with Mo Kangsen was indeed beautiful but not of the Imperial Concubine''s caliber.


    But this woman was exceptionally well-maintained, her skin radiant and smooth, and she wore jewelry that screamed wealth, indicating she wasn''t ofmon birth.


    This was a cultivated aura of nobility, formed through frequent appearances at high-society banquets, not something that could be developed overnight.


    But even so, the Imperial Concubine could see at a nce that this woman posed no threat to her; she could even be sure that not just His Majesty, but her own father wouldn''t fancy this woman!


    Because what this womancked was... indescribable. It was a kind of presence, a trait that allowed those in power to recognize their peers at first nce.


    Without this trait, the woman before her, though d in luxurious garments and adorned with extravagant jewels to an astonishing level, ultimatelycked something.


    "This is Miss Susan! The singer from Laines that you''ve always wanted to meet," Mo Kangsen introduced.


    "Oh?" Indeed, upon hearing this name, the Imperial Concubine''s eyes lit up, clearly regarding the woman before her more highly.


    She truly wanted to get to know Susan because, among the nobledies of the Empire of Na, Susan was practically a spokesperson for fashion.


    The clothes transported from the west, as well as the cosmetics like lipstick, were of the highest and finest quality from the Great Tang Group. And Susan was the image ambassador promoting these products.


    Therefore, these nobledies yearned for the untouchable, distant Mr. Tang, the fashion godfather they dared not fancy, yet they held great admiration for Susan.


    As women, they deeply understood their glory and wealth all came from men, and the foolish act of seeking a one-night romance with the fashion godfather was something they wouldn''t dare consider lightly.


    However, bing faux sisters with an ultra-fashionable female star, adding a dash of gold to their own faces, was something they eagerly pursued.


    "Miss Susan! I''ve actually been following your fashion manual all along," said the Imperial Concubine, her face breaking into a smile. She reached out and touched Susan''s hand in a symbolic gesture.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Susan had seen her share of such important figures; she used to feel inferior in their presence because power was an insurmountable divide, and money was likewise a barrier separating two worlds.


    But now, she had gained some confidence, as those important figures would show her a certain degree of respect on ount of the Great Tang Group.


    After all, no one could be sure whether this rather in-looking woman, whose savvy seemed unremarkable, might actually be Mr. Tang''s canary.


    A woman''s social status is the most elusive of all, as it''s entirely possible that in the span of an afternoon, some woman might suddenly be the President''s wife, a CEO''s lover, or a hero''sdy...


    In tales and anecdotes, numerous viins have met their fate over this very matter. They start by looking down on a woman, never imagining she might be the heroine, and when the hero arrives to mete out justice, the short-sighted viin meets his end...


    As the saying goes, it''s better to strike the rod and look to the master; even when chastising a dog, one must consider its owner. Those who mixed in the mainstream noble circles weren''t fools, so they too would give Susan some respect.


    Only the people within the Great Tang Group knew that Susan had only met Tang Mo a few times; she wasn''t nearly eligible to climb onto his bed...


    However, the tiger skin of the Great Tang Group was very intimidating, and the aura of a fashion star was something to behold, so Susan''s current situation was much better than before¡ªfar, far better.


    "Do you really think that my visit to Brunas was just for fun and games?" Mo Kangsen defended himself shamelessly, "My daughter, I went there for you! Brunas, the capital of fashion, how could I return empty-handed!"


    In truth, he went on a public-funded spree, but upon realizing that everything there was different from what he expected, he remembered his official duties.


    But it was still like adding a feather to his own cap, so why not seize the moment to pull at the heartstrings of his daughter?


    While speaking, Mo Kangsen pulled out his handkerchief with exaggerated sorrow and wiped his face.


    The keen-eyed Imperial Concubine winced when she spotted the luxurious trademark "T" in the corner of the silk handkerchief.


    Anything bearing this symbol was a rarity and a luxury in the Empire of Na, and just this silk handkerchief would cost at least 20 Gold Coins!


    After all, the design was what mattered most, what held the most value! This luxurious "Great Tang fashion" silk handkerchief, being perfectly square, contained so much more designnguage than those of other brands!


    "Your Highness! This item isn''t worth much, there''s nothing special to see here," Susan said, noticing the fleeting pang of desire in the Imperial Concubine''s eyes. She knew exactly why she was there, so she quickly spoke up.


    As she spoke, she cozily moved closer to the Imperial Concubine: "During my visit to the Empire of Na, I''ve brought¡­ many gifts for you."


    She knew that as long as she offered up these gifts, not a single woman would despise her, so she fearlessly approached, worrying not whether it would irk the Imperial Concubine.


    Sure enough, upon hearing the word "gifts," the Imperial Concubine''s mood improved, or rather, she became visibly excited: "Miss Susan... what gifts are you referring to?"


    In the Empire of Na, Susan, the much-adored fashion icon among the nobledies, didn''t need her gifts to be overly extravagant; just a few clothes that others didn''t have were enough to delight Her Highness, the Imperial Concubine.


    Thus, the Imperial Concubine was full of anticipation, looking forward to the gifts that Susan, the singer from Brunas, might have brought¡ªgifts she had long coveted.


    "Imperial Concubine Your Highness, there are so many gifts, so many that... I don''t even know where to start," said Susan, her face brimming with a victorious smile that carried a hint of disdain, contempt, and a touch of¡­ condescension within her own domain.

 Chapter 345 341 Pampered Pet

    "I have brought Your Highness thetest from Brunas''s winter fashion weekst year, except for the winter warmth items that you won''t need, everything... all of it." Susan didn''t wait for the Imperial Concubine to ask her own questions; instead, she took the initiative to introduce them.


    Suddenly, the Imperial Concubine''s breathing became rapid. She knew that even in the court of the Empire of Na, Brunas''stest winter styles had only just be fashionable.


    There was no helping it; to the fashion capital of Brunas, the far-off Na Empire was nothing but an utterly remote backwater.


    The trendy new clothes of each year, by the time they reached the Empire of Na, were old news.


    It wasn''t that no savvy merchants had thought to bring Brunas''s newest fashions directly to sell in the Empire of Na, but even their delivery speeds weren''t fast...


    Add to that the inherently slow production speeds of Great Tang''s high-fashion clothing and other fashionable items¡ªfocusing on a high-quality, boutique approach¡ªmade the supply even scarcer.


    Therefore, getting one''s hands on Great Tang''s fashion new arrivals months in advance had be a symbol of status and power.


    This time, four months ahead, nearly just over two months after the release of the new items, batches of tailor-made designer clothes were delivered before her. How could the Imperial Concubine not be excited?


    A product of Great Tang was inevitably exquisite! Any attire produced by the Great Tang Group had no chance of being unattractive! Merely wearing thetest gown to a banquet would ensure that she would be the highlight of the entire event!


    As long as she could showcase those beautiful clothes in front of the Emperor, regaining Your Majesty''s favor would not be a challenge...


    With that thought, the Imperial Concubine nearly eximed, "Bring me those clothes right away."


    Not a single woman could refuse dozens of new outfits, or rather no woman had the courage to reject dozens of Chanel''stest designs! Their closets were alwayscking one piece of clothing, to say nothing of Prada or Gi!


    However, just as the Imperial Concubine was about to burst out with her request, Susan continued to speak, "Moreover, I have also brought Your Highness the unreleased new products from Brunas''s spring fashion show of this year."


    "What!" The Imperial Concubine, disregarding her own demeanor, straightened up sharply, as if she were looking at a monster.


    The new productunches of Brunas were almost the single most important event in the eyes of many noblewomen of the Na Empire.


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    Being able to obtain the clothes from such aunch nearly simultaneously was the ultimate dream of their lifetimes.


    But now, that dream wasid before the Imperial Concubine¡ªnot only had she realized it, but she had achieved an inconceivable surpassing of it.


    It was the first time she had heard of someone knowing what would be fashionable ten months in advance, and it was also the first time she heard that someone could bring out art pieces from the Great Tang''s new fashionunch in Brunas ahead of time!


    "It''s nothing much. Judging by the time, they should have been on sale there by now, so I brought some along the way, hoping Your Highness would like them," Susan boasted of her "power" with pride!


    Yes, this was the power that women cared about most! They didn''t care who became Prime Minister; what they cared about was whether their shoes were thetest model or the most expensive ones.


    "Like them! Of course I like them! Are the items here? Did you bring them all? I want to try them on! I want to see these clothes now!" said the Imperial Concubine, her tone revealing how truly excited she was at the moment.


    "And shoes! Matching sets," Susan added.


    When the Great Tang Group gave gifts or bribed, they always did so in a grand manner. Tang Mo certainly knew that if you didn''tpletely dazzle the other party in one go, you might as well not give the gift at all!


    Therefore, Susan''s trip to the Empire of Na was originally meant to clear all "obstacles" for Mo Kangsen, naturally without being stingy.


    "Ha ha! Ha! Hehehe!" The Imperial Concubineughed excitedly.


    "Your Highness! Actually, you don''t have to be so happy, because it''s too early," Susan said, standing next to the Imperial Concubine but showing no sign of taking her to see the clothes.


    "Hmm?" The Imperial Concubine looked puzzled at Susan.


    Susan smiled mysteriously and whispered into the Imperial Concubine''s ear, "I also brought Brunas''s fashion specially-researched anti-wrinkle, hydrating, and beauty-enhancing skincare products..."


    "Are you telling the truth? It''s that kind of miracle... water?" The Imperial Concubine felt as if her eyes had never been so wide.


    She had tried those fine skincare products from Brunas! To be honest,pared to the old-fashioned skincare regimens, the Great Tang Group truly knew what women needed!


    In private exchanges among sisters, they all marveled that if it were not already known that Mr. Tang of the Great Tang Group was a man of normal orientation, they would have firmly believed Tang Mo to be a girlfriend with a woman''s heart.


    Mr. Tang understood women too well, he truly got what women wanted! Compared with those greasy, terrible ancient cosmetics, the makeup and skincare products produced by the Great Tang Group for women were genuinely good! Truly miraculous!


    To tell the truth, no one in this world understood chemistry better than Tang Mo. The skincare products of the Great Tang Group were truly effective, much better than those lead-mercurypound cosmetics.


    On the other hand, before Tang Mo crossed over, he was bombarded by all sorts of women''s skincare advertisements to the point of exhaustion; truly, no one in this world understands female marketing better than him.


    As an arms dealer, naturally everything is a weapon. The best weapon against women isn''t a bomb, but SKII "miracle water"...


    To women, the destructive power of that stuff is roughly on par with an SK positron electromaic siege cannon''s lethality to men.


    Of course, the "magic water" that drives women crazy nowadays isn''t actually the hydrating solution modern women use but rather a different, simpler thing.


    Even so, this early-generation modern skincare product is like a dimensional strikepared to ancient women''s skincare, overwhelming in its sophistication and novelty.


    It''s effective, and it''s expensive, making it the ultimate dream product for nobility women in this world.


    When ites to skincare or maintaining their looks, women care the most about the result. Who says women don''t care about performance? They just haven''t found the right field!


    They don''t worry about whether theirptops have a 3060TI graphics card; they only care if their notebooks are thin enough to slice fruit with their edge.


    They also don''t mind whether their car has a turbocharged 3.8T engine; all they care about is whether other women stand on the curb, green with envy, calling her a bitch as she drives by¡­


    So, it''s not that they don''t care about performance; to them, appearance is the most critical performance!


    "How is that possible..." Susan scoffed, expressing her contempt for those popr skincare products.


    Then she went on, "What I''ve brought is undiluted, pure nt-based original essence!"


    Well, the ingredients are pretty much the same, but terms like ''original extract'' and ''essence'' in advertising are already cliche in the modern world.


    But in this innocent world, akin to a naive little white rabbit, presenting these terms was absolutely an enthralling work of supreme deception.


    Indeed, upon hearing the words ''original'' and ''essence'', the Imperial Concubine seemed to float away in excitement.


    She knew that the faint crow''s feet at the corners of her eyes might now be saved, that she could be magically young again, and her husband''s affection would return once more!


    With this thought, she felt as if she were floating on cloud nine!


    Of course, she knew Susan didn''te merely to help her secure the Emperor''s favor; she definitely had her own agenda.


    But what of that? It''s just a few million from the treasury, just the purchase of a few hundred thousand rifles, just a few somewhat unfair treaties and contracts...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Compared to her own youth, to her radiant glory, these men''s affairs are worthless, aren''t they?


    "Quick! Quick, quick! Bring it to me! I want to try it! I want to try it!" The Imperial Concubine was so impatient that she was jumping up and down.


    Although the etiquette she had learned in the past forbade such behavior, she still acted like a little girl, seemingly cooing to Susan while shaking her arm with a voice almost begging, "Please! Quick! Bring it to me!"


    "Can''t wait, can you?" Susan still didn''t move, instead, she pulled out a small bottle from her ample bosom. It was a simple-looking transparent bottle with no text on it whatsoever.


    "What, what is this?" For a moment, the rtively young Imperial Concubine sensed an almost imperceptible danger emanating from the small bottle.


    "It''s Great Tang Group''s newest product, which will keep the Emperor''s heart in your grasp," Susan said, shaking the bottle slightly, making the blue pills inside rattle.


    "Are you insane? Asking me to give my husband some unknown drug..." The Imperial Concubine almost bit her lip in herst act of rational challenge.


    "Hahaha!" Mo Kangsen, who had been silent, finally couldn''t help but burst into loudughter, "Look, Miss Susan, I told you, your products couldn''t make my daughter betray the Emperor."


    After saying that, he stood up, walked over to his daughter, "I am proud of you, child! But this is not poison, it''s... the real deal."


    "I''ve taken it in Brunas; in fact, I take it every day." Pointing at the pills, Mo Kangsen unabashedly admitted.


    "It''s a wonderful experience! Your Majesty will think of this ce as paradise," he said, taking the bottle into his hands and unscrewing the lid to pour out a pill, popping it into his mouth right in front of his daughter.


    ----------


    There will be another updateter, before 12:30. You can wait a bit or watch it tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 346 342 pills

    ```


    After doing all this, he wiped his nose and stuffed the remaining medicine into his daughter''s hand, "I need to go back, otherwise I''m going to be ovee by my animal instincts right here in the Emperor''s pce, hahaha."


    "What does he mean?" The Imperial Concubine watched her father, who was about to leave the room, and then looked at the medicine in her hand.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "This is a drug that sets a man''s desire aze, it''s not easy toe by, and it''s a hundred times more expensive than gold! Such a pill would sell for 200 Gold Coins in Brunas," Susan exined.


    "Desire aze?" The Imperial Concubine repeated incredulously.


    "One pill, and His Majesty the Emperor won''t leave tonight, two pills, and he probably won''t sleep all night... uh... don''t give him three pills, that would really kill the old man," Susan said in a low voice.


    "Gulp..." The Imperial Concubine swallowed and then looked down at the medicine in her hand again¡ªthis time, she gripped the pill even tighter.


    ...


    Three dayster, Mo Kangsen''s woman, many thought she was about to fall out of favor, the Imperial Concubine shined brilliantly at arge banquet hosted by the Royal Family.


    Her skin was tender and smooth, just like a child''s, and at a nce, it made many nobledies envious and jealous.


    His Majesty the Emperor himself was also surprised by the changes in his concubine, and although he didn''t like this concubine''s interference in state affairs through pillow talk, he still was astounded by her return to the beauty of her eighteenth year.


    Moreover, at the banquet, Mo Kangsen''s daughter wore a gown that was so astonishingly beautiful.


    The women familiar with the brand Great Tang Fashion immediately recognized that the backless design of the gown was an obvious artistic adaptation of the letter T.


    And so, the entire banquet''s conversation centered on Mo Kangsen''s daughter, and even the Emperor spoke with Mo Kangsen for a long time.


    That night, unexpectedly, His Majesty the Emperor stayed in Mo Kangsen''s daughter''s room, and what happened next was even more unbelievable.


    That night, His Majesty the Emperor was reinvigorated and, incredibly, indulged till dawn, following which he had no mind for state affairs during the day.


    Subsequently, the next night, His Majesty couldn''t bear to be parted from pleasure and sought out Mo Kangsen''s daughter again¡ªthe rumors of the Imperial Concubine''s disfavor dissipated instantly.


    From then on, His Majesty the Emperor seemed a changed man and no longer stubbornly maintained a bnce between the Empire of Na''s procurement of weapons from Shireck and the Great Tang Group.


    He quickly broke the bnce, allowed Great Tang Group''s civilian products to be sold in the Empire of Na, and announced the lifting of strict regtions on the pharmaceuticals produced by the Great Tang Group.


    Following this, the military of the Empire of Na procured 20 armored vehicles from the Great Tang Group and subsequently bought 20 lotives produced by the Great Tang Group for the service of the Empire of Na''s railways.


    All these sudden changes caught many off-guard, with opponents not even having enough time toe up with countermeasures before it was all set in stone.


    Another topic of much discussion was that Susan, the fashion queen meticulously groomed by the Great Tang Group, became the best friend of Mo Kangsen''s daughter, who had just been appointed as the First Imperial Concubine¡ªto such a degree that they talked about everything and were unable to be separated from each other.


    A few dayster, many of the nobility began to realign themselves¡ªbecause their daughters or wives, even mothers, had be intimate friends with the First Imperial Concubine of the Empire.


    This circle of nobledies had ess to skincare products as valuable as gold, thetest fashion and shoes, and even aphrodisiacs that reanimate their significant others...


    In short, joining this group had big benefits, and no woman would refuse such a circle. Therefore, their husbands or sons and lovers had to reconsider their own stances.


    "What''s the matter, Sister... you''re in such a hurry to see me, is there something you need?" When Susan appeared inside the Na Imperial Pce once again, she even bypassed the security check.


    The guards already knew this generous woman, each one had taken a bribe from her, huge sums that could warrant hundreds of years of imprisonment.


    "You know and still you ask." The former Imperial Concubine, now the First Imperial Concubine, feigned anger before lowering her voice, "Did you bring the stuff?"


    "Of course." Susan opened her case, cing the so-called serum and new face masks on the dressing table.


    These items were naturally essential for a woman to preserve her youth indefinitely and each one was exquisitely packaged, evidently of great value.


    The First Imperial Concubine, who had long since stopped asking about prices, scanned the various bottles on the table and nodded in satisfaction.


    Among the skincare products, she noticed a clear bottle containing about a dozen blue pills.


    ```


    "Why is there only so much again?"ined the First Imperial Concubine, dissatisfied with the quantity that wouldst only about seven days each time.


    She felt that the other party was intentionally limiting the supply of the drug to control and manipte her.


    Susan smiled and began to exin, "It''s not that I don''t want to give you more, sister, but the production of this substance is extremely precise and can''t be mass-produced¡­ We are also trying to help you, that''s why we are offering it."


    Although she was indeed deliberately restricting the supply of medicine, increasing the First Imperial Concubine''s visits to the harem, thus achieving the Great Tang Group''s goal of manipting the Empire of Na''s First Imperial Concubine, she would certainly not be foolish enough to openly admit it.


    "It''s just money! The price doesn''t matter, no matter how much it costs, I can pay!" said the First Imperial Concubine, who had recently received many rewards and had her allowance increased several times over, naturally exuding an air of wealth and carelessness.


    However, when it came to money, she still felt a bit guilty. Because the products that the Great Tang Group offered were indeed excellent, but they were also incredibly expensive.


    The prices of some of the desirable goods from the Great Tang Group had even reached the point where even the nobility would balk at them.


    Sometimes, things may not be particrly useful, yet their prices were outrageously high. For instance, armored vehicles that were actually useless were sold to the Empire of Na for almost 1500 Gold Coins each! Two of them could buy a train engine!


    It seemed Susan had anticipated what the First Imperial Concubine would say so she promptly continued to exin, "Price is not the issue, Your Highness! Even if the price were higher, production capacity cannot be increased!"


    "And more importantly! As you know, first, one should not consume too much of the drug! Too much can overwhelm a man! Second, having too much of it might not be a good thing for you." Seeing that the First Imperial Concubine appeared to remain hopeful, Susan continued to persuade her.


    A bit slow on the uptake, or perhaps havingpletely sunk into the quagmire, willingly manipted, the First Imperial Concubine asked in confusion, "How so?"


    Susan spoke calmly and confidently, "Think about it, Your Highness, if the drug were abundant, and anyone could buy it on the market, would His Majesty the Emperor¡­ still be able to get it only from you?"


    "¡­" Upon further thought, the First Imperial Concubine realized the crux of the matter. If others could also get their hands on this drug, then it would lose its value; if other women could obtain it, the Emperor would no longer need toe to her.


    Susan put on the demeanor of someone seasoned in court intrigue, offering valuable advice, "Steady and long-term, Your Highness! In the future, whichever woman His Majesty the Emperor favors, they would need your permission to fully enjoy themselves, isn''t that much better?"


    In reality, she herself had not been involved in any messy rtions with men for a long time. On one hand, manycked the courage, and on the other hand, Susan was waiting for an opportunity to leap into a much better position.


    Regrettably, two years had passed, and things went contrary to her wishes. She failed to receive the favor of Mr. Tang, feeling as if she had been forgotten.


    Shemented her age; those were the years when she had to secure her livelihood and support the opera troupe by giving herself away early¡­ Now, as a flower past its prime, Mr. Tang seemed to have lost interest.


    "That''s right¡­" The First Imperial Concubine had an epiphany upon hearing Susan''s reminder.


    "Furthermore, His Majesty will be grateful for your generosity, and those Imperial Concubines will rely on your favor¡­ This¡­ is the situation you desire, isn''t it?" Susan continued to impart her supposed knowledge of pce politics as if she were truly experienced.


    In fact, she dared not give even a second nce to either Earl Alice, who held massive military power and was now equally wealthy, or that young brat in the Tang Military Academy who was referred to as the queen, let alone challenge them.


    Now, there was talk of a new Catwoman... Thinking of all this frustrated her.


    "I always knew it! It''s you, sister, who truly has my best interests at heart. Those other people are unreliable!" The First Imperial Concubine seemed to grasp the true essence after hearing Susan''s ingenious strategy, happily sitting back on her bed andvishing praise.


    The First Imperial Concubine, not sure if she truly saw Susan as one of her own, now believed that she must be a godsend to save her.


    Ever since Susan''s arrival in Na, good things kepting her way¡ªfirst regaining the Emperor''s favor, then bing a leader among women with fashion, skincare, jewelry, and the taboo drug.


    Now, even which Imperial Concubine wanted to spend an intimate moment with the Emperor required her approval. What was this? This was the epitome of the powerful female lead archetype, a sure winner in life, wasn''t it?


    "Cough¡­ cough!..." Susan coughed, halting some of her unrealistic fantasies, and exined, "With the Great Tang Group backing you, none of this is a problem! You will soon realize, being friends with Mr. Tang is such a blessed thing."


    "Yes, Mr. Tang is my friend! If hees to the Empire of Na, I will ensure he is treated well! He will be the most distinguished guest in the history of Na!" The First Imperial Concubine, in a good mood, nodded and said.


    "Did he spend several hundred thousand Gold Coins just so you, a pig, could be treated as an honored guest? Fool!" Susan cursed in her heart while she faked a smile and started a conversation with her ''stic sister'' about matching shawls.


    --------


    One more chapter.

 Chapter 347 The fake cannot become real even after trying 343 times.

    "No way, I can''t do it!" an aged Dwarf removed his sses from the bridge of his nose, rubbed his sore eyes, and shook his head regretfully, saying, "I really can''t do it."


    "Look at it again! Take another look!" Beside him, a director of Shireck, a fat man with a body full of fat, sat there with an old man and a woman beside him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Three directors from the Shireck Consortium had personally arrived, and the Dwarf craftsman sensed the extraordinary nature of the situation. Thus, he scrutinized the item he had been examining for a long time once more before he finally spoke his inability to fulfill the task.


    Upon hearing the request, the Dwarf craftsman shook his head seriously once again and exined, "My lord, I''ve been studying this item for three whole days now, and every day the moment I open my eyes, I''m working on this thing!"


    The elderly director frowned upon hearing what the Dwarf had to say; the female director beside him also looked despondently as she fiddled with her fingernails.


    The old Dwarf craftsman nced at the three people and continued, "To me, this is no longer a printed product but a work of art! I can''t understand how such printing technology exists that could produce such... such exquisitely beautiful work."


    "Is it that... exaggerated?" the fat director asked incredulously.


    The Dwarf held the red banknote towards the light of the gasmp and, in the deliberately left nk space, he saw a clear impression of an ancient Dwarf-cast gold coin.


    He sighed and admired, "In my opinion, it must have gone through many production processes and used at least two kinds of special pulp, which is why you can see the shadow of the gold coin when it''s held up to the light."


    The old craftsman pointed to some wooden barrels piled up in the corner of the wall, looking very weary, "In fact, just to replicate this special pulp, I have already conducted 29 experiments, and regretfully, with my level of skill, I cannot reverse engineer this material."


    As a seasoned expert in the printing industry, his reputation was not unearned. Many of the pulps he developed were considered the finest paper materials of this era...


    But unfortunately, recently, paper from Brunas hadpletely destroyed the market, with new technologies and new raw materials for paper makingpletely overrunning traditional papermaking.


    The old Dwarf knew this was a new type of paper currency, and he understood that if it started to spread, those capable of forging it would make a fortune.


    Even more, counterfeiting could destroy this type of money andpletely devastate the local economy and finance of the area where the currency had circted, leading to utter ruin.


    In truth, from a purely technical standpoint, the old Dwarf craftsman also wanted to try his hand at replicating such banknotes, but the other party''s technology was just too advanced, so advanced he felt utterly powerless.


    Therefore, he could only helplessly say, "The other party has great confidence, which is why they dare to use this thing in ce of real Gold Coins. In fact, if you were to counterfeit Gold Coins, it might even be easier than to make this kind of paper money."


    There were techniques for counterfeiting Gold Coins in this era, although very imperfect¡ªas a metal currency, mixing in other metals makes it easy to detect.


    Of course, the mostmon method involved faking the purity of the Gold Coins, which indeed could be hard to distinguish. However, the necessary equipment like furnaces for such counterfeiting were extensive and could easily be traced back.


    At least most of the time, countries would strictly investigate currency fraud, yet they would secretly produce some adulterated Gold Coins, substituting inferior goods for quality, to reap some benefits.


    But these operations would not be toorge, because after all, credibility is an asset. Frequent counterfeiting once exposed could bring negative impacts to a country''s economy, and no one could afford that.


    So, the spread of new paper currency in regions influenced by the Great Tang Group gave the people at Shireck Consortium some other bold ideas.


    "Continue," the elderly director of the board instructed, squinting his eyes.


    "The printing technology is also different from our traditional methods. We can''t print such exquisite patterns. It''s simply impossible..." the Dwarf craftsman said as he caressed the beautiful banknote, as though he were caressing a woman''s skin.


    Of course, he didn''t know this was thetest printing technology, where the Great Tang Group had utilized a new energy source like electricity to transform the printing process, resulting in much more precise and clean prints.


    It was obviously beyond the reach of traditional printing technology. The difference in printing precision between the two was like night and day, absolutely iparable.


    The Dwarf flipped over the banknote and pointed at the series of digits. "Moreover, it uses a rather troublesome printing code... I don''t understand its meaning," he said, "but the code is extensive, with each one being unique."


    This was another anti-forgery technology employed by the Great Tang Group, making it easier to trace the flow of the banknotes, assess the frequency of cirction, and monitor the approximate spread of the currency within a certain area, among other things.


    For this era, such technology was overly advanced, far exceeding theprehension of these people, so they were fundamentally unable to grasp why the Great Tang Group had gone to such lengths to pile on technologies onto their banknotes.


    In their opinion, adopting one or two novel technologies should suffice tobat counterfeits, without the need to introduce so many new technologies at once for anti-forgery purposes.


    "This means that each time they print such a banknote, they change the coding sequence," the elderly Dwarf craftsman continued. "I can''t fathom why they would use suchplex coding, but it must have some meaning."


    "To me, this item seems like the ultimate productbining the most advanced technologies of this era, it''s not just oneponent we can''t replicate, but all of them that we''re powerless against." As he spoke, he pressed the banknote from a distant region down on the table.


    Then, he slid the banknote across the table toward the direction where three directors were seated, gesturing as if to return it to its rightful owner: "We have no way of reverse-engineering the paper pulp technology. I can''t even begin toprehend how they made the paper so flexible and durable."


    While speaking, he pushed another banknote with arger denomination toward them: "Even the printing ink technology is more advanced than any we know of, as it doesn''t fade and even forms a protectiveyer over the paper, which is very... interesting."


    Before he could finish, he unhesitantly pushed another identical note to a parallel position: "The cutting is meticulous as well; every banknote has the exact same weight, the same size, the same neat corners. That is easy enough to achieve, but mass production is not."


    "As for the gold coin watermark inside the money, that''s something we can''t copy at all, although maybe with more experiments... perhaps in one year, maybe two... or perhaps ten... it could be possible to create something simr." After saying this, he picked up a bag of gold coins from his desk, peered inside it, and then tied it tightly.


    After sealing the bag, he pushed it alongside the banknotes: "You should know that only something simr can be made; it''s nearly impossible to make it exactly the same! Thus, I must say that the person who thought of this is truly a genius."


    "Together with the precision printing technology I mentioned earlier, frankly speaking, our current printing equipment simply doesn''t have such uracy. Even if we were to print it forcibly, it would just be a joke." He shrugged helplessly: "I can''t make any money from this... "


    "No need for others to even look; they can distinguish the real from the fake with a simple touch, even a blind person could easily identify it," he said, shaking his head, "not to mention that inscrutable coding. If we also made each one different, the cost might be frightening... but if we made them all the same, then the likelihood of being inspected and caught would skyrocket."


    "The most fatal issue," the old craftsman stood up and sighed, "is that printing such banknotes is basically losing money. Printing a one Gold Coin note might cost about two Gold Coins, which is a loss-making venture."


    The rotund man swore bitterly, his face grim: "Damn it! Did the Great Tang Group anticipate even this?"


    "This money is yours now!" The elder made no move to take back the gold coins or the banknotes and headed toward the door: "If you tell me they did all this unintentionally, I wouldn''t believe it... The integration of all this anti-forgery technology into a small piece of paper clearly shows that they are acutely aware of the importance of security."


    The woman also looked helpless: "It seems we still need to think of another way."


    "What do you think, if we, under the name of the Great Tang Group... distribute inferior forgeries in certain areas, could we cause them trouble?" the fat man had a sudden idea.


    The elder scoffed: "Don''t even think about it, that''s just looking for trouble for ourselves. Pushing this anywhere would lead to huge economic and trade issues, the local officials, including the nobility, the King, they''d all have serious issues with us."


    "Plus, disseminating this in territories we control would be destroying our own economic foundation, wouldn''t it?" the woman felt the fat man had lost his mind.


    "So what if we produce a batch and send it to areas under the control of the Great Tang Group... and then distribute it for free?" the fat man was still somewhat unwilling to give up.


    "I spend money to print a bunch of waste paper, and then send it to others to distribute for free? Do you think that joke is funny? Or do you think I''m an idiot?" the elder sneered disdainfully.


    Yet the fat man was still reluctant to give up: "If we print enough, perhaps we can deceive some people and create chaos, right?"


    The director, now irritated, retorted: "Did you just hear what I said? If I spend two Gold Coins, I can probably print one Gold Coin''s worth of counterfeit! Even if the Great Tang Group bought the forgeries at face value, I''d still go bankrupt first! Damn it... how can they afford to print money like this without fearing losses?"

 Chapter 348 344 cant be faked for real

    ```


    "Of course I''m not afraid! Because we still stand to profit! Although the cost is not low,pared to controlling a region''s financial economy, we''re making a killing!" Tang Mo said with a smile, "As long as I can control the currency of this region, I couldn''t care less about who bes Emperor here."


    He stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the forest swaying slightly in the wind. His mood was truly better than ever before.


    Just now, he had received news that the Dwarf Empire to the north had been swallowed up by the Ice Cold Kingdom. The Emperor had died suddenly, and there was a subtle trend toward unification among the northern Dwarfs.


    His paper currency would serve as the new official currency of the Ice Cold Empire, circting within the controlled territory of the Ice Cold Empire.


    This was exhrating news indeed, signifying that the paper currency system of the Great Tang Group was now circting in about one-fifth of the world''s regions.


    It included the territories of the Laines Empire, the Dorne Kingdom, Suthers, Songmu, and the Por Kingdom. Now the Ice Cold Empire''s region and a part of the Empire of Na would be added to that list.


    The fact that the currency printed by Great Tang Group could circte in so many regions was already quite telling.


    As long as he continued this expansion, the day when his paper currency would cover the entire world was not far off.


    The would-be Emperor of the Ice Cold Kingdom, or rather the future Ice Cold Empire, was very satisfied with the cooperation with the Great Tang Group. He had even sent a batch of noble youths, entrusting them to be ced in the artillerymand school under the Great Tang Group for their education.


    Unlike the Great Tang Military Academy, this artillerymand school was obviously a notch lower in prestige. It was established to rapidly and massively produce skilled personnel for the current needs.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Countries that had good rtions with the Great Tang Group would select their young people and volunteers to further their studies in the various schools of Brunas and even Dragon City.


    Find adventures at empire


    The subjects they studied included management, financial economics, science and technology, and of course, military.


    The Laines Empire, the Dorne Kingdom, and the Suthers Kingdom even regrly sent selected outstanding youths to study in the various schools of Brunas.


    As for how many of these students would actually return to their hometown afterpleting their studies, only heaven knew.


    But it didn''t matter. For the rulers of these regions, as long as one was willing to return and serve them loyally, it was an extra gain for them.


    Because ording to the regtions of the Great Tang Group, all students who graduated from the schools under Great Tang and voluntarily returned to their home countries were not included in the assigned quote.


    This meant that, for example, if Suthers Kingdom was permitted to recruit a total of 20 graduates from a particr cohort, and 20 graduates were recruited, any additional individuals willing to go to Suthers were permitted as exceptions.


    This also meant that if two more were willing to go back additionally, then there would be 22 graduates returning!


    For kingdoms or empires urgently in need of reform-minded talent and who havee to appreciate the importance of such talent, every additional graduate represented immense wealth!


    Who wouldn''t want a genius capable of changing their nation''s destiny to suddenly emerge at a crucial time in their country? Just like Dorne, which suddenly gained two great generals like Bolton and Strauss, isn''t that delightful?


    Moreover, everyone knows that those tough characters from the Great Tang Military Academy, as long as they are not in a civil war, are simply guaranteed to win when fighting againstmanders from other kingdoms!


    These freshly graduated youths are virtually like war machines produced on an assembly line. Although they appear somewhat inexperienced, they are really effective!


    They are familiar with military logistics, excel in calctions, and their strongest suit is turning warfare into aparative analysis of data on paper.


    Students graduating from the Great Tang Military Academy focus on building aplete national mobilization system, value training and exercises, and are very keen on maintaining the state of the troops.


    After emphasizing the fighting power of the military, they reduce the role of individualmanders, and these graduates then turn their attention to logistics support.


    This somewhat rigid procedure determines the oue of wars even before they start. It''s hard to imagine a well-armed force used to eating rice and white flour daily, which fires dozens or even hundreds of bullets during regr training, encountering any problems against an enemy that looks like a band of beggars.


    The forces of those so-called famous contemporary generals can achieve such intense training only in their core units, while the misceneous soldiers are simply not up to par.


    Modernized military training, mobilization, andmand systems easily crush opponents who are all-around backward.


    Therefore, in the Great Tang Military Academy, the War God can be replicated. Perhaps these students can''t perform on the battlefield with the same artistry and passion as Rommel, but they can ensure that everyone is as steady as an old dog like Marshall.


    In the academy, the most widely epted doctrine inmand courses is that as long as logistics keep up, ammunition is sufficient, soldiers are well-trained in peacetime, you just push through and win!


    As for massive nking maneuvers, deep encirclements, and grand envelopments, those are just the icing on the cake when talent allows, no big deal if they''re not there.


    Fortifying strongholds and fighting dull battles, taking full advantage of weapon superiority, elevating the quality of troops, and piling up the numbers, that''s the guarantee of victory!


    Those battlefield anecdotes of winning against the odds with fewer numbers are just mythological tales, not to be listened to or believed!


    ```


    ```


    Those so-called cases where 40,000 soldiers crushed an opponent of 100,000, or 8,000 cavalry pierced through an enemy army of 200,000, actually, all confirm another aspect of the truth: that the strong defeat the weak, the many overpower the few.


    In the eyes of the teachers and students of the Great Tang Military Academy, those poorly-trained, under-equipped ragtag troops, no matter how numerous, were no better than chickens and dogs made of y.


    Only armies that have undergone strict training, have well-established logistics, and possess powerful weapons could be considered as the true "numbers."


    So, to them, their seniors graduating and defeating tens of thousands of enemies with just a few thousand soldiers was simply "basic operations, don''t overthink it, sit tight"¡­


    "Master! The storage for today at the gold vault has beenpleted," Li''ao walked in, standing by Roger''s side, reporting without any hesitation.


    He knew Tang Mo trusted Roger, and Roger''s role was more like that of Tang Mo''s family, rather than a subordinate. It''s just that Roger knew his ce and had never pretended to be an elder of Tang Mo.


    "10 tons?" Tang Mo indeed had no intention of secrecy and asked with a smile.


    "Yes, 10 tons!" Li''ao nodded slightly.


    To tell the truth, Li''ao didn''t even know the full interior structure of that gold vault. He only visited once and knew that it might be the ce with the mostplete defense facilities in the world.


    It was said that the thickness of the concrete walls exceeded 2 meters, and there were guard posts around it. To ensure absolute security, even the number of machine guns deployed was terrifying.


    Last time Li''ao went in, there were only 100 tons of gold, but even just 100 tons had been enough to make his legs tremble.


    It was truly the most gold he had seen in his life! Bars of gold neatly piled in the room, each weighing 5 kilograms!


    Each entry had to be apanied by specialized personnel, every ess thoroughly checked, and everyone qualified to enter there was an outstanding individual who had established themselves with merit and shed blood for the Great Tang Group over three generations.


    This underground facility was vast and had been constructed by many workers; moreover, it ran along the hollowed-out mountainside, right beneath Tang Mo''s castle.


    It basically also served as Tang Mo''s safety bunker, hence the extremely high standards. Inside, even vehicles could pass through, and the thickness of the steel gates exceeded 20 centimeters.


    Yes, from today''s perspective on Earth, these security measures seem pitifully low, but in this world, there were few weapons capable of sting through a steel te 20 centimeters thick!


    If someone really did bring over a 150mm caliber naval gun from the Tang Navy''s Wolf-ss warships to bombard this gate, then Tang Mo would admittedly be out of options¡­


    Now, as the world''s first super gold vault, it had stockpiled over 420 tons of pure gold. Describing it as rich enough to rival nations was by no means an exaggeration.


    Real gold! Dazzling gold! The kind you couldn''t help but take a second look at, genuine gold!


    With this vault, Tang Mo''s bulk trading had be easy and safe. Since many forces stored huge sums of money in Tang Mo''s Great Tang Bank, trade transactions could bepleted simply by altering the figures on documents.


    By the end of each month, the ounts were settled, and personnel from both sides stamped and signed off on deals involving hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins, making transactions incredibly convenient!


    Of course, conveniencees with a cost; storing gold with Tang Mo earned no interest. After all, in this era, the bank was something that Tang Mo himself had full control over.


    The concept of interest should appear a bitter and then it was intended to draw in savings from themoners.


    As for national gold reserves, have you ever heard of them earning interest? My country stores hundreds of tons of gold in the Federal Reserve''s vaults. If that umted interest, the United States would go bankrupt within a year.


    "If the transfer ispleted and Brunas''s gold is transported here, plus the subsequent ie, by the end of this year, our gold vault could reach an astonishing 1,000 tons of gold reserves," Li''ao stated proudly.


    He had never seen anyone with such a talent for amassing wealth. When he saw that 100 tons of gold, he almost cried.


    At that moment, his heart overflowed with tears. If back then he had such a formidable support and so much money, perhaps pping a court official''s face wouldn''t have resulted in beingbeled a criminal and exiled overseas.


    "So much?" Roger was startled by the number. Over three years, in less than four, he and Tang Mo had been worrying over a few hundred gold coins, running around for the operation of a small workshop.


    Now, beneath their feet, was a real mountain of gold!


    Really!


    A mountain of gold!


    ----------


    Today is a rest day; the updates will resume tomorrow.


    ```

 Chapter 349 345 is worth it

    On Dragon Ind, atop a deliberately chosen cliff, a man wearing a leather jacket and goggles was carefully adjusting his gloves.


    His outfit was custom-made, featuring zipper designs that had not yet be popr. These zippers were quite intricate, not easy to produce, and naturally, more expensive.


    However, to ensure the pilot''s safety, this costlytest design was rightfully ced on the standard-issue leather jackets of the aviators.


    There was no choice in the matter, for pilots were living Gold, an immensely treasured fighting ss, the most expensive in history!


    The pilot was very young; he had goggles on his head, ready to be pulled down to protect his eyes at any moment, and his aircraft actually had a cockpit, a rather enclosed one at that.


    Unfortunately, it was not aplete aircraft with its own power. It was a glider for training pilots!


    This glider was almost entirely made of wood and canvas, with steel cables stretched across it to control the ps and reinforce its structure. These wires made the aircraft look somewhatplex and added a steampunk aesthetic to the glider.


    Truthfully, the airnes of World War I were not about aesthetics; the design of aircraft of that era was focused solely on getting them to fly. How they looked wasn''t a concern.


    As for why many people like the backward steampunk style, it''s due to film and television and a pop culture return to antiquity, which has nothing to do with the actual objects themselves.


    Please believe, if you showed a 1914 Air Force pilot a J-8 fighter jet, he definitely wouldn''t think his wooden flyer was better looking.


    Simrly, if in 1914 someone used a syringe to spray ck ink on white paper and imed it was art, they likely would have been considered for a lobotomy.


    "I''m really nervous now!" the pilot said to his ssmate, who stood outside the ne, before ground crew helped secure the transparent windshield.


    "Me too! Any of us should be nervous!" his ssmate, standing there somewhat dejected at losing the chance to be the first human to fly in an experiment, retorted with indifference.


    On the other side, the glider''s anxious engineer kept instructing the pilot in the cockpit: "Pay attention to your position! Make sure you understand every technical maneuver! Control the ps, don''t wobble! Do you understand?"


    "Yes, I do! But it''s 60 meters high here! I don''t think this thing can really fly," the pilot inside said, seeming even more anxious.


    He had been to the restroom several times just earlier because he wanted to make sure that he wouldn''t do anything embarrassing on the glider because of a sudden need to pee.


    Of course, asking him to use the restroom before takeoff also served to reduce weight, which might affect the precision and sess rate of the flying experiment.


    "I heard the experiment seeded," said the backup pilot, standing with his hands behind his back and squeezing out a bit of a smile, seemingly trying to offer reassurance.


    "Don''t joke with me, am I not the first?" Hearing that the experiment had seeded, the test pilot was shocked and immediately became unsettled.


    He had fought tooth and nail to score first ce, all for the chance to be the first person in history to truly take flight, hadn''t he?


    Those hot air balloons and airships were nothingpared to airnes. They didn''t fly; they merely went up! They don''t deserve the title of flying!


    "You are indeed the first," the backup pilot admitted with a sour tone.


    "Then why did you say the experiment had already passed?" the pilot in the cockpit asked, staring at him while another technician helped to secure his safety belt on the seat.


    The belt was very tight, once fastened it restricted most of his movement in the seat. However, it was said to significantly enhance the safety of the pilot... in the event of a crash, it was likely to leave a whole corpse.


    "Last time, this aircraft was sent down from here empty, without anyone in it," the backup pilot ryed the news he had just heard from the ground crew.


    "Did it fly?" the test pilot asked, suddenly excited.


    "No, it plummeted straight down," the backup pilotughed.


    "..." The expression on the first test pilot was something to behold, as he couldn''t manage to squeeze out a curse for a good while.


    An officer nearby nced disapprovingly at the backup pilot, who knew better than to make such jokes at this time.


    So, he quickly added, "Just kidding. The experimental glider did take off, and it flew far, just like the paper airne you folded in the experiment ss. It flew very well."


    "Then I''m relieved," the first test pilot said, his mind somewhat eased by those words.


    The backup pilot couldn''t help but smirk again, "I haven''t finished speaking. Before that glider took off, truly many gliders had crashed. I can''t remember how many, maybe ten, maybe eight, who knows."


    "Have I ever called you an idiot?" The test pilot finally lost hisposure.


    "No." The reserve test pilot couldn''t help but burst intoughter, "Hahaha."


    "Okay, now I''m saying it, you''re a damn idiot! A big idiot!" The lead test pilot shouted angrily, using all his might, just before the ground crew helped close the cockpit.


    The clerk in charge of the record nced at the onsitemander standing there, and themander also nced back at the clerk.


    After seeing the officer''s warning re, the clerk nodded in understanding, lowered his head, and in the wind that made writing difficult, he penned, "The reserve test pilot enthusiastically encouraged the lead test pilot, saying, ''You must seed! Comrade! This is the great cause of the Great Tang Group!''"


    "Then, the lead test pilot movingly replied, ''For the Great Tang Group, for humanity''s dream of flying in the sky, I will give it my all toplete this experiment!''" After writing this down, he felt something was missing but couldn''t remember what.


    "Long live the Great Tang Group!" The officer who had been watching what the clerk was writing suddenly interjected. "He shouted ''Long live the Great Tang Group!'' as he flew into the sky!"


    The clerk, in charge of documenting the whole experiment, had an epiphany and without any pang of conscience, added this line to the record as well.


    As he cleverly altered history, the experimental team had already pushed the glider along the rails towards the cliff.


    Continue your journey with empire


    "Pull back to go up, pull back to go up..." Inside the slightly jolting cockpit, the test pilot muttered under his breath. In front of him, the blue sky seemed to be getting closer and closer.


    Suddenly, he felt the joystick in his hand be a bit heavier. Then, through the windscreen, he saw the distant horizon.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And then... he saw the earth, saw the endless forests... Yes, after witnessing the magical sights and a brief moment of stupor, he finally realized his ne seemed to be crashing towards the ground.


    "Pull back to go up, pull back to go up..." He repeated the phrase desperately, pulling the joystick with all his might.


    The next second, the glider responded to his action¡ªquickly, the horizon once again came into view, followed by his nosecone, pointing toward the blue sky and white clouds.


    He felt the G-forces on his body but being used to them, he wasn''t too ufortable.


    For someone who had inexplicably be ustomed to vomiting, and took tumbling and spinning as part of the norm, the slight sensation of floating was truly a wonderful, joyous experience.


    He finally understood that all the hardship he had endured, all the suffering he had gone through, was just the price he had to pay for this moment.


    The feeling was so great that he could not to help but want to shout out loud¡ªalthough no one would hear him here, he just wanted to open his mouth and scream to vent his excited emotions.


    Almost instinctively, he aimed his nosecone towards the sky and started to climb, regaining altitude.


    He nced over his instruments with his peripheral vision and realized his altitude had already exceeded 200 meters.


    Not knowing whether it was madness or something else, the next second he spread his legs apart and yanked the joystick hard to the right.


    The glider, still riding the wind, immediately responded to his action, starting to roll to one side.


    As it rolled, its altitude dropped because of the aerodynamics involved, and the cockpit was filled with the bizarre howling of the wind invading through the seals.


    Afterpleting a roll, the aircraft descended more than fifty meters, but it executed a perfect roll maneuver!


    On the ground, the staff were shocked by the suddenly wild flight maneuver by the test pilot; they had not arranged for such aplicated flight test.


    ording to n, all the pilot needed to do was maintain level flight, then turn, andnd at a predetermined location.


    But there, under everyone''s gaze, the pilot just performed a roll, nearly crashing the glider.


    "If he doesn''t crash to death, give him a good beating!" The onsitemander of security forces said as he watched the glider continue to fly off after leveling off, he ordered his aide, "That little rascal has gone too far!"


    "Yes!" The aide grinned.


    "Mind the buttocks! Don''t damage him," remembering the cost of pilot training, the officer also painfully reminded.


    "Yes!" The aide''s smile grew even brighter.


    "A beating would be worth it..." The envious reserve test pilot gulped and murmured resentfully, "I want to fly like that too... I''d take two beatings for it! No! Three would be worth it..."

 Chapter 350 showing off simple skills 346

    Dragon Ind, Dragon City Port, thergest, most functional, and most modern super port in this world.


    On the side of this port stood a gigantic shipyard, which had just surpassed Brunas Shipyard in size, the world''srgest shipyard¡ªGreat Tang Group''s Second Shipbuilding Factory, Dragon Harbor Shipyard.


    A dozen or so dry docks allowed for the simultaneous construction of numerous massive freighters, and with the experience gained from building the Freedom Wheel and Wolf-ss Cruisers, the Great Tang Group had already proven its ability to manufacturerge steel ships.


    Inside this advanced and enormous dry dock, hundreds of workers were at the bottom, piecing together and securing the super-gigantic keels.


    Next to these enormous keels, people seemed so insignificant, while beside them, thereid one after another huge and thick steel tes.


    The thickness of these steel tes exceeded 200 millimeters, which for this era represented the most advanced metallurgy and steel manufacturing technology in the world.


    "This thing is simply a monster!" one old workermented, without raising his head as he riveted the huge keel to the connecting steel structure.


    He knew what he was building wasn''t a Wolf-ss warship, for its keel was much more massive than that of a Wolf-ss.


    Simrly, it was not a Freedom Wheel either, for though he had built one and the size seemed simr, this thing waspletely different.


    ording to the design ns, in most ces, the thickness of this thing''s hull exceeded 100 millimeters. What did that mean?


    Before this thing came into existence, there was nowhere in the world that needed to use steel tes thicker than 100 millimeters!


    What was even more terrifying was that this wasn''t everything. In many ces, the thickness of this monster''s steel surface approached or exceeded 200 millimeters, with the thickest part nearing 300 millimeters!


    It was said that just the heavy steel tes alone weighed over 5,000 tons! What did that mean? The discement of a Wolf-ss Cruiser might not even be more than the total weight of steel used in this giant!


    Based on the size of the keel, the old worker knew that the maximum length of this thing should exceed 150 meters! It might even be over 160 meters!


    The total length of the Freedom Wheel was about 135 meters with a width of about 17 meters. It was the longest and most massive ship in the world thus far, and also thergest steel ship in history.


    However, this battleship clearly broke the world record the moment it appeared, because ording to the width of its keel, it was almost 150 meters long and 25 meters wide!


    Without exaggeration, it was thergest ship in the world to date, and also the sturdiest.


    ording to the workers'' experience, the hull of a Wolf-ss warship could basically resist the cannons of all active navies in the world.


    Therefore, if not fighting against a Wolf-ss of its own or a Brunas-ss Irond Warship, the defensive power of Wolf or Brunas-ss was excessive.


    The muzzle-loading solid shot ammunition used by other navies simply couldn''t prate the outer armor of Brunas-ss and Wolf-ss warships.


    Therefore, the old worker really couldn''t figure out why they were building a ship with an "solid" hull thickness approaching 200 millimeters.


    Could it be a ship capable of smashing icebergs, the safest super ship in world history? The old worker guessed in his heart.


    ...


    In terms of size, Dragon City''s Great Tang Group''s Second Steel Factory was now on par with the Great Tang Group''s First Steel Factory in Brunas and housed the armament workshop.


    Here, there was the newlypleted, world''srgest and most specialized artillery production workshop! The cannons produced here wererger and more advanced than those from Brunas''s gun factory.


    In this workshop, some of the top technicians were busily moving around a facility for manufacturing gun barrels that reached deep underground.


    A 13-meter-long huge gun barrel had just beenpleted inside this massive facility and was being prepared for hoisting out.


    In a corner of this workshop, ten of such gun barrels had already been manufactured, neatly stacked and watched over day and night by guards.


    "I really can''t figure out the point of such huge cannons... a 150-millimeter caliber ship cannon is enough to destroy any warship, why... build one with a 305-millimeter caliber?" an employee asked his colleague nervously as he looked at these massive gun barrels.


    "I don''t know... perhaps they are preparing for future wars..." the engineer in charge of producing these cannon barrels shook his head; he also didn''t under what was the point of these guns.


    As far as he knew, there wasn''t any world-famous super fortress that merited attacking with cannons of such caliber.


    Frankly, it was too wasteful.


    ```


    The shells fired by this thing are absolutely devastating, before such a cannon, there is simply no target worth its fire!


    Even he felt that those fortresses built of stone, or the sail warships at sea, weren''t worth the cost of a single shell from this behemoth!


    "Perhaps, it''s the cannon Mr. Tang ns to install on his castle..." an engineer tried to exin the purpose of this artillery: "It can ensure the castle''s absolute safety at any time."


    "Are you joking? In this world, which country could sink so many Wolf-ss cruisers, then upy Dragon City, and afterwards besiege Mr. Tang''s castle?" another engineer scoffed at the idea.


    "..." The speaking engineer, rebutted, was left speechless and could only admit resignedly: "Alright, you''re right... indeed no one is capable of doing that. But then, what are these cannons... actually for?"


    "Listen, I heard... it''s, it''s an order for the security forces'' navy..." an engineer said timidly at this moment: "The neighboring workshop... workshop... is, is, is making... the turret for this, this thing..."


    ...


    "We finally seeded! This brand new power! It will rece the steam engine in the future! It will be the new driving force for the development of the world!" Parker wiped the sweat from his forehead and took a deep breath with a sense of wonder.


    In front of him was a newly-tested power machine, different from previous steam engines, operating on an entirely new principle.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Apuse broke out, and many workers even began to cry with excitement. This was the fruit of theirbor, thetest technology that would change the entire world...


    To create this thing, Parker personally led the team, assembling virtually all of the elite from the Great Tang Group''s steam engine improvement design teams.


    So many engineers and technicians had worked day and night for so long and had finally, with theplete blueprints provided by Tang Mo, produced the object currently before them.


    It was now operating smoothly, and Parker looked at it with the same admiration he had for the steam engine years ago.


    This was a reverence emanating from his very bones, a primal worship of the mechanical power of man.


    "Pressure normal! Output power... estimated value... reached!" a worker handed the copied data to Parker and introduced: "ording to design standards, it could provide power... surpassing that of the steam engine."


    "Gentlemen! For us, this is just the beginning!" Parker, curbing his joy, signed his name on the record, then addressed all the workers before him: "The boss means to submit the whole power set to the navy next month."


    "We''re going to produce 18 coal-fired steam boilers! And four steam turbines! The design requirements for theplete set are 24,000 horsepower! Gentlemen... the time to prove ourselves has arrived!"


    "This is Great Tang Group''s most cutting-edge power technology! We''re going to show the world! Who! Is the best!"


    "Great Tang! Great Tang!" All the workers were chanting vigorously, their voices almost drowning out those of the steam turbines.


    The whole apparatus continued to work amid the roaring noise, its shaft spinning without tire, tirelessly outputting even more powerful energy.


    This was the world''s first real steam turbine set, a more powerful steam power system.


    With this device, ships could travel faster, and it seemed they could also go farther.


    ...


    "It''s just showing off for the sake of showing off, nothing special," said Mathews, as he covered the blueprints of the super warship named the "Jade City ss" with another sheet of paper.


    That was the blueprint given to him by Tang Mo, actually of the battleship named Dreadnought. Before this battleship emerged, everyone thought their own warships were the best in the world. After its appearance, the history of warships in the world was cleaved in two; there was the pre-dreadnought era and the post-dreadnought era...


    And the Great Tang Group''s Jade City ss battleship was the otherworld''s Dreadnought!


    "The master hopes to build an invincible warship to showcase the shipbuilding capabilities of Great Tang Group, along with other military design abilities. Therefore, we''ve integrated all the advanced technology, simply stacking new technologies to create a weapons warship that surpasses everything," Mathews spoke as he walked toward his students.


    "This warship will be the master''s gship and will also be the most powerful warship in the world for the next three years! No exception!" he said passionately: "We must make everyone see the gap between us and the others! If we are eagles, they are but insects! If we are whales they are merely krill! If we are lions, they are but wild rabbits...


    or perhaps, even that is giving them too much credit! They are nothing but doomed corpses, decaying, ignored skeletons!"


    And standing before him, these future industry elites were even more thrilled, almost bursting into cheers.


    Experience more tales on empire


    ------


    Something came up at home today, so here are two updates for now.


    ```

 Chapter 351 Kill her 347

    In the dim underground chamber, Shireck''s elderly council member personally held a torch, walking along the somewhat damp corridor until he reached the end.


    Here, there was an ancient wooden door, which he pushed open. A middle-aged man was already waiting inside the room.


    Seeing someone enter, the middle-aged man got to his feet and bowed respectfully, saying, "My Lord! You have arrived."


    The old man waved his hand, signaling the other to dispense with the formalities, then asked somewhat urgently, "How goes the task I assigned to you?"


    "My Lord, it''s not an easy task," the middle-aged man began hesitantly, reporting: "Assassinating such a figure isn''t so simple."


    "I know, of course I know it''s not easy. If it were, would I have to inquire about it personally?" The old man hung the torch on the wall and found a rtively clean spot to sit down.


    The middle-aged man then reported thetest developments of the situation: "ording to our investigation, Mr. Tang is no longer in Brunas. He has now gone to Dragon Ind."


    Normally, Tang Mo lived in the Great Tang Group''spound, which was heavily guarded by troops, making it difficult to act.


    Now that he had gone directly to Dragon Ind, to that even safer, more secluded stronghold, it was even harder to take action.


    The old man, of course, knew Tang Mo had gone to Dragon Ind. He had even heard that Tang Mo was transporting arge sum of money to Dragon Ind: "This is no secret anymore."


    However, what he didn''t know was that his information was actually wrong. Tang Mo wasn''t transporting Gold Coins, but... Gold!


    With some regret, the middle-aged man nodded and continued: "Yes, my lord, but we have absolutely no informants on Dragon Ind; it''s as if it''s a nk te for us, with no embedded agents there at all."


    As an old spymaster, a presence who had always operated in the shadows, he was very confident in his profession.


    Unfortunately, when facing his counterparts at the Great Tang Group, he always felt an inexplicable sense of frustration, as if passively taking hits without any ability to fight back.


    His men would be mysteriously captured, his operations preemptively thwarted by the enemy, and that mysterious organization called Silver Fox seemed to lurk like a persistent nightmare, impossible to dispel.


    "So, how long will you need to infiltrate Dragon Ind?" Thinking of Tang Mo, the man who made him lose sleep, the elderly council member couldn''t help feeling an impatient urge to see him dead.


    That man had brought the Shireck Empire to its knees, even stepping on it a few times! This was an utter disgrace, an enmity so deep it could not coexist under the same sky!


    If it were just humiliation, that would be one thing, but this was about the lifeline of wealth, wealth! Everyone was scrabbling for a share of the arms trade¡ªtaking one''s livelihood was as grievous as killing one''s parents!


    After careful consideration, the middle-aged man came up with a somewhat realistic timeline: "Several months won''t be enough, I estimate it will take a year..."


    Startled by this statement, the elderly man suddenly looked at his confidant, half in shock and half in a roar: "Are you joking? I didn''t ask you to assassinate Tang Mo, just to find a way onto Dragon Ind..."


    "We''ve tried sending people, but they were all discovered," the middle-aged man exined somewhat helplessly: "The losses were heavy, many old operatives fell there, ''vanishing without a trace.''


    Seeing his superior remain silent, he continued: "It''s difficult to carry out this level of infiltration. We can''t trust ordinary people, and our own are easily found out!"


    "Are they all gods over there? I can''t nt even a single spy?" Hearing his loyal subordinate speak like this, the old man felt somewhat disheartened.


    He knew the capabilities of his subordinates. Had it been a normal task, it would have beenpleted by now.


    Clearly, the security arrangements at the Great Tang Group were extraordinarily meticulous, far from resembling those of an emerging power and more like the carefullyid defenses of wily, experienced old coins.


    This was thanks to Tang Mo''s advanced system of intelligence management and the training of intelligence personnel, which naturally made modern intelligence officers much more professional and powerfulpared to old spies.


    "Previously, we had one person reach Dragon Ind, but the management there was very strict, and it was impossible to find anything out." The middle-aged man spoke of the only case where they had barely seeded.


    "After only a few days there, he came under suspicion. Our man was the most skilled in these matters, sensed danger in advance..." Despite theck of details, one could still sense the perilous atmosphere in his ount.


    As he spoke, he took out some reports: "Heter smuggled his way back, bringing with him some information, albeit outdated."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Let''s hear it," said the old man, not taking the papers but simply giving hismand.


    The middle-aged man put away the reports, which were as precious as Gold, and continued: "He said that they''veid railways on Dragon Ind. There''s a huge oil refinery there, as well as a steel mill, and even shipyards..."


    The other party only stayed over there for a few days, so it was absolutely impossible to investigate any in-depth intelligence, thus they could only provide some things they witnessed, that''s all.


    Therefore, he could only see the brightly lit nights of Dragon City, the port outside filled with ships that blotted out the sky, and chimneys that stacked up like a forest of concrete.


    As for those true secrets hidden under the mour, such superficial intelligence gathering could not discover them, nor could they be seen with a mere nce.


    It was like how people only notice their cars getting smoother, more powerful, and with more interior space, without immediately realizing the amount of work scientists had put into these technological advances.


    "All I need is to guess randomly, and I could figure out the general idea," the old man said with some heartache. Only he knew how much it cost to maintain these undercover agents, and such an expensive investment was supposed to yield corresponding returns.


    But now, the return seemed disproportionate! He had sunk too much money into the shadows, only to receive these useless things in return.


    With a little investigation, he could obtain simr information: how much steel had recently been sent to Dragon Ind, how many other raw materials had been shipped there.


    If he was willing to spend more, he could even get a rough estimate of the total immigrant poption on Dragon Ind, though not urate, it gave him a ballpark figure.


    The middle-aged man smiled helplessly, "So these are just some outdated messages of no great use."


    Realizing that his attitude might dishearten his agents, the elderly man quickly corrected himself, "No! They are still useful... At least we now know that Dragon Ind''s construction is no worse than Brunas!"


    "Since we can''t pose a threat to Brunas onnd, working on something near Dragon Ind seems easier," he pondered briefly, nning to burn his boats when necessary.


    Clearly, touching Brunas would bring obstruction from the Leite Kingdom, the Dorne Kingdom, the Suthers Kingdom, and Northern Ridge, which was almost in cahoots with Great Tang.


    Even if there was a chance to attack Brunas directly, Northern Ridge would immediately send in troops at any cost to provide reinforcement, which obviously was not an easy sess.


    Because even if it was known that Great Tang Group''s security troops were not numerous, Northern Ridge had plenty of troops, and Shireck would certainly not gain any advantage in a fight.


    However, attacking Dragon Ind would be different, if he could deceive the Great Tang Group''s naval forces near Dragon Ind, a surprisending could clearly yield a local advantage.


    Transporting thousands of men in one go for anding, followed by an all-out raid to destroy some of Great Tang Group''s facilities on the ind... this was definitely a n worth trying.


    The more the old man thought about it, the more he felt the n made sense, and a sinister smile appeared on his face.


    He was naturally a wolf in sheep''s clothing, the most dangerous when he was smiling.


    Read new chapters at empire


    His confidant asked in a hushed voice, "Are you going to make a move on Dragon Ind?"


    "Not now! The time is not right yet!" the old man said with a smile, waving his hand, unwilling to admit to his thoughts.


    Then, the middle-aged man continued to ask, "So what should we do now? Assassinating Tang Mo seems quite difficult."


    "If assassinating him is difficult, then we''ll use the same old trick, take out his people first, plunge him into panic, and leave him without his capable helpers..." The old man stroked his beardless chin, changing his n.


    The middle-aged man asked with a scoff, "I am quite familiar with this... who shall we... kill?"


    "Kill... Earl Ronin Alice of Northern Ridge!" The old man recalled the names and finally chose what he believed was the best target.


    "Her? Why kill her?" The middle-aged man didn''t expect it and asked in surprise and confusion.


    The old man exined, "She is Tang Mo''s woman. Killing her will create panic for Tang Mo! And, Northern Ridge has always had a unique status; her death would bring changes to many aspects."


    He believed it was necessary to ensure his subordinates understood his thinking, as it would enhance their missionprehension and increase the sess rate of their operations.


    That sort of dismissive order, the ''don''t ask so many questions, I have a clever n'' scenario, only confused his subordinates and caused them to miss many valuable opportunities.


    "Killing her will deepen the rift between Leite Kingdom and the Great Tang Group. The wealthy Northern Ridge doesn''t belong to the Great Tang Group, and Leite would certainly not want to give up on this piece of fat..." the old man''s eyes shone coldly.


    "So, Northern Ridge could be a fuse, an opportunity to provoke animosity between the Great Tang Group and the Leite Kingdom!" As he spoke, the old man chuckled, clenching his fist: "I don''t believe that Leite VII could resist being tempted by Northern Ridge! Hmm-hmm-hmm..."

 Chapter 352 348 Identity Proof

    ```


    "Understood! I will arrange it right away. I personally..." The middle-aged man bowed his head firmly, as if he did not n to return unless the task was aplished.


    Seeing the posture of his subordinate, the old man immediately scolded, "Idiot! Let Qiumuluo, that pawn, handle this! Besides revenge, there is nothing left in his mind anyway!"


    "Understood!" The middle-aged man was taken aback and then bowed deeply with gratitude to agree.


    The old man took a deep breath, seemingly calming his emotions.


    Then, he continued with further instructions, "Also, for the choice of weapons, select from those of the Great Tang Group! Let them doubt themselves when the timees...heh heh...hehe...hahaha!"


    "Brilliant! Your method is truly... brilliant!" The middle-aged man offered a rather obvious ttery.


    Then, their whispers echoed in the small secret chamber, with the fire from the torches flickering, casting two grotesquely distorted shadows on the wall.


    ...


    At Brunas''s passenger port, the entry and exit checkpoint for the Brunas region, a civil service employee was idly sitting behind a window.


    She wore light lipstick, donned a uniform, and lethargically flipped through the record book, checking each tongue-twisting name.


    "Your documents!" Another new traveler stood in front of the window, and the female employee drawled perfunctorily.


    "..." The other party respectfully took out a small book from their pocket and handed it to the female employee on the other side of the iron bars.


    The female employee opened the booklet, looked at the ck and white photo inside, then at the middle-aged man across the iron bars andzily verified, "So you are Franklin?"


    This type of booklet was unique to Brunas as an identity proof for its citizens. Previous booklets contained only names, but thetest generation of ID documents included two-inch photos and anti-counterfeit steel stamps, making them highly advanced and difficult to forge.


    Truthfully, finding a camera outside Brunas these days is not an easy task.


    These gadgets are now considered state gifts, all registered by the Great Tang Group before being distributed. Each can be traced back to its origin, so using this kind of item for forgery clearly involves a great risk.


    With the incorporation of photographs, the credibility of the documents significantly increased, which is another reason spies and stowaways found it difficult to infiltrate Brunas.


    The middle-aged man was noticeably nervous and uneasily replied, "Yes, that''s right, your honor..."


    "Identification number 5170304172156... Did you arrive in Brunasst April?" After checking the code, the immigration officer continued her indifferent inquiry.


    No one could read any joy or other emotion on her face. She was like a cold machine, instinctively causing the person in front of her to feel restrained.


    "Yes, your honor," the man across the iron bars answered, nervously clenching the cap pressed against his chest, swallowing nervously while responding to the woman''s question.


    "No need to be so tense..." the woman, checking the anti-forgery watermark on the document without lifting her head, soothed him.


    "Yes, your honor," the middle-aged man immediately responded, as though reluctant to admit his own nervousness.


    The woman looked up, staring into the man''s eyes, "Your reason for traveling to Dragon Ind?"


    "Job transfer, your honor. I am a fitter..." The man seemed confident in his skills, unconsciously straightening up while discussing his profession.


    "Is it a permanent transfer?" the woman asked, closing the identity proof and handing it back to him.


    "Yes, that''s right. Here are my referral letter and work verification, my skill certification, and rted medical health..." The man looked down, seemingly really wanting to rummage through those trivial items.


    "That''s enough! No need to look for them! I wish you all the best," the woman impatiently signaled that he could pass.


    The man immediately expressed his gratitude, shoving a stack of documents back into his pocket and securing his ID as well, then he nodded and bowed towards the direction of the docks.


    There, a ship was docked by the shore, a vessel heading to Dragon Ind, a brand new... sailboat.


    "Next!" The woman called out impatiently and then mechanically went through the routine, "Your documents!"


    "..." A man in a respectable suit stepped forward with a smile, handing over an identification document.


    ```


    The woman took the ID, skillfully flipped it open, and looked at its holder: "Your name is Adams?"


    "Yes, my lord," the man smiled slightly, disying his visage, perfectly matching the photo.


    The woman nced at the man''s face, then looked back at the photo in the ID, casually remarking, "5170301021913... You''ve been here quite some time."


    "You''re right, my lord," the man continued to smile warmly, nodding in agreement.


    The woman fell silent for a few seconds before seeming to remember she was still on duty and continued to inquire, "So, what about you, sir? Why are you going to Dragon Ind?"


    "I am going there for work, my lord. I am a salt merchant..." the tall, thin man politely replied.


    "A merchant?" The woman was taken aback, then nodded slightly, but did not return the ID.


    The tall, thin man''s smile gradually became unnatural, and he asked somewhat worriedly, "Is there a problem, my lord?"


    "Hmm, no problem. It''s just... some people are very interested in your other identity." The woman behind the window released the button she had been pressing with her foot and shifted her gaze to a few uniformed men pushing through the crowd toward the front.


    The businessman bound for Dragon Ind was still puzzling out the situation and hadn''t noticed the approaching police behind him. He mustered a strained smile and asked uneasily, "Your... meaning... I don''t understand, my lord."


    "No worries, no worries, you''ll understand once you''re there..." The woman smiled, closed the ID in her hand, and ced it on the desk.


    At the same time, the man in front of the iron railings sensed themotion behind him. He suddenly turned around to see the police who had parted the crowd, already within arm''s reach.


    With a sudden move, he flung his suitcase at the oing police and forcefully tried to break into the crowd to escape.


    But before he could swing the suitcase, the charging policemen had already seized the more advantageous position. One officer bore the brunt of the suitcase, filled with clothes, while another swiftly tackled the tall, thin man from the side.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Why are you arresting me! Why are you detaining me! I haven''t done anything! I''m innocent!" The man pinned to the ground struggled fiercely and screamed madly.


    Realizing he had no better recourse, the man started to curse loudly: "It''s a cover-up! They''re silencing me! They captured me because I sell cheap salt! I''m innocent! They forced me to raise prices and I refused; they arepdogs of the Great Tang Group! They..."


    Soon, a piece of rag was stuffed into the man''s mouth, and he was clumsily dragged away by the officers.


    Meanwhile, a group of travelers ready to head to Dragon Ind watched everything unfold with cold indifference, calmly resumed their line, and proceeded one by one towards the checkpoint.


    As if they hadn''t seen a person being dragged away at all.


    There was no use; framing the Great Tang Group in Brunas simplycked traction. Among those queuing here, who wasn''t a beneficiary of the Great Tang Group''s ascendancy? Expecting them to believe Tang Mo was an infamous scoundrel was sheer folly.


    ...


    In Tang Mo''s office on Dragon Ind, Li''ao handed him a list from Shireck: "This is the list of undercover agents from inside Shireck this month,plete with their detailed profiles."


    Ever since the coboration with Sofia began, capturing Shireck''s spies had be a much easier task.


    At the least, the lower-tier spies collectively dispatched by the Shireck Consortium were all on this real-time list.


    "Sofia herself couldn''t get the entire list, as the various board members have their secrets and guard against one another, cing their trusted people. They are unaware of this part of the list," Li''ao continued as Tang Mo perused the list.


    "However, because our support greatly helps her, she gets ess to more detailed intelligence," Li''ao didn''t wait for Tang Mo''s response and kept on with the report: "Our own sources, verified against hers, are highly urate."


    He then briefly mentioned Shireck''s recent armament developments: "Shireck has been building some Ming Wheel Shipstely. These ships are equipped withrger caliber guns and are a new breech-loading design, armored for protection, quite dangerous."


    "However, since they are Ming Wheel Ships, they don''t pose a significant threat to us. Their speed is too low, their propulsion systems too vulnerable, their sighting systems outdated..." his tone became more rxed as he spoke.


    Inparison to propeller-driven ships, Ming Wheel Ships were far behind. These steamships would soon be obsolete. No matter how much Shireck treasured them now, they would only be the butt of a joketer on.


    "Don''t becent," Tang Mo cautioned while reviewing the names and undercover profiles, reminding his subordinate.


    "Yes, Master! The work of rooting out spies is ongoing, and not just relying on intelligence from Sofia; we also have our own system for tracking and verification," Li''ao immediately adjusted his demeanor and bowed as he spoke. Enjoy new tales from empire


    "That''s good, not relying on others is a fine habit," Tang Mo closed the list and handed it back to Li''ao: "Verify thoroughly! Don''t just take Sofia''s word for it! Don''t wrongly use an innocent person."

 Chapter 353 349 overtime production

    "Yes, Master!" Li''ao lowered his head, "There''s one more thing. Those we''ve ced inside Shireck via the dandelion connection, as well as the overt routes through Sofia, have started to make an impact."


    He mentioned the production of two types of weapons, "The opposition is currently focusing on improving their production lines and are manufacturing the Shireck Type 1 rifle we provided them with. Also, the Shireck Type 1 pistol has already begun mass production."


    "As they should, if they didn''t make use of it, then they wouldn''t deserve to continue existing," Tang Mo sneered coldly.


    In fact,pared to what Tang Mo provided to the other Shireck council members, he had given even more to Sofia. It''s just that these secret aids had not yet unleashed their true power.


    Once Sofia is somewhat prepared and begins to exploit these technologies fully, she will be the savior of Shireck. By then, the Great Tang Group''s Shireck subsidiary would truly be established sessfully.


    Li''ao bowed slightly and continued where Tang Mo left off, "They are currently upgrading their private army and I believe that many of the countries under their control will soon be equipped with these."


    "That''s to be expected, after all, the Shireck Type 1 pistol is very useful, isn''t it?" Tang Mo continued nodding, hisughter growing even more cheerful, "Just that, when they encounter Thomson, they better not be too surprised."


    ...


    "Do you think I might die this time..." Standing on the lengthy runway, an engineer with a pale face looked at the huge machine in front of him, somewhat nervous.


    "If you''re really scared, then let me do it!" Another engineer standing by his side said disdainfully, with contempt.


    "Then why did you take my 10 Gold Coins and give me your ce..." the frightened engineerined discontentedly.


    The engineer who had taken the money and was now feeling some regret decided to rectify his mistake, "If you regret it, take your money back!"


    He now felt that selling his chance to be on the world''s first passenger ne flight for just 10 Gold Coins really was a bit cheap.


    Indeed, seeing his colleague regretting, the engineer who was now less regretful waved his hand, "I don''t regret it, I just feel... this thing looks... not so, not so safe..."


    This airne was actually a modification of an old World War I bomber, as Tang Mo was in dire need of saving his own time.


    Although he couldn''t travel back and forth between Brunas and Dragon Ind in such a backward, unsafe ne, for important documents and items needing rapid transport, using a ne was obviously more convenient.


    And for the transportation of key personnel, using a ne was naturally faster, hence the manned experiment this time.


    Before this manned experiment, this modified transport ne had already flown twice, once unmanned and once filled to capacity with heavy cargo.


    Both flight tests had been sessful, so this time an experimental internal flight was organized. 10 engineers were to board the ne, taking off from a secret airfield near Dragon City and flying to Weigang.


    Continue your adventure with empire


    Although the distance was not far, it was indeed a monumental feat.


    The engineer who had sold his first flight experience spoke resentfully, "I''ve said it already, if you think it''s unreliable, you can let me do it."


    "Are you regretting giving me this chance?" asked the engineer who had bought the opportunity but was now somewhat too scared to try, still tense.


    "Yes, I regret it!" Finally, the engineer who had sold the flight opportunity broke down, admitting his regret, "Can I have my money back?"


    "But, but I feel that this is a great moment, I, I should be such a person." The engineer too afraid to board the ne grew a bit more determined...


    "Then just shut up!" the despairing engineer who had sold his opportunity said with a voice full of resentment.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "But I''m so nervous! Can this thing really take off?" the engineer too afraid to fly still went on incessantly.


    The engineer who had sold his opportunity covered his face, crying out in helpless frustration, "Damn it!"


    All of this was merely the innate apprehension humans felt when facing flight for the first time. To ensure safety, three engines were installed on the ne.


    One was mounted on the spine of the aircraft, right above the pilot. The other two engines were symmetrically installed on either side, nestled between the wings.


    The two pilots could independently control the ne, and there was an additional reserve pilot on board who could continue flying the ne if anything happened to the other two.


    The design was such to guarantee the absolute safety of the aircraft. It could be said to be the safest aircraft of its time.


    Parachuting, as an escape method for those who hadn''t undergone rigorous training, remained a highly dangerous option, so this ne could perform a forcednding if necessary.


    Because the aircraft of the era were slow, forcednding was a very safe emergency measure. The actual cruising speed of this aircraft was only 160 kilometers per hour, which was already quite slow.


    The slow speed meant that the emergencynding was much like a drag race hitting a roadblock¡ªas long as you buckled up, the chances of survival were quite high.


    Soon, even if reluctant, these engineers still dedicated themselves to their great cause. They entered the cramped fusge and, with the help of their colleagues, secured their seat belts.


    The airne took off quickly, gliding elegantly down the lengthy runway. Apanied by turbulence in the airflow, its wheels lifted off the ground and the entire fusge began to hover in the air.


    Then the people on this ne experienced the convenience brought by the aviation revolution; they arrived at Weigang in less than an hour andnded at the experimental temporary airport there.


    They finally realized the immense potential of the machine they had created, its emergence was enough to change the entire world!


    ...


    Inside the steel nt in Dragon City, a huge metal framework had beenpleted and was to be transported to Dragon Harbor shipyard this afternoon.


    This massive steel structure had a superrge circr base¡ªindeed, it was the steel frame of a turret.


    Around this structure, a steel shell would be fixed, and then thick armored steel tes would be installed on the shell.


    Because of the extensive use of riveted structures, the weight of this turret was incredibly heavy. It was entirely powered by electricity, could rotate rapidly, and point its two 305-millimeter caliber guns quickly at the target.


    Within this structure, there was an automatic loading mechanism that extended downwards to the ammunition depot inside the hull. It could transport shells from below the deck to inside the turret and then load them into the cannons.


    This system significantly increased the guns'' rate of fire, ensuring that the staggering calibers of 305-millimeter heavy guns could fire at an eptable speed continuously until they hit their target.


    The Jade City-ss battleship had five turrets, all in a ssic twin-gun design, uniformly equipped with 305-millimeter caliber main guns, totaling 10 main guns on the ship. Its broadside could ensure maximum firepower, allowing eight main guns to fire simultaneously, with six guns'' firing arc at the front and rear, also boasting formidable attack capabilities.


    Without exaggeration, there was not a single warship in the world that could face such terrifying firepower, nor was there any that could threaten its thickest armor, which reached 280 millimeters.


    It was an invincible entity, at least until the next generation of warships wasmissioned, it was the invincible one!


    Thanks to the use of a new type of power, even this super-battleship with a total discement approaching 17,000 tons and armor weight exceeding 5,000 tons could reach a maximum speed of 41 kilometers per hour.


    This was no joke, meaning it could even keep up with Wolf-ss cruisers and, at least over short distances, could give chase.


    It also meant that it could basically catch up with any ship in the world and tear it apart with its fearsome firepower.


    "The third one! Just two more to go... Finally, we can take a break," said the chief engineer responsible for manufacturing the turrets of the Jade City-ss battleship as he massaged his shoulders and sighed with relief.


    "Yeah, we can rest for two days," his colleague standing next to him also remarked. These days, to ensure the production schedule, they had been working overtime day and night, and indeed they were a bit exhausted.


    This wasn''t about working 8 hours a day and then doing 2 hours of overtime. This was about working 10 hours a day, plus 3 hours of overtime!


    In today''s world, there was no such thing asborw, nor any workers'' rights. Tang Mo was already considered a decent capitalist because there were others far more excessive!


    Now, the standard working hours were 12 hours! This applied to almost all industries! If they really pushed, then working 14 hours a day wasn''t umon.


    And that was without overtime pay! An employer like Tang Mo, who only required 10 hours of regr work and paid for overtime, was already the conscience among the conscientious...


    "Are you perhaps thinking too much?" Parker walked over with a stack of documents and spoke up in the noisy workshop.


    "What? More overtime?" The engineers looked shocked.


    "Overtime! But this time, time is tight, and the task is heavy... Mr. Tang''s meaning is... triple wages! Those unwilling can be reced," Parker reassured them considerately.


    "Ha! You''re joking! I don''t need rest, okay?" Money seemed to wake them up.


    One by one, they energetically flexed their muscles: "Exactly! We don''t need rest at all!"


    "Then what was thatint just now?" Parker smirked, exposing their act.


    "What we mean is¡­ we work so hard, we tire easily, so¡­ pay us more!" Whether they were workers or engineers, technicians, everyone started tough.


    ------------


    Another update is in order.

 Chapter 354 350 New Cars

    As the Great Tang Group developed, the world was also gradually, bit by bit, beginning its true industrial revolution.


    Thebor-intensive workshops were being phased out, the crumbling industry was being reconstituted by machinery, and a greater force was bursting forth.


    Due to a severe shortage of production capacity, both the Great Tang Group and the Shireck Consortium initiated a new round of industrial adjustment andyout without any prior arrangement.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    To ensure continued increased capacity in the manufacture of specialized vehicles such as trucks, the Great Tang Group introduced a new car to rece the Model T¡ª the People''s Car.


    The People''s Car''s redesigned shell gave it a more modern appearance, with a style approaching that of streamline sedans around the 1920s, looking very cool indeed. Moreover, this car did indeed undergo some improvements, quite significant ones at that.


    Yet, these improvements,pared to the downgraded engine, still left many car buyers extremely dissatisfied.


    The engines used in the previous cars, although technically subpar, were now reced by engines with even lesser quality and more disappointing performance.


    Sitting in the "4S" dealership, customers were somewhat dissatisfied with this new model.


    A man in a crisp suit squeezed in front of the counter, yelling at the car salesperson, "What''s this? Is that all the equipment ites with?"


    "The new model of the People''s Sedan is really terrible, the engine is said to be two-stroke, and the noise is three times louder than before." Beside him, another Brunas resident eager to purchase a car was also quite agitated, having waited a long time for the new model.


    Previous advertisements imed that the new car would only cost 68 Gold Coins, which was 2 Gold Coins cheaper than the old model, a significant stimulus for themon folk who hadn''t yet had the chance to buy a car.


    Many were waiting for today, ready to purchase their own family car.


    Aside from Brunas, there weren''t many cities with so many gas stations capable of sustaining such arge number of cars.


    In all of Brunas, there were more than 20,000 cars, a number that kept growing as if there were no end in sight.


    Many were concerned that without gasoline or electricity, this huge city with a poption exceeding one million could copse within a single day.


    But this was already a great advancement in world civilization, because in the past, if a city''s poption exceeded one million, it would have faced issues like gues, making it virtually impossible to continue growing.


    Nowadays, though Brunas'' poption had exceeded one million, it was still developing rapidly, a miracle indeed.


    "Ah... don''t mention it, the previous engines weren''t up to much, but this time, the issue with engine noise is really serious," a so-called car expertmented, waving the specification sheet in his hand.


    These advertising flyers were aparison tool printed by car dealerships to show detailed vehicle specifications.


    They listed how much extra money the optional features would cost, how many colors one could choose from, and in what ways the new model had improved over the old cars.


    "However, isn''t it a bit too hasty to focus only on the engine? I heard they stuffed a lot of soundproofing cotton in the engine bay to reduce noise..." A man wanting to buy a car exined quietly.


    The so-called car expert immediately retorted, "What do you know... that stuff is just for show, once you actually drive it, the noise is definitely twice as loud as before!"


    "And the vibration, it must be terrible!" someone else nearby chimed in promptly, with the look of someone determined not to buy.


    Many people followed, shouting in agreement, "Right! And there are the shaking issues!"


    "But the new car does look really nice! It feels very upscale at first nce."


    The man who had actually prepared to buy a car today continued to grumble, "True... but, but, it does look much nicer."


    His words likewise garnered a crowd''s agreement: "If the engine weren''t so bad, this would definitely be a great sedan."


    To be honest, the appearance of the new model was indeed very attractive, looking more luxurious than the previous Model T.


    It appeared more high-end and ssy, yet was cheaper in price, making it quite tempting for the working-ss.


    The rich folks who had bought cars before had paid more money for vehicles that did not look as aesthetically pleasing as this new model, a fact that made many current potential buyers feel pretty good.


    Actually, the new car cost less than 70 Gold Coins; in Brunas, many could afford it. And it really did turn heads, looking more streamlined and attractive than the previous cars, truly offering great value for money.


    Actually, many families don''t necessarily pursue so-called performance when buying cars. What they care about varies widely and, more often than not, they consider practicality and aesthetics.


    After all, even if a car has great eleration, a family won''t drive it to do a quintuple hairpin turn and participate in a roaring rally race after purchasing it.


    You say, when you''re stuck in traffic on Wencui Street, with a Bentley in front and an Alfa Romeo behind, a Mercedes S600 on the left and a Wuling Hongguang on the right, what difference does it make if your car has a 2.8T turbocharged engine or a 1.6 naturally aspirated engine?


    Besides, in Brunas now, there''s only onepany producing several types of cars with almost identical performance. Who can outperform whom?


    If you have a two-stroke engine, doesn''t everyone else have a two-stroke engine too? Aside from those high-end Rolls-Royces specially prepared for the super-rich, everyone is on the same level...


    "Who''s to say you''re wrong..." Some people''s attitudes change when ites to the design of these cars.


    In this day and age, looks are still very persuasive. Whether it''s a car or a woman, if it looks good, it will have a market, a big market at that.


    "The wheels are pretty good too," said a woman next to him, looking at the shiny mirror-like hubcaps and speaking with satisfaction.


    "Yeah, I heard they redesigned the suspension; it''s reallyfortable to drive..." The car expert softened his stance a bit. He had just experienced the car''s suspension, which truly was an indescribable premium experience.


    The new car employed a softer suspension tuning to specifically handle highways and urban roads. This suspension adjustment made the ride smoother and you could feel the sticity bouncing up and down when sitting in it, superfortable.


    This sense of luxury was also a reason why many people get carsick. In fact, up to around 2010, there were many people in Huaxia who got carsick, especially in good cars,rgely because of the suspension tuning.


    Moreover, designers at the Great Tang Group did implement arge number of technological innovations in this new car, and it was indeed much improved from previous models.


    Just speaking of the tires alone, there were innovations beyondpare. Previously, due to the production and pricing issues with rubber, the tires of the T-model cars were very narrow and small, which made it impossible to use better suspension methods.


    Now, with inds in the southern part of the Endless Sea and ports all under the control of the Great Tang Group, the production capacity of rubber increased dramatically, as did the transport capacity, naturally bringing down rubber prices significantly.


    With such a backdrop, the Great Tang Group lowered the cost of manufacturing car tires and also increased production capacity.


    The car''s tires could be made bigger and wider due to the reduced prices of rubber, which likewise increased the car''sfort.


    Plus, as friends who own cars know, the bigger the rims are, the more majestic and aggressive the car looks; hence the new car''s wheels, which were a sizerger than those of the T-model, indeed made the new model look more aesthetically pleasing.


    However, due to the underwhelming engine, the new car''s eleration from zero to a hundred kilometers per hour was so abysmal it took over 20 seconds - the pick-up performance was rubbish and the high-speed performance mediocre.


    In order to further reduce costs, the new car still employed gravity-fed fuel tanks which meant that gasoline entered the engine by natural gravity, so on steep inclines or declines, fuel supply issues could potentially arise, especially when the fuel level was very low.


    In summary, this was a case of aggressively cutting costs, resulting in something that could only be called "a motorbike with a canopy", a civilian car that wore its era''s emblem heavily.


    The design aimed to free up engine production lines which were originally for T-model cars, so that they could produce more important truck engines instead.


    This era desperately needed trucks. The military needed them, local transport needed them; everywhere, there was a void in truck demand.


    You see, every city is undergoing modernization and having a transport vehicle that almost never needs rest is critical to any city.


    ces that purchase trucks often directly buy a series of other things from the Great Tang Group, which are then loaded up and taken away together.


    For instance, areas afflicted by gue would directly buy ten trucks and then fill them with medicine to drive off. Simrly, ces awaiting arms would also directly purchase vehicles, pulling behind them 75mm caliber field cannons, with the truck beds full of ammunition to head back.


    The assembled trucks were loaded onto t railcars, covered with tarpaulin, and then driven straight to Jade City.


    Simrly, such trucks kept heading non-stop to Dorne, Suthers, and even the Ice Cold Kingdom, Por Kingdom, and Songmu Kingdom.


    "Are you buying or not? If not, make some space!" Finally, the salesgirl couldn''t stand it any longer and exploded with a roar in the crowd.


    "Hey, what kind of attitude is that..." The car expert couldn''t save face, bing annoyed and ready to speak up.


    Behind him, a rich, impatient fat man waved his banknotes: "I''ll buy two! Two! If you''re not buying, move aside! Bullying a youngdy, what kind of man does that!?"

 Chapter 355 351, with increases and decreases

    The demand for cars was huge, and the shortages in other areas were even greater.


    What had happened to the light bulb factories in Brunas? They had reached the insane point ofpletely eliminating the quality inspection process.


    The bulbs that were produced, regardless of whether they worked or not, were directly packed and shipped without even testing whether they lit up.


    Those who bought the goods would take their purchases back, test them themselves, then simply report a number back stating how many were defective, and the factory would directly rece that many!


    Even more, due to the need for overtime production, the factories were toozy to verify the numbers, as long as the quantity was roughly correct, they would write it off!


    Those purchasing light bulbs didn''t dare to lie about the quantity, because nowadays there was no way to meet the demand for these items; if someone were caughtmitting fraud, they would never have the chance to buy more in the future.


    You have to understand, nowadays, acquiring this item meant immediate profit; there was absolutely no worry about sales! As long as you had light bulbs in hand, they would sell!


    To save on transportation costs, the merchants selling light bulbs even went so far as to rent a room in Brunas to test the light bulbs on the spot and then ship them to other regions.


    They would immediately smash any defective ones they tested and umte the tails of the bulbs, sending them back to the factory to prove their innocence.


    And yet, even with an annual production of several hundred thousand incandescent bulbs, it was still not enough to meet the buying quantity of the users.


    So much so that Tang Mo had even directly authorized cities like Southwater and Hotwind to build their own light bulb factories, further expanding the production capacity of light bulbs.


    Simrly, the production of railway tracks had been pushed to its limit, but it was still like trying to douse a fire with a cup of water.


    Inparison to the global boom of railroad expansion, the speed at which the Great Tang Group increased its rail production was simply too slow.


    The original tracks produced in Brunas had nearly doubled their capacity within a year, but still couldn''t meet the actual demand.


    As a result, the share of the Great Tang Group''s tracks in the world''s total railway kilometers dropped from over 30 percent to aughably puny less than five percent!


    Yes, you read that right; the number of factories in the world that could, and were currently producing rails, was indeed growing more and more.


    In fact, aside from the railroad project on Dragon Ind and the Buyu railroad which used tracks from the Brunas factory, other global rail projects hardly used tracks from the Great Tang Group anymore.


    In most cases, local factories were either transitioning or had already started to produce rails of the same specification.


    After all, the trains of this era weren''t fast and the technical requirements for the tracks weren''t high. At worst, the performance might not be great and they would need to be reced more often, but their use wouldn''t be hindered.


    Under such circumstances, countries around the world were working hard toy tracks since they were incredibly useful, regardless of whether it was wartime or peacetime.


    They helped nations control their vast territories, assisted the military in transporting weapons and supplies, and facilitated the redistribution of goods and transportation of special products.


    With railways, the economy would be invigorated, as basic construction itself spurs domestic demand, alongside the characteristic of railways promoting the flow of goods, making it a prime investment choice for the leadership of various nations.


    After inspecting the railway from Brunas to Ice Crystal City, the Empire of Na immediatelyunched ns to build two main railway lines that traversed north to south and east to west.


    The soon-to-be-formed Laines Empire was also expanding its own railwaywork on the basis of the railwork of the Great Tang Group.


    Dorne and Suthers were both busy extending their own rails, and in some areas, they had already connected with the railwaywork of the Great Tang Group.


    Even the Por Kingdom, which previously focused on maritime transport, and the inds of Taren, where Winterless City was located, had started building their own railways.


    This drove the demand for rails to an unprecedentedly terrifying level, with the total mileage of railways under construction worldwide reaching a staggering 10,000 kilometers in theing year!


    What did this mean? It meant that in one year, this alternate world where Tang Mo resided had built a quarter of Huaxia''s total railway length! And in 2021, which wasst year, the total length of new rail constructed in all of Huaxia was just over 4,000 kilometers.


    Although half of those 4,000+ kilometersprised the technically more demanding high-speed rails, just in terms of quantity, this alternate world''s adoration for railways was impressive and worth boasting about.


    However, this was just the nned total length of railways to beid, not the actual total lengthid¡ªapart from the railway construction on Dragon Ind exceeding expectations, theying of railways in other countries around the world was actually overdue. Find exclusive content at empire


    One reason was the limitations of the terrain, with insufficient surveying proving a challenge during construction.


    The other reason was the severe shortage of steel production capacity in various countries, preventing the supply of rails from meeting the needs of railway construction.


    There was simply no other choice, as the foundations of everyone''s finances were actually not that solid; thus, they could only bow to reality ¡ª ns cannot keep up with rapid changes, and those limited supplies of steel couldn''t all be turned into railsid on the ground!


    Metal exports have always been an important source of foreign exchange for various countries. Those countries with already significant steel production capacities now rely on these exports to purchase modernized weaponry from the Great Tang Group and the Shireck Consortium ¡ª how could they possibly use it all to make railroad tracks?


    Besides these projects, some industries of the Great Tang Group were also shrinking, such as the general textile industry, which Tang Mo was consciously exiting.


    Previously, with the expansion of the Great Tang Group, a significant number of shares in textile workshops around Brunas had been acquired, as well as in enterprises for daily necessities like salt, all intricately linked to the Great Tang Group.


    Now, in order to recoup funds, the Great Tang Group was selling off its shares in these civilian light industries and food factories.


    Of course, there were buyers, such as the Marquis of Bailu, who had always had a good rtionship with Tang Mo, and the royal family of Laines, among others ¡ª they were all wealthy and ambitious about controlling civilian enterprises.


    The two sides hit it off, and the Great Tang Group officially withdrew from these enterprises, relinquishing control of this part of the industry as much as possible.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This greatly soothed the emotions of other nobles and royal family members, deepened mutual trust, and eased conflicts between all parties.


    Meanwhile, allowing nobles to take stakes in the luxury goods sector also endeared people to the group, while simultaneously ensuring their more selfless support for the development of these industries, killing two birds with one stone.


    It must be said that in these areas of livelihood, creating a major consensus environment where everyone can make money is essential to better earning prospects; therefore, in this regard, the Great Tang Group was strategically retreating to advance.


    While many industries were beginning to strategically retreat, not all of the Great Tang Group''s production capacities were marking time or shrinking ¡ª at least the increase in shipbuilding capacity of the Great Tang Group was quite frightening.


    The Great Tang Group nowunches a liberty ship every week. Their progress in marine transportation is clear for all to see.


    The arrival of new massive ships has suddenly transported volumes of cargo that previously would have been impossible for an entire fleet, highlighting the importance of the Endless Sea overnight.


    It was only at this point that everyone realized the Great Tang Group had virtually taken control of all the major ports around the Endless Sea.


    Brunas, Heatwave, Osa, Winterless City, Eternal Winter City... These ports have allowed the Great Tang Group to control nearly all maritime activities along the East Coast of the Endless Sea.


    While ports such as Southwater Port in the Por Kingdom still existed, due to outdated infrastructure, they had already fallen behind the new modern ports of the Great Tang Group.


    Over time, this gap would only widen, until it became insurmountable, and then ports like Southwater would be phased out, turned into small harbors, fishing viges¡­


    This was inevitable as the ports controlled by the Great Tang Group could provide technical support for new ships in terms of technology, with moreprehensive and professional services for ship repair, maintenance, and loading, details that ports like Southwater could not keep up with.


    Plus, with the convenience of future railway transportation, the follow-up of matching facilities, and theplementaryyout of surrounding industries, Southwater''spetitiveness would bepletely nullified.


    People run ships for the sake of profit, right? It''s profitable to transport 1,000 cars from Brunas to Osa and then bring back 20,000 rails from Osa, isn''t it?


    Transporting 1,000 cars from Brunas to Southwater only to find you can''t even gather up a shipload of apples, tomatoes, and potatoes ¡ª wouldn''t that be a ruinous loss?


    Thus, "non-Great Tang" ports like Southwater were doomed to be eliminated in the future, a fact clear to all.


    Unless these countries emted the Great Tang Group by constructing their own ports, increasing investment, and bringing in talent¡­ but the cost of doing so was just too high.


    Take the Por Kingdom for example; in fact, the King of the Por Kingdom had already abandoned the Leibart Family-controlled Southwater Port and signed a contract with the Great Tang Group to build a railway from Osa directly to King City.


    Most other countries had a simr mindset ¡ª giving up their own ports and instead seeking cooperation with the Great Tang Group, treating the ports built with Great Tang investment as their own.


    To support these ports, the Great Tang Group was furiously expanding its transport fleet. The maritime transport of the Great Tang is now a behemoth with more than 400 sailing ships and over 30 liberty ships.


    Sometimes, to speed up transportation, the Great Tang Group would even use a Wolf-ss cruiser to transport some important goods. Its cruising speed is, after all, much faster than a liberty ship.


    However, such goods are generally rare and very expensive ¡ª such as pricey medicines or certain precious and urgently needed rare metals.


    The scale of this fleet is now slowly changing, with new liberty ships beingunched each week to rece old sailing ships, rapidly enhancing the Great Tang Group''s transport capacity.


    Clearly, this impacted many people''s interests¡­ a lot of people.


    -----------


    Two updates today, making some adjustments. Will continue to add more updates tomorrow, heh heh.

 Chapter 356 The pathetic person who was betrayed

    "Two days ago, we received a coded message from me Castle, using a top-level encryption," Li''ao walked into Tang Mo''s office and began reporting on Silver Fox''s most recent special operation.


    Tang Mo was drawing a blueprint and without looking up, he responded with a casual, disinterested, "Oh?"


    "The other party contacted a sleeper agent, amon mole used by the Shireck Consortium, and activated this undercover intelligence operative," Li''ao knew that Tang Mo wasn''t actually much concerned with these operational details, as he had far too many other things to take care of.


    He was like a human blueprint machine, having to bring out new ideas from his mind every day, at least one research direction to hand over to his subordinates.


    As modern industry unfolded, there seemed to be more and more brainstorming ideas, and manyplementary technologies were only found to becking when the time came to use them.


    Some of those, Tang Mo could immediately provide experimental methods for or even produce on arge scale to fill the gaps, while others had to be experimented and proven by his subordinates.


    This was the fundamental reason why he recruited and trained so many technical personnel¡ªif he tried to shoulder the world''s progress alone, he simply wouldn''t be able to move forward.


    "Purpose," Tang Mo flipped to another blueprint,pared the details, then bowed his head again to add something to the previous blueprint.


    "ording to Sofia, it seems that the other party is preparing to transfer something to Wolf City, likely firearms," Li''ao continued to report following Tang Mo''s directive.


    Read new chapters at empire


    "To create chaos? Or to sabotage? Or is it... an assassination?" Tang Mo raised his eyebrows slightly, then continued without raising his head.


    He nned to finish the diesel engine blueprint first, because once he set it aside, he didn''t know when he''d be able to pick it up again.


    He was now the leader of the Great Tang Group, not just a draftsman, and if he got busy with other work, it might not be until tomorrow, or even the day after that, before he could return to this blueprint.


    "Sabotaging a factory seems highly unlikely. Although Wolf City has built up manyplete industrial systems, the damage that could be caused by attacking Wolf City is very limited," Li''ao dutifully began analyzing the intelligence in his hands.


    "It''s hard to imagine what strategic value there is in attacking a steel mill or blowing up some ammunition production lines," he said convincingly, and Tang Mo didn''t believe the Shireck board would really go berserk and attack a factory that wasn''t worth much.


    Such an attack was inefficient and would lower the bar forpetition between the two sides. If it came to direct attacks, the Great Tang Group would surely strike harder than Shireck.


    Tang Mo could guarantee that the explosives he developed were so advanced that they would be unrecognizable to the enemy as such!


    And his undercover agents were of much higher quality than Shireck''s rabble¡ªas if they weren''t even on the same level.


    "Even though the security measures in Wolf City are not very high, and certainly not higher than in Brunas, the likelihood of an attack is too low," Li''ao concluded his analysis in the end.


    "We cannot afford to be careless," Tang Mo continued working on the diesel engine blueprint, yet still reminded him in a multitasking manner.


    He did not wish for his subordinates to becent and cause significant loss to the group. Although the group was asrge as an empire by now, it couldn''t endure losses in many areas.


    To Tang Mo, the umtion of small mistakes leading to a qualitative change was intolerable. He sought absolute certainty, hence he aimed to eliminate all "what-ifs."


    "I have already contacted Wolf City covertly, instructing them to be vignt about security," Li''ao immediately began speaking about the countermeasures.


    Tang Mo drew a screw near a cylinder, and without raising his head, continued to inquire: "What do you think? Since it''s not targeted at Wolf City''s industrial facilities, then¡­the deeper implications of this action are worth our conjecture."


    "Master, I believe¡­the other party is likely nning an assassination against a specific target," Li''ao expressed his spection.


    "Why do you think so?" Tang Mo asked curiously.


    Li''ao exined his thoughts: "To destroy factories, explosives are far more effective than firearms. We have basically determined that the opposition is bringing in firearms, not explosives, which suggests they are targeting notrge buildings or machinery, but people."


    "Are you sure they are bringing in firearms, not explosives?" Tang Mo seized on this loophole and questioned his subordinate.


    He felt that if the opposition had indeed activated a mole, then all kinds of materials could be in y; it shouldn''t be conclusively assumed they were definitely shipping firearms.


    Sure enough, Li''ao could not confirm: "At the moment, it''s only spection, but we''ll be able to confirm this soon."


    "Oh?" However, Li''ao''s words still surprised Tang Mo; he was indeed curious how Li''ao could determine with such certainty that the goods in question were firearms.


    "The mole we were supposed to meet has now been reced by one of our own," Li''ao did not hold back and spoke the truth.


    "Are you certain there are no problems?" Tang Mo understood, the other party had already been controlled and bought by his side, so he confirmed again.


    "Please rest assured, everything is under control, the other party has confessed everything, clearly and without any reservations," Li''ao exined with great confidence, quite proud of the specifics of this particr operation.


    "It seems you didn''t go easy on them," Tang Mo realized. He had seen the interrogation methods of Silver Fox before.


    To tell the truth, as a traveler from another space-time, his repertoire of tortures was even more professional.


    Therefore, with his improvements, the "hunters" of Silver Fox were especially ruthless. Anyone who fell into their hands could hardly keep any secrets.


    Beating and even pulling teeth were just appetizers for these people. In truth, whips, tiger benches, and chili water weremon urrences for those tough nuts who would rather die than confess.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But after the use of various psychedelic drugs, the addition of mental torment, the employment of intense lights and noise pollution to disrupt the prisoner''s normal sleep and rest, there were really not many tough guys left who could still grit their teeth and keep silent.


    "We didn''t capture or interrogate anyone, Master. You guessed wrong," Li''aoughed, his wrinkled face reminiscent of shifting mountains. "In fact, it was Sofia who sent the rendezvous code. The other side thought we were his contacts and handed over his work... It was only when he was about to board the ship back to Winterless City that he was caught at the dock and realized he had been yed."


    Thinking of the entire process, Li''ao couldn''t help butugh. Imagine an organization coborating with the enemy, selling out their own intelligence agent; how pitiful could that agent be?


    After this mole was activated, the liaison officer whom he had never met came knocking. The rendezvous code matched, so naturally, he let down his guard.


    After learning that he could hand over his duties and receive a substantial sum of money to live out his life, the mole was nearly moved to tears with gratitude.


    Then he saw the actual silver and gold, which made him even more convinced. So, he earnestly and carefully transferred his work to his superior, paying attention to every detail to ensure aprehensive handover.


    The next day, this "retired" mole went to Brunas''s dock with his money, ready to begin his new life with unfettered freedom.


    But before he could board the ship, he was captured and became yet another trophy for Silver Fox. As for his home, there was already a body double impersonating him, living there awaiting the big fish to take the bait.


    "Eh? Ha-ha-ha! Continue, please," Tang Mo finally set down his pen, unable to suppress a smile, and looked up at Li''ao.


    This story was too interesting. Think about how unfortunate the mole was; his own superiors were in cahoots with the enemy and had sold him out...


    Even until his capture, he couldn''t fathom how he could''ve slipped up and given away his identity.


    "The recement we sent, we even forged his identity proof: photographs, health card, property deeds... aplete set of fake identities. Right now, he''s sitting in his own home, waiting for those operators to make contact," Li''ao boasted, proud of Silver Fox''s aplishments.


    Once they made contact, there would be no secrets left in this operation, and everything would fall under Silver Fox''s control.


    "Nicely done," Tang Mo spared no praise, "Good job! Make sure the bonuses for the relevant personnel are distributed on time and in full!"


    "Please rest assured! We have never made a mistake in this regard," Li''ao promised confidently. "Once we confirm all the details when they show up, we''ll make sure not to miss a single one, and we''ll have them all in one fell swoop before they make their move..."


    "No! Let a few go! Don''t let them suspect Sofia, make them feel that Sofia has tried and helped!" Tang Mo raised his hand, stopping Li''ao.


    He needed to maintain a certain level of restraint, to continue to bewilder his foes, letting them keep exposing their ws.


    If they were dizzy with overconfidence, let them continue in their daze! As long as they didn''t want to wake up, they could keep fumbling in the dark until doomsday came knocking.


    "Yes, I understand, Master!" Li''ao bowed and epted themand.


    "Also, pick some people! Send them to Shireck! Once it''s clear who that bastard is who wants to touch my people... send him off," Tang Mo picked up his pen again, treating the situation as if arranging a trivial matter.


    You should know that in this century, no external force had dared to entertain the insane thought of assassinating a Shireck board member.


    Yet Li''ao reacted as if he''d just heard an insignificant order, slightly bowed, and responded in a low voice, "Yes! I will arrange it now."


    "Go ahead!" Tang Mo continued with the blueprints of his diesel engine, paying no further mind to themand.


    ---------


    Thank you to the Lord of Chaos Being for your tips. Dragon Spirit is very grateful! Today''s update will be veryte, and the rest of the chapters can be read tomorrow morning. Apologies.

 Chapter 357 353 boxes have been opened

    The pitch-ck night conceals many sins.


    The nights in Wolf City, though now adorned with dazzling lights, were still mostly shrouded in darkness, unlike Dragon City or Brunas.


    An old-fashioned horse carriage slowly traversed the rtively clean streets, its gasmp casting a drowsy glow.


    This type of carriage was gradually being phased out, but before its disappearance, it remained the world''s most important means of transport.


    Two fine horses drew the carriage through the dimly lit streets and came to a halt in front of an alleyway.


    A skinny man jumped down from the carriage, twisted his neck, then squinted as he surveyed his surroundings.


    The night here was not lively¡ªin fact,pared with other cities, there was nothing different about it; it was just as gloomy.


    The nearest streetmp was several dozen meters away, its feeble light unable to reach the mouth of the alley.


    The man looked around, then stepped aside to make way for another man to emerge from the carriage.


    He, too, stepped aside and kept a vignt watch on the surroundings. He was much more robust than the skinny man before.


    The two men, standing on either side of the carriage, had a professional air about them. Then, a tall, skinny fellow climbed out from atop the vehicle.


    The man''s face was hidden by a hood, and most of his body was cloaked in ck.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    However, as one foot touched the ground, the othernded with a noticeable clunk.


    One of the man''s legs was a prosthetic, and the iron shoe was no substitute for his original limb, giving his gait an uneven, bobbing quality.


    The three men did not linger and proceeded into the depths of the alley, while the carriage did not stay either; it circled around and stopped beside the streetmp.


    Ordinary people preferred to wait in illuminated spots. Deliberately choosing a dark ce to stop would only arouse suspicion among the patrolling police. Thus, the seasoned coachman wisely chose a well-lit spot, a kind of prudence only found in those who frequently operated in the shadows.


    The tall, skinny man hobbled to the end of the alley and knocked three times on a familiar wooden door.


    Nowadays, many doors in Brunas were d in iron sheeting. He disliked the heavy echo that resounded from striking such doors, having been a frequent burr.


    What happened to basic trust between people? Why use iron for doors? Weren''t wooden ones good? Shouldn''t doors that could be kicked open be preserved?


    After a while, the room''s door was pushed open from the inside. The man who opened it made way, and all three entered.


    Thest to go in, the skinny man, peeked out once more before closing the door, ensuring no one was outside before he shut it.


    Surprisingly, the room was lit with electric light, a brightness that caused some difort to the three visitors ustomed to the dark.


    "You certainly know how to live it up," scoffed the tall skinny man cloaked almost entirely in a cape, as he used a hook to pull back his hood.


    A face marred with scars and extremely ugly came into view, made all the more eerie by the strange tattoos he bore.


    This was Qiumuluo, the man who, despite losing a leg and a hand, had survived through immense luck.


    Once as strong as a bear, he was now diminished to a tall, thin wreck after two injuries.


    "I have to maintain a semnce of status that matches my position... otherwise, what would happen if others became suspicious?" suggested the room''s host, indicating for his guests to sit wherever they liked. "It wasn''t an easy journeying here, was it?"


    "Indeed it wasn''t easy; those people are tough... but we are tougher," replied the robust henchman with a coldugh, settling into afortable sofa and eyeing the man who had received them. "Who exactly are you... and where is the original master of this room?"


    He seemed certain there was something amiss about the room''s host. His hand was already moving towards his waist, as if he was about to draw a handgun.


    "Heh," the man chuckled, shaking his head dismissively and not even deigning to deal with the brawny man reaching for a weapon.


    Qiumuluo remained silent throughout, his gaze fixed on a portrait hanging high on the wall¡ªa portrait of Earl Ronin Fisallo.


    Without turning his head, he spoke to his subordinates, "Enough! If something were amiss, there would be at least 20 of Silver Fox''s men waiting for us here."


    After speaking, he finally turned to look at the other man and introduced himself, "My name is Qiumuluo! And you are?"


    Upon hearing the name Qiumuluo, the room''s host seemed unsettled, but he quickly regainedposure and did not introduce himself.


    The other party stared at Qiumuluo intently and, lowering their voice, scolded, "How dare youe here! Do you know that almost everyone here wants you dead?"


    "I know! I killed him." Qiumuluo grinned, having just noticed that the man''s expression was a bit unnatural, which had stirred his murderous intent. However, the response that followed had no such issues, confirming that this person must indeed be the contact arranged by Shireck''s side.


    "You know and you still dare toe back?" the man asked angrily.


    "Because... I came to kill his daughter," Qiumuluo replied with a torrent of hatred. "I will kill her, kill Tang Mo, kill everyone who turned me into this!" he cackled maliciously.


    "You''ve got guts!" The man seemed to be intimidated by Qiumuluo and murmured with a bow of his head, "Just the few of you?"


    "No! I brought 15 elites with me this time! Each one personally selected by me! To avoid any unnecessary risks, we move tomorrow night," Qiumuluo answered.


    As they spoke, the skinny man somehow, without anyone noticing, managed to flip out the room owner''s ID.


    He walked over to Qiumuluo and handed him the ID, then sneered, "This thing is really handy, it has the name and... and that portrait, identical to the original."


    "That''s a photograph!" the room''s owner corrected with disgust, then took the ID back from Qiumuluo, "Remember, I''m now Marvel."


    "There''s food in the kitchen..." Marvel said, putting away the ID, "You can rest well here."


    "No need, we''re leaving as soon as we get the stuff."


    "Alright," Marvel nodded, then bent down and lifted his carpet. Underneath was the old floor.


    He lifted several indistinguishable wooden nks to reveal a hidden box beneath them.


    "It was delivered yesterday... it has a special sent... I was not allowed to open it ahead of time, so I haven''t opened it," Marvel said, gesturing for his two henchmen toe and help.


    The burly henchman and the skinny one stepped forward and, using theirbined strength, managed to lift out the heavy, specially concealed box.


    Upon seeing the box, Qiumuluo''s face broke into a cruel smile; it had been smuggled in through special channels, but previously he had personally packed the contents into this box.


    He grinned broadly, meticulously inspected the sent, and after confirming no one had opened it during transport, he finally took out his key.


    Using the key, he pierced the sent, turned the lock, and inside was a jumble of handguns. Old, they were Left-Wheel Handguns made by the Great Tang Group. Additionally, inside the box, there seemed to be more than a dozen K2 lever-action rifles.


    Of course, nestled in between these guns were densely packed bullets. Qiumuluo pulled out one of the handguns and took aim with it, then passed it to Marvel.


    "Thanks for your hard work! From here on, leave it to us," Qiumuluo said smugly. While he spoke, the burly man and the skinny man had each selected two handguns and were starting to load them.


    Marvel took the handgun and began loading it for Qiumuluo¡ªafter all, it was quite inconvenient for Qiumuluo, with only one hand, to load a Left-Wheel Handgun.


    "Only a dozen people, and you think you can break into The Earl''s Mansion? Isn''t that a bit presumptuous?" Marvel asked while loading.


    "No problem, we have a detailed n," Qiumuluo confidently answered, "The security troops around The Earl''s Mansion are currently using handguns. We have rifles, our firepower is stronger, they can''t beat us."


    Though the K2 lever-action rifles couldn''tpare to submachine guns, harassing opponents who only had pistols was not a problem. They had higher uracy and a decent rate of fire, giving them a clear advantage at close quarters.


    Moreover, they were prepared while their adversaries were not, which meant thetter would quickly fall into chaos, greatly increasing their chances of sess.


    In the past, The Earl''s Mansion was difficult to attack because the soldiers and police were one and the same, and the troops stationed there were legitimate soldiers with strong firepower, naturally making it hard to assault.


    But now, Northern Ridge''s regr army was no longer stationed within the city; the security of The Earl''s Mansion was entirely in the hands of the security troops, and their firepower had clearly diminished since they were only armed with handguns.


    "Moving out tomorrow night?..." Marvel''s voice spoke.


    "Yes... we will disguise as delivery men... we''ll make our move at the back door... setting fires while taking advantage of the chaos," Qiumuluo replied.


    Then, there was the heavy sound of moving the box.


    In the next room, separated by just a wall, the noise could barely be heard. Dozens of men, grim-faced and silent, stood carrying Thompson Submachine Guns.


    The leader of the men was pressed against the thin, deliberately carved wall, listening intently to the conversation on the other side.


    Yet, they did not take any action, even as Qiumuluo and the others carried the box away and drove off in their cart.

 Chapter 358 354 knows it crystal clear.

    Nowadays, the profession of Ranger mercenaries is illegal within the scope of the Great Tang Group''s power, and carrying weapons is a serious crime, as the gun ban is very strictly enforced.


    To carry firearms into core areas, such as Wolf City and Brunas, is even more difficult. Under normal circumstances, bodyguards and the like must dere their firearms, and many key locations even prohibit bodyguards from entering...


    However, despite the strictness, there are still those who carry weapons, such as swords, flintlock guns, and some who carry Left-Wheel Handguns.


    The world is in chaos these days, so there are many who carry weapons, and indeed managing this is quite troublesome for the Great Tang Group. Therefore, it''s unrealistic to expect checkpoints to detect every weapon being carried by an individual.


    Short guns can be concealed, but rifles are not so convenient to carry, so they have to be smuggled through connections - since smuggling is necessary anyway, there''s no need to personally carry short guns and unnecessarily increase risk.


    Therefore, this operation simply pooled all the guns together, employing an absolutely secure mole, getting all the weapons to the designated location at once.


    In an Earl''s Mansion room in Northern Ridge, Wolf City, the telephone rang crisply. Alice, who had been holding Tang Mo''s photo and giggling idiotically, had golden hair cascading down her back like waves.


    Her room was now fitted with a crystal chandelier, so it was very bright. The reason she hadn''t gone to bed yet was that she was waiting for a message.


    Alice, master of Northern Ridge, snatched up the exquisite phone and spoke in a pleasant voice, "It''s me."


    After a long silence, having listened to theplete report from the other end, she then ordered, "Begin ording to the original n..."


    Having said that, she hung up the phone with an even happier smile spreading across her face - Tang Mo did care about her! He was always concerned about her safety, what a wonderful feeling!


    That old ghost, although far away on Dragon Ind, still arranged for people to watch over every move in Wolf City... Perhaps, this is what love is.


    Because of this deep happiness, she was even willing to use the Earl''s Mansion her father left her as a stage for a show. She would even burn part of it to confuse the enemy...


    But all this... was worth it.


    He offered his assets serving hundreds of thousands of workers in Northern Ridge, making her the richest woman in the world.


    Most industries in Northern Ridge brought her substantial tax revenue. And her own investments, backed by the Great Tang Group, were all surefire, profitable ventures.


    Take, for instance, Northern Ridge''s steel nt, military factory, railway vehicle factory, and the automotive factory that was under construction!


    These factories were generating profits for her every day, and now Gold Coin was almost just an ever-increasing number to her.


    She no longer needed to worry about the Gold Coins in hand, nor did she have to fret like her father, Fisheo, about how to support an army for self-protection.


    Even more, she had the funds to expand Northern Ridge''s military, making it the mostbat-capable and highest-quality troop in the world!


    The Northern Ridge Legion had evolved beyond just a legion, growing into Northern Ridge''s 1st Army,manding 3 divisions and 11 regiments! It could be said that it was a truly substantial family business.


    Every time she thought about these things, she felt she might just be the happiest woman in the world.


    This is also why she''d been holding Tang Mo''s photo and giggling today.


    You see, Tang Mo was reluctant to have his photo taken. He had only taken one picture to appease Alice, a keepsake to remember him by.


    Since they had already extracted all of Qiumuluo''s ns, the deployment at the Earl''s Mansion waspleted very swiftly.


    Inside the Earl''s Mansion, Great Tang Group''s security troops had reced nearly all the important positions, and the weaponry was switched to Thompson Submachine Guns to enhance firepower.


    And in the Earl Mansion''s backyard, by the back door, in the surrounding building windows, marksmen armed with riflesy in ambush.


    These sharpshooters, all seasoned war veterans, were meticulously selected from the Rangers for their precision.


    Even without a specialized sniper rifle, at such close range, they could easily hit the target using the KAR98K rifle, also known as the K3 rifle.


    Ambushes were already set on both sides of the street, with at least 20 people on one side, all armed with Thompson submachine guns¡ªit was definitely overkill for ughtering chickens.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Inside themand center of the operation, twomanding officers from the Great Tang Group''s security troops were slightly irritable, each lighting a cigarette.


    Everything was ready, and for them, it was just a matter of waiting for the enemy to enter their encirclement and then staging a lively show.


    Just then, the telephone on the table rang. This was a line temporarily connected formunication during the operation.


    Picking up the receiver, amander''s eyebrows instantly furrowed: "Yes! Yes! Understood! Yes!"


    After hanging up the phone, he looked at his colleague and said, "The operation n has been revised! We move as soon as the opposition reaches the rear door of the Earl''s Mansion..."


    "Why?" the othermander asked, frowning in confusion. "Weren''t we supposed to wait until they attacked inside?"


    "The boss has decided not to leave any survivors," themander who answered the phone exined.


    "Huh?" Hearing the change, the othermander was even more surprised. "Wasn''t the n to let go of some survivors before?"


    The one who took the call replied, "For safety... If both sides got into a firefight, we could have casualties on our side."


    "Isn''t it normal to have casualties?" the othermander still couldn''t understand this change of orders.


    However, the one who took the call justughed and exined, "But the boss thinks that for such a trivial matter, the cost of our personnel''s lives... isn''t worth it."


    "..." Hearing this reasoning, the othermander who had been ready to argue suddenly felt a warm current flow through his heart.


    A leader who cared about the safety of his subordinates was always worth being loyal to, wasn''t he?


    Seeing hisrade silent, themander who took the call continued tofort him, "It''s okay, the newspapers will still publish the usual report: the Earl''s Mansion was attacked, set on fire, and buildings were damaged. That won''t change."


    "I understand¡­" Themander who didn''t take the call nodded, his chin lifted with gratitude.


    "Then¡­" themander who had taken the call confirmed.


    "I''ll execute n B and engage on the street side," the one who hadn''t picked up the call responded seriously.


    "Good, you are the frontlinemander, and I''ll be waiting here for your victorious news," the officer on the phone found a spot to sitfortably, enjoying his cigarette.


    "I''m off, then." Snuffing out his own cigarette butt, the frontlinemander headed for the door.


    As the frontlinemander was about to leave, the overallmander seated finally asked, "There won''t be... any mishaps, right?"


    "With the Earl''s security team included, it''s almost 200 people against 17... What could possibly go wrong?" The frontlinemander opened the door, replying with disdain.


    "Alright. I wish you all the best," the overallmander said with a lightugh, feeling somewhat relieved.


    "...Thank you."


    --------


    Here''s an extra update, still owe everyone... 3 more, right? Seems like it.

 Chapter 359 355 Street Night Battle

    Disguised as a carriage transporting food, Qiumuluo hid inside, peering through the gaps of the carriage at the somewhat bleak streets.


    This was only possible in Wolf City; if he were in Brunas, he couldn''t even get close to a significant target area¡ªthere, carriages were basically no longer used for transporting food.


    Such important transport tasks had already been handed over to automobiles, even theparatively modern trucks, and getting hold of such transportation was not an easy feat.


    Qiumuluo only had one hand left, so hecked the ability to reload weapons, therefore he had prepared a heap of firearms for himself, discarding them once they were empty.


    After all, these weapons were prepared to frame the Great Tang Group, so it didn''t matter if they were lost.


    He cradled a K2 lever-action rifle, and his waist was also equipped with four Left-Wheel Handguns, his firepower could be described as ferocious.


    Those following him, on average, each carried a K2 rifle and at least one Left-Wheel Handgun, equally armed to the teeth. These men were all hidden in the carriage, anxiously awaiting the moment to begin their operation.


    ording to their n, once the back door was opened to let the carriage in, they would kill the guards and servants with knives and thenmence their assault on The Earl''s Mansion.


    Before being discovered, they would light torches and burn the house as much as possible to create maximum chaos.


    If they were discovered, they would crush their enemies with fierce firepower and seize the opportunity to directly attack the main building, killing everyone inside.


    After that, they would use the chaos to break out, retreat ording to a predetermined route. With the Earl murdered, the enemies would be headless, allowing them an opportunity to escape with their lives.


    Although the n did not seem perfect, for instance, the n for a retreat seemed a bit too optimistic.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, Qiumuluo did not believe they had no chance of escaping; he thought the simpler the n, the more likely it was to seed.


    A n with an escape route nned in advance wouldn''t push the executioners toplete their mission at all costs. Only in dire straits would they earn the right to live.


    This was the lesson Qiumuluo had learned from escaping death twice; he was quite confident in himself, believing he was a chosen one.


    If he could even survive under those unfavorable conditions, what else could he be if not a favorite of the gods?


    "Is it... a little too quiet?" The skinny man lowered his voice and said to the burly man beside him, "I feel like something isn''t quite right."


    "Don''t scare yourself, idiot!" Qiumuluo scolded, then exined, "This street is naturally deserted... it''s The Earl''s Mansion''s back door, not some bustling street."


    "Yeah, we chose the wee hours of the morning... how could it be noisy at this time, isn''t quiet normal..." the burly man said as well.


    Their words made sense, so the skinny man felt embarrassed to say more. Under these circumstances, no one else dared to speak, and the fact that he had managed to say anything at all was a feat in itself.


    After all, they were all hidden in the carriage, and thoughtless chattering could easily blow their cover ahead of time.


    Soon, after the carriage regained its silence, the driver gently tapped the partition of the carriage twice.


    Upon hearing those two distinctive taps, all their expressions turned serious. They had arrived and were about to enter The Earl''s Mansion.


    Indeed, the carriage came to a stop, and Qiumuluo heard the disguised coachman knocking on the back door of The Earl''s Mansion, "We''re here to deliver vegetables and ingredients... please open the door..."


    He tapped gently on the door, but no response came from inside, as if there was no one there, not a sound to answer his rather abrupt knocking.


    "Is anyone there?" Finally, after repeating twice that he was there to deliver vegetables, Qiumuluo''s subordinate began to get nervous.


    The door was made of thick wood, and while it might not stop bullets, opening it would not be easy.


    Inside the carriage, Qiumuluo frowned, realizing that the other party''s dy in opening the door must mean there was a problem.


    "Get off!" he whispered as quietly as possible, alerting the burly man and skinny man beside him, "Quietly!"


    The skinny man was taken aback, then he immediately pushed open the carriage''s rear door. The dim streetlight didn''t allow him to see far, but even so, he could make out that there seemed to be shadows swaying in the dark.


    "Bang!" Just as the skinny man was taken aback, a sudden gunshot rang out, echoing in the silent night.


    The skinny man felt as if something had struck his chest. He staggered several steps backward, then his legs gave way, and he knelt on the ground.


    He looked down to see his clothes soaked in blood, instinctively trying to raise his K2 lever-action rifle, only to hear a second gunshot follow.


    Another bullet hit him, and this time, there was no luck; his head was pierced by the bullet, the sharp projectile carrying off a spray of brain matter, scattering it on the street floor.


    In hisst moment of consciousness, Skinny saw a glint of light; it was from a window in the building opposite, where someone was aiming a weapon at him.


    "Damn it¡­ knew something was off¡­" he wanted to curse, but he could no longer speak. His body, now devoid of consciousness, fell backward onto the ground.


    "Ambush! Ambush!" The brawny man watched in horror as Skinny was shot dead with two bullets and immediately started screaming at the top of his voice.


    He hurriedly jumped off the horse-drawn carriage, ready to flee this crowded zone of death. The carriage''s woodenpartment was no shelter; bullets could easily pierce through it.


    Staying crammed inside the carriage was tantamount to awaiting death, so his first instinct was to jump out and search for a safer position to return fire.


    Regrettably, as he jumped off the carriage, the end of the alley lit up with a flurry of stars. Those lights twinkled ceaselessly, apanied by a dense and continuous barrage of gunfire.


    The brawny man hadn''t even touched the ground when a hail of bullets swept over him. He did not even have the chance to cry out before his body was riddled with bullets.


    Qiumuluo almost simultaneously sprang into action; he tossed aside his K2 rifle and pushed another subordinate off the carriage to use as a shield, then jumped down himself, rolling on the ground uponnding.


    He felt a bullet prate his stomach, unsure of the severity. However, taking cover behind two corpses, hey on the ground, narrowly avoiding the first wave of iing bullets.


    At that moment, the carriage became hell¡ªwoodenpartments were raked by bullets, and within moments, they were left riddled with holes.


    Bullets shattered the wooden boards, hurling splinters inside the carriage, slicing through the flesh inside. Blood spattered everywhere, apanied by desperate screams echoing through the night.


    Bullets also came from the front, and the two startled, tall horses neighed amidst the gunfire, struggling for a moment before copsing to the ground, their blood flowing through their manes.


    The fake coachman who had been knocking on the door was now nailed to it by bullets. He didn''t even have the chance to draw the Left-Wheel Handgun concealed behind him.


    "Ratatat!" The Thompson Submachine Gun''s relentless and despairing gunfire never ceased, as the well-trained Great Tang Group security troops always had someone firing while others simultaneously reloaded their magazines.


    The reliability of this firearm was quite high, and it was not prone to jamming¡ªat least in an urban environment, the Thompson was an excellent submachine gun.


    The intense suppression kept the adversaries from even raising their heads. The dozen or so people inside the carriage didn''t even understand what had happened before they were turned into sieves by the bullets.


    Finally, another one of Qiumuluo''s subordinates also jumped off the carriage, but hended right next to Qiumuluo, his body full of holes, and after a few gasps, hey still.


    Qiumuluo drew a Left-Wheel Handgun from his waist and with one shot extinguished the dim streemp overhead. He felt that hiding in the darkness might at least give him a bit of a chance.


    Unfortunately, the brief darkness brought about by the extinguished streemp didn''t help him much, for two res were abruptlyunched into the air, illuminating everything nearby.


    It was then that Qiumuluo realized that in the building across the street, nearly all the windows were filled with shooters aiming at their carriage.


    It wasn''t just a few people; there were dozens!


    The opposing side was well prepared! Their move... had been exposed!


    Qiumuluo instantly understood that the opponents had been ready for their operation long before, and they had even dug a huge pit for them!


    The enemy''s firepower was more ferocious than theirs, or to put it another way, it was more ferocious than any gunfire Qiumuluo had ever seen.


    The incessant spray of bullets was practically indistinguishable from machine gun fire, far surpassing the capability of the K2 rifles they had acquired.


    "Ah!" Inside the carriage, another one of Qiumuluo''s subordinates, holding a gun, rushed out. He fired continuously at the dark shapes in the distance, his two Left-Wheel Handguns emitting a steady barrage of gunfire as well.


    However, by the time he jumped off the carriage, his revolver''s bullets were nearly spent. As soon as he ran out of ammunition, he instantly became amb waiting for the ughter.


    Still, being a fierce and tough man, he flung aside the handguns without a second thought, dove to the ground, and scrambled to grab the K2 rifle beside Skinny''s body.


    Thanks to his covering action, two other miraculously surviving members also jumped off the carriage. They each sought cover, taking refuge behind the carriage.


    Bathed in the light of the res, Qiumuluo lying on the ground finally saw his wounds clearly¡ªhe had been shot in the stomach, and another bullet had hit his leg.


    He crawled a bit on the ground, struggling to roll to the back of the carriage, where he took cover between his two subordinates.


    And the tough man who had opened the situation for them, just as he reached for Skinny''s K2 rifle, was hit by the bullets from above, followed by silence.

 Chapter 360 Death of a Killer 356

    "Ah!" Qiumuluo let out a desperate roar as if to vent the suppressed fury within him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He simply couldn''t figure out why his operation had been exposed this time or where the problem had arisen.


    The others seemed to have been aware of all their ns in advance, yet the n had been concocted on the road with Skinny and Strongman, two people who had no chance of betraying him.


    Suddenly, Qiumuluo thought of Marvel, that seemingly harmless and unproblematic contact.


    "It was him! It was him!" he screamed frantically as blood spurted from the holes in his body, "Come out! Youe out! Bastard! Bastard!"


    He struggled to sit up when a subordinate using the carriage as cover was hit by a bullet and copsed beside him.


    Bullets striking the already lifeless corpse still managed to stter flesh and blood, some of whichnded on Qiumuluo, but he was unaware.


    Having gone mad, he struggled to his feet and rushed towards the gates of The Earl''s Mansion, convinced that if he could break through that door, he still had a chance.


    The wooden door... gave him hope.


    As he readied himself to charge the door, hisst surviving subordinate was shot in the head. The skull shattered, and blood sprayed everywhere.


    In the hail of bullets, Qiumuluo finished his preparations, took a deep breath, then limped toward the heavy door reinforced with iron bars.


    He imagined breaking through that door and heroically storming the building to continue the fight against his damned enemies.


    Unfortunately, the moment he collided with the door, he suddenly remembered something¡ªhe was no longer the man he had been three years ago!


    Three years earlier, he had been strong and muscr, with tendons as hard as iron, giving him the brute force to easily break open ordinary doors.


    The man he was now had shriveled to bones¡ªthe wounds on his body had drained him of his vigor, leaving him unable to bustle with as much life as before.


    Therefore, contrary to what he had imagined, he slumped against the heavy door like a lump of mud, only managing to daze himself.


    The cold, heavy door was imprable. He felt like he had hit a wall, and everything spun around him.


    By the time he came to, he saw the fake coachman subordinate who had been shot to pieces against the door, staring at him with blood-drenched eyes.


    Instantly, he was scared and wanted to retreat, to get away from the corpse of the subordinate who died with his eyes wide open.


    Before he could even retreat, several bullets struck his back, creating more holes.


    He knew he was finished. Despite having miraculously escaped death so many times before, this time he could sense his end was near.


    At that moment, he was surrounded in a hopeless situation. Unlike before, nobody was going to pull him out of this chaos.


    As hey against the door, he listened to the gunshots dwindling around him, feeling the life slowly seep out of his body.


    Finally, as he felt close to death, he heard a man''s voice, "This person... look at the tattoo... seems like that wanted criminal..."


    "It''s him! The very murderer who killed Lord Earl Fisheo!" another voice eximed, "Don''t let him die! Check his clothes and remove all weapons! Stay alert for safety!"


    With his face pressed against the door, Qiumuluo no longer had the strength to lift his head to see who was talking behind him.


    However, for some reason, he could still hear clearly the people behind him talking, "Should we notify Lady Alice?"


    He swore he had never listened to someone speaking as intently as he did now. Every word, every pause rang in his brain like a bell.


    He could feel someone frisking him, a strong hand pulling hisst Left-Wheel Handgun from his waist.


    For a moment, he felt hands on his thighs and buttocks, and if not for the multiple gunshots in his body, he might have strangled the bastard who dared to touch him.


    But soon, his fading attention was drawn to the conversation, "What a joke... this is a battlefield, we can''t ensure Lady Alice''s absolute safety."


    "So what do we do with this man?" As he heard the question, he was curious about how they would deal with him.


    After all, he was a wanted criminal¡ªwith Great Tang Group offering 5,000 Gold Coins for his head and Lady Alice Ronin from Northern Ridge offering a whopping 10,000 Gold Coins.


    If that girl Alice coulde and kill him herself, then he might have a chance¡ªas long as they let their guard down, he might just manage to take a woman down with him before he died.


    Heh heh, heh heh...


    He evenughed in his mind, even thought he had already gripped a woman''s slender neck.


    Watching the dying Qiumuluo, themander from Great Tang Group said coldly, "How else to deal with him? Kill him, then report to Lady Alice."


    Qiumuluo was stunned, then heard another voice inquire, "Understood... shall you do it, or shall I?"


    "At your pleasure, if you wish, you can make your move now." Such a voice made Qiumuluo shiver to the core.


    He really hadn''t expected that these people weren''t nning to take credit for capturing him, but were actually ready to finish him off directly.


    Then, he heard someone else say, "You do it! I don''t want to write those boring reports."


    The fact that the other party even humbly passed on the act of shooting made him feel humiliated, a kind of disdainful contempt.


    So, his fingers twitched, wanting tosh out in retaliation, to show these two bastards the formidable power of Qiumuluo.


    But, it seemed only his fingertips responded to his will.


    Immediately after, the two people behind him decided who would do it: "Hmm, I''ll do it."


    Then, Qiumuluo heard the clicking sound of a gun being loaded.


    "Bang!"...


    A gunshot sounded, and Qiumuluo, with one arm and ame leg... died.


    Count Fisheo''s great hatred had, at this moment, been partially avenged.


    ...


    In Dragon City, as dawn was barely breaking, in the huge dining hall of Tang Mo''s castle, Li''ao brought news that had just been received: "Master! News just back from Wolf City, our men carried out the n and wiped out the assassins who targeted Miss Alice."


    Tang Mo had just finished breakfast, avish meal consisting of fresh milk, bread, sauce-coated chicken, and seven or eight types of vegetables and fruit.


    For Tang Mo, no matter how extravagant, it was already considered frugal¡ªfor he was now wealthy enough to rival nations, and truly did not need to restrain himself when it came to food.


    The only concern was his own health issues; too much cholesterol, unhealthy eating, leading to high blood pressure, diabetes¡ªthat would be a form of suicide.


    So he had just a little bit of each item, and while wiping his mouth, he asked, "No one was hurt, right?"


    The dining table he was sitting at was incrediblyrge, capable offortably seating dozens of people at once.


    This table was intended for when Tang Mo hosted dinners inside the castle, but no one had yet had the honor of attending such an event.


    "No one was hurt, Qiumuluo is dead," Li''ao reported respectfully, standing by Tang Mo''s side.


    "...There weren''t any surprises this time, were there?" Tang Mo put down his napkin and nced at Li''ao.


    He had known since yesterday that the leader of the opposition''s operation was Qiumuluo, which was another reason he changed his mind and decided not to wait for them to act, but to strike first.


    Li''ao felt somewhat embarrassed, as after all, part of the reason Qiumuluo had survived until today was Silver Fox''s negligence. So he lowered his head slightly and spoke in a subdued tone, "There were no surprises, it has been confirmed it was him. It''s just that he had lost a lot of weight, which helped him evade many pursuits."


    After a pause of a second, he continued, "He has been punished these past two years; his body had only one hand and one leg, as his one hand and one leg had been amputated..."


    "What kind of punishment is that? He died too easily..." Tang Mo snorted coldly. He had always had a good rtionship with Count Fisheo, liking such an upright and open person, so he hated the murderer who plotted against Fisheo to the bone.


    Moreover... Now that Fisheo''s daughter was with him, Tang Mo naturally would not easily let Qiumuluo off the hook.


    "Sorry, themanding officer on the scene feared a prolonged night might bring more dreams, so they executed him directly. Should we discipline them?" asked Li''ao.


    Tang Mo waved his hand, "What are you talking about! Themander on the front line did well. Continue to follow this judgment in the future! Rather than concern for a dead man, I care more about the safety of our own people."


    "Yes, Master," Li''ao acquiesced, "Everyone will sing praises of your benevolence."


    "Enemies won''t sing praises of my benevolence... Li''ao." Tang Mo stood up. "Is everything alright on Alice''s end?"


    "Nothing is wrong, Miss Alice insisted on seeing Qiumuluo''s body. Then she took people to Lord Earl Fisheo''s grave..." Li''ao answered.


    Tang Mo nodded and headed towards the door, "Well now, the enemy''s ws reaching towards me have been chopped off... So, isn''t it time they realize that reaching out their ws at us is an extremely foolish thing to do?"


    Li''ao followed behind Tang Mo, speaking as they walked, "Our people will begin the action soon..."


    "I don''t want to hear of failure, our men had bettere back safe," Tang Mo said, not looking back as he led the way.


    "Yes." Li''ao continued to affirm, "Your subordinate will do his utmost..."


    ------------


    Staying upte is really inefficient... Evading and procrastinating all day and barely able to write out 100 words...

 Chapter 361 357 new technology stack

    Retaliation was certainly immediate, but it took time for operatives to travel to the targeted area, so nothing could be rushed; patience was the only option.


    Tang Mo was patient, so in the following days, he focused his primary attention on the development of aircraft and the manufacturing of the Jade City-ss battleships.


    Setting aircraft aside for a moment, the Jade City-ss battleship was the first of its kind in this era, symbolizing the very concept of a battleship, and indeed, an invincible leviathan.


    A near-perfect copy of the Dreadnought battleship, the Jade City-ss battleship boasted a colossal discement of nearly 17,000 tons.


    It was bigger than a paddle steamer, and during its construction, it struck awe and fear into the hearts of the workers¡ªits thickest steel tes on the hull measured over 270 millimeters!


    It''s no exaggeration to say that it was a true steel fortress at sea, and in its presence, any warship was nothing more than a toy.


    The hull, already taking shape, amazed every worker with its densework of watertightpartments, coupled with a propulsion system the likes of which they''d never seen before, highlighting this warship''s extraordinary nature.


    Since the Great Tang Group had yet to possess torpedoes as weapons, such systems were removed from the Dreadnought; instead, it boasted only artillery for offense.


    This simplified the design and allowed the warship to carry extra fresh water, somewhat improving support capacity.


    The Dreadnought was considered a groundbreaking creation because it boldly incorporated a number of advanced technologies.


    Firstly, it had a rational design for armor protection and enhanced its armor across the board to fortify its defense, surpassing all previous designs.


    As a decisive weapon, its armor thickness exceeded that of all previous warships, enhancing its survivability.


    Secondly, in terms of core propulsion, the steam turbine''s performance improvements gave it a significant edge over the old steam engines. Although the Dreadnought had a discement of over 17,000 tons, it still achieved a terrifying speed that outpaced armored warships.


    This allowed the Dreadnought to emerge as the fastest on the seas instantly upon its debut, securing absolute dominance in evasion and pursuit through its speed.


    Then, in terms of firepower, the Dreadnought did away with secondary armament and courageously standardized the caliber of its cannons; moreover, using thetest technology, it stacked an unprecedented array of 305-millimeter cannons onto the warship!


    This caliber could easily crush an opponent, effortlessly prating enemy armor. The immense damage wrought by theserge shells made attacking all the easier.


    A total of 10 guns meant that at least 6 could be focused in any given direction, maximizing the projection of its own firepower.


    These cannons were fed by internal autoloaders, increasing their rate of fire and even enhancing the density of the firepower.


    What was scarier was the unified caliber allowed for consistent ballistic performance, making the Dreadnought''s fire control system more precise and easier tomand than other warships.


    Uniform ballistics brought wee advantages; requiring only two sets of gun aiming control equipment as backups for each other, every main cannon on the warship could hit its target, which was previously unimaginable.


    The Tang Group had already experimented with this design on the Wolf-ss cruisers, where all the cannons were of 150-millimeter caliber. The effectiveness of the unified caliber was quite pronounced.


    Thus, on the Jade City-ss battleship, the Great Tang Group saw no reason to abandon such an excellent design; as a result, the design was not only adopted for the Jade City but also further glorified.


    Because the warship had sufficient tonnage, the designers from the Tang Group outfitted it with an even more advanced andrger optical aiming system.


    This system, utilizing the principle of light reflection, increased the baseline length for aiming, thereby enhancing long-range uracy of the cannons.


    In test ranges, relying on this aiming equipment, the 305-millimeter cannons could easily hit targets 10 kilometers away and might even strike fixed targets beyond 15 kilometers.


    Keep in mind, during this era, cannons capable of firing 15 kilometers had never even appeared, let alone hitting targets at such a distance.


    Although firing at moving warships on the undting sea was far more challenging, everyone believed that even with some allowance for error, this fire control system would enable the 305-millimeter main guns to hit enemy vessels around 7 to 8 kilometers away without much problem.


    But still, there was that worrying issue¡ªthe cost of 305-millimeter cannon shells was almost more expensive than a sailboat; using such cannons to bombard enemy vessels seemed like a losing proposition...


    Within the dock where the Jade City-ss battleship was being built, a worker gazed at a deck that had already beenid out and swallowed hard.


    This warship was downright magical, so much so that it gave him an almost surreal feeling¡ªstanding at the bow of this ship, one could not even see its stern!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Before him were mountain-like machinery and equipment, those still-secret steam turbines and boilers.


    The chimneys that were to be connected up top with these steam turbines and boilers had already been delivered, towering several stories high beside the hull of the ship, equally enormous.


    Owing to the adoption of a novel assembly method, the construction speed of this ship had also been greatly increased.


    He swore that he had never seen such a gigantic ship in his life; he did not even know what exactly it was intended for.


    Even just using its sharp prow to ram, this warship could cleave any and all types of sailing ships currently traversing the seas directly in half. Even unarmed, this great vessel was already the mightiest warship in the world!


    However, as a worker on this ship, he knew it was armed. To ensure the warship''s safety, the ammunition room was ced below the waterline, in the very section of the hull he had just finished!


    Therey the chambers, protected by armor and filled with rows of ammunition shelves. He had seen them with his own eyes, exactly five of them.


    The first three ammunition chambers were arranged in a ''Æ·'' shape around themand tower¡ªone at the bow and one on each side of themand tower.


    Between thetter two ammunition chambers located aft, there was a boiler room, with thick steel partitions separating and protecting each one individually.


    From today''s perspective, such a design with ammunition rooms nking a boiler room, though it enhanced firepower, had a somewhat negative impact on defense.


    Thisyout became gradually obsolete; a more optimized arrangement for battleships should include two turrets at both the fore and aft, or two forward and one aft.


    Either configuration would save on the length needed for armor protection, allowing more concentrated and thicker armor to ensure the safety of the ammunition stores and the boiler propulsion areas.


    However, given the era when the Dreadnought was born, there seemed to be no enemy ships capable of contesting it at sea, so these minor defensive details were overlooked in favor of installing an additional turret.


    The Jade City''s mainmast towered over 30 meters high, with a look-out tower on top. Due to the design, the look-out close to the chimney probably wouldn''t enjoy a pleasant smell during operations.


    There was no getting around that; to improve air quality for those inside, the mast had already been raised by at least five meters.


    Counting the gpole above the look-out tower, this massive mast stood over 35 meters tall, a true testament to standing tall and seeing far.


    The reason for such a tall gpole was because this warship, since the very moment of its construction, was destined to serve as the gship of the fleet.


    Here, Tang Mo''s Dragon Banner would be raised, proiming to the entire fleet that the master of the Great Tang Group was aboard, while it also served to intimidate the enemy.


    Another mast stood amidships, between the two rear turrets, fitted with an auxiliary look-out tower, as well as telephone and other equipment.


    The entire warship crew totaled close to 800 people, almost the size of an augmented battalionbat unit of the Great Tang Group.


    Operating such a warship was not an easy task, as it had no fewer than 18 boilers and four steam turbine assemblies powering four thick shafts, which in turn rapidly spun the massive propellers under water, providing the thrust needed to propel the ship forwards and backwards.


    With one refueling, it could travel over 10,000 kilometers at economic cruising speed, setting sail from the Great Tang Group''s ports spread across the Endless Sea, with an operational radius covering the entirety of the Endless Sea.


    If apanied by a supply ship, it could continue to operate at sea for an extended period¡ªthe warship was equipped with numerous cranes, both folding and fixed, allowing it to simply conduct replenishment operations at sea.


    Since the Great Tang Group had no torpedoes and the enemy was unlikely to possess such weapons, the Jade City had removed the conspicuous anti-torpedo booms on the sides of the Dreadnought, giving the Jade City a cleaner and much more streamlined appearance.


    Regrettably, the workers could not yet see the entire warship; they could only observe it changing day by day, bing moreplex by the day.


    Layer uponyer of decks were stacked up, withplex wiring and venttion systems being installed in their designated spots.


    This warship was a masterpiece of new technology, incorporating a plethora of advanced technologies including telephones.


    It was also equipped with bona fide radio sets capable of immediate voicemunication over short to medium distances¡ªapletely new technology not used on the Brunas-ss irond warships.


    Do not underestimate these technologies; had it not been for the development of new air conditioning systems, therge vents of the Brunas-ss ironds would have had to be retained on the Jade City-ss battleships.


    Now, the new venttion system gave the Jade City-ss a far neater look, and enhanced its protective capabilities.


    All of this was well known to the workers who built it. Had it not been for technological advancements, this warship would be unfeasible for use; indeed, it wouldn''t have been possible to construct at all.

 Chapter 362 358 bark

    As Tang Mo''s super battleship was being built, piece by piece, within the far reaches of the Empire of Na, a mria outbreak was raging.


    In the past, such events would ur every summer, and people were helpless against this deadly disease.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The assembly of any military force could potentially lead to an epidemic, and mria was one such disease.


    Once the size of a city expanded, various diseases would sometimes be prevalent, which was a significant hindrance to urban development.


    The advent of Brunas led to a shift in perspective regarding cities for many countries; modern medicine made the existence of megacities possible.


    Due to advancements in medical science, Great Tang Group started promoting the cultivation of cowpox, allowing vinators to be immune to smallpox for life.


    Therefore, anyone working within the controlled regions of the Great Tang Group had to be vinated with cowpox, thereby ensuring the safety of the city residents.


    Soon, this method was proven to be very effective; Dorne, Suthers, and the Leite region all began adopting this method.


    As a result, in these countries, densely popted cities gradually broke their shackles and started to approach the terrifying size of Brunas.


    Cities with a poption of a hundred thousand were evolving into cities of two hundred thousand; capitals that had several hundred thousand inhabitants were now approaching a million.


    All of this went hand in hand; the epidemic prevention methods promoted by Great Tang Group yed a key role, as did the obstetric techniques also promoted by the same group.


    Poption increase began with raising the birth rate¡ªit was still a very dangerous affair for women of this era to give birth.


    Thus, Great Tang Group began to establish obstetric hospitals to focus on pregnant women, scale up and spread experience, allowing more doctors to master critical techniques.


    The old Prime Minister of the Leite Kingdom was one such beneficiary of these advancements ¡ª his grandson was born and survived thanks to the obstetric technology of Great Tang Group.


    Many of Great Tang Group''s pharmaceuticals became popr in these benefited regions, and hospitals established there were willing to use these drugs.


    Because these drugs were proven to be truly effective, they could bring about rapid recovery. Despite being costly, they ensured that those who could afford them would survive.


    The world was never all that fair to begin with; the rich getting better healthcare was a harsh reality.


    Although Great Tang Group was still trying to keep prices down as much as possible, after several hand changes, the prices still soared.


    Not many could get their hands on affordable medicines, and even then, it was only possible in Great Tang Group-controlled areas like Brunas and Jade City.


    However, the progress in medicine, at the very least, provided people with hope, a faint hope to conquer diseases and continue living.


    This time, the reason why the outbreak of mria in the Empire of Na was so concerning was that the Emperor of Na had also fallen ill.


    At the beginning, because he had better sanitation and the care of court physicians, the Emperor did not take his illness seriously.


    During the first few days of his illness, he still visited two of his concubines, and then his condition took a turn for the worse and became uncontroble.


    As time went on, his health deteriorated further. Soon he was unable to work, and then confined to his bed.


    "His Majesty''s condition is not good¡­" A group of Ministers gathered in the discussion hall of the Imperial Pce were anxious as they discussed the Emperor''s health.


    One middle-aged Minister with a grim expression lowered his voice and uttered words that filled those around him with dread, "If there aren''t any better solutions, I think we should start considering what''s toe!"


    "What are you saying? That''s treasonous!" A colleague beside him was startled and immediately lowered his voice to rebuke.


    The middle-aged Minister sneered and retorted, "Then what''s your brilliant n? We''ve tried everything, bloodletting, prayers from shamans; we even burned three women as offerings to the gods¡­"


    "Damn it, all those doctors should be hanged! They only know how to bleed people!" Someone next to him turned pale as if disgusted.


    "What''s the use of talking about this now?" Another Minister spread his hands helplessly, lookingpletely at a loss.


    The middle-aged Minister looked at his colleagues and asked, "What''s the word from the Crown Prince?"


    "What do you think he could say at this point? Right now, all he needs to do is wait, anything else is superfluous; he just needs to wait for the news," replied the Minister in charge of liaising with the Crown Prince as he shook his head.


    The Crown Prince was no fool; at such a time, he didn''t need to do anything¡ªjust waiting for a message was enough.


    "The throne would be his sooner orter anyway. If his father recovered, he would just wait a few more years; if his father was eager to depart this life, then he would ascend to the throne..."


    Several ministers looked at each other, and eventually wrested out a sentence, "But, someone has to step forward to take control of the situation, right?"


    "The Prime Minister is not on our side; we must be wary of that corner..." Before the leading middle-aged minister could finish his sentence, a hastily approaching pce guard interrupted him.


    "Trouble! Trouble!" The guard burst in, shouting loudly.


    "What is it! Speak!" The middle-aged minister frowned in disdain and scolded.


    "The first Imperial Concubine, with her people, broke into His Majesty''s sleeping chamber! We, we couldn''t stop her!" The pce guard reported with his head bowed.


    "Useless! Stand aside!" The middle-aged minister shoved the guard away, and took to his feet towards the outside.


    "Hurry! Hurry! To the sleeping chamber! Quick!" The surrounding ministers also hurriedly followed, and a group of them quickly made their way to the Emperor''s sleeping chamber.


    "Mo Kangsen! His Majesty is unwell, and you barge in with your men at this time, are you trying to rebel?" The middle-aged minister saw the opponent blocking the way at the entrance of the Emperor''s bedroom and questioned loudly.


    Mo Kangsen, with his plump andrge ears, stood there sneering, "Hmph, rebel? Joyce! If anyone is rebelling, it would be you, wouldn''t it?"


    "Whatever you say now is useless! Leave immediately! Otherwise, I will not be polite." Realizing that the guards around him seemed to have been reced by those brought by Mo Kangsen, Joyce knew that thetter was really after the hot potato that was the Emperor.


    Now that the Emperor was seriously ill and could die at any time, taking control of the Emperor was not necessarily a good thing. This was also why he didn''t actually deploy heavy troops to guard the sleeping chamber¡ªhe hadn''t decided whether or not he wanted the Emperor to die by his hand.


    "If I hadn''te... you would probably have killed His Majesty! Joyce! Take your men and scram!" Mo Kangsen scratched his fleshy head and suddenly raised his voice, taking on a righteous appearance.


    "You! Don''t be smug! Mo Kangsen! His Majesty is fine with me. If anything happens to him in your hands, I would like to see, see how you exin it to everyone in the Empire of Na!" Joyce knew about the Emperor''s illness, so he started to backpedal.


    Just now, the doctor who had bled the Emperor had secretly told him that the Emperor might breathe hisst tonight.


    Joyce, almost certain that the Emperor was beyond help, eventually decided to let the Emperor die in Mo Kangsen''s hands.


    "You just wait!" With a snort, not daring to recklessly wield weapons outside the Emperor''s sleeping chamber, Joyce left with the other ministers following him.


    Turning around, he pushed open the door and then instructed someone to quickly close it. As soon as Mo Kangsen entered the room, he spoke to a male doctor who was fiddling with a medicine box, "I have put my life in your hands, you''d better be telling the truth."


    "Of course, His Majesty''s physical condition is very poor, but these problems are all caused by the bloodletting from Joyce''s people." The doctor smiled with a reassuring and convincing demeanor.


    As he took out the medication, he continued, "His Majesty merely has mria, this disease is not fatal."


    Mo Kangsen felt the need to remind the other, "Before you came to me, mria was basically an incurable disease in the Empire of Na! Some people recovered from this disease, but they were the minority, most people would die..."


    In the Empire of Na, mria was truly a deadly infectious disease, iming the lives of many people each year.


    "With the medication from Great Tang Group, it is no longer fatal... Mr. Mo Kangsen, you will soon witness a miracle." Holding the medicine and water, the doctor approached the Emperor''s bedside and signaled the first Imperial Concubine¡ªMo Kangsen''s daughter¡ªto help the Emperor sit up.


    "I must be crazy, to watch someone give the Emperor some unclear substance to ingest... Could you tell me what this really is? So I can rx a bit..." Mo Kangsen murmured timidly, suspecting he must be insane to undertake such a wild endeavor.


    Logically, an Emperor on his deathbed was definitely a hot potato, especially when the Crown Prince was already firmly established in his position.


    A subsequent investigation would cause him immense pain, and if the Crown Prince truly wanted a scapegoat, Mo Kangsen felt he would certainly be the unlucky one.


    "Hmm, it''s nothing, just a substance extracted from the bark of a tree, you can think of it as a kind of herbal medicine." After administering the medicine to the Emperor, the doctor replied.


    "You actually gave a tree bark to an Emperor to eat?" Mo Kangsen felt as if his whole world had just turned upside down in an instant.


    "Ha... ignorant fellow, you haven''t seen things extracted from moldy substances yet..." The doctor disdainfully mocked Mo Kangsen, this top noble of the Empire of Na.


    In his eyes, nobility were just rich fools. Only the great Mr. Tang and those prophetic medical school professors deserved his respect.


    Undeterred, Mo Kangsen scratched his head and continued to ask, "I hope you seed... What is this medicine called?"


    In his opinion, such a doctor brimming with confidence, who maybe could indeed perform miraculous healings, was not to be offended... who knows when he himself would need such a service...


    "Quinine," the doctor answeredconically.

 Chapter 363 I resigned

    Brunas, within the spacious reception room, Harry rubbed his temples wearily. He was now responsible for the operation of Brunas city and had to workte into the night every day.


    Although the financial center was shifting towards Dragon City, Brunas remained one of the most important cities controlled by the Great Tang Group, and there were countless affairs to manage.


    Every day he had to handle a plethora of matters, including measures to respond to the flu outbreak, updating sewers andying telephone lines, maintenance of electric lines...


    Plus the repair of roads, expansion of railways, construction of military airfields, and nning of civilian airports...


    These infrastructural developments alone were enough to cause him immense stress, and he still had to represent the Great Tang Group in Brunas, receiving envoys from all over the world.


    There was no helping it. Even though Tang Mo had now gone to Dragon Ind, Brunas, being the most famous city controlled by the Great Tang Group, still attracted many envoys from various regions.


    At the moment, there was a Dwarf from the Northern Region, incessantly moring in front of Harry: "Everything that Ice Kingdom can give you, we can too! If you are willing to support the Western Dwarf Kingdom, we are prepared to pay any price!"


    The support from the Great Tang Group brought tremendous changes to the Ice Cold Kingdom; the war that annihted the northern Dwarf Empire made the Ice Cold Kingdom renowned in the Northern Region.


    Many Dwarf Kingdoms had no choice but to acknowledge the threat of the Ice Cold Kingdom; many spies sent back secrets of the Ice Cold Kingdom to their homnds, and then these Dwarf Kingdoms sent envoys to Brunas seeking assistance.


    Their demands were simple: whatever Ice Kingdom had, they wanted too! Whether it was cannons or rifles, steam engines or railway trains, they wouldn''t ept one item less! For this, they were also prepared to offer their mineral resources, to hand over their tariffs, and even more, to cede cities or provide arge number of ves.


    "Unfortunately, we cannot betray our allies, so... credibility stays credibility, business stays business. If you are willing, we can transfer civil technologies, including agricultural nting, which can effectively improve your living conditions," Harry yawned, speaking in a bored tone the routine titudes.


    The external policy of the Great Tang Group was set in stone, and he had no power to change it. The other party had no rtionship with the Great Tang Group, and Tang Mo surely wouldn''t change the cooperative stance with the Ice Cold Kingdom for something like the Western Dwarf Empire.


    There was no sense to be argued here; it was simply a matter of firste, first served.


    Sometimes love is like that too¡ªthere isn''t any special reason; it''s just that someone arrived first, and those whoeter miss their chance¡ªalthough chances do exist, they only start from the number three on the path of upgrading.


    Clearly, the Great Tang Group wasn''t a scoundrel, nor did they n to easily shake the foundation of their cooperation with the Ice Cold Kingdom, so Harry had no reason to change his position.


    Therefore, the Great Tang Group could offer all kinds of assistance to theseter Dwarf Kingdoms, except for substantial help.


    Or rather, the Great Tang Group was at least more humane than the United States¡ªthey were willing to provide agricultural technology, fertilizers, and other materials, providing that the Dwarf Kingdoms were willing to pay for them.


    Even more, as long as they paid enough money, the Great Tang Group was willing to sell expensive new medications, willing to sell civilian light industrial machinery.


    As long as these kingdoms had some ability to develop themselves, these civilian machines could indeed make them prosperous to some extent, umting some capital more or less.


    But clearly, the other party was not willing to wait, or rather, they no longer had the time to undergo the slow development process.


    "But we need rifles! Cannons!" Thus, the Dwarf Envoy from the Western Dwarf Kingdom insisted, speaking earnestly.


    Harry continued to reply with routine responses: "Unfortunately, our agreement with the Ice Cold Kingdom contains clear uses..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Then tear it up! We can give you everything! As long as you..." The envoy from the Western Dwarf Kingdom stood up anxiously, as if wanting to rush up to Harry.


    Harry kept repeating himself like an endlessly rotating wheel: "Unfortunately, we..."


    The Great Tang Group was not Shireck, and Tang Mo had no intention of tearing up any signed contracts. He needed to maintain the Group''s credibility because, on the other hand, he had to uphold his own financial and mary system.


    A good reputation is worth more than many advantages. At critical moments, credibility can be as powerful as a superweapon.


    Breaking promises for short-term enormous benefits can lead to moreplex issues and potentially backfire, causing the promise breaker to pay a higher price.


    In fact, in the real world, the copse of the Western credibility system has been more direct and more fatal than the copse of their hegemony.


    This has led them to lose credibility in the arena of public opinion and consequently, their power to persuade. This copse is more fatal than any battlefield defeat.


    Because of the existence of nuclear weapons, wars of annihtion between major powers are not possible under the new world order, making the arena of public opinion and ideological core the center of warfare contention.


    With credibility lost and the power to persuade gone, the Western world''s losses are visible to the naked eye. Bankrupted in their credibility, they can no longer convince the kind people of Huaxia of the lies of those traitorous public intellectuals.


    Confronted with their inability to truly engage in conflict and their lies exposed, the Western world had been toppled from its pedestal, transformed from a beacon of enlightenment into a messy local market.


    That''s why Tang Mo didn''t want to y this way. He aimed to maintain his reputation as much as possible while leading the era.


    At the very least, he nned to hold on to this fig leaf until he decided to tear it off and allow his reputation to go bankrupt!


    "Please! We''re even willing to hand over our customs and mines, just as long as you are willing to help us¡ªlike you did with the Ice Cold Kingdom..." The envoy from the Western Dwarf Kingdom was clearly trying to tempt Harry further, believing that more benefits would surely sway him.


    Harry was indeed tempted, but he still cruelly declined, "I''m very sorry, but your meeting time is up. If you want to discuss civil technology cooperation with us, please make another reservation for next time..."


    What a joke¡ªif they fell out with the Ice Cold Kingdom, the Great Tang Group would lose the Eternal Winter Port base at the northernmost edge of the Endless Sea.


    Without Eternal Winter Port, even if the Great Tang Group gained more mines in the north, how would they transport the resources back?


    Without a railway extending to Osa Port in the far south through thends of the dwarf kingdoms of the north, the Great Tang Group would not forgo the strategically important port of Eternal Winter Port in favor of distance over convenience.


    "You will regret it, the bastards from the Ice Cold Kingdom are despicable and shameless! You''ll regret it!" The envoy from the Western Dwarf Kingdom was still not giving up; unable to grab Harry by his cor, he could only bluff with empty threats.


    Harry, of course, was unmoved. Even if the Ice Cold Kingdom were to betray them, the Great Tang Group had plenty of ways to take back whatever they wanted.


    This deal had always been about the Dwarf Kingdom begging the Great Tang Group from the beginning to the end. Only by understanding this could one truly grasp who was in control of the negotiations.


    "Show our guest out!" he ordered indifferently.


    The guards at the sides pushed the doors open, signaling the end of this meeting.


    The envoy from the Western Dwarf Kingdom left with his tail between his legs; despite his reluctance, without a port or navy, and not bordering the sphere of influence of the Great Tang Group, they indeed had no other options.


    They couldn''t threaten the Great Tang Group, nor could they solve their transportation problems, so even if they had better natural resources than the Ice Cold Kingdom, theycked the leverage to sway the Great Tang Group.


    ...


    The door was pushed open once more, and Harry instantly perked up. If he had only been at thirty percent while dealing with the envoy from the Western Dwarf Kingdom, now he was operating at two hundred percent.


    Because this time, the one who came in was a woman.


    Or rather, a girl.


    Yulin had now matured into a beautiful young woman. She wasn''t the kind of breathtaking beauty that struck one immediately, but she had a charm that grew on you the more you looked at her.


    She was dressed in casual attire, loose and revealing not a hint of curve, with one hand in her pocket and the other carrying a travel bag.


    This former female ss monitor had good features, especially her eyes, which were as if they could speak, impressing anyone with just a nce.


    "I''ve resigned, I''m off to Dragon Ind." She said, tossing the Tang Group''s exorbitantly priced travel bag onto the coffee table and casually sitting on the sofa like azy cat.


    "Ah... bossdy... didn''t the teacher say before he left... you''ll return to Dragon City next year with the experimental project..." Harry felt more nervous negotiating with Yulin than speaking to an envoy of an empire.


    "It''s okay, I''m going so he can scold me." Yulin smiled, revealing two attractive dimples on her face, "Do you think, does he have the heart to hit me?"


    "Gulp..." Harry swallowed nervously, his eyes darting elsewhere¡ªplease, if you''re nning to have a flirty spat with the teacher, don''t drag me into this mess.


    Seeing him silent, Yulin twirled a strand of hair around her finger, "Arrange a ship for me! Otherwise, I''ll be having dinner here with you."


    "You might as well eat me..." Harry agonized as he shut his eyes tight and clenched his teeth, "I''ll arrange the ship for you! Please, hurry on... If Galsa and Dino find out, I''ll definitely be skinned alive..."


    "Thanks a bunch!" Yulin stood up, grabbed the travel bag in front of her, and waved her hand, "I''m off! No need to see me out."


    "Sigh..." Covering his face with his hands, Harry started fretting about how he was going to exin this matter to the principal.

 Chapter 364 360 Tap

    "Sigh... I didn''t end up using this, and it wouldn''t be suitable to bring to Dragon Ind, so I''ll just leave it for you." Pulling her hand out of the pocket of a casual outfit justunched by Great Tang Fashion this year, Yulin ced the small and exquisite PPK handgun on the coffee table.


    "You know... you weren''t thinking of kidnapping me just now, were you?" Harry''s eyebrows couldn''t help but tremble as he looked at the handgun Yulin had set on the coffee table and couldn''t help but make ament.


    "Don''t put it that way, an elegantdy should always carry a weapon for self-defense, no matter the asion," Yulin said with a smile, that brilliant, intoxicating smile that made Harry feel a bit dizzy.


    This woman... is poisonous.


    Harry knew that she definitely had another handgun on her, and perhaps she had even more than one handgun left on her.


    This woman was even more dangerous than she appeared, with that seemingly harmless and exceedingly sunny smile, there was a determined big heart underneath.


    If she weren''t such a woman, who else would like her so much?


    It''s a pity that in this lifetime, he couldn''t pursue her anymore.


    Harry sighed and realized that he had been leaning against the window, watching Yulin leave in a car for a long time.


    The door was pushed open once again; this time, it was a middle-aged man with a balding head. As soon as he entered, he bowed respectfully.


    This man was quite restrained, just as Harry had been when he saw Yulin in the room earlier: "Mr. Harry, this is the production summary for the copper mine in the Marban area fromst quarter."


    As he spoke, he handed over the ledgers, delivery documents, and summaries to Harry, who had just returned behind his desk.


    Harry didn''t take those documents but motioned for the man to set them on the desk. Then Harry said in an even tone, "I''m really sorry for the trouble of you personally delivering these..."


    "It''s my duty, my duty." The man was taken aback, and then immediately bowed even more respectfully, as if he were a traitor kowtowing in front of a Japanese lord.


    "I want to know, why the copper mine production dropped by 15 tonsst quarter." Harry toyed with his favorite pen, which was also a product of Great Tang Group, engraved with Tang Mo''s dragon emblem.


    This writing instrument was developed and produced by Great Tang Group. The first batch wasn''trge, and most were given to Tang Mo''s subordinates.


    Although initially, due to production precision issues, these pens were not reliable, they were still cherished by many of the old-timers at Great Tang Group.


    They had participated in the manufacture of these pens with their own hands, and they viewed them as a badge, a proof of their existence.


    Nowadays, better and more convenient pens have be popr in Brunas; Harry himself had many high-quality pens, but his favorite to pick up was still the keepsake given to him by Tang Mo.


    The man, looking a bit nervous, stuttered in response, "I, I am investigating..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Harry leaned back in his chair and stared coldly at the man, saying, "There''s no need to investigate anymore. I''ve seen your wage expenditures, and indeed, the workers did work overtimest month, and they were in fine form."


    "My lord... There are always those who shirk their duties..." The balding man, while wiping sweat from his forehead, tried to offer an exnation.


    Harry interrupted his words, his tone bing slightly unfriendly, "I agree with that statement, but let me finish what I have to say first."


    "Actually, I know that not only did your Marban mining district not cut productionst quarter, it even produced an extra 5 tons of pure copper." Harry said as he took several investigative reports from a stack of documents in front of him and casually threw them on top of the quarterly production summary reports the balding man had brought.


    He tapped his finger on them a few times, and the sound of his fingertip tapping the paper was like gunshots ringing in the balding man''s ears.


    After tapping a few times, Harry continued to speak, "However, your son sold the copper to the smugglers who came knocking. After all, the price of copper mines hasn''t stopped rising recently, right?"


    "My, my lord..." The balding man suddenly raised his head, staring at Harry. He truly did not know when the other party had started investigating him.


    He even had the impression that he had been under surveince all along, that this young man in front of him had everything about him down pat.


    His son was only a few years older than this young man, yet thetter had already be a terrifying figure whom he himself revered, while his own son was nothing more than a simpleyabout.


    Harry reminded him again, "I told you, let me finish speaking."


    The sound of his voice seemed to indicate that his patience was wearing thin with each interruption.


    The balding man immediately became even more submissive, as if ready to kneel at any moment. With a crying tone, he started to apologize habitually, "I am sorry..."


    "Your family recently has not been short on purchases, your wife bought four new handbags from Great Tang Fashion, and your son bought a new car..." Harry sneered and then recited the findings from Great Tang Intelligence Department to him, word for word.


    Every time Harry mentioned an item, the balding man trembled with fear. It appeared the other party knew everything, even more than he did.


    The young manager who took over for Mr. Tang in Brunas had a clear grasp of how much bribe his damn son had taken.


    He swore to heaven that before he entered this room, he didn''t know his son had taken so much!


    The room was filled with silence.


    Soon, Harry spoke again, "If you hadn''t remained diligent and responsible, and if there hadn''t been any issues with the copper mine management, I wouldn''t have asked you to bring this report here."


    He walked around his desk, approached the other party, and patted his shoulder twice, "Don''t give me any reason to kill you, because you only have one life! Understand?"


    "This subordinate knows his mistake," the man with the bald head barely managed to utter his apology, his legs feeling weak.


    "Go back, break one of your son''s legs to teach him a lesson, and tell your wife that a good life is hard toe by, and she should cherish it more. Keep your damn family in line and don''t let them mess up your own affairs anymore! Got it?" Harry leaned in close to the man''s ear and asked softly.


    "Understood, understood," the bald man replied instinctively after swallowing hard.


    Harry, who remembered the state of being bullied by Yulin just a while ago, felt a pang of sympathy and added a few more words, "Here''s some advice for you, if your family keeps dragging you down, get a new wife, have more sons and raise them from scratch¡­ Don''t joke with your own life, and the affairs of the Group''s Malban mining area¡­"


    The bald man answered with renewed fear, "Yes! This subordinate understands."


    "Off you go! The next time youe here, I hope it''s for amendation, not your head!" Harry waved his hand, signaling the man could leave.


    "Yes¡­" The bald man, as if pardoned, quickly rolled out of the room.


    ...


    Soon, another Dwarf hurried into Harry''s office, and as he entered, he blurted out, "Sir, has the envoy from the Western Dwarf Kingdom already visited?"


    Harry put down the exquisite PPK handgun left by Yulin that he had been cleaning and admitted, "Yes, he just left."


    The envoy from the Ice Cold Kingdom immediately emphasized with some annoyance, "Sir, I hope you remember that the Great Tang Group has a cooperation agreement with our Kingdom, so you should not be meeting with envoys from the Western Dwarf Kingdom, which is¡­"


    Harry interrupted him, reminding him firmly, "Mr. Envoy! I hope you watch how you speak! Who the Great Tang Group meets with is our business! No one can interfere¡­ Understand?"


    Many times, his job was to receive all sorts of people, envoys from various Kingdoms, and some businessmen wealthy enough to rival entire countries. He had to negotiate with them to maintain the interests of the Great Tang Group or to establish partnerships.


    Dealing with these shrewd characters was not an easy task. For instance, the attitude of the Ice Cold Kingdom''s envoy was so forceful because they wanted to intimidate Harry with their assertiveness.


    However, their rhythm was disrupted.


    The other party tried to recover theirposure, "But¡­"


    "There are no ''buts''!" Harry did not give the other party the chance to rebound and became even more assertive. After all, he knew that the cooperation with the Ice Cold Kingdom was in its honeymoon phase, and his attitude would not affect the strategic alliance between the two parties.


    As expected, the Ice Cold Kingdom''s envoy, unable to regain ground, began softening his approach, "I understand... Then, Sir, what brings them here?"


    "They hope to receive our support as well," Harry replied truthfully.


    "So, what is the Great Tang Group''s stance, if you may disclose it?" The Dwarf softened his tone further, evidently a bit cautious.


    Harry smiled and gave an answer that greatly satisfied the other party: "The cooperation between the Great Tang Group and the Ice Cold Kingdom remains unchanged, and the Ice Cold Kingdom is still the only Dwarf Kingdom in the Northern Region that we support."


    "Thank you." After hearing this response, the envoy''s attitude made a one-hundred-eighty-degree turn, and his tone became much more cordial.


    Harry was ustomed to this sort of face-changing performance, continuing indifferently, "You''re wee. Everything follows the contract. Business is business, and the Group has never had any issues with credibility. Trust is the foundation of all cooperation."


    The other party hastily offered himself a way out while emphasizing the significant benefits that the Great Tang Group enjoyed in the Ice Cold Kingdom, "The Ice Cold Kingdom''s credibility is just the same, and we will continue to maintain the interests of the Great Tang Group within our territory."


    His meaning was clear: Don''t forget, you still have a lot of money with us!


    "I''m aware," Harry replied with a double entendre, concluding the meeting.


    ------


    Went downstairs for a nucleic acid test, forgot to send... Realized only aftering back, sorry.

 Chapter 365 361 Expo

    Suthers Kingdom, King City.


    A car sped along the not-so-smooth road, pamphlets fluttering out from the vehicle''s windows. Passersby stopped and picked up a pamphlet, attentively reading the content.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The pamphlet, printed in colored ink, contained content that seemed to be unrted to the general public.


    The pamphlet announced that the Great Tang Group was nning to hold the first "World Industrial Expo" in Bruna in three months'' time.


    To be honest, manymoners in Suthers didn''t even know what an exposition meant, fortunate the pamphlet provided an exnation.


    The so-called World Industrial Expo was a super-gathering concerning industrial development. Anybody with advanced technology or innovative ideas rted to technology was wee to join the exposition.


    Anyone, whether from textiles or mining, shipbuilding or any hodgepodge of industries, could attend the exhibition as long as they had new technology.


    If someone showed interest, they could sell their ideas or products, promoting innovative developments and enabling neers in the field of industrial technology to quickly see financial returns.


    The Great Tang Group would also present theirtest technologies at the exposition, including telephone technology, more precise steam engines, newer models of automobiles, and models of ships.


    Beyond new technologies and ideas, industrial processing innovations were also a key focus of the exposition.


    Both individual workers and factories could participate in a technologypetition, showcasing their precision-manufactured parts and pushing technology to be more precise and advanced.


    If someone''s craftsmanship or technological innovation, invention


    At the end of the exposition, the Great Tang Group would judge the most revolutionary innovations and award the Great Tang Technology Gold Prize to the innovators.


    This award, sponsored by the Great Tang Group, offered three levels; the third-ss prize was unlimited, and anyone whose design or technology met the criteria could win. There were only ten second-ss prizes, and only one first-ss prize!


    Do not underestimate this prize; the Great Tang Group had prepared a generous reward of 50 Gold Coins for each third-ss winner, 500 Gold Coins for each second-ss winner, and the first-ss prize was a staggering 10,000 Gold Coins!


    "What''s this?" asked a passerby who had picked up another pamphlet, frowning and turning to their friend.


    Even though various reforms had taken ce in Suthers, the literacy rate was still very low, especially in King City of Suthers, where a considerable proportion of the poption was illiterate.


    The King of Suthers, having recognized this problem, emted the Great Tang Group by establishing two schools in King City.


    One was an elementary school to raise literacy rates; the other was an advanced school.


    The advanced school even hired graduates from the Great Tang Group to teach various modern sciences, fully aligning with Great Tang.


    Moreover, after paying 100,000 Gold Coins each year, the advanced school, also known as the Suthers Royal Academy, earned the right to send 30 graduates to the Great Tang Technology Institute for further study each year.


    "Who knows... I can only understand the gist of it," another citizen of Suthers Kingdom admitted shyly and "boasted."


    He was literate and spent one day each week learning reading and math at the kingdom''s elementary school.


    That was his capital because by studying at the elementary school, he even received a good job in the kingdom''s administrative department!


    "What does it say?" a young man who had also picked up a flyer asked curiously.


    "It says that Bruna is going to host a big meeting with many people attending. Anyone with inventions can go too, and they might even win a cash prize in apetition," replied the literate clerk.


    Meanwhile, on the streets of Bruna, an elderly newspaper vendor waved his papers and loudly proimed, "Get your papers! Get your papers! The first World Industrial Expo in history is about tomence!"


    There was no choice, as the city''s children were all attending school¡ªBruna, or to say, the Great Tang Group mandated that all children must receive education from the age of five.


    Education for children aged 5 to 7 was preschool, from 7 to 13 was elementary, and from 13 to 16 was junior education... Tang Mo simply copied the school system from his previous life.


    However, what was different was that the Great Tang Group was wealthy, so all the way up to high school, education was free andpulsory.


    What''s more, as long as the participating children could keep up, they wouldn''t have to pay tuition fees all the way until postgraduate graduation, and they even received subsidies.


    Children who couldn''t keep up were sent to industrial technology schools to continue their education, and they had to master a skill before being ced in a relevant position.


    One could say that this system, which resembled wartime protocols, meant that it was rare to see idle youth in the controlled territories of the Great Tang Group.


    For this reason, jobs like selling newspapers were typically taken on by older individuals who couldn''t keep up with the times. They could support themselves with such work and even contribute a little extra to household expenses.


    The Great Tang Group had yet to introduce retirement insurance or simr systems, so elder carergely depended on the elderly themselves...


    An old man who looked about seventy sat in front of a roadside stall, which disyed a variety of newspapers.


    With the few teeth he had left, he called out loudly, "Come and have a look! Thetest news! The Great Tang Group is organizing the World Industrial Expo!"


    Now and then a woman would stop by, dig out some change, and buy a copy of the Great Tang Fashion newspaper.


    "Bruna may be the center of the world! Hosting the most important industrial meeting in history!" Another newsstand at the corner of this street shouted the same message, manned by an old woman.


    There were no fewer than fifteen different newspapers published in Bruna, most of them operated by the Great Tang Group themselves.


    There were papers for workers, business papers, and news and horse racing betting papers. There was a variety to choose from, all quite popr.


    Women preferred fashion newspapers while men mostly read news and business ones¡ªeach to their own, without bothering others.


    With the advent of radio broadcasts, Bruna even built a huge radio tower, and the wealthy were gradually getting used to listening to the radio.


    The emergence of radio stations had affected newspaper sales, much like the impact of the inte on the television industry.

 Chapter 366 362 Hero Postcards

    In order to prepare for this exposition, Great Tang Group spent money to ce their advertisements in any corner they could find.


    In the most eye-catching sections of newspapers that were distributed, there were ads for the World Industrial Expo. Newspapers from Dorne and Suthers, as well as those from the Leite Kingdom, all had them.


    In ces without newspapers, Great Tang Group crazily distributed flyers, which seemed to be sprinkled everywhere as if they cost nothing. Many people even picked them up to use as toilet paper.


    Almost the entirework of Great Tang Group''s connections had been mobilized, with all the intelligence personnel now having a side job, which was to promote this important expo of Great Tang Group.


    Even in the Empire of Na, the first Imperial Concubine personally endorsed the asion, helping Great Tang Group to hold six balls, each time promoting the expo and distributing tickets and invitations.


    After Great Tang Group''s campaign, almost half the world knew about the expo.


    To prevent dominance by a single entity, Great Tang Group went out of their way to find participants or enterprise factories for the expo in every direction within their reach. Simrly, to give everyone a chance to exhibit, Great Tang Group set the date of the expo three monthster.


    Even, to ensure the scale of the expo, Great Tang Group used its influence topel many factories to participate.


    For example, the lotive factory built in Suthers Kingdom with the help of Great Tang Group was forced to take part in this expo.


    This was the world''s first vehicle factory apart from Great Tang Group that could independently produce steam lotive engines ¡ª more modernized than Shireck''s workshops, and the lotives it produced were more advanced as well.


    Its technology came from Great Tang Group, and the manufacturing standards were all ording to Great Tang Group''s requirements, making the technology quite advanced.


    Initially, because the lotive factory was concerned that their technology wasn''t as advanced as Great Tang Group''s in the same field, they had no ns to attend this expo.


    But Great Tang Group issued a directmand, demanding the factory to send representatives, and even to bring along their product brochures and models, to attend the expo in Brunas on time.


    Simrly, the military industry enterprises from Northern Ridge were also obliged to participate in the expo, as they had only recentlypleted the development of a 155-millimeter caliber heavy howitzer with the help of Great Tang Group.


    This artillery factory could now produce new products such as 75-millimeter caliber howitzers, 105-millimeter caliber howitzers, and 155-millimeter caliber howitzers.


    Besides, they could also producepatible shells, and their technology was also quite advanced. Great Tang Group asked them to bring the actual products for the exhibition, since with the convenience of railway transportation, this was not very troublesome.


    In addition to these, the food processing factory in Ice Crystal City, which had just absorbed Great Tang Group''s anti-decay technology, was bing somewhat famous for its canned goods, instant noodles, andpressed biscuits.


    Many militaries were purchasing their products, and a portion of Suthers'' food reserves had even been reced with the more easily preservedpressed biscuits.


    This time, they too were invited and told to bring all their products to Brunas. To boost their confidence further, Great Tang Group even sold them technologies such as refrigeration machines.


    The industrial groups from the Laines Empire took the initiative to exhibit, having received the essence of firearm production technology from Great Tang Group.


    Beyond that, there were several factories under the Laines Empire''s industrial group which, although established with the technological support of Great Tang Group, were also quite advanced in technology.


    The automotive and trainponents produced by these factories are already almostparable with those produced by the Great Tang Group.


    Their processing uracy is quite impressive, and their products are in no way inferior to the originalponents from the Great Tang Group, they too are hoping to showcase themselves and obtain more orders from other countries.


    Moreover, the Great Tang Group, which hasrgely withdrawn from the light industrial and textile industries, has recently developed new textile machinery. These private enterprises are now starting to massively enter the ready-made clothing industry and have brought their own technologies to promote at the exhibition.


    In the same vein, Northern Ridge Auto nt provided 50 vehicles directly for the exhibition, which were just designed and manufactured for use as public transport buses.


    Before these vehicles, the world had yet to see buses dedicated solely to public transport. Thus, after their disy at the exhibition, these vehicles will remain in Brunas to serve as city buses within the city.


    At the same time, Por Kingdom is preparing to let its shipbuilder partake in the expo, though they will be showcasing sailboat construction techniques.


    After all, only a few factories in the world can produce steel ships, so sailboats are still the more mature and widespread means of maritime transport.


    Since sailboats are unlikely to bepletely phased out in the short term, there is still a market for them¡ªshipbuilding enterprises in Por Kingdom n to catch the tail end of the era and make theirst fortune.


    The Dwarf''s Ice Cold Kingdom is also nning to send representatives to the exhibition; they will be disying two types of products¡ªmining machinery and Dwarf-made Ice Cold brand cars.


    This is quite interesting because their mining machinery also follows in the footsteps of the Great Tang Group, employing technologies that are mostly obsolete from the Northern Ridge Mining Group.


    Regardless of the outdated technology, they are still prepared to promote themselves and, at least, be a familiar face¡ªthe exhibition is truly understood by them.


    On the other hand, the Dwarves'' car technology was also sourced from the Great Tang Group; in fact, the Ice Cold brand cars are the Great Tang Group''s Model T cars.


    Now, as the Great Tang Group itself has ceased the production of Model T cars, anyone wanting to buy a Model T or its parts has to look to the Dwarves of the Ice Cold Kingdom.


    There was originally no such tform in this world for workshop enterprises to market themselves. With the Great Tang Group establishing such a tform, many astute businessmen immediately grasped its profound implications.


    They don''t mind that the Great Tang Group uses it to promote themselves because they seem to care more about the significance of the expo itself.


    After all, they saw that the Great Tang Group announced that such exhibitions would be held every two years, where any enterprise or individual can promote themselves.


    This is a significant boon, for if they make a name for themselves at this grand event, they can sell their products to ces they previously couldn''t have imagined.


    Such a grand exchange can promotemerce, elerate the cirction of goods, and allow for a broader scope of resource sharing.


    This is an innovation! An unprecedented innovation!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ---------


    Dragon Spirit got vinated yesterday and wasn''t feeling well, so had a strong reaction. Woke up this morning feeling really sick, so today''s update is just treading water, sorry.

 Chapter 367 : Dragon 363

    ```


    "Heard the rumor?" In a dimly lit tavern in Brunas, a man leaned close to his friend with a mysterious air and whispered. His expression was wildly exaggerated, as if he were about to divulge a secret that would shake the heavens.


    His friend, holding a ss of wine, frowned and looked at him,pletely clueless about what terrifying secret he was about to share: "Heard what?"


    They were all old buddies, after all. Coming out to drink was just about boasting and shooting the breeze; didn''t they all know each other''s backgrounds?


    One was a foreman of a dock''s loading team, with dozens of loaders under him and a little money in hand, enough to be considered middle ss. Although he livedfortably, he was neither filthy rich nor nobility.


    The other was a minor clerk in the Brunas City construction department, responsible for managing the logistics of city construction materials. He held a bit of authority, but not the guts to take kickbacks and engage in corruption¡ªjust a simple clerk.


    What earth-shattering secrets could these two possibly know? Isn''t it all just hearsay and gossip?


    But when drinking, national secrets and shocking confidential matters will always be evergreen topics. Debating and casually joking while eating and drinking is as normal as it gets for two men.


    The foreman from the docks earnestly began with a so-called secret that was enough to make anyone burst intoughter: "Dragon Ind... there are actually dragons living there..."


    Mr. Clerk, who lived a routine life of just going to work and returning home, couldn''t possibly believe such things: "How is that possible? Who told you this? It can''t be true."


    Although many inds in this world remained undiscovered or had only been recently discovered, the existence of dragons was something nobody would believe.


    Dragons had long been extinct; this was an epted fact. It wasn''t possible for living dragons to be on Dragon Ind or else it would have been widely known.


    These days, if someone found a living dragon and caught it to sell tickets, they''d probably make a fortune. Such a creature isn''t some kind of secret that needs to be kept.


    Seeing that his old buddy didn''t believe him, the small dock boss immediately began with a familiar prelude, swearing by it: "My brother''s friend, you know him, that sailor... hasn''t he always been running transport with the Great Tortoise sailing ship?"


    These sorts of ims were always about a friend of a friend, a brother''s friend, a friend''s uncle''s son-inw''s friend''s brother''s cousin from next door...


    In short, "I have a friend, I have a rtive, I have a friend of a rtive"¡ªthis is the usual pattern for starting off a story.


    It''s like a sort of disimer that says, "It''s not me who''s iming this, but if you want someone to me, then go find someone else, I''m just sharing the gossip."


    As expected, Mr. Clerk knew the person and was quite familiar with him: "That drunkard? I know him, did he make up another story to tell you?"


    "Well... it''s not made up, did the Great Tortoise not just make a delivery of fabrics to Dragon Ind?" started the dock boss, assuring his ims from the beginning of the story.


    "And then? He saw a dragon?" asked the clerk as he took a sip of his drink and let out a satisfied sound, enjoying the moment and encouraging his friend to continue.


    Chatting or rather, shooting the breeze, requires a back-and-forth banter during these social gatherings for the conversation to flow.


    If you don''t pick up where the other left off, the topic dies, the atmosphere turns awkward, and the drinking session ends unsatisfactorily, right?


    Since they were old friends for many years, they could definitely keep up with each other, so there was no fear of dead air.


    The foreman from the docks nodded affirmatively: "Yeah, he saw it, there''s something flying in the sky over Dragon Ind!"


    "Something flying in the sky?" raised his eyebrows, the clerk thought maybe his friend had mistaken something else for the so-called dragon.


    Nowadays, there are just too many things that can fly in the sky: it wasn''t unusual to see arge kite, and hot air balloons were no novelty in Brunas either.


    "Yes, something''s flying in the sky!" The dock boss tapped his head and took a swig of his drink.


    Brunas beer, made with updated brewing equipment and added hops, had a better taste and became more popr.


    This type of processed beverage was bing increasingly favored and quickly became widespread in taverns. Compared to the costly Brunas 3-year or the even more exquisite Brunas 4-year, the more affordable beer became the staple drink of the masses.


    Meeting up with buddies for a drink at the tavern after work became a leisure activity for many men and a new source of ie for the Silver Fox.


    The clerk scoffed dismissively: "What''s so strange about that? Things fly in the sky over Brunas too, hot air balloons."


    Clearly, he was being somewhat argumentative.


    A sailor who could go to Dragon Ind had certainly stayed in Brunas. If he couldn''t recognize hot air balloons, which were visible almost every day, wouldn''t he be a fool?


    The Brunas hot air balloon industry was remarkably developed, having reached a level of affluence where the nobility would hire hot air balloons to hang advertisements in the sky for weddings.


    ```


    Every day, as various malls open,panies recruit, and new products are advertised, hot air balloons hang in the sky, disying banners.


    As expected, when teased by a friend, the man on the pier immediately exined, "No, not the kind that stays still! It''s up in the sky, flying!"


    "Hmm, an airship? Is it very big?" The clerk, who had seen much and knew better, scoffed.


    Airships, being more advanced than hot air balloons and not yet fully poprized, were indeed rare.


    But mingling in Brunas, all were the favored children of the gods, the cream of society¡ªwho hadn''t seen a bit of the world?


    Nowadays, Brunas had already opened airship passenger and cargo routes to Ice Crystal City, with exorbitantly priced tickets that still attracted many of the Nobility like moths to a me.


    It was akin to a holiday, or more precisely, an experience. For just a few dozen Gold Coins, they could truly fly once, and the nobility thought it well worth the price.


    Moreover, with such stability and the ability to sit by the porthole sipping wine while overlooking the earth at not a slow speed, it suited their noble status, didn''t it?


    The man on the pier nodded in agreement before adding, "I asked him the same thing, and he said it wasn''t an airship¡ªit''s... how should I put it, much smaller than an airship, and much faster... He said it whooshed away in a blink!"


    With the increasing number of airnes, gliders, and primitivemercial airnes on Dragon Ind, keeping thempletely secret and out of sight was nearly impossible.


    Some airfields were built next to Dragon City, so when nes took off ornded, they were naturally seen by some of the residents of Dragon City.


    The airfields constructed in the central part of the ind also saw an increasing number of nes¡ªjust the Camel Fighters alone had been produced by the dozens.


    These machines were unlike Battleships, which took a year or even several years to build. They had a simple structure, were small in size, and could be produced in the dozens in just a day if mass-produced in earnest.


    What really limited the number of aircraft of the Great Tang Group was the scarcity of pilots. It was difficult to cultivate this profession, which relied entirely on the umtion of time.


    Training pilots from scratch was aplicated matter, requiring at least dozens of hours of training flight time for them to fly independently.


    The first batch of pilots had no choice but to grope their way, and many bold maneuvers had to be discovered through trial and error.


    If it weren''t for Tang Mo providingprehensive textbooks and personally exining the theoretical knowledge of flying to the pilots, the training speed of Great Tang Group''s pilots would have been even slower.


    Even so, Great Tang Group now had a few hundred candidates capable of flying nes or gliders.


    To meet these individuals'' flying needs, Great Tang Group arranged a sufficient amount of flight training every day¡ªinevitably, someone would fly beyond the designated boundaries, allowing the people of Weigang or Dragon City to witness it.


    And more and more people were seeing it.


    Especially the locals on Dragon Ind, who had seen such flying objects soaring far away in the sky on several asions.


    Yet what they saw was not necessarily any specific type of airne but rather various strange and curious things.


    As a result, the stories passed around varied widely. Some imed to have seen a very small flying monster, while others described something quiterge.


    What some saw could have been just a small training glider, and others, perhaps, arge twin-engine airne with three engines.


    The Great Tang Group alone had three types of training gliders, and adding dual-seat trainers and actual fighter nes, the variety in aircraft only increased.


    When rumors about dragons filled the air, those with insider knowledge heard that a secret factory on Dragon Ind was where Great Tang Group was constructing numerous gigantic airships.


    Word had it that these airships were bigger than the cargo airships, equipped with more engines, and could be armed to attack the enemy while flying...


    Of course, such news only circted among the higher echelons; it was beyond the average person''s earshot. The most they could do was gossip about certain inert gases produced in their factories being dispatched to a secret base in the heart of Dragon Ind.


    "So, how much did that drunkard drink¡­" The clerk, who prided himself on his worldliness, arched his eyebrows with a spot-on expression.


    He believed such tales to beplete nonsense. Besides hot air balloons and airships, only birds could fly in the sky!


    "You don''t believe it?" The foreman of the port''s dockworkers, also uncertain of the truth of what he heard, asked somewhat apprehensively.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Emboldened by alcohol, the clerk banged forcefully on the table in front of him, boasting arrogantly, "How could I possibly believe... If what he said is true, then I''ll eat this table!"

 Chapter 368 : 364 Spies

    Tang Mo was indeed manufacturing airships, because before airnes were fully mature, airships could indeed do many things that airnes couldn''t.


    For example... bombing!


    The colossal airshipspletely surpass airnes in terms of load capacity. The amount of bombs that today''s airnes can carry could startle you!


    The Camel Fighter can carry a 45-kilogram Aerial Bomb¡ªthat''s the total weight! That means, it could carry about two 20-kilogram bombs for a bombing mission. Even therge, three-engine bines can''tpare in their carrying capacity to today''s airships.


    Beyond load capacity, the problem of range is also fatal. Airnes are now essentially authentic protectors of airports, with hundreds of kilometers ofbat radius, they are not viable as offensive weapons.


    What''s more, the Great Tang Group had some umtion in the production of inert gases, which improved the safety issues of airships.


    Moreover, there were no threats like Anti-Aircraft Guns at present, so airships could safely and efficiently carry bombs to bomb targets.


    As the head of the Great Tang Group, and a transmigrator, Tang Mo did have a somewhat low-level wicked sense of humor.


    He was very curious to know what expression the enemies of the Great Tang Group would have when they woke up one morning, opened their eyes, and saw dozens of airships covering the sky.


    If those airships were also painted with frightening shark mouths, wouldn''t that be quite a sight?


    Of course, Tang Mo wouldn''t be crazy enough to paint hammers and sickles on the sides of the airships, but he could paint his own Dragon Spirit emblem, which would surely be no less imposing.


    It justcked a certain vor, that sense of the Iron Curtain slowly falling, the unique BGM starting, the double-barreled Tanks crashing through the road signs...


    Even the names Tang Mo gave to these airships¡ªKirov¡ªbaffled people. The senior executives of the Great Tang Group still didn''t know what merit the name Kirov had to be used by Tang Mo to name a secret weapon.


    Tang Mo wasn''t afraid that airships would bepletely obsolete with the emergence of airnes; he could simply sell them afterwards.


    This is the advantage of being a technological pioneer; as long as he didn''t sell airnes, airships would remain absolutely advanced aerial weapons, able to be sold at a good price.


    As for the enemy developing bombing airships, Tang Mo wasn''t afraid because he had already deployed Fighters on Dragon Ind, which meant he already had a strong shield to defend against airships!


    ...


    Setting aside Tang Mo''s vague fantasies of initiating the Red Alert in an alternate world, in the far-off headquarters of Shireck, inside a luxuriously decorated conference room, a group of middle-level intelligence officers were holding a meeting to summarize intelligence.


    The Shireck Consortium had never stopped collecting intelligence on the Great Tang Group, and had even expanded their efforts against them.


    However, in thepetition between the two, the newly risen intelligence department of the Great Tang Group had always outmatched Shireck''s intelligence agencies.


    Silver Fox had basically be the nightmare of Shireck''s intelligence personnel, who tended to be emotionally unstable at the mere mention of this name.


    Fear and hatred were interwoven; with respect and fear, fear and anger, anger and helplessness... In short, the name Silver Fox had be taboo.


    Seeing his subordinates listless, a director who was chairing the meeting sighed after ncing at the redhead woman fixing her nails on the side and ordered, "Now let''s begin the summary..."


    Recently, Sofia''s status within the Shireck Consortium had risen again, and many directors were now leaning towards this red-haired beauty.


    After all, this woman had brought tangible profits to Shireck, as her spies had achieved unprecedented sess in stealing technologies from the Great Tang Group.


    While other spies were practically given no quarter by Silver Fox, Sofia''s people had even managed to obtain the full production blueprints of Great Tang Group''s T-model cars, and had additionally turned seven or eight engineers...


    This was really turning into a fantastic tale¡ªSofia''spany could now produce the T-model car, and had even made some modifications, enabling the Shireck Consortium to have its own car models.


    More outrageous was that Sofia had also gotten her hands on Great Tang Group''s ship design blueprints, cracking the secret of the propeller drive.


    At the same time, the shipyards under Sofia''smand had begun constructing new-type ships for the Shireck Consortium, although the new ship technology became Sofia''s own exclusive technology. The other directors of the Shireck Consortium, despite their intense coveting, had no other choice.


    After all, such independent technologies weremon among them all; this was also a cooperative model of Shireck¡ªeach specialized in their own strength, andter would take dividends based on the shares, without easily interfering with each other''s business operations.


    It was just like how the fat director had mastered the production of new rifles and pistols, Sofia did not inquire about it either.


    Because Sofia had recently brought many favorable developments to the Consortium, and her management skills had also been affirmed by everyone, with the support of most of the directors, she had now be Shireck''s decision maker, obtaining control over most of the Consortium''s power.


    This was also why she could attend such an intelligence briefing.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    One intelligence chief began the report, "As of June, which is two months ago... The steel transported from Southwater Port to Dragon Ind exceeded 3,000 tons, which is almost the maximum shipping capacity of Hotwind Port."


    Southwater Port is currently still under the management of the Por Kingdom, so it was easy for Shireck''s spies to obtain intelligence there.


    However, after discussing several peripheral small ports, when it came to ports controlled by the Great Tang Group, the reporter''s difort was obvious, "We can''t get the exact figures for Osa Port, we can only estimate a rough quantity, at least 19,000 tons and under normal conditions, no less than 25,000 tons."


    There was no choice, because of Silver Fox''s interference, they could only infer a rough estimate from fringe intelligence data.


    The person in charge of Hotwind Port had no option but to grit his teeth and put forward an extremely inurate number, "We can''t investigate the quantity for Hotwind Port either. Those damn Silver Fox people are very experienced, and our agents simply have no way to start. The data here is also an estimate, roughly between 20,000 tons and 40,000 tons."


    As expected, this caused dissatisfaction from the intelligence department chief, "Are you joking? 20,000 tons? To 40,000 tons? You call this estimation? I could give such vague figures sitting at home."


    The person in charge of Hotwind Port helplessly defended himself, "What can I do? The number of ships transporting goods keeps increasing, and our assessment of carrying capacity is getting less and less urate."


    Recently, whenever it involved intelligence summaries rted to the Great Tang Group, there were always such disputes and justifications.


    On one hand, the frontline intelligence work was bing increasingly difficult to execute, with a shortage of field espionage personnel who couldn''t be reced quickly enough, and on the other hand, the higher-ups wanted even more intelligence on the Great Tang Group.


    Inparison, the difficulties of this task kept intensifying.


    Thinking of the spy wars between both sides, someone clenched their teeth in anger, "We had never encountered such a situation before! We''ve never faced an opponent like this... Those damned Silver Fox people..."


    Another person added theirints, "Bribing officials is almost impossible, their ie ledgers are transparent, the Silver Fox people will investigate, andrge bribes simply cannot be hidden."


    "Offering small amounts of money and they don''t care for it, who would betray the flourishing Great Tang Group for a few dozen Gold Coins?" Immediately, there were agreeing voices on the other side.


    Theining chief grew increasingly sentimental as he spoke, "Even if there are those greedy for money, daring to take the bribe, the information they provide is iplete, merely guesswork. Worse, there''s also the chance they''re baiting us; our people go to get the data and end up caught on the spot."


    "We''ve lost more personnel in the past two years than in the previous ten yearsbined... especially in operations against the Great Tang Group..." another person chimed in agreement.


    Sitting at the head of the table, the instigator, the red-haired Sofia, was still idly filing her beautiful nails, not uttering a word, as if all this had nothing to do with her.


    After all, her people had suffered no loss; those sent to Brunas were well-fed and entertained daily, gambling, watching horse races, and their main task was to bring back Brunas''s most fashionable clothing, jewelry, and essories to me Castle.


    And ording to the cooperation between both parties, the Great Tang Group would from time to time proactively provide her with technology and intelligence, enabling her to steadily hold her position as the head of the Shireck Consortium, which was more than enough.


    "We can only try our luck with the neers now. The old hands know the situation too well to dare to go that way; even if they go, they won''t act, and some even disappear entirely." Someone nearby couldn''t help but sigh.


    Another person joined theining, "Disappearances are the least of it... Some have outright defected. Do you remember ck Hawk?"


    "ck Hawk? What happened?" Sofia''s nail filing paused, knowing that ck Hawk was a double agent controlled by the Great Tang Group, she was quite sensitive to this, so she was somewhat alert.


    That person immediately exined, "He sent dozens of telegrams filled with nonsense and false news. Had it not been for other undercover agents sending us real information, we''d still have been kept in the dark..."


    "Even someone as experienced as him has defected?" Sofia feigned disbelief, while thinking to herself that she should send a telegram to remind Tang Mo, to caution him about this double agent on their side...


    "Exactly..." Several intelligence chiefs didn''t dare suspect Sofia''s sincerity, nor did they have the guts to do so.


    "Let''s discuss serious matters!" The intelligence department head, with a somewhat embarrassed face, coughed to return everyone''s attention to the matter at hand.


    "Apologies." The people below immediately ended the topic with chagrin, "Sorry."


    --------


    Getting vinated really made me ufortable, and the update is dyed again, sorry. If I feel better tomorrow, I''ll make up for it =. =! Dragon Spirit seems to be caught in a never-ending cycle of owing and catching up on updates... how miserable.

 Chapter 369 : 365 New Art

    ```


    "It''s hard to say about Brunas side. The amount of steel transported away is terrifyingly high, possibly exceeding 70,000 tons, perhaps even over 100,000 tons..." Back to the matter at hand, the figure provided by the intelligence chief in charge of the Brunas case was even more ambiguous.


    Dragon Ind itself also has steel mills, with massive quantities of pig iron and rough iron being transported to the ind for processing and refining every day. Therefore, merely investigating the steel transported to the ind is actually meaningless.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Even though Tang Mo was building a battleship that would consume a significant amount of steel, faced with such enormous numbers, the Shireck side simply couldn''t specte any issues with Great Tang Group''s usage of metal.


    This was a simple matter if you were consistently consuming 100 kilograms of steel daily and suddenly increased to 200 kilograms a day, everyone would be surprised.


    But if you consume a million tons of steel every day, using an extra 100 kilograms one day would probably be nothing more than a small error, something no one would care about.


    Indeed, some people started to reflect, "In the past, the total annual steel demand of a kingdom wouldn''t even be this much. But now, just the total quantity shipped out is already this terrifying."


    In the past, a kingdom might not require that much steel in a whole year, or rather, even two or three kingdomsbined might not have as much demand for iron ore as a single Great Tang Group does now.


    The intelligence chief responsible for the Brunas direction added reluctantly, "If you include the steel consumed by Brunas itself, the total might exceed 300,000 tons."


    He actually guessed too low, and by half! In reality, just Brunas alone consumed about 600,000 tons of steel in a year.


    Keep in mind, this is only the steel manufactured and consumed by Brunas, not including other cities and regions controlled by Great Tang Group.


    Previously, this might have been the steel production of an empire, or even two empires, but now it had be a corporate indicator for a single group.


    Admittedly,pared to the annual production of several super steel enterprises in Huaxia, this number is not much, but the Great Tang Group is also growing and expanding, isn''t it?


    Especially within the borders of the Ice Cold Kingdom, an evenrger steel nt is being established. Once it starts production, Great Tang Group''s steel output seems like it could double again!


    ncing at the exceedingly beautiful Sofia, seated at the head of the table, the intelligence chief responsible for Brunas direction added, "No joke, just the steel consumption in the regions controlled by Great Tang Group is definitely over a million tons, and additionally, there is a lot of inter-regional transportation thatplicates our investigation, resulting in a high redundancy rate."


    "Under these circumstances, trying to calcte exactly how much steel Dragon Ind has consumed is impossible." He said this and stopped, shaking his head helplessly.


    "But the people above all want to know the specifics about Dragon Ind... Dragon Ind is imprable, and even if you go, you can only get a quick nce before leaving, so we have to resort to these clumsy methods." The person originally responsible for Dragon Ind intelligence was even more frustrated.


    "Sigh..." He sighed, not concealing his own failure, "So in terms of Dragon Ind, we have no valuable intelligence to report."


    Sofia set down the file in her hand on the table and encouraged with a smile, "A momentary win or loss doesn''t define anything. The Shireck Consortium has made it this far by defeating countless rivals. It''s just that this Great Tang Group is a bit more troublesome than others."


    She stood up, "Don''t lose heart! Don''t be timid! You must believe that one day, we will achieve the final victory!"


    "Yes!" Seemingly inspired by her encouragement, several intelligence chiefs perked up and promised in unison.


    "Go! Find out as much as you can about why Great Tang Group needs so much steel! Don''t overlook any detail!" After Sofia said this, she concluded the meeting, "I believe in you!"


    "Yes!" This time, even more people were infected by her, and they replied energetically and in chorus.


    ...


    In a row of fixed seats, a nobleman was boasting to his lover about his wide knowledge, "You may not know, but this performance will usher in an era. A brand new era."


    It was also his first time at this venue since it had only been open for one day! For him, this was a strange and mysterious domain.


    Hispanion was decked out in gold and silver, adorned entirely in luxury goods from Great Tang fashion, clearly a true socialite.


    The woman was very beautiful but wore a disdainful expression, "Perhaps, but I don''t think any show could impress me. I''ve lost interest in ys."


    She had seen too many ys, and any novelty could no longer surprise her.


    Moreover, this particr ycked even the basic setting¡ªno curtains or screens, just an enormous white background stretched across the back of the stage for some unknown purpose.


    While she was being haughty, a deep voice suddenly echoed, reassuring everyone not to be afraid, "Ladies and gentlemen... the film is about to begin, all lights will be turned off, please do not panic."


    "Ladies and gentlemen... the film is about to begin, all lights will be turned off, please do not panic." Before the film officially started, the voice repeated this announcement over and over, tirelessly.


    ```


    Eventually, the entire venue dimmed in the endless loop of sound. Despite the repeated reminders, there were still those who panicked when the darkness struck: "Hiss... What''s going on?"


    "I don''t know either..." came a voice, slightly flustered in response.


    The woman nervously grasped the man beside her, a gesture that the man found quite gratifying. He leaned back in thefortable chair, caressing the woman''s slender fingers with his hand: "Don''t be scared, darling, I''m here..."


    Then, from behind these people, a beam of light suddenly struck the white screen, followed by a continuous sequence of images¡ªflickering numbers in a rapid countdown.


    Everyone was stunned by the sight before them, their eyes wide as they watched the screen change continually.


    Atst, the face of a beautiful woman appeared on the screen, and when this incredibly beautiful woman began to speak, everyone gasped in awe: "My goodness!" "By the gods above!"


    It was simply a visual feast, the first time in the world someone had recorded events of the past using images.


    Familiar streets, familiar buildings, familiar squares... Everyone present recognized that the scenes on the screen were of their well-known Brunnis!


    The first movie shot by Tang Mo, or rather the first movie presented by Great Tang Group, and indeed the first movie in the world, was naturally imbued with numerous intentions.


    Not making use of such an obvious advertising opportunity was something Tang Mo would not forgive himself for. The script he chose was the famous "Roman Holiday," and the outdoor shots were essentially no different from a city promotional film.


    Of course, this movie could not continue to be called "Roman Holiday"; it had been aptly renamed "Encounter Brunas" due to the setting.


    The story itself had also been adapted to some extent, telling of a Princess named Anne who came to Brunnis for an inspection visit.


    Then, after she saw the legendary sights of Brunnis for the first time, she fell deeply in love with the ce. To better appreciate the local scenery, she eluded her entourage and guards, venturing out onto the streets alone.


    What followed was, of course, a series of distinctive street scenes shot in Brunas¡ªthe clear blue sky, pubs and teahouses, markets and shops, jewelry stores glittering with gems, and fashion boutiques with thetest trends in skirts and dresses. Everything here was just so beautiful.


    Next, a wonderful love story unfolded. Princess Anne had an encounter with an officer from the security forces of Great Tang Group, a young officer with extensive knowledge, refined manners, and dashing looks.


    And the Princess was gentle and kind, beautiful and benevolent, with a station that was beyond prestigious.


    Amusingly, at this moment, the Princess was penniless and in a bind, leaving the young officer no choice but to settle her shopping bills.


    The officer enthusiastically took Princess Anne around Brunas, visiting the naval dock teeming with seagulls and even climbing aboard the huge irond warship...


    Naturally, this was also a product cement by Great Tang Group, allowing for close-up shots that gave the Brunas-ss irond warship an even greater visual impact.


    The ship''s mighty cannons were bold and imposing, underscoring the heroic quality of the military men. Tang Mo even added a ssic scene from the Titanic to this segment of the plot.


    It was during this time that the male protagonist showed off a camera product from Great Tang Group, recording the Princess''s joyful moments all the way.


    Needless to say, this was also part of the advertising¡ªin the entire movie, a plethora of Great Tang Group''s products was featured inmercials, even down to toothpaste sponsors.


    Cars of various models filled the streets, including thetest people''s carunched by Great Tang Group and the new, expensive Rolls-Royce models, all getting their time on camera.


    There was even a car chase scene, where the male lead drove the female lead away from her pursuing guards.


    The inclothes guards caught up with them when the male lead took Princess Anne to a floating dance hall to attend a ball. The guards asked the Princess to return with them, but she resolutely refused, and when they tried to forcibly take her back, the male lead and hisrades came to blows with the guards, while the willful and mischievous Princess also pitched in, having a lot of fun.


    Taking advantage of the chaos, the male lead whisked the Princess away, while the inclothes guards were arrested by Brunas''s public security police.


    Throughout the entire tour, or rather, the adventure, the female protagonist, Anne, hadpletely fallen for the young officer, but her identity became the biggest barrier between them.


    And at this point, all the spectators in the audience were deeply captivated by the movie''s visuals and the storyline.


    The cinema was silent as a tomb, with everyone fixated on the screen as if their souls had been sucked away.

 Chapter 370 : 366 Street

    The plot continued to develop, and ultimately, the female lead still had to return to her own life. The two bid each other a reluctant farewell, and poured out their hearts to each other onest time.


    Then, although the two had temporarily parted ways, Tang Mo, ording to his own preferences and for promotional purposes, still changed the story''s ending.


    Here, the plot reached its climax. In the end, the male lead officer heard that the female lead''s country was being invaded. He left Brunas alone and headed in the direction of the female lead''s country.


    The screen gradually faded to ck, and a line of text appeared in the center of the screen, "The officer ultimately helped the Kingdom where the female lead resided defeat the invaders and saved the Kingdom, marrying the beautiful Princess."


    Although it was very much like a fairy tale, the entire story still had a realistic backdrop to rely on¡ªanyone who follows the conflict in the 11 countries knows that Strauss and Bolton, the renowned Dorne Duo, are household names.


    Both men are graduates of the Great Tang Military Academy. They had lived in Brunas and indeed, saved the Dorne Kingdom during its most critical moment.


    Even more outrageous is that both of them actually married princesses of Dorne. Aside from the order, their experiences are almost exactly like those of the male lead in Encounter Brunas.


    Therefore, no one questioned the film''s plot for being too perfect or fairy-tale-like. On the contrary, everyone found it easier to believe that it was a documentary about Strauss or Bolton!


    If Tang Mo went even further, he could, at the end of the movie, list a series of instances where graduates of the Great Tang Military Academy wed nobledies, specifying who married which Princess, who married a Duke''s woman, who married an Earl''s daughter, who tantly married a female Earl or Viscount¡­


    No matter how good a story is, it stilles to an end. As the text on the screen gradually disappeared, the lights in the entire cinema turned on.


    The movie screening ended, and yet the cinema was silent. It was as if people had not yet recovered from the story. They just sit there, as if they had embarked on a marvelous journey alongside the lead characters.


    Finally, a noble stood up and started to p his hands, a slight smile on his face. He pped incessantly, as if only by doing so could he express his excitement.


    Soon, another person stood up and began pping. Hispanion also started to p her hands, her eyes filled with envy.


    As a socialite living in Brunas, she naturally understood the value of a young officer from the Great Tang Group. To be honest, nobody here thought there was anything amiss with an officer from the Great Tang Group marrying a Princess.


    On the contrary, many thought that if the princess from a nondescript small kingdom could marry an officer from the Great Tang Group, it was possibly considered punching above her weight.


    More and more people joined in the apuse, indicating that the movie was a resounding sess during its world premiere.


    From that moment on, Brunas would have one more entertainment option. This entertainment capital would be even more worthy of its name.


    Great Tang Entertainment would turn Brunas into a movie city of another world, making Brunas synonymous with movies and TV series!


    "It was really fantastic! The movie... was really fantastic!" pping her hands, the previously disdainful socialite was moved to tears.


    She was touched by the pure love of the lead characters and conquered by the beautiful scenes that simply couldn''t be depicted on stage.


    "I can hardly wait to see it again," sighed her noblepanion wistfully, gazing at the now-darkened screen, reluctant to leave.


    The female lead was just too beautiful, her sparklingrge eyes continually haunting his mind.


    Her pure looks, her every graceful move ... made him instantly feel as if the socialite beside him was no longer desirable.


    If only he could watch it once more... how wonderful that would be.


    The man thought this and suddenly realized... the people in these scenes, they really do exist too! Although Princess Anne is fictional, the girl who yed Princess Anne is real!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Swallowing hard, the nobleman seemed to have a sudden epiphany in a moment¡ªhe must get to know this girl! No matter the cost, it would be worth it!


    Obviously, his socialite lover by his side was still unaware that her partner''s affections seemed to have shifted.


    ...


    "I''m about to cry from being so moved." With her fluffy ears trembling lightly, Yue''er wiped her eyes with her hand in the VIP room.


    As the Great Tang Group''s film premiered, she naturally had the resources toe and watch the excitement first-hand. However, before she came, she didn''t expect it to be so captivating.


    "Come on! It''s not real," said the female ssmate who came with her to watch the movie,forting the emotional Yue''er, "It''s just a story, that''s all."


    "No one came to save us when my country was destroyed and my parents died," said Yue''er, still somewhat mncholy.


    "Didn''t the principal save you? Although it was a bitte, the hero still made his entrance, didn''t he?" Her ssmate said enviously, trying to console Yue''er.


    No one at school didn''t envy Yue''er since many people knew that she had been personally ced there by Tang Mo.


    Even the top girl, Queen Yulin, though green with jealousy, didn''t intentionally target this Ms. Cat, and even less so did anyone else dare to trouble this principal''s woman.


    "Okay, you''re right," Yue''er nodded her head. Of course, she acknowledged that all she had now was given by Tang Mo.


    What she now possessed was something she wouldn''t even dare dream of in the past¡ªyears ago, she thought her greatest happiness would be to be sold for a good price. But now, she knew that the knowledge in her brain was the most valuable wealth in the world.


    "Let''s go! Let''s celebrate your sessful passage of the alley-fighting exam." Her female ssmate smiled and stood up, "The heroine is really beautiful, although not as beautiful as you, but she''s already really beautiful."


    "What nonsense are you talking about," Yue''er also stood up, "I''m not as pretty as you say..."


    "Don''t be modest now! The two jewels of the military academy are you and Yulin... there''s nothing to be modest about." The ssmate enviously pushed open the door of the private room as she spoke and walked out.


    "You just love to tease me!" Yue''er followed her out, then continued, "But I know the heroine, I even talked to herst time..."


    "Really? Next time take me with you to meet her. I''m very curious, is she as pretty as she is in the movies?" Her ssmate asked curiously.


    "She really is pretty, I think she''s very good-looking," Yue''er''s voice echoed in the hallway.


    "Ladies..." Just as they were walking out of the cinema, getting ready to return to the school, a man blocked their way, "Are you interested in sitting in a bar for a while? My treat!"


    "Not interested," her ssmate frowned, immediately declining.


    She knew very well who Yue''er was by her side and how could she agree to take Yue''er to a bar with some other man? Besides, as a student of the military academy, she was not someone any Tom, Dick, or Harry could invite out!


    "Don''t be ungrateful! I''m giving you a chance by asking. Today, it''s best you go with me willingly; if not... you''ll still have to go with me!" The man''s smile faded, with several of his followers behind him shing obscene leering smiles.


    "As the eldest son of the Zhang Family, there''s no woman I can''t deal with," the man said while reaching out towards Yue''er, who hadn''t spoken yet, "Don''t worry! My family in Zheng Country is top-notch. With me, you''ll live in luxury... heh heh heh..."


    Unfortunately, before his hand could touch Yue''er''s face, it was caught by Yue''er''s ssmate, "This is Brunas... if you don''t want to die, take theseckeys and scram!"


    "Oh! This one''s feisty... she''s yours! The orc cat-girl is mine," said Mr. Zhang, his mouth full of filthynguage.


    "Heh heh heh!" His followers immediately perked up upon hearing this. To them, abducting a woman in broad daylight was nothing at all.


    In Zheng Country, they were the ones who walked above others. With the Zhang Family''s reach to the heavens, no one dared to oppose them.


    They had just arrived in Brunas today, the bustling city made them a bit dizzy. As they were strolling around, they spotted two beauties.


    The young master of the Zhang Family, used to taking whatever he wanted, certainly didn''t want to miss out on such top-notch females, so he immediately approached, ready to firstfort his little brother.


    "Hey! Today we''ve really met some who aren''t afraid of death," a noble window-shopping across the street saw the scene and immediately stopped to watch the excitement.


    "Some really do think they have too many days left, huh!" Another noble heard this sigh and, noticing the scene too, immediately stood by to watch.


    Such sightings were bing increasingly rare in Brunas. Those daring enough to abduct women on the streets could be described as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.


    Even more outrageous was someone daring to mess with a student from the Great Tang Military Academy... those two girls were wearing Great Tang Military Academy officer''s uniforms!


    "The show''s starting!" Many people stopped to watch, others joined in cheering and egging on.


    "If you keep harassing us, I won''t be polite! This is Brunas, I don''t care if you''re from Zheng Country or anywhere else!" the ssmate shouted sternly.


    "Impolite? What else could you do, hm?" the Zhang Family''s son scoffed.


    After all, he had five or six guards behind him. What could two girls do to him?


    Right after he asked this question, a cold pistol was pressed against his forehead.


    Yue''er held a PPK pistol, asking coldly, "Guess whether there are bullets in my gun or not?"


    --------


    My arm still hurts quite a bit, so there will only be two updates today, sorry.

 Chapter 371 367 Police Station

    "This is a pistol?" the well-traveled young master of the Zhang Family sneered in doubt, "I''ve never seen such a small pistol..."


    "I know Brunas produces a Left-Wheel Handgun that can fire six shots in a row, but the one in your hand is clearly not it," he said as he tried to reach out and push away the pistol Yue''er was holding against his forehead.


    "Bang!" Before he could push it away, Yue''er shifted the aim of her pistol and fired at a Zhang Family guard approaching them, hitting him in the chest.


    The marksmanship taught by the Great Tang Group Military Academy wasn''t the deterrent shooting method learned by police officers, but a deadly art where each shot aimed to kill.


    Yue''er''s shot, which appeared to be without aim, primarily hit the torso, increasing the likelihood of hitting vital organs dramatically.


    The young master of the Zhang Family only heard a gunshot by his ear, and because he was so close, he lost his hearing, reced only by a piercing ringing.


    Clutching his ears, his mind raced with terrifying thoughts. He believed his ears must have been either blown off or deafened by the shot.


    The pampered young master stumbled to the side, helped by a guard at his nk, nearly falling over.


    On the other side, the unlucky guard who had advanced felt a punch to his chest. Staggering back two steps, he looked down at his torso.


    Then, he saw a small hole in his clothes, and around this hole, bright red blood was spreading wildly.


    "Murder!" By then, some onlookers finally realized something was amiss and began to shout in panic.


    Across the road, the spectating crowd scattered to avoid the chaos that erupted. People pushed and shoved, trying to leave the dangerous area quickly.


    A gunshot echoed through the streets as a shot unfortunate fell to the ground.


    Yue''er''s ssmate turned pale upon seeing someone shot; she had not expected that going out to see a movie could result in witnessing a death.


    Hearing the gunshot, the police patrolling in the distance became anxious and pushed through the crowd. They drew their service pistols from their waists and strode toward the source of the sound.


    "You! You dared to fire a shot!" The Zhang Family young master hadn''t expected that in the gun-banned Brunas, someone would walk the streets with a pistol.


    For aesthetics, the Great Tang Group''s women officer uniforms weren''t very militaristic in design, so at first, the young master of the Zhang Family didn''t associate the woman with the military academy.


    Even when he teased women, he purposely avoided those who looked rich and adorned with gold and silver, not wishing to court trouble in such a ce.


    Unfortunately, despite his caution, his luck this time was just too bad.


    Yue''er once again pointed her pistol at the frightened and shouting Zhang Family young master as if she was not yet ready to give up.


    A few Zhang Family guards immediately stood in front of her pistol''s muzzle, with one of them coolly warning, "Miss! No matter who you are, offending the Zhang Familyes at a cost! I advise you to put down your gun!"


    "Commander..." A guard who had gone to check on their fallenrade came over and shook his head slightly, indicating the shot individual was beyond saving.


    The man known as themander looked at Yue''er again, his tone even colder, "Hmph... you will have to give an exnation to both Zheng Country and the Zhang Family for today''s incident."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Before Yue''er could speak, the police had already pushed through the panicking crowd and arrived beside the group.


    One of the officers, upon seeing the PPK pistol in Yue''er''s hand, paused briefly before looking down at the personying on the ground, uncertain at first about what had happened.


    "Everyone, stop!" The rookie behind him raised his pistol and, with a loudmand, aimed it at Yue''er, who still had her pistol in hand.


    The veteran police officer frowned and pushed the muzzle of his subordinate''s pistol upward, "What are you doing? Point the gun upwards! What if you hurt someone?"


    The rookie, new to the job, was confused about why his leader would not let him aim at the suspect who had fired and wounded someone.


    After all, this was Brunas, where guns are banned! Regardless of who it was, possession of a gun was a crime!


    The seasoned officer wasted no words, positioning himself between the two groups. He nced at the two female students from the Great Tang Military Academy and then at the seven or eight men on the other side, roughly grasping what had happened.


    He looked at Yue''er again and asked, "Do you have a gun permit?"


    "No!" Yue''er was defiant, appearing to believe she was fully justified.


    That the police officer questioned her first gave the people of the Zheng Country Zhang Family some relief; they had worried that the officer might be biased, but his handling seemed fair.


    The old police officer sighed and continued to ask, "Without a gun permit, you dared to shoot and injure someone in the street?"


    He intentionally downyed the incident, pegging the charge at injuring someone¡ªafter all, there''s a difference in sentencing between shooting to kill and shooting to injure.


    After a pause, he continued, "As a student, you dared to sneak out a gun from the school? What happened to discipline?"


    "The gun isn''t from the school," Yue''er exined, "Tang Mo gave it to me."


    Who is Tang Mo¡­ The old police officer didn''t react at first, muttering to himself. But the next second, he shivered as if he''d taken a cold shower.


    Under normal circumstances, someone of his rank wouldn''t be entitled to address that person by name. At best, they could respectfully call him Mr. Tang¡­


    So, over time, he almost didn''t realize that the name Tang Mo was indeed Mr. Tang''s name¡­


    "Tang¡­ Mr. Tang? Gave it to you?" the old police officer couldn''t help but raise his voice several octaves.


    "Mhm, he gave it to me," Yue''er nodded assuredly, not one to lie about such matters.


    "These people were bullying Yue''er, and she only drew her gun in retaliation!" Yue''er''s female ssmate hurriedly offered an exnation, "Under the broad daylight, they wanted to take us away by force¡­"


    "Hm?" The old police officer turned towards the somewhat embarrassed Zhang Family guards, his expression bing unfriendly, "What''s going on?"


    "My lord¡­" These guards from Zheng Country immediately prepared to exin. They too had realized that these two women seemed to have influential backgrounds, and they might have bitten off more than they could chew this time.


    The old officer corrected them, saying, "Call me officer!"


    "Officer! Don''t listen to these youngdies'' nonsense! We haven''t done anything! We are innocent!" the captain of the Zhang Family''s guard hastily imed.


    "Are you saying that a student from Great Tang Military Academy is lying?" The old officer sneered coldly, questioning in an unfriendly tone.


    After all, this was Brunas, and students from the Great Tang Military Academy were, in some respects, Mr. Tang''s private troops¡ªGreat Tang Group''s elite guard! Naturally, their credibility was much higher than that of outsiders¡ªmuch higher, in fact!


    From the old officer''s unfriendly line of questioning, the chief of the guards guessed his intentions and quickly changed his exnation, "This¡­ There might be some misunderstanding here¡­"


    He would certainly not admit any wrong on his part, so he could only chalk it all up to a misunderstanding.


    For him, taking a round outside and losing a few men wasn''t an issue, but if he stirred up trouble that couldn''t be settled, the Zhang Family''s patriarch would not let him off the hook.


    Thus, he decided to resolve the issue at hand with tactics he was familiar with.


    He took out some Gold Coins from his pocket and directly stuffed them into the old police officer''s chest, saying, "A little token, just a small sign of respect!"


    Who would have thought the old police officer would react as if electrocuted, immediately pushing away the Gold Coins proffered towards him, as if they wereced with a deadly poison, "What are you doing? Are you mad? You may not want to live, but I do! Take them away! Otherwise, I won''t be polite!"


    What a joke! With a secure job, good benefits, and a high social status, this was a coveted iron rice bowl. You think you can mess that up for me? I''ll never share the sky with you!


    On this busy street, handing me a bribe like that, should I care about my dignity or not? Who knows if there might be a spy watching me from some corner, I''d have to be crazy to take such a small amount of money!


    Also, standing here is an orc beauty, whose weapon might indeed have been given by Mr. Tang. With a person of such high status present, you''re trying to slip me money; should I care about my image or not?


    And the third point¡­ yes, there''s a third point! The old police officer recognized at first nce that the handgun Yue''er was holding was a PPK, a weapon manufactured by Great Tang Group specifically for special forces use!


    For all we know, this orc beauty might actually be a piece from Silver Fox Tavern''s game, an agent from the confidential department, or straight up someone from the disciplinary surveince department. Whichever department she''s from, I can''t afford to mess with her, can I?


    So, after a series of refusals, when the people from Zheng Country gave up on bribery, the old police officer finally shouted at the apprentice, who had been holding the handgun up for a long time, "What are you waiting for? Take them all in!"


    "You dare arrest me?" At that moment, the young master of the Zhang Family, whose hearing hadn''t fully recovered, poked his head out of the crowd, belligerently shouting, "Do you know who I am?"


    "I''m just asking both parties to go back and assist in the investigation! What are you yelling about? A guilty conscience?" The old police officer struck back unpleasantly, instantly deting the other''s arrogance.


    Only then did the old police officer remember that there seemed to be¡­ a dead person on the ground!


    He looked down at the unfortunate soul who had stopped breathing, shook his head, and ordered Zhang Family''s guards, "Take this body away, too! It''s important evidence!"


    As he spoke, he bent down to pick up the shiny brass shell casing from the ground, blew on it, and then looked at Yue''er and her ssmate, "Put the gun away! Come with me."

 Chapter 372 Double happiness comes to the door 368 times

    "Ring, ring, ring..." On the luxurious and massive desk, a wood and metal phonebining elegance and functionality began to ring.


    Harry rubbed his somewhat sore eyes, grabbed the phone, and his tired eyes suddenly bulged, "What did you say?"


    The hand holding the phone grew forceful involuntarily, and the veins on the back of his hand stood out, "Make yourself clear..."


    "Wait, you''re saying Yue''er... has now been taken to the police station on Cultural Second Road? Are you joking?"


    "Ah? Are you sure someone tried to abduct a woman in broad daylight on the street? How does this sound so... bizarre?"


    "Yes, forget everything else for now, have the security troops take control of the police station... Make sure Miss Yue''er is safe..."


    "I don''t care about the Zhang Family or the Li Family, this is Brunas, and nobody can do anything about it! I''m on my way, don''t do anything rash before I get there."


    After finishing, he mmed the receiver back onto the phone with a heavy ck.


    "Prepare the car!" He stood up abruptly with a worried look on his face, giving themand loudly. The secretary waiting outside the door immediately started arranging the vehicles.


    "Sigh... Just when onedy walks out the door, another finds trouble... Why do I have such tough luck?" Heined as he walked to the door, reaching to take his long leather coat from the hanger.


    Before leaving, he turned back to look at the replica portrait hanging directly behind his chair on the wall, shook his head and sighed, "Teacher, I wish you''d get rid of these women quickly... Hefeng, Osa... Anywhere but Brunas will do."


    In the police station on Cultural Second Road, within the chief''s office, Yue''er was emting Yulin quite convincingly.


    She sat in the chief''s chair, cradling a cup of hot tea, observing the young and sweaty police chief.


    He was her senior in school, an average achiever who, upon graduating from the military academy, had been assigned to be the chief of police here, a bottom-tier position...


    Despite the title of police chief at the Great Tang Group including the status of reserve officer and being responsible for the arrangement of workers'' national defense training in his area, it was no light workload. Yet, he couldn''t escape the fact that it was almost the worst job for a Great Tang military academy graduate.


    But poor grades notwithstanding, as aplete nobody, he once harbored a crazy dream.


    He had pursued Yue''er, written love letters to her... and so he knew her background very well.


    At this very moment, this embarrassed man, who could well dig a four-bedroom duplex out of the ground with his toes, stood aside, waiting for his "doomsday" toe.


    He now deeply regretted not kicking those two duty officers'' behinds! Wondering why those idiots had brought this great figure into his station...


    After all, with Queen Yulin gone, the biggest terror at the Great Tang military academy might just be the sweet-looking, seemingly harmless cat-eared girl before him.


    And now, it was toote to send her away.


    Nearly 20 cars had already parked outside the police station door, disying uniformly standardized license tes including vehicles from the security troops, the police department''s upper echelons, and even the military academy''s.


    How he dreaded bing infamous by the end of the day. His old ssmates would likely alle to him for a meal, eager to hear the details, to boast back home.


    Perhaps he''d be the first in Brunas, the first from the Great Tang military academy... to arrest the headmaster''s woman, what a genius.


    "Sigh..." He sighed once more in despair. Following this sigh, the door to his room was pushed open.


    Harry walked in, his face stered with an awkward smile. He approached Yue''er, trying to be helpful, "Miss Yue''er."


    "I didn''t call you," said Yue''er, finding the whole situation a bit exaggerated, "I just wanted to prove that my gun was indeed a gift from him..."


    "I can attest to that, Miss Yue''er''s gun was indeed given by the headmaster," said Harry, immediately turning towards the unfortunate junior who was the police chief.


    "Can I go now?" Yue''er put down her teacup and stood up, feigning ignorance.


    "Of course, of course you can go," the young police chief hastily said, "Let me... I''ll escort you."


    "No need!" Harry cast a nce at him and waved his hand dismissively.


    He then apanied Yue''er out of the station, all the way until she got into the opulent Rolls-Royce, helped her and her ssmate close the car doors, and then spoke to the two inside the car, "I need to handle the situation inside, after all, someone died..."


    "Did I do something wrong?" asked Yue''er, suddenly feeling a bit guilty, "I did act impulsively... because I didn''t want things to be the same as before..."


    "You did nothing wrong..." Harry consoled her, "Just wait a moment, I''ll escort you home."


    After speaking, he turned and re-entered the station, proceeding to another room. The police opened the door for him, and he walked straight in to sit opposite a person handcuffed to a chair.


    "You can''t treat me like this! I am the young master of the Zhang Family! You..." Upon seeing someone enter, the Zhang family''s young master immediately started protesting.


    Separated from his men, he felt very insecure. Even his hands were restrained by a newfangled device called handcuffs, leaving him no chance to flee.


    Harry didn''t sit down either; he had no time to waste with such a profligate: "Do you know who you were harassing?"


    "Just a woman, what''s the big deal..." The eldest son of the Zhang Family hummed indifferently, epting the matter lightly.


    Harry let out a coldugh and gave an answer that shocked the other party: "That woman is the darling of our Great Tang Group''s leader!"


    ...


    Indeed, after a long while, the Zhang Family''s eldest son didn''t say another word.


    Eventually, he came back to his senses and the first thing he said was an attempt to brush it off lightly: "What about it? My man is dead, and she didn''t lose anything!"


    "Your man is dead because he deserved to die!" Harry''s voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of fierceness.


    The Zhang Family''s eldest son was startled but still clung to his status, seemingly convinced that Harry wouldn''t dare kill him, "Hmph, what do you want to do then? Kill me? Aren''t you afraid of the Zhang Family''s revenge?"


    "What''s destined toe wille but even if the Zhang Family did seek revenge, you would no longer see it," Harry said.


    ...


    Without speaking, the Zhang Family''s eldest son kept his eyes fixed on Harry, as if trying to discern whether the other side was merely bluffing.


    In the end, he gained nothing.


    So, he became somewhat panicked, averting his gaze, he said, "I won''t pursue the matter of you pointing a gun at my head anymore! And I won''t pursue the matter of my guard being killed by you either! Let''s just leave it at that, how about it?"


    "Not good enough..." Harry leaned against the interrogation table, "I heard that you''ve been inquiring about criminals?"


    "So what if I did?" The Zhang Family''s eldest son didn''t understand why Harry was asking but readily admitted, "Your master, that is Tang Mo, is a criminal! Our... criminal!"


    He paused, then continued to boast about his investigative results: "ording to thew, he might scrounge a living outside Dahua''snds... But does he want to go back? Back to his homnd..."


    The young master rambled on without noticing that Harry''s hand, out of his sight, was already clenched into a fist.


    "I came to give him good news! Understand? He will have to go back sooner orter, or else he''ll be a wandering spirit... dead without a ce to rest..." The Zhang Family''s young master continued to talk to himself on the other side.


    ...


    This time, it was Harry''s turn to be speechless. He didn''t quite understand this line of thinking, but he knew that Li''ao had a longing to return to his homnd.


    He wasn''t sure if Tang Mo felt the same, so he wasn''t in a position to jump to conclusions. Therefore, he walked toward the door, ordering, "Keep them detained for now, don''t make it hard on them, look after them well! I''ll consult Mr. Tang first, then deal with this matter."


    "Yes!" The police gathered at the door understood Harry''s intent.


    "Hey? Don''t go! Come back! Get this damn thing off me! Come back!" Inside the room, the voice of the Zhang Family''s eldest son came out one after another.


    Harry left the police station, then got into the passenger seat of the car. Then, the Rolls Royce started and drove down the road.


    After a long silence, as they were nearing the city hall, Yue''er suddenly started exining out of the blue, "I don''t want to be bullied like before, treated like an object to be thrown around and given away."


    "I know. I understand you. We should all be in control of our destiny; that''s the meaning of our existence," Harry said without turning his head.


    In the slight jolts of the car, Yue''er''s female ssmate sitting beside her wished she could be invisible.


    "I want to go to Dragon Ind," Yue''er said abruptly.


    "Hm?" Harry turned his head quickly, hardly believing his luck.


    "I want to go to Dragon Ind, to find him," Yue''er felt that there were things she had to face and choices she had to make.


    "...Alright, I''ll arrange it," seeing Yue''er''s determined look, Harry nodded.


    "Thank you," Yue''er was a little excited.


    "No need to be polite," Harry also felt a bit of unexpected joy.


    Atst... off to Dragon Ind.


    Hmm, everyone''s going, it turned out to be a double blessing...


    --------


    Today I was driven to the brink of madness by my child, who managed to split-screen to watch cartoons while attending online sses... I spent half an hour scolding, and he cried out a couple of times with no real trouble, while I suffered from chest pain and dizziness all day...


    Thinking back on my own childhood, I really need to thank my parents for their leniency...n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The update will be postponed until tomorrow... Yeah, there should be nothing tomorrow... Probably...


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 373 369 new butler

    In Tang Mo''s castle, there was aboratory that belonged solely to him. It was equipped with various experimental apparatuses, many of which he had custom-made.


    The equipment, along with many substances he had synthesized himself, were mostly appearing in this world for the first time.


    As a transmigrator, he often carried out his own experiments here, introducing things that had never before existed to this world. It could be said that some of the items here were even more precious than gold.


    At this very moment, Tang Mo was holding two test tubes, mixing a freshly prepared liquid to form a new substance.


    By his side, Yulin curiously examined the liquid in the test tubes, looking eager to try it out.


    "This stuff is very dangerous," Tang Mo said, putting down the test tubes and then taking off his gloves to warn Yulin beside him, "It could very likely burn your skin..."


    "Isn''t it just a new kind of acid... I''m not inexperienced with chemistry," Yulin retorted with a dismissive snort.


    "Don''t underestimate this world! Some substances are extremely dangerous, extremely so," Tang Mo warned his student again, "You''ve studied the periodic table, so you should know how terrifying elements like uranium can be."


    "The teacher hasn''t talked about that, he hasn''t figured out what characteristics it has." Yulin said, shifting the topic as she watched the acid inside the test tubes gradually settle down, "I''m not going anywhere this time, I''ll stay by your side and be your butler!"


    "Nonsense!" Tang Mo looked at Yulin and said, "The position of vice chancellor at Dragon City University is still vacant. You could teach there, and it would be doing me a favor."


    "I won''t! I don''t mind asionally giving lectures to those students, but I absolutely refuse to go there and be any vice chancellor! I''ll stay here and be your butler." Yulin insisted, with the demeanor of someone who wouldn''t leave unless you agreed.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Sigh..." Tang Mo wanted to say something else, but after struggling to articte his thoughts, he finally let out a sigh¡ªthere were too many areas under the control of the Great Tang Group, so many ces couldn''t do without managers with higher loyalty.


    Roger was the person Tang Mo trusted most, and Tang Mo felt that it would be more appropriate for Roger to go and keep watch over a region.


    However, with Roger gone, he really didck a suitable butler by his side. Yulin was a good choice, as having a beautiful girl around was pleasant to the eye, wasn''t it?


    "I''ve already spoken with Grandpa Roger. Grandpa Roger said he could go to Winterless City and help check on your business there for you," Yulin said with a triumphant smile.


    "Isn''t he just spoiling you by saying that?" Tang Mo was speechless.


    "Not at all. Grandpa Roger said that his body is better suited to living in the south where the climate is milder," Yulin exined earnestly.


    "You..." Tang Mo rose to his feet, feeling somewhat helpless. He no longer had the heart to continue his experiments.


    Yulin followed close behind Tang Mo, showing no sign of reluctance to leave. Although she also liked staying in theboratory, without Tang Mo, it wasn''t worth her while to remain.


    "Hey,'''' Tang Mo said in the hallway without looking back, joking with Yulin, "If you call Roger ''Grandpa,'' and I call him ''Uncle Roger,'' doesn''t that mean... you should call me ''Uncle Tang Mo''?"


    "I don''t want to!" Yulin eximed in protest, much like a kitten with its tail stepped on.


    "You..." Tang Mo shook his head with a smile.


    The two of them walked one after another through the long corridor, passing the courtyard with towering trees, heading towards the main body of Tang Mo''s castle.


    The main structure of the Dragon''s Den, although modeled after Swan Castle, was on a muchrger scale. It had arger perimeter, covering an areaparable to the Forbidden City, and it was encircled by a thick wall for defense.


    On top of the wall, there was special barbed wire connected to the generators, electrified and designed to kill anyone trying to climb over it.


    Li''ao, hunched over, came towards them and he nodded slightly to Yulin before reporting to Tang Mo, "Master, news has just been delivered that the eldest son of the Zhang family from Zheng Country has been arrested by our police."


    "The reason," Tang Mo asked, not particrly interested in the Zhang family''s eldest son. He just wanted to know the reason so he could make an appropriate decision on how to handle it.


    "It seems he encountered Miss Yue''er on the road and had impure intentions..." Li''ao replied.


    "Pfft..." Before Tang Mo could speak, Yulin couldn''t help butugh.


    Looking at the dy'' who was more devilish than angelic, Yulin covered her mouth,ughing and saying, "Who would he tease if not her? He had to go and tease that violent fanatic... I bet he''s not having a good time, huh? He didn''t get killed, did he?"


    Yue''er was quite infamous for fighting in school, and Yulin, having sparred with her, also knew that Yue''er truly had some real skills. Stay tuned to empire


    Ordinary people couldn''t even get close to Yue''er, not to mention the PPK pistol Tang Mo gave her, which she almost never leaves behind.


    In Brunas, there really weren''t many people who could carry a gun around, so Yulin had no doubts that Yue''er was not at a disadvantage; it was surely the other party who was unlucky.


    Sure enough, Li''ao said, "One of the guards was killed, but Miss Yue''er is not seriously harmed."


    "Then just release that eldest son of the Zhang family... Have Harry warn them and just leave it at that, it''s no big deal," Tang Mo didn''t take the matter seriously. Since Yue''er wasn''t at a loss, dealing with the situation in a simple manner suited his interests.


    "Zheng Country... Zhang family, master... I''m afraid the other party will not let the matter rest," Li''ao said, without leaving but instead reminding him.


    Tang Mo was taken aback for a moment and nced at Li''ao: "I indeed forgot, Zheng Country... Dahua... and our two have a bit of a connection."


    "Offending the Zhang family would make returning to Zheng Country and conducting business there as difficult as ascending to heaven," Li''ao briefly exined the background of the Zhang family in Zheng Country.


    It can be said that in Zheng Country, the Zhang family''s power was absolute¡ªthe position of Zhang Ming, the head of the Zhang family, was even higher than that of Mo Kangsen in the Empire of Na.


    The Zhang family not only had a long-standing grip on Zheng Country''s court but even meddled in military power¡ªthe actual ruler of Zheng Country, King Zheng Tong, was nothing more than a puppet.


    Zheng Tong''s mother was the sister of Zhang Ming, head of the Zhang family, and Zheng Tong''s grandmother, the current Empress Dowager of Zheng Country, was Zhang Ming''s aunt...


    "That''s not a problem! We haven''t even fully digested our own market yet, what are we thinking about a ce as far away as Zheng Country for? Once we''ve got our own doorstep sorted, then it''s time enough to consider the attitude of Zheng Country," Tang Mo dismissively said.


    "Don''t forget, once our Jade City-ss battleships areunched, what is Zheng Country but a bunch of chickens and dogs?" As Tang Mo said this, he patted Li''ao''s shoulder: "Just wait another year. After a year, I''ll apany you on a trip to Zheng Country, and I guarantee they''ll be crying and begging you to recognize your ancestors and return to your lineage..."


    "Your subordinate understands... It was your subordinate who was impatient," Li''ao immediately said, bowing his head.


    "However..." He paused for a moment, then continued with another matter: "There''s also something else. Miss Yue''er has arrived at Dragon Ind... She is currently on the Freedom 31 freighter..."


    "She''se to Dragon Ind?" Yulin''s response was much stronger than Tang Mo''s.


    In her view, this cat-earedss was a persistent nuisance, extremely troublesome! Why couldn''t this damned person learn from Alice and stay put in Northern Ridge?


    "This Harry!" Tang Moughed bitterly, knowing full well Harry would definitely not be able to handle these tricky girls, but still he felt that as a disciple, dumping all the trouble onto the master was hical behavior.


    "Oh, by the way, master, there''s another piece of news. Our self-drawn sea charts are nearlyplete, with higher precisionpared to the sea charts previously provided by other countries, and we''ve even discovered a few inds..." Li''ao continued his report.


    Tang Mo nodded slightly, as charting maps was something the Great Tang Group had always been doing¡ªmap making was aplicated and important task before satellite remote sensing technology.


    Only when you have an urate map of a region do you truly have a grasp of the region''s geographical features, allowing for better nning and development of the area and making use of every topographical detail.


    Military-grade maps are not only useful for military purposes but are also very important in other areas. These maps can support many applications including infrastructure development and mineral exploration.


    Correcting sea charts was even more challenging thannd surveying, with greater investment required. After taking control of most of the Endless Sea, the Great Tang Group immediatelymenced the charting of sea maps.


    This was a challenging and difficult job. Even up to today, after many sailors had sacrificed their lives, the Great Tang Group could finally say itpleted the sea charting of the Endless Sea.


    Although there were no more discoveries as astonishing as Dragon Ind, several uninhabited inds were found and marked.


    Additionally, the fleet of the Great Tang Group has developed many new shipping routes, ships no longer need to wait for the monsoon to sail anytime, hence, the transport capacity around the Endless Sea has actually increased substantially.


    This was why the merchant ships of countries like Zheng Country, which almost never visited the East Coast of the Endless Sea, appeared in Brunas.


    Previously, Brunas was a ce for the exile of criminals, in Zheng Country''s view, it was a barbarous, deste wastnd under the control of savages.


    "Hmm. This is good news, another opportunity to make a profit," Tang Mo was very satisfied with the progress of the surveying work: "Print them in ordance with the prices we agreed upon in the meeting and sell them."

 Chapter 374 370 Another New Weapon

    Some things are not easily kept secret, such as airnes, which require fuel supplies, advanced repair facilities, and more logistical support for the pilots, so airports are generally built in ces that are not too remote.


    Even for the sake of secrecy, some airports might be located far from urban areas, but an airne''s flight has altitude.


    Even tens of kilometers away from the city, if a ne climbs to a few thousand meters in the sky, it might still be seen by people.


    However, some things are much easier to keep secret than airnes. One such thing is another secret weapon from Great Tang Group¡ªtanks!


    In fact, after the automobile was developed, the technical difficulty of producing tanks no longer existed.


    The technological gap between it and armored vehicles was really just the brainstorm of a track system.


    But Tang Mo didn''t need time to umte; the idea of the track system was already in his mind.


    Therefore, if there was enough fuel supply and more powerful engines, Tang Mo could make tanks without any technical difficulties.


    In fact, it was indeed without any difficulties that he produced the tank, the ultimate weapon for breaking through enemy lines.


    The new tanks were actually quite rudimentary, but Tang Mo''s experience allowed this weapon''s development to avoid any detours. Experience new tales on empire


    He didn''t fuss with the kind of tank churns from World War I, nor did he bother with over-the-top long tracks.


    Tang Mo directly came up with a more mature tank design, creating something simr to the French Renault Tank''s "big tractor".


    After all, Tang Mo had not yet started mass-producing small wirelessmunications equipment, so these training tanks actually didn''t possess coborativebat capabilities.


    They were not equipped with proper cannons; they had only a Maxim heavy machine gun for show, which in reality wasn''t better than the firepower of its armored vehicle predecessors.


    The whole vehicle used a gasoline engine, with the overall length just over 4 meters, and the width barely over 2 meters.


    Actually, this was almost an exact copy of the Tank Mark I blueprints, the only difference being that the weaponry was changed to a Maxim machine gun.


    The reason Tang Mo didn''t directly use the MG13 machine gun was that he had no intention of sending this type of tank into battle, so temporarily using the Maxim machine gun for training soldiers was apromise to simplify logistics.


    Originally the Tank Mark I was equipped with two machine guns; after Tang Mo''s modifications, only one was installed, which was actually a deliberate consideration.


    Tang Mo''s training tank had one more crew member than the real Tank Mark I, the additional person was responsible for tasks akin to those of amander.


    The reason for stuffing an extra person into the tank was to train as many tank crew members as possible.


    With such modifications, the internal space was actually a bit more cramped, as an additional person was stuffed in, so this type of tank had a slightlyrger turret and thinner armor.


    These training tanks had virtually no armor; the thickness of the steel tes on the front, sides, and rear was only 10 millimeters, making the whole vehicle weigh merely 4 tons.


    Compared to armored vehicles, their level of protection saw no improvement. In fact, there were regressions at the very front.


    However, it was not without merit, because as a training tank, it introduced new technology that ustomed the operators to the basic principles of tanks.


    For example, this training tank, also named Tank Mark I by Great Tang Group, utilized an unprecedented track system.


    This brand-new undercarriage system, based on idler wheels, towed wheels, guide wheels, driving wheels, and tracks, endowed tanks with iparable off-road capabilities.


    Before seeing this equipment, no one believed that a vehicle protected by thick steel tes could move with such ease in the wilderness.


    Therefore, various countries did not ce much importance on the development of armored vehicles, mostly just purchasing some armored vehicles for show.


    At present, armored assault tactics are limited to advancing quickly along roads with armored vehicles covering trucks and infantry, and their tactical value is not high.


    Should they encounter trenches, or simple obstacles, armored vehicles would be rendered ineffective, sometimes even without such impediments, as primitive armored vehicles would mostly break down on their own on the road.


    There''s no help for it; to ensure the protective capability of armored vehicles, designers would cerge amounts of steel tes around the vehicle. These steel tes increased engine load, affected cooling, and naturally raised the breakdown rate.


    Automobiles are designed with front grilles directly at the front to enhance cooling efficiency, while professional tanks have their cooling grilles adjusted to the rear of the turret, with openings facing upward.


    To improve the cooling effect even further, fans must be added to the engines to elerate airflow; this alles from technical experience umted bit by bit.


    Users would need to adjust the heat dissipationyout based on experience, and it''s estimated that finding a reasonable design could take up to one or even three years.


    Keep in mind, in this world, cars had just been introduced a little over a year ago, and armored vehicles were still a novelty. Many people had never even seen one in person, so where could they get the experience and proposals for improvement?


    To be honest, these trendy troops who use armored vehicles are probably nervous just lifting the hood to add lubricating oil, let alone dare to think about ''because of this, therefore that...''


    One such training tank could train three members, a driver, a gunner, and amander to direct the tank.


    This essentially made up aplete crew except for an electromechanical officer and a loader, whose training content was rtively simple and could be supplementedter.


    So, how many of these training tanks were there on Dragon Ind? Currently, there were only five! Yes, just five!


    They were all the property of the Great Tang Military Academy, secretly training there while also educatingmanders in the basic abilities to operate tanks.


    And in the eyes of these students learning tomand tanks, their principal was a figure akin to a deity.


    Back then, the principal said that in the future, infantry square formations would bepletely obsolete. Everyone thought that ''future'' would be far off, yet in less than a year, with the needle gun, Great Tang Group''s military products hadpletely outdated the infantry square formation.


    Now, any country with even a slight understanding of modern warfare was beginning to phase out infantry square tactics.


    Even if they couldn''t yet determine what the future infantry tactics would be, they knew that square tactics were utterly without a future.


    After that, their principal told them that in the not-so-distant future, trench warfare tactics would also be confronted with new solutions, and the means of offense by the troops would be more diverse.


    When they witnessed the tank, this new kind of weapon, they finally understood the true meaning of what Principal Tang Mo had told them.


    The new infantry assault tactics were not just about pushing forward with machine guns, not just about the use of hand grenades, nor just about the new offensive tactics born from the use of submachine guns and other modern weapons.


    Their principal was talking about an even more terrifying, more effective breakthrough weapon¡ªjust like the one in front of them, which could easily cross rough terrain and crush enemy trenches, this new type ofbat vehicle!


    Tang Mo called this weapon a ''tank'', with the notion of turning deep trenches into smooth paths and oveing the enemy to triumph¡ªa truly great name indeed.


    This weapon, known as the ''tank'', was countless times better than an armored vehicle, and it gave infantry attacks newer, more powerful support.


    Originally, with the advent of trenches, the attacking side suffered greater losses and the defensive side had a clear advantage. Even Great Tang Group''s elite troops had to be extremely careful when attacking, aiming to break through enemy trenches as quickly as possible to minimize their own losses.


    But now it was different, with this new type of weapon in hand, the attacking side no longer feared trenches or at least could breakthrough them more easily.


    During his days on Dragon Ind, Tang Mo had advanced Great Tang Group''s weaponry system by a significant step, exposing students of the Great Tang Military Academy to a whole new weapon tactical system.


    Of course, these students had also visited nes, and they knew that in the Great Tang Group''s testing grounds, one new weapon after another was being developed.


    The students hade to realize that future wars would be three-dimensional and even more bloody.


    They had to stay alert not only for the enemies in front of them but also for dangers from above! They had much more to learn, and they became stronger than those who were not students at the Great Tang Military Academy!


    "If we face off directly, deploying 10 tanks... I''m confident I could take down any position in less than a day!" one studentmented while peering through binocrs at a training Tank No. 1 rolling over a hill in the distance.


    "That''s not necessarily the case! I heard Professor Redman is researching some depth defense system," another student visiting mentioned, putting down his binocrs.


    Defensive technologies were of course not standing still either; Great Tang Group had not only developed new weapons likendmines but also obstacles like barbed wire.


    With the deep defense theory that Tang Mo shared with Redman, in fact, both offense and defense were advancing rapidly, it''s just the rest of the world''s militarymanders were yet unaware.


    They didn''t know that nes were about to appear in the skies above battlefields, nor were they aware that tankmanders had been born. They didn''t realize that artillery calibers were changing day by day; they also didn''t know that at the Great Tang Group''s testing range, rocketunchers were no longer a novel concept.


    Compared to its decayingpetitor Shireck, the technological advancements of Great Tang Group were on apletely different level.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The technology that Tang Mo could casually share as an exchange was what other nations'' powers dreamt of¡ªthe decisive technology!


    What they didn''t know was that to make the world adopt his modern technology faster, Tang Mo was deliberately increasing the overall technological level of the world.


    If he were to keep things to himself, it would take the rest of the world at least five more years to reach the current level of advancement...

 Chapter 375 371 is really worth more than its value

    ```


    Sitting inside the cramped, crowded, and oil-scented tank, the young cadet, selected to be a future tankmander, felt incredibly stifled.


    When he entered the military academy and achieved excellent results, being regarded as a top student, he never imagined that he would end up like this.


    In his view, a militarymander should ride a tall horse, survey the battlefield through binocrs, make strategic decisions, andmand troops with authority.


    Now, he could hardly see what was happening around him, let alonemand thousands of troops with any degree of splendor.


    At this moment, due to the noise, he had to yell at the top of his lungs to order the machine gunner next to him to open fire.


    The space inside the tank was truly cramped; for him, it was hardly a ce suitable for humans.


    As the tank moved across the rough wilderness, his head asionally bumped against the cold, hard steel tes of the tank''s outer shell, a truly terrible sensation.


    Moreover, the window he could use to observe his surroundings was just a series of incredibly frustrating slits.


    Through this series of disjointed slits, he could barely make out the environment around his own tank, let alone clearly see the positions where the enemy was hiding¡ªit was an impossibility.


    With such observational conditions, the enemy could hide and fire until they ran out of ammunition and still might not be detected by those inside the tank, not to mention directing the tank to fire back.


    The only constion was that these new weapons were surrounded by steel tes, making it improbable for the enemy to cause any substantial harm to them.


    The tank''s vulnerable tires had been reced by sturdy, steel-made tracks, turning this so-called tank into a terrifying presence without a weakness to the light infantry.


    Unfortunately, for those operating the tank, its power was equally terrifying¡ªthe driver responsible for steering the tank forward knew this all too well.


    To keep a straight direction in theplex battlefield environment was extremely difficult.


    In order to avoid obstacles, even a slight turn in the tank''s advance could cause a huge deviation in its direction of travel.


    This was inevitable; today''s tanks were not equipped with GPS navigation devices, so the tank operators had to judge their own positions on the battlefield.


    At shorter distances, this was manageable, as there were some reference points from before departure to roughly determine one''s location.


    But as the distance increased, the tank crews could only rely on their experience and the remaining ny-nine percent luck to judge the position of their tank.


    At this moment, the "tankmander," who was a top student at the academy, felt he could hardly tolerate it anymore.


    He knew that this exercise was important; the academy had deliberately arranged for over 150 students to witness this tank exercise, but he was on the verge of copsing.


    The unpleasant smell of machine oil assaulted his nostrils, making breathing feel like torture. Standing on the iron boxes of ammunition, he, who was practically squatting on them, finally opened the hatch above his head.


    Due to the need to cram an extra person inside, the training Tank No. 1 had a pathetic ammunition capacity of just 500 rounds, over three-quarters less than the unmodified Tank No. 1.


    On one hand, this was because Maxim''s caliber wasrger than that of the MG13 machine gun, so the ammunition capacity plummeted.


    On the other hand, it was also because they had to makepromises to fit an additional person inside.


    The newly retrofitted turret wasrger, more square-shaped to amodate another person, and had almost no incline¡ªjust a simple rectangr box.


    A gust of fresh air entered the tiny vehicle body, allowing the two people in the turret to breathe a bit easier.


    Poking his head out of the turret, this academy''s top student finally got a clear view of the surrounding situation. Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    He withdrew his head and kicked the back of the driver''s seat in front of him hard: "We''re veering off course! To the right, adjust to the right!"


    The student driving the tank gestured back as a way to acknowledge he understood.


    Then, amid the bumpy ride, this so-called tank, with thinner armor than armored vehicles, began to slowly adjust its direction to the right.


    However, it was only their tank that had adjusted its course; the rest of the tanks were each fending for themselves, creating a chaotic scene.


    One tank helplessly watched as it plunged into a trench in the ground; although its length of over four meters could handle many battlefield obstacles, it still fell headfirst into arge pit.


    On another side, a tank tried to knock down a bothersome small tree, and though it seeded, it got stuck on the stump and was left far behind by the other tanks.


    Still, despite this, the remaining tanks performed much better than armored vehicles did on their first battlefield engagement.


    ```


    At least, aside from these two malfunctioning tanks, the rest of the tanks actually performed well and demonstrated strong battlefield adaptability.


    However, these tanks were still not perfect; theycked the means ofmunication, and some of the detail designs were not quite wless, obviously not yet ready forbat on the battlefield.


    "Hey! You''ve strayed from the path! Move over! Move!" Watching one of the remaining three tanks getting closer to his own tank to avoid an obstacle, the tankmander with the hatch open yelled hysterically.


    Unfortunately, his shouting waspletely drowned out by the roar of the engines, and it seemed like the other crew didn''t even notice their direction was off, still recklessly approaching the exercise''s preset "trench."


    "Damn it! If only we had a device for shouting to each other," the tankmander who had opened the hatch and stuck his head outined.


    "They are blocking each other''s view, it seems installing devices to allow these tankmanders tomunicate would be an effective way to solve the problem," Mathews said to his assistant, who was busy taking notes while watching the exercise from a distance.


    "If we were to go into actualbat, these tanks'' frontal armor would need to be thicker, otherwise, it wouldn''t withstand the enemy''s potential means of attack," Mathews added after seeing his assistant writing furiously.


    Tang Mo not only gave him the design for the lever-action rifle, butter also provided the designs for the machine gun, for the submachine gun...


    It could be said that Tang Mo was Mathews''s teacher and also the great figure who enlightened him. Whatever Mathews had achieved today was entirely the result of Tang Mo''s tutge.


    Now, he was in charge of this new project called ''Tank'' initiated by Tang Mo, which made Dwarf Mathews extremely excited.


    He truly loved the design of this ultimatend warfare weapon! He was very optimistic about the design of these steel-beamed, iron-boned revitalized armored heavy cavalry.


    "If there were more tanks,munication would be most needed... Only by informing each other of their situations could they avoid many unnecessary losses on the battlefield!"


    On the exercise field, the "tankmander" who had opened the hatch finally managed to slow down the tank and avoided another that was almost charging across his path.


    It was only at this moment that the other crew realized they had deviated from the exercise route, which had caused this close call.


    ...


    "Exactly! Communicating the battlefield situation is the foundation of the cooperation between tanks!" the instructor leading the students on a tour began asking questions. After a student finished responding, he started evaluating the quality of the answer: "You spoke well! ssmate!"


    "Teacher! I thinkmunication between tanks is very important, and so is the infantry! Without enough infantry cover, tanks be very vulnerable on the battlefield," another student followed up.


    "You''ve made a good point! You can write a paper on this topic when you get back and hand it to me. Thebined attack of infantry and tanks is a good subject; you''re on the right track," the instructor said with a slight nod, taking note of the impressive student.


    While the exercise was in full swing, at the docks of Dragon Ind''s harbor, a ferry with the help of a tugboat came to a stop next to the port dock.


    The gangway was lowered, and a beautiful girl with fluffy ears was the first to jump down the gangway, standing on the concrete ground of Dragon Ind''s dock.


    "Ha! Dragon Ind! Here Ie!" Yue''er clenched her little fists and excitedly stated her arrival while gazing at the already super-sized bustling city with vigor.


    "Get in the car!" Before Yue''er knew it, a Rolls-Royce had pulled up beside her with the door already open, and Tang Mo''s voice came from inside.


    "Hm?" Yue''er hadn''t expected Tang Mo to pick her up personally. Excited and a bit shy, she obediently bent her head and climbed into the car.


    Then, it was Tang Mo''s turn to be surprised.


    Because the moment Yue''er got into the car, she threw herself into Tang Mo''s arms without any reservations, and her soft red lips clumsily pressed against Tang Mo''s.


    "You... what are you doing... Mmm..." Tang Mo didn''t get to finish his sentence before Yue''er''s actions cut him off.


    "I''ve caused you trouble," Yue''er said after their lips parted, batting herrge eyes at Tang Mo: "I don''t want to be a nuisance to you anymore..."


    "..." Tang Mo had certainly not expected Yue''er to rush from Brunas to Dragon Ind just to kiss him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "I don''t want to be bullied anymore. I have to... for myself, for you... live well!" With that, Yue''er bravely charged again, aiming for Tang Mo''s lips.


    Tang Mo couldn''t help but smile wryly at being ''attacked'' by a young girl and then reached out to hold Yue''er''s slender waist.


    Ah, you get what you pay for¡ªRolls-Royce really is a good car... This backseat space... indeed... worth every penny.


    -------


    Finally, an update... I still owe everyone 4 updates.

 Chapter 376 372 still has a chance

    In the dim experimentalb, Yulin was ying with a sk. Her delicate fingers gently swayed the liquid inside, her eyes lifeless, as if not focused on anything.


    "Don''t be so listless, sometimes you should learn from that girl Yue''er. If you like someone, go for it; what''s the use of sulking here?" Roger walked up behind Yulin and offered words offort.


    In the castle, many people were aware that yesterday Yue''er had arrived at the Dragon''s Den and stayed in Tang Mo''s chamber without leaving.


    Early this morning, the two of them had breakfast together, and it seemed that the metaphorical paper window between them had beenpletely pierced through.


    Yulin felt a little aggrieved because she was actually the first one to arrive, but now, whether it was Alice or Yue''er, it seemed they had both gotten ahead of her.


    How could she, who had always liked Tang Mo, not feel sad? After all, she was supposed to be the happiest woman in the world.


    "Grandpa Roger... I don''t even know if Tang Mo likes me or not..." Yulin''s voice trembled with grievance as she spoke.


    "Ha, I don''t know about others, but that kid Tang Mo, he''s just a lecherous little devil! With you being such a beautiful girl, how could he possibly not like you." Roger took out a stainless steel hip sk from his pocket, unscrewed the cap, and took a swig.


    This material was developed by the technical department of the Great Tang Group, and it hadn''t yet been mass-produced, so there were only a few of these sks in the world.


    One was with Tang Mo, another with Roger, and thest one was in the hands of Mathews, who imed to have quit drinking.


    As for why Mathews needed such an item, nobody knew. Anyway, he had quit drinking... uh... truly quit...


    "Sigh..." Hearing Roger call Tang Mo lecherous, Yulin sighed with resentment¡ªwhat she hated was Tang Mo''s lechery; in the blink of an eye, he had already established "pure" rtionships with two women.


    And the crux of the matter was... it didn''t matter if he was impure, but why couldn''t he be impure with her just once, to put her mind at ease?


    "You, stop overthinking," Roger said as he steadied Yulin''s hand, which was shaking the sk. "Listen to Grandpa Roger, just do what you need to do. I''ll find an opportunity to talk to Tang Mo and tell him... your feelings..."


    "Don''t!" Like a startled rabbit, Yulin immediately rejected Roger''s suggestion: "He''s not a fool, he''s just been ying dumb all along. If you tell him, then he will have to make a decision, and I''m afraid..."


    Her love was so obvious, and Tang Mo was certainly no naive boy; how could he possibly be unaware of anything?


    Yulin believed that Tang Mo''sck of acknowledgment was an attitude in itself. If he didn''t say he liked her, it meant he didn''t.


    "I, an old man, don''t know what you''re all being so stubborn about." Roger picked up the sk, looking at the clear liquid inside, clueless about what it was.


    Roger felt that he understood Tang Mo quite well; he thought of his junior as a passive scoundrel¡ªof course, he didn''t know the word "scoundrel," but he got the gist.


    Tang Mo was definitely not a good man, not the kind of moral paragon who loves only one woman for his whole life.


    However, he wouldn''t actively court women. He would even use his sluggish reaction to reject many women''s advances, like Susan, who was a prime example.


    The best way to deal with such a passive scoundrel was to be proactive, and to stick to him very activenly! As long as she met his aesthetic, met his requirements, he would ept, and do so as a matter of course.


    He wouldn''t refuse, because he was greedy and amorous. He was not a good person, but he was nonchntly disgusting.


    Undoubtedly, in Roger''s eyes, Yulin was excellent, and she was even likely one of the few people in the world who understood Tang Mo the best.


    She had learned a lot of modern knowledge at school, which made it easier for Yulin to understand Tang Mo technologically and in terms of thought patterns, an advantage no other woman possessed.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    So, Yulin definitely met Tang Mo''s standards, she could enter Tang Mo''s circle of women.


    Precisely because of this, the reason why Yulin hadn''t be Tang Mo''s true woman yet might just be that neither of them had taken the initiative...


    "Hey, Uncle Roger, what strange ideas are you filling Yulin''s head with now?" Tang Mo''s voice arose from behind the two.


    Yulin''s face turned red at once, fearing that Tang Mo had overheard their conversation. Roger, however, seemed unperturbed as he shook the sk in his hand, "What''s this?"


    "Hmm..." Tang Mo didn''t recognize it at first nce; he looked towards hisboratory table, hoping to find some clues.


    "I was just messing around with nothing to do, and I mixed some B¨£ic¨£ok¨± ording to the form in your notes," Yulin said, as if it were a trivial matter.


    "B¨£ic¨£ok¨±? What''s that?" Roger obviously didn''t know what this substance was for.


    "Uh... that''s not easy to exin... Previously, didn''t we want to assassinate a few people from Shireck... I managed to get some of this stuff." Tang Mo exined somewhat awkwardly, "Well, roughly, it''s simr to poison."


    ```


    "Poison?" Roger''s hand trembled, nearly dropping the beaker to the ground.


    "Something like that," Tang Mo squeezed out a smile, "I mean, Yulin, what are you doing mixing up something this dangerous for no reason?"


    "It''s nothing..." Of course, Yulin wouldn''t exin that she''d actually felt a sudden urge to take a sip.


    "Is this stuff very toxic?" Roger carefully set down the beaker, his nerves unsettled as he asked Tang Mo.


    "It has many advantages. For instance, there is no antidote, its toxicity is fierce, and... it''s colorless, tasteless, and it doesn''t kill immediately," Tang Mo exined, "The dying process willst about two days, so our people have enough time to evacuate, safely and efficiently."


    "The dying process?" The more Roger heard about this essential travelpanion for murder and mayhem, the more intrigued he became.


    "Yeah, it causes fibrosis of the victim''s lungs, how should I put it? It''s like... bit by bit... turning into... something akin to stone. The poisoned individual will struggle to breathe, gradually losing bodily functions, yet helpless to stop it." As Tang Mo spoke, he lifted the beaker and poured the liquid into the waste disposal sink.


    After rinsing it with water for a while, he turned back to Yulin, "I''m nning to go somewhere fun. Do you want toe along?"


    "Where to?" Yulin''s eyes suddenly lit up with curiosity.


    "Let''s go, you''ll see when we get there." Tang Mo extended his hand, making a ssic gentleman''s gesture to invite ady."


    A blissful smile immediately spread across Yulin''s face. She reached out her hand to join Tang Mo''s, and the two left theboratory together.


    Roger watched their retreating figures with a smile before shaking his head. Then he nced at the waste disposal sink, seemingly worried, he quickly caught up to the departing pair, "I say, such terrifying things shouldn''t exist in Dragon''s Den; we need to move theboratory out! Do you hear me?"


    "Alright, alright! I got it!" Tang Mo shouted back at Roger, feigning impatience.


    ...


    Yue''er hugged her pillow, curled up happily in bed, reveling in her bliss. Tozily enjoy a ss of milk in a soft bed was truly a delight.


    If possible, she wouldn''t move at all that day. This was the life she had longed for, the kind that felt so blissfully content.


    The bedroom was covered with the finest nkets, the walls adorned with priceless paintings, and sunlight filtered through delicatece curtains onto the soft nket, which felt ineffablyforting to step on.


    No wonder everyone envied the life of the rich. Yue''er rubbed her fluffy ears against the pillow, breathing in a sense offort she had never known before.


    Last night, she had be a woman.


    Yes, it felt good, indescribably good.


    "Miss, here are your clothes." A procession of servants entered the bedroom, bringing food and a set of exquisite school uniforms.


    "School uniform?" Having seen the uniforms of Great Tang Military Academy, Yue''er recognized at a nce that this was from another school.


    "The master said, while you''re here, you should still continue your education, so he has arranged for you to study for a master''s in economics and management at Dragon City University," the head maid exined kindly.


    Everyone knew that this cat-eareddy, who looked stunningly beautiful, was the castle''s first dy of the house," hence they spoke to her with extra politeness.


    Tang Mo wasn''t opposed to having a few "ornamental" women around, but he preferred for his women to have their own things to keep busy with.


    It''s no fun if everyone just sits around ying mahjong all day, scheming and conniving, right? Tang Mo hadn''t watched "The Legend of Zhen Huan" for nothing, knowing that when women gather, his own household isn''t far from ruin.


    After all, Tang Mo wouldn''t be impressed with someone too mediocre. But those with character and ability, wouldn''t they stir up trouble when put together?


    "Phew! Finally, I won''t be at the same school as that impossibly strong woman," Yue''er wasn''t averse to schooling; she just wasn''tfortable attending the same institution as Yulin.


    Yulin was simply too powerful, bizarrely so. This made Yue''er, who was actually quite excellent in many aspects, seemmonce byparison.


    This time, at Dragon City University, she would be the queen, the queen of Dragon City University!


    Yeah, Yue''er ising! Peace will befall Dragon City University! Yue''er ising, and Dragon City University''s queen has arrived! Wahahaha!


    With that thought, Yue''er leaped out of bed and showed off her impressive figure in front of all the maids.


    As a result, two-thirds of the maids lost heart instantly, sinking into a feeling of self-contempt. The remaining third thought that perhaps if Tang Mo went blind or mad... they might still have a chance...


    ```

 Chapter 377 373 Sage

    "Where exactly are you taking me?" Yulin asked Tang Mo with some curiosity as she sat in the spacious backseat of the Rolls-Royce.


    Tang Mo replied with feigned mystery, "You''ll find out in a moment."


    He remembered the romantic moment he and Yue''er had shared in the car yesterday and then instantly felt that thinking of Yue''er while with Yulin was just too despicable of him...


    Wes, who was driving, was wholly focused on the road; he didn''t care how many women Tang Mo was flirting with in the car¡ªsuch things were toomonce for him to be concerned about; this was nothing for Tang Mo.


    Even if he only achieved one percent, or even one thousandth, of Tang Mo''s fortune, he would still be counted among the most sessful men in the world.


    After all, beneath Tang Mo''s castley a veritable mountain of Gold! The man sitting in the carmanded the world''s most powerful warships and had the most terrifying connections.


    Even the Emperor of the Empire had to show him some respect, and with just onemand from him, the economies of dozens of countries could be plunged into copse.


    Such a man, having only two or three lovers... That''s a joke, right? Is that even considered promiscuous? No, that''s top-level self-discipline!


    If he were Tang Mo, he figured he''d be changing bed partners every day until he was no longer physically capable¡­


    Yulin remained silent, staring out the car window, lost in thought. Trees lined both sides of the road, and since it was paved with asphalt, the ride was smooth enough to make one drowsy.


    Then, Yulin sensed a whiff of danger. She saw the checkpoint and the subtle, almost imperceptible stares from soldiers on both sides, focusing on their car.


    She did not doubt that there was a hidden sentry near the checkpoint.


    Wes rolled down the window and handed out his credentials.


    The duty officer at the checkpoint saw the credentials, then raised his chin, stood at attention, and saluted to signal they could pass. The long barrier lifted, and the Rolls-Royce continued forward as all the soldiers faced the car, watching it slowly disappear into the distance.


    "The security here is really tight," Yulinmented with appreciation.


    "Hmm, it seems that after so long at school, you''ve maintained your vignce," Wes said, tapping his gloved fingers lightly on the solid wood steering wheel without turning to look at her.


    Yulin had learned to fight from him, but then Wes stopped visiting the school often. Tang Mo had since hired a host ofbat experts to teach at the military academy.


    It could be said that the military academy''sbat course brought together the best of everything, turning out students who were experts among experts.


    "Stop mocking me, teacher," Yulin modestly replied, now genuinely curious about who woulde out on top in a fight between her and Wes.


    "We''re here," Tang Mo announced upon seeing their destination.


    The car came to a steady stop on the edge of thewn, and through the car window, Yulin saw bines with propellers at the front parked on the airstrip.


    "Come on!" Tang Mo said as he opened the car door and climbed out.


    Yulin opened her door as well and then saw an airne take off from the runway, soaring into the sky with a roar.


    "Ah!" Yulin, seeing a ne up close for the first time, was stunned by the sight.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although she had studied the relevant theories and knew that Great Tang Group had started exploring flight early on, witnessing a real airne up close was still a shocking and novel experience.


    "They''re like birds... flying freely," Yulin remarked, her attentionpletely captivated by the circling Camel Fighter.


    "Principal!" The dutymander of the airfield approached, stood at attention, and saluted, "Students from the 3rd Aviation ss are training... Everything is normal."


    "Good work," Tang Mo replied with a wave of his hand, and then ordered, "Find two pilots for me. Prepare the standby transport ne for takeoff."


    "Yes, sir!" The officer saluted again and went off to carry out Tang Mo''s orders.


    Tang Mo turned to look at Yulin and asked with a smile, "So, Your Majesty, would you be interested in flying with me?"


    "Ah?" Yulin''s face turned red instantly. She didn''t really want Tang Mo to know that she was called ''queen'' at school.


    How embarrassing is it to have such a nickname known to the person you like? She felt like she could practically dig a two-bedroom apartment in the ground with her toes right now.


    Then, after being shy for half a second, she suddenly remembered the second part of Tang Mo''s sentence...


    "Fly... fly once?" Yulin''s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo nodded, extended a finger, and pointed to the sky, "The ne is ready. Are you afraid? I''ve heard some people are afraid of heights..."


    "No! I''m willing! I''m willing to go anywhere with you," Yulin felt that with Tang Mo by her side, she could be fearless.


    "Then let''s go!" Tang Mo stretched out his hand, beckoning Yulin to take it.


    Yulin, as if afraid to miss the chance, immediately reached out her hand and sped it with Tang Mo''s. And so, hand in hand, they walked to the side of the experimental tri-engine transport ne.


    To tell you the truth, strictly in terms of performance, this transport ne is not really good, and its appearance is downright ugly.


    Above the pilots'' heads, there''s even an engine, so you can imagine the noise. It isn''t fast, and it doesn''t even have a pressurized cabin. However, it does have its advantages, and the greatest of these is that it can fly...


    To be honest, in this era, anything that can take off with people on board, no matter how simple or dpidated, is considered a top-notch piece of advanced technology.


    You have to realize, even in the twenty-first century, flying on an airne, a ne meant for tourism and sightseeing, isn''t an easy thing.


    It was only when the airne''s cabin door closed that Yulin realized they would soon be leaving the ground, flying to a ce even higher than the mountain peaks.


    She somewhat nervously grabbed Tang Mo''s hand, and he could even feel Yulin''s delicate hand starting to sweat.


    "Don''t be afraid!" Tang Mo shouted tofort Yulin.


    However, the roar of the engine drowned out his shouts.


    Yulin heard his shout and nodded firmly at Tang Mo.


    Amid the bumps and shakes, this airne finally broke free from gravity''s bond amidst the chaotic air currents, starting to charge toward the distant skies.


    Taking off in a ne, during the climb phase, feels quite amazing. It''s like being on a roller coaster, with the g-forces pressing you into the seat, drifting up and down unpredictably, and causing a great sense of insecurity.


    By the time the airne became stable, the ground beneath had already receded into the distance, the dense forest now insignificantly tiny.


    Through the not-so-clear windows, Yulin saw Dragon''s Den and could also see the behemoth-like Dragon City in the distance.


    This was the first time in her life that she had seen such a scene. She had had the chance to go up in Brunas''s hot-air balloon to see it, but she had refused.


    Looking back now, refusing to visit the hot-air balloon was the right choice. Her first time in the sky was with the person she loved, and the feeling was simply too wonderful.


    While Yulin was lost in her wild thoughts, Tang Mo gripped her hand tightly. Yulin felt his strength and turned her gaze back to him.


    Their eyes met, Tang Mo looking at her.


    "Do you really not regret being with me?" Tang Mo shouted, oveing the noise of the engine with all his might.


    Hearing Tang Mo''s question, Yulin was slightly taken aback. How long had she been waiting for this question? Two years? Three years?


    It seemed that from the very first moment she saw Tang Mo, carrying his books as he entered the ssroom during her gasmp lit night ss, her heart had unconsciously harbored this hope, hadn''t it?


    From that time, she had a dream that one day, Tang Mo would hold her face and ask whether she was willing to entrust everything to him.


    "I am willing! I am willing! I love you!" Amid the buzzing of the engine, Yulin responded to Tang Mo with eager passion, though it wasn''t an answer to his question.


    Perhaps feeling that merely responding this way could not express her excited emotions, the next second she hugged Tang Mo tight and kissed his lips. Her wild actions seemed to release all her pent-up emotions.


    Tang Mo responded as well, without holding back.


    Up in the cold of the high-altitude of over three thousand meters,


    the two of them, holding each other, felt much warmer.


    "Why¡­" Ten minutester, as the ne steadied on the runway and Yulin emerged from the aircraft, hanging on Tang Mo''s arm, she asked in a intive tone.


    "If I kept ying dumb, you might have resorted to drinking B¨£ic¨£ok¨±¡­" Tang Mo''s lips were sore from Yulin''s kisses, he licked them with his tongue before teasingly replying.


    "Would you not soften your heart if I didn''t seek death?" Yulin wanted to pinch Tang Mo''s arm but felt a bit sorry for him.


    "Not exactly, just that I don''t think... I''m a good man," Tang Mo fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette, ced it in his mouth, and mumbled his response.


    "Yet I like it," Yulin firmly and stubbornly refused to yield an inch.


    The atmosphere had been built up to this point, but Tang Mo had to start saving himself, "One week, if you still don''t regret it, then be my woman!"


    As if¡ªit definitely wasn''t happening today!


    After several hours of madnessst night, he was now practically in sage mode¡ªeven with his youthful vigor, he had to be mindful of his back...


    "Okay!" As expected, it was Yulin, inexperienced in this regard, who let Tang Mo bluff his way through easily.


    "Another one..." Leaning against the car, watching the inseparable couple, Wes lit a cigarette for himself and, amidst the smoke, he sighed with envy.


    -----


    Two updates today

 Chapter 378 374 homes

    Tang Mo finally managed to trick Yulin and rushed back to the Dragon''s Den to find Yue''er - every scoundrel is a master of time management.


    Especially a top-tier scoundrel like Tang Mo, who can legitimately keep two women in the same castle, obviously excels even more at managing his time.


    His Rolls-Royce picked up Yue''er at the Dragon''s Den, and the two of them went off to visit Dragon City University together - they didn''t even stay for a meal at the Dragon''s Den. Tang Mo said he wanted to take Yue''er to experience the cafeteria life at Dragon City University.


    Yulin was so sweet and not in the mood to make Tang Mo ufortable, so she stayed at Dragon''s Den and started to organize his work schedule.


    The Great Tang Group, from any perspective, had already be a terrifying behemoth. Tang Mo had to deal with a lot of affairs every day, and if no one helped him, he might have just be a human-like automatic drafting machine.


    Roger had been helping Tang Mo with his travel arrangements these days, and now it was Yulin''s turn to take charge of this task. To be honest, the job itself wasn''t difficult, so Yulin caught on very quickly.


    Recently the Great Tang Group had a few important affairs to handle: first was the arrangement for the World Industrial Expo.


    This included the opening ceremony, the exhibition venue arrangements, the hosting of the entire expo, and speeches at the closing ceremony, among other things.


    Additionally, a highlight of the expo, or rather an event that was taking ce in conjunction with it, was the first-ever car race.


    ording to the n, car racing teams from the Ice Cold Kingdom, the Laines Empire, Dorne, as well as Shireck''s ndestinely supported Gobur Kingdom, plus the Empire of Na... a total of six teams would participate in the race.


    The race was an exhibition of technology, and the automotive department of the Great Tang Group took it very seriously. Tang Mo was also very concerned, so it was listed separately.


    Then there was the construction of the Jade City-ss battleship; ording to the schedule, Tang Mo was to visit the site in person and provide some guidance and opinions.


    There was also the training of Air Force pilots, the training of Army tankmanders, and presentations of new weaponry...


    Just looking at these myriad events, one could tell Tang Mo was busy. As Yulin looked at these dense arrangements, she was enveloped in a strong sense of sweetness.


    Tang Mo was so busy yet he made time especially for her, taking her up to the heavens for a romantic confession.


    If this wasn''t love, what could it be? At this thought, a smile spread across Yulin''s face. She appeared much more spirited than when she had left the Dragon''s Den for the airport.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Hey! Here''s the information you wanted to look at!" Roger said, seeing Yulin stepping out of her gloom and piling a stack of files in front of her with a smile, "How about that? If you''re tired, take a break."


    "No need." Yulin, full of energy, made a gesture indicating she was fine and continued to dig into these confidential documents.


    She had no idea how formidable the behemoth the Great Tang Group had grown to be until she started reading.


    In the Ice Cold Kingdom alone, the Great Tang Group''s investment had almost exceeded 10 million Gold Coins!


    What kind of concept was that? Five years ago, the entire Leite Kingdom, with everything it had, might not have been worth that much! In other words, if someone offered 10 million Gold Coins to buy the Leite Kingdom, Leite VII might have actually considered selling his country...


    And now, the Great Tang Group''s investments in just one Kingdom had reached such a frightening scale.


    Of course, this 10 million wasn''t just cash; in fact, it was hardly any Gold Coins at all! In many ces, it was technology shares or product-assisted investments that offset the investment amount.


    For instance, the Great Tang Group would establish various factories in the Ice Cold Kingdom and then directly transfer these devalued factories over to Dwarves to manage.


    Investments naturally seek return, and the payback for the Great Tang Group was boats of Gold, dazzling, real Gold!


    In the underground gold vault of Dragon''s Den, the total amount of Gold was almost close to 1,100 tons - and this figure was still rising.


    Only those who have seen so much Gold canprehend the wealth of the Great Tang Group.


    How much Gold was this? During WWII, France executed Operation Fish, transporting all its Gold reserves out of the country before Germany took control, as a financial reserve for a future fight back to regain control.


    At that time, as one of the European powers, how much did the whole of France have in Gold reserves? 2,226 tons! The Gold Tang Mo now possessed was nearly half of what France had in reserves during WWII!


    Given time, the amount of Gold in Tang Mo''s hands would be even more substantial. By then, no one would be able to shake his financial control.


    Yulin had seen that Gold, more gleaming splendor than she had ever seen in her life. These gold bricks constructed into mountains, and right now, they were beneath her feet.


    At this very moment, four heavy industrial bases were being built, located in Jade City, Ice Crystal City, Hotwind Port, and Eternal Winter City.


    These massive bases epassed almost the entirety of modern industrial production organizations: chemical nts, machinery nts, power nts, smelting nts, steel nts, machine tool factories...


    Just innd area, these bases wererger than the cities of the past. To amodate these behemoths, these cities hadpletely abandoned their wall defense systems.


    Beyond theserge industrial bases, the Great Tang Group had also built its own factories in the Empire of Na, the Laines Empire, the Suthers Kingdom, the Por Kingdom, the Songmu Kingdom, the Dorne Kingdom, and so forth.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 379 374 homes_2

    Some were automobile factories, some were train manufacturing nts, some were munitions factories, while others were simply steel mills.


    Overall, the Great Tang Group had basically given up on light industryyouts and turned to providing various production equipment to light industries. On one hand, the Great Tang Group supported the primary industry of agriculture; on the other hand, it monopolized heavy industries.


    Nowadays, the Great Tang Group''s attention focused mainly on the two ends of the industrial chain: They supplied farmers with quality seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, sold agricultural machinery like tractors, and boosted agricultural output.


    On another front, the Great Tang Group supplied mechanical equipment to almost all light industrial enterprises while also maintaining a monopoly on the supply of electricity.


    Apart from the few directly-owned textile factories and light industries of Great Tang Fashion, the Great Tang Group had withdrawn from the textile field and other areas, leaving that market to other merchants.


    And this concession waspensated; the Great Tang Group sold its own shares and naturally took back dozens or even hundreds of times the capital.


    Looking at each ount, looking at every record, Yulin felt as if she could see her favorite man working diligently every single day of these past five years¡­


    ¡­


    After sending Yue''er upstairs, Tang Mo walked alone through the castle''s splendid hall, leaning against a door nearby, a smile crept onto his face as he watched the figures of an old man and a young person in the distance.


    Roger was handing over duties to Yulin. As Tang Mo''s chief steward, his work was indeed not light: "He always wakes up on time every morning, without needing someone to call him¡­ He is a very disciplined man, that''s beyond doubt."


    Yulin nodded and earnestly said to Roger, "I know."


    "Breakfast is usually arranged by Cui Xi, an old habit for many years," Roger continued with the familiar rundown.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Auntie Cui Xi''s breakfast has always been an unforgettable delight." Hearing about Auntie Cui Xi, Yulin also smiled.


    Although Cui Xi still held an important position in the group''s financial investigation department, she would still inquire about Tang Mo''s breakfast every morning, a practice she had never missed over the years.


    These ordinary old-timers of the group showed their loyalty in their own way, which was the fundamental reason for the group''s efficient operations.


    "Every week, Tang Mo has to set aside at least 3 afternoons to draw blueprints or guide other engineers to draw¡­ This is a fixed schedule, so you must be mindful of it," Roger continued describing Tang Mo''s daily work.


    Being the group''s most powerful humanoid walking drawing machine, Tang Mo actually had it worse than a guy named Chris. To advance the development of the world, many times Tang Mo had to y the role of the inventor.


    Most inventions were directly drawn out by Tang Mo, then went straight into mass production¡ªsaving the world research and development time and creating terrifying profits through advanced technology for the Great Tang Group.


    "Understood," Yulin nodded.


    "During this time, it''s best not to disturb him. If there is something extremely urgent, you should personally remind him," Roger advised her again.


    "I understand," Yulin replied with a more serious nod.


    Tang Mo silently watched this scene, not interrupting the two during their job handover.


    On the side, Roger continued his handover instructions: "Additionally, within a week, he has to set aside at least 5 hours to conduct some experiments in theboratory. Same as before, the duration must be maintained; you schedule it."


    "Hmm," Yulin answered obediently, with no sign of her school queen demeanor.


    "I have to warn you again about those dangerous poisons and other messes; you better help Tang Mo throw them out of the castle! Those things are too dangerous! They shouldn''t be anywhere near Tang Mo!" Roger warned her again about this.


    Yulin nodded again and promised Roger, "I''ll arrange for theboratory to be relocated tonight!"


    Roger nodded in satisfaction and continued, "Also, during lunchtime, Tang Mo likes to have a cup of hot tea, less sugar¡­ with just the right temperature."


    "Okay, I''ve got it," Yulin answered quickly¡ªshe knew Tang Mo''s tastes too well, almost as if they were etched into her very bones.


    Even the food she loved to eat was actually what Tang Mo loved¡ªwhatever she previously didn''t eat had also subtly changed to match Tang Mo''s preferences.


    The queen her majesty wasn''t famous for nothing; she had truly put in some hard work studying Principal Tang''s¡­


    Roger remembered something else: "On Tuesday morning this week, there''s a 30-minute slot he needs to set aside personally for selecting fashion trends; I haven''t managed to determine the exact time yet¡­ However, it''s only once a quarter, so you can schedule it whenever. The timing is quite flexible, but don''t dy it too much since you need to leave some time for the production department."


    "Hmm¡­" Yulin was rather interested in this¡ªit''s natural for a woman to be more interested in Great Tang Fashion.


    For a woman to be able to sit beside the godfather of fashion and see every design before the winter or summer collections are finalized¡ªthat was indeed a delightful matter!


    Roger kept describing Tang Mo''s schedule: "Each week, he has to set aside 2 hours to practice shooting¡­ It''s his hobby."

 Chapter 380 374 homes_3

    "Can I apany him?" Yulin asked.


    "Of course you can," Roger nodded.


    Then, Roger added a time slot, "From 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. is his time for receiving guests. Recently, there haven''t been any important guests invited to the Dragon''s Den, so he has more free time during this period."


    Tang Mo liked to meet guests in the morning and also preferred to discuss business then ¡ª because it was efficient and he didn''t need to have dinner with people he didn''t like.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, if he encountered someone opportunistic, someone he could have a good chat with, Tang Mo could also flexibly invite them to stay for dinner ¡ª doing so allowed him to take initiative, which suited his style.


    Yulin noted this once again, "I understand."


    She had an excellent memory, almost never forgetting anything she saw ¡ª if not for such a talent, she couldn''t have be the queen of the school that people adored yet feared.


    "Oh, by the way, remember to call John and ask him to pay attention to the opening ceremony of the Dragon City cinema," Roger was getting on in years, often speaking whatever came to mind,cking coherence.


    In reality, he was more like an ordinary person at work ¡ª keeping all his schedule in a notebook and asionally taking it out for a look.


    Now, without flipping through his own notebook, he was somewhat disorganized when delegating tasks.


    Yulin didn''t mind and continued to nod, "Sure."


    More than colleagues or superiors and subordinates, she and Roger were like father and daughter, or rtives ¡ª Yulin was someone Roger had watched grow up. To others, she was the unapproachable queen, but to Roger, she was just a well-behaved little girl.


    Roger was always a kind elder, whether in front of Tang Mo or Yulin.


    Eager to know more, Yulin hesitated for a few seconds before asking Roger, "Is there anything else on the schedule?"


    Roger couldn''t think of anything else to add at the moment, so he said, "This job requires you to develop a habit, so I will keep handing it over to you until you''re used to it, before I leave for Winterless City."


    "Who was responsible for this when you were in Dragon City?" Yulin''s curiosity sparked an interesting question.


    Rogerughed, "He himself... to be honest, I didn''t even do as well as he did on his own. But, you will definitely be much better than me."


    "It really is a challenging job," Yulin felt the pressure mount in an instant.


    Roger smiled andforted Yulin, "Yes, but I have high hopes for you."


    "Why?" Yulin asked curiously.


    "He really does need someone more attentive by his side... This castle is great in all respects, just not quite like a home," Roger leaned back in his chair, unscrewed his sk but didn''t hurry to take a sip. His words startled Yulin and also caused Tang Mo, who had been quietly standing behind them, to pause.


    In fact, Tang Mo had alwayscked a sense of belonging. Even before he crossed into this world, he didn''t have a true sense of home...


    Back then, he took his private jet to fly all over the world, met different people every day, and slept in different ces every night.


    Sometimes he might have to sleep in a tent on the African savannah, listening to the chilling howls of wild beasts at night, clutching an AK-47 and anxiously getting through the night.


    Other times he would be in luxurious five-star hotels, holding several stunning beauties that would take one''s breath away, indulging in a life ordinary people wouldn''t even dare to dream of.


    However, he had grown numb to such a life... like a lost soul, unable to feel his own existence. Habit, however, made him neither dare nor willing to change his trajectory, so he could only drift, continue wandering on the gloomy margins.


    Aftering to this world, he instinctively, habitually, subconsciously walked down the same old path.


    He had money, he had power, but his castle was empty and cold; he could stack the most valuable art in the world here, but it stillcked something, something he most longed for... a feeling.


    Roger''s words silenced Tang Mo, and the unaware Roger, not far behind him, continued to instruct Yulin, "In terms of work, you actually can''t help him much. However, you can make this ce more like a home, and that would be the biggest... help you could offer him."


    "Thank you, Grandpa Roger. I''ll do my best," Yulin assured Roger firmly.


    Roger smiled and reached out to gently tousle her hair, "You''re a smart girl! Always have been! I believe you can do it!"


    Yulin stuck out her tongue like a child, unconcerned with Roger messing up her hair.


    "I say, let''s have dinner together tonight! Like a family," Tang Mo leaned against the door frame, pulled a cigarette from his pocket, and held it in his hand before suddenly speaking.


    His sudden voice startled both of them. Roger stood up instinctively, while Yulin''s smile grew even wider upon seeing Tang Mo.


    "Beef stew for tonight, fried eggnt, baked snails, and those lobsters too... Have Cui Xi stay for dinner as well, and Yue''er, Wes, call Mathews and Parker too," Tang Mo nned to invite all the old acquaintances from Dragon Ind.


    "Then we definitely need to open a bottle of Brunas aged four years..." the wine-loving Rogerughed heartily.


    Yulin put on a intive expression, "Ah? Can''t we not invite Yue''er?"


    "We''re family!" Tang Mo decided to firmly cement his harem n, stepped forward, and hooked Yulin by her waist dominantly, shamelessly saying.


    Seeing Yulin give up on the issue, a triumphant Tang Mo''sughter grew even louder ¡ª ah, his backyard was finally not aze...


    -------


    No chapter division, onerge chapter presented here. I''m not in the best state today, hence no extra updates... sorry.

 Chapter 381 375 Men and Attendant Students

    In the streets of Brunas, a middle-aged man dressed in coarse cloth ambling among the bustling crowd caught sight. He appeared to be around thirty years old and sported a pair of handsome mustaches. Hands sped behind his back, he walked through the throngs of people.


    A child carrying a massive bamboo basket followed at his side, disying an expression of wonder akin to someone who had never before witnessed the ways of the world, marveling at everything he saw.


    The two of them, somewhat out of ce, continued their walk. The workers and merchants they passed by in Brunas were dressed in much finer clothes than what they wore.


    "I say, sir... this ce is really strange," uttered the child walking beside the man, with a sigh of amazement at the sight of automobiles speeding past along the roadside as they walked.


    Truth be told, beforeing here, he had never even seen a carriage without horses, let alone such beautiful ones.


    Dissimr to the boxy horse-drawn carriages, the automobiles in Brunas were sleek and rounded, more aesthetically pleasing, and instantly more appealing to the eye.


    Furthermore, these vehicles didn''t require horses to pull them and seemed to move even faster than horse-drawn carriages, a clear sign of more advanced technology.


    Upon disembarking from the ship, they had inquired and learned that this machine was called an automobile, a mechanical creation produced in Brunas. These automobiles moved quickly, and in less popted areas, they could even surpass the speed of horse-drawn carriages.


    The man in his thirties walked down Brunas'' bustling streets with an air ofposure, hands still sped behind his back, while onlookers gazed at him with curiosity, "You''ve already noticed something''s off; how could I be unaware of the strangeness here?"


    To be frank, they indeed stood out as not quite fitting in¡ªtheir clothes stood out as particrly unusual in this ce.


    Brunas was a city with its own culture where the majority of men donned the respectable Brunas attire¡ªthat is, suits.


    The girls were more casual in their apparel, with dresses and various beautiful skirts all being eptable, and thetest fashion even featured styles that showed off the legs.


    Walking on such streets, their handmade coarse cloth garments were strikingly out of ce.


    Fortunately, Brunas was a city of immigrants, with people from all cornersing together. Naturally, nobody paid too much attention to the style of one''s clothing.


    However, the clothes worn by the two were just too old, patched here and there, which seemed excessively shabby¡ªbear in mind that in Brunas, even the poorest workers hardly ever wore patched clothing anymore.


    Moreover, not just their clothes, but the conversations between the man and the child as they walked were truly a source of amusement for passersby.


    The child walking by the man quickly revealed his naivety once again, pointing towards and eximing at a sign in the distance, "Look, look, sir! That sign is lit up even during the day¡ªthat''s truly beautiful from afar."


    Dressed in patched clothes! So poor, yet still with a servant in tow... what a show-off! A disdainfulborer walked past the two, sneering inwardly as he hastened by.


    "Indeed," the man replied, following his servant''s pointing finger and indeed saw the advertisement shining even in broad daylight.


    The sign featured an infectiously smiling girl with bright white teeth, looking radiant and inviting.


    In reality, it was merely an advertisement for toothpaste, announcing that daily brushing could reduce tooth decay, with the product name Bailu Toothpaste written in an elegant, artistic font that carried a noble air.


    Dodging a young man delivering goods on a bicycle, the two continued their walk on the crowded streets, taking in the unique scenery of Brunas.


    This more convenient and affordable mode of transport quickly spread once it came into being. Many workers¡ªwho had previously agonized over not being able to afford cars¡ªinstantly joined the ranks of cyclists.


    At the standard time of day when work ended, streets would instantly flood with thousands of cyclists wearing different colored uniforms from various factories, transforming the entire street into a vibrant rainbow bridge.


    This could be considered a unique cultural symbol, while also facilitating the lives of Brunas inhabitants¡ªthanks to this new mode of transport, they no longer had to waste timemuting to work.


    Thepany that developed the bicycle was also an independent enterprise, its founder a worker from the Great Tang Group.


    Despite a questionable background, his entrepreneurial story had be a well-known legend, a topic of conversation during leisure times for many.


    No joking matter, Brunas was rife with such stories of entrepreneurial sess and overnight wealth.


    Some became wealthy by flipping mechanical equipment, while others became rich from recycling old parts and scraps.


    The most legendary one actually improved the free tea provided by the factory and created a delicious milk tea beverage, selling it on the roadside and eventually opening a chain of stores, bing a well-known female boss.


    In this ce, even if you were squatting on the sidewalk selling socks, you could support yourself. It was like a gold mine, as long as you worked hard, there was no such thing as failing to strike gold.


    It was like the United States in the 1950s, where just washing dishes or driving a taxi could lead to a prosperous life¡ªthe economy was booming, and on the crest of the wave, even pigs could fly.


    Brunas was like the Beverly Hills of this world; morous and almost devoid of any filth.


    With thepletion of the entire city''s sewer system renovation, its water supply and drainage system could be said to be ahead of its time. The city was so advanced that it was beyondprehension.


    Countless architects, artists, and officials came here to study and inspect, and the roof decorations of any building here could well be the work of a great contemporary artist.


    The siphon effect had almost widened the gap between Brunas and the rest of the world, to the extent that after a Prime Minister of a Kingdom personally visited Brunas, he eximed with emotion, "If I could choose, I would be willing to swap ces with a traffic bureau chief here."


    Walking on such streets, even men apanied by servants were deeply impressed by everything around them, and couldn''t help but remark, "The people who built this, they can truly be called giants among men. He has great foresight and a mastery of manufacturing¡­ Very capable indeed."


    He truly admired the creator of this ce, for before witnessing these miracles with his own eyes, he could never have believed that such a ce truly existed in the world.


    He had spent a year traveling within the Dahua Empire, then visited Zheng Country and the Mirage Country, reading nearly all the travelogues and histories about Dwarfs he could find.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Later, he personally traveled with a fleet to the Por Kingdom, visited the Songmu Kingdom and the Elm Kingdom, and toured the southernmost part of the Endless Sea, a ce where pirates started a kingdom, the Taren Kingdom.


    Frankly speaking, none of the ces he had visited had given him such a tremendous shock, which was why he stopped his travels at the age of twenty-five and returned to his hometown to settle down and shift his focus to schrship.


    The child following him was actually his Attendant Student, a little follower he had picked up during his travels.


    At this moment, this little follower excitedly admitted that the journey had been worthwhile, "It seems that the sailor didn''t lie to us."


    This outing was actually a coincidence¡ªowing to their dire financial straits, the two of them had scraped together enough to make their way to Zheng Country to visit an old friend.


    Along the way, they heard of a new city named Brunas rising on the eastern side of the Endless Sea, so they went straight to that old friend to borrow some travel expenses and set off for Brunas¡­


    "Why would someone lie about such a thing, especially when we were the ones who asked around, not them telling us voluntarily," the man said helplessly, feigning annoyance as he scolded his Attendant Student.


    "Wow! Young¡­ master! Look, look at that! That sister is so pretty!" Upon seeing a girl in a dress approaching, the Attendant Student quieted down for a few seconds, then burst into excitement.


    Truth be told, the girl who came by could not be considered beautiful; it was the dress that entuated her temperament.


    In this world, in this era, the women seen walking in other cities could only be described as cautiously conservative in their attire.


    Although not wrapped uppletely like the women in the Arab world, their clothing was definitely tightly covered.


    However, in Brunas, such outfits had beenpletely supnted by new-style dresses¡ªwalking the streets and alleys of Brunas definitely had the vor of a 1970s Hong Kong film.


    At least in the realm of fashion, Tang Mo had truly raised the aesthetic standards of the world, and that was an undeniable fact, recognized by everyone.


    If there were still some voices questioning the Great Tang Group in the military and other industries, then in the fashion sector, Tang Mo had already achieved legendary status.


    This statement was no exaggeration; any design not approved by Tang Mo or the Great Tang fashion was deemed rubbish! You had nowhere toin orment because the only standard for fashion was Tang Mo.


    The man looked to be somewhat of a lecher, as, hearing his Attendant Student shouting, he indeed turned to look.


    Seeing the girl with beautiful curves ented by her outfit, knees and calves exposed, and a fairplexion with a face that could score at least a seven, he admired her thoroughly as she passed by.


    However, once the woman had walked away, he turned back with a seemingly righteous demeanor, "To walk on the road dressed like that, without harassment from ruffians or oppression from the powerful, this ce indeed possesses the charm of an earthly paradise."


    "Young¡­ master¡­ I''m hungry," said the Attendant Student, who was strictly ordered to call his master ''young master'' in front ofdies and ''old master'' in their usual interactions, clutching his stomach and begging pitifully as they walked along.

 Chapter 382 Request to see 376

    "I didn''t have breakfast either!" The man sighed, his fingers feeling the few old copper coins left in his money pouch.


    The problem was, he hadn''t noticed a ce in Brunas where a few copper coins could buy him a meal. Along the way, entering those incredibly grand restaurants seemed an unattainable dream, perhaps he couldn''t even touch the doorway?


    There were some street vendors selling snacks, but even this street food wasn''t cheap. There was something called a hamburger, stuffed with meat and lettuce, doused in sauce, looking immensely delicious, yet priced scarily high.


    Truth be told, these street-side hamburgers were actually quite affordable. They were, after all, targeting the working middle and lower sses of Brunas.


    However, two or three silver coins for a hamburger was undoubtedly not considered cheap by those who had just arrived in Brunas, as poor as they were.


    In cities other than Brunas, a few copper coins could get you something to eat, and if you were willing to splurge a silver coin, you could eat quite well.


    Unfortunately, the cost of living in Brunas... for neers from outside the city, it was frighteningly high. Inevitably, consumer prices had inted with the economic development, beyond control.


    You see, at some luxury hotels¡ªespecially at the entrance of the Brunas Grand Hotel¡ªvalets were paid with paper money!


    Wealthy people lived extravagantly here, as they could earn in one day what they used to earn in a year. Therefore, not only were their expendituresvish, but their tips were hefty indeed.


    The phenomenon of casually giving out a gold coin was not rare, and in some upscale venues, there were those who, for the sake of face, would spend a hundred gold coins without a second thought.


    "Don''t worry, with my innate talent, a few thousand gold coinse and go freely, easily earned and easily spent? Wealth..."


    "My lord... maybe stop boasting for now... We don''t even have a ce to stay or money for food... Aren''t you worried?" The Attendant Student felt even hungrier and thus spared no face in revealing the man''s true state.


    Looking at the neatly arranged array of strange wooden boxes behind the ss window, and seeing the prices marked underneath, the man swallowed and realized that finding a job to earn money here might not be easy after all.


    The ce they were standing at was a radio shop, where radios were still a novel item and priced frighteningly high for this era.


    A decent radio''s current price was around 10 gold coins¡ªkeep in mind, the price of a popr brand car was only around 70 gold coins.


    What''s more exaggerated is that there are naturally more expensive and better radios¡ªrich families naturally want to use high-grade, tasteful designs, so the price of a ssic walnut wood designed radio might even exceed that of a car.


    "What you''re saying... does make some sense." Retrieving his gaze, the man truly couldn''t understand why a wooden box with a few circr buttons could be sold for 30 gold coins.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Right!" The Attendant Student immediately nodded. He had been carrying the books all along on their journey, and of course, he was the first to feel hungry. The logic was sound, wasn''t it?


    "Let''s go then! Let''s meet this ce''s owner and have a talk... If he''s truly capable, staying to assist him wouldn''t be a bad idea." The man spoke with grandeur, striding toward a businessman standing by the road reading a newspaper.


    "Excuse me... How do I get to the Lord''s Mansion of Brunas City?" Approaching the man, he seized the opportunity when the other was flipping through the paper to ask.


    "The Lord''s Mansion? You mean the city hall, right? Just follow this street, head to Bright Avenue, and turn right... look out on your left side, you''ll see the sign." The businessman casually pointed, inadvertently revealing his rather expensive watch as he answered.


    Seeing the man thanking him and leaving with his servant, the businessman smirked regretfully as the other had not recognized the least expensive model from the Great Tang fashion brand on his wrist.


    Following the instructions given, the man realized it was not a short distance. There were some construction works on the road, which didn''t seem like major projects.


    A sign, which looked to be made of iron, was being erected; clearly, Brunas had be wealthy enough to use metal sheets for signs.


    Of course, the man didn''t know this was in preparation for the buses, a sign post with an apanying rain shelter design. Nor did he realize the sign wasn''t iron but stainless steel.


    Certainly, Brunas wasn''t extravagant enough to use stainless steel for entire bus stations; in fact, only the Braille bus signs were made of stainless steel.


    The remaining rain shelters and therge advertising boards were actually wooden, made of leftover material from the Brunas shipyard''s shipbuilding.


    Honestly, this was already quite extravagant because this expensive wood was previously used for shipbuilding!


    Before the spread of steamships, these woods were undoubtedly pricey, with sophisticated manufacturing processes.


    What no one expected was that, now, with the development of steel giants, the originally expensive wood was bing more affordable.


    In the distant sky, a giant hot air balloon hung, advertising the slogan for Brunas''s uing first World Industrial Expo.


    The long canvas hanging in the air bore the message, written in super-sized letters, "Brunas Wees You."


    The electric streetlights at this moment had not yet been lit, but these tall columns standing on both sides of the road were enough to give people a sense of oppressive order.


    Under such oppressive order, the man, apanied by his young Attendant Student, finally arrived at the entrance of the city hall.


    This was his first time seeing such a majestic "government office"; if this were in Dahua, one would probably need to go to the Capital City to see such a grand building.


    "Excuse me..." Having finally stood before the guard, the man was polite and ready to state his name to request an audience with the City Lord here.


    However, before he could finish dering his family name, he realized that the guard standing there had no intention of paying him any attention...


    The man was merely leaning on his rifle, lifting his chin high, and did not even nce at the man who had approached.


    The city hall''s guards were not actualbat troops; they were, ording to the division, under the jurisdiction of the Brunas City Hall and were a parallel unit to the police headquarters.


    Basically, these guards were not much different from a ceremonial unit and did not conduct much actualbat training. Their daily work consisted of standing guard, patrolling in style, taking photos with people, and performing g-raising ceremonies and such.


    In terms ofbat prowess, they were inferior to Great Tang Group''s worker reserve troops, as they seldom engaged in realbat training. Those familiar with this ce knew that if one truly wanted to challenge the security forces of Great Tang Group, they should jump over the wall of the Great Tang Group''s factory area in Brunas, rather than cause trouble at the city hall...


    "Hey, what are you doing?" The on-duty sergeant who walked out from the guard room, spoke as the silent guard remained at his post.


    As the size of Brunas City continued to expand, the management team also began to fine-tune and clearly delineate their responsibilities.


    Gradually, the city hall had be merely a symbolic workce; very few people came here for direct services.


    This was the advantage of a modern management system: more and more detailed divisions ofbor, with specialized personnel managing specific tasks, significantly enhancing work efficiency to a certain extent.


    The whole system was efficient and smooth, maintaining better operation of the city during economic growth. As for it gradually bing overstaffed and cumbersome, that was a different issue altogether.


    Clearly, thispared to other regions where the City Lord and the officials managed everything, was so many times better.


    "Ie from the Dahua Empire. My surname is Nangong, with a single name Hong. My ancestor, Nangong Yu''ang, was the eighth Prime Minister of the Dahua Empire..." Formally, the man, named Nangong Hong, introduced himself starting from his ancestors, which was essentially like handing in a resume.


    The gatekeeping sergeant was slightly confused; he really didn''t know why this literary man was standing there showing off to him.


    But to be a sergeant in Brunas, even if just a city hall guard sergeant, he was an educated man.


    He might not be great at showing off literacy, but he could understand the man''s silly introduction of himself.


    So the sergeant interrupted the man engrossed in digging up his ancestry and asked, "So... what exactly are you doing at the city hall? Speak inly!"


    "I would like to meet with the City Lord; please notify the General..." Nangong Hong stated his intention.


    Where did this foole from... The sergeant sized up Nangong Hong, feeling that ''fool'' might be an impolite description, and in his mind, switched to another word¡ªbeggar.


    "To meet the Mayor requires an appointment, forints go to the office next door to register..." The sergeant unavoidably stuck to his job''s requirement, and even though he considered Nangong Hong as a beggar, he still conscientiously performed his duties.


    He went through the motions, exining all the possible reasons why someone mighte to city hall with the intention of meeting the Mayor, and as he spoke, he pointed in the direction of the neighboring office.


    Let''s be real, if every random person imed to see the Mayor or the Director, the Mayor wouldn''t have to do anything else all day...


    Having more or less understood the sergeant''s words, Nangong Hong felt a bit embarrassed... He was there to put himself forward as a strategist in search of a job, not to lodge aint.


    However, he did understand that he needed to make an appointment in advance to meet the Mayor, but he could not wait¡ªhe hadn''t eaten yet!


    "Well... I, am here to... seek a position..." Nangong Hong could only pluck up his courage and exin awkwardly.


    "Hmm?" The sergeant was taken aback, then realized, "The civil service exam registration closed a while back,e back on the 5th of next month!"


    --------


    Not feeling well, offering two updates for today...

 Chapter 383 377, even officials need to take exams

    Civil servants were something Nangong Hong didn''t know about. Nevertheless, he eventually understood that if one wanted to be an aide or an official here, one had to take an exam.


    The Great Tang Group carefully designed the questions, provided test papers for all participants, and then selected officials based on their uracy in answering those questions.


    The questions covered a wide range of topics, from psychological tests to elevated policy-making issues. Of course, the majority were basic questions, aimed at assessing the test-takers'' fundamental logic and their methods for handling administrative affairs.


    The test papers were all produced by Tang Mo, then sealed and sent to the currency printing press to be printed and distributed to various exam sites. They were escorted all the way by the security forces of the Great Tang Group to ensure there would be no leaks.


    In fact, these test papers were Tang Mo''s giarism of the civil service exams fromter generations. As Brunas became more modernized, there was less and less need to modify the content of these papers.


    To outsiders, this was seen as Tang Mo''smitment to valuing talent, as only someone who truly cared would personally undertake the effort of designing exam questions in the talent selection process.


    Even more extravagant was the fact that because the questions were practical and many were extremely sensitive, each civil service exam became a hot topic of discussion. Betting on the exam topics also became an amusement, a game for many incumbent officials to test their sensitivity to current affairs.


    This set of rules waspletely different from those in Zheng Country and Dahua, or rather, almostpletely different from the rules everywhere else in the world.


    However, when Nangong Hong listened to the officer exin the general pattern of the civil service exam, his eyes shone even brighter.


    He was a strategist, a traditional strategist, and his life''s learning was aimed at assisting a truly worthy master in achieving great undertakings.


    What sort of person is worthy of assistance? Surely, it would be one with the bearing of a king, the stature of an emperor!


    At that moment, Nangong Hong felt... he might have truly found a ruler worthy of his loyalty.


    From the design of the exam alone, Nangong Hong could tell that the person behind it was a ruthless character capable of achieving great things.


    No joke, exams... from a certain perspective, are the fairest and most effective method of selecting talent.


    In his time, Emperor Taizong of Tang reformed the imperial examination and, with immense pride, remarked that with the reformpleted, all the heroes of the world would be within his grasp.


    What does that mean? It means, all the talents of the world, hurry into my... cough, serve under mymand.


    Compared to the chaotic systems of hereditary nobility, nobility rmendation, self-rmendation of talents, and the recruitment of explorers, akin to a kindergarten''s way of selecting talent, exams were undoubtedly revolutionary.


    As long as the content of the exam was reasonable, this talent selection mechanism could speedily identify qualified officials and immediately put them to work for the entire organization.


    It''s no exaggeration to say, such selection is incredibly efficient; at least at the "official" level, it can be considered the optimal solution.


    "Brilliant... the exam... why didn''t I think of such a reform..." Clenching one hand into a fist and thumping it into the palm of the other, Nangong Hong appeared to have an epiphany.


    He had always been seeking reforms in talent selection and never imagined that here in Brunas, there was already such aprehensive official selection n.


    Officials, with "officers" and "clerks" being inseparable existences; as long as capable clerks were selected, promoting officials from among them became easy and convenient.


    He wasn''t yet aware of the strictness with which the Great Tang Group selected its officials; inparison to other ces, it could almost be described as climbing to heaven.


    Firstly, most senior officials in the Great Tang Group were academically trained, and these young officials, as well as some who received further training in theirter years, without exception, graduated from various institutes of Great Tang.


    Most of the senior officials graduated from night school, almost all of whom Tang Mo had personally taught. They self-identified as the Night Party, holding the majority of official positions within the Great Tang Group.


    Most of them were former veteran officials transferred from Brunas and Northern Ridge, who had risen along with the Great Tang Group, and now could be said to hold high power.


    This faction, represented by Roger, Cui Xi, and the former Brunas city official and others, was quiteplex inposition and average in ability, but most had ridden the rising tide of the Great Tang Group and therefore now held high status.


    Another part of the Great Tang Group''s officials, self-identified as the Light Party, were the exact opposite of the Night Party. They were formally trained by the Great Tang Group after its rise, all of them academic achievers.


    They were true exam-takers through and through, with relevant professional backgrounds, and many were top students personally taught by Tang Mo.


    Compared to the Night Party, hastily trained through night school, the officials of the Light Party were generally very young, with matching expertise, outstanding abilities, and assured loyalty.


    However, due to their shorter service time, they typically held lower positions, primarily responsible for practical tasks, and thus, the Light Party had virtually no influence over the Great Tang Group''s decision-making.


    Although the two factions had no significant disputes in political views, there was indeed a significant difference in their backgrounds.


    They represented different interest groups and had different socialworks and circles of friends, hence the clear delineation between them.


    The most direct conflict of interest currently between the two factionsy in the appointment of officials¡ª the Night Party believed that age, prudence, and rich experience were primary considerations for appointing officials, while the Light Party thought that individuals with solid theoretical knowledge and wide learning should be appointed first, reasoning that experience could be umted over time.


    Anyway, both sides had their points, and the methods they used were all aboveboard, so Tang Mo didn''t bother with this kind of healthypetition.


    He didn''t mind employing academy schrs nor did he oppose unconventional talents, as long as they could catch a rat, a ck cat or a white cat were both good cats.


    Any discerning person could already see that the Great Tang Group relied on graduates from Brunas University and Dragon City University in administration, and clearly, in the future, graduates from these two universities would have a meteoric rise in the political arena.


    At the same time, the Great Tang Group''s military foundation was built with the support of the Great Tang Military Academy, so naturally, the graduates of this military academy would be the backbone of the Great Tang Group''s military power.


    However, they still didn''t fully understand that these institutions of the Great Tang Group had already undergone a series of subtle changes.


    First, without realizing it, the Great Tang Military Academy hadpleted a preliminary division into four separate colleges.


    These four colleges were namely the Great Tang Military Academy, Great Tang Army Academy, Great Tang Aviation Technology College, and Great Tang Naval University.


    As their names indicated, the four colleges that had spun off strengthened their specializations, divided ording to future branches of the military, in a scientific and rational manner.


    Meanwhile, Brunas University spun off Weigang University, effectively expanding its scale of education¡ªboth universities wereprehensive with no distinctive features, and the talents they cultivated were more or less simr.


    After all, the world was short of qualified talent now, and students who had studied in these schools were certainly not worried about finding jobs.


    In fact, students who had the opportunity to study here were already targeted by major powers, with their futures reserved even before graduation.


    "My lord... I''m hungry..." The Attendant Student, kept outside the door, looked pitifully at his master and spoke, dealing Nangong Hong yet another devastating blow.


    Nangong Hong was even more irritated.


    This ce was even more perfect than he had anticipated, so perfect that it was somewhat despairing¡ªhe was a strategist, and if the other side had a more professional advisory team, then what use would there be for an outsider like him?


    If you say your expertise is to give advice to others, but if the other party already had a foolproof n, of what use could you be?


    During his journey, Nangong Hong had observed many details about Brunas, which shocked him no less than a war.


    Even, he felt that not even ten or a hundred battles couldpare to the changes this city had brought to the world!


    A brand-new, more efficient bureaucratic system; superior infrastructure that had undergone aplete transformation; a technological revolution that surpassed everything; and the powerful military capability to ensure all of this would not be vited!N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The person who possessed all of this could indeed be called the Chosen One, the one most likely to establish an enduring empire.


    What annoyed Nangong Hong was that such a person was right before him, yet he had no chance to meet him, no opportunity to rmend himself, no chance to assist such a monarch, and no opportunity to help him achieve unparalleled feats.


    "You better leave here quickly! If it weren''t for the expo, a foreigner like you without even a temporary visiting pass would have been arrested a long time ago," said the gatekeeper as he waived his hand and ended the conversation.


    Nangong Hong, as if he had lost his soul, wandered half a street before he began to recover a little. He sighed and suddenly felt even hungrier.


    Rubbing his stomach, he looked at the tall buildings in the distance, enshrouded in smoke and fog, and mustered some spirit again.


    Thinking that the leader of the Great Tang Group, who possessed such amazing technology and an invincible army, had yet to establish his own country, it seemed that the strategists and officials around him were nothing more than mediocre.


    With this thought, Nangong Hong felt he could still make a difference here. He pinched the few copper coins left in his hand, preparing to find a food stall to see if he could buy something cheap to eat¡­


    The two figures, onerge and one small, walked along the street towards the distance; as they walked, the Attendant Student keptining that his master had even had a drink along the way, without thinking to save enough for food, and now they had no money for a meal.


    Meanwhile, Nangong Hong, who was walking ahead, kept boasting that he was a prodigy and that one day, when he left home, he would surely ride in those exquisite cars.


    And so, the two of them argued and walked far away, disappearing at the end of the road.

 Chapter 384 378 menopausal women

    As the days passed, Brunas increasingly entered the atmosphere of hosting a grand world fair.


    The streets were filled with various exquisite advertising slogans, and factories and workshops from around the world, as well as renowned merchants and tycoons, were ready to make a ssh in this city and earn a fortune.


    Just as Nangong Hong and his Attendant Student were worrying about how to fill their stomachs, at the docks, sailors were carefully moving crates of supplies off a cargo ship from the southern part of the Endless Sea.


    Those supplies were very delicate and expensive¡ªthe real employer renting this huge sailing ship turned out to be the Shireck Consortium.


    This time, they came to Brunas not to cause trouble but to participate in the car race and promote their automobile technology.


    In preparation for this race, Shireck had gone to great lengths, establishing an automobile factory in the Gobur Kingdom and naming it Gobur Automobile Company.


    After almostpletely copying the production of the T-model cars, Shireck spent a great deal of effort improving the engine and redesigning the car''s exterior toe up with theirtest product.


    To be honest, they still had some foundation in this area¡ªbefore the Great Tang Group emerged, Shireck''s carriages were also very prestigious and fashionable items.


    This time, they implemented many of their past technologies directly into the automobiles, which genuinely improved the performance of their cars significantly.


    For one, Shireck used more aggressive weight reduction methods, supporting the rims with slender bars, making the car''s wheels look like those of modern bicycles, effectively reducing wheel weight.


    Secondly, they added more cylinders to the engine, erged thebustion chamber, and boosted their engine horsepower by two-thirds.


    Frankly, it was the technicians from the Great Tang Group who had helped Shireck develop this area, and one of these technicians was still the chief technical advisor under Sofia.


    With technical guidance from the Great Tang Group, Shireck''s automobile technology naturally advanced rapidly. The cars they sent forpetition this time were indeed verypetitive.


    Brunas stillcked proper steel ships, so Shireck still resorted to old-fashioned sailing ships to transport the race cars.


    This time, however, the sailing ship arriving in Brunas was somewhat exaggerated in size¡ªit was a gigantic transport vessel that was said to have been used by Shireck for transporting enormous defensive cannons.


    In earlier times, those defensive cannons, massive wall-mounted artillery pieces, were incredibly heavy to achieve power and range. Thus, ships built to transport such artillery were specialized for that purpose.


    With the development of field artillery, the market for defensive cannons was shrinking, and nations no longer wanted to purchase such expensive and somewhat obsolete weapons. Therefore, this giant ship was left idle and unused.


    Now, it was just right for transporting race cars.


    It had arge deck space, and therge deck openings ensured that the cars could enter the lower deck chambers for better preservation.


    The sailors were handling with utmost care, for these three cars were not mass-produced models but specially designed forpetition.


    Their prices were incredibly high because every part had been hand-crafted by the master artisans at Shireck.


    Even the screws used had been machined with equipment secretly purchased from the Great Tang Group because Shireck Corporation''s own machining wasn''t precise enough...


    "Be careful! Do you realize how important this stuff is?" Standing on the dock, Sofia''s cold-faced maid shouted a warning to the ves moving the goods.


    These ves had arrived with the ship, and Shireck still felt that this "high technology" should not be exposed to the Great Tang Group for fear of leaks...


    Shireck''s steward, responsible for the transportation of the cars, instinctively kept his distance from the maid who was seething with resentment; he always felt there was something off about this woman.


    As Shireck''s nearly overt "special envoy" in Brunas, Sofia''s maid had indeed been in a bad moodtely.


    No wonder, for she was increasingly sure that she might be a woman who was attracted to both men and women...


    Actually, it was nothing so surprising; she knew many women like that. Many women would spend a spring night in me Castle with the esteemed Sofia, then go home to tend to their wealthy, influential husbands¡ªit wasn''t unusual.


    However, what annoyed her¡ªor rather, caused her immense embarrassment¡ªwas that the man she liked, that guy named Harry, seemed not to consider her a woman at all.


    The maid, who considered herself to be of at least nine points in beauty, hinted and even made overt suggestions to Harry on several asions, yet never received the response she hoped for. How could she not be infuriated?


    Once again, she invited Harry to dinner, and he gave her the courtesy of attending the banquet. However, after simply having a meal, the guy excused himself citing his busy work schedule!


    God knows how long she had prepared for that evening banquet. She donned a luxurious gown she would not normally wear, custom-made in thetest fashion from Great Tang.


    That day, she applied makeup, used perfume, and even chose a very sexy set of lingerie, all for the sake of capturing Harry, the man who excelled in every aspect, at one go.


    But he was not a man at all! He scarcely nced at her and showed not even the slightest hint of desire before hurriedly leaving.


    She had seen plenty of straight women before, but such a straight man was a first for her! The number of sses she smashed that night could almost make aplete set...


    A woman in a bad mood is probably a bit more dangerous than seven kilograms of uranium-235. Hence, the workers and ves on the dock suffered terribly.


    "Be gentle! If you want to die, I''ll grant your wish!" The ill-tempered maid red at several clumsy workers moving a wooden boxbeled "Engine" off the ship, warning them loudly once again.


    "I say¡­ my lord¡­ has she been jilted?" A small Shireck leader who had arrived in Brunas with the sailboat asked the steward standing there in a hushed voice.


    "Shh! Do you have a death wish? If she hears you, I can''t save you either!" The steward from Shireck, who was in charge of this race, cast a nce at the maid in the distance and warned his subordinate with palpitations.


    First off, those crazy women were already troublesome enough in me Castle; who would want to risk their life ying with a group of women who liked women?


    And now, this maid had taken on an additionalyer of imprable mystery¡ªshe was a fearsome entity even in Brunas, one that everyone cautiously gave a wide berth to.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Be it men or women, all of Shireck''s spies and secret agents lurking in Brunas had been without exception found and thoroughly eradicated by Silver Fox.


    Only this woman had somehow managed to survive here and was doing quite well¡ªwho knew what heaven-reaching methods she possessed?


    There were rumors suggesting that this woman might have slept with a high-ranking official from the Great Tang Group, bing his mistress, which was why she had climbed to her current position.


    Others gossiped that the high-ranking official from the Great Tang Group was a woman, who also fancied women, and that''s why the maid had stumbled into good fortune.


    An even more exaggerated version imed that the owner of the Great Tang Group, the mysterious Mr. Tang, was a pervert who swung both ways and was versatile at that...


    With all these rumors and spections, it was not surprising that the maid was able to thrive in Brunas. On the contrary, people''s focus shifted to Tang Mo''s preferences.


    Inparison, the Great Tang Group''s racing team was much more professional. They not only had the advantage of racing on their home ground but also possessed a genuine technological edge.


    The engine technology of the Great Tang Group was undeniably ahead of the times¡ªeven by just utilizing the average Rolls-Royce car engine, the performance parameters already crushed the new engines modified by the Shireck Corporation.


    After all, Rolls-Royce had been using 6-cylinder engines since before the 1920s. And 80 yearster, 6-cylinder technology wasn''t something the average family car could afford...


    Of course, this still brought up considerations like fuel economy and engine discement, not implying that six cylinders were definitively more advanced than four. But even with a broadparison, one could discern some differences.


    The mass-producedtest engines installed by the Great Tang Group in their Rolls-Royce cars already performed better than the custom racing engines Shireck brought out, clearly highlighting the gap.


    However, before thepetition began, no one knew just howrge this gap was; everyone still harbored hopes of victory in the race.


    Inparison, the racing team from Laines was much more pragmatic; they set a goal of maintaining a top-five position, aiming for the top three.


    From the beginning to the end, they never entertained the fantasy of contesting for the first ce, as every member of the Laines car factory was aware that all their technology originated from the Great Tang Group.


    If they were to win despite this, it would not be because of their extraordinary performance but rather because the Great Tang Group deliberately threw the race.


    Expecting Great Tang to throw the race was utterly unrealistic, as it was clear to everyone that this was a major advertising event meant for promotion, so the Great Tang Group would definitely want to secure first ce to advertise themselves.


    As for second, third, and even the following fourth and fifth positions, it was down to the skill and efforts of thepeting teams. The stage was set by the Great Tang Group; how much they could benefit depended on how much real skill the participants brought.


    On the dock, the maid was still unaware that in the eyes of others, she had already be a woman going through an early midlife crisis, still voicing her grievances with a thunderous temper.


    The people around her were silent as cicadas in winter, forced to disy an overly cautious demeanor, busily and fearfully going about their tasks...


    -------


    I''ve been holding it in all day, no inspiration... no inspiration...


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 385 379 A bold idea

    ```n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Damn it, why does every random girl I run into on the street have a background? Shit." He kicked a trash can by the roadside, the Zhang family''s eldest son cursed angrily.


    He had been locked up in the police station for 20 days before he was released, and that was after paying a hefty bail.


    In Zheng Country, he had never suffered such humiliation, so the moment he got out, he vented his rage in every possible way.


    Then he saw a cop in the distance looking at him with a mean stare, seemingly ready to teach this public property destroyer a lesson.


    The Zhang family''s eldest son instinctively shrank his neck and nodded apologetically, hurriedly leading his people away from this troublesome spot.


    He had realized now that in this Brunas, the small fry were hard to deal with, and Yama even harder; as a dragon crossing the river, he was thoroughly suppressed by the local snakes.


    "Once I return to Zheng Country, I''ll definitely make Brunas pay! If their goods want toe ashore, we''ll levy twice! No! Three times the tax! I''ll let them know what it means to mess with the untouchable!" he said hatefully as he walked.


    "Young Master, we''ve also looked into it these days, and actually... Brunas''s main business isn''t with our Zheng Country. Most of their goods are shipped to the Ice Cold Kingdom, Por Kingdom, and Taren to the south... which is now called Winterless City," his longtime butler exined.


    Previously, because he was negotiating with several bigwigs from Brunas, he couldn''t stay by his young master''s side, which led to the mishap.


    It was also he who had been active in negotiating and paying the fines to bail out the Zhang family''s eldest son.


    "What? Hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins a year... you''re telling me that''s a small business?" The Zhang family''s eldest son didn''t believe it, looking at his family''s butler and saying, "Can crossing the sea really be so profitable?"


    "As far as I know, Brunas, or rather the Great Tang Group''s annual business amounts to tens of millions of Gold Coins... Their business includes arms, medicine, transportation... and so on. To say they''re making a fortune is an understatement," the butler, who hade to understand a bit about the scale of the Great Tang Group over the past few days, said with apprehension.


    In terms of the efficiency of making money, a hereditary household like the Zhang''s was absolutely no match for such wealthy tycoons.


    When ites to influence, the butler also deeply knew the power of a consortium that could pull out hundreds of thousands of Gold Coin effortlessly.


    The Zhang family may have absolute control in Zheng Country, but if this Great Tang Group wanted, they could easily establish a position in Zheng Country and even in the Dahua Empire behind it with their financial power.


    Even if it were the Prime Minister of the Empire or the royalty and nobility, who would say no to Gold Coins? These people may cherish their reputations, but that''s just for show. They might scorn small money, but they don''t truly regard wealth as dirt.


    "You''re joking, the kind of bribes that a giant like the Great Tang Group could offer could never be small change. Money moves people''s hearts; they could offer so much..."


    In front of such a colossus, even the head of the Zhang family would have to act cautiously and carefully; this was not a problem that could be resolved by waving a hand recklessly.


    "Tens of millions? Heh... this Great Tang Group is really so rich?" The Zhang family''s son seemed to be getting some crooked ideas again.


    "Young Master, when the old master left, he made it clear that this cooperation is crucial; you must not..." the butler, who knew his young master well, immediately interjected a reminder.


    "Ah? Therein lies the error! Fortunes must be sought amidst danger," the Zhang family''s eldest son waved his hand dismissively, looking profound: "I heard the founder of this Great Tang Group is a ck-haired, ck-eyed... convict?"


    "Hm? Young Master, what do you mean?" The butler looked at his young master with a puzzled expression.


    "A convict... No matter how well they live on the outside, they can''t return, right? It''s like that in Dahua, and it''s the same in our Zheng Country..." the Zhang family''s eldest son confirmed with satisfaction.


    "Indeed, that is the case, though there are always exceptions..." the butler considered and nodded, admitting to this point.


    ording to thew, convicts are barred for life from returning home, unable even in death to return as spirits to their nativend, doomed to be lonely ghosts overseas forever.


    However, there are indeed exceptions. Most convicts on the road die from illness due tock of medical care, and some starve to death. But indeed, there are a few who are strong and survive.


    Among those who survive, of course, some make a name for themselves overseas. Some umte a bit of wealth, some manage to make something of a home for themselves.


    Those whoe to terms with it, who don''t believe in returning home after death to pay homage to their ancestors, might just settle down overseas, considering themselves as good as locals.


    But those who can''t let go are bound to desperately try to return home¡ªLi''ao is one of those people. Their lifelong desire is to go back, to catch a glimpse of their hometown just one more time.


    ```


    If these people can save up some money during their exile, they will "redeem themselves," which means using almost all their wealth to absolve themselves of their crimes.


    In this way, they can be buried in their homnd, and their descendants can go back to the native soil to start their lives anew as ordinary citizens.


    "The founder of the Great Tang Group, named Tang Mo... with ck eyes and ck hair, looks like a criminal, doesn''t he?" The eldest son of the Zhang Family said with a sordid grin, "Tell me, do you think he''s willing to redeem himself?"


    "Only if he''s gone mad! Spending tens of millions of Gold Coins to redeem himself?" The old butler looked at his young master as if he were looking at an idiot.


    "Hmm, maybe he would be willing?" The eldest son of the Zhang Family feigned a profound and inscrutable air as if everything was under his control, "Our Zhang Family might be able to speak on his behalf, right?"


    "Of course, if he''s unwilling, it''s not important." The Zhang family''s eldest son shook his head, "As long as we find a way to lure him to Zheng Country... once there, isn''t everything up to our Zhang Family?"


    "How could he possibly go to Zheng Country in person..." The old butler felt that his young master''s ideas were bing more and more impractical.


    Such a wealthy man would surely be very cautious in his movements. He might go anywhere, but the one ce he surely wouldn''t return to was the country that had exiled him!


    ¡­


    "Hmm, of course I must make a trip to Zheng Country. Everything here has already entered the development phase, and I''m going to Zheng Country and Dahua Empire to expand the market. Besides, wouldn''t it be reasonable to buy a couple of plots ofnd in my hometown, and see my kinsfolk?" Tang Mo, while eating grapes peeled by Yulin, said to Li''ao and Luff among others.


    "But it''s hard to say, those greedy officials in Zheng Country might not act against you because of your identity..." Luff had been looking at the issue from a safety standpoint from the start.


    In his view, it didn''t matter how much money the Great Tang Group made; his first priority was ensuring the safety of the soul and engine of the Great Tang Group¡ªTang Mo himself.


    Everything else was secondary; he even thought that going to Zheng Country was superfluous. Why not just send someone else to explore the market?


    "The scouts have already gone ahead; there''s actually nothing more to say. The master won''t move lightly without making thorough preparations," Li''ao interjected with an exnation.


    He himself hoped to return to his homnd, but he really didn''t want Tang Mo toe with him. Going back implied certain risks which none of those present were willing to take.


    "Rest assured, I''m not nning to go right now. At the very least, I''ll wait until the Jade City is fully constructed," Tang Mo reassured them with a smile.


    To him, if a few sailing ships could blockade the doorstep of the Great Qing Dynasty and trample the Qing Government into the ground, then there was no reason he should be in danger when knocking on their door with a real dreadnought battleship.


    The other side was not somenguage-barrier cannibalistic tribe. They would surely realize the power of the cannons, wouldn''t they?


    "I still think this kind of thing is unsafe," Luff persisted in his reluctance to let Tang Mo take the risk himself.


    "I don''t mind at all, with that car and the guard squad arranged, even if we have to fight our way back to the Jade City, I''m confident," Wes said, eager for action.


    As Tang Mo''s personal bodyguard, Wes had recently glimpsed the technological prowess of the Great Tang Group: A bulletproof Rolls-Royce car custom-made for him was finally handcrafted topletion.


    The whole car weighed nearly five tons! The doors were a foot thick and even required auxiliary power to open! The wheels were made of solid rubber, and it had virtually no weak points¡ªits chassis could even withstand the st of a grenade!


    With this car, Wes could ensure Tang Mo''s absolute safety on the road. There was no question as to where the two of them could go.


    Inside the car, there was a weapon box; underneath the rear seats, there were two Thompson Submachine Guns with 8 magazines and 4 drums!


    The ss of the car could withstand pistol bullets, and effectively defend against close-range spray from submachine guns.


    Even in the event of direct fire from heavy machine guns or rifles, by ducking down, the passengers could use the car doors for protection.


    This Rolls-Royce, made specially for Tang Mo, also had a dedicated eight-cylinder engine that enabled this armored-car-sturdy vehicle to reach a terrifying speed of 100 kilometers per hour on t ground, enough to shake off most pursuers.


    It could be responsibly stated that to ensure Tang Mo''s safety, the Great Tang Group had piled up nearly all of their most advanced technologies in this car.


    "I have no objections either, as long as you let me apany you," Yulin said as he peeled another grape and handed it to Tang Mo.

 Chapter 386 Eating is the most important thing at 3:80.

    The location of Tang Mo''s meeting was not a spacious and bright conference room, but a rather small cabin.


    At this very moment, they were sailing on the ocean, waves pping against the hull of the huge ship, and the massive port of Brunas was beginning to loom hazily in front.


    Apanied by a Wolf-ss warship, the two Wolf-ss warships, one in front and one behind, disyed Great Tang Group''s unassable naval dominance.


    Just these two Wolf-ss warships alone were enough to destroy the entire fleet of any naval power in the world.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Principal! We''ve arrived at Brunas!" The captain personally came over to report to everyone in the meeting, "General Tagg is already at the port to greet us."


    "I said there was no need for all this fuss..." Tang Mo felt it was unnecessary for his people to make such a big deal, and he said so.


    "Basic respect must be maintained, rules are rules¡ªit''s a way for subordinates to show loyalty to you. If they be negligent, over time resentment might arise," Li''ao spoke up to exin on behalf of Tagg.


    Tang Mo nodded helplessly. Great Tang Group was growing everrger and, even if it was just for show for some of the grassroots level, they still had to make a grand disy of it.


    This time, Tang Mo was returning to Brunas to attend the World Industrial Expo, an important event that he naturally took very seriously.


    He was to personally preside over the meetings and attend banquets, to meet certain individuals he had to meet, and to maintain hiswork of rtionships.


    Moreover, he needed to manage the entire Expo, and if he didn''te over in advance to set up andmand, he would feel somewhat uneasy.


    Another reason was that Brunas had always been Great Tang Group''s stronghold; if he, the boss, disappeared for too long, it''s inevitable that the people here would begin to feel uneasy.


    Therefore, he had toe and solidify his presence, to let everyone know that Brunas was still a focus of Great Tang Group''s operations and remained an impregnable hub of the world economy!


    These weren''t things he could just talk about or n¡ªthey required his presence and his oversight!


    After much thought, Tang Mo did not let Roger retire in the southern part of the Endless Sea. Instead, he kept him in Dragon City to be its mayor.


    There was no helping it¡ªTang Mo still trusted this uncle who was not his biological uncle the most. Dragon Ind was critical, and he always felt it was safer to assign someone thoroughly tried and tested.


    Consider, after all, that it involved thousands of tons of gold, and possibly tens of thousands in the future. If it wasn''t ced into the hands of someone truly loyal, it could indeed create serious trouble.


    Moreover, what Dragon Ind had was not only gold. It also housed Great Tang Group''s secret weapons research base, the advanced students from all three branches of the military, as well as the manufacturing facilities that Tang Mo relied upon most.


    This was truly Great Tang Group''s most valuable asset, the most expensive jars and bottles. If these were smashed, Tang Mo really would be distressed for a while.


    Therefore, with Winterless City, Tang Mo was more rxed, directly letting Dino go and give it a try¡ªwhich is why this 19-year-oldd, along with a few of his junior ssmates, headed off to Winterless City.


    Tang Mo didn''t mind failure, or if his subordinates took some detours. After all, he now had the capital to support a certain level of failure.


    Winterless City belonged to a more peripheral industry, even if Dino couldn''t handle it, Tang Mo could still send people over in time to clean up the mess.


    Next to it was the Dorne Kingdom, Dino''s two junior ssmates, Strauss and Bolton, were both there¡ªclose at hand, so they wouldn''t be able to cause much trouble, right?


    Soon, the two warships entered the port of Brunas. On the dock, military music yed, the honor guard was neatly arranged, and a red carpet wasid along the smooth road. As Tang Mo descended the gangway, Tagg was already standing upright with his chin raised, saluting and waiting by the side of the gangway.


    "You''ve worked hard," Tang Mo said as he walked down the gangway, followed by Wes and Yulin, with cranes working in the distance and a forest of various types of tall buildings even farther away.


    "It''s all part of my duties," said Tagg, whose spirits were high because he had been reassigned to Brunas, affording him time again to continue his studies at the Great Tang Military Academy.


    As a seniormander, he had to maintain a keen sense of thetestbat situations. His judgements often determined the life and death of the most elite soldiers of the Tang Army.


    Thus, whenever he had the time, he''d go to the academy to get hands-on with thetest weapons and learn the most advanced tactics.


    Detailed maps of various locations, along with high-precision sand table exercises created in the Great Tang Military Academy, were his favorite things.


    After finishing training and teaching some of the students, Tagg would either be in the secret library studying new tactics or in the sand table room with a group of staff officers, wargaming scenarios¡ªhe was fully engaged with his work.


    The steward stood on the other side, waiting until Li''ao disembarked the ship before reporting in a low voice a few pieces of intelligence that didn''t require Tang Mo''s attention.


    Li''ao nodded slightly, casually gave some suggestions, and continued to walk forward.


    After discussing official matters, the tall and burly steward brought up a personal issue rted to Li''ao: "There''s one more thing."


    "Hm?" Li''ao continued walking without slowing his pace, leaning on his cane and uttering a question.


    Without hesitation, the steward continued, "Recently, Silver Fox''s personal guards have found an interesting beggar in Brunas."


    "An interesting beggar?" Li''ao''s expression did not change; he simply repeated the steward''s words.

 Chapter 387 Eating is the most important thing at 3:80_2

    The bartender nodded slightly: "Yes."


    "A beggar... even if interesting, is not worth reporting to me, is it?" Li''ao turned slightly and nced at the bartender following behind him.


    Without beating around the bush, the bartender straightforwardly ryed what he knew: "This beggar''s surname is Nangong."


    "Nangong Hong?" Li''ao narrowed his eyes.


    "Yes, that''s him," the bartender confirmed.


    "Before I was convicted and deported, bing a criminal, I knew the head of the Nangong family in Dahua... We had some connection," reflected Li''ao, recalling some incidents from his time in office.


    "So... give him some money?" The bartender, hearing the word ''connection'', thought for a moment and then tentatively asked for instructions.


    Walking past the neatly organized honor guard, Li''ao said to his subordinate bartender: "Nangong Hong was known for his extraordinary intelligence at the age of five and had a reputation for his virtue by the age of seven... Although I have not returned for many years, I would think that given the Nangong family''s upbringing, if he were seeking wealth, he would note to Brunas, right?"


    "He''s here on a tourist visa... He sneaked in recently because of the uing exposition," the bartender said with a smile: "He only brought a little money and can''t afford a hotel."


    "...If he''s here to seek refuge, arrange a ce for him first, I will rmend him to meet with the master... With this, I consider the debt repaid," Li''ao pondered for a moment and then instructed the bartender.


    The bartender bowed slightly: "...Your subordinate understands."


    Up ahead, Tagg had already opened the car door for Tang Mo, who got into the vehicle followed by Yulin.


    Tagg didn''t care about the gossip concerning Yulin and Tang Mo''s rtionship, and after closing the car door for Yulin, he walked straight to his second car.


    A whole line of Rolls Royce luxury models thus left the dock, attracting sidelong nces from passers-by; many well-informed people knew that only the highest-ranking officials of the Great Tang Group could possibly have such an extravagant entourage.


    ...


    "I can''t take it anymore, I''m going to starve to death... I, Nangong Hong, a prodigy blessed by heaven, never imagined I would starve to death in such a prosperous ce..." Nangong Hong, who hadn''t eaten all day, sat forlornly on the curb of the stone-paved road, whining weakly.


    Rubbing his little stomach, the Attendant Student also said weakly: "Master... please stop talking... I''m even hungrier."


    Two days ago, the two of them spent thest few copper coins they had, managing to trade them with a kind-hearted person for a few loaves of bread.


    It was their good fortune toe across a bakery ready to dispose of some potentially not-so-fresh leftovers; it was either throw them away or give them to these two for a minimal charge out of pity.


    Thanks to these few loaves of bread, they barely managed to get by until today¡ªthere was no choice, the difference between here and what they had imagined before was indeed too vast.


    They couldn''t find any decent work here at all, because they didn''t even know the proper channels for job recruitment.


    Even if they knew, in Brunas, the priority for hiring was, in order: experienced practitioners in rted fields, graduates from rted professional schools under the Great Tang Group, then legitimate residents of Brunas, and outsiders with various kinds of identification documents...


    Who would spend money to hire a beggar with a "temporary tourist visa" of unknown identity? Besides, even if someone was willing to hire them, the wages wouldn''t be paid until next month!


    You haven''t even started working and you''re already asking for an advance on your sry to buy food, who would dare to hire you?


    So, these two unlucky ones, an adult and a child, ended up hungry for the whole day, and could only squat on the roadside begging.


    What was even worse was that their begging was almost fruitless¡ªnot because the people of Brunasckedpassion, but because they were ustomed to their way of life and familiar with everything here.


    Any true resident of Brunas knew that work would be rewarded, and beggars weren''t sustained on the streets. Thus, residents here knew that those begging in this ce were not good people.


    They were either spies who had sneaked in or penniless migrants without identification; otherwise, they werezy good-for-nothings beyond cure.


    How can everyone''s days have just started to get better? Who would give alms to these two types of people? So, most people hurried past without even ncing at the two of them.


    "Could it be... that heaven wants to forsake me?" Nangong Hong lifted his head, gazing at the sun above and shouted at the top of his lungs.


    His shout attracted the attention of many passersby, but after a few chuckles, most people moved on.


    Down the road, a line of ck cars with shiny paintwork that clearly looked exceedingly expensive whizzed by. Nangong Hong didn''t know that these were all high-priced luxury cars, but a nce was enough to roughly discern the cars'' status.


    After all, even in Brunas, the mostmon sights on the streets were still the T-models and the people''s cars; such a scene with many luxury cars gathered together was indeed very rare.


    "A true man... should be like this indeed!" Watching the line of cars zoom past, Nangong Hong, who had just experienced social death, showed a flicker of light in his eyes.


    The Attendant Student also saw the cars, but he was more concerned about his stomach: "Master... you should think about how we can get something to eat..."


    He remembered the bread they had eaten yesterday and the day before, and to be honest, it didn''t taste as good as the steamed buns from the Dahua Empire nor was it as filling.


    By the end, the bread had turned slightly sour, making it taste even worse. He didn''t understand how the people of Brunas could endure such awful food every day.


    But... even so, if they could have a few sour pieces of bread now, that would be a wonderful thing...


    Just as the Attendant Student''s mind was filled with fantasies about bread, without warning, a Rolls-Royce that was part of the motorcade came to a stop before them.


    Two burly men got out of the car, and with a quick move, they hoisted the two up into the vehicle. Another man who came down from the passenger seat tossed the bamboo basket carrying books, which was on the Attendant Student''s back, into the trunk.


    Thest to get into the car, one of the big men waved a security troops badge at some passersby, and everyone went about their business as if nothing had happened here.


    "You... what in the world... what are you nning to do?" Nangong Hong, frightened by the situation, cautiously asked.


    Could it be that begging on the streets of Brunas is illegal? Are these people going to arrest me to face charges? That couldn''t be it, right? To use such a fine car?


    Sitting in the back seat of the Rolls-Royce, Nangong Hong felt the softness of the rear seats, and for a moment, his thoughts drifted.


    "Shut up!" said one of the burly men sternly.


    "Our master wants to meet you," the other burly man added briefly and then fell silent.


    The Attendant Student swallowed hard. He had been snatched up and thrown into the car without seeing his bamboo book basket, and now he didn''t dare to ask, his expression one of utter misery.


    Luckily, the interior space of the Rolls-Royce was not small. Otherwise, with the two strong men sandwiching Nangong Hong and him, they probably wouldn''t have been able to fit at all.


    Thus, in an awkward squeeze, six people were crammed into the car, with the driver and the man from the passenger seat clearly feeling more fortunate as the back seat, including a child, squeezed four people in total...


    "Who... who wants to see me?" Nangong Hong swallowed hard and asked with a shaken voice.


    "The person you''ve always wanted to meet," the man from the passenger seat replied. He didn''t know why his boss, the bartender, was interested in these two beggars. He figured that since the bartender wanted to see them, it wouldn''t be wrong to create a good karma here, so he didn''t hide anything.


    "Can I... prepare myself first?" Nangong Hong looked at the man''s obviously expensive clothes, then lowered his head to look at his own Beggars'' Sect uniform, clutching his stomach as he spoke.


    "No need," the man from the passenger seat frowned but still provided an answer.


    "We, we haven''t eaten yet!" This time, the Attendant Student mustered his courage and blurted out what he thought was the most important line.


    -------N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Today I''ve written an additional 1,000 words. It seems like my condition is improving, hehe.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 388 381 Parallel World Longzhong Plan

    Tang Mo hadn''t seen such interesting people in a long time.@@novelbin@@


    In front of him sat Nangong Hong, elegant and poised, looking every bit the cultured rogue. Beside him, the little Attendant Student was holding a chicken leg in each hand, happily nibbling away like there was no tomorrow.


    To be honest, at least in terms of appearance, they made a striking pair, memorable and distinct.


    "You''d better make it quick, as I''m quite busy," Tang Mo remarked, ncing at Li''ao who had introduced this man in his thirties named Nangong Hong.


    Nangong Hong didn''t dare put on airs; after all, he was no Zhuge Liang waiting for Liu Bei''s three visits. He was more like Mao Sui, promoting himself proactively...


    Of course, in this world there was no Zhuge Liang, so Nangong Hong had no need for pretenses. He introduced himself directly.


    After introducing himself, he was ready to present his "Longzhong n". However, he fell silent for a long time, only to look up at Tang Mo and ask, "Mr. Tang, I really want to confirm one thing, may I ask you a question?"


    "Go ahead," Tang Mo gestured for him to speak.


    "Why not... establish an Empire?" Nangong Hong asked eagerly, anticipating an answer.


    "Actually... there''s no special reason," Tang Mo replied. "As an arms dealer, if I became the Emperor of an Empire, I would lose the ability to exert my influence in many different countries."


    "Why do you think bing the ruler of a country will make you lose such influence?" Nangong Hong pressed on. "The Dahua Empire can certainly exert its influence on Zheng Country, or Qin Country, with unquestionable power."


    "That requires absolute strength, Mr. Nangong," Tang Mo answered with a smile. "Though the Great Tang Group is strong, it is not yet strong to that extent."


    "Mr. Tang has great talents. Having firmly established yourself in Brunas, you wield influence far and wide but seem tock a suitable development n for the Great Tang Group," Nangong Hong shifted the conversation away from the previous point, broaching other aspects of the Great Tang Group instead.


    "Over two thousand years ago, the Dwarves rose to prominence, establishing their capital in Furnace Fortress, and nearly consumed the world. They minted currency, gathered the wealth of the world, and their influence persists to this day," he said, standing up and walking over to therge map in the conference room.


    His finger traced over the numerous Dwarf Kingdoms in the north until it rested on the city marked Furnace Fortress; there, he paused, turned back, and looked again at Tang Mo: "In my opinion, Mr. Tang''s promotion of paper currency and abandonment of Gold Coins in Brunas... your ambition is certainly no less than that of the ancient Dwarf Empire."


    "You''ve opened schools and cultivated talent with far-reaching purpose, aspirations that certainly extend beyond little Brunas," he continued, lifting his hand from the map. "Tomand the world, all you need are people, money, weapons, food, and hearts..."


    "People, I don''t mean the poption, but talent! Thosemoners are merely the masses to be ruled. What''s truly important is talent!" As he spoke, he looked towards Yulin and Wes standing behind Tang Mo. "Mr. Tang''s recruitment of wise men means you''ve already got the advantage in this aspect."


    Having mingled in Brunas for a few days, Nangong Hong naturally wouldn''t fail to inquire about things. His awareness of the renowned Great Tang Military Academy was not surprising in the least.


    On the contrary, due to the fair''s publicity, if one had spent a few days in Brunas without hearing about its several universities, that would truly be considered ignorant.


    "As for money, Mr. Tang, you''ve already started to undermine the old Dwarf Empire''s foundations by destroying the Gold Coin system... Thus, you''ve also gained the upper hand here," said Nangong Hong as he walked back in front of Tang Mo. "Regarding weapons... Mr. Tang made your fortune from selling arms.


    To my knowledge, your Troops''bat effectiveness is unmatched. The Great Tang Group is absolutely formidable in this respect."


    He spoke quickly about these two points without much analysis, but everyone present could sense the self-evident truth.


    The Great Tang Group was neither short of money nor weapons, and as forbat power... it was peerless, an invincible presence.


    After finishing, he sat down with a smile and added, "Let''s not even talk about food. Mr. Tang, you''re the richest man under the heavens. If you were tock supplies or food, I fear half the powers in the world would starve to death."


    "Initially, I was quite worried about hearts, that is, winning over the people... but after begging for my meals in Brunas for a couple of days, I''vee to think... in terms of winning hearts, the Great Tang Group might just be the strongest," he said, snatching a chicken leg from the table and biting into it fiercely.


    "Oh?" Tang Mo uttered a nomittal query.


    "There''s only one Brunas in this world! If Mr. Tang could truly turn every city into another Brunas, who wouldn''t look forward to your unification of the world?" Nangong Hong confidently munched on the chicken leg, his words slightly muffled.


    He started from the simplest perspective and exined a simple truth: whoever can make themon people live a good life will gain the support of the people!


    This principle is straightforward, nothing profound, yet so many fail to understand or notice it. These rulers always forget this fundamental issue, neglecting the essence to study bizarre and odd matters instead.


    These rulers always hope that their subjects would rather starve to death than consider why their governance prevents the people from having a full meal.


    The attendant student by Nangong Hong''s side was still gobbling up food on both sides, seemingly unconcerned about these issues. Perhaps starving, he kept swallowing, continuously stuffing delicious food into his mouth.


    "..." Tang Mo made noment, only smiling as he watched Nangong Hong.


    Having eaten two bites of a chicken leg, Nangong Hong tossed it onto the te before him, rubbed his greasy hands on his chest, and with a shift in conversation, said, "However! Now, the biggest problem for Great Tang Group lies with you, Mr. Tang."


    "How so?" Tang Mo found Nangong Hong more interesting by the minute. He had never before seen such a so-called mad schr.


    Mad schrse in two kinds, those with ability and those without. For those without ability, being a madman is their only attribute, and no one would grieve their passing. However, mad schrs with talent are different. Despite disregarding minor details, they possess capability, which makes them somewhat useful.


    "Mr. Tang, without the heart of a conqueror, what can one do?" After half-heartedly wiping his hands on his clothes, Nangong Hong swallowed the meat in his mouth and spoke. He paused, grabbed his cup of wine, drained it in one gulp, and then let out a satisfied shout.


    Tang Mo casually exined, "Bing an Emperor, a King, has no benefits for me. Why should I pursue such an empty title?"


    After speaking, Tang Mo made a gesture of spreading his hands: "If I became an Emperor, my current allies would have to guard against me, my market would greatly shrink, my business would be affected, and the implementation of my currency policies would encounter obstacles. Isn''t that just seeking trouble for myself?"


    To be frank, one of the main reasons Tang Mo currently has little interest in bing an emperor is because a change in position would affect too many aspects.


    As apany, a group, it can remain detached from the world, allowing kings and emperors to lower their guard.


    After all, apany seeks profit, with no direct conflict of interest with the monarchs and the ruling ss. Therefore, it can bind these people with interests, achieving the purpose of advancing and retreating together.


    But if, if Great Tang Group were to be an equal state, everyone''s thoughts would instinctively shift.


    For example, the many talents cultivated by Great Tang Group are currently in high demand by various states. But if Great Tang Group turned into a state, these graduates would all be suspected of espionage, and other states might not dare to rely on them.


    This would greatly impact the modernization process of the world and affect the speed of Great Tang Group''s influence.


    Simrly, Great Tang Group is currently sparing no effort to implement its own currency system, with its ambition equally obvious.


    As apany promoting this kind of paper currency, people might only think of it as a way to amass wealth. But if a state were backing this move, everyone would be wary, and the currency reform would be tinged with heavy political colors.


    And this is precisely what Great Tang Group is currently trying to avoid¡ªthey have always been avoiding politics as much as possible in order to maintain an ambiguous cooperation with the power groups.


    Therefore, Tang Mo has not entertained the thought of bing an emperor or king to date because of his considerations and reservations.


    "Your concerns are valid, but there are benefits to bing an emperor, too! It can allow Great Tang Group to develop faster and better! You have your own military, the sale of weapons, and the re-equipping of your troops can be somewhat self-sufficient.


    You have your own sphere of influence, which is a huge market," Nangong Hong did not immediately refute Tang Mo but instead listed the benefits of bing an emperor.


    Obviously, there are benefits to not bing an emperor, and there are certainly benefits to bing one¡ªall things are rtive.


    He said, "If you be an emperor, you can expand your military without restraint. With these troops, you can enforce your policies through stronger means!" He spoke incessantly, as if dictating strategies for ruling thend.


    "Bribery and binding are only influential, but domineering threats can sometimes be a direct and effective method as well! And only by owning your own empire can you adeptly use a variety of methods in all aspects!" His words made sense, even Tang Mo had to admit¡ªthey were reasonable.

 Chapter 389 382 is nicknamed the king

    His words reminded Tang Mo of the United States, of the five magnanimous people¡ªin another world with which Tang Mo was familiar, the world''s most overbearing five arms dealers were also five nations!


    They were nations, yet it had no impact whatsoever on their arms sales. Therefore, even though Nangong Hong''s wordscked evidence, Tang Mo knew he was right.


    "Simrly, although the Great Tang Group appears to be thriving, it is actually surrounded by crises! With such immense power, how could others not envy and fear it?" Nangong Hong then posed a question to Tang Mo in return.


    To strengthen his persuasion, he even quoted some verses: "Even though the elephant is low-key and cautious, how could it possibly hide behind a tree without being noticed? When the fierce tiger merely passes by, how can the mice and rabbits not tremble with fear?"


    Tang Mo had also realized that, with the continuous expansion of the Great Tang Group, being low-profile could notpletely counterbnce the influence of the group anymore.


    In all fields, the Great Tang Group had absolute control; if Tang Mo desired, he could effortlessly destroy a kingdom within the range of the Great Tang Group''s influence.


    This destruction would be economic, political, and even military¡ªall at the same time. He understood this deterrence clearly, and the kings and ministers of those kingdoms could not possibly bepletely unaware either.


    Even if they could not see the whole picture, they could still discern clues from the details. Just like Nangong Hong said, an elephant cannot hide behind a small tree.


    "The Great Tang Group has grown sorge that its power is strong enough to overturn any kingdom," Nangong Hong firmly believed this after just a few days of observation.


    In fact, many people could see that with just the prosperity of Brunas alone, the Great Tang Group had the capital to wage a war of annihtion.


    However, for various reasons, these people pretended not to know or chose to keep silent even if they were aware.


    Some were blinded by the benefits they received from Tang Mo, bing willingly ignorant. Others had already boarded Tang Mo''s great ship, just waiting for Tang Mo to set sail.


    In essence, it wasn''t that there were no wise people in the world; it''s just that everyone''s intelligence was being used in different ways.


    While Tang Mo was still pondering these things, Nangong Hong already continued with a new question: "Then... Mr. Tang, if you were a king of a kingdom or an emperor of an empire, what would you think in the face of such a massive entity?"


    "..." Tang Mo didn''t speak because from some perspectives, he simply didn''t care what these people thought.


    The thoughts of the kings and ministers of these kingdoms were of no concern to him! He only needed to wait for the other side to make a choice and show their hand; then, he could counter ordingly.


    "They will be sleepless at night, tossing and turning, guessing at your intentions! Holding such immense power, yet showing not the slightest ambition... You clutch their purses, control their military, and dominate their people, yet no one knows what you want to do. Do you think this is a good or bad thing?" Nangong Hong didn''t wait for Tang Mo''s answer and answered his own question.


    Following that, he said, "People will suspect and fear you, and sometimes, they may be forced to take action, to remove you as an unknown threat. Sometimes, forcing you to erupt is actuallyforting for many people."


    Nangong Hong continued to inquire: "You possess power that can intimidate an empire, yet you hold back from unleashing it. It''s like hanging a sharp sword over everyone''s head, not knowing when it will fall. Do you think... is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"


    "You continue speaking," Tang Mo responded without any intention of answering; he simply let Nangong Hong go on. He knew this was Nangong Hong''s question, but it was also a problem Nangong Hong had to solve.


    Tang Mo was now the boss, and Nangong Hong was the one applying for the job. Just raising questions was not enough to earn Tang Mo''s good sry and treatment; Nangong Hong needed to have the ability to solve problems for Tang Mo before he could secure the position he desired.


    In other words, Nangong Hong''s relentless questioning here was not really asking Tang Mo, but rather testing himself.


    Only if he could answer these questions to Tang Mo''s satisfaction would he have a chance of staying at the Great Tang Group...@@novelbin@@


    "On the other hand, if you simply reveal your intentions, it would put most people at ease, as long as your intentions do not conflict with their interests, they''re less inclined to have destructive thoughts," Nangong Hong indeed continued.


    "As for the issues you mentioned earlier, they are actually quite easy to resolve... After all, bing an emperor is not something that can be achieved overnight... It requires nning, waiting, gathering strength, emphasizing a natural progression..." First, Nangong Hong offered a basic solution to Tang Mo''s concerns.


    The strategy was simple, to dy¡ªwait until Tang Mo had progressed enough with his current affairs, then look back at pursuing the matter of bing an emperor.


    Although this couldn''t perfectly solve all problems, it could at least allow Tang Mo to temporarily and safely implement his currency recement policy. At the same time, it would enable him to retain most of the military market: "Once Mr.


    Tang overthrows the existing Gold Coin system in the economic field and promotes Brunas''s paper currency, and once we stabilize the market and expand our influence to a point where it cannot be ignored by others, it would still be timely to dere oneself Emperor."


    "...Build high walls, stockpile grain, and be King at leisure?" Tang Mo muttered an interesting allusion to himself.


    "Hm?" Nangong Hong was taken aback upon hearing Tang Mo''s summary¡ªhe was stunned by the precise culmination of Tang Mo''s words.


    He had thought that the n he proposed was an ultimate solution that Tang Mo had never considered. But from Tang Mo''s muttered words, he heard something different.


    Clearly, Tang Mo had considered this aspect, which was why he could so urately and sinctly produce such a wise summary.


    Thus, Nangong had to recalibrate his understanding of Tang Mo and couldn''t help but express his admiration: "Mr. Tang... such talent! In just nine words, you''ve summarized the essence. I am no match for Mr. Tang."


    Tang Mo didn''t take it to heart, because the phrase wasn''t his own summary, so he felt no pride that it belonged to him¡ªafter all, that was Zhu Sheng''s advice to Zhu Yuanzhang, and it had nothing to do with him!


    Unfortunately, Nangong Hong wasn''t aware of this, thinking Tang Mo already had a well-prepared n, which led to his great admiration, and at that moment, he even felt a sense of kindred spirit.


    While Nangong Hong was savoring those words, Tang Mo, out of curiosity, posed a question he was increasingly interested in: "So, as Mr. Nangong says, if I were inclined to be an Emperor... where would be a significant ce to achieve this?"


    Hearing his question, Yulin, who was standing behind him, tensed up for this was the first time she heard Tang Mo discuss the topic of bing an Emperor.


    This likely signified that the future development goals for the Great Tang Group might change, transforming from a business conglomerate to an Empire, into a ruling group of an Empire!


    For other countries, this was definitely not good news. Because the Great Tang Group would be a powerfulpetitor for everyone.


    Wes''splexion also underwent a slight change¡ªfor him personally, being the bodyguard of the boss of Great Tang Group, and the personal guard of an Emperor of a vast Empire, was somewhat different.


    He swallowed, his mind already fantasizing about driving for an Emperor of an unprecedented great Empire, through a scene of millions of impressive soldiers.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that, for every person in the Great Tang Group, if Tang Mo truly entertained the notion of bing an Emperor, it would be fantastic news.


    It meant that they would all have an opportunity for promotion, a chance to rise like a dragon¡ªif they seized this chance, they would be the masters of an Empire!


    So, even Wes and Yulin couldn''t help but be stirred at that moment. To be the consort of an Emperor, to be the most trusted guard of an Emperor¡ªhow could that leave them unmoved?


    When Tang Mo asked such a question, Nangong Hong felt he had almost seeded by a hefty margin.


    Therefore, he became even moreposed, and named a country: "Zheng Country!"


    "Hm?" Tang Mo hadn''t expected Nangong Hong to give such an interesting answer. Because this answer actually coincided with his next target. So he looked at Nangong Hong, waiting for him to provide an exnation.


    "At the northernmost part of the Endless Sea, the Ice Cold Kingdom is barren. Although it has arge number of mines, it doesn''t have suitable arablend, making it less advantageous to upy! Moreover, the Ice Cold Kingdom and the Great Tang Group are allies, with a stable rtionship in the short term, and suddenly making them an enemy would be unwise," Nangong Hong then started his analysis.


    "Hmm," Tang Mo nodded, as a sign of approval.


    "We should keep the Por Kingdom and the Elves as a northern barrier, to stop the Dwarf Kingdom from restoring its power and prevent them from moving southward with ease! Plus, this has traditionally been within the sphere of influence of the Great Tang Group. iming such a ce would only bring trouble to ourselves¡­" Nangong Hong continued exining.


    "For the same reason, the southernmost Taren does not offer much room for development¡ªsimply a collection of inds, at best a producer of grain. There''s nothing to agonize over there," since he didn''t know about rubber and other industrial raw materials, Nangong Hong''s conclusion was somewhat one-sided.


    Of course, he was unaware of how crucial rubber and some other crops were for the modern industry.


    However, even such a one-sided conclusion was actually quite urate. To establish a nation in Taren at that time would lead to direct economic conflicts with Dorne, something the Great Tang Group did not want to see.

 Chapter 390 383 is moved

    ```


    "Leite, Suthers, and Dorne are all staunch allies of the Great Tang Group. Meddling in these regions would clearly be irrational, so looking across the entire Endless Sea''s surroundings, the current sphere of influence of the Great Tang Group is actually inappropriate!" Nangong Hong continued to mention one region after another.


    "A single hair can move the whole body; threatening the interests of any one country will cause the other countries to be extremely wary of the Great Tang Group and strengthen their defenses. This would be a loss not worth the gain." After listing these countries, he came to a conclusion, "Therefore, it bes necessary to look beyond these areas.


    Thus, I believe that annexing Zheng Country to the west is the decision that best aligns with the interests of the Great Tang Group."


    He then spoke of the reasons, "Overall, Zheng Country is not within the traditional sphere of influence of the Great Tang Group, so moving against it has the least pressure and will not provoke a bacsh from the allies. If handled well...


    once the Great Tang Group shows a stance of advancing westward, even the countries to the east might breathe a sigh of relief, and it is possible that some Kingdoms might even support the Great Tang Group''s westward advance!"


    His words caused Tang Mo to nod slightly, as this was indeed something feasible. At least, the Empire of Na was eager for the Great Tang Group to show a posture of moving westward.


    After all, even saving the life of the Emperor of Na could not eliminate his concerns about the Great Tang Group''s eastward advance.


    Speaking of which, Tang Mo suddenly recalled that the Emperor of the Empire of Na, having recovered from his illness, had deliberately bestowed on him the title of Marquis of the Empire of Na as thanks for the medicines provided by the Great Tang Group... He had yet to decide which of his subordinates to grant this title to.


    "At the same time, taking down Zheng Country would radiate influence towards the Dahua Empire and Shenguo... and could even push its influence as far as the borders of Qin Country..." Nangong Hong gestured with his somewhat greasy hand, outlining a rough area.


    "Moreover, capturing Zheng Country would restrain Shenguo and allow the entire Endless Sea to fall into our hands.


    Is this not what the Great Tang Group has been scheming all along?" Afterward, he looked at Tang Mo, "Although it might be more difficult to take action here than in the countries already under the influence of the Great Tang Group, it would avoid unnecessary trouble and prevent a chain reaction."


    Tang Mo had to admit that Nangong Hong''s insight was indeed sharp¡ªhe had heard bits and pieces about the regions controlled by the Great Tang Group and was able to roughly deduce the expansion vision of the Great Tang Group, which was quite remarkable.


    The Great Tang Group was naturally interested in controlling the Endless Sea, or to be precise, the entire Endless Sea.


    Even, in some sense, the Great Tang Group was just a step away from controlling all maritime trade across the Endless Sea.


    Nangong Hong was correct; once the Great Tang Group directly took control of Zheng Country in the next step, the group would have formed a closed loop, and the Endless Sea would be the Great Tang Group''s innerke!


    Next, Nangong Hong began to detail the benefits of the Great Tang Group''s expedition to Zheng Country: since Zheng Country was a vassal of the Dahua Empire, the people there were of Dahua descent, with ck hair and ck eyes, at least half of Tang Mo''s homnd.


    By taking over there, Tang Mo would be returning home in glory, at least earning a point for reiming his ancestral identity.


    Simrly, because of Tang Mo''s ck hair and ck eyes, taking control of Zheng Country would not be met with resistance from the local popce, which also counts as a small advantage.


    Furthermore, considering Zheng Country''s distance from Brunas, that its military reforms had not fully unfolded, and its armaments were rtively outdated, Zheng Country was actually quite vulnerable in terms of military equipment, which was another advantage for the Great Tang Group.


    On the other hand, Zheng Country''s internal politics were copsing, with chaos reigning within, a heartless king, foolish ministers, ipetence at all levels, and utter corruption.@@novelbin@@


    The people were suffering indescribably, and the national strength was extremely weak. The existence of such a country defied the natural order every single day.


    Summing up his point, what he meant was: Zheng Country was like a gift from heaven to the Great Tang Group, and not seizing it would be a grave sin in the eyes of heaven and men.


    Since he really didn''t know whether the Great Tang Group had absolute military power, Nangong Hong once again tossed the question back to Tang Mo, "At this point, it depends on the hard power of the Great Tang Group, whether it has the capacity to withstand the pressure from the Dahua Empire and swallow the fruit that is Zheng Country."


    "What if it doesn''t?" Tang Mo obviously couldn''t reveal his full intentions to Nangong Hong, so he asked in return.


    Nangong Hong pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly, expressing regret, "It''s alright if we don''t have it yet, we just need to gather enough strength within three years."


    "Heh... Hahaha! The gentleman''s vision is truly unique." Tang Moughed heartily, as if in a very good mood.


    Nangong Hong stood up, bowed slightly, and lowered his head, "I, Nangong Hong, am of modest talent, but I''m willing to serve as an Attendant Student under Master Tang."


    "Then I shall humbly ept your service," Tang Mo stood up, "Help yourself to some food, I will have a further discussion with youter."


    Having said that, he left the room with Yulin and Wes.


    "Master, are you really moved by his words?" Once they were in Tang Mo''s office, Yulin couldn''t wait to ask.


    Tang Mo waved his hand dismissively, "How could I be swayed by a few words from one person to change my established strategic objectives..."


    He took off his coat, and Yulin took it and hung it on the coat rack, "Moreover, this persones from Dahua, and his identity is quite suspicious. Thinking he can sway me with just a few words is a bit too childish."


    "Then¡­ what do you mean?" Yulin, after hanging up the coat, turned back to ask Tang Mo.


    ```


    "Regardless of whether he is an undercover agent or not, his words still hold some truth," Tang Mo said as he sat down in the chair and gestured for Yulin to give him a shoulder massage. "So, it''s no big deal to keep him in a sinecure... Just one more mouth to feed, no matter."


    "It''s time to prepare an alternative development n for the Great Tang Group. We could use his n as an option and discuss it at the meeting," Tang Mo exined the reason behind keeping Nangong Hong around.


    "Should we investigate him...?" Yulin''s slender fingers kneaded Tang Mo''s shoulders as she asked softly.


    "Hmm, let that independent intelligencework you set up get to work. Consider it a trial run. Go to Dahua and investigate this Nangong family," Tang Momandedfortably with his eyes closed, enjoying Yulin''s massage.


    This person was rmended by Li''ao, so having Silver Fox investigate might embarrass Li''ao. Therefore, Tang Mo still decided to let Yulin handle this matter.


    "Investigate thoroughly, ask carefully, and take the opportunity... to nt someone inside the Dahua Empire... Money is not an issue, but they must be able to y their role when it matters most!" Tang Mo continued.


    "Yes! I understand," Yulin replied, intensifying her efforts, and Tang Mo could feel afortable power emanating from his shoulders.


    Tang Mo, with eyes still closed, was contemting his strategy towards Zheng Country. He had previously viewed Zheng Country as a market he nned to operate in.


    However, Nangong Hong''s speech had made him start to consider whether his own strategy was too conservative.


    Frankly speaking, his stubborn focus on building his power into a military empire of this world was influenced, albeit slightly, by his previous life.


    He had been an arms dealer before, so in this life, he kept being an arms dealer¡ªonly now with a golden touch and the advantage of foreknowledge, he was doing it better and on a muchrger scale.


    It must be said that he wascking in strategic nning and vision. Before his transmigration, bing a king-making figure was not something he would even dare to dream about.


    With five major benefactors above him, the thought of bing an emperor or controlling a country was impossible, and there was no space for such ideas.


    An empire where the Emperor''s word is absolute, in the context of Earth''s big picture, was not something that could emerge against the odds, nor was there any support for it. As for monarchic constitutionalism and the like, Tang Mo had no interest in it.


    One could go through a lot of trouble and at most create a misfit country, ying president for one''s own amusement. But then, how could one engage in politics in a notable country withouting under the influence of the five benefactors?


    Still, if one doesn''t dare to run for office in a major country, what''s the point of being a president of an obscure small country?


    This life was different. Tang Mo truly had the opportunity and the capability to be a real monarch of a country! A monarch whose word isw! A monarch who could determine the fates of countless people!


    Just thinking about it, doesn''t it seem nice? Tang Mo mused to himself, somewhat influenced by Nangong Hong''s speech.


    "Let him stay here for a few days, let him look around... then... after the expo ends, send him to Hotwind Port... let him get a feel for urban construction..." Tang Mo didn''t specify who because he knew Yulin would certainly figure out whom he was referring to.


    This was Tang Mo''s way of preparing to cultivate the Dahua strategist who hade to seek refuge with the Great Tang Group. It also signified that Tang Mo was willing to give Nangong Hong a chance.


    Sure enough, Yulin responded softly, "Understood. What about his Attendant Student?"


    "If he is willing, let the Attendant Student study at Brunas University. If not, let Nangong Hong take him away!" Tang Mo thought for a moment before responding.


    After a few seconds of silence, Tang Mo seemed to change his mind and continued to instruct, "Send a message to Li''ao for me, ask him to also investigate this Nangong Hong."


    He had realized something. If he was going to use Nangong Hong, an investigation was necessary. If there was no such action from Silver Fox''s side, Li''ao would surely guess that Tang Mo had activated another information system.


    This might also make Li''ao ufortable, so it would be better to let Silver Fox investigate openly, as this would also be a sort of routine investigation.


    "What about my end?" Yulin hummed in acknowledgment and then asked for confirmation.


    "Investigate as well," Tang Mo paused for a few seconds before giving the answer.


    "Yes! I will select someone to go," Yulin bowed her head as she continued the massage, answering in a gentle voice.


    -------


    First a makeup post. Yesterday my child made me half-dead with anger, not a physical issue... Thank you for your concern, will continue to make up posts tomorrow if nothing unexpected urs...

 Chapter 391 384 Door-to-Door Delivery

    The sunlight shone on the clean streets of Brunas, and below the traffic lights bustled a busy crowd. Just looking at the scenery here, it hardly differed from a modern street.


    Even more so, it seemed to possess a more modern air than those quaint European streets¡ªbecause when Brunas was being built, aesthetics were not taken into consideration.


    Here, eighty percent of the buildings were the most basic rectangles without any sense of design, constructed quickly and easily under the principle of utmost practicality, and thus apletely new city wasid out at once.


    So, the art students of Brunas were utterly despairing. What they learned seemedpletely at odds with everything before their eyes.


    "Excuse me, is this the registration office for the World Industrial Expo?" A woman who was sitting behind the counter, bored as she tended to her nails, heard this inquiry and looked up to see a middle-aged man dressed in traditional nobility attire.


    Seeing the woman look up at him, the man removed his hat and asked more politely, "Excuse me, is this the World Industrial Expo registration office?"


    "Yes, may I help you with something?" The female receptionist revealed a well-trained smile and asked with equal politeness.


    As this was the world''s first such Expo, there weren''t many individualsing to register for a booth. So, to encourage registration, the receptionists were all selectively beautiful women with exceptionally good attitudes.


    The Viscount, dazzled by the girl''s sunny smile, nervously introduced himself, "Uh... yes, that''s right, Ie from the small town of Shulkova, and, and I am a Viscount there, my name is Koss Reiner."


    "Viscount Reiner, might I inquire what brings you here?" The receptionist still smiled, revealing two cute dimples, looking utterly sincere.


    Still somewhat nervous, the Viscount stuttered, "I, I would like to apply, yes, apply for a booth to showcase mytest invention."


    "Oh, could you describe your invention? We need to make a rough judgment to see if your invention qualifies for a booth at the venue," the girl said in a matter-of-fact manner, "Sorry, but since our booths are indeed limited, we must screen applicants to ensure we choose the most promising, greatest inventions to disy."


    Although there was actually an abundance of space, Tang Mo couldn''t allow his first Industrial Expo to be a joke.


    Therefore, some screening was necessary, at the very least to ensure that what was ced on the booth wouldn''t be too preposterous.


    What if they epted everyone, and someone presented a scheme like turning water into oil or a perpetual motion machine? Would Tang Mo expose it or just let it pass?


    "I, I understand, but I assure you, my invention definitely deserves a spot at the exhibit," Viscount Reiner stated with conviction about his creation.


    The young woman was herself quite curious, as she knew that the innovations on disy at the Expo were highly impressive and advanced: "Oh? Could you tell me about it?"


    "Of course, of course! I have invented a device that allows people to fly into the sky!" When speaking of his invention, the Viscount became less flustered and spoke with more fluency.


    The girl raised her eyebrows, her voice full of skepticism, "Hmm? Fly?"


    "Yes, fly!" the Viscount nodded in confirmation.


    The receptionist continued to inquire, "An airship? A hot air balloon?"


    After all, these were the only things she knew of that could fly.


    "No! Not that kind of floating flight! It is true... free and unhindered flying!" To make the girl understand, the Viscount even gestured with his hands.


    "Are you joking?" Of course, the receptionist didn''t believe there were any machines that could fly in this world.


    The Viscount strove to prove himself, "No, of course not! If you would help me, I couldplete my design! Believe me! Just... just give me an opportunity."


    The girl felt this was beyond her ability to handle, so she swiveled in her chair, turned half around, and called out to a colleague in the distance, "Could you, please fetch Mr. Mishe over here..."


    Soon, a young man named Mishe, in charge of this area, approached; he appeared to be only about seventeen or eighteen years old, looking much younger than the receptionist at the window.


    After listening to Viscount Reiner''s words, the not-quite-graduated Mishe turned to the receptionist and gently instructed, "Please invite this gentleman upstairs for a cup of tea!"


    "Yes!" The receptionist at the window promptly acknowledged.


    "Tha-thank you." Viscount Reiner, somewhat ttered, also heard the instruction and immediately expressed his gratitude with reserve.@@novelbin@@


    Once they went upstairs, Mishe then turned back to his assistant and continued with his instructions, "Let Laili have a good chat with him and don''t let the atmosphere get too awkward! Understand?"


    Laili was a great beauty, adept at socializing, borrowed from a bar to handle reception duties. She was the type who could maintain conversation all day without it ever bing awkward, as that was her job.


    The assistant immediately went to make arrangements, "Yes! My lord."


    After arranging everything, Mishe, with his assistant, walked over to the telephone, picked up the receiver, turned the hand crank to generate power, and spoke, "Hello? Switchboard? This is the expo registration office... yes, please connect me to the town hall..."


    Although he studied technical courses at school, which was why he was put in charge of the registration office, he really didn''t understand anything about aircraft because that was an absolute secret within the Great Tang Group hierarchy and beyond his level of clearance.


    Therefore, unable to rely on what he had learned to discern aircraft technology and worried about missing something urgent, he had no choice but to seek out an expert in the field, tough as it was.


    After he had exined the situation to the person on the phone, he could only wait obediently with the receiver in his hand for a response.


    Unfortunately, even within the Great Tang Group, the number of people with ess to airne technology was extremely few, and most were on Dragon Ind, so finding such a person was not easy.


    After a long wait, when Mishe was about to assume that the phone line had been disconnected, a somewhat distorted female voice, tinged with static, came through the receiver, "Speak."


    "Good day, madam. I am looking for an engineering technician who is an expert in mechanical design and knowledgeable about all types of flying machines," Mishe reiterated, gripping the phone receiver.


    If the voice had been a man''s, he might have just gone ahead and said it, but a woman''s voice made him uncertain again.


    The response that came from the other end of the line was, "I''m Yulin, Mishe, you can report now."


    In an instant, Mishe unconsciously straightened his body, lifted his chin, and greeted loudly, "Good morning! Senior! It''s like this, just now, a minor nobility from out of town came to me, iming he has designed a machine that can make people fly..."


    "Have you confirmed it?" Yulin, having already heard about the incident en route, asked calmly for confirmation.


    "I couldn''t discern... I didn''t study that specialty..." Mishe admitted, somewhat embarrassed.


    Yulin was silent for two seconds on the other end, thenmanded, "Understood! Keep an eye on him! Don''t let him leave... I will arrange someone to go over."


    "Yes!" Mishe once again stood ramrod straight and answered loudly, then, as if performing a ritual, hung up the phone meticulously.


    "My lord, what was that about?" The assistant looked at Mishe, puzzled and curious about who was on the other end of the phone.


    Mishe straightened his clothes, "Let''s go, together, to have a chat with this Mr. Reiner."


    "Which senior was on the phone just now?" Driven by curiosity, the assistant couldn''t help but ask the question.


    Mishe nced at him, resigning himself to exin, "Ask less! Who else do you think could scare me like that?"


    "Eh... can''t be..." The assistant paused, realization dawning that probably only the school''s ''Your Majesty'' could inspire such reverence from Mishe.


    ...


    "Yulin, what''s the matter?" Seeing Yulin enter, Tang Mo put down his pencil and asked with a smile.


    On his drafting tabley the blueprint of an airne, evidently moreplex and advanced in design.


    Experience tales at empire


    Yulin immediately reported, "The expo registration office has just sent a message, someone ims to have developed a machine that can make people fly."


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo was taken aback; he had not anticipated that the secret weapon in his hands had been simrly devised by the natives of this world!


    If what they had was indeed an aircraft, then that person could truly be described as a genius!


    You see, it had been Tang Mo who had driven the technological development of this world, which was highly asymmetrical. People here had barely grasped the basic technical principles introduced by Tang Mo, let alone developing new technical talents.


    Even Shireck, a high-tech conglomerate in this world, could now only barely modify automobiles with Tang Mo''s covert support. Could someone really have designed an airne? Tang Mo was highly skeptical.


    On one hand was skepticism, on the other, endless curiosity. Tang Mo was indeed eager to know what kind of person could be so formidable as to create an airne without any help!


    "I''ve already had someone secure the individual. Do you need me to go and take a look?" Yulin asked.


    Tang Mo pointed to his coat, "Hmm... no need... I''ll go and see for myself."

 Chapter 392 385 two designers communication

    "We cannot be sure if what they''re saying is true..." Yulin warned, her skepticism clear. She truly doubted that they could actually create the so-called airne.


    Having seen real airnes and even flown in them, she was well aware of their immenseplexity.


    Even the Great Tang Group was constantly exploring and improving in the making of airnes, how could anyone possibly catch up technologically? She did not believe it!


    "It''s fine! It''s totally fine, Yulin! I''m quite curious to see if he can really bring me a surprise," Tang Mo took the coat from Wes''s hands, visibly excited, "Prepare the car, Wes! Let''s go see this inventor, see if he''s as interesting as he says."


    He was eager to find out how much this world could still surprise him. He had only just begun to feel a sense of belonging in this world, and meeting a technical genius would make that feeling even stronger and more authentic.


    "..." Wes nodded and immediately left the room.


    Tang Mo then wrapped his arm around Yulin''s waist, "Come on, Yulin! Haven''t you flown on a ne too? Let''s go enjoy the spectacle together?"


    "Okay!" Yulin''s face blushed slightly as she nodded.


    Koss Laina sat in the room, lifting his teacup; he had just visited the restroom since this was already his fifth ss of water.


    To be honest, he was beginning to think of leaving. Although there was a beautiful woman chatting with him, it seemed they were not on the same wavelength at all.


    He wished to find someone knowledgeable to discuss airne design, but the youngdy opposite seemed more interested in telling risqu¨¦ jokes.


    Although many nobles he knew fancied such women, he was an exception; he had a greater fondness for machinery and technology¡ªif not for this obsession, he wouldn''t have holed up at home all day, fiddling with the invention of flying machines.


    The young man named Mishe did have some talent and a keen sense for technology, but his specialty was electrical devices, and after only about ten minutes of conversation, he had left.


    Just as he was about to get up and bid farewell out of boredom, the door to the room was pushed open. This time, two men and a woman entered.


    In the center was a young man of only twenty, but it was clear he was the main character among the three. The woman who had been chatting with Leite immediately stood up and respectfully left the room.


    Leite stood up reflexively, showing respect. Of the three, the oldest man simply leaned against the wall after entering, toying casually with car keys. The stunningly beautiful woman stood quietly behind the young man.


    "I heard you''ve designed a flying machine?" Tang Mo casually sat down on the sofa, looking at the middle-aged man who seemed unsure whether to sit or stand, and started the conversation.


    "Have a seat!" After saying that, he seemed to realize he was being somewhat impatient and gestured with his hand twice, encouraging the other man to rx, "Don''t be so formal, introduce yourself. I am an expert from the Great Tang Group in this area."


    "I''m very, very pleased to meet you," Leite''s eyes sparkled upon hearing Tang Mo''s introduction. He had barely touched the sofa when he jumped up excitedly, then realizing he got too excited, he sat back down.


    "No need for small talk. Since you say you''ve designed a flying machine..." Tang Mo scrutinized the man, sensing a kindred spirit in his eyes.


    In that moment, he was fairly certain the man was indeed a flying machine technician and not an assassin there to kill.


    Because only those who were passionate about technology would exhibit such excitement upon meeting their kind¡ªan assassin would remain calm, unlikely to show such strong emotion while on a mission.


    "I''ve brought... the blueprints..." As Leite spoke, he took out some drawings from his briefcase and handed them to Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo took the blueprints from the hands of the man not yet forty, not having removed his gloves when he entered the room, a precaution for his own safety.


    As possibly the world''s most proficient poison expert, he was confident that no poison could prate the gloves and directly threaten his life. If that was the case, it was likely that no such poison existed in the world.


    To Tang Mo''s astonishment, although the other man''s drafting skills were amateurish, the basic drawing skills were quite strong.


    These were indeed blueprints for an aircraft, yetpared to the bine fighter blueprints that Tang Mo had directly transported from another world, they were still iplete.


    What the blueprints depicted seemed more like a bird, a winged, primitive object resembling a glider rather than an airne.


    "What''s this called?" Tang Mo asked casually as he flipped through the blueprints.


    Koss Laina immediately replied, "I''ve always called it the ''Flying Wing''."


    "Your design is very primitive; I seriously doubt whether it can actually fly." Tang Mo, somewhat disappointed, put down those drawings and said to the man in front of him.


    He was indeed feeling some disappointment.


    On his way here, Tang Mo thought that the man might be someone like the Wright brothers of this world, capable ofing up with a rtively mature primitive aircraft.


    However, the man seemed more like da Vinci, merely dreaming and drawing a biomimetic bird-like flying machine on paper, fantasizing that it could take flight...


    Thus, Tang Mo was very disappointed, and even his tone betrayed a hint of simr sentiment, "I don''t know how you made these wings, but their thickness and weight cannot be guaranteed, and moreover, theyck the means to sustain flight because they are missing the necessary equipment that could continuously provide power."


    Yulin could understand Tang Mo''s disappointment because she had seen more advanced andplete airne designs.


    So, she understood Tang Mo''s mood. They had thought they might meet a genius, but instead, they found only a dreamer, which indeed was a bit of a letdown.@@novelbin@@


    "You... You really are an expert in this field! I... I am so honored! To meet someone like you here." What Tang Mo and Yulin didn''t expect was that while Tang Mo was feeling let down, Koss Laina became excited.


    "But this thing is far from what you mentioned; it can''t even safely... glide." Tang Mo was about ready to end this conversation.


    In his view, the man was just a dreamer. If the man was willing, he could introduce him to a university to study this field, but beyond that, Tang Mo had no other thoughts. Read new chapters at empire


    "Sir, I have conducted experiments!" He started to say, while pulling out even more drawings from his bag, spreading them one by one on the table: "I made improvements! I have further refined the design!"


    "Hmm? Experiments? Improvements?" Tang Mo looked down at those drawings and found that the flying machine designed by Laina had evolved from a paper kite thatpletely mimicked a bird into a more sensiblerge triangle...


    Laina nodded excitedly and said, "Yes, I''ve conducted experiments! I''ve built a ''Flying Wing'' and made some modifications."


    "I have always been in the canvas business. My workshop produces a type of sail, where we brush a concoction made from tree leaves onto sturdy cloth to create airtight sails," Laina exined while pulling out a piece of canvas from his bag.


    As he spoke, he pulled out a section of dried wood: "Using these kind of sails and sturdy supports... I chose a very light kind of vine, which after drying out..."


    "Continue, I am quite interested," Tang Mo smiled and waved his hand behind him, stopping Yulin from drawing her gun.


    Pointing at one of the drawings, Laina continued to introduce his design: "I built a triangr wing using vine because the previously constructed bird-like wings of that ''Flying Wing'' were too heavy, so I had to simplify the structure."


    "A huge triangle, very stable, and material-saving... then I fixed a basket underneath to carry and control the person..." While speaking, he continued to search for another drawing.


    Tang Mo realized that the man''s design still seemed to be at a very primitive stage: "Wait... you haven''t considered the control surfaces..."


    Laina was startled, but as someone familiar with sailboats, he quickly grasped the concept of rudders. Excitedly, he said, "Control surfaces? Ah! That''s a perfect analogy! Yes, like rudders! At first, I indeed didn''t think about how to control it...


    so, I had a pretty bad fall."


    "... You''re lucky to be alive," Tang Mo opened his eyes wide, somewhat at a loss for words before managing to squeeze out that statement.


    "Ha, haha... My butler said the same thing. But eventually, I seeded! I flew... about 40 meters... at a height of seven or eight meters..." Laina said with a proudugh, gesturing to illustrate how he flew at the time.


    "You''ve made a glider," Tang Mo offered a very pertinent assessment¡ªhe instinctively used the term he already knew.


    "... I knew it, you are a genius in this field! ''Glider''... this description is utterly precise," Laina was taken aback and then prostrated himself.


    "And then? How did you solve the power issue?" Tang Mo asked curiously, a question that was somewhat embarrassing for Laina.


    Laina rubbed his hands together awkwardly, "I wasn''t able to solve the power issue... I have a Model T car, and I took the engine and transmission from that Model T and mounted it on the ''Flying Wing.'' But they were too heavy, and I didn''t have aplete way to control it, I still need to do more experiments..."


    ---------


    That''s it for today''s two chapters.

 Chapter 393 Bought 386 in full

    "And then?" Tang Mo asked with curiosity. His interest in the man in front of him had been rekindled, due to the other''s almost mad pioneering spirit.@@novelbin@@


    For the sake of human progress, those who would even put their lives on the line were worthy of admiration. Although the sessful were dazzling, the failed stillmanded respect.


    Tang Mo would not look down on anyone just because he had a "cheat" like the Golden Finger; when facing these natives who were inspired to step forward, he was full of reverence.


    In the recent period, many such individuals hade seeking fame and had be part of Great Tang Group.


    These people included Elves and Dwarves, and of course, humans. They improved upon Tang Mo''s designs and exhibited unparalleled keenness in many areas.


    Even though some designs were actually unnecessary and proved to be of no use, this spirit still left Tang Mo with a feeling of admiration¡ªthis world also had its brilliant minds!


    Reiner replied somewhat sheepishly to Tang Mo''s question, "Then I saw the flyer for Brunas''s Industrial Expo... I thought, maybe there''s someone here who can understand me, maybe there are technologies that can support my continued exploration, so I came."


    "Great Tang Group must have more advanced engines, the lighter kind, if only there is a way to make the wings flutter, it really could fly into the sky! Like a bird!" Reiner said, gesticting excitedly as he spoke.


    "Flutter?" Tang Mo was taken aback; he had assumed Reiner was looking for an engine to provide power to an aircraft with a propeller.


    But he found he had guessed wrong again because the other hadn''t even thought about using a propeller to propel the aircraft forward; he was thinking... of pping wings like a bird.


    Although airships from Great Tang Group had been around for quite a while, most were still the type without power.


    Even if they were powered by propellers, their speed was just too slow¡ªordinary people found it hard to associate this kind of propeller power with faster flying machines.


    Reiner nodded as a matter of course, acknowledging, "Yes, flutter!"


    "Alright." Tang Mo paused for a moment, then nodded, "Have you ever thought about staying in Brunas?"


    "Stay, stay in Brunas?" Sir Reiner seemed taken aback, repeating Tang Mo''s question uncertainly.


    "Yes, stay in Brunas," Tang Mo answered affirmatively. "Stay with Great Tang Group, work for Mr. Tang, and engage in the design and research of flying machines."


    "Uh..." Reiner was visibly ttered and hesitated before he emphasized the original intent of his visit: "Well... I, I just came to, to attend the Expo..."


    "Don''t worry, we can send someone to bring your family to Brunas, or even take you straight to Dragon Ind... You could be exposed to the most advanced flying machine design and development work at Great Tang Group, probably something you''ve dreamed of," Yulin, knowing Tang Mo''s intention to recruit, took the initiative to extend the invitation to Reiner.


    "I..." Reiner seemed tempted but also hesitant.


    "Don''t rush your decision, you might even get what you want, a better engine, more refined aircraft designs... and we can even find you a few pilots, so you don''t have to go up in the air yourself to test the nes you design," Yulin interrupted, continuing to tempt him.


    "Can you really... make such a decision?" Reiner was somewhat incredulous of Yulin''s words and turned to Tang Mo, asking uncertainly.


    "Certainly." Yulin introduced, "Because sitting in front of you is Mr. Tang from Great Tang Group."


    "Tang, Mr. Tang? You, you are..."


    "Yes, I am Tang Mo. I heard someone had designed a flying machine, so I became curious and came over to have a look," Tang Mo said with a smile as he introduced himself: "I''m pleased to meet you, Mr. Koss Laina."


    "Very, very pleased...to meet you, Mr. Tang Mo! I, I am willing, willing to stay, to stay... to research, research flying machines..." Reiner stammered his agreement, clearly overwhelmed.


    "But..." Then, he seemed troubled: "I, I have businesses back home, a canvas workshop, and a manor, and I have a wife... and two sons and a daughter..."


    "I will arrange for someone to bring your family here, you can be assured about that," Tang Mo soothed Reiner: "I will have people ensure your family''s safety all the way, without any mishaps."


    He was very confident in his security forces; without a full-scale war, one of his troops could turn any country upside down and do as they pleased.


    "As for your property." Tang Mo leaned back into the sofa, gave a nce at Yulin, and then turned again to Reiner: "Name your price..."


    "What?" Reiner was startled; he had no idea what Tang Mo meant.


    "Your industry, your workshops, and your estates... name a price, I''ll buy them all." Tang Mo continued to smile.


    "My lord... I... I didn''t mean that, I... I... didn''t think..." After grasping Tang Mo''s intention, Reiner immediately panicked.


    He feared he had given Tang Mo the impression that he was greedy; he merely wanted to work on flight designs, not to extort a fortune from Tang Mo.


    "Heh heh heh..." Wes was the first to break intoughter, unable to help himself.


    "I think you still don''t grasp the situation, Mr. Reiner." Yulin also startedughing, then exined, "Compared to yourself, the value of your estates and your workshops is insignificant."


    "So, name a price. 100,000 Gold Coins? How about that? Is it enough?" Tang Mo continued to inquire.


    "No, no need for that much..." This price genuinely frightened Reiner, who had never seen so much money before.


    "Then make it 200,000." Tang Mo nodded, "Write a check for Mr. Reiner right now. You can buy a house here, buy a car... or if you want to exchange it for Gold Coins, that''s fine too."


    As Tang Mo stood up and walked towards the door, he instructed, "Find Mr. Reiner a spacious house in the factory district for him to settle down, prepare a set of the relevant documents on propellers for Mr. Reiner, and give him the ''Principles of Aerodynamics'' I wrote to read while he waits for his family..."


    Before he left, Tang Mo paused, turned to look at Reiner who was still a bit dazed, "From now on, all your research belongs to Great Tang Group! So first, confidentiality! Second, don''t disappoint me!"


    "Yes... Mr. Tang." Reiner stood up, bowed slightly, and watched as the three left the room. Experience more tales on empire


    "Mishe! Well done." As they stepped out of the room, Tang Mo saw Mishe, who was waiting nearby, and praised, "How about an interest in going to Osa? They''re short on hands there."


    "I''d be delighted, Principal..." A smile spread across Mishe''s face; students were always at ease in the presence of the amiable Tang Mo.


    However, when he caught sight of big sister Yulin, he immediately restrained himself¡ªwhile the principal rarely punished students physically, big sister indeed gave a real thrashing.


    "After the fair is over, you will head to Osa! Go report to your senior!" Tang Mo patted his shoulder, and Mishe immediately showed a look of bliss.


    "Rest assured, Principal! Even if I have to toil away to the bone, I will do my utmost to repay the nurturing kindness of the Principal," Mishe assured with a bow.


    "Just do your best, no need for all this dying and toiling talk, it''s pointless," Tang Mo let go of Mishe''s shoulder, walking away with Yulin and Wes, "Live well! That''s what''s interesting..."


    "Wes! Arrange for someone from the security troops to take two squads to Reiner''s hometown and bring back his family. Don''t let anything go wrong," Tang Mo ordered Wes who was driving the car in front of him as he got into his own vehicle.


    "Understood," Wes said, keeping his gaze on the road and without turning back.


    The car fell into silence, and Tang Mo pondered, if someone on this world had thought of something like airnes, might they also, inspired by Great Tang Group, think of other various concepts?


    For instance, what if someone thought of using propellers to power warships? Would there be a ship like the Brunas-ss irond warship being built somewhere in this world?


    Following the same logic, since it is alreadymon knowledge that installing steel tes on cars to create armored cars, might someone think of using tracks to pair with engines, and likewise develop tanks?


    Great Tang Group had already opened a door, and among those who entered, or even saw this door, might there be a prodigy who could actually produce something native to this world?


    He hadn''t underestimated the world, nor had Great Tang Group becent, so Great Tang Group''s mentality of embracing talents from all over remained superior even to Shireck''s.


    Moreover... this was an atmosphere he had deliberately cultivated¡ªon this path of continuous progress and development, Great Tang Group''s advantages would only be more and more apparent, more and more immense!


    "What are you thinking?" Yulin tenderly wrapped Tang Mo''s arm, asking in a soft voice.


    "Nothing much! I just feel that my fighting spirit has grown stronger!" Tang Mo said with a smile, patting Yulin''s hand, and withdrew his thoughts, "This world is already moving forward ording to my n, which is a good sign... As long as it continues to do so, to develop, one day, it will be what we want it to be... the form."


    "I don''t care what form it takes, as long as I have you, that''s all I need," Yulin said with a sweet smile, leaning her head on Tang Mo''s shoulder, looking every inch the contented woman.

 Chapter 394 Approaching the 387 Expo

    By the time Tang Mo returned to his temporary office, he discovered that Li''ao was already waiting there. He handed his coat to Yulin and asked, "What''s the matter?"


    "I''vee to report on Nangong Hong," Li''ao said efficiently, or rather, the intelligencework of the Great Tang Group was highly efficient.


    "Mm, go on. I''m listening," Tang Mo walked back to his desk and casually instructed.


    Li''ao bowed slightly and began his report, "The investigation into Nangong Hong has not beenpleted, but his personal background check has ended. ording to the results, there''s nothing suspicious about him personally."


    "Continue," Tang Mo took a cup of warm water from Yulin, took a sip, and said calmly.


    Obediently, Li''ao continued, "He agreed to stay in Brunas to observe for a while, then proceed to take his position at Hotwind Port. He has been sightseeing these past few days without going to any sensitive areas, just observing the local customs and practices."@@novelbin@@


    "Mmm..." Tang Mo nodded nomittally.


    "He seems to be very prudent about it, showing no intention of overstepping boundaries," Li''ao continued, "Even when he knew of sensitive areas, he turned around and left."


    "It seems he is indeed a wise man," Tang Mo nodded slightly, approving of Nangong Hong''s discretion.


    "I''ve spoken to him," Li''ao took over the conversation when he saw Tang Mo had nothing more to say, "He doesn''t mind his servants being reced with our people; he simply needs an attendant to take care of daily life."


    "Like many who have read too much, hecks the ability to take care of himself..." Li''ao added his own analysis to his statement.


    "Then switch them with our people, and keep an eye on him!" Tang Mo smiled and directly instructed.


    "Understood," Li''ao once again bowed slightly, affirming Tang Mo''smand.


    Li''ao hesitated for a moment, then spoke of the attendant student that Nangong Hong had brought, "It''s unlikely that we will be able to ascertain the identity of the attendant student."


    Tang Mo did not speak because he knew Li''ao would provide his reasoning. The senior management of the Great Tang Group knew Tang Mo''s habit; he would listen to reasons for everything, it was his custom.


    "Since he is an orphan picked up by Nangong himself on the road, with no background to verify, we can only follow up based on the information he has provided, and inquire at his ce of birth.


    However, the likelihood of finding out anything substantial is low," Li''ao paused for a moment, then added, "We can''t be sure whether this orphan was nted by another power at Nangong''s side, or if this identity itself is fabricated. There''s also the possibility that he is clean."


    "I understand," Tang Mo nodded, knowing that it was basically impossible to rify such a person''s background; they could only have the intelligence department keep a close watch on him.


    If there is a mole, they will slip up and cause problems. Tang Mo''s intelligence department had a more advanced organizational structure than their adversaries, as well as stronger technology and equipment, and even multiple channels for intelligence gathering. Thus, should the adversary act, they would certainly be noticed and expose themselves.


    Therefore, Tang Mo directly instructed Li''ao, "Then let him go to school and learn something like ssical literature or history. After finishing, find him a job rted to book restoration."


    To save face for Nangong Hong, keeping his attendant student in the school for further education seemed appropriate, ensuring that no one would lose face too badly.


    Regarding Nangong Hong, Tang Mo nned to promote him to the position of a strategist¡ªNangong Hong could never be the Prime Minister or a decision-maker of any department; he was more like an advisor, a nner for the future development strategies of the Great Tang Group.


    Such people are indispensable in the battle for supremacy or when sweeping through all opposition. But after the conquest, when things have stabilized, they could only be put aside.


    To put it more fantastically, Nangong Hong was trained in either dragon-ying or dragon-rearing. Once the dragon was mature, there would be little scope for him to disy his talents.


    Since Nangong presented to Tang Mo the many benefits of the Great Tang Group developing into an empire, Tang Mo had been contemting whether he should truly pursue that ultimate goal.


    Previously, he wouldn''t even dare to think of such an aim subconsciously, but now, after Nangong opened up a new door with his grand blueprint, Tang Mo gained the courage to touch upon that possibility.


    If... if there was only one big bully in this alien world, and if that bully might be himself... that would be truly... tempting.


    So, deep down, Tang Mo didn''t want Nangong Hong to be a spy from Dahua. He instinctively resisted such a thought, hoping that Nangong Hong could withstand the investigation and the test, bing a core member of the Great Tang Group!


    For the sake of this ultimate goal, he was even willing to give a chance to the attendant student with the unclear identity that Nangong Hong had brought.


    "Understood," Li''ao bowed again, signaling that he knew what to do next.


    "Anything else?" Tang Mo nced at him and asked.


    Li''ao, as expected, continued with other matters, "The delegation from Dorne has already arrived in Brunas; they might be the first heavyweight foreign delegation to reach Brunas."


    "Let Harry take care of the reception; don''t neglect the distinguished guests," Tang Mo felt that the Dorne delegation wasn''t worth his personal reception, so he left the matter to Harry.


    "Yes!" Li''ao naturally had no objections to this matter and readily agreed, well-versed as he was in such tasks.


    After speaking, Li''ao slightly raised his head, looking behind Tang Mo to Yulin with some difficulty and began, "There''s another thing."


    Tang Mo had a bit of a bad feeling, but still said, "Don''t beat around the bush. If there''s something to say, say it!"


    Li''ao had no choice but to speak up, "The delegation from Northern Ridge, personally led by the Earl, has already boarded the train at Wolf City station. They should arrive here in a few hours."


    "Alright, I got it." Tang Mo was taken aback, then couldn''t help but smile wryly in his heart¡ªthe inevitable was still toe.


    A real battleground indeed!


    He had barely managed the shrewd feat of sorting things out with Yulin and Yue''er, and wisely dumped Yue''er at Dragon City University, not bringing her back to Brunas this time, effectively executing a king-refuses-to-see-king separation.


    But now, another woman wasing, humming on the train¡ªhow on earth do those bastards with multiple wives and concubines manage their harems? Damn it, share some experience with me!


    Tang Mo silentlyined in his mind and then unconsciously nced at Yulin. Herplexion appeared unchanged, yet unmistakably, he was going to suffer tonight.


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    Sure enough, after Li''ao finished his report and left Tang Mo''s office, the atmosphere in the room became subtler.


    Wes was very perceptive, or maybe it was just that he had gathered a wealth of these experiences while by Tang Mo''s side.


    Therefore, he too exited the room, lit a cigarette outside the door, and revealed a knowing smile.


    Meanwhile, inside the room, Yulin had already pushed Tang Mo down, pinning him on the desk¡ªthe situation instantly turned sensuous beyondpare, and Tang Mo began to passively enjoy an unprecedented thrill.


    "I mean... doing this here... isn''t good, right..." Tang Mo, eyeing Yulin''s delicate neck that was so close, swallowed his saliva under pretense.


    Without a word, Yulin responded to Tang Mo with a kiss that sent soothing tingles all over his body. And so, everything naturally followed course.


    Then, perhaps because the feeling was so intense, Tang Mo took control, showing off some of his masculine charm. These things, those in the know, understand.


    Three hours passed quickly, and Tang Mo, now back in his sage mode for some reason, yawned listlessly on the tform.


    It was only when he saw Alice''s train that he fully realized the tremendous impact of wasting ammunition at a time like this, on the subsequent battles. There was nothing to be done, once some things are top of mind, it''s always toote by the time youe to your senses.


    Alice, who hadn''t seen Tang Mo for a long time, immediately gave him a warm hug as she disembarked from the train, then nted a kiss on him.


    Thereafter, a woman''s sixth sense alerted her to something, and she let go of Tang Mo to study Yulin up and down with her beautiful eyes.


    It must be said, some beings can restore the whole picture to what it originally was merely by intuition¡ªlike how a father, with just one look at his son, can guess that his homework is yet iplete...


    And then... Tang Mo realized he had underestimated the strategic resolve of the school big sister and the Northern Ridge female Earl.


    He imagined the two women could start hair-pulling and clothes-ripping,pletely falling out at the train station, possibly inciting an unprecedented firefight between the Northern Ridge guards and the Great Tang Group security team.


    For a moment, he even envisioned the scene where someone pulled out a Thompson submachine gun and started firing.


    But when he snapped back to reality from this terrifying vision, Yulin was already linked arm-in-arm with Alice, discussing whether to have the newly developed spicy hot pot or the light bird''s nest and shark fin porridge that evening...


    If I go back to Dragon Ind now... Is it still possible? Tang Mo silently ridiculed himself in his mind¡ªhe felt that selling Brunas-ss Irond Warships to the Suthers Kingdom, which didn''t even have a port, was far easier than dealing with two women...


    Fortunately, the fair was starting in two days, and he would be upied. His romantic entanglements would definitely have to be set aside.


    Yes, at that time, he wouldn''t have to worry about his waist.


    That truly was good news.


    ---------


    RNG rocks! Emperor of the Spring! Spent too much time watching the games today... only managed two updates, sorry. And one more thing: Emperor of the Spring rocks!

 Chapter 395 388 Expo

    "Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, wee to Brunas," Tang Mo began his speech from the temporary podium set up in front of a building covered with a huge curtain, addressing the dense crowd in front of him.


    The World Industrial Expo was being held in Brunas, drawing people from nearly half the world to attend, propelling Brunas to an even more exaggerated height of fame.


    Now, it was almost the most famous city in the world, even more well-known than many capitals of empires.


    Tang Mo was dressed in a suit as usual, which ented his handsomeness ¡ª the reason he did not choose a Zhongshan suit was that at 20 years old, he could not carry the same authority in such an outfit.


    "Let''s extend a warm wee to... His Majesty Leite VII, King of the Leite Kingdom! The Prime Minister! The Minister of Construction! The Finance Minister... Mr.


    Special Envoy from the Empire of Na! The special envoy from the newly established Ice Cold Empire! And... the envoys from Dorne, Suthers, Por, Songmu, and the Gobur Kingdom..." Experience more content on empire


    "Wha..." Thunderous apuse filled the sky, as few in attendance had ever witnessed such a grand event.


    It wasn''t just the King of Leite Kingdom attending in person, but envoys from various kingdoms had arrived in full force.


    The number of social elites and wealthy magnates that had flocked from all over the world was incalcble. To put it bluntly, even the upants of the cheapest rooms in Brunas''s inns were likely to be top-tier wealthy individuals.


    "Hello, rich gentlemen, elegantdies. I am Marquis Tang Mo, founder of the Great Tang Group. I am delighted to meet with all of you here in Brunas today," Tang Mo said with a bright smile, for this day was a festive one for him.


    Hosting this expo was a huge sess for both the Great Tang Group and him personally: "I believe you all will not be disappointed with Brunas! It is the most prosperous city in the world, and a ce where Gold Coins are found in abundance. Havinge so far, I believe the goal of everyone here is quite simple...


    to buy the best, most expensive, and most needed products from others, and to sell your own best, most expensive, and most advanced products!"


    "Wha..." The apuse grew even more enthusiastic, as no one could stay rational when it came to making money.


    "I wish everyone here finds the best and most suitable products for themselves! And I also wish you all sell what you have produced at a good price!" Tang Mo nodded in thanks, then continued.


    "Today will be a momentous asion! This tform is here to serve every attendee!" He spread his arms, bathing in countless gazes: "Trust me! While everyone has been confined to their own little streams at their doorsteps, after today, everyone will realize there is a vast ocean in front of them!"


    "We will build the mostprehensive, most efficient, most massive, and most formidable saleswork in the entire world! As long as you are part of thiswork, everyone will benefit from it!" His words excited the wealthy businessmen below.


    This was an era for them, and it was the era of the Great Tang Group!


    "Cherishing one''s old broom and refusing to step out of one''sfort zone belongs to the past! It has be a synonym for backwardness! From now on, the world will unite and move forward together!@@novelbin@@


    We will represent the strongest productivity in the world!" As Tang Mo spoke, he changed his gesture again, clenching his right hand into a fist: "Only businesses,panies, factories, and workshops that be stronger and morepetitive can grow and earn more Gold Coins!"


    "Gold Coins... are something we all like!" As he went on, he began tough, promptingughter from the audience as well, "Ha ha ha ha!"


    "Wha..." The apuse sounded again,sting for a long time.


    When the apuse finally ended, Tang Mo continued: "Lastly, I wish this World Industrial Expo aplete sess, and I wish all guests and friends good health, all the best and a wide ie!"


    "Thank you all!" After finishing, he walked down from the podium without any dy.


    "Boom!" The World Expo officially opened in Brunas, and countless fireworks were shot into the sky above Tang Mo''s head.


    Although the fireworks were less visually stunning during the day, the sheer number of them was still shocking to everyone.


    As people looked up at the sky, drawn by the multiple explosions of color, pieces of canvas fell away, revealing the entire industrial expo site to all present.


    Tang Mo directly used the design of the Crystal Pce to showcase his formidable industrial strength.


    He wouldn''t bother with an original design, knowing that any existing design he brought out would be "innovative" in this world.


    As a transmigrator who wasn''t burdened by any idealistic scruples, he felt no pressure using it unless it was some stupid design from those who livedfortable lives andcked imagination.


    The building was covered in ss, and its transparent design gave the entire Crystal Pce a visually explosive impact.


    Even King Leite was stunned by the building when he saw it.


    He could see through the ss a superrge ship model inside the exhibition hall, numerous unique booths, and even the staff standing guard. The soon-to-be Emperor took a gulp and took a while to recover from the shock.

 Chapter 396 388 Expo_2

    The steel frame structure,bined with concrete, created an atmosphere of piercing solidity for this building, while countless panes of ss served as the final crowning touch.


    Without exaggeration, the building alone made many feel that their journey had not been in vain.


    Not to mention, this expo was merely previewing the exhibits, which included many advanced devices that were definitely worth a firsthand look. Enjoy new tales from empire


    After the rumbling roar of fireworks had passed, at Tang Mo''s invitation, Leite VII, the showoff, became the first guest to push open the grand doors of the Crystal Pce Exhibition Hall.


    Amid the apuse of the weing staff inside, visitors began to orderly enter this pce.


    Then, everyone was captivated by the expo itself.


    Every exhibition booth here was immensely attractive to the wealthy elites and nobles from across the globe and to the politicians and power brokers who hade from every kingdom and empire in the world.


    A female tycoon and a countess walked together, both dumbfounded by the exquisitely luxurious crystal chandelier above their heads.


    Due to its overwhelming beauty andplexity, these two powerful women from distantnds didn''t even have the courage to inquire about the chandelier''s price.@@novelbin@@


    All they could do was repeatedly express their amazement, exhibiting their limited vocabry: "My goodness... my goodness..."


    Finally, as if they had discovered a new continent, they came upon a watchmaker''s small booth. It featured a ss showcase filled with an assortment of delicate and finely crafted timepieces.


    The two were quick to notice the exquisitely crafted new-style wristwatch ced in the center and, with wide eyes, eximed in wonder, "Such a small clock?"


    An elderly man who appeared gentle and refined, wearing spectacles, approached with a smile and exined, "Yes, it can be regarded as the most precise instrument in the world... the entire dial does not exceed 20 millimeters in diameter... adorned with jewels... a veritable work of art."


    He was a watchmaker, as was his father, and his grandfather before him. Hailing from such a lineage, they naturally had a unique understanding of timepieces.


    In Brunas, he discovered more secret instruments, which allowed him to break through his own limits and design and manufacture even more exquisite mechanical watches.


    He put on silk gloves and took out the wristwatch from the ss disy, presenting it while exining, "Every week, the error won''t exceed 10 minutes, and with simple tuning, it can urately disy the time."


    "This is so interesting." Staring at the sparkling jewels and the petite dial, the two women continued their exmations of amazement.


    "Indeed, Miss, and don''t you find it beautiful? Compared to those pocket watches used by men, or thisrger wristwatch... it is simply made for a woman," the watchmaker dered, his etiquette impable, having always crafted watches and pocket watches for the nobility and tycoons in Brunas.


    This satisfied the two noblewomen, for what they valued was this dignified and graceful service process.


    Thus, the tycoon immediately nodded in agreement, "You''re right... absolutely right."


    She truly loved this watch; after all, a woman wearing a huge pocket watch or a wristwatch with a dial thicker than her arm would simply look foolish.


    The craftsman could see that a sale was imminent, so he exined even more enthusiastically, "Look at this watch chain, do you see the jewels? Each one is wless."


    "It''s really nice... How much?" The tycoon had already decided to buy and thus asked for the price.


    "700 Gold Coins," the craftsman answered calmly.


    This figure wasn''t considered high in Brunas, as many tycoons were willing to pay for more precise timekeeping and designs that showcased their status.


    After all, in Brunas, all investments made money, and all ventures yielded handsome returns¡ªeven if you just bought a few houses, you''d find property values soaring, and your profits brimming.


    Therefore, a wristwatch costing more than ten automobiles wasn''t strange at all¡ªin the real world, it was nothing extraordinary.


    However, the price still shocked the countess apanying the tycoon¡ªshe didn''t have many assets, and 700 Gold Coins was not an amount she could casually part with: "How much?"


    "700 Gold Coins, Miss," the craftsman replied politely.


    Without waiting for herpanion to speak again, the tycoon dered without hesitation, "What a bargain, I''ll take it."


    She had decided to use this wristwatch as a stepping stone in Brunas, to disy her financial strength and then increase her investments in the city!


    Just one nce at the streets and alleys here was enough to captivate anyone; the city was just that splendid, worth the price!


    "Thank you, thank you!" The watchmaker rubbed his hands together and thanked them with a beaming smile¡ªpreviously, he had been a bit worried about whether he could actually sell anything "setting up shop" at such an industrial expo.


    Now, he had no doubts. What concerned him at that moment was whether the watches he had made were enough to sell...


    At another booth, a crowd of tycoons involved in the railway sector was gathering. Many had be rich through railways, and quite a few in Dorne and Suthers were exceptionally wealthy individuals.


    Now, these wealthy folks gathered together, jostling and pushing to get a closer look at the steam lotive exhibit not far away.

 Chapter 397 388 Expo_3

    The guide stood in front of the crowd, maintaining order while presenting his product, "This is the most advanced steam train in the world, capable of reaching a terrifying speed of 90 kilometers per hour!"


    "The key is the power it can provide, which is more abundant than all previous train engines, allowing it to pull 20 carriages!" he exined as he walked from the front of the train to its tail end.


    Then, he continued, pointing at the train tracks below, "Standard gauge, no modifications needed to use this type of engine head! It''s revolutionary! Perfect!"


    "So, we would like to pre-order three of these engine heads, do you have them in stock?" an elf wearing a top hat asked loudly, waving his arms.


    "There''s no stock avable... sir... this is for exhibition purposes... to demonstrate the Great Tang Group''s leading industrial technology... If you want in-stock items, you can ce a pre-order," the guide politely responded.


    The elf showed a disappointed expression upon hearing the answer, but still continued to ask, "Then, how long will it be before we can get the stock?"


    "About a year from now," the guide replied with a polite smile.


    An elven tycoon immediatelyined, "Oh! Bloody hell! Why do we have to wait so long? We need it now... "


    At his side, a Dwarf was shoving, trying to push outpetitors taller than him, "Make way, sir, if you''re not buying, we want to ce our order! Damn it! If you''re not buying, then why are you standing so close to the front?"


    "We want to order five engines! And the matching carriages..." heined as he shouted loudly.


    Beside him, a human who was being jostled seemed impatient and frowned, "Only five? You''re pushing forward for just that? We want seven! Seven engines!"


    "Stop the noise, I was here first!" Further away, buyers from other countries were waving their hats, trying to get the attention of the sales staff in the front.


    "So what if you came first?" Even farther back, more people started toin.


    Not far from this booth, another booth from a factory called Shireck Vehicle Factory was bustling with its staff calling out non-stop.@@novelbin@@


    The scene was somewhat chaotic, and many were spectating¡ªShireck Vehicle Factory was another train manufacturer, and at this time, Sofia, Shireck''s close personal maid, was in charge here.


    The trains theyunched were almost identical to the Great Tang Group''s first-generation steam engines, and many of their parts were even interchangeable.


    Moreover, their main advantage was their pricing. The engines they produced were priced at less than a third of the equivalent product from the Great Tang Group.


    Another advantage was that their products did not require waiting in line or, rather, for the time being did not require waiting¡ªstock was immediately avable.


    This was of great interest to many countries eager to develop their railroads, and at this time they had already secured a number of orders¡ªjudging from these orders alone, the profitability of Shireck''s secretly established train factory was not an issue.


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    There were also some smaller enterprises at the venue, and although they relied on Great Tang''s technology to develop and mature, the products they introduced were varied. As luck would have it, their technologies had a market as well, attracting the attention of many spectators.


    Watching a machine impress beautiful patterns on a well-cut deer skin, a merchant eximed excitedly, "This is Northern Ridge''s new deer skin processing machinery... so advanced! With it, I''d only need three workers to aplish what would have taken 45 workers before."


    The machine worked smoothly and very quickly, able to imprint a variety of patterns on deer skin, something that previously required many skilled workers toplete but now required just a few workers and one machine.


    Thus, a leather merchant who seemed quite interested said, "Look at its operation, my God! It''s an absolute pleasure!"


    "Yes, assuming your city has an electrical system... Without sufficient electricity, this device would merely be a paperweight," his friend pointed out the catch right away, dampening the enthusiasm.


    After pondering for a few seconds, the leather merchant, who had grown wealthy through his trade, seemed more interested in generating electricity, "What if, I mean if, I bought a set of electrical equipment for my city... Started a power nt... Would there be any prospects?"


    His friend snorted sarcastically and continued to pour cold water, "Prospects? Of course, there are... Do you know? Great Tang''s electrical equipment is also in high demand, with hundreds, if not thousands, eager to start their power nts... You might not be able to get one."


    "My cousin''s grandmother''s step-brother''s daughter-inw, I heard she''s well-connected in Brunas, maybe I could try to leverage some connections," the leather merchant decided to unt his influential personalwork to his friend.


    Sure enough, his friend no longer scoffed but earnestly pleaded, "If you can get one... Count me in... I''ll invest 3000 Gold Coins..."


    "Deal! We''ll strike it rich together," the merchant nodded in agreement, quite enjoying the feeling of being sought after.


    Joking aside, if he really secured the electrical equipment, he could make money investing anywhere¡ªwhy would he even consider looking for shareholders at such a time?

 Chapter 398 388 Expo_4

    His friend didn''t catch his perfunctory tone, and instead continued to ask, "Yeah, yeah! Strike it rich together... So, are you still buying that deerskin processing machine?"


    "Buy? Of course, I''m buying. That''s a business passed down from my ancestors, how could I have the heart to abandon it..." The leather merchant was all serious and sincere, but inside he was already figuring out how to invite that "little uncle''s maternal grandfather''s cousin''s daughter-inw" out for a casual meal...


    "Let''s go check that out..." Seeing a crowd gathering in the distance, his friend pointed and said.@@novelbin@@


    The leather merchant immediately showed great interest, "Go! Go! Let''s go together!"


    It was only when they got closer that they realized it was a manufacturer of electricity generating equipment, seemingly very sessful.


    After all, these days, everyone''s short on electricity and electrical equipment, so how could the booth of such an electrical equipment manufacturer not be bustling?


    The electrical equipment from Great Tang Group couldn''t be acquired by just paying money; one also had to wait in line for production. Naturally, these smaller electrical equipment manufacturers could also snag some hefty orders.


    "Everybodye take a look! Take a look here! This is the brand-new electrical equipment from Ice Crystal River Power Company! Small in size, simple to generate power! Come take a look!" the salesman shouted with all his might. Experience more tales on empire


    The leather merchant who had just been thinking about finding someone to buy generators from immediately looked interested, "Ice Crystal River Power Company? They can produce motors too?"


    Hearing his question, a salesman immediately came over, "Sir! Are you behind the times? Ice Crystal River Power Company is now the best powerpany, aside from Great Tang Power!"


    "We have electrical equipment of 3000 kilowatt-hours! Plus, we have the capacity for matching power design! Come on, let''s talk over here!" he said, gesturing towards the disyed equipment.


    "If you needrger power generation equipment, we also have the capability to design and build it. Our technical reserves in electricity are quite substantial." He then pointed towards a transformer device further away.


    The leather merchant, curious, asked, "But can you really do what you im? Design power for an entire city?"


    "Sir, let me tell you a secret, our powerpany''s boss is the nephew of Great Tang Power''s boss from the Great Tang Group. Do you think we are capable?" The salesperson said, lowering his voice and speaking as if confiding a secret.


    The leather merchant immediately became wary, "There won''t be any trouble, will there? What if Great Tang Power starts looking into it?"


    "Hey, look, if anyone gets in trouble, it''ll be us. What are you worried about?" The salesman reassured with a carefree expression.


    The leather merchant was slightly tempted, "But I''m still not confident... Do you really have the core technology? Can you design power lines for an entire city?"


    "Rest assured... Our transformers, they''re of very good quality... And even if we were to offer a discount, how much electricity do you think a small city uses? It''s not like it''s a massive project, right?" The salesman again put on a trustworthy front.


    "I don''t know why, but it feels somewhat unreliable," the leather merchant started to get cold feet.


    "Alright, I''ll tell you the truth, it is somewhat unreliable... but we do have our advantages," the salesman said through gritted teeth, pulling out his trump card.


    "Advantages, what advantages?" Sure enough, the leather merchant seemed to regain his interest.


    "Price!" the salesman dered.


    "Price?" The leather merchant blinked in surprise.


    "Yes! Price! Our electricity generating equipment is about one-fifth the price of Great Tang Power''s," he said, showing his palm and gesturing.


    ---------


    There''s one more updateingter; it will be a bitte, but you can look forward to it in the morning.

 Chapter 399 389 Gobur brand cars

    "Really?" The leather merchant expressed his shock upon hearing the price, because he knew how much money this could save him.


    With the same amount of capital, he could purchase five times the amount of electricity equipment¡ªeven if the quality of these devices wasn''t great, and only half of them worked, it would still ensure that he had more than double the electricity output.


    For a merchant, more electricity meant more ie, and that was all money!


    The sales representative immediately nodded, as he, too, wanted to close this deal as soon as possible, "Of course it''s real."


    "In stock?" The leather merchant decided to let the bastards at Great Tang Electricity go to hell. He could buy cheaper products and transform his city into the second Brunas!


    "In stock!" the salesperson immediately nodded, confirming that they indeed had the goods avable on hand, fair and square.


    The leather merchant immediately extended his finger, "Great! I''ll take 10 sets! 10 sets of this equipment you mentioned, including the necessary electrical wires and transformers..."


    He had only recently learned these terms through an introduction, and now he was using them directly.


    The sales representative became visibly overjoyed, gesturing with an inviting hand, "You''re so wise! This way, please! Let''s talk inside!"


    This kind of exchange was frantically happening at many booths, with countless contracts being signed simultaneously.


    Everyone realized the charm of such a grand event, where the amount of trade going on here was almost calcted in billions.


    City electricity, factory equipment, trains and railways, ore, and even entire mines were being traded, allrge projects by tens of thousands, but here one contract followed another as if it were a free giveaway.


    ...


    On the other side of the Crystal Pce, at a new and fascinating automobile booth, a brand new car that had never appeared in Brunas shone with a dazzling paint finish, attracting many eyes.


    The car''s design was somewhat rustic, with most of its lines not differing much from the Model T, but there were still some distinct differences from the old Model T of Brunas.


    For instance, this car had bigger headlights, and the front end was longer, making it look more luxurious than the Model T sedan.


    Anyone with a discerning eye could see that this was a copy of Tang Mo''s Model T car, but in a world without proper patent protectionws, no one felt that such giarism was inappropriate in any way.


    In the end, the rule was simple: if you can, then copy; if the other party can, let them beat the copier to death; if they can''t, they just have to bear it.


    The presence of this copycat product in the Crystal Pce was testament to Tang Mo''s magnanimity and goodwill, as well as to the depth of the automotivepany''s resources.


    Since the Great Tang Group didn''t mind, everyone also gathered around, curious to inspect this rather nice-looking car.


    A potential car buyer, coveting the automobile, nced at the booth''s slogan with some confusion and asked, "Gobur cars? This doesn''t seem any different from the Model T... It looks just the same."@@novelbin@@


    "Imitation, right? It has no distinct features," another businessman looking to broaden his horizons nodded in agreement.


    After saying this, he added, "But you know what? The arrangement of this booth is actually quite interesting, aplete engine, haha."


    Indeed, the Gobur carpany was taking a unique approach¡ªboldly disying an engine right at the booth to promote some of their unique improvements to it.


    Including the use of some new manufacturing technologies and craftsmanship that could be called works of art, as well as a verypact design, and so on.


    At that moment, a staff member at the booth began another round of introduction, "Our engine utilizes improved technology, runs more smoothly, and provides a better driving experience!"


    His pitch attracted even more onlookers, as everyone had grown somewhat tired of the shape of the Model T and People''s car; seeing a car with different aesthetics was refreshing.


    "Oh? Improved, you say?" With the salesperson''s introduction, everyone''s curiosity about the car grew even stronger.


    Everyone waited for him to continue the presentation, and the salesperson did not disappoint as he opened the engine hood and said, "Of course! And we have also redesigned the fuel tank, no longer using a gravity-feed system, making it more stable and safer!"


    The earliest Model T had a poorly designed fuel tank, and even with such a brainless design, because of its low cost, it had been directly adopted in the first generation of people''s sedans.


    Because this design itself could reduce costs and was manageable, it had been continued to the present day and was still widely used by the Great Tang Group in the cheapest car models.


    However, in higher-end models, the Great Tang Group had already introduced newer fuel tank designs and phased out the gravity-feed cheap design.


    The appearance of such design in a car not produced by the Great Tang Group made many sense the sincerity of this Gobur car.


    So, many of the onlookers nodded along, agreeing and sharing their opinions with one another, "This is kinda interesting."


    "In addition, we''ve usedrger wheel hubs, which reduce bumpiness and make driving smoother, and, at the same time... the appearance is also more imposing." The proud car salesman continued his presentation, bing increasingly confident in the process.


    Thisrge wheel hub design would be eye-catching in the future as well, and presenting it in this era would certainly excite many people.


    The huge wheels enhanced the car''s upscale feel, and this slight improvement made many of the spectators eager to pull out their wallets, "You know, upon closer look, this car really does look a lot better than the T-model."


    "But didn''t Great Tang Group release the People''s Car Model 2... I heard it''s also not bad," someone still questioned at that moment.


    Not far from this booth, the crowd was even bigger at Great Tang Group''s car disy, where the second-generation People''s Car wasunched at this exhibition, instantly catching many eyes.


    The People''s Car from Great Tang Group still took the affordable route, yet it also incorporated many cutting-edge technologies, which were equally tempting to prospective car buyers.


    After all, Great Tang had a renowned reputation, and purchasing a car from Great Tang Group carried more prestige, which was an undeniable fact.


    Seeing that the few people who were talking were about to head to Tang Group''s car disy, the Gobur car salesman immediately yed his trump card, "Gentlemen, don''t rush off! Our Gobur cars... are even cheaper!"


    There was no choice, directlypeting with Great Tang Group''s products, the most practical tactic avable was a lower price.


    Indeed, after hearing the lower price, the few people all paused, "Cheaper?"


    None of these people were particrly wealthy, otherwise they wouldn''t be hesitating now about which brand of car to choose. Price was important to them, saving a dozen or so Gold Coins was certainly a huge temptation. Enjoy more content from empire


    "Yes! Cheaper! Our car, all inclusive, only costs 55 Gold Coins each!" the salesman promptly revealed the car''s low price.


    He actually had no other option, as this pricing was basically selling at a loss to gain attentionpared to Great Tang''s manufacturing nts, Shireck''s facilities were clearly a notch lower, and not cheap to run.


    Great Tang had priced the T-model car at around 70 Gold Coins, putting Shireck under direct pressure to contend with cost when producing their cars.


    This was unavoidable, as to get a slice of the car market share, Shireck had to grit their teeth and keep up, bearing the pricing pressure from Great Tang and ensuring their car prices were even lower.


    Sofia was a sharp thinker, she knew that as long as she could secure a foothold in the market, it wouldn''t take long to recoup the investments in other ways.


    It was a long-term strategy, an industrialyout where she knew she would lose money, yet had to step up to the challenge, which led her to dismiss the opposition and set the price of Gobur cars at 55 Gold Coins, almost at cost.


    Indeed, her strategy worked, the people who heard the price of 55 Gold Coins were indeed tempted.


    "That''s really not expensive." One of them was even ready to take out his money to buy the car.


    Another nodded continuously, "Exactly! It''s quite a bargain! If you want to own a car, this might be your best chance."


    However, the rest were still full of doubts, one spoke bluntly and without politeness, "But... if it''s not a Great Tang car, it seems there''s no prestige in it."


    "True, if it''s not a Great Tang car, I guess no woman would want to get in it." Another young man ready to buy a car hesitated as well.


    Buying a car as a means of transportation was just one purpose; the other was to solve one''s marriage issues... Clearly, a Gobur car seemed tock the second function.


    "Let''s not talk about it, talking too much is just tears..." Hisment immediately drew nods of agreement from many, as they nodded in unison.


    Just then, someone else raised an even sharper question, "And also, if the car... breaks down, there''s nowhere to get it fixed, right?"


    His words stunned the Gobur car salesman, who was then left speechless as he watched the potential buyers shake their heads and walk away.


    Truth be told, before transporting the cars to Brunas for promotion and sale at the Crystal Pce, Shireck had not considered that selling cars was distinctly different from selling other products.


    A car sale is about the after-sales service!


    Without after-sales support, without technical support, it seemed quite difficult for them to sell a Gobur car in Brunas.


    ----------


    I still owe everyone... four more updates.

 Chapter 400 I have learned 390

    Inside the Crystal Pce, the products on disy were truly a feast for the eyes. You might think it was a booth selling carpets, but upon closer inspection, you realized it was a sales booth for automatic carpet weaving machinery.


    Here, one could buy not only watches but also many things that one normally wouldn''t even dare to dream of. As long as you had money, you could easily spend it all here, not a penny spared.


    After sending away the crowd of onlookers, a Gobur sales representative sat down on a stool with a thud andined to his supervisor, "It seems we really need to set up service stations in various regions to increase ourpetitiveness."


    Without service stations set up in Brunas, a car breakdown would mean nowhere to repair it, which was an unavoidable issue for consumers.


    So, although Gobur cars were a good value for money and had some pretty good design features, they still managed to sell only a few cars by the end of the morning.


    The few who did buy Gobur cars were quite interesting. One was the secretary of Harry from the Great Tang Group, whose purpose in buying the car was to collect the first mass-produced model by Shireck, as per Tang Mo''s ns.


    Another was a delegate from the Ice Cold Kingdom who bought a Shireck car, perhaps to study theirpetitor.


    Also, there was someone who bought because the price was cheap enough, and the Shireck salesperson assured him that after the discount, the price would only be 50 Gold Coins, almost a tenth cheaper, and he was promised free future repairs...


    "I''ve inquired, and that''s exactly the model that the Great Tang Group uses. Wherever they want to sell cars, they always open a repair factory first... they''re very thorough," said the thirsty salesperson, grabbing a cup and guzzling water greedily.


    Another team leader also felt it was getting hotter: "Exactly... or at least, cooperate with the Great Tang Group''s people, let them help us repair our cars... after all, it''s all their technology, and the vehicle structure is also simr."


    The exhibition hall filled with ss was crowded, not to mention it was nearing noon¡ªthere was no air conditioning in this era, so the rising indoor temperature was inevitable.


    All Tang Mo could do was to design with more windows and open them at this time to improve the venttion in the venue.


    Additionally, huge ceiling fans were used to increase air cirction¡ªthe propellers were no secret now, as the shipbuilding division of the Great Tang Group had already disyed a huge ship model in the most prominent position of the exhibition hall.


    "Only if we improve our maintenance and after-sales capabilities, will we be able to sell our cars..." the sales staff easily summarized the trick to selling cars.


    "Yeah! I think... this trip has been really educational... definitely worth it," expressed the Shireck team leader responsible for car sales, rying his own feelings.


    He was officially the head of sales at Gobur Automotive Company, personally in charge of car sales for this trip.


    Seeing the boss speak like this, the other salespeople quickly nodded and agreed, "Yes, indeed, we learned a lot."


    The delegation from the Ice Cold Kingdom brought quite a few items. They had their own mining machinery on disy and had developed the Ice Cold brand car with the technical support of the Great Tang Group.


    To be honest, early automotive technology was not that mysterious¡ªbe it the gearbox or the engine, nothing was superplicated. With some industrial base and a few years of careful study, one could eventually figure it out.


    "The design of the Ice Cold brand car''s cockpit is really bad. Can''t they afford iron?" A tall man emerged from the disyed car struggling,melyining.


    Another man, at least 1.8 meters tall, rubbed the top of his head andined, "Don''t mention it, it''s so cramped. I went in for a try, and it was no different from being in jail."


    "These Dwarves are rather short, so they designed it this way for their own use. The interior space is cramped and narrow, but because of this, they''ve received a good number of orders,"mented a shorter man who was quite pleased with thepact design of the car.


    Someone else chimed in, agreeing, "We have short people too, right? Women also prefer their cars'' low-profile design! And they deliberately painted their cars red..."


    "To promote, these irond straight guys are really going all out," the men said listlessly as they looked at the bright red car and the women surrounding it.


    Dwarves are on average shorter than humans, so their cars were modified ordingly. The dwarves preferred car seats that could be adjusted to a more forward position for their stature.


    Besides these modifications, the Dwarves, favoring sturdier construction, also made their cars perform well in terms of load capacity.


    Since they needed to transport ore and wood, the load capacity of their vehicles was maximized as much as possible.


    This aspect particrly pleased many farmers and ranch owners, who preferred vehicles that were inexpensive yet durable and reliable.


    So, soon someone followed up by saying, "That''s right, but you know what, some of the cars they design are pretty practical."


    "Yeah, that kind of four-wheel truck is very suitable for use as a farm vehicle. It can carry a lot and is tough and durable." Consequently, many farmers became excited.


    "Their prices are also quite fair, much cheaper than those of the Great Tang Group''s cars."@@novelbin@@


    "Couldn''t agree more, especially since they use original engines from the Great Tang Group. With that in mind, buying a Dwarf''s four-wheel farm truck is a pretty good deal." Car experts were everywhere, immediately contributing to the enlightenment.


    This propaganda was also important, as everyone still had a considerable degree of fondness for products made by the Great Tang Group.


    However, someone soon fell into agony over a tough decision: "It''s just this space¡­"


    "Ah¡­ It''s hard to describe!" Hispanion also had a look of utter despair on their face...


    On the other side of the showroom, at the Great Tang Group''s car exhibit, there was a luxurious car that seemed to transcend the era.


    This was thetest Rolls-Royce Silver Charmunched by the Great Tang Group. A dedicated salesperson tirelessly exined to the surrounding onlookers the unique features of the car: "This is the legendary Rolls-Royce Silver Charm concept car of the future. It uses thetest engine technology and is equipped with aplete electrical system inside!"


    This technology was also a unique application by the Great Tang Group in their own cars, somethingpletely absent in previous models.


    The salesperson continued, endlessly enthusiastic: "With the assistance of an electrical system, it can provide users with unprecedented powerful services!"


    "On the driver''s side, we added a radio, which can make driving a joy." As he said this, he opened the car door.


    Because the car was expensive, the salesperson even professionally put on gloves to avoid leaving any traces on it: "The driver can listen to a variety of programs on radio stations while driving, listen to music, listen to stories, or listen to news! This can make long journeys interesting, turning driving into an enjoyment!"


    With that, he turned on the radio, and the speakers immediately crackled with the sound of electricity.


    Upon hearing this familiar sound, the surrounding elite and wealthy audience immediately became sentimental: "This is so thoughtful, to actually install a radio in a car is unimaginable."


    "Moreover, with the battery system, it doesn''t need to be started externally anymore. The driver just needs to simply and conveniently turn the key, and the engine will emit a pleasant roaring sound!" The salesperson, having emerged from the car, continued to introduce.


    "Oh¡­ my¡­ goodness¡­ too advanced." After he demonstrated how to start the car, everyone marveled once again.


    "The interior is extensively furnished with expensive genuine leather, soft andfortable to every inch, with immense space in the back seat¡­ Everyone knows, this has always been a selling point of our Rolls-Royce luxury sedans!


    In the back, you can do whatever you like!" Surrounded by admiring exmations, the salesperson opened the car''s rear door and continued to smile as he pointed out the selling features of the car.


    "Hehe! Really nice." Indeed, a few real tycoons exchanged knowing nods and smiled. Explore more adventures at empire


    Some portly middle-aged nouveau riches also quickly got the idea, and their expressions became most animated: "Exactly! This design is heartfelt."


    Even a few rather explicit ones hugged their femalepanions tighter, joining the socialites in emitting somewhat indecentughs: "Hahaha!"


    "Luxurious wooden steering wheel, paired with a brand-new gearbox! Its speed can approach 120 kilometers per hour, and its mighty control still lets you drive with confidence!" Amidst theughter, the salesperson kept diligently exining the car''s features: "Such advanced design, such advanced performance, such attentive details¡­ each one highlights the user''s taste and status."


    "Wow!" Apuse broke out,sting a long time. Of course, the socialites and wealthy individuals gathered here were all aiming to show off their unique tastes and status.


    Once everyone was drooling over the car, the salesperson began distributing pre-printed spec sheets to these magnates: "In the future, such a Rolls-Royce will have a considerate price tag of 12,000 Gold Coins!"


    "Oh¡­" Hearing this price, many socialites let out gasps of amazement.


    "Hiss¡­" Quite a few less wealthy businessmen also inhaled sharply.


    -------


    Finally managed to pay back a little debt... still owe everyone 3 updates!

 Chapter 401 Booth 391 Arms

    ```


    "Not bad at all!" The truly wealthy couldn''t hide the glint in their eyes at this moment.


    On the other side, a nouveau riche hearing the price was even more thrilled, "Yes! Once again, we can widen the gap between us and those ordinary people."


    "It''s not expensive! If everyone could afford it, would it still be a Rolls-Royce?" In the end, a gem-bedecked billionaire settled the discussion, voicing his innermost thoughts.


    What they feared was not the high price, but that the goods they used could be afforded by everyone! They wanted others to know they were rich and feared bing indistinguishable from the masses.


    This was akin to people still buying Gi stic bags for thousands of dors or transparent intable vests selling for sky-high prices.


    Wealthy people are not fools; they just go to great lengths to set themselves apart from the poor, and for this, they don''t mind spending a bit more.


    To them, 12,000 Gold Coins was actually not a big deal. If spending this money could make them stand out, they would feel the expense was worth it, a total bargain!


    "That makes sense! I''m going to put my deposit down right now! I''ll reserve one!" Sure enough, a fit and wealthy second-generation heir, nonchntly spoke up with a debonair appearance.


    Beside the second-generation rich kid, the mboyant merchant who had rings on every finger and gold teeth showing as he smiled spoke astonishingly, "One car? I''ll buy ten!"


    He owned oil fields in Na and with the recent surge in oil prices, he didn''t care about such a trifling amount of money.


    As long as the price of oil continued to rise, his worth would be frighteningly huge¡ªhe''d been considering donating enough money to buy a position in the Empire of Na.


    "Who is that?" A few women immediately started whispering among themselves, and the oil tycoon''s face grew even more smug.@@novelbin@@


    "Pfft... A country bumpkin." A manughed and came up behind the tycoon, uttering a sarcastic remark.


    Before the oil rich man could say anything, the neer pointed at the car on disy and said, "Mr. Tang just said this car''s sold to me! Make sure no one scratches it!"


    His statement immediately made the oil magnate swallow the words in his mouth¡ªhis wealth might have beenparable, but knowing Tang Moplicated matters.


    "Who is that guy?" A nearby socialite felt herself getting excited.


    Her friend immediately understood where her thoughts were going, ncing at her, "Look at you! Are you really that anxious?"


    "Sister, dear... You don''t even like older men, leave him to your older sister," said the name-dropping socialite, almost drooling.


    Her friend chuckled, leaning in to whisper, "You don''t know? That''s the Marquis of Bailu! Business has been booming for him recently, and I heard his Bailu Team has won 7 straight matches..."


    "No wonder, it''s him..." The women appeared to suddenly understand.


    "This guy is loaded, and he has a very good rtionship with Mr. Tang... I heard he has a son who ys football for the Dragon City Team, and he''s quite skilled," On the other side, several men also cast envious nces.


    The femalepanion perked up immediately, "Hmm, I''ve heard about that too, is there a matching up soon? I''m a fan of the Dragon City Team."


    "Do you want to watch it?" The man was stunned, then a triumphant smile appeared¡ªhe''d been waiting for her to bring up a request all morning, and finally, she spoke.


    "I really do want to check out the excitement," the woman said coquettishly, "and have a big dinner afterwards..."


    As soon as he heard the word "evening," the man got the hint, "Butler... Butler... book two tickets for the Dragon City Team match... good seats!"


    "You''re so nice." The woman hooked her arm around the man''s, her face beaming with joy, "That ne I saw earlier..."


    "Buy it! It''s just 300 Gold Coins... It''s not expensive!" The man said generously, waving his hand.


    ...


    The exhibition hall was filled with armaments upying about a third of the space, after all, the Great Tang Group had started with armaments and was also the supplier of the most advanced weaponry in the world.


    On such an asion, if you didn''t take the opportunity to show off your products, that would simply be a wasted opportunity, wouldn''t it?


    So, the people who hade from afar could see a heap of weapons so miraculous they could be considered works of art.


    Where the crowd gathered, there was a cannon produced by Great Tang Artillery Company¡ªa super howitzer with a caliber of 280 millimeters and a total system weight exceeding 50 tons.


    ```


    Such a super-terrifyingrge-caliber howitzer, with a firing rate of only one round every five minutes, and each shell weighing 200 kilograms, had a simple crane at the rear of the gun for loading these shells and propent.


    From a practical perspective, such artillery actually had little value¡ª even with railways, transporting such a heavy cannon to the front line was definitely not an easy task.


    Its cumbersome body, precise tuning, and terrifying price all meant it was not a particrly qualified weapon of war. Yet, it still held value and there was a necessity for its creation!


    On one hand, the Great Tang Group wanted to demonstrate to the world its weapon-manufacturing capabilities that surpassed the era.


    The ability of a factory to manufacture cannons with a caliber above 200 millimeters represented many things. Including seamless steel tubes, cannon casting technology, overall design, and so on¡ªit was only with high standards in these aspects that a qualified cannon could be designed and made.


    Just thinking about it made one realize how exaggerated the Great Tang Group''s weapon manufacturing technology was: they could actually build a cannon that fired heavy shells of about 300 kilograms over a distance of 10 kilometers...


    Wouldn''t using this thing for defending a city easily repel the enemy forces? It was even beyond the enemy''s imagination that they would be bombarded by the city''s defense cannons into disorientation before they could even see the enemy city... Thinking about this, one could feel a little excited!


    On the other hand, such artillery indeed had numerous practical applications: this huge cannon, despite its many drawbacks, was still the most powerful cannon system that could be manufactured at the current stage.


    Each shell could st a crater as big as a ser field on the ground, and the radius of destruction from the explosion was enough to epass an area greater than two ser fields.


    In other words, one shot from this thing could almost smash a Nou Camp stadium to pieces! At the very least, it would make everyone inside the stadium rather ufortable...


    Such fearsome power endowed this type of artillery with many arduous tasks: breaching the enemy''s fortified defensive areas, destroying the enemy''s solid fortifications.


    With the development of weapons and changes in tactics, many countries around the world began to build solid fortifications at their borders, establishing super fortresses that had not appeared in the past.


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    These fortresses were constructed using cement or huge stones, incredibly solid. Inside these fortified strongholds, heavy troops were garrisoned, equipped with machine guns and artillery, making them very tough to deal with and causing attackers a lot of headaches.


    Therefore, the Great Tang Group introduced this super fortress killer to enhance the attacking abilities of the offensive side.


    As long as there was a way to get this kind of artillery to the front lines, there would basically be no defensive line or fortress that couldn''t be conquered.


    This thing only needed dozens of shells to be hammered down, and it was estimated that the garrison inside even the sturdiest fortress would not be able to withstand the bombardment and would surrender.


    Thus, when the envoys and officers from various countries who came to visit the weaponry exhibition area saw this disyed cannon, everyone was stunned.


    Keep in mind, the hefty barrel of this cannon alone was nearly 3.4 meters long! Along with the gun mount and recoil mechanism, the entire system was over 5 meters tall, and the diameter of the base was likewise over 5 meters, almost reaching 6 meters!


    To describe this cannon as a behemoth was in no way an exaggeration. The world had never before seen such a massivend artillery piece.


    Although the giant muzzle-loaders produced by the Shireck workshop were also veryrge, theck of recoil mechanisms and mounts meant they did not have the same formidable visual impact.


    Every officer who saw this cannon was intimidated; they didn''t know how much of a fighting chance their own military would have when facing such an iron behemoth.


    When they saw the disy shells ced in front of this big cannon, they were even somewhat afraid, fearful that such huge shells would one day fall on their own heads.


    No defense work could withstand such shells, and likewise, no soldier could maintain the fight under the threat of such terrifying bombardments.


    People whispered in front of this massively intimidating cannon, not even daring to raise their voices. It was an instinctive fear, an awe that came from deep within.


    Inparison, the 155-millimeter towed howitzer and the 105-type light howitzer, heavily promoted by Great Tang, did not shock people as directly as the 280-millimeter cannon did.


    But Tang Mo knew, the real artillery capable of changing the course of war was precisely those medium-caliber, easy to haul pieces that could keep pace with the advancing troops.


    As for the 280-caliber behemoth, it was just a show of skill by Tang Mo, a means to bamboozle those clueless dogs who knew nothing at all.


    They knew nothing, and only liked to buy weapons that appeared immensely powerful in order to deter their rivals.


    Clearly, outfitting your troops with many machine guns and steel helmets wasn''t as straightforwardly effective as deploying ten fortress killers.


    Moreover, when used to defend a city, these massive and extraordinarily cumbersome cannons no longer had the issue of inconvenient transportation; instead, their immense power became the highlighted feature.


    Delightful, isn''t it?

 Chapter 402 392 New Things

    "With such a bustling scene, aren''t you tempted to have a look?" Leite VII asked from the VIP lounge on the second floor, overlooking the sea of people outside the ss windows of the exhibition hall.


    Tang Mo put down his wine ss with a smile and said to Leite VII, "I didn''t expect Your Majesty toe in person..."


    "The Laines Empire is about to be operational, and I need to prepare for the coronation ceremony... Thinking about these matters, I couldn''t rest easy withouting to see Mr. Tang in person," Leite VII said.


    "There''s nothing to worry about, we''ve been cooperating for more than a day or two, and since there haven''t been any problems, it''s unlikely there will be any issues," Tang Mo assured, swirling the fine wine in his ss.


    "Thank you," Leite VII nodded, showing a semnce of belief in Tang Mo''s words. "I''ve heard you''veunched quite a few new technologies recently?"


    Tang Mo nodded, "That''s right, the production speed of the Brunas-ss warships has increased. I''ve built two more and am looking for new buyers."


    Leite VII was taken aback and then made a somewhat reluctant promise, "I can pay to buy them."


    "You should keep your money... Your Imperial Majesty! As far as I know, your financial state isn''t very good and won''t see much improvement in the short term," Tang Mo said with augh, declining Leite VII''s kind offer.


    Leite VII breathed a sigh of relief and exined, "We are now bordering the Empire of Na; both empires are very vignt... They are increasing their military presence at the border, guarding against us... We also have to be cautious and construct a defensive line at the border."


    Tang Mo was aware of this, as constructing a defensive line was no small matter. Leite VII had mobilized 100,000 soldiers and conscripted 30,000 civilian workers to embark on extensive construction at the border.


    The Empire of Na was also on edge, amassing 120,000 troops at their border and constructing a massive and impressively long defensive line.


    Both sides feared the other would strike first, so their reactions were quite intense. Despite the mediation by the Great Tang Group, which kept both sides informed of each other''s intentions and tried to defuse tensions, the reinforcement of troops at the border continued unabated.


    What was even more ironically amusing was that both sides had purchased vast amounts of cement and even significant quantities of rebar for their defensive lines.


    However, these materials were produced by the Great Tang Group and Northern Ridge, transported over lengthy railway and highway routes, arriving near the border. Enjoy new chapters from empire


    Afterwards, the Empire of Na took half, and the Laines Empire took the other half, each using them for their opposing defensive lines...


    The situation was absurd; the bulk of both sides'' armaments came from the Great Tang Group, with artillery of essentially the same model, and even the number of machine guns was evenly matched.


    Yet, this was not the most absurd of all.


    What was truly bizarre was that, when both sides found themselves tight on finances, they both thought of approaching the Great Tang Group for loans... almost at the same time.


    The Great Tang Group lent Gold Coin to both empires, then collected high interest, resulting in both nations spending the borrowed money back at the Great Tang Group on weapons and cement.


    The Empire of Na was a bit better off, not as thoroughly infiltrated, but the situation in the Laines Empire was different; Leite VII was painfully aware that Tang Mo knew even more about his nation''s financial affairs than he did.


    He couldn''t possibly ask Tang Mo for anything¡ªthe finance minister of his empire was ackey of the Great Tang Group, the currency used by his nation was issued by the Great Tang Group, and about half of the empire''s officials were trained by the Great Tang Group.


    Added to those bribed under control, the Great Tang Group''s influence within the Laines Empire was arguably greater than Shireck''s influence in the past.


    However, most of the time, the Great Tang Group did not exercise its special rights and almost never interfered with the Laines Empire''s decrees, which helped to mask the underlying conflicts between the two.


    "However, Your Majesty, you have no reason to worry. The contract was signed under my leadership, and you are fully capable of repaying this debt," Tang Mo stated, speaking of the 10 million Gold Coin loan as if it were a trivial matter.


    Based on the financial situation of the Laines Empire, barring natural disasters and wars, it would only take three years for Leines I to pay off this debtpletely.


    The Empire of Na also wasn''t far behind; they needed two and a half years to repay the money borrowed from the Great Tang Group.


    As days went by, profits from Tang Mo''s arms factories began to grow. The number of countries purchasing weapons increased, indicating that the impact of thest war was gradually fading from memory.


    A new war was brewing, and everyone was strengthening their forces, hoping to gain an advantage and secure more benefits in the future conflict.


    The Suthers Kingdom hadpleted a series of reforms and entered a phase of strength and power.


    They were eagerly preparing, sharpening their swords as they eyed the Elves to the north. Dorne seemed to be contemting whether to take over Gobur, their increasingly wealthy neighbor.


    Everyone had their own considerations; this was the problem Nangong Hong mentioned, the one that arose because the Great Tang Group was not an empire but a corporation.


    Even if they could exercise influence, even if they could control most decisions, in the end, another''s kingdom was still another''s kingdom...


    As he spoke, Tang Mo caught a glimpse of Yulin and Alice, their cheeks flushed with the heat, out of the corner of his eye.


    "Ah... I just remembered, with the weather being so hot, I''ve deliberately developed a new kind of food." Seeing his woman distressed by heat, Tang Mo immediately snapped his fingers and then turned to Harry who was following on the side, "Bring up the one that''s ready."@@novelbin@@


    Harry gave a slight bow, then retreated out. Soon, he walked in carrying a tray, which held several portions of steaming white spherical objects on dishes.


    "What is this?" Leite VII, also agitated by the scorching weather, asked curiously.


    Tang Mo grabbed a te and gestured for everyone to help themselves, "My newly made food... I call it... ice cream."


    He wouldn''t be so foolish as to hand a te directly to Alice or Yulin, as the two women would probably get jealous over the order they were served.


    He gave none specifically to anyone, wasn''t that fair? Thinking of this, Tang Mo couldn''t help but apud his own wisdom.


    "Ice cream? Sounds good. Is it a dessert?" Leite VII picked up a te from the tray, looking at the triangrly stacked spheres with curiosity and continued to ask.


    "Of course, would you like to try?" Tang Mo pointed with a spoon and then started to enjoy it himself. It had to be said that ice cream made with the best milk and pure manualbor tasted somewhat different from those produced by machines inter times.


    But in Tang Mo''s opinion, in terms of original vor, this kind of ice cream seemed even more delicious.


    "Your Majesty..." A guard behind Leite VII quietly reminded him.


    Leite VII waved his hand magnanimously, a nonchnt smile on his face as he said, "No matter! If Mr. Tang intended to poison me, I probably couldn''t escape it even in the Imperial Pce."


    Tang Moughed along, nonchntly clearing his name, "You jest, Your Majesty. I am but a businessman. Murder... is not my forte."


    While saying this, he seemed to have forgotten the unsanctified Qiumuluo, as well as Gis whoy buried by the roadside even now.


    Of course, these were still his little secrets unknown to most... As for King Germelin, whose name was almost universally known, it seemed at this moment he had bepletely transparent.


    "Hehehe!" Leite VIIughed sincerely.


    "Hahaha!" Tang Moughed as well, quite naturally.


    "So cold..." Yulin, tasting ice cream for the first time, let out afortable sigh without any guard, squinting her eyes.


    Alice, by her side, had also already put the ice cream from her spoon into her mouth. A rich milky vor coupled with an exaggerated coolness spread throughout her mouth.


    Instantly, she fell in love with this food.


    Simrly, Yulin, sitting beside her, couldn''t wait to deliver the second spoonful of ice cream to her lips.


    The first time Leite VII tasted it, he was shocked by the food¡ªwhile he wasn''t unused to seeing ice in the summer, and the royal family did indeed store ice in cers for the summer,


    the idea of making something so delicious out of ice was still quite astonishing to Leite VII. He savored the delightful melting of milk and ice in his mouth and then opened his eyes in surprise, "Excellent! Truly a rare delicacy."


    Tang Mo burst into proudughter because the real source of his pride wasn''t the ice or the ice cream, but the fact that he had created the world''s firstpressor and thereby the world''s first refrigerator!


    Therefore, he could enjoy an endless supply of his own ice on these sweltering summer days, as well as cold drinks and all sorts of chilled delicacies.


    Unknowingly, he had transformed this world into a more wonderful ce.


    "How much for this cannon? We at Suthers want to ce an order, 10 units!" Downstairs, in the hall, a Sutherian officer, unable to resist temptation, pulled a salesperson aside, lowering his voice to speak.


    He was in need of some ultimate weapons to catch the enemy off guard and break through the border defense.


    The once formidable-looking Maxim machine gun mounted on sandbags had now unfortunately be a pitiable object, garnering no interest.


    The sweethearts of the past had indeed be pathetic old cows upon the advent of bigger, better, and more potent options¡ªwhat a sorrowful and mournful story.


    "Come take a look! Mosin-Nagant Rifles on massive sale! Half price for our generous promotion! Affordable and good quality!" Far off at the Dwarf weapon booth, the salespeople were shouting their lungs out, hoping to end their woefulck of attention.


    ----------


    I still owe everyone 3 more updates, I''ll get them out slowly... T-T

 Chapter 403 393 Amazing Deals

    Tang Mo didn''t showcase his most advanced automatic weapons at the exhibition; instead, he disyed the mature Maxim series of machine guns.


    This caused his automatic weapons to seem less impressive, so the spotlight waspletely stolen by a massive cannon with a 280mm caliber.


    But everyone knew that weapons had already changed the mode of warfare, and what future wars would look like was uncertain now.


    In the past, training a soldier merely required issuing a uniform, a musket, then having them fire a few shots. Nowadays, the cost of training a soldier was obviously higher.


    Steel helmets gradually gained attention from troops of various countries, and although they hadn''t be ubiquitous yet, the number of nations equipping their soldiers with steel helmets was increasing.


    With the widespread use of brass cartridge ammunition, all soldiers now needed equipment to carry ammunition on either side.


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    The standardization of bay scabbards and greater attention to soldiers'' boots¡ªunder the continuous influence of the Great Tang Group¡ªmeant that sending a soldier to the battlefield was no longer an easy task.


    The harsh winter was no longer an excuse for haltingbat operations, which made winter coats, overcoats, and even wood for heating essentials for the troops.


    To support a unit in front-linebat required more and more logistics personnel and even logistics equipment.


    Without a choice, once a nation had the capability for winter warfare, all countries were forced to seriously consider the risk of being invaded by an adversary during winter.


    Consequently, everyone was desperately improving their logistics capabilities, the scale of troops expanded further, and the old system was no longer adequate to meet currentbat needs.


    In the past, a battalion only needed a few horse-drawn carriages to transport supplies, but now a battalion required dozens, or even hundreds, of carriages just to manage.


    Newly added machine guns required transport by carriage because soldiers certainly couldn''t carry something like a Maxim gun.


    To supply the terrifying consumption of the machine guns, the previous transport vehicles for ammunition weren''t enough, and even more were needed.


    The weapons of soldiers had be more advanced, rifles fired faster and were easier to load, thus more bullets were expended.


    The added cannons were heavier andrger, so one carriage was utterly unable to drag a cannon, necessitating the use of two carriages linked together to haul a single cannon.


    Adding so many carriages, along with the drivers¡ªpeople eating, horses chewing¡ªthe consumption of food supplies naturally increased, which in turn forced the addition of even more vehicles to cover the increase in consumption.@@novelbin@@


    Thus, a vicious cycle ensued, and with the introduction of automobiles and the vehicles for transporting gasoline... eventually, everyone realized that to satisfy the logistics of a battalion, they had increased by nearly 200 men, 100 war horses, and at least 20 automobiles.


    This wasn''t as simple as just adding 200 people; it meant adding 200 well-trained, technical, literate, and highly skilled personnel!


    You say a battalion with over 20 automobiles needs a few mechanics, right? You can''t just throw away a broken automobile, can you? That''s impossible, right?


    Horse breeders and coachmen, skills considered an art in the past, weren''t jobs that just any illiterate farmer could handle.


    With so many people added, would there also be a need for officers to manage them? And wouldn''t these officers need to be bright, literate, and somewhat capable themselves?


    As these BUFFs stacked, everyone was surprised to find that the ratio ofbat personnel to other personnel in the currentposition of troops was nearing 1:1.


    That is to say, a battalion that originally had 500 people essentially amounted to around 1000 people after all the adjustments.


    Clearly, this was too costly! It was necessary to reduce the scale of logistical support and backup troops to maintain a reasonable ratio within the force, in order to achieve an optimal state.


    As a result, everyone began military reforms unanimously¡ªphasing out the old battalion and regiment structures, asmanders started using a more rational modern military framework.


    Battalions were elevated to regiments to maintain basic independentbat capabilities. Regiments were then expanded into divisions, with each division assignedrge-caliber support artillery.


    From another perspective, it looked as though the battalion structure hadn''t changed, but more logistics support troops were added at the regimental level, along with medium and small caliber support artillery, whilerge caliber artillery was allocated at the divisional level.


    Because the advocates of this kind of military reform were mostly graduates from the Great Tang Military Academy, the solutions they offered were highly standardized: Suthers, Laines, Dorne, and other nations had very simr trooppositions.


    Companies and toons adopted the tripartite system, with one squadprising 12 men, one toon having 3 squads totaling 40 men, and onepany consisting of 3 toons, making up 150 men, while a battalion was made up of 3panies, amounting to 500 men.


    The extra personnel at each level served as administrative staff, logistics personnel, clerks, and signalmen.


    In the same vein, a regiment wasposed of 3 battalions, with a total strength of around 2000 men. A division wasprised of 4 regiments, one of which was a logistics support regiment equipped with artillery, automobiles, and carriages, and it did not directly engage inbat.


    With this calction, a division''s total strength exceeded 8000 men, more than the manpower of five original regiments.


    But this force''s capability for ammunition delivery was more powerful than that of the original ten, or even twenty, regiments.

 Chapter 404 393 Amazing Deals_2

    ```


    In fact, most of the reorganized troops have not yet reached this scale. Currently, the basic organization size for a division level unit in various countries is about 6,000, and understaffing is a serious issue.


    On one hand, war has not broken out, and the military is not in a hurry to fill up to full strength forbat. On the other hand, the shortage of technical positions is really hard to fill.


    Not all countries have arge number of college graduates like Tang Mo to fill the vacancies in the military, so they can only wait or train some people intensively.


    Whether it''s establishing schools for training or recruiting into the military and then training little by little, the speed can''t be too fast. That''s why division-level units in most countries are actually understaffed.


    To make these understaffed divisions asbat-ready as possible, it''s necessary to procure arge amount of weapons and equipment to first beef up thebat sections. Therefore, at this expo, although Tang Mo did not bring out more new weapons, the military procurement by various countries was still booming.


    Moreover, the arms trade is no longer limited to just firearms and ammunition.


    For instance, Dorne, in order to support its massive military reform n, purchased 1,200 trucks and 200 cars in one go, and this procurement is only the first phase.


    Because Dorne has been continuously buying trucks from the Great Tang Group and shows no signs of stopping.


    Suthers, due to its horse production, has not purchased as many military vehicles as Dorne, but the quantity is still staggering¡ªthey purchased 700 trucks this time, along with 300 cars to equip their troops.


    At the same time, these two countries also purchased grenade production lines and rifle production lines at this exposition.


    Both countries, following the Great Tang Group''s example, designed their own military uniforms, boots, hats, and individual equipment.


    Watching his employees busy below, Tang Mo estimated that at this expo, the total price of arms sold by the Great Tang Group should be over 20 million Gold Coins.


    This is already a considerable figure, and if you add cars and pharmaceuticals, the number will be even more astonishing.


    The ice cream in the dish has begun to melt, and the entire exposition has also reached its climax. People are wildly spending Gold Coins as if the goods here were so cheap! In fact, the goods here are actually expensive; it''s just impossible to buy them anywhere else.


    Tang Mo handed the dish in his hand to Harry, who bowed his head slightly and reported a figure in Tang Mo''s ear¡ªthe total price of the contracts they had just signed.


    Upon hearing a satisfactory number, Tang Mo nodded slightly, and his smile became even more amiable. He said to Leite VII, who was enjoying ice cream, "You muste to watch the car race tomorrow. The excitement not to be missed will absolutely surprise you."


    Leite VII put down his dish and nodded as a matter of course, "Of course, I now have no doubts whatsoever about that! I believe that the spectacles Mr. Tang has organized will be thrilling enough!"


    "Your Majesty tters me," Tang Mo said modestly.


    Upon receiving the news, people gathered in the exhibition hall, and an auction for two Brunas-ss irond warships began just like that.


    Dorne, which values its naval construction, was the first to make a bid, setting the price at an exaggerated 3 million Gold Coins per warship.


    Then a representative of the Empire of Na offered a high price of 3.5 million Gold Coins per warship, but this record was only maintained for a short time.


    The representative of the Empire of Na had barely had time to rejoice when their already high bid was surpassed by someone else.


    In order to acquire these two new warships, the Ice Cold Kingdom offered a bid of 4 million Gold Coins, then smugly returned to their seat.


    Soon after, an Elf from the Songmu Kingdom, determined to win at all costs, offered a jaw-dropping price of 5 million Gold Coins per warship, and all the military delegates present at the expo looked at the Elf in disbelief for a long while without a word.


    In fact, this price had already far exceeded the inherent value of the warships, so many people knew it was difficult topete and withdrew from the bidding. Find your next read at empire


    As a result, as expected, the two Brunas-ss irond warships were sold to the Songmu Kingdom for 5 million Gold Coins each.


    They hope to have their own say in the future over the Endless Sea and naturally are eager to buy advanced warships.


    ```


    Before, they didn''t even have one Brunas-ss warship, but now they''ve purchased two in one breath, instantly making them a considerably important naval force in the northern part of the Endless Sea.@@novelbin@@


    With these two irond warships, they also simultaneously possessed the capital topete with the Por Kingdom in the northern part of the Endless Sea.


    At this moment, the Por Kingdom had two Brunas-ss warships, and the Songmu Kingdom had two¡ªtheir top naval strengths were actually the same, which to a certain extent, helped stabilize Songmu Kingdom''s maritime defenses.


    Tang Mo''s side was actually reaping immense profits: this wasn''t a few hundred thousand Gold Coins, or even tens of thousands, but a full 10 million Gold Coins, so much that even Harry could not look straight at the dazzling amount from these mad spenders.


    When this number was announced, everyone present let out a gasp. After all, there had never been arms and equipment priced so high in this world.


    "What''s all the noise outside?" Yulin asked, curious about what was going on outside while she was eating ice cream.


    "Nothing much, we just sold two warships for the sky-high price of 10 million Gold Coins," Tang Mo nonchntly and matter-of-factly replied.


    His words made Emperor Leite VII pause for a moment, and then His Majesty realized he might never have seen so much money.


    That was over 10 million Gold Coins! If he could just get his hands on it, he could almost pay off the entire loan from the Great Tang Group.


    "Right now, our sales amount has almost reached..." As Tang Mo spoke, he leaned over to Yulin''s ear and whispered a number.


    Yulin''s eyes widened in shock; she found it hard to believe that in just one morning, the Great Tang Group had already earned 27.5 million Gold Coins!


    Unfortunately, this business secret could not be shared with King Leite VII, because Tang Mo understood the principle of not unting one''s wealth.


    Still, Tang Mo felt a bit less satisfied with his achievement because he could not boast about his sess in front of King Leite.


    People are superficial; what difference would it make to win if one cannot show off? Wouldn''t that be a waste?


    Emperor Leite VII strained to eavesdrop, but he only caught the beginning of the sentence. Thetter number, which he was very interested in, eluded him.


    However, he guessed more or less correctly that Tang Mo''s ie by now was at least upwards of 15 million.


    After all, just moments ago he had heard about the sale of the two warships for 10 million Gold Coins, and with the rest added on, Tang Mo must have already surpassed 15 million Gold Coins.


    "That much?" Yulin was somewhat incredulous.


    "Indeed, it''s not a small amount, but we have quite a few items we can sell in the afternoon too; I estimate the final total deal price will be even higher," Tang Mo couldn''t help feeling a bit proud.


    Anyone who could develop their business to the scale of Tang Mo''s could indulge in a bit of self-intoxication without hesitation. He could now be called a world arms dealer, owning innumerable factories and employing a legion of workers.


    His factories'' chimneys stretched from Brunas to Jade City, and from Jade City they extended all the way to Ice Crystal City.


    Along with the factories from Ice Crystal City continuing to Wolf City, the scale of the entire industry had grown vast enough to be daunting.


    The perceptive Emperor Leite VII knew that Tang Mo could not possibly spend the whole day with him, and his presence here would only dy Tang Mo from discussing thepany''s secrets with his subordinates; thus, he tactfully rose to take his leave: "I won''t bother Mr. Tang any longer, I''ll go downstairs and enjoy the bustling scene."


    Tang Mo also stood up to see him off: "No worries! It''s not bothering... me... I''ll escort you! Your Majesty!"


    ----------


    Today''s update is short because I went out to eat with friends for Dragon Boat Festival, and I came backte. I''ll make up for itter... sorry.

 Chapter 405 394 World Famous Paintings

    "Oh, by the way, Your Majesty, what do you think if Great Tang Group, in the future, focuses its development on the west side of the Endless Sea?" As he approached the door, Tang Mo seemed to ask casually, as if it were of no consequence.


    Leite VII paused in his step, appearing to be stunned for a second, then he smiled and said, "We''re friends, strategic partners. Since Mister Tang hopes to expand to the west of the Endless Sea, I am, of course, very supportive."


    Tang Mo heard sincerity in that response.


    In the other''s eyes, there was surprise that couldn''t be concealed. Tang Mo could even detect from his voice that sense of relief and joy as if a burden had been lifted.


    "I''ll consider it thoroughly," Tang Mo didn''t say much more, offering just a vaguely nomittalment.


    Leite VII nodded his head, then left the room. When he saw his Prime Minister once again, he couldn''t suppress his joy.


    "He said... Great Tang Group is preparing to expand westward..." As the two walked through a hallway filled with artworks, Leite VII couldn''t wait to share the news.


    He didn''t specify who he was talking about, but the Prime Minister naturally knew that ''he'' referred to Mister Tang, whom King Leite took great care to mention.


    "This is good news for us. If he''s willing to move westward, then we can divert more of our energy into enhancing our influence over the neighboring regions," the Prime Minister said after a brief contemtion.


    Leite VII nodded and agreed with the Prime Minister''s opinion, "You''re right. Without himying out his intentions, many kings and emperors would be losing sleep over it."


    "This man is terrifying. He seems to be interested only in money, but everyone understands that an excess of wealth is also a cause for concern," Leite VII remarked, admiring the famous paintings on the walls with a tinge of envy.


    The paintings hanging in this corridor were gifts from other kingdoms or powers to Great Tang Group, or they were owned by wealthy businessmen who had defaulted on their debts to Great Tang Group and had to use them for coteral.


    Yet, these were sought-after treasures on the market, all items that made Leite VII quite envious.


    "The Weeping Shepherdess..." He stopped walking, looked up at a painting on the wall, and mumbled thoughtfully.


    The Prime Minister paused, startled, then noticed the apparently recently hanged renowned painting ¡ª it depicted an old Dwarfdy wiping away tears among a group of sheep that resembled demons.


    "A masterwork from Furnace Fortress, the beloved treasure of Greybeard, thest ruler of the fallen Dwarf Empire..." said Leite VII, his envious tone tinged with bitterness.


    This painting was akin to the Mona Lisa of this world, almost the most famous ancient artwork known. Its creator, recognized as the world''s greatest painter thousands of years ago, had made his name with "The Weeping Shepherdess."


    Legend has it that thest tyrant of the Dwarf Empire, Emperor Greybeard, whoid his empire to waste, adored this painting so much that he hung it in the most prominent spot in the great hall of the Imperial Pce of Furnace Fortress.


    For thousands of years thereafter, even as the Dwarf Empire crumbled to ashes, the painting remained undisturbed within the pce of Furnace Fortress.


    But now, it was hanging in Brunas, in the nondescript corridor of the Crystal Pce''s guest area, as if it were nothing special.


    "The Dwarves really were willing to give it to Tang Mo?" Leite VII, looking up at the painting, asked the Prime Minister without turning around.


    The Prime Minister was also in disbelief, for this was his first direct experience of the bottomless strength of Great Tang Group: "I... I don''t know..."


    "It''s a fake," said a Dwarf with a small beard who approached, gazed at the world-famous painting, and dered, "The real one is thousands of years old; the colors wouldn''t be so vibrant and bright anymore."


    His words allowed the two stunned men to breathe a sigh of relief, because if they really had obtained "The Weeping Shepherdess," they surely wouldn''t dare to disy it so openly.


    "The real one is on Dragon Ind." Before the two could fully exhale their held breath, the Dwarf continued, "Mister Tang is very fond of it, so it''s said to have been moved to his castle known as ''Dragon''s Den.''"


    "The Dwarves were willing to give it?" The Prime Minister asked, somewhat surprised and impulsively.


    "What''s there not to be willing about? On the day Furnace Fortress was taken, the spoils were chosen by Great Tang Group''s people first," the man replied as if he had witnessed it himself.


    "May I ask, who are you?" Leite VII inquired, driven by curiosity.


    "Me? My name is Moss, the deputy head of the delegation from the Ice Cold Kingdom," the Dwarf replied with a smile, introducing himself.


    "Oh! You are the renowned General Moss! What an honor! What an honor!" Leite VII immediately eximed with delight.


    General Moss of the Ice Cold Kingdom, a famedmander, was naturally recognized by Leite VII, for Moss was the first Ice Cold Kingdom military leader to breach the gates of Furnace Fortress.


    The war hemanded and strategized for the Ice Cold Kingdom against the Northern Dwarf Empire is considered ssic and has be a hot topic for study amongmanders from various kingdoms.


    If amander today doesn''t know about the "Battle of Dorne Counterattack," "Germelin Quick Victory," and "Winter Breaks Furnace Fortress," wouldn''t that be rather ignorant?


    "This is the reigning King of the Leite Kingdom!" The Prime Minister of the Leite Kingdom immediately introduced his sovereign.


    "I''m truly delighted to meet you, Your Majesty!" Moss also responded with courtesy, nodding and then casually starting to converse about various matters.@@novelbin@@


    He, of course, was aware of Leite VII''s deeds¡ªby this time next year, it was estimated that Leite VII would indeed be the first Emperor of the Laines Empire.


    In the midst of the three great battles, the Germelin Quick Victory was Leite Kingdom''s counteroffensive against the Kingdom of Germelin. In a matter of mere days, an entire kingdom was wiped out, a great victory for the Leite Kingdom that shocked the entire world at the time.


    Coming here to this conference was about giving face to each other, then exchanging ideas and expanding one''swork of contacts. Having a chat with the famedmander from the Ice Cold Kingdom was something the King of Leite found quite meaningful.


    Had it not been for this expo, he might have never met Moss in his lifetime, let alone have such a lively and pleasant conversation.


    ... Explore new worlds at empire


    After Leite VII left the room, Tang Mo, having tested the other party''s reaction, also realized that within the sphere of influence of the Great Tang Group, the pressure had indeed grown significant, causing many to be uneasy.


    As it turned out, Nangong Hong was right: if the Great Tang Group made clear its strategy to expand westward, it would relieve their existing allies and also unite these countries affected by the Great Tang Group in a short period of time.


    So, he called over to Harry, "Prepare a map of Zheng Country as urate as possible, and also... have Chief of Staff Luff and General Tagge to see me."


    "Yes!" Harry nodded and then went to find the telephone.


    Soon, both men arrived at the Crystal Pce.


    Not hiding his ambition, when Tagg and Luff entered the room, Tang Mo signaled them toe closer, and then the two Great Tang Group military leaders saw the map of Zheng Country spread out on Tang Mo''s desk.


    "If the Great Tang Group wants tounch an attack on Zheng Country by itself... Luff, approximately how much would we need to expand the current military?" Tang Mo stood by the map, chin in hand, looking over the vast territory of Zheng Country which could be described as expansive.


    Even as a vassal state to Dahua, Zheng Country was itself a superrge kingdom with dozens of cities stretching over hundreds of miles, not at all smallerpared to the Leite Kingdom.


    To conduct a military campaign over such a vast territory with just a few thousand soldiers waspletely out of the question, so the first thing Tang Mo thought of was to expand the scale of his military.


    Although the security forces of the Great Tang Group were elite, even capable of fighting ten to one, there just weren''t enough of them to maintain control over a country.


    "Master, the Great Tang Group security forces were designed and trained with the premise of avoiding as much as possible the provocation of neighboring countries; expanding hastily... might cause unnecessary misunderstandings..." Luff furrowed his brows, tentatively exining.


    At a nce of the map, Luff recognized it as Zheng Country''s, and for several times recently, the war games at the Great Tang Military Academy had used the map of Zheng Country.


    Hence, he was already very familiar with this particr map, and upon seeing it, he seemed to understand why the mock battles had always used the map of Zheng Country recently.


    Tagg, too, saw the map; he didn''t think too much into it and was simply somewhat excited. It seemed a new opportunity had presented itself before him.


    In thest war, as he was in charge of military affairs on Dragon Ind, it was Redman who went to the battlefield and earned the name "Lightning Redman."


    This time, he felt it was his turn; he wanted to seize this opportunity to prove himself and let everyone understand who was the true number one general of the Great Tang.


    Tang Mo continued to gaze at the map, chin in hand, and said, "I will do my best to persuade the surrounding countries to acquiesce to our expansion of the military... You and General Tagg just need to consider from amander''s perspective, and try to discuss how many troops are needed to attack Zheng Country..."


    Zheng Country, huh..." Upon hearing Tang Mo officially confirm the target of the attack, whether it be Tagg or Luff, both fell into thought.


    "Purely from a military perspective, using force to conquer Zheng Country is not a good choice." When he saw the coast of the Endless Sea which covered almost half of the map, Luff was the first to speak up, "This country is just too far from us, somewhat beyond our reach..."

 Chapter 406 395 is not very easy

    Even the U.S. military in 1944, when conducting transantic operations with the UK as a supply base, did not have an easy timending at Normandy.


    Had they not secured air superiority and used a series of methods to conceal their strategic intentions, they almost got pushed back into the sea by a bunch of SS youngsters.


    Moreover, the Great Tang Group did not have this capability¡ªat attacking a huge country across the sea was definitely not an easy task.


    Of course it wasn''t easy! If it were, would Tang Mo have bothered to summon two people for consultation? He could have simply given an order, and that would have been it.


    It was precisely because Tang Mo knew that this operation was unlike any before and required serious consideration that he summoned his two most trusted generals to discuss ande up with a suitable n.


    Looking at the coastline of Zheng Country, Luff continued, "If it''s about threatening or defeating them, it''s easy, Bernard''s navy could do it with ease."


    He had great confidence in the navy of the Great Tang Group because it was a technical branch. As long as there was an overwhelming technological advantage, quality could make up for theck of quantity.


    Find more to read at empire@@novelbin@@


    Furthermore, once a war started, the number of warships that the Great Tang Group could assemble was not small, and it was unlikely that the enemy could gain the upper hand.


    So with a hint of regret, he remarked, "But if it''s a full-scale offensive, our disadvantage in troop numbers is too obvious."


    Tang Mo smiled, nced at Luff, and jokingly retorted, "If I wanted to use the navy to bully people along the coastline, why would I need to call you over? I could just summon Bernard to arrange the mission, right?"


    Luff scratched his head in embarrassment and then answered Tang Mo''s previous question, "The security forces of the Great Tang Group currently have two divisions on the books but, in reality, only one and a half divisions'' worth of manpower."


    "One-quarter of the soldiers in both divisions are missing because we are not in a state of war." He briefed the current state of the Great Tang Group''s troops, "As they''re stationed for home defense, both divisions are below full strength, and to go to war, we would need to fill these vacancies."


    In order not to provoke an excessive reaction from the surrounding kingdoms and to avoid agitating these kingdoms, the troops directly under the Great Tang Group have always been limited in number.


    With the development of Dragon Ind, the troop numbers were barely expanded to the size of two divisions¡ªbut since it wasn''t wartime, these divisions weren''t at full strength.


    They had most of the administrative infrastructure and weaponry, but a significant portion of the soldier count was missing, which on one hand saved military expenses, and on the other also preserved valuablebor resources.


    You must know that the soldiers of the Great Tang Group''s security forces were not like those recruited from illiterate farmers and vagrants by other powers and kingdoms.


    The soldiers of the Great Tang Group were precious talent, educated, literate, and skilled individuals. Losing even one of them was a regrettable loss.


    It was because of such high-quality soldiers that the troops of the Great Tang Group had stronger coordination during missions, high initiative among soldiers, a tenacious and resilient fighting style, and sensible arrangement of local tactics...


    As the chief of staff for the Great Tang Group, Luff knew his troops like the back of his hand, so he directly provided his assessment: "If both divisions are brought up to full strength, our existingbat forces would be around 20,000, which is still not enough."


    Tagg, purely analyzing from a military operation perspective, also shook his head reluctantly, "This is difficult. We''re conducting a transoceanic operation; first and foremost, we must establish a strategic hub in the coastal areas of Zheng Country, and then we have to withstand the enemy''s counterattack, which is very important."


    Dragon Ind is far away from Zheng Country, otherwise it wouldn''t have remained unexplored until just over a decade ago. Setting out from Dragon Ind and relying on ships to supply troops forbat operations in Zheng Country was clearly too insane a n.


    Even if Tang Mo controlled most of the transit capacity on the Endless Sea, he wouldn''t be so arrogant as to make such a foundational judgement.


    Therefore, Tagg''s idea was probably the easiest solution¡ªto find an ind near the coastline of Zheng Country to serve as a strategic springboard.


    Firstly, stockpile sufficient strategic materials on this ind, including ammunition, food, weapons, and equipment, establish repair factories and docks capable of fixing ships, and providing coal and perhaps even gasoline.


    Then, using this ind tounch an attack on Zheng Country would undoubtedly shorten their own supply lines and simplify logistics.


    The Great Tang Group''s military had always valued logistical support, so when Tagg analyzed the problem from the perspective of supplies, Tang Mo didn''t find it strange at all.


    As the saying goes, the army does not move without provisions going first. Calcting one''s own supply issues before initiating a campaign is one of the most important jobs for modern warfaremanders.


    "Our current transport capacity is inadequate to support the entire war effort, and we''ll need to transport and stockpile strategic materials over a long period; clearly, this is a huge project." The more he gazed out upon the Endless Sea, the more Tagg felt that such transoceanic supply efforts would be the death of the Great Tang Group''s logistics corps.


    Meanwhile, everyone was very aware that Zheng Country had no trains, no railroads, and the state of the roads was also unclear; the transport conditions could be extremely poor, which would severely constrain the Great Tang Group''s series of operations in Zheng Country.


    Luff could not help but shake his head as he outlined the potential difficulties: "To upy Zheng Country, arge number of troops are needed, but arge number of troops will consume a lot of ammunition, which requires resupplying across the sea. Hence, sufficient sea transportation is a must, yet this is a contradiction."


    "At least another five divisions of troops, 50,000 men, would be needed; that''s about the limit. Any less, and we might neglect one area while focusing on another." Tagg, the frontlinemander, had done a rough calction in his mind and proposed what he believed was the bare minimum number of troops necessary.


    Upon hearing this number, Luff shook his head even more vigorously: "To transport 50,000 men to reach the western side of the Endless Sea, even for us, would not be an easy task. I am not worried about naval battles, but I am precisely concerned about thendbat aspects."


    Just think of Operation Sea Lion, even the naval and maritime transport capabilities of World War II Germany were not sufficient to ensure the crossing of the English Channel, let alone the Great Tang Group, whose actual transport capacity might not even match that of the Third Empire.


    While Germany had to consider counterattacks from the British Navy and coastal defense forces, the Great Tang Group also had to consider its own transport capabilities, most of which were still reliant on sailing ships...


    "If we get bogged down in a tough battle, our supply lines will be extremely difficult... Campaign logistics on the scale of tens of thousands of people, even for us, have never been attempted before. We have no way to predict what might happen or what problems might arise," Luff cautiously voiced his opinion.


    As the chief of staff of the Great Tang Group, he was obligated to fully remind Tang Mo of the possible dangers he might face before making a decision; it was his duty.


    "Is there a possibility that with a force of elite troops, we strike directly at the capital of Zheng Country and seize King City, paralyzing their resistance?" Tang Mo pondered for a moment, then came up with a n to simplify logistics as much as possible and achieve a swift resolution to the conflict.


    Tagg immediately responded: "Theoretically, it is feasible, but from a purely military standpoint, this tactic is not the most rational choice."


    In fact, he had been designing simr ns in his mind since the conversation began because the idea was too tempting.


    If it could be aplished, the war could be ended swiftly, which would significantly simplify the supply issues associated with overseas operations, while also reducing losses; it would be akin to killing three birds with one stone.


    However, such a military gamble, akin to the stratagem used in the Battle of Guandu, would also entail immense risks.


    Luff immediately nodded in agreement with Tagg''s point of view, then continued to exin to Tang Mo: "Yes, on the one hand, we need to ensure that this deep-prating force has plenty of food and ammunition, which is already a difficult task. On the other hand, we cannot ignore the potential consequences if the operation fails."


    "The consequences could be very severe..." Tagg stressed: "If the enemy''s King runs away with his Ministers, abandoning King City, and wee up empty, their counterattack wille from all directions, and our troops will have trouble retreating, possibly facing the risk of annihtion."


    "Or even if we sessfully capture the enemy''s King and take control of King City, if the surrounding enemy forces refuse to surrender, our situation remains very dangerous," Luff added another possibility, helping Tang Mo understand the pitfalls of this tactical choice.


    "Therefore, we should ensure as much as possible that the force attacking King City has at least one direction where there is support or safety," Luff said, pointing at King City of Zheng Country and gesturing in several directions.


    Indeed, whether it was Luff, Tagg, or even Tang Mo, they all believed that taking a few cities or capturing a Kingdom''s King City was not a difficult task.


    What they were discussing now was how to control the situation and upy the entire Kingdom, not just achieving a dramatic quick victory.


    Last time, Redman''s surprise attack on the King City of the Kingdom of Gemalin led to the Kingdom''s sudden copse, which was not a victory that could be replicated.


    The copse of Germelin was the result of several factors acting together, not merely the capture of the King City and the capture of the King leading to the downfall of the Kingdom.


    Firstly, the main forces of Gemalin were actually annihted by the Northern Ridge military after they entered the territory of the Leite Kingdom, leaving the Kingdom of Gemalin almost defenseless and incapable of any counterattack.


    Secondly, the King of Gemalin was naive; he thought the enemy would not kill him, even expecting to negotiate with Shireck afterwards and save the Kingdom of Gemalin... Clearly, he was mistaken.


    So... such a foolish King, coupled with the once-in-a-lifetime vulnerability of the country, created the miracle of annihting a Kingdom in just over a dozen days.


    To replicate such a miracle, Tang Mo knew it was almost impossible. Therefore, relying on the idiocy of the entire Zheng Country was foolhardy, imagining the enemy as fools before a battle was the kind of stupidity characteristic of Japanese nners.


    ----------


    There will be another chapter update in about 20 minutes.

 Chapter 407 396 Temple superior

    "I understand," Tang Mo nodded, gazing at the map as he shared his thoughts, "However, I must consider the possibility of various changes should the war enter a stalemate phase."


    "Firstly, we must think about The Sheng Country to the north of Zheng Country... A naval superpower, they harbor ambitions," he released his chin from his grasp, pointing with his finger to the Northern Region of Zheng Country, "Look, they have already annexed most of the inds near Zheng Country. If our progress in battling Zheng Country is slow, I worry they may make their own decisions...


    whether to attack us or Zheng Country!" Continue reading on empire


    Clearly, the inds that belonged or might have once belonged to Zheng Country were now under the control of The Sheng Country.


    These Goblins are extremely vicious, and with Zheng Country being so corrupt and weak, obviously, their military strength is not on the same level.


    Moreover, The Sheng Country, founded on their naval power, is clearly more deliberate in naval construction and it''s not surprising that they could defeat Zheng Country.


    Compared to Zheng Country, The Sheng Country is clearly in a period of ascension, with stronger national power, military strength, and aggressiveness.


    With such a neighboring country, Zheng Country is bound to suffer; however, with the backing of the Dahua Empire, The Sheng Country doesn''t have the ambition to swallow Zheng Country whole for the time being.


    But if Great Tang Group intervenes, the nature of the situation could change entirely. If The Sheng Country were to ally with Zheng Country against Great Tang Group, the Group would face difficulties no matter what.


    Likewise, if The Sheng Country took the opportunity of Great Tang Group''s attack to seize some of Zheng Country''s territories, wouldn''t Great Tang Group be unwittingly dressing another bride?


    Therefore, Great Tang Group must prepare for this, and at the very least ensure they can secure the essence of Zheng Country to guarantee their own interests.


    If that effort proves to be thankless, the economic advantages Great Tang Group has umted and the psychological advantage of being battle-hardened would vanish.


    Should they wish to recover, it would take years of umtion¡ªa waste of time that could certainly frustrate Tang Mo for quite a while.


    "On the other hand, Zheng Country''s suzerain ¨C the Dahua Empire might intervene... If Dahua sends troops, what choices would we have to make?" Tang Mo paused before voicing another concern.


    Setting aside The Sheng Country''s meddling, Tang Mo also had to seriously consider the stance of the Dahua Empire¡ªif the Dahua Empire intervened, Tang Mo''s moves in Zheng Country would likely fall apart swiftly.


    The Dahua Empire was not like the Empire of Na or the Laines Empire, which were smaller in scale. They were not in the same dimension. The territory of the Dahua Empire is five times that of Na, and its poption is nine timesrger!


    This was no joking matter; if there were to be a conflict with the Dahua Empire, an army of hundreds of thousands could easily advance, and even if Great Tang Group had a tactical advantage, the situation would still be perilous.


    At that point, with instability at the borders and rising resistance within, whether Great Tang Group could secure a foothold in Zheng Country became questionable.


    Should the war drag on, and Great Tang Group be forced to supply reinforcements over the sea, the expenditure would be too great for the resources avable, and Tang Mo would have to taste the vor of defeat.


    Havingid out his concerns, Tang Mo voiced his requirement for the war: "Therefore, I prefer a swift and decisive campaign!"


    "Hmm¡­" Hearing Tang Mo''s exnation, Luff also understood the importance of speed and fell into thought.


    "Uh¡­" Tagg, too, stared at the map as if pondering a perfect solution. However, this seemed difficult toe by, and both men fell into a prolonged silence.


    "We cannot risk a small troop on a rapid assault for fear of being put on the back foot," after a while, Luff finally spoke, though it sounded more like muttering to himself, "We must deploy as many troops as possible¡­"


    "The more troops we have, the more difficult it will be to supply them. We mustpress our forces as much as possible," hearing Luff''s murmur, Tagg also murmured.


    "To strike swiftly is vital, or it will draw the attention of neighboring powers¡­" Luff spoke again, ncing at Dahua Empire and The Sheng Country.


    "Fighting quickly, however, might not be secure enough, raising concerns about control over the surrounding regions," Tagg said with a hint of frustration as he looked at the vast expanse of Zheng Country.


    "This is really troublesome," Luffmented as if deted.


    "Yes, it is," Tagg echoed, his face full of worries.


    "Anyway, no matter how you look at it, expanding the army is something we need to do immediately," Luff looked at Tang Mo.


    Tagg nodded in agreement, "No matter what we decide to do, expanding our forces to four divisions is necessary. If needed, expanding to six divisions wouldn''t be excessive."@@novelbin@@


    "As for tactics, leave that to the Staff Department. Luff! Prepare three sets of ns!" Tang Mo turned to Luff, "I want actionable ns!"


    "Understood, Master," Luff immediately responded.


    "Tagg! You will oversee the operations! Prepare for the expansion of the army to seven divisions! At the same time, start work in Northern Ridge and Dragon Ind, Brunas! I want the usable forces to expand close to the scale of 100,000 as soon as possible!" Tang Mo then looked at Luff again.


    Luff nodded and assured him, "As long as the funds and equipment keep up, all we need to do is follow the nned procedure to expand the troops. It''s not a big deal."


    After saying that, he added, "The real difficulty is convincing Leite, Suthers, and Dorne that we are not targeting them¡­"


    "That''s my job," Tang Mo nodded and smiled¡ªthe smile of confidence a powerful person reveals when facing a challenge: "If we win this war, we will take their ce! We''ll establish our own empire!"


    Luff and Tagg were stunned, then both of their faces lit up with ecstasy. They lifted their chins and saluted Tang Mo with formal precision: "We look forward to the day our master bes the Emperor!"


    "Go on!" Tang Mo waved them off, indicating they could leave: "Don''t talk nonsense out there! Understand?"


    "Yes!" The two saluted again and then marched out of the room with a bustle. Tang Mo walked over to the ss window and looked down at the hall below, watching the crazed tycoons waving their arms as they purchased various products.


    No matter how you looked at it, this grand event was just beginning.


    "40 cars!" At the Dwarf''s booth, a generous farmer from the Empire of Na ced an order: "I''d like to reserve 40 dwarf cars!"


    His farm needed a lot of agricultural vehicles. Even though the Dwarf cars were a bit small, they were much cheaper and offered great value for money.


    Moreover, most parts used in Dwarf cars were standard parts from the Great Tang Group, so they were very convenient to rece and repair, with most issues fixable on one''s own.


    After all, the Dwarf cars directly used the production lines discarded by the Great Tang Group, so it was not surprising many parts were interchangeable with the Great Tang Group''s Model T cars.


    "I want to order 100 cannons!" At a weapon exhibition booth belonging to Northern Ridge, a representative from a distant country spoke up.


    Because the cannons from the Great Tang Group were just too expensive, he decided to order the cheaper Northern Ridge cannons.


    It was said that the two factories had a deep connection. The salespeople from the Northern Ridge munitions factory hinted tantly and subtly that their production lines were from the Great Tang Group and that the quality was absolutely guaranteed.


    After some deliberation, the representative made his decision: "I wish to visit your factory! As long as it''s possible, I will order 100 cannons!"


    "Of course!" The salesperson smiled and nodded in agreement¡ªthis was a big deal and themission he stood to gain was substantial, so naturally, he was grinning like a blooming flower.


    "We need this kind of textile equipment! We are a major cloth exporting country, and if we don''t keep up with the times, we will be eliminated." Next to the textile machinery booth, two ministers from a certain country were in constant discussion.


    Just a moment ago, they witnessed the production speed of the new textile machines, which was far more advanced than the old models.


    If other countries began to widely adopt this kind of textile machine, then their advantage would vanish and even the national finances would be impacted.


    "I''ve already sent someone rushing back to our country¡­" One minister exined with a hint of helplessness in his voice.


    "Idiot! Send someone immediately to buy a power generator and a telegraph set! Without a telegraph set, are you nning to send someone on horseback the next time you need to send a message?" his superior berated furiously, disappointedly scolding him.


    "Right, I''m sorry¡­" The official bowed his head in embarrassment, acknowledging his mistake.


    "I want 100 of these watches! Right away!" Not far away, a trader shouted excitedly.


    Amon watch that could be bought for two Gold Coins in Brunas could be resold for about five Gold Coins in other regions!


    Only a fool would pass up such a business! Just traveling to and fro a few times could umte arge sum of money, then switching to another business would be the path to wealth!


    In Brunas, who didn''t know that just by finding some task to aplish one could make a fortune? Can''t you see, even those who open fast-food chains selling burgers have be filthy rich?


    The watch booth''s owner was already smiling from ear to ear¡ªsince morning, he had nearly sold out all his stock! Compared to those who sold expensive luxury watches, he as a volume seller of timepieces actually didn''t make too little, and in some ways, he even made more.


    It''s like how a dealership selling Mercedes makes more money in a year than one selling Rolls-Royces.


    "Why didn''t someone think of such a good method before?" The official who was just reprimanded sighed as he watched the trader''s frantic actions.


    "Whoever thought of this expo... must be a genius," his superior said, gazing at the striking ship model and exhaling deeply: "A genius capable of changing the world."


    --------


    Dyed happy Dragon Boat Festival wishes¡ªthe joy of catch-up updates!

 Chapter 408 397 Reserve Officers

    At this Expo, the Great Tang Group showcased many new pieces of equipment, includingrger and more advanced mining machinery, brand-new excavators and forklifts, and even more advanced and sensible conveyor belts.


    The more advanced mother machines could produce more precise machine tools, enhancing the uracy ofponents that would assemble into better machinery equipment.


    The brand-new fluorescent lighting system was more energy-efficient and brighter than incandescent bulbs, with softer light colors as well.


    Aprehensive water supply and drainage system could more efficiently help cities manage the provision of domestic water and the discharge of wastewater, and the equipment for supplying water to high-rise buildings also became increasingly sophisticated.


    Hard hats modeled after steel helmets greatly improved the safety of workers on construction sites and had be mandatory safety equipment as required by Brunas.


    What baffled everyone was that, at this Expo, the Great Tang Group officially established a six-day workweek with one day off. Tang Mo also strictly mandated that no worker''s working time should exceed 12 hours per day.


    Although these policies were actually unreasonable, in this world and era, the work hour standards proposed by Tang Mo were rarely fully adhered to by businessmen.


    Childbor was rampant, working hours typically exceeded 12 hours, and it was unthinkable for there to be a day off each week.


    However, the Great Tang Group made these working hour standards a criterion for cooperative assessment, which forced everyone to start taking such standards seriously.


    Tang Mo decreed that businesses that did not adhere to these working hour requirements were not qualified to cooperate with the Great Tang Group, including on the technological and financial levels.@@novelbin@@


    At the same time, if a country did not enforce this policy standard, the Great Tang Group would dy the delivery of arms purchased by that country from the Great Tang Group.


    Moreover, it was not just the Great Tang Group that would adopt such a supply inspection system; factories in Ice Cold Kingdom, Northern Ridge, Dorne, Suthers, and other countries and regions with close cooperation with the Great Tang Group would adopt the same inspection system.


    This was frightening because if they could not meet the standards of the Great Tang Group, it meant that they could not cooperate with the industrial system controlled by the Great Tang Group.


    So, with no other choice, nearly all businessmen had to grudgingly ept this use, which they considered entirely senseless and utterly unreasonable.


    While these businessmen were gritting their teeth and secretly cursing the Great Tang Group for being meddlesome, more and more workers began to regard Brunas as their Ma.


    All workers who heard that they could rest one day for every six days of work regarded the day the first World Industrial Expo was held in Brunas as their own festival.


    With the spread of the 12-hour workday and the one-day rest for every six days worked, this day of the year gradually became the World Workers'' Celebration Day.


    Eventually, the first day of the first World Industrial Expo turned into a festival; thest Sunday of May became the workers'' epted celebration day, on which they would decorate and celebrate their own festival as much as possible.


    But the Expo did not just run for one day; it was tost a week for the first World Industrial Expo.


    During this week, Monday was the opening ceremony of the Crystal Pce Expo, there was an even grander fireworks disy on Tuesday evening, the World Fashion Expo Sale was on Wednesday, and the Brunas Car Racing Competition was held on Thursday¡­


    In short, it was a busy week and one full of anticipation. During this week, countless celebrities would gather in Brunas.


    If a minstrel had never been to Brunas, he could never write a touching poem. This was a minstrel''s assessment while looking up at the roof of the Crystal Pce in Brunas.


    Soon, this statement evolved into countless versions: If a merchant had never been to Brunas, then he was not a big businessman! If an actor had never been to Brunas, he was not a big star¡­


    While all professions were indulging in a carnival in Brunas, on the grand and majestic docks, the sailors wereboriously moving several sets of expensive equipment onto the deck.


    A group was ready to set sail, and this sailing ship was about to join the trade fleet heading to Zheng Country, the distantnd.


    "Your mission is to establish the first telegraph office there! Be sure to protect yourselves and don''t be stingy with your Gold Coins!" the bartender stood on the dock, instructing themander of a Great Tang Group intelligence department who was about to go on a long journey.


    "Sir, rest assured!" themander smiled, stood at attention, and saluted the bartender, assuring him, "We will definitelyplete the mission."


    Readtest chapters on empire


    "Take care on your journey!" the bartender nodded slightly, then waved his hand, signaling that the other party could board the ship.


    The Great Tang Group never fought unprepared battles and never fought battles they were not sure of. Since Tang Mo had set his sights on swallowing Zheng Country, the preparations naturally began as well.


    Military expansion and preparation for war took time, but dispatching intelligence officers was not so troublesome. The intelligence department of Great Tang Group immediately became busy, arranging a series of actions against Zheng Country.


    Four map surveying groups, a total of 120 people, immediately set off for Zheng Country. At the same time, five independent telegraph groups were also deployed to Zheng Country. On the other hand, infiltration groups, their exact numbers unknown, randomly took ships with various identities to carry out missions in Zheng Country.


    The intelligence advantage of the Great Tang Group was very obvious. Although Zheng Country was far away, once the Great Tang Groupunched its investigation, this country would have no secrets left.


    The map surveying groups would draw as detailed military maps as possible before the Great Tang Group''s offensive began, ascertain road conditions, rank the cities ording to their importance, andpile statistics on the poptions and customs of various regions.


    They would present a three-dimensional, detailed Zheng Country to themanders of the Great Tang Group''s security troops, ensuring they would encounter no trouble due to fighting in unfamiliar territory.


    The task of the telegraph groups was also not simple. They had to gather various kinds of intelligence and timely send these messages back to Dragon Ind, cote and analyze them, and ultimately reach conclusions to prepare the Great Tang Group for the offensive against Zheng Country.


    These telegraph groups were equipped with smaller pedal-powered electricity generators, more advanced telegraph machines, and carried enough codes to change them 10 times. They were scattered throughout several regions in Zheng Country, ensuringmunication support for all other operational groups.


    The work of the infiltration groups was the well-known espionage infiltration. They would carry Gold Coins and, relying on means such as bribery, try to prate every system in Zheng Country to gather news and spy on intelligence.


    They would be the eyes and ears of the Great Tang Group, and every move made by Zheng Country would not escape these agents...


    In a suburban police station in Brunas, a middle-aged policeman was dozing off at his desk.


    Just as his head was about to hit the desk, an old man in a police uniform walked to the door of his office and gave a knock on the door, which was not fully closed, as a mere formality: "Dang dang dang."


    "Uh?" The drowsy middle-aged policeman lifted his head and looked toward his superior: "Boss, what''s up?"


    "Just received these orders, for you..." The old police officer handed over a document that had just been delivered by the military: "It''s from the military."


    Upon hearing the word "military," the middle-aged policeman''s sleepiness vanished considerably. He got up, walked over, took the document package from the old police officer, untied the paper string, and pulled out the documents.


    Indeed, he saw the familiar forms¡ªit was a conscription order,manding reserve officers to report to the barracks within a day.


    "What''s going on? Why are reserve officers being conscripted?" the middle-aged officer asked, looking at his superior with some confusion.


    "I don''t know either," the old police officer shook his head and replied: "There''s another one, I''m about to deliver it to Johnny."


    "We''re going to war..." the middle-aged officer''s fingers pinched the conscription document, creating some creases: "And... it''s going to be a great war."


    ording to the regtions, to call up reserve officers meant that the Great Tang Group was initiating at least a level two war readiness, which implied that the Great Tang Group intended to at least double its current military size.


    All those familiar with thebat capabilities of the Great Tang Group''s security forces knew very well what such a level of military expansion meant. That was the Great Tang Group''s security troops, feared for their capacity to fight ten enemies with just one soldier!


    On Dragon Ind, a fully loaded train pulled up to the tform in the middle of the ind. Soldiers who had been waiting there advanced quickly toward the train even before it hade to aplete stop.


    Redman, with his hands sped behind his back, watched emotionlessly as these reservist soldiers, who had trained countless times, agilely jumped onto the now stationary train.


    They clumsily lifted the tarpaulin on the tbed railway car, revealing the proud stature of 105mm caliber howitzers, their barrels raised.


    Even the just-drafted second-linebat troops from the Great Tang Group''s security forces were equipped much better than the regr armies of other countries.


    The newly assembled 3rd Division of Great Tang, with a full strength of 10,000 men, was equipped with 40 of the 105mm caliber howitzers alone! In addition, there were even more powerful 155mm caliber howitzers, making them armed to the teeth.


    The entire division was issued 1,000 submachine guns¡ªa luxury other armies could hardly even dream of.


    Even more astonishing was that, almost regardless of the cost, the Great Tang Group provided all three divisions with a total of 3,000 vehicles of various models.


    While other countries were still hesitating about whether to supply their troops with more mules, the security forces of the Great Tang Group had almostpleted their mechanization.


    Because of the high degree of mechanization, these troops could carry more weapons, have more ammunition, and possess stronger firepower delivery capabilities.

 Chapter 409 Lord Earl needs 398 soldiers

    If it were only for this, it still wouldn''t reflect the prowess of the Great Tang Group, as the real secret weapons of the Great Tang were not just these well-trained, well-equipped infantry.


    On Dragon Ind, the Great Tang also had a unique Armored Corps in this world, equipped with more than 60 No. 1 Tanks, which could destroy fortresses as easily as flipping one''s hand!


    Once this troop appeared on the battlefield, it was enough to crush any enemy head-on. In this era, no one could withstand the onught of the armored torrents, no one!


    What''s more terrifying is that this tank unit wasn''t some rookie using tanks for the first time to charge at trenches; they were well-trained tank warfare experts.


    The Great Tang Group''s new weapons were all supported by maturebat tactics; the soldiers did not need to explore the corresponding battle methods on their own.


    With the enhancement of maturebat ns, thebat effectiveness of these new troops was actually exponentially increased.


    Because there was no need for exploration and no detours needed, these troops of the Great Tang Group could present their fullbat strength right from the start in front of their opponents.


    This is not an exaggeration at all; from the time the first tank was created to the widespread adoption of mature tank tactics, 22 years had passed.


    The value of Tang Mo was in allowing the Great Tang Group to save these 22 years of exploratory time and directly pushing tank tactics to their pinnacle.


    The same went for the Air Force; Tang Mo did not spend any effort exploring any impossible directions and directly brought out the most mature aircraft design.


    The Camel Fighter was basically the best fighter of World War I; there was no need to take any detours to find this answer.


    While others were still pondering how to fly, Tang Mo had alreadye out with the best airne design, so for him, dominating the skies was indeed a simple matter.


    When other countries'' navies were still using sail warships, the Great Tang Group was already building Dreadnought Battleships.


    When other countries had no concept of an air force, the pilots of the Great Tang Group had already begun practicing formation dogfights...


    That was the gap, an insurmountable gap!


    Northern Ridge, Wolf City telegraph room, a young military clerk pulled off the freshly tranted secret telegram and handed it to the duty officer behind him.


    The officer held the telegram and walked all the way to the office door of his immediate superior. He adjusted his uniform, then straightened up and knocked on the office door.


    "Come in!" A loud voice came from inside the office.


    The suprememander of the Northern Ridge troops had always been the Earl himself, making the Deputy Commander the highest officer in charge of day-to-day affairs.


    This position had always been held by the most senior officer of Northern Ridge, and the current Deputy Commander was actually Earl Fisello''s former assistant.


    He took the telegram from the duty officer and read it carefully, every second passing by, very slowly and meticulously.


    After finishing the entire content, he ced the telegram on the desk, looked up, andmanded the duty officer, "Activate the n, start the second-level mobilization..."


    ...


    A Knight spurred his horse, racing from the distance, charging into the town square. He dismounted in front of the town hall, pulled amand from his bag, and handed it to the somewhat baffled official.@@novelbin@@


    "By Lord Earl''s order, second-level war mobilization! This town is to provide 15 soldiers¡­ execute themand," the Knight said briefly, exining his purpose.


    The official took the document, looked down at it, then raised his head and shouted to the gathering crowd, "For Northern Ridge! Lord Earl needs 15 soldiers!"


    There was a moment of silence in the modest square; a man leaning on a hoe stepped forward, "For the Earl!"


    "I''m willing too," another man pushed through the crowd, raising his arm, "Count me in."


    "I''m willing to go as well," almost simultaneously, another man also parted the crowd in front of him.


    "For Northern Ridge, for the Earl." More and more men walked out of the crowd, and in a blink, there were already more than twenty.


    "I''m willing as well." A little boy, looking to be only eight or nine years old, walked out with his head held high, full of courage. His youthful voice drewughter, and his mother pulled him back.


    "There''s no one here who isn''t willing to fight for the Earl." A burly man, with a full beard and holding a sickle, spoke in a deep voice.


    His words stirred the crowd into a fervor, as everyone echoed loudly, "That''s right! We''re willing to fight for the Earl! She gave us the life we have today!"


    The chimneys in the distance were still emitting billowing smoke; everyone could clearly see the changes in Northern Ridge over the past two years. Life was getting better and better, and to protect such days, they were willing to fight to the death against the mightiest of enemies.


    This scene urred in many towns across Northern Ridge, countless men left their homes, packing their bags and gathering in the initially empty barracks.


    Calcting by this speed, by the end of the World Industrial Exposition, the framework for five divisions in Northern Ridge could bepleted, and in just a little time, Tang Mo would have nearly an army of 100,000 at his disposal.


    These troops would be equipped with the most advanced weapons from the Great Tang Group, led by themanders who understood modern warfare the best in this world.


    Meanwhile, in the distant Osa, hundreds of Orcs were receiving their new weapons, and they too would fight for the Great Tang Group as a way to express their respect.


    In the even more distant Eternal Winter City, a Dwarf hugged his human friend, "My friend, I hear you must leave, which makes me very sad. I don''t know why Mr. Tang is recalling all of you staff officers, but I know he must need you."


    He released the embrace, swept his arm across, showing the fleet docked at the harbor, "Since you have to go, take these 1,200 tons of steel with you! It''s a testament to our friendship! As solid as steel!" Enjoy new adventures from empire


    In Winterless City, countless strong men were singing spirited songs, boarding the sailing ships one after another; they were new recruits, about to be transported to Brunas.


    At the Jade City train station tform, just as many young soldiers, already wearing the uniforms issued to them, were about to board the train. They were simply not wearing helmets nor carrying weapons yet... they were also heading to Brunas.


    There, they would undergo three months of training, after which they would be mixed into variousbat units. The terrifying war machine of the Great Tang Group was already turning slowly, unstoppably!

 Chapter 410 Crazy 399 Race

    On the straight and even asphalt track, the white lines stretched continuously to the distant end, where the heat from the temperature caused the air to be distorted, making those lines seem as though they were alive, incessantly pulsating.


    Above head, the signal lights were ceaselessly blinking, and everyone was waiting, waiting for that critical moment to arrive.


    A beautiful young girl in a dress that revealed her calves paraded up and down between the rows of lined-up cars, carrying advertisement boards.


    In the spectator stands, the celebrities and nobility sat beneath sun umbres, pointing andmenting on the various cars with their peculiar appearances that looked very odd.


    It was as if they were appraising beauties about to enter their beds, boasting about their wealth of experience to everyone around them.


    Many had crammed car-rted knowledge overnight, yet in reality, they barely understood the most fundamental mechanical principles.


    However, this was no issue, for they got to savor thrills they had never before enjoyed, witness speeds they had never seen, and that left nothing toin about.


    After all, the ticket price had thoroughly distinguished them from themon folk, and that was enough! Great Tang Group knew what they wanted, and that was sufficient!


    "Marquis of Bailu even wants a piece of the racing action? Really?" Spotting a car branded with Bailu Company''s advertisements undergoing final inspections and adjustments, a visiting noble said to his friend beside him.


    "ying along with Great Tang Group, you can''t lose no matter what, haven''t you figured that out?" Another noble sneered, curling his lip in disdain, "By now, everyone knows, you want to get rich? It all depends on whether Great Tang Group brings you along for the ride."


    As he spoke, he stretched out his hand without any hesitation, and hispanion handed him a cigarette and then lit it for him.


    "See this? Cigarettes! I''m going to invest in these when I go back! Something even Mr. Tang of the Great Tang Group enjoys, that''s taste!" He unted the cigarette in his hand as if showing off a bar of gold.


    This world had no regtions against smoking in public ces, and the women who apanied these smokers would not mind these men not knowing how to cherish flowers and jade.


    Even so, Great Tang Group had considerately designed a female-only stand, for those women who were eligible to dislike the smell of smoke, with ticket prices that were higher, not lower, than those for the VIP stands.


    "Onest minute!" The loudspeakers broadcasted a sensual female voice, and the women walking between the cars, holding various advertisement boards, reluctantly made their way to the exit passageways on both sides.


    The women working here could earn a good amount of money, but what attracted them the most was not the wages; it was the opportunity to show their faces in front of the nobility.


    Haven''t you seen? Several young girls who had just left the stands had received calling cards offered by stewards, household retainers, and guards waiting in the passage, hadn''t they?


    Should these young women wish, they could have the opportunity to elevate their social status that very night, and if they had the means or the skills... they might evenpletely change their destiny.


    Brunas was not short of overnight Cindere stories, filled with eroticism and temptation. There was nock of wealthy individuals here, nor were there ack of dreamers.


    "Thirty seconds left," The speaker, once again broadcasting the suggestive female voice, increased the tension in the air even further.


    "I really don''t see what''s so interesting about this, it''s just some cars," Alice said, sitting next to Tang Mo, looking down at the cars waiting to start, somewhat uninspired.


    Yulin, with her legs elegantly crossed, dazed in her own gracefulness, also seemed to have little interest in these cars painted in colorful livery and emzoned with advertisements and numbers.


    "Have you heard that Northern Ridge is drafting on arge scale?" Sitting on the other side, Leite VII had a somewhat troubled expression and asked in a lowered voice the elderly Prime Minister sitting next to him.


    The Prime Minister nced at Tang Mo ying with his lighter and exined, "Yesterday, Harry from Great Tang Group came to see me and exined a bit about Great Tang Group''s next n. It seems they intend to conduct a series of operations on the western coast of the Endless Sea and need some soldiers."


    Leite VII''s expression lightened a bit. Before he could ask more, the traffic light on the track had turned from shing yellow to solid red.


    The drivers began to start their cars, and a noisy roar of engines filled the air while the countdown heightened the suffocating tension. Read exclusive adventures at empire


    "Vroom! Vroom vroom!" The sound waves of throttling the gas pedals instantly excited the nobles in the stands, turning that previously mundane wait into a moment that seemed worth the anticipation.


    When the yellow light switched on, every person in the stands seemed to be even more excited, with some standing up and some even beginning to shout out loud uncontrobly.


    The next second, the green light burst into brilliance, and these mechanical beasts, like unbridled wild horses, charged out recklessly.


    "Oh!" As the scene unfolded in that very second, the men couldn''t help but raise their arms high to express their shock and excitement.


    It was exhrating! The feeling was terrific! Seeing machinery carrying human dreams and pushing speed to unprecedented heights, no one could suppress their excited shouts.


    Even Leite VII momentarily forgot his worries, staring at the cars charging forward on the track, unable to utter a word.


    Alice forgot the tedium she just experienced, for the scene unfolding before her brought a shockparable to dark, looming clouds! Her Northern Ridge had grown powerful because of machinery, and of course, she understood mechanics better than the average girl.


    The moment she was once again conquered by the power of machinery, she too shouted with excitement, waving her arms at the racing cars speeding down the track.


    Yulin, cultivated by Tang Mo to be the woman closest to modern thought, was simrly captivated by the spectacle of the race when she watched it.


    She suddenly understood the meaning behind all of it.


    Like her, these people were also pursuing greater speed, greater strength... It was a courageous sprint towards the peak, an admirable recklessness she respected.


    On the track, Great Tang Group''s race car, equipped with a 12-cylinder engine, took the lead, quickly leaving behind the other manufacturers'' cars.


    However, the battle for second ce remained fierce. Those cars painted with colorful advertisements brashly showcased themselves to everyone without reservation.


    Since the race was organized by Tang Mo, even though it was the first edition, it was still very well-run. Every detail had been thought of, including the sponsors and the service inside the venue.


    The car painted with the Bailu Company''s advertisement chased after a group of cars, currently rankingst.


    Tang Mo thought this must be another clever business tactic of the Marquis of Bailu¡ªif he couldn''t reach first ce, he might as well aim forst to grab attention.


    Little did he know, the face of the Marquis of Bailu, sitting in the VIP seats, turned dark as he watched his race carg behind, evidently on the verge of losing his temper.


    He had actually invested a hefty sum of money, hoping his race car could achieve a good ranking in thepetition.


    Unexpectedly, racing was not a game where pouring in money would guarantee sess¡ªyou also needed technology, the kind that was incredibly advanced and cutting-edge.


    Regrettably, the Marquis of Bailu''s racing team didn''t actually have much technology; he had simply bought a Rolls-Royce and made some modifications to it, changing the body shell, nothing more.


    As a result, what was a fairly performant Rolls-Royce in the civilian car market didn''t stand out technologically in thispetition.


    Seeing how the poor car of the Marquis of Bailu increasingly fell behind the second group, it was utterly out of the running for the championship.


    Meanwhile, the cars from the Ice Cold Kingdom were fiercely battling with those from the Dorne Kingdom. Both parties were chasing and racing, each vying to be the lead of the second group.


    As they approached a huge bend ahead, all the cars had to begin slowing down, but one motorcycle, painted with a certain machine factory''s advertisement, forcibly elerated to overtake.


    "Slow down! Slow down... It''s over! He''s got no chance!" On the stands, Tang Mo muttered incessantly as he watched the car nearing the bend.


    In the next second, the forcibly elerated car suddenly lost control and crashed headlong into the guardrail at the side of the track.


    To the watchers'' horror, the car mmed heavily against the guardrail and, due to the immense inertia, the entire body of the car shot upright. It then rolled twice in the air before crashing heavily onto the grass.


    The staff immediately rushed towards the out-of-control car, ready to rescue the unlucky driver.


    At that moment, the stands erupted with frenzied cheers¡ªthe onlookers, who loved a spectacle and yearned for excitement, had their passion ignited by this spectacr crash.


    "That was exhrating!" One wealthy patron''s eyes shone brightly; this was the most thrilling death he had ever witnessed.


    "Oh my God! Is he dead? Did he die?" Another wealthy patronughed numbly as he asked.


    For these people, the feeling of witnessing someone racing towards death in such a public spectacle was simply amazing!


    Bare-knuckle boxing or diator fights couldn''t be held in broad daylight, as they seemed to cross the moral baseline of humanity.


    But one couldn''t me the spectators for being cold-hearted if a person crashed their car to death, right? In that instant, those crazed, inhumane onlookers fell even more in love with the sport.@@novelbin@@


    Their screams of excitement persisted until the over-turned driver was pulled out by the staff.


    Since the unlucky driver hadn''t died, but only seemed dazed, a little faint, and had to be helped away from the sad sight of the car on its roof.


    Consequently, as if disappointed, the cheering from the stands subsided quite a bit...

 Chapter 411 400 boarding

    "Where did this driver with no techniquee from? Has he gone mad? elerating in a curve?" Tang Mo''s mood was spoiled by the cheering below, as he turned to Harry and asked.


    "It''s a... small team from the Flo Trading Company, not much experience," Harry exined innocently¡ªhe wasn''t the father of these people, how could he be expected to manage such trivia?


    A nameless driver from an unknown small team¡ªwhether they came to the track to train, test run, or get to know the circuit... who knows?


    On the other side, some people from the Flo Trading Company team were not so disheartened, even a little excited.


    Because it was clear they could not win first ce, their focus was instead on the advertising effect.


    Obviously, the advertisement on a car that was knocked flying off the track was definitely memorable.


    The race continued, no one stopped for a car that crashed off the track, the cheering carried on, and the roar of the car engines likewise continued.


    The car from Great Tang Group unsurprisingly rushed into first ce, but what was surprising was that the Gobur team managed to maintain a leading position in the second group.


    This team was not favored previously, but during the race, they unexpectedly showcased an experienced side.


    Sitting in the stands, a maid''s face showed a relieved smile; this time she had indeed fulfilled her mission and made a name for the consortium.


    When it came to car performance, Shireck''s cars didn''t really have much of an advantage, but their drivers were indeed very experienced.


    This racer''s talent was quite good, impressively using his skills to ovee the otherpetitors.


    Even Tang Mo had to admit that if both sides were using simr cars, the drivers from Great Tang Group might not be able to beat this driver from Shireck.


    The firstp ended in the blink of an eye, and the car from Great Tang Group had once again rushed past the starting line, prompting another round of frenzied cheering from everyone.


    For the average spectator, the speed of these cars was a bit too fast! Their memories seemed to linger on the moment of the crash, while the cars were already sprinting towards the nextp.


    Five secondster, many cars from the second tier were jostling each other as they once again rushed past the starting line stand on this side.


    The Dwarves let out an astonishing cheer because their Ice Cold team had taken advantage of the chaos to move into third ce.


    The nobles, power brokers, and magnates in the stands felt the trip was worthwhile, yet the race had only just proceeded into the secondp.


    Thepetition that followed became even more heated when the wheel of one car struck another''s, both losing control of their vehicles. Entangled together, they crashed into and sent a roadside advertisement board flying.


    This time, since the two cars stuck together, there was no risk of flipping over; instead, both cars were just forced off the track and copsed on thewn.


    Still, the audience cheered as if they hade here not to enjoy the thrilling speed but to inly watch car crashes.


    idents urred again quickly when an engine hood of the car representing Northern Ridge suddenly started smoking, followed by a burst of mes.


    Eventually, this car steered off the track, the driver leaped from the burning vehicle in fright, and the fire extinguishing crew rushed up with their buckets of water.@@novelbin@@


    Fortunately, the car didn''t explode, and the driver wasn''t injured¡ªit was just a in car wreck.


    After all, this was a car race at the level of the 1920s; mechanical failures were nothing new.


    From the beginning, Tang Mo clearly understood that finishing the race fully, including for the Great Tang Group''s car, was already quite an aplishment.


    Sure enough, quite a few cars from solo participants soon started having problems. Some engines overheated and caught fire, some tires went bust, and there were even wheels that came off.


    In short, idents were frequent, and the audience gentlemen had their fill of excitement¡ªas they watched one car after another encounter problems, this was even more exhrating for them than the race itself.


    By the ninthp, there were only six cars left on the track: the one from Great Tang Group''s team that was in the lead by twops, cars from the Gobur or Shireck teams, a car from the Dwarf Ice Cold team, a car from the Empire of Na''s team, a car from the Por team, and the car of the Marquis of Bailu...


    This was quite interesting. The once gloomy-faced Marquis of Bailu was now radiant and proud of his car.


    On the other side, Elves and Dwarves were all smiles and casual conversation, quite satisfied with the performance of their team''s cars.


    The most unexpected was the team from the Empire of Na, they maintained theirposure andcked ir throughout the race, yet they persisted up to this moment without any mechanical issues, and their driver''s performance was also very steady.


    Just then, Tagg approached Tang Mo, bowed his head, and whispered in his ear, "ording to the action n you established, the first action troop has begun boarding."


    Tang Mo, focusing on the car from Great Tang on the track, nodded slightly, "A battalion, to take over Dongwan Ind, shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    "There shouldn''t be any problems," Tagg replied. "We have made a very thorough deployment¡­"


    Yesterday, he and Luff personally gathered nearly all the convicts in Brunas and then selected twenty of them who were the most knowledgeable about Zheng Country to learn about the entire coastline of Zheng Country.


    Ultimately, the first target of Great Tang Group''s westward expansion was set to be thergest ind originally belonging to Zheng Country, Dongwan Ind.


    This ind, once under Zheng Country''s control, was now upied by the Shen Country, so this time, Great Tang Group was not fighting against Zheng Country, but against a group of goblins that established Shen Country.


    Tang Mo was quite satisfied with this action n. It wouldn''t excessively rm Zheng Country and wouldn''t immediately lead to full-scale war with Zheng Country and the Dahua Empire.


    Once Great Tang Group hadpletely controlled the ind and established it as a forward base, it would be much easier to deploy troops against Zheng Country.


    At the very least, Great Tang Group wouldn''t have its frontline troops'' logistical support affected by sea transportation issues.


    What Tang Mo found even more pleasing was that Dongwan Ind had been forcefully taken by Shen Country. Taking it back was only natural.


    After all, Zheng Country was to be his, Tang Mo''s, sooner orter. What''s wrong with reiming his own territory now?


    That makes sense, doesn''t it?


    The justification on his side was quite sufficient, for example, the Wolf-ss cruisers, the Brunas-ss irond warships... and next year, there would be even more justified Yucheng-ss battleships...


    All these reasons are valid, aren''t they?


    Presumably, the dwarfs of Shen Country would certainly be understanding, empathetic, and civilized and kind.


    Yes, definitely so.


    ...


    At Dragon Ind, Dragon City port, a huge dock where cranes were loading a truck full of cargo onto an iron behemoth.


    The sailors were all bustling about, while the soldiers preparing to board the ships stood in neat rows on the dock. They were troops from the 1st Regiment of the 1st Division of Great Tang Group, numbering over 2,300.


    Do you remember the total carrying capacity of a Liberty ship? One Liberty ship can carry roughly all the equipment of an infantry brigade.


    This time, Great Tang Group had prepared 5 Liberty ships, which was all the avable ship transport capacity they could muster.


    To support the 1st Regiment''s operations, these 5 Liberty ships would also carry morending boats and other equipment for developing Dongwan Ind.


    Also, to support the 1st Regiment''snding operation, the fleet was apanied by 3 Wolf-ss cruisers, a force not to be underestimated.


    There were also many shorings, as this was the first long-distancending operation, so many details were not perfect. Stay tuned to empire


    Great Tang Group,cking dedicatednding ships, was already facing many problems by using Liberty ships. The soldiers had to climb ropedders to transfer tonding boats, a task for which the army had not been trained.


    Arge-scale oceanding operation of such magnitude was uncharted territory for everyone involved, so this timemand of the frontline operations was entirely in the hands of the navy''s Admiral Bernard.


    Since everyonecked experience and Tang Mo nned to establish a Marine Corps in the future anyway, Bernard became the first choice.


    "Do you think this will work?" looking at the army soldiers climbing up the gangway, one after another boarding the ship, the executive officer nervously asked the captain.


    On deck, sailors were distributing paper bags to the soldiers, intended for use when they vomited in the cabins.


    Each person was to receive 3 such bags, an experience drawn from the route between Brunas and Dragon Ind.


    Those army officers, soldiers, craftsmen, and civilians, who had never experienced sea transport, couldn''t stop vomiting, making the ship foul and smelly everywhere.


    As ast resort, they had to distribute these paper bags to allow them to concentrate their stomach contents as much as possible.


    Although they could also lean over the ship''s railings to vomit, those who needed to vomit couldn''t ensure they would always have the chance to stay on deck and catch the sea breeze, so the vomit bags were their only lifeline.


    "Can''t be helped, we have to ensure that for at least three days, they have a ce to throw up..." the captain replied somewhat helplessly.


    "Dongwan Ind isn''t just three days away... we''ll have to drift on the sea for at least a month..." the executive officer continued with difficulty.


    "The rest is just praying that these armyndlubbers get used to it while they vomit," the captain had no better solution and could only look at the boarding soldiers and say, "Hopefully, they''ll still have the strength to swim to shore after a month..."


    "Sigh... hoping this time... goes smoother." The executive officer let out a long breath.


    "Yes, hopefully everything goes smoothly," the captain mused.


    ----------


    Will start making up for missed updates starting tomorrow, the little beast at home is finally going to school... haha.

 Chapter 412 401 Explanation

    Brunas, Tang Mo had just sent off Leite VII who came for the Expo and had returned to his office when Li''ao brought some good news, "Master, a message has just been delivered."


    Putting on an air of mystery, he ced a telegram on Tang Mo''s desk, smiling as he stepped back two paces to let Tang Mo read the freshly tranted telegram himself.


    Tang Mo picked up the paper and nced at it with lowered eyelids then a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He pressed the telegram down on the desk and said to Li''ao, "Reply to the telegram, tell them that three days from now will be a good day."


    "Your subordinate understands." Li''ao bowed slightly, responding with his head lowered.


    Tang Mo turned to Harry and continued to speak, "I hear, Sofia''s maid seems to have taken an interest in you?"


    "Many women take an interest in me, she''s not the best of them," Harry hurried to exin for himself.


    As a joke, the identities of Sofia''s confidant Shireck and others were seen as an advantage in the eyes of others.


    But in Harry''s view, these were all significant drawbacks ¡ª so much so that even if she were willing to renounce these identities, he wouldn''t dare to trust easily.


    Moreover, as a student personally trained by Tang Mo, Harry''s standards were exceptionally high; unless it was one of the knowledgeable and sensible females from the Great Tang Group''s school, he probably wouldn''t spare a second nce.


    Even the female nobility of this world or those high-positioned female powerhouses couldn''t keep pace with Harry in matters of knowledge, so he was genuinely reluctant to get involved with such women.


    "To straighten what''s bent, you''re already quite capable," Tang Mo said, his words somewhat puzzling to Harry, who was bewildered as Tang Mo continued, "No worries, find an appropriate opportunity and invite this maid out today."


    He leaned back in his chair andmanded, "Tell her to inform Sofia that within three days, the old man known as ''Smiling Tiger'' will be gasping hisst... If they don''t want to take advantage of the situation, then we will make our move."


    "Master, for such a confidential operation, prematurely revealing it to the other party... might it not..." Harry began to remind Tang Mo with some astonishment upon hearing the news.


    "Firstly, Sofia is aware of our power, she... dares not!" Tang Mo confidently spoke, "Secondly, if she doesn''t know to cooperate with such a good deal, she couldn''t have climbed to her position today."


    "Go on! Do as I say, and don''t be so paranoid. If you really like her, you can even consider taking Sofia as your lover," Tang Mo waved his hand, signaling Harry to go ahead with the "leak".


    Harry''s old face turned red, and he promptly left Tang Mo''s office.


    As he and Li''ao exited Tang Mo''s office, another person passed by them, appearing somewhat nervous. Harry saw clearly that this was the envoy from Suthers to Brunas.


    "My lord!" As soon as he entered, the envoy from Suthers bowed respectfully to Tang Mo.


    To be honest, even when facing the Prime Minister of his own Kingdom, he wouldn''t necessarily be as cautious and tentative.


    "I know what you''re here for," Tang Mo said with a smile, not giving the envoy a chance to speak, "Northern Ridge is indeed amassing troops, more than 30,000."


    Reaching out his hand, Yulin, who had been standing by, walked to the liquor cab, opened the door, and took out a three-year-old Brunas bottle, removing the cork.


    She poured two cups, then handed one to Tang Mo and brought the other to the envoy, speaking softly and courteously, "Sit."


    The envoy sat nervously on the couch. His purpose foring here was to rify whether the Great Tang Group was genuinely considering another war.


    For Suthers, this was a pressing concern.@@novelbin@@


    Beforeing here, he had already ascertained through intelligence that ces like Jade City under the control of the Great Tang Group and Northern Ridge were both mobilizing, and troops were being redeployed.


    "Don''t be nervous, this military operation is not directed at Suthers," Tang Mo picked up his ss, signaling him, and exined, "If it wasn''t to reassure you, Harry would be the one meeting with you."


    "But sir, I''ve been racking my brain and truly can''t think of any force that warrants such arge mobilization of Great Tang Group''s troops..." The envoy from Suthers was still very anxious. He couldn''t simply drop his concerns and trust the Great Tang Group''s intentions based on a few words from Tang Mo.


    "Simple, if I wanted to target Suthers, the troops should be amassing at Ice Crystal City, right?" Tang Mo sipped his fine wine, patiently exining, "Moreover, if I wanted to attack Suthers, would I need to mobilize so many troops?"


    Explore more stories with empire


    Leaning forward, he stared into the envoy''s eyes, "If I station troops in Jade City, Leite and Dorne get uneasy, if I station them at Ice Crystal City, you in Suthers be highly anxious. But if I assemble them at Brunas... What are you all afraid of, huh?"


    After speaking, he put the ss down on the table, stood up, walked over to the Suthers envoy, gesturing for him not to rise, "What the Great Tang Group does and ns to do, must we report it to you? Should we inform everyone in advance about where we''re going and what we''re doing?"


    "No, no, that''s not necessary," the Suthers envoy immediately waved his hand, he was merely probing, not questioning. After all, Suthers wouldn''t consult the Great Tang Group about everything they intended to do, right?


    The Great Tang Group had been in a foul moodtely, moving troops, preparing for war¡ªwho would dare to provoke them? Were they looking for death?


    "Rx! The formation of the Tri-Kingdom Alliance was facilitated by the Great Tang Group, I''m not about to create an uncontroble mess! As long as you don''t betray me, I won''t consider disturbing your affairs." Tang Mo walked behind the envoy and gave a reassuring pat on the shoulder.


    After a few seconds of silence, he continued, "This move is intended westward... However, it''s best if you don''t spread this around. After all, I''m sharing my strategic intentions to put your worries to rest, not to give away secrets for you to exploit!"


    "Understood, understood..." The Suthers envoy took out a handkerchief and dabbed the sweat from his forehead, promising Tang Mo, "I assure you, this matter will not be spread... leaked."


    "I hope so! This is about mutual trust. If you betray my trust, I will be very disappointed..." Tang Mo''s hand on the envoy''s shoulder pressed down harder, giving a firm squeeze, "Don''t let me down!"


    "It won''t happen, it won''t." The envoy from Suthers secretly heaved a sigh of relief¡ªapparently, this time, the Great Tang Group''s operations truly weren''t aimed at Suthers...

 Chapter 413 402 date

    Looking into mirror, she carefully outlined her seductive red lips with some exorbitantly priced lipstick, the maid felt quite confident about her perfect features.


    Being able to serve as Sofia''s butler, she was confident in her own appearance. And to have reached this position, her intelligence was absolutely up to par.


    If it weren''t for the stirrings of spring in her heart, she felt she wouldn''t have been so passive before Harry. But everything was predestined, and now she could no longer control some of her actions.


    For instance, every time she went to see Harry, she couldn''t help but dress up meticulously, use the best cosmetics, and wear the most beautiful clothes.


    Even her nails were carefully manicured, and she chose the most suitable bracelets and rings, more attentively than when she had attended the expo a few days ago.


    After confirming that her selection was indeed perfect, the maid finally stepped out, got into the car, and rushed to Harry''s office.


    In the spacious and bright office, this stunning high-level executive from Shireck met with Harry, who was busy reviewing documents.


    The expo had just ended, and Harry''s work was naturally extremely busy. The event facilitated tens of thousands of contracts, and the vast amount of transactions proved the tremendous sess of this expo.


    The Great Tang Group was undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary, not only securing a huge volume of orders but also establishing its trademark in almost all high-tech fields.


    It was a war, a grand war, a war without smoke but of utmost importance!


    Through this war, the Great Tang Group established industry standards. With such standards in ce, otherpetitors had topete ording to Great Tang Group''s rules of the game.


    In thispetition, Great Tang Group acted both as the referee and apetitor, its advantage was naturally huge. Moreover, with Tang Mo''s foresight, the powerful Great Tang Group was already in an invincible position.


    Harry closed the document in front of him and looked at the maid who entered the room, saying, "There is something Mr. Tang has asked me to inform you about."


    "Do you have time tonight? How about going to Brunas Hotel for a bite to eat?" the maid took a book from the shelf, trying to appear as if she came here often, and was not an outsider.


    Harry felt somewhat drained, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and continued, "I called you here for business."


    "Eating is business too, isn''t it? After we finish talking about business, shall we eat together?" the maid nonchntly put the book back on the shelf and continued her grand pursuit of the man she fancied.


    "Hope you''ll still have time to eatter." Harry cracked a smile, "You might be very busy for a while after this."


    The maid furrowed her brows and looked at Harry. She didn''t mind doing something interesting with the man she liked after work, but work was still work.


    Read exclusive adventures at empire


    "Firstly, we have to thank you for the intelligence you provided, which allowed us to quickly confirm who the mastermind behind the assassination of Earl Alice is," he interlocked his hands and propped his chin on them.


    "What exactly are you trying to say." The maid seemed to realize something and asked urgently.


    "The Smiling Tiger¡­ that old man¡­ is going to die in three days." Not one to beat around the bush, Harry got straight to the point, "If Lady Sofia is interested, she can make preparations in advance, which could expand her influence within Shireck."


    "What are you saying?" The maid was shocked, staring into Harry''s eyes with an incredulous exmation.


    It should be noted that Shireck was, after all, a behemoth with deep roots and substantial wealth, and in terms of influence, it wasn''t much less than the Great Tang Group.


    Such a terrifying existence, the members of its upper council, naturally held positions of great power and distinguished prestige.


    To touch these people was inherently not an easy matter. Who among them, after having survived in Shireck for so many years, wasn''t a cunning old fox?@@novelbin@@


    Assassinating such an entity would require an immense amount of energy and time that was incalcble, and even so, sess couldn''t be guaranteed.


    If it were really that easy, Sofia would have taken action herself long ago, eliminating these people to swallow the Shireck pie whole; why would she wait for Tang Mo to make a move?


    Therefore, the maid was so shocked that the Great Tang Group had, without a sound, arranged for an assassin to infiltrate the side of the smiling tiger and even obtained an opportunity to strike...


    Harry, as if boasting about the power of the Great Tang Group, once again spoke to confirm the news, "Hmm? Didn''t catch that? The smiling tiger is about to die! Who let him n the assassination of Countess Alice?"


    "You got an assassin by his side so quickly?" the maid could hardly hide her curiosity as she asked.


    "That''s not for you to worry about. You just need to pass the message to Lady Sofia, we''ll take care of the rest," Harry insisted, keeping silent about the assassin''s details.


    As the saying goes, the more one talks, the more one loses. Even if he uttered just a few words, he might identally reveal details of the operation, or even expose the method of assassination and the pattern of the action, which couldplicate simr operations in the future.


    So, the best strategy was actually to say nothing at all.


    "..." The maid opened her mouth, but no words came out.


    "How about it? Dinner together tonight?" Seeing the deted expression on her face, Harry couldn''t resist the urge to tease.


    The maid clenched her teeth, "Harry! You really are a jerk..."


    "Thanks for thepliment." Harry revealed a triumphant smile.


    "The more I think about it, the better a man you seem to be," the maid said, no longer as angry when she saw his expression.


    "..." This time, it was Harry''s turn to be deted.


    The maid, with a satisfied look, walked to the door, turned back with augh, "Hahaha! Goodbye! I don''t have time to dine with you tonight, brother, but in three days, it''s on me..."


    "I''m very busy! No time in three days!" Just as the door closed, Harry shouted desperately from his office.


    The maid smiled outside the door, then straightened her expression and walked out of the building, getting into her car, "Let''s go back!"


    A coded telegram was quickly sent back from Brunas to me Castle, and when Sofia saw the content, she was silent for a long time.


    A once in a millennium opportunity was thusid before her! If handled well this time, she might very well swallow many of the smiling tiger''s assets.


    But to prepare in advance would make the other Shireck council members suspect, suspect that it was she who had the smiling tiger killed...


    It was a love-hate decision, truly difficult to choose. Was it better to take the risk of suspicion to reap real benefits, or to feign ignorance and buy some insurance? Sofia found it to be a hard choice indeed.

 Chapter 414 403 Handling

    She never considered warning the smiling tiger, as that was simply not an option! She knew maintaining a partnership with the Great Tang Group was the more profitable choice.


    With that in mind, she seemed to have made up her mind¡ªsince she had chosen profit, there was no reason to sit idle!


    This was a golden opportunity to expand the power of me Castle, a chance to secure tangible benefits that were far superior to a false reputation.


    So she quickly made arrangements, started mobilizing her forces, and prepared to seize the chance of the smiling tiger''s sudden death to encroach on his assets.


    ...


    "Ugh... cough cough cough!" In the dimly lit room, an old man was incessantly coughing. For some reason, his health was deteriorating, and even breathing had be painful recently.


    He wiped the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief and struggled to open his eyes, ncing at the subordinates standing by his bed. "Did you find anything?"


    "Sir, we''ve tried our best to investigate... but, but we still don''t know what poison you''ve been afflicted with," a man said, disheartened.


    "Sofia, that woman, has been brazenly buying up our properties recently. It must be her doing! It must be her!"


    "Who it is... is no longer important! I''m done for! I know it..." The old many on the bed, feeling that his hand holding the handkerchief was beginning to disobey hismands.


    Yesterday he felt unwell, and today his condition had worsened to the state it was now.


    Even a fool would know he had been poisoned, but there was no such poison on the market that could dy its effects and yet be so potent.


    Unable to determine the culprit or even when the poisoning took ce made this assassination utterly despairing.


    The doctors were at a loss; they tried nearly every method but couldn''t dy the onset of the poison. The poison seemed unstoppable, easily ravaging the victim''s body.@@novelbin@@


    "None of my sons are ready; they''re all too young... So, don''t think about, don''t even consider, don''t... seek revenge for me!" he said, gradually losing control over his speech.


    Agonizing pain tormented him but didn''t take his life immediately, leaving him in excruciating suffering. In his haze, he seemed to see images of the past.


    "Hold on... protect all that we have... do not show any weaknesses..." the old man stubbornly spoke, insisting on using his remaining life to give his final orders.


    He rambled on because his estate was too vast for the average person, vast enough to be coveted.


    On the other hand, his sons had already begun to calcte in their minds how they could seek allies by trading away parts of the family interest, to eliminate those siblingspeting for the inheritance.


    No one truly had the patience to listen to the endless ramblings of the smiling tiger; they were utterly mesmerized by that enormous estate worth tens of millions of Gold Coins, drooling at the thought of bing the ultimate winner.


    "Find out... investigate... get to the bottom of it..." The old man, barely able to speak, finally grabbed the arm of one of his subordinates andmanded in fits and starts, "At all costs! Kill, kill the one who harmed... me!"


    The subordinate nodded slightly, his loyalty not permitting him to refuse the old man''s order. Even if it was the veryst order.


    Soon, Gold Coin could no longer speak; he struggled to open his mouth but couldn''t squeeze out a single word.


    By evening, he died in his own bed, justifiably so, and then his family began to fall apart.


    Before the crowds at his bedside could disperse, gunshots echoed through the vast castle. One of the deceased''s sons publicly shot his brother dead, and then he was captured by the castle guards.


    Some of the remaining people hurriedly left, while others, unafraid of dying, stayed to watch the excitement unfold as if a morbid celebration had just begun.


    The middle-aged man in charge of intelligence walked to his carriage, nostalgically looking back at the castle, now mostly swallowed by darkness, and suddenly felt a twinge of destion.


    Another ancient and enormous family had crumbled without any warning. He straightened his cor and then climbed into his carriage.


    The moment he climbed into the carriage, he regretted it, for he saw a person sitting inside, someone he didn''t recognize.


    Regrettably, he had no chance to dwell on his regret, because the stranger was holding a sophisticated hand crossbow. The coachman had not warned him of the threat inside, clearly having been reced.


    "It seems sorrow has indeed caused you to drop your guard." The carriage began to rumble and sway as the man holding the hand crossbow spoke emotionlessly.


    "So it''s you who''ve won! Can you tell me? Who sent you? Sofia, or Great Tang Group?" With the hand crossbow pointed at him, the middle-aged man asked with a wry smile.


    "Even though you''re a dead man, I still can''t tell you," the other man said with confidence in his voice.


    Without waiting for the middle-aged man to react, he pulled the trigger. A crossbow bolt pierced the man''s chest, pinning him to his seat.


    "Ugh..." The middle-aged man grunted, just as he tried to struggle, the assant held him down and covered his mouth: "Shh! Don''t struggle! It will be much easier for you... Rx! Yes, rx!"


    With the assant''s words sounding almost hypnotic, the minion of Gold Coin gradually rxed from his violent struggle, his iling arms drooping, and his legs stretched out more and more.


    Without any doubt of his prey''s death, the assant dropped the crossbow and tapped lightly on the carriage twice.


    Soon, the carriage came to a stop, and the man inside jumped out, disappearing into the night along with his aplice dressed as a coachman.


    "Report back to the superiors! Themander involved in the assassination attempt on Countess Alice has been taken care of," he said in a lowered voice after turning several corners and ensuring no one was tailing him.


    Hispanion, disguised as a coachman, nodded slightly, and then the two of them went their separate ways, quickly vanishing into the darkness.


    It was several minutester that the patrolling guards discovered the carriage stopped on the road. Curiously, they approached and found the carriage door ajar. After they called out a few times with no response, they realized the coachman was gone, and only a cold corpse remained inside.


    -------


    There are fewer words today; this isn''t considered a supplementary update...

 Chapter 415 The torture along the way on Route 404

    Forcing an army to carry out a cross-sea operation is truly a torturous affair, as those who have never encountered the ocean are sure to suffer from seasickness.


    This type of seasickness isn''t just about feeling unwell; it alsoes with exaggerated vomiting, loss of appetite, and in severe cases, it can greatly affectbat effectiveness or even endanger soldiers'' lives.


    The troops of the Great Tang Groupck suchbat experience. Their furthest support operation only involved less than a battalion of troops, which was from Brunas to Hotwind Port.


    The transport at that time, since it headed south along the coast, wasn''t too harsh in terms of waves and turbulence, and with fewer people, the problem wasn''t too severe.


    This time, the expedition of the Great Tang Group is directly across the western part of the Endless Sea from Dragon Ind,nding on Dongwan Ind. This distance is about three times that of the previous support operation to Hotwind Port.


    At this moment, aboard the Freedom 103 transport vessel carrying over a thousand people, the cabin is filled with a nauseating stench, and those soldiers who boarded with full confidence are now listless and lethargic.


    They have been sailing for 29 days. For them, this time has been nothing short of an ordeal.


    Despite having ample food supplies, and the ship''s mess even providing a variety of decent meals, there are now very few people with the appetite to eat these things.@@novelbin@@


    After all, whatever gets eaten soones back up. Under such painful suffering, who would be interested in food?


    "We are speeding up as much as possible! But the Freedom isn''t designed for assault operations, so the speed is very slow," the captain said helplessly to the pale-faced leader of the 1st Regiment, exining patiently.


    "In terms of speed, we''re actually much faster than a sailing ship... If it were in the past, you would have had to drift at sea for at least another 25 days," the first officer had no choice but to defend his captain.


    "Under these circumstances... the soldiers have almost no fighting strength left. The situation with the 1st Battalion is a bit better since most of them are natives of Brunas and have lived by the sea, so they are somewhat familiar with maritime conditions...


    but the 2nd and 3rd Battalions are from Northern Ridge or Jade City, many have never even seen the ocean in their lives..." The leader of the 1st Regimentmented for his soldiers, who, whenever there was time, woulde to the bridge to ask how much longer it would take to reach their destination.


    He had been asking for over ten days, but it would still take at least two more days before the fleet could reach Dongwan Ind.


    Yesterday, the spies who had set off earlier had already reached Zheng Country. After a brief investigation of Dongwan Ind, they sent back the first-hand information.


    Brunas didn''t stay idle either; they immediately analyzed andpiled the information, then sent the most useful part to the fleet en route.


    Looking at the Wolf 1 cruiser nearby, spewing rolling ck smoke, the captain of the Freedom 103 spoke up, "We are moving at the fastest speed... Just wait two more days, after two days, you''ll be able tond."


    He was also helpless because Tang Mo had already made many meticulous arrangements for thisnding, but due to ack of experience, or technical issues, it was still not foolproof.


    For instance, Tang Mo went so far as to install refrigerator units in several freedom ships participating in the battle, which dramatically improved the food conditions at sea.


    To make the soldiers morefortable, Tang Mo even rushed to add extra bunks to the troop-transporting Freedom, instead of making do with the hammocks used by sailors.


    Even the toilets on the ship were deliberately increased, requiring temporary modifications to add more flush toilets to ensure the soldiers'' living needs.


    But despite all this, seasickness remained an insurmountable issue, and the seaworthiness of the vessels couldn''t be improved in the short term.


    It wasn''t possible for Tang Mo to wait for the construction of brand new,rger-capacity, specially designed troop transport ships to beunched before beginning operations.


    Therefore, he had to pinch his nose and bear the less than ideal seaworthiness of the Freedom, cramming soldiers into makeshift dormitories for 31 days.


    Early the next day, more information was transmitted to the fleet via telegraph. Themander of the 1st Regiment took a small boat to board the Wolf 1 cruiser and met with General Bernard, the overallmander of this operation.


    "General!" As soon as he climbed onto the deck, he saw Bernard already waiting beside a naval gun.


    Bernard returned a military salute, then motioned for themander of the 1st Regiment to walk with him along the side deck at leisure.


    Walking shoulder to shoulder on the impably clean deck, themander of the 1st Regiment felt his breathing be much smoother.


    He spent most of the past days crammed in the cabin with his soldiers, not choosing the amodations on the warship with better living conditions that were reserved for the sailors.


    As they walked, Bernard began to share information about Dongwan Ind, "ording to the spy reports recently arrived from Zheng Country, Dongwan Ind has indeed been upied by Shen Country, but the military force Shen Country has deployed on the ind is not substantial."


    "Approximately a year ago, a naval battle broke out between the two countries, and Zheng Country''s Navy suffered a heavy blow, losing 17 sail warships, and was forced to relinquish part of its control over the seas."


    This was the second difficulty because Zheng Country was so far away that intelligence work started veryte and the support provided by intelligence was pitifully scarce.


    The specific situation on Dongwan Ind was not known to the tactical troops; the main reason Tang Mo dared to let his troops charge over was his considerable confidence in their weaponry.


    Their light weapons were almost on par with those used during World War II, while their adversaries were still using flintlock muskets... There was simply noparison.


    "ording to the texts sent back by intelligence, andparing with the imprecise nautical charts we have obtained, Dongwan Ind is confirmed to be a leaf-shaped ind stretching from north to south, with slightly pointed ends and the widest section in the middle, with many mountains in the eastern region and a narrow in in the western region," Bernard exined briefly about the ind''s geographical environment.


    This was the third difficulty of the operation¡ªthe fleet could not directly initiate an attack from the east side; they had to navigate around to the west side of the ind.


    And since the enemy did not need to defend the eastern side of the ind, they would certainly concentrate arge force on the western side, which would pose considerable difficulties for thending operation.


    Upon arriving at a cabin door, Bernard gestured for the regimentalmander to follow, leading him, the apanying adjutants, and other attendants into the makeshift operationsmand center.


    A crudely sketched map hung on the cabin wall, noting approximately two cities and some probable regions where enemy forces might be deployed.


    In reality, such maps would never be used as military maps within the Great Tang Group¡ªthey were at best rough sketches.


    Yet, before setting sail, the most detailed map they could find was an old-fashioned one without even contour lines, devoid of precise topographical details.


    The regimentalmander knew that he was, in essence, about to lead more than 2,000 soldiers to attack a location about which they knew nothing.


    Bernard pointed to the map, continuing, "Shen Country has approximately 30,000 troops on the ind, divided into 20 legions and 60 battalions. The main force should be stationed in Dongwan, thergest port city in the northern part of the ind, with a small deployment in the southern Fengshun City."


    He gave a simple exnation, "Actually, the eastern part of the ind is not suitable for ournding, so the fleet has to go around to the western side and choose the gentle sandy beaches to unload our troops."


    "We expect the resistance on the ind to be not particrly strong because the enemy forces are scattered and have not builtplete defensive positions. They do not know of ouring, and it''s unlikely they will make targeted deployments." After speaking, Bernard looked toward the regimentalmander.


    Clearly, he was waiting for the regimentalmander to offer some thoughts. The regimentalmander thought for a moment and then asked directly about his most pressing concern, "Are you sure there are no defensive positions?"


    He knew his own troops all too well¡ªtheir condition was already very poor. Under such circumstances, if they had to engage immediately with the enemy forces, there were obvious difficulties.


    If they were justnding without immediatebat, a few hours of rest, or even staying in ce for two days to recoverbat readiness, he had great confidence in his subordinates overwhelming thousands of enemy troops.


    "Absolutely none! This is true for both Zheng Country and Shen Country¡ªthey have not yet upgraded to breech-loading rifles on arge scale, and their main forces still primarily use flintlock muskets. They likely haven''t encountered modern warfare techniques, nor are they prepared for ournding operation.


    That''s why we dare to make a forcednding with such scarce information," Bernard affirmed immediately.


    He paused briefly then continued to encourage the regimentalmander, "Therefore, we also conclude that defeating the 30,000 troops stationed on the ind will not be difficult; we have an overwhelming advantage in both weapons and tactics."


    Unfortunately, the regimentalmander stillcked confidence in his troops, "The biggest problem now is how much fighting power our soldiers still have left... I estimate that by the day of thending, it would be lucky if we could muster 300 men."


    The only forces he could rely on were the rtively fit 1st Battalion, 1st Company, and 2nd Company; after all, these twopanies had been the main reinforcements at Hotwind Port and participated in the Battle of Dorne, possessing both extensive seafaring experience andbat experience.


    As for the rest of the troops, there was really not much hope for them, at least not in the next two or three days.


    "We''ll make do with whatever we can muster; after all, we''re inexperienced. Next time... it will definitely be much better," Bernard reddened with embarrassment, feeling somewhat sorry for these army brothers.


    "s..." The regimentalmander also felt extremely frustrated, believing that the tasks of overseasnding operations should ideally be handled by the Navy themselves, "Will we be able to see Dongwan Ind tomorrow?"


    "Yes, by the morning of the day after tomorrow, you''ll probably be able to eat your meals onshore," Bernard delivered what the regimentalmander considered to be the only piece of good news.

 Chapter 416 405 Awful Boarding

    When the regimentalmander returned to the Liberty ship and informed the soldiers that they couldnd ashore the day after tomorrow morning, the atmosphere turned cheerful.


    After such a long sea voyage, they had almost felt that they were going to die on this broken ship.


    But now, they had finally reached the end, finally seen hope¡ªthis caused the young soldiers to let out enthusiastic cheers uncontrobly.


    Even though some were still vomiting, even though some were still listless, everyone began to organize their luggage, checking the equipment they carried with them as required.


    The next day, all the soldiers were forced to eat, and everyone had to appear on deck on time to exercise, to bask in the sun. In the early morning of the third day, soldiers on the bridge finally saw a huge ind on the sea level.


    On the escorting cruisers, gun barrels at every angle pointed towards the coastline, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.


    Minutester, ropedders were thrown over both sides of all the Liberty ships, and cranes lowered one after another small boat fornding.


    Larger small boats even had gasoline engines as power, while more of them were still manned by sailors, wooden boats rowed with oars.


    Soldiers eager to leave the ce crowded the deck; some were asked to help operate the cranes, some helped to remove the canvas covering the small boats.


    Officers threaded through the gaps in the queue of soldiers awaiting orders, loudly reminding everyone, "Don''t panic! Hold steady! Everyone pay attention to safety! When transferring to the small boats! Make sure to be safe!"


    "There aren''t enough lifebelts! It''s impossible to have one for each person!" Inside the bridge, a naval officer frowned as he overlooked the dense crowd on the deck and muttered.


    "They can''t climb down the ropedders with lifebelts on their backs..." The adjutant felt that this preparation was a disaster.


    Previously, during thending at Hotwind Port, there was a pier, so the soldiers were more urately described as disembarking rather thannding.


    But now, with the ship rising and falling in the rolling waves, a bunch of nd ducks" climbing a dozen meters down the ropedders and then leaping onto the waiting small boats below could almost be described as an extreme sport.


    "Because we''re not sure if there are hidden reefs, we dare not get too close to the coastline... Stopping here is already quite risky" the captain said, putting down his telescope.


    In a chaotic situation, the army soldiers who had almost no training in transferring to small boats began to surge toward the ropedders.


    What looked like ropedders woven from ropes thick as a woman''s wrist were actually as soft as mischievous snakes. They offered no sense of security when gripped in hand and were too loose to support one''s weight, swaying and ck.


    Therefore, soldiers who had just climbed over the ship''s side and descended two or three meters began toin, "My God! Is it this high? Damn it! Who designed this thing... How can we climb when it''s so soft?"


    A soldier climbing down alongside him exploded with annoyance at these irritatingints and couldn''t help but reprimand in a low voice, "Shut up! Stop nagging! Damn it! I can hardly hold on."@@novelbin@@


    It was barely dawn, deathly quiet all around, and the Liberty ship at a standstill, devoid of the constant rumbling of machinery.


    The ship''s thick anchor chain gently swayed with the waves, and in the distance, Wolf-ss cruisers patrolled back and forth at low speed.


    On the sea surface, the small boats that had already been unloaded rose and fell with the tide, like dense leaves in a pond in autumn.


    Sailors waiting aboard looked up at the army soldiers climbing onto the ropedder like ants and found their clumsiness amusing.


    The voice of the soldier chiding hisrade hadn''t yet faded when another voice tinged with the tone of crying softly said, "I''ve been vomiting for six days, I''m totally out of strength... Damn it!"


    They all wore their backpacks, with their rifles slung over their shoulders, carrying bays, food bags, water bottles, steel helmets...


    With so much equipment adding up to dozens of pounds, it was indeed very difficult for these soldiers to climb the ropedder.


    "Someone''s fallen into the water!" Apanied by a sudden sound of something crashing into the water, there was an urgent shout,


    The soldier who was desperately clinging to the rope, pale-faced, watched the ssh made by the person who fell and cursed, "Damn! If you fall into the water with such heavy stuff, there''s no saving you!"


    Indeed, he kept watching above as someone kept kicking his steel helmet with their boots, but he didn''t see the person who fell resurface.


    He began to regret, regretting that when he was on the deck just moments ago, he found the lifebelt bothersome and discarded it to the side, even though he heard it could provide extra buoyancy.


    "Hold onto the ropes tight!" On the ropedder, an officer loudly reminded everyone, because just now, right before their eyes, the first casualty had urred.


    As they climbed down, the officers loudly reminded each soldier, "Watch your step! Safety first!"


    The third mate, stationed on the side of the ship, leaned on the railing and yelled towards those below, "Sailors on the boat, let''s all try to lend a hand as much as possible!"


    On the bridge of Wolf 1 warship, Bernard watched the troops struggling with the transfer in the distance and said to his adjutant at his side, "These types of non-dedicated ships pose too much risk when transferring to the boats! This needs to be improved!"


    "I''ve already noted it down!" The adjutant replied, his notebook open and containing several noted items needing improvement.


    On another ship, thepanymander nearly cried out, "Two men overboard... With this rate of loss, I feel I might get demoted..."


    The officer beside him was also deeply frustrated, "We haven''t lost this much in a battlepared to this boat transfer... It''s really absurd."


    "The next batch of soldiers... tell them not to carry backpacks, and leave behind their rifles and ammunition too! Helmets as well! They''ll follow in theter boats!" Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, the officer raised his head and came up with a suggestion.


    Thepanymander paused and then asked with concern, "But our troop''sbat effectiveness?"


    "What else can we do? If there''s another issue, both you and I are responsible,mander! Besides, it''s not certain there are enemies on the shore..." The officer spread his hands.


    "Sigh... It can only be this way," thepanymander thought for a moment and could only agree to the less-than-ideal solution.


    "Leave the backpacks! Bays and engineer shovels aren''t needed either! Nor the rifles! Helmets! Leave everything on the deck!" Quickly, the officers received their orders and conveyed them through the crowded crowd.


    Hearing the order, the soldiers began to remove the equipment they had taken all morning to put on with difficulty.


    Soon after, a supplementary order came through. The already dazed officers had to continue loudly reminding everyone, "Those who can swim can carry pistols! If you can swim, take some more gear! Pistols and pistol ammunition! All can be taken!"


    "The fully loaded boats can depart now!" Across the sea surface, the sailors'' voices could be heard from time to time as they rowed, maneuvering the wooden boats through the waves towards the coast.


    Initially there were one or two, but the number of wooden boats heading to the shore gradually increased. Some of therger wooden boats carried special equipment covered with tarpaulin, including manually operated generators and telegraphs formunication.


    "The first batch of boats has already set off!" An officer walked up behind themander of the 1st Battalion, who was guarding the railing, saluted, and reported.


    The battalionmander nodded; he saw that his troops were already making a sprint for the shore and would soon bending!


    Unlike the Normandyndings of World War II, Tang Mo''s troops did not have stic wrapped around their rifles, nor did he need intense artillery preparation.


    He didn''t even need toy smoke bombs on the beach to cover hisnding troops, protecting the soldiers from the ughter of enemy machine gun fire.


    The Great Tang Group did not have dedicatednding craft with doors that open at the front; they had to rely on the most traditional small boatnding method to send soldiers to the beachhead.


    Unlike the advancednding patterns of theter stages of World War II, thisnding form had shockingly major ws¡ªthe small boats, once they reached the sand, found it difficult to return to sea.


    The soldiers who boarded the boats first, after a long wait, were nearly at the point where they could touch the beach.


    The surroundings remained eerily quiet, with not even a shadow of the enemy in sight. As they neared the beach, the impatient soldiers couldn''t wait to leap into the water and staggeringly step toward thend they had long yearned for.


    Carrying their rifles, the first soldier tond didn''t even choose a spot; he just plopped down on the golden gravel, taking deep breaths of air and asionallyughing out loud.


    Those following him ashore were not in much better shape; they helped each other find a clean spot to sit down and unabashedly relished in the safety and stability of thend.


    As for the pre-arranged tasks like seizing the high ground and finding immediate cover, few people could remember them at that moment.


    This was more like a drill than a battle. Or perhaps it couldn''t even be considered a drill¡ªit was more like a spring outing.


    Discarding their weapons and backpacks to the side, taking off their boots and throwing aside their helmets, these first soldiers tond even turned around and went back into the sea to help the subsequent forces with unloading heavy equipment.


    "Finally on shore..." Not inclined to prompt his soldiers to regain discipline, the officer also sat on the beach,fortably sighing with contentment.


    Now standing on the sand, they still felt a relentless swaying, making them feel nauseated, as if they were women tormented by morning sickness.


    "Yes, finally... we''ve arrived..." Themander responsible for thending operations, having just staggered ashore, joined the circle of officers with a sigh of relief: "Next time something like this happens, let''s leave it to the 2nd or 3rd Battalion..."

 Chapter 417 406 Chaotic Coast

    More and more soldiers crawled onto the beach. Some removed their shoes to shake the gravel out of their boots, while others went back to help the sailors push the boats back into the sea.


    Soon, nearly 200 men hadnded ashore, but thereafter the speed of the troopsnding began to slow down.


    Many boats were stuck near the beach, returning at an incredibly slow pace, and most of the troopsndingter hadn''t even brought weapons and equipment with them.


    A 105-mm howitzer had been brought to shore, but the ammunition and the truck to tow this big gun were nowhere to be seen.


    The first car to reach the shore was ruined after being unloaded too soon¡ªthe entire vehicle sat in the water, its enginepletely wrecked.


    On the contrary, the signalmen and their mounts were much more active. Not only could the horses make it ashore on their own, but they could even help to haul small items of supplies tond.


    "Who told you to be in such a hurry to get the cars ashore? The soldiers are not even up yet. What''s the rush with the equipment? Huh? What''s the rush?" After resting for about fifteen minutes, themander of the 1st Company finally remembered his job. Pointing at the wrecked vehicle, he shouted at the sergeant in charge of unloading.


    "I don''t know what happened, sir!" said the sergeant, feeling wronged; he wasn''t in charge of loading or unloading goods, after all¡ªwho knew exactly what had happened?


    Perhaps the whole thing was the sailors'' doing and had nothing to do with the army soldiers. Who could me them when thending process was so chaotic that no one understood the situation?


    "Where are the scouts? Have they dispersed yet? Are there viges nearby, any local residents? I know nothing. How can I givemands in this situation?" Themander of the 1st Company sighed and turned to ask the officer beside him.


    The officer also looked troubled: "Commander, the reconnaissance toon directly under thepanymand hasn''tnded yet. Those horses belong to the messenger soldiers of the 1st toon..."


    "What about the machine gun squads? How many havended now?" It was the first time the 1st Companymander had encountered such chaos, and he was a bit bewildered himself.


    Under normal circumstances, his unit was alwaysplete, the troops moving as directed without any possibility of such a situation urring.


    The officers below were all equally confused¡ªthemander of the 2nd toon had not even found his own unit yet.


    "We have seven machine gun squads ashore..." the officer answered truthfully.


    "That many?" The 1st Companymander was pleasantly surprised upon hearing this. If he had seven machine guns, he could almost establish a defensive perimeter around thending zone. This could at least ensure that the subsequent troopsnded without fail, which was good news.


    "Commander, their machine guns haven''tnded yet, or maybe they weren''t even loaded onto the ships..." The officer spread his hands in embarrassment, dousing hismander with a figurative bucket of cold water: "Currently, there is only one machine gun on the shore..."


    "They boarded the ships empty-handed? And then justnded like that? Without weapons, what are they going to fight with? Huh?" The 1st Companymander was somewhat overwhelmed.


    "I asked around. The 2nd Company was given orders tond men first and send equipmentter¡­ So theynded the fastest, but without weapons. Oh, it''s not that they werepletely unarmed¡ªthere were seven or eight people carrying S3 pistols," the officer hurried to exin.


    "What use is that?" The 1st Companymander went pale. He caught sight again of that impressive, yet utterly useless 105-mm howitzer without ammunition and felt increasingly unwell.


    Now, thending troops of the Great Tang Group were truly a mess, a mixed bag with soldiers from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Companies.


    At the same time, the branches of the military includedbat infantry, engineer corps, signal corps, transport troops, and cook troops. There were more officers than soldiers, more people than weapons...


    The troops were not subservient to each other, officers couldn''t find their soldiers, and soldiers couldn''t locate theirmanders; the scene was so disorganized it was heart-wrenchingly chaotic.


    This was merely a small-scalending of fewer than 2000 people, yet it had already descended into such disarray. If it were arge-scalending involving tens of thousands of people, they could probably cause enough trouble for themselves to suffer heavy losses.


    "You, with the gun! The machine gun team with a gun! See that high ground? Go there and set up a defensive position!" Without a map, the Battalion Commander could only roughly deploy his troops based on what he could see.


    "Get the people from 1st Company, 2nd toon thatnded to head over as well, and set up cover barriers on the nks of your defensive position! Understood?" He pointed in that direction, ensuring his subordinatesprehended his arrangement.


    "But...Sir...there are no enemies here.." the officer reminded tentatively.


    "Carry out the orders! Follow the standard procedures!" The Battalion Commander red at him fiercely, "Now go!"@@novelbin@@


    "Yes, sir!" The officer quickly saluted and then went to find the only machine gun team that hadnded with weapons.


    In the field of vision, two more boats approached the shore, and dozens of soldiers jumped off them. The Battalion Commander was relieved to see that these soldiers were all armed.


    In the distance on the sea, a Wolf-ss cruiser belched ck smoke as it roamed the periphery of the fleet, while many of the boats that hadnded earlier still struggled on their way back.


    "Commander, you bettere have a look at this..." A squad leader with a Thompson submachine gun ran up unsteadily to the Battalion Commander.


    Panting, he pointed into the distance, "There''s a path over there, and on the other side... it seems to be abandoned farnd."


    The presence of farnd and a path indicated that people once lived here, which put the Battalion Commander on high alert. He furrowed his brow and raised his hand, signaling the squad leader toe with him to take a closer look.


    The two of them pushed through the shrubbery, climbed what was barely recognizable as a roadbed, crossed a dpidated path, and saw a field overgrown with weeds in front of them.


    At the end of the field, they could faintly make out copsed walls, the ruins of thatched huts. Clearly, there were signs of past human activity, but for some reason, it had been abandonedter on.


    After putting down his binocrs, the Battalion Commander looked at the squad leader who had brought the news, "Did you find any locals?"


    The squad leader shook his head.


    The Battalion Commander rubbed his nose and thought for a moment, "Let''s go back! We''ll talk after all the troops havended."


    They weren''t professional scouts and couldn''t discern the finer points, so it was better to go back and wait for the follow-up troops to arrive. Let the professionals have a look¡ªit would be more effective.


    This trip wasn''t in vain, though, because they confirmed at least one thing¡ªthending site was near traces of human activity. If the other side noticed them, it could very likely attract nearby enemy soldiers.


    They didn''t have much time left. Read exclusive content at empire


    ---------


    I guess this could count as an extra update, I''ll continue tomorrow.

 Chapter 418 407 The sudden battle

    Thending troops were vulnerable and chaotic. It was no easy task to deploy soldiers onto the beach in an organized fashion.


    The rising and falling tides affected the speed of thending crafts, and the Great Tang Group had even initiated this military action without investigating the local hydrological conditions.


    To be frank, this was a military gamble, and no one would be surprised if it failed. Thepanymander of the first battalion''s firstpany was almost driven to tears by the troops that had alreadynded.


    More than half of the secondpany''snding troops had arrived without their weapons; a few had handguns, and some carried versatile daggers.


    They were without steel helmets or backpacks, essentially just people who had made it to shore, with no fighting capability whatsoever.


    Now, the only thing these soldiers could do was to stay on the beach, barefoot, helping to pull the rest of the troops and equipment from the sea to the shore.


    The thirdpany was in slightly better shape, but due to distance, the number of men who hadnded was very small, just a few dozen.


    So, even two hours after thending had begun, the firstpany still formed the main force on the shore, and the number ofnded personnel had only grown to around 400.


    Finally, a transport ship full of ammunition reached the shore, and the soldiers clumsily moved the ammunition onto the beach.


    For ease of transport, the shells were packaged in groups of two using a spacious hollow design with a rubber seal on the outside.


    This allowed the soldiers to use the buoyancy to bring the crates ashore, which was a small detail that had been considered in advance.


    Unfortunately, this design was only used for the shells, as it was easier to produce packaging boxes for ammunition, requiring only minor adjustments.


    At this moment, the general situation of thending troops was as follows: over a hundred soldiers were crowded on the beach, desperately moving equipment from the sea to the shore.


    Another hundred or so were looking for their units, sorting out their equipment, and shaking the sand from their boots.


    All told, the battalionmander had less than onepany of troops he could use forbat, and those soldiers were from the first, second, and thirdpanies...


    The entire force had only one functional machine gun, which had just been carried to a small rise at the edge of the beach. Taking advantage of the cover of bushes, they had set up a makeshift defensive position.


    On either side of this position were a dozen soldiers who had quickly established temporary cover; this was all the defense thending troops had at the moment.


    "Get the firstpany to build a position on the nk! Deploy along the road we just used..." Without intelligence support from reconnaissance, the battalionmander did not know from which direction the enemy might attack, so he had to disperse his few avable troops.


    "Yes!" The squad leader who had returned with the battalionmander after spotting the ruins immediately went to ry the orders.@@novelbin@@


    "If possible, send someone to take control of that vige ruin, check it out..." Before the squad leader had gone far, the battalionmander added to the orders.


    "Yes!" The squad leader nodded again and, with his weapon in hand, hurried off towards the distant troops.


    A few minutester, over fifty soldiers left the beach and moved towards the road and vige ruins.


    Watching the defenses that were gradually improving, the battalionmander felt somewhat relieved. As more troops came ashore, his avablebat power also grew stronger. Read exclusive adventures at empire


    This was a good start; the enemy had not appeared during the most chaotic moments right after thending, allowing them to secure a foothold on the beach.


    Even now, the battalionmander began to fantasize that the enemy hadn''t noticed thisnding force and that a counterattack might note for a few days.


    By then, his forces would have been fully assembled, refreshed, and regained theirbat effectiveness. If that were true, he was confident they could face an enemy force ten times their size.


    But just as the battalionmander was indulging in these smooth prospects, trouble suddenly struck.


    On the other side of thending site, a group of short-statured soldiers erupted from the bushes, screaming wildly as they raised their guns and fired.


    Soldiers from the Great Tang Group''s security forces, who were sitting on the beach pouring sand from their boots, were startled by this abrupt turn of events. Some didn''t even have time to put on their shoes before they fell back beside their boots.


    This side had mostly secondpany troops whocked weapons and equipment, with only a handful of soldiers pulling out Left-Wheel Handguns from their belts to return fire.


    The two sides suddenly engaged in battle, with Dwarf Goblins wielding flintlock guns, now obsolete, attempting to use their fierce charge to drive the still-crowded enemy off the beach and into the sea.


    Matchlock guns, if not fired in volleys, actually have a pitifully low hit rate, so the first round of fire from these goblins did not cause a lot of casualties to the soldiers of the Great Tang Group.


    Only one soldier from the Great Tang Group who was trying to use the restroom on the edge of thending zone was struck by a bullet due to being too close to the enemy, falling into a pool of blood.


    Then, these goblin soldiers from Shengu were taught a lesson by the S2 Left-Wheel Handguns and the S3 semi-automatic pistols of the Great Tang Group.


    Rapid gunfire echoed along the beach, apanied by the sound of the waves, giving those goblins attempting to engage in closebat a taste of despair. Clearly, the enemy was also stunned, as this was nothing like what they had imagined.


    However, the brave soldiers from Shengu kept surging out of the bushes, trying desperately to reach the chaotding zone of the Great Tang Group''s soldiers.


    It seemed that the enemy believed as long as they could entangle themselves with us, they couldpletely annihte their foe on the beach through meleebat.


    "Retreat! Retreat!" A 2nd Battalion officer, having emptied his handgun''s magazine, signaled for his troops to retreat while regretting why he hadn''t brought his Thompson submachine gun.


    Those unlucky soldiers of the 2nd Battalion who had also left their weapons on the ship were retreating while ruing the same mistake.


    If they had weapons, even just K3 rifles, they could have let the enemy feel the might of overwhelming firepower... but now, they didn''t even have steel helmets...


    Just as the goblins were about to break into thending zone and reach the disintegrating officers and men of the 2nd Battalion, the sound of salvation rang out.


    The sole Maxim machine gun, covering thending zone from the nk, began to roar, and its continuous gunfire instantly dumbfounded the dense ranks of goblin troops.


    In the space of a single breath, seven or eight goblins wereid low on the nk of the troops assaulting the beach. Before the rest could figure out where the enemy was, another four or five fell.


    "Ratatatat!" Like something tireless, the continual sweeping fire from the Maxim machine gun mowed down the bewildered goblin soldiers one after another.


    Finally, those goblin soldiers who had managed to locate the source of gunfire by the muzzle shes turned direction and charged the exposed machine gun position¡ªonly to regret it immediately.


    The firepower here was more than twice that of the seemingly numerous retreating soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, with a Maxim heavy machine gun ceaselessly firing and the nk covered by two Thompson submachine guns'' terrifying fire.


    Before hundreds of goblin soldiers could even approach the machine gun position, they fell midway through their charge, and the rest turned tail, scrambling back into the bushes behind them.


    On the beach, a small contingent of 3rd Battalion soldiers arrived to reinforce the 2nd Battalion, and they were all armed. In such open terrain, facing a group of goblins who had expended all their matchlock ammunition, the 3rd Battalion''s gunfire quickly crushed the opposition.


    "Ratatatat!" The machine gun on the nk continued its roaring rampage, and countless goblin soldiers fell on the beach.


    The battlested about ten minutes, leaving at least 200 goblin corpses near the beach. Then, seemingly realizing they had no chance of winning, the goblins began a desperate retreat.


    Goblins too slow to retreat raised their hands high and knelt to surrender; some were swept down by bullets before they could surrender. The gunfire gradually ceased, the sea breeze dispersed the sulfuric smell pervading the beach, and the white smoke from the matchlocks wafted away with the wind.


    The 2nd Battalion had yet to figure out how these goblins managed toe so close to disrupting their lines, but they now thoroughly regretted not having brought their weapons ashore.


    When the 1st Battalionmander arrived to survey the situation, the battle was already over. The 3rd Battalion had taken over the defensive line from the 2nd Battalion, and a few soldiers were counting the corpses on the ground.


    In the recent engagement, two soldiers from the 2nd Battalion were killed, one ambushed while using the restroom and another unfortunate soul struck in the chest by a bullet from a matchlock, a shot that was nearly impossible.


    If this were to be called a defeat, the cost would have been too insignificant. But if this was considered a victory, the 1st Battalionmander couldn''t help but feel frustrated.


    He walked, stepping unevenly on the gravel, toward the captives who were being guarded, looking down at these dwarfish creatures about 1.5 meters tall, his heart filled with irritation.


    Though Dwarves were also only around 1.5 meters tall, sometimes even just 1.4 meters high, they were clearly much more robust than these goblins.


    At this moment, with their pointy ears, short and skinny stature, greenish skin, and utterly repulsive appearance, these goblins seemed to finally grasp one thing¡ªthese invadersnding on their shore were apparently not from Zheng Country...


    "How did you discover us and deploy in advance here?" the 1st Battalionmander asked, frowning with keen interest.


    A goblin in military garb stared at the 1st Battalionmander, not answering the question but instead demanding, "Who are you, and why are you invading the territory of Shengu?"


    "Shengu''s territory? Isn''t this Zheng Country''s Dongwan Ind?" the 1st Battalionmander sneered, then repeated his question, "How did you discover us and deploy in advance here?"

 Chapter 419 408 Inexplicable Artillery Battle

    The goblin officer seemed quite disdainful and had no intention of answering themander of the First Company''s question. Themander of the First Company waited a few seconds, and finding that the other party seemed to have no intention of answering his question, nodded.


    He looked at the somewhat embarrassed officer of the Second Company and said, "I''ll give you a chance to hit back..."


    The officer of the Second Company was at least 1.78 meters tall. Hearing this, he nced at the goblin officer who was roughly only 1.45 meters tall, and a cruel smile appeared on his face.


    The goblin officer was taken aback and before he could react, a fist in front of him grewrger andrger.


    Amid the exmations of the remaining goblin captives, the goblin officer was struck in the face by the punch from the officer of the Second Company.


    At that moment, his world was a kaleidoscope of colors, with only chaotic and fragmented images left in his mind. He remembered his grandfather and seemed to see his own backside.


    After spinning around in ce for about a circle, the goblin officer finally realized he might have been hit. But before he could prepare to defend himself, his chin was met with another heavy and forceful uppercut.


    His brainpsed into a state of shutdown, and his body involuntarily leaned backward. He staggered three steps back and still couldn''t stabilize, eventually copsing onto the sand.


    The goblin captives behind this officer began to stir, but the shiny bays and the dark muzzles of guns brought them back to their senses. Everyone watched helplessly as theirmander was pinned to the ground, receiving punch after punch.


    "How did you discover us and set up here in advance?" Picking another captive at random, themander of the First Company patiently asked the same question again.


    "We didn''t set up in advance, we were just rotated in..." The goblin being questioned nced at hismander, who was being pummeled on the ground, and swallowed before answering.


    "Rotated in? How many of you are there?" Themander of the First Company faintly felt that things might not be so simple.


    "A legion..." The soldier spoke without reservation, clearly not wanting to get hit.


    "We crushed apany... This means there are still twopanies of the enemy nearby." An officer looked at themander of the First Company, offering a reminder.


    "Get the second toon to work with the Third Company to deploy a defensive line along the shrubbery! Prepare for the enemy''s next wave of attacks!" Themander of the First Company immediately made a judgment, "People of the Second Company, help set up that 105 howitzer! We might need artillery support."


    "Stop hitting him! Wait for the regimentmander to handle this!" Watching the officer of the Second Company who continued to throw punches while straddling the other, themander of the First Company called out to stop him.


    Rising to his feet with bloodied fists, the officer of the Second Company looked at the goblin officer sprawled on the ground who had only the energy to moan weakly, spat, and turned to carry out his duties.


    Soon, the troops on thending site began to mobilize, some helping to set up cannons on the beach, while others armed with weapons started to arrange defenses against the direction of the enemy''s charge.


    As themander of the First Company had estimated, the Shen Country''s military finally obtained some intelligence from the fleeing soldiers, understanding that thending force was not the ipetent Zheng Country troops they had been previously fighting.


    Zheng Country''s military was weak inbat and usually dares notunch attacks proactively. Moreover, once they were engaged in meleebat, they would often copse swiftly.


    This was exactly why the Shen Country''s troops did not form squares and charged directly in an attempt to drive thending forces of the Great Tang Group into the sea with a melee attack.


    ustomed to meleebat, they attempted to use their most familiar tactics to dispose of the enemy before them.


    What they had not expected was that this time they were not facing the bby forces of Zheng Country, but the fierce and fiercely armed troops of the Great Tang.


    The feeling of kicking on solid iron was not pleasant. The Shen Country''smander discovered that less than one-fifth of thepany he had sent out had returned!@@novelbin@@


    An entirepany had lostbat capability, even when the encounter was unexpected, which caused the Shen Country''smander to sense a crisis.


    Just like the captives said, the Shen Country''s troops were just passing by; they''d been deployed nearby, ready to go into the mountains in search of the Zheng Country civilians hiding there.


    Someone then spotted ck smoke at sea and discovered thending forces of the Great Tang Group. After confirming that there were fewer than 500 people on the beach, the Shen Country''smander deployed his troops while sending out apany to mount a probing attack.


    Little did they know, this probe would lead to the copse of apany...


    After realizing the strength of the enemy, the Shen Country''smander decided to change tactics. He had already deployed subsequent troops and still held numerical superiority.


    However, he was quite wary of the continuous gunfire mentioned by the fleeing soldiers, as nearly all of them described the enemy''s gunfire as dense...


    So, he made his own countermeasures¡ªartillery fire!


    If the enemy seemed strong in individual firearms, then start by using the longer-range cannons to regain the upper hand.


    Once the enemy was thrown into chaos, then deploy the superior troop strength for meleebat and crush these fools who had dared to provoke Shen Country in one fell swoop.


    After devising their tactics, the artillery barrage from the troops of Zheng Country began. A dozen muzzle-loading cannons were lined up, aimed in the direction of the beach, and started firing.


    Solid cannonballs burst through the thicket, flying across the beach, startling thending troops of the Great Tang Group.


    The battalionmander felt like the gods were ying a joke on him today, ever since he beganmanding the front-linending troops, it seemed that nothing was going smoothly.


    It was supposed to be a stealthynding, without even considering the possibility of an enemy attack, yet, against all odds, they encountered a counterattack from the enemy''s troops amid the chaos ofnding.


    The second battalionmander had a sudden inspiration, instructing the soldiers to abandon their baggage and weapons to ensure safety, resulting in at least one-third of the valuable first batch of troops whonded bing "nonbat personnel" who couldn''t participate in the battle, further weakening thebat capability of the Great Tang Group''snding troops.


    Now, their defense line was not even fully deployed, and the enemy''s shelling had begun¡­ Although it was only solid shot, those were still cannonballs after all!


    Watching a cannonball whistle over the heads of the soldiers and smash into the water, the battalionmander felt terrible.


    "Where are the artillerymen? Can they open fire in response?" he asked his adjutant, pointing to the smoke rising in the distance.


    "We don''t have the range data, sir! We can''t just fire blindly, can we?" the adjutant reluctantly exined on behalf of the artillerymen.


    They had only one cannon; without the ability to perform suppressive fire, uracy was extremely important.


    After all, they didn''t even know if the enemy''s position was elevated or not, and firing the big guns there likely wouldn''t have much effect.


    Knowing this, the battalionmander abandoned the idea of getting his own artillery involved in thebat and started to think of other solutions.


    The enemy''s gunfirecked precision; it was aplete shot in the dark. So while it seemed fierce, it was essentially ineffective.


    A blind cat won''t catch a dead mouse most of the time, and firing solid shot blindly was unlikely to identally hit a high-value target.


    Aside from a cannonball that hit the beach, kicking up gravel and leaving a group of soldiers who had justnded covered in dust, most of these cannonballs''nding spots were unknown.


    "We can''t let them keep firing blindly! If one shot hits by chance, the loss would be unbearable!" When he saw a solid shot plunge into the sea, spurting a water column less than ten meters away from a small boat, the battalionmander felt that sitting idly by was not an option.


    "Even if it''s just to scare them, let the 105 howitzer fire!" He knew that although there was only one cannon, a high rate of fire and powerful artillery from the Great Tang Group were iparable to Shireck''s muzzle-loading cannons.


    Just as the adjutant was about to ry the order, the Goblin''s artillery fire unexpectedly ceased. The battalionmander was taken aback, then realized... the enemy''s cannon reloading speed couldn''t keep up.


    "The enemy''s gunfire... has stopped... then, should we still return fire?" the adjutant asked with some uncertainty.


    Sighing, the battalionmander thought for a few seconds and made a decision, "Let''s wait for now! Since they can''t keep up with the rate of fire, let''s wait!"


    After he spoke, he gave another order, "Organize troops to scout! Find out the exact location of the enemy''s artillery..."


    Before the battalionmander could finish his sentence, the sound of tearing through the air came from above, the terrifying whistling noise made everyone on the beach involuntarily shrink their necks.


    Dozens of cannonballs whistled past, over the beach, andnded beyond the small thicket where the white smoke had not yetpletely dispersed.


    The next second, mes shot into the sky, the earth trembled, and the st wave carrying broken branches swept everything around, a series of explosions followed, echoing in the sky.


    These were rounds fired by the 150mm caliber guns of the Navy''s cruisers, which passed over the beach, also soared over the troops of Zheng Country, andnded further afield, turning an open space upside down.


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    Unaware that a battle had already started on shore, the lookout on the Navy warship saw the remnants of white smoke from the muzzle-loaded cannon fire.


    That clearly wasn''t their own fire, as most of their howitzers were still on the ships, waiting to be unloaded. The surprised Navy realized that the stealthynding might have turned into a frontal assault, and the troops on the shore were being attacked by the enemy!


    Bernard, acting as the highestmander on the battlefield, immediately ordered the warship to open fire to cover thending troops. Out of concern for avoiding friendly fire, they decided to elevate the guns just a tad...


    As a result, these shells flew over the beach and the troops of Zheng Country, falling further away, creating explosions in istion.


    Fortunately, the warship''s naval guns were equipped with semi-automatic loading mechanisms and had a high rate of fire, allowing for a slight adjustment of the gun elevation to quickly fire a second salvo...


    ----------


    Two updates today

 Chapter 420 409 and then there was nothing left.

    On the sea,nding crafts crisscrossed incessantly as the Great Tang Group''snding troops were transporting their soldiers and equipment to the beach in the clumsiest of ways.


    Some soldiers heard the sound of gunfire from the beach while they were still at sea; some who were transferring to thending craft also saw the smoke rising from the firing cruisers.


    Soon after, everyone heard the dense sound of cannon fire. The roar of the cruiser''s guns reverberated across the sea, with a momentum that was majestic and intimidating.


    The soldiers on their way to shore in small boats were startled by the shells screeching overhead.


    Equally startled was the Shenwu militarymander Shengwu Yuan, who was frightened by the shells whistling overhead, and then terrified by the horrific explosions behind him.


    The names in Zheng Country are very interesting; outsiders can generally understand what kind of job someone is good at from their names.


    Shen is the family name in Shenwu; everyone from Shenwu bears the surname Shen. Following "Shen" is their "identity" or "job"¡ªfor army officers, it is "wu"; for navy officers, it is "hai"; for craftsmen, it is "gong"; for farmers, it is "nong"; women follow their father''s surname before marriage, and their husband''s surname afterward.


    Thest part of their name is the personal "name," which can be a few characters. This is also an important reason why Tang Mo rarely does business with people from Shenwu¡ªhe doesn''t like it.


    At this moment, Shengwu Yuan was utterly confused by what was happening, as he still didn''t know what was going on.


    At first, he thought the feeble Zheng Country had lost its mind, sending some troops in an attempt to take back Dongwan Ind.


    But then the troops he sent out were routed, and the messages they sent back indicated that the forces attacking Dongwan Ind were not the easy-to-deal-with Zheng troops.


    So, he immediately changed tactics, hoping to use his artillery to suppress the beach while buying time and sending messengers to contact the surrounding troops.


    What happened next shattered hismon sense and exceeded his imagination¡ªthe enemy, wielding some unknown weapons, produced a devastating impact.


    It wasn''t just him; his own troops also started to be restless, shoving each other in fear and uneasily looking back at the rising ck smoke columns.


    "No turning back! Regain formation!" Shengwu Yuan drew his waist sword, tightened his reins, andmanded loudly. He had to restrain his own troops and bring them to their senses; otherwise, there was no point in continuing the fight.


    However, even the usually brave Shengwu Yuan didn''t know what to do at that moment¡ªhe dared notunch an attack readily, nor was he willing to order a retreat, so he could only wait foolishly here.


    As a result, waiting brought on even grimmer developments...


    The second round of artillery fire followed swiftly, with more than a dozen shells falling. This time, the aim was even better,nding directly on the supply units trailing at the rear.


    The navy''s ship guns adjusted the angle, lowering the barrels slightly, so the second volley was much closer to the ce where the white smoke from the gun muzzles rose.


    The explosions blew two wagons into the air in an instant, taking the coachmen and the misceneous supplies all sky-high.


    The unustomed Shenwu troops to such horrific cannon fire immediately plunged into chaos, as officers in the rear watched the second-line logistics troops copse before their eyes.


    Themander of the first battalion on the beach felt refreshed after seeing the second round of artillery fire fall. Just a few more barrages, he thought, and this Shenwu force that had suddenly appeared on the shoreline was likely to copse.


    In this way, the only enemy force that could threaten the subsequentnding of the troops would no longer exist, and he could continue organizing thending with peace of mind.


    At this point, he almost wanted to kiss the navy¡ªhe had reversed the entire situation with just a few rounds of artillery fire, which was incredibly cool.


    And then... there was no more!


    Yes, no more! As the first battalionmander excitedly waited for the third round of artillery fire topletely obliterate the huge threat on the nk, the navy''s artillery suddenly... stopped.


    There was no warning, it just stopped abruptly, as if nothing had happened, only the ck smoke columns that had not yet dissipated testified to the previous fury of the naval guns.


    "What, what''s going on?" The battalionmander widened his eyes and looked toward the sea; for a second, he even feared that he would witness the terrifying sight of warships sinking.


    But in reality, the navy cruisers were still afloat on the sea; it was just that the awaited artillery fire had note.


    Equally bewildered was Shengwu Yuan, who sat on his horse, not sure whether tough or to cry¡ªhe had just been waiting in despair for that dreadful explosion to destroy his infantry and artillery, only for everything to abruptly halt.


    It felt utterly absurd; he had braced for death, yet the enemy refused to thrust the knife...


    He didn''t know why this was happening, and for a moment, he didn''t know how to respond. He even considered that perhaps the enemy could only fire so many shells in a short period, but he had no way to be sure when the enemy''s artillery woulde again.


    It was like a death row inmate waiting for his execution, with the date being postponed again and again¡ªthe feeling of being unable to live or die was truly tormenting for him.


    On the other side, simrly agitated, someone was pacing back and forth on the bridge of the "Wolf 1" cruiser, looking as if he was constipated.


    Bernard was truly frustrated because he really wanted to fire at the enemy targets on shore, but he was hesitant and dared not fire indiscriminately anymore.


    Earlier, when he saw the white smoke rising from the shore, he decisively ordered to fire, as Great Tang Group''s artillery obviously would not be positioned there.


    He fired with a clear conscience! He had no need to consider anything. In his view, as long as the enemy''s artillery positions were destroyed, the threat on the beach would be eliminated as well.


    But after firing two quick rounds, he no longer dared to fire casually because he did not know the positions of the allied forces on shore.


    No one had informed him whether the allies, in order to remove the threat, had alsounched an attack on the enemy''s position. He knew nothing about the situation on shore, so he couldn''t be certain whether the allies would counterattack.


    If the allies charged at the enemy''s positions, he didn''t know if his artillery fire would hit his own forces. After all, the uracy of naval guns is limited, and on the fluctuating sea, uracy couldn''t be fully guaranteed.


    If one misfired due to the swaying and hit one''s own position, how could he face his brothers in the armyter?


    Therefore, he could only cease firing in good faith and wait for definite news from the shore before nning his next move. Enjoy new adventures from empire


    It was precisely because of this that the Navy''s gunfire suddenly stopped, and everything returned to silence. Themanders of the Navy, Army, and enemy forces alike were at a loss, trapped in a long wait.


    Minutes after the gunfire died down, the 1st Battalion Commander also realized this problem: he now also did not dare tounch an attack easily to crush the troops of Zheng Country.


    Because if he retaliated rashly, who knew if naval artillery would suddenly fall from the sky! That would have far more serious consequences than the enemy''s attack. He would rather crouch on the beach and take his chances with the enemy''s solid-shot "lucky draw" than to test the Navy''s shrapnel...


    Just kidding, solid shot! How many people would die out of a hundred shots? That was nothing like the shells used by the Navy''s big guns.


    Because they did not need to consider weight, naval artillery could use thicker and longer barrels, employing greater chamber pressure, and naturally, they could use heavier shells! Therefore, with the same caliber, the Army''s artillery was basically no match for the Navy''s.


    Moreover, we''re talking about shrapnel! Real exploding shells! One shot could affect nearly half a ser field! Sending your own troops into that would be tantamount to giving away lives.


    Realizing this, the 1st Battalion Commander immediately grasped the critical issue, "Telegraph! Where are the hand-crank generator and telegraph? Aren''t they supposed to be ashore? Can they be used? Hurry up and set them up! Quick!"


    As he shouted, he ran toward the beach. He had sharply perceived thatmunication with the naval warships from the beachfront seemed to be the key to deciding the oue of thending operation.


    His adjutant followed closely behind, running recklessly toward the beach, and then the two of them, one after the other, searched among the chaotding craft for the telegraph equipment that might havee ashore.


    Almost at the same moment, Bernard also realized that he should establish effectivemunication with the beachhead. Thus, he urged his own liberty ship to deliver the telegraph machine to the shore as quickly as possible.


    At the same time, the 1st Regiment Commander boarded anding craft and headed for the coast¡ªhe could no longer just watch his troops engage the enemy from the ship.


    As amander, he felt he should be directing from the beach, not cowardly hiding at sea! He was an Army officer, not a Navy sailor!


    Regardless of whether there was artillery fire or enemies, thending craft continued to transport troops to the beach non-stop.


    Although the progress was slow, the process never stopped. Soon, more than 100 soldiersnded, most of whom were from the 1st Battalion, carrying their weapons.


    No sooner had the soldiers climbed ashore than they joined the battle without even taking the time to empty the sand out of their boots.


    Almost instinctively, these soldiers reinforced the surrounding defensive positions and established a new machine-gun emcement with the second machine-gun that came ashore.


    The 1st Battalion Commander, with about 600 soldiers under hismand, even felt he was capable of counterattacking. However, he still hadn''t found the telegraph machine and couldn''t contact the fleet at sea, so he dared not organize his troops to enter the area of recent shelling.@@novelbin@@


    Waiting in ce, Shengwu Yuan did not know that his opportunity was slipping through his fingers. All that filled his mind was the question, "Big brother... are you still going to fire or not?"

 Chapter 421 410 Sleazy smile

    Of course, Shenwu Yuan wasn''t idle either. He had his subordinates restore order to his supply troops, tally the losses, and had his artillerymen reload the cannons, making ready for another round of battle.


    Unfortunately, the rate of fire of the muzzle-loading cannon was indeed heartbreakingly slow, and the losses in the rear were severe, the chaos significant, so these tasks wasted a considerable amount of time for the Shenwu military.


    By the time Shenwu Yuan was ready again, his current strength no longer held any clear advantage.


    He didn''t know that the troops in front of him had grown from over 400 to nearly 600, nor was he aware that the enemy''s firepower had more than doubled!


    With the addition of a second machine gun, troops from the Great Tang Group could be said to be invincible. The attacks of the Shenwu military were simply suicide and posed no substantial threat.


    Now, the only thing that could pose trouble for the Great Tang Group was the handful of Shireck muzzle-loading cannons that Shenwu Yuan held in his grasp.


    But this threat was clearly not going tost for long¡ªsooner orter, a telegraph wouldnd ashore, and as soon as contact with the fleet was established, Shenwu Yuan''s artillery positions were sure to be lost.


    Nevertheless, Shenwu Yuan had some reliance. Early on, he had sent out messengers calling for help. The Shenwu allied forces stationed further away were expected to arrive within a few hours to reinforce.


    As long as the reinforcements arrived, Shenwu Yuan was confident he couldunch another attack and drive this sinister enemy into the sea!


    As for the enemy at sea, they could be left to those bastards in the Navy to deal with. After all, Shenwu''s Navy was the mightiest in the world. Annoying as it was, they had the strength.


    When the Navy''s fleet arrived, it would be possible to crush the enemy at hand. It wasmon knowledge for the Shenwu military that their Navy had never been defeated since bing one of the four powers of the Endless Sea!


    In the past, the Navy of Zheng Country, nearly equal in strength, had been so battered by defeats that they dared not even leave their naval port.


    The fleets of the Por Kingdom and Taren Kingdom in the western part of the Endless Sea could only whimper under the domination of Shenwu''s Navy!


    So, Shenwu Yuan never considered the possibility of defeat. He was thinking about how to possibly tie down thesended enemies and ensnare them in one fell swoop!


    This was far more interesting than hunting down Zheng Country''s remnants in the mountains, and it would also add a considerable feat to his military exploits.


    "Form ranks! Prepare to attack!" Finally, after half a day without a new barrage from the enemy, Shenwu Yuan could not hold back any longer.


    He spected that although the enemy''s cannons were formidable, they were cumbersome to load and ridiculously slow-firing¡ªwasn''t this in line with objectivews? If a powerful weapon had no ws, wouldn''t that truly be unreasonable?


    Since the enemy''s weapons had ws in the rate of fire, exploiting this became the preferred strategy for Shenwu Yuan''s attack.


    At one point, he even thought that the enemy''s weapons were of the kind with tremendous power but required a long time to prepare.


    Therefore, he continued to specte whether he could survive the enemy''s relentless firepower and wait until they ran out of bullets, then charge in and crush the opposition!


    And so, hemanded his troops tounch another attack, and after a barrage of cannon fire, another battalion of Shenwu soldiers, wielding flintlock rifles, crossed the shrubbery and charged toward the sands where the Great Tang Group troops hadnded.


    On the beach, the 1st Companymander excitedly watched the signalman unwrap the waterproof oil paper and begin to piece together the scattered parts.


    Because of its size, the pedal generator had by this point been modified to a hand-crank version. To ensure stable power generation, it typically required three soldiers to operate the generator simultaneously, maintaining power supply for the telegraph machine.


    There was, in fact, an even simpler and more convenient method¡ªconnecting the telegraph directly to an automobile, which was Great Tang Group''stest technology.


    Remember the Rolls-Royce at the exposition, the one fitted with a battery and radio? Since it could power a radio, it could also power a telegraph; there was no difference.


    As a newly born technology, it was naturally first applied to the military field. With the advent of the battery, the supply of electricity to the troops became much more convenient.


    Unfortunately, the first automobile tond had be waterlogged,ying paralyzed in the sea until now, unheeded, so the telegraph machine had to be powered by the hand-crank generator for the time being.


    Finally, almost two hours after initiating thending, the troops of the Great Tang Group on the beach had established contact with their fleet behind them.


    Just as the 1st Companymander was excitedly preparing to call in fire support, the enemy''s second charge began.


    Solid cannonballs once again fell onto the beach, still wildly inurate, but looking very intimidating. Explore more adventures at empire


    The iron balls smashed into the sand, bounced up, and shattered anding boat that had yet to be pushed back into the sea.


    ```


    The shell pierced directly through the boat''s hull, leaving a gaping hole. Wood splintered violently, injuring two sailors, though their lives were not in danger.


    Soon after, gunfire intensified from the nks as a group of Shenwu soldiers burst out of the bushes, only to be met head-on by a barrage of fire from submachine guns wielded by Great Tang Group soldiers.


    The two sides'' firepower was not at all on the same level, and although the Shenwu soldiers were brave, they could only hold on for a few seconds under the bullet rain.


    More and more Great Tang Group security forces werending ashore, and their firepower naturally became even more fierce. The submachine guns designated for squad leaders were nimble and adaptable, serving as a more reliable pir of firepower than the Maxim heavy machine guns.


    Under the support of rifles, this charge of Shenwu soldiers was repelled back to their starting point by bullets before they even reached half the distance of their first charge.


    It couldn''t be helped¡ªthe Shenwu soldiers had taken advantage of the Great Tang Group''s unpreparedness during their first assault, and had faced the lightly armed Second Battalion, which allowed them a momentary upper hand.


    But this time, standing in their way were troops from the First and Third Battalions, all proper infantry. Of course, the Shenwu forces stood no chance at all.


    They didn''t even get a clear view of the enemy who had driven them back, much less fire a few shots, before they were routed.


    "Dammit! What the hell happened? How could you run back so quickly?" Shenwu Yuan, mounted on his horse and furious with shame, red at his subordinate officers and scolded, "This is preposterous! You''ve disgraced the face of Shenwu''s brave warriors!"


    "Sir... the enemy''s weapons are tricky, we were shot before we could even return fire!" The Shenwu officer who had led the charge pleaded with a crestfallen face.


    As a joke, if the French troops in Verdun in 1916 couldn''t manage a frontal assault on machine-gun positions, how could the goblins of Shenwu with their flintlock rifles? It must be remembered that the French military of that year still had courage and hadn''t yet learned their signature military salute...


    After leaving behind more than a hundred corpses, this charge ended in utter confusion. Unlike the previous one, the Shenwu soldiers didn''t even see the beach, nor did they kill a single soldier from the Great Tang Group.


    Seeing his offensive falter more with each attempt, the Shenwu Yuan was frantic with anxiety. He had no idea when the enemy mightunch another terrifying artillery attack on his troops, so he had to grit his teeth and press another attack.


    After all, he believed that reinforcements were bound to arrive. As long as he could pin down the enemy on the beach, victory would belong to Shenwu.


    "Charge again! No retreat!" Shenwu Yuan stared down from his horse at the officer below and issued a deathmand, "The Third Battalion will follow up! All forces advance! Retreaters will be executed!"


    He pointed hismanding saber forward and roared with fearsome intensity, "Attack!"


    As if responding to hismand, that sharp, air-tearing screech appeared once again, shattering all of Shenwu Yuan''s illusions.


    The naval artillery bombardment from the Great Tang Group began anew. Sudden wailing sounds cleared away all the other noisy mor, and in the moment of silence that followed, horrific explosions erupted among the crowd.


    In an instant, the Shenwu army was thrown into chaos, limbs and body parts hurtling through the air, cries and screams intermingled, adorning the hellish scene before them.


    The Shenwu army that was preparing to charge had barely assembled. Although not in neat formation, they had taken no defensive measures.


    Caught off guard by the sudden artillery attack, the inexperienced Shenwu soldiers suffered heavy casualties and were thrown into total disarray.


    On the smoke-filled battlefield, Shenwu Yuan staggered to his feet from behind his fallen horse. He could no longer hear anything aside from a persistent buzzing in his ears.


    He watched as one of his subordinates, face bloodied, approached him, and he also saw beside a stack of bodies, some people sitting motionless on the ground.


    Everything had happened so quickly and so unexpectedly. Just a moment ago, Shenwu Yuan was contemting an assault, but now his mind was filled with the sole thought of fleeing this cursed ce.@@novelbin@@


    Almost instinctively, Shenwu Yuan shoved the blood-covered figure before him aside and began to stagger away, heading in the direction away from the battlefield.


    In his desperation to escape, he ignored the searing pain on his face, didn''t bother looking for his lost sword, and didn''t even consider his subordinates.


    Time blurred, and another round of artillery firended near the Shenwu troops. The dense barrage imed countless lives, and it also caused Shenwu Yuan''s forces topletely crumble.


    The remaining Shenwu forces scattered like headless flies,pletelycking in discipline. Anyone who could still walk was like Shenwu Yuan, not looking back as they fled into the distance.


    On the beach, the battalionmander¡ªoblivious to the copse of the Shenwu army¡ªstood by the telegraph machine, taking pleasure in the screech of shells flying overhead, and ordered, "Fire another volley! It''s too exhrating! Heh heh heh."


    The signalman nced at his superior officer and could only shake his head and continue his task. While sending the telegraph, he internally scoffed, "Youugh so lewdly; does the regimentalmander know about this?"


    ```

 Chapter 422 411 Unlucky Second Battalion

    The ferocious artillery fire wreaked havoc, causing the Shengwu Troops topletely copse. After three rounds of bombardment, an eerie silence settled on the battlefield.


    Themander of the 1st Battalion ordered a few troops to move out for reconnaissance, but except for corpses, they found nothing.


    On the beach, dozens of Shengwu prisoners were still kneeling, and troops from the subsequentndings continued toe ashore, uninterrupted. Everything seemed to be returning to its original track.


    This Shengwu military unit, which just happened to appear near thending site, did not drive the Great Tang Group''snding troops back into the sea; they had only dyed the process somewhat.


    Soon, themander of the 1st Regiment, as the highestmander of the armynded on Dongwan Ind''s beach, apanied by more than 100 soldiers from the 1st Regiment.


    With the arrival of the 1st Regimentmander, thending troops finally regained their proper order, and the operation n to expand thending zone finally began.


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    The 1st Battalion was assembled and they began moving forward, searching in the direction where the enemy of Shenwu Yuan had copsed, and expanding thending zone to the south.


    The troops of the 3rd Battalion took over the northern guard duties from the 1st Battalion, upied the vige ruins, and began a search to the north.


    The unfortunate 2nd Battalion continued to be unlucky. Due to ack of weapons, they were left on the beach to serve as a reserve team, helping the logistics troops unload supplies and personnel from the sea transports.


    By the time themander of the 2nd Battalion came ashore, he was green with regret. He had hoped to eliminate the enemy and make a name for himself, but his battalion had be a logistics force, almost a joke among the entire military.


    Since the establishment of the Great Tang Group''s security forces, the 2nd Battalion has be the first battalion-sized unit to be directly routed... They were now thoroughly infamous.@@novelbin@@


    Although none of the three battalions were at full strength, the basicbat power of the 1st and 3rd Battalions had been restored, thus the security of the nks of thending zone was assured.


    Therefore, themander of the 1st Regiment focused his main energy on weing the subsequentnding troops. Since contact with the fleet had been established, the follow-up work was going very smoothly.


    Dozens ofnding crafts, amidst the chaos, finally brought more weapons and equipment ashore. Utilizing these boats that originated in the medieval era to transport modern weapons and equipment, one must say that Great Tang Group''snding was filled with a sense of time-traveling sentiment.


    At this moment, 1st Company of the 1st Battalion, which had the mostplete organization, was nearly at full strength, and 1st Company of the 3rd Battalion was also fairly assembled. These twopanies, one in the south and one in the north, proceeded along the so-called roads, gradually expanding thending zone.


    There were norge Shengwu forces nearby, so their advance was veryfortable.


    By the afternoon, the follow-up troops of the 2nd Company of the 1st Battalion caught up with those who were setting up defensive positions, which allowed the 1st Battalion to maintain the basic strength of twopanies.


    Armed with heavy machine guns and apanied by a vehicle and a telegraph machine, the 1st Battalion established contact with regimental headquarters and captured nearby high ground, deploying their defensive line.


    Simrly, the 3rd Battalion advancing northward established defense positions at the same time. At this point, the entirending zone had approximately a 10-kilometer depth and was no longer as fragile as before.


    The Engineer Corps erected a few tents at the intersection of the beach and the shrubbery, and the temporary headquarters of the 1st Regiment was set up inside these tents.


    The unfolded mapy in disarray on the ground, with some captured documents and maps sent back by troops scattered around it.


    Standing amidst this mess, themander of the 1st Regiment held his chin, looking down at the not-so-detailed map of Dongwan Ind, getting a rough idea of their location.


    They had circled from the southern part of Dongwan Ind tond on the western side, meaning they had moved from the offshore of Fengshun City to this position.


    Thending site was not far from Fengshun City, which was a temporarily chosen site that seemed easier to expand their victory.


    "ording to the operation n, our next step is to head south and capture Fengshun City..." A staff officer, barefoot, used a stick to point at a mark on the map and said to themander of the 1st Regiment.


    His shoes were still wet, currently sunning outside the tent. Themander of the 1st Regiment also wasn''t better off, barefoot with soaked shoes set aside. In fact, all the troops involved in thending were trudging along in their drenched footwear.


    "How far are we from Fengshun City now?" themander of the 1st Regiment asked, staring at the southernmost target on Dongwan Ind.


    "It''s unclear. ording to the map, it''s probably between 60 and 140 kilometers..." The staff officer regretfully provided a very vague figure.


    "Can''t you be more specific?" themander of the 1st Regiment asked, slightly frustrated.


    "We don''t have an urate map... It''s hard to estimate," replied the staff officer, shaking his head even more helplessly.


    When they came, they couldn''t find an urate map, so they had to make do with old maps¡ªin fact, very few maps in this world met the standards of the Great Tang Group, which generally only used their own surveyed maps.


    Even many military units, including those from Dorne, Suthers, and Laines, were using Great Tang Group''s surveyed maps, albeit with slightly blurred precision.


    Unfortunately, up until now, Great Tang Group had only surveyed certain areas, which did not include Zheng Country or Shengwu Country.


    "It''s difficult to draft an operation n like this. If it''s 60 kilometers, I can have the 1st Battalion conduct a surprise attack on Fengshun City, and we couldunch a total assault by tomorrow morning! But if it''s over 100 kilometers, I have to prepare for two or three days of battle... The difference is too huge," themander of the 1st Regimentined.


    "We haven''t found a local guide yet..." the staff officer exined with extreme frustration: "The maps of Shengwu itself aren''t urate. They''re basically unusable..."


    He knew that the captured maps were already the more urate military maps of Shengwu, but these maps still did not meet the military map standards of the Great Tang Group.


    The scattered documents abandoned by Shengwu were essentially meaningless. A corpsmander in an era of poormunications indeed was unlikely to acquire any critical intelligence.


    "Not even one guide?" the regimentalmander looked up, his gaze turning to the slightly embarrassedmander of the 2nd Battalion standing by.


    Themander of the 2nd Battalion shook his head and replied, "We haven''t found any locals yet. The viges have been destroyed by the war, and the locals have disappeared."


    "I see. Continue to have your men search... Try to find locals as soon as possible. With them as guides, things will be much easier," themander of the 1st Regiment said, while he continued to look down at the map.


    Themander of the 2nd Battalion truly wanted to grumble and defend his position, reminding the regimentalmander that his battalion was capable of fighting.


    But the words at the tip of his tongue ultimately went unsaid. After a meaningful sigh, all the exnations condensed into a single word: "Yes!"

 Chapter 423 412 makes one want to vomit

    In the not-so-dense forest, a soldier from Battalion 2 was conducting a search and reconnaissance. His squad had not yet been fully armed, so they could only follow behind the main force, clearing the woond near thending site.


    Their purpose in searching was to find the local indigenous people and scattered soldiers from Shenguo, capturing these prisoners to prevent them from posing a threat to thending troops.


    "Why are we so unlucky?" griping a pistol, the soldier pushed aside the leaves in front of him andined to hisrade, "Others go straight to building their careers, but look at us, rummaging through the woods looking for rabbits..."


    "Tell me about it!" The soldier walking beside him used the dagger in his hand to chop through obstructing branches, his face showing equal disdain.


    There was no helping it, as they were all well-trained elite soldiers. Not going to the battlefield to face the enemies head-on, but rather searching for people in this scarcely-trodden ce, was simply a disgrace.


    "Those deep mountains and dense forests... how long have we been walking since we left that ruined vige?" the soldier with the pistol continued moving forward as he asked.


    The one wielding the dagger nced at his watch and, while continuing forward, replied, "Over 20 minutes, I guess... Not too far..."


    As he spoke, the ground gave way beneath him, startling him into a quick grab for something nearby. Unfortunately, the branch he seized couldn''t bear his weight and snapped off as well.


    As a result, he tumbled into a deep pit,pletely disoriented.


    "Damn it!" he cursed instinctively, then suddenly saw his face right up against that of a corpse.


    This corpse had been lying here for a long time, covered in maggots, with flesh already decayed, exposing stark white bones, inducing an uncontroble urge to vomit.


    As he tried to get up, his hand pressed into the fully decayed flesh, the sticky and slimy sensationbined with the stench that invaded his nostrils almost suffocated him right there.


    Numerous flies, due to the sudden disturbance, buzzed into flight, their droning like that of bombers passing by, seemingly bringing the whole world to life.


    Enduring the repugnant touch, the soldier braced himself on the bones to push his body up, then struggled into a somewhat cleaner corner.


    Only then did he muster the strength to observe his surroundings, the sights making his hair stand on end and involuntarily letting out a cry.


    In the huge pit before himy at least a hundred rotting and stinking corpses, many gnawed into skeletons by wild animals.


    The white ribcages with flesh attached were broken in ces, and some bodies were rtively intact, merely as rotten and stinking as zombies.


    Everywhere he looked, there were corpses: men, women, children, and elderly.


    The tangled hair, apanied by flying flies, swayed in the wind, driving the soldier from Great Tang Group who''d fallen into the pit to utter despair.


    There wasn''t much in his stomach, but it convulsed violently nheless, and in the end, he couldn''t restrain his body''s reaction¡ªhe vomited out the water and cookies mixed with gastric juice onto an arm mangled by animals.


    "Vomit..." He couldn''t stop retching, when quite unexpectedly a hand reached out andnded on his shoulder from behind.


    In an instant, his hair stood on end, and his muscles tensed up. Without thinking about the vomit, he spun around and let out a piercing, hysterical scream, "Ah! What is that!"


    Hisrade, who narrowly avoided being sliced by the dagger in his hand, hastily took a step back and promptly identified himself, "It''s me! It''s me!"


    He had just seen hisrade fall into therge pit, and from above, he could also see the piled-up corpses and swarming flies below.


    To save him, he descended into therge pit, only to find the stench at the bottom was truly unbearable, almost worse than death itself.


    Seeing the bodies at the bottom of the pit from above was one thing, but experiencing the mountain of corpses and sea of blood up close was quite another; that''s why he regretteding down almost as soon as he did.


    "We need to get out of here," the Soldier who came down after, said while covering his nose and mouth, squinting as he spoke and waving away the gathering flies with the arm that held his pistol.


    "Who are these people... why would they die here," asked the Soldier holding a dagger, not minding the disgusting fluids on his body as he stared at the densely packed corpses before him.


    "I don''t know! But, I think... we''d better report this to the campmander... or perhaps the regimentmander," the Soldier with the pistol brushed away the flies and said, his voice muffled by his hand covering his nose.


    His training allowed him to, even amidst the chaos in his brain, quickly report problems he couldn''t handle to his superior officers.


    "You''re right... we... need to get out of here," agreed the Soldier with the dagger, looking at the bodies under their feet.


    He, too, wanted to leave this ce as quickly as possible, never to return in this lifetime if he could help it¡ªthis ce made his skin crawl, his expression tense, and his entire being ufortable.


    Even the sight of the soft, dposing flesh made him fear that some monstrous creature might burst out at any moment to kill him...


    So, without looking back, he fled, along with hisrade, retracing their original path until they quickly reached their point of departure.


    The ruins of the vige discovered by themander of the first battalion had now be the second battalion''s headquarters; a field hospital had also been established there, with previously injured Sailors and other casualties being settled in.


    "Where''s themander?" As soon as they returned to the ruins, the two men asked the sentry on guard, who, startled by their state, immediately led them to the headquarters.


    Upon seeing themander of the second battalion, the two Soldiers tasked with reconnaissance reported what they had seen and heard. Shortly after, an eerie atmosphere descended over the entire second battalion.


    Themander of the second battalion immediately reported the matter to the regiment headquarters. Themander of the first regiment, realizing the gravity of the situation, promptly proceeded to the site of the discovered bodies with a Guard, a squad from the second battalion, military medics, and nurses.


    There''s a difference between hearing about a horde of corpses and actually seeing them. When the first regiment''smander saw the rotting bodies, he too couldn''t help but run off to the side and vomit for a while.


    Everyone who saw this scene felt their stomachs churn, and even a few young Soldiers turned away immediately, not wishing to look any longer.


    "Most of them seem to be civilians by their clothing... There are also some in military uniforms, Soldiers from Zheng Country," the medic, wearing a mask, returned to the first regiment''smander and reported his preliminary observations.@@novelbin@@


    "How... did they die?" the first regiment''smander spoke and, smelling that nauseating scent again, felt the urge to vomit once more.


    "It''s hard to say... It requires a careful investigation... With so many bodies, some of which have been ravaged by wild animals, it''s difficult to say what we can find out," the doctor remarked, as though discussing a routine task.


    "I''ll wait here for the results!" the first regiment''smander felt he had begun to limate to the smell and the scene before him: "Get me the results as quickly as you can!"


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    I''m not feeling well today, resulting in fewer words. Sorry. When writing certain paragraphs, I couldn''t help but be influenced by some events, and my mood was quite low.

 Chapter 424 413 The daylily dishes have gone cold

    With each passing second, Battalion Commander Tang Mo had actually moved away from that mass grave, yet he still had the illusion that he could smell the stench of death.


    He involuntarily moved even further away, then rubbed his nose with his hand and looked anxiously towards the direction of the mass grave.


    Because of this matter, he had handed over themand of thending operations to themander of the second battalion, and the number of soldiers here had increased from a dozen to over thirty.


    Almost everyone who saw therge pit was stunned by whaty before them; these warriors, who wouldn''t bat an eyelid when killing on the battlefield, had no immunity to such a rotting and foul scene.


    They could kill on the battlefield without any psychological burden, not even a frown from Lina. But to ughter civilians, they indeed needed some mental preparation.


    Of course, after a massacre order was given, they might actually carry it out, but to kill people and then not even bother to dispose of the bodies properly¡ªthis, they could not do.


    This was determined by their basic civilized attributes; at least they were still human, with the most basic human nature, not devils brainwashed by some ideology.


    Finally, Battalion Commander Tang Mo, growing a bit impatient, saw the military doctor, who covered his mouth as he walked over.


    Behind the doctor followed a nurse, her mask hanging off one ear and dangling under her chin on the other side. Just by looking at her face, it was clear the young girl had vomited more than once.


    The doctor took off his mask, took a deep breath before reporting, "They were killed by people. We did a preliminary investigation; there are 17 children, 84 adults, men and women, 52 elderly... These are civilians, and there are also 31 soldiers wearing Zheng Country military uniforms."


    "Are you sure they were killed by people?" Battalion Commander Tang Mo asked, his expression darkening and his tone somewhat displeased, seeking confirmation.


    The doctor nodded without hesitation, affirmatively answering, "Yes, they were all killed by people."


    "Why are you so sure?" the Commander continued to verify.@@novelbin@@


    "Well, this!" The doctor extended his hand, passing an item to Battalion Commander Tang Mo.


    "A bullet?" Tang Mo instinctively reached out for the object, and then saw the doctor ce a small lead ball into the palm of his hand.


    The doctor grimaced, "To be precise, it''s a flintlock musket lead ball from Shireck, very standard."


    He paused for a moment, letting Battalion Commander Tang Mo examine the bullet stained with blood for a while before continuing, "There are also knife marks on some skeletons, likely from chopping blows..."


    It was at that moment Battalion Commander Tang Mo realized that the bullet in his palm must have been found in the flesh of the corpses.


    He wanted to discard the ill-omened and disgusting object, yet feltpelled to reconsider. He sighed and continued, "Have they gone mad? Not sparing men, women, and children?"


    "Yes, it seems to be the vigers, all killed," the doctor mused as he thought of the clothes punctured with holes or torn apart, bing increasingly irritable.


    He couldn''t confirm whether there were any atrocious acts like rape, but just judging from the savage way the bodies were handled, the perpetrators of this act... if one could call them human at all, had no trace of humanity left.


    "And the reason for killing them?" Battalion Commander Tang Mo''s thumb vigorously rubbed his index finger, producing a grating sound.


    "That, we do not know," the doctor shook his head, "I am not a forensic expert, I don''t have the experience... I came to treat gunshot wounds, to save living people, not to investigate the dead."


    "Thank you! Lieutenant," Battalion Commander Tang Mo nodded, signaling the doctor could leave. Then, he turned to his bodyguard: "Let''s go, check on the prisoners of war."


    ...


    On the sea, Bernard took the telegram from his adjutant and read the contents carefully once more.


    He then furrowed his brows and looked up at his adjutant and the captain of Wolf 1, saying, "Battalion Commander Tang Mo says he''s found a mass grave with close to 200 bodies. Most are civilians from Zheng Country..."


    "Could it have been the work of those goblins?" The adjutant didn''t seem to think it was too serious of an issue; after all, the dead were from Zheng Country and had no direct rtion to the Great Tang Group.


    It''s impossible for him to empathize with such a scene, for if he saw 200 bodies in Brunas, he would likely already be considering what kind of torture to use on the murderer.


    "This could be a big or a small matter," remarked the captain of Wolf 1 after reading the telegram, troubled as he looked at Bernard: "General, if we downy it, this is just a dispute between Zheng Country and the Shenwu Empire, which really doesn''t concern us."


    He chose his words carefully and then added, "But if we treat it as a significant issue, many in our troops have... you know what I mean, I''m not suggesting that."


    After exining briefly, he continued, "The head of the intelligence department, Li''ao, and the principal... they are the descendants of the ck-eyed, ck-haired Dahua people..."


    Bernard fell into a deep thought upon hearing these words. After all, without having seen the mass grave himself, to im he was extremely enraged or irritated at this very moment would certainly be an exaggeration.


    As the navalmander of the Great Tang Group, with uncountable enemies dying at his hands, a pit containing two hundred bodies was just a minor scene.


    But killing enemies on the battlefield and ughtering civilians are two different things. Bernard felt a need to truly consider Tang Mo''s feelings.


    As a seniormander of the Great Tang Group, he hadn''t fully grasped the purpose of this military operation, but he had heard the gist of it.


    Unlike previous wars, this time the Great Tang Group was expanding its own territory, so whatever happened on thisnd was closely rted to the Great Tang Group.


    "Send the telegram back to Brunas..." Considering this, Bernard finally decided to make a big deal of the matter, "At least with this, we are on the side of moral justice. Even just as a human being, I cannot stand by as such evil unfolds before my eyes!"


    After giving the order, Bernard went on, "Moreover, since we have already exchanged fire with the enemy, the fact that thending site has been exposed has be a reality... The enemy''s fleet will probably arrive here soon, won''t they?"


    "Based on our time estimates, the enemy could appear on our nk by tomorrow morning," the staff officer reported their calcted results.


    "Are we prepared?" Bernard was more interested in the location of the enemy''s main fleet than in the mass grave.


    "Wolf 3 and Wolf 4 will sortie before tomorrow morning to seize amanding position and destroy the enemy fleet at the perimeter of thending area," the staff officer promised, circling a section of the sea on the chart.


    It was a joke, of course; facing off against a couple of Wolf-ss cruisers was no pressure at all for fleets of dozens of sail warships. The enemy didn''t even have a chance to fire, not a single one could escape.


    "Leave a Brunas-ss irond warship to protect thending site, and we''ll move closer," Bernard pondered for a few seconds before making a decision.


    He decided to reinforce the forces intercepting the enemy''s fleet, for a simple reason¡ªhe nned to crush the fleet of the Shengwu Empire with overwhelming force.


    "After all, discovering the ughter pit was quite unsettling... Although we are not certain it was Shengwu Empire''s doing, I still need to vent my anger," Bernard exined, then left the bridge, "If Brunas''s replyes through, notify me immediately, and... urge the transport ships to speed up..."


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    "Yes!" Everyone on the bridge stood at attention and saluted as they watched Bernard leave.


    During this period, the navy had been busy too. They had made great efforts to transfer the troops to the beach as swiftly as possible.


    They dispatched soldiers who were strong swimmers to risk diving and check the nearby reefs, ultimately allowing their transport ships to move forward by more than 300 meters.


    It might only seem like a short distance, but it had reduced the travel time for thending crafts and sped up the transportation.


    With the expansion of thending area, some heavy equipment also reached the beach, with dozens of vehicles and severalrge-caliber artillery piecesing ashore, apanied by reconnaissance cavalry and more signal corps.


    The beach was crowded, and the organizational structure of the units began to take shape. The battalion headquarters moved a bit, relocating to a ce closer to the ind.


    The subsequentnding operation unfolded slowly without enemy interference, and the manpower of the 1st battalion had quickly expanded to 600, not too far from being fully staffed.


    The 3rd battalion also received reinforcements, now with a strength of over 300 men, it could stand on its own.


    The 2nd battalion was quite interesting, with more than 400 men already ashore and their subsequent weapons delivered to the beach, so the 2nd battalion was re-armed and had regained itsbat power.


    After spending an entire month on the ship, the condition of the 1st battalion was not good, but the enemy was too weak to even make them a little more spirited.


    The troops of Shengwu Yuan only happened to be nearby; in fact, the military strength of Shengwu Country here was very sparse, unable to organize a second counterattack.


    ording to the estimates of the 1st battalion''s staff, the news of theirnding on Dongwan Ind might reach Fengshun City by nightfall today, while Dongwan Port might not be aware of this news until noon or even the afternoon of the next day.


    Not everyone in this world has wireless telegraphy devices; clearly, whether it is Zheng Country or Shengwu Country, including the Dahua Empire, they are technologically far behind those countries and regions adjacent to the Great Tang Group.


    Whether it be themander of the 1st battalion or Bernard, even the staff in distant Brunas were confident that by the time Shengwu Country reacted and mobilized troops, it would already be 72 hourster.


    By that time... it would all be over!

 Chapter 425 414 pincer attack from both sides

    In fact, the reaction speed of the military of Zheng Country was much faster than the Great Tang Group had calcted. Because... they had telegraph machines!


    Yes, that''s right! Zheng Country actually had telegraph machines!


    As for why they had telegraph machines, it was quite a dramatic story.


    Zheng Country was a nation established on the power of the sea, resembling the Taren Kingdom in this regard; both ced great emphasis on the development of their navies.


    Previously, Shireck had gone astray with the quixotic design of the Ming Wheel Ship¡ªa type of warship meant to be marketed to recover the initial investment costs for its development.


    The buyer they found for the Ming Wheel Ship was none other than Zheng Country!


    Among the four great powers of the Endless Sea, Por Kingdom had been weakened by the Great Tang Group and Taren Kingdom had also been beaten down at that time. Zheng Country was so corrupt that it was a power in name only, leaving the navy of Zheng Country as the only one interested in the Ming Wheel Ship.


    The navy of Zheng Country, with its maritime foundations, was indeed innovative and smart. Upon their first sight of the Ming Wheel Warship, which propelled itself without the need for sails, they immediately realized its advanced nature.


    Steel warships were naturally stronger than sail-powered ones, and whenbined with advanced breech-loading cannons, these warships could easily crush wooden sailing ships.


    With the addition of power generators and telegraph machines, the new style of warship also held amanding advantage inmunication andmand over sail-powered ships¡ªthey didn''t care whether the power equipment and telegraph machines were pirated versions copied from the Shireck Consortium!


    Therefore, after the high-ranking naval officers of Zheng Country inspected the Ming Wheel Ship, they immediately ced an order for 30 ships.


    It was thanks to the higher speed, more robust hull, and more powerful artillery of the Ming Wheel Ships that Zheng Country inflicted a heavy blow on Zheng Country''s navy in the Dongwan Ind battle and captured this strategic location.


    Using the pirated telegraph machines to transmit messages became Zheng Country''s "exclusive secret technique," giving them the upper hand to keep Zheng Country under their thumb.


    This time, when the troops of the Great Tang Groupnded, themander of Zheng Country stationed in Dongwan Port received the news almost simultaneously with the garrison inside Fengshun City.


    Because the Zheng Country navy''s Ming Wheel Ships stationed in Fengshun Port immediately used their onboard telegraph machines to send the news in the direction of Dongwan.


    At the same time, the frontlinemanders of the Great Tang Group did not realize that the military presence on Dongwan Ind of Zheng Country was already quite modernized.


    They had 3,000 men equipped with the Shireck Type 1 new rifles, a secret weapon so exclusive that not even their own military knew about it¡ªShengwu Yuan had never seen such weapons, which is why his troops failed to recognize the terrifying sound of the bolt-action rifles.


    In addition to radio and wireless equipment, the ind also had breech-loading cannons copied and pirated by Shireck from the first generation of Great Tang Group''s cannons, known as slide-recoil breech cannons.@@novelbin@@


    However, they were in short supply, with only two... Yes, only two! Because they were still in trial and had not yet been purchased on arge scale!


    At this very moment, Zheng Country''s temporary governor of Dongwan Ind, Shen Wenmao, hurriedly pushed open the heavy door and walked into the grand hall of the City Lord''s Mansion, originally constructed by Zheng Country in Dongwan City.


    "What on earth has happened?" He looked towards Shenwu Xiong, whose expression didn''t look too good, eyes locked on themander in charge of the garrison on Dongwan Ind.


    Shenwu Xiong sighed deeply, ced a telegram on the table, and pushed it in front of Shen Wenmao, saying, "About an hour ago, that damned rogue of Shen Hai oneunched a surprise attack on a fleet, robbing the cargo and killing the sailors..."


    Temporary Governor Shen Wenmao was taken aback before quickly asking, "Don''t tell me those ships belonged to the Great Tang Group?"


    "Yes, that''s right, they did... and that''s the problem," cursed Shenwu Xiong, pressing his hand against the hilt of his sword: "Shen Hai one, that idiot! Fool! He''s nothing but a bastard!"


    "I''ll immediately cable home..." Shen Wenmao began to say, concerned that the Great Tang Group might seek revenge, which could lead to war.


    "It''s toote for that. In fact, an extremely formidable force has alreadynded on Dongwan Ind..." Shenwu Xiong''s face darkened: "I suspect it must be the forces of the Great Tang Group."


    "This can''t be happening! How could they respond so quickly?" Shen Wenmao angrily demanded before realizing something, his eyes widening, unable to utter another word for a long moment.


    "This is clearly not about revenge! It''s a premeditated attack! By the time frame, when theynded, our fleet hadn''t even started attacking their merchant ships!" sneered Shenwu Xiong: "The problem is, now they have an excuse."


    "But we all know it''s just an excuse! They had alreadyunched their offensive! They attacked us even earlier..." Shen Wenmao clenched his fists, unable to contain his frustration.


    Such deceitful tactics used to be Zheng Country''s way of framing others... Now the tables had turned, making everyone in Zheng Country feel ufortable.


    "But the waters are already muddied, there''s no use in saying more," Shenwu Xiong huffed, unable to ept the situation.


    "So, what should we do?" Shen Wenmao seemed utterly disoriented, pping his hands, as if questioning himself or perhaps seeking advice from the nearby Shengwu Xiong.


    Shengwu Xiong irritably responded, "What''s there to panic about? When has my Zheng Country not solved its crises through strength? I''ve already mobilized the troops; we''ll march south andpletely eradicate this enemy force!"


    "Shen Hai has already led the fleet down along the coastline to the south! With 20 warships, it''s more than enough to ensure these opponents have no chance of return," he boasted with confidence, looking as if he held all the cards.


    In reality, even up to now, Zheng Country''s power near Dongwan Ind still had the upper hand: on the ind, they had about 30,000 garrisoned troops, which was twice what the Great Tang Group''s intelligence department had estimated.


    As for the navy, they had 10 Ming Wheel Ships, along with 50 sail-powered warships, also cing them at a numerical advantage.


    Though they were at aplete disadvantage in warship quality, as long as the army could concentrate its forces and drive the 1st Battalion into the sea, they could still secure a temporary victory.


    At this moment, the situation was such that 9,000 soldiers from 6 of Zheng Country''s regiments were advancing magnificently southward, crashing into the defense line of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Company, which had only 300 men.


    Inside Fengshun City, Zheng Country''smander, and guardian responsible for Fengshun''s city defense, Shengwu Baisui, had gathered 4,500 men from 3 regiments. They had already set out, prepared to rush to Great Tang Group''snding zone. In front of these 4,500 Zheng Country troops, stood the 1st Battalion, 1st Company with over 600 soldiers.


    At the same time, unbeknownst to Taren Kingdom''s Navy Fleet Commander Bernard, Zheng Country''s navy stationed at Dongwan Port divided their fleet, allocating 20 sail-powered warships and 3 Ming Wheel Ships to form a temporary detachment. Led by Navy Commander Shen Hai, they sailed south to seek out and decisively engage the Great Tang Group''s fleet. Read exclusive chapters at empire


    Almost at the same moment, the Zheng Country navy fleet docked at Fengshun City''s port nearly emptied its nest. Under the lead of 2 Ming Wheel Ships, a total of 15 sail-powered warships fiercely set sail towards the north.


    In terms of the strategic stance, Zheng Country''s superior forces were poised to pincer from both sides, and in terms of mobilization speed, theypletely exceeded the imaginations of the Great Tang Groupmanders.


    However, due to the distance they had to travel, thending troops did not encounter any problems on the first night; they were still unaware that enemy forces were slowly closing in from both sides. At dawn on the second day, they began a new round of unloading andnding operations.


    Without a port, forcefully unloading on this kind of beach was incredibly difficult. It was already no small task to get vehicles ontonding craft in itself.


    This was also due to the fact that cars from the ancient times were lighter and simpler in structure; otherwise, they would never have been able to board thending crafts.


    With the unloading distance reduced and procedures bing more practiced, thending on the second day went very smoothly.


    After all, with no enemy harassment and nobat on the beach, more heavy weaponry and equipment quicklynded on Dongwan Ind.


    To enhance the troops'' mobility, barrels of gasoline were brought to the beach, along with mess trucks and various auxiliary equipment.


    The re-armed 2nd Company finally found its purpose, as more and more engineers and logistics troopsnded and began work, leaving less need for the 2nd Company''s assistance.


    Hence, the 2nd Company was ordered to advance eastward, to protect the nk and serve as the battle reserve.


    The 1st Battalion Commander''s n was actually quite straightforward: he intended to fight a defensive battle along the road until all the troops hadnded.


    After annihting most of the enemy''s active forces, they would immediately switch from defense to offense, gathering the 1st and 2nd Companies for an all-out push south, to capture Fengshun City.


    He abandoned the earlier n of rushing to Fengshun City because thending was too slow, and the previous n had clearly underestimated the difficulty ofnding operations.


    Therefore, he revised the battle n on the spot, changing from a rush to capture Fengshun City to a local defense. They would wait for the enemy''s counterattack, thenunch a counteroffensive to seize Fengshun City.


    Once they took that ce, the following troops could directly unload at the port, making the efficiency at least ten, if not a hundred times higher.


    This approach not only captured the port to address the subsequent difficulties in resupplying but also avoided the troops being attacked from both front and rear.


    At night, Zheng Country''s troops couldn''t continue to march, and the Great Tang Group''snding speed also dropped to an empathetic level.


    Both sides spent the night peacefully. On the second day, Zheng Country''s troops continued to advance both south and north, slowly approaching the Great Tang Group''s defense line, with the Great Tang Group steadily sending more troops ashore, reinforcing their own defense line.


    After the efforts of the 1st Battalion and the Navy, the 3rd Company managed to restore its troop strength to 500 men by the second night.


    The 1st Company was in the best condition, with nearly 700 men, while the 2nd Company still had only 400, as they had been continuously resupplied with weapons, inevitably slowing down personnel transport.


    Waging war requires flexibility; there''s no such thing as a perfect pre-established n! Everything is subject to change, and the oue remains uncertain.

 Chapter 426 415 Hypocritical Empathy

    Brunas, Tang Mo, in his temporary office, sketched the side view of aponent with his pen.


    Most of his spare time each day was spent on simr tasks. There was no helping it: the lot of a humanoid, autonomous drawing machine couldn''t be changed by anyone.


    Thus, when Li''ao came to deliver intelligence or whenever someone sought him out, he was mostly found head down, drawing, or writing some piece of literature.


    Sessful people were not at ease, and those who woke up each day to seek out the third lead actress from their sophomore year, spend their afternoon in a hotel with the second lead actress, and apany the first lead actress at a barbecue ce at night, only to receive a call and rush off to rescue the fourth lead actress in the wee hours, such scenarios could only ur in novels.


    The reality was that Tang Mo had to work for several hours every day, then listen to the reports from his subordinates and spot-check production reports from his own factories... Yes, spot-check! Because he couldn''t keep up with all of them anymore.


    Now, the Great Tang Group had established a brand new audit department, which checked the production reports consolidated by various departments daily. However, whenever he had time, Tang Mo would still check a few reports himself, as it was his habit.


    To make sure that subordinates did their jobs honestly and refrained from cutting corners, those in power must personally inspect the work progress, ording to Tang Mo''s experience.


    A dynasty could cken from its ascendency within about 50 years. Tang Mo was certain that if he ckened even a little, his subordinates would cut corners enormously. Eventually, the Great Tang Group would quickly decline and be another Shireck.


    Therefore, the scenario where the president prepared for half a month and then, one evening with a rose in his mouth, performed under the heroine''s window, had an almost zero chance of happening in real life.


    Presidents didn''t have the time for such things; the cost was too high¡ªif they truly took an interest, a more rational solution would be to have their personal secretary ask the heroine with a cheque in hand whether she preferred yachts or helicopters...


    Just as Tang Mo put down his pen and shook his sore wrist to alleviate some fatigue, Luff and Li''ao walked into his office together.


    Tang Mo knew that there was news from the front line. He asked Yulin to pour him a ss of water, then walked over to the two and gestured for them to have a seat, and thenmanded, "It seems there''s news, let''s hear it."


    Luff immediately began, "Master, the news just came in. One of our fleets delivering goods to Zheng Country was attacked by Shenguo."


    "Oh?" Tang Mo was startled. He hadn''t anticipated that while he sent troops to attack Dongwan Ind, Shenguo would strike first...


    It seemed the other party was quite bold to give the Great Tang Group a reason to strike back... This time, if they weren''t prepared to settle the bill for provoking the Great Tang Group into war, they shouldn''t expect Tang Mo to just let it go.


    Li''ao then added, "12 sail-armed transport ships were attacked, 11 were sunk, and only one managed to escape to Zheng Country."


    "Then, the survivors from that ship in Zheng Country found our other transport ships and passed the news back."


    "It seems necessary to deploy a public radio station in Zheng Country," said Tang Mo without a hint of realization that he had actually already sent troops to Dongwan Ind in Zheng Country. Discover hidden stories at empire


    "Yes, this time the news took too long to get back," agreed Li''ao with a nod.@@novelbin@@


    "Hmm, you go arrange it. Set up two more radio stations at the vital nodes there to transmit important messages and intelligence," Tang Mo offhandedly arranged: "That''s assuming, of course, that Zheng Country knows the score."


    Li''ao immediately nodded, "Yes! And regarding Shenguo?"


    "Luff?" Tang Mo looked towards Luff.


    "Bernard has sent a message. Battalion 1 hasnded on Dongwan Ind and is expanding the front," Luff promptly reported thetest situation.


    He still didn''t have the actual map of Dongwan Ind, so he could only use a very simple hand-drawn map to give a brief exnation.


    "Ournding was approximately here, the supplies are making slow progress ashore. The main force of Battalion 1 hasnded, so thending site''s security is somewhat assured," Luff indicated on the map as he introduced thetest situation to Tang Mo and Li''ao: "Our n is to first take Fengshun City, then gather the main force to head north..."


    Tang Mo knew that actually, Battalion 2 had set off from Dragon Ind more than half a month earlier, followed by the subsequent transport fleet heading for Dongwan Ind.


    After ten days, the main forces of the elite 1st Division stationed on Dragon Ind were, by andrge, engaged inbat on Dongwan Ind.


    He was not at all worried that the enemy forces on Dongwan Ind could cause trouble for his troops; he had great confidence in both his army and navy.


    Now, he was considering how to build Dongwan Ind into a forward base as swiftly as possible to support his subsequent campaign ns for the annexation of Zheng Country.


    Actually, the number of troops that would be heading to Dongwan Ind was substantial. In Brunas, a sailing fleet made up of transport ships had already begun to assemble¡ª200 sailboats in total, tasked with transporting the mobilized two division forces to Dragon Ind.


    If Tang Mo didn''t move these troops, Kings and Emperors from nations like Dorne, Suthers, Laines, and others might lose sleep over it.


    Because after the exposition ended, Tang Mo had already mobilized and amassed four divisions of troops within his controlled zone, a force so powerful it had put the surrounding powers on edge.


    Therefore, the second division of the Great Tang Group''s security forces, originally stationed in Brunas, had actually started to transfer to Dragon Ind.


    It was precisely because the Great Tang Group was continuously transporting mobilized forces out to sea that the surrounding powers had been somewhat reassured, maintaining the region''s stability.


    "There''s another thing I don''t know how to bring up with you," Luff paused, seemingly pondering how to broach the subject.


    Tang Mo nced at Luff, took a cup of water from Yulin, and said, "Just say it!"


    "The 1st Regiment of the 1st Division discovered a mass grave on Dongwan Ind, which preliminarily appears to be left by the troops of Shence Country ughtering local civilians from Zheng Country," Luff collected his words before reporting, "Nearly two hundred people, most of them civilians, killed and then just dumped into a pit¡­"


    Upon hearing this news, Li''ao was momentarily stunned¡ªnot with anger, but rather, he couldn''t decide what sort of expression to face such a matter with.


    He hadn''t returned to his homnd for several decades, so to say he had any feelings for the people back home would be somewhat difficult for the old man.


    But he indeed felt a moment of sorrow, inexplicably so.


    He looked towards Tang Mo and noticed that Tang Mo''s expression was also somewhat unnatural. Like him, Tang Mo seemed to be struggling to find an appropriate emotion.


    To be frank, being a second-generation criminal, he had even fewer sentiments about his homnd than Li''ao¡ªlet alone the fact that Tang Mo was a transmigrator, who felt even less kinship with his distant ethnic peers. Both of his parents had passed away, making his ties with thatnd seem all the more distant and estranged.


    But in the next second, Tang Mo became filled with sorrow; he blinked as though he was holding back tears.


    Then, he looked at Li''ao, his voice choked with emotion, and asked, "The people of Zheng Country, don''t they all have ck eyes and ck hair... our own kin?"


    Li''ao was taken aback, and then nodded vigorously, saying, "Yes, Master! They are our kin, all with ck eyes, ck hair... all people just like us!"


    "They have suffered unjust treatment! Our brethren are in agony!" Tang Mo paused there for a moment, as if topose his emotions, "They are my people! I cannot let them continue to endure such cmities!"


    Li''ao suddenly realized that Tang Mo hade to view Dongwan Ind as his own territory. Thus, everything on Dongwan Ind belonged to Tang Mo, and any losses on Dongwan Ind were Tang Mo''s losses as well.


    It seemed that Tang Mo had indeed harbored ideas of ruling over Zheng Country! At that moment, Li''ao felt a surge of excitement, of fervor... for it seemed that he truly might be able to return to his homnd with dignity and honor!


    "You''re right, Master!" Therefore, he wholeheartedly bowed to Tang Mo and said, "We should rescue... our kin!"


    "Send a message to all the warships: sink any Shence Country ships on sight! The Great Tang Group stands irreconcble with Shence Country!" Tang Mo coldly ordered, "Immediately notify the envoys of all nations in Brunas, requesting they stand with justice and dere war on Shence Country!"


    "...Yes! I understand!" Li''ao stood up, his face beaming with a smile, and bowed to Tang Mo in assent.


    "I''ll go convey the orders to the Navy right away," said Luff, also looking excited¡ªhe might not have had the same desire to return home in glory as Li''ao, but he knew a full-scale war had begun... this meant that the Great Tang Group''s security forces were about to distinguish themselves once again!


    Minutester, Harry on behalf of Mr. Tang notified the envoys of the various countries, and then a piece of news took flight as if it had grown wings and spread across the world.


    The Great Tang Group had dered war on Shence Country, and... it hoped that all nations of the world that wished to maintain a friendly cooperation with the Great Tang Group would also go to war with Shence Country!


    When the monarchs of the surrounding countries heard this news, they all breathed a sigh of relief; this time, they could finally be sure that the mobilization of the Great Tang Group''s troops was indeed not aimed at them.


    Once assured of the news, these monarchs immediately perked up. The skies had cleared, the rain stopped, and they once again felt capable!


    For a moment, the King of Suthers even uncorked a four-year-old Brunas in his Royal Pce. This wine was quite expensive, and he had always been reluctant to drink it.


    But this time, he was happy! So he drank it and even invited the Prime Minister, sharing an entire bottle straightaway!

 Chapter 427 April 16th whistleblower

    Hourster, several countries moved without any forewarning, as if a calmke suddenly began to boil.


    After receiving the orders, Strauss, the navalmander of the Dorne Kingdom, immediately assembled the fleet and, without a second thought, attacked all the Shireck merchant ships conducting trade that they could find in the nearby waters of Dorne.


    Stay updated with empire


    Subsequently, the Dorne Kingdom dered war on Shireck, and the Dorne Navy assembled a fleet consisting of 2 Brunas-ss irond warships, 12 of thergest sailing warships, and 32 logistical support sailing ships, preparing to join the Great Tang Group''s expeditionary fleet against Shireck.


    A few hourster, the Por Kingdom also dered war on Shireck, with 2 Brunas-ss irond warships deployed, leading supply ships and menacingly blocking the trade routes on the high seas.


    Acting almost simultaneously with the Por Kingdom, the Navy of the Ice Cold Kingdom also mobilized with 2 Brunas-ss irond warships, and additionally sent out 12 steam-powered wooden ships, marking a full-fledged deployment of their naval forces.


    The fleet of the Leite Kingdom headed north without hesitation, reaching the open waters near Brunas. The future Leines I, also known as King Leite VII, dered war on Shireck and announced the dispatch of a fleet to participate in the campaign against Shireck.


    A fleetposed of 2 Brunas-ss irond warships and 7 wooden steamships was also formidable, withbat power that was incredibly intimidating.


    The Songmu Kingdom also sent its Navy into battle, but they did not deploy their irond warships; instead, they called upon 50 sailing warships to help secure the maritime trade routes.


    For a time, it seemed as if the entire Endless Sea became tumultuous, with naval warships of various countries flying their battle gs, frantically searching the seas for Shireck transport ships.


    The moment a target was discovered, intense battles would immediately erupt. Shireck''s armed merchant ships suffered heavy losses, and the pure transport ships were either captured or sunk.


    And this was just within a few hours. Soon, Shireck would realize the horrifying toll they had paid.


    Dorne, Suthers, Leite, Por, Songmu... the five treaty-signing countries dered war on Shireck one after another, followed by the Empire of Na, which kicked Shireck while they were down and also dered war.


    Coal transport ships dominated the seas for a time, as a type of modified vessel with wooden hulls fitted with steam engines began to make their mark.


    The navies of various countries seemed eager to demonstrate their strength in this war and to train their troops, so they brought out their entire arsenals.


    Just considering the wooden steamships, there were as many as thirty to forty assembled at Brunas, most of which were coal transport ships, serving as supply vessels for the countries'' naval fleets.


    Simrly, there was also arge assembly of sailing ships. With their vast numbers, they could transport troops, horses, and even personnel, their advantage lying in theirrge and abundant capacity.


    Although it might take a dozen sailing ships to match the transport capability of a single Ming Wheel Ship, as the main means of transport for various countries, hundreds could easily be assembled, representing a transport force that could not be overlooked.


    "Her? Why is she joining in themotion?" Harry, overwhelmed with arranging for the ships of various countries to resupply at the port of Brunas, was suddenly visited by Sofia''s maid, who appeared to have urgent business.


    Harry, busy and disoriented, still made time to meet with the anxious maid. As soon as they met, the maid blurted out, "This is serious. I heard you''re having a dispute with Shireck, and I''vee to tell you something important!"


    "Hmm?" Harry furrowed his brow, knowing that the maid in this state was certainly not here to rx with him.


    "Shireck had been dealing in arms with Shireck for some time, and before this, Shireck had purchased arge batch of Shireck''s weapons," the maid said bluntly, revealing the secret dealings between Shireck and Shireck.


    "Can you tell me more about the contents of the transaction?" Harry asked directly, inquiring about the core details.


    "The deal wasn''t orchestrated by Lady Sofia, so she only knows the general details. Shireck purchased dozens of Shireck ships... the kind withrge waterwheels on both sides... Do you understand what I''m saying?" the maid began with the ship transaction.


    Harry nodded. He was well aware of Shireck''s Ming Wheel Ships, which weren''t any cutting-edge marvel. So he replied directly, saying to the maid, "We call those kinds of ships Ming Wheel Ships, and I also heard that the Empire of Na purchased some..."


    "Shireck bought armed... Ming. Ming Wheel Ships. With turrets at the front and back, the kind with strongbat capabilities..." The maid nced at Harry''s not exactly handsome face and couldn''t help but add more details.


    "I understand, what about the quantity? Do you know?" Harry continued to inquire.


    "We''re still looking into the exact number... but there should be over 20," the maid spoke candidly.


    "Anything else?" Harry pressed on.


    The maid responded further, "They also purchased some field breech-loading cannons, imitations of your first-generation firearms; the exact number is not very clear, and the transaction didn''t go through Lady Sofia''s channels... But it''s certain the quantity isn''t toorge."


    "You really know how to do business," Harry said sarcastically, somewhat speechless. The Great Tang Group''s executives hadn''t received any news of Shireck''s procurement of new weaponry and equipment.


    Shireck, in a manner most familiar to them, had unexpectedly stabbed the Great Tang Group in the back in an unforeseen direction.


    "We don''t need to inform you whenever we sell weapons," the maid huffed, disying a touch of haughtiness.


    "Anything else? Continue," Harry made an indifferent gesture and kept on questioning.


    "Additionally, the Shireck Kingdom also purchased 10,000 Shireck Model 1 bolt-action rifles, 3000 Left-Wheel Handguns..." the maid stated, "These are pretty much everything we know; we hope it can be of some help to your operations."


    "Thank you," Harry said, "Since you''re here, it would be good for me to discuss the matters Mr. Tang entrusted to me as well."


    The maid looked at Harry curiously, her eyes filled with emotion, and her longshes fluttered, making Harry suddenly feel nervous.


    He cleared his throat, shifted his gaze away, and began, "Mr. Tang is aware that your Lady Sofia is in dire need of moneytely... It seems the n to carve up the assets of the smiling tiger isn''t going so smoothly."


    "The opposition is prepared to defend, and with a few helping hands, so they''re quite persistent. Although Lady Sofia has the upper hand, she can''t implete victory," the maid didn''t attempt to conceal it and said openly.


    "We can offer Lady Sofia a loan of 10 million Gold Coins," Harry picked up a document from the table and handed it to the maid, "Just sign your name here, and you can draw the money from the Great Tang Bank in five installments."


    "There''s no need to repay?" the maid took the document, peering down at the terms and the price Shireck had to pay.


    "Ha, what are you thinking? After a year, you must repay 10.5 million Gold Coins. Principal with interest, it''s a very favorable deal," Harryughed, strictly business.


    The maid nodded, then extended her hand, "Pen."


    She read the terms carefully; there weren''t any traps, just the most favorable loan contract. This was truly timely assistance for Sofia, who was in the midst of seizing the smiling tiger''s legacy.


    Harry passed the pen to the maid, who immediately signed her name, "It seems that when youunch your attack on Zheng Country, Shireck won''t have the energy to slice the cake."


    "Isn''t Lady Sofia already taking a big slice of Shireck''s cake for herself? Isn''t that enough?" Harry retorted.


    "Well, let''s say... we each take what we need this time." The maid handed back the second copy of the signed document to Harry, then shook the one in her hand, "Thank you for the loan."


    "Thank you for the intelligence you brought," Harry waved nonchntly.


    "Dinner together tonight?" The maid turned around at the door and suddenly looked back. She had always been the more proactive one, always.


    "..." Harry didn''t refuse, but just spread his hands, indicating the pile of documents on the table resembling a small mountain.


    The maid nodded, understanding that the Great Tang Group must have a lot of things to take care of after receiving the news, and so she waved the document in her hand and walked out of Harry''s office.


    A few minutester, the intelligence department of the Great Tang Group had wired a telegram to the frontline, confirming the news of the Shireck troops'' new rifles and new warships.@@novelbin@@


    When Bernard received this intelligence, it was still night around Dongwan Ind. The troops of the Great Tang Group hadnded there two days earlier, with the 1st Battalion fully ashore.


    "The Shireck Model 1 rifle... indeed a troublesome matter," the 1st Battalionmander stared at the information from the fleet and voiced his concern.


    If the attacking forces also possessed new weapons, the tactics employed would be much more challenging. The group''s technological edge could be nullified, greatly magnifying the enemy''s numerical superiority.


    They were already outnumbered; if their defenses were breached, they would be in a passive situation.


    "They also have irond warships now... this situation appears rather grim," Bernard, who had been waiting on the sea for the enemy''s fleet for an entire day, was also caught off guard by these sudden developments.


    Having never truly contended with irond warships, he was uncertain of the enemy''s realbat strength and could only adopt a cautious stance.


    After all, he held the main force of the Great Tang Navy in his hands; if anything went wrong, he would be the eternal sinner of the group.


    On the other side, the Shireck Kingdom was still unaware that a series of countries had dered war on it. Simultaneously, Shireck was also oblivious to the fact that their trade ships at sea had been thoroughly plundered by several countries.


    The naval warships of the Shireck Kingdom near Dongwan Ind had deliberately synchronized their time to ensure they couldunch attacks simultaneously from both sides.


    Hence, the fleet heading north towards Fengshun City slowed down its advance to wait for the fleet from the south.


    With this dy, the nned encounter extended to the dawn of the third day. Both sides awaited the dawn, for the battle that would decide the oue in the light of day!

 Chapter 428 The First Collision of the New-style Navy No. 417

    The sun rose as usual every day, and the first to wee the light was the naval fleet of the Great Tang Group lying across the sea.


    At this time, the Great Tang Group and the rapidly approaching navy of the Shen Country almost simultaneously discovered the billowing smoke lying across the sea.


    Indeed, when both sides had steamships participating in the battle, it was quite easy to discover the enemy''s fleet from a great distance.


    The next second, the fleet of the Great Tang Group discovered that they seemed to be caught in the middle¡ªtheir south and north were simultaneously approached by an imposing fleet that clearly harbored ill intentions.


    Bernard put down his telescope and made a tactical deployment, ordering all the slower Brunas-ss ironds within his fleet to stay behind and protect the transport andnding troops, while the faster Wolf-ss cruisers were grouped separately and charged toward the Shen Country fleet in the direction of Fengshun City to the south.


    ording to Bernard''s n, he shouldmand the faster cruiser fleet to swiftly move south and devour the supposed weaker Shen Country fleeting from the direction of Fengshun City.


    Afterpletely eliminating the threat to the south, using their faster sailing speed, he would lead the fleet in a loop to join the remaining Brunas-ss ironds and pincer the enemy fleeting from the north.


    Quickly, Cruiser Wolf 1 together with Wolf 3 and Wolf 4 broke away from thending fleet, the three warships arranged in a linear formation and charged rapidly toward the enemy fleet to the south.


    At the same time, the fleet of Shen Country advancing from the direction of Fengshun City toward the north also discovered that enemy ships were closing in on them.


    As a result, the experienced Shen Countrymander immediately ordered his fleet to cross the bows and array side-on to face the enemy, centering on the Ming Wheel Ships to prepare for the imminent sh with the Great Tang fleet.


    The atmosphere suddenly tensed up, waves crashed against the hulls, all gunports on the ships were flung open, and one after the other the Shireck breach-loading cannons were rolled out, with their barrels aimed at the distant plumes of smoke.


    Through the telescope of the Shen Country ship captain, three dark warships were rapidly advancing towards them with a speed that seemed almost inconceivable.


    Those warships, which appeared very distant, seemed to be subtly turning their bows, as if they were preparing to give chase and bite the tail of the Shen Country fleet.


    "Their sailing speed is very fast..." a middle-ranking Shen Country officer lowered his telescope and started to say with a worried heart.


    The approaching warships looked more slender than their Ming Wheel Ships and their speed also seemed faster, clearly not easy to deal with.


    This wasn''t about Zheng Country''s backward and powerless sail warships¡ªjust from the momentum, the enemy''s forces out there were definitely more than ten times harder to tackle than the Zheng Country navy.


    "It seems they have great confidence in their own sailing speed, actually ready to bite our tail," said themander standing next to the middle-ranking Shen Country officer, also lowering his telescope. He was the captain of this warship and also the overallmander of this fleet.


    "Clearly, their sailing speed is indeed fast enough to be trustworthy," the middle-rankingmander replied, eyes on the ever-nearing smoke, seeming uneasy.


    "Do not fear, we are irond warships, they are not our match!" retorted the captain with a coldugh, showing disdain.


    He too ced great trust in the warship under his feet, for it was a wooden ship with an iron hull, whose defensive capability was obviously several times stronger than that of an ordinary sailing ship!


    What''s more advantageous, this type of Ming Wheel Ship warship not only has a slight speed advantage over sailing ships, being a bit faster, but alsocked the sailing ships'' most vulnerable targets¡ªthe sails and masts.


    Without these easy targets, his warship was even more low-lying,pletely describable as a technical leap ahead of sailing vessels.


    The 130mm caliber main guns he relied on used thetest breach-loading technology, with a higher rate of fire and the explosive shells had greater power, so even if there were only two guns fore and aft, their firepower was still vastly superior to traditional sailing ships.


    In fact, his warship was not merely equipped with two 130mm caliber main guns but also had four 75mm caliber guns on one side.


    These guns were Shireck''s imitation of Great Tang Group products, with significantly reduced power, serving merely as additional weaponry.


    However, even these lesser secondary weapons had arger punch than the earlier Shireck breach-loading cannons.


    At least they were breach-loading, allowing the crew to load the shells from inside the safety of the cabin with high rate of fire and protection.


    What they didn''t know was that each of the approaching enemy ships was armed with 10 150mm caliber naval guns, which could concentrate 6 guns on the broadside, a considerable amount stronger.


    At 5 a.m., the two sides had already closed to a very short distance, and under Bernard''smand, the warships of the Great Tang Group began to turn, revealing their nks.


    Thanks to their absolute advantage in sailing speed, the slender Wolf-ss cruisers quickly bared their fangs.


    At 5:11 a.m., the prepared cruisers of the Great Tang Group started firing a barrage, unleashing a fierce volley at a distance of 1300 meters.


    The sudden barrage made all the sailors of the Shen Country''s Navy flinch, as they had never seen an opponent open fire at such a distance.


    However, reality soon tensed them up¡ªas the enemy''s continuous gunfire ensued, the sail warships at the rear of the Shen Country''s Fleet began to sink one after another as they were hit.


    It was clear that the naval warships of the Great Tang Group had achieved effective attacks; the Shen Country''s Navy was caught off guard, without even the chance to adjust, and thus fell into a state of passivity.


    A few minutester, Bernard began bombarding the Ming Wheel Ships in the middle of the enemy fleet, and by this moment, the distance between the two sides had closed to around 1200 meters.


    The Ming Wheel of the Shen Country''s Ming Wheel Ship was protected by iron armor, with an outeryer of water wheels that were constantly rotating and covered by iron tes varying from 4 millimeters to 20 millimeters in thickness.


    In theory, these ironds should be able to withstand attacks from enemy artillery fire at a longer distance, with a defensive power far superior to wooden boards.


    However, obviously, such iron te defense was not prepared for the Great Tang Group''s 150 millimeter caliber cannon.


    The wolf-ss cruisers of the Great Tang Group, already having an excess of firepower, suddenly found their feel when attacking the wooden Ming Wheel Ships protected by irond defenses.


    Those contact fuses, which were somewhat unsuited for attacking wooden sailboats, released their power perfectly when bombarding the Ming Wheel Ships with iron-armored wooden hulls.


    Originally, the contact fuses detonated inside the ship after striking a wooden hull, but due to the characteristics of the wooden hull being ventted on all sides, the destructive effect could only be described as average.


    Achieving the practical result of destroying a sailboat with a single shot was entirely dependent on the excessive power of the shells, not because the type of shell was suitable.


    Now, with contact fuses that detonated upon impact, the timing of the shell explosions was perfect as they prated the hulls, so the destructive force was fully applied to the ship''s structure, making the damage all the more conspicuous.


    As a direct result, when a shell hit a Shen Country''s Navy Ming Wheel Ship, the explosion instantly blew off one side of the ship''s paddle wheels!


    It''s not an exaggeration at all¡ªthe explosion cut off the paddle wheels on one side and it fell directly into the sea.


    In the face of solid-shot that was virtually invincible against wooden irond Ming Wheel Ships, all sorts of problems were exposed the instant they collided with true steel cruisers.


    Nevertheless, as the main force of the Shen Country''s Troops, the Shen Country''s Navy was still very tenacious in battle; even though they found themselves in a passive position and at a disadvantage as soon as the battle erupted, they continued to fight stubbornly.


    They kept firing at the warships of the Great Tang Group, even causing considerable trouble to thetter for a time.


    For the first time, a 130 millimeter shrapnel shell hit a warship of the Great Tang Group, sting a fist-sized hole on the side of the hull.


    The explosion made the wolf-ss cruiser shudder, but as it did not cause more significant damage, the warship continued to fire and fight.


    Compared to the sail warships and muzzle-loading cannons, the newer Ming Wheel Ships and breech-loading cannons did indeed pose some trouble for the Navy of the Great Tang Group.


    The sturdier hulls indeed slowed down the pace at which the Great Tang Group''s Navy sank enemy ships. Even the worst irond ship is certainly much sturdier than a wooden one.


    One irond Ming Wheel Ship even remained afloat after being hit by 13 shells, which vexed Bernard greatly.


    Watching the Shen Country''s Navy warship being sted to the point that it was almost reduced to a mere hull, but still not scuttled or capsized, floating on the sea like a tomb.


    However, the Shen Country''s Fengshun City''s Northern Fleet had now entirely lost itsbat effectiveness, with all 15 sail warships having been sunk here.


    Two Ming Wheel Ships were now also crippled, one slowly sinking and another seeming to be just a hull floating on the sea.


    Bernard, already very anxious, immediately ordered the wolf number 3 warship, which had just been hit, to stay behind and continue firing, ensuring the sinking of all Shen Country warships, while he himself took the wolf number 4 warship northward immediately to reinforce thending fleet caught in a fierce battle. Discover exclusive content at empire


    Because, at the moment when he had annihted the Northern Fleet of Fengshun port, news came from thending fleet that the enemy''s fleet had broken into thending zone and started attacking the free-wheel ships.@@novelbin@@


    This news made Bernard burn with impatience because if hisnding fleet encountered problems, even if he annihted all the enemy''s fleets in this battle, it would still be a devastating defeat.


    Therefore, he hurriedly led two cruisers back to the battlefield, rushing north to chase away the enemy''s fleet that had entered thending zone.


    For a while, the sea was covered with clouds of war, and who would win this naval battle was still a question mark. At this very moment, the sunlight had crossed the coastline, shining onto Dongwan Ind, as thend forces of both sides finally shed.

 Chapter 429 418 People should have dreams

    As time ticked by second by second, the naval warships of Shen Country indeed made their way into thending zone. However, the trouble they caused for the naval transport fleet of Great Tang Group was not as much as imagined.


    The three remaining Brunas-ss irond warships were currently battling against three Ming Wheel Ships and fifteen sail warships, and were actually gaining the upper hand.


    In front of them, the numerically superior fleet of Shen Country''s navy was already enveloped in thick smoke and virtually incapacitated.


    However, due to the sheer number of enemy ships, five sail warships managed to slip through the chaos and into the formation of several frence wheel ships anchored near the shore.


    These frence wheel ships hadn''t warmed up their boilers yet, so all they could do was sit there and take a beating¡ªin fact, thending fleet of Great Tang Group had never expected the enemy to break through their warship defense line and get so close.


    For a moment, the fleet sailors who were still washing up were stunned and could only watch as these towering sail warships wreaked havoc on the outskirts of the fleet.


    Of course, they couldn''t just stand there and watch; soon enough, soldiers picked up their rifles and began to fire from the deck to stop these enemy sail warships from approaching.


    The sound of gunfire quickly spread across the sea surface, followed by the booming of cannons, making it seem like thending fleet was in grave danger this time.


    But in fact, the damage the five sail warships of Shen Country did to the frence wheel transportation fleet of Great Tang Group was far less severe than imagined.


    Watching their main fleet suffer heavy losses, the Shen Country warships didn''t dare to rush into the frence wheel fleet, which was of unknown depth, so they could only fire from the periphery.


    You should know, in the eyes of Shen Country''s navymanders, just by size alone, these massive wheels moored on the sea surface were enough to intimidate them.


    Merely by looking at these colossal vessels, which were twice the size of the warships, the goblin sailors of Shen Country felt such awe that they became hesitant and did not dare to advance.


    Also, because of the gunfire on the ships, they didn''t dare to recklessly board and risk close quartersbat; therefore, firing solid shot with muzzle-loading cannons became what they deemed as the most prudent method of attack.


    As a result... these solid shots hitting the tall sides of the frence wheels had little effect.


    Most of the cannonballs were deflected right away, and the few that embedded into the hulls failed to prate.


    On the other side, the brief window of attack desperately bought by the Shen Country''s main fleet moving southward was thus squandered in vain.


    By the time Bernard led two Wolf-ss cruisers back to thending zone, the five sail warships hadn''t been able to do much damage to the frence wheel fleet...


    Immediately following that, they were met with a fierce onught from the cruiser fleet of Great Tang Group, turning the whole sea battle into a massacre at sea in an instant.


    The navalmanders of Shen Country watched helplessly as the five sail warships hovering on the periphery of the enemy''s stationary fleet were obliterated in the blink of an eye, almost choking on their fury.


    He stood on the deck, squinting through the drifting ck smoke, and pointed at the distant sinking sail fleet, cursing loudly, "Damn it! Cowards! Why didn''t you board and fight? Why didn''t you get close and make ast stand?"


    In reality, just minutes ago, he had already ordered signaling gs for the five sail warships to engage in boardingbat.


    But for some reason, be it the thick smoke or something else, those five warships... clearly did not carry out hismand.


    Your next read awaits at empire


    "The only chance... the only chance!"mented the despondent navymander as he struck the ship''s railing.


    He had already sent out the message that the enemy had more powerful irond ships, and in his view, there was no longer any chance of turning defeat into victory in this battle.


    The naval fleet of Shen Country, including his gship and three Ming Wheel Ships, were nowpletely paralyzed, merely drifting on the sea in theirst gasps.


    Of the remaining twenty sail warships, two-thirds had already sunk, and those that remained were simply waiting to die.


    The enemy''s warships were nearly unscathed, utterly dousing any hope the navalmander had of turning the tide of battle.


    All he could do now was to send the message back to his country as quickly as possible, to warn the ruler of Shen Country to carefully consider this sudden war!


    In his view, Shen Country stood no chance of winning this war. With the navy defeated, Dongwan Ind was beyond saving¡ªan inevitable result, unchangeable by the bravery of a few individuals.


    The only trouble they could cause for the opponent was the 130 mm main guns on the Ming Wheel Ships; the rest of their weaponry was almostughable.


    The 75 mm breech-loading cannons, though rapid in firing, were weak in power and couldn''t damage enemy warships... not to mention the numerous, but utterly useless, Shireck muzzle-loading cannons.


    Thinking of this, the Shen Country navymander couldn''t help but feel a surge of despair, and as he looked at his smoke-engulfed fleet, tears involuntarily began to flow.


    With the enemy possessing such a powerful fleet, it was almost as if Shen Country''s vast maritime borders had be defenseless.


    The ostensibly formidable naval fleet had be ineffective, with only the remaining less than thirty Ming Wheel Ships barely able to contend in battle.


    "To defend their own territory, they would need to purchase a great number of new warships and more artillery... Could Zheng Country really afford all of this?"


    After his wild thoughts, the General mmed his hand heavily onto the ship''s railing and cursed loudly, "Was this damn war provoked by that bastard of Dragon Spirit? He deserves to be killed! The bastard shouldmit suicide to apologize!"


    As he cursed loudly, a cannonball came flying and directly hit where he was standing, swallowing him and the deck beneath his feet in a massive explosion, leaving only the bisected warship stubbornly floating on the sea surface.


    Although there were minor losses, Bernard ultimately managed to repel the invading enemy fleet without too much danger, securing thending site.


    At the same time, the battle onnd had also erupted.


    The Troops of the 1st Battalion in the south of thending site engaged in fiercebat with three legions of Zheng Country''s forces.


    With the aid of arge number of automatic weapons, the 1st Battalion''s defensive line was established on the hignds on both sides of the road, using ovepping fields of fire to effectively block the road and forming an interdependent in-depth defensive position.


    The attacking troops of Zheng Country had never seen such a defensive line; during their first assault, they were repelled before they even figured out where the enemy was.


    Leaving more than 200 corpses scattered haphazardly on the road, the goblin soldiers of Zheng Country retreated from the battlefield wailing and howling.


    The enemy then began to bombard, aimlessly. Since Great Tang Group''s defensive positions were on the hignds, those lobbed shots from muzzle-loading cannons caused hardly any damage.


    Frankly, the enemy was just shelling to bolster their own courage, which had little strategic value. Such tactics were forbidden within the Great Tang Group, as precious ammunition was not to be wasted in such a manner.


    Both sides were in a stalemate for over half an hour. Then, themander of Zheng Country, Shenwu Shen, consulted with Shengwu Yuan and sent out two battalions of soldiers for another fierce attack.


    Zheng Country''s forces unfolded inyers uponyers and charged recklessly towards the defensive positions of Great Tang Group''s defending army.


    And then... then they were routed without evening into machine gun fire! Guided by an observation post, the battalion''s mortar unit gave the enemy a lesson in what modern artillery was all about.@@novelbin@@


    The artillerymen of Great Tang Group, with precise firing tables, were urate and powerful. With just two rounds of volley fire, they introduced the attacking forces of Zheng Country to a barrage of artillery fire.


    Dozens of shells fell almost simultaneously, exploding among the crowd of Zheng Country goblins, a sensation that was incredibly satisfying.


    Without even reaching the forward positions of Great Tang Group, the enemy suffered more than 500 casualties. Shenwu Shen and Shengwu Yuan finally realized the gravity of the situation.


    Even they could see that the force they faced had nothing to do with Zheng Country and was not an enemy they could deal with by themselves!


    So they decided... to wait a bit!


    Yes, to wait! They nned to stay put for two hours, waiting for their northern allies tounch an attack and divert the strength of the enemy forces before making their move.


    In Shenwu Shen''s view, the reason why this force was so strong was that they had put their main strength right in front of his own.


    As long as the northern allies, the troopsmanded by Shenwu Xiong, arrived and began their attack, this enemy force would naturally be unable to take care of both fronts. Then, when that time came, his attack would meet much less resistance than now.


    But what he didn''t know was that after repelling two attacks and noting that Zheng Country''s troops were stationary, themander of the 1st Battalion immediately began moving his own forces.


    The 2nd Battalion started to maneuver along the edge of the battlefield towards Fengshun City, effectively encircling the forces of Shenwu Yuan and Shenwu Shen.


    On the other side, in fact, over an hour earlier, Shenwu Xiong''s forces had alreadyunched a fierce attack against the 3rd Battalion.


    Unfortunately, like Shenwu Shen''s experience, Shenwu Xiong''s forces also suffered significant setbacks in their attack, simrly losing hundreds of soldiers.


    Under such circumstances, Shenwu Xiong made almost the same judgment as Shenwu Shen¡ªhe believed that the enemy''s main force was in front of him, and he could wait a bit for Shenwu Shen tounch an attack and disrupt the enemy''s deployment before making his own move.


    Thus, due to poormunication, Zheng Country''s advantage of a pincer attack vanished into thin air, resulting in passive and separate battles on both sides.


    Even moreughably, in doing so, Zheng Country''s attacking troops wasted over a precious hour just standing idly by.


    What''s even more tragic is that they still didn''t know the news of their own fleet''s crushing defeat. They were still hoping that if their fleet achieved victory, the enemy would be thrown into disarray.


    After all, what''s the point of being alive without dreams? That would be no different from a salted fish.


    -----------


    Thank you to reader "Better Than Insufficient, Richer Than Destitute," and "YangyangO_o" for the rewards. Dragon Spirit still owes more updates. I''m ashamed and thank you both for your support. Thank you very much.

 Chapter 430 419 Second Battalion Tradition

    All the troops of the Great Tang Group actually have their own special forces¡ªhere, "special forces" doesn''t mean what it typically does to the broader understanding.@@novelbin@@


    Or rather, these so-called special forces are just an early prototype of what real special forces would be.


    Every toon in the Great Tang Group''s security forces has its own independent reconnaissance unit, and these recon units have their own name: Rangers.


    Their missions are numerous, including freely choosing positions during an attack to take out the enemy''s firepower points, or moving forward in defense to provide early warning for the troops, and so on.


    These soldiers are all hand-picked sharpshooters with rifles that are the best quality and highest precision among selected and calibrated equipment. Your next chapter awaits on empire


    They even have their own special camouge uniforms, which are dyed in a unique way to provide better concealment.


    Cao Fei was a criminal who was directly transported to Brunas and sold to the Great Tang Group, where he became a soldier in the security forces.


    Because he trained hard and had extremely urate marksmanship, he waster promoted to be a Ranger, receiving an extra subsidy over other soldiers.


    Rangers have to do a lot more work inbat, paving roads across mountains and building bridges over water; sometimes they even have to lie motionless in the grass for a long time, facing very harsh conditions.


    But Cao Fei felt that these were nothing at all;pared to the suffering he had endured, this was nothing! He had enough to eat here at the Great Tang Group and could regain his dignity as a human being, which was so much better than his past.


    Now, he was using a bay to clear branches blocking his path, step by step in the wilderness covered in leaves.


    There was no choice; in order for the second battalion to circumvent the side and pinch the Shen Country''s troops together with the first battalion, avoiding the main roads was a must.


    They could only avoid the Shen Country''s military stationed along the road and then figure out how to carve a path through the mountains.


    To move swiftly, the second battalion yed their clever tactic once again¡ªthey left behind their heavy artillery, only carrying light weapons.


    It''s unknown whether the battalionmander had a natural predilection for abandoning his baggage, but once again, he left his heavy weapons behind with difficulty.


    The way was rugged, or to be precise, there wasn''t really a ''way'' here¡ªas the vanguard of the entire unit, Cao Fei was cutting a path for hisrades behind him.


    The moss under his feet covered the tree roots, making his steps slippery. Cao Fei carried his rifle on his back, along with ammunition, a raincoat, and a mishmash of supplies; his backpack contained food, and he had a water bottle at his waist. He had to be extremely careful to make sure he didn''t suddenly fall.


    But despite his care, he still misstepped while crossing the thick roots of arge tree.


    Lacking a guide was tragic like this; although they tried to stay as close to the road as possible, the entire marching route was fraught with unforeseen risks.


    Cao Fei tumbled messily down the sloping hillside. When he finally managed to stabilize himself, he discovered that there were a dozen people sitting in front of him.


    These people were ragged and almost indistinguishable from savages. But Cao Fei immediately recognized that they were not Goblins but ck-eyed, ck-haired people from Zheng Country.


    The other party was visibly stunned when they saw him, apparently not expecting to encounter soldiers they had never seen before in such a ce.


    For a while, both sides were somewhat awkward and cautious until several leading Rangers gathered, and nobody said a word.


    Following close behind Cao Fei were soldiers from the first toon of the firstpany, second battalion. These soldiers advanced along the route, piling up next to Cao Fei one after another.


    They sized up these elderly, children, and women, unsure of what to say. From their eyes, the soldiers saw wariness and fear, as well as despair and sorrow.


    Finally, Cao Fei spoke up; after all, he was originally from Zheng Country, "We mean no harm! Are you the local residents?"


    As he spoke, he took off his helmet, revealing his ck hair. Clearly, upon seeing his ck hair, the natives seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Sir, are you military officials?" an elder asked, full of hope while protecting children behind him.


    "We are not from the Zheng Country military." The toon leader, holding his steel helmet, came over and gave these barely clothed locals¡ªwho were even less off than the beggars in Brunas¡ªa once over, dousing their hope: "Is it just you people here?"


    When the locals saw the speaker''s blonde hair, their faces filled with disappointment. They had thought their own people had regained control, but it was clear that these unfamiliar troops were not the "royal forces" they had hoped for.


    "Rest assured, we mean no harm. We need a guide to quickly get around those goblins." Cao Fei, discerning the disheartenment of these people, immediately spoke tofort them. "We are here to protect you. From now on, you are all safe."


    The elder looked at Cao Fei again, seemingly still distrusting his words. Cao Fei read hesitation in his eyes, realizing that gaining their trust would not be a simple task.


    "Are you really here to fight those people from Sheng Country?" A woman covered her body and abruptly asked a question.


    Then, her mouth was covered by an auntie behind her, who seemed afraid that she might get into trouble, and afterwards, she tugged the woman back.


    "Yes, we are indeed here to fight the people of Zheng Country." After ncing at Cao Fei, the leader of the first squad nodded and then walked over, standing in front of the slightly recoiling group of Zheng Country civilians, and took out a pack of well-wrapped biscuits from his pocket.


    These things were very hard, with an average taste, only a slight hint of saltiness, and were basic ration for replenishing energy during a march.


    He tore open the packaging bag, passed it to a frail-looking child, and took out a piece to stuff into his own mouth to indicate that it was edible.


    In this regard, he actually had a lot of experience, because in Brunas, many officers and soldiers from security troops had simr experiences. They woulde across civilians in extreme distress and often give away some of their things.


    As he chewed on the unappetizing biscuit, the leader of the first squad pointed to a further distance. "If we take this way, can we get around and reach Fengshun City?"


    The child, imitating him, chewed on the biscuit, heedless of the choking due to the minimal saliva in his mouth, and nodded. "Mhm."


    "That settles it! Since you''re unwilling to help, just stay here! We''re moving out!" The leader of the first squad was not discouraged and signaled for Cao Fei to stay while the other Rangers continued to lead the way.


    "You''re from here, stay and calm them down! Tell the troops passing by not to disturb them, understood?" The leader of the first squad pointed behind and, after cing his steel helmet on his head, instructed.


    "Yes!" Cao Fei saluted. Behind him, the soldiers of the first squad had already begun marching one after the other.


    The squad leader carrying the Thompson Submachine Gun passed these people, saw the biscuit in the hands of the boy, and after pausing briefly, he casually took a can from his rations bag and tossed it to Cao Fei still guarding the spot. "Help them open it."


    "Alright." Cao Fei caught the can, nodded, and drew a dagger from his waist to start cutting open the edge of the can using the mechanism on it.


    "Made this morning, fresh, not moldy," said a machine gunner assistant who, carrying a belt of ammunition and lugging a two-legged stand, stopped in his tracks, freed a hand, felt his pocket, took out a piece of bread, and tossed it to a woman not far away.


    "Say, isn''t our second battalion historically inclined to give away things?" The leader of the second squad of the first toonmented with a smile, as he passed by and saw the first squad''s assistant machine gunner tossing bread.


    "Damn... don''t remind me... it''s embarrassing." Observing these locals who were somewhat bewildered, the deputy of the second squad took a raincoat from his backpack, unpacked it, and handed it to a woman. "Wrap this around quickly, you''re all exposed..."


    "I''ll see what you do if it rainster," the leader of the second squad retorted sharply but had already taken out his own raincoat as well.


    "No worries, today we''re going to break into Dongwan City!" The sweaty machine gunner of the second squad said as he carried the Maxim machine gun, talking as he walked toward the distance. "Right? Squad Leader!"


    "Only you, my friend, know how to talk!" The leader of the second squad instantly felt more buoyant, as if he could already see the gates of Fengshun City.


    "Heh! We didn''t even bring the 75mm cannon; what good will it do when we reach Fengshun City? In the end, isn''t the first battalion going to benefit?" The leader of the third squad of the first toon came over, shook his head, and looked utterly disconste.


    When Cao Fei handed the opened can to the civilians who seemed to have been hungry for a while, nearly all of the refugees were shocked by this cost-no-object approach to salting and seasoning their food.


    They didn''t think this cursed method of preservation by heavily salting was unptable¡ªthey considered it an unheard-of extravagance.


    Helpless, when even subsistence was a problem, inexpensive food full of preservatives was like a blow from a higher dimension.


    The moment they tasted the strangely vored, starch-rich ham from the can, these Zheng Country civilians finally confirmed one thing¡ªthe soldiers passing by really did not intend to kill them...


    Who would offer so many good things before killing someone? After several women were covered with raincoats and finally had something to cover themselves with, the atmosphere once again subtly changed.


    "I know the way! I can take you around to the back of the Sheng Country people!" The child, holding a biscuit in one hand and a piece of the starch canned meat in the other, finally spoke up to Cao Fei.


    Cao Fei smiled, and the advancing soldiers of the Great Tang Group smiled along...

 Chapter 431 420 for a 50% discount on a hundred-year-old

    ```


    "You''re down to just a few people?" Having resumed his position at the very front of the team, Cao Fei asked the small boy ahead.


    This boy who led the way was named Liu Zhu, with themon nickname Zhu Zi, a vulgar and ubiquitous Zheng Country name, found everywhere.


    The boy deftly parted a leaf and grasped the neck of a small snake, tossing it aside, and without looking back said, "My dad and several uncles were killed by Shen Country men, the remaining uncles and brothers all fled deep into the mountains... Grandpa said, we must always leave some ''fire'' (descendants) behind."


    "We are here now; you won''t have to hide in the mountains anymore."


    "There are only a few of you. There are so many Shen Country soldiers... our Zheng Country military has been defeated and is fleeing everywhere..." The boy still did not believe what Cao Fei said, replying with great disdain.


    Cao Fei didn''t say much, just smiled and followed behind the boy.


    "To tell the truth, when I came out with you guys this time, I didn''t n on going back! I want to avenge my dad..." The child stubbornly pushed aside the grass in front of him, then turned to look at Cao Fei, "How about it? Will you let me...?"


    "No! What war could a child like you fight? Later on, you need to go to school, learn to write, learn arithmetic, also learn to shoot guns, learn hand-to-handbat, and you must learn science... There are a lot of things to learn." Cao Fei tousled Liu Zhu''s hair with his hand, his face beaming with an extremely peaceful smile.


    He had seen many sights by now; these were beautiful sights he had never witnessed in Zheng Country.


    In Brunas, he saw the streets under the neon lights, ss windows piled full of candy, skyscrapers taller than mountains, and beautiful women that made mouths water.


    He once watched a 280mm caliber heavy cannon roar during an exercise, leveling a mound with a single shot. The massive explosion made the very earth tremble, and from that moment on, he felt that he feared nothing.


    The massive steel ship he traveled on was several timesrger than the biggest sailboat he had seen in his life! Standing on the ship''s side gazing at the sea, he could even reach out and touch the wings of a seagull!


    Liu Zhu did not know, but he did; he knew that there were too many things in this world worth seeing, worth waiting for.


    So, as he tousled Liu Zhu''s head, he continued, "We are here, and you won''t be bullied again..."


    "Psh..." Liu Zhu continued walking forward, thoroughly unconvinced by Cao Fei''s words; to him, these promises were not worth a dime.


    It would have been better to hand him a Shireck Flintlock Gun, load it with a bullet for him, and let him go gamble his life with those short Goblin bandits.


    "Up ahead is the roadbed! If you head south, that''s Fengshun City; to the north... that''s where the Shen Country soldiers are." After a morning''s battle, Liu Zhu, who hid not far away, naturally knew the exact location of those Shen Country men.


    Cao Fei parted the shrubbery in front of him and indeed saw a somewhat sloppily made roadbed. He cautiously climbed to the edge of the road, surveyed both sides, and gestured to those behind him.


    The camouged Rangers, carrying weapons and bending low, crossed the road at top speed, disappearing on the other side in a matter of seconds.


    "Please, give me a gun. I want to take revenge..." Liu Zhu continued to plead, for this might be his only chance for revenge.


    "I promised your grandfather I would bring you back safe and sound! Just follow me obediently! I guarantee I''ll help you kill a few more Shen Country men, how about that?" Cao Fei was not willing to let a child go to war and negotiated with the small guide.


    While he spoke, most of the soldiers from the first row had already crossed the road. The gunners carrying the heavy machine guns and their assistants holding the tripods followed one after another across the road.


    Liu Zhu looked somewhat bewildered; clearly, he had not seen a military force fight like this before. He had thought these people would form up along the road and then, with drums beating, charge from the back towards the Shen Country encampment.


    Little did he know, this so-called army looked nothing but a bunch of cowards to him¡ªthey only tried every means to hide in the woods, just like the civilians.


    At this sight, Liu Zhu was very disappointed; he felt that Cao Fei was deceiving him, and these men were merely stragglers and scattered troops, not here to fight but to rob at roadsides.


    He was half right!


    The second battalion indeed nned to rob at the roadside, annihting the Shen Country''s retreating forces headed for Fengshun City in the open field, without letting a single one escape.


    For the second battalion, this tactic was the least costly, simplest, and most effective. As long as these Shen Country field troops could not retreat to Fengshun City, then taking the city afterwards would be much easier.


    Although they did not bring heavy weapons, if there were only a few defenders left, would they still need heavy artillery for a siege?


    Well, at least the logic was consistent, wasn''t it?


    While Liu Zhu was disappointed, the second battalionmander had already ordered themunication soldiers of the battalion headquarters to start cranking the handle, charging the telegraph machine.


    With thesemunication devices that could be connected at any time, the tactical flexibility of the Great Tang Group was naturally much higher than their opponents.


    A few minutester, with preparationsplete and just waiting for the first battalion to take position, they began the long-prepared general offensive.


    ```


    It''s not an exaggeration to say that the firepower of the headquarters, along with the artillery left by the 2nd Battalion and the 1st Battalion''s own artillerymen, dozens of guns of various models and calibers, instantly unleashed a barrage of shells on the heads of the Shenwu Troops.


    The centenarian of Shenwu waspletely stunned... It was the first time he had experienced such fierce artillery fire, and he was so shocked that he couldn''t even speak clearly for a moment.


    Standing by his side, Shengwu Yuan had experienced simr bombardment, so he was a bit calmer than the centenarian, but not by much.


    By the time Shengwu Yuan had gathered himself and took overmand from the centenarian, directing the troops to regroup, he realized that he seemed to have lost control over the military.


    The sky full of artillery fire forced his troops into hiding. Themunication soldiers he had sent out, to his disbelief, not a single one returned with news.


    He wanted to understand what exactly had happened to his troops, but before he could figure it out, the centenarian had already recovered, and he was still clueless.


    In fact, there was no need for him to figure it out anymore, as the centenarian had mobilized three legions from Fengshun City, a total of 4,500 men and 30 cannons...


    After the first and second assaults, they had lost about 500 men, and then they were ordered to stand by until now.


    There were about 4,000 usable soldiers left, and after this round of merciless shelling, at most about 3,000 remained.


    However, this was only the number of troops they could gather and find; it didn''t mean these troops were still capable ofbat. They had been scared witless by the terrifying artillery fire and had long lost the will to fight.


    So, the centenarian of Shenwu, havinge back to his senses, immediately made the decision to retreat¡ªgiven the enemy''s ferocious artillery, it was wise to withdraw quickly.


    As long as they retreated into Fengshun City, tens of thousands of civilians could be used as human shields, and two legions defending the city could provide reinforcements. At least they could try to hold the defense. In the field facing such artillery, he definitely had no confidence.


    Thus, abandoning the wounded on the spot, the Shenwu forces that had set out from Fengshun City began their retreat. The centenarian of Shenwu, without looking back, handed overmand to Shengwu Yuan, and with dozens of cavalry, charged towards Fengshun City, much faster than when he had led his troops out.


    On the other side, Liu Zhu, listening to the distant and dull artillery fire that made his heart pound, was once again somewhat confused.


    He had seen battles before. Zheng Country''s troops had fought against Shenwu''s on Dongwan Ind a few times, but those phnx confrontations were clearly different from the battle at hand.


    Liu Zhu even wondered what kind of fight could be considered a real battle: were the bloody scenes of battlefields he had seen before all wrong?


    Before he could understand these issues, Cao Fei nudged him lightly with his elbow, "They''reing! I''ll count this shot as yours, so watch closely! The second one from the left!"


    In the ranger unit, Cao Fei always targeted the second on the left. This was a tactical arrangement that had long been agreed upon.


    He rested his K3 rifle on a horizontal tree root, aimed at the galloping cavalry in the distance, gently pressed his finger on the trigger guard, and then softly ced it on the trigger.


    Two secondster, after adjusting his breathing, Cao Fei pulled the trigger. The K3 rifle jerked back slightly, and a bullet flew out of the barrel.


    Amidst a series of crackling gunfire, a third of the charging knights fell from their horses.@@novelbin@@


    Liu Zhu''s eyes widened in shock; he had never seen such a clean and efficient way of killing. While he was still in a daze, Cao Fei had already pulled the bolt back, reloading the rifle with a fresh round.


    "Tatatatatata!" The Maxim machine gun opened fire, the horses neighed and slowed, and the goblins riding them were thrown off in a flurry.


    The goblins hadn''t grasped what was happening before they were turned into sieves by the bullets flying toward them.


    The centenarian of Shenwu grasped the reins tightly as soldiers on his nk fell, shot down one after another. His eyes wide with shock, he failed to see where the bullets wereing from.


    Even though they were being surrounded and hindered, shouldn''t the enemy have formed up in a line to block the way? He subconsciously gauged the Great Tang Group''s strategy with the tactics he was familiar with.


    He didn''t reflect on the fact that the 1st Battalion blocking their advance hadn''t set up their defense line in the middle of the road either.


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    Unfortunately, before he could make sense of it all, he saw a sh of cold light on the hillside a hundred meters away.


    A bullet flew straight at him, hitting the centenarian of Shenwu right in the forehead. He reeled backward, clutching at his horse''s mane, not even having the chance to let go of the reins before making the horse rear up with a neigh.


    The centenarian of Shenwu tumbled off his horse, and nearby soldiers rushed to help theirmanding officer. But those who approached quickly realized that their centenarian seemed beyond help.


    Although his father had named him in the hope that he would live a hundred years free from illness and trouble, it was now obviously impossible¡ªhe was far from it, more than half short...


    The Shenwu soldiers hadn''t even had the time to retreat before they were mowed down by sweeping gunfire, screaming as they followed their hundred-year-old master to the end.

 Chapter 432 Round 421 is now for the people of the Mirage Country.

    This battle¡­ can it be fought like this?


    Liu Zhu''s eyes widened, unsure if he was dreaming. Cao Fei beside him had only fired five shots, and the fight, fast as lightning, had ended just like that.


    He hadn''t quite grasped what had happened when he was merely listening to the dense gunfire, then watching Cao Fei repeat actions he couldn''t understand.


    It all seemed like a game; he didn''t even wait for the enemy''s counterattack¡ªthe few dozens of Cavalry all fell on the road before him.


    Even, there were hardly any horses left¡­


    He swallowed hard, watching as Cao Fei calmly opened the chamber and let a shiny cartridge case fall at his feet.


    Then, Liu Zhu saw Cao Fei take out a strip of bullets from the ammo pouch under his ribs and press them directly into the magazine, then turn back and throw the ejected clip onto the ground.


    "Four, I missed one; he was lucky," Cao Feimented with a hint of regret, seeming slightly unsatisfied, "But he didn''t get away¡­ Don''t know who took him down¡­"


    After speaking, he didn''t hear a response from Liu Zhu and turned to look at him, only to find the kid staring dumbfoundedly at the rifle in his own hands.


    "Hey! Now you know how formidable I am, right?" He gently patted the K3 rifle, showing off a bit, "How about that?"


    Liu Zhu looked down and picked up a brass cartridge case from the ground, curiosity and awe in equal measure as he could still feel the warmth on it.


    Cao Fei paused for a moment, then knelt on one knee, found the cartridge cases that had just been ejected onto the ground by his feet, and picked up the clip he had just thrown away.


    Then, in front of Liu Zhu, he inserted each cartridge case back into the clip and finally held out his hand, asking Liu Zhu to hand over the cartridge case he was holding.


    After he snapped the cartridge case from Liu Zhu''s hand into the clip, he handed the clip with five empty cartridge cases over to Liu Zhu, "It''s yours now!"


    "Gulp." Liu Zhu swallowed hard and then cradled the five cartridge cases fixed by the clip as if he were holding something incredible.


    "You¡­ you just mentioned¡­ learning¡­ learning what?" Finally, the boy recovered from the shock and asked Cao Fei a somewhat blunt question.


    Cao Fei was taken aback, and then heughed, "Learn everything, learn how to shoot, learn all sorts of knowledge, and when you grow up, you can earn money, get married, and live a good life."


    "Can I be as formidable as you?" Even though Liu Zhu didn''t know how many Zheng Country people Cao Fei had just killed, he still felt that the uncle beside him might be the most formidable soldier in the world.


    "One day you will be much more formidable than I am!" Cao Fei reached out again, ruffling the boy''s hair, "Grow up fast, be an adult."


    "Mm." Clearly, the boy believed Cao Fei''s words. There was no reason not to; he had witnessed firsthand dozens of soldiers from Shenwu Country ughtered effortlessly by Zheng Country men, utterly powerless to fight back.


    Such a powerful person surely wouldn''t lie to him; he had no reason to deceive or to be so kind to him.


    "They never learn their lesson and keeping back," Cao Fei rubbed his nose with his finger, watching as arge group of Shenwu Country soldiers retreated in a ck mass along the road.


    These soldiers from Shenwu Country seemed to have noticed the corpses of the Cavalry lying in the middle of the road, but they pressed on regardless, directly trampling over the skeletons of the horses and soldiers.


    "So many¡­" It was the first time Liu Zhu had seen so many soldiers from Shenwu Country. Previously, even if there were thousands of Zheng Country''s military, they were basically chased and killed by two or three hundred soldiers from Shenwu Country, with no power to fight back.


    Hence, Shenwu Country''s troops didn''t need to assemble an army for battle; they could easily defeat Zheng Country''s forces with just one battalion.


    But this time, the retreating troops from Shenwu Country were dense and numerous. No matter how you looked at it, there were over a thousand, and what was more shocking was that this time, it was the Shenwu Country''s military that was in retreat.


    Those Goblins from Shenwu Country, who once rampaged with bays, killing civilians at will, and saw the soldiers of Zheng Country as nothing but livestock, were now just as wretched and leaderless as Zheng Country''s military, looking like a bunch of livestock themselves.


    "No matter how many, they''re all targets¡­" Cao Fei continued aiming and coldly pulled the trigger with a scoff. Bang, a Shenwu Country soldier fell to the ground a hundred or so meters in front of him. Readtest stories on empire


    With that gunshot, more gunshots began to echo in the woods. One after another, Shenwu Country soldiers fell, and at that moment, the retreating soldiers finally realized something was amiss.


    The enemy was not a small raiding force, but a bona fide opposing army blocking their way!


    While they were still confused, that familiar, fearsome, and unstoppable volley of gunfire began to roar once again.


    "Tat tat tat tat!" The Maxim machine guns resumed their relentless roaring, sweeping into the crowds of Shenwu Troops just like raindrops, reaping swath after swath of people from Zheng Country just as one would cut down wheat.


    By the time Cao Fei fired his third shot, the troops from Zheng Country had already copsed. Some were retreating non-stop, while others rushed forward in desperation.


    No one bothered with the wounded on the ground, nor did they care about theirrades who were already dead. The goblins scrambled around like headless flies, and not even one returned fire.


    Almost no one fired a shot! The matchlock guns they carried required too much time to prepare to fire, and this group of goblins simply didn''t have the courage to stop and reload, fearing they would be just another corpse on the ground.


    Shengwu Yuan rode his tall horse amongst the troops, having abandoned his muzzle-loading cannons, discarded his carriage, and even left behind his supply wagons, provisions, and materials, his mind only focused on making a swift retreat back to Fengshun City in order to save himself.


    Yet, he found himself trapped at an unknown location, blocked by an enemy force he didn''t recognize.


    At first, he thought they were just scattered military renegades hiding in the mountains, seizing the opportunity to steal supplies and harass his retreating troops.


    Only when he arrived at the front line did he realize that those blocking their path and those pursuing them from behind were the same! The tactics were identical, the sound of gunfire was indistinguishable, and the terror they inspired was precisely the same! This realization drove Shengwu Yuan into a profound despair.


    For a moment, he was almost certain of one fact, which was that neither he nor his troops would be able to return to Fengshun City.


    The next second, Shengwu Yuan could not quite reconcile himself to this fate. He decided to take a gamble, to attempt onest desperate struggle. After all, only after trying would he be able to give up in peace, right?


    And so, he drew the sword at his waist, charged through the troops on his warhorse, shing at the copsed soldiers and urging the remaining ones to fight to the death to break through.


    His ferocity caused the disorganized soldiers of Zheng Country to regain a semnce of order.


    The flustered goblins from Zheng Country finally began reloading their weapons; among the chaos, the military band started pounding on the drums, and many of the lower-ranked officers raised their voices in slogans, trying to straighten the ranks around them.


    Cao Fei, from a distance, watched a man astride a tall horse trying to reassemble his forces in the enemy''s formation. He smiled and pulled back the bolt, reloaded five bullets into his rifle.


    Then he smoothly pushed the bolt forward, chambering a round. He rested his cheek on the stock, peered through the rear sight on the spine of his rifle, and sighted the scrambling figure.


    "Hoo..." Drawing a deep breath, his whole body rxed, Cao Fei ced the notch on Shengwu Yuan, holding his breath to stop any minute trembling.


    A secondter, he acted like lightning, squeezing the trigger, the butt of the rifle kicked against his shoulder, and the dwarf mounted on the horse in the distance fell dead in response.


    Shengwu Yuan felt as if something had struck his chest fiercely. He tumbled from his horse and crashed into the crowd below.


    A nearby goblin officer hurried to check on him, a few soldiers gathered around, and Shengwu Yuan''s Guard dismounted, not caring anymore about the slight semnce of order they had managed to restore, as chaos erupted again in their ranks.


    Shengwu Yuan was aplete mess, and by the time he finally came back to his senses, he saw fresh blood flowing profusely from his chest. People tried pressing on the wound, but the blood wouldn''t stop, spurting out unabated between the fingers pressed to his chest.


    In that moment, he felt no pain, only a daze, and before he could even understand what had happened, he began to lose consciousness.


    "My lord! My lord! Hold on, my lord!" the officer of Zheng Country holding him cried out with sobs, attempting to encourage Shengwu Yuan to hang on to life.@@novelbin@@


    Shengwu Yuan''s Guard also gathered around him, helplessly watching as the blood flowing from Shengwu Yuan stained his uniform red.


    It was a pity that there was blood everywhere now, and the goblins had be numb to it; otherwise, this scene alone would have been enough to terrify them into copse.


    As his end neared, Shengwu Yuan reached out, attempting to point toward Fengshun City, but halfway through the motion, his arm lost all its strength.


    That arm dropped suddenly, and the leader of the Zheng Country troops, Shengwu Yuan... died.


    His death was quick, lying not even twenty meters from where the hundred-year-old corpse of another from Fengshun¡ªanother high-rankingmander from Zheng Country¡ªhad fallen, almost in the very same ce.


    And just as the troops of Zheng Country had started to rally for a few seconds, they fell back into endless disarray at the death of theirmanding officer.


    The fight was far from over, but even Liu Zhu knew that it was actually finished. He had seen too many Zheng Country military units fall into such chaos, only to be likembs to the ughter, killed one by one by the people from Zheng Country.


    Now, it was the turn of the people from Zheng Country.

 Chapter 433 422 eyes

    Shenwu Xiong sat in his ownmand tent, silently looking at the message that had just been handed to him.


    The message had been sent here with utmost urgency, and its content was from the navalmander to the defensive fleet stationed at Fengshun City.


    The message was straightforward: the enemy''s warships were advanced, and our own fleet had already suffered heavy losses and could not break free.


    Not long after this telegram reached Shen Wenmao, who was left in charge of Fengshun City, a second telegram arrived from Fengshun City itself.


    Fengshun City had also received the telegram of the fleet''s destruction, meaning that both fleets were now in grave danger.


    After receiving these two frightening messages, Shen Wenmao did not dare to dy, and he immediately ordered his signaler to send a message to Shenwu Xiong with the greatest speed, hoping he could be prepared.


    Shenwu Xiong, who had been waiting for Shenwu Bai tounch an attack and encircle the enemy from both sides, waspletely stunned upon receiving the message.


    It must be known that the Shen Country Navy was the strongest in the Western Endless Sea, and Shen Country was a maritime nation, with the army relying on the navy to transport supplies and sustain defenses.


    If something went wrong with the navy, then he was not fighting on Dongwan Ind, but rather, he was trapped! These were entirely two different concepts, and naturally, the tactics would bepletely different.


    If the navy had wiped out the enemy fleet, then for each enemybatant he exhausted here on this front, the enemy''s power would diminish, and in the end, Shen Country would emerge victorious no matter what.


    But with the naval fleet taking a heavy hit from the enemy, his entanglement with the enemy troops here was aplete waste of his own strength.


    The enemy''s firepower was fierce, which Shenwu Xiong had experienced firsthand. In all honesty, if not for his confidence in the navy, Shenwu Xiong even felt it would be more sensible to return to defend Fengshun City.


    Those were 35 sail warships and 5 irond Ming Wheel Ships! A total of 40 warships had been defeated by the enemy fleet...


    Not to mention the enemy fleet''s capability, the loss alone almost meant the loss of sea control around Dongwan Ind for Shen Country.


    In such a situation, Shenwu Xiong did not believe he still had the assurance of annihting the enemy''s army. What he should do now was to protect Fengshun City and prepare for Shen Country''s counter-offensive.


    Because as long as the port of Fengshun City wasn''t lost, Shen Country still had a chance to turn defeat into victory and the possibility to retake Dongwan Ind!


    If even Dongwan Port was lost, Dongwan Ind would be unrecoverable! Shenwu Xiong was very aware, retaking Dongwan Ind from these enemies would be much more difficult than when it had been seized from Zheng Country.


    So, in just a few seconds, Shenwu Xiong made his decision: he had to retreat with the troops he had at hand!


    To be honest, he could no longer care about the situation in Fengshun City, because in fact... themunication between Fengshun City and Fengshun had already been cut off by the enemy. Thankfully, both sides had Ming Wheel Ships for a slight chance tomunicate through telegrams; this was a small fortune amidst great misfortune.


    With this in mind, the old and shrewd Shenwu Xiong immediately gave the order to retreat, "Let the troops with wounded cover the rear, immediately assemble and return to Dongwan City!"


    He still had the advantage in numbers. In the direction of Dongwan City, he at least had more than 20,000 troops left. ording to his judgment, while his forces were insufficient for an attack, they were certainly more than enough for defense.


    As long as he could withstand the enemy''s attack, then he would have the chance to hold his position and wait for reinforcements! This was his opportunity, as well as Shen Country''s.


    Unfortunately, he was unaware that his opponent had already prepared a present for him or rather, for the Shen Country''s troops on Dongwan Ind ¨C a surprise gift!


    ...


    "We should be close by now... I believe," Tang Mo scrutinized the map before him, his tone carrying a mix of anticipation, excitement, and nervousness.


    This was his personally favored weapon making its debut on the historical stage, so he was incredibly excited.


    Back then, this innovation had excited many yers encountering a real-time strategy game for the first time. Now, Tang Mo was reenacting that ssic scene in an alternate world¡ªhow could he not be thrilled?


    "Nobody can stay calm at the sight of them, sir," standing behind Tang Mo, Yulin affirmed confidently.


    "Hahaha! I''m already imagining the expressions of those from Shen Country. I hope they like the big gift I''ve prepared for them," Tang Mo rubbed his fingers uncontrobly, staring at the circr ma that represented a troop unit on the map.


    Near the waters of Dongwan Ind, the Great Tang Group''s follow-up fleet, including a Brunas-ss irond warship escorting five Free Wheelers, was sailing across the sea.


    They had already seen Dongwan Ind, and soon the soldiers from the two battalions aboard these Free Wheelers would reach the battlefield.


    Having spent nearly a month adrift at sea, these weary soldiers stood on the deck, indulging in the sea breeze, leaning against the railing and dry heaving.


    The soldiers could no longer vomit anything out; each person''s face was pale as sweat and a foul stench emanated from them, a smell that refused to dissipate even on deck.


    Soon these listless soldiers realized something was not right; they lifted their heads listlessly toward the sky, their eyes devoid of life now filled with awe and devotion.@@novelbin@@


    More people rushed to the deck, even sailors eager to catch a glimpse crowded in, and just above the fleet, huge shadows loomed, like dark clouds overshadowing the crowded masses on the deck.


    A massive airship with pointed ends silently glided over the fleet. On either side of the hardshell airship, massive propeller des spun ceaselessly.


    What was terrifying was the airship''s front end, where the pointed gasbag''s head was exaggeratedly painted with the sharp teeth and voracious mouth of a shark, and those murderous eyes seemed to look down on the prey below.


    There wasn''t just one of these airships nor two, but many¡ªa fleet of about 20 airships had assembled, flying toward Dongwan Ind inyers, high and low.


    If it weren''t for therge dragon emblems in the middle of these airships that revealed their identity, the soldiers of the Great Tang Group''s security forces gazing up at the sky might have been thrown into a panic.


    Because this was the first time so many airships had appeared in the sky at once! And it was also the first time in the world that an air force had participated in war!


    One quiet airship after another flew over the heads of the fleet, surpassing it, and headed toward Dongwan Ind at an even faster speed.


    Themanders inside the lower cabins of these "Great Shark" airships all waited quietly, waiting for their target to appear beneath their feet.


    Right behind the pilot''s cabin, beyond theplicated altitude-maintaining gas regtion devices, in the huge ammunition hatch, the bombs hanging on the dropping devices had already had their safety features removed and the fuses set.


    ...


    In Fengshun City, Shenwu Chun, the defender who was oblivious to the annihtion of Shenwu Yuan''s army of centenarians, had already started directing troops and arranging for stronger coastal defenses at the port.


    He still had over 3,000 soldiers at his disposal, and together with the warships in the port, they still possessed some fighting strength.


    Worried about an enemy fleet surprise attacking the port side, he dispatched a battalion of troops to the coastal gun batteries to strengthen their readiness.


    In reality, there was no need to steadfastly defend that gun battery¡ªit was a defensive instation left over by the Zheng Country military, equipped with thirty-year-old Shireck muzzle-loading cannons.


    Even by the military standards from five years ago, this artillery fortification and the weapons atop it were already hopelessly outdated and useless, let alone now.


    In fact, when Sheng Country attacked Fengshun City, the Zheng Country defenders simply abandoned the batteries without firing a single shot.


    The cowardice of those Zheng Country people was one reason they abandoned the batteries, another reason being the sheer obsolescence of the ce; there was no need to defend it.


    Nevertheless, Shenwu Chun decided to station troops to defend that outdated battery, thinking that dying the enemy''s attack on the port was beneficial, at least giving him time to prepare.


    As a result, inside Fengshun Port, about 1,000 troops, actually two battalions, were deployed on the seaside, while the remaining 2,000 were defending the other three directions.


    Because his forces were somewhat insufficient, Shenwu Chun had been hoping for Shenwu Yuan and Shenwu Chun to return with their troops for defense.


    However, what he received was news that his own troops had been surrounded by the enemy and were likely to be annihted! The reason he got this news was simple: not a single messenger he had sent out returned!


    In the end, he dispatched some cavalry who eventually confirmed the news of their own troops being isted and surrounded. Then he knew that the enemy was probably headed for Fengshun City!


    With no one to rely on anymore, Shenwu Chun decided to rely on himself. He personally went up to the city walls, arranged the defenses, and prepared to fight to the death for Sheng Country.


    Soon, unidentified enemy forces began to move around, and Fengshun City was in grave danger, with everything primed for battle, ready to erupt at any moment.


    All the people of Sheng Country were tense, relying on the city walls to monitor every move of the distant enemy. It seemed the enemy was not in a rush, merely going through ordinary preparatory work.


    As Shenwu Chun held his breath, bracing for a tempest to strike, a sudden scream from a goblin soldier broke out in the distance.


    Along with this sudden scream, the defensive line of the Sheng Country troops seemed to waver.


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    Looking in the direction from which the shout hade, Shenwu Chun felt his legs go weak, and he copsed to the ground.


    He saw a shark with a gaping maw flying in the sky, an evil eye staring down at him.


    This gigantic shark in the sky had crossed the mountains and appeared abruptly over Fengshun City.


    Although it was still some distance away from Fengshun City, the current spectacle felt like torture before death, providing not the slightest cause for cheer.


    As time passed, the soldiers of Sheng Country saw one giant shark after another fly over the ridge and slowly approach Fengshun City.


    To the Sheng Country people who had never seen such a terrifying sight before, it was almost like a divine sign, a pressure that left them with no desire to resist.


    Some people of Sheng Country began to kneel and worship, while others screamed in hysteria. They began to wonder if they had angered the gods, and some were already prepared to open the city gates and surrender in an attempt to atone for their sins.


    All within Fengshun City would never forget this day, with its sky full of sharp teeth and those eyes gazing down upon them.

 Chapter 434 423 battle over

    The people of Shenwu were stupefied by everything before their eyes, unable to imagine something so huge could soar through the sky.


    This was simply too insane; they looked up at the eyes that loomed over them and werepletely engulfed in terror.


    They felt targeted by a demon, and with the reverence one might have for sharks in the ocean, they couldn''t muster the slightest courage to struggle.


    Many knelt on the ground, ceaselessly kowtowing to the monsters in the sky, as if they were pounding garlic.


    Numerous soldiers even threw away their guns, fearful that these hovering monstrosities would unleash divine punishment for their disrespect.


    "O heavenly gods above, I have sinned! I have sinned! Forgive me! Forgive me!" a Shenwu officer was no better off than the soldiers beside him, also kneeling on the ground, endlessly chanting.


    Shenwu Chun had just been scared into falling on the ground, and at this moment, he was in a sorry state. He had already seen seven or eight of these colossal airships slowly descending on Fengshun City,pletely blotting out the sky.


    Of course, he had no idea of the tremendous power these things possessed, for he had neverid eyes on such things before.


    A rabbit definitely can''t tell if an alien is a threat to itself, because it simply doesn''t know what an alien is.


    Inside Fengshun City, themon folk of Zheng Country were also dumbstruck by the events unfolding before them; what Shenwu people hadn''t seen, they naturally hadn''t either.


    They, too, had never seen what airships looked like and were petrified, unable to speak at the sight of the terrifying eyes on the airships.


    Already terror-stricken by the Shenwu''s massacres, now witnessing all this, they were scared out of their wits¡ªthey simply didn''t know if yet another, more ferocious devil hade...


    With no idea, and upon first seeing the shark-like paint jobs, they were not even sure if the strange creatures flying above their heads were made by humans.


    Goblins were already bastardly enough; if orcs or elves and dwarves were toe, who knew what the scene would be like?


    Some women held their children close, while some elders sighed andmented; the men had wooden expressions, as the entire city seemed like hamsters beneath the shadow of an eagle''s wings, cowering and trembling in corners.


    "Mommy..." a terrified child huddled in his mother''s embrace, not daring to look at the eyes in the sky.


    "Great cmity is upon us, great cmity is upon us!" an elder leaning on a walking stick stared at the increasingly numerous airships in the sky,menting with a voice of despair.


    "Boom!" Having applied explosives, the Great Tang ground troops sted open the gates of Fengshun City, with splinters flying everywhere, cutting the Shenwu soldiers behind the door into pieces.


    Amidst the screams and pleas for mercy from the Shenwu soldiers swept over by the explosion yet still alive, soldiers from the Great Tang Group charged into the city with their rifles ready.


    Shenwu soldiers, already half dead from fright at the spectacle in the sky, immediately raised their hands; they clearly did not wish to have their heads plucked off by heavenly soldiers.


    They were in awe of the enemy soldiers rushing in, each tall and formidable, and their actions were so swift and expert that it took one''s breath away.


    The Great Tang soldiers almost unconsciously used their bays to skewer the writhing Shenwu wounded on the ground, quickly bringing silence to the area near the gates.


    Such proficient thrusting made the Shenwu soldiers see themselves in their enemy, the familiarity sparked a sense of kinship, but also made them obedient and tame due to fear.


    Helpless, they were well aware of their own brutality, so they were extremely submissive to any existence even more ferocious than them, fearing that they would show an even more brutal nature.


    Strangely enough, upon entering the city, the soldiers of the Great Tang Group immediately unfurled a huge red banner on the ground, and in the very center of the banner was embroidered a strange dragon emblem.


    The blood-colored Dragon Banner, the g of the Great Tang Group, also served as the ground forces'' signal tomunicate with the airships above¡ªjust before boarding, they had only justpleted special training in this area.


    At the very moment they saw the airships, the 1st and 2nd battalions knew they had to quickly notify the friendly forces above not to drop bombs!


    Others did not know, but they were aware of the actual power of these airships¡ªif they started bombing, then Fengshun City would basically be doomed!


    Entirely different from airnes, airships were slow, which meant their bombing uracy was terrifyingly precise. In certain conditions, they could even hover and bomb with absolute precision.


    The bombs fell in a near-vertical line, not in a parabolic arc¡ªsuch an attacking characteristic gave the airships a level of strike uracy that could nearlypete with guided missiles.


    What was more dreadful was that the majority of the cities in this world were not made of steel and concrete forests nor constructed of cement, their ability to withstand bombardment was indeed limited.


    Several hundred bombs would be enough to turn Fengshun City intoplete ruins; that''s not an exaggeration but actually somewhat of an understatement.


    So themanders of the 1st and 2nd Battalion discussed it and decided to storm into the city first, and then stop the Air Force from bombing.


    Their progress was swift, and the reason why only one g was unfurled was that, ording to tradition, the 2nd Battalion''s g had been left behind halfway there.


    Themander of the airship troops who had been preparing tomence the attack soon spotted the huge g spread out on the ground and somewhat regretfully canceled the attack order.


    He couldn''t bear the responsibility of bombing friendly forces, so he could only obediently order the airships to stand by and wait for news from the ground.


    "Wait a bit longer! Let''s see how our ground forces are doing! I really want to see... there are still some enemy ships at the port..." After putting down the binocrs, the airship troopmander, standing at the front of the airship''s gond and looking through the ss window toward the distant harbor, turned to his executive officer.


    "Signal to airship number 4! Tell them we''re preparing to turn! The target is the harbor area... there are gun emcements and warships," the executive officer immediately understood and gave the order.


    On the ground, the civilians of Zheng Country were staring dumbfounded as they watched a group of soldiers they had never seen before hurrying past their homes.


    These soldiers wore grey-green military uniforms, helmets on their heads, carrying slender rifles, with a bunch of stuff shaking slightly with their steps.


    They looked more like peddlers hawking goods in the streets and alleys than fighters.


    Timid as mice, they even checked cautiously against the walls at every corner to see if there was any danger.


    When they ran, they tried to keep their heads down as much as possible, iparable to the big-headed soldiers who barged forward with guns and uniform steps.


    Yet it was these soldiers who rushed into Fengshun City, capturing groups of Shenwu troops without even the frightening sound of gunshots within the city.


    The previously fierce andwless Shenwu soldiers now hung their heads in defeat, their expressions as listless and dejected as the soldiers of Zheng Country had been.


    What followed was that these somewhat startled civilians of Zheng Country were surprised to see among these timid-looking strange soldiers, many had a pair of ck eyes.


    Themander of the 1st Battalion, having entered the city gates, took a statistical report from an officer at the battalion headquarters and looked at the numbers.


    It was more or less what he had estimated, barring the several dozen Shenwu soldiers who had been killed at the city gate and the dozen or so who had been injured by the sts then stabbed to death, the rest of the Shenwu troops had surrendered.


    Including variousmanders and other assorted attendants, there were in all more than 3,100 Shenwu prisoners.


    As for the Shenwu Navy docked in Fengshun City, they had all been sunk by a Brunas-ss warship blockading outside the port.


    Thending fleet transporting the 2nd Regiment had directly breached the port, and the 2nd Regiment was now unloading; their speed of disembarking was much faster than that of the 1st Regiment this time.


    The Shenwu Country had stockpiled enough food in Fengshun City to feed 10,000 people for several months, and all of this was now war booty for the Great Tang Group. Additionally, several sailboats that had not managed to leave the harbor to join the battle were also captured.


    In short, the battle of Fengshun City, which was supposed tost several hours, ended in just over an hour due to the sudden appearance of the airships.


    The Great Tang Group captured Fengshun City without shedding any blood, even seizing intact key facilities such as batteries and docks.


    Thus, the deployment of 6 legions of Shenwu troops in the direction of Fengshun City, totaling 9,000 troops, waspletely annihted by the Great Tang Group. The Shenwu forces'' situation of threatening thending site from both nks was utterly broken, and the Shenwu troops on Dongwan Ind were in grave danger.


    Meanwhile, the Shenwu Navy''s fleet stationed on Dongwan Ind had also suffered heavy losses, with more than 50 sailing warships and 7 Ming Wheel Ships sunk,pletely losing control of the sea near Dongwan Ind.


    Commanders Shenwu Yuan and Shenwu Chun perished in the chaos, and the defending general of Fengshun City, Shenwu Chun, surrendered. The Great Tang Group''s 1st Division, 2nd Regiment, was able tond at the port of Fengshun City.@@novelbin@@


    The first phase of the battle ended with aplete victory for the Great Tang Group, and the airship troops, while intimidating the enemy with their debut and helping the ground troops achieve a major victory, ended up not dropping a single bomb, feeling extremely frustrated to the very end.


    "Have the troops rest and reorganize quickly! There''s still a lot left to do..." The first thing themander of the 2nd Regiment did afternding was to get ustomed to the stable ground. Find more to read at empire


    He watched his troops disembark down the gangway, saw the cranes onboard the ships unloading vehicles and heavy weapons onto the narrow docks, his face full of dissatisfaction.


    The port facilities here were so poor that it severely affected their unloading speed, but it couldn''t be helped¡ªthere was just too much here in need of renovation.

 Chapter 435 424 Northbound

    The victor can always walk with their head held high, thepanymander nced at the cautious Shenwu Chun following by his side and continued forward with disdain.


    He was not familiar with the affairs inside the city, so he had to bring along such a prisoner officer to get a brief on the basic situation within the city.


    As they walked, thepanymander was disgusted. He saw a row of bodies hanging from an archway in the street.


    They were the corpses of Zheng Country people, all dressed in military uniforms, and it looked like they had been hanging there for some time.


    Thepanymander stopped in his tracks and looked at Shenwu Chun, dragging out his words as he asked, "I say, what does this mean?"


    Shenwu Chun carefully raised his head to nce at the hanging corpses and quickly exined, "The people of Zheng Country were dissatisfied with our military''s upation and attacked our patrolling soldiers at night, so we killed some prisoners of war and hung them here to warn those stubborn elements..."


    "Not a bad idea," thepanymander''s face revealed a cruel smile, "I really should hang you up there!"


    After saying this, he looked at his executive officer, "Have the Shen Country prisoners take down the bodies and bury them properly."


    The executive officer was stunned, then nodded and turned to order, "Did you hear that?"


    The officers behind him nodded as well, then hurried away.


    Thepanymander turned his gaze back to the increasingly tense Shenwu Chun, snorted, and continued forward. How to deal with these prisoners, he had to await the orders from above, not simply act on his own whims.


    On the other side, Bernard, upon learning that the 2nd Battalion had reached Fengshun City and the port had been taken, immediately ordered the transport fleet, which was yet to bepletely unloaded, to turn towards Fengshun City.


    There was no choice; unloading heavy weapons and equipment in the wilderness was too slow. They had exerted much effort and had only managed to get half of the heavy equipment carried by the 1st Battalion ashore.


    The equipment wasn''t guns and machine guns, as these weapons were needed forbat and had mostly been sent to shore as a priority.


    The remaining equipment was bulky and difficult to transport. Usingnding craft also made loading and unloading difficult, posing a real problem.


    Among them were transport carts, vehicles, generators,rge field tents, spare weapons and ammunition, and more.


    The goods that arrived at Fengshun Port with the 2nd Battalion were even more numerous and disordered: These troops even brought cement and some rebar to renovate and strengthen the port facilities, repair the port, and expand the port''s throughput...


    The subsequent fleets carried even more varied cargo, including manufacturing machinery,rge generators, and boiler equipment, seemingly developing in the direction of a production and construction corps.


    All these were to transform Fengshun City, or rather Dongwan Ind, into a forward base, with more than half of the supplies not meant for the Battle of Dongwan Ind anymore.


    Because in Tang Mo''s view, the Battle of Dongwan Ind, where the Great Tang Group''s 1st Division was against Shen Country''s garrison troops, was practically overkill, a minor affair.


    He didn''t believe for a second that the 1st Division would be defeated, and he hadn''t even considered the possibility of the division suffering heavy losses in this battle.


    Moreover, the Great Tang Group viewed Dongwan Ind as a springboard for attacking Zheng Country, and subsequent troops had already begun moving towards this location.


    ording to Tang Mo''s attack ns, the Great Tang Group would stockpile up to 6 or 7 divisions on Dongwan Ind, a total force of nearly 100,000 personnel in the future.


    They nned to deploy arge number of warships, air force airships, and even fighter nes. How could such arge modern force possibly be defeated by an army more backward than the Qing Dynasty?


    Therefore, in Tang Mo''s view, the most difficult part of the Battle of Dongwan Ind wasn''t capturing Dongwan Ind, but rather how to quickly build up the ind.


    That''s why, even before the battle of Dongwan Ind hadpletely ended, Tang Mo had already started thinking about transporting the subsequent construction teams onto the ind.


    The civilians in Fengshun City were still wary of the troops that stormed into the city, not knowing where they came from. Liu Zhu, who had rushed to Fengshun City with the troops, originally wanted to say goodbye to Cao Fei and go back, but when he saw the airships in the sky, he couldn''t bear to leave.


    Even from afar, he was full of curiosity about the huge Kirov Airships flying in the sky, looking like giant sharks.


    Liu Zhu, who had lived on Dongwan Ind his whole life, had never seen such giant machines flying in the sky. At this moment, he thought of Cao Fei''s words and looked forward to his future life with renewed hope.


    In the city, next to an archway that spanned across the street, a group of Shen Country prisoners carryingdders was busy. They were taking down the dried corpses hanging from the arch,ying them out one by one, covered with some ragged clothing.


    Around them, some braver civilians watched everything unfold. At the time, they dared not speak out against the mistreatment of prisoners, but now, as they saw the bodies being taken down, an inexplicable sadness welled up within them.


    Some were gently sobbing, others just watched numbly, the whole city drowned in a strange silence, devoid of any sound.


    ...


    Within Dongwan City, Shenwu Chun paced back and forth anxiously in hismand center; he had already received the news that Fengshun City had fallen.


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    Before the fleet stationed at Fengshun City Port was entirely wiped out, they had sent a message reporting the surrender of its defensive forces and the situation of being caught in a pincer attack.


    Shenwu Chun actually did not care about the remaining bit of the fleet from Fengshun City. What worried him was the shocking news sent by the fleet: the enemy had machines that could fly in the sky, enormous in size and resembling sharks.


    This type of war machine soaring in the sky imposed unprecedented pressure on Shenwu Chun: because he knew too well what they were, Shen Country had defeated Zheng Country and taken Dongwan Ind by relying on new weapons.


    This time, the enemy had unveiled airborne weapons, wouldn''t Shen Country also face the risk of defeat?


    Thinking of this, Shenwu Chun was extremely anxious, which is why he could only walk in circles, causing Shen Wenmao beside him to also be equally frustrated and restless.


    "General! You, you must think of something! Once Fengshun City is lost, the enemy will quickly turn their sights to us!" Shen Wenmao was a civil official; what he feared most was Dongwan City bing a battlefield.


    Originally, when Shen Country had upied Dongwan Ind, Shen Wenmao had gone to great lengths to secure the opportunity to make money here. Who would have thought that such a lucrative position would be a hot potato?


    In earlier times, those inds seized from Zheng Country were all full of resources. Which official sent there did not fill their coffers?


    But, who would have guessed that when it was Shen Wenmao''s turn, his fate would suddenly be so vexing; such a vast ind as Dongwan Ind was about to be lost...


    "What can I do? Huh?" Shenwu Chun frowned and looked at Shen Wenmao: "I have already sent out the telegram for reinforcement. I''ve also done all that I can do. What do you suggest I do?"


    He had in fact already repeated all the actions that could be done: there were 30,000 troops on the ind, now a third of them were lost.


    The troops he could now assemble were almost all near Dongwan City. Two-thirds of the army, twenty thousand soldiers, prepared to defend the city, and the rest, well, all that remained was to leave it to fate.


    The leadership in Shen Country wasn''tpletely out of the loop, at least much better informed than their old adversary Zheng Country. After hearing Shenwu Chun''s report, they immediately made some basic assessments.


    The invading enemy must be equipped with new bolt-action rifles, and they even had heavy machine guns that Shireck too could produce.


    Despite their high cost and decent performance, Shen Country really didn''t have the extra funds to equip their forces on arge scale.


    However, with war already upon them, Shen Country had no choice but to bite the bullet and ce arge order with Shireck for new weapons, hoping to keep hold of Dongwan Ind and preserve their hard-won fruits of victory.


    On one hand, the Shen Country leadership informed Shenwu Chun about the new weapons, telling him not to fear, and to defend Dongwan City at all costs.


    On the other hand, they assured Shenwu Chun that reinforcements equipped with the new weapons would soon be on their way to Dongwan Ind, to ay his concerns.


    With these two assurances, Shenwu Chun finally gained some confidence. Hence, he continued to deploy his troops and prepare for a desperate bout in Dongwan City.


    However, Shenwu Chun, after all, had nobat experience with the new weapons. He was also unaware of tactics such as digging trenches, so he did not make good use of this precious waiting time.


    That was inevitable. After all, even if he were aware of such tactics, the twenty thousand musket soldiers at his disposal could not rely on trenches forbat, could they?


    New tactics are born from new weapons, and outdated armaments are incapable of executing modern maneuvers.


    You tell me, would second or third-generation jets, like the F22, survive if they tried to break through enemy lines? And could a Standard Missile-2 intercept a DF-17 sessfully?@@novelbin@@


    So, Shenwu Chun gathered his troops, set up camp, and like a fool, waited for his reinforcements, waited for the enemy to arrive...


    Meanwhile, the troops from the 1st and 2nd Battalions had already begun to mobilize and gather, heading north along the road towards Dongwan City.


    It had been three days since the 1st Battalionnded on Dongwan Ind, and based on their current marching speed, it was estimated that it would take another three days to reach Dongwan Port.


    What was tragic was that the airship troops, originally nned to participate inbat, were rendered unable to fight due to malfunctions and insufficient gas refilling, forcing them to stay put.


    However, the Navy continued to be as reliable as ever¡ªafter replenishing Shen Country Navy''s coal reserves in Fengshun City, the Great Tang Group''s naval fleet proceeded northward as nned, seeking out the remnants of the Shen Country Navy for a decisive battle.


    The Shen Country Navy, meanwhile, had a reinforcement fleet heading south to support Dongwan Ind. This fleet wasposed of 15 steam-powered warships as the main force, along with almost all the avable sailing warships they could find.


    Themander of this fleet was none other than Shen Hai, who had previously sneak attacked the merchant fleet of the Great Tang Group.

 Chapter 436 April 25 Occupy Dongwan Island

    The advantage of the navy over the army lies in their speed.


    While the army troops were still assembling and resting, the naval warships, after replenishing some coal and fresh water, immediately set sail north.


    Even the three Wolf-ss warships, being cruisers, had more reserves of fresh water and coal, and thus didn''t even need to resupply.


    The six irond warships advanced along the coastline and by noon the next day had arrived north of Dongwan Ind, blocking the off-shore waters of Dongwan Port.


    The Shen Country''s navy, stationed at Dongwan Port, tried to break out but ultimately failed. They suffered heavy losses, nearly wiping out their entire fleet.


    Aside from one Ming Wheel Ship warship that remained in the harbor, all other warships that went out to battle were sunk, leaving Dongwan Indpletely isted.


    As Shen Country''s fleet was still en route to the south, Fengshun City was already on high alert. After the annihtion of the navy, Shen Wenmao found that he had lost control of the situation.


    Although he still had twenty thousand soldiers, the deployment of Shen Country on Dongwan Ind had beenpletely disrupted, and even now they had not figured out which forces were attacking them.


    Poor Shen Country, even now, was not very clear that nearly ten countries had dered war on them.


    Among those were the Dwarves of the Ice Cold Kingdom, the Orcs of Gales Kingdom, the Elves of Por Kingdom and Songmu Kingdom, as well as Dorne Kingdom, Leite Kingdom, and Suthers Kingdom on the eastern side of the Endless Sea, and the Empire of Na...


    So many countries hunting Shen Country''s fleets at sea and attacking their sailboats had caused incalcble losses to Shen Country.


    The current state of the Endless Sea was total chaos, with naval warships from various nations, flying their battle gs, reigning over the seas with impunity.


    As long as they caught up to a transport ship, they would menacingly check the gs it flew; once they confirmed it belonged to the Shen Country''s naval fleet, they wouldunch a frenzied attack.


    Sometimes, a warship would follow arge Shen Country transport trade fleet, waiting until more warships gathered beforeunching a joint attack.


    How bloody were such battles? So bloody that even the warships of many nations suffered losses, with some of their sail-powered warships being damaged or even sunk during attacks on Shen Country''s armed transport ships.


    However, that was just an exception. In most cases, Shen Country''s fleets werepletely annihted, which also reflected from another angle just how brutal the naval strangtion warfare was.


    At that time, one could see wood shavings floating everywhere on the sea surface, and frequently, injured surrending Shen Country ships could be seen docking at various ports, then hand over the goods on board.


    In six days, the Shen Country trade fleets, mostly unaware of what had happened, hadrgely be the spoils of war for various countries.


    This could only be med on their backwardness, or perhaps their ill fortune: due to the dealings with the Great Tang Group, the countries had already widely equipped themselves with telegraphs, allowing for message transmission at speeds unimaginable a few years ago.


    Who could have thought that within just a few hours after the Great Tang Group dered war on Shen Country, Dorne Kingdom would do the same?


    In the past, such brief hours might not have even been enough for a king''s order to leave King City¡­ But now, within just a few hours, eight kingdoms had united and almost simultaneously engaged in war mode against one country!


    The times have changed, and Shen Country must pay the price for their backwardness and istion. Stay tuned with empire


    Actually, it could be said that Shen Country was still doing fairly well because, even now, Zheng Country was unaware that someone had already made a move against Shen Country.


    If they knew that Shen Country was in trouble, logically speaking, Zheng Country should have taken action at this time, but the reality was, they didn''t!


    They had not heard at all that Shen Country had been beaten, nor did they know that the war machine of the Great Tang Group had started operating on Dongwan Ind, which was once their territory.


    On the 7th day after thending on Dongwan Ind, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 1st Division of the Great Tang Group had all set foot on Dongwan Ind, and the follow-up technicians and equipment had alsonded in Fengshun City.


    Arge number of ships crowded outside the port of Fengshun City, as the port''s throughput was insufficient, and they could only wait for the ships in the port to finish unloading and return.


    Luckily, the Fengshun Port had been modified by the Shen Country Navy. It took Shen Country four months to build a coal yard here for fuel stockpiling, which now served as a refueling facility for the Great Tang Group.


    There were norge cranes, nor any night lighting, and the docks were small, not to mention there was even a shortage of manpower.


    However, this was already much better than unloading troops in the open countryside, so the subsequent transport fleets were quite satisfied.


    Bernard had been driven into a corner and had no better n than to send a telegraph to the follow-up transport fleet, instructing that if the ships were sailing ships carrying less massive equipment, they should find their own ces to unload and not wait in line outside the port.


    Consequently, when the fleet of the Great Tang Group was blocking Dongwan Port, one could see the Great Tang Group''s transport ships unloading goods on the sandy beaches of the West Coast.@@novelbin@@


    Supplies piled up like mountains on the beach, some even unguarded, with valuables worth thousands, even tens of thousands of Gold Coins, simply left there and at best covered with a piece of canvas as a conscientious effort to preserve them.


    This sort of long-distance amphibious operation,cking a thorough preliminary n, meant that chaos was inevitable.


    It was relying solely on more advanced weapons and equipment, superior tactics, that victory in the campaign was ensured. It was a strategic victory built upon tactical sesses, bearing no rtion to strategic nning.


    If Nangong Hong were to learn in detail about the progression of this campaign, he would certainly be caught betweenughter and tears: the strategic concept he had dreamed of had been realized through such a barbaric method and with such a disorderly process.


    However, in the midst of such chaos, the troops of Shen Country could no longer witness it, as the 1st and 2nd Battalions, a total of five battalions including artillery reinforcements, had already moved north towards the vicinity of Dongwan City.


    On the morning of the 8th day afternding on Dongwan Ind, the troops of the 1st Battalionunched a probing attack, swiftly defeating the Shen Country forces in front of them, and captured a high point south of Dongwan City.


    Afterward, the advancing 1st Battalion continued to attack, and by noon of the same day, the 2nd Battalion had taken the southwestern defense positions outside the city.


    The attack by the 3rd Battalion went smoothly as well; by 2 p.m. that day, they had seized the enemy''s outer defense positions in the southeast direction.


    Following that, the 2nd Battalion''s troops joined the battle, and heavy artillery demolished part of Dongwan City''s walls, leading Shenwu Xiong and Shen Wenmao to surrender with their remnants.


    With that, the battle on Dongwan Ind came to an end; the Shen Country troops, numbering 17,000, surrendered and became prisoners. All civilian ships and cargo vessels in the port of Dongwan City, including that Ming Wheel Ship warship, were now spoils of war for the Great Tang Group.

 Chapter 437 426 Dongwan Naval Battle

    Shen Hai led the fleet, escorting the transport ships of Shen Guo that were ready to reinforce the ind, and arrived at the open sea off Dongwan Ind three dayster.


    Because he had lost contact, he had already determined that Dongwan City was more likely to be in a dire situation than not. Yet he did not retreat but instead led the fleet to continue charging towards Dongwan City.


    ording to his n, he intended to severely damage the enemy naval fleet in the open sea, and thenmand thend military troops to forcibly charge onto the docks of Dongwan Port and take back Dongwan City.


    He was still very confident in this: on one hand, his naval fleet wasrge enough; on the other hand, thend army he was escorting consisted of elite soldiers.


    The Shen Guo naval fleet included 15 Ming Wheel Ships¡ªalready a formidable force that could not be ignored in the western part of the Endless Sea.


    In addition to that, he had 30 sailing warships and some armed merchant ships to pad the numbers; with such an immense fleet, Shen Hai did not believe he would lose.


    As long as he crushed the enemy''s naval fleet at sea, then he could suppress the port with shipborne artillery andnd the soldiers.


    The soldiers he brought were all equipped with Shireck Model 1 Bolt-Action Rifles, the elites among the elite of the Shen Guond forces.


    Once these troopsnded, theirbat capabilities would naturally be much more formidable than the second-rate troops equipped with Shireck Flintlock Guns. Taking back the port would not be a problem at all; they could even advance south to crush the enemy and retake Dongwan Ind!@@novelbin@@


    It was precisely because he was so confident that Shen Hai led the fleet to continue advancing south, even though he knew that Dongwan Port had been upied by the enemy.


    Soon, they reached the open sea outside Dongwan Port, and then they saw the weak enemy fleet¡ªGreat Tang Group Fleetid across the sea surface, seemingly not many in number, only six warships in total, with threerge and three small.


    However, these warships were very fast, and without waiting for Shen Guo''s naval fleet to approach, the Great Tang Group''s warships advanced instead of retreating,ing closer with a resolve as if ready for a desperate fight.


    Shen Hai did not flinch as he had also nned to stake everything on a single battle. Seeing the enemy fleet not fleeing, he was overjoyed, and both sides immediately deployed their formations at sea.


    Bernard put down the telescope in his hand, turned to his adjutant, and ordered, "Maintain a parallel formation with the enemy fleet! Load all side cannons! Open fire at 2 kilometers! The enemy formation is dense, there''s no need to worry about hit rates."


    "Understood!" the adjutant saluted and immediately ryed the orders to the various ships. Under a series ofmands, the entire fleet turned to align their broadsides with the distant enemy fleet.


    Following that, all the turrets on the broadside began rotating, and a series of long 150mm caliber guns turned their dark muzzles towards the direction of the enemy fleet.


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    On the morning of the 12th day of the battle for Dongwan Ind, the two naval fleets engaged in the firstrge-scale sea battle of steam-powered warships in human history off the coast of Dongwan Port, whichter became known as the Great Sea Battle of Dongwan.


    The Great Tang Group Fleet, led by the Wolf No. 3 Ship, fired first, with six broadside cannons firing simultaneously and directly hitting enemy sail ships two kilometers away.


    Just one round of artillery fire destroyed two sailing warships in transit, immediately disrupting the formation of the approaching Shen Guo naval fleet that was attempting to engage in closebat.


    To avoid the two burning and sinking sailing warships, Shen Guo''s naval fleet had to turn again, which also affected their sailing speed.


    Consequently, the Great Tang Group''s naval fleet, holding an absolute advantage in speed, began to prate the enemy''s T-head, maintaining a distance of about 2 kilometers throughout.


    After Shen Hai noticed the enemy fleet''s superior speed, he immediately changed his tactics, ordering the fleet to turn north to form a round formation in an attempt to protect each other and prevent the enemy from prating their fleet in a beneficial T-formation.


    Amidst the chaotic change of formation, the Great Tang Navy''s Wolf 4 Warship seized the opportunity to fire. All six cannons sted simultaneously, striking two sailing warships once again and sinking these poor excuses for warships equipped with muzzle-loaded cannons.


    The Shen Hai Navy began to descend into chaos. Their sailing warships, already slow and presentingrge targets, were not very robust. The captains on board were now regretting their presence in such a dismal ce.


    Finally, one of the Shen Hai men realized that the enemy warships were far more formidable than his own Ming Wheel Ships. The fleet stationed at Dongwan Ind was not a bunch of inept soldiers but rather truly outmatched in battle!


    Upon confirming this, the man from Shen Hai had already plunged into despair¡ªhe couldn''t run away, and he seemed unable to fight back. Victory had be very difficult to achieve.


    More tragically, if his fleet were merely unable to ovee the enemy and sufferedplete annihtion here, it would have just been a loss for the Navy, and he could have died with some peace of mind.


    But the problem was that he was also escorting troop transport ships! And on board were the elite troops of the army! Those troops were armed with bolt-action rifles bought with real silver. If all were to be lost... who would take the me?


    "General... what do we do..." his deputy also realized the severity of the situation and asked dejectedly from behind Shen Hai''s man.


    "What else can we do? At all costs! Get the army onto the docks!" The man from Shen Hai, his eyes already red with killing intent, decided to go for broke.


    He knew he couldn''t possibly cover for the slow-moving troop transports in retreat. Under the current circumstances, getting thending troops ashore first seemed to be the best solution.


    As he watched the enemy warships firing again in the distance and yet another vessel on his side exploded after being hit, the man from Shen Hai grew increasingly anxious.


    The vanguard, previously the cream of the Shen Hai Navy made up of 10rge sailing warships, was almostpletely eliminated during the process of turning around.


    If the fight continued, the 15 Ming Wheel Ships that made up the main force of the central army where he was would directly engage the enemy.


    This was thest remaining strength of the Shen Hai Navy. If it were to be destroyed here, the Shen Hai Navy wouldn''t be able to recover for a long time.


    Or rather, Shen Hai might even never recover¡ªif this war didn''t end in a dignified manner, the loss of the Navy would put Shen Hai in a very passive position.


    As he stood by the railing of the ship, watching the enemy fleet firing continuously in the distance, Bernard was also inside the bridge of his ship observing this Shen Hai Navy fleet.


    To be honest, this was the mostbat-capable enemy fleet he had ever seen. They had swiftly and securely dealt with his incursion, only their warships were simply no match for him.


    But he had no intention of holding back. Mercy didn''t suit his persona¡ªso he ordered continuous firing, instructed his fleet to begin a ughter, encircling the enemy fleet, and prepared to annihte this massive Shen Hai fleet right where it was.


    However, what he didn''t expect was that halfway through his fleet''s encirclement, the enemy went mad, began to spread their formation, and attempted to entangle Bernard''s fleet at all costs.


    Meanwhile, the enemy''s core transport fleet, which had been protected, started a desperate charge toward the port of Dongwan City.


    ¡ª¡ª


    I admit I am an idiot, and damn it, I''m starting to fantasize about 004''s long legs, ck stockings, and generous chest now...


    The word count is low today because I stupidly watched 003 all day, yeah, watched up until now, and suddenly felt a jolt, lost interest and didn''t know why...

 Chapter 438 427 Overbearing Tactics

    "Good heavens! They''re charging towards the port!" Bernard was startled to see the enemy forces suddenly change formation.


    At a nce, he knew that their transport fleet was carrying ground troops. Otherwise, they would not rush toward the port with such madness.


    His original n had been to chip away at the "turtle shell" before him, until he had devoured all of the enemy''s warships.


    But clearly, the enemy had no intention of sitting ducks¡ªthey seized the best opportunity tounch a desperate counterattack.


    ording to the enemy''s attack strategy, they intended to use the navy fleet to hold off the Great Tang Group''s fewer naval warships, while thending fleet took the opportunity to rush into Dongwan Port.


    Bernard put down his binocrs and contemted his next move¡ªhe was now effectively pinned on the outeryer, with Dongwan Port behind him and the Shen Hai Navy fleet in front.


    He had roughly a few options: First, to continue on the current course, bypass the Shen Hai Navy fleet, and catch up with the enemy''s transport ships on the other side, sinking those about to attack the port.


    The problem was that this method was not easily executed. The enemy mightnd before he could get there, so it was very likely thending troops would not be intercepted in time.


    The second option was to maintain the course and continue fighting, leaving the enemy''snding troops to the army and focus on taking out the naval targets. The advantage of this was that Bernard could at least ensure that the Shen Hai Navy warships in front of him wouldn''t escape.


    However, by choosing this, the enemynding fleet would still cause some damage to the port, which Bernard did not want to see.


    The third option was riskier; he could immediately order the fleet to turn around and cut through the enemy formation. Breaking their defense line, he would catch up with the enemy''snding transport fleet.


    The advantage was that this would be the quickest way to catch up with the enemy''s transport fleet, but his fleet would face direct and close-range fire from the enemy cannons¡ªthis was a test of his warships'' defenses.


    In just two seconds, Bernard made a bold decision¡ªhe chose the most direct, most effective, and most intimidating way to solve the problem at hand.


    "Order the fleet hard to starboard! Adjust course! Charge the enemy ships!" With his fingers clenched tightly on his binocrs, Bernard issued an order that was close to madness.


    He was prepared to willingly give up the T-position advantage and rush towards the enemy''s battle line across the sea with a disadvantageous fleet formation, breaking through their ranks and catching up with thending transport before the enemy could threaten the port.


    "Hard to starboard!" his deputy faithfully repeated his order.


    "Hard to starboard! Maintain speed!" On the bridge of Warship Wolf 1, the captain, with his hands behind his back, loudly gave the order to turn with a hoarse voice.


    The helmsman in front of the wheel turned the helm with all his might, and the heavy warship sketched an increasingly wide arc across the sea.


    Waves spread out to both sides of the warship until they collided with the spray chopped by another warship, then interweaved together, disturbing each other and gradually fading away.


    Apanied by lights and signal gs, all the Great Tang Group warships began to turn within a minute, with the central Wolf 1 cruiser taking the lead, elerating towards the enemy''s battle line.


    Shen Hai was shocked by the scene before him, never imagining that the opposingmander would have the courage to make such a crazy decision to ram his battle line almost instantly.


    Normally, an enemy wouldn''t abandon a superior formation to engage in a battle with the most disadvantageous formation under usual circumstances.


    In his view, the enemy had the advantage of speed and had already taken the initiative. If they just maintained their formation, they could gradually wear down his fleet with minimal cost.


    But it seemed that the enemy cared greatly for Dongwan Port, hence the hasty decision to charge straight into his fleet, abandoning the speed advantage.


    This was a foolhardy choice to give up the advantageous T-position and face the enemy at a disadvantage! In Shen Hai''s opinion, the opposingmander was simply a fool.


    Since the opponent had given up an easy victory, he would seize thisst opportunity for the Shen Hai Navy to turn defeat into victory.


    Suddenly invigorated, Shen Hai immediately ordered: "Have the troops envelop the enemy in a crescent formation on both nks! Turn both nks!"


    As a navy admiral, he decided to use his sturdiest, most advanced 15 Ming Wheel Ships for a head-on collision¡ªit was the most confident arrangement he had.


    Once the sides were entangled in an indistinguishable battle, his fleet''s numerical superiority woulde into y.


    The opponent would soon find themselves ensnared, with sailing warships nking them. By then, they would likely copse due to ack of resolve and be inclined to surrender with their fleet.


    Even if the enemy was stubborn enough to lead the fleet in a breakout, they would pay a heavy price due to the fierce battle, and if thending troops behind him captured Dongwan City, the enemy would likely have no ce to retreat to.


    At this thought, a Shen Hai man suddenly felt a slight anticipation, hoping that the enemy''s warships would arrive as scheduled and charge into his trap!


    As time ticked away, the enemy warships, just as he had predicted, began to charge toward his fleet.


    The distance between the two sides grew closer and closer, and shortly afterward, the artillery fire began. The Great Tang Group''s cruisers had three cannons in front, which could not unleash their full firepower.


    The Brunas ss also had only two cannons that could directly attack the front, so in total, the Great Tang group could only fire 15 cannons at this moment.


    However, the difference was that the newly unfolded Shen Hai Navy''s Ming Wheel Ships, now broadside to the enemy, could use both the bow and stern cannons, so they could fire 30rge cannons simultaneously.


    In terms of firepower, the Shen Hai Navy was twice as strong as the Great Tang Navy, but when it came to the quality of the firepower and other data, the overall strength of the two sides wasn''t that different.


    For starters, the Great Tang side had 150 mm caliber cannons, which the Shen Hai Navy did not possess. The Great Tang Group''s cannons were equipped with optical aiming devices, obviously something the Shen Hai Navycked as well.


    Secondly, the Great Tang Group also had advantages¡ªthey faced the enemy head-on, presenting a very small target area, causing difficulties for the less urate Shen Hai Navy gunners.


    Although many shells flew towards the charging Great Tang Navy like raindrops, very few actually hit their mark.


    In contrast, the situation on the Great Tang Group''s warships seemed quite different: after approaching the enemy''s ships, the bow cannons spewed mes, and near the sides of the Shen Hai Navy''s warships, explosive water columns rose skyward.


    Then, a shell hit a Shen Hai Ming Wheel Ship, proving that the Shireck-made Ming Wheel Ship''s durability was purely a matter of luck...


    Previously, several Ming Wheel Ships that had been turned into waste still floated on the sea, leading the Great Tang Navy gunners to believe that the enemy''s warships were exceptionally sturdy.


    But this time, due to bad luck, the shell-stricken Shen Hai Ming Wheel Ship immediately exploded in a sympathetic detonation. The ship''s ammunition ignited and exploded before anyone could react, sending the ship and its crew sky high.


    The horrific explosion startled the sailors on the Ming Wheel Ships on both sides. They leaned against the railings with their eyes wide open, watching as some debris fell onto the deck of their own warship.


    With armor ting covering them, the Ming Wheel Ships sank almost instantly, and mes from the internalbustion could be seen shooting out of the ship''s funnels. Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    While everyone was stunned, another warship was hit and caught fire, losing itsbat effectiveness instantly. A few secondster, a sympathetic detonation blew the ship''s turrets into midair.


    Shen Hai, who had just lost two warships in an instant, truly experienced the destructive power of the Great Tang Navy''s warships.


    He saw his own warships hitting the enemy vessels, but the Great Tang Navy''s warships did not catch fire; they didn''t even show signs of damage.


    The enemy continued their relentless charge, carrying an unstoppable and terrifying presence, cutting through the Shen Hai Navy''s battle line like a sword.


    "Maintain formation! Keep firing! I don''t believe it! I don''t believe we can''t sink these monsters!" Shen Hai clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, ordering his men to persist.


    Bernard, inside his own cruiser''s bridge, saw the two fleets about to entangle, and ignoring the enemy sail warships closing in from both nks, ordered, "Break through the enemy''s battle line! Don''t get involved with them! It''s unnecessary!"@@novelbin@@


    Following hismand, Wolf 1 cruiser''s bow main cannon fired again, hitting an enemy Ming Wheel Ship that was nearly in touching distance, and directly shattering one side of the ship''s Ming wheels.


    In fact, by this time, the warships of both sides were almost face to face, and Shen Hai could clearly see the tall, sharp bow of the Great Tang Navy''s ships as well as their upper structures made purely of steel.


    His artillery fire hammering upon these iron walls caused damage, but the effect was negligible.


    Meanwhile, the enemy''s cannons, when attacking his warships'' hulls, were devastatingly powerful¡ªhis wooden and iron-d ships were clearly at a significant disadvantage.


    "Boom!" This time, the Wolf-ss cruisers, with their guns gaining an angle of attack on the broadside, joined the fight, sharply intensifying the Great Tang Group''s attack.


    The ratio of artillery avable for directbat changed swiftly, as more 150 mm caliber guns from the Great Tang Group were brought to bear, and the losses for the Shen Hai Navy fleet became unbearable.


    Within minutes, more than five Ming Wheel Ships were destroyed. The remaining warships unable to coordinate their front and rear,pletely failed to stop the Great Tang Group from breaking through their defense line.

 Chapter 439 Just be practical.

    ```


    Watching the Great Tang Group ships that had already crossed the battle line prepare to leave without looking back, a man from Shen Hai''s face darkened. He had yed his biggest card, but the opponent had easily shattered it.


    He truly hadn''t expected that the secret weapon of Shen Hai Navy, the new model ships purchased from Shireck, could be so easily defeated, falling to the enemy in a single round.


    "Ram them! Ram them for me! Sink it!" Snatching the navy captain''s cor on his own warship, the man from Shen Hai roared.


    Pointing at the enemy warships breaking through the encirclement, he had lost all reason, deciding to use the most primitive method for an unprecedented redemption.


    It couldn''t be helped, if the Shen Hai Navy fleet were to be destroyed, he, the man from Shen Hai, would definitely be the greatest sinner! He must achieve some sort of victory¡ªthat was all he could think about at the moment.


    In fact, the Ming Wheel Ships weren''t fitted with rams, and Shen Hai Navy''s warships simply didn''t have the capability to ram into enemy vessels.


    Thus, upon hearing the order, the navy captain''s face went pale, and he tried to exin anxiously, "We, we can''t even catch up to the enemy ships¡­"


    In reality, he didn''t even have the courage to approach. Because he had witnessed with his own eyes, just moments ago, that massive enemy warship with a multitude of cannons along its side, opening fire as it passed by a Ming Wheel Ship.


    As the ships brushed past each other, the Ming Wheel Ship was struck by at least five cannons, its entire nk shattered, with the sounds of detonating explosives never ceasing.


    What was worse, soon after the Ming Wheel Ship began to capsize, and within minutes, only its hull was left visible on the sea''s surface.


    It was easy for anyone who wasn''t a fool to see that the enemy fleetpletely dominated in firepower, defense, and speed. By now, Shen Hai had already lost this naval battle.


    "Chase them! Chase them down!" the man from Shen Hai bellowed desperately, knowing that if he didn''t pursue them now, by the time the enemy truly crossed the battle line, he would be finished!


    The transport ships rushing towards Dongwan Port behind him were all wooden sailing vessels with virtually nobat power¡ªif caught by the enemy fleet at sea, they were basically sitting ducks.


    By losing Dongwan Port, forsaking thending troops, and letting the fleet be annihted¡­ his time as the navalmander was nearly over.


    So, he became frenzied, continuously shouting at the Great Tang Group''s navy fleet not far away: "Charge! Charge at them! Just keep fighting, even if we all go down! It doesn''t matter!"


    "Sir, please, calm down! Calm down!" His adjutant tried to console him incessantly, hoping that he would regain hisposure.


    "This, this may still be an opportunity for us! Yes, yes! It just might be an opportunity!" said the adjutant, now grasping at straws and having exchanged several nces with the navy captain nearby, he blurted out with sheer audacity.


    Upon hearing the shout, the man from Shen Hai did indeed calm down somewhat, no longer appearing like the madman he had been moments before.


    He turned to his adjutant and asked, "What do you mean?"


    "This, the thing is¡­" the adjutant didn''t want to die here, so he hurriedly started concocting excuses to persuade the man from Shen Hai to retreat: "We can abandon the damaged warships and let the sail fleet cover our rear while the rest of us retreat at full speed¡­"


    The more he spoke, the more convinced he became of his own reasoning. So much so that his tone grew smoother as he continued: "You see, on the vast sea, where will they find us? Once we lose sight of them, we can escape!"


    At present, at least seven or eight Ming Wheel Ships remained on the battlefield, bought and paid for with real silver¡ªif they could be brought back, they definitely should be.


    Pointing to the other side, the adjutant continued with what he thought was a feasible n: "Whether those bastards from the army live or die, what''s that got to do with us in the navy, right? What do you say... I''m sorry?"


    "Hm?" The man from Shen Hai perked up at the idea¡ªright, what did the army''s loss have to do with the navy?


    Perhaps, if he went back and spoke with the high-ranking officers of the navy, they might be amused by the army''s misfortune and grant him forgiveness. It wasn''t impossible.


    And regarding the navy¡ªif he managed to return with half of the remaining Ming Wheel Ships after losing dozens of sailing warships, that would already be an aplishment, right?


    Many could testify on his behalf that his defeat wasn''t due to poormand but rather the overwhelming strength of his adversaries.


    With this thought, he turned to look at the allied sailing fleet in the distance, where the man from Shen Hai saw a road to salvation.


    It wasn''t an exaggeration to think he might truly escape disaster: The enemy was busy chasing thending fleet, and if he fled without looking back, there was certainly a chance!


    "Order... the left-wing sailing warships to attack the enemy! Right-wing sailing warships to break south from the battlefield! After disengagement, return to base independently¡­" After weighing his options, he decided to leave the left-wing sailing warships to fend at the rear.


    "Order, all Ming Wheel Ships with intact power systems, to sail north after the enemy crosses the battle line! Regroup in the northern waters¡­" To consider the rear-guard''s morale, he avoided using the word ''retreat'' and instead chose the term ''regroup'' to obscure his intent.@@novelbin@@


    Yet everyone around him could tell, at this moment, the man from Shen Hai was essentially prepared to flee.


    Bernard was unaware of the man from Shen Hai''s ns to turtle up¡ªhe was still intent on preventing any enemy ship from getting close to Dongwan Port.


    With six warships at full power, they had broken Shen Hai Navy''s formation and turned the seven Ming Wheel Ships they passed into scraps.


    ```


    Then, the Great Tang Group''s naval warships continued their sprint without looking back¡ªthe transport ships carrying the elite troops of the Shen Hai were now within sight!


    There was no helping it; these transport ships were all sailing ships, and their speed was indeed nothing to boast about. Despite having set out ahead of the Tang Group fleet, they were still some distance from Dongwan Port.


    What Bernard did not expect was that, behind them, abandoning the four damaged Ming Wheel Ships still on fire, not bothering with their own men floundering in the water, the Shen Hai fleet leader took the remaining eight Ming Wheel Ships and fled without looking back.


    Also fleeing were the twenty or so sailing ships that had originally nked from the right, while the fifteen sailing ships on the left nk were still in the process of turning.


    Themanders of the sailing ships on the left knew after receiving their orders that they were to cover the rear, but thesemanders were not prepared to simply wait for death on the spot.


    They took the initiative, nning to rescue the unfortunate sailors who had fallen overboard, then retreat from the battle in a different direction¡ªseeing who would be unlucky enough to get caught by the enemy!


    Finally, a sailor on lookout spotted the enemy formation''s changes, and it was not until then that Bernard realized that the enemy seemed to have performed a cunning escape trick.


    The naval fleet that he might have captured was now escaping in three different directions! If he ordered a turn to pursue at this moment, he would evidently be stretched too thin.


    So, grinding his teeth, he continued his charge toward the Shen Hai army''s transport ships that were preparing tond, letting go of the enemy warships that had fled in every direction.


    Despite some reluctance, his number of warships was indeed too few, and he could only ensure the absolute safety of Dongwan City first.


    By the time his warships cut into the midst of the enemy transport fleet and began to attack without restraint, a brutal ughter unfolded.


    With not even a single proper muzzle-loaded cannon on these sailing ships, they had no choice but to hoist the white g and surrender.


    Consequently, an interesting event urred; in effect, Shen Hai had given Great Tang Group an additional 3,000 prisoners, as well as 3,000 free Shireck-1 type bolt-action rifles and 10 various types of transport sailing ships.


    Anding battle that should have been very fierce ended before it began. Afterwards, Bernard, still unsatisfied, pursued them further, sweeping the nearby seas once over, sinking the four damaged Ming Wheel Ships and destroying several Shen Hai warships that hadn''t managed to get far.


    With this, the Battle of Dongwan Sea came to an end, the Shen Hai Navy suffering a significant defeat andpletely losing effective control over Dongwan Ind.


    In the naval battle, the Shen Hai Navy lost seven Ming Wheel Ships, ten sailing ships, ten transport ships were captured, and more than 4,000 sailors were killed in battle and over 4,000 captured!


    Adding the troops annihted in the Dongwan Indnding battle, in about half a month of continuous fighting, Shen Hai had lost a total of 13 Ming Wheel Ships and 60 sailing ships¡ªessentially a grievous loss.


    Prior to this, Shen Hai had purchased a total of 30 wooden and iron-d Ming Wheel Ships from the Shireck Consortium, essentially losing half of them. Faced with such losses, Shen Hai no longer had the strength to continue disputing over Dongwan Ind.


    Moreover, they simply did not have the capacity to worry about Dongwan Ind any longer, as they soon discovered that the fleets that were supposed to be returning home had seemingly vanished overnight!


    As a major maritime trading nation, Shen Hai''s dependency on the ocean goes without saying. With the ongoing Battle of Dongwan Ind, the upper echelons of Shen Hai finally received a series of unfavorable news.


    Now, they knew that many countries had already dered war on them, and on the Endless Sea, a bloody drama hunting Shen Hai trade ships was unfolding.


    In such circumstances, making peace and minimizing their own losses became Shen Hai''s top priority.


    As for Dongwan Ind, in the face of national survival, it was a triviality, hardly worth mentioning!


    In a muddled state, having fought until now, Shen Hai finally remembered something: they seemed to have not figured out just whom they had offended, nor against what power they were waging war... Even if they had to fight, shouldn''t they be clear about who the enemy is?


    Or to put it more practically... for peace talks, there needs to be someone to talk peace with, right?


    -------


    I heard a satirical poem today that Dragon Spirit found amusing, so I changed a few words to share with everyone:


    In the beginning, for aircraft carriers, we pined like dogs; now with ski-jump decks, even those we find wed. Stay tuned with empire


    Electromaic catapults enter into service, yet bemoan they''re not powered by nuclear reactors.


    Once carriers are fitted with nuclear cores, we yearn for fusion to show its force.


    If fusion power cannot take flight, the military fans dare not highlight.


    Once the flying aircraft carriers show face, mouths open again to demand star-faring warships in their ce.


    ......


    At least, back in the day, Dragon Spirit truly yearned for aircraft carriers, like a dog in longing... now, I''ve be a big hoofed swine, fickle as the morning and evening sun, haha!

 Chapter 440 Production cant keep up with 429 demand

    "Master, Dongwan Ind is now ours," Luff pushed open the door and walked up to Tang Mo, reporting excitedly.@@novelbin@@


    The 1st Division''s troops had taken Dongwan Ind, seized control of the two most important cities on the ind, and eradicated all of the defending forces of the Shen Country. Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    Tang Mo nodded, more concerned about how many casualties his troops had suffered for this impromptu war, "What are the losses?"


    Although Luff also felt sorry for the casualties,pared to the victory, such losses seemed negligible. He excitedly said, "Our army has 7 dead, 29 wounded, and two Wolf-ss cruisers are damaged."


    Hearing these numbers, Tang Mo felt somewhat relieved¡ªthe losses were very small indeed.


    Consequently, he began to take an interest in the situation on Dongwan Ind, asking, "How are things over there?"


    "ording to the locals, Dongwan Ind has two coal mines and one iron mine, all of which are high-yield mines. We can set up iron factories there and replenish our coal supply," Li''ao immediately chimed in.


    The resources on Dongwan Ind weren''t exactly rich; there was no oil, but there were ample coal and iron mines. These minerals were very valuable and could offset some of the military expenses of the Great Tang Group.


    Moreover, if exploited well, the ind couldpletely house factories and set up processing enterprises, preparing the entire troops fornding operations in Zheng Country.


    At the very least, the ce needed to be capable of repairing heavy weaponry, producing enough munitions, andunching a fleet at any moment that could threaten the coastline of Zheng Country.


    Therefore, the transformation of Dongwan Ind had to bepleted as quickly as possible¡ªit was imperative to the strategic execution of the Great Tang Group and of utmost importance.


    Indeed, after hearing there were some basic infrastructure already on the ind, Tang Mo nodded with satisfaction once more, "Very good."


    He wasn''t impressed by the ind''s ironworks and mines, but with the strength of the Great Tang Group, quickly transforming these industrial facilities was definitely feasible.


    "ording to the n, we have already started transporting mining equipment to Dongwan Ind, as well as the necessary materials for constructing the port," Li''ao added, "The equipment is being organized onto ships and will soon be dispatched to Dongwan Ind."


    Luff also contributed, "We''ve captured 20,000 goblins, most of whom can be used to mine coal and iron, which solves our manpower shortage on Dongwan Ind."


    Because of the goblins'' massacre on Dongwan Ind, Tang Mo did not intend to return or release these goblin prisoners. They would work as miners until death, used up until the veryst one!


    This was already the most merciful method of dealing with them. ording to Li''ao, burying all these goblins wasn''t out of the question.


    So, Li''ao remarked, "These 20,000 will be a great help in our time of need. The 3rd Group is also about to arrive at Dongwan; once they reach, there will be no more worries about the ind''s defense."


    Tang Mo was indifferent to the ind''s defense. An enemy capable of defeating the Great Tang Group''s troops had not yet emerged.


    If a bunch of goblins with flintlocks could defeat the Great Tang''s troops, the goblins would have ruled the world long ago.


    "We can''t be careless! This is the starting point of our struggle for supremacy!" Although Tang Mo was not very familiar with this kind of national expansion strategy, he had read Romance of the Three Kingdoms.


    When Zhuge Liang came out of seclusion, the unification n he outlined for Liu Bei identified Jingzhou as the most vital piece. Hence, after Liu Bei lost Jingzhou, the entire Shu Han Group fellpletely into a passive strategic position.


    Tang Mo didn''t want to encounter the same problem as Liu Bei at a critical moment and cautiously reminded his subordinates not to follow in Guan Yu''s footsteps.


    Luff didn''t know who Guan Yu was, but he knew Tang Mo''s orders were paramount, so he immediately assured earnestly, "Understood! I will remind the 1st Division and the following troops to be careful and cautious."


    In fact, unlike Shu Han''s loss of Jingzhou, Dongwan Ind wasn''t so easy for the Great Tang Group to lose: Tang Mo''s reinforcements were indeed headed to Dongwan Ind.


    In a month''s time, the number of the Great Tang Group''s troops stationed on Dongwan Ind would exceed three divisions, over 30,000 men. With such a scale, there would hardly be any issues.


    Besides, within at most two months, the newly expedited construction of Jade City-ss battleships would hit the water for testing, elevating the Great Tang Group''s navy to a new level, far beyondparison with any other country''s navy.


    Therefore, it was highly unlikely for the Great Tang Group to lose Dongwan out of carelessness; instead, there was a possibility of negligence toward Brunas! Thus, Tang Mo kept the Northern Ridge troops in ce without any intention of moving a single soldier.


    The purpose of this was to keep an eye on his own backyard and let those coveting his wealth weigh carefully whether they had the ability to attack Brunas.


    ```


    To ensure nothing went wrong, Tang Mo had deliberately created chaos for the Shireck people. Now, Sofia is preupied withpeting with several other board members for Smile Tiger''s inheritance and has also borrowed arge sum of money from Tang Mo, so she doesn''t have the luxury to covet Tang Mo''s territory for the time being.


    With so many precautions in ce, Tang Mo finally felt confident enough to deploy troops to upy Dongwan Ind, leading to the grand phenomenon of the whole world plundering the Shenguo.


    "The 4th, 5th, and 6th Divisions will continue to gather on Dongwan Ind as nned. Our shipyards are also working tirelessly to produce even more Freedom Wheel ships," Luff reported on Great Tang Group''s ongoing war preparations.


    Manufacturing more Freedom Wheel ships was a given; the Great Tang Group needed them to ensure transportation between Dragon Ind and Dongwan Ind.


    At the same time, the Great Tang Group also had to make sure it possessed a sufficient number of ships to quickly dominate the ship sales market in the future.


    Overall, from every standpoint, the Great Tang Group should build more and better ships.


    The current scale of Great Tang Ship building was unprecedented, and the types of ships being produced were bing increasingly diverse.


    Besides the cargo-type Freedom Wheel ships, Great Tang Ship building had also constructed passenger-type Freedom Wheel ships, establishing a series of maritime routes from Eternal Winter City to Osa, from Osa to Southern Water, from Southern Water to Brunas, from Brunas to Hotwind Port, and from Hotwind Port to Winterless City.


    Furthermore, with an increasing number of passenger ships and abundant transport capacity, the Great Tang Group was also considering establishing passenger maritime routes to Dragon Ind from the surrounding areas of the Endless Sea.


    However, due to security and confidentiality considerations, these routes had not been opened. The ships transporting personnel to Dragon Ind were still under the jurisdiction of the Great Tang Group''s Intelligence Department, with stringent checks in ce.


    Even to this day, no country has an envoy stationed on Dragon Ind; all diplomats still operate out of Brunas.


    Hearing Luff''s report, Tang Mo was already picturing the spectacr sight of four divisions, the 4th to 6th, stationed on Dongwan Ind.


    Li''ao added, "These ships are intended to fill the gap after Shenguo''s transport losses. There''s a need for transport capacity on the Endless Sea, so our profits could very well soar to a new level."


    Currently, everyone is frantically building various models of transport ships; even Shireck has received countless orders.


    Everyone can see the losses suffered by Shenguo, and they all know what will happen next. Thus, preparing in advance to seize the market share lost by Shenguo can surely a handsome profit.


    These days, wealth is scarce. People need money to buy new weapons and equipment in preparation for the next round of expansion wars... So everyone wants to dip into a business that can make money.


    The Great Tang Group has also been producing wooden iron-shell ships that do not require as much steel, although most of these are coastal fishing vessels and other ships such asmunication boats and patrol boats.


    These small craft are sold to national security forces, fishermen, and small merchants. As forrge vessels, the Great Tang Group has no ns to sell on arge scale just yet.


    Regrettably, due to production capacity constraints, it seems unrealistic for the Great Tang Group to aim to make more money by building ships.


    By today''s standards, Great Tang Shipbuilding''s scale can be said to be thergest in the world, yet it still cannot meet the global demand for ships.


    There''s no choice, even China in the twenty-first century couldn''t manage to produce enough ships for the whole world on its own. Even at full capacity, China''s shipyards could only satisfy about three-quarters of the demand.


    Moreover, the scale of Great Tang Group''s shipbuilding factory isn''t that vast yet ¡ª maintaining the construction of two Jade City-ss battleships and keeping up the production of ten Brunas-ss irond warships, and five Wolf-ss cruisers, has nearly engaged all the world''s top shipbuilding workers.


    Moreover, Tang Mo was also rapidly building dozens of Freedom Wheel ships ¡ª this level of production had already surpassed that of the British Empire in 1880.


    The current scale of the Great Tang Group was so vast that even Tang Mo was taken aback. Further rapid expansion was not quite as easy anymore.


    This is because there are only so many talents and workers avable. Even though the Great Tang Group was feverishly cultivating talent and workers, the supply still couldn''t meet the demand.


    There''s a limit to how much you can achieve by drafting inborers. As the technology of the manufacturing industry advances, temporarily conscriptedbor forces are increasingly unable to operate new digital production equipment.


    The principle is simple. If you want to teach someone to use mechanical equipment to produce a simple part, a few hours of learning is enough for an intelligent person to begin working.


    But if you are training someone to operate a digital machine tool, it''s definitely moreplex. At a minimum, that person needs to have a basic understanding of mechanics, the ability to read, and a foundation of learning...


    So now, it is clear to the world''s ship buyers that the best ships are made by the Great Tang Group, but unfortunately, they are not avable ¡ª the best essible ships are manufactured by Shireck.


    ```

 Chapter 441 Where did 430 go wrong?

    "The poption on Dongwan Ind is now about 200,000, distributed along the coastal areas on the west side.


    Originally, there were more than 400,000 people from Zheng Country here, but after the Shenguo upation, they began massacring the people of Zheng Country, which reduced the native poption by about half," Luff nced at the document in his hand and then looked up to continue speaking to Tang Mo.


    The data was actually very inurate, just a rough estimate based on some temporary statistics.


    The exact figures were estimated to be avable after two months, as many civilians from Zheng Country had fled into the deep mountains to hide, and it would take time for them toe out.


    However, for an ind the size of Dongwan, a poption of 200,000 could indeed be considered sparsely popted. Poption growth is not something that can be rushed; it can only rely on immigration or umtion, and it''s a task that takes time to build up.


    Time was exactly what Tang Mocked, so he was indeed very angry about the goblins from Shenguo massacring the civilians of Dongwan Ind.


    Upon hearing the temporary figures from the military, Li''ao was also infuriated, "Damn it, that''s our poption! Those unappreciative bastards! Don''t they know how many years it takes to umte that many people?"


    "No worries, they will have to make up for our losses," Tang Mo said with a coldugh, taking out a cigarette and putting it in his mouth.


    "Compensate?" Li''ao was startled.


    Tang Mo lit the cigarette, very confidently asking, "What do you think, if I demand Shenguo topensate us with 200,000borers, will they agree?"


    As the helmsman of the Great Tang Group, he had already thought of how to extort Shenguo and get them toe up with apensatory solution.


    Luff also scoffed, "If they knew the extent of their loss, I think they would agree."


    The military was aware of just how much Shenguo had lost over the past dozen days. No one could continue waging war with such massive losses. No one could!


    "But are we just going to let Shenguo off just like that?" Li''ao looked at Tang Mo again, somewhat reluctantly, hoping to get an answer from him.


    Tang Mo sighed, replying with some reluctance, "I know you''re not content, and I''m not either, but unfortunately, there''s no way around it. We don''t have the capability to attack therge ind of Shenguo in the short term, because weck sufficient transport and weapon resupplies for thending troops."


    "If we were to forciblynd on Shenguo, we would end up in a tough battle and, in the short term, unable to decide a winner. A prolonged war would hold back our development and destabilize our economy," Luff added in exnation.


    "Alright, I understand," Li''ao said disconstely.


    Tang Mo reassured him, "Since we can''t annihte Shenguo in one fell swoop, why not shake them down? Bluff them and make thempensate us with plenty of stuff..."


    ...


    "Grandpa!" Holding a "bundle" of tents, Liu Zhu had a look of unprecedented happiness on his face. In his past memories, whether living under the rule of Zheng Country or surviving under the upation of Shenguo, it seemed that neither was as cheerful as today.


    Today, just today, from the morning until this moment, everything he saw was overturning his past understanding.


    The Great Tang Group''s supplies were incredibly abundant, so much so that many of them were carelessly discarded on the beach, as if they cost nothing at all.


    Naturally, no one would take back the raincoats that the Great Tang troops had left for the women to cover themselves, and in addition to that, Cao Fei took Liu Zhu and some of the ind''s native inhabitants to pick up a lot of scraps.


    The Rangers'' job, since the end of thending campaign, had be searching for the ind''s native inhabitants and helping these people return to normal life as quickly as possible.


    "What''s this?" The old man temporarily in charge of the surviving vigers looked at the thing that Liu Zhu was holding with some astonishment.


    Liu Zhu didn''t speak. Following the steps demonstrated by Cao Fei, he quickly set up a tent, prompting gasps of amazement from the women.


    They had never seen a "house" that could be set up so quickly, and even though other military forces also had tents, they had never seen a tent that could be set up so easily and quickly like this one.


    "These are canned goods, and biscuits with a very long shelf life... Look, do you know what this is? This is sugar! Very tasty! Sweet!" Liu Zhu excitedly introduced the things he had brought back to the people around him.


    Not far away, Cao Fei, having put down the things he had carried back on the ground, left it to the women, who were no longer so afraid of him, to divide up among themselves.


    Stay tuned to empire


    Frankly, he still felt that the things he and Liu Zhu had managed to bring back were too little¡ªwhile they were picking up this stuff from the beach, they even saw people driving trucks to haul the supplies, a vehicle obviously able to carry far more than two people could.


    Despite some regrets, Cao Fei already felt a great sense of aplishment knowing that these beggar-like people had something to eat and a ce to lie down.


    Before he became a sinner and was exiled to Brunas, he was nearly indistinguishable from the people here. Until he set foot on the ship, he had never imagined that he could one day return, bringing so much with him and offering hope to those who suffered and endured hardship.


    Perhaps, this was the reason why the gods allowed him to live until now. He smiled slightly, twisted open his water canteen, took a sip of the clear water inside, and immediately felt a refreshing coolness seeping into his heart and spleen.


    In the past two days, he and Liu Zhu had discovered many mass graves. The surrounding seven or eight viges had all met with disaster; some had no survivors left, while others had lost the majority of their inhabitants, simr to Liu Zhu''s vige.


    The loss of life in the tworge cities within Zheng Country was rtively smaller. Due to the dense poption, the goblins from the enemy nation feared causing greater chaos and thus temporarily refrained from targeting Dongwan and Fengshun.


    Nevertheless, thousands of people in these two cities had still perished. Many were killed simply because their houses were desirable, which were then forcibly taken over by enemy soldiers, leaving the property and homes to be looted by the murderers.


    Cao Fei felt extremely fortunate, fortunate to have returned, and to have brought back a 98K rifle. He felt blessed to rescue hispatriots from the clutches of the devil.


    A little girl wearing a raincoat approached. She had a pair of clear,rge eyes. The petite girl curiously sized up Cao Fei, who was dressed in jungle camouge, while her oversized men''s raincoat hung loosely on her frame.


    Cao Fei noticed the skinny girl and, after rummaging through his own belongings, pulled out the remaining bread from his food bag behind his waist and handed it over.


    "You''re a good person," the little girl said as she took the bread but didn''t leave. Instead, she spoke up shyly.


    Cao Feiughed and hung his water canteen back on himself, "I''m not a good person. I''m a sinner. Do you know what a sinner is?"


    The girl nodded and then shook her head, "I know about sinners, but you don''t seem like one. You''re a good person."


    She spoke defiantly, seemingly sure of her judgment. Cao Fei shook his head with a smile, "I am indeed a sinner. ording to Zheng Country''sws, I should never be able to return here in my life."


    "Will you leave?" the girl asked again.


    "Well... how should I put this, I will leave. I''ll head to Zheng Country, to King City... Why am I telling you this... you wouldn''t understand," said Cao Fei with a self-deprecatingugh, rubbing his nose before getting up to leave.


    "Can I marry you?" The girl, seeing Cao Fei about to leave, suddenly became nervous. Some women in the distance were also looking this way, and it seemed a few elders were sizing up Cao Fei as well.


    "Ah?" Cao Fei was startled, not expecting such a bold proposition from the girl and was at a loss for words.


    "My man is dead. If you hadn''te, I would have starved to death. Please have mercy, take me with you..." The woman''s voice grew sadder, and she suddenly knelt beside Cao Fei.


    Cao Fei waspletely unsure how to react¡ªif this had been in the past, he might haveughed and taken the woman in without any psychological burden.


    But he was no longer the person he used to be; he felt he hadn''t done anything to deserve taking advantage of someone in distress. And yet, when he saw the skinny figure kneeling before him, he felt a pang of pity because of all the wonderful things he had seen.


    If she had been born in Brunas, maybe she would be... one of those schoolgirls in uniform walking on the bustling streets, respected as an honored student.


    Even as a soldier like him, when confronted with such a schrly young woman, would feel envy, consider her out of his league, and shyly avert his eyes...@@novelbin@@


    "Please," the girl implored, looking up at him. Cao Fei could see she was only about fifteen or sixteen, gaunt and still holding tightly to the bread he gave her, afraid to let it go.


    Cao Fei thought that if it weren''t for the bread in her hand, the girl would probably already be clinging to his leg.


    With a sigh, Cao Fei reached out and tousled the woman''s dry, yellow hair, raising his voice as if to vent the indignation in his chest, "You''ve all got it wrong! From now on, you don''t have to beg anyone for anything! You will have food to eat, clothes to wear, books to read, the dignity of being human! Only in Great Tang can you live like a human being!"


    "You''re all mistaken!" He nced at Liu Zhu and ran off toward the distance, crashing through the obstructing branches without looking back.


    The elder looked at the girl still kneeling on the ground, her face full of bewilderment, then turned to Liu Zhu and sighed, "What have we done wrong... We''ve taken food, so much... stuff. How can we rest easy without giving up a few women in return..."


    He had seen too much and experienced too much... Whether it was the high-ranking officials of Zheng Country or the thugs from the enemy nation, weren''t they all the same?


    They demanded women, gold, and food... They never left themon people a way to live, treating human lives as worthless.


    As an elder, how could he have been wrong, after witnessing how many people lost their lives to arrive at such an understanding... Where had he gone wrong?

 Chapter 442 Why refuse 431

    "Why refuse? Single soldiers can marry whenever they want to if they volunteer!" Tagg, who had just arrived on Dongwan Ind by ship, stared at the battalionmander, puzzled.


    "...This..." The battalionmander scratched his head, seeming a bit troubled, "Actually, most soldiers, especially nonmissioned officers and officers, aren''t interested..."


    "But there are still soldiers, right?" Tagg tossed his gloves to his adjutant and wiped the corner of his mouth.


    He had just disembarked from the transport ship and vomited his breakfast on the dock; his stomach was still ufortable, and he felt queasy and pale.


    It wasn''t just him; the troops of the 3rd battalion who had disembarked were also throwing up all over, and their battalionmander nearly vomited his stomach out.


    This could be the first sea voyage in their lives for thesendlubbers, and the follow-up transport ships they were on, namely the Liberty ships, weren''t even properly retrofitted.


    Frankly, those Liberty ships were made for carrying cargo, carrying people was really a stretch. As a result, thesendlubbers had to endure all sorts of problems during the voyage, suffering far more than the 1st battalion.


    After all, to ensure thebat effectiveness of the 1st battalion, the transporting Liberty ships had undergone some alterations, though the following ships were untouched, as original as they could be.


    To save on construction time, even the anti-sinking design was skimped on, so one can only imagine what the living conditions were like on those ships.


    Tagg rubbed his ufortable stomach and then continued, "If anyone is willing to marry, the Group can subsidize some funds, and provide more food and daily necessities. If there are children born, the rewards will be evenrger..."


    He had experience in developing Dragon Ind and knew that what the Great Tang Groupcked the most was poption. Thus, without a second thought, he applied the same solution used during the development of Dragon Ind.


    "Yes! I understand." The battalionmander saluted and then pointed at a car waiting nearby, "That is the car prepared for you. You can use it for now, and it can be swapped out once your official car is unloaded..."


    "Is there water? The kind that doesn''t taste of engine oil." After drinking fresh water with a strange taste for several days, Tagg looked at the battalionmander directly, not bothering with pleasantries.


    The battalionmander smiled and waved a soldier over, took his water bottle, and passed it to Tagg.


    Tagg took the water bottle, drank everyst drop, and then expressed his relief, "That''s refreshing!"


    After finishing the water, he returned the bottle to the battalionmander and then pointed at Dongwan Port, which seemed no bigger than a small county town, "It looks small, let''s take a walk... Introduce things to me, after all, since you''ve been here for so many days, it shouldn''t be a wasted trip, right?"


    As his territory gradually expanded, Tang Mo realized that he had too few people he could trust. With hundreds of thousands of troops stationed in the new upation zones, he had to assign trustworthymanders to manage the areas.


    Tagg was one of his most trusted military leaders, as themander was indeed trustworthy. Roger continued to stay at Dragon Ind to guard the rear, Redman and Harry stationed in Brunas to stabilize the foundation... Tang Mo indeed didn''t have many people he could count on.


    "Dongwan Port has always been a naval base operated by Zheng Country, which has aplete dockyard to repair warships, and an associated shipyard... However, for us, these facilities are practically useless now. They''re only good for repairing wooden sailing ships, nothing else." The battalionmander, familiar with the territory, pointed to the nearby dockyard as he introduced.


    Then he pointed to another side, "After the people from Shenguo arrived, they built a coal storage yard here... which did save us some time..."


    "Those people over there... are they from the railway bureau?" Tagg saw some people measuring something with equipment from a distance and asked the battalionmander.


    "Hmm, our military mapping personnel just left yesterday, and today it''s the railway bureau''s turn to take measurements..." the battalionmander replied somewhat wistfully.


    The speed of their progress was truly fast; every department was working frantically¡ªGreat Tang Group was in a period of growth, and everyone could see Tang Mo was expanding territory. If you don''t fight for your future at this time, what are you waiting for?


    Corruption,ziness, moral decay, those are foolish behaviors fit for idiots. Right now, as long as you work hard, the money you earn will be clean. Why bother with crooked ways if you''re not sick in the head?


    "They sure arrived quickly." Even Tagg couldn''t help but remark, then he continued to lead the way forward. After passing the bustling port where goods were being unloaded, they gradually entered the city of Dongwan.


    Explore new worlds at empire


    The Great Tang Group was much quicker than Shenguo; to rapidly construct a forward base, various departments had already started nning for subsequent construction.


    Outside the city of Dongwan, next to a segment of the city wall that was destroyed by cannon fire, a brick kiln had already begun construction. Beside it, an evenrger iron foundry had turned into a construction site.


    Among them busied the goblins¡ªsmall, frail, and ugly. Some were moving stones from the ground, some were already digging foundations, and others were using debris from the city walls to build the factory''s surrounding walls.


    ```


    Some local civilians were selected to supervise the work, while others were engaged in rtively easier tasks. A mix of humans and goblins created a somewhat odd scene.


    It was as if a group of adults were busy at a construction site, leading a team of childborers¡ªan interesting sight.


    In fact, by this time, most goblins had already been transported to the mines to rece the Zheng Countryborers there. The majority of theseborers from Zheng Country were former soldiers.


    After being taken captive, those who were not killed were gathered up and put to work as miners in the mountains.


    Now, some of these people had been selected to be foremen, supervising the work of the goblins, while others were directly conscripted asborers, given more food and supplies, and re-tasked to construction crews.


    The captives from Zheng Country, already cowed by the people of Shenguo, meekly epted their new reality and soon found joy in it.


    Even when they were soldiers a year before, they might not have had it as good in terms of food and clothing, so they shifted roles within a day, bing diligent construction workers for the Great Tang Group.


    Before long, it was discovered that there were two sources of captives, which alleviated the pressure ofbor shortages¡ªhumans helped in the cities and countryside while goblins atoned in the mines. The situation was harmonious and everything seemed to return to operation at the fastest speed.


    "We have requisitioned the Shenguo Governor''s Mansion and set up temporary generators there, erected radio antennas, and even connected telephone lines, which can directlymunicate with the port¡­" the 1st Regiment Commandant gave a simple overview of the early arrangements while walking along the street.


    Speaking of which, he pointed in the distance, "The former barracks of Zheng Country are still there. The people of Shenguo used them and we haven''t changed them¡­ But the conditions are truly awful. They were originally designed to amodate 1500 people, and now the 3rd Regiment is stationed there. Despite that, there are soldiersining."


    Tagg nodded, the barracks standards of the Great Tang Group''s troops were indeed very scientific and certainly higher than those of other countries.


    It''s not about living in luxury but respecting the soldiers. How can one expect them to fight to the death if they are treated like pigs?


    "The roads here are very ordinary; cars bounce a lot." Walking on a dirt road, a patrolling squad of soldiers saluted the 1st Regiment Commandant and Tagg.


    They did not stop, which was also a rule of the Great Tang Group¡ªduring the execution of a mission, this was the extent of courtesy required.


    On the contrary, Tagg and the 1st Regiment Commandant stopped in their tracks to give a proper salute, as they were not on a mission at the moment. Rules were rules, and everyone had be ustomed to them.


    After the soldiers passed by, Tagg continued walking. At the end of the street, he saw that the police station was already open, and even some locals were queuing up outside the police station.


    "They are reiming their houses¡­ The war has left many houses vacant here, we estimate about one-third. Some we will requisition, the rest will be allocated to the native inhabitants who have lost their homes andnd¡­" The 1st Regiment Commandant exined, "Many civil disputes are not our concern; let the city hall deal with it."


    "Hahaha!" Taggughed out loud, seemingly already envisioning the aggrieved faces of the young officials at the city hall.


    Along the roadside, a line of neatly parked construction vehicles had teams gathered around, pointing at a blueprint, immersed in discussion. Everywhere one looked was a hive of activity, like a naturalrge construction site.


    Next to these construction vehicles were the cars belonging to the 1st Regiment, and in front of them, carts were being pulled, astonishingly, by 75mm caliber howitzers.


    Tagg could tell that this was equipment just offloaded from the docks and belonged to the 3rd Regiment¡ªit seemed they were coordinating where exactly they should be sent.@@novelbin@@


    Moving a regiment of thousands is no small matter. Every cannon, every shell, even every roll of toilet paper had to be recorded and filed away at the end¡­ The workload was immense and highlyplex, far from the simple orders and actions one might imagine.


    Just like those airships anchored outside the Fengshun Port, which to this day still remained in ce, having never taken off again.


    Because the gas they required for refilling could only be produced on Dragon Ind, and the ships transporting spare gas canisters are still drifting at sea!


    Many locals were curiously inspecting the weaponry, vehicles, and carts; they seemed fascinated by the soldiers who hade from afar.


    They had never seen the variety of novel items brought by these troops, in a ce where even the gas streetmps that needed constant supervision were pitifully scarce.


    The way these civilians looked at Tagg, it was as if they were looking up to a deity high above.


    ```

 Chapter 443 Great news for 432 days

    Looking at the indigenous people of Zheng Country whose clothes were still patched despite living within the city, Tagg knitted his brows and turned to the Corps Commander, "Are they truly poor, or is it the war that has brought them to this state?"


    "I''ve asked. They''ve really been exploited to this extent. The officials of Zheng Country treat them very poorly, squeezing them mercilessly.... After the people from Sheng Country arrived, it was the same, they didn''t even consider them human," the Corps Commander said. "There are thousands of mass graves outside the city, everywhere you can see the bodies of the people of Zheng Country."


    "That''s why we shoulde here." Tagg took off his wide-brimmed hat and scratched his head, "The focus is on the port. We need to improve the throughput as fast as possible, it''s the key to speeding up."


    How could living conditions be improved? Goods! Having goods was the key! Bringing more goods to Dongwan Ind was the start of all development.


    Only with development, letting the locals feel the improvement of their quality of life, truly seeing hope, could their enthusiasm be mobilized.


    If the various goods produced in other areas by the Great Tang Group were all converged on Dongwan Ind, the speed of construction on Dongwan Ind could be increased exponentially!


    When constructing Dragon Ind, it started with the construction of the port; this was Tagg''s experience and why Tang Mo had sent him to Dongwan Ind to take charge.


    In fact, the Great Tang Group had already dispatched a civil official to Dongwan Ind, though young, his credentials were already quite high.


    He was Dino, one of the three greats of the first intake at the Great Tang Group''s Military Academy, known alongside Yulin and Galsa.


    All three of them were ss leaders among the first intake of students and were also old hands who followed Tang Mo, learning by his side from the early days.


    Dino had always majored in militarymand, but he had not yet held a military rank when Tang Mo temporarily employed him and arranged for him to manage civil affairs on Dongwan Ind.


    Assisting him was a retired old man, an amiable fellow, the former Minister of Construction of the Leite Kingdom, Baus, a man with a stout figure.


    This ambitionless and not particrly skilled chubby man might not have had much of his own opinion, but he was reliable in his work. Because he had early ties with Tang Mo, he resigned from his position as the Leite Kingdom''s Minister of Construction and took up a job with the Great Tang Group.


    In short, he was a good-natured man, doing whatever was asked of him, fitting to assist Dino as a errand runner.


    The main reason Tang Mo sent him to Dongwan Ind was to alleviate some of Dino''s workload, as Dino was also responsible for the construction and arrangement of military facilities on the ind, with a heavy workload in the early stages, thus he needed help.


    But Tang Mo really couldn''t find an experienced and stable person to go to Dongwan Ind ¡ª surely he couldn''t rely on a group of students around 20 years old? He couldn''t be at ease....


    "Wee to Dongwan Ind." Dino, who had arrived here first, extended his hand to Tagg upon seeing him, saluting, "General!"


    Although his current identity wasn''t that of a soldier, he was a student of the Great Tang Group''s Military Academy and was likely to be amander in his own right someday, so he still maintained all the habits he had in school.


    "You look much better than I do," Tagg also returned a military salute, and the two walked into the Governor''s Mansion, which the Sheng Country people had rebuilt on the foundation of the Zheng Country''s officials''plex.


    To be frank, the ce was grand, but the degree of modernization was very poor, as was the practicality.


    Unfortunately, there was no choice, because other facilities needed to be built urgently, so here they could only make do and continue using it.


    "You also look much better than the people from the Third Corps." Dino said smilingly to Tagg, his teacher. He was only willing to call Tang Mo a teacher, as if the word only belonged to Tang Mo in his heart.


    "I have, after all, taken a ship to Dragon Ind... I have some experience, at least." Tagg noticed the map on the wall and was taken aback for a moment.


    "I often swim in Brunas and even served an internship on a Navy warship," Dino exined why he looked in good shape.


    He was somewhat adapted to a life at sea, so he looked a bit healthier than the others. Not just him, those students from the Great Tang Military Academy actually all had experience with naval internships, making them look much better than the rest.


    Experience tales with empire


    Several workers were delineating various lines on a canvas that resembled a sail, and a rough outline had already been drawn.


    Tagg knew this was a map of Dongwan Ind, or rather, the first detailed modern map of Dongwan Ind in this world.


    It already depicted Dongwan City and the port in great detail. Since the canvas wasrge, many areas in the middle of the inds were still nk.


    "This is indeed a big project." Tagg stood in front of the map, looking at the yet-to-bepleted work, and eximed.


    Dino stood with hands behind his back, looking up at the huge map, agreeing with Tagg, "Indeed, we dispatched dozens of surveying teams, but up til now, we''ve onlypleted this little bit."


    "That''s not bad at all! You''ve only been here for a few days." Tagg smiled, and then continued walking forward. The telegraph room had started operating, and many rooms already had electricity and were fitted with electric lights.


    However, one could still see candle holders on the walls of the hall, as well as the ckened traces where smoke had left its mark.


    Upon entering the office, Dino moved aside some documents and briefed Tagg on the situation of the ind, "Now, what the stationed troops need to do most is to eliminate all resistance forces on this ind¡ªnot just the Shen Country military but also Zheng Country''s!"


    "What? There''s Zheng Country''s military too?" Tagg, not particrly informed about the situation, looked toward the Corps Commander of the 1st Corps.


    Themander of the 1st Corps hurried to exin, "Due to Shen Country''s brutal rule, many people from Zheng have spontaneously formed a resistance, simr to the guerri units described in textbooks, but theirbat strength is rather weak¡­"


    Tagg looked at Dino, as if there was also a sense of examination in his gaze, "What''s your opinion?"


    "Rely on the locals and find ways to deal with these scattered fighters. Those who can be assimted shall be assimted, and those who can''t should be sent to the mines for reformation," Dino replied without a second thought.


    Clearly, during the few days he arrived beforehand, he had been contemting this issue and had thought of ways to solve it.


    "It''s a n," Tagg said with a smile and a nod after hearing his answer, quite satisfied with Dino, his half-student.


    Then, without asking Dino, he added, "The remnants of Shen Country''s troops are easy to deal with. Eliminate those who resist and arrange forbor for those who surrender."


    "We must ensure the safety of every road construction team, every surveying team, every patrol, every highway, every railway¡­ otherwise, deploying troops for protection, enduring losses and harassment, would be too costly," Dino emphasized the importance of security, "We have many confidential tasks topleteter on, and if we don''t solve these problems, we can''t proceed with subsequent work."


    "Agreed," Tagg concurred with Dino''s view.


    "Are the locals cooperative?" He then continued to inquire.


    Dino nodded, expressing his great satisfaction with the locals'' numb acquiescence to cooperation, "For now, it looks fine. I''ve set up some distribution points in certain areas, and the indigenous people in the wilderness are very cooperative. Attacks are extremely rare isted incidents."


    Hearing that the overall situation was not bad, Tagg also felt relieved. As long as there wasn''t strong resistance, he was confident in stabilizing the situation.


    As he contemted how to deploy his troops, he heard Dino continue, "Additionally, General¡­ I need more manpower¡­"


    "You sly boy, are you eyeing my soldiers?" Tagg was taken aback for a moment beforeughing and tapping Dino with his finger.


    Dino immediately assumed an appearance of having no other choice, "I have no choice. If I had a source for manpower, I wouldn''t dare to ask you."


    "The 3rd Corps?" Tagg was ready to push out the recently arrived troops still suffering from seasickness, who were temporarily of no use, as a bargaining chip.


    "The 1st Corps¡­ The 3rd Corps just disembarked, let them rest a few days. They can help out with the construction of the iron factory," Dino shrewdly insisted, refusing to be tricked.


    Tagg didn''t struggle further and agreed directly to Dino''s idea, "You rascal! Alright! Let the 1st Corps get some exercise."


    "General, your arrival has brought us a big project," themander of the 1st Corps said beside him, pretending toin.


    Tagg also pretended to rebuke seriously, "Stopining and carry out the orders!"


    "But our Corps''s Rangers are out on search and clearance missions¡­" Themander of the 1st Corps thought of a problem.


    "Indeed, these Rangers are doing very well. The matter about the locals offering women was first reported by a Ranger named Cao Fei from the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Corps," Dino said, quickly exining as he caught Tagg''s nce.@@novelbin@@


    Tagg nodded, "Then let the Rangers continue their mission. The remaining officers and soldiers of the 1st Corps will hand over the defense to the 2nd Corps¡­ Anyway, the barracks within the city are nothing special, go ahead and switch defense. Any difficulties?"


    "None!" Lifting his chin, themander of the 1st Corps stood at attention and responded. His 1st Corps was the main force among the main forces, and if one day it expanded into the 1st Division, he would be the Division Commander. What significance did these little tasks hold for him? They''re not going to battle, and they would probably get wilderness garrison subsidies.


    Plus, the city barracks were nothing great. Where else could he pick up such a bargain?


    Very soon, the already chaotic Dongwan City stirred again with bustling activity as the 1st Battalion of the 1st Corps moved out of the army camp and the 2nd Corps began to take over the defense.


    For a time, the roads were crowded with various vehicles and horses, and the indigenous people looked on curiously at these big-headed soldiers who had only recently arrived, yet were stirring up trouble once more.


    What was different this time was that these soldiers who hade from afar, iming to be the Great Tang Group military, did not disturb the locals. They did not harass local women or rob and take things at will.


    In their eyes, this was already tremendously good news. This was also the reason why they were so cooperative: they had never seen such "easy marks" who would give them money to work!

 Chapter 444 433 is filled with familiar flavors everywhere

    "Mr. Tang," three goblins stood before Tang Mo, their heads bowed as they greeted him with a respectful tone, "we have caused you trouble."


    Tang Mo did not like this tone at all; it reminded him of some sleazy figures with small mustaches above their lips, speaking with a habit of using inverted sentence structure.


    Although he knew this image was unintentionally created by movies, and real-life well-off ''basin chickens'' did not actually have such speaking habits, he still felt an aversion to anything resembling those ''basin chickens''.


    Unfortunately, such resentment was a sort of national habit, and it should be respected by principle, shouldn''t it?


    Upon hearing the familiar and somewhat annoying phrase "We have caused you trouble," Tang Mo involuntarily frowned and interrupted the other party, "If apologies were useful, then why would I bother making cannons?"


    "Pfft¡­" Wes beside him couldn''t help it and almostughed aloud. He liked that saying; he believed that Great Tang Group did not need to apologize, that they would solve problems with cannons if wronged.


    From another perspective, Great Tang Group never suffered wrongs lightly; if you spit at me, I''ll bombard your entire family¡ªan even exchange, fair to everyone, right?


    The ones standing here were certainly not good people.


    "We havee with sincerity," one of the goblins, with an oddly half-green skin, continued to exin humbly, "We know we were wrong."


    In reality, they knew that Great Tang Group''s attack on Dongwan Ind urred before the Shen Kingdom had attacked Great Tang Group''s fleet.


    But now... the truth behind the outbreak of the war was no longer important; what mattered was ending the war and extracting the Shen Kingdom from the current perilous situation.


    Hence, the consensus among the Shen Kingdom''s higher-ups was to take the me upon themselves, making themselves out to be at fault while absolutely not mentioning Dongwan Ind, and allow Great Tang Group to name their price.


    This attitude of bowing down, admitting fault, and bracing for punishment was the sincerity shown by the Shen Kingdom. Debating who held the moral high ground was simply too naive at this point. Now it was about who had the bigger fist!@@novelbin@@


    "So what?" Tang Mo spread his hands and asked with a sneer.


    If he had the capacity to annihte the Shen Kingdom, he certainly would have taken advantage of this opportunity to consume thempletely. But hecked that kind of long-range projection power, so for now, he had topromise.


    That was also why he had agreed to meet with these three goblin envoys, because he likewise needed peace. If he had not agreed, how could the Shen Kingdom''s ships have reached Brunas? They would have been sunk!


    Now, he was just posturing, imposing pressure on the other party. In actuality, he was more than willing to ept a peace treaty, one that would be advantageous for Great Tang Group.


    "We are willing to offerpensation to Great Tang Group," the leading goblin bowed once more, his sincere attitude seemingly moving heaven and earth.


    Mere appearances could suggest that these goblins were full of sincerity, but they were oblivious to the fact that the more they acted this way, the more repulsive they seemed to Tang Mo.


    In Tang Mo''s eyes, this was the quintessential craftsman spirit, strikingly simr to that of a certain nationality he was familiar with¡ªording to a popr meme he knew, the resemnce was close to seventy percent.


    "This is a war to reim justice! Envoy of the Shen Kingdom! The righteous side has won, and now that you have admitted your errors... it''s time to ask whether the righteous side has forgiven you yet," Tang Mo looked towards the envoys of various countries sitting aside.


    Then, with a smile, he addressed these eager envoys, "Well, let''s hear it. How can we forgive... these little darlings from the Shen Kingdom?"


    The Shen people were frail, short, and cunningly fierce; a Shen deputy envoy clenched his fists upon hearing Tang Mo''s voice filled with mockery as he called them "little darlings."


    On any ordinary day, being called "little darling" might have provoked him to murder. But now, he simply did not have the guts to act out of line in such a setting.


    Setting aside the major situation that Shen Kingdom couldn''t withstand, even at this moment, he was unsure if he could beat the man and woman standing behind Tang Mo with his bare hands.


    Meanwhile, envoys from various countries knew it was now their turn to set their price¡ªthis was a privilege they deserved for joining the battle and a part of the victorious celebration.


    "Open the Shen Kingdom''s market and exempt all imported goods frommercial taxes for each country!" blurted an envoy from the Dorne Kingdom, voicing his primary interest. Your next chapter is on empire


    "Compensate us for our war costs, at least 500,000 Gold Coins for each Kingdom!" added an envoy from the Leite Kingdom, right beside the Dorne representative.


    "Hand over all trade routes to guarantee safe passage for each country in the Endless Sea to the west!" said the Por Kingdom representative, his voice carrying the scent of the sea.


    "Guarantee absolute safety for the merchants of each Kingdom within the Shen Kingdom!" followed the envoy from the Songmu Kingdom.


    Names of various Chinese cities followed by the word "treaty" sprang up in Tang Mo''s mind like scraps of paper, as if he himself were sitting beside that humiliating negotiation table in Nanjing or Tianjin of the past.


    Only this time, they were on the winning side... Indeed, with the roles reversed, the feeling was immediately different.


    Tang Mo even wickedly thought: What if, sitting in Yamaguchi Prefecture back then, they negotiated the cession of Okinawa... would writing a novel about Li being assassinated while attempting to extort Kyoto be a bestseller?

 Chapter 445 433 is filled with familiar flavors everywhere_2

    ```


    Or maybe... have Old Li consider shooting himself six more times, and we''ll force Hirobumi Ito to cede Honshu Ind as well?


    Looking at the scene in front of him, which resembled a vegetable market, the "Treaty" content was just too concentrated, almost nearing 100%. It''s likely that after this war, the textbooks of Sheng Country will surely gain a new term simr to a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society.


    Just casually counting: Hmm, Dorne, Suthers, Leite, Songmu, Por, Ice Cold, Gales, and the Empire of Na... Exactly eight nations, triggering some special effect, Tang Mo''s guilt feeling +1, deterrence +1, unlocking the achievement "Scars of the Old Empire"?


    As for the usual mocking, somehow, it seems that strange additions keep piling up...


    Tang Mo shook his head, banishing these strange thoughts from his mind. After everyone had put forward their demands as previously agreed, he also put forward his thought, "After agreeing to these terms, topensate Great Tang Group for all its losses, and the war... will be over."


    He didn''t specify his conditions, but to the goblins'' ears, this phrase aboutpensating all losses of Great Tang Group seemed far too vague, enough to make one''s heart hang in suspense.


    Soon, their judgment was confirmed, as the beautiful paper from Yulin was pressed in front of them. The goblins finally understood what it meant to be outrageously demanding.


    To give an analogy, at this moment, they were like nervous young men asking for a bride''s hand in marriage. When the bride''s parents mentioned the dowry figure, their faces bore an expression of utter shock.


    After harboring the thought of taking Zheng Country for himself and embarking on a path of domination, Tang Mo started to analyze the issue from another angle.


    This time he fought alongside eight countries to dere war on Sheng Country, which for him was also an act of desperation.


    His warships were too few to search all of Sheng Country''s vessels in the Endless Sea and attack them, so he had no choice but to utilize the navies of various countries topensate for hisck of military strength.


    However, looking at the issue from the perspective of maximizing benefits, although Great Tang Group emerged utterly victorious this time, the profits from the war were noticeably diluted by the involvement of various countries.


    Therefore, even if Tang Mo had the capability to obliterate Sheng Country this time, he wouldn''t make his move under such circumstances.


    What he wanted was to take Sheng Country for himself and turn it into his own territory, not to divide it among eight countries. That would not be in the interests of Great Tang Group.


    "We can''t afford that kind ofpensation! Mr. Tang, our country is very poor..." the head goblin envoy began to bargain.


    The angle from which he approached was quite tricky, demonstrating the capabilities of Sheng Country''s diplomats¡ªthrough years of war with Zheng Country, they had honed a quite skilled diplomatic team.


    Competing over trade routes was pointless for Sheng Country, as they were unable to maintain a grip. Their navy had been severely damaged, their merchant ships captured or sunk, leaving thempletely powerless to sustain their original scale of maritime trade. Thus, fighting over this was meaningless.


    Opening up the market and ensuring the safety of merchants, Sheng Country was also willing to hold its nose and agree. They, too, wanted to learn advanced technology through trade and were more than eager for people willing to conduct business and open workshops.


    Taxation was a tough nut to crack, so it was not advisable to start with it. Choosing thepensation as the entry point seemed just right.


    "It''s okay, we can offer a loan. That is, to lend you money to repay thepensation owed to each country," Tang Mo''s sudden generosity bewildered the goblins.


    However, the national envoys who had taken loans from Tang Mo instantly disyed a knowing smirk.


    Taking money from Great Tang Group... isn''t that easy,d! Borrowing money feels good for the moment, but repaying it is like a cremation ground! What? Won''t pay back? Well, buddy, you''ve got guts.


    That''s something you could discuss with Por Kingdom. They have plenty of experience with this.


    In an instant, the envoy from Por Kingdom felt several gazes directed at him. He felt particrly ufortable, with a sense of shame like thorns in his back: Why are you all looking at me? It''s not my debt! I''m warning you, it''s uncalled for to hit someone in the face! This is too much! Still looking?


    Do you want to go to war or what? Assholes!


    "We might not be able to pay it back... not even the interest..." The Sheng Country envoy seemed a bit defeatist now.


    In fact, they really had no money left. They had nearly spent all their savings to purchase arge quantity of weapons and equipment from Shireck, which enabled them to achieve a significant victory in the war with Zheng Country.


    ```


    But before they could enjoy the spoils of victory, they were attacked by the Great Tang Group. Not to mention Dongwan Ind being taken, the copse of maritime trade was the most severe loss for Shireck.


    "We''ve found mass graves on Dongwan Ind. The ounts of the Goblins of Shireck ughtering civilians still need to be settled," Tang Mo dropped the issue of the loan and brought up the massacre all of a sudden.


    Looking at the three Goblins whose expressions were somewhat unnatural, he paused before continuing, "You''ll have topensate us with an equivalent number of ves. You''re not going to tell me you don''t even have people, are you?"


    While talking, he picked up thepensation list from the Great Tang Group, "Let''s talk about the moneyter, let''s discuss the matter of ves now."


    "We... we''ve just finished a war, our poption, our poption is not abundant," replied the leading Goblin with a bitter look.


    In fact, this was an even more difficult issue for them: for nations of this era, poption was sometimes equated with wealth. Taking their poption was almost no different from dividing their wealth.


    Tang Mo smiled. This negotiation today had allowed him to experience all of the old issues once again. The other party was very much like Principal Chang. What was thatment about him? Principal Chang had a strange temperament, if you wanted a little from him, he wouldn''t even give you a bit. But what if you took something big from him?


    He wouldn''t care about the small things anymore. Find your next adventure on empire


    Now, Tang Mo was preparing to take the big things, to remind these Goblins that they were still meat on the chopping board.


    "Since you''re so poor, we''ll just have to look for valuable things ourselves." Tang Mo picked at his ear and showed an impatient look, "Gentlemen, it seems that Shireck wants to keep the war going..."


    "Wait a minute! Just wait! We''llpensate! We... we will..." The Shireck envoy immediately softened; Shireck really couldn''t keep going anymore.


    If the war ended, they could still recover, develop, and recuperate. At the very least, they could bully Zheng Country and gain some benefits.


    But if the war continued and their maritime trade remained crippled, then Shireck would truly be finished. Although they wouldn''t copse directly due to ack of food like the Taren Kingdom, it wouldn''t be much better.@@novelbin@@


    Thus, the Goblins envoys, who had begun to throw in the towel, in principle agreed to the Great Tang Group''s demands forpensation in ves.


    As for the number, they still had to bargain¡ªGreat Tang Group wanted 300,000, and Shireck was willing to give 100,000. After much negotiation, the final number settled on was 200,000...


    Afterwards, because Shireck had no gold coins topensate other countries, they started borrowing from the Great Tang Group, pledging simple coteral: selling some more ves to the Great Tang Group. A robust ve for 10 Gold Coins, a fair price.


    Then Shireck negotiated the total amount ofpensation with the other countries, ultimately bringing the price down to 300,000 Gold Coins per country. Thus, the total amount ofpensation Shireck had to pay was 2.7 million Gold Coins.


    In the end, Shireck had no choice but to offer up another 100,000 ves, barely fulfilling the requirement ofpensating each of the nine nations and powers 300,000 Gold Coins.


    Then the two parties began to discuss the issue of trade tariffs. Shireck clearly did not want to give up this significant ie; after intense disputes, they managed to keep fifty percent.


    The Great Tang Group got ten percent of Shireck''s tariffs, and the other eight countries each got five percent, which was a satisfactory oue for everyone.


    The rest was rtively simple. After signing the agreement honestly, Shireck, as thest of the old four dominant naval powers in the Endless Sea, handed over the control of the western Endless Sea.


    Although they still maintained their navy and their fleet was still formidable, everyone knew that the Endless Sea now had only one overlord.


    And the Great Tang Group got everything they wanted before the war had started!


    ---------


    Not feeling well today, only 4,000 words. Here is one update... Apologies.

 Chapter 446 434 tear down the wall

    "My lord, we dare not! This¡­this¡­" An elder stood behind Tagg, looking at a section of the city wall in the distance and pleading with a sobbing voice.


    That was the city wall of Dongwan, the defensive fortifications their ancestors had maintained for so many years! Each new official would strengthen it further, when had the rules ever changed?


    But now, these neers actually said they wanted to dismantle these cumbersome walls and even use the rubble to build roads and houses... wasn''t this absurd?


    Which was more important, city walls or roads and houses? If the enemy broke through, what good would houses and roads do? If everyone was killed, of what use would those be?


    Yet he did not dare to defy this powerful figure who had just taken control of Dongwan Ind. The fact that the man agreed to meet with him was an honor, how could he dare to give orders?


    "Soon you will understand, all these things are obstacles in the expansion of our city and the growth of our economy. If not dismantled, do we keep them for the New Year?" said the twenty-year-old Dino, who stood beside Tagg, nonchntly.


    The elder wanted to argue, but the words stuck in his throat, unable to muster the courage to continue nagging. Had it been within his own family, and had a child dared to speak to him like this, he would have long since used his walking stick to greet the other''s face.


    But now, the young man standing beside the warrior seemed to have an exceptional background and spoke without any reservations, appearing to be someone in charge as well.


    "You don''t have to worry. What if I told you even the artillery batteries are going to be dismantled... would you not be scared out of your wits?" Dino did not conceal his ns at all.


    In his vision, all these useless obstructions had to be removed without exception.


    ording to his ns, the current location of the artillery batteries should be transformed intorger docks for producing bigger ships, and to construct the secondrgest shipbuilding factory under the Great Tang Group.


    He had even decided on the name: Dongwan Shipyard, specializing in building transport ships and passenger liners, to supplement the Great Tang Group''s insufficient shipbuilding capabilities.


    Then, using the dismantled stones and other building materials, they would upgrade the entire port and docks, installing various cranes transported from Dragon Ind and turn Dongwan Port into a modernized,rge-scale harbor.


    If not like this, how could they support the ambitious expansion of the Great Tang Group into Zheng Country? How else could he live up to the trust Tang Mo ced in him?


    Continue your adventure with empire


    Dino was determined to exert his influence here, to help Tang Mo transform Dongwan Ind into a brand-new strategic base. Offensively, it could threaten Shen County of Zheng Country or even affect the Dahua Empire; defensively, it would ensure anyone trying to encroach on Dongwan Ind would break their teeth attempting it.


    All this did not rely on some ancient artillery batteries or the decrepit city walls, but on the power of Jade City-ss battleships, the massive Navy of the Tang Group, and advanced Army weapon systems.


    If the enemy reached the vicinity of the harbor, rely on Shireck''s muzzle-loading cannons? Don''t make meugh. The 155mm howitzers he deployed much further away were far more effective than the junk on those batteries.


    Moreover, he knew that his teacher, Tang Mo, held an Air Force unit unknown to outsiders! Not those sluggish airships, but a genuinely powerful aerial force, swift as the wind!


    Although this new secret weapon didn''t yet haverge-scale capabilities, Dino knew this was the future!


    "What, what? The artillery batteries? The batteries must be dismantled too?" The old man was so frightened that he could hardly speak clearly.


    He had never heard of such a thing. A port city without city walls or artillery batteries, what would they use to defend if the enemy came?


    Could it be that these seemingly powerful upiers were nning a smash-and-grab, to take what they could and run? Perhaps they had no intention of holding their ground? The old man suddenly felt as though he had stumbled upon the truth. When he raised his head again, the gaze with which he regarded Tagg and Dino was tinged with a different meaning.


    Tagg didn''t think much of it, but Dino was astute despite his youth and seemed to understand the old man''s intention.


    So, he prevented the old man from mulling over it any further, nced at his mechanical watch on his wrist and confirmed with Tagg, "The city wall part is left to your Army, and the artillery batteries to the Navy. There shouldn''t be any problems, right?"


    "No problem at all!" Tagg answered very precisely, "Before I came, I had already confirmed with General Bernard. Although he cherishes the ammunition, we are indeed in a rush."


    "The old man probably only heard the sound of the cannons during the battle outside the city, not aware of our capabilities." Without any intention of avoiding the few country gentry behind, Dino directly referred to these respected local elders as "old men."


    Upon hearing themselves addressed in such a manner, these elders instantly showed displeasure on their faces. In their view, even the non-humanlike goblins of Shen County gave them some courtesy, yet this unruly youth didn''t even understand politeness.


    However, constrained by the other side''s military force and the hundreds of soldiers stationed in the city, they did not dare to show their anger, silently inscribing their dissatisfaction in their hearts.@@novelbin@@


    After all, fortunes change, and when these imposing soldierse to grief, falling from grace, these outsiders will then learn how formidable the gentry and magnates of Dongwan City really are.


    "So let those people who are preparing to deceive out in the open, but defy in secret, lose all hope. Don''t let me catch them in the act..." Dino said, all the while looking coldly at those elders who were already distraught and anxious.

 Chapter 447 : 434 tear down the wall_2

    He was well aware that if he didn''t show these people the full strength of the Great Tang Group, they wouldn''t understand that the times had changed.


    Not far away, the city''s residents had also been gathered together, inexplicably standing on high ground, waiting for the grand "self-introduction" that was soon toe.


    It would be a memorable bombardment feast, as well as the old Dongwan Port''s final scene in this world.


    After a moment''s silence, rolling thunder began to sound from the sea. As the richndlords standing behind Dino saw the entire battery being turned upside down, they were so frightened that they could hardly stand steady.


    One by one, thin or fat, the old and middle-aged men were scared silly, copsing to the ground to feel the tremors emanating from beneath them.


    Before their eyes, the grand battery that had been painstakingly built over hundreds of years by ten generations of people was being demolished by cannon fire into a pile of ruins and rubble.


    The massive explosions sent stones flying dozens of meters into the air, dust churned in the sky, and shockwaves carrying fine gravel swept everything around, followed by the rising plumes of ck smoke.


    "How about the Navy... of my Great Tang Group?" Dino didn''t look at the scenes he had already seen but, with the explosion at his back, looked at the locals who were already terrified out of their wits and asked loudly.


    As he asked his question, more artillery fire came, striking the battery, which could momentarily be seen only by the brief shes of fire amidst the clouds and mist stirred by the explosion.


    However, those local aborigines witnessing these explosions knew very well that if there were soldiers there, or rather, no matter how many soldiers were stationed there, they would be done for by now...


    No wonder these foreigners wanted to dismantle the batteries, no wonder they didn''t need batteries... because no one could breach such a navy and threaten the city from the sea! No one!


    Just a few breathster, the local aborigines witnessed the impressive sight of 155mm caliber cannons dismantling the city walls.


    In the previous battles, two shots from 105mm cannon had brought down a section of the wall, and the local Shen country''s Troops surrendered, so no one knew what was actually happening outside the city.


    But now, everyone could see with their own eyes the Great Tang Group''s artillery Troops were bombarding the walls with their cannons, each shot causing the walls to fracture and copse amidst terrifying explosions and deafening roars. The war became tremendously alien to them.


    Standing over there, the surrendering general of the Shen country, Shenwu Xiong, also witnessed this incredible scene. Only now did he finally realize just how thoroughly the Shen country had been defeated.


    He even felt somewhat relieved, relieved that he had seen the situation clearly and surrendered early. Otherwise, in the face of such terrifying fire, his Troops would probably have disintegrated before they even had a chance to surrender.


    Shen Wenmao, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief at Shenwu Xiong''s side. Before, he feared that his and Shenwu Xiong''s surrender would be the shame of the Shen country.


    But now, it seemed... surrender might not be an uneptable choice after all. If you surrendered toote, you probably wouldn''t even get prison food, right?


    Thinking of this, Shen Wenmao stealthily nced at Shenwu Xiong, finding that they seemed to be thinking along the same lines. Thus, they exchanged a look of having survived a disaster, each sighing with relief, feeling unusually light-hearted.


    "Now, do you think, city walls... batteries... are of any use?" Dino walked up to the local aborigines who had just gotten up from the ground and asked.


    By now, the sound of the guns had receded, and he no longer needed to shout. Tagg had no interest in interfering with Dino''s work, merely standing to the side watching.


    "No, no use at all, Sir, you are right to demolish them..." The old man who had strongly opposed before quickly gestured with his hands, reasserting his position.


    "Yes, yes! Sir is wise! Sir is wise!" The rest of them also nodded in quick session, as if afraid of speaking toote and displeasing Dino.


    "To benefit themunity, care for the neighbors, cooperate with my work, obey mymands..." Dino reached out and patted the shoulder of the leading old man gently: "Don''t give me an excuse. I am a new official taking office and will always need to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys... Who? Who wants to be that chicken?"


    As he asked this question, his eyes swept over Shenwu Xiong Shen Wenmao and the other localndlords, magnates, and influential figures.


    "My lord jests! Whatever yourmands are, we will certainly cooperate. We are all willing to follow your dispatch," a group of people nodded and bowed, creating quite a lively scene.


    "Dino''s work in Dongwan is not bad," Tang Mo said while Yulin helped him sort out documents, his hands mischievously wrapping around the beauty''s slim waist, his nose brushing against Yulin''s hair strands, and he took the moment to praise his student.


    "Hmm..." Yulin''s response was somewhat soft, making it unclear whether she was enjoying Tang Mo''s embrace or responding to his words.


    "I heard that he has already caught over 200 literates there, and started to teach the locals to read and write?" Tang Mo''s hands roamed over Yulin''s body as he savored the intimacy, yet his words were work-rted.


    Yulin, who was used to this, continued to help Tang Mo organize the documents while she reported, "Thetest telegram says they have caught 500 now, they only teachnguage, and don''t learn anything else..."


    "He''s indeed caught on to the key point," Tang Mo said, also catching on to a key point, making Yulin let out a soft yelp and twist her supple body slightly.


    "You always enjoy teasing people," Yulin, with her face blushing to the tips of her ears, turned around, her face blooming like a peach blossom and her eyes misty with spring, "You have a meeting in 15 minutes, will you make it?"


    Tang Mo coughed. Although he was happy to take advantage, if he really caused a scene, he truly wouldn''t have enough time...


    So, he withdrew his hands, stepped back a bit with reluctance, and opened some distance between them: "I heard he''s made a list?"


    "Workers, training teachers, engineers, books, food, seeds, agricultural guidance... ording to his demands, we might as well move to Dongwan Ind," Yulin said as she straightened Tang Mo''s disheveled clothes, her voice filled with a hint of exasperation.


    "Ha, I still need to send soldiers, cannons, ammunition, steel, machine tools, generators, gantry cranes... to Dongwan Ind. Transport capacity is indeed tight," Tang Mo sighed. He was really a bit troubled about how to quickly develop Dongwan Ind.


    You must know, ording to Tang Mo''s n, at least 100,000 troops would be stationed there, and there had to be a production capacity for war equipment to supply 100,000 soldiers¡ªprobably not enough even in a year.


    Or more precisely, far from enough! Even with the full support of the Great Tang Group, for Dongwan Ind to catch up with Dragon Ind''s level of development within a year would be a pipe dream.


    Don''t assume Dragon Ind was built so quickly because Brunas had a prior umtion of poption and technical personnel. Now, half of the dividends rued by Brunas had been allocated to Dragon Ind, and further dividing resources for Dongwan Ind was obviously insufficient.


    After all, Hotwind Port, Winterless City, Eternal Winter Port, and Osa were all eagerly waiting, hoping that the Great Tang Group could give them more technical talents and materials.@@novelbin@@


    To support Dongwan Ind, Tang Mo had pulled out all the stops, even leasing sailing fleets from other countries, desperately transporting materials to Dongwan Ind.


    But Dongwan Ind was in desperate need of so many things. Having just gone through a war, agriculture was neglected, the poption was dwindling, everything was in dire need of rebuilding.


    Thinking of all this, Tang Mo felt immense pressure. He rubbed his forehead, turning to Yulin, "What about that bastard Nangong Hong? Thinks he can give me a bad idea and then go ck off in Hotwind Port? Call him back!"


    "Hasn''t he been there for just over ten days?" Yulin reminded with a smile.


    "Consider it a vacation," Tang Mo raised an eyebrow, deciding that Nangong Hong should hurry back and offer him advice, "Send him a telegraph."


    --------


    Readtest stories on empire


    I was originally free today, but my wife had some trouble at work, and we talked for a long time... Sorry, just one update today. I still owe everyone... well, it seems we''re back to owing five updates...

 Chapter 448 : 435 Old Master Qs Unexpected Joy

    Looking at the group of innocent-faced children before him, the old master, who had always been the most knowledgeable in Dongwan city, sighed deeply, feeling that his life hade to an end.


    Although he never thought education was a shameful matter, he had also never believed that every child should go to school and learn to read and write.


    It was simply an absurd idea. Where in the world was it the rule for everyone to study? If everyone learned the teachings of the sages and understood various principles, then who would farm thend, who wouldbor, and who would be ves and servants?


    What he could least tolerate, were actually those girls sitting timidly and hesitantly in the corner.


    Damn it, what was this all about? Men and women studying together under the same roof and receiving the same treatment. What on earth was this?


    He sighed again, and nced at the two soldiers seated near the entrance. With no choice but to carry on, he used the inferior chalk that was running out of powder to write a few characters on the ckened wall, and then had everyone follow along and write them down.


    In the world familiar to the old man, if a girl wanted to learn something, shouldn''t she have a private tutore to her residence to teach?


    If a boy wanted to study, shouldn''t his family background be checked for integrity, whether he was enlightened, whether he had the determination and resolve, before being ssified into different educational tiers?


    Lumping everyone together like this was simply an insult to the word ''education''! Although he thought so, ncing again at the soldiers at the door, he could only swallow his words.


    The situation was out of his control¡ªthe two soldiers at the door were not there to protect him, but to supervise him. He had to faithfully follow the teaching schedule, and the soldiers had to keep study logs, which, he heard, their squad leader checked every day.


    As a schr, the old gentleman considered himself to be the most learned within a radius of tens of miles; his students, if not schrs heard by provinces, at least should be the cultivated literati.


    Now, well, if these two foolhardy soldiers went out and said he was their teacher, how could he, at his advanced age, live with such dishonor...


    So, the old pedant, his facial muscles twitching with suppressed dejection and anger, had no choice but to patiently teach the pronunciation of the characters written on the ckboard one by one.


    With another sigh, he walked off the podium with his hands behind his back, making his way into the midst of the children who sat behind desks of various kinds. With each step he took along the aisle, his heart ached just a little.


    These were all fine desks that he had seen before: the first row belonged to the Li family, known for their dignity and grandeur; the desk on the left in the second row was a treasured heirloom of the Zhao family, which he himself was reluctant to use too often; and the one at the back... that one... was his own!


    Watching a desk made of precious Huanghuali wood ced in the ssroom for these little brats to casually use, how could he not feel pained?@@novelbin@@


    That being said, these soldiers from afar who imed to be Tang people were indeed extravagant, supplying paper as if it cost nothing. Every child who went to get it was sure to receive a full allotment, with no hesitation whatsoever.


    What depressed him even more was that on such excellent sheets of white paper, the characters that these children wrote were so twisted and contorted, they truly looked like crawling bugs!


    "Penmanship! Penmanship!" the old man nearly fainted from anger and could not help but cough and scold, "Such poor handwriting, how can it carry the spirit of a schr?"


    "..." The sergeant seated by the door looked down at his own ugly string of characters and curled his lip: When he was trembling on the ground scared by a shell, no one saw any aura of integrity from the old gentleman...


    He had no liking for these low-level teachers who taught reading and writing¡ª the same was true back in Brunas. Those literacy instructors were always the most stubborn old men, and their lessons were the least popr among Brunas school students.


    Especially after being exposed to teachers of physics, chemistry, physical education, etc., in school, they liked the literacy instructors even less.


    This was actually wrong, carrying a clear mark of the times, a short-sighted and unavoidablepromise.


    Great Tang Group was rushing to employ people, and the training cycle for talents was very short, so there often wasn''t time to solidify the basics. Everyone''s handwriting looked poor, because from learning the alphabet to graduating, they had no time to practice their writing.


    For them, the requirement was only the most basic: to write out the content they wished to express urately and legibly for others to understand. That was enough...


    Tang Mo was aware that this was not ideal and would remind the graduates to practice their writing and improve their literary cultivation. However, this issue was bound to persist for some time.


    When he reached the side of his own desk, the angry old master paused for a moment. He saw a pair of calloused, delicate hands writing a few somewhat decent small characters.


    It seemed the child couldn''t bear to waste so much paper at once and was carefully copying the text from the ckboard into a tiny corner with neat and tidy font, one stroke at a time, and trying to mimic the graceful iron-brush silver-hook style of the ckboard.


    The old man slightly bowed, stared for a few seconds, and huffed with conceited pride before offering a tip, "That horizontal stroke should arch ever so slightly, forming a curve. When the mountain cannot be crushed, it gains weight...and with ites momentum. With such energy, rhythm can be nurtured...and that is not far from crafting a good character."


    He was unaware that what he was teaching was actually considered the most elementary and least regarded aspect of the Great Tang Group''s educational system. He strode off, confident in his irreceability, toward the back.


    This somewhat surprising discovery gave the old man a sh of insight. He seemed to grasp some truth¡ªkids whose handwriting bore a trace of character became his delight.


    The boy practicing calligraphy rewrote the same few characters several times, stubbornly making his writing resemble that on the ckboard even more.


    His name was Liu Guozhu, once called Liu Zhu. He hadn''t attended school before and never dreamed he might have the chance to be a disciple of a town schr. Cao Fei had given him his name, and the added character for "nation" seemed to make it flow more smoothly.


    For Liu Guozhu, everything Cao Fei had said was carved into his heart; he now truly believed that there was such a ce called Brunas.


    He also believed what Cao Fei had said about Dongwan City bing as beautiful as Brunas one day, with starlight illuminating every street and alley at night, and everyone having more food than they could eat and clothes without patches!


    Therefore, he studied hard, seizing every opportunity to learn, vowing to be someone useful, studying everything possible to be great like Cao Fei!


    "Dong! Dong!" The temporary school had even requisitioned therge bell from inside Dongwan City, which reminded everyone of the time, and now it hung on the great tree in the center of the mansion, ringing as the bell for ss dismissal.


    Upon hearing the bell, the elder returned to the lecture hall, drawing out his words as he loudly admonished, "You must realize the opportunity is precious, hard-won! Go home and practice diligently, and do not squander your potential!"


    "We will remember!" All the students stood up, including two burly soldiers at the door, responding in a motley chorus to the old man''s parting message. Discover exclusive content at empire


    Then, as the old man stepped down from the podium, the children in the ssroom scattered, because the lessons to follow were what they enjoyed and excelled at.


    sses in subjects like math, physics, and chemistry had yet to start; the textbooks were still adrift at sea. However, other sses had already begun and were very popr.


    Agriculture courses taught all the children how to farm¡ªskills the children of the poor already possessed. They just didn''t know the principles, so they studied with extreme earnestness.


    In the afternoon, these children would learn military drills with the Troops, a prospect that frightened all the parents.


    They feared their children would be trained as Soldiers and sent to the battlefield as cannon fodder. They saw such training as ominous, a ploy by the upying forces to conscript able-bodied men.


    However, the voices of dissent soon faded because the natives simplycked the courage to challenge the might of machine guns and cannons.


    Months ago, when the Goblin nation attacked, they were too scared to resist, so how could they dare challenge the Tang People who had driven away the Goblins?


    So, everyone could only grumble privately and then watch, uncertain, as their children grew stronger and more spirited.


    The families of children attending school received a half portion of food as a subsidy, the children enjoyed a special food supply at school, and eating at the school cafeteria waspletely free...


    For that half portion of food, the families could only hold their noses and take the risk of dutifully sending their children to school. In those days, anyone with food to eat was sovereign.


    Whenever they saw bags of flour and other foodstuffs unloaded from the big ships docked at the port, the residents of Dongwan City behaved even more subserviently.


    They had never seen so much food before¡ªto them, it was akin to a "Golden Age."


    In the afternoon, Liu Guozhu indeed got his wish and received his very own wooden rifle. These rifles, made from local materials and carved with bays by the Soldiers, were rough and bumpy, barely resembling the actual shape of a rifle.


    Yet even so, Liu Guozhu adored it. He held the object and executed everymand given by the drill sergeant.


    He performed each movement meticulously, always envisioning a figure in front of him, a figure as imposing as towering mountains.


    The image of Cao Fei standing before him, striking down Goblin soldiers with a rifle, intoxicated Liu Guozhu. He wanted to be that person, to ensure that his fellow vigers would never be bullied again!


    "Kill!" He lunged with his rifle, shouting fiercely, swift as lightning. Though his body was still frail, his actions were exceptionally precise. The officer watching nodded repeatedly, extremely pleased with the ss representative he had selected.

 Chapter 449 : 436 Tang People

    The Zhao Family in Dongwan City was also considered to have some influence; their family had been in business for generations, and their business had grownrger andrger, making them the city''s wealthiest.


    However, the wealthiest man was now somewhat aggrieved, as recent times hadn''t been peaceful: when the Shen people invaded, they demanded "contributions" from his family and took away most of their wealth.


    Later on, after Tang People drove away the Shen people and came themselves, they scoured his family''s home. Even his favorite desk was seized and requisitioned.


    Fortunately, although they took away some household items, they left his family a way to survive and did not extort and rob them of their money and wealth again.


    Just as the elder Zhao was starting to breathe a sigh of relief and pondering his family''s resurgence, an even more devastating blow came.


    It was news that made him even more desperate than the looting of his house, appearing so abruptly before his eyes!


    The Dongwan Port, which was originally half military and half fishing port, almost overnight, changed its appearance as ships brought in a continuous flow of materials to the docks.


    Due to insufficient transport capacity, goods piled up like mountains on the dock, with neatly stacked sacks everywhere containing either cement or flour, a sight to rm anyone.


    Who has ever seen such transportation of food? Not even the capital granaries of Zheng Country might bear witness to such abundance!


    The Zheng people, not used to such sights, naturally couldn''t understand what are called newly bred high-quality grains. Nor could theyprehend centralized management, mechanized farming, much less pesticides, or fertilizers...


    Thus, Mr. Zhao''s understanding of an abundant harvest was already far behind the times.


    In distant Brunas, ss greenhouses were already producing out-of-season fruits and vegetables for the extravagant nobility!


    This is the progress brought by the Great Tang Group. When Tang Mo sold a weapon to kill a person, his technology fed a hundred! The rate of his killing could not outpace the poption growth he spurred, so no one faulted him for selling weapons; instead, some called him the Star of Peace.


    This phenomenon might continue until he starts selling atomic bombs, becausepared to sustaining a poption, mankind is more adept at reducing it...


    Countless supplies arrived in Dongwan City as if bubbling up from the sea floor. Even though Dino and Tagg both felt the transportation was too slow, to the local indigenous people, such speed was frightfully exaggerated.


    The food distribution business was instantly crushed by the Great Tang Grain Company. The grain merchants barely had a chance to struggle before they were forced toy t and swiftly became subordinate distribution agencies.


    Cloths, previously unaffordable by the poor, were now luxuriously fashioned into ready-made clothes and sold cheaply in stores.


    How much do you think Brunas work clothes should sell for? Naturally, they were so cheap they brought tears to your eyes. The Great Tang Group, intent on stabilizing newly conquered areas, was hardly concerned with such small profits, thus naturally there was a promotion of low prices.


    As a result, the local cloth merchants had nowhere to cry and went bankrupt within a few days. They whoughed at grain merchants yesterday could only now afford to buy food.


    So those who did not have the courage tomit suicide could only weep bitterly at home and, through tears, eat a few more bowls of rice...


    The matter didn''t end there. With subsequent ships'' arrivals, once exorbitantly priced iron pots and kitchen knives also turned into cheap goods.


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    The indigenous people suddenly found that as long as someone in their family worked for the Great Tang Group, they could afford almost all the daily necessities on the market.


    Quality soaps and other chemical products, ironware that was unaffordable before, cheaply made but extremely affordable crockery, work clothes that, while uniform in style, were durable and longsting...


    Life gradually improved so subtly and significantly that it felt somewhat surreal.


    More exaggerated changes began to surface as illnesses that once spelled certain death were now lessmon. Medicines provided by the Great Tang Group were like elixirs that could save lives on the brink of death.


    After taking medicine, eliminating intestinal parasites, and personally witnessing the entire process, the local indigenous people began to regard Tang People as gods sent to save them.


    "Have you heard? Those Tang People... all follow the orders of a convict?" An older woman gossiping with a young daughter-inw as she washed clothes with soap.


    The neighbor''s daughter-inw was also washing clothes, her garments old and patched, too cherished to discard, still being worn: "I''ve heard. They say they have ck hair and ck eyes, just like us."


    The older woman immediately eximed with emotion, "They are truly like divine beings. My man, he was sick a few days ago and got better after only a few of those elixirs and for just a few coins."


    "Yeah. If this had been before, wouldn''t you have to mortgage your house to pay a doctor to treat such an illness?"mented the daughter-inw as she beat the clothes with aundry stick.


    "Hey! Dare to speak of before? Who could afford a doctor or medicine in the past?" the older woman''s voice grew louder as she nced towards the side with ill intent.


    The drugstore owner''s wife''s expression darkened as she did herundry. Their family''s business had recently and thoroughly gone bankrupt.


    No one came for consultations anymore, nor did theye to get medicine. The finished drugs provided by the Great Tang Group were fast-acting and genuinely effective, and with the arrival of military doctors, their diagnoses were urate and direct, earning the trust of the locals more and more.


    If the Great Tang Group hadn''t set up a temporary hospital in Dongwan City and found these senior doctors to help out, they would probably be going bankrupt along with the merchants by now.


    But where there are losers, there are winners. As shiploads of materials began to arrive in Dongwan City, the native poption increasingly embraced the rule of the Great Tang Group.


    Public security became stable, and those who had hidden in the deep mountains and forests gradually started to return to their viges to resume production; everything began to fall into order.


    With the arrival of sessive battalions of the Great Tang Group''s 4th Division, Tagg held a more abundant force in his hands.


    Then came something that made the natives of Dongwan City even morepliant¡ªthe airship bombers, after refilling their gas, flew over Dongwan City slowly with their terrifying liveries.


    When the natives of Dongwan City saw these giant sharks with their ferocious faces and gaping mouths fly over their heads, shrouding the sky like dark clouds, they were left with little else on their minds.


    Shen Wenmao, who was busy organizing goblins for mining, became even more like apliantckey after seeing these airships.


    The goblinborers on the construction site worked even harder, with even the number of runaways dropping. Inside the mines, everyone worked with zealous fervor, and any hint ofziness would lead to being caught by Shen Wenmao and made an example of with a severe beating.


    Meanwhile, Shen Wenmao, who was in charge of receiving the ves from the Shen country that were brought into the city, truly cemented his role as a conscience-sellingprador when he saw the airships.


    This elder brother even personally went to the port to inspect goods a few dayster, rejecting the sick and weak sent by the Shen country with such precision that describing him as meticulous was an understatement.


    "We are Tang People!" Recalling her child''s words from school, the aunt suddenly felt a surge of pride.@@novelbin@@


    The young wife nodded in agreement. Although she didn''t have children in school, her husband worked on the construction site, and he often came home saying he was a Tang Person.


    If they weren''t all one big family, why would their wages be full and never docked, why would the soldiers passing throughmit no offenses, why would the government officials treat them as individuals?


    When people from the Shen country came, they exploited and bullied without restraint, so even though the Shen people were powerful, they never truly connected; they remained people of the Shen country for life.


    But after the Tang People came, they helped them resume production, ensured they had food and clothing, and even helped them regain their dignity¡ªweren''t they brothers, then?


    It''s undetermined when the concept of "Tang People" first appeared in history, but it indeed emerged during the time the Great Tang Group upied Dongwan Ind. The locals called the upying forces of the Great Tang Group Tang People, andter also referred to themselves as Tang People.


    Later on, the inhabitants of the Great Tang Group''s upied areas also began to refer to themselves as Tang People, and the proof of being a Tang Persony in their identity cards,plete with their bareheaded photos and steel stamps.


    Eventually, in the territories controlled by the Great Tang Empire, everyone called themselves Tang People, carrying with them a sense of superiority, as if they were a cut above the rest.


    ...


    "To be a ''Tang Person''... it''s not that simple!" In his office, Dino tapped his fingers on a nk identity card.


    Issuing identity cards for hundreds of thousands of people from the Great Tang Group was no small project¡ªtaking photographs, sealing stamps, verifying identities, delineating obligations and responsibilities, and showcasing the promises of benefits. It would take months of busy work at the minimum.


    Right now, he didn''t have that much time to deal with such low-priority tasks, his priority was to quickly restore the socioeconomic state to normal.


    The materials and products of the Great Tang Group hadpletely decimated the local economy of Dongwan Ind; he had to ensure that the economy here aligned with and cycled positively with the Great Tang Group''s system.


    In addition, many troops carrying experimental new weapons would also be arriving. The subsequent work would require his coordination and arrangement with Tagg.


    Why did weapon developmente to a halt? Because there was no war! War is the driving force behind weapons research and development!


    When Tang Mo received theprehensive summary of all the frontline issues from the battle for Dongwan Ind, the technological reserves of the Great Tang Group were thoroughly scrutinized.


    It wasn''t a joke; some weapons that had never even been heard of in the market were now manufactured as samples and sent to Dongwan Ind for testing.


    The variety of new weapons was vast, but they remained ssified. However, the airships as new weapons of the sky had already caught the attention of military factions worldwide.


    ------


    Just two updates today, if I''m feeling better tomorrow, I''ll start making up the missed updates.

 Chapter 450 437 new types of troops

    In the conference room, Tang Mo looked at Harry and others, including Luff Leo, with a somewhat annoying gesture spread his hands, "I don''t want it to be this way either, but after all, some things can''t be hidden from everyone forever."


    "Dorne''s envoy has formally requested to visit and inspect the ''flying weapons,''" Harry said. "The envoys from the Suthers Kingdom have also asked to see our new weapons, and ording to the bank transfer records, they seem to be ready to pay."


    "No one can refuse ''flying weapons,'' a matter we had already discussed before." Tang Mo shrugged, with a there''s-nothing-I-can-do attitude.


    Yulin smiled helplessly, stood behind Tang Mo, and began to massage his shoulders obediently.


    "Yes, becausepared to the ground, the blue sky overhead is still a nk. If there really are weapons in the sky, it means that those who possess such weapons can prate deep into enemy territory and attack any target they wish¡ªeven targets deep within enemynd," Luff cautiouslymented.


    "In fact, we do have such weapons." Tang Mo, enjoying Yulin''s massage, said with a mischievous smile, "A weapon that can break directly into the enemy''s hintend from the sky, as if it were no man''snd!"


    The Kirov Airships of the Great Tang Group, or rather the imitative bombing airships, were impossible to keeppletely secret on their way to the battlefield.


    These huge beasts traveled in groups across the Western Endless Sea, and it''s imaginable how many transport fleets must have seen them.


    Furthermore, these weapons weren''t exactly discreet when moving about on Dongwan Ind, so the transport ships of other countries that came and went to Dongwan Ind naturally saw their fearsome silhouettes.


    Tang Mo actually had no intention of hiding these kinds of weapons because only when everyone had seen the weapons for themselves would they truly appreciate their power.


    Once it was realized that these weapons could easily tear through defenses and attack the King City of an enemy''s kingdom, everyone would try hard to equip themselves with such weapons and find ways to procure defensive armament against them.


    Whether buying airships or anti-aircraft machine guns and anti-aircraft guns for defense, the Great Tang Group would make a killing from either, which was an anticipated oue.


    As an arms dealer, Tang Mo naturally had to sell weapons, and the highest realm of arms dealing is that by showing a small vial of phosgene, one can make all the military forces in the world equip themselves with gas masks!


    Tang Mo''s thinking was also very clear: as new weapons, airships were definitely something he would promote, because after all, his real trump card was the airne.


    Selling airships actually wouldn''t maximize profit, only the anti-aircraft guns that Tang Mo had already designed, and production of which had started in many factories, were his real big money-making projects.


    The threat of an Air Force wouldpel all military forces to seriously consider deploying anti-air defenses around their industrial cities, which was also inevitable.


    "Respond to their requests. Tell them that I''ll personally take them to see the military airships the day after tomorrow. If they are interested, everyone is free to ce orders." Eventually, Tang Mo gave a clear answer, "Tell them that in addition to airships, we have anti-aircraft guns, anti-aircraft machine guns, and other weapons, and let them get their money ready..."


    "I understand," Harry promptly nodded in agreement.


    In Harry''s view, it seemed that the Great Tang Group would soon receive countless orders, with every country trying hard to order bombing airships, and every kingdom also equipping its King City and heavy industrial bases with innumerable anti-aircraft guns.


    ...


    On Dongwan Ind, an officer stood in front of Cao Fei, personally fitting him with new shoulder epaulets. Cao Fei, as a Ranger, had performed exceptionally well in this operation and thus received a well-deserved promotion.


    He had been officially promoted from a junior nonmissioned officer to a sergeant. At the same time, his arm''s name had been confirmed as changed¡ªhe had now be an independent sniper.


    A brand new branch of the military created by the Great Tang Group, equipped with modern weapons, and possessing fiercebat prowess!


    "This is your new weapon and equipment... I hope you make good use of these weapons and gear, to fight bravely for yourself and for Great Tang!" The officer turned, pointing to a new rifle, new camouge gear, and other equipment neatly arranged on the ground.


    The brand new rifle was a long-range semi-automatic sniper rifle developed and produced by the Great Tang Group, the G43 model with a short-stroke piston gas system.


    This rifle was still in a confidential phase, and the Great Tang Group had no ns forrge-scale production of this precise weapon. However, Tang Mo liked to use semi-automatic rifles as sniper rifles, which could improve sniper efficiency.


    The traditional bolt-action rifles required the user to forsake their aim and manually reload after each shot, which was not efficient.


    The semi-automatic rifle did not have this w. It could keep firing until the magazine was empty before needing to reload, which could significantly increase a sniper''s firepower.


    Therefore, Tang Mo nned to equip all of his snipers with semi-automatic rifles to maximize their effectiveness.


    Meanwhile, the Great Tang Group had also installed optical sights on these semi-automatic rifles, which extended the snipers'' attack distance and improved their uracy.


    Tang Mo attached a 4x magnifying scope to this kind of sniper rifle, which, when paired with a precision rifle, allows the sniper to urately kill human-sized targets at a distance of around 200 meters.


    If the sniper had ample experience, he could even engage stationary targets at around 400 meters, especially since the G43 rifles produced by the Great Tang Group were quite urate.


    To enhance the snipers'' close-quartersbat capability, in addition to being issued semi-automatic rifles, they were also provided with an S3-type semi-automatic pistol. They were given three extra magazines for close-range defense.


    Additionally, the snipers had their own special camouge raincoats, which could be temporarily transformed into a rainproof single-person tent. Apart from this, the snipers also had woond ghillie suits developed by the Great Tang Group, which effectively reduced the distance at which the sniper could be detected.


    Even the sniper''s uniform differed from that of ordinary soldiers; this new jacket-style uniform was, in fact, reversible, with one side being stark white for winter camouge, and the other side being the ssic universal three-color camo.


    To prevent reflections, the sniper''s helmet also had a camouge cover with ating fixture for attaching branches to further enhance concealment.


    Cao Fei checked his gear and found that he had many more items to carry. The optical sight was a very delicate item, so it was protected by a cylindrical guard in peacetime to prevent damage.


    Truth be told, the concept of a sniper rifle is nothing more than a simplebination of a telescope and a rifle; it''s not asplicated as one might think.


    However, machining a scope to synchronize with a rifle for aiming and firing, and ensuring its battlefield usability, was a true test of manufacturing processes.


    It was not a simple matter, and even up to the twenty-first century, only a few countries could produce high-precision sniper scopes that were up to standard.


    To ensure that the snipers could operate independently, even the rations issued by the troops had been upgraded several notches. No joke, the snipers'' provisions were basically on par with those of the Navy.


    "Don''t worry, your assistant gunner will arrive soon," the officer squatted on the ground, helping Cao Fei sort through the spread-out items.


    Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, cigarettes, and chocte milk candies, a small mirror, a small woodenb, a foldable spoon, and fork, spare socks and underwear as well as sealed desants... In fact, the snipers even had thetest ck technology from the Great Tang Group: simple tablets for purifying spring water.


    Looking at these individual soldier supplies alone, the Great Tang Group''s snipers were already not much different from modern infantry.


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    If these items were reced with newer materials and the weapons with modern rifles, they would not be inferior to the twenty-first-century Marine Corps at all.


    "Only one?" Cao Fei picked up the hand grenade and asked the officer.


    "You can apply for a second one, but to reduce weight, indeed one was cut," the officer picked up the cigarettes. "Do you smoke?"


    "I don''t," Cao Fei shook his head. "The squad leader took them before."


    "Then it''s my lucky day," the officer said, smiling as he pocketed the cigarettes, but he did not ask for the windproof lighter.@@novelbin@@


    After all, in the field, lighting a fire is often not just for smoking, but also potentially for cooking. Having a lighter clearly made things a lot more convenient.


    Putting the lighter and the low-end version of the "quick burn" for cooking into the new double-shouldered backpack, the officer got curious, "I heard you married a local girl?"


    "Yes," Cao Fei answered somewhat sheepishly. He hadn''t thought he would ever take a wife, but when the policy came out, he had to respond.


    The locals had an urgent need to marry their women to the upying military soldiers, in exchange for security and living supplies.


    The Great Tang Group also hoped that through marriage, they could quickly recover the poption size and absorb the natives into bing "Tang People." It was a perfect match, and thus, widespread arranged marriages began.


    As long as one was unmarried, they could take a wife on Dongwan Ind. Caught up in such an atmosphere, Cao Fei honestly married the widow that wanted to wed him.


    By marrying him, she immediately received housing in Dongwan City and was assigned to a school where she learned and managed the cafeteria¡ªessentially serving as the cafeteria attendant.


    Because he married a local, Cao Fei was granted leave once every two weeks! He could use this day off to return to Dongwan City and reunite with his wife.


    "Why are they in pairs?" Cao Fei, ustomed to being alone, suddenly brought the conversation back around, asking somewhat ufortably.

 Chapter 451 438 Military Reform

    "In the future, your tasks will change¡ªsearch, destruction... many times you will need to operate further afield, and having a partner helps look out for each other. A spotter can also assist you with alertness and observing enemy movements around you," the officer exined.


    After he finished speaking, he paused briefly, then continued, "Don''t be in a rush. Mike has the sniper training manual, and once he''s done with it, he''ll pass it on to you. You have three days to look it over before handing it to Sheldon."


    Cao Fei nodded his head, well aware of the importance of such a manual. A read-through would give him a clear understanding of the role he was expected to y inbat.


    The Great Tang Group''s tactical manual was, without a doubt, a valuable asset,bining practicalbat experience¡ªeven internally, it was highly confidential.


    Usually, after circting it among the appropriate troops, it would be collected back¡ªno copies would be allowed to leak, and the inventory was checked thoroughly.


    Having firsthand experience as a sniper, Tang Mo was crystal clear about the operation¡ªsingle sniper teams would soon be outdated, and the correct development path was in sniper teams.


    Knowing the right direction for future development, Tang Mo wouldn''t use his precious sniper talent for trial and error. He brought out the most standardized sniper tactics manual, proven inbat.


    With such a manual, snipers could avoid paying a high price in battle, and it would also reduce their own side''s losses.


    "I say, how''s the girl?" the officer asked, seemingly more interested in Cao Fei''s new bride than the sniper tactical manual.


    "She''s good, a woman who knows how to manage day-to-day life," Cao Fei replied sinctly. He knew the officer might be asking about the intimate aspects, but he answered in a different respect.


    Sure enough, the officer scratched his head in slight disappointment and stood up, "I''ll go check on Sheldon; he doesn''t smoke either."


    Cao Fei stood up, put his chin up, and saluted formally. The officer waved his hand impatiently, "What''s with all the formality, get on with your business."@@novelbin@@


    He turned and left while Cao Fei squatted down to continue sorting through his few belongings. To carry the equipment, both the rucksack and tactical vest were newly designed and seemed morefortable to wear¡ªCao Fei liked them a lot.


    While packing his personal belongings, a photo got tucked into his credentials¡ªit was of a rather frail girl, standing beside him.


    To prevent hooligans from pestering the wives of soldiers who were mostly stationed outside the city, the military had a simple and brute solution.


    They would arrange for each married couple to have a photo taken, then print several copies for each person to use temporarily as identification.


    The women carried these photos with them; should they face an inspection, they could show it, and in case of harassment, it could act as a talisman.


    If the audacious still dared to cause trouble, the military would intervene¡ªafter a few live-fire practices, the bullies who looked for trouble in the city almost vanished.


    It was said that a soldier''s wife was hassled by nine thugs. Despite showing her photo, they persisted. She fled to the streets and cried for help, and the nine thugs were cornered in an alley by twenty patrolling soldiers and beaten for an hour.


    The police arrivedter, took over the case after understanding the situation¡ªand continued the beating for another half hour.


    For a while, it was hard to tell who the real hooligans were. The bullies lying unconscious on the ground even thought about calling the police at one point... Reality can sometimes be more fantastical than fiction.


    Cao Fei didn''t immediately close his notebook but instead looked down at the photo of the slightly shy girl standing next to him.


    She wore an ill-fitting work uniform¡ªthe only kind the Great Tang Group managed to provide in abundance and at a low cost, readily avable.


    She stood about a fist''s distance from Cao Fei, her eyes downcast not daring to look at the camera lens, her hands nervously twined in front of her, and her hair somewhat disheveled.


    However, with a few days of decent meals, herplexion had clearly improved, and it was evident she wasn''t bad-looking, at least above average.


    Remembering what happened after the collective wedding, Cao Fei''s face flushed slightly; he quickly closed the notebook and tucked it into his chest pocket.


    ...


    At Fengshun City, on the docks of Fengshun Port, another group of pale-faced soldiers disembarked. Some leaned over the edge of the dock retching into the sea, while others supported each other, waiting for new orders.


    Not far away, an officer with a ledger stood in a spot the troops were sure to pass, loudly asking, "Does anyone know how to swim? Does anyone not get seasick?"


    His voice was loud, but the passing soldiers seemedpletely uninterested in such matters. They had just arrived here by boat from Brunas, a journey longer than from Dragon Ind, naturally showing no interest in swimming or seasickness.


    But soon, there were cries that caught their interest, "Sign up and get a subsidy! 50 silver coins a month! Who wants to sign up?"


    "I can swim!" In the crowd, a soldier with a slightly healthierplexion raised his arm and was quickly taken to an open space on the other side.


    At the edge of the open space, cars were already waiting. The selected soldiers were to be gathered together¡ªthey would form the backbone of the Great Tang Group''s naval infantry.


    Because of the numerous problems that had arisen during thending at Dongwan this time, Tang Mo and other senior executives of the Great Tang Group realized that establishing a naval infantry was necessary.


    At least from the perspective ofter developments,nding in Zheng Country, as well as attacking Shen Country, would require a powerful first-wavending force to expand the beachhead and even capture the port, to help the subsequent troops establish a secure beachhead position and ensure that the following forces couldnd in a rtively safe environment.


    With the requirements established, corresponding improvements were necessary. The Great Tang Group was ready to draw more suitable talent from various units to form a newbat force: the naval infantry.


    This force would need to be more adaptable to long-distance sea transportation and able to maintain a strong fighting capacity during the transit at sea.


    Everyone would be required to master the various skills needed fornding, be able to use more advancednding equipment, and be familiar with various tactics of fighting on the beachhead.


    Whether it was Bernard, Tagg, Tang Mo, or Luff, nobody wanted to see another group of soldiers getting ashore and vomiting, half-deadly attacking the enemy''s likely fortified beachhead defense positions again.


    If the fighting power of both sides was at roughly equal levels, such a battle would result in a heavy toll, and thending might even fail!


    "Thepensation for falling in battle is higher! There''s a monthly allowance, you get navy-level supplies, longer holidays, and quicker promotions..." The officer in charge of establishing the naval infantry waved the carrot, tempting those soldiers familiar with the sea to try their luck.


    Not everyone feared the sea; at least in cities with harbors like Brunas and Hotwind Port, there were many people who werefortable with water and didn''t get seasick.


    They had lived by the sea since childhood and taking boats was a routine matter for them; they could be full of life and energy even on smaller, more tumultuous sailing ships, so naturally, they could live on liberty ships as well.


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    While most of these people had already be sailors or naval personnel, there were still a few serving in the army, and this time they had their chance for promotion.


    These soldiers who hade from afar belonged to the Great Tang Group''s 5th Light Infantry Division. Their weaponry and equipment had not even been fully issued before they were loaded on ships and sent to Dongwan Ind.


    This unit, which had onlypleted basic training, didn''t even have a fullplement of light weapons. However, soon they received their secondhand weapons on Dongwan Ind.


    The Maxim heavy machine guns phased out by the 1st Infantry Division were directly allocated to the 5th Division, while the 1st Infantry Division was now starting to reequip with the lighter and more powerful MG42 general-purpose machine gun.


    Since Great Tang had always been using 8mm caliber bullets (7.92mm caliber), Tang Mo simply took the initiative to use the light weapons as aplete set.


    Now his troops could almost standardize the caliber of their light weapons: apart from the bullets for pistols and submachine guns, general-purpose machine guns, sniper rifles, and rifles all used 8mm caliber bullets, which could at least simplify logistics somewhat.


    The performance of the MG42 machine gun was unquestionable; its continuous presence in World War II meant it certainly had its advantages.


    Of course, it had its drawbacks as well, like all weapons do, but as long as the shorings didn''t affectbat use, they could be tolerated.


    Based onbat experience, the Great Tang Group''s military was adjusting its weapon ratio, emphasizing the frontlinebat units that valued firepower, believing that an infantry squad should have about three submachine gunners.


    The 1st Division was reequipping ording to this experience, increasing the proportion of submachine guns, and also swapping all of its snipers to G43s. The deployment of a significant number of semi-automatic weapons indeed improved the firepower density of the 1st Division.


    To amodate the increased projectile capacity, the 1st Division had to expand its logistics supply unit, equipping more vehicles to transport more ammunition.


    The same thing was happening on Dragon Ind, where the 3rd Division recing the 1st Division was also equipping with more new weapons. In contrast, the 2nd Division stationed in Brunas had not started reequipping due to the need for secrecy.


    On the 25th day after the battle of Dongwan Ind ended, the Great Tang Group had already transported the entirety of the 1st Division, and the majority of the 4th and 5th Divisions to the ind.


    The entire Dongwan Ind had now turned into a huge construction site, arge barracks, and at the same time, arge school.


    Loads of textbooks and teachers were brought here by ship, and the sound of reading in Dongwan City and the exercises of the troops outside echoed each other, creating an unexpectedly harmonious atmosphere.


    It was also on this day that the first railway constructed by the Great Tang Group on Dongwan Ind began construction,ying down the first sleeper. The port inside Dongwan City also got electrified on this day, equipping electric cranes.


    --------


    Sorry, it''s still two chapters... T-T

 Chapter 452 439 Kirov Airship

    ```@@novelbin@@


    "It''s spectacr! Absolutely shocking!" As they gazed up at the Hardshell Airship parked on the ground, the envoys from Dorne Kingdom didn''t know what to say.


    They had never imagined that one day human war machines could grow to such a massive scale, nor had they envisioned that the sky would be a part of warfare.


    Using hot air balloons for reconnaissance of enemy positions was nothing new, but due to issues with propulsion and safety, hot air balloons had always been nothing more than auxiliary military equipment.


    But now, a new kind of weapon, seemingly capable of changing the pattern of war, appeared before everyone present.


    This was the world''s first weapon that could attack from the sky and genuinely threaten the enemy! It was a weapon that overturned people''s understanding and was the "ultimate weapon" that everyone longed for!


    Every time the Great Tang Group introduced new weapons, it was enough to change the rules of war, evoking both love and hatred¡ªlove for how more powerful weapons could make victories in ware easier, hatred because it meant dipping into their coffers for these advanced weapons once again.


    "The process for producing the filling gas is still immature, so the cost of utilizing this equipment is very expensive," Tang Mo said in front of the airship,ining to all who hade to this exhibition: "Every weapon has its ws, doesn''t it?"


    After saying this, he spread his hands and continued, "However, it''s worth paying a bit more for a powerful bombing machine capable of directly attacking the enemy''s hintend and destroying their industrial system."


    He was right, and each country''s delegates were pondering whether equipping themselves with such a weapon was indeed worthwhile.


    The price was certainly high, as weapons from the Great Tang Group were always expensive.


    But there is reason behind the cost! As long as one purchased advanced weapons from the Great Tang Group, victory was assured¡ªa fact that went unquestioned.


    Just like this time, the airship could carry arge number of bombs, head straight to the enemy''s strategic locations, and attack decisively¡ªan impact that could be the final blow.


    Currently, every nation in the world was striving toplete their industrialization, a result in part of the Great Tang Group''s efforts.


    All countries were building their steel factories, establishing their own heavy industrial bases, locations which were also often pivotal junctions for railways and maritime transport.


    In some cases, these densely popted cities, home to most of the precious technical talent, were even more important than the King City.


    Once such strategic locations and heavy industrial bases, the core factories that produced arms and ammunition, were destroyed, a country''s strategic potential would also wither.


    Therefore, the airship offered a choice to end the war quickly with the smallest cost, using the fastest means possible!


    Those who waged war were all gamblers, and with a high-stakes lottery at hand, how could they not be tempted?


    Imagine dozens of airships flying over the enemy''s heavy industry zones, dropping bombs. Then, the enemy''s factories would shut down for several weeks, with ammunition supplies, weapons production, and materials replenishment all at a standstill.


    If such dy tactics seeded, they could decide the oue of the front lines! And defeating an industrialized nation would reap far greater profits than defeating a traditional, underdeveloped agrarian kingdom!


    Now, everyone understood the boost that industrial zones gave to national power. Once you could capture the enemy''s industrial zones, you could instantly weaken the enemy and strengthen yourself at the same time!


    Thus, once a decisive battle between two industrial nations ended, the victor would exponentially increase their strength, perhaps even seizing the chance to rule the world!


    No one wanted to lose such an opportunity. Compared to such a enticing prospect, tens of millions of Gold Coins seemed trivial.


    "So, Mr. Tang, how much exactly does your... Kirov Airship... cost?" The envoy from Suthers Kingdom stutteringly asked.


    He didn''t know why Tang Mo would name this kind of airship a "Kirov Airship," a name that was a mouthful and not very catchy.


    In his view, this kind of bombing airship could be called Flying Shark¡ªa name that instantly conveyed dominance! Just look at the gaping jaws and those intimidating eyes! It was simply the perfect aerial weapon!


    Of course, if the giant dragon head emblem at the center of the airship were reced with the g of Suthers Kingdom, it would be even more perfect.


    "Constructing such an airship is quite troublesome, its structure is extremelyplex. It requires precision equipment and consumes expensive new materials..." Tang Mo boastfully bluffed, knowing that soon all nations would begin producing their own airships; this equipment wasn''t actually thatplicated.


    ```


    ```


    However, Tang Mo could provide some of the airships on the spot, and indeed, Tang Mo''s airships were more advanced in structural design and power systems, a fact other countries couldn''t dispute.


    Therefore, Tang Mo could offer a price that made people wince, yet he didn''t have to worry about no one paying for his airships, "Thus, an airship costs 300,000 Gold Coins."


    "Hiss¡­" Even though the war had brought huge benefits, many envoys were still frightened by this price.


    Even for the financially robust Empire of Na, it was not easy toe up with millions of Gold Coins at once to purchase airships.


    What''s more, the Great Tang Group''s weapons lineup was a bit too extensive. They had previously been desperate to procure Brunas ss Irond Warships, so where would they find the extra money to buy airships now?


    Fortunately, the Shen Country was due to pay some war indemnities, which just about equaled the price of one airship. Adding to that the money and goods seized from their convoy and a bit extra, it wasn''t so painful to buy a few more airships when they thought about it.


    After all, hadn''t they just "won" a war? Didn''t they all reap some benefits? And yet... the money hadn''t even settled in their pockets before it had to be dished out to the Great Tang Group.


    Thinking about it was quite frustrating; every victory in war resulted in profits for the Great Tang Group, while they were continually spending on upgrading their weapons...


    In the end, they hadn''t saved much gold, but had managed to upgrade from flintlock guns to Mauser 98Ks. They didn''t have money to repair their own pces, but were keen on railroads, promptly constructing hundreds of kilometers!


    "If you buy more, I can make it cheaper. Let''s say¡­ 290,000!" Tang Mo dered generously, conceding a huge profit margin: "Don''t think I''ve earned a lot. This is almost like giving it away for free."


    "To enable buyers to use these advanced weapons independently, we will help set up production facilities for the filling gas, transfer the technology, provide production processes forpatible bombs, assist with factory construction, select locations for airship bases, and train pilots andmanders...


    Including research and development costs, I might even lose money..." He enumerated his costs earnestly, helping many understand why these new weapons were so expensive.


    Indeed,pared to a warship, it might not seem to have much substance. In reality, isn''t an iPhone much less substantial than a van, but an iPhone is more expensive and easier to break?


    Apart from the airships already flown to Dongwan Ind, there were dozens of such massive monsters on Dragon Ind¡ªTang Mo could deliver immediately as long as the buyer paid up.


    Producing these seemingly huge but actually insubstantial airships was not difficult, at least not as difficult as making something as solid as a Jade City ss Battleship.


    Hearing Tang Mo''s "generosity," the envoys had no choice but to honestly pay up.


    The most proactive this time, unexpectedly, was the envoy from Suthers Kingdom. Having exerted the least effort in the previous war and having saved money by not buying naval warships, they were very generous.


    They saw these new-style weapons as their chance to catch up with other countries! Suthers Kingdom had no maritime borders, so their Air Force would be their "second navy," their trump card for overpowering the enemy!


    "We, the Suthers Kingdom, wish to purchase 35 airships¡­ at a total of 10.15 million Gold Coins¡­" The Suthers envoy opened with a bid that shocked everyone: "We hope Mr. Tang can give us a better price¡­ perhaps, round it up?"


    "Certainly, 10 million Gold Coins!" Tang Mo boldly conceded 150,000 Gold Coins¡ªa few years ago, his entire workshop could not have sold for that "loose change".


    When one person possesses an offensive weapon that others can''t defend against, the rest of the countries obviously can''t sit still.


    "Dorne Kingdom wishes to purchase 20 such Kirov Airships... Can we get them as ready stock?" The Dorne envoy asked eagerly. Discover exclusive content at empire


    He did not even haggle, focusing instead on the delivery of the airships¡ªAs is well-known, the delivery time for the Tang Group''s Irond Warships is a wait of a year or even two years; many countries have paid, but the Ironds are yet to be seen...


    With much chatter, the envoys started outbidding each other. The atmosphere suddenly became lively, and Tang Mo casually delegated the work to Harry standing beside him.


    Business matters did not concern him as much anymore; he was more focused on a terrifying entity that might be known as the Great Tang Empire in the future.


    Soon, the Empire of Na ordered 15 airships, Dorne Kingdom ordered 20, Suthers purchased 35, Por Kingdom bought 10, Songmu Kingdom purchased 10, and the Dwarves of Ice Cold Kingdom bought 20.


    This time, Leite Kingdom really couldn''te up with that much money, so they had to content themselves with symbolically purchasing 5 airships, barely making an appearance.


    The reason was that their naval operations ovepped mostly with that of Brunas'' Great Tang Group Navy, so they didn''t plunder many of Shen Country''s transport ships, and they had already incurred too much debt from previous developments, leaving Leite VII truly unable to follow through with the money.


    ```

 Chapter 453 440 Can anyone guarantee that it wont happen

    "It''s alright, I fully understand the difficulties of the Leite Kingdom. After all, I have the ounts right here," Tang Mo consoled the approaching envoy from Leite Kingdom.


    The envoy was quite embarrassed, for he probably knew just how much the Leite Kingdom owed the Great Tang Group...


    In the past, even selling the entire Leite Kingdom might not have covered such a massive amount of money! Yet now, Leite VII had borrowed such an astonishing sum.


    Frankly speaking, if the Great Tang Group were to really demand repayment, almost everyone in the Leite Kingdom would have to sell themselves to pay off the debt.


    On the other hand, Harry had already begun signing contracts with other kingdoms. The Gales Kingdom, established by the orcs and though impoverished, astonishingly purchased 10 airships.


    Of course, Tang Mo could tell what the Orc Prince had been hankering after all this time, which was vengeance against the Elves! With these airships, they could take off from the Sena ins and directly bomb Por Kingdom''s King City or attack Southwater Port.


    Naturally, all this hinged on the crucial premise that their ground defenses could withstand Elvish retaliation; otherwise, Gales Kingdom was at great risk of being annihted by the Elves once again.


    Unexpectedly, an envoy from the shellfish country also stepped forward, prepared to purchase some airships¡ªthey were quite interesting; even though theycked funds, they were remarkably audacious.


    Since they had already broken their defenses by nodding in agreement to selling their poption to repay debts, this time the envoy from the shellfish country was very straightforward: he agreed to sell more ves and also put forth a silver mine as coteral, hoping to acquire 15 airships.


    The other kingdoms, which earlier assumed Tang Mo would not agree to sell advanced weapons to the shellfish country, were once again schooled in what it means to be a qualified arms dealer.


    The Great Tang Group didn''t even pause to think before they agreed to the demands of the shellfish country''s people and even stated that if the shellfish country was willing to pay extra, the Great Tang Group was prepared to provide immediate delivery!


    As each nation signed contracts, eager to pay and then find an unlucky neighbor to test thebat power of the airships, Tang Mo led everyone to look at some of his other weapons.


    "I am a person who loves peace," Tang Mo said, standing in front of the newest model of Anti-Aircraft Gun, as he introduced to everyone his meticulously prepared shield: "Therefore, I don''t wish to see offensive weapons on the battlefield that can''t be defended against."


    "I''ve prepared for you Anti-Aircraft Guns to defend against aerial attacks. This type of anti-aircraft artillery has a higher chamber pressure, a straighter trajectory, and can shoot shells higher into the sky," Tang Mo exined fluently, pointing to the big cannon with a 76.2mm caliber: "With this weapon, important cities can be spared from enemy airships'' attacks..."


    What Tang Mo presented was the 13-pounder gun widely used by the British during World War I. This artillery had a caliber of 76.2mm and a firing height of about 8000 meters.


    This artillery could use a time fuze to explode at a pre-set altitude, creating shrapnel that was effective for anti-aircraft warfare.


    Of course, Tang Mo had not provided this advanced ammunition because, for now, this weapon had only one function: to bring down thoserge and slow bombing airships!


    "..." Faced with such anti-aircraft weaponry and having already signed their contracts, the envoys of the various countries felt as ufortable as though they had swallowed a fly.


    Their frenzied purchase of the airships as weapons hinged purely on the understanding that such weaponry could move about above the enemy,pletely unchallenged.


    But if they had known beforehand that there were antidotes to such weapons, who among them would still be willing to shell out nearly 300,000 Gold Coins for such costly ornaments?


    If everyone refrained from buying airships, wouldn''t the purchase of anti-aircraft guns also be saved? This was entirely a matter of making trouble for oneself, wasn''t it?


    Then it seemed as though they had understood the crux of the matter: there would always be someone willing to pay for airships, so naturally, everyone needed to buy anti-aircraft guns.


    "I haven''t conned everyone''s money! I''m even considering everyone''s best interests!" Tang Mo was not at all flustered, speaking directly to exin, "Just think about it, if there really was an indefensible weapon, what would war be?"


    "If everyone deployed their airship troops, ravaging cities... besides us all losing the industrial cities we''ve painstakingly built up, what benefits would there be?" He smiled, then continued, "Hence, having defensive measures will make the enemy think twice before using airships!"


    "By only purchasing some airships, you can force your adversaries to buy anti-aircraft guns, which in turn will deplete the funds they have avable for buying more airships!" Tang Mo spoke eloquently, prompting those who had purchased airships to ponder, "By the same token, just equipping yourself with anti-aircraft guns will deter the enemy''s airships from venturing too deep out of fear of losses, averting the terrifying spectacle of hundreds of airships descending upon the King City!"


    "Gentlemen! It''s not that airships are useless with anti-aircraft guns avable! With proper tactics and reasonable use bymanders, these airships still have the potential to catch the enemy by surprise and destroy their industrial capabilities!" He then continued, "Simrly, a good defense can ensure the safety of one''s industrial base! That is warfare!"


    "Of course, you can cancel the airships you''ve purchased, and choose not to buy my anti-aircraft guns as well..." After saying this, he paused, waiting patiently as the envoys made their choices.


    "If we... could all agree to abandon the airship contacts and then sign a treaty prohibiting the use of airships..." The envoy from the Empire of Na whispered to the Leite Kingdom''s envoy.


    "It''s a method, and by doing so, we could all save millions of Gold Coins..." the Leite envoy thought it was a good cost-saving strategy.


    The Dorne envoy looked over at the Suthers envoy next to him, who seemed somewhat embarrassed as he shook his head.


    Soon, an airtight alliance began to show cracks. The envoy from the Por Kingdom posed a very sharp question: The absence of their purchase didn''t mean that bombing airships as a type of weapon would cease to exist in the world.


    The Great Tang Group was itself a manufacturer and user of airships; it already had hundreds of such offensive weapons. If everyone stopped buying these weapons, who could guarantee that the Great Tang Group would not use them?


    Therefore, all the envoys turned their gaze to Tang Mo standing there, seemingly hoping to hear amitment from his mouth, a promise not to use the airships to attack other countries.


    However, a few secondster, they all realized that such a thing was impossible. Cooperation was illusory at best, and the safest move was for everyone to chip in and divvy up the readily avable airships in Tang Mo''s hands. That would be the most secure approach.


    Suppose they all insisted on not buying airships and even saved the money on Anti-Aircraft Guns¡ªthen no one could predict which country might first be swayed by unsavory thoughts!


    If a nation breached its faith and secretly approached the Great Tang Group for a loan to acquire 100, or even more, airships, and then suddenly dered war on a neighboring country, thetter would have no time to respond.


    At that point, a nket of bombing airships could decimate cities, and the oue on the ground was predictable. The victor could repay the loan with their spoils of war, while the vanquished would be left with nothing! It was, in essence, a victory obtained at virtually no cost, an enormous temptation for anyone!


    Imagine, if the Leite Kingdom did this, they could engulf Dorne or Suthers within days and win the war! Who could guarantee such a thing wouldn''t happen?


    Therefore, for everyone''s safety and so as not to ce one''s security in the hands of another''s honesty and trustworthiness, spending money... seemed like a better choice.


    Quite quickly, everyone selected to retain the previous purchase agreement and then began inquiring about the price of Anti-Aircraft Guns.


    Everyone had their say, seemingly indifferent to the fact that they seemed to have been tricked by the Great Tang Group; they were even more eager to hand over their banknotes to the Great Tang Group.


    No one wished to see their King City or industrial cityy exposed to the airships, so the contract for purchasing Anti-Aircraft Guns was also drafted very smoothly.


    Since no one had the funds to cover their entire country with anti-air defenses, it didn''t take long for the envoys to realize that airship attacks could still be sessful.


    They just needed to pick the right moment, avoid the opponent''s key defenses, and then stage a surprise attack to achieve strategic objectives.


    No one exposed another safe time tounch airship attacks: nighttime! By choosing the right timing and infiltrating enemy anti-air defenses under the cover of darkness, they could take advantage of the night and achieve bombing sess!


    In the end, there were no useless weapons, only useless users¡ªthere was a consensus on this point.@@novelbin@@


    Another consensus was to spend money: They again purchased over 1000 Anti-Aircraft Guns from the Great Tang Group, and each added a special caliber to their own arsenal.


    Tang Mo used two types of weapons to sweep almost all the war profits into his own pocket this time, even squeezing every country dry in the process.


    The most direct benefit of this arms trade for Tang Mo was that because of the financial strain, various countries began to ept his terms and started using the Great Tang Group''s paper currency in some regions.


    The convenient paper currency gradually began to rece the cumbersome Gold Coins and started to be epted in many regions. This impact seemed even greater than the sales of weapons by the Great Tang Group.


    Tang Mo was very clear that this subtle influence would grow and that, with the support of currency issuance rights, the financial nuke of the Great Tang Group now had the potential to bring about apocalyptic destruction.


    A few hourster, this arms sale came to an end; nine countries divided up almost all of Tang Mo''s airships and also cleared out the stock of Anti-Aircraft Guns.


    After that, Tang Mo said farewell to these envoys. Before he had time to rest, Yulin brought him news he had been waiting for.


    Nangong Hong, who had barely warmed his seat at Hotwind Port, had already returned to Brunas with his ship.


    ---------


    There will be another updateter in the night; you can watch it in the morning. Don''t stay upte waiting...

 Chapter 454 441 Small Goal

    "Look at the trouble you''ve gotten me into," Tang Mo said, feigning a look of utter distress as he saw Nangong Hong.


    Nangong Hong was also andlubber; he couldn''t even swim. Hisplexion, upon returning to Brunas from Hotwind Port, was no better than that of soldiers who had just disembarked on Dongwan Ind.


    Struggling to maintain the image of a suave gentleman, Nangong Hong swallowed his saliva in secret and squeezed out a smile to respond, "To aplish great things, one naturally must endure some hardships, right? Master."


    Having pledged his allegiance to Tang Mo, it was only natural that he needed an address for him. After a bit of inquiry, he chose one that, to his ears, sounded somewhat embarrassing for Tang Mo.


    "I saw you expanding your troops at Hotwind Port; it looks like you''ve already started preparing ns," Nangong Hong said, still feeling the subtle sway of the ship even while sitting on a sofa.


    This was a lingering effect of spending a long time at sea; even on solid ground, he still felt the sway, dizziness, nausea...


    He had just disembarked from the ship and hadn''t even had time to bathe. He reeked of the sea, a stenchpounded by the engine oil and sweat stains from the freight liner.


    But, in spirit, Nangong Hong was excited. He had seen the changes he wanted to see at Hotwind Port.


    In Brunas, he had witnessed the strength of the Great Tang Group, and at Hotwind Port, he validated the impact of the strategies he had offered on the entire Great Tang Group.


    There, he saw that the Great Tang Group was recruiting soldiers, transporting troops from ship to ship to other locations.


    This indicated that the Great Tang Group was already preparing for a new war, a war concerning the expansion westward that he had incited with his counsel.


    "You may need several months to prepare and then spend millions of Gold Coins to find a breakthrough along the West Coast, to establish your own beachhead right at the doorstep of Zheng Country," he said excitedly, ncing at the map hanging in Tang Mo''s office.


    "So, in your opinion, where should I take as a forward base to attack Zheng Country?" Tang Mo took out a cigarette case from his pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and put it in his mouth.


    Yulin bowed, offered a lighter, and with a click, sparked a me. Tang Mo leaned in, took a deep breath, and nonchntly exhaled a cloud of smoke: "Huh."


    Coughing at the acrid tobo smell, Nangong Hong was somewhat ufortable, but he had no authority to question Tang Mo''s smoking, so he just had to endure it.


    After getting used to the smell, he answered Tang Mo''s question, "If it were up to me, Dongwan Ind would be the best choice! First, it''srge enough, and second, Zheng Country''s hold on it is actually not solid. Moreover, it has two ports, Dongwan City and Fengshun City, convenient for transporting troops."


    This was an issue he had thought about for many years, having carefully studied the coastal areas of Zheng Country. He believed that Dongwan Ind, being not small and with a considerable poption, was the most valuable target.


    Tang Mo broke into a smile and announced news that disappointed Nangong Hong, "You have quite the imagination, but Dongwan Ind was upied by Shireck Country several months ago. Zheng Country was severely defeated in the war against Shireck Country and had to give up control of Dongwan Ind."


    Indeed, Nangong Hong was taken aback by this news, and immediately became uneasy, "Shireck Country upied Dongwan Ind? That makes things difficult. If Shireck Country controls Dongwan Ind, then it''s really not a good choice for us."


    He had been unaware of the change of hands on Dongwan Ind on his way to Brunas. For Nangong Hong, conflicts between Shireck Country and Zheng Country were not out of the ordinary.


    But he had never imagined that Zheng Country would copse to such an extent, even losing the key strategic region of Dongwan Ind!


    "Why not?" Tang Mo, intent on testing him, continued to inquire with a smile.


    "Shireck Country is different from Zheng Country. Zheng Country is corrupt and decadent, whereas Shireck Country has always been close to the Shireck Consortium and is on the rise. Waging a distant war against Shireck Country on Dongwan Ind is not wise," Nangong Hong said, filled with dismay in his voice.


    "Continue," Tang Mo said, taking another drag of his cigarette, still smiling. Yulin struggled to contain herughter due to Tang Mo''s mischief, holding it back with great difficulty.


    Nangong Hong, now indifferent to Yulin''s beauty, contemted alternative ns that all seemed somewhatcking, "If Shireck Country has preemptively upied Dongwan Ind, we''ll have to consider choosing a slightly smaller ind further to the south. However, those inds are too small to amass troops on arge scale..."


    How could he not be depressed and upset? It was as if Zhuge Liang in Shu had learned that Guan Yu had lost Jingzhou; his feelings were self-evident.


    Just when Nangong Hong thought his endeavors would copse before achieving sess, Tang Mo decided to stop tormenting Nangong Hong''s nerves. He flicked the ash from his cigarette and said, "Alright, I won''t joke with you anymore. In fact, while you were at Hotwind Port, I had already dispatched the troops to capture Dongwan Ind to the west."


    "What? You''ve already gone to war with Shireck Country?" Who knew, having heard this news, Nangong Hong was even more shocked.


    ording to Nangong Hong''s thinking, going to war with the Shireck Empire was entirely different from going to war with Zheng Country, which was evidently an easier task to manage.


    Challenging the Shireck Empire on the seas still required caution, a lesson he had learned through many years of experience. Thus, when he heard that Tang Mo had already dered war on the Shireck Empire, he became even more anxious.


    Tang Mo nodded, "Yes!"


    He then continued to exin, "The conclusion reached by my Staff Department and your n are simr, taking priority in seizing Dongwan Ind, a high-value strategic objective, is key to whether the subsequent battle ns can seed. So, we decisively deployed our troops and took control of the ce."


    "Hiss... So, are you prepared to engage in a prolonged naval battle against a maritime powerhouse like the Shireck Empire?" Knowing that the situation was irreversible, Nangong Hong could only muster the courage to ask.


    In fact, he had already begun to think about how to help the Great Tang Group gracefully end this war while preserving the possibility to continue its expansion and quest for supremacy.


    Instead of teasing Nangong Hong any further, Tang Mo seriously revealed both the process and oue, "A month ago, we defeated 30,000 Shireck troops on Dongwan Ind, dealing a heavy blow to the Shireck Navy''s fleet. The Shireck Empire surrendered more than twenty days ago."@@novelbin@@


    "What?" Nangong Hong couldn''t believe his ears and felt momentarily lost in a daze.


    He had been running back and forth between Hotwind Port and Brunas these days, naturally unaware of the Allied Forces'' deration of war against the Shireck Empire.


    Moreover, he was clueless that the Great Tang Group had already thoroughly suppressed the Shireck Empire and waspletely ignorant of the Great Tang Group having already reaped the war''s dividends.


    "Now, Dongwan Ind is ours, and I''m in the process of transporting more military forces there. So... now you can talk, if we have taken Dongwan Ind, what should we do next?" Tang Mo, sunk into the sofa with a cigarette between his fingers, asked.


    "Originally... I had nned to take five years to capture Dongwan Ind and then spend another ten years to turn it into an impregnable stronghold. But you, in less than two months, have achieved this strategic goal... I... I don''t even know what to say anymore." Still engulfed in chaos, Nangong Hong was feeling an unreal bliss, the happiness hade too swiftly.


    It was a bit like... like Zhuge Liang letting Liu Bei take Jingzhou, and then Liu Bei immediately capturing Chang''an, slightly fantastical.


    After a brief moment of thought, a joyous Nangong Hong adjusted his emotions, "Since you''ve already captured Dongwan Ind, making it a forward support point is now of utmost importance."


    "We need to prevent the Shireck Empire from moving southward. If the Shireck Empire continues to harass Zheng Country, it will cause the devastation of its civilian life, which is very unfavorable for our subsequent development," he spoke confidently, which Tang Mo found to be very satisfying. "Additionally... If...


    I mean, it might be a bit presumptuous, but if possible, we should attempt to take Zheng Country as soon as we can."


    "Why?" Tang Mo probed Nangong Hong.


    Not shying away from the challenge, Nangong Hong was in his element, "The quicker we capture Zheng Country, the more likely we are to fully harness its national strength. Although the ruling ss of Zheng Country is utterly corrupt, Zheng Country still has potential."


    "It has arge poption that, despite being oppressed, is hardworking and resilient. Once they experience the advancements of the Great Tang Group, they will be the best support on your path to world domination!" His enthusiasm grew as he spoke, "Furthermore, Zheng Country shares a border with the Dahua Empire, which can help you extend your influence even further!"


    "Third, swiftly capturing Zheng Country will prevent the southern Chu Country and northern Qi Country from getting involved. This is critical to ensure we secure an intact Zheng Country." Holding up three fingers, Nangong Hong even got a little excited, "Originally, my n was that in ten years, we could attack Zheng Country, and securing one-third of its territory would count as a sess."


    His ten-year strategic n had almost been realized by the Great Tang Group in just two short months! And transforming Dongwan Ind into a modern forward base was no difficult task for Tang Mo.


    So, after considering his words carefully, he set a higher goal for Tang Mo, "Now... perhaps I can be a bit greedier. With thebat strength of your battle-hardened troops, we definitely have the opportunity to capture half of Zheng Country!"


    "Be more confident! I n... to take the whole of Zheng Country!" Tang Mo nced at Nangong Hong as he spoke.


    "Hmm?" Nangong Hong was taken aback.


    "Simr to what I had in mind! I will find a way to capture the entirety of Zheng Country at the fastest speed," Tang Mo emphasized once more.


    "Hmm?" Nangong Hong felt he might not have made himself clear...


    -----------


    Make-up post, I still owe everyone 6 posts =.=!

 Chapter 455 Repair bridges and roads 442 times

    Zheng Country, on the somewhat deste streets, groups of beggars huddled together, their eyes filled with curiosity as they gazed at the passing carriages.


    Out of an innate fear of the wealthy, they shrank their bodies and crouched in the corners, disheveled, from afar resembling an unattended pile of trash.


    Yet these people were all alive, alive in a pitiable and emaciated state, surviving in a world that didn''t treat them as human beings.


    The passing carriage was clearly extravagant, as it used four wheels and was designed with aplex suspension system.


    Theplicated and expensive suspension system allowed the carriage to glide smoothly over the uneven roads, which clearly indicated that the owner must certainly have a taste for enjoyment.


    In these times of war and chaosbined with corruption, no one really cared about regtions anymore. The rich here were the rulers of heaven and earth, the challengers to traditional rules and systems.


    As the carriage drove down the street, the assistants of some shops also began to notice this imposing carriage, because not many people around here could afford a carriage drawn by two horses.


    "I wonder if it''s a big household from King City, it looks really impressive," a shop assistant said enviously upon seeing the coachman on the carriage.


    Just by looking at the silk worn by the coachman, one could easily discern that the person seated inside was definitely someone extremely wealthy or of high status.


    The carriage stopped in front of the government office, and a servant hopped down, walking to the entrance to present his visiting card to the guard.


    At first, the guard at the doorway looked disdainful, but the moment he received the visiting card and felt a weight in his palm, he looked closely and saw that hidden underneath the card was a heavy Gold Coin!


    After Zheng Country''s defeat in the war with Shen Country, suffering heavy losses and a decline in national power, people willing to bribe the guards with Gold Coins had be a rare sight.


    Consequently, a smile immediately appeared on the disdainful face of the guard, and he even bowed a little lower, smiling as he said, "Please wait a moment, esteemed guest."@@novelbin@@


    He then hurried into the yard withrge strides, putting on a show of being diligently at the service of someone who had paid¡ªafter all, a Gold Coin was not easy toe by, and it was always necessary to make the paying guest feel that his money was well spent.


    Well, if one really thinks about it, calling it an esteemed guest is not a mistake, as it''s all part of the service industry, isn''t it? No shame in that¡­


    It wasn''t long before the guard came back, gesturing for the visitor to enter with great eagerness, "The Lord of the City invites you."


    Only then did the attendant who handed over the visiting card return to the carriage, respectfully helping to open the carriage door, from which a middle-aged man finally stepped out, cing his foot onto a soft stool prepared by a servant in advance.


    Even during the peak times of Zheng Country, there were not many people who were so particr about pomp, and most of them resided in King City¡ªsuch ostentatious disys were not seen in these coastal towns.


    The middle-aged man was clothed in gold and silver, each detail seeming to express his immense wealth and prestige. As he alighted from the carriage, he looked left and right, and then followed the leading guard into the clearly worn-down government office.


    Just by looking at the missing roof tiles and the disorderly pile of timber and stones in the corner, it was evident that the ce had been neglected for years,pletely embodying an air of dpidation.


    But to say that there were no rich people in this city would be an injustice¡ªafter all, no one was willing to spend their own money to repair the government offices.


    Can it not be seen that on both sides of the government office there stood grandiose mansions, with exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters, high walls, courtyards, and golden roofs with red walls?


    "City Lord," the guard greeted, bringing the middle-aged man before an elder dressed in official attire and sitting solemnly at the head of the room, bowing as he spoke.


    "You may go now." The elder waved his hand lightly, and the guard quickly left the room, not forgetting to firmly close the door behind him.


    No one wanted an inadequate rankingmp to stand by when discussing important matters with others. So, when the City Lord saw the servant standing beside the middle-aged man, his gaze was very unfriendly.


    "This is my confidant, there''s nothing we need to avoid," the middle-aged man exined with a smile, casually tossing his silk gloves onto the table.


    "Confusion of seniors and juniors, neglect of hierarchy... the way of chaos!" The City Lord huffed with great dissatisfaction over the middle-aged man''s approach.


    However, he knew very well that he, in fact, did not have the standing to lecture the middle-aged man before him, so after huffing, he moved on to the matter at hand, "The noble you spoke of... can he really do what you imed?"


    "As I have said, City Lord... as long as you dare to receive... these will be yours," said the middle-aged man as he produced a promissory note from his chest and handed it to the City Lord.


    The City Lord was startled and then recognized it as a bill that could be used to withdraw 100,000 Gold Coins at the discretion from the Li Family''smerce house.


    That''s a whole 100,000 Gold Coins! Do you realize what that means? Which merchant in Zheng Country could draw out 100,000 Gold Coins? That would be considered a "tycoon."


    "This is only the beginning! As long as the Lord of the City is willing to agree to their terms, there will be more offerings to follow," the middle-aged man said with a smile as he pushed the promissory note towards the old City Lord, assuring him.


    His movement was practiced and smooth, as though he were merely pushing a nk piece of paper, except it was actually a promissory note for 100,000 Gold Coins, the kind that didn''t deceive either the young or the old.


    The old City Lord swallowed, not because he had never seen so much money before, but because he had never seen money acquired so effortlessly!


    All he had to do was nod in agreement, and this was just a token of the other party''s good faith. The subsequent offerings could be even more, to the extent that they frightened him.


    "This money... is a good thing, but I''m just afraid... it''s too hot to handle," the old City Lord said nervously, his hand already on the promissory note.


    The middle-aged man burst into heartyughter and then took out another one, pushing it across the table to the old City Lord: "Two hundred thousand! All yours if you simply nod," he said.


    "The more you do this, the less I dare to ept it," the old City Lord said slowly, without moving his hand from the note.


    "Fine," the middle-aged man responded, taking out another three notes from his pocket and pressing them on top of the first without a second thought: "A total of one million Gold Coins! Not a small sum, old man..."


    The old City Lord gathered the five promissory notes, straightened them out, and ced them in front of himself. After examining each one, he nodded and said, "To sell my old bones for this amount feels somewhat unworthy, but since that benefactor shows such sincerity, I suppose I will..."


    "Once you take the money, no more talk is needed. Now you and I are alike; from now on, we''ll be the benefactor''s hounds," the middle-aged man said with a sigh as if he hadpleted some significant task.


    "Being a dog... what''s so bad about it?" the old City Lord tucked away the money close to his body and spoke, "Pass a message to the benefactor for me. From now on, in Linshui City, I''ll handle any big issues for him."


    "Then I thank the Lord greatly," the middle-aged man said as he stood up and left promptly, not wanting to waste any more time.


    The old City Lord didn''t see the man out but merely waved his hand and then sat there in silence, as if deep in thought.


    Once out of the Lord''s Mansion, the middle-aged man entered a carriage and immediately revealed a submissive demeanor, rubbing his hands together and smilingly reporting to the young man who had not left the carriage, "The task assigned by you, Sir, has been aplished."


    The young man inside the carriage was fiddling with a dandelion ring on his finger. After hearing the report, he nodded, "Start a soup kitchen tomorrow and distribute to the refugees around the area. Gather all the able-bodied men, and have them clear mountains and build bridges..."


    "Ah?" The middle-aged man appeared confused, seemingly feeling that such tasks did not warrant a bribe of one million Gold Coins to the Lord of the City.


    "Whatever it takes, get the Linshui City port under my control. Spend as much as you need; there is no cap," the young man ordered without looking up as he toyed with his ring, "I want to see thend deed and government authorization this afternoon, and from now on, that ce will be my private property... Understood?"


    Although it sounded difficult, the middle-aged man hesitated for a few seconds but agreed, "With enough money, it can be done."


    "Also, find me twenty thousand capable workers. I want to build a dock, and the price is not an issue," the young man continued, "I''ll give you ten Gold Coins per person, and any extra is yourmission."


    "How could I possibly ept that... Rest assured, I''ll have all these matters sorted out for you within three days," said the middle-aged man, his spirits lifted at the prospect of earning more money, his grin widening as he spoke.


    "Remember, I don''t care what means you use... Understood?" the young man said, letting go of the ring and looking sternly at the middle-aged man.


    "Don''t worry, Sir, I know what to do," the middle-aged man assured immediately.


    Press-gangingmoners into major construction projects was something he was already adept at. As for concerns about their well-being or devastating their families, what did that have to do with him?


    After all, if he didn''t conscript these people for work, they might starve to death. If he didn''t mistreat these wretches, they would eventually fall victim to others and be meat on the chopping block.


    In the end, if they were to die, who benefited from their death?


    As for why these people were being made to repair bridges and roads, and why they were being made to build docks... that was not for him to consider.


    Why not build something?


    "Additionally, I want to map this area for a few hundred miles around and locate mineral veins. Have the City Lord assign some Soldiers tomorrow to protect my people," the young man made another request.


    "That''s an easy task. My Li Family still has many connections in the region!" the middle-aged man promised confidently, thumping his chest, "Everyone gives us some face!"


    "Do your job well! Your Li Family''s future will surely be much better than the Zhang Family''s... Understood?" the young man patted the middle-aged man''s shoulder.


    "Yes! Yes! Understood! Understood!" the middle-aged man lowered his head, excited.

 Chapter 456 The Strategy of Exhaustion

    Brunas, Tang Mo had already started to introduce his n to Nangong Hong: "The personnel who arrived early have begun their activities in Zheng Country."


    "With money paving the way, everything proceeds smoothly! Zheng Country is far from being an impregnable fortress, so our infiltration has been very easy," he said proudly. "We have established a wireless telegraph office in Zheng Country, allowing messages to be transmitted back to Brunas instantly. Thus, I am extremely well-informed about many of Zheng Country''s affairs."


    As he spoke, he picked up a fresh apple from the fruit tray on the coffee table and handed it to Nangong Hong, whoseplexion wasn''t looking good: "To put it without exaggeration, I might know more... than Zheng Country''s King Zheng Tong himself."


    "Moreover, I''ve started the construction of roads in Zheng Country, and will even build railways and bridges in the future," he continued after Nangong Hong took the apple. "I will use the fastest speed to construct thousands of kilometers of roads, hundreds of kilometers of railways in Zheng Country, expand several ports, and even build some factories there!"


    "Wearing down the people and draining their wealth, exhausting a region! What a clever stratagem!" Nangong Hong quickly caught on and eximed with admiration, "Master, you truly have a brilliant n! This way, indeed, we can set up some things in advance!"


    "But, even so, can we really upy the entire territory of Zheng Country within the next two years?" He looked at Tang Mo and asked a sharp question that greatly interested him.


    Tang Mo leaned back into the soft sofa and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray beside him: "That is not for you to worry about! Your job is to offer strategic advice; the Military''s Staff Department will find a way to aplish it!"


    "This subordinate understands," Nangong Hong nodded, not dwelling further on the issue, but instead he inquired about some of Tang Mo''s subsequent arrangements.


    "Master, in the struggle for the world, besides vying for the advantages of weapons, treacherous terrains, and ample supplies, the most important thing is to win over people''s hearts," Nangong Hong then proposed some of his immature opinions on the issue of winning hearts to Tang Mo.


    Inparison to the world before Tang Mo''s transmigration, this one had far fewer senseless disputes. People were simple at heart, and in most cases, themon folk only desired a full belly and a peaceful life.


    For Tang Mo, to be the savior of the Zheng Country''s civilians and emerge as a shining heroic figure was not difficult at all.


    Because Tang Mo possessed an ample supply of Gold Coins and advanced productive forces, he had a natural advantage when tackling the difficult problems that other kingdoms could not manage.


    Nangong Hong felt that Tang Mo should continue to umte quietly, operate the regions already in his grasp, muster a greater force, and then seize the opportunity to expand rapidly.


    On this point, Tang Mo had some differences with Nangong Hong, as Tang Mo''s ongoing task was to develop the entire world. He was expanding the entire cake, not just considering the small piece in his te.


    In Tang Mo''s view, if he were to develop within his own corner, such as Dragon Ind, waiting to build an absolutely advanced military before expanding, the efficiency would be painfully low.


    Tang Mo wasn''t interested in seeing his tanks roll over cavalry, or in setting sail with his aircraft carriers to sink the opponent''s sailboats, as it held no meaning.


    What use was there in conqueringnds that were primitive, backward, and poor? To spend another ten or twenty years developing these barbaric ces? Please, did he have decades to slowly build the entire world?


    Therefore, he didn''t mind letting the world develop some basic industries first, because only in this way could conquest be meaningful.


    A dimensional strike was pleasant to hear about but in realitycked a foundation of "meaning." Do you know why after ancient empires expanded their territories widely, they would halt their conquests and start endless internal strife? Because expansion became meaningless to them!


    The imagery of a ruler, sword in hand and lost in thought, is a true reflection of ancient monarchs: Why did they seek to conquer poorer regions?


    Sending soldiers dressed in silk and satin to destroy a bunch of ragged beggars yields nothing but ughter; such wars can go on for ten years, but no one could persevere for twenty.


    Tang Mo had no desire to spend ten years gathering and nurturing life, another ten years teaching civilization, then fight a war, and repeat this cycle until conquering the world.


    If that were the n, he might seed by the age of ny, but the process was too lengthy, too prolonged for him to endure.


    Therefore, he disseminated technology, fostering simultaneous development in the world. He was confident that in the end, he would still be the one controlling the direction of the world''s development; he was confident that he would remain the ultimate victor.


    Only when technology develops to a certain stage will some reveal their key significance, and certain weaponry will only show its powerfulbat capabilities when contrasted with older arms.


    Consider an easily understood example: Could the early infrared-guided "Sidewinder" air-to-air missile from World War II be effective?


    The answer is no! Because at that time, the thermal radiation signals from the fighter nes in the sky weren''t high, and most of the time, the Sidewinder missile would fly toward the greatest heat source, the sun.


    Only after jet fighters entered service inrge numbers, making heat signals more prominent, did infrared-guided missiles find their ce!


    Tell me, when the opponent doesn''t even possess radar, what''s the point of developing F-22 or J-20 fighter jets?


    When there were no airnes in the sky, what could be the purpose of developing anti-aircraft radar? To monitor the migration of birds?


    To use cruise missiles to attack viges that didn''t even have electric lights seemed foolish, and who would be willing to destroy a pickled vegetable workshop with ballistic missiles?


    The two discussed for over an hour, and it was not until Yulin reminded Tang Mo that it was time for dinner that they stopped their conversation. Then Tang Mo invited Nangong Hong to dine with him, and they picked up the topic of maps at the dinner table again.


    Nangong Hong was extremely fond of the maps by Great Tang Group. These precise military maps, once one learned to use them, were incredibly intuitive and Nangong Hong treasured them like jewels.


    He felt that Great Tang Group''s military maps would soon rece all other forms of maps, and that nations would adopt this standard.


    "Its only w is that it''s too troublesome to draw, and also too expensive," Nangong Hong said with regret as he ate the vegetables on his te.


    "The price wille down soon," Tang Mo replied with a smile, "As more are produced, the price will naturally drop a bit. Of course, as technology advances, the precision of the maps will reach an unbelievably high level, and the price will fall to an astonishing degree. This is what I meant earlier, technology will change our world."


    "I believe what you say, Master," Nangong Hong said, now agreeing with Tang Mo''s words, because he found them to make sense.


    He had witnessed firsthand how Great Tang Group''s technology had changed people''s ways of life. In Brunas, who could now live without electric lights and telephones?


    And when the weather was a bit hotter, the people living here could not even do without electric fans; they had grown ustomed to radios and were no longer surprised by the loudspeakers on every street corner.


    Even the new refrigeration machines had begun to change people''s lives, allowing meat to stay fresh for longer periods, subverting their understanding of preservation.


    Chemical nts producing all kinds of fertilizers had increased grain yields, enabling lessnd to feed more people, which was a main reason why Great Tang Group did not worry about their own food crises.


    Yet, at the same time, in nations with morend like the Dahua Empire, the Empire of Na, Zheng Country, and others, they were still worrying about how to feed their growing poptions.


    "Believe me, this world will soon be different! And all these changes are under my control!


    Dominating the world is not just about upying somend, bing an unprecedented empire, but about controlling the world, leading it, eventually making the whole world follow in my footsteps, recognizing my choices," Tang Mo swirled the moonlight wine in his ss and said to Nangong Hong with a smile.


    "I believe that day will surelye!" Nangong Hong, after a long heart-to-heart talk with Tang Mo, had begun to worship him.


    In Nangong Hong''s view, Tang Mo was knowledgeable and profound, a master with more vision than himself. Serving such a person excited Nangong Hong greatly.


    A good bird chooses a tree to nest in, and Nangong Hong believed he was such a bird. So after acknowledging Tang Mo as good timber, he was naturally immensely satisfied.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the same time Tang Mo and Nangong Hong were dining, on the distant Dragon Ind, within Dock 1, a huge warship was already taking shape.@@novelbin@@


    Beneath the towering superstructure were enormous gun turrets that had been fully installed. While some details were yet to bepletely constructed, just looking at its initial form was already tremendously shocking.


    This was the world''s most powerful warship, destined to be the gship of Great Tang Group''s naval fleet, the sovereign of the Endless Sea, the invincible Jade City No. 1 Battleship!


    The workers who built it had been shocked countless times, and were now proud toplete such a massive war machine in the history of the world.


    They looked on day by day, as one watches one''s own child grow, at the battleship filling out day by day.


    The 305 mm caliber main guns were frightening to behold, the high-precision rangefinders had been delivered and ced on the ground next to the warship, and the cabins were being fitted out.


    It''s not an exaggeration to say that once this battleship wasunched, the coastal nations surrounding the Endless Sea would reassess their rtions with the Great Tang Group.


    Right beside Dock 1, in Docks 2 and 3, two other battleships of the same ss were also seeing their hullspleted¡­


    In a few months, Great Tang Group would have over ten Brunas-ss Irond Warships, more than ten Wolf-ss Cruisers, and one Jade City-ss Battleshipunched.


    ----------


    There will be another update tomorrow morning, so everyone get some rest early.

 Chapter 457 444" feeling perfectly justified

    The Great Tang Group used the strategy of exhaustion to repair bridges and roads in Zheng Country,ying the foundation for their invasion, which in itself is quite cruel.


    Therefore, everyone in the Great Tang Group was reluctant to bring up this topic, and when doing these activities, Dandelion conducted operations as discreetly and covertly as possible.


    In any case, the Great Tang Group had to appear as a savior in the future, so it was imperative that their reputation remained spotlessly clean.


    However, a conspiracy that would tarnish Zheng Country''s reputation and greatly promote infrastructure was already unfolding in Zheng Country. All that was left for Tang Mo to do was wait.


    During the waiting period, many interesting things happened, such as right before Tang Mo was preparing to return to Dragon''s Den, an unexpected visitor arrived at Brunas.


    An envoy from Zheng Country, four months after the battle at Dongwan Ind broke out, finally arrived at Brunas and sought a meeting with Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo also wanted to know what this special envoy from afar wanted to discuss, so he postponed his trip back to Dragon Ind and stayed another day in Brunas.


    This Minister from Zheng Country indeed had amendable appearance, tall and handsome with a graceful and extraordinary demeanor, exuding the rxed air of someone ustomed to high positions, quite pleasing to the eye.


    "My lord! We have learned that your Great Tang Group has taken over Dongwan Ind from Sheng Country," the Zheng Country Envoy said, going straight to the point after greeting.


    The envoy''s good looks made the atmosphere more congenial, and even though Tang Mo wasn''t particrly swayed by appearances, there''s a distinct difference in mood when looking at handsome menpared to monsters, which is true for everyone.


    Tang Mo was in a good mood, so he nodded without denying, "Indeed, that did happen."


    The matter couldn''t be concealed, and Tang Mo had no intention of hiding it, especially since now nearly all of the nations around the Endless Sea were frantically transporting supplies to Dongwan Ind.


    The Great Tang Group had always been the one exporting supplies, so there was always a big trade surplus, and other nations often found it difficult to cope.


    Now, finally, due to insufficient transport capacity of the Great Tang Group, they had to purchaserge quantities of materials from other nations for Dongwan Ind, providing a perfect opportunity for these nations to recover, of course no one wanted to miss out.@@novelbin@@


    Thus, parts roughly processed by Dwarfs, various rare metals from Osa Port, grain from Southwater Port, machinery from Brunas and Dragon Ind, cement from Hotwind Port, and rubber products from Winterless City were all converging towards Dongwan Ind in a frenzy.


    In addition, the Great Tang Group also bought vegetables from Sheng Country for Dongwan Ind and secretly purchased arge amount of grain and vegetables from Zheng Country to smuggle to Dongwan...


    By doing this, it rapidly improved the quality of life on Dongwan Ind and definitely revealed the fact that Dongwan Ind had changed hands.


    "Then, on behalf of Zheng Country, this envoy formally requests you to return Dongwan Ind, which originally belonged to Zheng Country, back to us..." The Zheng Country Envoy bowed politely, his demeanor courteous.


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo was caught off guard and took a moment to grasp what the envoy was getting at.


    He had seen direct theft, deception, emotional maniption... but he had never encountered this kind of approach before.


    It seemed the envoy mistook Tang Mo''s surprise for not hearing his request clearly, so with proper decorum as if it were a matter of course, he repeated the request, "Please, out of kindness, return Dongwan Ind, which originally belonged to Zheng Country, back to us... The civilians of Dongwan Ind, along with everyone in Zheng Country, will remember your generosity and magnanimity..."


    "Hold on! Wait! What do you mean? Are you saying after I sent military forces over great distances, fought bloody battles, and took Dongwan Ind from the clutches of Sheng Country''s people... I should just give it to Zheng Country for nothing?" Tang Mo raised his hand to interrupt, frowning as he questioned.


    It seemed he understood the envoy''s implications: they were too afraid to reim their money from the viin who robbed them, but now they heard the mafia had killed the viin and taken the money, so they came to im it...


    What kind of logic is that?


    Tang Mo felt like he was the one being foolish.


    You think a thug is too tough to handle, so youe to the mafia acting dumb to ask for your money back? Have you not seen how the mafia kills?


    Sheng Country is trouble you can''t handle, but you think the Great Tang Group is an easy target? Do you not know that right now there are still about 200,000 (with some Goblin ves yet to be settled) ves who are in debt?


    The Zheng Country Envoy, without blushing, continued, "Sir, it''s not about giving it away for nothing, but rather returning it! Dongwan Ind has always been the territory of Zheng Country, and everyone in Zheng Country..."


    Once again, Tang Mo interrupted, seeking confirmation, "Hold on, didn''t you cede Dongwan Ind to Sheng Country?"


    The other party was so self-righteous that he began to worry whether there was still some unsettled murky ount between Shen Country and Zheng Country.


    Indeed, when he brought this up, the other party still appeared as if it were to be expected and candidly introduced, "Yes, but now, Dongwan Ind has been upied by you, and our treaty with Shen Country naturally bes invalid."


    "I seized the ind from Shen Country through war, and you expect to im it just with a few words? Interesting! Very interesting!" Tang Mo raised his eyebrows, convinced that if the other party wasn''t intellectually challenged, then they must be quite ruthless.


    "Sir, you can''t say that! Our Zheng Country is and of etiquette. We''ve never had a conflict with your Great Tang Group, so there is absolutely no reason for you to seize Dongwan Ind from us." The other party contended with reason, as if it made perfect sense.


    Tang Mo also found such simpletons intriguing. If possible, he really wanted to recruit such an iron-willed diplomat for himself.


    Thus, he said with a smile, "I admire your courage! Standing here to fight for your country''s interests, you can indeed be called a qualified diplomat!"


    Seeing Tang Mo smile, the Zheng Country Envoy thought there was hope for reiming Dongwan Ind and immediately continued, "Thank you for thepliment, my lord. So, if you just return Dongwan Ind, you will be a hero of Zheng Country, a distinguished guest of our Zheng Country''s ruler..."


    It seemed that Zheng Country was indeed reasonable. Clearly preparing to rob, yet they offered me a friend''s seat and a hero''s tall hat. What expression should I use to respond now? Should I cry and express gratitude? Tang Mo thought sarcastically in his heart.


    He then nodded and spoke coldly and mockingly, "I appreciate you, so I won''t kill you. However, Dongwan Ind is now the territory of the Great Tang Group, and that is not up for negotiation! If your Zheng Country... wants Dongwan Ind... let Zheng Tong lead his troops to take it!"


    "...You! How dare you openly call the name of our royal family?" The Zheng Country Envoy was stunned before realizing that Zheng Tong was the current king of Zheng Country.


    "Don''t be impotently furious like a viin...It affects my previous opinion of you! Go back and tell Zheng Tong that Dongwan Ind is now the territory of the Great Tang Group, and that won''t change! Ever." Tang Mo interrupted the other party with a wave of his hand.


    The Zheng Country Envoy frowned and reminded Tang Mo, "Then, Mr. Tang! You will lose the friendship of Zheng Country!"


    In his eyes, Tang Mo was merely a businessman. Losing such a huge market as Zheng Country meant missing out on a lot of money, something Tang Mo didn''t seem to realize.


    "Suit yourself! As long as you''re happy." Tang Mo had no interest in continuing the pointless conversation and ended the talk.


    ...


    A month hurriedly passed, and Tang Mo had already returned to Dragon Ind. After stabilizing the impact of the war on the Great Tang Group within Dragon''s Den, new information regarding Zheng Country reached his ears.


    Yulin spoke up, reporting thetest intelligence on Zheng Country: "Zheng Country has officially purchased 30,000 Type 1 rifles and 200 130mm caliber breech-loading field cannons from Shireck... In addition, they''ve also bought 1,000 Gobur vehicles and imported 500 warhorses from Dahua."


    "Furthermore, they have ordered 10 Ming Wheel Ships from Shireck. Even by our standards, it''s a considerable procurement contract." While speaking, she handed the rted documents to Tang Mo: "These pieces of information have been confirmed with Shireck; they are urate."


    "That''s indeed not trivial. It seems there are still some people in Zheng Country who are actually getting things done. Otherwise, without such a fierce reaction, they would all be ckers." Tang Mo put down the report on the formation of the Armored 1st Division and looked up at Yulin.


    Yulin immediately continued with the details, "Actually, it''s not like that. Zheng Country''s purchase of so many weapons is mainly to court Shireck to guard against Shen Country''s invasion."


    "Oh? How do you figure?" Tang Mo asked curiously.


    Yulin provided a reasonable analysis: "We''ve found out that a significant part of these orders were made by Zheng Country with Shireck before approaching us. Perhaps less than one-third were added yesterday."


    "Even if it''s only one-third, that''s still a significant amount." Tang Mo reflected for a moment and felt that Zheng Country''s purchase of so many modern weapons could indeed impact Great Tang Group''s ns to conquer Zheng Country.


    Standing aside, Nangong Hong spoke up as a reminder, "Master, we should start thinking of countermeasures. This is a big batch of arms. In the past, it could have changed the oue of a war. If we underestimate the enemy, we might pay a heavy price."


    Tang Mo stopped him with a gesture, "No rush. It will take them some time to learn how to use these weapons. Whenever the real battle starts, whether their tactics are suitable is yet to be seen."


    "I can assure you, Mr. Nangong, no matter how big the waves they cause, it won''t stop our progress in conquering Zheng Country!" He pulled out a cigarette and looked at the strategist who had beenpletely won over by the new weapons on Dragon Ind: "Do you think we could lose?"


    "Impossible... Absolutely impossible! We... How could we possibly lose!" Nangong Hong waved his hands in denial.


    -------


    Still owe everyone 5 updates. Dragon Spirit has struggled toe back a little =.=!

 Chapter 458 445 Big Purchase

    ```


    Tang Mo, who had returned to Dragon Ind, was still very busy each day. With the continuous advancement of technology, he had toe up with more and better technologies to maintain Great Tang Group''s lead in research and development.


    Every day, he would write and sketch, copying down some technical parameters to distribute among the various R&D departments to inspire their thinking.


    This was a virtuous cycle. Tang Mo couldn''t always be a drafting tool, taking on the entire group''s R&D and design work by himself.


    Therefore, he had to cultivate new talent, to keep the R&D team''s morale high and take on more work on his behalf, freeing him to focus on increasingly important strategic issues.


    In the process of this technological transfer, Tang Mo more often yed the role of a decision-maker, preventing his tech team from wasting time on the wrong paths.


    In the meeting room, Tang Mo was listening to reports from various departments on the development progress of Dongwan Ind. Lately, it seemed that almost all of Great Tang Group''s discussions revolved around Dongwan Ind.


    There was no helping it, since Brunas and Jade City had merged seamlessly and were on the right track, with Harry watching over them, everything was running smoothly.


    The other ports were the same; everyone was busy developing and had set their own development goals. As long as they followed the n conscientiously, they could be prosperousnds in the future.


    With Tang Mo personally overseeing Dragon Ind, there were certainly no issues: as the R&D base and technological stronghold for Great Tang Group, its development naturally faced no problems.


    One only needed to look at the giant shipyards that had been expanded several times, and the hulls at various stages of construction inside, to understand Dragon Ind''s status within Great Tang Group.


    Although there were countless affairs to attend to in these ces, they were all routine matters that did not require Tang Mo''s constant attention.


    Only Dongwan Ind, which was still in its initial construction phase and served as a military foothold, required Tang Mo''s personal intervention on various matters.


    Roger had been left on Dragon Ind by Tang Mo and had now returned to his original duties. He spoke up to give Tang Mo an update on the group''s recent actions, "We have imported about 2 million tons of grain from allied nations, most of which are being gathered towards Dongwan Ind."@@novelbin@@


    He exined to Tang Mo why they would not continue to increase the grain purchase quantity, "This is already the limit we can purchase because increasing the volume further would endanger the reserves of the grain-selling countries, a risk they are unwilling to ept."


    Although Great Tang Group exports fertilizers and improved seeds, which indeed increase farming efficiency and allowed allied nations to achieve bountiful grain harvests,


    the issue of food security had just begun to be partly resolved, and many countries were only just emerging from a state of hunger, so there was a general wariness about exporting grain, which meant the volume of grain circting in the trade sector was actually not that much.


    In exporting grain to Great Tang Group, it was more about reverence and trust. The decision-makers of various countries were somewhat inclined to believe that Great Tang Group''s grain purchases were not a strategic offensive.


    "Due to our purchases, the price of grain has already begun to rise. The price we are offering is almost more than triple what the grain purchase price was at this timest year," Roger continued, mentioning another factor affecting the purchases.


    This was also an almost insurmountable issue: persistent grain purchases would cause fluctuations in grain prices, andrge-scale acquisitions like Tang Mo''s would definitely lead to a continuous increase in grain prices.


    The problem with price increases is that the amount of grain that can be purchased for the same price will decrease further, which, in effect, turns out to be a clear loss-making deal. The party spending the money will experience tremendous pressure.


    Because the loss is certain, whoever issues such an order must pay for the extra cost incurred, and any individual or even an organization must make a reasonable exnation for why they would operate this way, even at a loss.


    Many people do not understand why Huaxia often buys bonds from Lighthouse Country; the logic is quite simple: Huaxia pockets substantial profits each year, and spending this money on anything causes international trade prices for those goods to skyrocket.


    This leads to a severe problem, given the magnitude of Huaxia, what it sells plummets, and what it buys soars. Thus, the price differences mean that the profits are essentially given back to other countries.


    Attempting to purchase high-tech items, you find they are not for sale, rendering money ineffective. The things others want to sell, Huaxia does not want to buy, creating a deadlock.


    The most rational behavior is to purchase foreign government bonds, earning some interest without the risk of significant losses... That''s hundreds of billions of dors at stake, and not even a slight risk can be taken.


    For a nation, every decision must be stable, as this is the most rational choice.


    Great Tang Group is now quite simr to Huaxia: their industrialization is the most thorough, the scale of their trade is immense, and even the slightest disturbance causes seismic shocks to other nations, so everyone treads carefully.


    ```


    Tang Mo wanted to procure grain for Dongwan Ind, and the price of grain skyrocketed immediately. This was just the beginning. If the Great Tang Group continued to import grain, the price would be even higher and more uncontroble.


    Therefore, Roger suggested that they should temporarily stop buying grain and wait for the price to drop next year when there would be arger grain surplus. Then they could purchase another round to keep the price at a reasonable, slightly expensive level.


    "The good news is that we don''t have to provide the standard amount of grain for ves; we usually only ensure a single meal per day for the goblin ves..." Roger concluded with feigned ease.


    The Great Tang Group had never treated goblin ves as "citizens" and thus naturally skimped on them to maintain basic operations elsewhere.


    "Dino is worried that the death of goblins will affect the development progress of Dongwan Ind. We''ve been a bit too hasty. The construction on Dongwan Ind is rapid, but it''s built on the deaths of ves," Tang Mo said with some concern, looking towards Luff on the other side.


    Since the military was required to suppress and oversee them, the goblin ves were under the jurisdiction of the military in the system. The use, allocation, and casualty statistics of these ves were all summarized in the Staff Department under Commander Luff.


    Luff nodded slightly and began to talk about the ve situation: "In the past month, we''ve lost 40,000 goblin ves, most of whom died of illness due to excessivebor, some were abused, and others due to non-standard construction safety."


    "I don''t mean I sympathize with these bastards. My concern is if the number of ves continues to decline, it will affect the infrastructure construction on Dongwan Ind in the future," Roger continued.


    Before Luff could speak, Li''ao replied to Roger''s concern: "You don''t have to worry about that, because we will soon distribute more qualified talents to all areas in need ofbor."


    "Better ones?" Roger, not very familiar with intelligence work, asked, looking towards Li''ao.


    Li''ao nodded proudly: "Exactly, we''ve bribed many city lords and officials in Zheng Country. They''ll turn a blind eye to our transportation n."


    Indeed, he could be proud of his subordinates. The dandelion''s work in Zheng Country could indeed be said to be one of thergest, most invested, and fastest-acting spy operations in world history.


    "You mean the entire region will ignore thisrge-scale transportation... activity?" Roger asked incredulously because for any country, the poption is actually wealth, an indispensable hard resource.


    Li''ao continued with a smile: "Yes, they will use criminals for local infrastructure projects, then send thew-abiding as criminals directly to Dongwan Ind."


    Hearing Li''ao''s words, Roger finally eased his mind and sighed with relief, "It seems like our people are doing well over there."


    Tang Mo teased Li''ao for his eagerness in intelligence activities: "Indeed, they spent 30 million Gold Coins in less than 25 days and then came asking me for another 10 million."


    This operation was basically a "money-sshing campaign" with no sophistication involved, just starting with insatiably corrupt officials as breakthrough points, dragging a series of such officials into the mire, and then, when the scandal broke out, evenrger officials who could not enforce thew against a group resigned to ept it.


    Turning the giving of money into a done deal, if 10,000 Gold Coins didn''t work, offer 50,000. If 50,000 didn''t suffice, then give 100,000! Keep increasing until the person nods in agreement or someone else nods for him!


    Don''t underestimate the power of this tactic because it has proven to be simple, crude, yet surprisingly effective. Just think, if the United States used its annual defense budget for bribes, how many people would maintain their principled stance?


    Even if someone remained utterly loyal, but let''s face it, if this were actually happening, you can be sure the country would send someone to ''convince'' you to betray and take the money...


    "My God... Really?" When Roger heard Tang Mo casually mention a bribe of 40 million Gold Coins, he felt utterly stupefied.


    He even thought that negotiating directly with the King of Zheng Country might even get them a discount.


    Tang Mo chuckled and said to Roger, "Really, many cities in Zheng Country are now defenseless against us. The local officials willpletely ignore our actions, including renovating ports,ying roads, and shipping all the able-bodied locals overseas. All things considered, this money was well spent."


    By defining the nature of the expenses for Li''ao, he also avoided embarrassing Li''ao. Li''ao looked at Tang Mo gratefully, truth be told, he had been quite nervous about using such arge sum of money.


    ------


    More toeter, in about 20 minutes.

 Chapter 459 Such a huge pit in 446

    Roger continued to ask with curiosity, "With the sharp decrease in poption, how do they exin to the higher-ups?"


    "ording to the books, there hasn''t been any sharp decrease in poption! That''s because the tax revenue hasn''t changed at all!" Tang Mo spread his hands, quite proud of his bold move.


    Hearing what Tang Mo said, Roger was even more astonished, "We helped them make up the tax shortfall? How much money would that take?"


    "Not much, just over a million Gold Coins. Compared to bribing, this is just small change," Tang Mo said, even finding himself a bit fond of Zheng Country''s tax system, full of loopholes, utterly inefficient, and very unreasonable, antiquated at its core.


    Under this corrupt system, Zheng Country''s tax revenue was extremely low, as lower officials had long kept the tax records at a very low level.


    The tax evasion by the localities was directly subsidized by Great Tang Group in the form of project funds. Those pitiful taxes were mere pocket change for the entire interest chain and not worth mentioning at all.


    This artificially formed, closed-loop massive system tore Zheng Country''s rule apart and benefited everyone involved.


    The criminals were not exiled but put to reform throughbor locally, which amounted to a reduction in their sentences, and everyone was happy.


    Themoners were shipped to Dongwan Ind, where they had good food and drink and stable jobs to settle down in. Many also receivednd, naturally feeling grateful.


    Zheng Country massively embarked on infrastructure development, creating more jobs and highlighting the local officials'' "governing abilities", thereby allowing them to face inspections from above with more dignity.


    Although they lost tax revenue from per capita taxes, the local officials'' pockets bulged even more with the share from the infrastructure project funds given by Great Tang Group.


    The tax revenue reported to the royal treasury rose steadily. With a semnce of prosperity and peace throughout the country, His Majesty the King was overjoyed, and so everyone was happy.


    "Those officials really have the gall to ask for that..." In the end, Roger could onlyment.


    Nangong Hong, who was beside them,ughed and added, "Greed is a virtue! If they didn''t ask, how could we have set up such a grand n in advance?"


    "Hahaha!" Everyoneughed along. After theughter, they began discussing the establishment of an anti-corruption department and the issue of eliminating such phenomena.


    Once the anti-corruption department was agreed upon, and Yulin was temporarily ced in charge, Roger continued, "Now, all we have left to do is wait. We wait for the construction of their roads to bepleted, for chaos to start there, and then we can take their ce."


    On the other side, Galsa, who was temporarily managing education, spoke up, "The people from Zheng Country shipped to Dongwan Ind are already undergoing education and training. They will be junior technical workers andter contribute to paving roads and construction."


    Though he was young, he was a representative of the academicmunity, one of the "three prodigies" on par with Yulin. Temporarily filling in as the head of an education department was well within his capabilities.


    However, as Tang Mo''s capable assistant, his primary work was still in theb, dealing with various instruments and equipment.


    "In fact, people are already making an impact. We''ve nearly scoured all the brickmakers from Zheng Country''s coasts to Dongwan Ind. There''s just no helping it; the demand for construction materials is simply too great right now, and bricks are the trickiest part of it," Yulin, who was also focusing on Dongwan Ind, contributed to the conversation.


    She pushed the documents to Roger, "We''ve built factory buildings for 3000rge-scale factories on Dongwan Ind. These buildings are basically constructed at the same time, using bricks everywhere, consuming cement..."


    Experience more content on empire


    After finishing, she nced at Tang Mo, "The cultivation of farnd is going smoothly, whether they are from Zheng Country, Qi, Chu, or Dahua; wherever they go, they''re excellent at farming."


    "Now on Dongwan Ind, the areas along the nned railway and road lines are mostly farnd. Cities and viges nearby have newly built factories and workshops, and we''re working hard to provide every vige with electricity," said Parker, who was an official capable of shouldering responsibilities on his own now.


    He provided an update on Dongwan Ind''s power supply situation, "Fourrge-scale thermal power nts are nearlyplete. The equipment has been delivered and is starting to bemissioned. Power supplies for Dongwan City and Fengshun City will soon be normalized, and the spare generators can then be deployed to rural areas."


    "We''ve built arge textile factory in the suburbs of Dongwan City and recruited 4000 female workers. Daily necessities and clothing there are gradually bing self-sufficient," he said, since industrial matters were somewhat rted to him, and so were factory issues.


    Dongwan Ind was developing various types of factories for civilian products, diverse and varied; Parker had a lot of experience in this area, as did many of the workers on Dongwan Ind.


    From scratch, Great Tang Group had built Dragon Ind, turning it into a new industrial base. Tasked with a simr job once again, they were experienced and efficient.


    Indeed, building up Dongwan Ind, with its poption and ves, was much simpler than constructing a city on the deste Dragon Ind.


    "There''s also some good news. Since the natives on Dongwan Ind have always had a hard life, their dependency on salt and oil is much less than we estimated," he added, with the bitterness of poverty, "As a result, we saved some transport capacity, brought in more equipment, and sped up the production on the ind."


    Most of those seated had experienced hardship and poverty, so they naturally understood the living conditions of the poor.


    They might not eat anything cooked with oil in a year, might not see a piece of meat for months, and might not have a spoonful of salt in seven or eight meals.


    This is the life of the poor, the stark reality. It is precisely because of this that when these impoverished people saw new clothes, an adequate supply of food, and luxuries they dared not dream of, they felt genuine gratitude.


    "Now the people there have grown ustomed to calling themselves Tang People, and their quality of life has indeed improved. We are figuring out ways to get everyone to learn cultural lessons, especially the local women who are married to our officers," Luff added.


    These were real and inspiring changes, each one uplifting.


    "Moreover, the local nobility, gentry, and merchants havepletelypromised. Their productivity was too primitive and their economicpetitiveness too low, so they have been utterly defeated by us," Luff said with disdain and a coldugh when talking about the local elite, "Without economic support or military power, they are now weaker than during the Shenguo upation."


    "Their influence is also declining. In the past, they would use small favors to sway public opinion, but now, very few people are willing to follow their arrangements. In fact, after we executed some troublemakers as examples, the rest are more than willing to cooperate with us," he concluded before turning to Yulin.


    Yulin continued the topic, "ording to Dino''s report, the local poption has recovered to around 300,000, of which about 50,000 are immigrants from Zheng Country, and some are our support personnel. Of course, ves don''t count, these goblins are not nned to be replenished in our scheme...Also, we haven''t included the military numbers."


    "Although the progress is very gratifying, money is indeed being spent like water," Tang Mo nodded, affirming all the work being done.


    "We began importing metals and grain from around the world. The spending is tremendous because this further raised the trade prices of these goods," he continued, "Simply put, we spent almost all of our ie from the war against Shenguo without saving a penny."@@novelbin@@


    "Even so, we had to dig into our pocket to cover some shortfalls." After saying this, heughed at himself and spread his hands, "By this ount, Dongwan Ind is now more expensive than many kingdoms."


    "It is indeed valuable! And it should be! In the near future, it will be another production base to support our next move!" After saying this, he did not wait for others to speak but continued.


    Looking at the dockyard designs freshly brought back from Dongwan Ind spread on the table, he addressed those present, "Imagine, more andrger dockyards there, building more ships, our production capacity will further increase, and soon we will offset the expenditures from maritime transport."


    Having said what he wanted, Tang Mo leaned back in his chair and looked at his trusted aides, "Sounds good, doesn''t it?"


    "Let''s hope everything goes smoothly," Roger said with a smile, and the others nodded in agreement.


    "How''s the delivery of airships going? We''re selling ships too slowly, it''s gettingints about our production speed, and we can''t have more problems with the airships," Tang Mo looked to Luff.


    Luff immediately reported on the delivery of the airships, "All the Kirov Airships that have flown to Dongwan Ind have been sold. Shenguo bought ten, and the remaining twenty will be ready to fly to Eternal Winter Port to deliver to the Dwarves once they''re prepared."


    Since airships were a secret weapon, always managed by the military, Tang Mo could only ask Luff about the delivery of airships.


    Well-acquainted with his duties, Luff spoke without hesitation, continuing, "The airships stationed in Brunas will be delivered to Suthers, while those on Dragon Ind were sold directly to Dorne and Na..."


    "Then, as per your instructions, we''ve passed the relevant technology to Shireck. Sofia is very interested in airship technology," he said and then saw everyone present showing a faintly amused smile.


    Well, after everyone became aware of the existence of airnes, who would still care about airships? Handing this over to Shireck... that''s a rather "big pit."


    I wonder how long it will take for Shireck to fill this pit before stepping into the next big one?


    ---------


    Today is a break, will continue with updates tomorrow depending on the situation.

 Chapter 460 447 smuggling

    In the pitch-ck night sky, the stars were strewn across it as if a ck curtain had been embedded with densely packed jewels.


    On this vast ck curtain, the most bright and dazzling object was still that full moon. Moonlight spilled onto the sea, making the undting waves reflect its light, while the surrounding tranquility made the sound of the waters exceptionally clear.


    In such an environment, sitting in a small wooden boat and strenuously rowing with both oars, was not a particrly romantic affair.


    Or rather, rowing on the fearsome seas under such conditions was an extremely terrifying experience.


    You would feel the profound depths beneath your feet, and in the unseen waters, there surged unknown terrors, sensations that would engulf you, filling you with dread towards this mystery.


    However, although a suffocating fear spread across the sea making one''s muscles uncontrobly tremble, and even though the cold sea breeze continued to interweave constantly, as if hands devoid of warmth were brushing over every inch of one''s skin, the person rowing still mechanically repeated their movements.


    He was an old fisherman and, even though he knew that setting sail at such a time was not wise, he still resolutely did so.


    In his view, this might be the only way out for him and all the people he knew. He kept moving his oars, and there was someone else sitting at the bow of the boat, their face obscured by a canvas cloth.


    In their pathy a shadow like an enormous monster; the shadow was getting closer and closer, and now, with the help of the moonlight, its rough outline could be seen.


    Finally, as the outline grewrger andrger and the ends were no longer visible, the small boat crashed into the sands and became stranded. The old fisherman jumped out, struggling to push the boat to shore.


    On the beach, there were remnants of wood used to secure cargo and severed ropes. A crab, seemingly sensing danger, quickly scurried into the crevices of the rocks, never to be seen again.


    "Grandpa..." the person who had been covered in the tattered canvas suddenly spoke up, calling out timidly.


    "Shh! Keep quiet!" The old fisherman helped the slight figure off the boat, and before he could say anything more, a faint light drifted by in the distance.


    Soon, several people carrying torches passed by along the makeshift road, chatting andughing as if discussing something delightful.


    The old man pressed down on the head of his granddaughter beside him, motioning for her to keep silent. After those lights had moved off into the distance, he turned to look at the small boat he had dragged onto the sand.


    He seemed reluctant to leave the boat, staring at it for a long while, but finally, he shifted his gaze. Taking his granddaughter by the hand, they stumbled through the bushes and onto the rough road.


    The road was marked with ruts, clearly overused. Not far from there was a light; the old fisherman, pulling his granddaughter, headed towards it.


    Being able to find a vige here was proof of its prosperity¨Con the ind where they had previously lived, such bustling ces had be a rare sight.


    Hand in hand, the two of them walked along the road toward the bright light. Only upon approaching did the old fisherman realize that what they had found was not a vige but a campsite.


    The campsite was vast, filled with tents as far as the eye could see. Some ces had fires burning, and figures could be seen bustling about.


    The fires seemed not merely for illumination but arranged in a spectacr line, stretching into the distance.


    With the help of both the firelight and moonlight, the old fisherman could make out that it was a wider road. These people appeared to be constructing a major road.


    "Grandpa... I''m hungry," the little girl nestled in the old fisherman''s arms said in a soft whimper, lowering her voice.


    "Don''t worry... child, don''t worry. We''ll have something to eat soon," the old fisherman consoled his granddaughter, licking his parched lips and gritting his teeth as he led her towards the brightly lit campsite.


    When they got close, pushing aside the weeds, the old fisherman approached a tent. Inside, snores rose and fell in session, and a nauseating smell of sweat permeated the air around the tent.


    It was only then that the old fisherman realized that it was not just inside the tents; plenty of people were also sleeping on the ground outside, clearly indicating that the living conditions were not great.


    Some leaned against the tents snoring, others rolled over using someone else''s leg as a pillow, pping asionally to ward off mosquitoes with sharp pping sounds.


    "Who''s there!?" Just as the old fisherman was about to move forward, a stern voice came from behind, startling him.


    As he turned around, the old man was instantly filled with terror. He couldn''t help but tighten his grip on his granddaughter''s hand, causing the little girl to cry out in pain.


    Because there, standing in front of him, were two Shenwu soldiers holding long knives, wearing Shenwu military uniforms, although somewhat tattered.


    He wanted to turn back and flee, but as soon as he turned, he saw that the people previously sleeping soundly by the tents were angrily getting up, grumbling, "What''s the noise... What''s going on?"


    The few who sat up were indeed Goblins!


    ```


    It''s over! I''ve actually broken into the Shenwu''s territory; it''spletely over!


    I heard people saying that the Shenwu were defeated and someone''s distributing food here, so I decided to try my luck for thest time, but who could have known there would still be Shenwu soldiers here.


    Rumors are indeed deadly! The old fisherman tightened his grip on his granddaughter, as more and more Shenwu goblins started to stand up around him, he was almost in tears.


    He knew he couldn''t escape, he knew that today he was most likely going to die here.


    However, the Shenwu goblin wielding the long knife seemed to panic even more than him after seeing his face; the de trembling, his voice shaking as he shouted, "Someone help! There, there are two, two humans!"


    The two who were on guard duty thought at first that it was just another reckless fool trying to escape, but unexpectedly they were only civilians.


    So, the two on lookout were even more incoherent because they just couldn''t understand why humans woulde here in the middle of the night.


    Confused and panicked, one goblin guard mustered the courage to ask, "I¡ªI say, you, where did youe from? What are you doing here?"


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    While he was asking, some goblins had already run to the camp in the middle to give the rm. They were all ves brought here to build roads, even the foremen and sentries had no authority to deal with "Tang people".


    And so, after a standoff, just as the old fisherman realized he might not die today, two soldiers carrying submachine guns and holdingnterns came over.


    "What''s going on here?" a soldier from Great Tang Group''s security troops drawled at the goblin sentry who had signaled the rm. He nced at the Shenwu uniform on the goblin, which was already worn and tattered, his look full of disdain and disgust.


    There was no help for it; there were no spare resources for clothing for these goblins, so they had to make do wearing the old military uniforms to distinguish their roles, barely sufficient for the time being.


    "Si¡ªSir, we saw some suspicious figures, so we¡ªwe came over to check and saw, saw these two¡­" One of the goblin sentries hurriedly replied, his demeanor as reverent as if he had seen his own father.


    The old fisherman also finally realized that these goblins were not Shenwu soldiers but were subordinates of these outsiders before him.


    "Do you have identification cards?" The soldier in charge of watching over the goblin ves shone thentern on the old man''s face and squinted as he asked.


    Ever since they experienced the Kirov Airships and personally witnessed the spectacr sight of artillery destroying walls, the goblins rarely caused trouble anymore.


    After executing some fools who fled into the mountains, the remaining goblins began to work obediently, struggling for their daily meal.


    They elected foremen on their own and even formed a team of sentries to maintain order and keep watch. They managed themselves with clear divisions ofbor.


    All these were under the control of the Shenwu bear, who was brutally harsh on his own kind. If a project was dyed, the goblins would kill one of their own as a warning. As a result, the Great Tang Group''s supervisory troops ended up with less to do.


    So, the watchdog troops were reduced time and again, and it wasmon to see two or three Great Tang Group soldiers supervising over 3,000 goblin ves building roads¡ªa magnificent sight.


    "Id¡ªIdentification card?" Of course, the old fisherman didn''t have an ID card; he had only climbed onto the beach of Dongwan Ind about an hour ago, where would he get an ID card from?


    "Wow, a stowaway?" Seeing the old man''s expression, another soldier, shouldering a Thompson Submachine Gun,ughed, "Such nerve,ing straight to us afternding... if the patrol team had found you, they might have shot you on sight."


    "Exactly." The soldier with thentern agreed, "Report to thepany first thing in the morning, anyway, you''ll need to check in."


    "Please! My granddaughter hasn''t eaten in two days! Just give us something to eat!" The old fisherman wasn''t in the mood to understand what the two men before him were talking about, thinking of his hungry granddaughter, he steeled himself and knelt down.


    This sudden gesture scared the two Great Tang Group security troops; they both didn''tprehend what the old man was doing for a moment.


    "Hey, I say... don''t do this!" One soldier didn''t dare to approach to help him up, because ording to safety regtions, they weren''t allowed to approach an unidentified person before ensuring safety.


    It was just the two of them; if they went to help and the other party was concealing a weapon and unexpectedly attacked, they might be at a disadvantage. So, he stood still and called out, "Don''t be agitated!"


    "We have food! But you need to get up first!" The other soldier almost pointed his submachine gun at the ready, while he took out a piece of bread from his pocket and began to coax, "Let''s talk! I have bread here!"


    "Gulping..." Behind him, the sight of bread made the watching goblins'' saliva flow.


    ----------


    I still owe 4 updates...


    ```@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 461 448 Small Actions

    "People from nearby inds are fleeing towards us; we''ve already taken in over 400 refugees who''ve smuggled themselves overtely," Tagg said as he entered the room, first pouring himself a hot cup of water before drinking and discussing the recent happenings.


    When people can no longer survive, the mere whisper of a lifeline nearby is enough to tempt some to take a chance and venture out.


    Recently, with more and more ships passing by Dongwan Ind, many inhabitants of surrounding inds started to harbor thoughts of smuggling themselves over to Dongwan Ind. Some, in a bid to survive, had already done so.


    "That many?" Dino put down the document he was holding and looked at Tagg.


    The busiest territory of the Great Tang Group was now Dongwan Ind, bustling with construction sites and endless tasks every day.


    In just over two months'' time, you could even see chimneys puffing thick smoke near Dongwan City.


    Near these factories, one could faintly hear the roar of machinery; those assembled devices,rger than houses, were an entirely novel sight for everyone in Dongwan City.


    They were curious about everything because the supplies from the Great Tang Group seemed endless! Luxuries like sugar and salt, once unthinkable to indulge in, were now provided without limit and could be freely traded in stores.


    Working for the Great Tang Group meant ess to various subsidies, provisions like firewood, rice, oil, and salt; themoners of Dongwan City were experiencing unprecedented happiness.


    Everywhere was a scene of bustling activity; everyone was working as if their lives depended on it, some overseeing goblins carrying stones, others employed in Dongwan City''s newly established administration.


    After spending many days together, they had grown to like and be ustomed to the Tang People''s way of doing things, and they had alsoe to understand what true power meant.


    This was no longer a simple matter of crushing with guns and artillery; it was a multi-dimensional, all-epassing blow that prated every detail.


    In the administrative offices of the Great Tang Group, even a casual form exuded an air of icy efficiency and precision. By simply referring to it, those in charge could easily assess the situation, controlling the most core and critical data.


    Complex data corroborated each other; no chance for falsification as any single department trying to fabricate data would be quickly exposed during the cross-referencing process, inevitably attracting the scrutiny of the supervisory departments.


    All the methods employed by the Great Tang Group were far more advanced and refined than anything in Zheng Country. Thisprehensive leap into modernization made the original inhabitants of Dongwan Ind realize that the Tang People''s victory was no ident, and not merely due to advanced weaponry.


    Baus worked tirelessly, bustling between Fengshun City and Dongwan City, busy and seemingly content. So busy he''d be that he had even lost a considerable amount of weight, appearing more spirited.


    Dino had been upied with the Dongwan Ind port situationtely, his primary concern being the docks and shipyards.


    Seeing the busy Dino raise his head, Tagg nodded and continued, "Yes, they brought a lot of intelligence from the surrounding inds."


    "..." Dino didn''t open his mouth but looked at Tagg, waiting for the General to continue sharing the intelligence he''d gathered.


    Without making Dino wait, Tagg proceeded, "Firstly, since the troops from the Sheng Country upied Dongwan Ind, many local officials of Zheng Country have fled from the neighboring inds, causing the administrative order to copse into chaos."


    In other words, most of the surrounding inds were now in a state of anarchy and disorganization. Dino just pinched his chin in thought without offering an opinion.


    "What''s left of the regr army has mostly fled too, only scattered soldiers remain, banding together, living day to day," Tagg continued, "They''re essentially no different from bandits now, with weakbat capabilities and disordered organization."


    At this point, Dino could hear the eagerness in Tagg''s voice, but he wasn''t in a hurry and kept listening to Tagg''s ongoing report. Experience tales at empire


    Tagg, straightforward as always and without waiting for Dino''s opinion, went on, "It''s precisely because of the total absence of order that those who wield power often escte their exploitation of the local poption, making life unbearable for civilians on these inds."


    Dino nodded, still remaining silent.


    "Later, when Sheng Country dyed its attack on these surrounding inds, those escaped Zheng Country local officials came back," Tagg recalled the old fisherman who had been brought before him the day before to report, as well as the timid granddaughter.


    The grandfather and granddaughter had never seen fake ham stuffed with starch and grains orrge cuts of pork, nor the exotic spices from various ces.


    As they ate, they talked about their ind, one-third the size of Dongwan Ind, where they lived.@@novelbin@@


    They spoke of the bandits there, of the corrupt official who shirked his duties, and of the hundred thousand civilians living in misery on the ind.


    Poverty and hunger constantly loomed over these pitiful people, who struggled to survive like walking corpses, their clothes unable to cover their emaciated bodies.


    The old fisherman even knelt down to Tagg right there, crying and begging him to rescue those who could only afford half a meal a day.


    His son had been tortured to death by hunger, and his daughter-inw had been defiled and killed by the bandits of Zheng Country who had turned to piracy on the ind.


    In order to seek revenge, the old man was even willing to follow the punitive forces back to lead the way for the security troops of the Great Tang Group.


    "They are already powerless to control these officials turned bandits, so in the end, they could only strike deals with these people, allowing them to continue plundering the civilians, as long as they could provide some tax revenue." Thinking of this, Tagg sighed and continued, "Thus, the officials of Zheng Country became protectors of the bandits, and the bandits'' looting became legalized¡­ The local civilians suffered terribly, and the fishermen couldn''t even support themselves."


    "The fishermen can''t catch fish?" Dino was taken aback, asking in disbelief.


    "Yes, ording to the intelligence provided by the fleeing fishermen, the enemy has taken over the better fishing vessels, leaving only the rest to fish near the coast, which means the catch has be increasingly scarce, and they still have to pay taxes¡­" Tagg exined.


    "They''re really hitting them hard." Dino was shocked, then there was a trace of anger towards thewless robbers on the ind, he remarked with a wry smile.


    Tagg nodded again, "Yes, so I asked for instructions from the master, providing this intelligence. Since they only need to provide some tax revenue, why shouldn''t we upy these inds?"


    "The master? The master approved your n?" Hearing that Tagg consulted Tang Mo, Dino''s expression became even more serious, "This could provoke a war, a war between us and Zheng Country."


    "Yes. The master approved my n." Tagg smiled, "There are no regr troops of Zheng Country on the inds anymore, our actions won''t be exposed."


    It was actually easy to understand, the bandits on the inds were in no position to contact officialdom, as they didn''t exist on the records in the first ce.


    Now, ording to the official records of Zheng Country, there were no regr garrisons on these inds, only so-called "civilian forces maintaining order". As for howbat ready these forces were, how many people theyprised, or what equipment they had, Zheng Country''s side was clueless.


    Therefore, eliminating these bandit troops was something no one would question. The risk of doing so was virtually the same as directly ughtering the officials of Zheng Country on these inds.


    "Are you confident?" Dino asked knowingly.


    Of course, he knew that the officials on these inds would have tomunicate with coastal towns of Zheng Country if they wished to report anything.


    The officials in these towns were already being bribed by the Great Tang Group, busy embezzling funds for their retirements while deceiving their superiors and subordinates; they hardly had time to care about a few isted inds out at sea.


    They wouldn''t even need additional bribes, a mere word from Dino, and officials of Zheng Country in these coastal cities would keep their mouths shut, turning a blind eye to Great Tang Group''s operations at sea.


    Tagg had obviously thought of this too, even seizing on the key point of taxation: "I personally feel very confident. We only need to pay a small amount of tax to secure these inds."


    Indeed, as long as the tax was paid on time, with a few extra Gold Coins passed along, no one in Zheng Country would know that these inds were lost.


    As for whether those local officials who coborated with the thieves to bully their own people were dead or alive, it was a small matter that concerned no one.


    In the remote seas, isted in the far reaches, shrouded in filth,cking doctors and medicine, who would care if a few insignificant officials perished from illness?


    "Is there any benefit?" Dino asked almost rhetorically, sure that his workload on Dongwan Ind was about to increase: "It isn''t a trap of some sort, is it, false intelligence?"


    "The confessions have beenpared and verified, and these bandits and officials on the indsck the wit for such deceit," Tagg replied, visibly ted, "During the process of upying these inds, we can practice amphibious warfare. By taking the inds, we can gain some poption. Moreover, the operation will ensure the security of Dongwan Ind."


    "I think¡­ it''s feasible. When do you n to move?" Dino resigned himself to the fact that soon he would be managing several inds, neither too big nor too small.


    "Today," Tagg answered earnestly, "Before I came here, the fleet had already set out. The first campaign of the newly established Navy Marine Corps First Regiment is highly anticipated."


    "Indeed, but more than that¡­ I''m looking forward to a full-scale war with Zheng Country," Dino lowered his head again, returning to the documents before him.


    He didn''t mind that Tagg had mobilized the military without consulting him because Tagg was directly responsible to Tang Mo on military matters, and he had no authority to interfere. That Tagg hade to brief him on the situation was already showing respect to him, the Governor of Dongwan Ind.

 Chapter 462 449 everything goes well

    "Drop anchor!" The massive chains slid into the sea following themand, and on the swaying ocean surface, tiny boats were being pushed out from the sides of the freighters by cranes.


    Refitted sidedders had been securely fastened by sailors, and makeshift iron stairs installed on the ship''s side were crowded with soldiers carrying various equipment.


    "No resistance!" After putting down his telescope, the navy captain on the bridge of the Brunas irond warship nking the fleet said to his executive officer with a hint of regret.


    All the angled cannons on the warship were aimed at the shore, various calibers of gun barrels silently awaiting their moment to roar.


    "Board the boats! Board the boats!" An officer, wearing a life ring around his neck, waved his arms and shouted loudly, leaning on the ship''s railing.


    Having climbed to the end of the ropedder and with weapons on their backs, the soldiers jumped into the rocking boats with the help of sailors.


    "Be safe! Be safe!" Each soldier reminded theirrades, as they were all in good condition due to only a few hours of sailing.


    Without the exhaustion from long marches or the dizziness from extended time on the sea, they were now the vigorous soldiers of the Great Tang Group, marines who received special allowances every month!


    "He''s in position! Cut the safety ropes now!" After arranging the soldiers on the seats of the boats, a sailor with a sharp dagger severed the ropes tied behind them.


    Learning from the lessons of thestnding, all soldiers were equipped with orange life-saving gear, and before boarding, everyone had a safety rope secured to their backs.


    This rope ensured that should they fall into the sea, someone could still help them back to the surface; though cumbersome andplex, it indeed increased the survival rate of soldiers overboard.


    Amid the din, fully armed marine soldiers began charging toward the shore, their steel helmets bobbing with the waves atop the boats.


    In the waist-deep water, the soldiers leapt from the boats, holding their weapons high, and struggled through the shallows.


    "Move fast! Move fast!"manded officers during the live exercise, their voices ovepping. No one knew if the enemy would truly appear, so everyone was on high alert.


    After all, during theirstnding, they had encountered a sudden counterattack by the Zheng Country troops, so this time, no one dared to take things lightly.


    "Step it up! Take long strides forward! Watch your footing!" A toon leader, trudging forward with difficulty, waved his arms, urging his soldiers to keep up swiftly.


    Learning again from thestnding, thending troops maintained their organizational integrity as much as possible. Squads stayed close to ensure the simultaneousnding of entirepanies if possible.


    This avoided the chaos of the previousndings: not a singlepany had been intact, everything was disorderly, relying solely on front-linemanders to organizebat operations.


    Experience after all is something that umtes over time. And equipment that conforms to experience needs time to be produced.


    Compared with the previousndings, this time the Great Tang Group''s weaponry was clearly a notch more advanced.


    Because of weight reductions, machine guns could now apany the troops ashore simultaneously, a significant improvement for the attacking forces.


    At the same time, the Tang Group''snding craft also received some subtle improvements: some boats were now outfitted with petrol engines and propellers!@@novelbin@@


    This was also a major advance: with engines and propeller drives, the number of sailors needed to row could be reduced, allowing more marines to be carried on a single boat.


    Such boats were also faster and could shuttle back and forth more often within the same time frame, transporting more soldiers as a result.


    They were less affected by tides impacting their speed, far more advanced than any rowboat.


    With such boats, the first troops of the Great Tang tond did so more swiftly and in greater numbers.


    The soldiers whonded started quickly establishing defensive positions around thending site, drawing on their experience.


    The initial reconnaissance teams also sprang into action, gathering terrain intelligence for themanders whonded first and further confirming the absence of enemy defense forces nearby.


    Also, as a lesson learned from thestnding, radiomunication equipment was brought ashore early to establish contact with the fleet.


    This allowed for calling in artillery support and also for reporting progress to highermand in the rear, makingmand and coordination both quicker and more targeted.


    Then, in the midst of the noise, the 1st Regiment of the marines sessfullynded, followed sequentially by their artillery and vehicles being brought ashore.


    The 1st Battalion of the robust Marine Corps Regiment swiftly assembled their troops and, guided by local guides, charged towards their previously designated target¡ªthe only town on the ind.


    Not to be outdone, the 2nd Battalionunched an offensive into the hintend an hourter, aiming for the bandit camp entrenched on the ind. The 3rd Battalion stayed behind to protect thending site and help unload subsequent heavy weapons and equipment.


    "Thending process was much smoother thanst time." Putting down his binocrs, Bernard was very satisfied with the scene before him.


    As the Navymander, the newly established Marine Corps was an elite force under hismand. Seeing the troops newly assigned to him performing well, Bernard''s face naturally couldn''t hide his smile.


    He knew that the attack on Zheng Country, along with the possible subsequent attack on another nation, would definitely be led by his Marine Corps, so he was filled with anticipation for the future.


    "Indeed! If wepare the timing, at this pointst time, the 1st Battalion was still assembling troops on the beachhead." The aide-de-camp added with a smile.


    The previousnding operation on Dongwan Ind was indeed too chaotic. Despite numerous contingency ns being made in advance, when it came time to execute, all kinds of problems ensued.


    The cavalry horses hadnded but the reconnaissance cavalry was still adrift at sea, the shells hadnded but the big cannons had yet to start being transported on thending craft.


    What was even more frustrating was that the cumbersome Maxim machine guns couldn''tnd with the troops, which resulted in only one machine gun being able to participate when the enemy counterattacked.


    Now things were much better, the new MG42 machine guns were obviously more portable than the Maxim machine guns, allowing them to directly apany the troops in the assault, with no need to worry about failing to keep pace with the attacking rhythm of the troops.


    Because the order ofnding was rearranged, the entirending force appeared well-ordered, and it also saved quite a bit of time.


    "We can''t becent yet, there are still many details that need to be recorded, refined, and improved!" Bernard earnestly summarized, "With each detail perfected, one less soldier will be lost in future realnding operations! This must always be remembered!"


    "Yes, General! I understand!" The aide-de-camp answered solemnly, "I will keep an eye on this matter."


    "Afterwards, have every soldier write down their feelings! Every nonmissioned officer, squad leader, toon leader,panymander, and battalionmander must write a summary report!" Bernard reiterated insistently, "Any difort should be rectified!"


    "If the equipment isn''t up to par, we''ll modify the equipment! If the tactics are wrong, we''ll change the tactics!" Before the aide-de-camp could speak, he continued, "We both should give some thought to what else might need to be further refined!"


    "Yes, General!" The aide-de-camp stood at attention and saluted.


    "Report! A radio call from the 1st Regiment''s headquarters on the shore: aside from one soldier who sprained an ankle while wading, no one was injured! The subsequent equipment isnding smoothly." A messenger stood behind Bernard, stood at attention, and reported with a salute.


    "Radio back to the 1st Regiment''smander, celebrate the 1st Regiment''s smoothpletion of this live-fire drill! I hope your subsequent battles go just as smoothly." Bernard finished speaking and returned a military salute. Then he epted a pen from the other party and signed his name on the shorthand telegram.


    On the ind, the locals who had spotted thending troops didn''t seem afraid; they numbly watched these Great Tang Group soldiers, who looked like aliens, passing by their vige.


    After hearing what the guides said, these people were even overjoyed, expressing their willingness to lead the way to find those despicable bandits and thieves.


    They had no food left toy out to wee the king''s army, but still, they stood by the roadside, their bodies weak, desperately waving at the troops of the Great Tang Group passing by.


    The Great Tang Group''s security troops, passing by, carried on their tradition, tossing the food they carried to the hungry civilians who greeted them from the roadside.


    Soon, civilians picked up the food and wolfed it down, some waving their arms in gratitude as they ate.


    These emaciated people used every gesture they could muster to express their joy to the Great Tang Group''s security forces as best they could.


    "Next time... for something like this... should we bring more food?" Seeing his troops throwing out their raincoats and everything edible they carried, themander of the 2nd Battalion of the Marine Corps turned to his deputy, asking with a mixture ofughter and helplessness.


    It was an old tradition of his unit, wherever they went, they would throw things out¡ªwhether to the local people or back on thending site... This... damn, it was the 2nd Battalion''s tradition.


    "Indeed... we should carry more of the softer, easy-to-eat, and slightly better-tasting food... This would facilitate giving out charity..." the deputy, earnestly writing in his notebook, said: "Additionally, we need to remind the soldiers not to waste purified water and not to ept drinking water offered by locals... It''s easy to contract parasites and cause diarrhea."


    "Damn! That''s detail-oriented, I didn''t even think of the water issue." The 2nd Battalionmander looked at his deputy with admiration, "Keep writing; I''ll go up front to take a look."


    After speaking, the 2nd Battalionmander patted his deputy on the shoulder, pulled out two pieces of chocte candy from his pocket, and approached a dirt-covered child by the roadside.


    ----------


    Tomorrow''s updates will continue during the day.

 Chapter 463 450 bandits

    In the vige square, there was a group of women who had been stripped of their clothes. A band of soldiers who had just pulled up their trousers began leering and shouting at the other vigers kneeling on the ground, "Dammit! If you can''t produce the grain, don''t you have any money either?"


    A brawny leader with a musket slung at his waist and carrying a long knife walked among the kneeling crowd and grabbed an old man.


    He viciously threw the old man to the ground, which only made the children in the vige cry louder. Everyone was too afraid to lift their heads, let alone plead for mercy.


    "If you don''t hand over your valuables, I''ll kill him!" the muscr man shouted, pointing the tip of his knife at the old man, addressing everyone present.


    "Sir, sir! We really have nothing left! We''ve given you everything we have! Please spare me! Spare me!" the old man cried, lying on the ground and begging for mercy.


    "If you really have nothing left, what''s the use of keeping you?" The brawny man sneered and thrust his long knife forward, piercing the old man''s chest.


    Instantly, the old man lost all strength to struggle, his head drooped to the side, and without even a scream, he passed away.


    "Hurry up and pay! Or you''ll end up like him!" The brawny man pulled out his knife, shook off the fresh blood, and continued to shout threats loudly, "If you don''t hand it over, I''ll start killing the children!"


    "Could it be that they really have no money?" One of the bandits holding a musket whispered to hisrade-in-arms, "We''ve been pressuring them this much, and still hardly a penny to be seen."


    "Probably so, but how would they know our power if we didn''t scare them a bit, huh? Hehe, that woman just now¡­ didn''t you have a go too?" Hispanion, with a sabre at his side, bragged.


    "Hehehe! She screamed so miserably at first, but didn''t she quiet downter? A couple of ps and she didn''t dare even let out a fart," the bandit holding the musket said with a lewdugh.


    "Hahaha!" Thepanionughed along; they had been lording over this ce for half a year now, with the local authorities too scared to intervene. Who would dare to meddle?


    In order to bleed the vige dry, they had initially only robbed food and money, but in the past two months, there had been less and less of both. To extract more resources and to vent their bestial desires, these men had started to prey on the women.


    On the groundy two men who had tried to resist, their corpses with dried blood. The bandits, dozens in number, were significantly more than the able-bodied men in the vige, and were also better armed with guns and knives, making them stronger fighters. Those who dared resist were usually killed, like the two lying on the ground.


    "Ah!" A woman, devoid of clothing, rose frantically from the ground and charged at a bandit soldier closest to her.


    The bandit soldier gaped and swung his long knife, blood sprayed from the woman''s body as she screamed and fell silently to the ground.


    More bandits beganughing, as this was part of their daily routine, something everyone hade to ept. Living in such turbulent times, they felt they were living the good life.


    Killing and arson, taking pleasure in revenge and bullying, every day was about tormenting the weak and taking advantage of others'' wives. What was there toin about in this life?


    "Hehehe! That''s the spirit." Seeing a woman hacked to death not far away, these men, no longer human, merely expressed their admiration.


    "If you don''t give money, we''ll burn down your houses!" A man with a scar on his face went to the front, kicked an old man in the face, sending the man sprawling on the ground, spitting out blood-stained teeth.


    "Yes! Burn it! Burn it all!" The surrounding bandits joined in the mor, fearing theck of chaos wouldn''t showcase their cruelty.


    "We dare not! Oh, we dare not let you burn!" The kneeling vigers cried out in despair, hastily throwing out some hidden items, "This is all that''s left, only this much."


    Indeed, what was thrown out was hardly worth mentioning, some hidden salted fish and sea goods, and even torn fishings, bits of thread, and scissors. The only item of any value was a silver ring.


    In short, it was all junk.


    Picking up the silver ring and blowing off the dust before tucking it into his chest, the brawny man spit on the other trinkets and continued to curse, "Pah! A bunch of misers! You won''t cry until you see the coffin! Dammit, it doesn''t feel right if I don''t kill a few of you!"


    "There, they produced something else! Keep searching! Maybe there''s more," the man with the scar on his face wickedly suggested to the brawny man.


    "Hmm! Makes sense!" The muscr man grinned and nodded, then turned his gaze back to the vigers, who had turned pale with terror, "There, you''ve hidden things, haven''t you? Not being honest, right? You must have stashed away other things! Hand them over! Or I''ll start killing you one by one to find them!"


    The crying grew louder, but this time, no one in the kneeling crowd threw anything else out. In truth, they did not have anything left to surrender.


    "You worthless things! Watch me kill a few more and you''ll all bepliant!" The brawny man rubbed his nose with his fingers, picking up the blood-stained knife, ready to swing at another to see if that would work.


    They too had to settle ounts, after all. If they didn''t bring something back for the officials in the city, where would the court''s taxese from? Were they expected to pay out of their own pockets? Impossible.


    "Stop!" A stern shout at the entrance of the vige halted the action of the brawny man. The bandit leader turned his head and saw a familiar face in the distance.


    "Hey! I''ve been looking for you! Old Yang! You ran away and dared toe back?" Dropping the knife, the brawny man sneered at the old fisherman and jerked his chin up, "Where''s that little niece of yours? Gramps will bestow his grace upon her today, hahaha!"


    He burst into proudughter, and the surrounding bandits alsoughed loudly with him. Amid theughter, a sudden gunshot caught everyone off guard.


    A bandit who wasughing looked down to see his chest gushing blood from a hole. He was bewildered and wanted to touch the crimson blood, but he found his arms were no longer taking orders.


    The bandits around him hadn''t reacted yet when another gunshot followed. Arade standing next to the shot bandit had his head burst open like a watermelon smashed on the ground.


    "Ah! Ah!" A bandit drew his knife and yelled loudly to embolden himself. He hadn''t yet seen where the enemy was, so he couldn''t mount any response.


    As a result, another bullet came flying, piercing through his neck, and blood immediately poured down his tattered uniform, cascading like a waterfall.


    He dropped his weapon and tried to cover the hole in his neck with his hands, but the blood kept spurting out between his fingers, unstoppable no matter what he did,


    Only at this moment did these bandits finally realize that there were many enemies, and they were equipped with a lot of firearms.


    The first thing they thought of was the Official Army of Zheng Country hade to eradicate them! But then they thought again, even if those worthless troops really came back, they wouldn''t attack without any warning.@@novelbin@@


    The officials in the city still depended on them for collecting taxes, how could they move against them? Even if they were to kill the donkey after it had done its job grinding the wheat, the Official Army didn''t have thebat strength for it.


    "Who is it! A misunderstanding! It''s all a misunderstanding!" The brawny leader sought cover while hunching over, shouting loudly.


    Up to now, he still hadn''t grasped the situation, not to mention organizing a counterattack. They were just like the Official Army¡ªvirtually nobat strength. Bullying themon folks was no problem for them, but to stand in formation and fight a pitched battle? That was a joke.


    "Big brother! The gunfire ising from the north! We run south!" A bandit with a scar on his face, carrying a flintlock pistol, reminded his boss from behind a well.


    The brawny man listened and found it made sense. He immediately called out to his men: "Run south! To the mountain! Back to our stronghold!"


    The disorderly bandits hurriedly ran south. This time they showed some improvement, for they finally saw who it was they were dealing with.


    These people wore strangely colored clothing with lots of pockets, and they had pots on their heads, looking as foolish as opera singers.


    The enemies didn''t seem numerous, just two, so the dozen or so bandits charged at them recklessly, hoping to kill these two obstacles and escape into the deep mountains.


    But as they got closer to these fearless fools, the two "fools" let their oddly-shaped short guns spit out tongues of fire.


    They had thought these weapons were like flintlock pistols, merely making a bang. But it was only when the battle began that they realized just how wildly wrong they were.


    The Thompson Submachine Gun in such close quarters was like awnmower. The Marine who fired first tossed aside the empty magazine, reloaded, and by then there were no more targets standing before him.


    Hisrade who had just shot thest bullet began to reload in turn, the two coordinating wlessly.


    Upon hearing the relentless gunfire, the bandit leader and his aplices still in the vige immediately lost the nerve to break through.


    The joke was, just by listening to the dense gunfire, they certainly didn''t have the guts to go out seeking death. It was unclear how many men the other side brought, or which deity they had managed to offend.


    Marines were already rushing into the vige, some beginning to help the women who were barely clothed, others trying to control the disordered vigers.


    A bandit knelt on the ground, crying out for mercy. Soon a Marine ran up to the bandit.


    "Spare me! Spare me!" The bandit knelt and kowtowed, each time he raised his head he shouted with a crying voice, "Please spare me! Spare my life!"


    The Marine holding the rifle nced at the women lying senseless and naked on the ground, then at the kneeling bandit bowing his head fervently.


    Hisrades were covering the vited women with raincoats and tents. He slung his rifle over his shoulder, drew his S3 pistol from his waist, flipped off the safety, and pulled the trigger aimed at the head of the kowtowing bandit.

 Chapter 464 451 group brawl

    It was with great difficulty that he loaded the musket in his hands. The bandit with scars on his face fled into a dpidated civilian house and watched the situation outside through the window.


    He saw one of his henchmen, brandishing a long knife, attempting to fight desperately against an enemy, only to be neatly shot in the chest and die. He also saw someone kneel down to beg for mercy, who was shot dead all the same, even receiving an additional bullet.


    By this time, he had confirmed that those madmen, who seemed to havee out of nowhere, were probably not intending to spare any of them.


    The opposition didn''t even bother to ask questions and greeted them directly with bullets! What he could do now was to fight back. Fight back with all he had!


    So, he reloaded a bullet into his pistol. Hisst shot had missed the mark and hadn''t hit the target.


    This was an unavoidable issue; his flintlock wasn''t just out of date, it had also been used for many years.


    It was good for scaring people at a two-meter distance, and could just about manage to kill within that range, but to talk about precision would be a joke. A smoothbore gun with a muzzle-loading design, firing spherical bullets with ck gunpowder¡ªtalking about uracy seemed absurd, didn''t it?


    Moreover, as a criminal, he only ever fired a few shots during military training and usually used his gun to intimidate themon folk at close range.


    With such a skill level, how could he guarantee the uracy of his shots? Every time he loaded the gunpowder, it was different,pletely based on feeling.


    Therefore, just now, even though he aimed at a target, he didn''t hit it at all¡ªnot even he knew where the bullet ended up.


    This time, after reloading his weapon, he nned to wait until the target was closer before shooting, in the hope of hitting someone! ording to his n, he would first injure the person, then take the injured person hostage to escape...@@novelbin@@


    Hiding inside the building, he watched the situation outside through the window. When a Marine got close while cleaning up the battlefield, he poked the barrel of his gun out.


    A crisp gunshot rang through the air, and a bullet struck the hand holding his gun by sheer coincidence. In an instant, bones shattered, tendons snapped, and blood sttered.


    The man with the scar could clearly see his two flying fingers, the burst white bone, and the torn muscles.


    His musket fell to the ground, and the impact of the gunstock on the flint triggered a misfire, raising a puff of white smoke in the room. The lead shot pierced through the man''s shoe, shattering his toe.


    "Ah!" the man with the scar screamed in agony, falling to the ground. He clutched his right hand, which now only had a thumb with his left hand, and his shot foot curled up as his whole body trembled.


    Eighty meters away, a sniper hidden behind a tree at the edge of the vige still held his sniper rifle, aiming at the window from which the scarred bandit had just poked his head.


    The scarred man continued to scream in pain as he rolled on the ground, the only action that slightly alleviated his suffering.


    Hearing the gunshot and the screams, nearby Marines burst into the house, only to see the "salted fish" that was rolling near the wall.


    "Now you know how to scream like a ghost, you know what pain is, huh?" a Marine soldier walked over, stepped on the rolling man with the scar, and asked with a sneer.


    The man continued to scream, without any intention of answering the Marine, who nced at the man''s injuries and pulled out his dagger to stab the scarred man twice more in the back.


    "Letting him die quickly would be too kind for him, but this time, nobody can save him. Let him wait to die here," the Marine cleaned his dagger on the ragged Zheng Country military uniform of the scarred man and stood up to speak.


    "Indeed! Killing these bastards outright would be too easy for them," another Marine who was unaware that he had been the scarred man''s target just moments ago nodded in agreement.


    He didn''t realize that his agreement was almost like avenging himself across time and space. So, after ncing one more time at the scarred man who was now finding even breathing to be torturous, he left the house with his men.


    Blood continued to spread along the footprints on the ground, eventually surrounding the unattended flintlock lying there.


    The bandit leader, a robust man hiding in another house, had yet to think of how to escape when he started to hear the gunshots outside be sparse.


    Once he confirmed this, the gunfire outside had already died down, signaling that the fight was over.


    He had brought 40 bandit soldiers, a force to be reckoned with. Yet within a few minutes ofbat, the 40 bandit soldiers he had brought with him had all turned into cold corpses.


    No different from the people he had killed, the bodies were disfigured, their flesh mangled, killed while struggling, begging for mercy, and crying out, all just the same.


    Clutching his long knife, he swallowed hard to calm his shatteredposure and calcted how to find his way out.


    In the mountain fortress, he still had over a hundred men. If he could escape back there, he would have room to maneuver, to figure out who had ambushed him, and why they wanted him dead!


    He had never thought he would die here, so now his mind was preupied with nning how, once he got back, he would take revenge on these vigers and demand an exnation from the Zheng Country officials in the city.


    "Just you wait..." he gripped the knife handle tightly and muttered through clenched teeth.


    After a brief reflection, he had thought of a way to get out: he would stay hidden here, and whoever entered the room, he would use closebat to subdue them.


    With his agility, as long as someone carelessly walked in, he could take the initiative with a preemptive strike. Highly likely, he could subdue them and then take the person hostage to make his escape.


    If a civilian came in, he would simply slit their throat and kill them! If it was one of those soldiers, he would capture them to use as a human shield to save his life¡­


    He muttered continuously to himself, waiting for someone to enter through the door.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed when he faintly heard voices at the door. The voices grew closer, and the bandit leader gripped the handle of his knife tighter.


    Ready to pounce, as soon as someone barged in, he would leap out like an agile leopard and press the knife against their neck.


    "This is the house?" the person at the door asked.


    "Yes! It''s this one," another person replied.


    "Didn''t he run out the window?" the first person continued to ask, sending chills down the spine of the chief inside.


    "Impossible! The window is also in my line of sight!" The second voice answered affirmatively once again.


    They had discovered him! The bandit leader realized that the people standing outside had known all along that someone was in the room.


    Realizing the situation was bad, he immediately discovered that his position was somewhat awkward: waiting for them to rush in was clearly unsuitable, but it seemed not good for him to rush out either.


    So, while the bandit leader hesitated, the door was pushed open slightly from the outside.


    "Good!" He silently praised in his heart, feeling a renewed sense of hope: It seemed that the other side was inexperienced, so they wanted to recklessly storm the house he was in.


    But before he could feel smug for even a second, a cylindrical tin rolled in. Soon, thick smoke began to billow incessantly from this palm-sized cylinder.


    The smoke was unbearably choking; he couldn''t even open his eyes in the smoke, and quickly the ursed fumes filled the entire room, making it extremely difficult for the bandit leader to breathe.


    His lungs felt as if countless little knives were stabbing inside, and breathing was like countless grains of sand pouring into his throat.


    Uncontroble tears streamed down, and every attempt to breathe ended in unstoppable coughs. He coughed so violently that he could not even hold onto the knife.


    He was surrounded by pitch ck, as he couldn''t open his eyes to see anything around him. Relying on his remaining rationality, he remembered theyout of the room, reached out to touch the walls, and tried to find the door to get out.


    All of this was subconscious, even though he knew he shouldn''t be escaping so wretchedly. But apart from his brain, every part of his body was desperately searching for a way to leave.


    In the end, he found the door and rushed out recklessly. The suffocating smoke seemed to thin out somewhat, and his breathing started to smooth out a bit, finally allowing him to lift his eyelids and vaguely see everything around him.


    With great difficulty, the strong man could barely pry his eyes open a crack, only to see a boot rapidly erging outside the crack.


    Only then did he realize that he had actually crawled out of the house and was still kneeling on the ground like a dog.


    In the blink of an eye, his face was "kissed" by a military boot. The force was so strong; it flipped him over.


    Then his stomach took a hit, and whether it was from pain or from the choking smoke, the viin spat out tears once again.


    His arm moved instinctively as if to strike back, but was swiftly met by a powerful kick that shattered the bones.


    Only after he started spitting blood did he manage to see through swollen eyes that there were at least five or six people beating him.


    A group of soldiers surrounded him, giving him a beating with punches and kicks. Once the group had had their fill, the vile bandit leadery on the ground with just enough breath left in him.


    "It''s all yours¡­" The leading Navy Marine toon leader stepped aside to make way, gesturing with a beckoning hand, "Damn, never seen a smoke bomb before¡­ dumbass!"


    The surrounding Marines also made way, watching coldly as the beaten bandit kingy like a lump of mud.


    Behind them gathered the vigers who had knelt before, along with some women d in raincoats.


    Before they were like fish on the chopping block, likembs to the ughter. They didn''t dare to resist; they were at the mercy of others.


    But now they moved, first spitting, then some relentlessly kicking with their feet, non-stop¡­


    ---------


    I was supposed to make up for missed updates today, but I''m not in good shape, so I only finished two. Don''t worry; there''s one more update tonight, and everyone can read it tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 465 452 will act like a dog?

    "Dead?" Standing on the open ground at the entrance to the vige, the toon leader frowned as he watched his soldiers carry the breathless, and in some cases stiff, bodies of women to a secluded spot for burial. "Were they killed by a woman with a rock?" he asked the squad leader who walked over.


    The squad leader nodded, gave the toon leader a cigarette, lit one for himself, and then snapped his lighter shut, exhaling a cloud of smoke: "Bashed to death with a stone. The flesh was a mess... hard to look at without feeling queasy."


    "We don''t need to bother with that damned bastard anymore; our mission is to eliminate all the bandits we encounter," he said as he watched two soldiers, with the help of the locals, carry a body out of the vige.


    From within the raincoat wrapping the body, a dirt-covered arm dangled down, trembling slightly with the steps of the soldiers.


    After a puff of smoke, the toon leader seemed still somewhat agitated, turned his gaze away, and said to the squad leader, "The orders from above are clear, no prisoners, no need for trials, leave no... survivors! Every bandit, kill without discussion!"


    "Understood! They''re no longer human, no different from wild beasts," the squad leader said with another drag of his cigarette, nodding. "These people don''t have any decent weapons, should we confiscate them?"


    "No need," the toon leader instructed. "Leave them for the vigers, tell them that troops willeter to collect these weapons, just have them keep them safe for now."


    "Got it," the squad leader said with a slight nod, then noticed the toon leader staring behind him. Turning around, he saw an old woman in tattered clothing approaching them.


    Find exclusive stories on empire


    The old woman held out her hands, in her palms was a bloody silver ring: "Thank you for avenging my child, this is the only thing of value I have left..."


    "We didn''te for this," the toon leader waved his hand, cigarette between his fingers. "You will live lives as people should, no more hunger, no more being bullied."


    The woman stood there dumbfounded, unsure what to do. Her eyes were bone-dry, without any tears left to shed.


    She just stared nkly at the two men in front of her, as if she couldn''tprehend what they were saying.


    "We''rete..." the squad leader pulled out a piece of bread from his pocket, stuffed it into the old woman''s hands, and closed her fingers over it. "I''ll go check over there."


    After speaking, he saluted the toon leader and without looking back, walked towards the few who were distributing food to the vigers who were about to starve to death.


    "Ah... wuwuwu..." Finally, jolted back to reality, the old woman broke down weeping, feeling the agony that half a year of life had branded onto her.


    She knelt on the ground, holding the bread and the blood-stained silver ring, crying uncontrobly, inconsble by anyone who came by.


    A few months earlier, her son had died, and just now, she had witnessed her daughter-inw ravaged and killed by others.


    Her young grandson had died of illness during the days when the Zheng Country military upied Dongwan Ind when the ind was in chaos and all the doctors were conscripted by the military.


    A family of four, who once could barely get by with a few acres of good farnd, had been shattered in just half a year.


    How could she not cry? How could she not feel wronged? She didn''t know who these men were or why they hade. She just felt a pure hatred, wondering why these people only arrived after she had nothing left...


    "Ah!" She cried out, like a cuckoo crying blood, disregarding everything. Her wailing led the other women of the vige, who had been vited, to startmenting as well.


    The remaining men of the vige began to weep too, the atmosphere growing even more oppressive, filled with sobs and increasingly loud cries of grief.


    Some women, driven mad, chased after their men, scratching and beating; some skinny men knelt by their bodies in repentance and self-me; even some picked up long knives, searching for the bodies of bandits.


    The scene became chaotic until soldiers of the Zheng Country''s Navy intervened, and the vigers somewhat regained order. They had grown ustomed to fear, and so naturally felt awe towards the Navy soldiers.


    ...


    Inside the city, the battalionmander sat with his legs crossed, hands interlocked around his knees, watching the Zheng Country official sitting beside him nervously.


    The tension made the official''s forehead sweat. He cautiously wiped it off with his hand, swallowed hard, and continued to wait for these daunting figures who had stormed into the city to speak.


    He had witnessed firsthand how ruthless they could be: the dozens of thugs he had meticulously bribed and recruited to protect him were effortlessly ughtered by the people in front of him.


    The "guards" at the gate barely had time to draw their swords before being riddled by unknown weapons, and a few brave souls who ran out to check were also unable to save their own lives.


    Those who pleaded for mercy had their throats slit, and those who surrendered had their heads blown off with a single shot... Now, the City Lord''s Mansion was virtually indistinguishable from hell.


    On the groundy blood that had stopped spreading, dried and setting the scene for the corpses. Alongside the bodies were discarded long knives, new and old, scattered everywhere.


    The matchlock muskets, which usually inspired fear with their power, didn''t even get the chance to fire and became mere decorations.@@novelbin@@


    He still hadn''t regained his senses, not knowing how those fierce and evil-looking lead soldiers managed to climb over his city walls.


    There were at least a dozen of Shireck''s muzzle-loading cannons on top! Although all the gunners had run off, the newly recruited soldiers should have fired a couple of shots to make some noise and give a warning, right?


    "You might as well stop guessing, the 200 pieces of trash on the city walls are now holding their heads and squatting by the roadside waiting for interrogation," the 1st Battalion Commander finally spoke up, saying coldly.


    "I, I don''t know, General...which country''s fierce..." the local official of Zheng Country stuttered, not knowing how to respond.


    His words were soon interrupted by the 1st Battalion Commander, who felt he had no time to waste with such a piece of trash. Without waiting for the other party to finish, he spoke coldly, "Those who have never killed or wronged others will be sent to work in the mines, paying off debts for ten years, redeeming themselves in ten years."


    With a light touch, he decided the fate of many people''s twenty years ofbor, as if he was discussing a trifling matter.


    As he spoke, his tone grew colder, chilling to the bone, "Those who have killed, those who have wronged others...there''s no avoiding leaving their heads behind."


    Having said that, he turned to look at the Zheng Country official sitting to the side, the Lord of the City who was already shivering with fear, "Have you wronged anyone?"


    The City Lord, in his fifties, was so frightened that he slipped right off his chair onto the floor, kneeling smoothly.


    At almost the same moment, the authoritative Lord of the City on any other day began to wail miserably, banging his head on the ground, "General! I waspelled, I had no choice! I have an eighty-year-old mother bedridden at home, and children crying for food! Spare my life, General! Spare me this dog''s life!"


    The disdain was clear on the 1st Battalion Commander''s face as he twitched his lips and shifted the position of his crossed legs, wary of getting his boots dirty. Unlike the ordinary soldiers, officers of the Great Tang Group above the battalion level wore long boots instead of high-topped leather shoes.


    The adjutant standing next to him could hardly hold back hisughter, seeing the predicament; it was clear that the City Lord was well-practiced in begging for mercy. He probably had exercised it frequently and might even have "participated in actualbat."


    "I''m asking you a question! Have you wronged anyone?" the 1st Battalion Commander said, looking down at the City Lord kneeling at his feet.


    "It was others! It was the bandits outside the city! It has nothing to do with me! Nothing to do with me! I''m just the tax collector..." the City Lord hurried to absolve himself of any me.


    "That''s not for you to decide! Someone will interrogate youter, and whether you''re guilty depends on your previous conduct," the 1st Battalion Commander responded nomittally.


    "It''s really not my fault! I, I was just greedy, greedy for some money..." the City Lord continued to plead, "General! Spare my life! I am willing to offer all that I have improperly taken..."


    "Don''t try to bribe me with money! I am not like you! If you really haven''t done anything too troubling, you can also choose not to die," the 1st Battalion Commander said in disgust, but he knew there were orders to spare the City Lord''s life so he could help deceive the authorities of Zheng Country.


    So, he unwillingly showed the kneeling Lord of the City a way out, "Can you be a dog?"


    "Yes! Yes, I can! I am your dog! Your dog!" the City Lord nodded rapidly, eagerly clinging to thisst lifeline.


    Seeing him like that, one could guess that if necessary, he could immediately start barking a few times to prove his loyalty as a dog.


    "If you want to live, remember two things, I''ll only say them once!" the 1st Battalion Commander stood up, "First! Obey! Do the tasks you are given!"


    "Certainly! Certainly!" the City Lord hurriedly nodded in agreement.


    "Second!" the 1st Battalion Commander was already walking towards the exit, "You''re not my dog! You don''t deserve to be my dog! Someone wille to be your master, don''t give them a reason to kill you!"


    "Yes! Yes, sir!" Knowing that at least for today he would not have to die, the City Lord once again kowtowed, watching as themander of the 1st Battalion left.


    Walking out the door, the 1st Battalion Commander looked at his adjutant, "When will the supply of goods beplete? When will the subsequent military troopse to take over? We need to hurry, to the next ind!"


    The adjutant nodded, "The arrival of subsequent troops on the ind will take time... Our supplies also need replenishment. You may not expect it, but the things we''ve lost the most...are only food, candy, tents, and raincoats."


    The 1st Battalion Commander paused in his stride, then nodded, "Push them! Make them as fast as possible."


    "Alright," the adjutant nodded, "It''s good that we came."


    "Yes, it''s good that we came," the 1st Battalion Commander nodded and walked away without looking back.


    --------


    Happy Birthday! I still owe everyone 3 updates... haha.

 Chapter 466 453 Party Struggle

    ```


    Zheng Tong was the ruler of Zheng Country, and less than half a year ago, his kingdom encountered an unprecedented setback. The Shireck Country brazenly dered war on Zheng Country and then easily defeated Zheng Country''s military.


    The enemy used advanced bolt-action rifles, which had a faster firing rate and more powerful firepower. His infantry lost 10,000 men within a single day, and the 70,000-strong army copsed after only three days.


    The subsequent naval battle was even more tragic for Zheng Country. Although Zheng Country''s navy was also very powerful, its fleet of 40 sailboats was ambushed by 20 Ming Wheel Ships from the Shireck navy, resulting in the annihtion of the entire force and the loss of control over the seas.


    After sessive setbacks, Zheng Country had no choice but to bow its head and seek peace, because the neighboring Qi Country and Chu Country were also coveting its territory. Losing Dongwan Ind wasn''t the end of the world; at least it was better than losing King City.


    The string of problems that followed left the ruling ss of Zheng Country breathless, as the barely maintained state of governance was rapidly crumbling.


    The administrative system that just about made do during peacetime could no longer revitalize the spirit after the defeat; despite Zheng Tong''s continuous efforts to patch things up, in the end, he could only struggle on.


    However, in the past two months, it seemed that the kingdom had regained some vitality, and the coastal areas appeared to have caught their breath.


    This brought a hint of relief to Zheng Tong. His efforts had finally paid off, and those good-for-nothing scoundrels knew to some extent to prioritize the nation.@@novelbin@@


    In moments of crisis, these corrupt officials, who were rapacious in ordinary times, at least knew to share the nation''s worries, which showed that they still had a sense of shame.


    It was not in vain that he had always treated people with leniency for many years, as it seemed he had indeed umted some goodwill for Zheng Country. Heaven bless Zheng Country; this time, they had pulled through.


    The coastal region, which was thought to have no further developments, actually paid part of the taxesst month. Although the local officials had various reasons for withholding about one-fifth of them, the remaining four-fifths were still promptly deposited into the treasury.


    This greatly alleviated Zheng Country''s economic pressure and also gave Zheng Tong the means to stabilize the border military. After receiving arge sum of military pay, Qi Country and Chu Country lost any thoughts of taking advantage of the situation by force, and the situation was once again under control.


    Since the danger of national extinction was no longer present, the big shots in the court naturally drank as usual and danced as usual, forcibly contriving a peaceful and prosperous scene reminiscent of the times of Emperors Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang.


    If those dwarves from Shireck Country couldn''t invade, then everyone might as well continue their embezzlement and forming of factions as usual. Losing Dongwan Ind did not affect their serious business ofpeting for power and status, nor did it affect their daily lives of receiving sries and tributes.


    Didn''t you see? Even Zheng Tong, seated on the throne, truly believed he was a sovereign of revitalization, so why would others not cooperate with His Majesty, the capable king?


    The Prime Minister of Zheng Country was named Zhang Ming, the head of the Zhang Family, and he was the grandfather of that Zhang Family Young Master who was preparing to forcefully take Yue''er in Brunas Street.


    That Zhang Family Young Master originally nned to lure Tang Mo back to Zheng Country to make his demands, but in the end, due to his ipetence, he did virtually nothing and returned to Zheng Country.


    When he returned, Zheng Country was being beaten up, which scared the Zhang Family Young Master into taking a big detour, but he fortunately made it back home.


    Now, this Young Master is also among the ministers, because he has been to Brunas and was summoned by Zheng Tong for inquiries. Then he was given an official position to facilitate his solicitation of opinions regarding the Great Tang Group.


    Read new adventures at empire


    And indeed, this young master lived up to expectations by denigrating Brunas on ount of his bad impression, bing amendable and gloriousrade of the free War Information Bureau.


    The Great General of Zheng Country was named Li Jun, also the head of the prestigious Li Family. He was in charge of Zheng Country''s military, andtely, his fortunes have been quite vtile and hard to gauge.


    This General first lost thend battle for Dongwan Ind to Shireck Country and even sent the navy out to give away a wave of heads, leaving everyone in Zheng Country almost wetting their pants.


    But more than two months earlier, news came from the troops of the Great General of Zheng Country that they had recovered lost territory and reimed all inds except for Dongwan Ind.


    These inds were not snatched back from the hands of the Shireck people¡ªZheng Country didn''t have the courage to go to war with Shireck again, but to have reimed them was a fact (probably).


    With the tax revenue from these inds, though not much, Zheng Tong managed to live a little morefortably.


    Therefore, despite bearing the responsibility for the defeat, Li Jun still sat in the position of the Great General, and the Li Family remained the most significant force second only to the Zhang Family.


    Zheng Tong sat on the throne, patiently listening to the squabbles of his subordinates below. The core of the argument was centered around the Great Tang Group.


    The emissary sent to Brunas to demand Dongwan Ind had sent back a message that the spokesperson of the Great Tang Group had no intentions of returning the ind.


    This was an oue anyone could have predicted¡ªif territories could be recovered with just a few words, then what was the point of having a military?


    ```


    So it was that the Ministers had this debate, some thinking that Zheng Country should ready its forces for war and regain its former glory. At the very least, they should defeat Shen Country to maintain their dignity.


    Others believed that they should curry favor with the Dahua Empire, have Dahua protect Zheng Country from the threat of war, and then recuperate and restore national strength.


    Both sides seemed to have their own logic, and both spoke of national affairs, but to Zheng Tong''s ears, it all sounded like anotherrge-scale factional struggle.


    Indeed, factional struggle!


    Those who wanted to ready the troops for war and revenge on Shen Country weren''t talking about reinforcing national defense and training the military. What they were actually talking about was buying guns and expanding the army, increasing the power of the military.


    Those crying for recuperation and bearing the burden of humiliation weren''t talking about revitalizing the livelihood of the people and restoring national strength; what they were in fact talking about was appointing new officials and giving more authority to the civilian officials.


    It looked like both sides were fighting for the nation''s fate, but in reality, they were still fighting over the size of the piece of cake in front of them. Zheng Tong didn''t really have a good solution, so he could only y by these rules.


    Although he was the ruler of the country, he couldn''t afford to offend either side. At this moment, he could only sit obediently on his throne, serving as a totem, a symbol, a y Bodhisattva.


    He had previously made inquiries to the young master of the Zhang Family who had been to Brunas, and from the vivid details described by the other party, he understood a bit about Brunas.


    The young master of the Zhang Family said it was a ce of dazzling lights and extreme luxury. Taverns were everywhere, and women''s clothing barely covered their bodies, showing no sense of shame. Gambling dens and brothels were on every street corner, and the copse of propriety and music was simply unbearable to witness.


    Moreover, he said that the air in that ce was suffocating to breathe, with chimneys outside the city constantly spewing smoke, passersby on the streets showed no respect for the nobility and had no regard for thew, and there were even women carrying handguns.


    Every word he said was true, but when strung together, they seemed somehow off. Zheng Tong was swayed by his words for an entire afternoon, but he also felt it unlikely that such a magical city could exist, one that, in just a few short years, could amass the power to rival a country.


    While Zheng Tong made assumptions, the general representing the military was still speaking. He spoke boldly and loudly in the great hall, exining the reasons for purchasing weapons: "Shen Country defeated us before because our armaments were neglected and obsolete! If we don''t retrain our military and continually strengthen ourselves, we will incur losses again!"


    "Incur losses? Now that there''s finally some money in the national treasury, you start moring to buy weapons and recruit soldiers. In my view, we should first revitalize the livelihood of the people and restore production! It is said that a wealthy country is a strong military, and the will of the people is the greatest weapon!" another Minister immediately retorted, not agreeing at all.


    "The will of the people? Can you use the will of the people to break Shen Country''s irond warships? Can you use the will of the people to block Shen Country''s new rifles and cannons?" the general snorted coldly, immediately ridiculing with contempt: "Perhaps when the people of Shen Countrye invading, your heart... may not be so loyal, eh?"


    "ndering! Utter nonsense! My loyalty is as clear as day and night! You''re the one who''s afraid of death, fearful of battle! When Shen Country took Dongwan Ind, why did General Han die in battle while you happened to run back here? Hmm?" the Minister hit back unyieldingly.


    The general, unable to maintain hisposure, raised his voice several times higher, swearing coarsely, "using me of being afraid of death? How dare you! If we weren''t here right now, I would chop you into pieces, you despicable and shameless scoundrel!"


    "I''m a scoundrel? I have an iron spine and fear no authority! If you dare to chop me, then try it! If you don''t chop me, then you''re just this..." the so-called civilian official on the other side was no more elegant, clearly not of schrly origin, with a mouth full of crude and offensivenguage.


    Actually, Zheng Tong was in favor of purchasing some weapons, since the envoy and the young master of the Zhang Family had said that dealing with the Great Tang Group was not easy. Therefore, buying some of Shireck''s new weapons had be a matter of course.


    Wasn''t it because Shen Country had bought a lot of Shireck''s new weapons that they had beaten down Zheng Country? Now if Zheng Country also bought some of Shireck''s weapons, couldn''t they then turn the tables?


    This might be the simplest logical deduction: if everyone had the same weapons, then Zheng Country definitely would not have lost so miserably.


    Therefore, Zheng Tong, along with Li Jun, had a secret military procurement n underway, and this n had already been set in motion.


    Zheng Country had ordered arge batch of military supplies from Shireck, including rifles, cannons, Ming Wheel Ships, and more, all at a hefty price. This was also an action by Zheng Tong to support Li Jun in countering Zhang Ming.


    For this matter, Zheng Tong had a disagreement with the Prime Minister, Zhang Ming, because Zhang Ming was strongly opposed to it.


    The current argument was about whether to continue with arger-scale procurement n and, if so, where would the moneye from?


    ording to the military''s view, within the next two years, the troops would switch to 100,000 bolt-action rifles, equip 400 advanced cannons, and purchase at least 50 Ming Wheel Ships.


    Unfortunately, Zheng Country couldn''t afford such a massive procurement project. This was also why the officials from Zhang Ming''s faction were so strongly opposed to it now.


    ----------


    Not feeling well today, writing very slowly. The second update will be veryte, so everyone might as well read it tomorrow morning. I''ll postpone making up for the dyed updates, afraid I won''t be able to write anything.

 Chapter 467 454 The ugly person offers a strategy

    It was not without difficulty that the chatter of those below had subsided, and the truly influential Ministers stepped forward. Representing the civil service faction, Zhang Mingined about theck of funding, which was the biggest issue faced by Zheng Country at the time.


    Zheng Country had just suffered a defeat to the Shireck Empire, ceded Dongwan Ind, and paid a considerable sum in reparations. The national treasury was now depleted, and there was no substantial amount of money left for the procurement of military supplies.


    Zheng Tong had taken it upon himself to purchase weapons from Shireck, which had all but drained the remaining funds in the treasury.


    At this point, what was keeping Zheng Country afloat was almost solely the tax revenue from the coastal cities.


    What they did not know was that it was actually the Great Tang Group that was keeping Zheng Country''s economy blood transfused, to prevent it from being partitioned by others before the Great Tang Group was ready.


    In fact, for the Great Tang Group to throw Zheng Country into chaos right now would be easy: all they needed to do was to cut off the financial aid, and Zheng Country would not be able to sustain itself.


    However, doing so was of no benefit to the Great Tang Group, for they did not have sufficient military strength to take immediate, full control over Zheng Country.


    Once Zheng Country fell into chaos, Qi Country to the north and Chu Country to the south would both seize the opportunity to invade. Ultimately, the Great Tang Group might end up with just a third of Zheng Country''s territory, while Qi Country and Chu Country gobbled up the rest.


    Qi Country and Chu Country were no pushovers, and even if they were, they were still harderpared to Zheng Country. The Tang Group, from top to bottom, knew which was easier to pinch.


    "Your Majesty! While I, too, strongly support the procurement of weapons to strengthen our national defense, the national treasury is empty, and we simply cannot conjure up that much money," Zhang Ming did not express his opposition to the military preparations but instead talked directly about the financial issue.


    Zheng Tong''s expression turned sour; as the King, he was also aware of how weak his nation was and that he couldn''t afford any more aggressive maneuvers.


    Weapons from Shireck were indeed somewhat cheaperpared to those from the Great Tang Group. However, even so, new rifles and cannons were extremely costly, and when summed up, they amounted to a significant sum that left Zheng Tong gasping for breath.


    "Then, ording to the Prime Minister, are we to continue to passively take hits and remain incapable of fighting back?" With no better solutions of his own, Zheng Tong could only draw out his question to Zhang Ming in a prolonged tone.


    Zhang Ming looked down and offered a suggestion that had been repeatedly discussed earlier: "Therefore, your servant supports the initial restoration of tax collection, stabilization of the national treasury, development of the local economy, and thereafter, umtion of wealth before nning to strengthen the military."


    "But... is there enough time?" Zheng Tong furrowed his brows, stood up, and looked down at Zhang Ming: "Does the Prime Minister really think that the Shireckians, Qi Country, Chu Country, and that damned Great Tang Group, would wait for us to develop for ten years before theye troubling Zheng Country again?"


    "The situation now is like an arrow on the bowstring, a bone stuck in the throat! By the time we''ve painstakingly saved up a few tens of thousands of Gold Coins, the enemies wille and plunder! What then?" Zheng Tong stared at Zhang Ming, waiting for a response.


    To Zheng Tong''s surprise, Zhang Mingughed and retorted, "Your Majesty! The old servant does not oppose yourmand to expand the military preparations; it''s simply that the treasury is empty, we have no funds! If Your Majesty had the money... then with just onemand, we could proceed freely, and your servants would not object."


    No matter how justified you are or how coherent your reasoning, being dismissed with a single phrase of ''no money'' was a deeply frustrating experience for Zheng Tong.


    He snorted coldly, no longer wishing to trouble Zhang Ming, but rather turned his gaze to Li Jun at his side. On the matter of military expansion, Li Jun stood with Zheng Tong, and after facing a setback, Zheng Tong naturally sought his ally Li Jun to regain face.


    Li Jun originally had no good solutions either, for he could not create money out of thin air. But just yesterday, someone had given him an answer.


    Thus, Li Jun smiled confidently and responded to Zheng Tong, "Since the Prime Minister has said that as long as we can raise the funds, he supports our n, then that''s settled."


    After speaking, he gave a slightly stunned Zhang Ming a nod of acknowledgement, looking as if he had an ace up his sleeve, possessing an air of a sage from beyond the world.


    At that moment, he seemed more of a civil official than the Prime Minister Zhang Ming himself, his posture emitting the aura of elegance. Atop his head, at that moment, seemed to be a halo of wisdom.


    "..." Zhang Ming stared at Li Jun for a long while, speechless, waiting for him to present his clever solution.


    Li Jun was not foolish, and he addressed Zheng Tong directly, "Your servant introduces a young man to Your Majesty, who might... have a good solution."


    "A young man? A young person? Good! Then let''s leave it here for today, Li Jun, you stay behind. Bring that young person you mentioned... to see me." Zheng Tong nced at Zhang Ming with a smirk and nodded in approval of Li Jun''s rmendation, then turned and left the hall.


    ...


    When Zheng Tong saw the young man before him, the phrase "extraordinary bearing" shed into his mind. The youth standing before him had an erect posture and, though unattractive, exuded a sense of trustworthiness.


    Zheng Tong considered himself someone who appreciated beauty, and it wasn''t often that he could overlook someone''s appearance and pay attention to their temperament instead. The young man before him certainly fit that rare category.


    "The Great General mentioned that you have a solution," Zheng Tong straightforwardly asked after sizing up the young man for a while. He knew that the other party was aware of his problem, so he didn''t need to borate.


    The young man nodded slightly and responded, "Indeed, I do have a solution, and it''s aprehensive one to resolve Your Majesty''s issue."@@novelbin@@


    "Oh? Let''s hear it! If your solution works, I can promote you and grant you peerage, as well as gold and treasure, allowing you to have beautiful wives and concubines, and wield power!" Zheng Tong immediately offered promotion and rewards, sparing no expense.


    Resting a hand over the dandelion ring on his other hand, the young man began to outline his strategy without any reserve¡ªhe was originally tasked with delivering poison to the state of Zheng Country, and it was time to administer it. There was no reason to hold anything back.


    He spoke confidently, "What Your Majesty seeks is nothing more than a wealthy country and a strong military. In my view, wealth sustains the military, and military strength protects the country. These two areplementary and should not be considered separately."


    "Makes sense," Zheng Tong nodded faintly, but he wasn''t yet persuaded by the other''s words; he wanted concrete solutions, not analysis. He could get that kind of talk from any Minister in a day''s time without having to bring in someone else.


    The young man, not handsome but with a notable presence, continued, "The crux of the problem in Zheng Country right now is simplycking money and manpower."


    "Firstly, Your Majesty may not be aware that spending money on guns and cannons is ultimately not a long-term strategy. Shireck''s arms may be of good quality, but they are expensive. You might save and scrimp to buy one gun, one cannon, but what impact does that have on the entire country?" After saying this, he nced at Zheng Tong, who was indeed nodding in agreement.


    He went on, "So, Your Majesty, why could Zheng Country manufacture its own flintlock guns and muzzle-loading cannons before, but now not make its own bolt-action rifles and breech-loading cannons?"


    Your adventure continues at empire


    "Sir, you may not know, but we don''t have the equipment to make these new weapons," Li Jun quickly responded.


    "If that''s the case, why not discreetly find some businessmen, promise them benefits, and have them raise civilian capital to buy new equipment and manufacture new weapons? Home-produced will always be cheaper than buying from others," the young man retorted.


    "But we urgently need the guns and cannons," Li Jun asked knowingly, for he had naturally gone over the script with the young man beforehand. Zheng Tong was indeed concerned about this point and widened his eyes, waiting for the follow-up answer.


    "Buy fewer, then raise funds among the civilians to set up factories and organize production to achieve industrialization, producing more materials! This process would require the employment of civilianborers and the hiring of craftsmen and apprentices¡ªdoesn''t this precisely solve the problem of livelihood?" The young man spoke undeniable truths, so his words were irrefutable.


    Upon hearing this counterargument, Zheng Tong''s eyes lit up: if factories could be established, then of course craftsmen andborers would be needed, which was part of stabilizing the situation.


    Before he could fully articte his own concerns, the young man continued, "Once there is production, there will be taxation; with factory investment and business activities, there will be uncountable wealth. Your Majesty, with so many opportunities for embezzlement and graft, would those local officials and civil officers still oppose your n?"


    This question from the young man precisely addressed Zheng Tong''s most vexing issue! No longer trying to appear inscrutable, Zheng Tong pped his hands andughed out loud, "Brilliant! With this, they''ll have a share of the profits and won''t obstruct the n anymore! Brilliant, truly brilliant!"


    "Eventually, you''ll be able to manufacture your own guns and cannons and buildrge ships. With more taxes, you can naturally maintain arger military! Then, won''t a wealthy country with a strong military be easily within reach?" The young man posed yet another question, making Zheng Tong all smiles.


    "But..." After the burst of tion, Zheng Tong remembered the biggest issue and, furrowing his brows, looked to the young man, hoping to get the final answer, "So, sir... how do we convince these greedy businessmen and the noblendlords to actually invest their money in these ventures?"


    "Your Majesty! It''s the prospect of making a profit, of course! Your Majesty can give the Great General an order, allowing him to procure certain items and, in private, promise to give priority to domestic products... promise them substantial gains, even sign contracts with them..."


    "Good! But... but purchasing still requires real money..." Zheng Tong became perplexed again.


    A cold light shone in the young man''s eyes and, lowering his voice, he responded, "Your Majesty, when those factories can produce guns and cannons, and smelt copper and iron... With taxes and the military at yourmand, could General Li''s sword not be sharp?"


    Zheng Tong swallowed hard, as if he could see a broad and easy path unfolding before him.

 Chapter 468 455 Zheng Country version of the Westernization Movement

    This entire set of development ns actually had no problems, not even the final step of casting aside the grinding stone to kill the donkey, which was entirely feasible in reality.


    Therefore, the strategies proposed by the young man were overt conspiracies. To someone like Zheng Tong with such a mindset, they seemed to be brilliant strategies without any fault.


    But when viewed in the context of the bigger picture, this wless strategy was indeed a deadly poison that could threaten the fate of Zheng Country.


    Keep in mind, lurking on the sidelines was the Great Tang Group, an ambitious power sharpening their knives, with their current developmental focus ced squarely on conquering Zheng Country.


    When Zheng Country finally developed a bit of industrial foundation and connected its territories with roads, where would be Zheng Tong''s chance to harvest the leeks?


    By that time, Tang Mo''s mechanized troops would control these industrial areas at an even faster pace, directly absorbing Zheng Country''s investments into their own midst.


    When pondering this level, can one say that Zheng Country''s move towards industrialization and ying the Westernization Movement was wrong? No, on the contrary, if Zheng Country fell into decay, Zheng Tong wouldn''t even have a chance to struggle. By starting industrialization, he had at least a slim chance to il desperately.


    Although he would ultimately lose and his family would be ruined, waiting at home for someone toe and finish the job was different from betting everything on onest desperate gamble.


    No one would choose to sit idle awaiting doom, so even seeing through everything, Zheng Tong would still make the choice to struggle¡ªin addition, Zheng Tong couldn''t see thisyer.


    His position had already determined that the concept of Zheng Country being extinct would not enter his mind. That is the limitation; that is the thought pattern of a monarch!


    Any ruler subconsciously blocks out the option that their rule might end, choosing selective blindness until everything bes irreparable.


    Zheng Tong was no different; he wasn''t special. So naturally, he began to fantasize about a Zheng Country rising against the odds under hismand.


    "To kill?" He looked at the young man''s diminutive eyes and tested the waters with a question.


    "Those who are obedient can certainly be utilized for our benefit," said the unsightly young man, who suddenly seemed more agreeable in Zheng Tong''s eyes.


    Pleased with the young man, Zheng Tong turned to Li Jun, "General... Mister, he asks you whether your de is sharp or not."


    "To kill for Your Majesty, my sword can cut through iron as if it were mud!" Li Jun quickly indicated his allegiance, his smile obsequious.


    "Uh... Hahaha! Hahahaha!" Zheng Tongughed triumphantly, looking up to the sky. Whileughing, he reached out and grabbed the young man''s hand, asking, "With such talent at such a young age, Mister, I wonder where you studied?"


    The young man smiled and replied, "I must confess, I once studied at the military academy of the Great Tang Group in Brunas."


    "Hm?" Upon hearing the name Great Tang Group, Zheng Tong furrowed his brows, his grip on the young man''s hand tightening slightly.


    The young man, neither cringing nor arrogant, exined, "Your Majesty, even if I am dissatisfied with the Great Tang Group, I must speak the truth¡ªtheir military academy is indeed the best in the world. Even though I disagree with many people there, I cannot deny this fact."


    Seeing the young man so candid, Zheng Tong was instead puzzled and waited for the young man to continue exining.


    "Your Majesty, I pursued my studies to assist a wise ruler and benefit the people, never intending to serve based on where I studied." The young man exined further, "I am a son of Zheng Country, how could I not return and assist Your Majesty, to strengthen my mothend? Otherwise, wouldn''t this whole life be lived in vain?"


    Who doesn''t know how to talk big or shout slogans without cost? Just pick something pleasing to the other party''s ears, and all will be fine in the end.


    Thus, the young man continued to portray himself as a patriotic returnee, who sacrificed the lucrative opportunities abroad toe back and build his homnd, "So, I was kicked out before graduation, Your Majesty, please don''tugh."


    "Well said!" Zheng Tong was indeed satisfied with such a narrative, yet as the ruler, he naturally had his own thoughts and judgment.@@novelbin@@


    Therefore, he continued tough and said, "How could I mock you, Mister! It''s just as well to leave such a ce! However excellent, it is ultimately an ufortable ce indeed! By the way, I have yet to ask for Mister''s full name."


    "Pang Tong!" The young man proudly replied, recalling the nickname the principal had given him that day. He didn''t know where the name came from, only remembering the principal patting his shoulder and chuckling oddly, mumbling something senseless about dragons and young phoenixes.


    "Mister Pang... Temporarily take the deputy minister position in the Ministry of Works, and be conferred the title of Earl! Reward... Reward with a mansion!" Zheng Tong found that bestowing official positions didn''t pain his heart as much as when he gave out rewards.


    He had the intention of gifting the amiable young man ten thousand Gold Coins, then bestowing him some servants and beauties... but he stopped mid-sentence when he remembered that all these things cost money!


    This so-called deputy position in the Ministry of Works actually had no real power, and the title of Earl was merely an addition, the stipend for the title hadn''t been distributed for many years. So in the end, except for a mansion, there was nothing valuable left.


    Therefore, he hesitated. Just when he hesitated, this young man named Pang Tong understood the situation and directly spoke up, interrupting his presentation of rewards, "I thank Your Majesty! It is my great honor to relieve Your Majesty''s worries and sorrows."


    This well-timed interruption made Zheng Tong veryfortable, internally praising the other''s sensibility. But he still needed toplete the ritual of face-saving, so he patted the young man''s hand, and once again dangled a carrot, "Now that the state affairs are difficult, you and General Li share the same boat with me... in the future... in the future, I will not forget!"


    Now this was the only skill he had left, so he used it naturally, proficiently, and with sincere emotion.


    This "Phoenix Youngling" from another world also had an outstanding performance, immediately immersing himself in his role, with sincere and deeply moving tears, pouring out his heart and soul.


    Soon, Zheng Tong ordered someone to escort this person away. When only Li Jun and himself were left in the room, he asked, "This person... Can he be trusted?"


    "Your Majesty, if he can offer us such a strategy, presumably... he really does wish to seek an official position in Zheng Country to bring glory to his ancestors," Li Jun didn''t make an absolute statement because he knew for certain Zheng Tong would never unconditionally trust this young man who imed to be Pang Tong.


    As expected, Zheng Tong sighed and said, "He revealed his identity himself, probably guessing we would surely investigate him... but it might also be that he''s open and honest, and thus didn''t hide anything. You don''t need to handle this matter, I''ll take care of it."


    That meant he would personally arrange for someone to examine the matter. Li Jun was not bothered by this; after all, if Zheng Tong was willing to do it himself, it was best, and it spared him from suspicion.


    "What do you think about the strategy he proposed?" Zheng Tong nced at Li Jun, bringing the conversation back to the "Zheng Country version of the Westernization Movement."


    "I think there is some truth to it. We are short of money to begin with, and Shireck''s weapons are not cheap. If we keep buying Shireck''s weapons, the speed can''t be that fast," Li Jun immediately backed the person he rmended, "Besides, we actually don''t have money now. Without applying this strategy, there''s nothing much we can do, so we might as well give it a try..."


    Zheng Tong immediately nodded in agreement, "Indeed, we have no money left in our hands anyway, so we might as well make a move and let those stingy businessmen stir things up!"


    Having said that, he pressed down on Li Jun''s hand and ordered, "You personally handle this matter. It can''t go through Pang Tong''s hands, understand? Later, I will arrange for a confidant to find you. This kind of business¡­ naturally, the royal family should also get involved."


    "I... understand," Li Jun immediately bowed his head. He knew Zheng Tong''s confidant was surelying to make a profit, as well as to keep an eye on him; such a big matter, Zheng Tong could not fully trust any single person.


    Even beforeing here, Li Jun had already anticipated that Zheng Tong would not allow the offerer of the strategy, "Pang Tong," to participate in the execution of the n.


    But this unattractive young man didn''t care about these things at all, iming that he was here only to offer strategies and tactics, and the subsequent operations were none of his concern.


    This openness and indifference also convinced Li Jun, making him believe the young man really had no hidden motives or tricks. Because if he really had a backup n, he wouldn''t possibly hand over the entire strategy to someone unrted for execution.


    Indeed, on the next day, this brilliant idea received a nod from the civil official group: they had no reason to refuse such a n because it was truly bringing them money!


    As long as Zheng Country began building various workshops locally, profits would definitely arise, and the local officials'' extortion, the bribes from sharing profits, and the submitted taxes were all tangible benefits.


    How could anyone oppose such a n, even Zhang Ming didn''t see any trickery and simply agreed to it.


    It was just that they also made a slight concession: in the process of promoting industry and starting the "Westernization Movement," they had to take care of a few armament factories.


    Such an insignificant request met with no opposition; the King had made concessions and was no longer pursuing the problematic military procurement n, so naturally, they could turn a blind eye to these so-called armament factories.


    After the n was approved, the funding process also proceeded smoothly, and many businesses, upon receiving contracts, indeed began proactively raising funds andmenced Zheng Country''s path to industrialization.


    In particr, businessmen from coastal cities were enthusiastic. They not only raised a substantial amount of capital but also immediately started constructing factory buildings.


    Yes, the zeal of these coastal merchants to open factories was rmingly high. So proactive was their attitude that they started excavating foundations for the factories even before there was talk of purchasing equipment.


    What was even more extraordinary was that roads connecting the various factories seemed to have beenid out already, and a train station had already begun to take shape on the outskirts of the port.


    -----------


    I still owe everyone two updates... After staying up all night, I can finally go to sleep for a while...

 Chapter 469 456 guessed it

    ```


    "Opening a school?" Upon receiving the message, the City Lord of Linshui City put aside the book in his hand, surprised, and looked towards his trusted aide.


    If he didn''t have a bit of strength and his own eyes and ears in loyal service, he couldn''t possibly hold steady his position as City Lord here. Thus, he had a good idea of what those nobles who paid him handsomely were up to.


    Before, they had been hell-bent on constructing roads, roads that adhered to high standards, at least requiring broken stone for the bed and thoroughpaction, a specification almost equivalent to the highest-grade post roads in Zheng Country.


    Moreover, these roads were to be raised to prevent water damage, with meticulous construction of the road foundations and the digging of drainage facilities alongside.


    In the eyes of the old City Lord, such expensive roads were entirely pointless, deeming it a waste to construct such high-quality roads for themon merchants and traders who traveled them.


    Yet, he didn''t voice any objections, since the other party had no intention of exining their actions. In his view, it was likely that these people were preparing to set up workshops or the like on his turf, necessitating a substantial amount of trade to sustain them.


    This also exined why they chose Linshui City ¡ª with the convenience of maritime transport, an improvement to the terrestrial transport would make it an essential traffic hub.


    Later on, those moneyed nobles began constructing factories around Linshui City, which also puzzled the old City Lord.


    Suchrge-scale factories had never before appeared in Zheng Country. Every day, the factory construction sites were bustling with more activity than the markets inside Linshui City.


    Interestingly, the construction of these factories had started over two months ago. While they had already taken shape, King Zheng Tong of Zheng Country suddenly decreed an initiative encouraging merchants everywhere to raise funds on their own and establish workshops, to share the country''s worries.


    This foresighted construction, preceding the royalmand, allowed the old City Lord to discern something unusual: it meant that the nobles bribing him had the power to be privy to the country''s strategic decisions in advance.


    Or perhaps, these nobles had the clout to directly influence national decisions, making the Zheng King Zheng Tong issue orders favorable to them!


    However, the roads and factories outside the city weren''t what shocked him the most; it was the transformational work on the Linshui Port by these nobles.


    Not long after epting their bribes, the Linshui docks were bought up by these nobles. Now, that ce was private property, strictly off-limits to the unaffiliated public.


    Rather than calling it renovation, it would be more apt to say Linshui Port was being rebuilt: construction was everywhere within the port, as docks capable of amodating massive ships extended towards the sea.


    Beside the docks, there was a vast expanse of shipyards under construction, so massive that a mere nce from a distant hignd would leave one astounded by their scale.


    No joke, such a shipyard could build six to eight of thergest sailboats simultaneously; the term ''huge'' no longer sufficed to describe it.


    What the old City Lord didn''t know was that these docks and shipyards were being built to the highest standards, using reinforced concrete and preemptivelyying down pedestrian-essible underwater pipelines for easy future cable connections and equipment cement.


    At the same time, these facilities had spaces reserved for gantry cranes and cargo cranes, ready for immediate instation as soon as the equipment was avable.


    Linking these unusual activities together, the City Lord felt he had probably figured out what these people were up to.


    In his mind, these people bribing him had prior knowledge of Zheng Country''s strategic decisions and were using the time advantage to make a fortune under his protection.


    Just think about it, because the industrial foundation of Linshui was established ahead of time, it could start production earlier and exploit a timing gap to begin makingrge sums of money on a grand scale.


    Their transportation conditions were the best in Zheng Country, so the goods produced could quickly be sold to every corner of the country using the roads. Thereby, they were assured to make a tidy profit.


    With his protection, the workshops could evade taxes, and there would be no hindrances or harassment on the roads. A million Gold Coins... It would probably all be recouped in about a year and a half!


    Having reached this conclusion, he felt he saw the truth clearly. He even thought he could guess the identities of these nobles: probably the wealthy merchants and tycoons from Dahua, or even those with more imperial merchant backgrounds. Otherwise, their enormous influence was inexplicable.


    Now, these people were also ready to establish a school here... The reason was obvious; themoners of Zheng Country were hardly of any use!


    If they didn''t spend money educating these clodhoppers, where else would they recruit workers for the factories that had been set up? Thus, it was logical to cultivate some people in advance for the work.


    Having thought he grasped all the keys, thecent old City Lord scoffed with disdain and looked towards his confidant, "Don''t worry about it, they''re just out to make money."@@novelbin@@


    "Understood!" The confidant nodded slightly and then left the old City Lord''s study. At the moment the door was closed, the confidant touched the Gold Coins in his pocket, cast another nce at the door, and walked away.


    ```


    The other party did open a school, that''s true, but most of the students recruited were children, only adults were taught literacy and craftwork at night school... It''s clearly two separate matters...


    However, the other party offered so much that it was enough to blind him and shut his mouth, so he only reported one thing.


    ...


    "Type 1 Destroyer! Discement of 1075 tons! Sleek hull, a top speed of 45 kilometers per hour! Equipped with two 120mm caliber naval guns, one mounted on a rotating turret at both the bow and stern! Additionally, there are two 75mm cannons, one on each side!


    Firepower is formidable!" At Brunas''s dock, a Brunas receptionist was introducing the Great Tang Group''stest warship products to a group of naval officers from various countries.


    "It can definitely engage with Brunas-ss warships. Although it does not have an advantage in the number of guns, it''s faster, and the price... is also cheaper!" Pointing to this new type of warship, the salesperson skillfully outlined the advantages and disadvantages of this vessel.


    The destroyer in front of them was actually just a 1st battle destroyer without torpedoes. In terms ofbat capability, it was quite ordinary, but you couldn''t beat the price.


    With just forty thousand Gold Coins, one could buy such a warship, and the Great Tang Group even promised that after purchasing ten ships, they would sell the corresponding production and maintenance equipment so that the navies could produce these warships themselves.


    Due to its rtively small size, being much smaller than the Brunas-ss Irond Warship, this type of warship could dock at piers designed for sailboats to resupply, which indeed was convenient for countries with less favorable port conditions.


    Additionally, the small warship was fast, and while its range was somewhat limited, it was barely sufficient for port defense and patrolling, making it an excellent choice for such duties.


    This subtractive design approach gave various navies hope for enhancing their fleet''sbat capabilities: possessing half the firepower of a Brunas-ss Irond Warship, with even faster speed, although with lower defense, it was absolutely worth more than its cost!


    Because these new type of warships could be mass-produced and rece the outdated sailships of the countries, and in naval battles, they could gather to face off againstrger Brunas-ss Irond Warships, it was clearly a good choice.


    Even more enticing was the fact that these warships did not need to wait; the Great Tang Group would soon be able to build them¡ªafter all, they were civilian-standard hulls with a few guns added, and small tonnage made them easy to produce.


    No waiting meant that customers could start production as soon as they ced their orders, which was far more desirable to the navies in urgent need of phasing out sailship warships than waiting in line for the Brunas-ss Irond Warships.


    The reason Great Tang Groupunched these small warships was that Tang Mo had no choice but to step down andpete with the Shireck Consortium for market share.


    Because the production capacity was squeezed, the Brunas-ss Irond Warship wasn''t a big moneymaker project. It was neither fish nor fowl for Great Tang Group and had be a mere burden.


    The shipyard that produced Brunas-ss Irond Warships could also build Wolf-ss Cruisers, so continuing to produce Brunas-ss Irond Warships was simply not worth the loss.


    But the warship market could not be easily abandoned, so Tang Mo utilized the remaining small shipyards in ces like Osa and Hotwind Port, made some minor modifications, and designed and built this nearshore destroyer with "thin skin but a big filling."


    The power used in this thing was adapted from the power used on the Brunas-ss, and the technology was actually quite outdated.


    The cannons it used were also the same as those on the Brunas-ss, equally outdated. Even its optical sighting system was from the Brunas-ss and was already out of date.


    But none of that mattered! What mattered was that it could still outfight sailships, still challenging several or even more than a dozen frigates.


    To the navies of various countries, it remained a better warship than Shireck''s hot-selling Ming Wheel Ship, and simrly, a more appropriate choice for their situation.


    In the eyes of the navalmanders and the high-level decision-makers of the countries, even if they bought Brunas-ss Irond Warships, they would not have the capability to challenge the Great Tang Group''s naval power. Thus, for them, the Brunas-ss warships were somewhat... excessive in performance!


    They had neither the ambition to challenge Great Tang''s maritime dominance nor the desire to wage war against equally powerful adversaries. So in the short term, everyone actually just wanted to expand their fleets, umte experience using Irond Warships, and maintain their navy''s size.


    Thus, the cheaper and more economically feasible destroyer became their better choice.


    Consequently, on that day, Great Tang Group''s destroyers were a huge sess, with each navy buying at least ten ships, some even purchasing twenty in one go!


    In just one morning, Great Tang Group secured orders for 100 destroyers, and another round of naval arms racemenced.


    It was also on this day that Great Tang Group''s Jade City-ss Battleship, Jade City 1, wasunched, ushering the world''s navies into the era of battleships.


    ---------


    Next update will beter, everyone can read it tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 470 People who cannot keep up with the pace

    At me Castle, Sofia closed the ledger and tiredly massaged her temples. She had recently emerged victorious in the wave of internal mergers at Shireck, having almostpletely acquired all the industries under the old smiley tiger''s name.


    In addition, she had also bought over a few other directors and expanded her power, almost truly turning Shireck into her personal echo chamber.


    During this process, she upgraded many of her factories and invested in building many new-style factories, almostpleting the modernization and industrial transformation of her industries.


    To be able to aplish industry transformation with such high efficiency and to embrace the countless new technologies from Great Tang Group, one must admit that Sofia was exceptional.


    Not just that, she also almost single-handedly spearheaded Shireck''s automotive industry. Even though the car brand was now called Gobur, its sales were finally picking up.


    Shen Country and Zheng Country, which did not get along with Great Tang Group, both purchased some cars from Shireck. Although the performance of these cars was average, the prices were also modest, appealing to the masses; naturally, they sold well.


    Ice Cold Cars had always beenpeting with Gobur Cars; both brands took the same approach. The automotive technology from the Dwarves was better, but Gobur Cars were a bit cheaper.@@novelbin@@


    Overall, both had be the new popr cars, crazily contesting the mass automotive market alongside Brunas''s People''s Car.


    "Giving me the airship technology so easily... It looks like Tang Mo is up to no good," Sofia yed with her red hair by her ear and sighed before speaking out.


    The Marquise sitting beside her sniffed dismissively and said, "There''s nothing strange about that, we did pay for it after all..."


    "Do you think money solves everything?" After giving her confidante a nce, Sofia leaned back in her chair to rest with her eyes closed and said, "Do you know how long I begged, and Mr. Tang from Great Tang Group was still reluctant to share the propeller sealing technology with me?"


    "Wasn''t it... two monthster?" The Marquise was taken aback by this, then instinctively asked.


    "That''s exactly what I''m concerned about," Sofia pointed to the telegram on her table and exined, agitated, "He stalled me for half a year on the battleship propulsion technology and gave it begrudgingly, but when it came to airship technology including gas filling preparation, factory equipment, and staff training, he didn''t even think before he just bundled it all up and gave it to me..."


    Pausing, she frowned and added, "All in all, considering his character, I always feel like there''s some trick he''s pulled behind our backs with this airship transfer that we are unaware of!"


    "So we reject it?" The Marquise asked unwillingly. She was aware of the airship market prices; even if the prices dropped slightly, selling one for 100,000 would still make them a fortune.


    "Reject it? That''s out of the question... I just want to anticipate and take countermeasures in advance, to avoid being caught off guard when Tang Mo targets us," Sofia said, fingers resting on the edge of the telegram on the table and staring at the paper.


    This was a telegram sent back by her maid; simr telegrams had been increasing recently, and the news was getting heavier and heavier for Sofia.


    Some telegrams were about some of the technological innovations of Great Tang Group. They seemed unremarkable, but these things were genuinely changing everything.


    Take for instance, everyone produced steel tes, but the width of the steel tes produced by Great Tang Group was noticeably improving, with the widest tes even nearing 3 meters, and this wasn''t even their most advanced work.


    Simrly, the area of ss produced by Great Tang Group was also gradually improving, and a new type of skyscraper with floor-to-ceiling windows had appeared on Dragon Ind, significantly enhancing the indoor lighting effect.


    For Sofia, these details were not funny in the slightest; they directly reflected a reality: even though Shireck was making endless efforts to catch up, the fact was the technological gap between Shireck and Great Tang Group was not closing but was instead rapidly widening.


    Modern science and technology is just like rolling a snowball; it''s tough when starting with your hands to make a snowball, but once you roll it on the ground, it gets bigger and bigger. And as it rolls, therger it bes, the easier it is to grow.


    Great Tang Group''s development followed the same principle. In the beginning, it was not easy for Tang Mo to produce a piece of machinery; it was done relying on manual cutting by workers, bit by bit, painfully aligning pieces until it was barely usable.


    But now, various machine tools are quite perfected and producing more precise machinery is, in fact, easier.


    That''s because Great Tang Group had umted more skilled workers and had formted production experiences that were more in tune with reality.


    The small gaps between Tang Mo''s design blueprints and actual construction were being filled in through practice, and Great Tang Group''s technological progress became even more pleasant.


    Now, although Shireck could produce cars more advanced than the T model, Great Tang Group''s new People''s Car Model 2 already had more advanced and powerful technology.


    Even more exaggerated, Great Tang Group''s automobile production line has reached the level of producing several thousand cars each month ¡ª losing to Shireck not only in terms of quality but also in quantity, and losing thoroughly.


    This is merely the automobile sector. If other areas were taken into ount, the gap would be even wider.


    Great Tang Group was not only making a fortune on anti-aircraft guns and airship projects but was also mass-producing more 155mm caliber howitzers, 150mm caliber long barrel naval guns, 120mm caliber naval guns, 75mm caliber field guns...


    At the same time, Great Tang Group''s shipyards were also starting construction of over 20 new-type destroyers, more than 10 Brunas-ss irond warships, 5 wolf-ss cruisers and 3 Jade City-ss battleships.


    Just this shipbuilding capability, in fact, was nearly on par with the British Empire before World War I. Today''s Great Tang Group''s shipbuilding industry was aplete production monster.


    What Shireck didn''t know was that Great Tang Group was actually also producing airnes and tanks, more general-purpose machine guns, and more advanced six-wheeled military trucks.


    The newly formed 1st Armored Division of Great Tang Group was entirely a product beyond its time; it was achieving motorization, a concept that had not yet appeared in this world.


    Every time Sofia thought about these things, she would be utterly dejected. While Great Tang Group was concentrating all its efforts and racing down the fastne of technology, her own lead enterprise, the Shireck Consortium, was still wasting time.


    That fat man was still proud of his ability to produce the Shireck Type 1 bolt-action rifle and the Shireck semi-automatic pistol (Mauser Bolt-Action Rifle), while he and that shy woman were still incessantly producing outdated Ming Wheel Ships.


    Sofia was powerless to stop their wasteful practices of slow self-destruction because these projects did indeed bring profit to Shireck.


    But everyone knew that these things were outdated, especially those damned Ming Wheel Ships! Everyone knew they stood no chance against propeller-driven warships, yet there were still fools who came with orders!


    Shen Country made another purchase of 10 such Ming Wheel Ships, while Zheng Country astonishingly ordered 30 in one go, and it was said that they might even ce additional orders... Even more absurdly, the Dahua Empire and Chu Country, which originally hadn''t ced great emphasis on naval development, also purchased a batch of Ming Wheel Ships, ranging from ten to twenty each.


    Sofia didn''t know what words to use to describe these fools who spent money on Ming Wheel Ships. They would have been better off buying more expensive but clearly more advanced warships from Great Tang Group!


    She wasn''t ignorant of the fact that there must be personal connections, kickbacks, and bribes involved in this murky business, but such shady deals also diluted Shireck''s profits and influenced, or rather dyed, Shireck''s industrial upgrade.


    The docks that should have been expanded and fitted with new equipment were now working overtime to produce useless Ming Wheel Ships, making Sofia incredibly anxious.


    When Sofia said this, the Countess confirmed again, "So, do we still build the airship factory? The new factory that ns to produce more than three giant airships each month?"


    "Of course! Even if just for the supporting chemical nt, this airship manufacturing factory should be established," Sofia replied immediately. "We should build it, and expand the production scale if necessary!"


    "I understand," the Marquise nodded, indicating she would personally see to this matter: "Leave it to me."


    "Additionally, we must not halt our secret weapon project!" Sofia continued to reiterate. "Our that... brand new ''War Vehicle Project''!"


    "I understand!" The Marquise nodded again, her face showing a proud smile. This project had been proposed by one of her subordinates, a craftsman, and unexpectedly, it became incredibly significant at a critical moment.


    Shireck wasn''tcking in talented individuals. After Tang Mo had inspired the world, there were those within Shireck who thought about and tried to explore a new future.


    The "airne inventor" who went to find Tang Mo before, the "War Vehicle craftsman" within Shireck, after being nudged by Tang Mo, many stumbled forward, walking or running. Sofia, panting and trying to keep up, followed in Tang Mo''s footsteps yet couldn''t even catch his exhaust fumes.


    Of course, more people chose to stand still, and there was no helping it: you can never expect everyone to keep up with the pace of world development. On the contrary, most will be left far behind by that pace.


    Like the decision-makers in Shireck who insisted on building Ming Wheel Ships, like those decision-makers who insisted on purchasing Ming Wheel Ships...


    ------


    Well, I won''t make up for the missed updates today, rest and adjust.

 Chapter 471 The 458 Expensive War Machine

    As time progressed, the production capacity of key materials steadily increased for the Great Tang Group, and the scale of the chemical nts on Dragon Ind had grown immensely. The petroleum industry had also developed to an extreme extent.


    The entire Dragon Ind was a picture of prosperity, and within the military base in the ind''s central region, the Great Tang Group''s 1st Armored Division already had proper form.


    This Armored Division was equipped with 370 light tanks, all of which were the erged-turret models of the training Tank No. 2. In addition to that, the entire division also had a logistics support battalion, an artillery battalion, a specialized mechanized battalion, and an independent reconnaissance battalion.


    Each tank regiment consisted of 3 tank battalions, under which were 3panies each, and eachpany had 3 tank toons, with a full-strength tank toon having 5 tanks.


    Thepany headquarters had twomand vehicles, and the battalion headquarters had their own ammunition trucks and fuel trucks, as well as battalionmand vehicles. The regimental headquarters also had their own regimentalmand vehicles and a transportationpany. So, in total, a regiment would have 150 tanks and 100 various types of automobiles.


    Just the automobiles used by the three tank regiments exceeded 300 vehicles, and that''s not even counting the division headquarters'' vehicles and those of the support battalion.


    The logistics support battalion alone had as many as 300 vehicles, with personnel exceeding 700, responsible for transporting the division''s supply materials.


    The artillery battalion was alsopletely motorized, with its artillerymen universally equipped with 105mm caliber self-propelled guns based on the Tank No. 2 chassis. This was also the world''s first type of self-propelled howitzer.


    With these howitzers that could advance alongside the armored units, the troop''s firepower had been unprecedentedly strengthened.


    Because it was still in an absolutely secret phase, the infantry units did not yet know that there was such a game-changing invention; otherwise, they would have fought over this new weapon.


    Since its inception, the self-propelled gun had been the darling of the heavens, coveted by all units. Everyone wanted to haverge-caliber artillery that could progress with the troops and be deployed inbat at any time.


    Whether it was infantry or armored units, everyone needed such support firepower; thus, no one doubted that this new howitzer using the "training tank" chassis would have a significant role in the future.


    Tang Mo was very clear that even if Tank No. 2pletely ceased production in the future, the production of the Ho self-propelled guns would continue. Its performance was solid and could be used for a long time.


    The artillery battalion alsoprised 3panies, each equipped with 15 self-propelled guns. The division had a total of 45 self-propelled guns and 15 fire control vehicles.


    The equipment of the specialized mechanized battalion included repair vehicles, cooking trucks, field medical vehicles, and the intended Anti-Aircraft Artillery Troops...


    The reconnaissance battalion''s equipment was varied,prising motorcycle units, automobile units, armored cars, and tanks. In the beginning, there were even Cavalry units.


    However, to amodate the logistics support, the Cavalry was ultimately removed from the Armored Division''s organizational structure, reced by motorcycles and automobiles.


    This was a necessary decision; one couldn''t possibly add veterinary tools, feed, saddles, or maintenance oil to an alreadyplex logistics project, right?


    With that said, the total number of automobiles in the entire tank division surpassed 1100, and thebined total of tanks and self-propelled guns exceeded 430, which definitely qualified as a behemoth.


    Had it not been for the rapid development of the petroleum industry, it would have been impossible to support the activities of such arge-scale mechanized force.


    Even for the wealthy Great Tang Group, deploying this Armored Division for training exercises was enough to cause financial pain.


    It wasn''t a joke; now, whenever Luff met with Tang Mo to discuss matters, he wouldin that if the Great Tang Group were to reveal its full strength and fight abined sea,nd, and air war, the reserve fuel would likely be depleted in an instant.


    Although the Jade City-ss battleships primarily used coal, due to the nature of their power systems, they still burned a certain amount of oil¡ªa 20,000-ton battleship burning even a little oil was enough to bring tears to one''s eyes, wasn''t it?


    Simrly, if the Air Force''s fleet of fighter nes currently equipped by the Great Tang Group were all to take flight, the fuel consumption would be astonishing. A hundred or so bine fighters, while not being fuel guzzlers, were definitely significant oil consumers.


    The most terrifying was the current experimental training nature of the Armored Division¡ªmoving one regiment out just for a single exercise session was so costly that it made Luff feel the pinch! If the entire division were to mobilize, it would test the logistical support of the entire Great Tang Group!


    It''s no exaggeration to say that the operation of such an armored force would consume enough Gold Coins to fund a war of annihtion in the past.


    But what consoled Luff was that all of this was worthwhile. Because in his view, once such a force moved to the frontline andunched an attack, no one could stop its advancement.


    It could be said with great responsibility that wherever this force moved into would be territory of the Great Tang Group. Any enemy forces attempting to block this force would be annihted, and any defensive lines would not hold for an hour in front of this force.


    While the infantry was still waiting for their own artillery to destroy the enemy trench lines, this force had already rolled over them and proceeded toward the next target.


    Under the rapid offensive rhythm of this force, opponents wouldn''t even have time to organize new defenses before copsingpletely. Explore stories on empire


    This was the purpose of the existence of this force, the power that was fitting for an Armored Division built with countless Gold Coins.


    Unfortunately, this troop could never be fully deployed in a war, because its very existence was not meant for participation inbat.


    From the day it was born, the 1st Armored Division''s full name was the Great Tang Group''s Security Division 1st Armored Instruction Division, and its role had always been to cultivate talent for the Armored Corps.


    ording to Tang Mo''s n, the 2nd and 3rd regiments of this division would be split off in the future to form the true Great Tang 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions which would be the realbat troops.


    And Luff could not imagine what it would look like to have two Armored Divisions fight side by side in battle. As soon as those engines started, the Great Tang Group''s moneybag would dete rapidly by the second.


    It would be a cruel contest to see who would bleed dry first, the enemy or one''s own fuel tanks...


    The Jade City No. 1 Battleship wasunched over a month ago, and is now officially a part of the Great Tang Group Navy.


    The sailors on the battleship were still undergoing strict training, but this brand-new battleship endowed them with unparalleled confidence.


    This warship boasts the thickest armor at 280 millimeters, something previously unheard ofpared to other warships. Even the Wolf-ss warship''s 150-millimeter main guns could not threaten the Jade City-ss Battleship, even at close range.


    And for the Jade City-ss Battleship''s 305-millimeter main guns, destroying a Wolf-ss Cruiser would be a breeze. Without the concept of torpedoes, the Jade City-ss Battleships were invincible in this world, without a doubt.


    The brand-new aiming system allowed it to fire at targets from much greater distances, easily sinking targets 8 kilometers away.


    If we were only discussing the range of the cannons, the 305-millimeter caliber main guns could even fire directly at targets over 12 kilometers away, but for the sake of uracy, around 8 kilometers was a more appropriate choice.


    With the use of new technology, this warship maintained a frightening cruising speed of nearly 45 kilometers per hour, despite having a discement of 20,000 tons.


    In extremebat scenarios not considering the range, it could even catch up to the Wolf-ss Cruisers! So there was no prey in this world that could slip through its grasp.


    Just the sight of its more than 7 meters tall bow was enough to invoke fear. With just a ramming attack, it could destroy a sail warship!


    To ensure the economy of the Jade City-ss Battleships, each ship was also armed with 24 75-millimeter caliber guns to handle low-value targets.


    With over ten of these guns on each side, this ensured the fire power density of the Jade City-ss Battleship in closebat situations.


    Regretfully, from theunch to themissioning of this battleship, the Great Tang Group''s Naval Commander Bernard had always been engaged inbat in the Dongwan Ind waters and never attended itsunch ceremony ormissioning.


    Nevertheless, the Navy still had high hopes for this type of warship, and the best proof of this was the construction of three at one time.


    With theunching of the first Jade City-ss Battleship, the Great Tang Group began construction of the fourth vessel of the same ss.


    The familiar sight of the huge keel beingid out got the construction workers excited: they had justpleted one such battleship, so they were more than familiar with its structure.


    Such a battleship, which invigorates the spirit with just one look, could excite anyone during its construction.


    However, with the increasing number of ships from Dragon Ind''s shipping operations and their diverse origins, rumors of the Great Tang Group building a massive warship spread far and wide, reaching all corners of the world.


    Along with this news, rumors about dragons on Dragon Ind also spread incessantly. Previously such rumors were scarce, but as more sailors started to talk about it, the matter itself became increasingly intriguing.


    Those who spoke of it described it vividly: there were often things flying in the sky over Dragon Ind, moving at high speeds that were certainly not hot air balloons or the like.


    These things would climb and soon disappear into the clouds. Sometimes they would descend bit by bit until they vanished into the distant jungle.


    In conclusion, many swore they had seen such things, yet nobody knew exactly what they were¡ªeveryone said they were dragons, so they all described what they saw as some kind of secret creature from Dragon Ind.


    Tang Mo knew that it was impossible to keep informationpletely secret on an ind hanging alone overseas. He could not rely solely on his own fleet to transport supplies to Dragon Ind, so it was impossible to prevent the crew from seeing the nes training on the ind.


    But a day kept secret was a day gained. As long as he denied it, no one had the courage or the capability to go to Dragon Ind to seek the truth, right?


    ---------


    I''ll write more tomorrow during the day, Dragon Spirit is tired, sigh...@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 472 459 something terrible has happened

    "Damn it! Who''s firing the guns? Who? Who!" A bandit officer wielding a long saber desperately questioned his subordinates from behind the gate of his mountain stronghold.


    Explore more adventures at empire


    On the wooden ramparts of the stronghold, soldiers armed with matchlocks fell one by one to the sound of gunfire, and now none dared poke their heads out to nce at the terrifying forest beyond.


    Are you kidding? The moment anyone stuck out their head, gunshots would echo from the forest within seconds, and then the head of the soldier who peeked out would burst open like a watermelon struck by a stick.


    "It must be demons! Have we... have we enraged the mountain gods..." A soldier, unsettled, swallowed his saliva and timidly suggested.


    As soon as the words left his mouth, the officer backhandedly struck him across the neck with his saber. The soldier widened his eyes at his leader, momentarily forgetting to scream.


    Blood spurted at the moment the long saber was drawn out, and the soldier copsed, instantly lifeless.


    "Those who disturb the morale, kill!" The bandit leader flicked his long saber and raised the matchlock gun in his other hand, loudly reminding his subordinates, "Hold the line! Hold it!"


    Having killed so many innocents, he was long desensitized, uncaring and unafraid of any mountain spirits or evil ghosts.


    What truly intimidated him was the sharp report of gunfire outside; he feared the arrival of Zheng Country''s Official Army to eradicate their base, feared an invasion by the people from Dongshan!


    But with the high, treacherous mountains here, there was no way the enemy''s cannons could be brought up, and from below the mountains, they couldn''t use artillery to attack either¡ªas long as they held out, the enemy would find little they could do to breach these sturdy wooden walls. Once the enemy went searching for explosives, they could withdraw at leisure, and that would be days from now.


    Before he could take pleasure in that thought, a massive explosion engulfed the stronghold''s gate, sending shards of wood and billowing smoke that enveloped himpletely.


    Countless splinters created a storm, slicing through his flesh. After the st wave swept past, he was sent flying.


    Amid the lingering gunpowder smoke, a bandit stationed further away saw their domineering leader roll to a halt right before him.


    Just moments after having killed an unfortunate soul, that leadery face-up on the ground, his face studded with wooden shards and embedded with pebbles...


    Upon closer inspection, it wasn''t an intact bandit leader that had been flung towards him, but rather half of one. One of his arms and one leg were gone without a trace, blood spraying everywhere.


    The sight sent a shiver through the soldier, who dropped his long saber and ran without looking back, even forgetting to check if his superior was still breathing.


    The bandit leader was indeed dead; the explosion had shattered his internal organs, and the shockwave had sliced his body apart¡ªhow could mere mortal flesh withstand such a brutal st?


    After all, wasn''t that a mortar designed specifically for mountain warfare, easily capable of destroying a wooden gate?


    With the gate destroyed, the surrounding bandits were thrown into disarray. They were tough enough when bullying themon folk, but against the Official Army, they stood no chance at all.


    Upon hearing the roar of the cannons, their souls fled, their courage to fight drained away. Those with a smidgen of spirit picked up their matchlocks and fled, while those less concerned simply abandoned everything and turned tail.


    Are you kidding? When the real Official Army brought even cannons, it was evident they were bent on exterminating these bandits¡ªhow could they not flee?


    They turned to banditry to scrape a living, and though they had killed,mitted evils, looted grains, and defiled women, wasn''t all that done under duress?


    Born into a chaotic world, humans fared worse than dogs¡ªwhom could they me? They had survived by taking many lives; they could not afford to die!


    The justification, no matter how contrived, was clear. So, these bullies, who usually preyed on themon people, now fled without a backward nce.


    One bandit, daring to look back from behind the wall of a wooden hut, saw only some trees that hade to life, rapidly moving through the destroyed gate.


    As those green figures crossed the gate, they swiftly scattered, bing harder to trace. But then, denser gunshots followed, and the slower bandits descending from the ramparts fell one by one onto the path.


    "Spare us! We surrender!" A bandit knelt on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing and loudly begging for mercy.


    At this sight, a few other passing bandits quickly knelt and bowed incessantly as well, their mouths crying out pleas for mercy: "We surrender! We surrender!"


    "Tatata!" A strange figure with some unknown weapon and a pot on his head raised his hand, and mes spit from the peculiar weapon¡ªseveral bandits begging on their knees slumped down.


    This scene frightened the bandit peering from around the corner, who quickly withdrew his head¡ªthe path to surrender was so easily blocked.


    It seemed that the other side wanted to kill people and silence them for good, it must be those damn officials from the Zheng Country who sent these men! It had to be! They had always been sending money to that official in the city, and the other side, fearing that these bandits would leak secrets, sent people to kill them to silence them!


    Thinking this in his mind, the bandit turned and ran. But as soon as his body turned, he saw a monster standing on the other side of the wooden hut!


    This monster was covered in grass and vegetation, it looked like a moving clump of nts. The bandit, terrified out of his wits, let out a scream and fell to the ground, sitting down with a thud.


    The monster seemed to grow hands, pulled something out from his waist, and raised it toward him. Thest thing the bandit saw was the sh of fire from the monster''s hand, as well as heard the sound of a gunshot, and then everything went ck as death devoured him.


    Thebat power, tactical level, and weaponry of both sides were not on the same level, so the entire battle was more like a one-sided massacre.@@novelbin@@


    Only, the roles of these familiar massacres had swapped. The bandits who usually ughtered civilians now became the ones being ughtered.


    Wearing white gloves and leather boots, themander of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment of the Marine Corps walked into the stronghold with his hands behind his back. He nced at the bodies shattered by the explosion and furrowed his brow in disgust.


    The battlefield was already lopsided, and there was no danger for him walking in at this time. He carefully stepped around the blood on the ground and nced at his own soldiers who were knocking down bandits with their submachine guns in the distance.


    A soldier, with the cooperation of arade, poked open the half-closed door of a wooden hut with the muzzle of his gun and took a quick nce inside the room.


    The dark hut reeked of an awful stench, and the messy beds were all filled with naked women. Theyy there like the walking dead, on the beds and the floor, dull-eyed looking at the door cracked ajar, then shifting their gaze away.


    The women were emaciated, many showing signs of bedsores. They might not have bathed for a long time, many were scruffy with stains all over their bodies.


    After confirming there was no danger in the room, a Marine covered his nose and took a closer look at the room, then stepped back out, looking at his ashen-facedrade beside him.


    "I say, do you still think the ''kill without mercy'' order is cruel?" The veteran offered a pat on the rookie''s shoulder and asked, "This is up to you?"


    The rookie shook his head, checked the status of his submachine gun, and lifted his head, "You stay to take care of them. Leave the rest to me..."


    An indescribable irritation caused him to stride towards the direction where the bandits were fleeing, and after seeing another bandit kneeling and begging for mercy, he didn''t hesitate to raise his gun and fire, emptying a whole magazine in one go.


    He tossed the empty magazine away, pulled a new one from the pouch under his ribs, inserted it into the gun, racked the slide, and then stormed forward with brimming rage.


    "Disaster! Disaster! Boss! Boss! We lost the mountain gate!" A bandit scrambled up the stone steps to the finestrge house in the stronghold, knelt down at the door, and shouted.


    The burly bandit leader, clutching his flintlock, came out; the room was filled with the stench of blood. Two women on the bed were already decapitated, with their blood sttered everywhere.


    The leader, with blood on his chest, looked at his smoking stronghold, his eyes full of rage and fury as he roared, "Bastards! You want to kill me? Not so easy! You just wait, I''ll kill you all! All of you!"


    "Wait till Ie back! I will dismember each and every one of you bastards'' family members! Just you wait, just you wait!" He nced at the bandit kneeling at his feet, then turned and headed toward the back mountain, "Come on! Follow me! There''s a secret passage on the back mountain..."


    The bandit had just been waiting for these words and immediately followed his leader, casting a fearful nce back at the fallen stronghold, with eyes full of reluctance.


    To kidnap so many women again, to establish such a stronghold again, to plunder so many treasures again, to hoard so much food... it won''t be easy.


    He wondered if he and the boss could make aeback someday... Maybe he could be a small leader then. It would be great to be a small leader, getting more share of the spoils and being the first to sleep with women. Such a life would be delightful!


    "I say, you still think you can run?" Suddenly, a clump of green grass spoke and startled both the boss and the bandit following him.


    Before they could even draw their guns, they were horrified to see that it seemed like the whole woods around them came to life, with dozens of figures rising vaguely in the background.


    "Was that you screaming just now? Ha! Still thinking about running? If every one of us gave you a kick, you''d turn into a photograph!" Themander of the 3rd toon, 1st Battalion smirked as he stepped out from behind the trees.


    After saying that, he paused, annoyed, and waved his hand dismissively, "You don''t even know what a photograph is, forget it."


    As his words fell, dense gunfire echoed in the dense forest, and bulletsing from all sides sliced the two figures into pieces.


    "This is thest gang on the nearby inds... right?" The toon leader looked at the leaves sttered with blood and asked the old fisherman beside him.


    "Yes," the old fisherman bowed his head, covering his eyes with a hand, trying not to let his tears flow¡ªhe had finally avenged his son!

 Chapter 473 460 Vulnerable Industries

    The Great Tang Group was fiercely developing Dongwan Ind, turning it into a modern industrial base. Other countries in the world were not idle either; they were also frantically developing their industrial cities, enhancing their industrial strength.


    Industrial cities sprang up like mushrooms after rain. The poption of these cities generally exceeded 200,000, which by past standards, would be considered superrge cities.


    Yet now, the poption in these ces was still increasing ceaselessly, desperately drawing inbor from the surrounding areas.


    Gobur and the Ice Cold Kingdom''s car factoryplexes were so vast, one couldn''t see the end at a single nce. These workshops operated day and night, supplying tens of thousands of cars to all parts of the world.


    The car factories in Jade City and Dragon Ind were evenrger. Each month, they could produce tens of thousands of various types of cars, including civilian transportation trucks, sedans, and military trucks and jeeps, among others.


    The reason they could produce so recklessly was that oil fields on a muchrger scale had started production within the territories of the Empire of Na, the Ice Cold Kingdom, the Suthers Kingdom, the Songmu Kingdom, and the Gales Kingdom. The scale of the refineries was also expanding continuously.


    In the past, strategic locations were often passes and transportation hubs. Although these ces had strategic value, they were ultimately limited in number.


    Now, each country was discovering more and more strategic locations within their borders, each more important than thest!


    Oil fields were very profitable, and because oil field equipment was diverse and expensive, it was crucial not to lose the oil fields and nearby refineries.


    Simrly, power nts, which cost a fortune to establish, could not be lost either, because they supplied electricity for oil field production and provided energy for industrial cities.


    Moving on, how could one overlook the existence of steel mills, military factories, vehicle factories, machine shops... each providing countless jobs, with equipment as precious as gold?


    Even the railways and highways were vital like blood vessels, easily not to be damaged! Because if even a single railway was destroyed, the transportation of materials would be disrupted, the supply of food to cities and raw materials for industrial production would cease, plunging the enormous industrial cities into chaos.


    Even the least noticeable water nts, sewage systems, and modern hospitals were critical for keeping the cities functioning.


    Modern cities were more fragile, and the modern industrial system was even more vulnerable before warfare, posing a new dilemma for rulers everywhere: how to protect all of this!


    In the process of industrial modernization, every country tasted the benefits of industrialization. Their tax revenues increased, the goods they produced were more abundant, and the quality of life for their people genuinely improved.


    These countries had more money in their hands, and their strength grew stronger, so they were able to afford whatever they wanted: equipment, weapons, medicines...


    The good news was, industrialization freed up more people and provided more funds for each country, and it also gave them the ability to manufacture weapons.


    As a result, armingrger military forces became possible, and the countries were then capable of building more troops to protect the increasingly fragile cities and industrial facilities.


    A few years ago, a conflict between two kingdoms involving twenty to thirty thousand troops was already considered arge-scale operation.


    Because logistical support had only so much capacity, and countries had only so many troops and limited reserves of weapons and ammunition, they could only mobilize the forces of that scale.


    But now, the armies of every country numbered in the hundreds of thousands. The former simple military establishment of corps and battalions was utterly outdated.


    Consequently, graduates from the Great Tang Group''s military academy spread more advanced military organizations to all parts of the world.


    The system of divisions, brigades, regiments, battalions,panies, toons began to spread. The armies of various countries were reorganized using this system and were swiftly upgraded to the level of a military.


    In their confusion, militarymanders across the nations were forced to ept and grow ustomed to various new and unique military branches, and the allocation of these new types of troops became muddled.


    Take the newly emerging airship troops for example, the allocation ofmand varied greatly among nations. Some were directly under the monarch, some were assigned to militarymanders, and others established air forces.


    And then there were the anti-aircraft artillery troops. Heaven knows whether these anti-aircraft artillery troops should be under themand of the army or if an air defense force should be established for unified deployment!


    Do not think that these things, which seem so natural today, were so simple, because in this era, everyone was exploring new tactics and battle strategies, with no one knowing the right answer!


    There was some good news too: with the passage of time, many countries had the ability to produce a variety of weapons, and at least in the area of traditional army weapons, technological diffusion was evident.


    Countries began to be capable of producing machine guns and rifles, and naturally, pistols were no issue. There were also many countries that could produce cannons andpatible shells themselves, and the assortment of weapons within each nation started to diversify.


    Previously, since everyone could only purchase weapons, the calibers were actually very uniform. They were basically all 7.92 millimeters, whether it was the K3 rifle from the Great Tang Group or the Shireck 1 from the Shireck Consortium. Enjoy new adventures from empire


    However, after the Ice Cold Kingdom began producing the Mosin-Nagant Rifle with a brand-new caliber of 7.62 millimeters, many nations saw another possibility.


    As a result, when manufacturing their own rifles, each country made some changes to the caliber, some using 7.5 millimeters and others opting for a 6.5-millimeter caliber.


    The cmity wasn''t with firearm calibers, but rather with artillery calibers! Free from technical restraints, the cannon factories of various countries began developing artillery pieces with all sorts of strange calibers.


    The Great Tang Group''s heavy 280-millimeter caliber siege cannon enlightened the other nations; Dorne''s armories soonunched a 300-millimeter caliber heavy cannon, which was eye-opening for other countries.


    Although transporting such cannons was a disaster, and Dorne ultimately had to install them in fortresses as fixed firepower, other nations still imitated this, turning artillery caliber into another form of national powerpetition.


    Following suit, Suthers'' armories developed arge cannon with a 310-millimeter caliber, necessitating apletely new approach to transportation, towing with a vehicle in front, aided by oxen and horses on each side, and another vehicle pushing from behind...


    Then, inspired by the Great Tang Group, the nations turned their attention to the railways, clearly seeing that relying on trucks and livestock for mobility had its limits, whereas railroads and trains could significantly raise those limits.


    Following that, the artillery calibers of the enlightened countries became iprehensible, first with the Empire of Na developing a 400-millimeter caliber train-mounted cannon. Not far behind, the Por Kingdom developed their own 410-millimeter caliber train-mounted cannon.


    This insane development seemed to be pushing artillery calibers to the sky, almost reaching the colossal threshold of 500 millimeters.


    Asrge caliber cannons took off unrestrained, the smaller calibers also underwent constant "tinkering." In the past, Shireck used a 130 caliber, while the Great Tang Group had 105 and 155 calibers. Now, the cannons'' calibers varied widely among countries, with some having 100 and 150, some 110 and 152, some 120 and 160, and also 95 and 145...


    Ultimately, judging solely by caliber, everyone drew a clear line between themselves, everyone viewing everyone else with a sense of displeasure.


    Anyway, the development of the petrochemical industry and the mining industry had be the cornerstone for industrial development around the world. The size of the machinery working in those countries'' open-pit mines was now huge, reaching several stories in height.


    They were installed on specially made wide-gauge rail tracks, working around the circle of the mining sites, excavating iron ore or coal.


    The factory chimneys in various countries towered high, belching smoke day and night, and many cities were already submerged in a choking haze.


    Thus, six months after the Great Tang Group took over Dongwan Ind, another huge industrial city emerged, named Laines.


    As a brand-new city built with substantial effort from the Great Tang Group, it boasted aplete sewer system and water supply, far exceeding standard electricity facilities, buildings over seven stories high weremonce, and the spacious streets were all paved with asphalt.


    Facilities such as schools, hospitals, cinemas, opera houses, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, casinos, and brothels were all avable in abundance...


    Simrly, on the outskirts of the city, all kinds of factories were as numerous as hairs on an ox, seemingly no less impressive than Brunas from a few years before.


    As the city was built, its poption had already exceeded 300,000, and it wasmon knowledge that in a few years, surpassing a poption of 500,000 would be no problem.


    On the broadest street of Laines, the Central Avenue at its core, stood the newly designed, magnificent pce.


    Leite VII finally realized his wish on this day. To the apuse and congrattions of the envoys from various countries, he dered himself Leines I and ascended to the throne as Emperor.


    The celebration was grand, with the Great Tang Group even dispatching a contingent of troops to participate in the military parade. Dozens of formations passed the reviewing stand one by one, with the formation of the Great Tang Group''s security corps performing the Huaxia goose step drawing particr attention.


    Tang Mo fulfilled his promise. He provided even more armored vehicles, cars, and cannons for the parade, affording maximum prestige to Leines I.


    The Empire of Na also lent its dignity, with the Emperor sending a Prince to attend the ceremony and announcing on the spot recognition of the Laines Empire.@@novelbin@@


    Following this, Dorne, Suthers, Gales, Por, Songmu, Ice Cold, and other countries announced their recognition of the Laines Empire one after another, with Leines I bing the first Emperor to have his ascension documented on film.


    From this day forth, the name Leite Kingdom would be changed to the Laines Empire, and Leite VII would be reced by Leines I.


    A new Empire was born.


    ----------


    I will update more tomorrow; everyone should go to bed early. Good night.

 Chapter 474 Empire Year 461

    "We need sufficient support, especially from the Empire!" Within the brand-new Imperial Pce, Leines I, who had just be the Emperor, was listening to the request of the Dwarf Envoy.


    This Dwarf from the Frozen Kingdom respectfully exined his purpose: "We hope that Your Majesty Leines I can provide help to the Frozen Kingdom."


    "After all, Laines is a young Empire with fairly shallow experience in these matters. Our support, may not necessarily be the most powerful for the Frozen Kingdom," Leines I said as he fiddled with an art piece given to him by Tang Mo, casting a nce at the Dwarf Envoy.


    It''s true that we are allies, but each has its own interests. From the perspective of Leines I, supporting the Frozen Kingdom in this matter could bring no benefits to himself.


    The grandeur of Leines I''s rise to the throne has greatly stirred ambitions in those with intentions.


    Having seized Furnace Fortress and established prestige among the surrounding Dwarf Kingdoms, the King of the Frozen Kingdom also harbored thoughts of iming an imperial title.


    Therefore, 15 days after the establishment of the Laines Empire, he sent his envoys to seek support from various kingdoms, ready to revel in the title of Emperor himself.


    However, given that everyone had just witnessed the birth of the Laines Empire, there was ack of interest in supporting another new empire ¨C nobody was eager to watch more powerful empires proliferate.


    Especially the kingdoms that belong to the "Great Tang Corporation System" in the north; directly facing the pressure of the powerful Frozen Kingdom, they were even less keen to see it be an Empire.


    In fact, the Por Kingdom and the Songmu Kingdom¡ªtwo Elf Empires¡ªhave always been covertly supporting Dwarf Kingdoms that were at odds with the Frozen Kingdom.


    The Orc Gales Kingdom was also cautiously handling its rtions with the Dwarves, unwilling to hastily take a stance on whether to support the re-establishment of a powerful Dwarf Empire.


    The Suthers Kingdom had its own strategic considerations; they did not wish to offend neighboring countries by supporting the Frozen Kingdom, which could lead to tensions along the northern borders. Hence, they diplomaticallymunicated their neutral position, firmly refraining from involving themselves in the Dwarfs'' imperial affairs.


    Seeing that these four kingdoms all had their own calctions, if the Frozen Kingdom wanted to smoothly advance to a true Empire, it could only look south for its supporters.@@novelbin@@


    The Dorne Kingdom''s attitude was ambiguous; in the matter of the Frozen Kingdom''s elevation to Empire status, they were actually inclined to agree.


    Not for any other reason but because the King of Dorne was also considering taking up the title of Emperor, and he would not refuse to do a favor for the Dwarves on this matter.


    Soon, the two countries reached a consensus¡ªthe Dorne Kingdom would support the Frozen Kingdom to be the Ice Cold Empire, and likewise, the Frozen Kingdom would also fully support the Dorne Kingdom in bing the Dorne Empire!


    Now, the Dwarves focused their strategy on the Laines Empire and the Empire of Na. With the support of these two Empires, the Frozen Kingdom''s elevation to the Ice Cold Empire seemed highly promising.


    It must be acknowledged that Leines I indeed owed the Frozen Kingdom a favor¡ªhe received their support when he imed his imperial title.


    But as favors are separate from national interests, Leines I had to contemte carefully and make a cautious decision.


    "I will consider this matter!" At a loss for a proper response, Leines I put down the trinket in his hand and tactfully stalled for time.


    The Dwarf Envoy knew he wouldn''t easily gain the support of the Laines Empire and, with a slight bow, he exited the reception room.


    The door to the adjacent room opened, and the Prime Minister, along with several Ministers, entered. They had overheard the Dwarf''s request from the next room.


    Originally, as part of the full support from Great Tang Group for Leines I to im the throne, there was a condition to appoint a new Prime Minister. However, as mutual interests were traded, Great Tang Group relinquished this condition.


    Thus, the former Prime Minister from the kingdom''s earlier days had retired to the second line, and the current Prime Minister was another of Leines I''s confidants.


    The Emperor of the Empire would not allow an old man with unclear ties to Tang Mo to remain as Prime Minister and influence the Empire''s decisions.


    Even among the Ministers who hade in, the sight of the Empire''s Minister of Finance, Simon, was missing¡ªhe too had been excluded from the core decision-making circle of the Empire.


    "Your Majesty, strategically speaking, supporting the Frozen Kingdom is beneficial for us. We can make our own demands," the Prime Minister of the Empire stated his view.


    "Indeed, if we support the Frozen Kingdom''s growth in the north, that would at least create pressure on kingdoms like Por, Songmu, and Gales, forcing them to concentrate their main efforts to the north," agreed another Minister.


    "It''s not that simple! If we do this, it would be just about the same as setting a precedent for the Dorne Kingdom," another Minister disagreed, voicing his concern with apprehension.


    The ambition of the King of Dorne was almost as clear as Sima Zhao''s heart; the maneuvers of a vast Kingdom aiming to elevate to Empire status could hardly be kept secret.


    Therefore, anyone who cared to investigate could hardly fail to notice that after annexing the kingdoms of Taren and Xilun, the territory of Dorne Kingdom had grown asrge as that of the Laines Empire.


    With nearly equal national strength naturally came equal ambitions, so the little schemes of Dorne Kingdom were crystal clear to the Laines Empire. Read exclusive content at empire


    As a result, Leines I was extremely cautious about supporting the Frozen Kingdom''s transition to an empire.


    The intelligence he held was that Dorne and Ice Cold had been secretly supporting each other, and this information was very likely true!


    Supporting the Frozen Kingdom to be an empire would mean soon facing the situation of Dorne Kingdom bing the Dorne Empire¡ªthis was highly unfavorable for the Laines Empire.


    At that point, the Laines Empire would face a pincer attack from the Dorne Empire to the south and the Empire of Na to the east¡ªa situation that the Laines Empire certainly did not wish to see.


    Even just the added pressure on the border regions in terms of strategic positioning would be enough to leave the newly emerged Laines Empire struggling to catch its breath.


    "Although in fact, Dorne Kingdom has already put huge pressure on our borders, if they be an empire, our pressure will only increase," he said, then turned to look at Leines I.


    Leines I said nothing, contemting whether he should ept such a scenario: one where three empires were established one after the other, squeezing the worth of his title as Emperor infinitely.


    If the other two prospective empires were established one after the other, what would he be then? A joke? Or a tragedy?


    Why did he offer so much, even at the cost of incurring huge debts, to be Emperor? Wasn''t it because the title was worth the price?


    Now, just when he was not paying attention, this damn situation had be one where empires were asmon as dirt, and emperors were less esteemed than dogs¡ªwith so many emperors around that you couldn''t even count them on two hands. What the hell was the use of the title then?


    Thus, Leines I felt wronged, and even a bit resentful: it seemed that the Great Tang Group had also given all-out support for the Frozen Kingdom''s upgrade to the Ice Cold Empire.


    In other words, behind the rise of the Ice Cold Empire was the machination of the Great Tang Group! With this thought, Leines I once again felt ufortable all over.


    It seemed Mr. Tang from the Great Tang Group was bing less and less reliable! Did this mean he needed to be prepared for defense on the Jade City front as well?


    With these thoughts, he felt terrible all over. The Laines Empire had risen rapidly with the backing of the Great Tang Group, and now it found itself in a passive situation, caught between attacks from three sides.


    The Dorne to the south and the Na to the east were small troubles inparison, but the most lethal was the terrifyingly powerful and unfathomably strong Great Tang Group!


    If it weren''t for the fact that the Group was currently fully engaged in conquering the East Coast of the Endless Sea, Leines I would be even more restless.


    Recently, the Great Tang Group was tackling Zheng Country, but once they took care of Zheng Country on the East Coast of the Endless Sea, where would Tang Mo''s attention turn next?


    Considering its power, the Great Tang Group, after taking control of Zheng Country, would definitely possess the strength of an empire, no longer constrained by poption andnd, and in the future would also have terrifying mobilization capabilities and wartime potential.


    He had confidence in dealing with the Empire of Na and did not believe he would be defeated by Dorne to his south, but the mere thought ofpeting with the formidable Great Tang Group sent shivers down his spine.


    "Your Majesty! We must consider the opinion of the Great Tang Group on this matter," the Prime Minister said after some thought, uttering words that made Leines I ufortable.


    But as ufortable as he was, Leines I really had to consider this suggestion. If he ignored the Great Tang''s opinion, he might not even be able to pay the interest on the loans the next day.


    After thinking it through from all angles, Leines I''s annoyance only grew as he looked at the gift from Tang Mo on the table in front of him; he grabbed it and wanted to throw it to the ground.


    His hand was already raised, but it slowly lowered¡ªremembering the so-called price of the object, he couldn''t help but feel a little pain; and considering that it was a "state gift," he worried that the Great Tang Group would take offense if they got word of it.


    Eventually, he put the ornament back in its original ce, sighed, and nodded, saying, "Then send someone to inquire about Mr. Tang''s opinion..."


    15 dayster, the King of the Frozen Kingdom was crowned emperor at Furnace Fortress, and the Frozen Kingdom was officially renamed the Ice Cold Empire. Both the Empire of Na and Dorne Kingdom sent their congrattions, and the Laines Empire also sent a gift to express their goodwill.


    Another month passed, and the king of Dorne proimed himself emperor.


    With the session of three empires being established, that year was thus called the Year of the Empires.

 Chapter 475 462 undercurrents surge

    ```


    "The undercurrents are surging!" Tang Mo stretchedzily in his office at Dragon''s Den, expressing his feelings to Yulin as he tossed aside the intelligence report in his hand.


    Yulin shrugged his attractive shoulders and replied, "Everyone has their own ideas, especially when there are so many countries involved."


    Influenced heavily by the Great Tang Group, the eight countries formed what appeared to be a united and potent interest group, known to outsiders as the Trade Alliance.


    This alliance, based on trade transactions, had jointly dered war on opposing nations several times, thus it was also a military coalition.


    Such a vast and formidable coalition was naturally worrisome, yet during the somewhat absurd first year event of the empire''s establishment, everyone could see the cracks within the Trade Alliance.


    The Elf Race was dissatisfied with the foundation of the Ice Cold Empire, the Laines Empire resented the establishment of the Dorne Empire, Suthers was covertly contemting the possibility of bing a new empire, and the Orc Gales Kingdom had always harbored a deep hatred for the Elf Race.


    These issues had been previously suppressed by the Great Tang Group using trade profits and technological support, while the individual countries were preupied with developing their industries and strengthening their national power, with little regard for the finer details.


    Now, as reforms were graduallypleted, every country had attained strengths beyond their previous imagination, which naturally led to the development of more ideas.


    As Yulin said, with each individual having their own ideas, the presence of so many countries together made it even more pronounced.


    "It doesn''t matter! As long as they don''t fall out over the tabletop, I can ignore these bothersome trifles," Tang Mo said with a smile, trivializing decisions that could greatly impact bteral rtions as "bothersome trifles."


    As he spoke, he walked toward a giant map that was not entirely precise, saying, "In any case, as long as we take care of Zheng Country, all our problems will be solved. There''s enoughnd there to sustain arge poption and plenty of resources for us to exploit for a long time."


    This was a map of Zheng Country, ten times, even a hundred times more urate than any previous map of the country. In less than a year, the surveying teams dispatched by the Great Tang Group, working day and night in the field, had finally managed to draw a rtively urate map of Zheng Country.


    Undoubtedly, if this map were to appear in front of the ruler of Zheng Country, it would be a national treasure.


    However, the maps in the hands of the ruler of Zheng Country were far from as urate as the one before Tang Mo; in fact, they were not evenparable.


    Tang Mo''s map was meticulously marked with the locations of all the cities in Zheng Country, the road conditions near certain cities, the workshops and craftsmen within them, and the poption numbers were all clearly recorded.


    Even as a secret, after the map was drawn, it was annotated with mas to indicate contents that dynamically changed.


    For example, it showed which city lord had been bribed, where Zheng Country''s military was stationed, which areas had begun constructing railroads, and which roads had been reinforced.


    The extent of the construction at the harbor of Linshui City, its daily throughput, the number of students receiving higher education in schools of the nearby cities.


    Exactly how many people in the coastal areas of Zheng Country were starting to see themselves as Tang People, and how many of the stationed troops there had already turned towards the Great Tang Group.


    It could be said that by observing the changes on this map every day, Tang Mo could clearly know the progress of his conquest of Zheng Country, how many percent had already beenpleted.


    The feeling was akin to observing a game loading screen, watching the progress bar gradually move forward towards fullpletion, incredibly intuitive.


    In the most ideal scenario, as the progress bar reached the end, Zheng Country would peacefully transform andepletely under Tang Mo''s control.


    In that state, the King of Zheng Country, Zheng Tong, would willingly surrender his throne to Tang Mo, bowing three times and nine kowtows in a wless process, resulting in a joyous and perfect ending for all.


    In this ideal state, whether King Zheng Tong of Zheng Country took any medicine, slept with any woman, went to the toilet how many times, drank water at what time, or passed gas when, Tang Mo could know it as clear as day.


    It could be said that by then, every person in Zheng Country would already be part of the Great Tang Group, conquering Zheng Country would merely be a matter of following the natural course.


    However, Tang Mo also understood that such aplex and grand n could not possibly proceed wlessly until the veryst second.


    It was bound to be discovered, bound to encounter problems, and could not possibly be executed perfectly until the final step.


    Therefore, the Staff Department and Nangong Hong marked a clear red line on the progress bar; the closer it got to this red line, the smaller the cost of sess; the closer it got to this red line, the higher the chances of being discovered and sabotaged, of King Zheng beginning to resist and struggle.


    Now, the progress bar was approximately at that red line because the moves of the Great Tang Group within the territory of Zheng Country could hardly be concealed any longer.


    ording to the analysis of materials provided by the intelligence department of the Great Tang Group, King Zheng Tong of Zheng Country has been growing increasingly anxious recently, asking more and more frequently about the possibility of ''cutting leeks.''


    ```


    He hoped to nationalize the early achievements of the "Westernization Movement," starting to worry that these constructions would turn out to be bridal garments for others.


    There were reports that the Shen Country, which had begun industrialization even earlier than Zheng Country, was now eyeing the vast territories of Zheng, bing restless.


    The new-style troops trained by Zheng Country, however, were not as obedient as imagined, with most hoarding in the eastern coastal areas, unwilling to move north to solidify the border defenses.


    The increasing number of railways and roads across the regions, along with the growing number of students and workers who embraced the Great Tang Group''s mindset, could no longer be concealed.


    Zheng Tong was no fool, and neither was Zhang Ming; they needed only to send trusted aides to discreetly ask around, and they could uncover some rather odd happenings.


    For instance, as the markets within King City filled with more modern goods, which merchant did not have their own supply channels? Could they be unaware that the ships docking daily at Linshui Port had decks higher than the rooftops of taverns?


    Even the most obtuse person would notice the numberless smokestacks outside the city, spewing thick smoke day and night. Even the most numb person could see that on the increasingly smooth roads, there were automobiles zooming by from who knows where.


    Had Zheng Tong been unable to investigate these issues, he would have been dead hundreds of times over by now. The reason for his recent anxiety was precisely because he was learning more and more of these details.


    "This Zheng Tong seems to be smarter than we thought; he''s reacting faster than Nangong Hong and the Staff Department had anticipated," Tang Mo said as he looked at the map, changing the topic and speaking to Yulin.


    In Tang Mo''s view, the trade alliance was after all just an alliance, and it would inevitably face dissolution one day¡ªthe empires wouldn''t peacefully continue to develop indefinitely. These nations, driven by greed, would be impatient and surely ignite wars!


    An unbreakable alliance was a joke; war was eternal. Therefore, what Tang Mo was more concerned about was when he could be Emperor and join the fray to carve up the world.


    "General Luff is perhaps a little too optimistic," Yulin said with augh to Tang Mo, "Because we always win, optimism tends to run high."


    The newly established 1st Division of the Naval Marine Corps had upied almost all of Zheng Country''s offshore inds more than half a year ago and taken control of all of Zheng Country''s trade routes.


    Nowadays, all exported goods produced in the interior of Zheng Country were actually sold to Dongwan Ind, and all imported goods received by Zheng Country were actually dispatched by the Great Tang Group. It seemed like trade, but in reality, it was internal resource distribution.


    Having achieved a series of victories in battle, the military''s undefeated record continued. Under such circumstances, it wouldn''t be believable if one imed there was no sense of optimism or pride¡ªTang Mo himself wouldn''t believe it.


    In fact, even the attack on Dongwan Ind, wasn''t itunched under Tang Mo''smand, as the whole military optimistically began it, disregarding objectivews and various problems?


    "Optimism is good! However, we must guard against arrogance and impetuosity," Tang Mo then responded perfunctorily before turning to Yulin, as though inquiring yet seemingly discussing, "So, should we slightly adjust our battle n against Zheng Country, and start it ahead of schedule?" Discover hidden stories at empire


    "If you were to ask Tagg, he would definitely tell you that everything is ready," Yulin replied with a smile.


    She seemed to answer the question, yet not quite.


    What Tang Mo wanted to confirm was whether the military was ready to start a war. Yulin''s answer was: ready, yet not entirely ready.


    Tang Mo was well aware of Tagg''s character; Tagg would not disobey Tang Mo''s attack orders because of some minor issues.


    But the military probably wasn''t perfectly prepared; in fact, beingpletely ready for a war is itself an impossibility.


    Even if one thinks everything is foolproof, a variety of issues will still emerge after the outbreak of war. This was something Tang Mo, the arms dealer, knew very well, and also something he was sure he could not change.


    He could address all detail issues through research, but when it came down to actual execution, due to real-world constraints, things would still be chaotic.


    Imagine having plenty of ammunition prepared, but if there''s only limited transport capacity and the ammunition can''t be delivered on time to the front lines where it''s most needed, won''t there still be a problem?@@novelbin@@


    There will still be problems! He could not ensure that every vehicle would run without faults, nor could he guarantee that each unit would meet nned resistance or predict the enemy''s counterattack direction or intensity.


    In the end, various issues would still arise on the battlefield, so Tagg would not refuse any of Tang Mo''s orders and would loyally carry them out.


    Because he is Tagg!


    -------


    I''m not feeling well today, so there will only be two updates. The rest will be postponed...

 Chapter 476 Plan 463 Dragon

    Four dayster, a news report from Dongwan Ind forced Tang Mo to once again convene a full meeting to discuss the strategy for conquering Zheng Country.


    "Things have beplicated," Nangong Hong started, somewhat bemused, after putting down the intelligence report, "I really never thought your measures could be so effective, effective to the point even we''re caught a bit off guard..."


    There was a hint of irony in his words, which made Li''ao somewhat embarrassed. Matters like these were mostly handled by his intelligence department, and such an incident was truly unexpected for him as well.


    Just yesterday, something shocking happened: a man whose wife had starved to death and children sumbed to illness, after losing all hope, fled to Linshui Port and became a dockworker.


    After working on the docks for several months and seeing the better side of the world, he suddenly became extremist.


    He stole a sum of money his supervisor used for paying wages and escaped back to his hometown. Pretending to have a powerful background, he bribed the City Defense Forces and obtained gunpowder for artillery.


    Then, unbelievably, this man used the gunpowder to make an explosive device and blew up the county office that had caused his family''s ruin...


    As it happened, the very office he destroyed was where Zheng Tong''s trusted officials were stationed to spy on Linshui City.@@novelbin@@


    Too absurdly, before setting off the explosives, the man gave a passionate speech along the streets, promoting the happy life of the Tang People, telling everyone that they were Tang People and not the oppressed Zheng people!


    After the "hero''s" tale spread, information that Linshui City was filled with endless bread and gruels, that numerous job opportunities were avable, and that everyone could live a life with dignity, became an open secret.


    Simrly, such rumors could no longer be hidden. A casual investigation by Zheng Tong''s confidants and some secret inquiries were bound to yield some results.


    "This is already the third incident of its kind recently. There have been even worse cases..." Luff added helplessly, "A few miners educated in night schools believed they had found the truth and organized a group called ''Miners'' Self-Rescue Team'' upon returning to their hometown.


    They easily gathered over 300 people, seized the town''s armory, and even managed to defeat the local Zheng forces¡ª300 of them wiping out an army of 500. And then... they even hung the Dragon Banner on the city walls..."


    Hearing this news, Nangong Hong widened his eyes in disbelief. Li''ao grew even more frustrated and exined, "Actually, it''s not that surprising; those miners are used to hard work and have a strongerbat capability than the pampered City Defense Forces."


    Yulin turned to Tang Mo and began to analyze, "The intelligence shows that the situation in Zheng Country is starting to slip out of our control. We underestimated the resolve of themon people to resist there, as well as the chaotic state of their administration.


    The people below didn''t think it was a big deal at first so they didn''t actively report it, which is why simr incidents have surged recently."


    "And it''s beyond our capability to manage," Li''ao sighed, admitting his mistake, "I am responsible, for being too hasty."


    Read new chapters at empire


    "Now, our main task in controlling the workers and farmers in Linshui City is not to incite their rebellious sentiments, but to try to quell their fervor for causing trouble," continued Yulin. "It''s like a powder keg that could blow up with a single spark."


    "The operatives there should report the truth," Li''ao added, "If we don''t remind each of them to calm down as much as possible and wait for our action, conflicts would have already erupted there."


    The Great Tang Group had greatly underestimated the impact of Zheng Country''s corruption and depravity on the livelihoods of its people; they''d been suffering for a long time under heavy exploitation and oppression.


    They were longing for someone to rescue them from their dire straits, for someone to offer them a bite to eat.


    Then, the Great Tang Group appeared, giving these miserable people hope, the hope to be Tang People, to continue living, living happily, living with dignity!


    "The high levels of Zheng Country are trying to investigate the situation in our infiltrated areas, and we''re doing our best to conceal the truth. But as time goes on, this approach is proving increasingly futile," admitted Li''ao, the head of intelligence, regretting his mistake.


    There were already not enough people nted inside Zheng Country, and a big part of them were upied with tasks like map drawing and bribing local officials, leaving very few to counter Zheng spies.


    Even so, with their ownbat prowess, the Great Tang Group intelligence personnel still thwarted over eighty percent of Zheng spies'' attempts to gather information.


    Unfortunately, no defense is impregnable; hoping topletely destroy the enemy''s intelligencework and totally block their vision was an unrealistic pipe dream.


    Therefore, Li''ao had to assume the worst: "The other side has roughly figured out some truths, although we still can''t be certain to what extent they''ve got control, but we can be sure that they are already taking countermeasures.


    Zheng Tong is dispatching his confidants to carry out more meticulous investigations near our controlled areas, and the Zhang Family there is also desperately trying to extract the information they want."

 Chapter 477 Plan 463 Dragon_2

    Military matters were reported by Luff, who continued with a report on the recent dynamics of Zheng Country''s troops, "On Li Jun''s side, our control is also declining, as he has realized the danger and has already moved his most trusted troops to guard crucial positions within Zheng Country."


    "The basic intelligence of these rulers is still there¡ªthey''ll ept bribes and eagerly intensify their actions without a moment''s hesitation. However, when ites to actually selling off their power, they be reluctant," Nangong Hongmented.


    Li''ao passed a new intelligence report to the center of the table, "Yes. There is intelligence indicating that the higher-ups in Zheng Country have begun to consider plundering nationwide by expropriating all factories and seizing the fruits of industrial victory."


    "Once Zheng Tong takes action, our losses will increase and our efforts to manage Zheng Country''s entire territory will be affected," Parker reminded with concern, responsible for overseeing industrial development.


    The Great Tang Group''s investment in Zheng Country has been staggeringlyrge, including roads as well as factories and schools, among other things. If Zheng Tong were to preemptively grab these assets, recapturing them would inevitably involve some losses.


    Retrieving even half would be considered very fortunate. This is something the industry-rich Great Tang Group was unwilling to try lightly.


    "What is the Staff Department''s opinion?" Tang Mo looked at the map hanging on the wall, followed the progress bar with maic cursors, and finally turned to look at Luff before asking.


    In fact, he already had his own answer and was only hoping to hear suggestions from his subordinates.


    Everyone present knew the answer because, during the discussion, everyone''s leanings were quite clear.


    Indeed, Luff provided the reply Tang Mo expected, "Start acting in advance, implement ''Dragon n'' before Zheng Tong makes his move."@@novelbin@@


    "Now?" Tang Mo''s gaze swept across every person seated on both sides of the table.


    "Now!" Luff continued to nod, once again giving a definitive answer.


    Tang Mo saw the resolute look in everyone''s eyes, nodded, and then said, "Alright, I will sign the order. Let Tagg takemand of the front lines."


    After speaking, he added, "The naval fleet will proceed as nned, head to Chen Country and exhibit deterrence! Tell them, if they dare to poach during our conquest of Zheng Country, I will bundle them together with Zheng Country for cleanup!"


    "Yes!" Luff stood up and saluted.


    Tang Mo also stood up, bringing the emergencybat meeting to a close, "Send a telegram to Tagg, begin implementing ''Dragon n''! The starting time... is the moment the telegram is sent."


    "For the victory of Great Tang!" Nangong Hong, unable to contain his excitement, quickly stood up and eximed loudly. Due to his vigorous movement, his chair scraped the floor, making a piercing noise.


    Following that, the scraping sounds of chairs on the floor erupted in session as everyone stood up, their chins raised and voices loudly chanting in unison, "For the victory of Great Tang!"


    ...


    "A top-secret telegram. From Dragon Ind," a female officer walked into Tagg''s office on Dongwan Ind, handing him the telegram from Dragon Ind while he was engaged in military affairs.


    Tagg took the telegram, nced at it briefly, and his eyes immediately sharpened.


    He grabbed the phone in front of him, turned the crank, "Connect me to the 1st Infantry Division headquarters!... This is Tagg! ''Dragon n'' has begun! Assemble the troops, embark within 10 hours!"


    "Yes!" After a firm response from the other end of the line, Tagg hung up the phone.


    Meanwhile, at the Navy Command, Bernard was also issuing embarkation orders to the 1st Marine Division.


    After hanging up the phone, he continued to issuemands, "Assemble the fleet! The Dongwan Ind detachment will cover the troopndings, while the main fleet will apany me northward to pay Chen Country a visit."


    "Doesn''t that mean we''ll miss thending battle?" The aide-de-camp asked with some regret, looking at hismanding officer.


    "There won''t be any decent sea battles..."mented Bernard, themander of the world''s strongest fleet: "Jade City No. 2 will arrive tomorrow, and we will rendezvous with it at sea."


    "Being invincible... sometimes gets boring," the aide-de-camp also sighed, having already witnessed the grandeur of the Jade City No. 1 Battleship. Now, they had two of such warships!


    Linshui City was almost defenseless, and Zheng Country''s naval fleet was practically a paper tiger. Even if they learned the full scope of ''Dragon n'' in advance, they wouldn''t have the strength to stop what was about to happen.


    The Great Tang Group''s first wave ofnding troops would most likely be transported directly to the port docks for unloading. The Zheng Country troops in Linshui City wouldn''t even put up any resistance.


    ording to the ns, this wasn''t really anding battle at all, but more akin to a routine operation of troop rotation. By the time divisions of troops had spread out in the hearnd of Zheng Country, King Zheng Tong would find the enemy at his doorstep.


    Along with the sound of whistles, soldiers started preparing their gear in the densely-packed barracks on Dongwan Ind.


    Counting soldiers conscripted from Northern Ridge and other areas, the troop presence of the Great Tang Group on Dongwan Ind had grown to a formidable force nearing 160,000 after such umtion over time. Your journey continues on empire


    Although mostly light infantry divisions ording to standard, theirbat power was still not something traditional troops couldpare with.

 Chapter 478 Plan 463 Dragon_3

    These troops were divided into 8 divisions in total, with 4 being main force divisions, namely the 1st Infantry Division, the 1st Motorized Infantry Division (formerly the 5th Division), the 1st Marine Division, and the 4th Infantry Division.


    There were also 4 light divisions, which were the newly formed 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Divisions.


    In recent months, the troops stationed on Dongwan Ind had been continuously training for cross-sea operations; everyone was anticipating the outbreak of war, and waiting for another opportunity to distinguish themselves.


    Unlike the capture of Dongwan Ind, this time was truly Great Tang''s nation-building battle, and everyone involved had the potential to gain the glory of the dragon! How could this not excite people? How could it not make them thrilled?


    Inside the port, huge cranes began to lift supplies onto the freighters, the sound of steam whistles echoed in the harbor, and the soldiers crowded on the docks stretched as far as the eye could see.


    In Brunas, Harry quickly made his way into the conference room and nodded slightly to the envoys of various nations. He walked to his own seat, paused for two seconds, and opened his mouth, "Gentlemen, the reason I''ve asked you here is to announce something..."


    After a slight hesitation, he continued to dere a fact to everyone, "I regret to inform you that a new war has begun; Great Tang Group has officially dered war on Zheng Country."


    As expected, this oue seemed to have been anticipated by everyone. There was no whispering, nor any disorderlymotion; everyone simply watched Harry, waiting for him to continue.


    Harry gave everyone a moment to digest the news and then went on, "My mentor, Mr. Tang Mo, will voluntarily renounce his title as Marquis of Laines Empire... He will dere himself king on Dragon Ind, the country name being ''Tang''."


    "In this war, Zheng Country will vanish from this world, and Great Tang Kingdom will take its ce. From this moment on, Great Tang Group will formally separate from Great Tang Kingdom, bing an independent industrial group, still maintaining a neutral stance with all nations.


    The provision of military supplies like armaments will remain unaffected; all treaties and contracts will continue as usual."


    Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    This news, seemingly more explosive than Great Tang Group''s invasion of Zheng Country, set the envoys from various countries into immediate hushed discussions after Harry had finished speaking.@@novelbin@@


    Great Tang Group continuing its neutrality was, strictly speaking, good news for everyone. At the very least, Great Tang Group would maintain a facade of fairness, continuing to supply weapons to all nations.


    Simrly, the establishment of Great Tang Kingdom was news worth pondering over for everyone: not using the title of Empire was clearly a result of thorough consideration within Great Tang Group¡ªTang Mo did not wish to provoke the Dahua Empire, and he also avoided the embarrassment of frivolously dering his own empire during such an awkward moment as an empire''s inaugural year.


    "Following this, the envoys of Great Tang Kingdom willmunicate with the distinguished special envoys present, and submit official documents..." After briefly outlining the situation, Harry concluded the meeting, "The specifics are too numerous and will be quiteplex. The process may take days, even months. I won''t waste any more of your time."


    "Thank you foring despite your busy schedules. Goodbye." With that, he left the conference room, leaving the special envoys whispering amongst themselves, abuzz with conversation.


    ---------


    Sorry, I''m still not feeling well, so there''s only one update...

 Chapter 479 464 scoops of rice and jug of soup

    A colossal vessel broke through the mist, its huge bulk docking at the slender pier. The gangway was slowly lowered, after which the people who had been eagerly awaiting on deck hastily disembarked.@@novelbin@@


    The first to walk down the gangway was a soldier, and behind him were still soldiers, a dense mass of them, one after another, forming silent ranks on the dock.


    They didn''t shout any slogans, simply lining up spontaneously, and once everyone was assembled, they immediately left with their weapons without looking back.


    Soon, an entire unit of soldiers had finished disembarking, including their weapons and a sufficient supply of ammunition to fight a battle.


    The crane lifted cars from the ship''s hold, followed by howitzers, and then boxes and boxes of ammunition secured together.


    Suddenly, at the neighboring dock, another cargo ship stabilized at its berth, and sailors coiled the ropes. The gangway of this massive vessel was also slowly lowered, and simrly, rows of soldiers disembarked in silence, as if worried about disturbing others, before departing from the port.


    An elderly woman setting up her breakfast stall that morning saw the troops leaving the port. She was stunned initially, but then a smile appeared on her face.


    She even stopped hawking her wares, simply spreading out her ingredients and frying golden-brown youtiao in her sizzling wok¡ªthis food item hade over from Dongwan Ind and was said to be very popr in Brunas.


    Initially, the recipe had spread from Tang Mo''s kitchen, andter it became the nobility''s favorite breakfast. Paired with soy milk, it was simply irresistible.


    What''s more, it came with a beautiful legend: the youtiao, golden in color like gold bars, so eating it was thought by some to bring a touch of Tang Mo''s wealth, thus it was also called "fried gold bars."


    So the tale spread further and wider, eventually bing a trend, and then a craze, transforming into a popr food for the masses. Stay updated through empire


    As the construction of Linshui City continued to improve, so did the quality of life for those who made their living around here, and as a result, such a breakfast began to gain poprity.


    In the past, such an extravagant breakfast would have been unimaginable, for even the main meals here were never so luxurious.


    But as everyone''s earnings increased and their standard of living improved, material desires rose ordingly. Shops selling clothing began to appear in the city, and in some wealthier households and in the buildings owned by the Great Tang Group, they even started using electric lights.


    Where there''s demand, there''s market, just like the egg pancakes sold outside schools; once summer or winter vacation ended, that vehicle would inevitably park there, rain or shine.


    "Come here, young man! Take this!" The olddy fearlessly offered the freshly fried youtiao to a passing soldier shouldering a gun.


    The soldier smiled and nodded, his blue eyes brimming with mirth as he declined, "Thank you, but no need! We''ve already had breakfast."


    Behind him, another person with ck eyes also gestured, "Taking themon people''s stuff is not right! Olddy, this area is not safe, you should hurry back home!"


    "Nonsense! I''ve been looking forward to this day, how could I possibly go back now?" The olddy knew that her youtiao were not to their taste; she casually set them aside, smiling as she watched the troops passing by her stall, as if she were looking at her own children.


    Early rising workers and some on their way to work also saw these troops emerging from the port; unexpectedly, they simply stood by the roadside, curiously observing the strange appearance of these troops they had never seen before.


    The soldiers all wore grayish-green uniforms, helmets on their heads, and vests covered in bulging pockets.


    Each soldier carried a backpack that looked veryrge and heavy, and their belts were hung with shovels, canteens, ration pouches, and bays.


    Of course, the ordinary citizens of Linshui City couldn''tprehend their gear, but the sight of their orderly march, and the forest-like gun barrels that swayed slightly with each step, instinctively filled onlookers with a sense of awe towards these troops.


    "p, p..." A dockworker nning to go to work at the pier couldn''t resist starting to p his hands at the sight of these troops.


    Ever since he had heard of the Great Tang Group and learned that a sinner would return to lead them to a better life, he had been looking forward to this day.


    Now that he had finally seen the troops of the Great Tang Group, and the arrival of the day when they woulde to rescue them, he excitedly pped his hands in wee to this majestic and orderly military force.


    After hearing the apuse, another passerby joined in pping their hands, and gradually more and more joined until cheers began to erupt.


    Curious people opened their windows, then shouts of excitement emerged, people brought out water pitchers, and some held cheap fruits; others even generously grabbed eggs.


    Offering modest food and drink to wee the king''s army!


    At the Lord''s Mansion, a guard rushed in frantically, reporting the news he had just received to his superior, "My lord, my lord! Trouble! Trouble! At the port, many foreign troops have suddenly appeared..."

 Chapter 480 464 scoops of rice and jug of soup_2

    ```


    He was in the middle of speaking when he pushed open the door and froze in ce, for the room was long since empty, not even the bedding or coverings remained¡ªthey had been neatly packed and taken away.


    It appeared thatst night, this venerable elder had already happily taken his million Gold Coins and gone off to enjoy his retirement.


    Not to mention that Linshui City had already lost the means to resist¡ªhaving soldiers and generals made no difference. This corrupt official, who pocketed no less than a million-plus Gold Coins, naturally couldn''t bring himself to stand against it.


    To speak frankly, had the Great Tang Group won, he might''ve retained a sliver of willingness to cooperate, but how would this corrupt official exin his actions to the higher-ups of Zheng Country if the Great Tang Group lost?


    So, at this moment, grabbing his bucket and running was clearly the right choice¡ªtake refuge in his estate outside the city toy low, and then decide, based on who emerged victorious, whether to flee to Dongwan Ind or return home to enjoy his fortune.


    The choice the Great Tang Group granted this old City Lord was actually quite nice, hence he very cooperatively vanished into the night without a hint of reluctance.


    The guard looked left and right, and finally came to his senses. He hurriedly left the house and sprinted home.


    Linshui City! The times are changing!


    While this guard was rushing home to pack his essentials and n his escape, within Linshui City''s barracks, the soldiers had already discarded the unappealing and quite impractical Zheng Country military uniforms, donning the Great Tang Group''s uniforms which had been prepared in advance.


    After such a long period of nning, if they still couldn''t control Linshui City''s defense forces, then the Dandelions of the Great Tang Group might as well quit and go back to school for remedial sses.


    The entire operation to seize Linshui City went extremely smoothly, not even a gunshot was heard. Civilians, who had long been iming themselves as Tang People in secret, quickly brought life back to the streets.


    Arge number of Troops directly left the city from the port side, with only a battalion symbolically marching down the streets to assert the Great Tang Kingdom''s sovereignty over the city.


    Right after that, the 1st Division of the Great Tang, who had justnded, immediately began to expand outward along the highways, the Soldiers embarking on a frenzied "attack."


    It was more of a hurried march than an attack. Even just by observing the chaos caused by the zealots, one could confirm that the majority of the local civilians supported the Tang Army.


    The invasion went so smoothly that the 1st Division of the Navy Marines once again "abandoned their helmets and armor," leaving their supplies scattered along the way.


    This honorable tradition of a certain division was once again upheld, as during several campaigns, the most consumed supplies weren''t weapons or ammunition, but canned food, bread, raincoats, and tents...


    The helpless Logistics division was even beginning to suggest reducing the ammunition carried by the Troops to increase their capacity to give aid to civilians...@@novelbin@@


    In any case, during the early stages of the Great Tang Group''s campaign to swallow Zheng Country whole, there were very few battles, and most Troops encountered no resistance at all.


    The Soldiers of the Great Tang Group, riding in vehicles through Zheng Country''s hearnd, rampaged down the highways. Whenever they passed a city, only a few men needed to be dispatched inside for a handover to im possession of that city.


    Stay tuned to empire


    On the day of thending, Tagg arrived at Linshui, and then he heard of the astonishing news that the 1st battalion of the 1st Motorized Division had run rampant for over 110 kilometers and captured 20 towns.


    "Are you kidding me? One battalion! They captured 20 towns?" Tagg took off his gloves and pped them on the desk where the City Lord once worked, incredulous as he looked at his adjutant for confirmation.


    "Yes, ording to their report, that''s what happened..." The adjutant felt helpless as he began to exin, "They''ve left roughly a squad in each location... The battlefield is too chaotic, and with limited telegraph machines, we haven''t been able topile an overall assessment of the battle zone."


    "Rash and overambitious... This could end badly." Tagg voiced his concern, "Tell all the advance units! All battalions must consolidate their forces!"


    Zheng Country might be a house ready to copse at a kick, but even so, when that house falls, it can still crush people!


    If such a vast Zheng Country couldn''t muster a few thousand capable fighting Troops, then the nation would''ve been finished long ago.


    While the Great Tang Group''s pration of Zheng Country''s coastal areas was highly sessful, to say that Zheng Country was entirely devoid of fighting strength was something even the most foolish person wouldn''t believe.


    Letting the frontline units be rash could lead to terrible losses! Tagg couldn''t let his men take risks¡ªthey were the elite nurtured by the Great Tang Group for a long time, and any loss would be heart-wrenching.


    "Yes!" The adjutant immediately responded to Tagg''smand.


    "Make it even stricter! Signal all advance units that if they encounter enemy counterattacks, they must retreat immediately! Do not engage where they stand! They must wait for backup to arrive! Only with artillery support can they engage in battle!" Holdingmand over the Great Tang''srgestbat force, Tagg felt he couldn''t be too cautious, and so he issued an even stricter order.


    The adjutant nodded and responded once more, "Yes, General! I will convey yourmand at once!"


    ...


    At the outskirts of King City of Zheng Country, outside a workshop, dozens of Soldiers blocked the entrance. An officer held the edict from the King, proiming the nationalization of the premises.


    "How can you do this? This is the business my family amassed over three generations; if you''re going to take it, the least you could do is give us an exnation, right?" A young man, supporting an old man gasping in anger, pleaded with those unreasonable Soldiers.


    ```

 Chapter 481 464 scoops of rice and jug of soup_3

    They believed they had given sufficient bribes to officials and thought that even just outside King City, there must be some rule ofw. They paid taxes on time yet suffered from extortion, so they felt there should at least be a way to survive.


    But the truth was cruel: despite their efforts, they still ended up with nothing¡ªlike chickens flying and eggs smashed.


    "Make way! This ce now belongs to Zheng Country!" the leading officer said with a smirk, shouting without any hesitation.


    This time, Zheng Tong''s order to them was to confiscate those factories and workshops, turning them all into his private property. His decree was very vague, giving his subordinates a lot of room to maneuver when carrying out his orders.


    Originally, Zheng Tong had intended to conscript heavy industry workshops, including metallurgy and steel furnaces, gun and cannon foundries¡ªto support his military preparations.


    But as his subordinates executed the orders, the oue changed; profitable civilian workshops naturally suffered the same fate.


    The workshop before them was just like that. They were thergest leather processing workshop near King City, boasting over 1000 craftsmen. Making money was certainly possible.


    With a hastily found excuse¡ªiming the site could be a production ce for military belts¡ªZheng Tong''s trusted guards appropriated the workshop for themselves.


    Around King City, not a single notable workshop was spared! Vinegar brewers, salt dryers, weavers, millers¡ªall were forcibly conscripted, turned into private property of the royal family.


    Amid the chaos, Zheng Tong had thoroughly lost the hearts of the merchants this time. Zhang Ming hurried to request an audience, but Zheng Tong ignored him under the guise of another excuse, leaving the entire King City in a state of panic.


    They were unaware that Linshui City had already changed rulers; they didn''t know that in many ces the Dragon Banner was already flying high. But as time passed, they would eventually find out¡ªa storm wasing.


    As Zheng Tong sent his confidants to take control of evenrger factories further afield, Zhang Ming finally got his chance to face Zheng Tong. Enjoy more content from empire


    This powerful official, although a threat to Zheng Tong''s royal authority, still had some capabilities. Upon meeting, he immediately advised Zheng Tong, "Your Majesty! Doing this, I fear you may harm the people''s sentiment!"


    "The country is in imminent danger! Without taking extraordinary measures, I have no other choice," Zheng Tong snorted, defending his actions.


    Thinking about the intelligence reports he had gathered, Zhang Ming knew that if Zheng Tong didn''t take action now, he might never get the chance. So he nodded and didn''t pursue the matter further, speaking up, "Since Your Majesty has made a decision, your servant has nothing to add! As Your Majesty said, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures...


    however, I suggest we ''invite'' Minister Pang Tong here to discuss the next steps."


    He deliberately emphasized the word "invite," the implication couldn''t be clearer. First, he didn''t trust this suddenly emergent Minister Pang; second, he truly believed that since so many factories had fallen into royal hands, someone should manage and n them thoroughly.


    Hearing what Zhang Ming said, Zheng Tong was somewhat pleased. In his view, at least Zhang Ming still had some patriotic spirit, so his tone softened quite a bit, "Good! Someone! Go invite Minister Pang here!"


    "Your Majesty!" Before the messenger could leave, a military officer rushed in, kneeling on one knee and urgently reporting, "Just now, just now, the¡ªMinister Pang''s residence has caught fire!"


    "What?" Zheng Tong stood up abruptly from his seat, ring fiercely at his subordinate upon hearing the news.@@novelbin@@


    Zhang Ming was also taken aback, then his brow furrowed¡ªit was all too coincidental; why did Minister Pang''s house catch fire just as the operation to confiscate factories began?


    "What exactly happened? Speak!" Zheng Tong also realized something was amiss, and filled with anger, he sternly demanded an exnation.


    The military officer steeled his heart and spoke the truth, "Your Majesty, the¡ªthe fire was set by the Duke of the State; he¡ªhe imed that Your Majesty had been bewitched by Minister Pang, and that¡ª that led to the confusion, to seize his¡ªhis iron factory..."


    "What?" Upon hearing that it was his own rtive who, in a fit of rage, had set someone else''s house on fire, Zheng Tong waspletely stunned.


    Minister Pang''s strategy to collect civilian funds to open factories was no secret, and the Duke of the State had also profited from opening an iron factory, riding on the coat-tails of the policy.


    But of course, the subsequent conscription operation was confidential, which Zheng Tong would never reveal beforehand. Not many people knew about the Duke of the State''s investment in the iron factory, who had nned on quietly making a fortune... hence, the debacle urred.


    In an instant, Zhang Ming couldn''t tell whether this incident was a coincidence or part of a grand conspiracy.


    He approached the guard and asked, "Tell me, where is Minister Pang now? Why has he note to report this to His Majesty?"


    The guard nced at Zheng Tong, lowered his head, and replied, "Responding to the Prime Minister... I also couldn''t find Minister Pang..."


    "Find him immediately! I must see him alive, or his body if he''s dead!" Zheng Tong snapped out of it, mmed the table, and ordered, "Go quickly! Take as many people as needed!"


    Just then, another officer stumbled in, shouting in terror, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! A telegram from Great General Li! Linshui¡ªLinshui City... it''s lost!"


    "What!" Zhang Ming was shocked beyond measure.


    "What?" Zheng Tong took three steps in two to approach, snatching the telegram, and reading the contents clearly.


    Originally, Zheng Tong had dispatched Li Jun to Linshui to personally oversee the seizure of thergest industrial area near Linshui Port in Zheng Country.


    But who would have thought that Li Jun would hear news of Linshui being upied by Great Tang Group while on his way there?


    "It''s over..." A thought shed through Zhang Ming''s mind.


    "This, this..." Zheng Tong staggered, supported by a nearby guard, barely keeping his bnce.


    Amidst the chaos, the war between the Great Tang Kingdom and Zheng Country broke out.


    --------


    Dragon Spirit is still recovering from illness, feeling weak, and can only update one chapter. Please forgive the sparse updates; it seems like the debt of owed chapters is growing.


    Being ill, my appetite isn''t great, and because I''m not in a good mood, I had a light dinner¡ªBBQ ribs, stewed beef, braised prawns, eggnt in soy sauce, shredded potatoes, marinated duck gizzards, stir-fried cabbage, raw fish slices, fried meatballs, and peanuts... and even drank a bottle of c...

 Chapter 482 Battle of Tongcheng 465

    Unlike the expedition to Dongwan Ind, this time the troops of Tang Mo had stockpiled their supplies on Dongwan Ind, so their speed of being dispatched to the front lines became much faster.


    The earlier deployment in Zheng Country, the secretly stockpiled supplies, the locals volunteering as guides, and the extensivework of roads, all made the advance of the Tang Army more convenient and swift.


    Through the sea route between Dongwan Port and Linshui Port, Tagg effortlessly transported his 1st Motorized Infantry Division and the 1st Infantry Division across the strait, and soon more troopspleted the transfer.


    Counting the 1st Division of the Marine Corps and the 4th Division of the Army, Tagg had managed tond four divisions on the coast of Zheng Country without muchbat.


    Thebat effectiveness of these troops was not something ordinary units could match; these main force units were basically full divisions nearing 20,000 personnel each, and the number of artillery pieces equipped by a single division could exceed that of an entire country in the past.


    Responsible for the amphibiousnding, Tagg did not want to easily send the 1st Marine Division to the front lines for consumption, so he held this navy unit back, not allowing them to participate in subsequent battles.


    Most of this division''s troops were now stationed around Linshui Port, and because they could not be equipped with arge number of vehicles, this amphibiousnding force did not have the capability for long-distance, rapid marches onnd.


    Tagg deployed the remaining three divisions in three main directions: to the far south was the rtively weakest 4th Division, pushing southward all the way to the border between Zheng Country and Chu Country.


    The attack to the north was led by the rtively faster 1st Motorized Division, the unit with the most vehicles and fastest advancement; their mission was to quickly push to the northern region of Zheng Country and secure the border with Qi Country.


    The remaining division was Tagg''s originalmand, the strongest 1st Infantry Division. Tagg ordered them to advance westward, directly towards the direction of Zheng Country''s King City.


    For the follow-up troops, Tagg also made arrangements; the simrly stronger 5th and 6th Divisions were considered as reserves, advancing westward behind the 1st Division, with the 7th Division heading north, and the 8th Division south, serving as reserves for the 1st Motorized Infantry Division and the 4th Division, respectively.


    From north to south, Tagg''s formation was arranged as 232, a total of seven divisions of operational troops. If necessary, there were two additional divisions in the process of being formed on Dongwan Ind that could be sent as reinforcements at any time, namely the 9th and 10th Divisions.


    Blocking the way of these troops, the main force of the Zheng Army was about 200,000 strong, with 50,000 deployed on the border with Chu Country, and another 70,000 or so garrisoned on the northern border with Qi Country.


    In other words, the Zheng troops that could be immediately brought into the battle amounted to only about 80,000 at most,pletely at a disadvantage in terms of personnel.


    In the hands of Zheng Country''s Great General Li Jun, there were only 40,000 men, and most of these troops were not yet ready forbat.


    Inparison to Great Tang, the level of industrialization in Zheng Country was too low; most of the weapons and equipment they had nned to produce themselves could not be fully deployed in time due to production capacity issues.


    Moreover, due to reasons such as corruption and dys, the equipment modernization of the Zheng Army was not even one thirdplete.


    In fact, of the troops under the main force of Li Jun, only about half were equipped with the Shireck Type 1 bolt-action rifles purchased from Shireck, and a small number of breech-loading cannons.


    In addition, Zheng Country had another rtively formidable force, the Imperial Guards of Zheng Tong stationed at King City, whose weapons were more advanced and training levels higher.


    Beyond these two units, the majority of Zheng Country''s army was still equipped with flintlock muskets and muzzle-loading cannons, making theirbat effectiveness quite aughable matter.


    As the Great General of Zheng Country, Li Jun was still able to hold the passes and stabilize the defense lines. To say that his military prowess was divine would be less urate than to say the troops of Great Tang had voluntarily halted their advance.


    Concerned that his own troops might suffer a sudden counterattack, Tagg prudently ordered his troops to stop their advance and wait for the follow-up forces.


    On Li Jun''s side, he reported a great victory to Zheng Tong; he had sessfully stopped Tang Army''s advance and stabilized his own defense lines.


    Afterward, the first true battle of this war broke out, with both sides vying for control of the central stronghold of Tongcheng in Zheng Army''s defense line.


    Tongcheng, located roughly in the center of Zheng Country and named for the surrounding copper mines, had numerous mines and therefore many factories, making it a ce of great importance for Zheng Country.


    Li Jun had deployed 10,000 elite troops there, equipped with the Shireck Type 1 bolt-action rifles and supported by 30 breech-loading field cannons. The defenders reinforced the city walls and also deployed defensive fortifications on the outskirts.


    The attacking forces from Great Tang consisted of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 1st Infantry Division, with abined force of over 7,000 soldiers, in addition to strengthened artillery support,pletely overwhelming the Zheng Country defenders in firepower.


    The two sides engaged in a fierce artillery battle; Li Jun''s elites desperately resisted, and after an entire day of intense fighting, Tang Army annihted the Zheng forces and captured Tongcheng at the cost of 17 dead and more than 110 wounded.


    The battle was almost a one-sided ughter; the Zheng forces werepletely crushed during the artillery exchange.


    The performance of Shireck''s 130mm field howitzer was no match for the 105mm caliber howitzer from the Great Tang Group, and the gap in performance meant that Great Tang Group''s artillerymen were able to continually suppress the Zheng Army''s gunners.


    ```


    In addition, the artillerymen of the Great Tang Group had even more powerful 155mm caliber howitzers at their disposal, firepower so devastating it could truly be described as earth-shattering.


    A typical Zheng Army position would nearly copse after just one hit from a 155mm howitzer shell.


    If they did not abandon their position and retreat immediately, they would suffer a second strike¡ªenduring the terror of an entire position quaking in an explosion was not something every soldier could withstand.


    The infantry firepower was also unevenly matched; the Zheng Army hardly had any machine guns, let alone submachine guns, and their bolt-action rifles were no match for the automatic weapons in the trenches wielded by the troops of the Great Tang Group.


    Stay connected through empire


    The most tragic part was that most of the Zheng Country''s forces didn''t even have the chance to hide in trenches and engage the Great Tang Group''s troops in closebat; they were bombarded by artillery before the Tang Army even charged.


    The Tang Army fully leveraged its equipment advantage, turning the Zheng Army''s deployment into aplete joke. The reinforced walls fortified by the Zheng Army crumbled effortlessly under artillery fire, and their amateurishly constructed defensive fortifications outside the city were of little use.


    Lacking modern warfare experience, the Zheng Army suffered heavy losses under the Tang Army''s assault, finally realizing the vast gulf in firepower between them in the face of mounting casualties.


    It wasn''t just therge-caliber howitzers; the Tang Army also equipped a substantial number of mortars for additional firepower. These flexible but potent weapons were the Zheng Country military''s nightmare.


    Although Li Jun had stationed a significant force at Tongcheng and defended from a position of advantage, these troops quickly crumbled under the fierce bombardment from the Great Tang Group''s forces.


    Li Jun''s trusted general, the valiant warrior Lu Fang of Zheng Country, was killed on the ramparts, and the 3,000-strong "Li Family Army," Li Jun''s most loyal troops, werepletely annihted.


    Having lost Tongcheng, the Zheng Country forces were at a total disadvantage; what was once a cohesive defensive line suddenly had a breach in the central area, prompting an immediate retreat across the board.


    The biggest problem was that the armaments stored in Tongcheng became spoils for the Tang Army, and with the loss of a significant amount of supplies and baggage, the nearby Zheng forces were effectively incapable of furtherbat.


    Simultaneously, the mines, ore processing, and metal smelting facilities around Tongcheng, including the Tongcheng ammunition factory and other ordnance factories, had all fallen into the hands of the Tang Army.


    Li Jun did not believe that the remaining forces under hismand had the capability to counterattack the Tang Army and recapture the vital Tongcheng ordnance factories.@@novelbin@@


    Knowing his limitations, General Li immediately led his troops toward King City in a disordered retreat, not bothering to protect the rear.


    Following this, the Tang Army captured over 10,000 fleeing enemy soldiers, achieving a great victory at Tongcheng. With Li Jun''s troops retreating, the nearby Zheng forces immediately showed their true colors, scattering like birds and beasts under the Tang Army''s offensive.


    What began as an 80,000 against 60,000 battlefield in the central region suddenly became 30,000 against 60,000. The Zheng Army''s negligible numerical superiority waspletely obliterated.


    Even after rallying the over 20,000 royal guards stationed at Zheng Country''s King City, the military strength in the central region of Zheng Country was only about 50,000. Meanwhile, with the arrival of the 5th and 6th Divisions, the Tang Army now deployed over 60,000 troops in the central region.


    As Tagg put it, he had never fought such a well-provisioned war before! For the first time in the main offensive direction, the Tang Army had a numerical advantage!


    Having captured Tongcheng, Tagg did not rush to advance toward King City; instead, he turned his attention to the southern and northern regions.


    Thanks to the Great Tang military''s victory at Tongcheng, the resolve of Zheng Country''s border troops wavered. Considering their futures, the frontiermanders seriously reconsidered the offer made by the Great Tang Group.


    On the seventh day of the hostilities, 50,000 border troops in the southern region of Zheng Countryid down their arms and surrendered to the Great Tang Kingdom. As per the agreement, they did not abandon their positions but continued to hold the border until the end of the war.


    Two dayster, having received assurances of safety, 70,000 border troops in the northern region of Zheng Country announced their surrender to the Great Tang Kingdom. Tang Mo, achieving his goal, took control of the border region and firmly held Zheng Country in his grasp.


    Today, only the area around King City continues to resist Zheng Country. Meanwhile, the 1st, 5th, and 6th Divisions of the Tang Army have begun their advance toward the vicinity of Zheng Country''s King City.


    Tagg, who in less than 13 days hadpletely encircled Zheng Country''s King City and upied nearly the entire country, unexpectedly slowed down.


    He decelerated the advance of his troops, taking firm and steady actions without overreaching, and by the 22nd day of the war, had advanced to the outskirts of Zheng Country''s King City.


    Although slower than Redman in the conquest of the Kingdom of Germelin, this pace of advance still reminded the world of a name: "Tagg."


    ----------


    Due to health issues, I will be taking some time to rest and will only be able to update once for now. My apologies to my dear readers.


    ```

 Chapter 483 Battle of King City 466

    A military vehicle wobbled to a stop at the roadside; an officer d in a greyish-green coat jumped out of the car, took out a cigarette case from his pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and ced it in his mouth.


    Another officer in the car rubbed his eyes, then stretchedzily, his hands hitting the roof of the car. He instinctively shrank back and askednguidly, "Where are we now?"


    "About 10 kilometers ahead, Zheng Country''s King City," the officer who had gotten out struck a match, lit his cigarette, and replied as he released a puff of smoke.


    He hadn''t slept for two days and had been pushing on continuously; it was almost his limit, as well as that of his unit. Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "The first battalion''s firstpany should be about 4 kilometers ahead, and the secondpany is right behind us... Has the thirdpany reached its designated position?" The officer inside the car took out a map from his bag, spread it on his knees to have a look, and continued with a hint of irritation.


    The map in his hand had just been recently updated. Although it was more urate, it was still quite crude. On this map, there were only rough indications of the surrounding terrain, at most serving as a reference formand.


    Therefore, afterparing his surroundings with the map, he finally managed to identify a distant mountain. After ncing at the deserted vige ahead, where not a soul could be seen, he scratched his head inint, "This damned map..."


    The vige by the roadside where they had stopped appeared deserted due to the war, with only a few disorderly, dpidated houses remaining.


    Signs of troop encampments could still be seen around these long-neglected homes, likely left by Zheng Country''s military, because Great Tang Group''s camps would never be in such disarray.


    Finally seizing the chance to smoke, the officer leaned against the car door,fortably exhaled another lungful of smoke, and chuckled, "Be content, we''re working with newly surveyed ones. If we were using the old maps, we''d probably be lost by now."


    "Might as well be lost now..." sighed the officer in the car again dejectedly. His troops were scattered in disarray as they hurried to encircle Zheng Country''s King City at the fastest speed¡ªa formidable 210 kilometers in just two days!


    As the first motorized infantry division created by Great Tang Group, his unit had the highest number of vehicles, including cars and new motorcycles, thus they were considered the most fuel-consuming front-linebat unit.


    However, the investment was ultimately worth it. His motorized infantry division maneuvered from the north, taking a roundabout route and finally encircled Zheng Country''s King City ahead of the scheduled time, drawing a huge circle of containment on the map.


    With this enclosure in ce, the neighboring Dahua Empire had no means to rescue Zheng Country, thereby eliminating any chance for Zheng Country''sst-ditch struggle.


    It was because of their bold nking maneuver that Zheng Country was caughtpletely by surprise, unable to react before it was trapped.


    As they spoke, a truck loaded with soldiers wobbled as it caught up and then paused beside the small car.


    The passenger door of the truck was pushed open; painted on the wooden door was a dragon emblem, next to which was an internal code for the unit it belonged to.


    A sergeant jumped down from the truck, ran up to the stopped car, and saluted, "Sir! The road conditions are very poor! Please be careful and do not leave the protective range of the security troops!"


    "Alright! Alright! I got it! I got it!" The smoking officer smiled, waved his hand, and said, "Do you see that small vige over there? Set up division headquarters there!"


    "Yes! Understood!" Following the smoking officer''s pointing finger, the securitypany''s sergeant promptly saluted.


    Behind him, soldiers were already hopping down from the truck one by one, starting to set up a perimeter watch in the surrounding area.


    For ease of production and to save on materials, many parts of Great Tang Group''s military trucks were made of wood.


    The doors of the trucks were wooden, and so were the rearpartments, which saved arge amount of steel and allowed the maximum utilization of different materials.@@novelbin@@


    Of course, this also had its disadvantages, as it affected the service life of the vehicles. Metal doors, roofs, andpartments were of course more durable and could provide better protection under certain circumstances.


    But in order to equip the troops with more trucks in a short time, engineers from Great Tang Group decided to manufacture many parts of their trucks out of wood.


    Soon, more vehicles arrived at the location, including trucksden with petrol generators, others transporting wireless telegraph equipment, and then more security troops came.


    Soldiers began to build defensive instations for guard duty around them. Some were digging trenches, while others were setting up machine gun posts behind them for cover.


    Themander of the security battalion finally caught up and then went off toin to his superiors in the division. His unit was responsible for the security of the division headquarters, but as they moved, the seniormanders of the division were all too easily lost.


    On the way here, at many times, only a single security squad would be following the divisionmander''s car. Should they encounter enemy stragglers, the consequences were unimaginable.

 Chapter 484 Battle of King City 466_2

    ```


    Therefore, upon seeing the Chief of Staff resting in the vige, themander of the guard battalion began toin: "Chief of Staff, if something happens, how do I exin it to General Tagg?"


    "I will have a good talk with him, make him pay attention to his safety," the Chief of Staff replied. While he spoke, a female officer from the division headquarters passed by, carrying arge stack of documents.


    "Chief of Staff, the 2nd Battalion made contact! I have marked their position on the map," another officer who followed the female officer reported as he passed by the Chief of Staff.


    The already busy Chief of Staff nodded, then pulled out a map from the clutter on the folding table to check the positions on it.


    The entire division was in disarray... Many troops were still unounted for. However, the good news was that those found had already reached their assigned positions.


    On the other end of Zheng Country''s King City, the 155 mm howitzers of the 1st Infantry Division were bombarding the walls of King City from 10 kilometers away.


    The heavy shellsnded near the city walls, with one directly exploding at the base, toppling a thick segment of the wall.


    The fractured stones of the wall broke and tumbled, several soldiers stationed at the top were killed by the artillery fire, and the surrounding Zheng soldiers panicked as they passed under the copsing wall, quickly disappearing into the rolling dust.


    "What do we do now? What do we do now?" Zheng Tong, watching the smoking walls in the distance, questioned Li Jun and Zhang Ming at his side.@@novelbin@@


    Zhang Ming looked towards Li Jun, curious himself about what ns the Great General of Zheng Country could possibly have to address the crisis at hand.


    "I have already ordered the troops to set up a defensive perimeter; based on thebat manual provided by Shireck, we dug trenches and reinforced artillery at key positions," Li Jun replied,petently and properly, indeed a capablemander.


    He had actually not seen these tactics before, but after suffering several setbacks, he decisively began to use the new methods outlined by Shireck.


    In addition, he deployed arge number of soldiers in the workshops and factory halls outside the Royal Pce and was prepared to contest these vital industrial facilities with the Tang Army.


    "Is there any news from the envoy we sent to Dahua for reinforcements?" Zheng Tong then turned to Zhang Ming at his side and asked.


    Zhang Ming immediately bowed his head: "Your Majesty! There''s no news yet! However, there was information earlier that the road to Dahua was cut off, in chaos, with Tang Army everywhere¡­"


    "We''ve fallen into the enemy''s trap!" If Zheng Tong hadn''t figured out by now that the strategy proposed by Pang Tong was actually poison for Zheng Country, he wouldn''t be fit to be the king of Zheng Country.


    Thus, he did not me Li Jun; the fact that the Great General of Zheng Country could lead troops back to the King City to enforce loyalty was already satisfying to him.


    "Order the troops to hold! As long as we hold on, the Imperial forces from the Dahua Empire will arrive! Just hold on... and there will be a way!" Zheng Tong then looked at Li Jun and ordered, "Open the treasury! Reward the three armies! Those who fight with dedication will have their rewards in the future!"


    Li Jun immediately nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty! I will fight to thest soldier, never retreat half a step!"


    He intended to have his troops use buildings and cover to fight against the Tang Army encircling the King City. He believed he roughly had 50,000 troops at his disposal; while he thought this might not be enough to counterattack the Tang Army, it should be more than sufficient for defending the Royal Pce.


    So, after assuring Zheng Tong of his determination to hold out to thest moment, the Zheng Army continued, "Although the enemy has begun shelling the city walls, they haven''t bombarded the Royal Pce... they must be wary of damaging equipment, reluctant to attack the civilians inside the city... Your Majesty, leave this to me, go back to the Royal Pce and rest..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, artillery shells whistled over his head, with the Tang Army''s shells flying over the battlements and into the city, urately striking Zheng Tong''s Royal Pce.


    A massive explosion destroyed the Royal Pce''s wall and copsed several buildings; thick smoke rose from the pce, and even mes could be glimpsed among it.


    "Quick! Put out the fire!" Zhang Ming was stunned, then was the first to snap out of it, crying out with a sob in his voice.


    ```


    ```


    Li Jun also reacted, immediatelymanding a general by his side, "Quick! Go put out the fire! You personally lead people to put out the fire! Protect the Royal Pce! Don''t let chaos break out!"


    Following his order, the general hurriedly clutched his waist saber and rushed toward the Royal Pce with a few soldiers. On the streets, themon people were ducking for cover, heart-stricken and unsure of what to do.


    This was the first time the Tang Army had shelled targets within the city, and it also meant they were getting closer and closer to King City.


    Zheng Tong, who had never felt the pressure of war up close, now had a particrly ugly look on his face. Previously, his experience had been limited to seeing smoke and hearing the sound of cannons, but now he had truly seen the Royal Pce, his Royal Pce, being destroyed by artillery fire.


    Earlier, for safety, Zheng Tong had followed Li Jun''s advice and moved his headquarters to a separate courtyard, away from the main target of the Royal Pce.


    But as the bombardment continued, both Li Jun and Zheng Tong realized that the Tang Army seemed never to shell the Royal Pce of Zheng Country.


    That''s why Li Jun had only just convinced Zheng Tong to return to the Royal Pce to issuemands. But the Tang Army, which had never before shelled the King City, suddenly bombarded the Royal Pce today.


    Suddenly, chaos began to spread. The Zheng Army stationed outside the city hadn''t even had time to check the copsed walls behind them when the Tang Army''s attack began.


    Next to the vine-covered walls, there was a hastily dug trench by the Zheng Army forces. The soldiers from Zheng Country huddled inside the trench, holding their heads and curling up as shells fell around their positions.


    The vibrations eventually caused the already unstable walls to copse, and with one explosion after another gradually receding, the Tang Army soldiers dispersed and advanced toward the Zheng Army''s position.


    Amidst the gunpowder smoke, a Zheng Country soldier poked his head out from the trench, spotted the Tang Army soldiers who had alreadye close to their position, and immediately withdrew his head.


    "This is bad! The enemy, the enemy ising over here!" The young Zheng Country soldier pressed his voice to the lowest and shouted with all his might.


    Hearing the warning, the Zheng Army soldiers inside the trench quickly chose their positions, poked their heads out, and then their weapons, ready to pull the trigger on those approaching enemies.


    But before they could open fire, bullets from the sniper rifles flying toward them sent those Zheng Country soldiers back into the trench.


    The shot soldier fell on his back, with a hole in his forehead. Seeing theirrade''s head blown open, the remaining Zheng Country soldiers all pulled their heads back, no longer daring to look out carelessly and see how the situation was changing.


    Not everyone has the courage to expose their head to a sniper, let alone the opposite side wasn''t just one sniper! It was a group!


    While these terrified Zheng Country soldiers were huddling in the trench, arguing with their eyes over who should take a peek to scope out the situation, the Tang Army soldiers crawling forward outside the trench had alreadye very close.


    Carefully withdrawing grenades from beside them, the Tang Army soldiers in pairs pulled the pins from the grenades and then released the safety lever.


    The dyed fuses started to work, and after mentally counting to two, the soldiers threw their grenades forward together.


    Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Explosions suddenly resounded above the heads of the Zheng Army soldiers hiding in the trench, and the soil lifted by the sts fell upon them.


    Due to the explosions, one after another, the thrown soil seemed to be burying all the people alive in the trench.


    At that moment, at the foot of a Zheng Country soldier, a round grenade tumbled and rolled to the side of his shoe


    ---------


    Brothers, Dragon Spirit is ill and needs a couple of days to recover, so for now we''ll just have one update. Once the illness is over, I will make up the updates.


    ```

 Chapter 485 467 seven days

    This was thetest model of general-purpose hand grenade produced by the Great Tang Group, smaller than the previously used stick grenades to facilitate soldiers carrying them and reduce the logistical support pressure.


    Although stick grenades could be thrown farther and could prevent rolling uponnding, they were far toorgepared to the egg-shaped grenades, taking up a significant amount of transport volume and increasing usage costs.


    Moreover, for individual soldiers, carrying egg-shaped grenades was obviously easier than carrying stick grenades, and they could carry more of them in rtive terms.


    The troops of Zheng Country had clearly never seen such a round explosive, so when one soldier saw something fall at his feet, his first reaction was to look at the object engraved with horizontal and vertical lines.


    The next second, as the fuse ran out of time, the grenade exploded inside the trench, creating a storm of metal.


    mes and shock waves mixed with the splintered grenade casing, rampaged through the trench, and engulfed the crowded Zheng Army soldiers.


    A few seconds after the explosion, a Great Tang soldier somersaulted into the trench, holding his Thompson submachine gun at the ready, and warily scanned for movement within the trench.


    "Ah..." moaned a Zheng soldier overturned by the grenade, lying in the trench with a shrapnel-pierced leg, blood gushing profusely. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    In fact, he could no longer hear his own cries, with only buzzing in his ears. But he knew he was wounded and hoped to exchange with arade to save his dying self.


    Unfortunately, most of hisrades could not hear his groans anymore, with bodies lying haphazardly in the trench, the living dazedly trying to regain their senses.


    "Help!" Farther away, a Zheng soldier called for help, his injuries less severe as he had already sat up.


    But his cries only drew bullets from the already trench-prating Tang soldiers. At the other end of the trench, the Tang assault trooper who had just rolled in raised his submachine gun and began to fire indiscriminately.


    "Ratatatat!" As the gunsmoke had not yet cleared, the Thompson submachine gun breathing fire spat out bullets like rain into the chaotic crowd of Zheng soldiers.


    Instantly there was a scene of chaos!


    The Zheng soldier who had just sat up took a bullet to the chest andy down promptly; those squatting at a distance couldn''t even stand before they too were felled by gunfire.


    Seeing the enemy approaching, the Zheng soldiers frantically worked the bolts of their weapons, only to be cut down before they couldplete the action.


    The most unlucky of the Zheng soldiers raised his hands in fright but was not spared by the merciless bullets; blood mist sprayed from his chest as he fell.


    Finally, the gunfire ceased, and the remaining Zheng soldiers all raised their hands. They dropped their weapons and could only watch as their enemies changed magazines and as more enemy troops entered the trench, cornering them.


    On the battlefield, the sound of artillery fire continued, but it was gradually moving away from this location. Elsewhere, the battle was still ongoing, and the adaptation to new tactics created a stark divide in casualties between the two sides.


    Though the Zheng Army had managed to learn trench warfare at thest moment, they hadn''t truly adapted to such tactics.


    Huddled in the trenches, the soldiers had no tactical experience to counter and werepletely outmatched by the Tang Army troops, who had always been trained in modern warfare.


    To make matters worse, these Zheng soldierscked the support of heavy weapons; their artillery, both in number and quality, were not capable of helping them hold the line and maintain trench stability.


    In parts of the battlefield without automatic weapons, the Zheng Army was entirely outmatched,cking machine guns to provide continuous fire support, rendering soldiers hidden in trenches like rats in sheer survival mode.


    Even in closebat within the trenches, soldiers just equipped with new rifles for a few months were no match for Great Tang soldiers armed with submachine guns.


    At best, they might get off a shot if they were lucky in the trenches; if not, they had to rely on bays to counter the Great Tang Group''s submachine guns.


    The disparities in firepower density were like night and day; by the time the Zheng Army managed one shot, the Great Tang Group could have fired dozens of bullets and several artillery shells...


    Facing an imposing force built upon a foundation of gold coins against natives who were entirely unaware of modern warfare was essentially a cakewalk of capturing prisoners.


    The Zheng Army stationed in the workshop area outside the city was also elite, with brave individuals who, armed only with their bays, inflicted casualties on the Great Tang Troops.


    During the capture of a bullet factory on the outskirts of King City, hundreds of Zheng Army soldiers holding bays were ready to engage the Great Tang Group in a melee. In fact, they did seed.


    Surrounding several factories, at the cost of their entire force, they wiped out an infantry squad from the Great Tang Group... Once the main force of the infantrypany this squad belonged to arrived, the battle became utterly one-sided.@@novelbin@@


    Furious, the Great Tang Troops subsequently employed more conservative machine gun follow-up push tactics and advanced 400 meters in one breath, capturing not a single prisoner.


    This battle, more like bloody retribution, made the Zheng Army shudder in fear. After fighting intensely all day, by evening, the Zheng Army hadpletely withdrawn from the battle zone, retreating close to the city walls.


    More forces deployed around King City from Zheng Country ultimately chose to surrender. The several units of the Tang Army besieging King City captured nearly 10,000 Zheng Army prisoners after just one day ofbat.


    In the battle, the Tang Army also killed at least 3,000 Zheng soldiers, which meant that on the first day of fiercebat, about a quarter of the Zheng Army defending King City had been annihted!


    Inside King City, when Zheng Tong learned about the severity of the battle situation, he became somewhat hysterical. He couldn''t believe that in just over a month, he had gone from a revitalizing leader to a monarch of a perishing nation.


    Just over a month ago, he was still clutching at tax revenues he dared not even think about in the past and had many more new recruits than before, dreaming of his grand ambitions...


    But in the blink of an eye, he was now trapped in a besieged city, with the Royal Pce already bombed into ruins, and enemy des and guns were mere kilometers away!


    "How long... how much longer can we hold on?" asked Zheng Tong, who would tremble with each nearby artillery st, looking towards Li Jun, whose face was equally pale, with an irritating question.


    Li Jun, rubbing the back of his hand, stared at the map of the city''s defense deployment and replied with difficulty, "Morale could copse at any moment, so it''s hard to say... However, we could hold out for at most seven more days."


    "So soon?" Zhang Ming was shocked, looking at Li Jun. He and Li Jun had fought over power and profit all their lives, but at this moment, he found that it was still this old rival who could be of some use at a critical time.


    The rest of the ministers had either fled or hid, and now there were few to be found! Some had long since taken their families and turned to the enemy, while others had disappeared among the chaotic civilians.


    Yesterday, while it was not yet so disordered, Zhang Ming tried to gather some confidants to discuss how to deal with the situation at hand, only to find that only one came.


    The rest either made excuses of being sick or were simply gone without a trace! These people had all set up private residences within the city, at the very least owning a hidden abode for their mistresses, and now that they were in hiding, they were not easy to find.


    "It''s not that short! Maybe things will be a bit better tomorrow, but Your Majesty, you need to be prepared for the city walls to be breached and the enemy forces to enter the city," Li Jun exined realistically, "Judging by the enemy''s artillery, the city walls cannot be held, at most until tomorrow morning..."


    "What? The city walls will be lost tomorrow?" Zhang Ming was startled again. Not being a military expert, in his view, once the city walls were lost, it was pretty much over.


    "Didn''t you say we could hold out for seven days?" Zheng Tong was also startled by this statement, having thought that Li Jun meant they could defend behind the solid city walls for seven days.


    Li Jun shook his head and exined to these two militaryymen: "Your Majesty, Prime Minister! When I said at most seven days, it actually would be remarkable if we can hold out for five days¡ªthat would mean the soldiers are fighting with their lives,"


    He paused, then continued, "The enemy''s artillery fire is fierce, and the city head cannot be defended, so the city wall defensive line will soon be breached. But within the city, with the houses and streets, we can still hold up, and with the civilian chaos... the enemy won''t dare to attack recklessly, so we can barely hold for two more days in the confusion."


    At this point, he swept his hand across the map, sighed, and went on to say, "After a maximum of three days, the troops who have lost oversight andmands will copse, and what remains will only depend on how much resistance our soldiers have left, and when the enemy decides toe for us..."


    Even during World War II, in the Battle of Stalingrad, the Soviet Army and the German Army still fought amid chaos, with many small unitspletely disconnected from highermand, battling brutally in the narrow confines, a tremendous test of morale and will.


    These were shes between two highly modernized forces with strongbat wills. Any non-modern military that requires officers to lead the charge would quickly fall apart in urbanbat.


    Li Jun, as a leader of troops, naturally knew the true capability of his forces. He was very aware that once uppermand was lost, small, cut-off forces of the Zheng Army would immediately fall into disarray and then begin to copse.


    Although the troops deployed around the Royal Pce were the most elite of the Zheng Army, the principle was the same. Even the most elite forces could not alter the inevitable oues.

 Chapter 486 468 yuan for two days

    However, the process would be somewhat prolonged, Li Jun''s estimate of 5 to 7 days was really just a reflection of his "hope."


    On one hand, he was hoping his troops could hold out a bit longer, while on the other, he anticipated that the Tang Army, wary of casualties, or out of caution, might slow their push.


    Upon hearing Li Jun''s exnation, Zheng Tong''s fragile and sensitive expression began to twitch again. He suddenly grabbed the cup in front of him and smashed it to the ground.


    Li Jun remained silent, while Zhang Ming who had just been immersed in the terror of the city''s breach was startled by the sudden smashing sound of the cup breaking.


    He looked at Zheng Tong, who had be somewhat incoherent over the past two days, finding the King struggling to articte his thoughts.


    Indeed, even before the battle of Tongcheng erupted, he had considered the possibility of ceding all thend east of Tongcheng to the Great Tang Group in exchange for peace.


    But at that time, Zheng Tong would never have consented to ceding half of Zheng Country for a temporary reprieve. Back then, Zheng Tong''s mind was filled with thoughts of a counter-attack, of recapturing lost territory!


    Zheng Tong could tolerate the loss of an overseas ind, or even all the inds, but he could never ept the easy loss of maind territory.


    Of course, he might have tolerated a little, but east of Tongcheng was about half of Zheng Country!


    Now, at this moment, Zhang Ming hade to see that if he were the decision-makers of Great Tang, he too would not have ceased hostilities at the battle of Tongcheng.


    Even if Zheng Country were willing to offer fealty and tribute, willing to cede half of the nation, Great Tang would not likely call off their troops and talk peace. For Great Tang had readied themselves topletely swallow Zheng Country, why would they settle for only half a meal when the meat was already in their mouth?@@novelbin@@


    Now, at this instant, Zheng Country was left with only King City, and Great Tang was even less likely to allow Zheng Country to dictate any terms anymore.


    Therefore, although Zhang Ming opened his mouth, he was unable to voice the suggestion to approach Great Tang for negotiations.


    However, he was somewhat unwilling to ept that things were suddenly... over.


    Zhang Ming nced at Li Jun beside him and after the crazed Zheng Tong had smashed all the cups on the table and stormed out of the room, whispered, "Are we truly defenseless? Can''t our tens of thousands of troops..."


    Li Jun nced at Zhang Ming and shook his head, "If there were any other way, would I not try it? At this point, any action would merely be the thrashes of the dying."


    "Ah..." Zhang Ming sighed.


    Almost simultaneously, Li Jun also sighed, "Ah..."


    Can''t we... hold out for a few more days?" Zhang Ming asked again, still unwilling to let go, like a lovelorn woman not ready to part ways.


    "I... will try... We''ll hold out for as many days as we can," Li Jun said, feeling somewhat uplifted upon hearing his long-time adversary speak in such a tone, as if gaining a bit more strength.


    Unfortunately, reality proved that Li Jun had misjudged both the fighting power of his troops and the determination of the enemy forces.


    On a quiet night, some were terror-stricken and others sleepless, the silence unbroken by cannon or gunfire, as if everyone was waiting for dawn the next day.


    Sure enough, as soon as the sun rose the next day, the gunshots of the Tang Troops echoed once more. This time, artillery from the Tang Army was positioned in all directions around King City, the number of cannons seemed to have doubled from the day before!


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    Dozens of sections of the city walls were bombarded into copse, followed by the systemic surrender of the Zheng Army... Previously, Li Jun had fantasized about his troops withdrawing into the city to engage in street battles with the Tang Army.


    But in reality, by noon the next day, approximately 5,000 Zheng troops deployed on and around the city walls had surrendered, and the situation waspletely out of his control.


    Everything had deviated from the original n. Li Jun took a group on a round of inspection and discovered that almost all the troops had descended into chaos.


    Some units were retreating into the city, but due to the chaos, a thousand men upon retreat would be considered fortunate to still number 300.


    The soldiers were seizing the chaos to flee, finding a corner to shed their uniforms, and that was about as good as escaping from purgatory.


    Such troops were still rtively orderly. In worse cases, several hundred men would simply raise a white g, not even entering the city, and instead heading directly to the rear of the Tang Group''s forces to eat steaming hot meals.


    By the afternoon, the 1st Infantry Division of Great Tang had already breached the city and took control of the southeast corner, approximately a quarter of the city area.


    After dinner, as dusk fell, Tagg received the day''s battle report: Tang Army had epted the surrender of 11,000 Zheng soldiers and had killed over 700 who resisted.


    Just by these cold figures, Tagg knew that the Zheng Army hadpletely copsed. The day before, Zheng Army had suffered 3,000 casualties and 9,000 surrenders after a day of fierce fighting. These proportions indicated that Zheng Army was still resisting in an organized fashion, but the next day''s data showed that they had shattered.


    The only regret he felt was that it was alreadyte in the day, and even if his troops were capable, it was not possible to strike while the iron was hot andunch an attack at night.


    He could only wait for daylight to continue the assault on Zheng Country''s King City¡ªno matter how anxious he was, he was not willing to gamble with the precious lives of his soldiers.


    Tagg was unaware that at this moment, Zheng Country''s King City had plunged into utter chaos. For the upper echelons of Zheng Country, this night was destined to be tumultuous.


    King Zheng Tong had gone mad!


    The King of Zheng Country, apanied by his followers, found Li Jun amidst the disorderly soldiers and, without asking questions, fired a shot at him.


    Naturally, Li Jun had his own loyal troops by his side, and the sound of gunfire immediately sparked a fierce firefight between the two sides. While the Zheng Army wasn''t particrly effective against enemy forces, they were quite powerful when fighting amongst themselves.


    At that time, the Tang Army stationed within the city was making thest of the daylight useful by receiving the civilians seeking refuge and the surrendering defeated soldiers, when suddenly the sound of gunfire erupted in the distance!


    Before the Tang Army could understand what was happening, the internal struggle within the Zheng Army had already been decided!


    King Zheng Tong and his adherents were shot dead on the spot by Li Jun''s personal guards, and then a lightly wounded Li Jun led his troops straight to Zheng Tong''s pce without hesitation.


    The chaotic forces directly overpowered the pce guards, and a brutal melee ensued. Li Jun, with bloodlust in his eyes, ultimately broke into the pce and ughtered Zheng Tong''s entire family.


    Having gone equally insane, Li Jun, after killing 33 of King Zheng Tong''s consorts in one breath and ughtering all his sons and daughters, numbering some seventeen or eighteen, then remembered Zhang Ming.


    Therefore, he took his troops and searched for Zhang Ming throughout the night! As it happened, Zhang Ming, terrified by the upheaval in the city, fled with his family under cover of darkness, abandoning his home, so Li Jun spent the entire night searching in vain for Zhang Ming and his family.


    Indeed, it was impossible for him to find them¡ªhaving reached a dead end, Zhang Ming surrendered to the Great Tang Group at dawn.


    After a night of killing, Li Jun also remembered the besieging army outside the city. So he gathered the troops he could and sent a messenger, surrendering inly to the Great Tang Group.


    To make himself more valuable, the Zheng Country''s Great General even brought the corpse of King Zheng Tong with him. Everything happened so abruptly and so quickly that even Tagg was not prepared.


    He truly had not expected that this campaign of annexing Zheng Country would end in such a farcical manner.


    Li Jun, who had always strived to y the role of the loyal official, and the resentful Prime Minister Zhang Ming, thus met embarrassingly at the headquarters of the Great Tang Group.


    Li Jun, still with bandages wrapped around his shoulder, and Zhang Ming, dressed as amoner with his beard shaved off, for a moment didn''t know whether tough or cry.


    "Your five days, seven days... turned out to be just two?" Zhang Ming, still unaware that Zheng Tong was dead, looked derisively at the disheveled Li Jun and asked.


    "I won''t argue with you; you''re lucky. If you hadn''t run fast enough, I would have killed you tonight too!" Li Jun snorted, somewhat regretting that he couldn''t personally y this longtime rival in the end.


    Zhang Ming, stunned, heard something in that word "also" and stared at Li Jun with wide eyes, "You! You daremit regicide?"


    "King Zheng Tong, without any question, found me and fired a shot!" Li Jun, eyes bloodshot as if he was a wild beast, pressed forward to Zhang Ming, "If not for my son taking the bullet, I would have been the one dead! My son died saving me; surely, it''s not excessive that I killed his whole family?"


    Hearing Li Jun''s words, Zhang Ming staggered back until he reached a table, where he steadied himself by grabbing onto the edge, finally managing to stand.


    He wanted to say something but found himself speechless¡ªhe believed everything Li Jun said, just from the look in his eyes...


    So he dejectedly hung his head and sighed without speaking further.


    That very night, Tagg sent a telegram to Dragon Ind, informing Tang Mo that the war in Zheng Country was over.


    The next morning, troops from the Great Tang Kingdom began to enter the city. With the Kingdom of Zheng vanquished, the few remaining segments of the city walls of King City were now fluttering with Dragon Banners.


    There was hardly any resistance. Civilians of Zheng Country naturally epted the rule of the Great Tang Kingdom, and just as naturally, they adopted their new identities as Tang People, as they had no fondness for Zheng Country.


    While the world''s nations had yet toe to terms with the sudden emergence of the Great Tang Kingdom, they were now stunned by the news of the Great Tang Kingdom''s annexation of Zheng Country.


    Now, a new dilemma presented itself before the leaders of the trade alliance: how to deal with their rtionship with the Great Tang Kingdom!


    Gifting territory and ports to nobility within one''s own country or leasing them to a consortium is one thing, but ceding them for free to a kingdom is quite another.


    Previously, they could ce their ports or territories in the hands of the Tang Group without sovereignty concerns. Now, these ces were rich and mired in legal territorial disputes...


    Who could resist giving them a second thought?


    --------


    Well, today we''ve finally returned to two chapters a day. Let Dragon Spirit rest a bit, and in a few days, we''ll start to repay the owed chapters... sigh... The number of missed updates keeps increasing, truly a heartbreaking tale for the readers.

 Chapter 487 469 Speaking Reasonably

    "This world! After all, it belongs to us! No matter whoes, they can''t be unreasonable, right? Ournd has been legally and legitimately purchased for generations." Setting his teacup aside, Shireck''srgestndlord Liu Yuan spoke slowly and deliberately as he looked at the fewndowners who hade to mourn.


    Recently, the Zheng Country underwent drastic changes, causing those who used to make a living under its wing to be panicked. They urgently hoped to get a guarantee from the new rulers, one that would let them continue to live in wealth and peace.


    The fewndowners who ownedrge tracts ofnd nced at each other, all a bit embarrassed. Who among them seated here didn''t know the others'' affairs?


    The ancestors of these people may have truly been diligent at the beginning, relying on their initial umtion to be wealthy. But after they had money, which of their households was free from sordid affairs?


    Taking advantage of bad years to rob cleverly, employing unsightly means to do unspeakable things, driving those who were unwilling to give up theirnd into ruin...


    Therefore, when they heard words like "reasonable" and "legal," they instinctively felt a chill of terror.


    "Don''t look at me with those eyes, gentlemen... The new ''parent officials'' have no time to concern themselves with our past deeds, nor are they likely to bother with how we live our lives in the future," Liu Yuan said with a sneer, ncing at these men who were as timid as mice.


    "But well, you know, parent officials, parent officials, they all need our filial tributes." He paused for a few seconds, then named his price, "2000 Gold Coins each! Presumably, the new parent officials wouldn''t bother with the wailing of those obstinate peasants."


    There were almost 10 people present, and just like that, 20,000 Gold Coins were gathered¡ªa substantial sum even within Zheng Country.


    After all, they were onlyndlords, depending on farming to make a profit. To tell the truth, even if they were to sell all of themselves, it was unlikely they could muster the bribe power of the Great Tang Group.


    The thought of having to fork over money again made these people''s hearts ache. The Zheng Country, in the name of strengthening the nation and its military, had already extracted from them once, costing each household 500 Gold Coins to deal with the officials at that time.


    And now, just a few dayster, before they had even recovered, Zheng Country had fallen, and they needed to prepare another sum of tribute for the new rulers. This really caused them much distress.@@novelbin@@


    Outside Liu Mansion, several trucks slowly came to a stop, the doors were pushed open, and a toon leader jumped out of the vehicle, with one hand on the holster at his waist and the other shading his eyes against the sun as he surveyed the namete on the gate.


    Soon, from the trucks behind, a group of uneasy peasants also disembarked, some hunched over at the roadside retching nonstop.


    For the peasants of Zheng Country, riding a truck was an extremely rare experience, so it wasmon for them to feel queasy and vomit after getting off the vehicles.


    The remaining peasants all looked pale, some genuinely suffering from motion sickness with dizzy and bursting heads, while others were simply frightened¡ªfor them, this ce was scarcely different from hell.


    The young official who hade before hadn''t mentioned to them that reporting thendlords'' misdeeds and facing a confrontation was part of the n.


    At that time, it was just said that reporting would be rewarded with grain and oil... A few who had taken a chance toin had indeed received supplies, which then led others to follow suit.


    But...


    "What are you all afraid of? We are here to do justice for you. As long as you speak the truth, I will redress your grievances today!" Seeing his soldiers emerging one after another from the vehicles, the toon leader spoke with increasing authority.


    No matter how skilled in martial arts you are, you still fear a kitchen knife. His soldiers were armed death gods, not adversaries thesendlords and local tyrants at home could contend with their few household guards.


    "I... I... I was talking nonsense..." A peasant swallowed a gulp of saliva, thinking that he could return the paltry items he had received.


    In his view, offending Liu Yuan was far more terrifying than offending the officials; his whole family might end up losing their lives.


    "Yes, yes! That... that official... I, I was just temporarily blinded by greed and talked nonsense... This... this Mr.


    Liu... he, he is... a good person," another old man also retreated from his stance, stammering as he began to exin.


    "Oh-ho! Truly nder and false usations?" The toon leader,e to administer affairs, sneered. "Think carefully before you speak... If you truly give up this opportunity... the hatred you''ve harbored, the suffering you''ve endured, the losses you''ve suffered, the injustices you''ve borne... you''ll have nowhere to voice them for the rest of your life..."


    The few people were stifled for a long time, not daring to say anything more. Previously, they had struggled, watched others struggle, too. But with the officials in cahoots with these rapaciousndlords, having toyed with them again and again, they were already too devastated to muster any courage to resist.


    "It seems these people still wield considerable deterrence. You allck the courage to retaliate against those who harmed you, yet have the audacity to deceive me, wasting fuel for nothing..." Seeing more and more people backing down, the toon leader couldn''t help but harden his expression.


    "Sir!" Finally, a woman stepped forward. She looked at her cowardly fellow vigers and spoke with a trembling voice, "The grievances of my family alone are enough to hold Liu Yuan ountable until death! I''m not afraid to die! I only ask that you handle matters impartially and administer justice for the seven members of my family!"


    She red at the toon leader, her teeth clenched as she said, "If you collude with that Liu Yuan, I''ll be a vengeful ghost and seek you out for answers!"


    "Hahahaha!" The toon leader heard the woman''s threat, but he wasn''t angry or annoyed. Instead, he burst intoughter, "Come with me! Today is a good day for revenge."


    He pointed to the sky, "The sun is just right! The world ought to be bright! It needs light! If it were pitch ck, wouldn''t that be meaningless?"


    After he finished speaking, he waved his hand and ordered with immense authority, "Let''s go! Time to speak reason with someone!"


    The soldiers carrying guns chuckled, as they were all too familiar with this routine. They had taken turns to clear the inds filled with bandits before.


    In their eyes, anything that shouldn''t exist within the territories of the Great Tang Group was unreasonable. Only bypletely eradicating these things could the world be as wonderful as Brunas and Dragon Ind.


    Thus, the soldiers brandishing the .45 caliber "truth" began to hammer on the doors of the Liu Mansion, while more soldiers carrying K3 "truth" had already made ready for the "debate."


    The side gate was pulled open, and a doorkeeper peered out with impatience. In his view, knocking directly on the main door was extremely impolite.


    This was the Liu Mansion, after all¡ªeven the City Lord would have to be polite upon arrival. Weren''t sixty percent of the properties within a hundred miles owned by Old Master Liu?


    But before he could scold them, a hand pressed against his face and shoved him, causing him to topple into the courtyard.


    Stumbling, the doorkeeper managed to see the soldier with a helmet like a cooking pot on his head, who had already rushed into the courtyard.


    The soldiers who entered moved with impressive speed, as they unbarred and opened the gate from inside, and soon, even more soldiers swarmed in, escorting an officer.


    "How impressive!" The toon leader, walking among his own soldiers with his hands behind his back, looked all around him, full of curiosity about the stately mansion.


    He truly hadn''t expected to find a ce that seemed like a paradise in such a deste area riddled with famine, peasant suffering, and rampant banditry.


    As a night school graduate who had received higher education at the Great Tang Military Academy, everything here instinctively filled him with disgust.


    It was different from the prosperity of Brunas; in his eyes, this mansion was like a castle in the air, built atop countless bones, emanating a foul stench of decay. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Who dares make trouble in the Liu Mansion? Are you looking for death?" A guardian charged out, stunned at first by the unfamiliar soldiers, and then toppled to the ground by a rifle butt to the face.


    "How can you beat someone up just like that?" The man who was hit covered his nose and immediately became reasonable.


    "It was him!" The woman following the toon leader suddenly acted as if provoked, disregarding everything as she rushed forward, desperate to fight with the bloodied guardian who was still reasoning.


    A soldier stopped her, and as she struggled, she shouted with all her might, "It was him! He led people to beat my husband to death! He threw my son to the ground and killed him! It was him! It was him!"


    The guardian with a bloodied nose was startled to see the woman restrained, but then he became arrogant again, "Oh! It''s you, you crazy hag! You daree back? You''re asking for death!"


    "I''m pleased you can admit to your crimes," the toon leader nodded, then with a swift chop of his hand, two soldiers bypassed him, reached the guardian''s sides, and swiftly subdued the still confused man.


    The guardian struggled a bit, but after taking a couple of ps, he stopped daring to resist. Just then, someone shouted loudly, "Stop!"


    With a grim face, Liu Yuan, nked by a group of guardians and localndowners, blocked the toon leader''s path with a contingent of over a hundred men.


    Many guardians carried long knives and swords, and some even bore Shireck flintlock guns that appeared to be of much finer quality than the Zheng Army''s equipment.


    "And who might this be?" the toon leader asked, smiling.


    "This sir is Liu Yuan, the Old Master Liu," interjected a butler, stepping forward and making the introduction as Liu Yuan himself remained silent.


    "Sir, please give Liu some face. Shall we talk inside?" Liu Yuan suppressed his anger, forced a smile, took a half step back, and with a gesture invited them in for a discussion.


    The toon leader nced at the guardians with flintlock guns behind Liu Yuan and also smiled, "With such an imposing array from Old Master Liu, I''m too timid and scared to dare enter."

 Chapter 488 Going backwards in the opposite way to law 470

    Seeing that the other party still refused to recognize his situation, Liu Yuan''s face grew even darker. He snorted with a mocking edge, "In these times of chaos and disorder, I am merely seeking self-protection, dealing with bandits and disorderly soldiers. I hope the official will not take offense."


    "Is this me failing to maintain order?" The toon leader replied matter-of-factly, "Then Master Liu should enter the city and lodge aint with the newly appointed governor."


    "You must be joking," Liu Yuan said disinterestedly, his smile not reaching his eyes.


    "Put down your weapons¡­" The toon leader''s smile faded, and he chastised sharply, "pointing a gun at me?"


    "What if I don''t?" Liu Yuan, thinking himself superior in numbers, decided to give these upstarts a lesson.


    "Irrational, then? Resorting to des and guns first?" The toon leader asked while nodding.


    "des and guns are reason, aren''t they?" Liu Yuan raised an eyebrow.


    "There''s reason in that," the toon leader agreed, nodding.


    "Ratatat!" The Tang Army soldiers, who had been holding submachine guns, immediately pulled the triggers without any warning. The bullets swept toward the bodyguards wielding weapons.


    Before the usually arrogant bodyguards could react, they fell in droves. Some servants who were just there to make up numbers also suffered greatly.


    After a burst of rapid gunfire, there were not many standing behind the once powerful Liu Yuan.


    "We can talk this over! Let''s talk!" A country gentry, terrified to the point of wetting his pants, clutched at his crotch and wailed.


    "See, when ites down to it, I''m the one with reason," said the toon leader, drawing his pistol and keeping his eyes on Liu Yuan. He stepped up to Liu Yuan and prodded his shoulder with the gun barrel.


    Liu Yuan, who had never seen such a terrifying weapon, was utterly stunned. He had only heard about the Zheng Army''s crushing defeat, about Zheng Country changing beyond recognition in just over a month, but he had never actually seen real automatic weapons.


    Those remaining behind him had long since dropped their swords and guns in dread that the terrible sound of gunfire might start again. They had no problem bullying the locals or getting into brawls, but challenging a regr Tang Army unit? That was a joke.


    "My lord¡­ we can talk this over! Please, let''s talk!" The old butler, looking distressed, quickly stepped in front of the muzzle and whispered, "You''re here for money, aren''t you? We can negotiate, please!"


    "You''ve hit the nail on the head. I am actually here for money," the toon leader said with a smile, lowering his gun because he saw the soldiers surrounding them had already disarmed the remnants of the defeated guards.


    With the situation under control and safety assured, he felt no need to brandish a gun in people''s faces anymore.


    "My lord, we''ve already prepared a modest gift! You must ept it, please!" The butler, sensing a possibility, hastened to add, "Twenty thousand Gold Coins! Twenty thousand!"


    "Hmm, that''s not too little," the toon leader nodded, his words causing thedy behind him to turn deathly pale.


    However, at her moment of despair, the toon leader standing before her continued, "But truth be told, as much as you dare to offer, I am afraid to ept¡­ Honestly, I''m not like you; I fear death."


    Saying this, he stepped aside and pointed at the woman behind him, then asked, "Moreover, how do you intend to settle her family''s blood debt?"


    "My lord, you can''t believe the words of these troublemakers!" Liu Yuan now reacted, regretting his earlier show of force with these harbinger of doom. He felt he should defeat his opponents in his own field of expertise. Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    If they wanted to talk reason, then let''s talk! Once he bluffed his way out of this, he''d have time to regroup, and then he would deal with these insolent troublemakers.


    After dealing with these troublemakers, he would collude with local officials, bribe high-ranking officers, and then deal with these despicable ruffians! Then he''d see who would dare to cause trouble at Liu Mansion! Who would dare to oppose him, Liu Yuan!


    That was his well-worn tactic, his familiar field! So, he hurriedly put on a pitiable expression and cried out, "My lord! These people are only greedy troublemakers! Coveting my wealth, they sought you out to lodge false usations. They have no evidence!"


    "He''s lying!" the woman pointed at Liu Yuan, her teeth clenched as she shouted, "He''s lying! His steward led men to beat my man to death! And killed my child by throwing them to the ground! He''s lying!"


    "My lord, I am willing to guarantee with 50,000 Gold Coins! I haven''t lied," Liu Yuan brazenly offered a bribe¡ªso long as the other party was willing to ept the money, he would bepletely safe today.


    In his view, there was no reason for refusal! That was 50,000 Gold Coins! Every soldier present could share a few hundred Gold Coins, and those who were officials would get even more.


    No one would reject such a sum of money! It was a fortune to anyone! Just think, a few years ago Tang Mo couldn''t evene up with a few hundred Gold Coins.


    "Heh heh heh," a squad leaderughed immediately upon hearing Liu Yuan''s offer. To him, such bribery was simply farcical because officers of the Great Tang Group had no record of corruption and bribery.


    Firstly, their own benefits and welfare were already high, and secondly, the monitoring was extremely strict. These juniormanders, who had received rigorous education in school, simply did not wish to forsake their future for a sum of money they could not even spend.


    epting this money would be easily discovered and lead to punishment; not epting would be more beneficial for oneself.


    So, upon hearing Liu Yuan say this, the squad leader subconsciouslyughed. But to Liu Yuan, thisughter was the squad leader revealing his greed.@@novelbin@@


    "My lord! Fifteen years ago! He took advantage of the nearby flood to seize my family''s fertilend! He snatched away ournd deed!" an old man who had been watching from outside heard the gunshots, mustered his courage, and followed inside. He pointed at Liu Yuan and cursed, "It''s this bastard! He''s the one who left me homeless!"


    "You''re talking nonsense!" Liu Yuan''s face turned ugly; he felt a sense of dread. The way the other party had stormed in with so many people likely meant they had their sights set on his entire fortune!


    He was too familiar with such tactics¡ªthey were the very same ones he often employed. The other party wasn''t after his dutiful bribes, but most likely after all his family''s wealth!


    As a result, he was afraid. "You all have no evidence! This is nder!" he protested in a trembling voice.


    "I''m the evidence!" another farmer barged in, standing at a distance, he shouted loudly, "My daughter was taken by you, and to this day, we have seen neither hide nor hair of her! I''m the evidence! Give back my daughter!"


    "That''s right! Liu Yuan has done many evils! It was he who deceived my illiterate husband into signing the document that sold ournd! He gave us only a bag of rice, ny copper coins, oh! Ny!" another old woman sobbed, pointing at Liu Yuan and scolding, "He''s an old beast! An old beast!


    Back then, my husband choked on his anger and hanged himself at home... We are wronged!"


    "This is absurd! Absurd!" Liu Yuan was inplete panic, pointing at the farmers andmoners who exposed his wrongdoings, he scolded loudly, "Troublemakers! They are all troublemakers! This is nder! nder!"


    "If one or two people nder you, you call it nder I believe, but when every person in every vige for miles around nders you... do you believe it yourself?" the toon leader sneered, eyeing Liu Yuan as he posed the question.


    "Of course, it is nder!" Liu Yuan bit his teeth, still insisting¡ªhe knew that if he didn''t firmly cling to his im of innocence, today might spell disaster for the Liu family.


    "I don''t think it''s nder!" the lead toon leader, with ample experience in these matters, looked towards Liu Yuan''s steward as he spoke, "The women of Liu Mansion''s inner court are here, and just now, at least a dozen guards who were disarmed and captured... here too is your steward... and beside him, your aplices."


    As he spoke, his gaze swept over the local gentry who were scared out of their wits. Finally, his eyes rested on Liu Yuan, "Guess what, if we arrest so many people and interrogate them one by one, will they all keep their mouths shut, not a single one talking?"


    Liu Yuan shook with rage, pointing his finger at the toon leader leading the team, "You''re fabricating a confession out of me!"


    The toon leader''s expression suddenly turned utterly solemn as he leaned into Liu Yuan''s face, speaking in a chilling tone, "Don''t worry! We''ll investigate this slowly!"


    After saying this, he stepped back and waved his hand, "Take them all away! Interrogate them one by one! Seize all the wealth!"


    On the fifth day after Tang conquered Zheng Country, a campaign to rectifynd annexation and crackdown onndlords and evil gentry began.


    As the campaign progressed, countless localndlords who had been a scourge on the region were dealt with¡ªsome were sentenced to death, others were arrested and turned into ves.


    For a time, the reputation of the Great Tang Kingdom was even worse than Zheng Country at its lowest, with some people describing Tang Kingdom as a hellish existence.


    Yet, it was this backward, inhumane kingdom that made the lives of the people within Zheng Country prosper.

 Chapter 489 471 Another sense of heavy losses

    In the hearnd of Zheng Country, within the factories of Tongcheng, a group of workers watched in shock as sets of equipment belonging to the Great Tang Group were assembled by professional engineers.


    This was the first time they had seen suchplex machinery, and it was also the first time they had truly felt such a massive industrial power.


    It was an irresistible force, a power capable of transforming heaven and earth! These colossal, immensely heavy machines could effortlessly produce more and better industrial products.


    Tongcheng itself was an industrial city, where nearly half of Zheng Country''s workshops and studios gathered. During Zheng Country''s Self-Strengthening Movement, manyrge factories had also been constructed under the secret investment of the Great Tang Group.


    Originally, the workers in these factories had no idea why they were building such huge and spacious factory buildings. Now, when they saw these mechanical devices, they finally understood everything.@@novelbin@@


    The railway tracks that had beenid down early on finally had a use. Lotives produced by the Linshui Machinery Factory suddenly elevated Zheng Country''s transportation by several notches overnight.


    It wasn''t an exaggeration at all. Zheng Country''s first and third railways were put into use almost simultaneously, at a time when Zheng Country had not yet been conquered.


    In the first month after the war ended, from the fourth to the eleventh railways of Zheng Country were once again nearly put into operation at the same time.


    Although the total mileage was still not long, these short-distance railways indeed greatly facilitated transportation within the Great Tang Kingdom.


    With these railways and many pre-built roads, transportation issues were resolved, and the development speed of the Great Tang Kingdom became so fast that it was somewhat iprehensible to people.


    A single Liberty ship could transport hundreds of cars, and with several Liberty ships in one shipment, the once backward and barrennd of the old Zheng Country instantly came to possess thousands of cars.


    Adding to this were the vehicles outfitted by the military which temporarily took on roles as freight transporters. Overnight, more than 10,000 vehicles appeared on the roads of Zheng Country, which was enough to astonish everyone.


    To support these cars, hundreds of service and gas stations were constructed at the fastest speed. Vehicles carrying gasoline were incessant on the roads, and in many ces, one could even smell the unpleasant odor of gasoline.


    Overnight, the local people of Zheng Country were able to witness many things they had never seen in their lifetimes.


    Cars and trains, as well as arge number of horse-drawn carriages, brought not only soldiers and cannons but also all sorts of cluttered items.


    Previously precious tableware and pots suddenly became less valuable. Military units would casually give these items to the civilians around their stations, while many other things mysteriously "disappeared."


    If one paid close attention, one could notice some strange yet not so strange items appearing in the daily lives of the people of Zheng Country.


    For instance, many households in Zheng Country came to possess gasoline barrels! These thin tinte barrels made to hold gasoline, were meticulously taken home by these people, cleaned, and made into water buckets...


    This item was very convenient to use because it had a lid and a handle, and the military units often used them as water buckets as well.


    As a result, during the "poverty relief" process, many military units left these barrels for the local people to whom they became treasures, for they had never seen such finely made goods before.


    Of course, no matter how you washed them, there was always a lingering gasoline smell, but nobody minded these details...


    Additionally, nobody would have imagined that the first aspect of life to improve for the poorly clothed citizens of Zheng Country would be their feet¡ªmany people in Zheng Country got spare socks and underwear from the hands of the soldiers...


    Therefore, on the streets and alleys of Zheng Country, by the roadside in the fields, one could often see a malnourished child wearing only underwear, with socks on and straw sandals,boriously carrying a gasoline barrel still painted with a white number and filled with water.


    One had to admit, the scene was astonishingly fantastical.


    The logistics department of the Great Tang Group might be the most troubled department recently as they had to tally the lost items reported by the troops every day, list them, and then ce orders for recements.


    Lately, the troops permanently lost hundreds of tents, thousands of water bottles, and on average, each soldier misced a food bag once; the quantity of lost iron pots, soldiers'' personal soup spoons, spare socks, and underwear was astoundingly high.


    "Damn it, do these people think we are fools?" In the office of the logistics department on Dragon Ind, a young officer mmed his pencil on the desk,ining furiously.


    He picked up a form, disying it discontentedly to his colleagues, "Look at this! Just look! Onepany lost 100 raincoats in three days! They only have 150 men!"


    On the other hand, the official tallying the loss of other supplies stretched and smiled, "What''s this, they even lost 40 canteens! 10 leather belts, 130 pairs of socks! Aside from weapons, they practically lost everything that could be lost. If we''re just looking at the paperwork, our unit has beenpletely wiped out..."


    "Hahaha! They''re still here! Because throughout the entire war, they only fired 300 bullets and replenished one bay! So, I''m certain that this unit is still around, and might not even have a single casualty!" On the other hand, the official responsible for counting ammunition and weapons stock was utterly rxed because the replenishments in this area were actually very few.


    On another side, the official in charge of tallying medical supplies was almost in tears; he had been busy for over an hour now, and the data for this unit was only justpiled, "No casualties? Stop joking! I swear, if we''re just looking at the data, they all really fell in battle!


    In the past 40 days, they used 4000 meters of bandages, 1300 doses of hemostatic drugs, and replenished medicine for mria and typhoid four times."


    Clearly, this troop had hardly been fighting at all; they were essentially ying the role of a medical team and a generous spreader of wealth.


    They distributed almost all of their carried supplies to the nearby civilians, helping these people to resume production and, to the extent possible, providing aid to those who were sick and in need of help.


    The Tang Army had a terrifying amount of experience in forging good civil-military rtions; they had been ustomed to doing such things since the day of their inception.


    On one hand, this was because they were truly full of kindness and had received special training in this regard, and on the other hand, because... they had money!


    Yes, that was also why they dared to lose things! The Great Tang Group''s Security Troops, the rich predecessor to the Tang Army, was the most affluent troop of its time.


    The leaders wouldn''t rage with embarrassment over a soldier losing some piece of equipment, which gave all the soldiers the courage to offer their kindness, helping the civilians around them as much as they could.


    Moreover, because of their wealth, they neither looted nor took things from the people, and such military discipline was exceptional even in the olden days, so the Tang Army was wee wherever it went.


    Conversely, this also made many civilians who had seen the Tang Army willing to help them; the people were more inclined to join such a military, which was beneficial for the Tang Army''s expansion.


    However, when tens of thousands of Tang soldiers acted as generous benefactors at the same time, even the affluent logistics department of the Great Tang Group started to feel a headache.


    The warehouses filled with mountains of raincoats and undergarments were now basically emptied out. All the troops were losing socks, all were reporting losses of their tents and raincoats, and all were experiencing thefts¡ªexcept for weapons and ammunition, everything else had disappeared.


    The medical supplies, dry food, snacks, and the daily consumption of materials by the Tang Army encamped in the wilderness was trulyparable to fighting a dire, real battle.


    An officer in the officemented with a sense of helplessness, "And this is just one unit! It''s even more exaggerated for an entire battalion; I suspect our troops were not sent to fight but to alleviate poverty."


    "That''s exactly what it was, poverty relief. If we went through the normal aid process for so many supplies, it would be too slow, and themon folks there are living too harshly." An old clerk who knew the ins and outs smiled and lowered his head to continue organizing the data.


    Tens of thousands ofrge armies, consuming resources every day as they and their horses munch away; even if it were just legitimate consumption, it''s enough to drive one to despair. At that time, there were noputers, everything depended on their manual calctions, and you can imagine the workload.


    A former criminal, an officer with a head of ck hair, nodded in agreement: "Isn''t that the truth? In my hometown, the City Lord probably doesn''t live as well as I do now."


    "I believe that, I doubt the Lord of your hometown has ever used a telephone in his lifetime," many in the office nodded in agreement. Before they arrived in Brunas, beforeing to Dragon Ind, they never imagined their lives could change this way.


    They never thought that light was so simple, that just pulling on a light cord could illuminate their rooms. They also never imagined that just turning on a tap would provide them with an endless supply of clean water. Likewise, they never dared to dream that they could eat their fill at every meal, even to the extent that they didn''t have to lick the rice grains from their bowls.


    Another blond officer made a teasing remark, prompting muchughter: "But he certainly has more women than you! Hahaha!"


    After theughter, suddenly an official spoke up in a half-questioning tone, "I heard that this time, our losses were also quite heavy. In the battle to attack the Zheng Country''s King City, we lost more than 100 men?"


    The mood suddenly turned somber, for the Great Tang Group had never experienced such a heavy loss since the day of its birth.


    Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    You must understand, when eliminating the Kingdom of Germelin, just for the loss of a few dandelions, Tang Mo executed the Germelin King as a warning to others, even at the risk of offending many kings and nobles.


    And this time, in one war, the Great Tang Group sacrificed so many excellent soldiers and officers¡ªthis could not help but weigh heavily on them.


    An informed person spoke up in a grim tone, "Hmm, the specifics aren''t too clear, but I heard from the people in the next office that they''ve already issuedpensation to at least 50 people."


    "s... What a pity." Many voiced their sighs.


    "Yes, such a pity," others sighed in unison.

 Chapter 490 472 is not that bad

    Guo Cheng was a businessman, a businessman from Zheng Country.


    He used to deal in cloth, owning his own workshop and also acquiring finished products from other workshops to sell, gaining a modest reputation in many ces.@@novelbin@@


    With the unfolding of Zheng Country''s Westernization Movement, he too set his heart on it and, through connections, purchased a batch of equipment from Dongwan Ind; riding the wave of the Westernization Movement, he began Guo''s Textile Factory.


    At the factory''s most glorious time, it had over 1,300 workers, making it thergest textile factory in the entire territory of Zheng Country.


    However, with the outbreak of war, his factory was forcibly requisitioned by Zheng Tong, and even sustained damage; it never returned to its pre-war production capacity by the time the war ended.


    Having had much of his property snatched away, Guo Cheng fell into decline; he spent his days in a drunken stupor, no longer possessing the proud vitality of his earlier years.


    Although the Zheng Country that had caused his ruin was no more, and although Zheng Tong''s entire family met with no good end, Guo Cheng remained dispirited, showing no signs of wanting to pick himself back up.


    Today, however, he was summoned by the new rulers. A Tang Army soldier came to his residence brandishing a gun and delivered an invitation, frightening him to the point where he dared not drink any more alcohol. The next morning, he chose a set of decent, unremarkable clothes and went to the Lord''s Mansion with trepidation.


    He was afraid that if he dressed too well, he might again attract the attention of the officials; and yet, if he dressed too shabbily, he might offend the important officials. Thus, he was extremely cautious, opting to wear something inconspicuous and exercising extreme prudence.


    When he arrived at the Lord''s Mansion, he discovered that everything before him seemed unfamiliar. He saw many automobiles parked in front of the mansion''s entry, with peopleing and going, both military and civilian, of all sorts.


    Next to the building, there was a deep trench being dug, and beside it, stone pipes were piled up. It didn''t look like they were constructing a secret passage because these pipes didn''t seem suitable for people to pass through.


    He didn''t have much time to think¡ª the guiding soldier urged him to move forward while exining something about main sewer lines and telephone wires...


    Guo Cheng had heard of electric lines; he even had them in use at his factory. He had also heard of sewers but had never seen one... However, what these telephone lines were, Guo Cheng truly had no idea.


    Walking through the familiar yet unfamiliar corridor and passing by the simrly unfamiliar yet familiar hall, Guo Cheng arrived at the office where the City Lord previously worked.


    This setup was also something learned from the Westernization Movement. The ce where the City Lord used to work was simpler, less intricate than the current yamen (government office).


    The familiarity came from Guo Cheng''s previous visits to this ce. He often dealt with the City Lord and therefore frequently entered here.


    As for the unfamiliarity, it was because all the previously opulent paintings and furnishings were gone. In their ce were variousdders and construction teams screwing electrical light fixtures into the walls.


    Upon entering the room, Guo Cheng saw an artistically unique-looking young man sitting at the head, dealing with a pile of documents. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    When Guo Cheng entered, the young man with uneven eyebrows and asymmetrical eyes introduced himself, "I am Pang Tong, the city''s governor... Well, you may call me the Mayor or Governor Pang."


    Then, without waiting for Guo Cheng to speak, he immediately followed up, "We''ve called you here to inform you that your textile factory needs to start up as quickly as possible, and its scale must increase..."


    "Ah?" Guo Cheng was taken aback, not yet havinge to his senses, and uttered a voice of disbelief.


    Pang Tong set down his pen and frowned, asking, "Is there a problem?"


    From a certain angle, this gesture made him look even more... unattractive.


    "My, my factory, wasn''t it taken by, by..." Guo Cheng was somewhat dumbfounded because he had never imagined that his factory, which had been requisitioned, could one day be returned to him.


    Pang Tong exined, "That was an order from Zheng Tong, which we have already nullified. All the factories that he illegally requisitioned, we are contacting their previous owners to return them."


    "Return it to me?" Guo Cheng was startled by this statement. In his life, he had seen everything, except for the government returning what it owed.


    Pang Tong spoke matter-of-factly, "Yes, you funded the factory''s construction, so why wouldn''t we return it to you?"


    The Great Tang Group could obviously have taken over all the factories and monopolized a country''s industry. However, such an approach wouldn''t mobilize everyone''s productive enthusiasm and would be too draining on their resources. Therefore, Tang Mo never intended to monopolize.


    He aimed to erge the entire pie, then share it with everyone! Only by doing so could each person gain more benefits.


    This rhetorical question from Pang Tong left Guo Cheng at a loss regarding how to continue the conversation; he stood there, unsure of what to say: "Uh..."


    As a businessman from Zheng Country, he had never expected the property Zheng Country had taken from him to be returned so easily by Tang Country.


    "What is it?" Pang Tong looked at Guo Cheng.


    "Thank you, thank you," said Guo Cheng, his gratitudeing from the heart this time.


    Pang Tong nodded, epting Guo Cheng''s thanks, "If you really want to thank me, then get to work quickly! I''ve seen your factory, and it can amodate at least 1000 female textile workers..."


    "Female, female workers?" Guo Cheng was startled by the statement.


    Pang Tong started to exin: "Yes! Don''t panic, let me exin. It''s safer to employ women in the textile industry. This is Brunas''s experience; women are meticulous and moremitted to safety regtions, giving them an advantage at textile jobs."


    "But, but..." Guo Cheng still felt it was inappropriate.


    However, Pang Tong was quite unperturbed: "Rest assured, I didn''t ask you here to cause you trouble! Trust me, I will send 20 experienced female textile workers to train in your factory. They are skilled workers from Brunas whom you couldn''t hire even if you wanted to. I guarantee that all the female workers will meet your requirements!"


    "That..." Once he heard this, Guo Cheng was speechless¡ªhe had heard about the textile factories in Brunas and their highly skilled workers. If he didn''t know this much, what would he be doing in the textile business?


    Seeing that Guo Cheng was pacified, Pang Tong added, "By the end of this month, I want you to resume production. Within a month, I need you to restore capacity and then... increase it by double!"


    "Ah?" Guo Cheng was stunned when he heard this; he didn''t understand why the other party was so eager to resume production.


    Pang Tong didn''t borate and justid out the purchase quantities in front of Guo Cheng: "You are responsible for production and quality control. As long as it''s up to standard, I''ll buy it at market price! However much you produce, I''ll buy that much!"


    When Guo Cheng heard that the purchase was guaranteed, he suddenly perked up: "Really, really?"


    This was incredibly great news! Before, he would produce and sell on his own; whether the capacity wasrge depended on how well he sold the products.


    Now that someone was going to buy up all his fabric, he only needed to focus on production. How could this not excite him? Money! It meant a continuous stream of ie! As long as he worked overtime, he could earn money he never even dared to dream of before!


    Pang Tong smiled, "Do you think I came here just to deceive you once? Do you know how precious my time is? However, all thises with a precondition."


    "As expected! Things couldn''t be that simple." Startled, Guo Cheng seemed to reconcile with the notion¡ªafter all, nothing goodes without a catch.


    Pang Tong held up four fingers, setting a deadline: "You might make money, but you can''t take it away! All your profits must be reinvested into production, to expand the factory, increase capacity, buy machinery, train workers... In short, within four months, you need to grow your factory to ten times its original size!"


    Guo Cheng felt overwhelmed when he heard this: "What? Ten times? How is that possible? Sir, just the equipment..."


    "You don''t have to worry about the equipment! I can apply for it! Spinning frames, cotton carding machines,bing machines, drawing frames, roving frames, spinning machines... whatever you need, I will provide!" Pang Tong was confident in this regard.


    He was backed by none other than the entire Great Tang Group! What equipment wasn''t avable to them? What technology or how much funding was beyond their reach?


    Guo Cheng was torn betweenughter and tears: "Then, then is this factory... still mine?"


    Pang Tong assured him positively, "Yes! In the end, you will hold fifty-one percent of the shares in the factory, with the state holding forty-nine percent. Your sharese only with the right to dividends, and selling requires negotiation with the relevant department."


    "Half for, for me?" Guo Cheng hadn''t expected the other party to offer him such a huge advantage.


    Pang Tong nodded, "That''s right, expand it ten times and half is yours! However you look at it, you''ve earned."


    "Is this for real?" Guo Cheng still couldn''t believe it.


    Pang Tong continued nodding, "Absolutely true! I give you three hours to organize your needs and ideas for me! Don''t go back, go to the conference room next door. Find a spot; paper and pens are ready, just ask the people inside for whatever you need. Go."


    "Yes, Sir," Guo Cheng stood up and was halfway out when he turned back, straightening his clothes and bowing deeply to Pang Tong: "Thank you, Sir."


    But when Guo Cheng entered the adjacent conference room, he was astonished to find quite a few people inside. They were scattered in every corner, some furiously writing, others biting their pens in thought.


    Guo Cheng recognized these men; some owned iron foundries, some were mine owners¡ªin short, all of them were prominent businessmen.


    In thest month of Zheng Country''s rule, they had their factories and mines forcefully conscripted and now they were all sitting here. Guo Cheng was no fool; he realized that these people, just like him, had all gone through the same experience.


    He just nced around, eagerly took the paper and pen offered by a server, and hurried to find an empty spot to sit down and start writing his n.


    As he wrote, a thought crossed his mind: Great Tang didn''t seem as bad as thosendlords and gentry said...

 Chapter 491 473 two factories

    "Your Majesty. We n to build another automobile production nt in Tongcheng, specifically for the production of trucks and agricultural vehicles. If all cars are transported by sea to the new territories, the costs would be too high," Roger said as he spread out the documents in his hands, passing them to Tang Mo.


    Now, internally within Great Tang, the recently captured Zheng Country has begun to be referred to as "new territories." In fact, in most documents, this newly acquirednd no longer has a name of its own.


    Everyone knows that it''s part of the Great Tang Kingdom, just like Dragon Ind and other ces.


    Previously, we built a factory in Tongcheng where production can start as soon as the machinery is in ce. Training for the staff has alreadymenced, with the n to recruit 31,000 workers for the automobile subsidiary nt.


    Even with thetest automobile production assembly lines, the level of automation of this era stillgs behind. It''s not surprising for an automobile factory to require tens of thousands of workers, and even an automobile city can have more than 150,000 workers tied to auto production.


    What does that imply? Before the rise of the Great Tang Group, having a total poption exceeding 150,000 would merit a city to be called arge city. Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "I''ve already approved this project. What''s the matter? Is there any change?" Tang Mo asked, taking the document from Roger''s hands with a hint of curiosity.


    "I have discussed with Princess Yulin, and we think it''s necessary to further expand the scale of this automobile factory because it''s very likely that we will take on even more car production in the future," Roger exined.


    Tang Mo nodded and then thought for a moment. Indeed, as Roger said, merely satisfying their own vehicle supply seems not the most profitable approach.


    Soon, with the dissemination of technology from the Great Tang Group, the Dahua Empire, surrounding Chu Country, Qi Country, and even Shen Country could potentially turn to the Great Tang Group to purchase automobiles and other transportation vehicles.


    Looking in the short term, a car factory producing 10,000 cars per month certainly suffices, but taking the long view, producing 1 million cars per month might not even meet the global demand for cars.


    "Talk about your ns," Tang Mo said without any pretense of being a king, or rather, without any air of royalty at all.


    It''s only been a few months since the establishment of the Great Tang Kingdom and many people are still not ustomed to the fact that Zheng Country has perished.


    Tang Mo himself is among those unustomed. His daily work remained the same as before, only now his base wasn''t the Great Tang Group, but the Great Tang Kingdom.


    The various departments of the corporation now each had their own official status: The security forces of the Great Tang Group had been upgraded to the National Defense Army, with the department that manages this force also renamed the Ministry of National Defense.


    All other departments have expanded their scales and changed their tasks, and recently, everyone has been very busy with their increased workload.


    "Princess Yulin and I think another automobile factory could be built to operate in parallel. One factory would focus on production while the other could carry out technological upgrades when necessary," Roger suggested.


    "That''s a good idea, continue," Tang Mo nodded and smiled in agreement.


    Since his recent work has been very demanding, Yulin, who had always been by Tang Mo''s side, had already gone out to take charge on her own. She''s currently overseeing the progress in the economic sector, where the initiative to implement international currency by the Great Tang Group has met obstacles.


    This was an expected oue: once the Great Tang Kingdom became a reality, countries had no choice but to start considering their financial security.


    One of the main reasons everyone used Gold Coins was because the Dwarf Empire had perished and could no longer threaten the financial systems of other countries.


    Yet now, if all these countries were to adopt the financial currency system of the Great Tang Kingdom, everyone would have to consider the consequences.


    While many support the adoption of this mature currency system, which poses no major problems as long as the Great Tang Kingdom does not recklessly print paper money and disrupt market rules, many are still opposed. They would prefer to issue their own currencies to control their national economies.


    The current situation is that, although the trade alliance has some fractures, it still remains thergest economic and trade cooperation system in the world. These countries, especially in their mutual trade affairs, continue to use currency issued by the Great Tang Group.


    This phenomenon forces the countries participating in the trade alliance to continue using Great Tang''s currency reluctantly, which also gives the Great Tang Group the confidence to promote their currency.


    However, getting other countries to ept their currency and extend its influence involves difficulties far greater than before.


    But the top and bottom of the Great Tang Group are not in a rush because they hold solid assets like gold and technology, products, or stocks. They have numerous methods at their disposal to promote their currency.


    As long as trade continues uninterrupted, they will consistently profit and have countless ways to gain more gold ¨C and gold... is the universally acknowledged wealth of this world.


    "Then, the production capacity of both factories should be raised to a scale of 50,000 cars per month," Roger continued to speak about the automobile manufacturing nts.


    Tang Mo didn''t really care about these, since he had a series of automotive technologies that could push the entire industry forward, and no one couldpete with his car factory. His automotive group was a conglomerate of Volkswagen, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ford, Peugeot, BYD, Wuling, and Te... No one could imagine just how powerful this group was.


    Responsibly speaking, if Tang Mo had such a golden-eggying super group in his past life, he wouldn''t even need to engage in arms dealing!


    "That''s possible. However, the Energy Department needs to be notified that we must consider the security of the oil and carefully calcte the supply and refining capacities," he instructed Roger.


    Roger was his most trusted old minister; after the establishment of Great Tang Kingdom, he took the position of the kingdom''s Prime Minister.


    No one questioned this arrangement, even if Roger''s capabilities were inadequate¡ªno one raised any objections. Inside the Great Tang Group, everyone recognized Roger''s position; he was acknowledged as the second-inmand.


    Some people are respected not because they are hands-off orck abilities, but because their character shines like a gem.


    Like Wes, dozing off beside the door, which of those haughty graduates from the military academy didn''t know that he was Tang Mo''s close follower, one of the few who could ess any confidential area of the group just by his face?


    "Understood! I will work out the details and then draft a more specific n," Roger immediately said.


    "We can''t match everything perfectly; we are not that precise, so there''s no need to nitpick. Just take into consideration the status of each party," Tang Mo reassured Roger, as he had a grasp of the entire workings of Great Tang Kingdom.


    The most ideal scenario was that a factory produced 1,000 gears, all of which were used in car production, and all of the gears were exactly used up.


    The cars produced would then have enough petrol tost them, and they were constantly used for transportation.


    Such precise arrangements could potentially maximize benefits, but over-pursuit of this oue would be extreme nned economy, destroying market vitality and leading to the eventual copse of the cycle.


    It''s practically impossible to design every stage of production with such precision, not evenputers could achieve it. Thus, all stages in the design process need to have a surplus and ount for variables, which is the most rational approach.


    The entire newly acquired territory was simply a treasure trove, where a small investment could yield tenfold or a hundredfold in return.


    It was like Brunas in the old days, teeming withborers seeking jobs and people willing to give their lives for a piece of bread.


    No exaggeration, it was a market brimming with hope, a factory filled withbor, and a military camp studded with potential recruits!


    Having secured such a ce, the Great Tang Kingdom had already gained the opportunity to grow stronger from every aspect, unlike its past circumstances where it was reliant on others and its industries were scattered all around. Finally, the Great Tang Kingdom had its own territory and the freedom to develop its economy without restraint!


    The coal mines of Dongwan Ind, the copper mountains of Tongcheng, the oil of Dragon Ind, the rubber from Hotwind Port and Winterless City, the iron ore from the icy Northern Ridge, the rare metals from Gales...


    Great Tang Kingdom had almost all the raw materials needed for modern industry, and it also had a reserve of a vast pool of modern scientific and technical talent.


    If this couldn''t lead to a soaring ascent, then other countries might as well be described as hopeless. Two months after Great Tang Kingdom had brought down Zheng Country, the industrial capacity of Zheng''s formernds was not only restored to pre-war levels but also had doubled dramatically.


    Before the surrounding countries could even react, Great Tang Kingdom had turned Zheng''s formernds into a vast construction site.


    In the cities, trenches were dug everywhere as sewer systems began to be built. In the wild ounds, one electrical pole after another was erected,den with telephone and power lines.@@novelbin@@


    In the weedy suburbs, stations of various designs were being constructed of concrete, though in front of these stations, not a single rail could yet be seen...


    On the broad rivers, bridges that amodated both rail and road traffic were under construction, with ready-to-use fortifications at both ends. Upstream of these bridges, engineers nning dams were busy with their survey work.


    Next to the mines, thermal power nts were being built, their towering chimneys spewing smoke night and day, blending with the clouds.


    The once-barrennds began to be sown with crops, and the hillsides were filled with terraced fields recently carved out.


    Tang Country had undergone earth-shattering changes.

 Chapter 492 474 is unimaginably large

    Chu Country, the border.


    Below a simple watchtower was a cluster of buildings constructed from wood, resembling a military camp.


    A wooden fence surrounded it and within were barrack-like structures built of wood. This was a typical border garrison spot, typically housing a battalion of 500 men.


    Under normal circumstances, this border camp should be equipped with at least 10 Shireck muzzle-loading field cannons; however, the border soldiers often had iplete rosters, so it was likely that such camps would only deploy 5 cannons.


    Simrly, the battalion''s number ofbat soldiers would not be at full strength, asmanders would habitually embezzle part of the soldiers'' pay, which was a practice seen with amusement by the higher-ups.


    This was a w within the old system; if bordermanders wanted to enrich themselves, they naturally had to bleed the soldiers, hence the persistent issue of understaffing.


    In the usual case, neither the King of Chu nor the Ministers wished the border military to be too strong, so they were content to tolerate a certain degree of payroll embezzlement, turning a blind eye on purpose rather than out of ignorance.


    yed right, this strategy created a powerful trunk with weak branches, ensuring strong control and averting insubordination among the border forces. yed wrong, though, it could lead to situations reminiscent of the Song Dynasty or the Ming Dynasty...


    But the oversight functions of the old system were anything but precise, so falling into dysfunction was more the norm, hence the eventual recement by a more advanced modern military system.


    Sentinels paced back and forth atop the watchtower, while wisps of cooking smoke rose from within the camp. Some soldiers were busily preparing lunch, while others lounged at various corners of the encampment.


    Differing from past situations, at this moment, on the side of the camp nearest to Chu Country, hundreds of refugees were kneeling on the ground, watched over by about a hundred Chu military soldiers.


    The leading Chu officer, with his hands sped behind his back, looked down with a sneer at the civilians prostrate before him, strolling past each lowered head.


    These civilians, kneeling on the ground, did not dare to raise their heads. Cries echoed from a distance, and among the crowd, women pleaded.


    "Sir! We have nothing left to eat! Please, let us go..." It was unclear who among the crowd was crying out, but it was faintly audible that someone was saying so.


    There were children''s cries as well, intermingling with the women''s sobs, making their pleas even more heart-wrenching.


    "Please, Sir! We really are desperate! Spare us!" someone else amidst the crowd mustered the courage to beg for mercy.


    "You are citizens of Chu Country! Crossing the border is a serious crime! I am merely performing my duty... do not make this difficult for me," the Chu officer scoffed, drawing out his words to shout at the refugees.


    The poption of a country is a precious asset, not to be easily forsaken. Civilians crossing the border illegally weremitting a grave offense; those caught would be enved, doomed to a lifetime of servitude.


    They could not be killed, of course, for the poption was wealth. But the ensuing punishment was severe¡ªturned into ves, they were beyond the protection of thew and became the property of the wealthy.


    "Catching a few hundred this time... The officer is sure to make a fortune," a captain standing at the officer''s side whispered in delight.


    Of course, only a few of these ves would be conscripted and auctioned off, the majority were destined for a handsome profit in personal pockets.


    Most of the money would certainly be siphoned off by superiors and officials capable of issuing the necessary documents, but he undoubtedly had his share.


    With these thoughts, the border officer also felt quite pleased, viewing the kneeling refugees as if seeing a shining field of Gold Coins.


    "Sir, from Zheng Country... Tang Country... there''s someone who wishes to see you," suddenly, a Soldier rushed over, cautiously reporting.


    Whether the other side of the border was currently Zheng Country or Tang Country was a matter without an official stance from Chu. People used different terms; some still called it Zheng Country, while others switched to calling it Tang Country. Either way, the intent was clear.


    However, as time passed, more and more people from Chu preferred the term Tang Country because those across the border referred to themselves as Tang People.


    "Hmm?" The Chu officer furrowed his brows, looking at his subordinate¡ªhe was surprised, finding their approach to be quite unorthodox.


    Logically, there shouldn''t be any contact between the opposing border forces, as there was no need for interaction, and such matters were taboo if found out.


    Everyone had their loyalties, and if some form of collusion was suspected, it could lead to dangerous misunderstandings. Why would anyone risk their neck for such folly?


    After considering it, he nced again at the mass of kneeling refugees and snorted coldly,manding a trusted subordinate, "I''ll go take a look! Keep an eye on these people! If one escapes, I''ll have your head!"


    "Yes! Understood, sir!" The confidant nodded and bowed, promptly responding.


    The lead officer, along with a few attendants and the captain, made their way across the camp towards the side bordering Zheng Country.


    Across the shallow trench marking the border, an automobile was parked on Tang territory. It was a people''s Type 3 car, unostentatious but with significantly improved performance.


    A standard Type 1 car probably couldn''t have made it to such rough terrain forck of horsepower and off-road capability. Yet the Type 3 managed easily.


    The man standing in front of the car wore a pleasant smile, dressed in respectable clothes, and had gold-rimmed sses.


    The cultured and refined Chu Country officer let out some of relief after seeing this man. As long as it wasn''t someone in a military uniform, one meeting wouldn''t be too much trouble.


    "I hear you wanted to see me?" There was a small wooden bridge atop the border, which was actually unnecessary as the shallow ditch could be crossed without it. It was constructed merely to avoid muddiness below, hence the makeshift bridge.


    In fact, not many people passed over this bridge on any given day, so it hadn''t been repaired even once in the past year. Stepping on it caused it to creak non-stop, as if it might copse at any moment.


    "Yes, General." The cultivated man replied with a smile, "I''ve long heard of the General''s great name..."


    "Skip the useless talk, just tell me what you''re here for." The Chu Country General waved his hand dismissively, impatient as if swatting at a fly.


    "I''m here to discuss a business deal with the General." The bespectacled man still wore his smile as he answered the Chu Country general''s question.


    "Hmm? Business? I''m a soldier, what kind of business could I possibly do?" The Chu Country officer nced at the man with sses and countered.


    "I would like to buy... people! Those refugees, the healthy ones," said the man with sses straightforwardly.


    "Ha! I haven''t lost my mind, that''s not a business I''ll be doing, goodbye." The Chu Country General lifted his eyebrows and declined bluntly.


    "Two Gold Coins per person," said the man with the sses, as if he hadn''t heard the refusal, and named his price directly.


    "Hmm?" This time, not just the Chu Country officer but the subordinate officers by his side were stupefied.


    They apprehended refugees and sent them back... but never at such a good price. Looking merely at the price, this deal... seemed doable.


    "That''s too little." Surprisingly, the Chu Country officerughed greedily, "This is the blood money for me and my brothers!"


    "Two Gold Coins for the able-bodied men, three for the women of marriageable age, the same price for the old and children," the man with sses took out a Gold Coin and tossed it to the Chu Country officer: "This price is not low."


    The Chu Country officer caught the Gold Coin thrown by the bespectacled man and saw that the Gold Coin was of excellent quality. He rubbed it and then pocketed it.


    Whenever he caught refugees crossing the border, he had to share the profits with his superiors, only keeping his share, which was obviously not substantial. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    But if he turned a blind eye to the refugees crossing the border, letting them pass without reporting the number or needing anyplex operations, he could earn multiples of his usualpensation; this was clearly a better option.


    "How many do you want?" Greed glinting in his eyes, the moved Chu Country officer grinned and asked.


    There were a few hundred refugees behind him, and if the man took them all, he could easily pocket close to 1000 Gold Coins.


    Even though he needed to divide some of the money among his men to keep them quiet, he would finally be able to keep the lion''s share, and that was undeniably good news.


    "I''ll take as many as you have." The bespectacled man kept smiling, veryposed in his response: "Every person, as long as they can walk over this wooden bridge by themselves, I''ll pay."


    "Are you insane?" The Chu Country officer,pletely caught off guard by the vastness of the other''s appetite, was startled.


    "Snap!" The man with sses snapped his fingers. The two Guards that had been lingering behind the car immediately opened the car''s trunk and took out tworge chests.


    They walked to the edge of the wooden bridge and ced the heavy chests on the ground, expertly flipping the lids open to disy neatly stacked Gold Coins inside.


    "There are 500 Gold Coins here." The man with the sses gestured invitingly.


    His Guards returned to the car, brought out two morerge chests, and carried them over to the Chu Country officer in the same manner, cing them on the ground and flipping open the lids.@@novelbin@@


    "Now, there are 1000." The man with sses spoke casually, "I can pay you first! What do you think?"


    "Who exactly are you?" Terrified by the other''s extravagance, the Chu Country officer swallowed hard and inquired.


    "Me? I''m a businessman," the bespectacled man replied, "A businessman who makes friends everywhere. General, would you like to be my friend?"


    "Of course. You can send someone to collect the people tomorrow, money in one hand, people in the other." The Chu Country officer certainly wanted to be friends with money: "I have many refugees here, more than you could imagine!"


    "Ah, that I believe!" The man with sses shrugged nonchntly, "But I also have a lot of money, really... more than you could imagine!"


    Having said that, he turned and walked away, pausing beside the car to look back at the Chu Country officer: "Do you like this car? How about I send you one next time?"

 Chapter 493 475 raw cooked

    "It''s over, it''s all over, it''s over, it''s all over...," a Chu Country refugee farmer muttered in despair at the scene before him.


    He had just been escorted across a wooden bridge amidst a dense crowd of people, into the territory of the Great Tang Kingdom, where he was greeted by this frightening sight.


    Everyone was lined up in a long queue, one after the other like criminals, being directed by soldiers wielding weapons, then queuing up to get their hair cut...


    That terrifying kind of haircut! All men were required to have their long hair tidied up¡ªthose barbers were like madmen, shearing a person''s head clean in just a few strokes.


    He swore he had never had his hair cut like this in his entire life, to him, the process seemed more like andlord''s sheep shearing than a haircut.


    Not to mention after the haircut, they were also arranged to soak in scalding hot water, just as if they were pigs being scalded in the vige for hair removal. In his eyes, they were about to be butchered and turned into buns, or directly eaten!


    He really wanted to run away and resist, but he just didn''t dare¡ªbecause someone had already tried it.


    On both sides of them were strings of thin iron wire, seemingly fragile with small barbs on them, frighteningly sharp.


    Someone had just freaked out from the scene of being "boiled alive" and tried to climb over those fragile iron wire loops to escape, only to end up hanging on them.


    It was a gruesomely hopeless and desperate struggle, a person hanging on the barbed wire wailing for mercy, bleeding and blurring the more they struggled, unable to extricate themselves from the wire that resembled spider silk. In the end, some soldiers helped him down.


    When he was finally taken down, the person only had the energy to moan, covered with dense wounds. Some areas had been torn repeatedly, which was chilling to the onlookers.


    Having been a soldier himself and now over fifty years old, he closely examined the bloodstained wire and was so frightened that he gasped.


    It seemed soft, but it left no leverage for the victim. Once caught, you couldn''t tear or break free, and the barbs would dig into the flesh, incredibly vicious.


    What was more terrifying was that because it was not stressed, it was also difficult to cut with an axe or sword, proving harder to climb over than a wall.


    The disadvantage seemed to be that such material was incredibly expensive, requiring arge amount of steel, something ordinary people would not use on arge scale.


    But when this old farmer looked at the endless iron wire fence, he sighed deeply, wondering what terrible ce he hade to.


    In the end, he had no choice but to stand before a huge wooden barrel, despondently monitored by a soldier, and get in.


    It was indeed scalding hot water; the moment he entered the barrel, he felt as though he was being boiled alive. However, after a burst of stinging pain, a long-lost sense of relief followed. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Hair clippings floated on the surface of the water in the barrel. After soaking for a few minutes, he was finally allowed to stand up, then he walked, bare-bottomed, out of the barrel and awkwardly towards the next checkpoint.


    Here there were only men, so everyone was stark naked, some skeletal with only skin and bones, and some still muscr and robust.


    Following the crowd, the first stop was a stall full of underpants. Everyone was required to put on a pair, then take another pair, and continue to follow the flow of people.


    After receiving two pairs of underpants, the old farmer who had been a soldier finally breathed a sigh of relief: no one would issue underpants to livestock destined for shearing and ughter, so it seemed they still had a chance to live.


    Following the crowd to the next checkpoint, everyone received a new pair of trousers! This came as a shock to everyone.


    They had just fled to the Great Tang Kingdom, and without having done anything yet, each person was given a pair of trousers¡ªsuch an immense kindness!


    Those who received trousers continued on their way and each got a jacket, and by then, everyone started to look proper¡ªback in Chu Country, they never had the chance to wear such decent clothing.


    Over there, if they had a piece of clothing with just a few patches, that was already considered quite good.


    But now, they were washed clean and dressed in brand new clothes. Although everyone wore the same, the quality of the clothes seemed genuinely good.


    What excited them even more was that the clothes had pockets on each side, allowing them to store the underpants they had received.


    In the distance, there was a faint sound of someone shouting, and further away, thick smoke billowed, a clear sign that something was being burned.


    Only when they got closer could they see clearly that old clothes, rags, nkets, and shoes that had just been stripped from them were being incinerated.


    All of these items seemed to be burned away like a gue, as if the Great Tang Kingdom refused to allow any broken or worn items within its borders.


    Continuing forward, they could finally hear what was being shouted: "Answer the questions carefullyter! Do not withhold any information! This will affect the quality of your future life! And the amount of supplies you will receive!"


    "Answer the questions properlyter! Don''t hide anything! This will affect the quality of your future life and the amount of supplies you can get!" After the old farmer took a few steps forward, someone else with a megaphone repeated the announcement.


    Soon, he saw his own daughter, who was also wearing the same set of clothes as he was. When they had just been separated, they both thought they would never see each other again, but unexpectedly, they were reunited here.


    "Do you know him?" a female soldier gripping a gun grabbed the old farmer''s daughter and asked loudly, "Make sure you''re certain!"


    There were too many people here, everywhere families hugging, weeping, and rejoicing their reunions, making the ce as noisy as a vegetable market.


    "He''s my father!" the daughter shouted excitedly.


    "I''m her dad! I''m her dad!" the old farmer also shouted.


    The female soldier let go, waved her arm, and motioned for them to keep walking forward. Then another male soldier stepped aside to clear the path and quickly stopped another person.@@novelbin@@


    The not-sorge clearing was filled with people searching for their family members, but all this seemed to no longer concern the old farmer and his daughter.


    By then, the road had clearly widened a lot, families huddled together, afraid of separation, and walked forward with extra caution.


    They soon passed the first fork. By the gap in the wireting, a soldier was shouting non-stop, "Those who can read,e this way! Anyone who can write, pleasee over!"


    Almost no one stayed here. Although the old farmer could write a few characters, he could not really be considered literate, so he continued walking forward.


    After only a few steps, he heard someone yelling, "cksmiths! Those who understand metallurgy and have skills,e over here!"


    The old farmer saw a robust man with his family stopping here. After a brief conversation, this family was allowed to walk down that fork.


    "Those who know how to farm,e this way!" Soon, after passing several forks, the old farmer heard someone loudly asking for "farmers"¡ªa word sensitive to him.


    He raised his hand and shouted, "Me! I can farm!"


    In his mind, he was sure he would be allocated to andlord''s property, bing thendlord''s ve, working thend for a lifetime.


    But he really thought too much.


    He and his daughter were quickly assigned to a barrack, which seemed to have been previously upied by the border army of Zheng Country. Although only curtains separated the spaces, at least they were settled down, followed by a 10-day quarantine for disease prevention.


    There they had two meals a day, rice and flour-based dishes they wouldn''t have dared to dream of before. This quality of life was beyond their past expectations.


    Previously, he only allowed himself two meals a day during the busy farming seasons, and his lean and gaunt daughter used to have only one meal a day.


    It wasn''t just his family that lived like this; in Chu Country, it wasmon for women in ordinary families to have only one meal a day.


    Every day, someone sprayed unpleasant disinfectant in the camp, and without tiring, people confirmed each person''s skills. Women were repeatedly asked whether they were willing to learn skills like textile work, while men were repeatedly confirmed on their willingness to join the national defense reserves.


    When everyone thought these Tang People had gone mad, they were dispersed in groups and ced in various locations.


    Only then did the old farmer realize that what had been repeatedly confirmed before truly affected their future lives.


    He and his daughter were arranged to work on a farm, given their own small log cabin. They were then allocated a field that was neither good nor bad, and received well-crafted farming tools.


    The next morning, an elder familiar with farming came with seeds to check if the neers really knew how to farm and to allocate seeds and assign tasks.


    After the elder confirmed that the old farmer was indeed skilled in farming, he left behind plenty of seeds, along with ten days of rations, and departed.


    This was the farm''s rule, providing a maximum of ten days of rations to prevent neers from fleeing with the food.


    After more than a month of turmoil and over thirty days of fear, the old farmer from Chu Country finally eased his mind.


    Because his water jar at the door was now filled, and beside his nk bed leaned a bag of grain!


    Thest time his jar was full and there was rice under the hall was ten years ago. Back then, his wife was still alive, and he could still lift the heavy Shireck Flintlock Gun...

 Chapter 494 Difficulty 476

    Master Xia was a well-known teacher on Dongwan Ind, and it was the dream of many Dongwan schrs to be able to study under him.


    Later, when the people from Shenguo arrived on Dongwan Ind, those short and clumsy folks burned Qin instruments and cooked cranes,pletely ignorant of what civilization was, barbarically tarnishing our culture.


    But those beasts hadn''t been happy for long before the Tang People came over! Overnight, everything changed, and the rules were no longer applicable.


    And so, he was taken to be a private school teacher, teaching a group of clueless children along with a bunch of thick-headed Qiuba soldiers.


    The chaps who couldn''t even write properlymandeered the desks from the homes of the city''s wealthy gentry just to attend sses. On that day, it seemed as if all the culture of Dongwan Ind had evaporated, never to be seen again.


    Master Xia thought his life was over, and he began to give up on himself while teaching at school.


    However, he soon was amazed to find that the barbaric soldiers, along with the children who couldn''t write, had changed beyond recognition after a few months.


    At first, the children came in with legs covered in mud and skin as ck as charcoal from the sun, their speech jumbled andcking the proper respect when meeting others.


    What they enjoyed the most were physical education and military sses, where they would run around wildly on the field with the Qiuba soldiers in the afternoon.


    Butter, one day, these students suddenly put on new uniforms shipped from Brunas, and all at once, both boys and girls, looked just like the privileged children of wealthy families.


    When they walked through the corridors in groups of three or in pairs, they would stand at attention and salute their teachers with crisp and precise movements.


    Their faces visibly grew rosier, and their bodies stronger. Most importantly, they began getting used to holding their chins up, as if an invisible force was reshaping their souls.


    Light began to shine in their eyes, and they started asking questions that Master Xia couldn''t answer in ss.


    They began discussing geometry and mathematics, challenging each other with ballistics calctions, climbing rooftops to measure the wind direction, and deciding their own student number rankings through fighting¡ªa proud tradition from a certain academy, it was said.


    Eventually, Master Xia realized that he had nothing left to teach these children, other than writing.


    Especially when the students stood up in unison as he entered the ssroom and greeted him with a loud "Good morning, Teacher," he knew there was no longer any reason for him to stay.


    So, he copied forty pages of calligraphy homework and gave them to each student, instructing them to practice every character well. Then he left Dongwan Ind by boat andplied with the arrangements to move to Tongcheng.


    He vividly remembered the day he left, the ss monitor came to see him off, a young man named Liu Guozhu, who stood tall and straight on the dock like a pine tree.


    Master Xia shed tears, feeling that of all the students he had taught in his life, perhaps only thest 40 from Dongwan Ind were pleasing to his eye.


    "Teacher..." The young man from the Tongcheng Education Bureau was very polite as he drove the somewhat old-fashioned People''s Model 2 car, taking Master Xia toward the school: "Did you get used to the boat trip?"


    Compared to the makeshift schools that had been set up on Dongwan Ind, the school conditions in Tongcheng were obviously much better.


    For one thing, this city was bigger than Dongwan City and had arger poption, thus naturally offering better conditions.


    On the other hand, it was because the Great Tang Group hadunched aprehensive infrastructure development mode on the former soil of Zheng Country, with a focus on building schools.


    The Great Tang Group needed argebor force and even more so a pool of talents! Labor resources were easy to find, but talent was scarce. Thus, whilebor could be directly purchased with money, talent had to be cultivated slowly.


    "What''s there to get used to? That iron ship is as big as an ind and doesn''t rock at all. In the blink of an eye, we reached Linshui as if on level ground," Master Xia marveled at the size of the vessel and couldn''t help but praise it.


    That''s because the distance from Dongwan to Linshui is close... Try traveling from Dragon City to Dongwan Ind... The young Bureau Chief thought to himself and chuckled: "It''s good that you''refortable, Teacher."


    The Tongcheng Education Bureau had only just been established, or else it wouldn''t be possible for a bureau chief of his stature to be driving a teacher around.


    It couldn''t be helped. The Great Tang Kingdom''s campaign againstndlords had alienated too many of the schrlyndlord ss, effectively wiping out the former schr-official ss of Zheng Country in one fell swoop.


    In such circumstances, to employ these Zheng Country schrs who feared neither death nor hardship, who believed themselves wronged, who wouldn''t dare to make an overt move but who were always ready to sabotage in secret, would be simply asking for trouble.


    Therefore, the pace of training in the area has been somewhat slow, which canrgely be considered an after-effect of the destruction process ofnd consolidation.


    No matter how you look at it, graduates from the Great Tang Group''s colleges must be employed in the field of scientific education, so the loss isn''t significant. What''s really troublesome is the most basic literacy education.


    That is why teachers from Dongwan Ind, who have been vetted for their moral character and have already embraced the concept of Tang Country, have been transferred over as a stopgap measure.


    Master Xia, by all ounts, is a teacher with both integrity and capability, although his knowledge sometimes has its limitations due to the era. However, when ites tonguage education, he is truly exceptional.


    His willingness toe to Tongcheng was actually motivated by his own considerations: he nned to start from scratch here, learning the basic sciences of the Great Tang Group to enhance his knowledge.


    When he heard that the Tang Kingdom was preparing to establish an industrial university in the industrial city of Tongcheng, he submitted a report and volunteered to teach in Tongcheng while enjoying the benefit of free education.


    Truth be told, he suffered quite a bit on his journey mainly because the railway between Linshui and Tongcheng had not yet beenpleted...@@novelbin@@


    "Since there''s not much scenery along the way, why don''t you tell me, teacher, if there''s anything that needs to be improved?" The young Director of Education casually asked while driving.


    After a few seconds of silence, just when the driving director thought Master Xia had fallen asleep, the old master suddenly spoke up, "I think, in Tongcheng''s schools, each ss should double the time dedicated tonguage courses..."


    "Oh?" The young director, who hadn''t expected much from the question, suddenly found the stubborn and somewhat old-fashioned old man next to him quite interesting.


    "Since ancient times, who has ever heard of students graduating after just learning to write and recognizing a few hundred characters?" The old man didn''t mince his words and fired away, "I know those students have to learn a lot of other subjects, and they even have to learn how to fight, how to kill! But if they can''t even write properly...


    if the foundation is not solid, how can they learn anything else well?"


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    "Uh..." The driving director really wanted to tell the old man that fast-track training, time-saving, and quickly training talent to be dispatched to various positions is a strategic directive from His Majesty the King.


    But he feared that telling the truth to the old man might scare him to death. So he just smiled and said, "The country is in need of talents, and no one else in the world can train them except us. We''re pressed for time... There''s no helping it."


    "Then I will teach in my spare time! As long as the students are willing! Don''t you guys block them! If theye, I''ll provide the paper and pens!" Master Xia''s stubborn temperament red up again.


    "Fine! As long as you''re willing, teacher, our Department of Education will cover the paper and pens!" The directorughed, quite generously.


    However, his next words gave Master Xia quite a shock, "But you should be prepared, teacher. In the beginning, you might be a bit busy due to limited manpower. As for how busy... well, let me put it this way, there are going to be 40 sses in Tongcheng, 40 sses per grade, and around 50 students per ss."


    "How many?" Master Xia felt he might have misunderstood and instinctively asked.


    "You''re estimated to lead at least 8 of those sses, there''s no helping it, we have a limited number of teachers." The young man exined, "We n to recruit 2000 students at once, and there''s also night school... uh, in total, at least 3000 people or more."


    In that moment, Master Xia didn''t know whether to feel fortunate or to despair. He had long cherished the idea that the world could truly achieve education without discrimination, but he had never truly dared to imagine a school enrolling 3000 students all at once...


    In the middle of their conversation, the car arrived at the school. After visiting his temporary amodation, the young Director of Education took Master Xia to see the ss he would be teaching.


    The students in this ss were in the middle of a lesson, with some simple Chinese characters written on the ckboard, and a young soldier was substituting.


    Master Xia recognized this soldier; he was also one of Master Xia''s former students on Dongwan Ind who had barely studied for over half a year.


    However, as soon as Master Xia walked into the ssroom, he was so overwhelmed by what he saw that he couldn''t speak.


    Because he saw rows of young girls neatly seated in the ssroom, most of whom came from the countryside and were not particrly good-looking with their duskyplexions.


    But they were indeed girls, sitting there chattering like a room full of swallows, and just one nce made Master Xia''s head spin, unable to even open his mouth to introduce himself.


    Girls already ustomed to school life stood up in unison and bowed together at the ss monitor''s request, enthusiastically greeting Master Xia in chorus, "Hello, teacher!"


    With a glum face, Master Xia responded with a hello to the students, then turned to his young superior, only to find that thetter was seriously examining the ceiling above.


    He had once imagined that the experience of teaching on Dongwan Ind was the most harrowing ssroom he had witnessed. But he never thought that in his lifetime, he would have the chance to take on an even greater challenge...

 Chapter 495 477 will be realized very soon.

    Redman disembarked from the ship, his face pale, standing on the docks of Linshui Port. Frankly speaking, inparison to Brunas''s docks, everything here seemed too backward. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    However, with the establishment of the Great Tang Kingdom, he, as a military leader of this kingdom, had no choice but to focus his efforts where he was truly needed.


    Previously, thend of Jade City in Brunas''s Northern Ridge was nearly thergest controlled sector of the Great Tang Group, so he, a general renowned far and wide, had to be stationed in Brunas for extended periods of time.


    But now, the Great Tang Kingdom possessed vast territories and even more people in need of protection, so the "War God of Great Tang" also had to move his base.


    Apanying his arrival were over five hundred faculty members and over a thousand military officers transferred from Brunas, along with one hundred thousand sets of corresponding textbooks.


    The Great Tang Kingdom hoped to construct Tongcheng, Linshui, and others into true industrial centers. This would no longer be someone else''s turf but genuinely and entirely their own!


    Here, they could appoint officials without any procedures, didn''t have to pay taxes to others each year, and no longer had to fear that adversaries might find an excuse to reim thend at any time.


    Of course, with thebat power of the Great Tang Kingdom, there really weren''t many countries bold enough to openly cause trouble.


    Yet, for a steady supply of goods and verbal support and recognition from other countries, the Great Tang Kingdom stillpleted a very detailed andprehensive disentanglement from the Great Tang Group.


    Now, legally speaking, the legitimate territory of the Great Tang Kingdom included Dragon Ind and all thends of the former Zheng Country. The remaining areas still belonged to the Great Tang Group, which operated them as special economic zones under its management, with their territorial sovereignty officially remaining part of various countries.


    However, the Great Tang Group still maintained corresponding control over these territories, merely having to pay taxes annually.


    The cranes just assembled and put into use were unloading cargo from the freighters, and the stockpile of goods in Linshui City was mountainous, reaching a point that was almost terrifying.


    All ports and cities under the Great Tang Kingdom were reciprocating to Zheng Country, and all industrial machinery controlled by Tang Mo had switched into full gear, producing everything possible at a frantic pace.


    Even so, the production capacity was still insufficient, prompting the Great Tang Group to start, for the first time since its establishment, arge-scale continuous procurement of materials from every avable region, including industrial products.


    Delightfully, the Great Tang Group even publicly purchased 20,000 automobiles from the Ice Cold Kingdom and Gobur Kingdom, a huge order that finally made the trade deficits of several countries look less embarrassing.


    Previously, their method for maintaining economic operations was primarily through exporting a massive amount of ores and selling various raw materials to cover the costs of purchasing equipment from the Great Tang Group.


    The cranes were lifting machinery from Dragon Ind onto the docks, and despite about half a year of preparatory groundwork, Linshui Port''s throughput capacity was still no match for Brunas''s.


    But Tang Mo was already adjusting his deployments. ording to the ns of the Great Tang Kingdom, Linshui was eventually going to surpass Brunas. This was no longer news within the Group.


    Therefore, the Great Tang Group was furiously shifting its production capacity to Tang Country. To elerate the transition, they even sold some of their industries directly to businessmen of Tang Country.


    Although they were once deceived by the Zheng Country royal family, the Great Tang Kingdom indeed returned the industries to these businessmen.


    After regaining ownership of their businesses, these merchants reaped dividends during the reconstruction of Tang Country and thus were willing to continue investing in relevant industries.


    As a result, cement factories and ss factories were springing up throughout Tang Country, with infrastructure-rted industries flourishing.


    It had reached a point where virtually anyone could find a job. Everywhere was hiring, seeking suitable management personnel, and it was incredibly easy to improve one''s standard of living.


    This was Tang Country now, the ce furiously absorbingbor from its surroundings. Right in Linshui, Tang Mo built 500 six-story residential buildings in one breath, and they had recently begunpletion.


    Each of these buildings could amodate 144 families, with each unit having a floor area of over 70 square meters. Thanks to prior design experience, all theyouts were special versions with a small dining area and three bedrooms, optimizing functionality.


    With the experience of immigration to Dragon Ind, now almost all of Tang Mo''s personnel had begun to purchase their properties in Linshui, Tongcheng, and the old King City of Zheng Country.


    Everyone knew that these ces were bound to rival or even surpass Brunas in the future. Buying property here would yield returns that were tenfold or even a hundredfold.


    Interestingly, it wasn''t just the people under Tang Mo who were acquiring properties; wealthy tycoons, politicians, and even royal families from other countries were also eagerly spending money, buying their personal properties within Tang Country.


    It was no joke, looking at the current housing prices in Brunas, even a fool knew that following the real estate development team of the Great Tang Group was an investment with guaranteed profits!


    So a shocking scene ensued: thend prices in the old King City of Zheng Country, which were still in the process of wall demolition, continued to hit new highs, and even the houses damaged by artillery fire were being sold at five times their original price.


    What wasughable was that even at five times the original price, buyers didn''t even bother to haggle, signing contracts and paying with Gold Coin without a second thought¡­


    Amidst the bustling noise, the aide helped Redman open the door of his vehicle, which was thetest model of field officer car produced by the Great Tang Group, painted in a dirt green that looked somewhat rustic at first nce.


    Indeed, Tang Mo, having lost interest in the finer details of paintwork, simply resorted to using the mostmon green military paint of the 60s from Huaxia Country.


    Hence, if one were not to consider the performance of these military equipments but only judge by the appearance and color, the milky white and bright red civilian cars produced by Gobur seemed a bit more pleasing to the eye.


    As the car of a high-ranking officer, the performance of this off-road vehicle was indeed greatly enhanced. It had better off-road capabilities, more horsepower, and was somewhat faster.


    The main reason a sedan wasn''t arranged to pick up Redman, was mainly due to the fact that Linshui City was undergoing frantic construction.


    In some areas, buildings were being erected, roads had been dug up for sewer pipe instation, electrical wires were beingid out in other areas, and some ces were having their roads levelled.


    In a nutshell, the passability of regr cars in these conditions was quite problematic, which is why Tagg had dispatched a military off-road vehicle to fetch Redman.


    Once out of Linshui City, or rather on the city outskirts, road conditions were somewhat better, and there were noticeably more vehicles on the road.


    Mainly various horse-drawn carriages mixed with colorful automobiles, many of which were the low-riding agricultural vehicles from the Ice Cold Kingdom, and quite a few Brunas-produced People''s Type 2 as well.


    There were no traffic lights on the roads yet, but there were already City Defense Forces converted into traffic police, frantically directing traffic at intersections.


    The closer they got to the edge of the city, the more stall vendors could be seen through the car windows, surrounding the construction sites and ceaselessly shouting about their wares.


    The shouting outside was inaudible in the noisy car, as the soundproofing of the military off-road vehicle was practically a disaster.


    In order to supply more equipment to more troops, the factories of the Great Tang Group instinctively ignored almost every detail.


    This led to the current situation where, aside from the Great Tang Group''s top-end Rolls-Royce product line, Tang Mo had almost no luxury car brands at his disposal.


    Meanwhile, Ice Cold Automobile, Gobur Automobile, and the rising star Na Automobile all had their own nobility series, thus producing many "name brands."


    Tang Mo''s te was spread too wide, so wide that he could no longer micromanage all of his sub-projects. Therefore, he could only roughly harvest a vast field of "leeks" and regretfully let go of some areas he couldn''t attend to, allowing others to have a sip of the broth.


    Upon reaching Tagg''s military camp, Redman immediately regained his bearings as he observed the increasingly chaotic and volume of strange equipment, as well as the generator trucks providing power for these devices, he knew he had definitely arrived at the right ce.


    "Hey! Redman!" As soon as Tagg saw Redman, he stepped forwardughing and embraced him, and Redman warmly responded to his old friend Tagg, who had also witnessed the rise of the Great Tang Group.


    "The ride wasn''t toofortable, was it?" As an army general, Tagg naturally understood Redman''s difort very well.


    Indeed, Redman immediately nodded, "I still feel like I''m swaying! It seems His Majesty has a point in establishing the Marine Corps. Not everything can be handled by the Army."


    Taggughed and said, "Now the Navy is starting to do the Army''s work. Does this mean we in the Army have to start doing the Navy''s job?"


    "Hahaha! We can''t, we can''t!" Redman waved his hand dismissively, "I''m here this time to set up an Armored Division. I''ve brought all the framework over."


    "I''m too old to keep up with you young folks'' pace, so all I can do is make sure to keep the home front secure for you," said Tagg, leading Redman into his tent. He pointed to a wireless radio antenna being tested across the way and began, "Back when I fought in wars, we relied on messengers, but now, I canmunicate with everypanymander at any time."


    "Hahaha!" Redmanughed even more exaggeratedly, taking the Zheng Country specialty tea that Tagg handed him without drinking it, boasting, "Just wait! Soon you''ll be able to contact every toon, then every squad!"


    "Are you kidding me? How could I possibly manage that?" Tagg retorted in surprise.


    "Tank toons! Every tank will be equipped with more advanced radios! Even though it''s not possible yet, very soon... we will be able to do it." Redman said confidently.@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 496 478 is saving up for a big move

    Tang Mo was "charging a powerful move." He was preparing to, before other powers were ready, take full advantage of wirelessmunications to gain aprehensive advantage in both tanks and airnes.


    With such an advantage, he could be proactive in expansion, using fewer troops to achieve greater military results.


    However, installing wireless radio equipment on airnes required more efficient engines and more mature designs! Onlyrger and more powerful engines could give airnes greater carrying capacity, supply more electricity, and allow the use of wireless radios!


    The existing airnes obviously wouldn''t suffice, so Tang Mo could only develop brand new, more powerful monones as quickly as possible to modernize his air force into the "World War II" era.


    The same was true for tanks. If one wanted to install wireless radio equipment in a tank, it requiredrger engines and arger chassis, so the previously used Type 2 tanks were clearly insufficient.


    Tang Mo had no choice but to upgrade the tanks once more, allowing them to be equipped with higher-power wireless radio equipment while also housing more powerful weapons.


    With each nation already having their industrial foundations and production capacities, Tang Mo had to start considering certain contingencies when designing his troops.


    He couldn''t pin his hopes on the enemy never developing anti-tank cannons, so enhanced protection for the tanks became a necessity.


    After much consideration, Tang Mo still decided to choose the German tank development strategy for his troops, primarily because he was unwilling to risk the precious lives of tank crew members.


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    Clearly, under the same conditions, German tanks could provide a betterbat environment and protection for the crew.


    Compared to these tanks, Tang Mo cared more about people¡ªthe ones operating these tanks! When training personnel couldn''t meet the demands in numbers, minimizing losses and maintaining quantity was a better choice.


    Soviet-style tanks were practically a nightmare for tank crews; early tanks had no ce to install wireless radio equipment, which was very detrimental to subsequent development.


    Tang Mo found it hard to imagine his meticulously trained crew members continuously fighting in cramped spaces; such a scenario was nothing short of murder.


    He also wasn''t willing to allow his crew members to drive thinly armored Soviet tanks into enemy defenses regardless of the cost; he couldn''t afford such horrific losses.


    As for American tanks, Tang Mo chose not to use them mainly because their technology was not mature. Early American tanks were too peculiar, and their subsequent developmentcked distinctive features, also suffering from insufficient defense.


    So, after weighing his options, Tang Mo decided to faithfully follow in Germany''s footsteps to prosper, and as forter development, that would have to wait until the technology matured!


    Who says you can''t use M1s after adopting Tigers and Panthers? And who said you have to use M1s, anyway? Once you''ve developed, can''t you use the Type 99A? It''s no joke¡ªthe Type 99A is extremely capable!


    In fact, the Great Tang Group had already started producingrger and more versatile Type 4 tanks on Dragon Ind¡ªskipping the Type 3 because it was far inferior to the Type 4 in terms of versatility.


    Tang Mo didn''t need to experiment with errors; he didn''t need to manage abination of different tank roles, such as assault or breakthrough vehicles, so he simply chose to ignore the existence of Type 3 altogether.


    Due to its more powerful engine andrger chassis, the Type 4 tank had a huge advantage in subsequent modifications. In fact, until the end of World War II, the performance of Type 4 tanks was never outdated and remained at the mainstream level.


    Even Israel managed to use them for a while in subsequent wars, significantly extending the service life of the Type 4 tanks.


    The overall design of the Type 4 tank could be considered a benchmark, or rather, almost perfect! A five-person crew was the standard for efficient tank crews in the early days, and the advantage in tactics with installed wireless radios was absolute!


    Its 75 mm short-barrel cannon could deal with any threat at that stage, whether facing earthworks or any potential weapons the enemy might deploy.


    The rtively thick armor also guaranteed the basic survival of the crew, and the armor could be further thickenedter to improve defense.


    Compared to other options, the interior space of the Type 4 tank was ample, providing a morefortable operating environment for its crew. This ensured that the crew members could fight continuously without wasting stamina due to fatigue that could force them to stop and rest.


    In the past, Tang Mo used to think that the Soviet-style tank development path was actually the perfect answer forrge-scale warfare.


    But when he faced the choice, he realized that sometimes you really cannot help yourself. His situation now was very simr to that of Germany before World War II: possessing some industrial capability but suffering from having no riches from the past.


    The defeat in World War I meant that Germanycked the foundation for mobilization, which was their biggest weakness: even with a poption close to a hundred million, the German Army hadn''t fully mobilized even three years after the outbreak of the war.


    Though the German Army was elite and the tactics advanced, they couldn''t afford losses! Those formidable, well-trained National Defense Army soldiers were each a priceless treasure in the hands of German generals.


    The soldiers that kepting in were brave but inexperienced, unable to support an increasingly professional tactical system.


    Therefore, the German Army had no choice but to protect its elite tank crews as much as possible, develop stronger tanks, and concentrate their use of elites, all in an effort to safeguard these experienced and irreceable "family assets."


    Tang Mo was no different! He also had only these few "assets." He could only hope that these "assets" would lead the inexperienced and cultivate more "fresh blood" that could be relied upon.


    Only when there was enough "fresh blood" umted and they no longer feared asional losses, could Tang Mo qualify to develop a steel flood and have the luxury of choices.


    For now, he could only count on his fingers how many tank crews he had and how many wouldplete their training next month...


    The same was true for Tang Mo. Pilots, navalmanders, and future naval airmen... he couldn''t afford to lose any of them! He had no choice but to invest in more powerful advantages to avoid the senseless loss of these valuable specialists on the battlefield!


    On Dragon Ind, in a dense forest near Weigang, a fenced-offwn was lined with a row of Camel Fighters.


    In front of these Camel Fighters, two bi-wing Camel Fighters had entered the field. Apanied by the roar of engines, the two nes wobbled back to the ground, bounced a bit, and then shakily came to a stop at the end of the runway.


    Two pilots took off their goggles and gave each other a thumbs-up. They had coordinated well during the exercise, taking out two rookies from the 1st Aviation Squadron that had taken off from Dragon City.


    Suchbat training urred daily. All pilots, including squadronmanders, had to personally take to the skies to participate in simr drills and training.


    Every Air Force Commander had to understand what kind of force they weremanding, then embrace new technology, acquire enough skills, and only then could they be promoted and stand out among their colleagues to be senior officers of the new branch, the Air Force.


    They were familiar with radio equipment and had even started learning how to use more advancedmunications for coordinating andmanding, overwhelming their opponents.


    "I heard there''s a new exercise today," a pilot who had just managed to climb out of the cockpit with the help of ground staff said to hisrade.


    "Yes! I heard they formed a newpany, quite interesting," another pilot replied as he handed his goggles to a ground crewd, nodding in confirmation.


    The troop''s ground staff was nearly five times the standard number! It included ground personnel apprentices and pilots who hadn''tpleted their training; the unit size was astonishinglyrge.


    "Let''s see if these guys dare to jump out of the nes, hahaha!" Watching the distant sky, two pilots seemed to recall something amusing.


    Their parachute training was a truly bittersweet memory. Leaping out of an airne from a kilometer high was not for the faint-hearted.


    In a ce out of their sight, arge bi-wing airne, buffeted by the air currents, carried a new recruit who pulled his head back from the door.@@novelbin@@


    At that moment, he felt he must have been mad toe to such a forsaken ce for flight pay and the highest level of rations.


    "Officer! Are you sure this thing will open?" Pointing at the massive parachute pack behind him, the new recruit involuntarily took a step back.


    The lead officer, irritated, checked the parachute release hook tethered to the steel cable for the new recruit, gave a nod, and shouted over the windy gale, "I''m absolutely sure! All you have to remember is yournding technique, you idiot!"


    Remembering thending technique that had almost be muscle memory, the soldier still didn''t dare to approach the cabin door again.


    Reaching out his hand, the officer pulled the timid recruit back to the door and, before the new recruit could react, kicked him out of the airne.


    Then, the officer looked at the next new recruit, who was pale, and asked loudly, "Do you need my help too?"


    The soldier hurriedly shook his head and then tremulously moved closer to the cabin door, facing the wind.


    Unfortunately, as he looked down at the ground below, the soldier involuntarily began to shrink back.


    But before he could retreat, someone kicked him in the backside. He tumbled out of the airne...


    "Ahh..." A faint scream drifted away from the outside of the cabin; in truth, the people inside could hardly hear the agonizing sound. The roar of the engine mixed with the noise of the wind and the tense atmosphere, no one had the inclination to care about any screams.

 Chapter 497 479 no money

    In the Dahua Empire, within the Imperial City, at the Zhou Residence of the Minister of Personnel, a middle-aged man in splendid robes sat in the highest seat, squinting his eyes, waiting for the person on the guest seat to speak.


    The middle-aged man sitting on the guest seat set down his teacup, pondered for a while, and then opened his mouth to say, "This matter with Tang Country, without Lord Minister''s care, is ultimately difficult to manage."


    This individual was a renowned merchant of the Dahua Empire, his wealth amounting to millions and considered a prominent figure. His restaurants spread across Dahua and were involved in gambling and other industries.


    Minister Zhou Qiang was in his prime, deeply trusted by His Majesty the Emperor and held significant power, acting prudently.


    As his visitor made his intentions known, he revealed a hint of an almost imperceptible smile and began to decline, "His Majesty is not willing to acknowledge Tang Country''s recement of Zheng Country, easily overturning one of our vassal states, and this has greatly displeased His Majesty."


    Everyone knew that the Dahua Empire was surrounded by many vassal states, among which Zheng Country was rtively weak andpliant.


    Zheng Country had suffered a bitter defeat in the war against the Shen Country and was already down and out when, within a few days, it was reced by Tang Country.


    How could this not infuriate the Emperor of the Dahua Empire? One of his vassal states had been eradicated, and the country that reced it seemed to have no intention of paying tribute and allegiance.


    The puzzled middle-aged man on the guest seat asked, "But... is it really necessary to dere war? With the treasury depleted and the generalsckadaisical, if there''s really a problem, does the Empire''s face even matter anymore?"


    He wasn''t an official, so he could view the Dahua Empire from a different perspective, one invisible to others.


    The current Dahua Empire was not as powerful as it appeared, and it faced troubles both internal and external. The one thing that remained intimidating was the sheer vastness of the Empire.


    "The question is, who dare advise His Majesty now?" Chief of Staff Zhou Qiang gave a wry smile and shook his head as he picked up his teacup.


    The nonchnt middle-aged guest then spoke up, "I think it doesn''t really matter much. I heard that people from Tang Country have been very active in the Imperial Citytely, so they must be thinking of a solution."@@novelbin@@


    Tang Mo had no intention of waging an all-out war against the Dahua Empire before he was ready, so he nned on spending some money to settle this matter.


    However, at the moment, Emperor Zhao Kai of the Dahua Empire was furious, even contemting deploying the military to help Zheng Country regain its sovereignty, so the Great Tang Group could only bypass the Emperor and n to work on the Dahua Empire''s ministers.


    On the other hand, bribing the Emperor''s consorts seemed like a good approach, at least a viable option.


    Politically savvy as they were, upon hearing his ally speak like this, Zhou Qiang realized what the people from Tang Country were up to: "Whispering in the pillow talk? Heh... not a bad move, but if one identally steps on the Prince''s struggle for session, even a deity might not be able to save him."


    The guest was startled and then asked with some concern, "These people from Tang Country, they aren''t so foolish as to underestimate the situation, are they?"


    "Hard to say, it depends on how clever they are," Zhou Qiang said with a smile as he set down his teacup.


    The guest on the seat chuckled confidently and said, "They''re certainly clever."


    "I knew you came here this time to act as a negotiator," Zhou Qiang said after a pause, extending his finger and pointing it distantly at the other man.


    The guest''s face revealed a smile he couldn''t hide, "Can''t help it, the price they''re offering is... truly full of sincerity."


    "Hahaha! Then how do you n to persuade me, the Minister of Personnel?" Zhou Qiang raised an eyebrow and asked.


    "It''s quite simple, look." The middle-aged manughed, pulled out a promissory note from his bosom, and pushed it toward Minister Zhou Qiang.


    Zhou Qiang frowned slightly, then picked up the promissory note and couldn''t help but shiver lightly as he read it.


    Before his eyes was a deed of servitude for a famous songstress from the Capital City, coveted by many princes and ministers; to his surprise, the other party had brought this very deed to him.


    "Generous," hemented,ying the deed back on the table. Zhou Qiang gave a smile and nced at the middle-aged man on the guest seat, asking, "I know Mingyue Tower is your property, and this divine entertainer Shu Xiaoxiao is the star attraction you''ve meticulously nurtured... How much did they offer to persuade you to part with her for me?"


    "An automobile production line," the middle-aged man didn''t hide the truth and spoke frankly, "It will be the first in the Dahua Empire, and undoubtedly the most advanced... automobile production line!"


    "Cars? Those newfangled contraptions?" Zhou Qiang recalled having two in his residence, both gifts from others.


    Those contraptions were indeed excellent, no horses needed, just fill them with fuel and they could run as fast as flight, and they were much morefortable than horse carriages.


    The only downside was that because their shock absorption was too effective, hitting a bump made them tremble and lurch, which was quite dizzying.


    After several rides, Zhou Qiang ended up getting so nauseous that he vomited violently and thereafter abandoned their use.


    "Exactly, that newfangled contraption! Not just these gadgets, but also other fine things," the middle-aged man replied, "With all these, ten million Gold Coins are nothing but a number." Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Really?" Zhou Qiang thought for a moment and felt that such things could indeed make money. He had heard that once ustomed to riding in these machines, one wouldn''t get dizzy, and His Majesty seemed to have an even more luxurious one.

 Chapter 498 479 no money

    The middle-aged tycoon chuckled with a hint of lewdness in his eyes, "I even gave you Shu Xiaoxiao, what do you think?"


    His finger stroked the deed of sale for a moment as if he had finally made up his mind, and Zhou Qiang eventually nodded, "Fine. During the grand court assembly tomorrow, I will speak on your behalf!"


    The wealthy man knew that he had almost sealed the deal, so he stood up and said, "Chief of Staff, I''m certain you will not regret this!"


    ...


    At the same time, inside the residence of the Dahua Empire''s Minister of Works, the old Minister Chen Jing was tapping his chair''s armrest.


    All of a sudden, he stopped and turned to look at his visiting close friend who hade to lobby him, inquiring in a drawn-out tone, "Are you sure they will invest in building twenty factories as promised?"


    "Absolutely certain! As long as the Dahua Empire acknowledges Tang Country in ce of Zheng Country, everything will proceed as agreed." The old man nodded assuredly and said, "Great Tang Group has never broken a promise; their word is their bond, and they have an impable reputation."


    "To take out tens of millions of Gold Coins for investment is indeed a grand gesture! Such political achievements credited to me will indeed solidify my position. But, my old friend, harboring a tiger may invite trouble... After all, I don''t feel at ease." Minister Chen Jing expressed his worries.


    He feared that his indulgence might rear a ferocious tiger beside the Dahua Empire, which could ultimately devour it...


    However, his old friend directly retorted, "Does the tiger simply walk away if you don''t help?"


    This question struck deep, leaving the Minister of Works somewhat disconste and unsure of how to respond. If the tiger that is Great Tang had already arrived, how could it simply leave with ease?


    The only hope now was for the Dahua Empire to rally and be an entity even stronger than the tiger.


    But... does the current Dahua Empire stand a chance?


    After much thought and a long silence, the old Minister Chen Jing still stubbornlymented, "After all, there might be a chance to nip this crisis in the bud..."


    In his view, there was onest move, which was to support the Emperor, His Majesty, and use His Majesty''s desire for revenge to wage war against Tang Country, eliminating this future threat.


    But this was risky, for as the Chief of Staff of the empire''s Ministry of Works, he was well aware of the internal and external troubles facing the Dahua Empire, and he knew that going to war did not guarantee victory.


    If they failed, then Dahua Empire''s control over the surrounding area would be significantly weakened, elerating the copse of the empire, a result Chen Jing did not want to witness.@@novelbin@@


    To put it inly, if war broke out, it would be a gambit of the empire''s fate, a battle for the fortune of the Dahua Empire!


    From the perspective of a Chief of Staff, he did not favor staking the empire''s destiny on a single battle, which was far too reckless.


    Additionally, as the Minister of Works, he naturally came across a lot of information about industrial advancements. He knew all too well that if Dahua Empire did not fully grasp the new technologies that had suddenly emerged worldwide, it could suffer military disadvantages.


    Therefore, instinctively, he was averse to such a war. He preferred that the empire take action when it was more familiar with, and had fully mastered, the new technologies. Until that time, it would be best to keep a low profile and feign ignorance.


    The elderly man sitting next to him shook his head and said, "It''s toote! If we had acted with lightning speed a few months ago when Tang Country was not yet stable, and mobilized a million strong soldiers from Dahua, there might have been a chance. Now that their forces have grown, what can we do?"


    This old man had also been an official before, so naturally, he had his insights. However, due to political struggles and offending the wrong people, he had been sacrificed and now barely maintained a sixth-ranking present position, wasting away in the Ministry of Works.


    "I heard that Tang Country''s entire armed forcesprise no more than a hundred thousand men. If Dahua sends out two hundred thousand, it stands to reason that sess will be quickly achieved," Chen Jing said after hearing the old man''s words. He first looked puzzled and then asked in confusion.


    The idle elder waved his hand dismissively, having seen through the matter long ago, "That''s easier said than done, 200,000? If His Majesty could easily muster an army of 200,000, the battle would have startedst month!"


    The Empire''s military funding was already very tight, and with the recent appearance of multiple new weapons, the military had diverted some of the pay to purchase and test a few weapons.


    Normally these things wouldn''t pose a problem, but now they have resulted in ack of surplus funds for raising troops forbat.


    If they wanted to suddenly gather enough military pay, they would invariably have to reallocate funds from other areas. Whether it''s the Ministry of Works or the Ministry of Rites and Personnel, which department would be willing to give up their own benefits?


    So, Chen Jing struck the armrest of his chair in frustration,ining resentfully, "It''s all those pests'' fault! Everything was fine, and then they had to go and buy from Shireck..."


    "What''s the use ofining now? Besides, if it weren''t for Zheng Country being overwhelmed by the powerful ships and cannon of the Shell Country, showing us the might of new weapons, wouldn''t we still be using the flintlock guns from Shireck? Wouldn''t the situation be even more perilous?" The old man shook his head as he spoke.


    In his view, had it not been for the prior insight into the power of new weaponry from other wars, the Dahua Empire would be in real danger this time.


    Raising an army haphazardly to face an enemy with strong ships and powerful cannon, how would they end the conflict? Although the Dahua Empire''s territory was vast, it could not withstand such turmoil, could it?


    "s... but this time, refitting 200,000 Shireck Model 1 rifles, it really hurts!" Chen Jing became infuriated at the thought of the Ministry of War doling out the money for 200,000 rifles all at once.


    The elder chuckled, "Hurts? Be content! That doesn''t even include the cannons! Put it all together, and that''s when it really gets pricey."


    Althoughpared with the weaponry from Great Tang Group, Shireck Consortium''s weapons could definitely be considered affordable by now, such a massive procurement would still take some time for the Dahua Empire to digest.


    Had it not been for the war between Zheng Country and Shell Country acting as a stimulus, had it not been for the pressure from Tang Country, the Emperor of the Dahua Empire would probably not have agreed to such a massive weapons purchase n so lightly.


    Thinking this, Chen Jing sighed again, "I previously submitted a memorial for the construction of railways, yet Your Majesty has not given a reply... Presumably, it really is a matter of no money."


    "Ack of money is not the issue, we can pay for it ourselves!" the elder said. In his eyes, the railway was the real marvel, capable of connecting the vast expanses of the Dahua Empire, truly leveraging its size advantage.


    Thus, he and Chen Jing were in agreement: even if the country had no money, they from the Ministry of Works would muster efforts to push forward the construction of the railway.


    The Ministry of Works managed Dahua''s industry and construction, and they certainly had their own lucrative revenue streams, so if they wanted to raise money, it wouldn''t be a difficult task. The prerequisite, of course, was ensuring that those who paid got more benefits in return!


    Building railways naturally meant everyone could gain from it, so the elder was so confident, believing that he could raise the funds.


    "Dahua iscking loyal and righteous men like you... that''s why it has degenerated to this point today!" Chen Jing sighed once more before praising his old friend.


    "However, if it weren''t for an old friend like you looking out for us in the court, those people below wouldn''t dare spend so much money on building what you call railways, so... you are the mainstay for everyone," the elder said, looking at his long-time friend.


    "I understand! I know what to say now," Chen Jing said, closing his eyes and making his choice with resignation.


    At the residence of the Minister of Revenue, Chief of Staff Wang Yuc¨¢i smirked at his loyal subordinates, "If His Majesty still has the intention to wage war tomorrow... you know what to say, right?"


    "The treasury is empty!" A row of ministers and officials from the Ministry of Revenue bowed their heads, speaking in unison.


    --------- Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire


    This chapter was poorly written. I started yesterday and only finished it today; I apologize for not asking for another day off... I forced myself to write despite suffering from stomach pain. Please bear with it, and I''m sorry. My health has been quite bad recently; it may be a stomach and intestinal cold or possibly enteritis.


    I dare not go to the hospital, so I can only take medication at home and endure. Updates may not be stable, so dear readers, please be understanding.

 Chapter 499 480 entangled unlearnable techniques

    Inside the me Castle, a maid ced a report on Sofia''s desk with utmost respect, bowed her head, and began her report, "Lady Sofia! The envoy from Chu Country has brought us a contract for the purchase of an additional 20,000 Shireck Model 1 rifles. We''ve achieved good sales results in many regions of Dahua."


    A bit irritated, Sofia waved her hand dismissively and casually instructed, "Leave it there, I''m aware."


    After giving her instructions, she turned back to the engineers who were reporting to her. The engineers'' faces were full of dejection, for they had failed toplete their work.


    For more than a year, they had been desperately trying to expand and develop the various technologies from the Great Tang Group.


    The Shireck Consortium had not remained idle; after acquiring the respective technologies from the Great Tang Group, they hadunched their own research.


    Some of these research efforts yielded certain results, while others were still at a standstill, with even the basic principles not understood.


    One of the leaders in charge of the engineers sped his hands together and, with an apologetic look towards Sofia, continued, "The more wepare, the more we realize the enormous technological gap between us and the Great Tang Group, and the result is indeed very frustrating."


    As he spoke, he shook his head and delivered an answer that further irritated Sofia, "In material science, manufacturing processes, product design, and so on... we''repletely behind in every aspect, we don''t even have the ability to catch up."


    This wasn''t the first time Sofia had heard such an answer. She had almost always received simr responses after acquiring some technology that the Great Tang Group had deigned to give her.


    No one wants to constantly hear such disheartening results from their subordinates, and the scientific researchers of Shireck didn''t even have a solid foundation in basic theory.


    Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    To Sofia''s despair, it was the teams led by the young technicians and engineers trained by the Great Tang Group that were more creative. Many of the technical breakthroughs were now being made by these groups.


    However, Sofia certainly dared not let these technicians, who came from the Great Tang Group, truly ess Shireck''s core; the idea of dancing naked in front of the other party made her extremely ufortable.


    "The gap... just how big is it?" she looked towards another project leader on the opposite side and asked slowly.


    The response from another leader was even more pessimistic; after contemting, he replied, "How big is the gap between us? It''s unimaginably vast! I''m still struggling to learn the new terminologies they''ve created!"


    This statement struck a chord with Sofia because she, too, was trying hard to grasp manypletely new terminologies that had never appeared before.


    These new terms represented the most advanced products, as well as the most cutting-edge technologies! For example, the internalbustion engine was a new concept that Sofia had only recentlye across in a telegram dispatched from Brunas.


    The Great Tang Group was using this terminology to name an entire ss of power systems, while also poprizing more efficient fertilizers to increase agricultural productivity.


    Newly formtedpound fertilizers had better effects on most soils than simple phosphate or nitrogen fertilizers alone, which was fundamentally why the Tang Kingdom dared to amodate such arge poption on a massive scale.


    In terms of farming technology, the Tang Kingdom was clearly ahead of the world; the farming technologies and fertilizer production techniques of the Great Tang Group were supporting the explosive growth of the Tang Kingdom''s poption.


    But the concept of fertilizer that Sofia had previously understood was mostly animal and human excrement, which was filthy and something she was reluctant to even mention.


    Only to hear that leader continue, he borated on the matter of new terminologies he had mentioned, "Yes, you heard it right, new terminologies! Not just new technologies! As soon as they introduce a new technology, the terms used to describe it are entirely foreign to our technical staff."


    Spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness, he regretfully gave an example, "We just learned and deciphered their new technology to produce a steel form that can be used in rifling barrels, and they have already reced it with newer products."


    Then he continued to detail just how vast the difference was between them, "While our technical workers are still trying to figure out how to minimize impurities in steel products, the steelmaking departments of the Great Tang Group are already deliberately adding a variety of materials to improve certain properties."


    The shock absorbers in Shireck''s Gobur cars were just springs, while the Great Tang Group''s car springs had performances better suited to the cars they were designed for.


    Their springs could be made corrosion-resistant, harder, providing better support for the vehicles, and endowing the cars with superior off-road capabilities.


    As for Shireck''s car springs, they could only rely on the workers'' adjustments to achieve the desired shock absorption strength; as for corrosion resistance and other performance aspects, they were left to fate. Regarding service life, Shireck generally achieved barely satisfactory standards by increasing the thickness of the spring steel tes.@@novelbin@@


    This resulted in Shireck''s Gobur cars being quite heavy, with mediocre performance and somewhat fuel-inefficient... Although the difference may not seem significant on the surface, over time, a very clear technological gap bes evident.

 Chapter 500 480 entangled unlearnable techniques_2

    The engineer on the other side began to speak fluently, as if opening the floodgates, "The most terrifying thing is that while we''ve also invested in materials, we''re still researching and experimenting, yet the other side has already produced second and even third generation mature products for sale on the market."


    He had so many things he wanted toin about, and taking advantage of this meeting, he spoke out unrestrainedly, "Without the corresponding performance materials, we can''t develop and manufacture, let alone dare to imagine that a certain new type of equipment can be made. It''s just like for the past few decades, we never believed that arge rolling mill could exist."


    Suchints were actually rare in the past, because Shireck''s senior management didn''t tolerate such shirking of responsibility by their subordinates.


    In these senior managers'' eyes, since they were paying their engineers and technicians astronomical sries, thetter should solve the problems they were supposed to solve.


    The usual method for dealing with such issues was basically to execute a few exemry individuals and then have the remaining others desperately continue to develop technology.


    However, as Sofia gradually assumed control within Shireck, such incidents became rare. On one hand, talent was indeed precious, and it was very painful to just dispose of it. On the other hand, Shireck''s technology was no longer leading.


    Compared to Great Tang Group''s technological edge, it was obviously unrealistic to force their own R&D team to surpass Great Tang Group, as everyone knew that killing all of one''s technological personnel might not be useful.


    Therefore, Sofia began to stop this murderous practice and instead adopted milder means to win people''s hearts, which indeed had some effects.


    At least under her leadership, Shireck''s R&D team had significantly expanded in size and hade up with many achievements, increasing efficiency many times overpared to before.


    "Back then, everyone had seen rolling mills, but who dared to imagine that there would be suchrge and efficient rolling mills as today?" the engineer vented, no longer able to contain himself.


    Speaking, he nced at the silent colleagues around him and continued on his own, "The constraints on raw materials prevent us from designing more advanced machinery, and theck of more advanced machinery, in turn, makes us passive in developing raw materials. It''s a vicious cycle that puts us at a disadvantage everywhere."


    Sofia didn''t me him because she knew that what the engineer was saying was true. At least in some areas, she also knew a thing or two; she was certainly aware of how frightening the technology of Great Tang Group was.


    Inventing electricity, or rather, the generator was actually nothing special, but to almost simultaneouslye up with generators and electrical wires, and to apply this set to the improvement of machinery drive systems, now that was truly frightening.


    The more one understood technology, the more one could see how out of this world it was toe up with aplete and mature set of solutions all at once.


    "But that''s only the part where we''reprehensively behind and easiest to catch up on... What truly leaves us at a loss is Great Tang Group''s development philosophy regarding new technologies!" The engineer spoke to this point with a tone of despair.


    He thought he was an opponent, an enemy of Great Tang Group... but as he delved deeper into his research, he realized that he wasn''t an opponent or enemy of Great Tang at all, just a student following in its footsteps, a follower.


    And what made him despair was not that he was trying to catch up, but that he was merely watching Great Tang''s figure disappear further into the distance.


    This sense of powerlessness led to his breakdown, leaving him almost without the courage to continue following, "They always have new ideas that can change existing technologies, instantly updating some new technology! While we''re still learning old technical parameters, they''ve already written technical parameters for the next generation of products."


    "Enough! I know it''s hard for you! But... hope always exists!" Sofia interrupted the man''s speech to prevent him from sinking further into despair.


    "My lord. It was just five months ago that we acquired the free-wheel production technology of Great Tang Group and began to fully replicate these superior performance transport ships..." another engineer took over the conversation.


    He sighed, "But they''ve alreadyunched a new kind of transport ship, recing the free-wheel! So, we can only always follow behind them, step by step... in the end, we can''t even keep up with their pace."


    "Enough! Stop talking! Change what you''re working on! Keep going! I''ll obtain more new technology as soon as possible... Master these technologies!


    Think of ways to innovate products that Great Tang Group doesn''t have! That is your job! It is also your responsibility!" Sofia interrupted these people''s reports, stood up, and left the room as if fleeing from reality.


    Modern industry is an integral system, and any weakness in any area could potentially affect the overall industrial strength.


    Never underestimate the huge impact of production capacity within the entire system, nor assume that having technology alone can readily awaken one''s industrial system.


    Be aware that a civilian factory producing fertilizer might also be an important facility for producing poison gas or chemical raw materials.


    A factory making stockings can produce the outer nylon for artillery shell charges during war, and even the simplest clothing factory can undertake the production of military uniforms in wartime.


    Without the production capacity of these factories, it would be very difficult to arm hundreds of thousands of soldiers.


    The reality is that very few countries can suddenly increase the production of masks, let alone fighter jets...


    Who would believe that a country, which ordinarily cannot produce shoes, hats, or masks, could prepare military uniforms for hundreds of thousands of people within a few days upon the outbreak of war? Are they to send conscripted soldiers into battle wearing jeans?


    Simrly, how can the supply of ammunition charge be ensured after war erupts without the corresponding scale of chemical nts?


    A tractor factory might no longer be able to transition to producing modern tanks during a war, yet this very factory can provide the military with tens of thousands of frontline fault diagnostic logistics personnel.


    Never look down on such capability, as training these people from scratch could take so long that it might change the oue of a war. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    With the development of modern technology, there will be more and more cases where the inability to produce A means B cannot be produced, resulting in CDEF also being unproducible. And that country skilled at producing F might not necessarily have the capacity to produce B, let alone A...


    Rocket and space technology represents missile technology, optical technology is linked to imaging technology, and even culture and education are closely rted to the military.


    Sometimes, an innovation in welding technology relies on a breakthrough in the field of chemical gas preparation. This is as intriguing as the idea that ancient cksmiths and alchemists should often work together.


    Of course, it''s not impossible for illiterate individuals in jeans, armed with machetes, to go into battle, but to forcefully say that a certain Dongying country possesses actual nuclear deterrence is purely a joke.


    In a modern war where seconds and minutes count, boasting that a country can create nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles within three to five days is utterly foolish to the extreme.


    Even the P5 countries with thousands of nuclear warheads still need to hide their nuclear missiles to increase their survivability. How can one expect a tiny nation, under the surveince of countless satellites and bombardments from missiles and bombers, to erect a ballistic missile over a dozen meters long on an open field once war breaks out?


    And then fantasize that the university''s refining equipment, bigger than a building, would work undamaged for a few days, refining the concentrated material and transporting it to be assembled onto this missile?


    By the time this whole manufacturing, assembling, andunching process ispleted, the radiation levels in Dongying''s capital would have decreased to a level safe for entry without protection... No lies, really.


    ------------


    My health hasn''t been good, I''ve lost several pounds in thest two days... My apologies for the poor writing, please bear with it. Publishing this chapter is simply to prove that Dragon Spirit isn''t dead... still alive...@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 501 He needs to apologize and make amends

    The Dahua Empire, Imperial City, the Grand Court Assembly.


    Emperor Zhao Kai sat on his throne, looking down at the Ministers below with an expression neither sad nor joyful, inscrutable as to his thoughts.


    As an emperor, he wouldn''t easily reveal his stance at such a grand assembly, believing it an effective method of controlling his subordinates.


    But an Emperor is, after all, human. Zhao Kai liked to think he was inscrutable, but many Ministers had already figured out his tactics, and were using certain habits of the Emperor to their advantage.


    It was a game of wits and courage, with the Ministers guessing at the Emperor''s thoughts and the Emperor calcting every Minister''s move. It wasn''t easy to say who won or lost. Maybe they all won, or maybe¡­ they all lost.


    The key issue at this Grand Court Assembly was how the Dahua Empire should handle the subsequent development of Tang Country recing Zheng Country. In fact, this matter had been discussed twice already, making today the third time.


    Everyone knew what His Majesty''s intentions were, judging from Emperor Zhao Kai''s frequent meetings with Minister of War Shen Chuan and Great General Feng Kezhi.


    This was not a secret. Because Zheng Country was a vassal state of the Dahua Empire, if Zheng Country were to be annihted and the Zheng family met their demise, how would the Dahua Empire then exert authority over its other vassal states?


    Unfortunately, the war between Zheng Country and another nation had spurred the Dahua Empire''s military. Great General Feng Kezhi insisted on recing weapons, while Chief of Staff Shen Chuan supported learning new tactics and training new troops.


    This reform made the originally cumbersome and decaying military of the Dahua Empire even more chaotic, and it was almost certain that it was now incapable of furtherbat.


    Of course, Zhao Kai trusted the abilities of Feng Kezhi and Shen Chuan very much. They were both supporters and confidants during his rise to the throne, and they both had the capacity to know when to advance or retreat.


    The main purpose of their meddling with the troops was to help suppress local powers for Zhao Kai and to restore the military''sbat effectiveness.


    The minor chaos that this caused was actually part of military reform, a natural pain in eliminating factions and cutting out the rubbish, which naturally had Zhao Kai''s support.@@novelbin@@


    Despite the Dahua military''s diminished power during the reform, after itspletion, the Empire''s forces would be transformedpletely.


    First off, in terms of numbers, this reform aimed to train over 400,000 direct troops for Zhao Kai, which could bemanded at will, were well-equipped, and had formidablebat strength.


    These troops would be equipped with thetest bolt-action rifles, have sufficient artillery, and even be outfitted with machine guns and automobiles. They were familiar with modern tactics and were iparable to the outdated forces of the Dahua Empire.


    Shireck, taking a leaf from the Great Tang Group, also researched the impact of weapons on tactics. New tactics such as trench warfare were turned into teachings by Shireck, sold along with the firearms.


    After encountering these new tactics, both Chief of Staff Shen Chuan and Great General Feng Kezhi soberly realized that war had changed discreetly, and the old tactics were no longer effective!


    At the same time, the War Department ambitiously aimed to modernize the military as well as establish aplete military supply system and build sufficient modern military industries.


    The money spent on purchasing hundreds of thousands of Shireck Type 1 rifles was not just for arms. It was also for the capacity to manufacture arms.


    Shireck guaranteed in the contract that over the next year, ten fixed-scale military production factories would be constructed within the territory of the Dahua Empire.


    Meanwhile, Shireck also disyed their secret new type of war vehicles and other heavy weaponry like armored cars to the military officer delegations of the Dahua Empire.


    Feng Kezhi''s close associates immediately approved the purchase of these new equipment for tactical research and alsomenced the construction of new armoured vehicle factories within Dahua.


    It was because of these reasons that the military''s purchasing costs were so high during this period, and why the Dahua Empire was able to make no response when Zheng Country was annexed.


    "Your Majesty, the nation is weak. Mobilizing the army rashly at this time... is not a wise choice," an official stepped forward, bowing as he voiced his opinion.


    These minor officials were often the pawns before an assault, almost like sacrificial pieces for the bigwigs to test their political enemies'' reactions, as well as to gauge the Emperor''s disposition.


    It doesn''t matter if they''re lost; it''s no great loss¡­


    Chief of Staff Chu Muzhou squinted his eyes as if asleep. He didn''t even need to bother about who the initiator was behind this expendable piece, because he already knew the overall situation was settled, and this Grand Court Assembly was not as tumultuous as it appeared.


    The War Department''s reluctance to send troops was obvious, and His Majesty''s stance had been worn down to ambiguity.


    Since the main yer, the War Department, was unwilling to move, it had already been determined that the war would not break out. Essentially, His Majesty was beginning to shift his thoughts, using the prospect of deploying troops to ponder over the surplus in the national treasury. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    In the opinion of the Chief of Staff, as long as the war did not happen, it was worthwhile and necessary for the War Department to spend some money, especially for capable officials like Feng Kezhi and Shen Chuan to spend on revitalizing the military''s might.


    Therefore, he squinted sleepily, not wishing to get involved in this grand show of force.

 Chapter 502 481 He needs to apologize and make amends_2

    "Your Majesty, what Minister Xu has said makes perfect sense. I second his opinion!" Another official stepped out of line, bowed, and loudly addressed Zhao Kai, seated high before him.


    Unlike the previous asions, this time during the grand court meeting, the so-called "pro-war faction" of the military had not yet begun to stir the waters when the bureaucratic system had already started to sing a dissenting tune.


    It seemed that as the reputation and pain of Zheng Country''s demise gradually faded, it had now be a situation where everyone was reluctant to go to war.


    However, for Zhao Kai, there was no need for him to rush to make a stance yet, since none of the ministers or the Prime Minister had spoken out yet. What was the hurry for him as the Emperor?


    So, the Emperor continued to sit on his throne with an air of feigned ignorance, while the senior officials below remained in their designated ces, daydreaming, allowing the less significant figures to showcase themselves.


    By the standards of the efficiency of Great Tang Group''s meetings, such an important grand court meeting was simply held in vain.


    Tang Mo had always believed that meetings which gathered heads of all departments were meant to be coordinating meetings that required the mobilization of every department''s abilities, where there was no need for discussion¡ªonly for assigning tasks and distributing roles.


    As for those wrangling meetings where everyone had opinions to voice and difficulties to raise, the person in charge should go back to their own department to hold them, and after concluding, submit a report, then proceed with amendments and auditing.


    There was no need for performance or dragging in irrelevant matters. Everyone should speak frankly; what was the point of adopting a performative personality... Every single person acting inscrutably - who are they trying to impress...


    Therefore, he was quite averse to such a drawn-out meeting process and often reminded his subordinates not to put on airs before him, but to focus on efficient work.


    Moreover, since the Tang Group was ruled by the word of Tang Mo, everyone trusted Tang Mo''s decisions, thus the efficiency of the meetings was naturally exceptionally high.


    Many matters didn''t require discussion at all; they just needed Tang Mo to give orders, and the others would carry them out. Moreover, most of the time, no one would cut corners during execution.


    Finally, when the expendable frontline forces had nearly dwindled, and enough pawns had made their positions clear with growing momentum, the primary yers began to step in.


    General Feng Kezhi, assuming his natural role as a member of the pro-war faction, continued to uphold his unyielding hawkish image.@@novelbin@@


    But anyone with a keen eye knew that he was, in fact, the least willing to fight, merely helping the Emperor to disy a tough stance.


    If everyone were to suddenly keep quiet now and uniformly start to support the deration of war, that would make for an interesting scene. The Emperor Zhao Kai''s expression while sitting on the throne would then be quite a sight.


    But everyone knew that was not how to y the game, not how things were done. Hence, the Minister of Works and heavyweight Chen Jing stepped out of line, bowing his head to rescue Feng Kezhi from his tough spot, "Your Majesty! I believe now is not the right time to go to war!"


    Atst, someone of significance had spoken, and the meeting officially kicked off! The drowsy Prime Minister Chu Muzhou opened his eyes, and Emperor Zhao Kai on his throne finally showed some interest.


    After several rounds of confrontation, another Chief of Staff took the stage. The Minister of Revenue, Wang Yuc¨¢i, bowed and came forward to dere his stance: "What Minister Chen has said is absolutely correct! I concur!"


    Zhao Kai heaved a sigh of relief. The effect he wanted was now in ce. As the Minister of Revenue in charge of finance, if Wang Yuc¨¢i was set against war, then this battle was very likely not going to happen.


    So he began his own performance, both expressing his determination to help Zheng Country regain its nationhood and fiercely denouncing Tang Country for usurping power and being deplorable.


    Many ministers also followed suit, grinding their teeth in anger. Who wouldn''t want to leave a good impression in front of the Emperor as ''one of us''?


    Then came the Minister of Personnel Zhou Qiang, who stood up to powerfully argue against war at this time, his words resonating deeply.


    His speech hit the heart of the Military Department and Zhao Kai, and together they began to perform the y of harmony between sovereign and subjects.


    On one side were the veteran ministers shedding tears and the capable ones wringing their hands, and on the other, the Emperor choked with emotion, sighing with his hand on his forehead... The scene justcked a host, a couple of award presenters, and a few golden statues...


    If this were in a theatre, all the masters present, without exception, would definitely have a spot on the payroll¡ªno doubt about it!


    Following that, other ministers from various departments joined the fray, and the situation became temporarily tumultuous until, ultimately, the Emperor, for the greater good, decided to give up his personal desire for revenge.


    ```


    "Given the circumstances, issue a decree to admonish the leader of Tang Country, ordering him to fast and reflect, and to send envoys to the Dahua Empire to offer an apology," finally, out of sheer helplessness, Dragon Spirit, Emperor Zhao Kai, spoke up and settled the matter at hand.


    As for whether Tang Mo would really fast for a few days for the destroyed Zheng Country or send emissaries to Dahua Empire to apologize¡­ that was another matter entirely.


    "Your Majesty is wise!" Hearing that the decision was finally set, Prime Minister Chu Muzhou, who had not yet spoken, immediately stepped forward and bowed in praise.


    The old fox is finally on the move¡­ Emperor Zhao Kai thought to himself with a sneer, and then began to enjoy the following tidal wave ofpliments.


    "Your Majesty is brilliant!" As expected, many Ministers followed suit, showering Emperor Zhao Kai on the throne withpliments.


    Whether sincere or not, no matter how they were obtained, these sounds¡­ were truly pleasant to Zhao Kai''s ears.


    He squinted his eyes indulgently, savoring the joy brought by power that others could never enjoy. He thought of the whispers of his concubines and the "insightful perspectives" of the inner servants, and he felt increasingly brilliant.


    After all, being able to weigh pros and cons, stabilize all sides, and get every department to agree on a matter was an achievement in and of itself, wasn''t it?


    More voices began to join in the praise, with many Ministers escting their acting skills and adding new ttery: "Long live the Emperor! This subject has met a wise ruler, and would die without regret!"


    Then came the favorites from the Military Department, General Feng Kezhi and Shen Chuan, genuinely bowing and shouting: "Your Majesty is sagacious! Your humble servants cannot wait a moment longer!"


    Zhou Qiang from the Ministry of Personnel was very proud; backed by investments from Great Tang Group, he could be provided with enough political contributions in the short term to help him more easily win over the neutral faction Ministers.


    The old head of the Ministry of Works, Chen Jing, was also pleased. With the support of Great Tang Group, the railway he yearned for seemed hopeful, along with the construction of those factories, which were all sure to be political achievements. Before long, the Ministry of Works'' influence within the six ministries was set to grow even stronger!


    Shen Chuan of the Military Department breathed a sigh of relief, as his military reforms could continue for a longer duration. With no war on the horizon and no disturbances to contend with, he could significantly enhance the military''sbat effectiveness within the year!


    The other departments were also very satisfied with this oue¡ªthey simply didn''t want to go to war. Once a war broke out, amidst the chaos, how could they continue to engage in corruption or mix in society? How could theyfortably make money while lying t in a time of war?


    The concubines of the inner pce were very satisfied; with the matter resolved, the jewelry and gems they received no longer burned their hands. Read thetest on My Virtual Library Empire


    The inner servants were also excited because they managed to receive arge sum of money just by casually saying a few ambiguous words¡ªsuch a bargain was simply indescribably lucrative!


    It seemed that, in a world where only the deceased Zheng Tong suffered, everything was settled.


    ...


    Tang Mo, who was unaware that he was supposed to fast and apologize to a deceased person, was sitting in his office reading the report Luff had brought him.


    Luff, who was now rightfully the Chief of Staff, reported, "The assessment results for the paratrooper experimentalpany are out."


    As he spoke, he passed the list to Tang Mo: "Those without footprints on their behinds and without fractures uponnding, train them aspany leaders. Those with footprints on their behinds but no fractures, and those with fractures but no footprints, train them as toon leaders... the rest, after discharge if they dare to get on a ne again, promote them all to squad leaders¡­"


    Tang Mo took the report and couldn''t help but smile wryly, "...There''s no helping it, there''s a shortage of talent everywhere; we''ll have to make do."


    "..." Luff was silent for a few seconds, also sentimentally stating, "Indeed¡­ we can only make do..."


    These soldiers, who would be kings among soldiers elsewhere, here could barely earn a passing mark¡­ Luff shook his head in a resignation that could not be wiped away: Thepetition was really too fierce.


    --------


    My stomach hasn''t improved yet¡­ It''s been three days, and I''ve lost around 11 pounds¡­ Dragon Spirit is too miserable, he dared not turn on the air conditioning for two days in the scorching heat...


    ```

 Chapter 503 482 Lively Border

    The border of Chu Country was swamped with people, almost filling the military camp that had been around for over a hundred years. Women holding children and old men leading oxen made the army camp look more like a bustling marketce.@@novelbin@@


    The soldiers responsible for registration were overwhelmed, causing temporary congestion at the ce. They scrambled to restore order, shouting loudly with no real discipline.


    There was nothing to be done; these civilians crowded into the military camp were like walking Gold Coins. The soldiers could only scold them, as they weren''t easy to manage.


    "Line up properly! Did you all damn hear me?" a soldier brandishing a firelock shouted at the disordered crowd before him.


    "Stop crying! Stop crying! I''ll feed you soon! You''ll eat soon!" In front of this shouting soldier, a ragged woman patted her baby in her arms, trying to soothe it.


    Beside the woman stood a man carrying a hoe, gazing coldly at the people around him, eyes filled with the sorrow of leaving his hometown.


    "Moo..." An old yellow ox sauntered by, led by an elderly farmer who passed by the firelock-bearing soldier without bothering to pay him any attention.


    "Gun! Gun!" Several children pointed at the Shireck Firearms in the soldier''s hands from afar, yelling excitedly.


    Some carried shoulder poles with various household items hanging from them; shirtless and wearing straw hats, they apologized politely after bumping into others as they weaved through the crowd.


    Those who were bumped into would grumble aint before continuing to bicker, voicing their frustrations about how slow the checkpoint was in letting people through.


    "Line up properly! Did you all damn hear me?" Not being able to save face and having lost his usual authority, the flustered soldier yelled again, knowing no one was listening, and had to find another spot to continue shouting.


    On the other side of the crowd, an officer wiped the sweat from his forehead,ining, "I haven''t even had time to drink a sip of water this morning, it''s really, really damn bad luck."


    His subordinate tugged at his cor, looked up at the sun, and gasped for air with equal difort, "Yeah, been standing here all morning, and the number of people hasn''t decreased at all."


    Although he said this, he was still unwilling to leave and take a break because he needed to monitor the checkpoint to ensure the count was urate.


    Everyone passing through had to be registered because the numbers had to be verified before they could be ounted for!


    Each number here represented two or even three Gold Coins; if the person was a craftsman or schr, the price could be even higher.


    It was as if they were selling livestock, trafficking their own country''s poption and then dividing the money into shares, fooling the eyes of everyone who knew about this.


    So they didn''t want to leave. Looking at these people in front of them was like looking at heaps of glittering Gold Coins.


    In fact, they had indeed seen countless Gold Coins, and after receiving a huge sum they wouldn''t have dared to dream of in the past, they even thought their earlier life was a waste.


    Now, they could indulge in high-ss brothels, dare to enter gambling houses and taverns even the City Lord''s son couldn''t afford, and even had the boldness to argue with their own wives...


    All these were things they couldn''t have imagined in their dreams, but now, they had all be reality! They had divided up hundreds of Gold Coins justst month!


    This fortune was nearly five years of their military pay, and if including deductions, it might take ten years to earn such an amount. But now, they had received it in just one month!


    Real Gold Coins! Of full weight and measure! And what''s more terrifying is that this was just the beginning! As long as they kept doing this, they could keep reaping the benefits!


    No joke! If they stayed here for a year, they could simply pull a few strings when they returned home and be a local magnate, rich and influential.


    What a delightful thing that would be.


    As the two of them wereining about the fierce sun, two Tang Army soldiers wearing steel helmets and grey-green military uniforms boldly crossed the border. They hauled a heavy chest over to the two men''s side.


    From the looks of it, these two soldiers had been here more than once, as several Chu Army soldiers greeted them familiarly along the way.


    The Tang soldiers set the chest down beside the two men, then tore off the cardboard box''s outer wrapping revealing its contents inside. Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    In the box were clearly ss bottles, each filled with a strange orange-yellow liquid.


    "Come! Have a drink of something good!" One of the Tang soldiers took out a bottle opener from his pocket and pulled a soda bottle from the box. With a crack, he opened it and handed it to the Chu Army officer opposite him.


    The Chu officer took it, eyeing the oddly colored liquid warily, hesitant to pour it into his mouth.


    The Tang soldierughed heartily, took out a bottle for himself, popped the cap, and drank, then let out a satisfied burp.


    This finally gave the Chu officer the courage to try it. Taking a sip of the cold, sweet soda, the spicy carbon dioxide tingled his tongue and rushed into his stomach with an indescribable thrill.

 Chapter 504 482 Lively Border_2

    In an instant, he felt his stomach swell, and then, as the carbon dioxide tumbled out from his stomach enveloping the hot air, he couldn''t help but let out a loud belch.


    "Belch..." Clearly pleased with himself, this Chu Military officer was astonished by the magical liquid in his hand, and curiously inspected the exquisite ss bottle, convinced that such a delightful drink must be quite valuable.


    "What is this? It tastes so good." Meanwhile, his aide had already fallen for this orange-yellow beverage.


    Under the scorching sun, to be able to drink something so refreshing was simply too pleasant, wasn''t it? Consequently, he called several confidants over to share this novel experience.


    The group was all smiles andughter, with some soldiers curiously inquiring about Tang Country from two Tang Army soldiers, who seemed to have no secrets, answering every question. As for whether their answers held any value, only Heaven knew.@@novelbin@@


    However, when chatting, people always share some things about themselves, and without realizing it, some inside information about the Chu Troops had made its way to the ears of the Tang Army.


    "Don''t even mention it. They say that in a few days, they''re going to issue new rifles and provide special training, with personnel from aboveing to instruct... If this goes poorly, it could mean yet another cut from our share." The officer shook his head, thinking he might receive less for himself again.


    Here on the border, the Emperor is far away, and the higher-ups can''t really manage things. But precisely because the Emperor is far away, any official thates needs to be taken care of, and no matter what, a portion of money has to go out.


    "Oh? New rifles?" The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was interested. A Tang Army soldier pulled out a cigarette and handed it to the small team leader.


    The team leader, used to the routine, epted the cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag, enjoying it immensely. He was an old smoker, except previously he used a pipe, which wasn''t as convenient as a cigarette.


    Moreover, the cigarettes from the Great Tang Group were clearly of better quality, and smoking such fine cigarettes seemed more prestigious. So, after puffing away, he continued, "I''m telling you, but you can''t tell anyone else! This is a secret..."


    "Good grief, brother, do you even realize this is supposed to be confidential?" A Tang Country soldier widened his eyes in disbelief at the Chu Military captain who had started spilling secrets.


    Are the confidentiality regtions for show? He wouldn''t dare be so bold even in his dreams, not to mention sharing a secret like changing to new weapons¡ªheck, he wouldn''t even murmur his own regiment''s number in his sleep.


    "Shireck Type 1, seen it before? Never mind, you must have heard of it." The team leader gestured, obviously having already seen the real thing, "It''s pretty good, way better than the flintlock rifles."


    "Bro, another one." Seeing the other party so forting, the Tang Army soldier was not stingy and offers another cigarette, letting the other take one from the pack.


    The recipient tucked the cigarette expertly behind his ear, a clear sign he''d been doing this often in the days gone by.


    "Counting the ones right now, there must be at least 3000 people today, right?" The Chu Military officer finished his orange soda, gave a satisfied groan, and then inquired.


    He didn''t care for the confusing business of changing rifles; what he truly cared about was how many Gold Coins hade in today. Before his camp leader left, he had been explicitly instructed not to let a single coin go missing.


    Favors are favors, but business is business. These soldiers didn''t care if the Tang Army tooknd from Chu Country, or if the Tang Army seized Chu Country''s poption; they cared about the Gold Coins in their own pockets!


    "We are here to deliver soda; we don''t know the exact number." The Tang Army soldier with a cigarette dangling from his lips spoke carelessly as he lit the me.


    Before he could finish, two other Tang Army soldiers struggled across the border into Chu Country, lugging a heavy chest between them.


    They walked heavily until they reached the door of a barrack, where the Chu Military captain in charge, along with several men, hurried over, not even bothering with the orange soda anymore.


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    Inside the barrack, the Tang soldiers opened the chest to reveal neatly stacked Gold Coins, which could easily be counted without detailed scrutiny.


    "There are 10,500 Gold Coins in total; we gave you an extra 100, off the books. Treat your brothers to some drinks!" The Tang Army squad leader was so generous that he gave away an extra 100 Gold Coins with a wave of his hand.


    The Chu Military captains immediately approached with beaming smiles, verified the count, and after calcting the difference in prices for men, women, children, and the elderly, they found indeed there was an extra 100. They all eagerly rubbed their hands together, looking pleased.


    "Sign here, for the handover." The leading Tang Army squad leader handed over a receipt, watched everyone sign, some even pressed their thumbprints, took back the signed receipt, and walked away.


    As he walked out, he said, "The rest, we''ll settle the count this afternoon!"


    ...


    "You are ying with fire! Do you have any idea how much of a poption loss this will lead to?" Looking at the crowded throng of civilians in front of him, the visiting official berated the camp leader, pointing at his nose.


    That afternoon, the newly transferred official from the Chu Kingdom''s Royal City finally saw the border refugees, a situation too big to be concealed and apparently not intended to be hidden.


    Even though the weing camp leader tried to bribe the official with Gold Coins on the way there, and gave him a heads-up, the scale of the border crossings still shocked the official.

 Chapter 505 482 Lively Border_3

    The Camp Captain felt aggrieved as well; he had stuffed 100 Gold Coins into the hands of this official on the road as a bribe, which was a substantial sum, "Sir! Didn''t you promise..."


    "I did promise! But I had no idea you''d muster such a grand disy on my way here! Look at this! How many people are these? Eh?" The official looked at the Camp Captain, feeling like he was being set up and dragged into trouble.


    The Camp Captain bowed his head, gesturing politely, "Please calm down, sir, allow me to exin..."


    The official nced again at the dense crowd ofmoners gathered in the distance and huffed, "Very well! Give me an exnation! Exin how you dare to be so bold!"


    "If you would follow me, sir." The Camp Captain led the way, taking the new official to a barrack door that had been prepared in advance.


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    "Hmph..." Looking at the door of the barrack, the official nced at the Camp Captain and stopped in his tracks.


    The Camp Captain gestured again with even more respect in his voice. He opened the door and continued, "Sir, inside here is my... exnation."


    "How mysterious..." The official stepped into the room and found that there was only a chest inside.


    The Camp Captain, following behind, closed the door and moved in front of the chest, lifting its lid to reveal the Gold Coins inside.


    Upon seeing the Gold Coins, the newly arrived official gasped sharply in surprise, "Hiss..."


    It was his first time seeing a real 2,000 Gold Coins piled up in front of him. While he might have had that much money, he had indeed never produced such an amount at once.


    "Sir! 2,000 Gold Coins, and from now on, every month, there will be 500 Gold Coins... sent directly to your residence... As long as you ensure... my wealth is not cut off," the Camp Captain said, gritting his teeth as he made his offer.


    "This..." Upon hearing the amount, the new official felt somewhat dizzy.@@novelbin@@


    "Sir... Me and these many brothers have not been paid our military stipends for several years... hundreds of men, up and down the ranks, are all relying on this source of wealth to get by, to support our families," the Camp Captain pleaded with a distressed look.


    In fact, after the initial shock and dizziness dissipated, the new official started to seriously consider the ramifications. Having been a Capital Official, he fully understood the terrifying scale of a business that could channel 2,000 Gold Coins into his hands.


    This one route could implicate a whole host of high officials he couldn''t even touch and was connected to countless Soldiers and Generals'' interests.


    If he joined and enjoyed the benefits, that would probably be the end of it, but if he refused, he likely would have been buried there.


    Even if he died, it probably wouldn''t cause a ripple¡ªnobody would care about an official who died of illness on the frontier, as what mattered much more were the shiny chests overflowing with Gold Coins!


    Thus, after a bit of thought, he made what he believed to be the most reasonable choice, and the tone of his words softened considerably, "Your difficulties... I understand... but this... it shakes the foundation of the state."


    Upon hearing his tone, the Camp Captain knew the matter was settled and he, too, breathed a sigh of relief: he truly had not intended to kill a court-appointed official there.


    After all, bribery was one thing, but actual murder was another; unless absolutely necessary, he didn''t want to take things to such an extreme...


    "Please take that into consideration, sir." Thus, the Camp Captain presented the official with a dignified way out.


    Having been given this out, the official, who had just been speaking with righteous indignation, ultimately relented, "Never mind, I can''t bear to see the soldiers suffer... I shall pretend that I haven''t seen anything today..."


    "Thank you, sir!" the Camp Captain said, knowing that he had managed to deal with the supervisor once more.


    With amand, he had everything neatly arranged, "Servants! Help the official with this chest of local products, and bring it to his carriage."


    The Soldiers who entered armed to the teeth assisted in carrying the Gold Coins onto the official''s carriage, and having received his share, the official naturally did not wish to linger and promptly got up to leave.


    As he stepped out of the barrack, his gaze inadvertently avoided the crowd in the distance.


    He did not see the woman clutching her child andining at the edge of the crowd, nor the man with the carrying pole weaving through the group.


    However, when his gaze shifted to the other side, he was startled by an ox entering his field of vision, the beast''s loud moo giving him a fright.


    Afterposing himself and assuming an authoritative air, the new official cleared his throat pretending to be unfazed and, heart full of hypocrisy, murmured with feigned emotion, "The General''s quarters are neat and orderly..."


    He caught sight of a group of slovenly dressed Soldiers, sharing an oddly colored ancient item, their firearms nowhere in sight, and he hesitated, then continued to voice his approval, "The troops are valiant and well-trained..."


    He ended up closing his eyes, spouting off nonsense, "I am gratified and will certainly report to the Ministry of War, asking for rewards for you General!"


    His words took the Camp Captain aback for a moment, witnessing an official''s ability to fabricate nonsense while ignoring the chaos around him, the new official truly had some substance.


    "My thanks to you, sir." The Camp Captain put on a convincingly excited act, thanking the official who had already climbed into his carriage, "I wish you a smooth journey, sir!"


    At that point, he lowered his voice and drew closer to offer a reminder, "As for requesting rewards, there''s no need for that trouble on your part, sir..."


    At the moment, he had no use for the paltry rewards from the court...


    Realizing the situation, the official in the carriage alsoughed heartily, assuring him, "Understood! Understood!"


    The Camp Captain''s smile became even more genuine, "Thank you, thank you!"

 Chapter 506 483 Annai

    ss was no longer a luxury in Brunas, at least not in the office buildings of the Great Tang Group, where ss windows had be standard.


    Standing in front of a ss window, a decently dressed man overlooked the parking lot below and saw a sleek ck car parked steadily in its spot.


    The car door was pushed open, and a group of men in ck with sunsses emerged from the vehicle, then walked into the building carrying briefcases.


    The man behind the ss window sighed, then walked over to his desk and nced at the family portrait ced on it.


    The child in the photo wasughing innocently and joyfully, while the woman looked blessed, with a dignified smile on her face.


    This was a very typical Brunas official''s family, high ie, high social status, wielding considerable power and managing vast social resources, able to determine the ownership of tens of thousands of Gold Coins with a single approval of a document.


    Many businessmen and wealthy individuals were willing to cozy up to them, wining and dining them, and gift-giving weremon tactics, not to mention the endless schemes like seduction.


    In this gilded den, in this most prosperous and extravagant ce in the world, where temptations lurked everywhere, every breath was a gamble, a test.


    And he himself... had ultimately made the wrong choice.


    Someone had already knocked on the door, and the man managed a bitter smile, instructing in the way he was most ustomed and most natural, "Come in."


    Although he felt prepared, the moment he spoke, he could still hear an uncontroble tremor in his voice.


    The secretary awkwardly opened the door, then stepped aside. Four men in ck entered, dressed in crisp suits with ck ties, the cor of their shirts adorned with a Dragon Emblem badge.


    "Long live His Majesty the King!" the four men proimed, their voices solemn. Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire


    "..." The man in the office didn''t speak, instead standing there in fear, unsure of what to do.


    "This is an arrest warrant." The leader of the men in ck pulled out a prepared document from his briefcase and showed it to the office''s upant, "Pleasee with us."


    "..." The man remained silent, thinking he was brave, a true man. He thought he had prepared for today when he took that money.


    But when the moment came, he realized he wasn''t ready at all, he didn''t even have the courage to speak, and now hecked the nerve to even step forward and walk on his own.


    The Great Tang Kingdom Economic Issues Investigation Bureau, a direct subsidiary of Yulin''s Economic Crime Investigation Bureau, was Great Tang Group''s daunting anti-corruption investigation and sanction authority.


    Bribing others and clearing paths with money, bribing and corrupting opponents are all too familiar for the Great Tang Group, which was as vignt as it was generous with its bribes.


    They were generous with outsiders, but ruthless with their own. No one was not wary of this department, because no one knew who belonged to it...


    Apparently ustomed to the cowardice of the used, the leading man in ck put away the arrest warrant and gestured to his subordinates with a nod of his chin.


    Two men immediately stepped forward, one on each side, and took hold of the man whose legs had gone weak, dragging him out of the office.


    "Your new manager will arrive in two hours'' time, and I hope you''ll actively cooperate with his work," the man in ck said to the secretary at the door as they left.


    "Yes!" The secretary shivered slightly, then raised his chin high, "Long live His Majesty the King!"


    "Long live His Majesty the King!" The man in ck nodded his acknowledgment and followed his colleagues out of the office.


    ...


    Corruption is ever-present, and only through continuous and relentless strict inspection can the probability of corruption be decreased to a tolerable range.@@novelbin@@


    Tang Mo understood that "where water flows, a channel will form," but he understood another adage more deeply¡ª"A dike is destroyed by an ant hole!"


    His intelligence department was extravagantly spending countless Gold Coins to clear paths, corrupting many opponents, leading numerous enemies to their own downfall, and he was well aware of this.


    That''s why he feared others doing the same to him! That''s why he dreaded that one day his own subordinates would betray him! Hence, the economic investigation department has always been one of the most efficient departments in the Great Tang Group.


    As the Great Tang Kingdom and the Great Tang Group developed, corruption issues began to increase gradually, which was consistent with the norm. Relying solely on education and goodwill to prevent the problem of officials'' corruption and decay was not enough.


    On one hand, Tang Mo gave officials sry increases, dangling the carrot, and on the other hand, he also wielded the stick of punishment, so that these officials would remain in awe.


    The bad news was, despite this, there were still those fearless enough to try, tempted by those who wished to take shortcuts.


    All these people were trained by the Great Tang Group with great effort and time, each of them invaluable. Yet, they ended up being squandered, dealt with ordingly.


    The bad news was, due to the protection of a knowledge gap, most officials andmanders who graduated from higher education institutions established by the Great Tang Group were proud, ambitious, and held political aspirations, looking down on the "old nobility and old gentry."

 Chapter 507 483 Annai_2

    Because of their pride, their descent into corruption was slow, and there were few willing to associate with such people, with most still holding higher expectations for their future.


    Therefore, on a macro level, the bureaucratic system of the Great Tang Group, or rather, the Great Tang Kingdom, was still healthy, very clean, and efficient.@@novelbin@@


    Establishing a kingdom is actually a veryplex matter, involvingpromises on interests from all sides, the establishment of a system, the distribution of resources...


    However, Tang Mo had his own blueprint, a temte that was almost mature enough to move people. By copying it, he could almost sort out a mature system that others might not be able to fathom in decades.


    But even with a ready-made temte, he still had a lot of work to do in many areas. The mostplicated and most important of these was personnel arrangements.


    Wanting to fill the entire administrative system of the Tang Kingdom in one go, to ce the right candidates for each position, was actually a veryrge and very important task.


    Tang Mo now understood just how many details, corners, and annoying trivial matters had to be considered to properly manage a country.


    Such trivial matters... What Tang Mo had previously deemed insignificant had now be decisions that could impact the stability of the kingdom.


    For instance, right now, Roger, Nangong Hong, Mathews, and John were seated together, discussing a very serious topic: benefits.


    The Great Tang Kingdom could be said to have been born from the strategic nning of Nangong Hong, a brand-new country envisioned by Nangong Hong''s strategic concept. This country was meant to be built around Tang Mo as the "Chinese" core, based on the "Chinese" or "Zheng people."


    ording to this strategic concept, the Great Tang Kingdom should naturally be dominated by "Chinese," with local people being given priority in the ratio of officials.


    However, the Great Tang Kingdom had its own national conditions. When Tang Mo raised the g of the Great Tang Group, there was no concept of a "Great Tang Kingdom," and the proportion of convicted citizens among his people was actually very low.


    The real support for the Great Tang Group came from immigrants of various statuses from all corners of the world, including Dwarfs and Elves, with thergest part being the blond-haired, blue-eyed locals from Northern Ridge, Leite, Dorne, and other countries.


    These locals now considered themselves Tang people because they lived in areas south of the Elf settlements and the Dwarf Empire, so they had a geographical name in the past: Na people.


    The Empire of Na was actually officially called the Empire of Na People, but other Na people didn''t want to acknowledge this name.


    The university education system established by the Great Tang Group had trained the current staff, of which the Na people were the most numerous, a result determined by the development process and geographical location.


    So, at the early stage of the establishment of the Great Tang Kingdom, an issue inevitably arose that the native residents of the old Zhengnds found very concerning: the Great Tang Kingdom seemed like a privileged neer, with almost all officials being foreign, severely reducing the sense of belonging among the local residents.


    But even if they wanted to change this situation, the Great Tang Kingdom was powerless to do so: because only Tang Mo''s students could understand the founding concepts he was ready to implement and enforce, only those who had been exposed to modern ideas were capable of executing them.


    Thus, the appointment of officials entered a vicious cycle: appointing neers as officials led to local dissatisfaction, yet there were no local foundations to rece the neers.


    What made Tang Mo even more ufortable was that what seemed to him a strategic decision to establish a country had be, in the eyes of others, a redistribution of benefits.


    What was the reason for the Dragon''s Vassals to fight to the death? Was it not to seek recognition of their support so that they could secure their due benefits in the subsequent distribution?


    Now that there was a country, a countless number of new departments and positions wereid out. Should the people who had followed the King from the beginning not get promoted, should the positions be left to those ignorant and ipetent fools?


    Therefore, from Tang Mo''s perspective, even if it was just to pacify the people, he could not easily offer a portion of the positions for "Chinese" to take over.


    "We can transfer some of the officials responsible for the household registration to other tasks, as we''re short-staffed anyway, it''s just that training them to use our standardized forms and to follow our work protocols will take some time," Roger said to Tang Mo.


    He understood Tang Mo''s difficulties, so he readily offered some concessions, but to Nangong Hong, such apromise was virtually indistinguishable from standing still.


    None of the truly authoritative positions were being reassigned, only jobs such as filling out forms, visiting the countryside for surveys, andpiling statistics. There was even no chance for locals to handle matters like tax collection.


    Though he wanted to argue, he was out of options, as the officials from Zheng Country trulycked the ability to handle these important tasks.


    Thus, even though Nangong Hong wasn''tpletely satisfied, he could only express his grievances to Tang Mo, saying, "In this manner, with external officials overseeing the locals, it''s difficult to unite the people''s hearts. On normal days, there may only be resentment, but once mobilization is needed, it inevitably affects efficiency..."


    This was precisely what frustrated Tang Mo the most: although relying on thebat power of the Tang Army and the administrative level of the Tang officials meant that problems were unlikely to arise on regr days,


    when it came to critical moments and the need for swift responses, it was almost impossible to be as coordinated as one would want. For instance, mobilizing the military was now a big issue.


    In theory, having arge poption and being a sovereign state, Great Tang should be able to arm more troops, right?


    But the reality was different, for as soon as the military was expanded, all the officer positions would need to be filled by pulling people from the lower ranks of the original forces¡ªthis meant that every officer in the new units would be from the Empire of Na...


    All the soldiers would be Chinese, and all the officers from Na, an arrangement that was fraught with instability. With local advancement pathways blocked, the detachment between management and execution units was serious, and the mere thought was rming.


    This model, simr to that of the British Indian Army, was a sure path to chaos, and Tang Mo certainly didn''t want to create such a troublesome situation for himself.


    Therefore, he had already started intentionally cultivating the "Chinese" demographic, but this move couldn''t be too aggressive; it had to be gradual¡ªafter all, the people from Na were currently his base, and he couldn''t simply ignore the feelings of his old followers.


    Moreover, since both Brunas and Dragon City, as well as the Great Tang Group itself, were built relying on immigration, a mix of various races existed among the poption, not just the Human Race.


    There were many Dwarf workers and immigrants, a considerable number of Elves, and although not as many, there were also Orcs present.


    All of these needed to be taken into ount. Mathews and John were brought to this meeting so that they would understand this very point.


    Clearly, Mathews got the message. Speaking resoundingly, he addressed Tang Mo, "I''ve lived in the Great Tang Group for quite a while, and I haven''t felt ufortable. As long as Your Majesty doesn''t target Dwarves, we are willing to live freely and equally in Great Tang, and I can assure you of this.


    If there are any who disobey thews, just deal with them as usual, there''s nothing special about that."


    As a "minority group", the political demands of the Dwarves weren''t high; many of them were immigrants whose main purpose was to make money and didn''t wish to get too involved in administrative affairs.


    Their national character, which saw many of them as craftsmen, also meant that their level of governance wasparable to that of a warrior race.


    As for the Elves, John, who was in charge of the cultural department, sighed. What say did he have? Seriously, what say could he have?


    He even felt that Tang Mo had pulled him over from the Great Tang Group to work in the Great Tang Kingdom just to show his magnanimity and to curry favor with the Elves...


    As for his opinions... well, what opinions did he have... His views were probably something like: Elves are fine, yes, everything''s fine...


    Looking at his subordinates, Tang Mo knew that in theing year, his primary job would almost be to stabilize his administrative machine so it could start running at full speed as soon as possible.


    The bigger the operation got, the more inevitable suchplications were.

 Chapter 508 484 burden

    "Your Majesty!" The new Prime Minister saw Leines I in the spacious and bright office, who had been in an exceedingly good mood recently.@@novelbin@@


    The Imperial City of the Laines Empire had now been developed impressively. Large factories could be seen everywhere, buildings rose in session, and a bustling scene spanned as far as the eye could see.


    Although it seemed tog a fair bit behind Brunas, this ce had already be one of the foremost advanced cities.


    Since the city had considered therge-scale use of electricity from the onset of its construction, as well as aplete sewer system, and the streets on the ground had been systematically nned, it was far more perfect than the old district of Brunas.


    Leines I casually gestured for his Prime Minister to find a seat and then began with a smile, "Who would have thought, the recent turn of events could really be described as an unexpected twist."


    He genuinely hadn''t anticipated that a war erupted far away, across the Endless Sea, would indirectly rescue the Laines Empire.


    Previously, the Laines Empire had been very passive; its forceful territorial expansion and bing an empire had loaded it with tremendous pressure.


    This pressure was partly tangible, quantifiable figures, and some of it was intangible ¡ª but regardless of form, pressure was ultimately pressure.


    Because the territory was vast, the Laines Empire had to expand its military to deal with threats from all directions; Leines had no choice but to maintain an extremelyrge armed force.


    Leines I had to ensure a basic defensive capability towards Brunas and Northern Ridge, and also face the real threats from the neighboring Empire of Na.


    At the same time, he had to maintain troops in the south to guard against the possibility of the now imperial-scale Dorne Kingdom suddenly marching north.


    Thus, Leines I had to expand his army from around 200,000 to over 800,000 soldiers. Had it not been for industrialization and war dividends, he wouldn''t have been able to sustain so many mouths to feed.


    Even though his series of victories and the new territories helped him support such arge army, it was indeed costly to maintain them.


    To maintain his military superiority, Leines I had no choice but to take out loans from the Great Tang Group, ruing huge debts.


    It was inescapable, as the trade between the Laines Empire and Great Tang Group had always been in deficit, and even with money, such a situation could not continue endlessly without end.


    A yearly trade deficit of several tens of millions of Gold Coins was unbearable not just for the slightly enriched Laines Empire but also for the longstanding powerhouse, the Empire of Na.


    Frankly, the situation was simr for most countries; they were massively importing technology from the Great Tang Group and buying high added-value products, naturally leading to huge trade deficits.


    Nations skirted the brink of bankruptcy and kept testing the waters, essentially struggling to keep going.


    In such an environment, international tensions gradually escted, with each nation looking for ways to transfer their crises or contemting waging a war.


    The Dorne Empire prepared to continue expanding southward to avoid conflict with the likewise industrializing powerhouse, the Laines Empire.


    For the King of Dorne, the oue of a war with the Laines Empire was unpredictable, but attacking Gobur to the south seemed like a far more worthwhile gamble.


    As long as Gobur was taken, they could effortlesslyy im to the Shireck Consortium''s automotive industryyout in Gobur, swiftly enhancing their national power.


    Gobur naturally would not just sit and wait to die. Once they sensed danger, they immediately sought help from Sofia, and the two countries started a new round of frantic arms racing.


    The Laines Empire, due to the arms race between the Dorne Kingdom and Gobur Kingdom, also had to begin its own military procurement n.


    There was no other choice; who could tell whether Dorne Kingdom''s arms purchase was meant for attacking Gobur or targeting them, Laines? Therefore, Leines could only follow suit and buy, and by the same token, the Empire of Na also had no choice but to keep buying.


    Then came Suthers buying, Songmu Kingdom buying, Por Kingdom buying, Ice Cold Kingdom buying...


    After so much buying, everyone was nearly bankrupt, yet they found that all the neighboring countries were strong, none being an easy target, nowhere to strike to regain their strength.


    With no opportunity for revival, the verge of economic copse became a fatal wound, and these nations, filled with aggression, sought desperate chances for survival.


    For a time, the borders were filled with fearful whispers, everywhere constructions of trenches and defensive works. Eventually, many countries even diverted the cement intended for infrastructure to building defensive structures along their borders.


    Just when everyone was about to copse, the Great Tang Group settled its conflict with Zheng Country, and a war that had erupted suddenly ended even more quickly.


    Immediately following, purchase orders reached everyone''s hands. The always input-only Pixiu, the technologically leading Great Tang Group, suddenly began to import all sorts of things inrge quantities.


    Previously, the most imported items by the Great Tang Group were steel and oil, with other items barely used to bnce a trade surplus.

 Chapter 509 484 burden_2

    Now, the Great Tang Group was not only importing machinery and equipment but even automobiles, showing a sense of desperate need.@@novelbin@@


    The Ice Cold Kingdom and Gobur Kingdom''s machinery processing industries were the first to receive orders, bringing them hope once more.


    Afterward, the Great Tang Group swept up all the grain avable on the international market, spending arge sum of money, and everyone soon breathed a sigh of relief.


    With trade, and a smooth trade cycle, the economy naturally found some room to breathe. After receiving a vast number of orders, rtions between the various countries notably improved.


    After all, who would want to risk war when there''s money to be made? Isn''t it better for everyone to peacefully develop and prosper? Why engage in warfare and killing?


    In the past, people were prepared to stab each other in the back because they couldn''t make money. Now, with orders from the Great Tang Group, it makes perfect sense to earn money steadily!


    As for the previous readiness to stab each other, that was all a misunderstanding, purely a misunderstanding! The key point is, it hadn''t happened yet, right? If you haven''t stabbed, it doesn''t count as stabbing, correct?


    Many times, that''s how things are. Once a country sends out a signal of goodwill, what follows is everyone searching for a way to back down honorably.


    For the Laines Empire, with its rtively advanced industry and solid foundation, life improved significantly with therge-scale purchases by the Great Tang Group.


    Firstly, a portion of the loans, or rather, the interest on the loans, could be offset by the goods produced, greatly alleviating the pressure on the Laines side.


    Secondly, the acts of factory production and infrastructure construction themselves brought about a series of chain reactions, which reduced unemployment rates, stimted local economies, and prompted everything to develop in a healthier direction.


    Anyway, as orders from the Great Tang Group came in one after another, every country saw the hope of stabilizing things first, so they temporarily forgot the dangerous options they had considered months before.


    "At least we''ve stabilized this month! Next month there will be a partial harvest of the grain, and then we can sell some more... it has be possible to pay off some of the debt," the Prime Minister said, also taking a breath of relief with a smile.


    "Yes, since Great Tang is offering such high prices, I believe the other countries don''t have much grain in reserve..." Leines I felt an unprecedented sense of relief.


    He had only recently moved into a luxurious, electrified pce and had just be an Emperor! He hadn''t even had the chance to enjoy it before he was caught up in perpetually expanding the military and preparing for war, a life he no longer wished to continue.


    "Indeed, without stored grain, military operations cannot proceed, at least not until the harvest next year. War is unlikely to break out before then." After Leines I stopped speaking, the Prime Minister nodded in agreement with the Emperor''s view: "Your Majesty, this time, we can''t afford to go back to our old ways!"


    "Yes! I''ve decided we should double the number of existing factories! Only then can we meet domestic construction needs," Leines I decided to follow Great Tang''s example and focus wholeheartedly on internal development.


    Compared with Great Tang, which had its own set of internal problems, the Laines Empire also faced numerous issues. Seventy percent of its territory was gained through warfare, and it likewise needed time to consolidate.


    On thends of the conquered Kingdoms, countless native inhabitants needed pacification, integration, and taming.


    This problem also troubled Dorne, Suthers, and the Ice Cold Empire, forcing these nations to attend to internal issues and making them reluctant to choose war lightly.


    Though the Empire of Na didn''t need to worry about such problems, its internal issues were equally serious. Decay was its greatest hidden danger, and the Emperor of Na had been continuously working on improving these issues after his health gradually improved.


    Thus, it was a curious equilibrium, a world bnced on the verge of war... Everyone was dealing with their own issues, with one singr aim of gaining a political advantage at home before the next war arrived.


    Tang Mo hadn''t actually considered that his westward expansion strategy would grant the world a precious year. However, he indeed required that precious time now to settle his own affairs.


    Leines I recalled the news that hade from Brunas and thus said to his Prime Minister, "Great Tang Group has recently sold many new technology licenses, it seems they have indeed spent a lot of money. We could take this opportunity to purchase some useful technologies..."


    The Prime Minister bowed slightly and spoke in praise, "Your Majesty is wise! I also believe that they have really bled themselves dry! Buying that much grain in cirction, it must have cost them a pretty penny."


    "I believe that this time, they might have trapped themselves. Managing a country is not an easy task, so many poor people could drag even a wealthy Great Tang Group down to its demise," he paused to consider his words before continuing.


    The Emperor greatly agreed with this assertion, also feeling that expanding into Zheng Country and establishing the Great Tang Kingdom was a poor move chosen by Tang Mo.


    In his view, taking on a poor and backward country with low integration was Great Tang Group giving themselves trouble.


    In the short term, the returns werepletely negative, and even in the long run, the benefits weren''t guaranteed¡ªbased on his experience, by the time Great Tang Group assimted Zheng Country''s national strength, Tang Mo would almost have to consider passing the throne on to his son.


    "Hmm, you are right, they now have no choice but to rescue an entire country, even for a wealthy entity like Great Tang Group, that''s too much of a strain," he nodded, a smile appearing on his face.


    He felt that he''d been smiling a lot more recently. Previously, he was ustomed to being expressionless, but those around him knew his mood was not very good, always tense.


    Back then, Laines faced internal and external troubles, so he was seldom seen smiling. But now, after resolving many problems and genuinely bolstering national power, his smiles had noticeably increased.


    As he spoke, he felt that perhaps Tang Mo was not that remarkable after all, "So it is said, we only saw the strength of Great Tang Group and overlooked their biggest issue¡ªtheyck at the national power level, there''s an enormous gap between them and us."


    The Prime Minister also agreed, "Theyck management experience at the national level, the time it will take for them toplete control over a country is much slower than the speed at which we learn from them and achieve industrialization."


    Leines I was almost ready to apud, he looked at his trusted subordinate and said, "You''re absolutely right! Very right! Thus, we need to catch up with them, and then... take back what originally belonged to us."


    Without needing to stress it further, the Prime Minister naturally knew what belonged to Laines he was referring to¡ªa shining pearl on the East Coast of the Endless Sea!


    Of course, beyond that pearl, there was Jade City, Northern Ridge... and many, many more things.


    Therefore, he did not mention Brunas by name, instead following Leines I''s narrative, "Yes, Your Majesty! That all belongs to you!"


    ...


    Dragon Ind, Dragon''s Den.


    Tang Mo smiled as he put down the document in his hands and said to his subordinates, "A burden? If it were just about feeding the people of Zheng Country, would I need to buy so much grain? So many pieces of machinery? So many cars? So much oil?"


    He paused, his smile broadening, "I, or rather we, are building a brand-new country! The day this country takes shape, it will be the new benchmark for the entire world, it will be the world''s leading superpower! We are creating an entirely new future! Gentlemen! Is that a burden? That is the beacon for the whole world!"


    ---------


    4 days already¡­ I haven''t dared to go to the hospital, just continued to suffer from diarrhea =.=! But the stomach pain has subsided, it''s just frequent trips to the toilet, how miserable. Dragon Spirit will take a few days off and will resume updates once it gets better.

 Chapter 510 485 Another Year

    Dragon City''s ser team won the game!


    This news failed to brighten Tang Mo''s mood, because the team ughtered 4 to 0 by Dragon City was the newly established Great Tang State team¡­


    Indeed, the Great Tang Kingdom ser team lost, and their defeat was thorough, leaving Tang Mo feeling utterly humiliated.


    Among the eleven yers on the field, three were star foreign aids from Brunas, but even so, the Great Tang State team failed to show any performance worthforting for the fans.


    They were sleepwalking through the entire game, with botched passes, clumsy ball control, and hardly a few shots of quality until the very end.


    What truly exasperated Tang Mo was that the Dragon City team wasn''t even that strong¡ªseen as easy prey by the Bailu team, only to be bloodily crushed in the league.


    All in all, Tang Mo felt ser was going nowhere; the teams he sold came to life under new ownership, fiercely fashionable, while every team he held was a hopeless underdog¡­


    No matter how hard Tang Mo tried, the teams he valued most seemed beyond help¡ªhe just kept losing no matter how he yed. Tang Mo was so frustrated he cried out, "Geneva, refund me!"


    Another piece of disheartening news was that most of the vassal states of both the Dahua Empire and the Great Tang Kingdom had acknowledged the fact that Tang Country had reced Zheng Country.


    One after another, they established diplomatic rtions with Tang Country, sent ambassadors, and rified borders¡ªthe price was that Tang Country gave enough face to the Dahua Empire, sending a diplomatic mission to the Imperial City of the Dahua Empire, where they paid homage and apologized in front of envoys from various countries.


    Face was saved, so the Dahua Empire indeed gave Tang Mo substantial benefits: in addition to waiving two years of tributes, the tribute list for the Great Tang Empire was cut by more than half. Furthermore, it agreed to Tang Country''s request for reciprocal trade, providing the Great Tang Kingdom with opportunities for nearby trade.


    Yet, even so, the undeniable fact that the Great Tang Kingdom was politically inferior to the Dahua Empire was a sore point for Tang Mo.


    Still, to avoid immediate warfare, Tang Mo ultimately chose topromise, winning at least a year of peaceful development time, which was most critical for him.


    It wasn''t all bad news; the second Brunas car race was convened, and Great Tang Group''s race car continued to dominate, winning the championship again.


    However, the lead this time was not as clear-cut as it was in the first race. The engineers from the Ice Cold and Gobur teams had thoroughly digested the engine technology and each made their improvements, clearly achieving a series of results.


    Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    This wasn''t surprising at all; if, after acquiring the technology and design concepts, they still had no thoughts of their own, then being eliminated by the times was inevitable.


    Clearly, whether it was the Shireck Consortium or the Dwarfs, neither were idlers with no ambition¡ªthey all had their ideas and kept moving forward.


    Another piece of good news was that the 2nd World Industrial Expo was still held in Brunas'' Crystal Pce. This time, countries again sent delegations, and many new technologies emerged.


    Because the rtionship between Shireck and Great Tang Group had eased, Shireck directly sent their own delegation, which was a major highlight of the expo.


    Shireck Consortium unveiled their own airship bombers,rger and with more bomb capacity, which were clearly improved versions of Great Tang Group''s design¡ªthe patent had been sold to them by Great Tang Group, exclusively licensed.


    At the same time, they also showcased their machine guns¡ªactually Maxim guns, with technology purchased from Great Tang Group.


    However, they also had their unique products¡ªthe Shireck semi-automatic pistol (Mauser C96) and the Shireck Model 1 rifle (Commission Rifle).


    In addition, they brought a new model of cruiser designed by Shireck, which performed well, drawing interest from various navies.@@novelbin@@


    As it was specifically designed to counter Great Tang Group''s downgraded destroyer, it had advantages in both firepower and armor, leading many navies to consider digging deep into their pockets to purchase some.


    But there was no way around it, the true maritime dominator, the Jade City-ss battleship, was still a non-selling item of the Great Tang Kingdom¡ªeven money couldn''t buy it.


    The only avable options were Shireck''s cruisers, along with Great Tang Group''s irond warships and destroyers.


    Yet at the expo, Harry revealed information that the Wolf-ss cruisers might be avable for purchase soon, causing many countries ready to pay for Shireck''s cruisers to hold off on their purchasing hands.


    It seemed waiting a few days might present better options¡­ After all, the waiters never lose. A few more days and perhaps it would really be worth the wait.


    Over the past six months, the Great Tang Kingdom had witnessed astonishingly rapid development in all areas; Tang Mo''s arrival seemed to have activated some skill inherent to the Chinese race.


    Who would have thought that countless refugees from Chu Country and Qi Country, content with two meals a day, would tirelessly build over 4,000 factories of various sizes, achieving self-sufficiency in cement for the Great Tang Kingdom in just three months?


    Meanwhile, it was these diligent citizens who managed to construct a basic roadwork that spanned the entire country at a rate of 300 meters per hour¡ªan astonishing feat nearing half the road-building speed of the new China!

 Chapter 511 485 Another Year 2

    It should be noted that thend area of new China, as well as its construction technology, aimed to surpass the Great Tang Group entirely. Achieving even half the construction speed was already a great achievement.


    Although the quality of the roads could notpare, the road standards of the Great Tang Group essentially meant soil and crushed stonepacted into hard surfaces sufficed¡ªyet this was already countless times better than the past transportation system.


    With the connectivity provided by these highways, the pace of industrial production within the Great Tang Group reached an unprecedented height. Many products became self-sufficient within a few months, saving the Great Tang Group a considerable amount of capital.


    These roads, like blood vessels, facilitated cirction and also helped the industrial machinery of the Great Tang Group to slowly revive within the boundaries of the Great Tang Kingdom.


    Thanks to the construction capabilities near mines, the steel output of the Great Tang Kingdom skyrocketed from tens of thousands of tons in Zheng Country to millions of tons.


    This was partly due to therge-scale steel-making equipment brought over from Dragon Ind and Brunas by the Great Tang Group, along with their advanced steel-making technology.


    On the other hand, it was because the Tang people were incredibly hardworking, willing to work at the forefront,ining not even when they only had moldy bread and leaves to eat, for several days at a time.


    After witnessing the frantic work ethic of these individuals, Roger, Mathews, and others truly understood why Tang Mo''s parents and criminals like Li''ao, even when leaving their homnd, could make a name for themselves in a foreign kingdom.@@novelbin@@


    They were so hardworking that it was somewhat unbelievable. Give them a hoe, and they could cultivate barren mountains and wild ridges, turning them into an idyllic paradise. Hand them a bag of seeds, and they would find a way to level thend, sow, and then patiently wait until thend produced a bountiful harvest.


    With the technological support from the Great Tang Group, the speed at which local production resumed was almost unbelievable. With no need for excessive appeasement, the people who receivednd immediately became docile, as if they had never experienced any hardship.


    Yet everyone knew thatst year, these now-acquiescent farmers and diligent workers were so impoverished they could not even feed themselves or pay taxes and were forced to sell their children and wander in exile, with their cries echoing in the air.


    Now, women who trained for just 10 days in night schools could be seen working diligently in groups,ughing and chatting in the textile factories.


    Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    They were responsible for watching over 5 looms each, with their hair tied up in white towels, wearing clean aprons, their sleeves rolled up to reveal their arms, working earnestly in front of the noisy machines.


    There are now two hundred thousand such women in the Great Tang Kingdom! That''s why the output of textiles within the kingdom is staggering.


    To sustain production, textile factory owners had to start importing raw materials on arge scale from Dahua as well as Chu Country and Qi Country.


    Cotton, wool, silk... all raw materials that qualified were immediately loaded onto trucks and shipped to Great Tang. This terrifying volume of purchases almost destroyed the local economies.


    At the same time, cheap Great Tangmodities flooded the markets surrounding the Dahua Empire. Ironware and porcin, once expensive, were now pressed down to rock-bottom prices by the terrifying production capacity of the Great Tang Group.


    The horror of modern industry, when faced with traditional handicraft workshops, amounted to a decimation. Do you know how easy it is to equip Cavalry with modern industrial technology? A single factory could produce hundreds of thousands of standard te armors for the Cavalry in just a few weeks...


    Such dumping immediately put pressure on the neighboring Kingdoms, who, under a new sense of crisis, began to raise tariffs, decreeing that all imported products from the Great Tang Group would be subject to high import taxes.


    Yet the merchants from the Great Tang Kingdom seemed not to care about this loss of profit; they continued to export these items and then massively imported everything they could.


    The Great Tang Kingdom imported iron ore, copper ore, rubber, and even petroleum; it was like a behemoth devouring everything it could purchase.


    Tang Mo was striving to make the Great Tang Kingdom the world factory of this alternate world. To him, this title had a strangely familiar feeling.


    And in this life, he had the technology to give this world factory the mostplete industrial chain, and he had the confidence to make it the most advanced and high-end manufacturing hegemon.


    ```


    He had no intention of engaging in financial gymnastics or ying the game of financial capital; those were just the means and tricks he used against other opponents.


    This time, what he wanted to create was a veritable powerhouse of production capacity where the entire world could only serve as his base of raw material supply.


    Linshui, Tongcheng, or other important cities in the Great Tang Kingdom had alreadypleted the most basic urban infrastructure construction.


    For the first time, the locals experienced what a true modern metropolis was like: only after they had ess to electric lights, running water, sewers, and flush toilets did they realize they had wasted most of their lives living like dogs.


    The world was so convenient, so bright, and so full of hope. Seeing their new lives, the industriousness of the Tang People was immediately magnified without limits.


    To put it bluntly, it was all about hustling!


    What? There are electric lights in the factory buildings? Then why rest? Isn''t it fine if one person works 12 hours and we rotate in two shifts? Let the machines keep running; only people need to rest.


    What? A day off on Sundays? What a joke! Don''t we already rest for 12 hours daily? Why take an entire day off? Not working overtime is like betraying this new life!


    What? There''s free education for childbirth? Nursery is free? Elementary school is free? High school is free? His Majesty is truly wise!


    This king deserves to be immortalized! I can have ten children!


    What? Chemical factories have hazard pay? Work two days, rest one? And there''s a lung-cleansing holiday and medical insurance? Double sry? I''m in!


    What danger? It won''t kill you on the spot, right? So what''s there to be afraid of? My lousy life isn''t worth much; if I can work for ten years, I''m ahead!


    What? A wireless equipment testing factory? What''s that for? Bad for the ears? No problem, I can handle it! It''s just noise testing, I''m not afraid of going deaf!


    Meals with meat? Subsidies for supporting children? Will there be any extra funeral expenses? Give those to me and I''m there! Really! I''m no coward!


    Tang Mo even suspected that if these desperately poor people were given arge sum of money, they would dare to craft nuclear bombs with their bare hands without protective gear...


    Having three days off a month was legendary welfare to these people, and getting paid on time each month was considered a privilege; if they got extra pay for overtime, that was seen as perfectly reasonable generosity!


    ording to the simple view of these hardworking citizens: if you let me live a good life without worrying about food and clothing, I''d feel uneasy if I didn''t work a bit extra for the money.


    The Great Tang Group funded the free training of workers and the supplementary education of farming knowledge for the peasants, while also desperately enhancing the education system, which likewise rapidly advanced theprehensive national power of the Great Tang Kingdom.


    Never underestimate such details; they are the unnoticed subtle elements that underpin a modern nation. Education is the foundation, the cornerstone.


    Only with the beginning enlightenment of the popce was it possible for the Great Tang Kingdom to implement the concept of a modern state and to spread advanced management systems.


    Initially, to integrate the surrendered troops from Zheng Country into the city defense and border forces, many inept sections were reorganized into the police force.


    These parasites, used to bullying and arrogance, often colluded to deceive upwards and downwards, extorting civilians and covertly defying their superiors'' orders.


    It was the oversight and reporting by the local night schools and students that allowed officials from Brunas to eliminate these parasites and standardize the management systems.


    Only after breaking the old system could a new one be swiftly established, and such a system was precisely the area where the Great Tang Kingdom truly surpassed all other nations.


    ---------


    Not daring to go to the hospital just because I haven''t done a nucleic acid test =.=! Dragon Spirit hasn''t left the house for six or seven days... the ultimate homebody, I might only find out about a zombie outbreak after a week of such nesting...


    ```

 Chapter 512 Flame in the Blizzard

    At the eastern border of the Ice Cold Empire, within an outpost of a neighboring Dwarf barrack, mes were illuminating a group of burly men carrying rifles.


    These Dwarves hadrge beards, with an average height between one meter fifty and one meter sixty. Each of them wore a leather cap and carried a Mosin-Nagant Rifle in hand.


    The Mosin-Nagant Rifle was a rifle specially designed by the Great Tang Group for Dwarves. The technology was very mature and had be the standard rifle for the armies of seven or eight Dwarf Kingdoms and the Ice Cold Empire.


    Next to the fire, a Dwarf was pinching a cup with hot soup steaming inside. Although it was nearing spring, the ce was still very cold.


    To cope with the cold climate, the Dwarves'' winter clothes were very thick, making them look like round balls.


    They sat around the fire, their fronts scorched by the mes, while their backs were cooled by the biting cold wind.


    "This damned ghostly weather!" a Dwarfined helplessly after taking a sip of the hot soup. If not for the pervasive crisis along the border, they wouldn''t be guarding an absolutely deserted trench in such ghastly weather.


    The entire outpost consisted of two trenches and a watchtower, distanced from the trenches, which wouldn''t be manned at night since nothing could be seen in the dark anyway.


    This tiny defensive position was far from the main road and hardly anyone woulde by, so positioning an infantry squad here was more of a symbolic gesture than of any practical significance.


    "We''re quite fortunate, at least we have some hot soup to drink," the Dwarf squad leaderforted his subordinates while knocking ice off his shoes and breathing warmth into his hands.


    They were from a weaker country, living in trepidation since the establishment of the Ice Cold Empire. War could break out at any time, and everyone knew it was just a matter of time.@@novelbin@@


    As soldiers, they could only sincerely fight for their homnd. There was no question that it was their duty and responsibility. But under such circumstances, who wouldn''t feel tremendous pressure?


    After such a long time of consolidation and development, the Ice Cold Empire had already be a behemoth that was no longer on the same level as their Kingdom.


    Afterunching a sudden attack on Furnace Fortress, a city with historical significance, the Ice Cold Empire seemed to also legallyy im to the heritage of the Dwarf Empire, naturally cing them a cut above the surrounding Dwarf Kingdoms.


    What was even more despairing was that, with the support of humans, the already huge Ice Cold Empire hadpleted terrifying industrial construction.


    The Ice Cold Dwarves built factories andid a railway from Eternal Winter Port extending to Furnace Fortress. Countless industrial facilities spectacrly transformed Furnace Fortress, leading many Dwarf Kingdoms to even consider bending the knee to the Ice Cold Empire.


    With bolstered industrial capabilities, the Ice Cold Empire''s military was also very strong. Over the past year, the upper echelons of the Ice Cold Empire had been restless, scheming things that reached beyond their borders.


    Everyone knew that war was a good way to solve internal conflicts, so it was clear to all that this war could easily erupt.


    "What on earth are the Ice Cold Dwarves thinking? They''re already so wealthy, yet still not satisfied... Do they really want to unite all Dwarves under their rule?" an old soldierined sullenly as he moved his slightly cooled soup closer to the fire.


    If it weren''t for the great powers expanding their armies and preparing for war, these smaller nations wouldn''t have to resort to relentless military build-up. If it weren''t for the need to confront the Ice Cold Empire''s massive army, they wouldn''t have been conscripted and sent to this godforsaken ce.


    From a distance, their trench was almostpletely obscured by ice and snow, with cold icy crystals kicked up by the wind blowing over the smooth snow surfaces.


    Although the trenches could block most of the cold winds, in such weather, standing guard in the darkness made everyone miserable.


    As he took a hard piece of bread from his own food bag, the old soldier faintly heard some noises, so he slightly adjusted the direction of his ears.


    "What''s up?" the squad leader asked upon noticing his most experienced subordinate acting strangely.


    It should be noted that back when the Ice Cold Empire was still the Ice Cold Kingdom, they had suddenly attacked the Northern Dwarf Empire, quickly ending the war and seizing Furnace Fortress.


    Now, everyone feared that the Ice Cold Empire might repeat their old tricks, so they were vignt. Multiple defensive lines were dug along the border, with arge deployment of forces, forming a continuous and undting line of trench defenses.


    "It''s nothing." After carefully listening and detecting no abnormal sounds, the Dwarf old soldier shook his head, discounting his previous suspicion.


    Having reassured himself, he secured his food bag and ced the hard bread into his mouth, chewing it thoroughly.


    Individual carrying gear developed by the Tang Group was very popr, prompting various nations to work hard on imitating it, creating unique military carrying equipment tailored to each country.


    Some countries preferredrger water bottles, some made smaller food bags, some used leather for straps, and others used canvas.


    In any case, there was a wide variety, which also increased the recognizability of the troops. After all, if everyone wore identical gear on the battlefield, it would be a farcical situation when a fight broke out. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    The most convenient way to distinguish between them was the steel helmet, so the helmets of different countries generally had distinctive styles. Because of the cold climate in the region of the Dwarf Kingdoms, most countries were reluctant to use steel helmets and preferred leather caps as their standard equipment.

 Chapter 513 Flame in the Blizzard_2

    After all,pared to steel helmets, leather caps obviously hold an advantage in everyday warmth because the raw materials are self-sufficient and inexpensive. But the bigger reason is¡ª these countries greatly underestimated the importance of defensive capabilities.


    This world had not yet experienced a massive and brutal war on the scale of the First World War, so there was no theory to support the idea that generals would make up their minds to poprize steel helmets or simr protective gear.


    Not everyone had a system like Tang Mo, with the ability to urately anticipate the future. Therefore, some countries simply copied the homework of the Great Tang Group and directly purchased steel helmets, while other countries did not do so for various reasons.


    Some did it to save money, others did it to save money, and still others simply did it to save money¡ª one reason was enough, no second was needed.


    Due to theck of steel production capacity, a steel helmet was definitely a luxury item:pared to rifles and machine guns, a so-called "hat" could be dispensed with.


    "Nothing will happen," the squad leader still became vignt. He stood up in the wind and snow, squinted his eyes, walked to the side, stretched his head out to face the wind, and looked in the direction of the border.


    The night was pitch-ck; through the horizontally flying snowkes, everything was a swath of darkness, and the whole earth was so quiet it was chilling.


    "There''s nothing¡­ If someone were approaching, they would have been exposed a long time ago." The veteran soldier also stood up and walked to his squad leader''s side, advised, "Let''s go back!"


    The squad leader thought about it and felt the old soldier had a point. They had been busy on the border for almost a year, not idly; they too had their own advanced weapons!


    They had buried tens of thousands ofndmines along this type of border, almost covering every scarcely popted area. Although spread out, there weren''t many mines per kilometer, but the deterrent effect was sufficient.


    Simply burying a few dozen of these new weapons calledndmines, and then putting a wooden sign in a ce visible to the enemy with a warning about the minefield, was enough to deter any soldiers from the Ice Cold Empire with malicious intent.


    And if the enemy forces invaded on arge scale and stepped on these mines, the explosions would immediately alert the defenders, providing early warning to the defensive troops.


    This thing called andmine was a new weapon developed by the Great Tang Group, but it quickly became a sought-after marvel that all the kingdoms rushed to replicate.


    To slow down the speed of the enemy''s advance and to inflict continuous damage, this weapon quickly became themanders'' little sweetheart, instantly surpassing the heavy machine gun, this stout fellow.


    "I''m just being paranoid," the squad leaderughed, patted on the shoulder of his most trusted old soldier, took another look into the distance, retracted his head, and walked back to the campfire.


    A few soldiers stuffed the quickly snow-covered firewood under their feet back into the campfire, making the leaping mes burn more vigorously.


    Daring to sleep was out of the question; in this cold weather, whether they could open their eyes tomorrow was questionable.


    So everyone could only huddle around the mes, waiting for the wind and snow to stop, waiting for the sun to light up the sky again.


    The squad leader continued to sit down and chat with the old soldier. They talked about their children and the plump Dwarf actress, Maka.


    Then came the unrestrained, joyful, and obliqueughter, the topics meant only for adults keeping away everyone''s drowsiness.


    As they talked, the old soldier suddenly stopped, tilting his ear and frowning as if he had indeed heard some consistent strange faint noises.


    But the sound quickly disappeared into the wind, making it hard to discern. The old soldier listened for a few more seconds, then, doubtful, he let down his guard¡ªhe truly couldn''t confirm whether he had actually heard anything.


    Just at that moment, directly above them, a huge shadow was slowly drifting forward in the wind and snow.


    In the dim airship cockpit, themander of the Ice Cold Empire''s airship listened with a grim face as his subordinates reported back.


    The top of their airship had frozen over and wasden with thick snow; the entire airship''s weight bearing had be extremely dangerous, but the previous weather forecast hadn''t predicted this.


    "We''re already risking our lives to reduce weight¡­" the aide looked just as grim, reporting disheartened, "Two brave men have risked climbing onto the airship, are currently clearing off snow¡­ Hoping¡­ the snow stops soon¡­"


    "Hope so," muttered the airship captain, as he looked through his own side porthole at another massive dark shape flying in the same direction, still very tense.


    This operation had been meticulously prepared by the Ice Cold Empire for over half a year; if a problem arose at this juncture, they would be sinners of the Empire.


    "Confirm direction!" Since they were traveling at night without the reference of stars, the captain had to anxiously verify their flight direction was correct every so often.


    By now, they had already entered enemy territory. As soon as daylight broke, even a fool could spot their massive silhouette.


    But none of that mattered! Because they were in the sky! In a space where the enemy had no means to stop them! As long as they continued flying towards their target, the enemy was powerless against them!


    The enemy could only watch helplessly as they flew to their destination, then dropped bomb after bomb on those high-value, extremely costly strategic targets!


    They were like a sharp knife, thrusting at the enemy''s soft underbelly with the fastest speed! A strike to overpower the enemy, to end the war!


    "The course is correct!" The pilot, steering the wheel, nced at thepass in front of him and reported back to hismander.


    "Send two more up! No matter what it takes¡­ maintain the blimp''s altitude!" After another look at the altimeter, the captain tensed up again andmanded his deputy, "For the Emperor! Ura!"


    "Ura!" The deputy, his blood boiling, responded in a muffled voice, then headed towards the rear cabin.


    Passing through the narrow hallway, the long corridor pieced together with irons, on both sides were the blimp''s bomb bays, filled with explosives.


    At the moment, only half the bombs were hanging on the racks. Due to the need for a long-distance raid, they had to consider the payload and could only carry half the ammunition.


    Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    It was precisely because of the previous meticulous payload calctions that they were now safely floating amidst the snow and wind.


    Just when everyone was filled with tension, it seemed like the heavens had heard the prayers of the Ice Cold Empire''s dwarves.


    The snow stopped¡­


    The wind gradually died down, and the snowkes no longer fell.


    In the blimp''s cockpit, the captain clenched his fists! The crisis was averted! Their opportunity was still alive!


    In the now quiet night sky, thirty massive silhouettes quietly drifted towards the distant horizon.@@novelbin@@


    On the ground, as the blizzard ceased, the old soldier by the campfire no longer heard the weird, continuous buzzing sounds from before.


    "The snow has stopped!" The squad leader stretched and felt that the heavens were still looking out for them. At least the snow had stopped in the first half of the night.


    "Yeah! Lucky us!" The old soldier nodded, dispelling the unease in his heart and managed a smile.


    In the hearnd of the Kingdom, next to a in rural cottage, a man pulled out his pocket watch to check the time by the candlestick.


    Then, he picked up the ceramic jar at his feet and stepped out of his house. Guided by the moonlight, he trudged to a clearing where he had spent all day piling wood.


    On top of the woodpile were messy dried grasses, neatly stacked logs, and unswept snow.


    The man swept most of the snow off the woodpile, then poured the ck oil from the jar over the wood, immediately following that with pulling a box of matches from his pocket.


    He struck a match and flicked it into the pile, igniting the fuel inside. A great me shot up into the sky, clearly visible even thousands of meters up.


    Inside the Ice Cold Empire''s blimp fleet''smand center, the navigator excitedly shouted, "I see it! The ground signal is visible!"


    ------


    Today I''m not feeling so bad, thank you for your concern! As soon as Dragon Spirit finds his rhythm, updates will resume.

 Chapter 514 487 A new war

    He pushed open the window, looked at the snow remnants in the yard, stretchedzily, and felt that even the air had be incredibly fresh.


    The stench that had previously drifted over from the Ice Cold Empire was so unpleasant that even breathing was ufortable.


    Now, a nket of snow had covered those foul odors, and they could finally breathe some fresh air properly.


    Almost every country in the world was industrializing, desperately absorbing technology that leached from the Great Tang Group, not wanting to fall behind in the race.


    Even their small kingdom had purchased power generation equipment to supply electricity to the city and the surrounding new factories, embarking on their own path of industrialization.


    However,pared to the profound heritage ofrger nations, a small kingdom like theirs was stillcking maturity and could only follow tentatively, imitating their steps.


    Despite that, they had tasted the sweetness of industrialization¡ªthe various iron tools they had previously been reluctant to use had now be incredibly cheap and affordable for the general public.


    With advanced business modelsing from Brunas and increasingly convenient sea andnd trade, life in the Dwarf Kingdom was getting better and better.


    If it weren''t for the sudden overcast skies and the increasingly thick atmosphere of war, perhaps everyone''s mood could be even better.


    "If only we didn''t have to go to war, that would be truly wonderful," the dwarf who stretchedmented, then suddenly froze.


    Because he saw in the sky a gigantic eye that overlooked the earth with unmatched murderous intent.


    When he finally shifted his gaze away from that huge eye, he heard frantic screams from the street: "Ahh!"


    He saw the huge, slender airship painted with that eye, and also the propellers on its side spinning non-stop.


    Then, he saw the terrifying emblem of Furnace Fortress on the airship¡ªa symbol once used by the Dwarf Kingdom!


    "We''ve reached the target area!" In the airship''s cockpit, the deputy stood upright next to the captain, saluted, and reported loudly.


    "Lucky for us, with ground guidance we didn''t veer off course! Open the bomb bay! Prepare tomence bombing!" the captain breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as he gave the order to his deputy.


    They had finally reached the target area, and now it was their time to perform! As the world''s air force was being put intobat for the first time (excluding the Dongwan Ind incident since no bombs were dropped), they had to put on a good show.


    This was the first time in history that the air force was dropping bombs on the enemy''s head, and also the first time the original inhabitants of the world had to run more than two hundred kilometers overnight to strike the strategic depth of the enemy forces.


    Amidst mechanical friction sounds, gears turned, rolling up the bomb bay doors. The light reflected from the ground shone into the dim interior of the airship''s bomb bay, illuminating the bombs hanging on the ammo racks one by one.


    "Commence bombing!" the captainmanded with mighty bravado.


    Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    Asmanded, the first bomb detached from the rack, plunging headfirst towards the ground, its fins cutting through the air with a sharp whirring, puncturing the roof of a building.


    The next second, the bomb exploded within the building, a massive shockwave instantly tearing the structure apart, even affecting the surrounding buildings and causing an entire area to copse in a blink of an eye.


    "Adjust course! Continue forward! Drop a bomb every 10 seconds!" the captain peered through the porthole and saw another airship''s bomb explode in the distance, billowing up a magnificent ck cloud.


    Unlike the bombing tactics of bombers, it was impossible for airships to open their bays and release all their bombs at once.


    Because of the airship''s slow speed, if it dropped all its bombs at once, that would essentially amount to concentrated bombing of a fixed target.


    Unable to use the inertia scattering principle for carpet bombing, they had to rely on higher bomb drop intervals topensate for the limited bomb spread.


    However, in terms of bomb drop uracy, airships were indeed superior to bombers¡ªbecause it was almost like they were stationary above the target, so naturally, the attack precision was astonishingly high.


    At this moment, on the ground in the city below the airship, civilian panic had spread. Everyone noticed those terrible war machines hovering overhead, and screams and cries were unceasing.


    No one had expected that their city, far from the border, would be the first target attacked just as the war broke out.


    Those who thought they were safe were suddenly thrown into chaos and frenzy. Streets were filled with fleeing people, children separated from parents were knocked down, and scattered luggage was trampled everywhere.@@novelbin@@


    Ancient buildings, unable to withstand the frenzy of the explosions, fell one after another. Debris flew everywhere, people affectedy on the ground, and blood flowed along the cracks in the trembling roads.


    On the city walls, soldiers equipped with flintlock guns futilely reloaded and fired frantically at the huge targets in the sky.


    However, the flintlock guns, with a range of only a hundred meters or so, couldn''t even slightly damage the airships. The reserve troops that hadn''t been reequipped with new weapons due to their distance from the frontlines were now helpless against this sudden onught of war machines.

 Chapter 515 487 A new war_2

    They had been in the rear, and the very process of rearming with new weapons had put them behind the beat. Moreover, due to the Kingdom''s small size and weak strength, the pace of rearmament was also pathetically slow. In such a situation, they could only watch helplessly as these airships did as they pleased, not even capable of interfering with the enemy''s assaults.


    Themander aboard the airship in the sky also realized this¡ªafter half a day without encountering any machine gun or anti-aircraft gun fire, his courage swelled immediately.


    He had been nervous before, fearing that such an industrial city might deploy anti-air weapons to counter their attacks.


    But now it seemed that the other side clearly had not deployed enough anti-aircraft machine guns or anti-aircraft guns, or perhaps had not deployed such weapons at all!


    At that moment, he became utterly unrestrained, constantly issuing attack orders, throwing the city below intoplete chaos.


    They were now high above! Completely unthreatened! Since joining the military, he had never fought such a refreshingly clear-cut battle!


    Having advanced weapons turned out to be such an exhrating thing! Possessing a technological advantage, they were simply conducting a one-sided massacre of the enemy!


    It turned out that the myth of the Great Tang Group''s invincibility was created so effortlessly! It turned out that the enemies who had once defied Great Tang Group were in such despair!


    "Hahaha! The Ice Cold Empire is invincible in battle! Continue the bombing! Long live Your Majesty!" The airship captain thought of this, a grin stered on his face; they had won today, a victory without any doubt!


    The feeling of easily grasping victory in his hands made him forget the annoyance fromst night''s near crash caused by the sudden blizzard, sweeping away his previous worries.


    ¡­


    On the ground, the troops, still unaware that their important military storage bases near the border and the locations of their armories had been bombed, were facing the frenzied assault of the Ice Cold Empire''s forces.


    Hundreds of guns were firing madly at their positions, and a series ofrge and small explosions made it impossible for the soldiers in the trenches to raise their heads.


    Soon, the echo of the Ura battle cry resounded wave after wave, as countless Dwarf soldiers carrying bays densely charged towards the still-smoking border defenses.


    The defending troops in the trenches refused to be outdone, and as the Ice Cold Empire''s infantry approached their positions, they began a fierce counterattack.


    A Maxim machine gun suddenly opened fire, its dense bullets sweeping into the crowd of the Ice Cold Empire''s attacking troops, instantly felling more than a dozen soldiers.


    The remaining attackers immediately hit the ground, some rolling into shell craters to return fire. Bullets flew back and forth between both sides, with blood sttering everywhere.


    "Ura!" Another battle cry rang out as the brave Dwarfs leaped out of the craters, recklessly charging toward the enemy''s bullet-riddled positions.


    Another group was struck down; another group courageously advanced, only to be riddled with bullets once again.


    From a high ground in the distance, an Ice Cold Empire general put down his binocrs, nced at the officers beside him with some embarrassment, and sighed shaking his head, "The enemy''s defense line is still very solid, having been built up over a year... It won''t be easy to break through immediately."


    "Send in two more divisions! At all costs! His Majesty''s orders are to break through the line before the enemy can react!" Another officer, somewhat anxious, interjected.


    "This is using the lives of soldiers to fill trenches!" The general in charge ofmanding the siege was reluctant to remind them, "We''ve already lost over a thousand men..."


    "By noon today! We must break through!" The suggesting officer emphasized, "Even if it costs lives, we must tten the enemy''s positions! Trample over them!"


    "s..." With a sigh, themanding general began to miss those human strategists whose nning was meticulous and whose battles were always victorious.


    Regrettably, it seemed like the Ice Cold Empire''s expansionist war had not beenmunicated to the Great Tang Group this time, nor was there any intention to borrow their advisors'' services.


    You should know that behind the dwarves'' divine military exploits thest time, when they directly assaulted Furnace Fortress and achieved world-shaking battle aplishments, it was essentially the Great Tang Group''s staff team inmand.


    But this time, takingmand themselves and even deploying heavy weaponry such as airships, their progress still wasn''t going smoothly.


    After sighing, themanding officer let go of the nostalgia for the human strategists and gritted his teeth, issuing the order to reinforce the troops, "Send up another two divisions! Take down the enemy''s position! Not a step back!"


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    "Yes!" An officer immediately went to convey the order.


    A new round of artillery warfare began. On the dwarves'' side, at the artillery positions, the dwarves'' own produced heavy-duty 203 mm caliber siege howitzers roared to life, one after another, these short-barreled mortars hurled heavy shells onto the enemy''s position.


    Although the range of such massive shells was quite ordinary, their power was indeed astonishing. Each shell exploded over the enemy''s position with earth-shattering force.


    The dirt thrown up by the shells soared high into the sky. Tomand these gunners, the dwarves had also deployed dozens of hot air balloons as skyward observation posts to correct the artillery''s trajectory.


    "There are too many craters, and the ground has turned to mud... Armored vehicles are no use now, what a pity," a military officermented as he looked at the enemy''s front line, already riddled with holes.


    "If that won''t work, let''s try sending in the Irond Infantry..." suggested another officer standing beside him.


    Hearing their murmurs, themander immediately decided to dispatch the seemingly useless Irond Infantry, a special "soldier type" prepared for breaking formations.


    The dwarves in thick armor, the heavy infantry specifically prepared for brutal trench warfare from a bygone era, donned their heavy helmets and armor.@@novelbin@@


    They were equipped with heavy shields, long swords, and axes, seemingly set on starting a retro wave in modern warfare.


    As a result, this troop suffered severe casualties as soon as they were deployed, while the Ice Cold Empire''s battlefield casualties surged from 1,500 to a terrifying 5,500 people...


    4,000 soldiers were wiped out in a single charge, but their madness still gave the enemy defenders quite the scare.


    The opposition was utterly confused as to why a unit that resembled a ceremonial guard would appear on the battlefield and even started to doubt themselves and fall into disarray.


    In the end, the infuriated seniormanders of the Ice Cold Empire could no longer bear it andmitted armored vehicles to the charge, followed by the deployment of two more divisions of infantry closely behind.


    Once more, the farce began; of the 100 armored vehicles that the Ice Cold Empire had stockpiled on the border, a third failed due to engine overload as soon as they were deployed into battle, while the remainder started to get stuck in the mud on the battlefield one after another.


    Some vehicles, due to limited visibility, drove straight into craters and rolled over, while others became mired in the mud and could hardly move an inch.


    The few that managed to get close to the enemy''s position were then destroyed by the brave opposing soldiers with hand grenades, bing fiery metal coffins.


    However, despite the heavy losses of these armored vehicles, they ultimately served to distract the enemy and covered their own infantry as they approached the enemy trenches.


    Following a fierce bombardment all morning and as the time neared noon, the defenders'' position had been severely damaged by artillery. The attacking infantry finally broke into the trenches, and close-quartersbat ensued immediately.


    With an overwhelming advantage in numbers, the Ice Cold Empire quickly saw their chance andmitted their reserves, frenziedly bolstering their forces in a bid to rapidly expand their gains.


    Then came the news that the enemy airships had attacked their rear, destroyed the ammunition depot, and paralyzed the armaments factory, which became thest straw that broke the defenders.


    By noon that day, the entire border defense line of the Dwarf Kingdom, adjacent to the Ice Cold Empire, had copsed. The Ice Cold Empire''s forces crossed the border, following the fleeing soldiers into the hearnd of the kingdom.

 Chapter 516 World War 488

    The speed of information transmission in this world had already ceased to be sluggish. With the advent of the telegraph, a new means ofmunication, many people were able to receive news from afar the moment it was sent.


    The news that the Ice Cold Empire had dered war on a small neighboring kingdom spread widely by the next day.


    Many nations realized that the impact of this war could extend across the entire world!


    Previously, due to economic pressures, every nation had thought about waging war to deflect internal strife and solve their problems.


    However, as orders from the Great Tang Group starteding in, many nations abandoned such dangerous thoughts, and the looming clouds of war temporarily dispersed.


    But with the Ice Cold Empire igniting a new war, the atmosphere around the world once again became turbulent.


    The Empire of Na, already possessing vast territories, suddenlyunched an attack to the south, initiating a new round of expansionist warfare.


    This time, the Empire of Na chose a small, obscure kingdom as its opponent, a kingdom so weak inbat that it had only a few machine guns.


    Employing tactics nearly identical to those of the Ice Cold Empire, the Empire of Na opened the prelude to war on a night close to spring, when its airship troopsunched a surprise attack on the capital of the kingdom.


    Caughtpletely off guard, the kingdom copsed on the day its King City was bombed, revealing the power of the new war machinery to the whole world, and for a time, airships became the most talked-about topic of interest.


    The Suthers Kingdom, having prepared arge fleet of airships, thrived in this situation, disying the horrific face of "future warfare" to all in an even more frenzied conflict.


    The Suthers Kingdom attacked its northern neighbor, and on the day the assault began, the Suthers airship troops deployed 50 Kirov airships, fully loaded with bombs, to ambush this unfortunate neighbor.


    Within just one day, the poor kingdom in the north had fully copsed, having lost its railways for transport and its armament factories destroyed by bombings, effectively erasing its war potential, leading them to choose a dignified surrender the next day.


    The emerging Air Force had just arrived on the battlefield and already demonstrated its tremendousbat power, and industrial cities, more easily destroyed than before, starkly illustrated just how vulnerable their rear was to the people.


    The Ice Cold Empire''s war continued, and the Empire of Na''s outward expansion had just begun, while the Suthers Kingdom, with its fleet of over 70 massive airships, had already annexed a nation, eliciting immense envy from all.


    It was not until today that everyone realized the Suthers Kingdom''s investment in building an airship fleet was not in vain¡ªit was, in fact, incredibly worthwhile.


    Without losing a single soldier, they had seized a neighboring kingdom. This was nothing short of a new miracle in the history of warfare, as well as the first time in world history that an Air Force had decided the oue of a war.


    However, Tang Mo soon received some less-than-ideal news: the civil war within the trade alliance that he had hoped to avoid had finally erupted.


    Or rather, 15 days after the outbreak of three local wars, a true global conflict... had fully unleashed.


    The Por Kingdom suddenly attacked its neighbor, the Songmu Kingdom, and fierce shes broke out along their border.


    This internal conflict between members of the Elf Race waspletely different from the wars between other nations. It was a true modern war that erupted between two industrialized nations that had essentiallypleted their Industrial Revolutions!


    Both sides had deployed deep trench defenses along the border and simultaneously strengthened their artillery troops. Although the Por Kingdom had the advantage in overall troops, the Songmu Kingdom had the benefit of passive defense.


    On top of that, both sides were evenly matched in artillery strength. The Por Kingdom had deployed 500 cannons, while the Songmu Kingdom had 450 at the border to meet the challenge, and the fighting went back and forth.@@novelbin@@


    Shockingly, at the start of the war, the Por Kingdom followed the military tactics of the Ice Cold Kingdom and the Suthers Kingdom, sending airships to strike at the Songmu Kingdom''s rear industrial facilities.


    The result was unexpected, as the airship tactics, which had previously been foolproof, failed this time because the Songmu Kingdom possessed anti-aircraft guns that they had acquired or produced themselves!


    Having witnessed the power of airships in the expansion wars of the Ice Cold Empire and the Suthers Kingdom, the Songmu Kingdom naturally took extra caution.


    They preemptively ced anti-aircraft guns in cities within airship range, near the border, so when the Por Kingdomunched their airship attack, they were greeted by a sky full of gunfire!


    The Por Kingdom''s airships, embroiled inbat, suffered heavy losses instantly; all 20 airships that were sent did not return¡ªthey were all shot down.


    However, these airships were not entirely unsessful. Loaded with ammunition, they crashed into cities and still managed to cause considerable trouble for the Songmu Kingdom.


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    In response, the Songmu Kingdomunched its own counterattack. Their airship troops attacked the border cities of the Por Kingdom dayster but also suffered heavy losses.


    The airship troops, operating independently, failed toplete their bombing missions. Seven airships were lost without a trace, with the remaining three barely making it back. Their bombing was limited in effect, but the Por Kingdom''s anti-aircraft artillery troops had their moment of triumph.


    This aerial skirmish demonstrated to the world that airship tactics were not indefensible. The fragile airborne bombers were not invincible after all.

 Chapter 517 World War 488_2

    ```


    Several rounds of airship usage also taught the whole world a lesson: the correct use of expensive war machines is the key to gaining an advantage; wrongmand, in turn, can only waste high-tech equipment thates at a hefty price.


    At the same time, countries also witnessed the formidable strength of multiyered trench defense systems bolstered by powerful artillery firepower.


    These defenses effectively helped the outnumbered Songmu Kingdom withstand the powerful attack from Por Kingdom while also significantly reducing losses and preserving their fighting force.


    Especially, the permanent defenses constructed of concrete were like killing machines fixed on the battlefield, with countless bunkers functioning like the des of a meat grinder, devouring the flesh and blood of attackers.


    After fighting for three days with no progress and realizing that they could not break through the border defenses, the Por Kingdom had no choice but to change their tactics.


    The Navy of the Por Kingdom quickly moved southward to blockade the ports of the Songmu Kingdom, attempting to force the Songmu Navy into battle and seize control of the sea.


    Not to be outdone, the Songmu Kingdom immediately assembled its main fleet and engaged the oing main forces of the Por Kingdom in fierce battle on the high seas.


    This naval battle was known as: the Por-Songmu Sea Battle, the first true modern naval battle in a real sense! Interestingly, the Great Tang Group is the developer, designer, and manufacturer of new weaponry in this world. Yet, it seemed that their association with the first use of new weaponry in actualbat was quite negligible.


    In the Por-Songmu Sea Battle, Por Kingdom deployed 3 Brunas-ss irond ships, 7 Great Tang Group-produced simplified destroyers, and an additional 9 new destroyers from the Shireck Consortium. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    The fleet that Songmu Kingdom deployed to meet them also had 3 Brunas-ss irond ships, along with 13 simplified Great Tang destroyers and 33 sailing warships.


    The start of the naval battle was quite dramatic¡ªThe Por Kingdom fleet had originally missed Songmu Kingdom''s main naval forces butter discovered the 33 Songmu sail warships that had straggled due to being too slow.


    Seeing easy prey, the Por Kingdom fleet naturally did not let go of the opportunity to attack thisrge collection of sailing vessels.


    Simrly having missed the enemy ships, the main Songmu fleet immediately turned and attacked from behind, entering the battlefield.


    As a result, the numerically superior and more heavily armed Por fleet was poorly arrayed, and the inferior Songmu fleet identally found a w in the enemy''s defenses.


    Since both sides were irond ships, it was very difficult to quickly sink each other and im victory. Other than losing a few dozen wooden vessels, the naval battle initially fell into a deadlock.


    However, as the battle continued, losses were inevitable. One of Por Kingdom''s new Shireck destroyers was targeted and sunk, bing the world''s first new warship to be sunk inbat.


    Immediately afterward, the Por Kingdom began to forcibly adjust their formation to confront the Songmu fleet that was attacking from behind¡ªto this end, they paid the price of losing another warship.


    Relying on their greater number of ships andrger caliber guns, Por Kingdom regained the initiative after losing two warships.


    The distance between the fleets continued to close, and the cannon fire became increasingly frantic. Soon, ships on both sides were hit and caught fire, many were slowed by hits, and some even started to list.


    After sinking two more of Shireck''s new destroyers, Songmu Kingdom also had one of Great Tang''s destroyers sunk.


    Having barely evened out the number of ships, the morale of the Songmu Navy soared, but they quickly realized there was a significant disparity in firepower between them and their enemy.


    Shireck''s destroyers had a clearly higher firepower configuration, and though their defensive capabilities were average, they demonstrated strongerbat power with more cannons.


    After all, these destroyers had been developed specifically to counter the simplified destroyers from the Great Tang Group and were certainly more targeted in performance.


    ```


    As the battle raged on, the Navy of the Songmu Kingdom began to falter under the strain. Before long, two of their warships had taken in so much water that they had to withdraw from thebat formation.


    Themander of the Songmu Kingdom''s Navy, in a desperate gambit, decided to make the first move to change formation, focusing firepower on a Brunas-ss Irond Warship of the enemy that had pushed forward, hoping to regain the upper hand.


    Then, a fierce offensive and defensive battle unfolded around that Irond Warship, which was ultimately sunk¡ªthe vessel belonged to the Por Kingdom.


    However, in order to sink that Irond Warship, Songmu Kingdom had paid a heavy price, losing two destroyers in the process.


    As night began to fall, the Por Kingdom''s Fleet, which had initially held the advantage, feared an unforeseen event in the darkness and were the first to retreat frombat.


    During the afternoon''s fierce engagement, they had lost 3 Shireck Destroyers, 2 Great Tang Destroyers, and a Brunas-ss Warship had been sunk.


    Their opponents, the Songmu Kingdom, were not faring well either; they had 6 Great Tang Destroyers sunk and an additional 20 sailing warships lost, in what could only be described as a devastating defeat.


    But after this naval battle, the Por Kingdom did not seed in their strategic intention to annihte the Songmu Kingdom''s Fleet, and because of their own losses, they also lost the capability to blockade the harbors of the Songmu Kingdom.


    Both Navies, afraid of further losses, did not regroup inrge numbers for a long time afterward. Both sides only asionally dispatched one or two warships to attack a few enemy transport and fishing vessels, with limited results. It was less a war of attrition and more an act of spiteful revenge.


    Just as the war between the Por Kingdom and the Songmu Kingdom reached a stalemate, Tang Mo prepared to step in and persuade both countries to cease hostilities and maintain the harmony within the trade alliance¡ªthis was when the Gales Kingdom entered the war.


    After withstanding the pressure from the Por Kingdom, the Gales Kingdom dered war on the Por Kingdom half a month after the start of the Por-Songmu conflict, announcing an alliance with the Songmu Kingdom.


    The Por Kingdom, which had held an advantage, suddenly found itself in a passive situation, fighting a war on two fronts. John''s father had to rush back to King City and once again mobilize an army of 100,000 to turn back and engage in battle with the Orc troops. What had been an offensive posture against the Songmu Kingdom quickly turned into a defensive stance on two fronts.@@novelbin@@


    An even more astonishing event urred: the Orc troops, assaulting the borders of the Por Kingdom, were also held up by the border defense lines causing their advance to be obstructed, and after attacking fiercely for three days, they achieved no result.


    At the same time, feeling that the opportunity hade with the enemy engaged in an unfavorable two-front war, the Songmu Kingdom alsounched a counteroffensive against the Por Kingdom''s border.


    They soon discovered that they could not factually bite through the countless bunkers, trenches, and barbed wire on the border of the Por Kingdom.


    After two days of furious assault and the loss of thousands of troops, the Songmu Kingdom, Por Kingdom, and Gales Kingdom all abandoned their fruitless offensives and turned to a long period of trench warfare, waiting passively for the enemy to walk into a trap, reminiscent of the "World War I mode."


    For a time, no one could ovee anyone, and as all were not willing to easily make peace, a bizarre scene ensued: the sound of gunfire was incessant along the border, yet there were virtually no scenes of soldiers making any attacks.


    Just when everyone thought that the melee hade to an end, the Laines Empire suddenly dered war on the Dorne Kingdom.


    The Dorne Kingdom then dered war on the Laines Empire¡ªcausing an instant rift that virtually dissolved the integrity of the entire trade alliance.


    The Gobur Kingdom, under the encouragement of the Shireck Consortium, also joined the fray. They dered war on the Dorne Kingdom and allied with the Laines Empire, which instantly furtherplicated the rtionships between the powers embroiled in the war.


    Everyone knew that the Laines Empire had always been a staunch ally of the Great Tang Group within the trade alliance, but now this ally had joined forces with the Gobur Kingdom, which evidently had the backing of the Shireck Consortium...


    This shift forced Tang Mo, who had been preparing to intervene and calm the situation, to retract his hand. He was genuinely curious to see what his group of allies would turn this internal conflict into.

 Chapter 518 Shirecks Iron Shoes 489

    Craters dotted the battlefield in countless numbers, varying in size. The heavily deformed trenches intertwined like a thread, stringing some of the craters together to resemble a pearl ne when viewed from above.


    Within this ne of craters, an uncountable number of soldiers huddled, bracing for the impact ofrge-caliber shells that pounded the ground near them.


    With each explosion, the earth beside them quivered, followed by falling mud and stones that ttered against their helmet rims.


    Most of these soldiers were not wearing steel helmets, but rather caps with visors; they carried canvas ammunition pouches at their sides, filled with bullets.


    As shells fell on both sides of their position, numerous fragments rained down, and the smoke raised by the sts nketed the sky, giving the battlefield the appearance of the end of the world.


    The bombardment fromrge-caliber heavy artillery was terrifying for every soldier. Each firing of these 200 millimeter, or even 300 millimeter, heavy guns carried with them the force of utter annihtion.


    In just two days, the Gobur Kingdom had poured 10,000rge-caliber shells onto the border, Shireck''s 130 millimeter howitzers hammering Dorne Kingdom''s positions as if they cost nothing.


    Each shell explosion in the mud created a massive crater; due to the high density of craters, some ovepped, turning the earlier craters into crescents with sessive sts.


    Along the edges of these craters were the corpses of Gobur soldiers as well as those from the Dorne Kingdom, some torn to shreds by the bombardment, others still intact.


    Many soldiers were mutted beyond recognition, their remaining halves missing arms or legs, while ragged uniforms hung from the twisted barbed wire, and deformed Shireck rifles and S3 rifles were scattered everywhere.


    In these days, no one dared waste precious troops by pouring more into this death-ridden battlefield.@@novelbin@@


    Everyone hid in trenches, using their rear cannons to "greet" the enemy''s ancestors from afar.


    Now, it was the Gobur Kingdom''s cannons that roared, hundreds of guns firing in session, sending their shells near the trench positions of the Dorne Kingdom.


    Amidst the artillery fire, on the Dorne Kingdom defense line, in the middle of a trench, an officer sat yawning in a chair inside amand post reinforced with concrete.


    In reality, during such times, it was unthinkable for the enemy to charge to their death, so his remaining here was akin to being "on duty."


    Themand post had a meter-thickyer of concrete overhead, which offered safety unless hit directly by a shell.


    Because it was rtively safe, many supplies were stored here, and in some cool corners even hunks of dried meat were hanging.


    Empty ammunition boxes were filled with various canned goods. As this was a ce reserved for officers, the setup was noticeably more casual.


    A makeshift table of neatly stacked ammunition boxes was covered with a map of the war zone, with an iron cup and gasmp ced carelessly on top.


    A gasoline engine chugged away ceaselessly, its mor blending in with the thunder of artillery without seeming too jarring.


    The engine drove a generator that spun tirelessly, supplying an unstable stream of electricity to the working light bulbs and the telegraph machine.


    It was daytime, and the noise from the artillery made the generator''s operation feasible. At night, the area relied on gasmps for illumination or simply went dark.


    After all, noise and light could attract enemy artillery; staying hidden was the golden rule for surviving longer on the battlefield.


    "Report!" A nonmissioned officer with a briefcase squeezed into themand post, shook off the mud from his clothes, stood at attention, saluted, and handed the file to the duty officer: "Sir! This is the patrol report from the 2nd and 3rd Regiments."


    To confirm their own troops''bat effectiveness and have a better understanding of the soldiers under theirmand, regr patrol inspections were essential.


    Particrly under conditions of being shelled for hours every day, maintaining morale was an imperative task for everymander.


    The officer on duty took the report, nced at a few figures, then flipped to the previous day''s report forparison, and subsequently signed his name on the new report.


    The data from the two inspections showed little change, which was good news for him: this meant that the enemy hadn''t mounted a significant attack the previous day, and their own side hadn''t attacked the enemy positions either. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Since each assault would cost the enemy at least 1,000 men, and their counterattacks would result in roughly the same number of casualties, the absence of such high loss figures indicated that no major offensive or counter-offensive had urred¡ªa piece of good news.


    "When will our artillery counterattackmence?" Having signed his name, the officer put down his pen and asked.


    The nonmissioned officer stood at attention once again, then responded, "Report, sir! ording to the n, our artillery fire willmence in half an hour."


    "Will the infantry participate in the counterattack?" the duty officer asked once more, inquiring of the message-bearing nonmissioned officer.

 Chapter 519 Shirecks Iron Shoes 489_2

    The sergeant paused for a moment, then quickly began to exin, "General Bolton''s order is for all troops to hold their positions and not tounch any further offensives."


    What a joke,unching a counterattack in front of the enemy''s solid defensive fortifications? Was that not sending the soldiers to their deaths?


    Even if one were grasping for achievements, one couldn''t do so like this, right? If too many troops were lost, there would be an ounting for it!


    Thinking of the daunting punishment, the sergeant who delivered the message immediately invoked General Bolton''s name as a shield for himself.


    Indeed, the renown of Bolton, one of the kingdom''s Twin Jewels, proved useful. Hearing what the sergeant had said, the officer immediately nodded and replied, "Understood. Then we''ll proceed ording to the n."


    "Yes, Sir!" The sergeant snapped to attention and saluted, fearful that the other might make another strange request, and quickly turned to leave themand post.


    Exactly half an hourter, the artillery fire of Dorne Kingdom''s counterattack began. It was the samerge-caliber artillery, and nearly hundreds of guns roared in unison.


    The whistling shells flew over the soldiers'' heads, with the screeching sound of tearing air, causing the newly arrived soldiers to tremble with fear.


    Those old soldiers who had grown ustomed to such sounds began to take out their cheap roll-your-own cigarettes from their pockets and enjoyed a moment of "peace."


    They knew all too well that it was only during the roar of these guns that their enemies would stop their own barrage, affording them a slight sense of security.


    Some older soldiers began to put their rations into their mess tins, while others started to build fires in the trenches.


    Some squad and toon leaders began ordering soldiers to repair the damaged trenches with nearby materials, while others shouted to their subordinates to quickly fill in craters near the trenches.


    All the defenders in the trench got busy, scrambling to reinsert broken pieces of wood back into the walls of the trench where they belonged, while some leaned against the edge of the trench to watch their own shells explode over the enemy''s positions.


    The spectacle was truly magnificent: Shells that whistled overhead plunged into the enemy positions in an instant, lifting the enemy''s barbed wire at the forefront of their positions and scattering the bodies near the wire.


    Pirs of ck smoke rose, akin to massive columns, standing between heaven and earth, spreading out over the horizon.


    Because they no longer had to engage in desperate fighting on enemy ground, the soldiers of Dorne Kingdom watching everything unfold appeared rxed, with even the new recruits daring to point at the rising smoke columns.


    Dorne Kingdom have dered war on Gobur Kingdom rather suddenly, attempting a surprise attack. However, the airship troops responsible for the sneak attack did not y a decisive role and were almostpletely wiped out by the following morning.


    All 20 participating airships were shot down, with their only im to sess being the destruction of a frontline city in Gobur Kingdom, the bombing of an ammunition depot near the city, and the destruction of the city''s railway station.


    Yet these sesses were not significant enough to decide the oue of the border conflict. In the end, the battle at the border fell, not surprisingly, into the mire of trench warfare.


    Over 10 days, both Dorne Kingdom''s attempts to assault Gobur Kingdom and Gobur Kingdom''s attempts to counterattack Dorne Kingdom ended in failure.


    Neither side could break through the enemy''s border defenses, so the anticipated offensivebat naturally evolved into a stalemate of trench deadlock.


    With barbed wire,nd mines, trenches, and reinforced concrete bunkers bolstering the defense, the advantage of the defending side was simply too great, preventing the attacking side, even with overwhelming superiority, from breaking through the enemy''s permanent defenses in a short time.


    Even during World War II, or even in the twenty-first century, the attacking side faced immense pressure when attacking strong defensive positions.


    Dorne originally nned to use its superior forces to take down Gobur Kingdom in one fell swoop, but just as the war fell into a stalemate, the Laines Empire stabbed Dorne in the back.


    Caught in a two-front war and beset on all sides, Dorne Kingdom had no choice but to seek allies far and wide, which led them to the Empire of Na!


    Although the Empire of Na was reluctant to start a war with the Laines Empire, the temptation to defeat another empire was too great, causing the Emperor of Na and his ministers to ultimately choose the risk.


    So, just seven days after the Laines Empire dered war on Dorne, the Empire of Na suddenly dered war on the Laines Empire, plunging both empires into the predicament of fighting a war on two fronts.


    With the support of trenches, no one could gain a short-term advantage over the other, which led to the participating nations reassessing the risks of the war.


    Since offense was at a disadvantage and defense had its benefits, the risk of defeat after dering war was significantly reduced¡ªif everything else failed, they could just steadfastly defend the trench lines at the border and negotiate peace after a few months.


    But if one could break through the enemy''s defense, that would be an extremely profitable venture! With this naive and simplistic notion, dering war on each other seemed to have be fashionable among the trade coalitions.


    However, the Great Tang Group, or the Great Tang Kingdom, still remained aloof, not even bothering to perform the superficial task ofmunicating through telegraph, which made the warring nations even more reassured.


    It seemed that as long as they could resolve the conflict among themselves, the Great Tang Group would naturally continue to cooperate with the victorious side, and the rtionships within the trade coalition would not be affected by the war!


    After some probing, the warring nations finally put their minds at ease and began to wholeheartedly pursue their own victories.


    While nations within the trade coalition were dering war and forming alliances with each other, a vast military force was assembling at a train station in the hearnd of Gobur Kingdom.


    The dense crowd of soldiers stood on the tform, waiting to board the train in front of them, some from Gobur, others from even more distantnds.


    Keep in mind that the Gobur Kingdom was one of Shireck''s most important industrial bases, and its invasion had clearly enraged Shireck.


    After confirming that the Great Tang Group, or the Great Tang Kingdom, was unlikely to get involved in this mess, Shireck''s war machine started to operate without any restraint.


    50 newly manufactured airship bombers silently moved towards the front lines of Gobur Kingdom, apanied by 200,000 swiftly assembled troops.


    With the help of railroads and highways, the speed of troop mobilization was faster than expected, and the transport of supplies was speedier than before.


    What was more frightening was that Shireck intended to use this war, which the Great Tang Group was unwilling to join, to reim its former position as the dominant military-industrial power.


    Near the train transporting the soldiers, on another track, a tbed train had juste to a standstill. The train was filled with vignt soldiers, many wearing a never-before-seen grey military uniform.


    Behind them, on the tbed train,y gigantic pieces of weapon equipment covered with tarpaulins. Through the gaps between the tarp and the tbed, rows of tiny wheels could be seen.


    Beneath these wheels pressed a device that resembled a chain, which, if the Armored Troops of the Tang Kingdom had seen it, they would have eximed its name: "Tracks!"


    Yes, in order to win this war and break through the defensive lines of the Dorne Kingdom, thereby entirely removing the future threat to the Gobur industrial base, the Shireck Consortium had brought out their secret weapon.


    This super vehicle, shod with iron shoes, had an off-road capability many times better than that of armored vehicles. Its brand new lotion system made it fearless in the face of gunfire and artillery.


    Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Named by Sofia with high hopes and personallybeled as "Shireck Type 1 Super Combat Vehicle", the "Tank" was thus pushed onto the battlefield by the Shireck Consortium.


    What the Great Tang Group regretted was that they were the original creators of this new weapon called the tank, yet the first time the tank entered the battlefield, it still had nothing to do with the Great Tang Group... You couldn''t help but find this situation bothmentable andughable.


    ----------@@novelbin@@


    Dragon Spirit''s health had almostpletely recovered. Updates will resume in August, and there will be an opportunity to make up for missed updates =.=!

 Chapter 520 490 True Man

    Great Tang Kingdom, Linshui Port, the huge cranes were slowly turning, lifting onerge box after another out of the freighter.


    This was not because Tang Mo had already started using massive container shipping, but rather the Great Tang Group had covered the tanks with wooden boxes for secrecy, as a kind of deception.


    The Great Tang Kingdom was seizing the opportunity of several countries entering full-scale war to expand its military: Tang Mo readied himself to take this chance to quickly establish four Armored Divisions, thuspletely transforming the Great Tang''s armed forces.


    He intended to transform motorized troops into mechanized troops, building upon tank divisions to form Armored Divisions, allowing the troops to better meet realbat needs.


    In fact, even in World War II, when Germany invented and widely used blitzkrieg tactics, tank divisions and Armored Divisions coexisted most of the time.


    A tank division made up entirely of tanks could exert the speedy assault of tanks to the extreme, but due to theck of infantry protection, its performance in siege-breaking was not that good.


    Therefore, under normal circumstances, the Armored Division was a moremon organizational setup: a tank regiment in cooperation with an infantry regiment mounted in armored vehicles, supplemented by artillery, to maximize the attack speed and siege-breaking ability. Following a tank division breaching the enemy''s lines, they would immediately engage to expand the victory.


    Hence, ording to Tang Mo''s n, his troops would initially build up four Armored Divisions based on the training provided by tank instructors, ensuring concentrated use of tanks and the capability tounchrge-scale pincer attacks in two directions.


    This was a colossal project, not just a matter of assigning tanks and armored vehicles to four units, but it also included a myriad of subsequent tasks of organizing support troops.


    He needed to establish railway and motor transport units capable of supporting strategic troop movement, to help transport fuel, repair equipment, spare parts, maintenance workers, and coordinate the departments managing these personnel and materials.


    At the same time, he also nned to increase the mobility of his traditional infantry as much as possible, using motorized troops to match the movement andbat needs of these Armored Divisions.


    Beyond that, he needed to establish anti-tank capabilities for each unit, to ensure that his infantry troops had the ability to fend off enemy armored forces, preventing the enemy from breaking through the nks of their defenses.@@novelbin@@


    Having established these ground forces, Tang Mo would spare no effort to equip hisnd troops with a sufficiently numerous Air Force.


    Only then could they ensure their troops were safe from enemy air threats while advancing and at the same time bombard tactical targets of the enemy, destroying their frontline tactical defensive capabilities.


    This set of tactics was essentially a model based on the German blitzkrieg, which under the premise of air superiority, used tactical bombers to assist ground forces in creating breakthroughs, disrupting enemy movement, and thusrge-scale encircling and annihting the enemy forces.


    With air superiority, tactical bombers could partly rece the role of artillery, making up for the inability of artillery to keep up with marching speed, striking ground targets of the enemy more timely, effectively, and urately, paralyzing theirmand and mobilization.


    So, whether one can have an efficient and formidable aerial division is a precondition for these tactics to be sessfully implemented.


    Of course,pared to the German Army which had already entered the war in 1940, the Great Tang Kingdom had sufficient time to develop a more perfect tactical system, so Tang Mo did not intend to, like the German Army around 1939, put all his eggs in one basket.


    He nned to equip his forces with more self-propelled artillery and assault guns to ensure his armored forces had plenty of ground fire support.


    This was an issue that the German industry, insufficient at the time, could not address, but for the Great Tang Group, it was no issue at all.


    Because the Great Tang Group had already established enough factories within the Great Tang Kingdom, at Tang Mo''smand, the hardworking Tang people could quickly produce enough vehicle chassis, which could be modified into a sufficient number of self-propelled artillery.


    With these self-propelled guns, the troops of the Great Tang Kingdom could be less reliant on the power of the Air Force, making it easier for them to ovee the enemy before them.


    At the same time, the advanced nature of Great Tang Group''s aircraft manufacturing production was beyond question, and this also ensured that Tang Mo would have a sizeable aerial force in the future to emte the German model, equipping more tactical bombers to destroy ground targets of the enemy.


    In this area, Tang Mo was very confident: he had a pilot training system that no other country in the world could possibly have, and he already had over a thousand skilled pilots capable of flying aircraft.


    In this field, nopetitor could challenge him, nor did they even have the slightest ability to struggle!


    With this dual approach, his armored forces'' assault tactics could be said to be unrivaled in the world, it was just that he needed a little more time to perfect and prepare.


    Watching tank after tank tightly wrapped and unloaded onto the dock, military music suddenly rang out robustly from another part of the dock.


    It must be said, with Tang Mo as the ultimate ace up its sleeve, Great Tang''s achievements in the arts had already reached a sublime level.


    Just ying a piece of music was enough to be heart-stirring, to ignite the blood and quicken the pulse; even the dockworkers felt invigorated, hastening their work just by listening to it. Read thetest on My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 522 491 The Frightened Falconer

    Koss Laina wearily rose from his position, rubbing his aching brow and epted a cup of hot tea from his assistant.


    He took a sip, but his gaze didn''t move from the nted drawing board in front of him, because there was an airne on it that seemed perfect to him.


    This airne was a single-seat monone fighter, from design concept to engine performance, it was already at the pinnacle.


    The retractablending gear perfected the aerodynamicyout of the whole airne, and at the same time, it significantly enhanced the fighter''s flight performance.


    If a military enthusiast who had traveled through time were standing next to these blueprints, they would immediately recognize the airne as the famed FW-190 fighter.


    Among the various fighters in the early stages of World War II, the best performing were those of Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.


    The early American and Soviet fighters were absolute rubbish, without any redeeming qualities.


    Before 1940, the United States mainly equipped its forces with P-40s of that level, which when it came to practicality, were sockluster they could bring tears to your eyes. Along with the P-40, there was also the Hurricane from the UK¡­


    As for Soviet fighters, they are even more heartfelt ¨C their fighters around the year 1940 still had open cockpits, and in terms of flight performance, they were only slightly better than bines.


    Therefore, after much thought, only Japan''s Zero, Germany''s ME109 and FW190, and the UK''s Spitfire fighter could be considered excellent fighters around 1940.


    Japan''s Zero Fighter indeed had formidable performance, with a long range and strong dogfighting abilities, and in the absence of adversaries, itsck of air defense was hardly a drawback. Nheless, Tang Mo was the first to dismiss this option.


    Not for any particr reason, but because Tang Mo found the country unbearable; he inherently disliked that wretched ce. One nce and he felt an urge to vomit, the mere thought was enough to infuriate him and make him want to act.


    One of his biggest wishes before he crossed dimensions was to smuggle a "mushroom egg" onto the ind, raze a few mountains to alter the local feng shui, and significantly increase the average daily temperature there.


    Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, he never managed to do it before he crossed over, which remained a small regret of his.


    Now, when it came to selecting weapons and equipment, Tang Mo immediately discarded the technology tree from Japan, in a kind of malicious retaliation.


    The UK''s fighter nes were impable in performance, with beautiful designs and powerful engines, backed by Rolls-Royce''s technical support ¨C truly excellent.


    However, due to some "irresistible" factors, Tang Mo ultimately chose Germany''s fighters.


    On one hand, this was because the Armored Corps was referenced from Germany''s, and on the other, because the early models of German nes did have a negligible advantage in performance.


    Next, the choice had to be made between the ME-109 and FW-190. In the end, Tang Mo eliminated the more famous ME-109, which numerous airbat aces had flown.


    The reason was simple: the ME-109''s troublesomending gear was not suitable for novices, posing significant safety risks during takeoff andnding.@@novelbin@@


    To avoid unnecessary losses of valuable pilots and to simplify training ¨C adopting a fighter with a widernding gear distance and betternding capabilities seemed like a reasonable choice.


    The FW-190 boasted excellent overall performance. Although its overlong engine somewhat obscured the view, the issue was not fatal.


    This type of aircraft also had room for future enhancements that the ME-109cked; it could easily increase its firepower and had a slightly longer range ¨C a bnced answer in all aspects.


    Moreover, this thing could also carry a heavy bomb, doubling as a dive bomber, or even mount heavy cannons for ground attack, making it very versatile.


    On the other hand, the ME-109, with its fragile structure and high internal space utilization, had a difficult path to improvement. Although it could carry bombs, upscaling the firepower for an ME-109 armed with axial cannons and nose guns was quite troublesome ¨C an undeniable fact.


    Of course, the biggest issue with these two German fighters was theirggingte-stage improvements and performance. But for Tang Mo, that was not a problem at all.


    By then, he could simply produce a Mig-15 or F-86, or even a Mustang P-51, to easily resolve the issue.


    Who says a German article can''t transform into American dors? And who dictates that American dors can''t bemunist praise? Heaven and earth as my witness, the world''s biggest fan of America is a certain Bunny... *cough cough cough* I didn''t say anything (spreads hands).


    As the top aircraft designer of the Great Tang Group, Koss Laina began his research immediately after receiving these blueprints.


    He found that Tang Mo was nothing short of a genius in aircraft design, supported by even more scientists, geniuses in their own right, shining like stars.


    These scientists had provided Tang Mo with advanced metallic materials that others couldn''t even dare dream of, enabling the design to reach a pinnacle previously unimaginable.


    Just a few years ago, no one would have dared to conceive that technology could produce such thin metal skins, create such precise assembly and riveting techniques.


    Nobody could have imagined that a group of madmen could push engine technology to such a mind-boggling level, allowing an engine to unleash such tremendous, powerful thrust.

 Chapter 523 491 The Frightened Falconer_2

    ```


    In Koss Laina''s view, the FW-190 fighter was the perfect embodiment of brute force in flight, a savage provocation to aerodynamics.


    A year and a half ago, he still believed that only by pping wings like a bird could one fly in the sky.


    But 16 months ago, he had witnessed what he thought was the ultimate solution for aircraft: the bine fighter!


    Just when he thought the bine was the ultimate answer, Tang Mo showed him these blueprints and told him that some of the parts depicted were already being manufactured by the Great Tang Group.


    Every time he looked at the blueprints of the FW-190 fighter, he would be shocked anew by the insane ideas of the Great Tang Group, or rather Tang Mo''s ideas.


    While hispetitors were still throwing stones at each other from airships, he had already phased out nes that could fly over 300 kilometers per hour, pushing the speed to beyond 600 kilometers per hour!


    What did that mean? It roughly meant that when other countries were preparing to change the rules of the sky with their own nes, they would face a real-dimensional counterattack!


    The brand new fighter not only boasted terrifying speed and unbelievable range but also a set of entirely new, miracle-likemunication equipment!


    All fighter pilots could maintain contact with groundmand, and they also had the capability to switch channels for mutualmunication.


    These pilots could tactically coordinate in real-time, provide mutual cover, change tactics on the fly, or execute amended orders!


    For the militaries of other countries that had just managed to introduce the telegraph system at the battalion level or only to the division level, this was yet another domain entirely out of their reach, a domain belonging exclusively to the Great Tang Group!


    Koss Laina could no longer imagine how terrifying the Great Tang Group, with such a significant technological lead, would be in the future.


    This organization now seemed like a god, overlooking the myriad of beings beneath them, watching the world''s chaotic battles unfold with the disinterested gaze of an adult watching children at y.


    When this god grew tired of watching and decided to intervene personally... the world would transform overnight.


    "Sir, I''ve heard the prototype has been produced and will soon be test-flown," the assistant said with a smile, taking the empty teacup Koss Laina handed over to him.


    "All this technology wasted, actually... The Camel Fighter... was pretty good," Koss Lainamented somewhat regretfully.


    In his view, even the Camel Bine Fighter, which was currently being phased out on arge scale, was a terrifying presence capable of dominating the skies.


    Yet everyone in the Great Tang Group looked down on this camel, obsessing over retiring itpletely before it had truly seen battle.


    After all, the militarymanders were big oafs; once they had the J-10, they looked down on the J-8II, and with the 20 J¨©, they no longer held the J-10 and J-16 in high esteem...


    In the past, they yearned for aircraft carriers like dogs; now they scorn the ski-jump deck as ugly. With the sweet new 003, the Shandong Ship became like a dowager overnight¡ªreality, this world is all too real.@@novelbin@@


    In the boudoir with red hangings, the neer outshines the old... Koss Laina shook his head, his thoughts naturally not so poetic, but the gist was simr.


    What he didn''t know was that, right next door to his office, another group of youngsters was poring over the blueprints of yet another type of new aircraft.


    This new type of aircraft also had a single wing, but it featured fixednding gear, and to shorten the length of the nosending gear, a new gull wing configuration had been used.


    That''s right, having brought out the FW-190 fighter, Tang Mo saw no reason to overlook the Stuka! This was, after all, an excellent choice in the early days when bombing uracy was insufficient and dive bombers were needed to dominate.


    Besides, it must be said that the Third Empire had a knack for psychological warfare and intimidating the enemy. The Stuka, with its whistles screaming during a dive, was indeed like a demon to the ground troops who had never seen the world.


    With these two types of aircraft, Tang Mo felt confident that his Air Force could easily secure early local air superiority.


    That''s why the third type of ne he focused on was the famous B-17 strategic bomber! Only with this machine did Tang Mo feel that his Air Force could be considered a strategic force that had stepped beyond the tactical realm.


    ```


    It was only after acquiring this ything that he felt he had finally made up for the regret of not having used the Kirov Airship.


    Compared to the massive and intimidating airships with their hefty payload capacities, bombers like the B-25 and JU-88 were just little brothers.


    Although bombers were indeed superior to airships in range, agility, and interception countermeasures, no matter how inferior, medium bombers did feel a bit underwhelming on a sensory level.


    Therefore, Tang Mo had no choice but to hurriedly develop his own strategic bomber, hoping to use the flying fortress to fill the void left by the loss of his aerial sharks.


    Koss Laina was unaware that Tang Mo was working on a super enhanced version of the aerial bomber, so he could do nothing but marvel at the FW-190 fighter ne before him.


    Little did he know, Tang Mo was not only working on seven or eight different types of aircraft but was also training thousands of pilots and thousands more reserve pilots.


    At the same time, he had set up an Air Force Academy on Dragon Ind to cultivate outstandingmand talent and associated support personnel.


    Ground crew, maintenance, research and development,mand, coordination... even specialties rted to radio waves, Tang Mo was umting talent; this was his true "capital."


    Tang Mo was determined to ensure that even if in the future he had to sacrifice one of his pilots for every enemy pilot lost, he would still emerge as the victor in the end!


    In fact, he had already achieved this, possessing the world''srgest fleet of pilots. Even if his opponents counted their airship pilots andmanders, they only had a fraction of his pilot numbers.


    Besides, Tang Mo had a force that had never before been seen in the world¡ªa special force that relied on aircraft for mobility and parachutes to reach conflict zones, capable of appearing hundreds of kilometers behind the front line within a single day.


    Each of them was exceptionally elite, equipped with the strongest personal weapons. They could descend from the sky like divine soldiers, striking the enemy in the most unexpected ces with the most sudden and resolute attacks.


    Apart from a few high-ranking officials, even the army generals had no clue Tang Mo had given a branch of the army wings, making them into a special existence akin to marine corps.


    Thus, just like the marine corps, they also had their own illustrious name: Great Tang Paratroopers!


    At this moment, the door was pushed open, and after a moment of surprise, Koss Laina finally recognized the visitor. He immediately bowed respectfully and greeted, "Your Highness!"


    Yulin waved her hand and nced at the blueprint¡ªtreasured by Koss Laina with great esteem¡ªthen smiled and said, "His Majesty is very concerned about the project you''re in charge of, so I came to take a look... By the way, sir, how is your life here?"


    As she spoke, she gestured to her entourage, who immediately followed suit, cing the gifts they had brought one by one inside the room.


    Some were famous liquors special to Brunas like Brunas 3-year and Brunas 5-year, others were delicate delicacies from Dragon Ind.


    Koss Laina was ttered and a bit fearful as he said, "I am very well here, enjoying a treatment beyond my wildest dreams. You have taken great care, Your Highness."


    "His Majesty is worried you might feel friendless here, so he deliberately relocated some of your old neighbors from Dragon Ind. You will be able to see them soon," Yulin continued with a smile.


    Yulin always provided meticulous care for technical talent, especially those who could alleviate some of Tang Mo''s worries. It was a unique gentleness inherent to women, a silent and nourishing concern.


    To talents who were both loyal and exceptional, Great Tang Group was never stingy. As long as these talents had a need, Great Tang Group would help resolve it.


    In Tang Mo''s words, any problem that could be solved with money wasn''t considered a problem at all!


    Koss Laina felt even more grateful and fearful: "I thank His Majesty and Your Highness for your patronage."


    "Keep up the good work! I have others to see, so I won''t disturb your work any longer, Mr. Koss Laina," Yulin said with a smile as she left, giving plenty of face to Koss Laina.


    "Farewell, Your Highness!" Koss Laina said as he escorted her to the door, feeling an ever-growing debt to the Kingdom.

 Chapter 524 492 Steel Behemoth

    The northern front of the Gobur battleground was littered with countless craters, and it was rare to see any trees that were still intact. Most of therge trees were left with only bare trunks, tilting precariously between the two armies'' lines.


    If one looked closely, almost everyrge tree had several bodies sprawled haphazardly underneath. This was because there was always the belief that theserge trees could serve as cover, allowing one to survive a few seconds more amid the storm of bullets and shells.


    In reality, these locations were often the focus of the enemy''s machine guns and Ranger sharpshooters. Those hiding here were quickly killed, often even faster than those soldiers who simplyy t on the ground.


    The entire battlefield rose and fell intermittently, and the visibility was not particrly good, but if one was careful to stay prone and then leap forward, one could avoid most of the bullets.


    However, that''s how people are; in the face of great terror, in the face of death, how many are brave enough to stand and step forward?


    The stalemate at the frontline had persisted for nearly a month, and everyone felt that the war was close to its end.


    No one was able to breach the enemy''s defenses; everyone could only huddle in the trenches, listening to the sounds of artillery and counting the days. This kind of war was a test of endurance, obviously very dull and hopeless.


    Maritime transport was inplete chaos; the prosperity of the Endless Sea had long since vanished, and today, the majority of trade ships seen belonged to the Tang Kingdom.


    The maritime department of the Great Tang Group possessed a vast number of cargo ships, and thanks to these vessels, trade in the Endless Sea still continued uninterrupted.@@novelbin@@


    However, prosperous trade routes had been reduced to just a few, and it became an unspoken rule that the merchant ships traversing these routes could not be attacked, as these routes were not considered war zones.


    As a result, Dorne''s goods had to be shipped from Hotwind Port, Gobur''s cargo ships took a big detour via Chu Country''s routes, and the Ice Cold Empire''s merchant ships didn''t care, they directly diverted to navigate around Shenguo.


    The shipping routes from Brunas to Dragon Ind and to Linshui in Dongwan naturally remained untouched, as anyone with a sane mind would not provoke the maritime dominance of the Tang Kingdom upon seeing the terrifying 305mm caliber cannons mounted on the five-meter-high sides of the ships. Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire


    Joking aside, their entire fleet was not even a match for a single Tang warship. Who would want to trouble themselves at such a time?


    Moreover, even without such fearsome battleships present, no one was willing to provoke the Tang Kingdom.


    Every country was purchasing ammunition and military equipment from the Tang Kingdom to replenish their front-line losses; at such a time, angering the Tang Kingdom would be madness.


    Just a few days ago, the Laines Empire had borrowed 3 million Gold Coins from the Great Tang Group to continue their border warfare.


    The situation in the Dorne Kingdom was slightly better due to the rubber trade, having more ample funds on hand.


    Nevertheless, Dorne''s envoys were still constantly active in Brunas, hoping to secure loans of over 10 million from the Great Tang Group.


    The money wasn''t urgently needed by them, it was more that they didn''t want it borrowed by the Laines Empire! In their view, borrowing more themselves meant the Laines Empire would be able to borrow less.


    As the war continued at a stalemate, its influence started to spread into the economic sphere. The issues of civil life, which had been gradually improving, began to erupt within the countries.


    The premise of deflecting a crisis is to achieve victory, but if there are no benefits to be gained from the war, then the shock brought by the war itself would only exacerbate domestic tensions.


    Corruption issues within the Empire of Na began to slowly emerge, and the people''s displeasure with the decadent Empire grew, leading to unrest in some areas.


    The war had only erupted six months ago, and although most of this discontent could still be suppressed and controlled, the Empire of Na was just barely maintaining stability.


    The same issues also appeared in the rapidly expanding but unstable Laines Empire; people in the Germelin "region" broadly believed the new Emperor intentionally sent them to the front lines to die.


    Citizens of the newly upied regions were unwilling to join the army and fight, feeling they were being targeted; people from the original regions like Leite had their own grievances, believing inhabitants of new territories like Germelin should not enjoy any privileges¡ªif the people of Germelin didn''t go, then they from Leite wouldn''t either.


    Added to that, the Northern Ridge, Jade City, Brunas, and other traditional regions were not under their control, with the powerful troops of Northern Ridge technically part of the Laines Empire, though they had long be semi-independent. These vexing issues had caused Leines I much annoyance ofte.


    The Dorne Kingdom was simrly caught between a rock and a hard ce, with pressure from the Laines Empire to the north and engagement in warfare with the Gobur Kingdom to the south, resulting in a quite passive conflict.


    What started as surprise attacks had now turned into trench warfare. Even with the Twin Giants of the Empire, Bolton and Strauss, matters were not looking up.


    Strauss was forced to head north to deal with the Laines Empire''s hundred thousand troops, leaving Bolton to face the protracted battle with the Gobur Kingdom in the south.


    Both sides employed airships and had anti-aircraft guns for interception, sustaining heavy losses. Even the airship troops, akin to suicide squads, were a one-time expendable resource, facing missions from which they never returned.

 Chapter 525 492 Steel Behemoth_2

    In such a macro environment, Bolton felt that the best course of action for Dorne Kingdom was to seek peace with the Laines Empire. By standing back to back, they could withstand the pressure, at least saving half their ammunition and half their troop strength!


    Unfortunately, this idea was dead before it could take off: the Laines Empire actually formed an alliance with Gobur Kingdom, intent on a two-front attack to divide and conquer Dorne.


    Today''s battlefield was absent of the roar of artillery, everything seemed eerily calm. But every Dornemander knew that such calm often signaled the beginning of a bloodbath on the battlefield.


    Sure enough, the brief tranquility of the battlefield was suddenly shattered by the boom of cannons¡ªGobur''s bombardment had begun.


    Unlike the leisurely, sporadic cannon fire from previous days, this time Gobur''s artillery was so dense it could only be described as terrifying.


    The first volley alone consisted of hundreds of rounds, almost instantly engulfing Dorne Kingdom''s front line defenses in a cloud of ck smoke and flying debris.


    The Dorne garrison troops, still unclear about what had happened, were immediately subjected to the second round of artillery fire.


    The soldiers in the trenches were nearly buried alive by the dirt thrown up by the exploding shells, with the deafening sts ofrge-caliber artillery shells all around and the ground beneath their feet continually shaking and trembling as if the end of the world had arrived.


    "Damn it! Are the Gobur not nning to live any longer? Can they transport so many shells to the front line in a month? Are they not going to fight next month?" Watching the smoke columns rising in the distance, a Dorne divisionmanderined, confused as he looked through his binocrs.


    The officer standing beside him was also somewhat in disbelief, staring at their positions, which seemed to be getting swallowed up, and shook his head, "It seems they''ve taken out at least a month''s reserve of ammunition and fired it all at once, really sparing no expense."


    "That means the enemy will soonunch an attack... and it will be unprecedented in scale, a costly offensive..." the divisionmander continued, peering through his binocrs at the distant positions as if talking to himself.


    Without looking back, he thenmanded, "Send a message to General Bolton, request support from the reserve forces... prepare the 3rd regiment behind us for battle... the front line defenses are likely to be untenable."


    "Yes! Understood!" The officer who received themand immediately cranked the telephone beside him, asking the operator to connect him to the headquarters.


    Thisplex telephone system was naturally not cheap, and also quite cumbersome to use. Nevertheless, even so, it was the most advanced telephone system Great Tang Group had avable for sale.


    And this one had been miniaturized for military use, with improved design and enhanced reliability¡ªthe "select" model.


    Meanwhile, at this very moment at Gobur Kingdom''s positions, where the trench gap had been surreptitiously filled earlier, a colossal steel behemoth was slowly advancing towards the distance.


    Following this gigantic object was another immense war machine with a pointed front, which looked like a ship traversing onnd.


    The Shireck Model 1 Tank was a war weapon developed by Shireck Corporation''s engineers themselves, and this time they could confidently guarantee that it did not rely on Great Tang Group''s technology.


    Shireck, groping its way across the river by feeling the stones, had modeled its first tank after the style of the A7V (a German World War I tank).


    Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    They hadn''t produced a full track design and basically hadn''t considered such a design. Another reason they used a short-track design was that tracks were not cheap to make.


    What was finally settled upon was something of an oddity¡ªit couldn''t be said to be entirely like an A7V, yet it wasn''tpletely different either.


    This thing was equipped with two gasoline engines, had machine gun ports on all sides, but was outfitted with only one cannon, mounted on top of the tank, adopting the most appropriate single-turretyout!


    The Shireck designers'' approach was to... copy the turret design of the new battleships, allowing the cannon to adjust its firing angle flexibly. To copy it even more thoroughly, the tank''s body was shaped like a ship.


    The cannon on the top was designed for breaching and destroying enemy bunkers, so it was simply a short-barreled 70 mm caliber gun, equipped with basic sighting equipment.


    ording to the n, tanks were designed to approach very close to enemy positions and fire directly at them, so aiming devices were deemed unnecessary.


    The weapons intended forbating enemy soldiers were the six machine guns mounted on thisnd cruiser: one in the front, one in the back, and two on each side, strategically distributed.


    In essence, this contraption was like the water tanks of World War I, filled with imagination and sporting a more steampunk appearance.


    Upon seeing their secret weapon emerge on the battlefield, all the Gobur soldiers began to cheer wildly.


    Instinctively, the diminutive humans were filled with fantasies and admiration for these gigantic war machines made of steel.


    Amidst the cheering, the frantic artillery barrage that had nearly depleted their reserves finally began to subside, and these tanks, or rather, war vehicles, slowly made their way through the mud towards the smoky horizon.


    At first, there were one or two, but then the number grew to five, then ten. Unlike previous armored vehicles, these things possessed quite impressive off-road capabilities.


    At least they would not get stuck in soft mud, nor would they lose their basic mobility if a wheel was hit.


    Of course, tank tracks are not invincible; they''re simply immune to the strikes of light weapons like machine guns.


    But this was already a significant advancement, especially since Shireck''s model of tank had a rtively small exposed area of tracks, so the chances of being hit were quite slim.


    Encased within one-centimeter-thick steel tes, or even several centimeters thick, soldiers could use their machine guns to attack the enemy with impunity. The enclosed and cold environment gave them the courage to challenge the dense firepower of the enemy.


    Thus, amid the rattling and shaking, these steel monsters approached the trenches of the Dorne Kingdom, marking the beginning of the Armored Corps'' first assault on trench defense lines.


    Initially, the Dorne soldiers who had just wed their way out of the loose soil could only see these "armored vehicles" from afar.


    As before, they thought these things were just a nuisance to themselves. Under normal circumstances, without their intervention, these heavy contraptions would break down on the battlefield and then be targeted and destroyed by weapons like mortars.


    Just by looking at the remnants of armored vehicles scattered across the battlefield, one could tell that using such things to attack enemy positions was as unreliable as performance art.


    However, as the targets drew nearer, everyone began to panic: they could clearly see that these behemoths were not as cumbersome as they had imagined.


    These armored monsters rolled over craters, broke tree trunks, and not even the barbed wire could halt their advance.


    When the soldiers began firing frantically at these armored giants with their weapons, they found their bullets seemingly useless.


    No matter where they shot, they could only see sparks flying, while the dense machine gun fire from above suppressed everyone, leaving no one able to raise their heads.


    "Quick! Call for support! We can''t hold them back!" As a hidden concrete bunker was sted to pieces, themander of the Dorne Kingdom''s forces on the front line finally realized that his soldiers would have a hard time securing an easy victory as they had in the past.


    When a Shireck tank rolled over the first trench of the Dorne Kingdom, the Dorne soldiers inside the trench copsed.


    Like a dark cloud descending, the tank''s body obscured the sky above them, and the rolling tracks kicked up dirt, leaving them in such shock that it was overwhelming.@@novelbin@@


    Consequently, the Dorne soldiers began to retreat, forced to abandon a trench over two meters deep that they had defended for more than a month without giving up a single step!

 Chapter 526 493 sailing a boat on dry land

    "Adjust the artillery firing angle. Don''t worry about the details, just bombard the first line of defense positions! Try to trap as many of those metal clunkers as possible! If we allow them to calmly organize the next attack, our defense line might not hold," General Bolton immediately responded after hearing about the situation at the front.


    Right now, he didn''t have any dazzling array of anti-tank weapons at his disposal, nor did he have tanks to countercharge against the enemy''s.


    He wasn''t even sure if the Great Tang Group had any simr weapons; naturally, he didn''t know how to deal with this kind of thing.


    But, having richbat experience, he reacted immediately¡ªat least, his troops had many tactics to deal with enemy armored vehicles.


    However, the most reliable tactic of digging pits to trap the enemy and then using mortars to repeatedly bomb and destroy the targets was unlikely to be effective now.


    From his subordinates'' descriptions, simple ad-hoc tactics such as attacking wheels with light weapons probably wouldn''t work either.


    All he could rely on now were more traditional and more dangerous methods: sending soldiers with hand grenades or explosives to attack these behemoths at close range.


    Unfortunately, this was still just a temporary tactic. What he needed were stronger weapons to withstand the assault of such weaponry from the other side!


    The frontline troops were in utter disarray, their faces smeared with dust and ash from the sudden appearance of Shirek Bombing Vehicles, and the first line of defense positions were nearly breached in an instant. The battlefield was sprawling with massive and terrifying monsters like Shirek tanks.


    The people of Gobur almost thought they were going to win this war! They fantasized about taking over thends of the previously conquered Xilun and Taren Kingdoms and the most advanced Dorne Kingdom, expanding their industrial strength.


    They seemed to have already seen the dawn of bing the Gobur Empire, the most powerful nation in the world.


    Regrettably, the bombardment from the Dorne Kingdom fell like raindrops, abruptly awakening the Goburmanders who were still basking in the joy of victory.


    Their new weapons were initially effective, but due to their slow movement andgging technology, they fell just short.


    There was no helping it: Due to the scarcity of track steel and the design philosophy of protecting the tracks, the off-road capability of the massive Shirek tanks was actually quite average.


    The design of tanks like the German A7V followedpletely different principles from the British tanks of World War I.


    The British designed their tanks during World War I with the primary goal of using tracks to ovee obstacles and support troops in breaking through enemy defense positions.


    Therefore, British tanks used aggressive over-the-top tracks and increased the tilt angle of the tracks to enhance their ability to cross obstacles.


    On the other hand, German World War I tank design followed a philosophy more akin to that of and cruiser, prioritizing the protection of their mobility mechanisms and sacrificing some off-road capability for an overall defensive approach.


    Of course, due to technological reasons, the German A7V tank design philosophy waspletely wed and inefficient, but it''s understandable.


    In the era when tanks were just emerging, no one could urately define what a tank was. Everyone had their own interpretations and ideas.


    In their research on tanks, the Germans inevitably referred to existing weapon design concepts: the closest to their idea of tanks were warships.


    Therefore, German designers looked to warship design principles, emphasizing defense, or at least what they believed to be reinforced defenses...


    The philosophy behind weapon design is actually consistent and traceable to core design principles. These roots might not always be correct, but they are deeply entrenched in the DNA of the weapons designers and users.


    Many criticize the German tank design philosophy of World War II, finding it overlyplex and expensive, affecting production, and focusing too much onprehensive protection.


    What they don''t realize is that the concept ofprehensive protection was inherited from the World War I High Seas Fleet warships and had offered some advantages during the Battle of Jund.


    The German Army was able to minimize personnel losses by simply increasing the thickness of their steel tes¡ªalready the most logical and optimal solution.


    Those naive enough to think that the Germans didn''t copy the T-34 or adopt its design principles out of arrogance and prejudice failed to see the difficulties Germans faced.


    Could World War II Germany afford to manufacture masses of vulnerable T-34 clones and engage in a war of attrition with the Soviet Army? The obvious answer is no; they could not afford it.


    Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Didn''t you see, the German Air Force, forced to start an aerial war of attrition by the American B-17, could barely hold on until 1943 before it essentially copsed?


    As a result, by 1945, the German Air Force had thousands of fighter nes, but no fuel or pilots to fly them intobat.


    If the Army also adopted the T-34''s attrition model, then by 1944, it was estimated that the National Defense Army would have to face the problem of having 2,000 T-34 tanks, but having lost crew members like Karl Walther Weidmann...


    Thus, the Germans had no choice but to upgrade the T-34 tank''s defense and firepower, creating a kind of tank thatprehensively surpassed the T-34, ensuring the survival of their precious crew members in the brutalbat.


    So, a bit more powerful cannons, tougher armor, better ergonomics... Well, isn''t that just like a zoo...


    As forte-stage weapons ofst resort like the E-series, their emergence was entirely due to emergency designs abandoning their own design philosophy amid shortages of materials, and thus are no longer part of the topic of design philosophy inheritance.


    Therefore, during World War I, the United Kingdom''s tanks were essentially an innovation, integrating new technical breakthroughs like trench-breaking vehicles! On the other hand, German tanks were not innovative by nature.


    Put more bluntly, the German''s wartime tanker design philosophy was: ''I want to make an iron shell that can move onnd.'' As for German tanks in WWII, that is another story.@@novelbin@@


    Coming back to the present Shirek tanks, the designers of Shirek actually followed the shipbuilding design philosophy.


    To be honest, the fact that Shirek''s designers were able toe up with the prototype of a tank on their own is already a tremendous effort.


    Yet they still fell a little short, and this tiny gap made their tanks slightly awkward in the current state of the war.


    Deficiencies in speed, slightly inadequate cross-country capabilities, plus the Dorne''s artillery counter-fire that was just too swift, Gobur''s tank troops suddenly suffered unexpected losses.


    When a Shirek Bombing Vehicle was advancing within a position, it was unexpectedly hit by an iing artillery shell, immediately turning into a heap of scattered metal.


    Another tank, also hit by a shell, burst into fierce mes, and its crew had no time to struggle before being charred ck.


    Even 21st-century tanks could not guarantee the survival of the crew after being hit byrge-caliber artillery, let alone suchnd-based cruisers.


    Subsequently, more vehicles were destroyed by shrapnel as shells exploded at close range. The massive shock killed the members inside the tanks, damaged the machinery, and left the tanks paralyzed on the path forward.


    Steel armor only a few centimeters, or even one centimeter thick, could not fully withstand the iing shells, so when Dorne began to counter-fire, seven or eight Gobur tanks were scrapped on the battlefield.


    However, more than a dozen tanks still broke through Dorne''s defensive line, butcking infantry cover, they had to face Dorne soldiers'' counter-attacks from all directions alone.


    The battle became intensely fierce, so much so that both sides found it hard to bear.


    On the Gobur side, they had prepared for this attack for a long time and naturally were not willing to give up easily. Moreover, their tanks had already breached the enemy''s positions, and they felt that with just a bit more effort, victory could be theirs.


    For Dorne, it was a matter of national life and death, with many soldiers preferring death to retreat. They firmly held their second line of defense and attempted to recapture their first line through nking counter-attacks.


    Both sides were continuously reinforcing their troops in thebat zone. Gobur''s forces, hindered by Dorne''s artillery, could not immediately capitalize on their gains, while Dorne''s soldiers were engaged in a fierce battle with Gobur''s tanks and momentarily unable to plug their own gaps.


    The sides exchanged blows in a lively engagement: The Gobur''s follow-up forces were depleting Dorne''s precious ammunition stores.


    If Dorne either ran low on ammunition or their firepower faltered, Gobur could potentially breach Dorne''s defensive lines; meanwhile, Dorne was systematically destroying the Gobur tanks that had prated their positions, knowing if they could take out these lethal invaders, the subsequent enemy offense would no longer pose a threat.


    Bullets from all sides pelted the slowly moving Gobur tanks, causing countless sparks to fly off their armor.


    That''s how it is on the battlefield. Soldiers wouldn''t stop shooting just because their bullets couldn''t prate the tanks; instead, they would dump their ammunition frantically, focusing on the targets that were easiest to hit or posed the most immediate threat, recklessly firing away.


    No one would coolly analyze: ''My bullets can''t prate the tank, so I should target something else.'' In fact, they wouldn''t dare. This is because no one could guarantee that the tank they ignored wouldn''t target them and strafe them while they were shooting at other targets.


    Another reason was themon hope against hope that their very next bullet might slip through a crack into the tank, possibly disabling it and stopping its advance...


    That''s why there were scenes on the battlefield where a tank was so riddled with bullet holes that not even the paint on its surface could be seen.


    Amidst the hail of bullets, that Gobur tank came to a stop, the machine guns from all directions firing fiercely as if it were a steel pillbox embeddedin the midst of enemy lines.


    ----------


    Happy Army Day! Bless our great mothend with invincible might and unstoppable conquest!

 Chapter 527 Simple countermeasures 494

    "Bolton has sent a rather strange telegram." When Luff hurriedly found Tang Mo, Tang Mo was busy enjoying lunch with Yue''er.


    With the departure of Dragon Spirit from Dragon Ind, Tang Mo naturally felt he was free again, and teasing Yue''er, who was learning, became his little hobby.


    Tang Mo cut the beef for Yue''er, skewered a piece with a fork, and brought it to Yue''er''s mouth, then he turned to look at a somewhat embarrassed Luff and asked, "What''s the matter?"


    "Gobur has deployed tanks!" Luff replied to Tang Mo''s question with a worried tone, "The southern defenses of Dorne are hanging by a thread!"


    "Huh? Tanks?" Tang Mo was slightly taken aback; he had not expected that the new weapon, which the Great Tang Group was still keeping secret, had somehow been produced by the Shireck side as well.


    Never underestimate the heroes of the world! Thinking this, Tang Mo shook his head and chuckled bitterly, "Ever since I started to manage my own kingdom, I seem to have rxed my control over the world''s weapon technology quite a bit."


    Although it would be wishful thinking for the enemy to surpass Great Tang in weapons technology, ying catch-up with technology and bullying the little brothers of the Great Tang Group who were still in the past was indeed possible.


    "Interesting, really interesting," Tang Mo apuded andughed, "It seems I truly underestimated Sofia as an opponent."


    Great Tang has its own secrets that cannot be fully revealed to Sofia; clearly, Sofia too has her own little secrets she does not intend to share with Tang Mo...


    "Our spy in Gobur has seen arge number of airships moving to the front line, over fifty in number," Luff continued to add.


    Airships were different from tanks; tanks could be kept secret using tarpaulins and martialw at railway stations, so the probability of discovery was somewhat smaller.


    However, airships could only fly in the skies, and even if they operated from dusk till dawn, they were still easily detected.


    Therefore, Great Tang''s espionage agents nted in the Gobur Kingdom detected the airship army rushing to the front line at the first opportunity, and sent a warning to Tang Mo.


    "First, let''s figure out how to help Bolton deal with the tanks... After all, if we lose Bolton, there will be problems with the supply of rubber from the direction of Jade City," Tang Mo said, his main concern actually being the special industrial resource of rubber.


    There was no way around it; he could import oil from the Ice Cold Empire, Songmu Kingdom, Suthers Kingdom, and the Empire of Na. The oil reserves on Dragon Ind could also supply, and the production capacity was quite high.


    Steel and rare metals were not a big problem for Tang Country, given its vast territory, and could also be imported from elsewhere.


    Only rubber, which could only be produced in the south, was an indispensable resource, which is why Tang Mo ced particr importance on it. This was also the reason he positioned Bolton and Strauss in important positions in Dorne.


    "From the direction of Jade City, we only have one infantry division... and it''s a newly expanded unit with actually not very strongbat capability... If they move south..." Luff reminded Tang Mo with some trepidation.


    Great Tang Kingdom had not yetpleted the expansion of its troops; although there were divisions with their numbers, not many were fully staffed andbat-ready.


    Moreover, ording to Nangong Hong''s design, the main forces were all within the territory of the Great Tang Kingdom, while the troops stationed in ces like Jade City and Brunas were actually second-line skeleton divisions, whosebat power was not really impressive.


    Although by the world''s standards, the second-line troops of Great Tang Kingdom were certainly formidable, if it really came to a war of attrition, Tang Mo might not be willing to let them take part.


    In the past, he would sit back and watch two groups fight to the death, unconcerned about the scale of the chaos. But now, if he had tomit his own people, that was a different matter altogether.


    "What a joke, why should we get involved ourselves?" Tang Mo looked at a somewhat nervous Luff and quickly waved his hand.


    Luff also heaved a sigh of relief. As long as the troops that were not yet ready were not pushed to the front lines to send valuable soldiers to their death, he felt there was nothing to be nervous about.


    "Since Shireck isn''t taking the field, we''ll just continue to watch the y! But we do need to give Bolton some support, at least to ensure he can hold off Gobur''s offensive," Tang Mo said, catching the beef Yue''er passed to him with his mouth, swallowing it in one bite, and then speaking.


    Ever since Tang Mo''s trade caravans brought back spices from all over the world, the food on Dragon Ind could truly be said to be the best of what the world had to offer.


    To make his own stomach more content, Tang Mo really put in a great deal of effort. Though he liked to cook, he was a novice and belonged to that category who wasted a lot on high-quality ingredients as they yed around in the kitchen.


    Despite hiscking cooking skills, Tang Mo was definitely a gourmet, a top-tier foodie whose eating prowess was unmatched in the world.


    He kept dozens of chefs just to busily cater to his own needs every day, a lifestyle that was utterly luxurious to the extreme.


    But no one would ever think Tang Mo was being wasteful because he truly was the richest man in the world.


    The quantity of gold under his feet may not have increased much recently, but it still maintained a terrifying amount. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    Don''t even mention having a bite or a drink, frankly speaking, even if he went gambling, the family fortune could cover the losses for quite a while.


    The taste of ck pepper stimted Tang Mo''s taste buds. This Western meal, or rather, the Brunas ck Pepper Steak from the Tang family''s grand feast, indeed tasted good.


    With aplete set of grilling equipment in the kitchen, the delicate skills of the chef, and Tang Mo''s precise recipe references, the restoration of this meal was quite high. Being able to taste familiar vors in an alternate world was something Tang Mo did indeed miss dearly.


    "Temporarily produce a batch of special bullets, just follow the previous blueprints... Send them to Bolton first! Besides..." Tang Mo paused, then continued, "Tell Bolton to directly modify some anti-aircraft guns for direct fire. Make do with that for now."


    At this point, Tang Mo''s face revealed a hint of a barely there smile: Rommel''s big move, the old trick of the 88mm all-purpose gun¡ªit was now up to Bolton to make this tactic shine in the alternate world.


    Luff was taken aback, he hadn''t expected Tang Mo to really not take the opponent''s tanks seriously. In fact, he was wrong about Tang Mo; Tang Mo had even overestimated the performance of the opponent''s tanks.


    Because there were no photos, the description of the opponents'' tanks in the telegrams sent by Bolton was not very precise, so Tang Mo thought that thepletion level of the tanks they had produced was quite high.


    If Tang Mo had known that what they hade up with was simr to the shoddy A7V tanks, he might have simply told Bolton to makeshift some anti-tank rifles.


    However, Luff remained silent, simply nodding: "Understood, I will immediately send a telegram to Bolton!"


    Tang Mo didn''t intend to keep him around like a third wheel. If Luff hadn''te in to deliver the telegram, Tang Mo and Yue''er might have ended up eating all the way into the bedroom.


    Unfortunately, his mood had been interrupted, and Tang Mo was no longer intent on dragging the novel into a 404 error, so he instructed the departing Luff, "By the way, stop by Roger''s office and ask him toe to my office..."


    "Oh right!" He had just finished speaking when he remembered the matter of the airships. He then added, "Also pass the airship intelligence to Bolton! Since he''s already suffered a setback, we should help him make up for it a little. Otherwise, if he loses, wouldn''t our Great Tang graduates'' undefeated record be tarnished?"


    "Yes!" Luff responded immediately after hearing this.


    The Dragon''s Den was nowrge in scale, with many peripheral offices. The Prime Minister''s office was not far from the core building of the Dragon''s Den, so asking Luff to pass a message was convenient.


    Roger soon arrived at Tang Mo''s office, just as Tang Mo had just had Yue''er sent back to school.


    Wiping the lipstick from his cheek, Tang Mo casually tossed the silk scarf aside and said to the iing Roger, "Shireck''s new tanks have entered the fray, causing considerable trouble for Bolton at the Dorne southern front."


    Roger was also slightly startled upon hearing this news, then realized the crux of the matter, "I hadn''t expected them to gain the upper hand!"


    "Indeed! With the war serving as an advertisement, their tanks will definitely sell well for a while. We''ve ultimately swallowed a dumb loss," Tang Mo said to Roger with a smile, "But, actually, it''s not a big problem."


    "Backed by a nation, we can no longer sell advanced weaponry recklessly like Shireck..." Roger said with some regret.


    Many of Great Tang''s higher-ups were ustomed to their previous merchant identities and had yet to make the transition, so Tang Mo found Roger''s reaction unsurprising.


    "Every advantage has its disadvantage; it''s an unavoidable situation," Tang Mo waved his hand, "And we haven''t truly been surpassed, so there''s no need to worry."


    He looked at Roger, paused for two seconds, and then continued, "I''ve already had someone telegram Harry, to quickly produce a batch of tanks in Jade City''s automobile factory and Dragon City''s tractor factory topete with Shireck in the market!"


    "Using our tanks topete in the market? Isn''t that an overkill?" Roger was still nning for Great Tang''s tanks to make a big ssh in the next war.


    "Of course, we can''t use our Model 4; that would be insanity," Tang Mo waved his hand dismissively, a cunning look on his face, "the Mark I...or perhaps the Mark IV... would do just fine."


    In this world, the technology used by the Great Tang Kingdom itself was still too advanced, and Tang Mo felt that by fobbing off some outdated technology, he could make a good profit from a bunch of wealthy fools.


    As for technological dominance, that was something to use when his own troops were beating others, not the other way around.


    "Mark I? Mark IV?" Roger, who wasn''t in charge of the technical aspects, was bewildered by these bizarre codenames¡ªcodenames that would be ambiguous even in the 21st century; who knew whether you were referring to the British World War I tanks or Iron Man''s alloy armors?


    "Don''t worry about it, this task can be left to Harry," Tang Mo lookedpletely confident.


    --------


    Two chapters resume, thank you everyone for your concern, Dragon Spirit will strive to write diligently!@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 528 495 Highway, Railway and Dam

    ```


    Compared to the tumultuous eastern continent, the interior of the Great Tang Kingdom can now indeed be described as a peaceful haven, even akin to an idyllic paradise.


    After various countries sold their surplus, or even not-so-surplus, food to Tang Mo, the Great Tang Kingdom managed to get through the toughest times. The people here, supported by the avability of food, lived peacefully and resumed production.


    With this year''s bountiful harvest and the yield brought about by the new types of seeds, the entire Great Tang Kingdom was engulfed in joy.


    The farmers who tilled thend realized that their hard days had finallye to an end. The state reduced the servitude and taxes of the farmers, and even provided some subsidies, leading to an unprecedented improvement in their quality of life.


    With surplus food in hand and extra money in their pockets, these farmers now possessed the most basic purchasing power. And, in the economic understanding of Great Tang Group, purchasing power represents the formation of aplete consumption chain.


    With the promotion of tractors and other agricultural machinery, along with the construction of roads that significantly reduced the cost of transporting grain, farmers began to take an interest in vehicles and other production equipment.


    The Great Tang Group, well versed in this field, immediately introduced the concept of production cooperatives and made a wide range of farming machinery avable nationwide through rentals.


    In doing so, it not only addressed the shortage of professional drivers but also solved the employment issues of the graduates of fast-track courses offered by schools.


    As strong as Great Tang''s educational department might be, it was impossible to guarantee that every citizen across the country could be a university graduate, learn profound knowledge, and be pirs of society.


    In fact, there were indeed people who naturally disliked studying; some would rather do physically demanding jobs than sit down and honestly write a test paper.


    So, to address the employment of this group, Great Tang Group introduced fast-track courses, providing technical training to them. This system, simr to technical schools, taught only one skill, and once mastered, they could start working.


    Thanks to this training system, Great Tang Kingdom was sending a steady stream of skilled workers to areas in need ofbor.


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    For instance, excavator operators, tractor drivers, cement workers, bricyers, carpenters...


    They needed only seven or eight days to start working on construction sites under the guidance of their mentors.


    After learning on the job for another two months, they could be qualified professionals, start their own work, and in the future, train their own apprentices.


    The entire system was free; everyone who came for training only needed to help Great Tang Group train 20 qualified workers with the same skill in the future.


    Tang Mo invested a small amount of money and immediately maxed out the speed of Great Tang Group''s technical training work. In just half a year, Great Tang Kingdom had acquired arge group of "migrant workers."


    Compared to those countries that sent theirbor force to the front lines, themon people living in the Great Tang Kingdom were obviously much happier.


    They had never experienced such a fulfilling life: working at sunrise, resting at sunset, with new aplishments every day, and always bathed in peace and harmony.


    Everyone could profoundly feel that the Great Tang Kingdom was quietly changing, and everyone could see that everything around them was developing.@@novelbin@@


    The dirt road at the edge of the vige had been covertly paved with stones, and the diligent road workers had firmed every inch of it with heavy wooden stakes.


    This road was quite different from the old one that would get muddy and nearly indistinguishable from a mountain path most of the time, especially after the rain.


    It was now raised considerably, with drainage ditches dug on both sides, the roadbed had been leveled, and the surface was slightly inclined to ensure efficient drainage.


    Only with the emergence of this road did the vigers understand what a road was¡ªtheir previous path was merely a wastnd that had been trodden bare of any grass.


    The sides of the river had been tidied up and trees nted. It was said to prevent soil erosion, though no one knew exactly what soil erosion was.


    An old man, who had lived here his entire life, saw people repairing the river embankments for the first time. Floods used to break out every few years, yet he had never seen the local officials or masters show any concern for the levees.


    What was more surprising was that, far upstream, it was said that a dam was being constructed. It would hold back most of the river water and regte the downstream flow during floods or drought.


    No one knew the amount of immense force needed to hold back a river. They only remembered that thest flood had toppled the high and stout walls of the prefectural city...


    Curious people who had gone to see the dam came back reporting that the structure had already taken shape. It was so vast that they couldn''t find a word to describe it. Ultimately, they pointed to a distant mountain peak and said it was evenrger than that.


    Everyone thought they were exaggerating, and no one seemed to take further interest in the giant dam that appeared to be still under construction.


    The people only cared whether there was water in the irrigation channels of their fields, only concerned about the crops in front of them...


    In a town further away, a high tform with a rain shelter made of frighteningly thick steel had been built, looking extravagantly expensive.


    The townspeople said they called it a tform, leading to a special road that stretched out of sight.


    That road was lined with parallel beams, reminiscent of adder. On top of the beams, I-shaped steel rails were erected, extending into the distance as if they were endless.


    ```

 Chapter 529 495 Highway, Railway and Dam_2

    Every day, steel monsters that belched dense smoke and made enormous noises stopped at this tform, and then countless goods were unloaded from the carriages trailing behind the beast.


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    Either it was live cattle and sheep, or arge amount of ironware, or snow-white smooth porcin, or grains¡­


    The Great Tang Kingdom seemed to possess an endless supply of resources. These steel monsters called trains continuously brought from afar what used to be exorbitantly priced oil, refined flour, and spices, then drove down their prices to unbelievably low levels¡ªitems once only affordable by the nobility.


    Nowadays, if there''s a man in the family who operates an excavator, having vegetable oil at home, or even sneakily hiding a couple of sausage links in the cupboard, is no longer something to boast about.


    If someone had a family member who could ride a motorcycle or deliver mail on a tall horse, they might be envied for a couple of months, but now, being able to drive a truck¡ªthat''s truly impressive.


    Indeed, nowadays, those who can drive trucks are still considered valuable "professional drivers," and in the Great Tang Kingdom, a driver is still a profession, not just a skill.@@novelbin@@


    The neverending stream of people walked on smooth roads; women, basket in hand, leading children, their eyes filled with an unprecedented sense of peace and satisfaction.


    Nothing was happier than eating one''s fill, and if anything were, it would be being able to eat to one''s fill every single day.


    In the ins, some strange tall towers began to appear, with thick cables connecting these towers that ran all the way to the mountaintops, and soon, viges near those towers had electric lights.


    No one could quite describe the feeling, as countless generations ustomed to sleeping when it got dark suddenly found it no longer seemed so reasonable.


    More efficient transformers made electric power transmission possible, and the power nts built at the edge of mines kept puffing out ck smoke day and night, dering the prosperity of the Great Tang Kingdom to the world.


    At that time, no little girl was concerned about the environment; having a smoking factory at one''s doorstep was everyone''s simple dream.


    Because those who had tasted the sweetness knew that having smoking chimneys meant that the surrounding areas would soon be affluent.


    Even just by pushing a cart in front of these factories and selling wild fruits or snacks, one could earn more Gold Coins than they could have ever dared to dream of before.


    Of course, if someone was clever, they could find a master in one of the factories, learn for a while, and then they''d be guaranteed a job inside. The work was more secure.


    Due to thebor shortage, factories paid qualified workers high wages, and if a family had two members working in the factory, they could even afford the luxury of having a meat dish three times in a week!


    No joke at all, perhaps this reflected the blissful life that local people had longed for generations.


    To those who had lived in poverty for almost half a lifetime, all of this seemed to be the utopia they had dreamt of.


    ording to the policies of the Great Tang Kingdom, subsidies were given to newborns, and in the future, there would be free education and the provision of the most basic medical care.


    In the past, this was unimaginable. In Zheng Country... or almost every country for that matter, a head tax was levied. It was good enough if one did not hide their household registration when having children, let alone expect themon people to report proactively.


    But the Great Tang Kingdom abolished the head tax, even providing subsidies to farmers, which removed the worries for nearly everyone.


    Soon, everyone''s enthusiasm for having children began to rise: with plenty of food, the state paying for child-rearing, and even offering free education, wouldn''t one be letting the audience down if they didn''t y a few rounds of cards with their spouse at night?


    In just a year and a half, the poption of the Great Tang Kingdom increased fivefold! Apart from the surge in "child-producing" efficiency due to abundant living conditions, a significant part of the increase was due to immigration.


    The Great Tang Kingdom still provides refuge to immigrants on three borders, to the Qi Country in the north, the Chu Country in the south, and the Dahua Empire to the west.


    This business has almost be public now; as long as they are willing toe, the Great Tang Group will take them in! However, the price has dropped from 2-3 Gold Coins to just 1 Gold Coin.


    The market determines the price, and now that the Great Tang Kingdom no longer faces poption pressure, there isn''t such an urgent need to fill its territories with more people.


    But the generals andpradors who have grown rich from the human trafficking business at the borders are not willing to give up such a profitable trade. Lately, they have earned so much from it that they seem to be reaching the pinnacle of their lives.


    To hasten these people''s descent into decay and depravity, Tang Mo is happy to spend a little money to satisfy their greed.


    Whether theye from the Chu Country, the Qi Country, or even the more powerful Dahua Empire, immigrants in the Great Tang Kingdom now prefer to call themselves Tang People. It''s a symbol of their identity and a sign of their eptance.


    If you were to ask someone on the street, because of a slight ent, whether they are from Chu or Qi, it would be considered very impolite nowadays.


    If the person has a bit of a temper, such an inquiry could lead to a fight right there on the street. Even the people from the once-slightly-superior Dahua, now on Tangnd, behave humbly and respectfully.


    Everyone has embraced their identity as Tang People, and even many foreign merchants are willing to join Tang Country and be one of the Tang People.


    They soon discover that Tang Country offers significant preferential treatment to its own merchants, like tax relief and help in protecting their interests and safety abroad.


    To give a simple example, in the past, people from Qi or Zheng Country could hardly do business in Sheng Country. But nowadays, humans in Sheng Country are very safe, as the goblins dare not provoke them.


    Just like the old Brunas, Tang Country is virtually a new, muchrger Gold Mountain! Those whoe here to do business find that no matter what they do, they can reap tremendous profits.


    All they need to do is take the various products from the Great Tang Kingdom back to their own country. A simple resale would earn them much more money than before.


    Everything here seems very cheap, so cheap that it''s almost hard to believe: porcin products, once affordable only to the Nobility, are now as inexpensive as if they were being given away.


    Amon civilian needs to spend only a few copper coins to buy a beautiful rice bowl with lifelike flowers on it, a true work of art.


    In the past, such a porcin bowl would be a decoration on a noble''s dining table and would cost at least 30 silver coins. But now they are piled up in warehouses, and one can even see shattered "transportation losses" all over the floor.


    A massive amount of industrial goods has reced many former products; the clunky wooden boxes of the past are now slowly being phased out, reced by more convenient cardboard boxes.


    More convenient writing paper has reced the variety of papers from the past, and with the promotion by the Great Tang Group, it has gradually been epted by all.


    In more and more big cities, everyone is beginning to ept the luxury of using paper for toilet needs, and the flush toilet is bing amon and hygienic restroom experience for all.


    With the rise of factories, more convenient clothing styles have reced former attire, and increasingly wealthy people have begun to pursue their own simple definition of beauty.


    Justst year, one could only see men and women dressed in identical work clothes on the streets, but now many have started to spend money in ready-to-wear shops to dress in better-looking everyday clothes.


    Styles from Brunas, sleek and convenient, have be very popr and beloved by women. These vibrant garments adorn the gray streets, and suddenly, like the morning after a spring rain, they bloom all over the world.


    A world that is bing more beautiful, happier, wealthier, and more... advanced!

 Chapter 530 496 - Thick instruction manual

    ```


    The concept of tracks isn''t technicallyplex, and practically any industrialized country could manufacture something simr once they understood the principle.


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    The technology involved isn''t advanced because everyone had produced chain transmissions or simr devices before; just erge and reinforce them, and you pretty much have the prototype of a track.


    After Gobur had shown off his tanks, Tang Mo no longer felt it necessary to keep his tank troops a secret.


    Previously, tank production on Dragon Ind was extremely time-consuming and strenuous. Transporting the tanks by ship had been as troublesome as if the Great Tang Kingdom''s military were always conducting amphibiousndings.


    Now, things were better. Tang Mo could proudly produce his own tanks near Tongcheng, substantially reducing the transportation costs.


    Unlike 21st-century tanks, the tanks Tang Mo was manufacturing didn''t have as many sophisticated electronic devices. The truly delicateponents were limited to a few details.


    First, to get a tank up and running, a dynamic power systemposed of an engine and a gearbox was necessary. This system, now one of the most expensive parts of a tank, proved challenging to industrial capabilities.


    Secondly, Tang Mo''s tanks had aplete and future-improving optical aiming system. This device was the epitome of precision machining, something other countries couldn''t match.


    Finally, there was the vehicle-mounted radiomunication system that other nations wouldn''t even dare to contemte. It ensured smoothmunication within the Armored Corps, allowing for sophisticated coordination¡ªa costly and delicate piece of equipment.


    As for the cannon, before the switch to longer-barreled tank guns, the short-barreled, low-pressure 75mm cannons weren''t technicallyplex, so they aren''t considered precision systems for the time being.


    Tang Mo, or rather, the Great Tang Group, had an absolute lead in automobile manufacturing. The technology of engines and gearboxes, built up over a long period, was profoundly robust.


    Advanced engines provided very reliable power, and gearboxes were copied from rtively mature designs. Therefore, in terms of the power system, Tang Mo''s No. 4 tank was absolutely trustworthy.


    Even in the real World War II, Germany''s No. 4 tank was known for its low malfunction rate and manageable maintenance, a bnced design well-liked by the military.


    Unlike the delicate and costly Zoo series tanks, the No. 4 tank was affectionately known as the "Military Horse" and was seen by soldiers as a reliablebat partner, attesting to the sess of its design approach.


    In the field of optical equipment technology, the Great Tang Group also led the world. It remains thergest supplier of cameras, measuring devices for lenses, and optical aiming equipment globally.


    About two-thirds of the world''s optical lenses were produced by the Great Tang Group, and nearly all warships equipped with long-distance optical aiming were manufactured by them.


    Therefore, supplying the most reliable aiming scopes for Tang Mo''s tanks was a piece of cake for the Great Tang Group. Tang Mo didn''t guarantee his optical aiming scopes to be wless, but he assured that his troops used the very best ones in the world!


    To amodate the delicate and sophisticated radio equipment, the No. 4 tank had a designated radio operator.


    This operator was also the machine gunner, his primary task being to ensuremunication among the tank crew and coordination between tanks underplex battlefield conditions.


    In daily life, the radio operator also assisted in simple tank repairs, cleaning, maintenance, and restocking ammunition¡­


    Overall, in an era where equipment reliability wasn''t very high, it was quite necessary to have such an additional crew member.


    The tank''smunication system was rtivelyplex, requiring all crew members to wear headsets and throat microphones to ensure they could clearly hear themander''s orders amid the noisy interior.


    Inparison, this system was advanced; contemporaneous World War II tanks, like those in Japan, basically depended on crew members kicking or gesturing tomunicate...


    Who would have imagined that a tankmander would signal his driver to elerate by kicking him in the buttocks? Although the principle was akin to a cavalryman spurring his horse, where the driver could tell his tale of woe was anybody''s guess.


    But when the Great Tang Kingdom''s No. 4 tank emerged, it came with aplete internalmunication system, which evidently enhancedbat effectiveness.


    At the same time, the Great Tang Kingdom''s tanks were able to coordinate throughmunication between tanks, achieved with theplex onboard radiomunication devices.


    This system maximized the coordination capability of the Armored Corps, far better than tanks whose crews each fended for themselves in stifling metal cans.


    Tang Mo knew that reducing the number of crew members in a tank was tempting¡ªit reduced loss per unit and allowed fewer people to operate more tanks.


    ```


    But the conditions are not yet ripe, there is no reliable autoloader to save the loader, nor is there reliable advancedmunication equipment to omit the radio operator, so the best crew configuration for tanks is still five people!


    At this very moment, a crew from the 1stpany, 1st toon, 1st squad of the 1st Armored Regiment of the Great Tang Kingdom''s 2nd Armored Division, stationed at a camp on the west side of Tongcheng, was squatting next to a brand-new tank, earnestly reading the user manual.


    This was a very arduous task that had to bepleted. They had to understand exactly what their tank was and master its basic performance.


    Although inside the crew, apart from the freshly graduated radio operator and the loader, the other three had all undergone tank training at Dragon Ind, this was actually the first time everyone had seen the brand-new No. 4 tank.


    It was like you had used a Samsung note2 before but now switched to a Huawei P40. Though the operating systems werergely simr, and the phone was still a smartphone, you still had to adapt to an extent.


    The precautions were as numerous as cow hairs, making the crewmander dizzy and overwhelmed: the newly addedmunication antenna was extremely fragile, requiring utmost avoidance of scratches from branches; the armor thickness varied around the vehicle, necessitating consideration of the most rational angle to face the enemy...


    All the electrically driven parts inside the entire tank had to be used with caution, including the turret rotation drive motor, which might cause trouble! Where the fire extinguisher was ced, where the submachine gun was fixed...


    Instructions like these were densely packed into a thick manual, and what was more depressing was that this material, being absolutely confidential, had to be handed over after reading and couldn''t be kept personally.


    The radio operator was actually under no stress because this was what he had learned at school. After all, the devices were nearly the same, and he could master the operating essentials with just a casual nce.


    What really troubled him was not the radio equipment to his left, but the aircraft machine gun installed right in front of him.@@novelbin@@


    Because the training was rushed, he only had very rudimentary shooting training at school, making it somewhat of a stretch for him to kill with this device.


    So at this moment, he was staring at the machine gun that used a drum magazine rather than a belt feed, earnestly learning, and repeatedly simting every step in his mind.


    In the confined space, it wasn''t an easy task to change the ammunition for the machine gun, especially since he also had to prioritize solving radio issues in the meantime.


    The loader was utterly confused¡ªhe was just strong and physically robust, having been assigned to the armored corps solely because it came with a position allowance, offering substantially better conditions than the infantry...


    Now, his job turned out to be pulling shells from various nooks around him in a confined space to stuff them into the cannon and then closing the breech toplete loading.


    The ces where the shells were stored were meticulously arranged, some behind therge buttocks of themander, some to his left, and of course, if the battle was too intense, there were also some rounds stored beside the gunner.


    Some shells were ced behind the driver''s seat, wrapping the loader around like a coffin...


    There was no choice; this was ammunition, and it had to be ced as close as possible to where the loader could quickly reach it!


    Just imagine: to his left were shells, to his right were shells, in front of him were shells, behind him, too, were shells, and under his feety arge barrel of gasoline...


    "At least we don''t have to march ourselves, right?" quipped the driver. He, on the other hand, was eager to get a feel of the transmission with its six forward gears and one reverse gear.


    Imagine the bliss of the tank drivers in Germany during World War II¡ªevery No. 4 tank''s engine was made by Maybach. How much would such a thing cost in the twenty-first century?


    Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Maybach, Porsche¡ªluxuries nowadays that many can''t afford were practically being wasted by WWII German drivers... You know why German officers'' uniforms looked so sleek? Because many of the military outfits were tailor-made by BOSS!


    It might be hard to believe, but starting in 1942, the drivers of Germany''s mass-produced Tiger tanks were using steering wheels! Simr technology wouldn''t even be seen on Russia''s T-series tanks until 2022... Yes, they were that ostentatious.


    The gunner, meanwhile, didn''t have much to feel. His job was to aim and fire at targets. The new tank had a clearer and more precise sight, with which he was already familiarizing himself with how to use.


    All he had to do was wait for the loader to finish loading the shells and for themander to give him the firing order. He''d then step on the pedal and obliterate the target.


    He was actually quite at ease because he had just seen the thickness of the front armor steel te of this tank.


    Anyone knowing they''ll be going to battle would be nervous, as it''s a natural human response. However, if a 60mm thick armor steel te was stacked in front of him, that nervousness would surely be greatly reduced¡ªand that''s the very purpose of a tank!

 Chapter 531 497 Breakthrough

    Sometimes things are just so fantastical: Tang Mo''s troops were equipped with M35 helmets, yet they used an improved version of the vest-style equipment.


    Since no one in this world had yet used poison gas, the German Army''s distinctive striped gas mask canisters did not make an appearance.


    The soldiers from the Great Tang Kingdom used the Huaxia sapper shovel for their tactical digging needs, and their puttees were made of leather, the American version.


    Their assault troops carried Thompson submachine guns and M1911 pistols for self-defense, but their rifles were the G43 semi-automatic type and the Mauser Kar98K!


    In the choice of hand grenades, Tang Mo ultimately discarded the German stick grenade ck technology in favor of the more conveniently carried American-style grenades, but then he equipped his soldiers with MG42 machine guns¡ªa mix of German and American styles, with no clear advantage for either.


    All soldiers were equipped with the standard German camouge raincoats, as well as the ssic reversible camouge smocks used by the German Army in World War II. However, during winter, the soldiers'' standard long coats were modeled after those of the Soviet Red Army.


    Due to Tang Mo''s "hobby," this unit had be a true mishmash. Five parts reminiscent of the German Army, three parts like the U.S. forces, and two parts like the Soviet Army.


    Though Tang Mo favored German designs for tanks and aircraft, he shifted decisively towards the United States when it came to cars.


    Most of the various car models equipped by the Great Tang Kingdom were American models, with the exception of the sedans used by senior officers.


    Additionally, the future air force of the Tang Army would also contain arge number of American-style aircraft, such as the B-17 strategic bombers they were already working on and the C47 transport aircraft responsible for logistics.


    As a more practical model, the C47 transport aircraft had already begun operations during the mass production of the Camel Fighter and, as of now on Dragon Ind, there was already a significant number of C47 transport nes.


    When it came to artillery choices, Tang Mo was a true aficionado of American designs, outfitting his units'' artillery with calibers that were 105 and 155 millimeters, Western-style.


    The main reason for such choices was Tang Mo''s n to return to the Huaxia route in theter stages, as the further the technology developed, the stronger and more advanced Huaxia''s artillery became, adhering to the big-gun doctrine.


    As for anti-aircraft guns, World War II U.S. Army''s were actually quite average (excluding the Navy''s). Because the U.S. entered the war with air supremacy, their ground anti-aircraft firepower was not particrly strong.


    Byparison, the ground forces of Germany, which had been battered by the U.S. Air Force for years and had be well-tempered, seemed to have a strong say in the matter.


    The fame of the German Army''s 88mm caliber k cannon was excellent, with the only downside being a bit bulky.


    Moreover, San Dezi''s various self-propelled anti-aircraft guns were plentiful in variety, and it wouldn''t be a problem to get a few of those.


    With the experience and lessons from World War II, Tang Mo would naturally not waste resources on half-track vehicles; he was more inclined to develop fully tracked armored vehicles.


    Therefore, the half-track armored vehicles that were active on various battlefields during World War II might never appear in this other world.


    In their ce, there could likely be a light, armored personnel carrier simr to the M3 or BMP¡ªvehicles that would cooperate with tanks on the battlefield, protect infantry, and enable them to keep up with the tanks'' charging speed.


    Factor in the self-propelled guns that supported tankbat, assault guns that covered the infantry in assault operations, and tank destroyers distributed to infantry units...


    The force that Tang Mo envisioned assembling had an enormous number of armored vehicles, requiring a staggering production capacity. To fully realize this vision, more time was needed.


    Right now, it was all just a vision, far from achievable: Tang Mo currently did not have the spare production capacity to develop infantry fighting vehicles, as this would significantly upy tank production capacity.


    Therefore, Tang Mo could only earnestly focus on motorized units, trying to increase the proliferation of trucks in the troops as much as possible.


    This was already a monumental project, as equipping a dozen divisions with trucks to achieve motorization required a truly astonishing number of vehicles.


    ording to the organization, a division''s vehicr needs amounted to several hundred, not to mention the traction vehicles for artillery regiments, troop transports, logistic supply trucks, ammunition vehicles... The umtion of so many vehicles meant that it wasn''t excessive for an infantry division to be equipped with thousands of trucks.


    By extraption, the motorization of Tang Mo''s main units required at least about 20,000 automobiles, with just the parts needed for their maintenance able to fill several warehouses.


    This mix resulted in a ssic scene that even Tang Mo found ironically amusing: during an exercise on Dragon Ind, he witnessed soldiers carrying Thompson submachine guns and wearing M35 helmets covering the slow advance of a Panzer IV tank.


    This postmodernist, satirical scene was truly painful for Tang Mo to witness. Some things, once understood, be difficult to bear when mixed in a hodgepodge.


    Luckily, Tang Mo was still on Dragon Ind, out of sight of the bustling scene near Tongcheng where the 2nd Armored Division was undergoing its equipment overhaul.


    The American trucks wobbled to a stop, and the soldiers busied themselves unloading crates of German oil drums from the cargo bed. Parked beside them was an early short-barreled Panzer IV tank, painted withte-World War II camouge.


    Adorned in ck cor jackets and heavily cosying World War II German armored troops, the soldiers from the Great Tang Armored Corps were distinguished by incongruously white arm-of-service colors...


    This unit seemed like an under-researched amateur war reenactment group''s offline meetup, filled with a bizarre sense of dissonance everywhere.


    However, apart from Tang Mo, no one else could see it¡ªwhat seemed strange about the soldiers of the Great Tang Kingdom to other nations was something else entirely.


    For example, while the militaries of most nations used uniforms of a single color, the troops of the Great Tang Kingdom dressed like the chiefs of the Beggars'' Sect.


    For instance, while other nations were stingy in rolling out metal-consuming helmets on arge scale, the Great Tang Kingdom had actually equipped its entire army with good-looking helmets.


    In the case of the Great Tang Kingdom''s soldiers, most of them carried personal defense weapons, namely pistols, something other nations did not issue to regr soldiers on arge scale.


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    Of course, there were some countries that had purchased Mauser pistols from Shireck to equip their troops, but those countries were clearly using these semi-automatic pistols as a substitute for submachine guns.


    In the eyes of other nations, the Tang Army was mysterious and formidable, radiating eeriness throughout. Subconsciously, everyone avoided the idea of going to war with the Tang Army, as if there were an invisible chain restraining everyone''s limbs.@@novelbin@@


    From this perspective, the dandelion seeds scattered by Tang Mo had already started to take effect. Subtly, they influenced the judgments of high-ranking decision-makers in various countries.


    Not provoking Tang Mo had be an unwritten consensus in everyone''s subconscious, and, many times, this consensus was more effective than an army of 200,000.


    On the fourth day after Gobur Kingdom deployed tanks to the war, many residents of Dongwan Ind witnessed yet another unforgettable scene in their lifetime.


    Apanied by a continuous oppressive droning sound, they saw flocks of objects flying overhead.


    These objects were clearly smaller than airships and faster too. In the blink of an eye, those ck dots had formed a chevron shape, and then they began to descend, appearing as if they were about tond on the other side of the mountain.


    The locals all knew that their new governor had earlier ordered the construction of a peculiar facility on the outskirts of Dongwan City. There, a superrge t ground had been built, apanied by towering buildings and warehouses of various shapes...


    Now, these omens-of-ill-fortune that could fly were converging in that direction, and a casual count revealed there were as many as a dozen of them.


    "Are those dragons?" a farmer on Dongwan Ind asked the vige chief standing on the ridge, looking up at the nesnding in the nearby military zone with astonishment.


    "I heard His Majestyes from Dragon Ind... Dragon Ind, presumably home to dragons, right?" another farmer stood up, watching another wobbly nend, and tentatively asked with a hint of trepidation.


    The old vige chief gazed at the C47 transport nesnding one after another on Dongwan Ind, unable to articte a rationale. After all, he also did not know what these flying things should be called.


    "I''m not sure either, but... that belongs to His Majesty... so we have nothing to worry about, do we? That''s all we need to know," the vige chief said after a pause, having thought it over.


    That day, a squadron of C47s carrying newly graduated students from Dragon City University arrived at Dongwan. They were to embark from there to Linshui to supplement the teaching staff at Linshui University.


    Compared to the earth-shattering debut of tanks on the battlefield by Gobur, thending of the fleet of nes seemed somewhat subdued.


    But those who knew what all this represented understood who was truly changing the world. This marked the first time in history someone had managed to fly across the ocean, a feat that, in legend, only dragons could aplish.


    These aircraft, capable of covering a flight distance of 2,500 kilometers in one go, had already led the entire world by two whole eras, yet to be widely recognized.


    In the past, transporting people from Dragon Ind to Dongwan Ind took about half a year and had to be scheduled during specific months.


    Not long ago, reaching Dongwan Ind from Dragon Ind by ship still required a month-long arduous voyage.


    Now, after transferring through airports on several small inds, it took just 4 days to arrive! Such is the power of technology!


    No one yet knew these nes had taken off from Dragon Ind, crossed half the Endless Sea, and arrived at Dongwan, so everyone was merely shocked, and not dumbfounded.


    If they knew the truth, then there would no longer be any doubt about Great Tang Group''s technological prowess, and no one would care about those clumsy steel bodies twitching beside shell craters on the northern battlefield of Gobur.

 Chapter 532 498 mediation

    Imperial City Laines, the brand-new streets bustled with people hurrying along, the Empire was in the midst of war, inevitably filled with a deste air.


    No one knew when this war would end, everyone was longing to return to ordinary life. Every day, news from the front could be read in the newspapers, mainly figures of casualties and so-called major victories.


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    For example, some days it was about conquering several of the enemy''s bunkers, about brave soldiers who had selflessly charged into the ferocious battle, receiving great sums of money as rewards, and being awarded medals symbolizing honor.


    In the beginning, everyone was excited for a moment, but now only endless torment and numbness remained. Shops were not as bustling as before, construction sites had all stopped, even the once lively ces of pleasure were now empty and deste.


    A Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost engine roared past the street in the ultimate disy of luxury, kicking up a torn flyer, which then fluttered down next to a curbstone.


    Only one sentence remained on this half flyer: "Bailu shopping mall 50% off, leading the fashion trend, what are you waiting for?"


    Inside the seamless Rolls-Royce, the driver steered the wheel steadily, turning onto familiar streets, inching closer to the destination.


    In the city of Laines, there weren''t many who could afford, or rather who dared to drive, luxury automobiles withrge fuel consumptions anymore.


    Since the war broke out, petrol had be a scarcemodity. Leines I had issued a decree, strictly rationing the daily use of petrol for civilian vehicles.


    Each car would be allotted a monthly petrol ration coupon ording to registration, with no replenishments upon use, and even some government vehicles were subjected to this rule.


    Hence, the public began to buy and sell these petrol coupons, those lucky enough not to need a car could even earn back their vehicle purchase costs with these coupons.


    As the war escted, and the Great Tang Group inexplicably reduced the export of petroleum, imported petrol became a luxury, domestic petrol production couldn''t increase, making it even harder to see luxury cars with high horsepower on the streets of the Laines Empire.


    Even Leines I himself had stopped using his beloved Rolls-Royce Royale, who else would dare to defy the Emperor, showing off during such times and inviting trouble for themselves?


    Yet, in these extraordinary times, this luxurious Rolls-Royce car boldly made its way to the front of Leines I''s Imperial Pce, ostentatiously enough to be startling.


    The guard did not dare to neglect his duty, tasked with receiving and sending off visitors, he quickly approached the door of the newly-stopped Rolls-Royce and reached out to pull open the heavy car door.


    The solid sound of the door opening demonstrated the nearly obsessive precision of the car''s craftsmanship to everyone around, as well as the unstinting solidity of the materials used.


    As the door was pulled open by the guard, a foot stepped out of the car, shiny leather shoes hitting the cobblestones, and a middle-aged man emerged from the car.


    The Prime Minister of Laines, waiting at the gate, immediately beamed with a smile and made an inviting gesture, weing, "Mister Ambassador, His Majesty has been waiting for you."


    The middle-aged man nodded slightly, then made a simr inviting gesture, and walked shoulder to shoulder with the illustrious Prime Minister of the Laines Empire into the opulent Imperial Pce of Laines.


    Truth be told, Leines I had indeed been waiting a long time, if it were anyone else, he might have lost his patience by now.


    But this time he had not, instead, suppressing the dissatisfaction in his heart, he waited until his trusted Prime Minister pushed open his door.


    "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty!", the middle-aged man said, bowing slightly after entering the room and catching sight of Leines I.


    "No need for formalities, sir, please sit," Leines I seemed not to care about the man''s demeanor, instead, he warmly gestured to the imported sofa nearby and said with a smile.


    As the Emperor of the Empire, he had just returned to his main base from the frontline yesterday. He had inspected the eastern frontline and visited the troops on the southern frontline, promoted several officers, and reallocated some resources.


    To coordinate with Gobur Kingdom''s iron offensive, Leines I ambitiously drafted a battle n to attack the north.


    Leines I moved 50,000 troops to the southern battlefield and urgently requisitioned arge number of shells; he spared no effort.


    However, the battle n was drawn up toote, and because Gobur wished to keep the n confidential, there was no detailedmunication with the Laines Empire, thus Leines I''s nned offensive failed to coincide with Gobur''s attack, missing the opportunity to form an advantageous pincer movement.


    Leines I, who personallymanded the operation, failed to break through Dorne''s famed General Strauss''s defense line, and in the end, both sides were at a standstill, with no advantage gained.


    This battle ultimately led to the loss of 30,000 soldiers for the Kingdom of Laines, nearly draining Leines I of his vigor.


    After the middle-aged man and his trusted Prime Minister had taken their seats on the sofa, His Majesty, the Emperor, who had been quite busytely, asked, "I wonder, what brings the envoy here this time?"


    "Your Majesty is indeed a man of great insight, so you must have already guessed," Mr. Envoy said directly, "I am here on behalf of the Great Tang Kingdom to mediate the war between the Laines Empire and the Dorne Kingdom."


    "Mr. Envoy, you jest," the Emperor said. "This war was started because soldiers from the Dorne Kingdom shot and killed my soldiers, not because I..." For some reason, as he looked into the eyes of Mr. Envoy from the Great Tang Kingdom, Leines I''s voice faded to a whisper.


    Those eyes seemed to have seen everything already, as if they were an abyss. Leines I coughed to conceal his embarrassment and prepared to regroup.


    He had already taken the first step toward breaking free from the control of the Great Tang Group, or rather he was no longerpletely dependent on the Great Tang Kingdom, which source of his courage.


    Reflecting on this, Leines I''s expression grew even uglier as he felt anger, regret, and resentment for not having achieved the victory he deserved in the pincer attack on Dorne.


    If he had won that nearly desperate battle on the southern front, he would have been under far less pressure from the Great Tang Group, or the Great Tang Kingdom.


    This was actually quite easy to understand geopolitically: by eliminating Dorne, the Laines Empire could border the Gobur Kingdom, thus having a direct connection to the Shireck Consortium.


    For the Laines Empire, which urgently needed to escape the control of the Great Tang Group, forming a connection with the Shireck Consortium would certainly be more reassuring.


    But now? The current situation was that the Laines Empire was at odds with the Empire of Na to the east, and both sides were embroiled in conflict, making any hope of obtaining materials from Na a luxury.


    At the same time, the Laines Empire was fully engaged in war with the Dorne Kingdom to the south, eliminating any hope of importing resources from that direction as well.


    To the north, Northern Ridge served as a "barrier" between them and Suthers Kingdom. Even if trade was possible, Suthers was heavily influenced by Tang Mo and was part of the trade alliance. Trading back and forth was still just ying house within the economic system set up by the Great Tang Group.


    Trapped in such an "encirclement," if one were content kneeling at the feet of the Great Tang Group, there would definitely be a bowl of soup to drink. However, if one wished to break out of this cycle for more options, in Leines I''s view, the war was inevitable.


    Everything fit logically, the only problem was that he hadn''t achieved the ultimate goal of annihting Dorne and sessfully leading his troops into Gobur, as nned...


    "We are all adults here, Your Majesty," Mr. Envoy said with a smile, wearing an expression that seemed to see through everything. "Let''s not use excuses meant for themon folk in such an important negotiation, shall we?"


    "Mr. Envoy, you jest. In fact, although it''s hard to believe, it was indeed the soldiers from the Dorne Kingdom who fired first," the Prime Minister said, ncing at the embarrassed Leines I and hastening to exin.


    "..." The envoy from the Great Tang Kingdom looked at Laines'' Prime Minister on the side, remained silent, and smiled.


    "It''s pointless to discuss this now, Mr. Envoy," Leines I rallied once more, regaining hisposure as he spoke, "I hope you understand that peace is not just your wish. I too hope to let my people bask in the peace of sunlight."


    He paused, gathering his energy before continuing, "However, since the war has already started, ending it is not something I can decide on my own."


    "I am very aware of that," the envoy from the Great Tang Kingdom nodded, then added, "But Your Majesty is also aware, I believe, that this war, if left to Laines alone, is unlikely tost long."


    He emphasized the words "left to" significantly, conveying to Leines I and his Prime Minister a sense of threat.


    Indeed, it was a threat.


    If the Great Tang Group stopped supporting the Laines Empire now, the endless supply of ammunition, bullets, and materials would no longer be transported through Jade City and Northern Ridge to the Laines Empire, leaving the Laines Empire truly in a dire situation, both internally and externally.


    This was thest thing the Laines Empire wanted to see. Therefore, Leines I knew that, no matter what, he had to give face to the Great Tang Group, or rather, the Great Tang Kingdom, during this time.


    That was also why Tang Mo was the first to approach Leines I: the Laines Empire was deeply influenced by the Great Tang Group, and of all the countries involved, it had the least room to maneuver!


    Of course, another reason was that the opponent of the Laines Empire, the Dorne Kingdom, also didn''t have many good options at the moment!


    Once he had settled the issues with these two countries, Tang Mo was confident that he could persuade Suthers and Na, which had already received the benefits they wanted, to back down.


    Then, the trade alliance, in name only, couldrgely be restored, and normal economic trade could cycle once again, naturally improving the economy.@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 533 499 held on

    ```


    However, the current problem that needs to be resolved is the vaciting alliance between the duplicitous Laines Empire, which seeks some form of strategic security, and Gobur Kingdom.


    The Gobur Kingdom is thoroughly under the sway of the Shireck Consortium, a fact well known to all. As a quasi-enemy force that has always stood opposite to the Great Tang Group, the alliance between the Shireck-controlled Gobur Kingdom and the Laines Empire must be dissolved.


    This is the second purpose of the envoy from the Great Tang Kingdom for this visit.


    "I understand what you mean... We will consider it seriously," seeing his Emperor remaining silent with a gloomy face, the Prime Minister of Laines hurried to step forward and speak, "However, the Laines Empire will not be threatened by anyone! This point must be clear to you!"


    The first part of this statement reflects the stance of the Laines Empire, indicating that the side of the Laines Empire has already felt the threat from the Great Tang Group and will seriously consider the will of the Tang side.


    Thetter part is just a formality, a way for them to save face, maintaining the political status of the Laines Empire in front of the Great Tang Kingdom.


    You can''t simply kneel without a struggle and call someone else your daddy¡ªit''s a rather face-losing situation. You need to hesitate, struggle, and ultimately kneel begrudgingly due to circumstances, swallowing your pride and calling out ''dad.'' To outsiders, at least it looks like you kept your integrity...


    The envoy from the Great Tang Kingdom also knew that continuing to be aggressively pushy was pointless; he simply needed to let the other party feel the political pressure from the Great Tang Kingdom.


    So, he exined with a smile, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister, the Great Tang Kingdom will not threaten anyone. We maintain neutrality; that has always been our stance. We are a peace-loving nation, from beginning to end."


    You are a peace-loving force? How can you say something so conscienceless with a straight face? The Prime Minister silently cursed within, though his face continued to bear a smile.


    Damn it, since its inception, the Tang Group has been a munitions dealer directly confronting the Shireck Consortium, and to this day, nearly two-fifths of the countries in the world use weapons and equipment developed and produced by the Tang Group!


    Such a damned warmongering arms magnate has the audacity to say he loves peace! The gods know you love peace!


    After ranting internally, the Prime Minister suddenly realized that arms dealers do indeed love peace: it''s not war they like, but the arms race during peacetimes!


    Although war can consume arge number of weapons and equipment, once it ends, there is a substantial period wherein the interest in armaments wanes.


    Because the war is over, the victor has been decided, and the conqueror no longer needs to maintain a formidable military force to deter a substantial adversary.


    This is like ying Go¡ªif one side is too strong, no high-quality games can ensue. You need an equally strong opponent.


    But an arms race is different. Despite less wartime consumption, weapons do have a shelf life, and plenty are destroyed even during peace.


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    However, the arms race is endless, and the countries involved in it won''t spend any less¡ªbecause their opponents surely won''t cken either!


    And suchpetition is relentless. As long as they have a penny, they will spend a penny, sparing no expense because as long as there''s peace, you''ll never beat your opponent, and the arms race will persist.


    This is typical merchant logic; this is how arms dealers think. This is why businessmen can never truly engage in politics.


    These crafty and inhumane arms dealers! The Prime Minister cursed in his heart, but kept a pleasant smile on his face.


    "In fact, we are preparing tounch aprehensive post-war economic recovery n to assist the war-torn countries in reviving their pre-war economies and helping their citizens escape poverty," the envoy from the Great Tang Kingdom added, offering a carrot after the stick.


    Merely threatening these war-involved countries to give up their own interests is obviously not a safe nor realistic approach. Thus, helping them ovee economic difficulties is the best way to willingly coax them back to peace.


    The Great Tang Kingdom needs a year to recuperate and gather strength for further expansion. Hence, it is essential to keep the industrial countries of the trade alliance quietly prospering the economy around the Endless Sea for a year.


    "I''m looking forward to such a n," King Leines I, having been offered a way out, coughed and rejoined the conversation at this juncture.


    His reengagement indicated the Laines Empire''s attitude: if you provide money and technology, I wouldn''t mind kneeling again and licking your boots, calling you daddy.


    "Very soon, Mr. Harry will have a draft of the n ready for you. The overall framework is still rough, but we already have a general direction," the envoy said confidently.


    Tang Mo could not predict the specific reactions of all nations when facing intervention, and therefore, he couldn''t immediately present a n that would satisfy everyone.


    Nevertheless, he could exploit his influence to interfere with many countries'' high-level decisions to the benefit of the Great Tang Kingdom, but thates at a price.


    Tang Mo did not wish to waste his own resources on the affairs of others, and hence, in this mediation, he set the tone to operate with conventional methods as much as possible.


    ```


    If things really can''t be helped, might as well solve one or two of those troublesome, uncontroble fringe countries to make the entire situation a bit cleaner and clearer.


    "Then we shall wait and see," the Prime Minister spoke again at this moment, allowing him to leave more room for maneuver for his own Emperor.


    ...


    While Tang Mo''s envoy was confronting the Emperor of the Laines Empire, another Shireck tank was destroyed on the northern front of the Gobur battlefield.


    The weapon that destroyed this tank wasn''t some newfangled invention, but a 76mm caliber anti-aircraft gun temporarily modified by the Dorne Kingdom!


    This anti-air weapon, originally designed to shoot down airships thanks to its high muzzle velocity and t trajectory, turned out to be perfectly suitable for tank warfare.


    Frankly speaking, the introduction of this new weapon did impact the Great Tang Kingdom''s Type 4 tanks as well, because with the Type 4''s current 60mm thick front armor, it was quite a stretch to withstand the 76mm caliber rounds.


    Tang Mo himselfter felt some regret, especially when he saw those Shireck tanks on the Gobur battlefield.


    The anti-tank weaponry concept he provided to Dorne, when it came to dealing with Gobur''s tanks, could really be described as overkill.


    Had he known that the tanks Gobur put into the war were of the decrepit A7V level, he could have simply produced some machine gun bullets with armor-piercing tips and that would have been nearly enough to cope.


    Now, however...


    The 76mm caliber anti-aircraft gun, fixed on a low gun carriage,y concealed on the side of a trench, part of the border defense line that was on the brink of copse.


    Well-concealed by clever use of the terrain, the Dorne troops made it impossible for Gobur''s forces to spot this insidious nk position from the front.


    The anti-aircraft gun, poking its barrel out, aimed at yet another staggeringly advancing Gobur tank that had burst into Dorne''s defensive position.


    The tank was turning, seemingly having spotted another active Dorne heavy machine-gun position on the other nk that was attracting attention with constant gunfire.


    During this turn, the anti-aircraft gun fired a shell. The high-velocity projectile emitted a chilling whistling sound as it smashed into the steel te on the side of the Gobur tank.@@novelbin@@


    Lacking true armor-piercing rounds and thus using a shell equipped with an impact fuze, the explosive went off, its shockwave beginning to distort the steel te nearby.


    Although not designed as a specialized round, the hammer-like force was still able to prate the thin steel te, impacting the driver inside.


    The Gobur soldier who was just operating the machine gun was instantly engulfed by the explosion, and his assistant gunner beside him met the same fate.


    The machine gunner at the front of the tank felt the st of air from behind, and the next instant he knew nothing anymore.


    To set up machine-gun fire in every direction, Shireck''s tank designers, much like a ship, installed the power system right in the center of the tank.


    Themanders and loaders fought while stepping over the engine inside the rotatable turret, a design that ensured the tank could be equipped with machine guns on all sides to suppress enemy fire, raising the overall height of the tank significantly.


    After the round prated the armor and exploded, the shockwave and shattered steel struck everyone inside the tank as well as the machinery.


    Following the detonation, both the fuel tanks and ammunition went up in mes, and the massive tank disintegrated in an instant, bing a fiery inferno.


    With six machine guns operated by a total of twelve crew members, and including themander, gunner, and driver, the Shireck version of the A7V tank had a total of sixteen crew members.


    With that one shot, all sixteen valuable crew members perished in the mes, none escaping.


    The battle continued unabated, not stopping abruptly just because one tank was destroyed. More tanks constantly tried on the battlefield, and Dorne''s final border defense line was still teetering.


    But Bolton held on, withstanding the assault of the Gobur Kingdom, helping to stabilize Dorne''s southern front. This win earned time, time for the Great Tang Kingdom to react and begin mediating the war!


    Everyone knew that after many specialized anti-tank weapons entered the battlefield, and after Dorne''sst line held, Gobur''s offensive was clearly starting to g!


    Dorne, it seemed, held on!

 Chapter 534 500 pranks

    ```


    "Trash! All trash! We finally got a step ahead of the Great Tang Group, and yet those Gobur ipetents squandered it all away!" Sofia, in a fit of shame and anger, hurled an expensive ss imported from Brunas to the floor, where it shattered into sparkling fragments all over.


    It seems the wealthy always prefer to vent their emotions by breaking something valuable, as if to assert their status when enraged.


    That sense of being able to dominate the existence of all things is addictive, and Sofia seemed no exception to thismonality.


    This woman, who had now managed to control two-thirds of Shireck''s real power through her schemes, had her beautiful face distorted with excessive anger at this moment.


    She had been calcting and painstakingly managing to produce, in the most covert factories under her highest control, steel tanks that had sessfully evaded the intelligence agencies of the Great Tang Group. But they failed to deliver a decisive blow on the battlefield.


    In fact, this was a fairly reasonable oue: in the Battle of Somme, the British troops were the first to deploy tanks, this secret weapon. Although it had some effect, it did notpletely break through the German Army''s defenses and failed to achieve the anticipated results.


    Shireck, exercising its influence, spared no expense to transport the stockpiled 50 airships and 300 Shireck-version tanks to the frontline. They originally intended to breach Dorne''s defenses, establish contact with Laines, threaten Jade City, and create pressure on the westward-advancing Great Tang Kingdom to distract Tang Mo from further expansion to the west.


    But who would have known, as soon as the 50 airships engaged in battle, they were intercepted, clearly indicating that Dorne was well-prepared. This loss nearly wiped out Gobur''s Air Force, leaving it nameless and powerless to continue its offensive.


    Even Shireck was affected to some degree: to support the Gobur Kingdom, Shireck had reassigned a group of airshipmanders and pilots, resulting in a severe shortage of airship pilots on their side now.


    These airship pilots were officers who could read and write and had at least some educational background; each was a technical talent not easy toe by.


    For Shireck, losing several hundred airship crew members was painful, but it was far from crippling. At least, Sofia was still training a significant number of simr crew members.


    What truly made Sofia ufortable was the loss of the "tank" drivers she had painstakingly cultivated and amassed.


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    These people fought in tanks as confined as tin cans and required a certain level of mechanical operation ability, which meant they needed separate training.


    They were far more expensive than ordinary infantry, and not troublesome to raise. Yet, these crew members had suffered more than 3,000 casualties in Gobur''s assault!


    It''s no exaggeration¡ªthis ounted for about two-thirds of the tank crews involved in the battle, which was indeed too many.


    To train so many talents, Sofia had nearly exhausted all her efforts. However, her highly anticipated thunderous strike had not achieved the effect she had hoped for.


    Originally, Sofia nned that, despite the loss of these crew members, she could at least annihte Dorne, slow down the development of the Great Tang Group on a strategic level, and simultaneously reach out to the disgruntled Laines Empire to form an alliance against the Great Tang Group.


    In this way, at least strategically, Sofia could regain the initiative and force Tang Mo to make a strategic choice.


    If Tang Mo decided to save the vital Brunas Jade City industrial zone, then the Tang Kingdom would have to move the main forces they painstakingly sent to the western front back to Brunas to hold the position.


    The Tang Army traveling back and forth across the Endless Sea, burdened with such an effort, would have to abandon their western front operations, clearly to the advantage of Shireck.


    At least Tang Mo wouldn''t be able to target Qi Country, Chu Country, and the Dahua Empire in the short term. Shireck was confident in gaining more time to help these countries build sufficiently modern militaries and set up enough defensive instations along the borders toy traps and mines for the Great Tang Army.


    And if Tang Mo clenched his teeth and chose not to look back at Jade City and Brunas, then Sofia could unite with the Laines Empire and strike from the southeast on two fronts against the Tang forces remaining in Brunas and drive the Tang Army into the sea!


    By then, the prime industrial zones of Jade City and Brunas would be in hand, and Shireck''s production capacity would skyrocket to a terrifying extent.@@novelbin@@


    Once this goal was achieved, the allied Gobur and Laines countries would be the strongest military group in the world. No matter how formidable the Tang Army was, they could only sigh across the Endless Sea!


    The chance to achieve such a strategic objective was why Sofia was determined to invest so much. Yet, having invested plenty, she did not get what she wanted.


    "Now, we must consider the pressure that the Great Tang Kingdom is putting on the Laines Empire. Leines I, isted and without help, might once again lean towards the Great Tang Group," an earl said from a sofa in the distance, addressing the infuriated Sofia.


    After discussing serious matters, she added tenderly, "Getting angry will only put wrinkles on your beautiful face. Don''t ruin such perfection, okay, my dear?"


    ```


    "I just can''t swallow this anger! I fought for a once-in-a-millennium opportunity for them, yet they failed to seize it! Those idiots! My great undertaking is doomed to be destroyed by these ipetent fools!" Although Sofia still carried a tone of subservience, she had be much more restrained.


    Staring at the fragments of ss that glinted like diamonds beneath her feet, she continued with a morose expression, "Now, what shall we do to turn this defeat around?"


    "We couldunch another fierce attack! We never expected the isted Leines I to make any significant progress in the North. For the rest, we''ll just have to continue our offensive from the Gobur front line," the Earl answered.


    "You mean?" Sofia nced at the other, seeking confirmation.


    "Yes, we can call up troops from all the southern regions, and relying on the increasingly perfected railwaywork, transport them to Gobur at the fastest speed," the Earl suggested.


    "I can''t spare that many shells or tanks in such a short time," Sofia remembered the losses of her tanks and became restless once more.


    "We surely can''t just do nothing, can we? That''s what you taught me," the Earl said, her face filled with affection as she looked at Sofia.


    "If only they all were as reassuring as you," Sofia stepped forward to the Earl, lifting her chin with her hand.


    "Would I still have a ce in your bed then?" The Earl narrowed her eyes, like a kitten basking in its owner''s affection.


    "Of course, you''re so charming, far better than the others," Sofia said with a smile that conveyed the superior air of someone inmand, utterly enthralling the Earl in the process.


    "Lady Sofia..." Blushing, the Earl murmured sentimentally, seemingly having forgotten the fierce battlefield in the northern reaches of Gobur.


    Sofia, with her arms wrapped around the Earl''s slender waist, had almost regained herposure, "You''re right! We must act now, even if we make mistakes, rather than do nothing! Rush the remaining tanks to Gobur! And also, as you''ve suggested, muster at least 300,000 troops, regardless of the cost, and break through Dorne!"


    "Yes, Lady Sofia! Everything... as you wish." The Earl, infatuated, immediately echoed in agreement.


    Just then, a maid hurried into the room, bowed respectfully, and reported to Sofia, "Mydy, the head maid just brought back a message."


    Sofia paused slightly, wondering whether her head maid, whom she had sent to Brunas, was now working for the Great Tang Group or Shireck.


    This once-trusted confidant had now be a conduit, a window formunication between Shireck and the Great Tang Group.


    As time passed, many rumors had eroded her trust in her former head maid, but she couldn''t bear to be without the intelligence she provided, and thus continued to make use of this unclearly aligned piece on her chessboard.


    It was rumored that the head maid had be a little fan girl of Harry, the spokesperson for the Great Tang Group, desperately chasing after him. She had probably already disclosed all she knew about Shireck.


    "Give it to me," Sofia was keen to see just how the Great Tang Group would react to their decisive action and all themotion they had caused in Gobur.


    The maid bowed slightly and handed over a piece of telegraph paper. Upon receiving the telegram, Sofia stiffened briefly, then her eyes immediately zed with rage.


    Because this telegram was actually a personal message from Tang Mo, written in a rather teasing tone. This deeply irked Sofia; she could not ept it!


    She walked back to her desk and violently mmed the telegram onto it, causing her fiery red hair to tremble with the force of her movement.


    The curious Earl, wondering just what the telegram said, walked up behind Sofia and cooed, "Mydy... what''s the matter? Is it bad news?"


    "In a way, it''s bad news. But... the telegram itself is meaningless!" Sofia stated coldly, "It''s like a boring prank."


    The Earl sneaked a nce at the telegram on the desk, widening her eyes in disbelief upon reading its short content.


    Because the content of the telegram read: "Your new weaponry is not bad, but I prefer to call the same type of weapon ''tanks''. I don''t like the word ''war chariot''; don''t use it wrong next time, okay?"

 Chapter 535 501 Collapse Pattern

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    In the Northern Region, the cold had begun to quietly erode everything it encountered, and amidst the ice and snow, countless Dwarf Troops were trudging through with difficulty.


    If one were to ask who the biggest beneficiary of the war was, which resembled more of a civil conflict among trade alliances on a semi-global scale, the answer would naturally be the Ice Cold Empire.


    With many Dwarf Kingdoms nearby that were not onlycking in strength but had also notpleted industrialization, and with the racial rifts preventing much support or aid from other kingdoms, these weaker Dwarf Kingdoms werepletely powerless to resist being subsumed by the Ice Cold Empire.


    A few kingdoms with some industrial foundations managed to struggle a bit, but those that were purely agricultural or ore-exporting nations were defeated without even the chance to struggle.


    Since the beginning of the war up to now, the Ice Cold Empire had swallowed up three kingdoms and was concurrently waging war with another five.


    With the righteous cause of Furnace Fortress as its blessing and the deration that the Ice Cold Empire was destined to rece the Dwarf Empire and be the sole legitimate power of the Dwarf world, the empire''s military advancements were as unstoppable as a bamboo splitting apart.


    By the time other powers in the world finally realized that something was amiss, the Ice Cold Empire, which had already possessed a high degree of industrialization, suddenly became an unexpected major power.


    If one were to go by the traditional notion of a strong country in terms of territorial size, the Ice Cold Empire, having absorbed the Northern Dwarf Empire and nearly five other kingdoms, had surpassed the Empire of Na to be the secondrgest empire in the world after the Dahua Empire innd area.


    If industrialization were to be considered, the Ice Cold Empire had even surpassed the Dahua Empire, showing a subtle trend of bing the most powerful empire in the world.


    The Dwarves, who had always been exploited by the Human Race, marginalized, and fragmented like sand, seemed to have united overnight and turned back into the formidable Dwarf Empire that once struck fear into the hearts of many!


    As memories of the nightmare when nearly the entire world was dominated by the Dwarf Empire resurfaced, many started to act, hoping that someone could put a stop to this war and then give proper thought to the grave matter of the world''s geopoliticalndscape.


    After much consideration, everyone could only think of approaching the linchpin of the former trade alliance¡ªthe Great Tang Group¡ªto mediate with the nations of the world.


    Unfortunately, it appeared that no one else truly had the qualifications.


    "Sir! You must convey our concerns to His Majesty Tang Mo," pleaded the envoy from the Songmu Kingdom to Harry, who was sipping tea, his voice full of anxiety, "If a unified Dwarf Empire emerges again, the pressure on us in the north will be immense."


    "That''s true," added the Orc envoy from the Gales Kingdom, whose stress was even greater at this moment, as Orcs,pared to Elves, were closer to the Ice Cold Empire and felt the immense pressure even more keenly.


    Currently, in a bid to attack the Por Kingdom from both sides, the Songmu Kingdom and the Gales Kingdom had united. Their joint approach now was indeed due to the immense pressure they were facing.


    Both had been warring with the Por Kingdom and had already amassed their military forces, with their national strength nearly depleted.


    Especially for the Songmu Kingdom, which was a small nation defending against arger one and was already adopting a defensive strategy¡ªshould a high-level lootere from behind at this point, the game would be over.


    "The ambition of the Dwarves is dangerous and needs to be guarded against early¡­" On the other side, the envoy from the Suthers Kingdom chipped in, "A strong and unified Dwarf Empire is a threat to everyone."


    If there were to be a second beneficiary of this war, it might well be the Suthers Kingdom. Despite its seemingly passive development, it had managed to carve out a significant presence.


    They had been undergoing systematic reforms, thus holding a not-insignificant advantage in governance. They had a more efficient tax system and an education system closest to that of the Great Tang Group, while also having a rtively high degree of industrialization, thanks to being backed by the Northern Ridge.


    They could produce their own automotive mining machinery and even manufacture trains with only a minimal import of parts, which was indeed impressive.


    Moreover, this kingdom had the advantage of being an ind nation, which naturally eliminated the need to develop a navy, thus saving a significant sum and sparing the time it would take to train naval personnel.


    Therefore, if Tang Mo were to choose, Suthers could be considered among the countries with the highest potential, or at least one of the front runners. Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    Afterpleting its own transformation, this nearly modern-industrial nation took advantage of the ongoing war to annex the Kingdom of Phk, securing a solid start.


    In this civil war of the trade alliance, the Suthers Kingdom, which had already integrated newnds and peoples, steadily absorbed another northern kingdom, initiating a new chapter.


    The Suthers Kingdom, always wary of biting off more than they could chew, acted with precision and ruthlessness with each move. After reaping the most benefits, they promptly backed off, and their territory was nowparable to that of an empire.


    Even more rming was that due to their superior system and having early on suppressed the Nobility, there were no issues with governance in Suthers. Instead, as thend continued to expand, they reaped enormous benefits from the war.


    ```


    Nowadays, with the Northern Ridge at its back and direct trade with the Great Tang Group, the vast and powerfully Suthers Kingdom seemed to have even more say than before.


    For this newly risen power, the chaotic situation of the Elf, Dwarf, and Orc races shing in the north was clearly more advantageous.


    Thus, this time they stood with the Elf Race and the Orcs,ing together to request the Great Tang Group''s help in ending the war in the northern part of the continent.


    "I am aware of your hopes, and I will convey your request to His Majesty as soon as possible," Harry put down his teacup, savoring the tea he had just drunk, and assured the people in front of him, "Please rest assured, we also believe that the world should return to the order it ought to have."


    In fact,pared to the chaotic situation in the south where Shireck was interfering, the northern battlefield was rtively simpler and clearer.


    The Ice Cold Empire was conducting its own expansionist war and, since it was fighting nearby Dwarf nations, it hadn''t actually erupted into direct war with the countries within the trade alliance.


    It was just that as the Ice Cold Empire grewrger, it began to cause dissatisfaction among more distant Elf and Orc races, who started to be vignt.@@novelbin@@


    Meanwhile, the Suthers Kingdom, which always followed a strategy of steady expansion ording to the n, didn''t really intend to widen the war further.


    They had already annexed their target and were, in fact, already disengaging from the affairs, beginning to digest and absorb the fruits of victory.


    So, strictly speaking, the war in the Northern Region was mostly separate battles without much intersection.


    There''s no need to mention Suthers¡ªthey would end the state of war themselves. Although the Ice Cold Empire was expanding on arge scale, it was not fighting countries within the trade alliance, so the impact was very limited.


    On the contrary, it was the local battlefield where the Orcs'' Gales Kingdom and the Songmu Kingdom were pincering the Por Kingdom that was a bit more troublesome to deal with.


    However, in Harry''s view, or rather Tang Mo''s, no matter how troublesome, it needed to be addressed. Therefore, Tang Mo ordered Harry to first contact Prince Gales IX of the Orcs, who was greatly dependent on the Great Tang Group.


    This former distressed Orc prince, who had managed to reim his throne with the help of the Great Tang Group, owed them an enormous debt of gratitude.


    If they asked His Highness Prince Gales IX to end the war honorably, he certainly wouldn''t dare utter a word of dissent.


    After all,pared to countries like the Ice Cold Empire, Laines, or Dorne, the Orc nation of the Gales Kingdom clearlycked aplete modern industrial base.


    The Gales Kingdom,cking in self-sufficiency and heavily reliant on supplies from the Great Tang Group, would essentially be signing its own death warrant if it went against Tang Mo''s wishes in this situation.


    First, prepare the Gales Kingdom for withdrawal from the war, then use this oue to pressure the Songmu Kingdom to agree to a ceasefire; the Songmu Kingdom would certainly agree.


    Because the Por Kingdom was currently fighting on two fronts and thus caught between enemies, if Gales withdrew, Songmu would have to face the entire might of the Por Kingdom alone, which was obviously an unreasonable demand for Songmu.


    "Once both the Songmu Kingdom and the Gales Kingdom havepromised, that will be our chance to extort the Por Kingdom. We will have helped them escape fighting on two fronts; they should give us some benefits, shouldn''t they?" Tang Mo said with a smile to Nangong Hong after receiving Harry''s telegram.


    "Your Majesty is truly ingenious," Nangong Hong said with respectful admiration as he bowed to Tang Mo. He genuinely admired Tang Mo''s tactics, which considered some details even more thoroughly than he had: "Once the war in the north ends, economic recovery is just around the corner."


    "Our established strategy of expanding westward must not waver!" Tang Mo also knew that vacition was very detrimental to himself. Since they had initially decided to conquer the Dahua Empire first, they had to stick to it to the end.


    "If we followed the enemy''s wishes, constantly shifting our main forces around, wasting time and resources, that would be true folly," he said.


    "We still don''t have enough strength. If we had enough forces, even simultaneous campaigns in the east and west wouldn''t be a problem," Tang Momented somewhat discontentedly at this thought.


    "Your Majesty, I believe that day will surelye," Roger said confidently from the side: "After all, just a few years ago, we had nothing! And now, you own a country!"


    "No, we had a workshop back then," Tang Mo said with a smile.


    Roger nodded, "Hahaha! You''re right, Your Majesty, we did have a workshop."


    Nangong Hong looked at the two of them, enviously: he hade toote and missed the best time. If only he could have met this young man, nowughing in front of him, a little earlier, how wonderful that would have been.

 Chapter 536 502 good news

    Eternal Winter Port, a busy port filled with harbingers of freedom everywhere. Some of these ships are docked at the piers, while others are maneuvering within the port.


    Cranes hoist loads on and off, and the dockworkers are extraordinarily busy. It seems as if the war has not affected this ce at all, which is even more prosperous than during the peaceful times of the past.


    The port docks, modernized by the Great Tang Group, have an astonishing throughput. Nearly half of the Dwarf export goodse from Eternal Winter Port.


    Despite the harsh climate, with half of the year being extremely cold, the port''s status as ice-free is all that matters.


    There are about 500,000 Dwarfs living in Eternal Winter City, a third of whom work in transportation and dock loading and unloading.


    These people transport a massive amount of raw materials and important goods from the hearnd of the Ice Cold Empire to the docks of Eternal Winter Port all year round, and from there they are shipped out.


    Another third are employed in the city''s factories, which include metal smelting and machinery processing nts. Many raw materials are roughly processed here to save on transportation costs.


    And this port also supplies the entire Ice Cold Empire with a great deal of imported goods, with food being thergest import. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    Due to climatic reasons, food security was a serious issue for the Ice Cold Empire before they acquirednd further south.


    A vast empire yet so heavily reliant on food imports, Emperor Binghan the First could say that he had always been quite dissatisfied.


    He hoped his country could achieve self-sufficiency in food to reduce dependence on imports, which is a normal strategic thought for a leader.


    The way Binghan the First solved the problem was by attacking southward to capturends farther south, acquire fertile fields for cultivation, and thus resolve the issue once and for all.


    In fact, ever since the Great Tang Group started supporting the Ice Cold Empire, food production had been continuously increasing.


    With modern cultivation methods and industrial fertilizers, the southern region of the Ice Cold Empire was already able to reim somend for farming.


    However, as thesends were concentrated near the border, Binghan the First still felt no sense of security. Hence, the Ice Cold Empire was so eager tomence war because from their perspective, securing their own food supply was a matter more important than anything else.


    Justst year, the Tang Group aggressively procured food, nearly triggering a food crisis.


    The memory of food prices skyrocketing daily had put immense pressure on everyone within the Ice Cold Empire. Therefore, they finally resolved, at all costs, to solve their food supply problem.


    Eternal Winter Port needn''t worry about these issues; its residents have always consumed imported rice and wheat. Their foodes from the sea, all brought in by the Tang Group.


    On the streets of the now quite modernized Eternal Winter City, the thin snow cover impacted traffic, with cars jammed tight together and horns ring incessantly.


    Inside the unpretentious yet modernized municipal hall, the envoy from the Great Tang Kingdom stood in front of a window, looking down at the cars honking below with a seemingly keen interest.


    "We must ensure our own food safety, which is the bottom line for the Empire," the Ice Cold Empire''s foreign minister emphasized again from the sofa behind him.


    When they learned that the Great Tang Kingdom''s envoy hade to persuade the Ice Cold Empire to halt its southern expansion, the Ice Cold Empire sent their foreign minister to negotiate with the Tang envoy about this matter.


    "I fully understand the Ice Cold Empire''s concerns about food. You have taken over a vast area ofnd, which has actually improved your food supply," said the Tang envoy, still facing the window. "Your food production area is now more than two hundred kilometers from the border. Is that not enough?"


    "Three kingdoms are still at war with us, and our pressure is still immense. Mr. Envoy, please understand¡­," the Ice Cold Empire''s foreign minister looked extremely troubled, as if they were the ones being attacked.


    "The war you''ve instigated has caused anxiety among neighboring countries, deteriorating the diplomatic environment of the Ice Cold Empire to a very dangerous level. Do you really not mind?" the Tang envoy finally turned around to look at the other party.


    The foreign minister of the Ice Cold Empire fell silent for a long while before he finally sighed and spoke. "At this point, do we still have a chance to make amends?"


    "If you guarantee to stop threatening the southern neighbors, we can step in. Everyone can sit down, discuss, and sign a peace treaty that ensures the interests of the Ice Cold Empire while also protecting the safety of neighboring countries..." The Tang envoy offered a choice.


    "Can we trust the Great Tang Kingdom''s impartiality?" the Dwarf foreign minister asked, looking at the Tang envoy.@@novelbin@@


    "The Great Tang Kingdom will recognize the current borders of the Ice Cold Empire," the Tang envoy extended an olive branch, or one might say, presented the carrot they held.


    The diplomat of the Ice Cold Empire thought for a few seconds, then nodded his head, "We trust the old friends, and I will discuss this matter with His Majesty and give you a satisfactory answer as soon as possible."


    "I will wait here for you, and hope it won''t be too long," the Great Tang envoy said with a smile, making a gesture of invitation, "In terms of public opinion, we will start to set things in motion,y the groundwork, at the very least we should let the whole world see the dawn of the approaching peace."


    "I quite understand your point of view, peace... is very important." The diplomat of the Ice Cold Empire, deeply aware of the importance of peace after gaining an advantage in war, stood up, bowed deeply, and left.


    He had already obtained what he wanted, as long as the world recognized the results of the Ice Cold Empire''stest round of expansion, then the Empire could securely pocket the gains from this war.


    With these new territories, the Ice Cold Empire was the biggest winner in this melee, and it also became a strong nation with bnced power and no longer any weaknesses.


    Food was no longer a problem, at least not in the short run. Coupled with its industrial achievements, the national power of the Ice Cold Empire could be said to have reached unprecedented heights.


    As long as it could pacify the three small kingdoms that were still at war, the Ice Cold Empire was close to realizing the Dwarves'' great revival.


    In the streets of Brunas City, an old man selling newspapers sat quietly inside a newsstand, listlessly enjoying the bright sunshine. There was already a touch of chill in the air, but life in Brunas City was still vibrant.


    "Boss, one newspaper, please." A man dressed like a small businessman handed over a few copper coins and casually picked up a newspaper with a huge headline, eager to start reading it.


    If you wanted to get rich in Brunas, you had to understand the messages written in the newspapers and what they really meant.


    The man unfolded the newspaper and saw the news: the Great Tang Kingdom had contacted several countries, calling on all parties to show restraint, restore peace, and revitalise the economy.


    With the war having raged for the better part of a year, such news could almost be seen as an indicator of the way the wind was blowing.


    The Great Tang Kingdom, which had always held its forces in check and maintained strict neutrality, had entered the fray, and the exhausted countries fighting the war now had to consider the option of peace.


    Peace, for merchants, meant a better investment environment and a reinvigorated economy.


    As long as the countries halt the fighting and resume trade, what does a world just out of a great war and in ruins need? Of course, it needs supplies for reconstruction! Everything that counts, from steel and cement to pots and pans, would be hotmodities!


    He immediately looked up, closed the newspaper, and hurriedly walked towards the stock exchange across the street, with a giant sign hanging on the front.


    A new kind of investment project had recently appeared here, a brand-new venture called futures. With money in hand, you could buy any kind ofmodity here, including energy materials and ores, etc.


    Then, without seeing the physical goods, just holding a piece of paper, you could reap a handsome profit when the invested goods appreciated in value.


    The exchange was bustling with people frantically waving their papers, eyes glued to the board where the prices of traded goods were continuously being erased and rewritten.


    The potentially good news of the war''s possible end, known to many, was that grain prices had begun to stabilize, no longer continuing to rise. On the other hand, the price of cement, which had already skyrocketed, was still soaring.


    There was no choice, during the war, cement was a strategic material, in great demand by all countries. It was used in everything from trenches to bunkers, hence the price kept rising.


    Now, with rumors of the war possibly ending, peace construction would simrly require vast amounts of cement and rebar, driving cement prices to new highs.


    I''ve stille a step toote! Seeing the businessmen who had already begun to descend into a frenzy buying up all sorts of material bonds, the small businessman with the newspaper felt a bit disheartened as he squeezed forward.


    Pushing through the crowd, he continually apologized, "Excuse me, sorry, please let me through, I''m going to buy some futures, excuse me, I''m sorry."


    His movements drew the ire of those around him, but everyone was too busy to lodgeints, so they muttered curses and let it go.


    Outside the exchange, the huge billboard above the street featured a tempting woman posing seductively, beside her was this year''stest lipstick model.


    The whole world was at war, but Brunas remained a paradise... Some might not have believed it before, but now everyone was deeply convinced of it.


    Because here, more people were talking about the Bailu Team''s 7-1 thrashing of the Great Tang men''s ser teamst night than those concerned about the front-line situation with the Goburs.

 Chapter 537 503 Special Gift

    Yes, the night before at Brunas Stadium, the Bailu team''s home ground weed the visiting Great Tang men''s ser team. The two teams had a friendly match, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.


    With only half of its main lineup ying, the Bailu team could be said to have given the Great Tang national team plenty of face, but, s, the Great Tang men''s team just couldn''t seize the opportunity...


    Facing the world''s number one team with only half of its main lineup, the Great Tang men''s team put forth their utmost effort. Unfortunately, the number of shots in the first half was a horrifying 31 to 1, with the Great Tang men''s team''s only shot almost high enough to fit two airships under the crossbar.


    In the end, the coach of the Bailu team was so frightened that he kept taking out his handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his brow; he worried that as soon as he left his house, he would be shot into a sieve by the Tang Country mafia.


    The second half of the match, which provoked bothughter and tears, saw the Bailu team substitute all their forwards three times and bring in three substitutes.


    Despite these efforts, the y on the field didn''t improve, and the final score settled at seven to one¡ªa bloodbath.


    In fact, there was a little-known side story to this match, essible only to those of a certain high status privy to insider information.


    Many had heard that the Northern Ridge Countess had attended the match and wagered 3,000 Gold Coins on a bet that the Bailu team would win by ten to one.


    Everyone knew that the Northern Ridge Countess had been in a foul moodtely, so even the newspapers in Brunas chose to ignore the news of the Countess cing a heavy bet on ser, presumably out of disgust for the Great Tang men''s team.


    "The more I think about it, the more I feel like Northern Ridge has be my shackle," Alice said, swirling her wine ss with a somewhat hazy look in her eyes as sheined to the woman beside her.


    The maid, who recently felt as if she were on the verge of consummating her rtionship with the man of her dreams, sighed andmented, "We women have it tough. Those men are only focused on their careers, they don''t have time for us."


    "You said it... as we wait and wait, they achieve great sess, but we... we just get old," Alice said, looking at the lovely liquid in her ss and nodding with a trace of mncholy.


    This was a low-alcohol beverage made with the finest moonlight wine from the Elf Race, perfect for women to drink, with a sweeter and more fragrant taste.


    Its only w was its cost¡ªsourced from the highest quality moonlight wine of the Elf Race, it was already pricey, and the other drinks mixed into it were not cheap either.


    "How can you call yourself old... You are just in your twenties! His Majesty Tang Mo is older than you... Do you know how hard it is for me? Harry is so much younger than me," the maid grumbled and sighed again, setting down her wine ss.


    To outsiders, both of them were the envy of others, and their lives were far more exciting than those of most people.


    The maid, when apanying Sofia, had wielded a power beyond the wildest dreams of many men, and she was already more sessful than ny-nine percent of the popce back then.


    Now on her own in Brunas, she became a liaison between Shireck and the Great Tang Group, her status too noble to put into words.


    In every banquet she attended, every person present was a socialite, and many Earls and Marquises from various countries would have to nod and bow at the sight of her.


    Because she could obtain information and resources inessible to others, her smallpany''s profitability was astonishing; she didn''t even know how much money she had made in the past two years.


    Measuring sess merely by the amount of money, she could almost describe herself as very, very sessful, yet she was not happy.


    Because she had fallen for a much younger man, one who was even more sessful in his career...


    This was truly a heart-wrenching matter. If she needed a man, countless men would eagerly court her, as the maid was very beautiful, otherwise she would not have caught Sofia''s eye.


    With her formidable fortune, any kind of man would be easy toe by. Men coveted beauty and wealth, both of which the maid had in abundance.


    But she had taken a fancy to a man who was stronger than her in every aspect, a man she had to chase after nervously, and with trepidation.


    "Harry is just like Tang Mo, a blockhead! If you don''t tell him you like him, he acts as if he really doesn''t know," Alice said empathetically, as she seemed to have pursued Tang Mo in the past as well.


    "It''s different! That guy, Harry, he knows it in his heart but puts on a confused act!" The maid fumed with teeth clenched as she spoke of him.


    It was helpless; Harry''s social status was such that it was highly unlikely he would throw away his bright future for a woman like the maid, whose background was not so clean.


    So, without Tang Mo''s permission, Harry would not make any moves, even if he genuinely liked the maid.


    To settle this matter, the maid had done many things, including quite a few that betrayed Sofia, just to get on Tang Mo''s list by a narrow margin.


    After so many demonstrations of loyalty, which cost her Shireck''s trust, the maid finally gained Tang Mo''s tacit approval to pursue Harry.


    A woman made so many sacrifices for love, just thinking about it made one feel bitter. The maid picked up her wine ss again and took a big gulp, letting the spicy sensation slide down her throat, which made her feel a bit morefortable.@@novelbin@@


    Fortunately, after the bitternesses the sweetness. On her thirty-second birthday, Harry finally gave her the long-awaited reward, a brand-new Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith.


    Well, that''s extravagant.


    But, such a gift at the level of Harry or the maid, actually, is really nothing to them. Both are wealthy, truly wealthy...


    "But, I made it!" she boasted proudly, herugh filled with satisfaction and happiness. She didn''t care whether that broken car was worth any money; what mattered to her was that her efforts had finally been reciprocated.


    "You''re lucky, being by Harry''s side, you can follow him wherever he goes..." Alice said enviously, "I must stay at Northern Ridge, which my father entrusted to me, but now my love is on Dragon Ind."


    "You actually have it tougher than me." The maid looked at Alice with pity, they had the wealth other women could never achieve in their lifetime, yet they longed for the love that came so easily to ordinary people.


    The maid understood Alice, knowing she couldn''t let go of Northern Ridge, which her father cared about deeply. But now, for Alice, Northern Ridge seemed like a shackle, a prison that confined her.


    "Yes, I was the earliest one, but now, I''m the furthest one. I don''t even know if he remembers me anymore." Alice''s voice cracked as she spoke, on the verge of tears.


    "Doesn''t he send you a telegram every day?" The maid was startled, then quickly tried to console the heartbroken youngdy.


    Indeed, it didn''t matter whether Alice was the Earl of Northern Ridgemanding hundreds of thousands of elite troops or the actual controller of the multi-million Northern Ridge industrialplex; she was still just a young girl.


    "Do you know how many secretaries His Majesty the King has? Do you think there''s one specifically to write love letters to me?" Alice leaned back in her chair, weakly mocking herself.


    Without the nourishment of love, it''s hard for a woman.


    "Don''t be silly, how could he do such a thing..." the maid quicklyforted her but suddenly realized that it was indeed a possibility.


    Men, after all, can be dismissive. Isn''t that the attitude they have towards women they''ve secured? The wealthy buy a bag for theirdy during holidays to keep them happy, and those without money... those without money don''t deserve to have a woman.


    Tang Mo was now His Majesty the King who owned a nation! He had to deal with various affairs every day and secretly control and manage the massive Great Tang Group, certainly a tiring task.


    And this King did notck women, constantly surrounded by romantic encounters, with at least two official ones on the books. With opportunities so close at hand, it was really uncertain whether Tang Mo could still remember Alice, his old me.


    "Sigh..." With this thought, the maid couldn''t help but sigh. Now that she and Alice had be close friends, she tended to see things from Alice''s perspective, which made her worry a bit for Alice. Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Because I have to oversee Northern Ridge, I don''t even have a proper status. If I were to marry him, my rule over Northern Ridge would have legal loopholes," Alice said, her head aching at the thought of these troublesome matters, "What did I do wrong? Why should the gods punish me like this?"


    "The contributions you''ve made to Northern Ridge, your people will remember them in their hearts," the maid had tofort her once again.


    Just then, the door was pushed open, and Harry walked in. He went over to Alice, bowed respectfully, and then said, "His Majesty asked me to bring this to you."


    With that, he gestured with a wave of his hand, signaling the servants behind him to bring a piece of equipment, about the size of a mantel clock, in front of Alice.


    Alice had seen such a device before; her Northern Ridge was not a backwater ce, of course, it had cinemas. The device in front of her was a projector, but it seemed a bit moreplicated.


    Harry then immediately began to operate it. He plugged the device''s plug into the power socket on the wall and then returned to the side of the device, pressing a button on it.


    The disc on the device began to spin, and then Tang Mo''s slightly distorted voice came through the speakers below. What surprised Alice even more was that Tang Mo''s smiling face appeared in the light projected onto the wall.


    "Dear Miss Alice, this is a message from your most loyal suitor, Tang Mo..." From the speakers, Tang Mo''s voice apanied by the hum of electricity began to y. Watching Tang Mo''s image on the wall, Alice couldn''t hold back her tears any longer.


    Harry gave the maid a look, and, both knowing the situation well, they quietly left the room.


    Leaving Alice alone, leaning against the projector, quietly listening to Tang Mo''s love words spoken just for her.


    "Soon, we will have the opportunity to meet... The times are developing, progressing... I swear, distance will no longer be a problem, trust me..."


    Listening to Tang Mo''s voice, Alice wiped away her tears, unable to hold them back. It seemed all the long waiting was worth it in this moment.

 Chapter 538 504 No war in the north

    Far away in the Imperial City of the Empire of Na, within a luxurious pce, Mo Kangsen gazed resentfully at his son-inw, who was also the Emperor of Na.


    This time, he hade to deliver a telegram from the Great Tang Kingdom to Na XVI. He had already read the content of the telegram and knew just how important this message was.


    Na XVI had just finished reading the telegram, which wasn''t long in content, but the message within was enough to irritate him.


    His Empire was currently at war with the Laines Empire; however, the Laines'' situation was more passive, and it appeared that he might gain some advantage from the battlefield soon.


    But it was exactly at this moment that the damnable King of the Great Tang Kingdom sent a telegram, requesting him to show some face and make peace with the Laines Empire.


    For an Emperor, Na XVI felt that this talk of ''showing face'' was an outright insult to his intelligence!


    In the face of national interests, aren''t personal rtionships just child''s y? What Emperor would change national strategies because of private friendships or kinship?


    You must know that the Empire of Na had shifted crisis and conflict to their advantage in this war, reaping substantial benefits. Now that he was about to gain yet more from the Laines Empire, how could he possibly stop so easily?


    Why? Huh? Why should he, the Emperor of the Great Tang Kingdom, change his will just because of a few light words in a telegram? Did Na XVI not care about his dignity?


    Yet, at least on the surface, Na XVI couldn''t really lose his temper; he indeed had to give face to this King of the Great Tang Kingdom he had never met.


    There was no choice; he had once been saved by the other party, who had timely delivered medicine that truly saved the dying Na XVI.


    The face of a life-saver must be given, no matter what, but national matters required different considerations.


    Na XVI felt that if Tang Mo were to visit the Empire of Na, he would definitely treat him with the highest honor and could even disregard the King''s status, deigning to treat Tang Mo as an equal.


    Be it beautiful women or treasures of inestimable value, he would not be stingy; should Tang Mo ask for it, he would not hesitate to even gift the gems from his crown.


    But personal rtionships are personal rtionships, and now the Empire of Na was at a critical moment of rejuvenation and rise! How could he give up such an opportunity because of a telegram?


    "Mo Kangsen... what do you think... I should do?" Having put down the telegram in his hand, Na XVI turned to his father-inw.


    Mo Kangsen felt a bit awkward, scratching his cheek with his hand before carefully replying, "Your Majesty, sometimes, sentimental bonds do sound moreforting than interests..." Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Sound more...forting?" Na XVI truly hadn''t expected his father-inw to say such a thing.


    No wonder he was puzzled, for in terms of capability, Mo Kangsen, with his seven parts dandy and three parts mediocre, had not much to shine at to leave a deep impression on His Majesty the Emperor.


    In fact, if Mo Kangsen had to figure it out by himself, he wouldn''t have been able toe up with such a muddled remark¡ªit was only after receiving another telegram from Great Tang that he learned to say this.


    And this statement was actually intended to remind the possibly confused Emperor of Na to carefully consider the true meaning written in this telegram.


    Hearing the word forting'', Na XVI also immediately caught on; anyone who could sit on the Emperor''s throne was naturally cunning, and such matters were understood at a single hearing.


    He also knew that Mo Kangsen might just be a messenger, hinting that he should know that talking about feelings and face was just the other''s way of not wanting toplicate matters.


    Na XVI couldn''t help but calm down and consider whether his life-saving benefactor was really just discussing personal rtions with him.


    To tell the truth, Na XVI did not quite understand the terrifying power of the Great Tang Group; the phrase "the sky''s high and the Emperor''s far away" meant he could not directly feel the overwhelming oppression of the Great Tang Group.


    He really didn''t know that, at its most fearsome, the Great Tang Group had, by its lonesome power, kept the strongest nations within the current highest-jumping trade alliance from even thinking of defiance.


    It was only after the Great Tang Group began its westward expansion that those world powers, who previously didn''t dare to so much as fart, started the current chaotic war drama.


    Now, with the Great Tang Group back and wishing for all countries to conduct business honestly and orderly, many countries had calmed down again, prepared to ept the terms of the Great Tang Group.


    However, although he may not know just how ruthless the Great Tang Group could be, the Emperor of the Na Empire was somewhat aware of the influence the Great Tang Group had within the inner workings of Na.


    At least the father-inw before his eyes, and his own Empress, were both deeply influenced by the Great Tang Group.


    There was also that undying Prime Minister and some officials who had received benefits; they all had intricate connections with the Great Tang Group.


    "Your rtionship with Tang King has always been quite good... Tell me, do you think Tang King, far away as he is, actually has the ability to bring this war to a true halt?" the cautious Emperor of Na XVI asked the person before him.


    Mo Kangsen finally understood why his friend from Great Tang had instructed him to memorize so manyplex diplomatic rtions.


    "The Great Tang Kingdom, or rather the Great Tang Group, has always been supporting the Dwarfs of the Ice Cold Empire, and their rtionship is very solid. The Dwarfs have not gone to war with the countries in the trade alliance, so they are very likely to choose a ceasefire to maintain their cooperation with the Great Tang Group," Mo Kangsen parroted.


    After finishing, he paused for a moment. In fact, he was recalling what he had memorized before his arrival: "The Orcs'' Gales Kingdom, since its restoration, hasn''t had much foundation. As long as the Great Tang Group threatens them a bit, they would easily submit and choose to ceasefire with the Por Kingdom."


    "I understand now." Upon hearing Mo Kangsen reach this point, Emperor Na XVI immediately realized that the Great Tang Group really might be able to quell the war.


    Once Gales Kingdom and Por Kingdom dere a ceasefire, Songmu Kingdom was certainly not going to stand alone and would surely agree to peace talks.


    In this way, the Ice Cold Empire, along with Gales Kingdom, Por Kingdom, Songmu Kingdom, and Suthers Kingdom would all withdraw from the war.


    That is to say, the entire Northern Region of the continent would restore peace in a short time, and if the Empire of Na continued to wage war against the Laines Empire, it would waste the precious opportunity to restore trade and develop peacefully.


    In fact, after expanding its territory to the north, the Empire of Na had also reaped some benefits. If it withdrew from the war at this moment, it actually wouldn''t be at a loss.


    In a sense, if what Mo Kangsen said were true, and peace in the Northern Region could indeed be restored quickly, a ceasefire might be even more beneficial to the Empire of Na.


    After all, expecting the Laines Empire to copse under the pressure of fighting on two fronts and then conceding interests would require a great deal of time, like wagering on the cost of war.


    How long the Laines Empire couldst, or how long the Great Tang Group, willing to finance Laines to undermine the Empire of Na, hoped the Laines Empire would hold out, was beyond the Empire of Na''s control.


    If no war dividends were obtained and losses could not bepensated by victory, the advantages that the Empire of Na had gained would all be in vain.


    Emperor Na XVI fell into deep thought, weighing the pros and cons. He contemted how long the Empire of Na couldst if the Great Tang Group truly began to support the Laines Empire.


    In the end, he concluded that actually, the Empire of Na couldn''t hold out for long. Once the war dragged on without hope of victory, everything the Empire of Na had swallowed up to now would backfire on the Empire of Na.


    It seemed that the other party''s plea for mercy was actually just giving him, the Emperor, a way to step down with dignity. On the surface, he could even im that he had repaid the favor he owed for his life¡­ With this thought, Emperor Na XVI felt as if he had indeed gotten the better end of the bargain!


    After a momentary daze, Emperor Na XVI unexpectedly felt some gratitude towards Tang Mo. Then he picked up the telegram again and looked over the text on the paper.@@novelbin@@


    Following that, he raised his head and instructed Mo Kangsen, "Bring the Ambassador from the Great Tang Kingdom here, I have something to say to him."


    Mo Kangsen knew that he had fulfilled his task and hurriedly stood up to leave the room, his increasingly corpulent body barely squeezing through the door.


    Watching Mo Kangsen''s departure, Emperor Na XVI sighed. How wonderful it would be if that undying Prime Minister were dead¡ªMo Kangsen was so much easier to deal withpared to the old man.


    Meanwhile, just as Emperor Na XVI was summoning the envoy from the Tang Kingdom, a shocking piece of news suddenly spread, jolting Brunas'' stock market and beginning to impact the futures market.


    Having gained an advantage, the Suthers Kingdom, after annexing a neighboring country, suddenly dered they would exercise restraint in the future, halt all acts of war, and ensured that for theing year, they would not dere war on any nation unless attacked.


    Upon this announcement, the stock market in Brunas surged, and everyone began to celebrate, believing that the war might finallye to an end!


    Then, just a few hourster, the Ice Cold Empire also dered a cessation of all hostilities. This news set those following the war abuzz with excitement.


    To everyone''s astonishment, negotiations between Gales and Por, and Por and Songmu, suddenlymenced. Although no one knew how long the talks wouldst, the news of the negotiations was undeniably out there.


    Even more astonishingly, all three countries simultaneously announced a cessation of all military operations during the peace talks. The war in the entire Northern Region of the continent, within a single day, came to an abrupt end like that.

 Chapter 539 505 New Battleship

    The sound of metal clinking echoed through the shipyard, arge shipbuilding factory owned by Shireck, originally dedicated to producing steel Ming Wheel Ships.


    Now, Sofia had taken it over, and she gathered more than half of the consortium''s elite workers to build the Shireck Consortium''s own super warship here.


    Having acquired propeller propulsion technology, Sofia naturally could not stand idly by and watch the Great Tang Group dominate the seas. Therefore, Sofia wanted to be a challenger, or rather, a sharer of maritime interests!


    The massive hull was redesigned, and this warship sported a brand-new design, presenting an unprecedented challenge to Shireck''s designers.


    In the end, the experienced designers stillpleted their task, and then began the construction of this behemoth!


    The Shireck super warship took inspiration from the Great Tang Group''s Dreadnought design philosophy. After all, Jade City-ss battleships had visited Qi Country and had been to Brunas, their appearance witnessed by many.


    The imposing hull and the mighty cannons on it left asting impression on many. Various painters had depicted the Dreadnought docked in the port, one of which even ended up in Tang Mo''s collection.


    Since many technologies had already spread, it was often possible to easily copy a rival''s design just by using one''s eyes.


    Imitating developed designs could save a lot of trouble. Shireck''s new battleships were giarized just like that.


    Regrettably, a mere imitation would always fall short, and after copying the exterior, Shireck''s designers encountered unprecedented difficulties in many critical aspects.


    For example, Shireck copied the turretyout and exterior design of the Dreadnought but could not replicate the internal structure of the warship.


    Especially the long-range optical sighting equipment exclusive to the Great Tang Group, which requires precision engineering, was impossible to giarize.


    Topensate for the performance gap caused by such issues, Shireck''s solution was to increase tonnage, add more armor, and erge the caliber of the cannons¡­


    This method was akin to boosting the in-game stats: thicker armor andrger cannon calibers naturally meant a more powerful warship.


    However, in reality, arger caliber doesn''t always mean stronger firepower, nor does thicker armor guarantee higher defense.


    Defensive capability depends not only on the thickness of the armor but also on the technology used to assemble it, the quality of the armor, and the position it''s installed...


    Firepower is not just about cannon caliber but also involves the density of fire, the choice of ammunition types, and considerations of chamber pressure and firing rates.


    Moreover, sometimes technology isn''t something you can surpass simply because you want to.


    The foreman overseeing the construction of Shireck''s Dreadnought was discussing this very "super" Dreadnought with his boss, "Sir, about the lifespan of our 320mm cannon barrels... actually..."


    "You don''t need to worry about that! Although the lifespan may not be impressive, its theoretical performance is certainly stronger than Great Tang Group''s 305mm caliber," the supervisor said proudly.


    Despite being behind in metallurgical technology and cannon casting techniques, Shireck, relying on their profound foundations, still managed to produce the 320mm cannons.


    This new caliber gave Shireck''s battleships, with ayout simr to the Jade City-ss, seemingly stronger firepower.


    For Shireck, as long as the specifications on paper looked better, customers would be satisfied and willing to pay, and that was enough for them!


    The workers in the distance wereboriously perfecting the immense hull. To support more armor, Shireck''s warships had a discement exceeding 25,000 tons!


    Theplicated and outdated internal design of the hull wasted a lot of discement, resulting in the overall defense of therger and heavier new Shireck battleships being barely stronger than that of the Jade City-ss.


    What was even more ironic was that without a modern power system like the Jade City-ss, Shireck had no choice but to use old-fashioned steam boilers for propulsion.


    This turned the top speed of Shireck''s version of the battleships into a joke: theoretically, they could barely keep up with a free-wheeling ship at full speed.


    "The one ordered by the people of Qi Country, I heard even their King is pinching pennies, eating only one meal a day," the leading supervisor said with pride: "Regardless, they all hope that we can build them a more powerful warship."


    Once, to intimidate Qi Country and deter them from coveting areas of interest to Qi Country and other Great Tang Kingdoms, two Jade City-ss battleships sailed to Qi Country, disying a show of force that carried a heavy threat.


    During the visit, the two warships even pointed their main cannons at Qi Country''s port, terrifying the Qi Country King to the extent that he hardly dared utter another harsh word.


    After the Great Tang Kingdom''s battleships left Qi Country, the entire country regarded this threatening event as a profound disgrace.


    The prideful people of the Shireck Kingdom approached Shireck, hoping Shireck could manufacture more powerful warships to help them dominate the Great Tang Kingdom.


    As it happened, Shireck was also building dreadnoughts, so they took the Shireck Kingdom''s delegation to inspect the shipyards where the warships were being constructed. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire


    The Shireck procurement group was quite satisfied with Shireck''s new battleships and immediately ced an order. This purchase nearly emptied the Shireck Kingdom''s national treasury reserves.


    In order to regain their lost honor, the monarch of Shireck ate only one meal a day to inspire his subjects to tighten their belts and prepare for war through frugality and sacrifice.


    Under the leadership of His Majesty, everyone in Shireck tightened their belts, donated money and materials, and frenziedly raised funds to purchase warships.


    How frenzied? So frenzied that the children of Shireck even developed a game called "Sink the Jade City."


    Now, the Shireck Navy could be said to have been reborn, with itsbat power even surpassing that of other countries'' navies by arge margin.


    At least on paper, the Shireck Navy had purchased one Brunas-ss irond warship from the Great Tang Group and spent money to procure five new destroyers introduced by the Great Tang Group.


    This was actually only the tip of the iceberg concerning the Shireck Navy''s procurement, with the focus being on various types of military vessels built by the Shireck Consortium.


    Topensate for the losses in thest naval battle with the Great Tang Group, Shireck purchased 30 new warships from Shireck in a single breath, and went bankrupt buying three battleships that were under construction.


    If one merely looked at the number of warships, the Shireck Navy''s data was quite frightening: they had 36 new warships and three battleships, plus a dozen or so Ming Wheel Ships left over from thest war...


    Although the Great Tang Kingdom''s navy clearly had more ships and seemed to be of better quality, the Great Tang Navy had to be spread across Brunas, Dragon Ind, Eternal Winter City, Winterless City, Linshui, and Dongwan Port.


    Thus, the Great Tang Navy, which had controlled the seas since its inception, seemed to have encountered a challenger this time, an ignorant challenger.


    Unfortunately, themanders of the Shireck Navy didn''t yet know that the warships they had spent all their money on were essentiallyrge toys with poorer targeting systems, garbage propulsion systems, tonnage without adequate protection, and outdated artillery technology.


    "As far as I know, we''re not the only ones building simr warships, right?" the chief Shireck craftsman asked in a low voice.


    "Indeed, as far as I''m aware, many countries are building their own new warships, somerger, some smaller," said the Shireck Consortium executive with his hands behind his back, quite sentimental.


    In the past, Shireck monopolized the workshops of many countries and nearly had a monopoly on the construction of sail warships.


    Because at that time, whoever built warships needed to purchase cannons from Shireck to arm those sail warships.


    But now, as technology has spread, and some countries have graduallypleted industrialization, or at least partial industrialization, they all possess a certain production capacity.


    As these countries industrialized, they took back control of weapon production into their own hands, which actually broke Shireck Consortium''s previous marketing model.


    For Shireck, the loss brought about by many countries gradually escaping its control was already causing them great distress.


    Countries no longer named their warships after the producer; they preferred to use Great Tang Group''s naming method, categorizing their own warships as destroyers, ironds, cruisers, and battleships. It''s just that actually, no country was equipped with battleships, and most didn''t even have cruisers.


    To catch up with the gap, various countries were trying every means possible to enhance the power of their own navies - if they couldn''t purchase them, they would build their own.@@novelbin@@


    Consequently, many new types of warships emerged like bamboo shoots after a rain, with many countries also making so-called improvements to their own warships, resulting in a plethora of oddities.


    Some countries primarily focused on imitation, copying the destroyers of the Great Tang Group or the Shireck Consortium.


    Others focused on improvement, arbitrarily equipping destroyers withrger caliber guns, or creating monsters that were between the tonnage of cruisers and destroyers.


    All in all, the development of naval vessels was still in a primitive state, with everyone''s imagination running wild and many immature design ideas.


    It was the same with tanks.


    "By next year, we will see a fascinating picture where those maritime nations with more warships rise up to challenge the dominance of the Great Tang Group,"ughed the head of Shireck coldly, as if seeing the Great Tang Group in deep trouble.


    "That''s really great!" the craftsman leader quickly offered his ttery, "With your assistance, Lady Sofia, you will surely win the final victory!"


    "Heh, hahahaha!" Thecent Shireck leader, upon hearing thepliment, became even more smug andughed heartily.

 Chapter 540 506 sells tanks

    "This is our newlyunched weapon! In fact, we had designed this type of weapon two years ago, but¡­ our chief designer didn''t think it was quite ready, so we didn''tunch it," the salesman introducing the new weapon said with a look of regret, as if everything he said was true.


    He sighed, then continued to the visitors, "Unexpectedly, someone else got there first. Reluctantly, we have now decided to release this still-under-development weapon to meet the defense needs of various countries."


    "We call this brand-new war machine a Tank, Tank! From now on, this weapon will be known as a tank, because the term ''war machine'' just doesn''t do justice to its power," the salesman said, beginning to introduce the behemoth behind him.


    Actually, the salesman wasn''t telling the truth, because Great Tang Group had not designed and produced this outdated tank, which was nearly indistinguishable from a water cab two years ago.


    Great Tang Group had initially taken a route simr to that of the Renault Tank, a smaller and lighter model that was leagues ahead of this World War I tank.


    Besides the different design philosophies, Great Tang Group had skipped explorations like over-the-top tracks and directly chosen more advanced engines and gearboxes, also endowing the tank with higher speed and better defense.


    Now, the tanks equipped by the Great Tang Group were already mature models from the World War II era. To bring out such World War I tanks was purely to swindle money from the nouveau riche.


    If Shireck revealed such poor performance simr to the A7V tank, then don''t me Great Tang Group for suppressing technological innovation.


    As he spoke, the salesman from Great Tang Group began to expound on the exceptional capabilities of this brand-new tank.


    Although these were merely substandard products brought out by Great Tang Group to meet the demands of various countries, they were still the closest thing resembling a tank that the nations could purchase at that stage.


    At least this thing had two over-the-top tracks, allowing it to cross obstacles on the battlefield at a faster speed. In this regard, it was infinitely better than Shireck''s tanks.


    These two types of tanks had entirely different approaches to utilizing tracks: Great Tang Group''s tanks used tracks to give the tank better off-road maneuverability, while Shireck used tracks to ensure that the tank wouldn''t sink into the mud due to ground pressure¡­


    "The new tank is equipped with short-barreled 75mm caliber cannons on both sides, which can help the tank destroy all enemy bunkers and targets on both nks!" The salesman''s enthusiastic introduction captivated the visitors, who were awed by this massive breakthrough weapon for fortifications.


    While they had already heard of Shireck''s famed war machines, actually seeing these tanks as weapons was still a shock to them.


    Once such a massive weapon appeared on the battlefield, it indeed could cause the enemy''s soldiers to lose their will to fight. Faced with such weaponry, it''s hard to keep soldiers'' spirits up.


    The majority of weapons in the hands of ordinary soldiers were ineffective against tanks, which ensured that our troops could break through the enemy''s heavily fortified lines with minimal casualties by relying on tanks.


    "It can destroy enemy bunkers and also attack enemy tanks! With this weapon, whether on defense or offense, you can gain a significant advantage," the salesman spoke in a way that piqued all the visitors'' interest.


    The buyers were keen to purchase this new kind of weapon called a tank, in hopes of prating troublesome trench lines in the future. Moreover, they hoped to acquire a type of equipment that could counter enemy tanks.


    Certainly, if one''s own tanks could both break through the enemy''s defenses and tackle the enemy tanks, that would mean spending money for a dual-purpose¡ªa deal that was too good to pass up.


    Seeing the eagerness in everyone''s eyes to spend money, the salesman took the opportunity to introduce another tank next to him: "Of course, to better suppress enemy weapons, we also have a machine-gun version!"


    The other model of the tank was armed with four machine guns, which could deal with infantry inside surrounding emcements. Though its firepower was reduced, the attack density was increased, and the sustainability of the firepower was improved.


    It was an important supplement to the cannon tank. If used together, they couldplement and cover each other.@@novelbin@@


    In fact, thisbination followed the most basic pairing philosophy of tanks and armored personnel carriers¡ªoverall, it was the correct approach, and also quite advanced.


    Naturally, upon hearing the salesman''s pitch, the envoys attending the weapons exhibition became tempted.


    This was especially true for the Dwarf Envoy from the Ice Cold Empire, who took a liking to this British-Chinese fusion style after one nce. Consequently, he directly asked about the price: "So, how much for these weapons?"


    "Both models of the tank are priced the same, each at 350 Gold Coins," the salesman replied immediately, sensing a deal in the making.


    This price actually wasn''t high; it could even be said to be very fair: ording to the current prices of Great Tang Group, one civilian car sold for about 75 Gold Coins under the influence of intion.


    That is to say, the price of five cars was roughly equivalent to one tank, and from any angle, this pricing was very affordable.


    But everyone knew that just buying these tanks and taking them back would likely mean that they could not be used right away¡ªpersonnel needed training, tactics required practice,mand had to be learned, and support needed to be rebuilt.


    The representatives of countries who had begun to understand modern warfare knew that simply calcting the price of a single tank was clearly incorrect.


    Sure enough, the salesman soon reminded them, "The price of personnel training needs to be calcted separately, and the establishment of a tank troop also requires a brand-new logistics support troop. The cost of equipment for the repair factories is also an additional charge..."


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    Then, he offered a less troublesome quote, "The package purchase price is 500 Gold Coins per tank, which is actually not expensive, considering the substantial discount. However, there is a minimum purchase quantity... starting at 300 units."


    Even so, the price was not considered expensive, for the tanks obviously used better engines, needed more steel, and had two cannons. To offer them at this price was very conscientious indeed.


    "We hope everyone can understand that we also have research and development costs as well as operating costs." Seeing the people''s lively discussion, the salesman continued to exin.


    Even at 500 Gold Coins per tank, most countries that had profited from the war did not find it overly expensive.


    What they wanted was to quickly form their own tank troops, learn the new tactics of this weapon, and ensure that their militaries could take the advantage in the next war!


    Do you not see, the Ice Cold Empire and Suthers Kingdom utilized airships to gain tremendous advantages in this war? The results with airships led them to swift victory and also demonstrated the immense value of new weapons.


    Do you not see, how a nation like Gobur almost defeated Dorne Kingdom, which had two renowned generals of the age, with just tanks?


    If they don''t have their own tanks before the next war breaks out, that is when they will be in real danger.


    Originally, everyone was thinking about purchasing a batch of Shireck''s tanks to equip their troops, but the frontline situation in Gobur made many adopt a wait-and-see attitude.


    Some countries, eager to buy, inquired about the price despite the urgency of the war only to find that, as Shireck needed tomit more tanks tobat, they could not provide any immediately avable units.


    If you wanted to get your hands on the tanks, you would have to wait several months, or even a year, a delivery speed that most of the countries'' top echelons felt they could not afford to wait for.


    Those days are long gone when the Great Tang Group could dy delivery for over a year and still have people lining up to buy Irond Warships.


    Due to industrial development, everyone now had more choices. When the Great Tang Group couldn''t provide Irond Warships on time, didn''t these countries turn to Shireck for new ships?


    Conversely, when Shireck couldn''t provide immediate stock, they all turned back to the Great Tang Group, a move that was utterly natural and sloppy.


    For the countries involved, orders worth tens of thousands of Gold Coins were actually not considered expensive. The Ice Cold Empire''s envoy didn''t hesitate to put down a deposit. Suthers Kingdom did the same, since they had also reaped arge windfall from the war.


    The contracts were even already drafted, with the Great Tang Group set to deliver 500 tanks to both countries within a year, the specific models differing slightly in quantity ording to each country''s needs.


    Gales, Por, and Songmu, the three countries that had ostensibly returned to peace, unfortunately, did not reap any benefits as they fought for a year, essentially just wasting ammunition.


    Gales was still alright, but Por Kingdom and Songmu Kingdom even lost a substantial number of expensive naval and air force units, which can be described as crippling.


    Under such circumstances, the finances of several countries were actually not so affluent; therefore, their procurement of tanks also seemed somewhat frugal.


    They too ordered 300 tanks, but they did not need Great Tang Group to hurry with the delivery. Instead, they were willing to dy the timing in exchange for a cheaper price.


    Soon, they got what they wished for and secured a slightly more favorable price, though the first batch of tanks would not be avable until 3 monthster.


    After all, with each country cing orders for several hundred tanks, they certainly could not all be produced at once, and so deliveries were scheduled in batches ording to the contracts.


    Great Tang Group''s factories in Brunas and Jade City went into full production capacity and began the round-the-clock manufacturing of the Mark 1 tank.


    Subsequently, the envoy from the still warring Laines Empire and the envoy from Dorne Kingdom to the south both arrived in Jade City.


    They too were interested in Tang Group''s tanks and wanted to obtain some immediately. Clearly, they hoped to rely on Great Tang tanks to continue their wars, which they were close to not being able to sustain.

 Chapter 541 507 new layout

    "Teacher! Even you are leaving?" a young apprentice asked in a corner of the bustling workshop, looking at the old craftsman drinking tea from a mug.


    The tea-sipping craftsman blew on the scalding liquid, nced at his apprentice, and revealed a helpless smile, "I wasn''t originally from Brunas, and this ce is not my hometown... So for me, leaving or staying, it makes no difference."


    "But, Teacher! You''ve worked here for five years already!" another apprentice protested with reluctance.


    "Sigh," the craftsman sighed, then looked at the apprentices gathered around him and continued tofort them, "Great Tang Group has been good to me, offering hope when I was at my lowest. This time, moving to Linshui is the organization''s arrangement, and I have no reason to refuse."


    The old man didn''t mention that to persuade him to go to Linshui, Great Tang Group had offered him double the sry and promised him a house at Linshui Port within two years.


    In Brunas, he hadn''t qualified for a house, but now Great Tang Group was giving him a second chance; how could he not seriously consider it?


    Though Linshui was really far for him, he discussed it with his children, and they all felt that moving to Linshui would provide better opportunities.


    His children had all learned valuable skills; one even worked at the Brunas City Hall. The other two were senior craftsmen, which were highly sought after in the factories of Great Tang Group.


    The officials who spoke with him hinted at some details, such as the possibility for his entire family to move to Linshui and be considered as Tang People afterward.


    Not only were their sries guaranteed, but his grandchildren would also be able to attend school in Linshui for free¡ªthe quality of education was high there, and the teachers had been transferred from Brunas.


    Not to mention the way Great Tang Group took them in during their toughest times, providing work and helping them through the hardest years. Just the benefits of moving to Linshui alone were very decent.


    Hearing that their teacher was determined to leave, the apprentices all showed faces of regret. Since they had joined the factory, they had been learning from this old craftsman and knew he had real skills.


    In Great Tang Group, what was most valuable were probably these craftsmen who had umted their skills over generations.


    They each had their own trade; skilled workers could even diagnose a machine''s fault just by its sound, determining how it affected the manufacturing precision.


    These workers could tell with a touch if a steel te was t, with errors precise to one-tenth or even one-fiftieth of a millimeter!


    If there really is such a thing as the spirit of craftsmanship in the world, then these masters truly possessed it.


    Being able to learn from these masters was a great honor for the apprentices. If they could master eighty percent of the skills, they would be key figures in the factory, maybe even lead their own apprentices and earn multiple sries!


    The workers inside Great Tang Group were wellpensated, and as their craftsmanship level increased, they could even receive expensive property and enviable wages.


    Some highly skilled workers could even afford their own cars, and the wealthier ones could afford leisure and entertainment in thevish Brunas district.


    "You little brats, I always told you to learn your skills diligently, but you were always cking off. Now that I''m leaving, you finally feel the loss?" The old manughed, took a light sip of tea, and chided his apprentices, "I''ll still be here for a month. Thisst chance is yours to seize as much as you can!"


    His words immediately filled the apprentices with determination, knowing that their ability to stand on their own depended on this final month.


    "Teacher! I''m having some trouble understanding this part!" After a brief rest, an apprentice called out to his teacher by the machine.


    "Control the speed here! Find the right angle!" The old worker didn''t hold back, sharing all he knew. He received a special allowance each month, which was awarded based on his apprentices'' progress.


    In the workshop, machines operated in orderly fashion, as every worker tirelessly manipted the equipment in front of them, processing various parts.


    The factory was actually quite new, having been built in less than three years. In that time, the factory''s production equipment had been reced three times, with the first two recements even urring within less than six months of each other.


    In the workshop supervisor''s office, a middle-aged man in sses looked at the staff relocation paperwork and irritably lit up a cigarette.


    He nced at the colleague who had brought in the documents and said dissatisfied, "My workshop hasn''t added any new equipment or reced any old ones in over a year."@@novelbin@@


    "I know, what''s so surprising about that?" The colleague who delivered the documents obviously didn''t want to dwell on the matter and simply smiled and retorted.


    "It''s not just my workshop; I''ve asked around, and it seems our entire factory is in this situation," said the workshop director, exhaling a smoke ring, staring at the other person. "Don''t tell me that we''ve offended someone higher up, and they''re not giving us technology upgrades, are they?"


    In the past, in Brunas, a factory''s production equipment would be updated about once every seven or eight months. But now, it''s been a year and a month, and they still haven''t received any updates for more advanced equipment.


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    At the same time, throughout this past year, they have been producing an engine model that was finalized a year and a half ago¡ªand this engine''s performance is now quite ordinary.


    With technology improving worldwide, sticking to producing an engine from over a year ago doesn''t cut itpetitively, leaving everyone at the factory feeling lost.


    "You''re really sensitive, aren''t you? There''s no such thing," the other person still yed dumb and spread his hands with a helpless expression, "As for the specific situation, I don''t know either, I''m just a low-level employee."


    "It''s bad enough that the equipment isn''t being upgraded, but that''s the industry nning from those above, so we won''t think too much about it," the workshop director took a deep drag on his cigarette, then continued, "But what are you in the HR department doing? Pulling out our key production personnel one by one. How am I supposed toplete production training?


    How am I supposed to organize production?"


    His words made the colleague who hade to deliver documents scratch his head in embarrassment and let out a helpless sigh, exining, "It''s not our intention, it''s the higher-ups'' orders. We just follow the directives, and I don''t know the specifics either."


    "Sigh..." The workshop director sighed with frustration as well, feeling an unfair sense of abandonment. "This is unfair!"


    In fact, many had noticed that the Great Tang Group was intentionally or unintentionally shifting its industries toward Dragon Ind and Linshui''s Tongcheng.


    After all, those were the real safe havens, and since they were newly established cities, their industrialyouts would certainly be more logical than Brunas. Most importantly, they werepletely under Tang Mo''s control.


    In order to industrialize Tang Country as much as possible, the Great Tang Group was frantically reassigning workers, teachers, and management staff from ces like Brunas and Jade City.


    This kind of shift was ruthless and came at no small cost, adversely affecting the normal development of Brunas and Jade City.


    Originally, everyone estimated that Brunas'' poption would exceed 3 million this year, but now it still hovers around 1.7 million.


    Jade City might have broken through 800,000 inhabitants, but now it just has over 500,000 with almost no change in the past year.


    Besides poption decline, factory development has also slowed. Technological innovations that used to take ce almost every month have now been at a standstill for a long time.


    The equipment remains the same; the products are still the same. The main products of Brunas are still those from more than a year ago.


    Thetest products from the Great Tang Group weren''t born in Brunas but rather in Dragon Ind, Linshui, or Tongcheng; it''s been a while since any new products emerged from Brunas.


    On the contrary, the older, capacity-demanding items are now being produced in Brunas: inexpensive civilian cars, free-wheels, outdated traction grenadeunchers, and foreign trade rifles and machine guns.


    If it weren''t for the fact that the Mark 1 model foreign trade Tank production was assigned to Brunas and Jade City, thetest military equipment being produced here would still be the Great Tang Group''s simplified version of the Destroyer...


    Such arrangements have caused some dissatisfaction in Brunas and Jade City. They feel that Tang Mo is showing undue preference to the newly acquired territories, neglecting these "old districts."


    However, many also understand that from both a strategic and investment efficiency standpoint, what Tang Mo or the Great Tang Group is doing now is reasonable.


    Tang Mo is building his own kingdom, and industrial relocation is inevitable. Moreover, it is more efficient for the upper management of the Great Tang Group to invest in and build new factories than to upgrade older ones.


    It''s a clear-cut matter: constructing new factories in new areas, selecting staff, and installingpletely new equipment is obviously much cheaper than upgrading equipment in existing factories.


    From Tang Mo''s perspective, having already invested his main Troops and management efforts in the western Tang Kingdom, he clearly doesn''t have the spare energy to take care of Brunas and Jade City anymore.


    From a strategic safety standpoint, it is a better choice to introduce new technologies to Dragon Ind or Tongcheng, Linshui.


    From an economic standpoint, building brand-new factories in Linshui and Tongcheng while maintaining existing production capacity in Brunas is undoubtedly the most efficient solution.


    In summary, although very reluctantly, at this moment, the Great Tang Kingdom is in the process of relocating Brunas to Linshui. It''s a massive undertaking that will take a long time, but it''s something that must be done.

 Chapter 542 508 moving

    Dragon Ind, where Tang Mo nodded in acknowledgement of his own thoughts during a small meeting with Nangong Hong and Roger, "I am indeed relocating the new industries deep into the hearnd of the Kingdom."


    "Compared to Brunas with almost no strategic depth and Jade City, Linshui and Tongcheng are obviously more suitable for increasing my investment," he did not hide, "Brunas is no longer a focus area for my business in the future, of this I am quite certain."


    Roger was a little unhappy, for Brunas was once the core industrial zone of the Great Tang Group and also carried his most bitter and glorious memories.


    Having always fought for Brunas, Roger had deep feelings for the ce. He also regarded it as his foundation, as well as the foundation of the Great Tang Group.


    Now that Tang Mo was giving up this foundation to shift the focal point to Dragon Ind and ces like Linshui, this made Roger very ufortable.


    Today''s Roger was not only the Prime Minister but also represented the interests of many who had risen to wealth from Brunas with Tang Mo in the early days.


    They were very worried that Tang Mo, after returning to Tang Country, was gradually abandoning the old system and relying on those ck-eyed, ck-haired fellow tribesmen who cameter.


    Tang Mo also knew Roger''s thoughts, and it wasn''t a time when he could feed himself without worrying about his family. Around him, a whole group of people had their own ideas.


    On one side, Roger was deeply concerned about the future of Brunas, while on the other, Nangong Hong was feeling clear and refreshed.


    In his eyes, as long as Tang Mo was willing to shift his focus, then he and the forces newly joined to the Great Tang Kingdom represented by him had hope.


    "The strategic depth of Brunas is indeed a problem," Tang Mo exined to Roger, "There''s no more room for expansion there, so it''s unsafe to ce important facilities there."


    Although he now relied on the more talented Nangong Hong, it didn''t mean he trusted Nangong Hong. In fact, the people Tang Mo trusted most in his group were still the old folks brought out from Brunas.


    Therefore, when making decisions unfavorable to Brunas, Tang Mo would exin his intentions to Roger to reassure him.


    "The chaos within the trade alliance this time has exposed many problems. For example, our old friend Leines I clearly has some ideas of his own," Tang Mo pointed to his temple, "Obviously, he is considering breaking away from our influence."


    "The Laines Empire is just a microcosm, actually Dorne, Suthers, these nations are all beginning to try to shake off our influence," Tang Mo said, spreading his hands helplessly, "When there was only Shireck before, they had no choice but to endure. Now that we''re here, they''re ready to hold onto their old lover Shireck to weaken our influence."


    "Sounds infuriating, doesn''t it?" Tang Mo said,ughing himself, "But no matter, they can''t get rid of us so easily."


    Tang Mo was confident about this; if anyone nned to make a move on Brunas, he would definitely receive news in advance. No matter how well they hid, they couldn''t escape his surveince.


    But Brunas''s strategic depth was really too small, with no room to maneuver. Therefore, Tang Mo couldn''t continue to invest in such a ce.


    Moreover,pared to his own territory, this ce was after all just a "leasednd," belonging to the Great Tang Group rather than the Great Tang Kingdom, so there were loopholes in the greater scheme of things.


    There was no choice before, Tang Mo could only develop in Brunas. Now that he had his own territory and better options, Tang Mo certainly could not continue to yearn for Brunas.


    So, looking at Roger, he voiced his own concerns, "The problem is, too deep an entanglement isn''t a good thing either. It''s possible that our ''old friends'' might inadvertently set their sights on us."


    "Many countries have applied for loans from us," he said, lighting a cigarette for himself, "If they don''t want to repay the money, or even want to gain more benefits... Attacking Brunas seems to be a rather good choice for them."


    The unexpected alliance between the Laines Empire and the Gobur Kingdom in this chaos was in itself like a warning bell for Tang Mo.


    The nations surrounding Brunas had already begun attempts to break free from the control of the Great Tang Group.


    For instance, Suthers attacked its neighbor to expand its territory, Dorne Kingdom dered war on Gobur, and the Laines Empire allied with Gobur¡ªall of these actions had not been consulted with Tang Mo.


    This uncontrobility forced Tang Mo to consider the safety of Brunas, so he took the opportunity to reduce his investment there.


    After all, wherever the new equipment is ced, it might as well be in safer ces like Linshui Port or Tongcheng.


    After all, with Dongwan Port providing cover from outside and the vast ind as support, Linshui Port''s geographical advantage was clearly much better than Brunas.


    Roger, now a smoker himself, saw Tang Mo light up a cigarette and knew he could follow suit, so he quickly lit one for himself.


    "Then why don''t we strengthen the defenses around Brunas? Great Tang''s military is invincible; they couldn''t possibly break through our defense line!" Amidst a brief silence broken only by the crisp sound of a lighter, the questioning Roger, cigarette alight, asked in bewilderment.


    "Because the strategic depth isn''t sufficient! If I assemble arge army to try to hold Brunas, the process of reinforcement would essentially be a threat to all neighboring countries! By amassing our troops on the border, everyone would see us as a threat," Tang Mo continued to exin.


    Previously, Tang Mo had followed Nangong Hong''s advice and expanded westward, taking into ount the dissolution of hostilities from neighboring powers. Great Tang Group was toorge, too threatening, easily arousing the suspicion of surrounding forces.


    If Great Tang Kingdom now sends troops to the territories under Great Tang Group''s control unabashedly, it would be like removing the fig leaf and tantly mixing the seemingly separate Great Tang Group and Great Tang Kingdom again.


    This would be unfavorable for both Great Tang Group and Great Tang Kingdom, and it wasn''t certain to bring any advantage.


    Worried that Roger might not grasp this, Tang Mo further exined to him, "Of course, we could disregard what others think and arrange our defense line on our own. But in reality, because of the distance, our defense line is too close to Jade City itself!"


    "Just using heavy artillery, the enemy could threaten the industrial zone of Jade City. If they break through our defense line, we would have no chance to reorganize," Tang Mo stated, cigarette in hand, spreading his hands in resignation.


    Roger seemed reluctant to give up on Brunas, a bustling city that had been built up. He wanted to continue the fight: "But no one will break through our defense line..."


    "War will be prolonged! Prime Minister! By then we will have to keep funneling troops continuously into the trenches for attrition, which is clearly not what we want to see," Nangong Hong interjected, unable to watch any longer, and continued exining on behalf of Tang Mo.


    He somewhat despised Roger''s stubbornness and felt Roger was far inferior to himself in talent. However, Roger was Tang Mo''s confidant, seemingly irreceable in his position.


    So even though he somewhat scorned Roger, he still patiently tried to convince him.


    Tang Mo added, "Moreover, war would shatter our industrial investments and the loss of factories would directly affect our war potential, weakening our production capacity."


    "You know how many new weapons we have..." Roger still believed that with Great Tang Group''s advanced weaponry, defending Brunas shouldn''t be a big problem.


    However, Tang Mo was somewhat embarrassed because it was the very advanced weaponry he had developed thatpletely reduced the strategic depth between Jade City and Brunas to negligible.


    If it were just the infantry, the distance between Jade City and Brunas could be considered very vast, and the strategic depth ample.


    But then Tang Mo introduced tanks, train guns, automobiles, and airborne dirigibles and airnes, which suddenly made the strategic depth between Jade City and Brunas a joke.


    Therefore, Tang Mo could only continue with a resigned exnation, "Yes, I am aware of that. It is precisely because we foresaw the nature of future warfare that we put more emphasis on strategic depth. Without sufficient strategic depth, the enemy''s bombers could potentially obliterate us overnight."


    Roger also knew that Great Tang Group couldn''t indefinitely refrain from selling airnes as weapons. Once everyone had airnes, the distance between Jade City and Brunas would indeed be trivial. Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire


    The range of airnes taking off from within the Laines Empire wouldpletely cover Brunas. For a Brunas littered with industrial zones, there really wasn''t much time to react.


    Only to hear Tang Mo continue at this point, "Our anti-aircraft guns can intercept the enemy''s dirigibles, but what if the enemy had airnes? Would we have enough time to respond then? In an hour, maybe two, the enemy''s airnes could reach Brunas. By that time, would our factories still be safe?"@@novelbin@@


    Seeing Roger not responding, Tang Mo further questioned him, "Even if we know the enemy''s airnes are about to strike, do we have time tounch our own airnes for interception?"


    "This..." Roger, in fact, had understood Tang Mo''s reasoning, but his hesitance stemmed from his emotional attachment to Brunas.


    Seeing Roger wavering, Tang Mo reminded him, "Roger, we are now the rulers of a nation; we should see issues from the perspective of the entire country, not let our emotions for Brunas blind us."


    "Your Grace, I understand," atst, Roger conceded to Tang Mo''s choices, bowing his head and suppressing his personal emotions for Brunas: "I will depart for Chang''an at once!"

 Chapter 543 509 Changan

    ```


    "Prime Minister will understand Your Majesty''s painstaking efforts," Nangong Hong said to Tang Mo after watching the room door close behind Roger.


    Tang Mo ced a cigarette in his mouth, took a deep drag, then exhaled a plume of white smoke, his eyes nearly closed, "He will definitely support me, no matter what I do."


    Looking at the confident Tang Mo, Nangong Hong felt a tinge of envy. He had read through historical records and had never encountered such a deep trust between a ruler and his minister.


    Several days ago, Tang Mo finally decided to rename the former King City of Zheng Country as Chang''an. He hesitated over this name for a long time, eventually giving up the "Western name" and following the local naming tradition, renaming the King City to Chang''an.


    The name signified "long-term stability and peace," and was as elegant and solemn as the name of the ancient capital Tang Mo was familiar with. This newly renamed city would be the new capital of the Great Tang Kingdom.


    Originally, many of the old followers who came with Tang Mo hoped to set the capital of the kingdom in Dragon City since Dragon Ind was after all, the most thoroughly industrialized area of the Great Tang Kingdom.


    However, after considering a series of issues, Tang Mo decided to make Chang''an the capital and elevate Dragon City to a secondary capital.


    The Dragon''s Den in Dragon City was designated as an imperial lodge, and the Great Tang Kingdom would build a Royal Pce in Chang''an as Tang Mo''s new home. This huge castle, whichbined styles from both east and west, was temporarily named Dragon Nest.


    The brand-new King City of Chang''an was undergoing modernization. It wasn''t just going to construct the world''s most modern electricity and water supply and drainage systems, it was also going to build the world''s first subway.


    At the same time, Chang''an Train Station would also be built into the world''srgest and most luxurious train station. Moreover, Chang''an would construct the world''s first civilian airport!


    No matter from which perspective, the scale of Chang''an''s construction was going to be world-leading. ording to ns, the future poption here might exceed ten million!


    Roger headed to Chang''an to oversee the work; Tang Mo''s Princess, Yulin, was inmand in Linshui; Parker had been ordered to Tongcheng; Redman and Tagg, two of Tang Mo''s trusted generals, were also there.


    Just looking at the distribution of management personnel, it was clear that the center of gravity of the Great Tang Kingdom had already shifted towards the Western Continent. It was only that Tang Mo continued to preside over the overall situation from Dragon Ind to stabilize the eastern regions.


    With such a posture of not looking back, the Great Tang Kingdom made the surrounding states feel at ease.


    Nations that had already begun to distance themselves from the war were revitalizing their economies, while those still embroiled in conflict also breathed a sigh of relief.


    The envoy sent to Brunas from the Laines Empire returned disappointed, as his request to purchase Tanks from the Great Tang Group was rejected.


    The reason given was very sufficient: The orders for tanks from the Empire of Na and the Suthers Kingdom had already been signed ten days prior, and lined up behind them were the Gales, Songmu, and Por Kingdoms!


    The possibility of buying from existing stock was virtually zero, and the earliest delivery times were three to even five months away.


    Such delivery times naturally dissatisfied the Laines Empire since they were in a hurry to buy tanks for a surprise attack on the Dorne Kingdom.@@novelbin@@


    The reality, however, was cruel, as even if they paid now, by the time they received the tanks, the war would likely have ended.


    The envoys from the Dorne Kingdom arrived in Brunas around the same time, also looking to purchase a batch of tanks to counter Gobur and Laines.


    The answer they got was much the same: It was impossible to get tanks from existing stock, with the fastest delivery time being about five months.


    The Dorne envoy was of course unhappy, but he had no choice. Heter learned some good news: The Laines Empire had also failed to purchase the tanks they wanted.


    After a final futile struggle, both nations calmed down.


    Under pressure, the Laines Empire finally chose to ept the ceasefire proposal made by the Great Tang Kingdom. The Laines Empire made peace with the Dorne Kingdom and also halted hostilities with the Empire of Na.


    With this, the internal conflict within the trade alliance came to aplete end. Aside from the ongoing war between Dorne and Gobur, the entire Eastern Continent seemed to have restored peace.


    ...


    "Mr. Liu has really been a busy mantely," outside Chang''an City, in a factory, a visitor came in with a smile and took out a cigarette to put in his mouth.


    The man called Mr. Liuughed heartily, his triumphant expression impossible to conceal. Lately, he could say he had struck it big,ughing incessantly even in his dreams.


    Ever since epting the terms from the Great Tang Group, his business had truly taken off, almost no different from printing money.


    ```


    His factory produced day and night, yet the parts they manufactured couldn''t satisfy the orders. It seemed no matter how manyponents he produced, they could all be sold without a single piece left.


    A month ago, he had just built a new workshop, and a few days ago this workshop started production. He originally thought it would meet the production needs, but in thest few days, the orders had doubled! Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    It wasn''t a joke¡ªthat was an actual doubling of orders! He had never dreamed that one day his products would truly be in such short supply!


    Now, when hiring, he no longer differentiated between men and women; as long as someone had a diploma issued by Great Tang Education Group, he would recruit them, regardless of gender!


    In fact, like him, many factories that had started hiring female workers, especially textile factories, were now almost entirely operated by women.


    Only now did Mr. Liu truly understand what it meant to be a capitalist: femalebor was cheaper, andbor-intensive factories naturally preferred to hire women.


    Truth be told, if his own factory didn''t have higher technological demands, making hastily trained female workers unfit for the job, he too would have liked to hire more women to solve hisbor shortage.


    "Made a fair bit, haven''t you?" The visitor said with a smile while smoking, "I hear you''ve recently taken a young concubine too? A 16-year-old girl, you really have the nerve."


    "Hardly... I''m just responding to the city hall''s call for more births," Mr. Liu''s smile faded, sensing that the young man in front of him meant trouble.


    "I''m not here for the nonsense about you taking a concubine, that''s for the civil affairs bureau''s investigative department." The young man sneered before inhaling another drag of his cigarette, "I''m here about the issue of taxes."


    Hearing the word "taxes," Mr. Liu''s expression changed slightly, then he put on a smile to exin, "Do not worry, sir, I, Mr. Liu, assure you that..."


    "It''s pointless to tell me these things," the young man waved his hand to interrupt Mr. Liu, "As friends, my visit as a city official is just a reminder. Tax evasion can be a big or small matter, but if it really gets to the tax officials and goes through the process, I''m afraid your vast fortune will vanish like a cloud!"


    "Sir..." Mr. Liu knew the young man in front of him was his benefactor. When Zheng Country had fallen, it was this man who had provided him with wealth, leading to his current prosperity.


    But this young man was also incorruptible, refused all offers, and wouldn''t ept any advantagespletely impervious to bribes, Mr. Liu thought.


    Which of the past officials hadn''t been corrupt, easily bought with a few hundred Gold Coins, pulled onto the corrupt boat and treated as one of them?


    Yet this young man before him was exceptionally honest, sticking to the rules in every matter¡ªeasy to deal with but emotionally distant.


    Since he hade today, Mr. Liu knew that there was no joke in the young man''s words.


    However, he was meticulous in his tax evasion, with professional ountants faking the records and several minor officials bribed. He did not really expect to be caught.


    So, he made up his mind that, for the sake of thousands of Gold Coins, he would take the risk no matter what.


    "So obstinate! I''ve said all I had to say! Look after yourself!" The young man didn''t say more and just walked away decisively.


    That threw Mr. Liu into a panic¡ªif the young man had kept talking, he would have thought it was just a scare. But the young man''s brisk departure left Mr. Liu feeling guilty as if he was indeed the guilty party.


    Almost without thinking, he called out to stop the man, "Sir! Wait, sir! Wait! I, Mr. Liu, was temporarily blinded by foolishness, by foolishness! Sir, is there any way to remedy this?"


    The young city official tossed away his cigarette butt, crushed it with his foot, and turned back to stare at Mr. Liu, his eyes narrow: "Right now, take the money and the full penalty to the tax office and settle the ount! Fool, if there''s a next time, that 16-year-old concubine of yours had better prepare for widowhood!"


    Having said that, he headed towards the factory gate, seeming too weary to utter another word. Mr. Liu thought for a few seconds, steeled his heart, and immediately went home to get the full amount of money, making it to the tax office before the end of the workday.


    After being scolded mercilessly, a sweat-drenched Mr. Liu finally returned home and exined the situation to his several wives.


    While his first wife was furiously condemning him as a family ruiner, saying he had been frightened into surrendering all the family''s cash, the butler rushed in with urgent news.


    As soon as he entered, the old servant shouted, "The Zhang Family, the Zhang Family''s property has been seized! It''s said that the Zhang Family''s sonmitted tax fraud and got caught, all their possessions confiscated and fined two hundred thousand, you can hear the cries from a street away, loud and clear..."


    Hearing the butler''s words, the previously domineering first wife immediately lost her temper, and Mr. Liu rose like a phoenix from the ashes.


    The guilty shrew of a wife had to swallow the resentment over her husband taking a concubine, and Mr. Liu''s status in the household rose by +1...


    Only when Mr. Liu, carrying gifts, went to visit the esteemed city official, did he meet with a familiar rejection. This Mr. Liu, who had lived a good long life, felt increasingly confused, not understanding why his past experience no longer served him, leading to his current state of perplexity.

 Chapter 544 510 Sixth Sense

    The most noteworthy news from the Great Tang Kingdom recently is the downfall of the once invincible and domineering Prime Minister Zhang Ming.


    Although the Zhang Family fell into a low ebb with the destruction of Zheng Country, their vast foundation ensured they remained like a centipede which does not topple over even in death.


    Leveraging theirplex connections in the localities, the Zhang Family opened many factories and owned vast tracts ofnd, maintaining a significant prestige.


    Yet such a massive family waspletely toppled over due to tax evasion, left with no room to struggle.


    The tax bureau made direct arrests, the military cleaned up without a shred of sympathy, all of the young masters of the Zhang Family were sent to prison, and the old head of the Zhang Family, Zhang Ming, fainted from anger on the spot. When he awoke, he couldn''t utter a single word.


    Within a few days, the Zhang Family''s influence scattered like monkeys upon the tree''s fall, and their former splendor was no more. All their enterprises were nationalized and had nothing to do with the Zhang Family any longer.


    Even worse, all of the Zhang Family''snds were confiscated, and even their ancestral home was taken to pay the fines. Still, they owed the state millions of Gold Coins in penalties, a sum the Zhang Family might never be able to repay, even for generations toe, with interestpounding on the debt.


    Fortunately, the state showed leniency, giving the Zhang Family a way out: they could dere bankruptcy to clear their debts, but everything to do with the Zhang Family would be no more.


    Who could have imagined just over a year ago, Zhang Ming, the country''s Prime Minister, and his illustrious family, would fall overnight?


    And who could have thought that all of this was not the result of political machinations, but merely a minor case of tax evasion?


    Throughout the entire incident, other merchants remained calm because they dared not evade taxes and indeed benefited from the industrial reforms of the Great Tang Group.


    To be honest, the vast majority of these merchants did not understand why anyone would evade taxes during such good times. They were making ten to a hundred times more profit than before; what was wrong with the state taking its deserved share?


    Although they were aware that it was a considerable sum, most still understood the simple truth that without the new Great Tang Kingdom, they would not have made so much money.


    With the continued development of time, everyone began to feel the massive societal transformation brought about by the improvements in productivity.


    Business branch offices that previously required several days and nights to reach by fast horse could now be contacted within an hour by telegraph.


    In the past, transporting a cart of grain from Tongcheng to Chang''an could take ten days, but now it only took a day at most from Tongcheng train station to Chang''an train station to unload the goods. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    What''s more astonishing is that transporting a cart of grain used to result in at least half of it being lost during transit, but now it''s virtually zero wastage, doubling profits at a stroke.


    Thanks to better seeds, this year the Great Tang Kingdom truly reaped an enormous harvest. Last year, the whole nation was still immersed in the fear of a grain shortage, but this year grain prices plummeted directly to the national subsidy line.


    If it weren''t for the national grain security subsidy systeming into operation, it''s likely that grain prices would have continued to fall. In years when there was a grain surplus, the farming peasants couldn''t be happy, but now their faces are all smiles, even happier than if they had taken a wife.


    With amplebor force, the total area of farnd in the Great Tang Kingdom has doubledpared to the Zheng Country era. Introducing terrace farming techniques, utilizing fertilizers and pesticides, and rationally allocating the nting of fruit trees, cotton, and crops like potatoes and sweet potatoes, the total increase in agricultural output is staggering.


    In just one year''s time, due to the state''s reasonable nning and allocation, the entire nation had ess to vegetables and fruits and an adequate supply of salt and spices.


    This is no joke but a great achievement. It should be noted that before the advent of the Great Tang Group, mostmon people in the world seldom had the chance to eat salty foods, or afford cooking oil and spices.


    It''s precisely because of a sufficient amount of seasonings that many more delicious cuisines could be developed, greatly enhancing the happiness index of the dietary aspect.


    Following this, civilians with a certain economic foundation began to consume in retaliation, boosting the internal demand of the Great Tang Kingdom.


    The first to be in short supply were various canned foods. Due to their novelty and ease of preservation, all sorts of starchden canned hams, inexpensive sausage, and instant noodles originally developed for military rations became popr products.@@novelbin@@


    People who have never tried or seen these items before were frantically buying them, and with the construction of roads, bicycles quickly became a sought-aftermodity.


    After all, not everyone is capable of getting a driver''s license to drive a car or willing to buy a motorcycle. However, cheap and practical bicycles are a different story. Once learned, they are perfect for carrying goods ormuting.


    Next, more affluent civilians began to pursue a higher level of happiness: they started buying ss, to make their homes more transparent and bright; then they began purchasing bricks and stones, hoping to rebuild morefortable dwellings.


    Cement, ss, red bricks... Construction materials began to sell well, many peasants started building vegetable greenhouses, and some viges even started to build roads spontaneously.


    "To get rich, build roads," this slogan was posted everywhere in the Great Tang Kingdom, but the following line was changed to "Have more children, nt more trees"¡­

 Chapter 545 510 Sixth Sense_2

    There was no helping it; for a soul from the 21st century, Tang Mo felt that a poption of two to three hundred million for a country really wasn''t a lot.


    Moreover, in actuality, the poption of the Great Tang Kingdom hadn''t reached that level yet. Currently, a census was underway, and Roger''s team estimated a total poption of around 40 million.


    This was already a very frightening number, because since the Great Tang Kingdom had conquered Zheng Country, it had been crazily absorbing foreign poptions, even spending money to buy poption.


    ording to Tang Mo''s vision, within the next twenty years, not counting new poptions acquired through expansion, the poption of the Great Tang Kingdom must at least break through two hundred million! This was an ambitious goal, or rather, an almost impossible target.@@novelbin@@


    To support this goal, the Great Tang Group brought out many advanced technologies. Many chicken farms were established within the Great Tang Kingdom, using modern,rge-scale integrated methods to rear poultry, providing abundant supplies of meat and eggs.


    This technology improved poultry production efficiency, although it reduced meat quality and taste, but it indeed secured the most basic supply of meat.


    For themoners of the Great Tang Kingdom, these were hardly problems: they previously had no means to afford meat. Now with the provision of meat and eggs, they were too delighted to be concerned about issues like taste.


    Livestock farming was also highly integrated, adoptingrge-scale farm production methods¡ªthis maximized yield, ensuring basic supply quantities.


    Of course, the biggest problem with high-density breeding is infectious diseases, but this challenge was trivial in front of the Great Tang Group''s medical research institution.


    With Tang Mo''s direction and the continuous research of the world''s most sophisticated talent, the vine and medication technology of the Great Tang Group had rolled over the viruses and bacteria of this era.


    Diseases like fowl gue or avian influenza could almost all be treated, so the ws ofrge-scale breeding simply didn''t exist for the Great Tang Group.


    Civilians, who had their needs for food, clothing, shelter, and transportation met, gradually began pursuing a higher quality of life, and lighting equipment like gasmps started to sell out.


    Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    Viges close to the cities began to have electricity and install electric lights, and even some wealthy families started using radios. Remote areas also gradually began to have some nightlife, at least with a bit of light.


    If there were a satellite in this era capable of overseeing the earth from above, it would see a piece ofnd on this world start to shine bright and dazzling.


    Just this alone seemed insufficient to reflect the changes in the Great Tang Kingdom over the past year or so, because in the past year, the entire Great Tang Kingdom produced 300 lotives!


    Yes, it was nothing short of a miracle! On top of Zheng Country''s iplete railwaywork, the Great Tang Kingdom at all costs built over 3,700 more kilometers!


    What did this amount to? This data suggested that in the past year, the Great Tang Kingdom had built half of the world''s total railway length!


    Following the current trend, in the new year, the Great Tang Kingdom''s railway construction quantity would still ount for more than half of the world''s total!


    What''s more exaggerated is that the lotive technology of the Great Tang Kingdom was the most advanced, with performance much better than lotives from other countries.


    The industrial zone in Tongcheng had expanded, countless factories billowing thick smoke day and night. These industrial zones were aze with lights, producing and manufacturing ceaselessly at all times.


    Many people brought over from Brunas were familiar with this scene; it was just like what Brunas looked like during construction. Back then, everyone in Brunas also had smiles of happiness on their faces, and they were all filled with hope for the future.


    But the construction in Brunas back then was nowhere near as fast or as good! Even craftsmen and officials from Brunas had to admit, the hardworking Dahua people were truly naturalborers, possibly the best producers in the world!


    Every day, newspapers reported advanced production feats, and countlessbor models were selected then widely publicized.


    For the sake of a better life, for the sake of a brighter tomorrow, all Tang People burst out with an unprecedented enthusiasm, building up their locales recklessly.


    It''s well known thatparison breeds discontent, especially when one sees the people separated only by a wall living increasingly better; that feeling truly is painfully unbearable.


    When themoners of Chu Country, Qi Country, and even the Dahua Empire saw the example set by Tang Country, they became restless. Countless people crossed the border, hoping to pursue a better life in Tang Country.


    And all this, naturally, caused enormous discontent among several neighboring countries.


    From the day it was born, Tang Country never stopped buying poption from Chu Country and Qi Country, and this matter has pretty much be a semi-open secret until now.


    The border guards abused their power for personal gain, considering the trafficking of people as a means to fortune. They swept up refugees and bandits en masse, selling all these people to Tang Country.


    Over time, there weren''t so many starving refugees in need of relief avable to be trafficked at will, which was an inevitable oue.


    As the poption was sold off inrge numbers to Tang Country, Chu Country and Qi Country actually had enoughnd to settle the remaining civilians. Even if productivity was not as high as Tang Country''s, as long as the poption fell to a certain level, thend could sustain everyone.

 Chapter 546 510 Sixth Sense_3

    But human greed is endless, and there''s no way that the border military leaders and the high officials who had received benefits would allow the highly lucrative trade of human trafficking to stop.


    In the eyes of these officials and military leaders, civilians were merely tools for extorting wealth, expendable pawns in their schemes.


    Soon, the military leaders colluded withndlords, local tyrants, and corrupt merchants near their garrisons, and began a series of shady operations.


    They turned a blind eye or even supportedndlords in annexingnd, forcefully taking over peasants'' fields, and driving the originally prosperous farmers into destitution, turning them into disced peasants.


    Then, they continued to sell these disced individuals to the Great Tang Kingdom, earning profits to sustain their ever-growing desires.


    It must be said that the luxury goods of the Great Tang Group greatly expanded the horizons of these officials, military leaders, andndlords, making them realize that on the path of extravagant desires, there was no end in sight.


    At first, the Great Tang Group came with silver and gold to buy people, butter these individuals found myriad ways to exchange human lives for various kinds ofmodities from the Tang Kingdom.


    A sophisticated automobile could sell for hundreds of Gold Coins in Chu Country or Qi Country. A string of exquisite gems, woven with a poignant story, couldpel a sentimental rich girl to spend tens of thousands of Gold Coins.


    The natives, who had just begun to experience modern technology, suddenly found themselves overwhelmed by the number of things they had neither seen nor used before, cultivating an intense sense of inferiority as if they were isted in a well of ignorance.


    To eliminate this inferiorityplex, they began to wildly praise the products of the Great Tang Kingdom and spontaneously attributed additional value to these goods.


    How could the almost public act of human trafficking escape everyone''s notice? It was only because the interests involved were so enormous that the higher-ups of the concerned countries could only turn a blind eye.


    However, as time passed, each nation noticed irregr changes in their poption statistics, and the rulers of these countries had no choice but to start putting a stop to the illegal trade at the borders. But with every policy, there''s a workaround, and it was impossible topletely eradicate human trafficking at the borders all at once.


    Despite this management, the Great Tang Kingdom suffered no loss, yet these neighboring countries'' attitude towards the Tang Kingdom inevitably harbored some hostility.


    This enmity caused the Great Tang Group to lose substantial orders, and Shireck heavily tapped into a fresh vein of blood, at times showing signs of keeping pace with the Great Tang Group.


    Under the influence of this hostility, Chu Country was the first to decide to purchase weapons and equipment from Shireck, including Ming Wheel Ships as well as new-style cannons and rifles.


    Qi Country also spent money on the same weapons and equipment upon learning that the Dahua Empire had purchased Shireck''s arms.


    The Dahua Empire''s first purchase of Shireck arms wasn''t actually rted to the Great Tang Group. They merely saw that Sheng Country had defeated Zheng Country with these new weapons, so they unterally thought Shireck''s new arms were of better performance and thus spent money to acquire some.


    However, the Dahua Empire soon felt annoyed about Tang Country''s destruction of Zheng Country and again chose Shireck for their subsequent military acquisitions.


    Tens of thousands of rifles, thousands of cannons, dozens of new warships, and hundreds of millions of bullets¡ªthe capital from these weapons purchases truly filled Shireck''s coffers to the brim.


    Afterward, by helping the Dahua Empire to set up factories and achieve basic industrialization, as well as constructing railways and roads, a series of projects brought Shireck a massive influx of capital.


    With the backing of this capital, Shireck also made its own breakthroughs in some technologies. These breakthroughs garnered even more recognition for Shireck''s products.


    It was at this time that an envoy from the Laines Empire, having traveled across the Endless Sea while concealing their identity, arrived in the Dahua Empire.


    This envoy, who had just dismounted from his carriage, revealed his identity and secretly met with Chu Muzhou, the Prime Minister of the Dahua Empire.


    "Prime Minister!" The envoy from the Laines Empire looked somewhat unwell, as the long journey had certainly taken its toll.


    To maintain secrecy, he had traveled by ship to Southwater Port, then took a detour to Sheng Country, ultimately changing ships to reach Qi Country, and from there, took a coach to the Dahua Empire.


    In fact, when he set out on his journey, the Trade Alliance''s civil war had just begun, and now it seemed as though the war was nearly at an end.


    The mission of this secret envoy, initially to liaise with the Dahua Empire to contain the potential involvement of the Great Tang Kingdom in the conflict, had now evolved into coordinating with the Dahua Empire to restrain the Great Tang Kingdom in a possible future war.


    As he carried a telegraph machine, his mission could be updated in real time, a benefit of the technological revolution brought about by the Great Tang Group.


    "Mr. Envoy!" Upon meeting the envoy from the Laines Empire, Chu Muzhou, the Prime Minister of the Dahua Empire, was very polite.


    After all, a visitor deserves hospitality, and this envoy from afar seemed to bring some good news to the Dahua Empire.


    The Dahlia Empire, which had always been displeased with the Great Tang Kingdom, needed more useful allies to jointly confront the increasingly prominent Great Tang Kingdom.@@novelbin@@


    Frankly, the more Chu Muzhou and Zhao Kai understood about the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution, the more apprehensive they became about the rising Great Tang Kingdom.

 Chapter 547 510 Sixth Sense_4

    The more the Dahua Empire understood the technological advantage of the Great Tang Group, the more they felt that going to war with the Great Tang Kingdom was not a good choice.


    In such an atmosphere, Emperor Zhao Kai of Dahua, who was eager to regain face, no longer even had the mood to mor for war with Great Tang.


    "The state letter I submitted...Prime Minister, you must have already read it..." the envoy from Laines said with utmost respect.


    Chu Muzhou nodded affirmatively and said, "Indeed, I have read it. The cooperation between our two countries is unproblematic, and His Majesty the Emperor is very willing to be allies with the powerful Leines I."


    After all, it was only a matter of intent for cooperation, such things came at no cost, merely a matter of saying a few words over drinks, patting each other on the back, and acknowledging friendship; it wasn''t something to take seriously.


    "Furthermore, our country wishes to establish a conste in your country to handle futuremunications..." the envoy from Laines tentatively inquired.


    "There''s no problem with that, we''ve even already selected a location," Chu Muzhou didn''t mind offering a mansion to retain the envoys of the Laines Empire.


    Telegraphs were no longer a novelty in Dahua, and producing telegraph machines was no technical challenge for Shireck. In Chu Muzhou''s view, as long asmunication was smooth, it would be beneficial for the Dahua Empire to form an alliance with the distant Laines Empire.


    The strategic ploy of allying with distant states to attack nearby enemies wasn''t a profound theory; the upper echelons of the Dahua Empire knew very well that there couldn''t be any conflict of interest with the distant Laines Empire, but rather there was a very broad field for cooperation.


    For instance, by merely inquiring about matters rted to the Great Tang Group, one could learn that there was both cooperation and conflict between the Great Tang Group and the Laines Empire.


    Realizing the possibility of restraining the currently strong Great Tang Kingdom on the distant Eastern Continent and diverting the Great Tang Kingdom''s attention, Chu Muzhou became interested in sending a mission to the Eastern Continent.


    The envoy from the Laines Empire had inspired Chu Muzhou, prompting the Prime Minister of the Dahua Empire to think of a good approach.


    He felt that emting the Laines Empire by sending an envoy group to the Eastern Continent to liaise with those states and forces not quite in line with the Great Tang Group and to create some trouble for the Great Tang Kingdom on the other end of the Endless Sea seemed like a good idea.


    Thus, Chu Muzhou and the envoy from Laines began to talk about the Great Tang Group, about Brunas and Jade City.


    Both being shrewd people, they could discern each other''s thoughts from their conversation¡ªif both intended to target the Great Tang Group, then things would be easy to handle, wouldn''t they?


    Far away on Dragon Ind, the deputymander of the intelligence agency of the Great Tang Kingdom, the burly bartender, handed a report to Tang Mo.


    "Hmm?" Tang Mo''s eyes sparkled with interest when he saw the content. He looked up at his second-inmand of the intelligence department.


    The bartender immediately began to exin, "It''s been filtered by the Electronic Surveince Department. Recently, the telegraphicmunication between the Dahua Empire and the Laines Empire has be frequent, and most of the messages are encrypted."


    "Can they be decrypted?" Tang Mo seemed to guess some of the content in the telegrams, tapped the report in his hand twice, producing a crisp sound.


    "The code they''re using isplex, and we haven''t been able to decrypt it yet," the bartender apologetically answered. "But one thing is for sure, themunication is official, not some merchant''s bad taste."


    "Interesting, things are getting more and more interesting," Tang Mo stroked his forehead with his hand, a slight smile appearing on his lips. "I hadn''t expected that without me interfering, others would take the initiative to target me first."


    Although there wasn''t any evidence yet to suggest a conspiracy between the Laines Empire and the Dahua Empire against the Great Tang Kingdom, Tang Mo still instinctively sensed a hint of danger.


    This might just be the sixth sense developed from years of scheming against others¡ªsharp and unreasonable.


    -----


    Two in one@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 548 511 three fronts

    Nangong Hong actually held the official position of Minister in the Great Tang Kingdom, which is to say he was the Vice Premier, and most of the time, he did the work of the Prime Minister.


    He was Tang Mo''s think tank, and Tang Mo often consulted him on strategic issues, so it could be said that he was heavily relied upon within Great Tang.


    From the perspective of seniority, Nangong Hong had already achieved sess in reaching his current position, but Roger was someone he couldn''t surpass for the time being.


    After learning about the telegraph issue, Tang Mo immediately had someone summon Nangong Hong, who also clenched his chin upon hearing the news.


    After careful consideration, he tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, can we really conclude that the Dahua Empire is colluding with the Laines Empire against us just based on a few encrypted telegrams?"


    Tang Mo nodded, pointing to his head, "I have this feeling. It doesn''t make sense, but I just believe they are targeting us this time!"


    Despite being assertive, Tang Mo still tried to exin his judgment, "Firstly, ordinary trade economics actions don''t require such high-level encryption¡­ Our intelligence agency can decrypt Laines''s low-level codes, but this time they used a high-level one, which is abnormal."


    "Secondly!" Tang Mo held up a second finger, "Whether it''s discussing economic development or strengthening trade connections, the Laines Empire and the Dahua Empire actually shouldn''t bypass us, situated between them! Only by including our Great Tang Kingdom can they possibly maximize their interests!"


    "Therefore! The only reason to avoid us is that this contact is inherently aimed at us!" After stating this, Tang Mo paused, looking at Nangong Hong.


    "This servant understands." Nangong Hong also epted Tang Mo''s exnation, as the rise of Great Tang did rely entirely on Tang Mo, and sometimes Tang Mo''s judgment was the basis, which Nangong had no objections to.


    After thinking for a while, he suggested to Tang Mo, "Since the other party has already begun plotting against us, we should also make corresponding countermeasures."


    "First is the sea, our lifeline lies on the sea, and the kingdom relies on maritime transport for half of its materials and products, so we must ensure the Endless Sea remains under our control," Nangong Hong had clearly considered this issue many times, so his report was very fluent.


    Tang Mo agreed with his view, "Bernard''s fleet should have no problems, our battleships are enough to defeat any force challenging our maritime sovereignty."


    "I still think we should ask General Bernard to be cautious to avoid unnecessary losses," Nangong Hong advised nheless.


    Tang Mo nodded, "I will have him intensify his guard... However, I judge that although they are colluding against us, if they really make a move, they definitely need to prepare for a while."


    "Then we have time to prepare." Nangong Hong loosened up a bit, "This is good news. Previously, the timeliness of the intelligence I received was too poor, so I am a bit unustomed to such timely and urate information."


    "Soon you will realize just how much of an advantage we hold in intelligence with our technological superiority," Tang Mo said with a smile, somewhat boastfully.


    "Besides, apart from controlling the seas, we now need to ponder what exactly the enemy intends to do," Nangong Hong looked at the huge map hanging in Tang Mo''s office.


    Tang Mo also looked at the map, then slowly said to Nangong Hong, "It boils down to three directions, three intents."


    "Firstly, from the perspective of the Laines Empire, their goal is quite direct, to subdue Northern Ridge and capture Jade City and Brunas," Tang Mo raised a finger, analyzing from the standpoint of Laines.


    He continued, "Secondly, it''s about reaching into the Endless Sea, where the situation bes somewhatplicated. There could be many countries ready to move against us, and we also have quite a few potential allies. However, I think that Gobur, controlled by Shireck, as well as the Laines Empire, and perhaps even others, might cause trouble."


    "Without you mentioning it, I wasn''t even aware we had so many enemies," Nangong Hong joked.


    "Lastly, there''s the Western Continent¡­" Tang Mo followed with a smile and then went on, "The Dahua Empire mightunch a protracted war against us, and we must face this issue."


    "What concerns me most is just that," Nangong Hong''s smile faded, and with a worried expression, he said to Tang Mo, "If the Dahua Empire makes a move, then perhaps Chu Country and Qi Country will also send troops, and we would then have to face a disadvantageous situation of being attacked from three sides."


    "Not three sides, but four sides!" Tang Mo''s eyes sharpened, "If Laines doesn''t seize the opportunity to attack Jade City and Northern Ridge, I''ll eat this map."


    Standing up, Tang Mo paced to the side of the map, his hands sped behind his back; he looked at the richnds of Brunas and Jade City and then at the vulnerable homnd of the Great Tang Kingdom, his face grim.


    He ced his hand on the northern part of the Great Tang Kingdom, looking at Nangong Hong, "The Staff Department has already written several contingencies, generally favoring a strategy to quickly crush Qi Country after war breaks out."


    This was a war n co-conceived by Luff, Tagg, and Redman, aiming to utilize the advantages of the armored and mechanized troops of the Great Tang Kingdom to initially crush Qi Country, which had a predominance of ins.


    Qi Country in the north is mostly ins, and its nks are guarded by mountains that can serve as shields for armored corps, making it an ideal battlefield for deploying armored forces to decisivebat.


    Once Qi Country was crushed, it would be possible to gain the strategic initiative and threaten the nk of the Dahua Empire, alleviating some of the pressure in the Central Region.


    However, the attack on Qi Country didn''te without problems; the biggest issue was that, after prating Qi Country, whether victorious or not, the Great Tang Group would find itself caught in a squeeze between the Dahua Empire and Shen Country in terms of the situation.


    If Shen Country really entered the war, then the armored troops that had invaded Qi Country would be held in ce, losing the opportunity to continue exploiting their mobility advantage to charge and smash their way through.


    The rationale was actually quite simple; it was easy to advance in, but once such arge territory was upied, it wouldn''t be possible to regroup the troops and continue to fight as a concentrated force.


    The terrain of Chu Country to the south was much moreplex, with intricateworks of rivers in the northern ins, while the southern part of Chu Country was mountainous, which wasn''t an ideal battlefield for the tank forces.


    But, attacking Chu Country wasn''t without benefits: the waterwork ins were fertile for food production, water resources were abundant for transportation, and the southern mountainous region was rich in minerals, which could provide Great Tang Group with ample ore.


    The Great Tang Kingdom itself had an elite mountain force, and the direct lineage forces that often trained in the Vicious Forest had a tradition of mountain warfare, so it seemed that attacking Chu Country was not impossible.


    After briefly exining the Staff Department''s various ns to Nangong Hong, Tang Mo brought up another thought, "Originally, everyone''s opinion was to avoid direct conflict with the Dahua Empire in the first war, if possible."


    "Luff''s opinion was to hold off the troops of the Dahua Empire on the frontline with a defensive posture, and after crushing Qi Country or Chu Country, they would then persuade the Dahua Empire to retreat through negotiation," Tang Mo said, his palm passing over the border area between the Great Tang Kingdom and the Dahua Empire.


    Nangong Hong knew that the Great Tang Kingdom had indeed built some defensive fortifications in that area, although their scale was actually very limited.


    The upper echelons of Great Tang all knew that in principle, that defensive line was merely to deceive the enemy, a blind to prevent the enemy from daring tounch an offensive lightly.


    However, after hearing what Tang Mo said today, Nangong Hong thought that this defensive line might still be necessary to build in the future. At least if it truly existed, then the offensive effort of the Dahua Empire would most likely be in vain.


    However, the words that Tang Mo continued to say took Nangong Hong by surprise again, "But what I am thinking is... if we reconsider this... why not directly attack the Dahua Empire?"


    "Directly attacking the Dahua Empire is not impossible. Based on my previous understanding of the military power of the Dahua Empire, we actually have the capability to crush the Dahua military," Nangong Hong said to Tang Mo.


    Then, without the slightest pause, as if afraid that Tang Mo might misunderstand, he continued, "But! Your Majesty! We must consider one issue¡­"


    "What problem?" Tang Mo asked curiously.


    "If the Dahua Empire does not surrender, how do we continue the war?" Nangong Hong asked.


    Tang Mo was momentarily at a loss for words, as he had not considered that his armored troops, marching triumphantly, might face resistance from a Dahua Empire that refused to surrender.


    "Once the Dahua Empire grits its teeth and refuses to surrender, our two nks will be eyed covetously by two affiliate states of the Dahua Empire, and our frontline troops will be far from our rear... this would put us in a very passive situation," Nangong Hong continued to advise. "Therefore, this is not a prudent n."


    Tang Mo nodded, turning down his own aggressive proposal¡ªin fact, he, who had kept winning until today, did think about resolving the Dahua Empire issue in one fell swoop.


    This mirrored his prior discussions about attacking Zheng Country, where he desired to take down Zheng Kingdom''s King City in one go, reflecting the arrogance umted from a series of victories.


    However, Tang Mo was not Hitler; he was notpletely blinded by victory and remained open to the counsel of his subordinates.


    So he immediately abandoned his immature idea, returning to normal mode: "It seems that the staff''s ns from Luff''s side are the most reasonable."


    "I also think so, Your Majesty," Nangong Hong quickly voiced his agreement. "I also believe that attacking Qi Country is the most logical choice we can make at this moment, no matter from which perspective."@@novelbin@@


    "..." Tang Mo remained silent, staring at the map, deep in thought.

 Chapter 549 Prepare for a war on May 12th.

    Nowadays, the tank production factories of the Great Tang Group, including those on Dragon Ind and in Tongcheng, are only producing two types of tank chassis. One is the chassis of the Number 4 tank, and the other is that of the Number 2 tank.


    The chassis of the Number 4 tank is basically all used to manufacture the Number 4 tank itself, as the military urgently needs this new type of tank to fill vacancies, leaving no surplus production.


    Production of the Number 2 tank''s chassis continues, primarily for conversion into self-propelled artillery to equip the troops.


    The Great Tang Kingdom was the first country in the world to equip its forces with self-propelled howitzers, starting with a 105mm caliber, which was quite advanced technologically.


    It was because of this new type of artillery that the Great Tang Kingdom''s armored corps could guarantee sufficient artillery support for their ground forces during rapid advances.


    While the rest of the world struggled to equip their forces withrge numbers of towed howitzers, the Great Tang Kingdom''s troops were already phasing out some of the towed artillery in favor of self-propelled guns, which could be considered a significant leap.


    In addition to that, the Great Tang Kingdom was equipped with the best military trucks in the world and also had thergest number of automobiles, so the mobility of towed artillery was also well ensured.


    Nheless, like other countries around the world that could not achieve full mechanization, the Great Tang Kingdom''s military still retained arge number of war horses.


    Cavalry had actually be obsolete; what remained were reconnaissance troops, signal and transportation soldiers, as well as the horse-drawn transport corps.


    Due to insufficient transportation capacity, the Great Tang Kingdom''s 75mm field guns were still horse-drawn, mostly equipping the light infantry units, which had no choice but to make do with older equipment due to the rapid expansion of the force.


    As its territory expanded, the total number of the Great Tang Kingdom''s troops had reached an unprecedented level. Nowadays, the Great Tang Kingdom had 20 infantry divisions, with a total strength exceeding 400,000!


    One of these was an armored training division that did not undertakebat missions, deployed on Dragon Ind, along with a light infantry division responsible for ind defense.


    Two more divisions were deployed in Jade City and Brunas, while another division was stationed on Dongwan Ind as a garrison force.


    The 1st Marine Division of the Navy was scattered across several small inds with built airfields between Dragon Ind and Dongwan Ind, with the remaining 14 divisions stationed on the Great Tang maind.


    Among these, both the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions had a higher proportion of tanks, while the 3rd and 4th Armored Divisions were mixed with mechanized infantry.


    Of the remaining 10 infantry divisions, 4 were motorized, equipped with arge number of trucks, possessing high mobility andbat effectiveness.


    The remaining six were light infantry divisions, and due to rapid expansion, thebat strength of these 4 divisions was actually quite average.


    These troops were the direct-force units that Tang Mo could proudly present¡ªalthough there were also many military units in Northern Ridge, which Tang Mo could use without any pressure, they were technically part of the Laines Empire.@@novelbin@@


    Presently, the troops deployed by the Great Tang Kingdom on its borders were the six newly expanded light infantry divisions with the weakest fighting capabilities.


    Having just been expanded and organized, these units were generally equipped with average gear, had fewer automobiles and more horses, and didn''t seem much different from the military units of Chu Country, Qi Country, and the Dahua Empire on the other side of the border.


    However, these countries couldn''t possibly bepletely ignorant of what was happening on the Great Tang side, and in fact, the top echelons of these countries knew that the forces the Great Tang Kingdom deployed in the second line had strongerbat capabilities.


    When Luff met Nangong Hong in Tang Mo''s office, he nodded as a sign of acknowledgment and then answered the question Tang Mo had just asked him, "Your Majesty, with only four armored divisions, it is impossible topletely control the entirety of Qi Country."


    "Soon, the vastness of thends will force us to divide our forces into regiments, or perhaps even into battalions to continue the fight. Then, the pressure of logistical supply will destroy our troops," Luff said frankly,ying out all the difficulties for Tang Mo to hear.


    Waiting for Tang Mo to digest his words, he continued, "Therefore, we must at least arrange for follow-up infantry to fill in the gaps in thebat zone to protect the vulnerable supply lines and maintain order."


    "Moreover, we must also be on guard against the nks from Shen Country and the Dahua Empire. We cannot let them cut off the supply lines of our armored corps from both sides! If our supply lines were cut, we would be in a very passive position," Luff said as he made a pincer movement with his hands on the northern border map.


    As a staff officer, Luff had be very professional. Behind him was arge staff team that took aprehensive approach to problem-solving.


    Almost all details were recalcted repeatedly, and the Staff Department, with its models for military operations parameters, had a wealth of experience in this field.


    Soon, Luff brought up the issue of fuel reserves. Once Tang Mo decided on a particr attack n, the corresponding reserves of fuel would have to be transported and stockpiled ordingly.


    Ensuring that the four mechanized divisions advanced in unison was no small feat. After the attack wasunched, it was crucial to precisely calcte how to capture the enemy''s railways and roads, control traffic nodes, and bridges.


    If road conditions couldn''t keep up, or if there were changes, then the speed of the subsequent advance, or even whether it could continue, would be affected!


    And that was just the issue of fuel. To ensure the troops'' advance, ammunition, supply of food were all considerations that had to be addressed.


    To keep the armored corps moving forward, the Great Tang Kingdom had formed four specialized truck transport regiments. The mission of these regiments was to find ways to deliver the supplies needed by the front-line armored corps!


    It was no exaggeration to say that in ancient warfare, the logistics moved first before the army. In modern warfare, the importance of troop support was even more critical than in the past.


    These military matters were not Nangong Hong''s forte; it was only because he had just been discussing this with Tang Mo that they called Luff in for a detailed discussion of military operational details.


    Actually, if it came down to expertise, Tang Mo was no longer a match for Luff. After all, he now spent more time on macro management, and naturally, he couldn''tpare to Luff, who dealt with these matters on a daily basis.


    Listening to Luff, who listed off a long inventory of logistical support like an expert, including items such as gauze, alcohol, and gastrointestinal medicine, Tang Mo showed a hint of a smile on his face.


    His investment in talent was finally paying off at this time. His enemies and opponents probably didn''t have such professional generals tomand their armies.


    The gap in weaponry was still manageable to catch up and make up for, but the disparity in military concepts, the sensitivity to tactical innovation, that was not something one could learn and understand in just a day or two!


    The abundance of military talent graduated from Tang Mo''s military academy supported the modernized military of the Great Tang Kingdom! They were the soul of the Great Tang Kingdom''s military!


    "So you''re saying that if I decide on a certain n now, then a series of subsequent mobilizations will have to begin?" Tang Mo asked Luff.


    Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Nangong Hong also realized that if they made a strategic choice now, it would be like shooting an arrow that could not be brought back.


    "Yes, Your Majesty! If we start to deploy resources to the north, we won''t be able to change the decision and send the resources to the south at a moment''s notice... because that''s a huge undertaking. Even with the support of the railways, it can''t be done easily," Luff replied.


    "Moreover, we also have to consider the issue of confidentiality..." Luff continued. "Additionally, I haven''t yet mentioned the details of the subsequent troop formations."


    He cleared his throat and then went on to exin to Tang Mo and Nangong Hong, "If we choose the n to attack the Chu Country, then there is no need to continue expanding the armored division. The waterwork there and the mountains are not suitable for armored division maneuvers, so we should form and train more mountain and light infantry divisions to adapt to the terrain there."


    "But if we are going to attack Qi Country, then with in warfare, ording to our theory, armored corps are the best choice. Therefore, we can form a new armored division and add two or three infantry divisions as follow-up troops..." After briefly exining, he stopped speaking and looked at Nangong Hong and Tang Mo.


    After hearing his exnation, Tang Mo let out a slight sigh¡ªhe wasn''t rich enough to fight two wars simultaneously with strategic supplies!


    Only now did he realize how hard it was for a poor country to wage war: his fuel was only sufficient for one strategic risk, and his troops could not even afford to fail once...


    Even though he was the most qualified person in the world to wage a wealthy war, he still felt the huge constraints and handicaps that reality imposed on him. It was as if he were dancing in shackles, a truly unpleasant feeling.


    In fact, he was aware that he was putting on airs, because at least he could ensure that his first strike would be sessful! That was already a tremendous advantage that many kings and emperors dreamt of.


    "I understand now," Tang Mo replied to Luff with a slight sigh, "Continue with the expansion of the army for now. Expedite the troops'' training. As for the matter of resource deployment, I still need to consider."


    Heading south or moving north each had its pros and cons, and Tang Mo couldn''t just rely on a gut feeling to decide when to start a war.


    Today, he had only summoned Nangong Hong to discuss the possibility of a threat to the Great Tang Kingdom''s strategic development if the Laines Empire colluded with the Dahua Empire. He wasn''t prepared tounch a war tomorrow!


    In fact, while waiting for Luff to arrive, he had had a serious discussion with Nangong Hong on whether it was feasible to send envoys to win over the Dahua Empire and break up any possible alliance between the Dahua and Laines Empires.


    After all,pared to facing the whole world alone, uniting with a few allies to reduce some of the pressure seemed to be a more sensible choice.

 Chapter 550 513 Chemists and Engineers

    To control the vastnds, relying on a minority of elite troops would not suffice; ensuring a sufficient number of basic military forces was essential.


    The territory of the Great Tang Kingdom was already quite sizable, and 400,000 regr soldiers could not fully control the entire nation.


    Moreover, out of these 400,000 regr soldiers, at least about 100,000 were not on the maind of the Great Tang Kingdom but were deployed overseas.


    This meant that the actual military strength of the Great Tang Kingdom was only around 300,000. And these 300,000 people had to be distributed across three defensive lines.


    One defensive line was in the north, guarding against Qi Country, the second was in the west, to resist the Dahua Empire, and thest was in the south, targeting Chu Country.


    The previous military deployment included roughly two divisions per defensive line, about 40,000 people, which ounted for approximately 120,000 soldiers.


    Therefore, the maneuverable forces of the Great Tang Kingdom were left with only eight divisions, four Armored Divisions and four Motorized Infantry Divisions.


    To increase the troops and prepare for future wars, the Great Tang Kingdom had to continue to expand its military, forming four new infantry divisions.


    The highmand structure of these infantry divisions was truly trained and hadmand experience, but the junior officers and themon soldiers were all newly recruited.@@novelbin@@


    Everything for them had to start from scratch with training, and their equipment was notplete.


    The newly formed divisions were generally only equipped with 75mm caliber infantry field guns, and after being issued with a full set of infantry equipment, they were virtually devoid of any heavy weapons.


    Even though from a macroscopic perspective, these four new infantry divisions were notgging behind those of other countries, they were still vastly inferior whenpared to the main force of the Tang Army.


    Normally, a division would be issued at least hundreds of vehicles, but these four infantry divisions only had about two hundred vehicles each.


    It wasn''t that the Great Tang Kingdomcked the production capacity for military vehicles, but rather arge batch of vehicles and fuel had been allocated for civilian construction, leaving the military side awkwardly waiting.


    Without trucks, there was no way to tow heavy artillery, so the 155mm caliber howitzers were out of reach for these four new infantry divisions.


    In truth, Tang Mo and the military highmand didn''t expect these four infantry divisions to stand on their own. Everyone knew that these infantry divisions were merely garrison troops.


    To put it inly, these divisions were to follow behind the main forces and handle misceneous tasks, capable of filling in the defense lines, upying cities, and maintaining order¡ªthat would suffice.


    The mechanized forces and the main infantry divisions would handle assaults, which didn''t have much to do with these newly formed infantry divisions.


    Nheless, these troops still required rigorous training. They had to undergo a transformation to keep up with thebat rhythm of the Tang Army''s main forces.


    In Tang Mo''s view, although these troops seemed mediocre inbat at the moment, they were inevitably going to be main forces in the future. Taking advantage of the peace before the outbreak of war to quickly train them was certainly necessary.


    Due to demographicposition, the vast majority of soldiers in these newly formed infantry divisions were locals, all with ck hair and ck eyes¡ªof Chinese descent.


    This change also interspersed with some of Tang Mo''s intentions of starting to utilize Chinese people; more than half of the mid-level officers in these four divisions were Chinese.


    In fact, with the expansion of the military, Chinese people with ck hair and ck eyes now ounted for more than half of the total military force.


    Even though they were all junior soldiers, these soldiers indeed formed a vast foundation¡ªin the future, with the outbreak of war, these junior soldiers all had the chance to distinguish themselves and get promoted, and there were bound to be Chinese among the future middle and senior officers.


    Although reluctant to admit it, the high-rankingmanders of the Tang Army from Brunas were indeed relying on the Chinese, because it was a fact!


    And some Chinese, or rather some locals, had already begun to emerge within the military: many educated young people from Dongwan Ind, Linshui, and Tongcheng joined the military and became the backbone at the grassroots level.


    These educated youngsters, who quickly mastered simple equipment maintenance and usage, soon took on roles as squad leaders and toon leaders in the military. Many even joined the Armored Corps, bing electro-mechanical operators or gunmanders.


    ¡­


    A C47 transport ne wobbled down the runway, jumping slightly before its front wheel left the ground and then mmed back onto the tarmac, dragging along until it finally came to a shaky stop.


    The side hatch was pushed open, and a group of travelers from afar, carrying their own luggage, followed one another off the ne.


    The airport on Dongwan Ind had been particrly busytely; every day, the busiest air routes of the Great Tang Kingdom were used to transport key personnel and materials here.


    To ensure the nes'' secrecy, there were no direct flights to the Great Tang maind for the time being. Nearly all the nesnded at the airport on Dongwan Ind and then returned to Dragon Ind.


    Although countless people had seen the nes flying overhead, no one had really seen what they looked like. Thus, legends about dragons buzzed around, but a legend remained just a legend. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Cameras of the time were fairly basic, so on the rare asion when someone captured an image at sea, the true form of the nes was still indiscernible.


    From the photographs, all one could make out was the vague shape of the character "Ê¿" flying through the clouds, which didn''t prove anything at all.

 Chapter 551 513 Chemists and Engineers_2

    "I''m never riding this thing again," a middle-aged man who had just finished vomitingined with a handkerchief covering his mouth, still shaken.


    Flying for him was just like riding a roller coaster, especially during the takeoff andnding phases, which were simply life-threatening.


    If it weren''t for the seatbelt keeping him in ce, he might well have been thrown out of his seat! When encountering turbulence, the whole ne jolted up and down, offering no sense of safety whatsoever.


    What was more depressing was that the entire flight journey involved taking off three times andnding three times... This was torture multiplied several times over for someone who had never flown before.


    "Just count yourself lucky! At least you don''t have to drift on the sea for so many days," said a man beside him, carrying a briefcase and pulling a suitcase,forting while walking.


    This type of suitcase was really quite convenient; it had two wheels at the bottom and could be pulled forward with just a slight tilt, ingeniously designed.


    And amazingly, it was given out for free; anyone taking the flight could get one,plete with a logo of a pair of wings tomemorate this incredible flight experience.


    "Yeah! Traveling from Brunas to Dragon Ind I took a ship, and that was truly an unforgettable disaster," the middle-aged man squeezed out an ugly smile: "So I''d rather fly than take a ship."


    "Too bad you still have to take a ship one more time," reminded the man with the suitcase: "You have to take a ship from Dongwan to Linshui."


    "Ah... that''s true." The middle-aged man, who thought he had finally gotten past his ordeal, immediately became gloomy, wiped his mouth with his handkerchief again, and continued forward.


    As they were speaking, another C47 transport ne slowlynded, bumping on the runway. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    In their efforts to rapidly transport personnel back to the maind, the Great Tang Kingdom had summoned nearly all of their C47 transport nes to carry materials and people.


    Soon, the middle-aged man who put his handkerchief away walked up to the check-in window and pulled out his identification, handing it to the policewoman inside.


    The policewoman verified the authenticity of the ID and then handed it back to the man, "Wee to Dongwan Ind! Mr. Guest."


    The man pocketed his ID and then proceeded toward the gate. The man with the suitcase following him then nervously handed over his own identification.


    The policewoman nced down at the ID and habitually returned it: "Wee to Dongwan Ind as well, Mr. Schiller."


    Such scenes had bemonce on Dongwan Indtely, with some folks arriving empty-handed, while others were burdened with loads of luggage.


    This had to do with the personnel deployment policy of the Great Tang Kingdom: Only first-level talents didn''t need to bring any luggage, as Great Tang would prepare the finest amodations in Linshui or Tongcheng and furnish them with new furniture and clothing.


    Second-level talents had to bring their own luggage, as the state only provided housing and would not furnish it with other household items.


    Guest was a very impressive chemical engineer in Great Tang; he owned ab where he was responsible for researching and validating various chemical forms.


    Schiller, who arrived on Dongwan Ind on the same ne, wasn''t as distinguished; he was just an engineer, responsible for the design of automotive subsystems.


    When the two men boarded the same bus from the suburban airport and drove into Dongwan City, they were stunned by the sight before them.


    They had imagined that the far-off Great Tang would surely look underdeveloped and decrepit, but in this moment, it felt as though they were seeing a new Brunas.


    After more than a year of transformation, the ce had changedpletely; the city walls had disappeared without a trace, and tall buildings could be seen from afar.


    The streets were very smooth, and it seemed that the drainage system had already been renovated and perfected. The bustling traffic gave the new arrivals on the bus the impression they had returned to Dragon City or Brunas.


    It was no exaggeration to say that, in terms of bustle alone, the ce could almost rival Jade City.


    You should know that for safety and secrecy reasons, Jade City doesn''t even have an airport yet, while Dongwan City''s airport is quite sizable.


    What they didn''t realize was that at the urban edge, Dongwan Port had also grown to rival Brunas in scale¡ªsince it needed to connect with Linshui and Dragon City, the port in Dongwan was genuinely vast.


    Each of the gantry cranes was of thetest model, evenrger and more advanced than those in Brunas. After all, Brunas''s port facilities hadn''t been updated in two or three years, so thergest port was now in Dragon City.


    Even more impressive was that the shipyard at Dongwan Port had begun operations, and the liberty ships built there were already cutting through the waves of the Endless Sea.


    "At the beginning, I thought that with such great treatment, I wasing to endure hardship," Schiller said, somewhat mesmerized by the neon lights flickering on both sides of the street.


    Guest, who felt uneasy due to the bus''s shaking, pulled out his handkerchief again, not knowing that the incessant chatterer named Schiller standing next to him would be a world-famous car designer.


    And the car engineer Schiller, who talked non-stop as if he had verbal diarrhea, didn''t know that the man next to him, heaving as if pregnant, would be a great chemist in a few years.


    Soon, the bus came to a steady stop in front of the municipal hall of Dongwan City, and the officials receiving these foreign experts led them to the governor''s reception room.


    There they saw the pot-bellied Baus, the former Minister of Construction from Leite Kingdom, who had gotten even fatter from eating.


    But his spirits didn''t seem good; he had dark circles under his eyes and kept yawning incessantly, "Wee to Dongwan City... I know you''ll be heading to Linshui shortly, but I''m very pleased to see all the elites..."


    After he perfunctorilypleted his weing speech, he instructed his assistant to take the guests for a good meal at the city hall''s canteen, and then he left on his own ord.


    "The governor didn''t mean any harm," the ustomed assistant exined to everyone: "He''s just been too busytely. The city is expanding, and he has to personally approve all the projects; he''s gotten thin from hunger..."


    "Uh..." Remembering the fat man who almost couldn''t squeeze through the door just now, the experts from various fields who had traveled a long way were all a bit speechless.


    "I''m not joking. The splendor of Dongwan City today is all thanks to Mr. Dino and Mr. Baus," the assistant said, continuing as they walked forward. "It''s just that Mr. Dino has now been transferred to Chang''an to oversee the work, so Mr.


    Baus has to do the work of two people alone..."


    If measured by the work standards of other kingdoms, the Great Tang Kingdom always pushed women as hard as men, and used men like work animals.


    When Baus was Minister of Construction in Leite Kingdom, he could ignore his duties for ten days, and it was likely no one woulde looking for him.


    But now, he had to stay upte every night just to get through the daily work reports, and if there was a lot of work, he could only sleep two or three hours a day.@@novelbin@@


    Meeting some experts from Dragon Ind, like today, was considered restful in Baus''s schedule. That''s why he was able to brush them off and use the extra 15 minutes to catch up on some sleep.


    "The governor really is... very dedicated," the crowdmented.


    "No choice, working under Mr. Dino... It''s hard not to be dedicated..." the assistant chuckled and pushed open the door ahead: "Here''s the canteen, everyone! The seafood from Dongwan Ind, absolutely delicious!"


    ----------


    I''m not in good shape today, so there''s only one update.

 Chapter 552 Novice in Exercise 514

    Liu Guozhu was very satisfied with his position, as it was the first time he hade across such an advanced war machine.


    For such a skinny young man like him, Tank No. 4 was indeed a behemoth.


    This tank was equipped with the most advancedmunication equipment, with frontal armor exceeding 60 millimeters, which was iparable to those tanks and armored vehicles from other countries.


    Having the chance tomand such a tank filled Liu Guozhu with happiness. He could never have dreamed that one day he would be able to maneuver a steel beast across the battlefield.


    Initially, he could have chosen a safer position because he had studied literature and technology in school, which would have allowed him to stay in a safer rear area.


    But he had no hesitation whatsoever and enlisted at the first opportunity during the draft selection, bing an honored member of the Armored Troops.


    Because he was educated and understood various terminologies, was able to execute tactical orders, and could read operation manuals, he was appointed as the tankmander, responsible formanding Tank No. 4.


    When he first set eyes on this gigantic beast, he waspletely stunned by the steel monster before him. But once he truly learned how tomand such a tank, he fell deeply in love with this advanced war machine.


    Honestly speaking, being in the Armored Troops wasn''t that great, and wasn''tfortable at all. When the hatches were closed for battlefield maneuvers, the inside of the tank was just like a huge sauna.


    The heat from the engine churned in the cramped space, making every soldier unable to resist stripping off their upper clothing to fight bare-chested. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    Due to insufficient smoke extraction equipment, after firing, a pungent, unpleasant odor instantly filled the tank and lingered for a long time.


    The dim lighting inside the tank was merely symbolic, dimly lit and only getting used to after extended training sessions.


    However,pared to the infantry who only had steel helmets, at least they had a thick steel te in front of them to shield them from bullets whizzing directly towards them.


    It was precisely for these reasons that Tank No. 4 was designed with as many as five hatches, allowing all members the chance to stick their heads out to get some air when it wasn''t too dangerous.


    Such a plethora of hatches significantly impacted protection, but even so, Tank No. 4 was still considered the best-protected tank in the world¡ªwithout equal!


    Having so many hatches had its advantages; for one, crew members could rapidly escape the tank if it was destroyed, and on the other hand, it indeed made it easier to resupply ammunition.


    Compared to the first generation of Tank No. 4, Tang Mo made some basic improvements. One of which was the instation of a stowage box at the back of the turret.


    This stowage box was supposed to be added in subsequent upgrades, but Tang Mo went ahead and installed it on the first generation of Tank No. 4, providing some extra storage space for less important items.


    To maintain secrecy, the Armored Corps of the Great Tang Kingdom were deployed in rather deste areas, with other troops on alert nearby.


    Within this scarcely visited military restricted zone, newmanders like Liu Guozhu tirelessly trained in the basic operations of the tank.


    Thanks to the most intuitive and experienced World War II German Army tank operation manual, the Armored Corps of the Tang Kingdom had a wealth of realbat experience from the start.


    These details were the culmination of six brutal years of war by the German Army, each one was a matter of life and death, each one proven by countless instances of bloodshed.


    Following the manual, every march route had to be carefully selected, with tanks on guard going uphill and advanced scout armored vehicles providing safety verification.


    During the column''s movement, which tank was responsible for watching which direction, and how all tanks should disengage from an area in the event of a sudden attack, and so on.


    Every rule was intricately designed, every detail refined and reconsidered¡ªthis is what realbat experience is, truth forged through relentless practice.


    At this moment, Liu Guozhu, wearing his headset, watched the distance from the bouncing tank. He pressed his throat mic, reminding his driver, "Watch your speed! There are trees on the left front, don''t break the antenna!"


    "I can''t see the toon leader''s vehicle!" came the somewhat anxious voice of the driver through the headset: "My visibility isn''t great!"


    "I can still see his antenna! The terrain here isplex, not suitable forbat!" Liu Guozhuined, pressing the inte, "1 number! 1 number! This is 3 number vehicle! We have no visibility! Our firing range is limited!"


    "3 number! 3 number! This is 1 number vehicle! I also think this isn''t a good spot! Speed up! Reverse!


    Reverse!" The toon leader''s somewhat urgent voice came through the headset.


    "Reverse! Reverse! Clear the spot! Fast!" Pressing the inte, switching to the internal channel, Liu Guozhu loudly reminded his driver.


    "ng..." The tracks of Tank No. 4 stopped rolling, the entire tank shook, and then it came to a stop.


    Shortly after, Liu Guozhu''s tank began to reverse, the slendermunication antenna swaying along with the movement of the vehicle body.


    "Damn it! Toote!" The toon leader''sint came through the headset, followed by an announcement on the public channel that vehicle number one had been destroyed by enemy forces.


    "Vehicle one has been hit and is on fire! Visibility is obscured!" the referee announced loudly over the channel, and Liu Guozhu could only order gloomily to continue reversing.


    "Stay away from here, watch the nk! There''s definitely an enemy machine gun position on the side!" he reminded hisrades while issuing loudbatmands to his gunner: "Three o''clock! Three o''clock direction!"


    "Tank three, tank three! This is tank two! You''re about to crash into me! Damn it!" As Liu Guozhu was directing his gunner to rotate the turret, another tankmander''s roar came through the headset.


    "Damn it! Stop the tank! Stop the tank!" While rotating the turret, Liu Guozhu shouted loudly. Along with his shouting, tank number four came to a sudden stop, its body shaking slightly.


    "Referee! Referee! I have aimed at the three o''clock direction! I''m sweeping the enemy machine gun position with the coaxial machine gun."


    "Judgement valid! The enemy''s ambush machine gun position is suppressed..." Finally, some good news came through the headset.


    "Tank two! Tank two! Reverse! Make room! We''re going to advance in a different direction! Vehicle one has been destroyed!" Holding down the talk button, Liu Guozhu yelled loudly.


    "I''m reversing! I''m reversing!" The tank twomander seemed equally irritated, as their tank toon was having a run of seriously bad luck in this exercise.


    First, tank four was randomly judged to be immobilized due to poor maintenance, and was ruled out of the fight, followed by tank five being judged to have hit a mine and was damaged on their way to the offensive.@@novelbin@@


    Fatefully reaching the battlefield, they immediately fell into a passive situation due to the terrain, and vehicle one was ''killed'' by the enemy upon entering their position.


    "Turn around! Follow me! We''re going to charge through the side of the position!" Having turned in an open space, Liu Guozhu discussed with themander of tank two.


    "I''ll listen to you!" Themander of tank two, who was a rookie like Liu, had no idea what to do at this moment and was happy to follow someone''s lead. After all, it was just an exercise. Whether it went well or poorly, he wasn''t going to lose his life, right?


    After finally circumventing the mound, a vast area finally opened up before them. Through the gaps of the observation window, Liu Guozhu managed to get a rough grasp of the battlefield!


    "Eleven o''clock direction! Eleven o''clock direction! Enemy tank spotted!" he alerted his gunner loudly, then ordered his driver, "Turn! Face the enemy head-on! Face the enemy!"


    After issuing twomands, a thought suddenly shed in Liu Guozhu''s mind: It was unlikely that the enemy tank would expose its side in such an open area!


    In the blink of an eye, he immediately revised hismand: "Stop rotating the turret! Stop! Look carefully at the nk! Search carefully! There must be a tank covering at two o''clock! Watch out!


    Tank two! Tank two! Do you see anything? Do you see anything?"


    "I don''t see anything but bushes, I can''t see anything else!" Themander of tank two became anxious, ceaselessly searching for potential targets.


    "Tank two is destroyed! Stop the tank! You''re out!" the referee''s voice came, and Liu Guozhu knew he was now left as the only rookie.


    "Two o''clock direction! Suspected camouged bushes, coaxial machine gun fire to confirm target!" Liu Guozhu loudly reported his actions.


    "... Shot effective, camouge confirmed," the referee announced after a brief two-second silence.


    "Fire!" Liu Guozhu immediately ordered his gunner, who also shouted over the radio, "Fire!"


    "Attack judgement effective!" This time without hesitation, the referee immediately dered, "One enemy tank destroyed..."


    "Ten o''clock direction! Ten o''clock direction!" After eliminating the threat on his right side, Liu Guozhu immediately ordered to rotate the turret.


    Unfortunately, he was still one step toote; the referee group''s decision came through the headset: "You''ve been hit, you are out!"


    "Damn it!" Liu Guozhu pounded his fist against the side of the cannon''s breech, very dissatisfied with his performance.


    Having lost three tanks on his side and knocked out only one of the enemy''s, this looked like a crushing defeat.


    "Not bad fighting!" Surprisingly, over the radio, his toon leader seemed quite sanguine, and as the exercise had ended, he simply encouraged him over the radio: "Managing to knock out one enemy tank is already very good."


    Liu Guozhu hadn''te to his senses; he paused, lifted the hatch over his head, and saw that the enemy tank camouged as a bush had also opened its top hatch.


    The opponent gave him a friendly thumbs up.

 Chapter 553 Target selected on May 15

    "Why did you order the turret to stop turning?" In the camp, an officer nced at Liu Guozhu sitting in his position and asked.


    "Based on the contents of the tactical manual regarding cover fire sectors, if the enemy exposes their side armor on an open battlefield, they must have nk cover..." Liu Guozhu could only respond truthfully.


    He had indeed thought at that moment that the opponent would definitely have cover on the nk, which is why he took that gamble.


    "What if you were wrong?" The officer looked up at Liu Guozhu and then continued to ask.


    "Impossible. The enemy is familiar with the terrain; otherwise, they wouldn''t dispatch a single tank specifically to block the narrow path...


    It was Vehicle 1 that was ambushed in this manner." Liu Guozhu thought for a moment and then said, "To be able to set up a machine-gun position on the path to harass us and deliberately arrange for a tank to ambush indicates that themander would not neglect the front."


    "Hmm..." The officer conducting the debriefing nodded slightly, then smiled and gave Liu Guozhu an additional question, "What if the enemy is well camouged and you don''t find the target right away?"


    "If the enemy really fires, I would be able to see the muzzle sh and the gun smoke." Liu Guozhu insisted that he was right: "I can find the target faster, and I might not even need the coaxial machine gun..."


    "I understand," said the debriefing officer as he looked down at Liu Guozhu''s exercise results, wrote a "superior" on it, and then signed his own name.


    Outside the camp, the tank toon acting as the mock enemy, with five tanks lined up in a row, were all camouged with leaves.


    Four tankmanders were surrounding one, continually teasing the unfortunate one: "Heard you got taken out by a rookie?"


    "It was just an ident!" The tankmander who had been hit by Liu Guozhu was a bit downcast as he exined to hisrades.


    "No need to exin! An exnation is just a cover-up! Hahaha!" His toon leader rubbed the unluckymander''s head and teased him: "You were really showing off there, shooting once and then pulling back!"


    "I just didn''t expect him toe right at me... I thought he would turn the turret towards Vehicle 5," he said.


    "Speaking of which, that brother is pretty good too, guessing our tactical deployment." Another tankmander, seeing Liu Guozhuing out of the tent, praised him.


    "Yeah! A newbie, it''s not easy." The toon leader also smiled and pulled out a cigarette, putting it in his mouth: "Want to go over and meet him?"


    "Forget it! Let''s wait until he might be transferred to our troops," themander taken out by Liu Guozhu obviously had no desire to cozy up to the one who took him down.


    The toon leader lit the cigarette: "Look at you, acting like a child. Forget it then, if you don''t want to go, you don''t have to."


    As Liu Guozhu left the camp and returned to his own tank toon, the mock enemy toon leader, in a cloud of smoke,mented with a cigarette in his hand: "These new recruits are getting more impressive."


    ...


    "Brother, what is this thing for?" A farmer, leaning on a hoe and carrying a straw hat, asked the young man who was fiddling with an instrument on a tripod.


    After adjusting the focus, the young man looked away and smiled as he exined to the old farmer: "It''s nothing, just a small mirror. Just point it at that g over there and make sure it''s clear."


    What he said sounded detailed, but essentially he didn''t reveal anything. He neither exined what the device was for nor what he was here to do with it.


    The old farmer seemed to understand but actually didn''t. He had no idea what these people who hade from far away were doing here: they rode in carts, brought some strange equipment, and had been staying here for two days now.


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    During these two days, these people had been running up and down the mountain every day, setting up these odd devices everywhere, but nobody really knew what they were doing.


    If it weren''t for their generous spending, the local farmers would''ve reported them to the local authorities long ago. However, these people were giving them five silver coins a day aspensation, which was a considerable sum that immediately dissuaded the local farmers from causing any trouble.


    These people who hade from afar were truly generous, giving money to everyone in the vige, and if they ate meals at someone''s house, they paid extra for it.


    "What would you like for dinner tonight? I heard that Old Kang still has two chickens..." Because they could sell for a good price, the simple farmers were willing to share all the good things from their homes.


    The young man raised his arm towards hispanions halfway up the hillside and then looked at the farmer, regretfully saying: "Sorry, our work here is finished, so we''re leaving."


    "Leaving today?" The old farmer was clearly reluctant. Although his days were quitefortable, the extra ie was still very tempting.


    In Qi Country nowadays, the remaining farmers were doing quite well: the refugees who used topete with them fornd were nearly gone.


    With vastnd and few people, there was no worry about finding cultivablend. Havingnd meant stability, then making a living for themselves.


    This was thanks to the Great Tang Kingdom, which had purchased so many refugees. Without that, the remaining people could not have started to live well so quickly.


    "Yes, we''re leaving this afternoon and probably won''t be here for dinner," the young man said, his face full of smiles as he declined the old farmer''s kind offer.


    "Ah..." With a sigh, the old farmer''s thoughts went to Kite... uh... no, to their benefactors departing, "With your leave, this old man will feel a bit heavy-hearted."


    "We must part ways eventually," the young man seemed to understand, as he pulled out a stack of silver coins from his pocket and, without counting, pressed them into the old farmer''s palm, then smiled, "Sorry for the inconvenience, I feel bad about it."


    "Huh? What do you mean by this! No! No! You''ve given enough! More than enough!" the old farmer quickly declined, disying a demeanor of not epting rewards without merit.


    However, the young man clearly had no intention of taking the money back; after a brief struggle, the money went into the old farmer''s pocket.


    Ashamed, the farmer''s wrinkled face blossomed like a flower, filled with smiles from the center to the corners, "You''re too kind."


    If I weren''t polite, you probably would have taken me to the authorities for a reward by now. The young man smiled too, but couldn''t help inwardlyining.


    They had encountered all sorts of people on their journey here: some officials would take bribes, while others were incorruptible. Some locals cooperated for money, and some even tried to rob them.


    In short, they had braved countless risks along the way and seen all facets of life. To say these local civilians were just an ordinary group was an understatement.


    Their mission, deep within Qi Country, was actually to draw maps, and not just any maps, but military-grade maps.


    They had taken countless photographs with their cameras, catalogued them, andpiled them with the maps to form firsthand geographic material.


    With this information, the troops could be sure not to get lost while advancing¡ªif they had to rely on the maps drawn in earlier years, the fieldmanders of the Great Tang Kingdom would probably have cried.


    Those maps, where a drawing of a mountain meant a mountain, a drawing of a city wall merlon meant a city, were heartbreakingly inurate.


    As for what exactly those lines marked as roads represented, only heaven knew¡ªif the rugged terrains could actually be called roads, that is.


    Just like with the attack on Zheng Country, infiltrating and drawing a precise map was a critical prerequisite before any military action.


    Only a sufficiently urate map could enablemanders to grasp the battlefield situation and deploy their forces rationally.


    Compared to Qi Country''s border defenses, which sounded formidable, themanders of the Great Tang Kingdom cared more about an urate map of the entirety of Qi Country''s hintend.


    Nobody cared about those defenses! Everyone believed that with the new weaponry in their hands, the formidable defense line relied on by Qi Country was as good as paper.


    All the medium and high-rankingmanders of the Great Tang Kingdom were contemting a series of swift maneuvers to be executed after breaching the defenses.


    Nobody considered Qi Country''s defensive line a threat, even though the expert Shireck had arranged it based on the trench-warfare experiences between Dorne and Gobur.


    In the afternoon, several horse-drawn carriages left the vige, leaving behind a group of reluctant local farmers. These farmers had earned more money in the past two days than they would in an entire year.


    After bidding farewell to the youngsters with their odd equipment, the farmers returned to their habitual way of life.


    Meanwhile, far to the south near the Northern Region border of the Great Tang Kingdom, arge group of military experts waspiling maps delivered by dozens of teams.


    They were integrating the relevantndmark photos with the nearby maps as thoroughly as possible topile a volume, which would then be distributed to allbat units.


    Staff officers meticulously confirmed every potential encampment site, choosing cautiously the viges and cities wheremand posts could be stationed.@@novelbin@@


    Every soldier involved inbat operations was to memorize specialndmarks they might encounter to ensure that they would not get lost due to disorder or straying from the march route.


    The 2nd Armored Division had recently loaded all their equipment onto vehicles, arriving at their designated base in the northern part of the Kingdom.


    Some high-ranking staff members also knew that the Kingdom''s stockpiles of ammunition and supplies were being shifted towards the Northern Region¡ªincluding shells and bullets, as well as spare barrels and parts.


    Threerge field hospitals had been secretly built on the border, and five big barracks with bathhouses and canteens had been set aside.


    Even more, an airstrip had been constructed that could immediately host Air Force units ready for relocation in case war broke out.


    As the preparations for war reached this stage, many of the high-ranking officials already knew that their King had chosen the next target for attack¡ªQi Country!


    -------


    Sorry, I''ve yet to repay old debts, and yesterday I incurred new ones... I fear Dragon Spirit will never be able to repay them all... Sigh...

 Chapter 554 King 516 has arrived

    ```


    Bai Fei felt a bit nervous, standing in the crowd, almost retracting his head into his chest. It was only in moments like these that he desperately wished he were a tortoise, one that could retreat into its shell.


    Even though he was a knight, and a knight of the mighty Tang Kingdom, he still didn''t dare to show off in this setting because standing beside him was Lu Qianshan, and the rest of the big shots, none of whom he could afford to provoke.


    A General who had lost his kingdom, he always seemed out of ce on asions like these. Every detail here, every nce from every person seemed to tear at his old scars.


    Only at times like this did Bai Fei once again remember that he oncemanded an army of fifty thousand as a Great General.


    He didn''t dare to harbor any resentment, nor did he have the standing to be angry. He just stood at the dock, idly staring as the cold sea breeze blew.


    Even because the asion was so grand, he didn''t dare to chat idly with Lu Qianshan standing beside him, foolishly standing still as if he were a y statue.


    Seagulls circled in the sky, asionally crying out, as the vast port was nearly cleared. Far away at the dock, warships and the Liberty ship had docked, and the once-bustling port workers were nowhere to be seen.


    The first to dock was the battleship Jade City No. 2, which anchored at the neighboring dock, and even separated by a dock, one could still feel the battleship''s majestic grandeur.


    Just by looking at the giant steel cannons on the deck of the warship, one could understand the formidable power of such a leviathan at sea.


    The soldiers unloading goods at the neighboring dock were unlike any he had ever seen. The cargo they handled was varied, even including luxurious Rolls-Royce cars.


    Bai Fei had seen Rolls-Royce cars before, like the time when they were prepared in advance to wee Princess Yulin.


    It was after that asion that Bai Fei realized there were such luxurious cars in the world, extravagant to the extreme.


    The Gobur cars he greatly admired turned out to be just ordinary merchandise that the Tang Kingdom didn''t bother to produce. The truly luxurious car brand in this world was the Rolls-Royce from the Great Tang Group.


    But now, at this moment, Bai Fei saw another truly luxurious car, a brand-new Rolls-Royce made especially for the royal family of the Tang Kingdom, a super-luxurious safety model.


    Just by looking at the size of the car, one could tell it was exceedingly valuable; Bai Fei had never seen such arge sedan before.


    From its size alone, it seemed to be a small truck, with long hood sides where the engine''s exhaust ports were situated, and one needed only a rudimentary understanding of engines toprehend the terrifying horsepower of this car.


    If the oppressive aura of this car weren''t enough to keep Bai Fei from even breathing deeply, the personnel arriving to meet it would definitely make him keep his head down.


    Standing in the front row was Princess Yulin of the Tang Kingdom, beside her was Li''ao, head of the Tang Kingdom''s intelligence department, next to him was Chang''an''s governor Dino, and Generals Tagg and Redman.


    All of the big names of the Tang Kingdom had arrived today, none were absent; they stood neatly, even their clothing without a single wrinkle.


    Although due to the secrecy of the itinerary for those not of sufficient rank, Bai Fei had no idea who he was here to wee today, the scale of the preparations was enough for him to guess who it was.


    The battleship Jade City No. 1 slowly docked at the port, and at that moment, Bai Fei finally realized just how spectacr this monster, with its side towering over four meters high, truly was.@@novelbin@@


    He had to tilt his head up to see the sailors looking down at the dock from the ship''s side, these sailors standing with their hands behind their backs at the railing, with a resolute and serious expression.


    "Attention!" The officer of the honor guard drew his Longsword, held it upright in front of him, and barked themand loudly.


    "y the music!" The conductor of the military band also started to wave his baton, and the robust military music began to y. The gangway descended slowly to the military tunes, finally resting upon the dock.


    The first to descend the gangway was a military officer in white naval dress uniform. The ceremonial officer announced his rank loudly, "General Bernard, the Commander-in-Chief of the Kingdom''s Navy!"


    The man saluted, then stepped aside, clearing the way. Next, a man in an army uniform descended the gangway, saluting the weing crowd. The ceremonial officer continued with the introduction, "General Luff, Chief of Staff of the Kingdom!"


    Then, a man around the age of fifty, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, descended the gangway. Everyone on the scene stood at attention and saluted, even Princess Yulin bowed slightly. The ceremonial officer went on to introduce loudly, "Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Sir Roger."


    Atst, raising his voice and using all his strength, the ceremonial officer dered loudly, "His Majesty the King has arrived!"


    Tang Mo, setting foot on his homnd for the first time, waved gently to the crowd from the top of the gangway, before walking briskly down.


    ```


    ```


    He was just over twenty years old, at the prime of his youth, his handsome faceplemented by exquisite attire, creating an imposing aura that made everyone present feel an inexplicablepulsion to submit.


    Having started Great Tang Group from scratch in his teens and ascending to the throne of a mighty kingdom in his twenties, how could anyone not marvel at his rapid rise?


    As Tang Mo descended the gangway, everyone saluted, and Bai Fei and Lu Qianshan finally caught sight of the young king through the crowd.


    Unfortunately for them, His Majesty the King showed no intention of lingering; he merely waved to the crowd before slipping into the bulletproof car that had been prepared in advance.


    Following him, Princess Yulin also got into the vehicle. Surrounded and protected by many cars, the convoy slowly drove out of the dock and left the port.


    Owing to the need for secrecy, there wasn''t even a weing crowd on the streets; the cars drove all the way to the residence of the governor of Linshui.


    "How are things progressing?" Tang Mo took off his white gloves and tossed them onto the table, asking the group that had followed him into the hall.


    Tagg certainly knew what Tang Mo was referring to and immediately began to report on the preparations for war: "Our main troops have been quietly moved to the northern war zone, suchrge-scale assembly is a first for us."


    Even with advance preparation and the cultivation of relevant technical talent, such arge-scale assembly of troops was still a major project for the Tang Army.


    Trains were constantly transporting strategic materials day and night, including food, ammunition, weapons, equipment, and even timbers and hardware parts...


    In this process, all disciplines yed a crucial role, including dispatching calctions, statistics and sorting, and distribution management.


    "10 divisions, over 200,000 soldiers, plus 50 military exclusive train sets, 5 transport truck battalions, and 2 independent heavy artillery battalions." Tagg made simple annotations on the map he had prepared in advance and briefed Tang Mo.


    "Given another two months, we could deploy 2 more newly formed infantry divisions, which would increase our offensive force to 250,000." Redman added from the side.


    "That doesn''t even include the strength the Navy and Air Force couldmit to the war," Luff exined, "We already discussed this on the ship, Your Majesty."


    "I know, the best scenario is Qi Country''s army shing with ours head-on, and the worst is them breaking up into small groups to harass our military logistics..." Tang Mo looked at the map, then turned to Li''ao: "Intelligence and secrecy... how are they going?"


    "Secrecy is difficult to manage, with the movement of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. There are seven or eight trains leaving every day. It''s impossible to control everyone involved, including theborers, managers, merchants, and travelers." Li''aoined.


    Though he had arrived here in advance, his work was not going smoothly. In fact, due to a severe shortage of manpower, concealing a military mobilization of war level was simply impossible.


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    Unless the other side was all blind and foolish, if they made even a minimal effort, they could obtain some intelligence.


    It''s not necessary to infiltrate Tagg''s office and gain ess to the entire campaign n to get urate information.


    In fact, it''s easy to discover that Great Tang Kingdom is reinforcing the north by merely investigating the frequency of military trains, observing the transportation of equipment and personnel, watching the convoys of trucks by the roadside, and counting the cannons they tow.


    The atmosphere was already so charged, and given Zheng Country''s previous experiences, it would be truly unbelievable if Qi Country weren''t at all prepared. They might be slightly behind, but they certainly weren''t idiots.


    "Eight days ago, the traffic of people between Qi Country and ours began to decrease, and many checkpoints closed due to troop redeployment," Li''ao briefed Tang Mo on the current situation: "Commanders of the Qi Country border forces familiar to us decreased by seventy percent, their border troops also increased."


    "They only started reacting eight days ago?" Tang Mo looked at Li''ao beside him in disbelief.


    Li''ao shook his head: "Increasing troops and fortifying defenses began at least six months ago, but frequent troop movements started only in the past half-month."


    "Clearly, they have also started making real preparations for war," Tang Mo nodded slightly: "Then, how''s the investigation of their defense line going?"


    "We havergely grasped the enemy''s defensive setup, knowing more than half of their troop deployments." Despite the shortage of manpower, the intelligence organization under Li''ao''smand was one of the most efficient in the world, making it not difficult to investigate the defense deployment of Qi Country.


    "Have arrangements been made for the weak areas?" Tang Mo then turned to Tagg and Redman.


    Tagg and Redman immediately nodded: "All set up. As soon as the war begins, we will focus on these weak points for breakthroughs."


    ```

 Chapter 555 517 Great Tang Kingdom must win

    Then, Tagg began to give a brief introduction to the strategic deployment of the Qi Army: "The Qi Army''s strategic deployment is roughly as follows. The enemy has gathered three main forces in the south, each led by one of Qi Country''s princes."


    "The First Prince of Qi Country is in charge of the central defensive line, which is under the most pressure; the Second Prince is in charge of the eastern defensive line by the sea, and the Third Prince is in charge of the rtively safe westernmost defensive line." He roughly marked three areas on the map,beling them 1, 2, and 3 respectively.


    After thebeling, he continued, "The strength of the forces is also such that the troops under the First Prince of Qi are the strongest, those under the Second Prince slightly weaker, and those under the Third Prince the weakest."


    "The three main forces have simr numbers of troops, the main difference lies in the weaponry and the level of personnel training. Each force has about 150,000 troops, which is pretty much all Qi Country can muster." Having said that, he looked towards Tang Mo.


    "Isn''t this what we were hoping for?" Tang Mo asked curiously.


    ording to the thinking in the Great Tang Kingdom, the more the enemy concentrates their troops for a head-on battle, the better it fits Great Tang Kingdom''s tactical style, and the easier the battle will be.


    Tagg nodded, agreeing with Tang Mo''s view: "Indeed, if these forces can be encircled and annihted, then the pressure on us in the subsequent battles will decrease a lot."


    "Then let''s not let these three forces escape, and aim to annihte them on the spot." Tang Mo decided the fate of the Qi border main forces with a smile.


    All the generals present stood at attention and puffed out their chests: "Yes!"


    "Continue," Tang Mo waved his hand, indicating that everyone should not be constrained. In fact, no one was constrained because this was the first time the King of the Great Tang Kingdom hade to the home country of a foreignnd.


    "Up front, the enemy has basically adopted the previous defensive line arrangement of the Gobur Kingdom, three lines of trenches for defense, supplemented by bunkers, and artillery groups deployed in the rear for support." Next to speak was Redman.


    What he talked about was the construction of the Qi Army''s border defenses: "Having learned from the war experience between Gobur and Dorne, Shireck''s military advisors havee up with quite a few new ideas for Qi Country. For example, they cedndmines in many areas they deemed dangerous, and in some areas, they also used barbed wire to block offensives."


    "In terms of trench arrangements, the enemy also made some improvements, cing barracks behind the second line of defense to improve the resting conditions for the troops." He spoke as if he had personally visited the enemy''s positions.


    In fact, it was all thanks to Li''ao. The intelligence agency of the Great Tang Kingdom had almostpletely scouted the enemy''s defensive lines and, under permissible conditions, even brought back many photographs.


    It must be said that although the Qi Country''s upper echelons were like facing a formidable enemy, the decay at the grassroots level of their troops was indeed deep-rooted and could not be changed in the short term.


    "To dy our offensive, the enemy has deployed more bunkers in the third line of defense and some segments have been turned into permanent defensive works," he pointed out, indicating the detailed map of the enemy''s defensive lines and photographic materials that were already on the table.


    Tang Mo looked at the photos of the trenches, which had a wartime feel to them, and then asked the generals: "This setup doesn''t seem to be of much use against us, does it?"


    Tagg said somewhat uncertainly: "We are still unsure about the actual performance of the Air Force, but breaking through the enemy''s defense lines shouldn''t be much of a problem."


    "Intelligence indicates that the enemy has deployed a number of anti-aircraft guns in their strategic hintend, but they are rtively outdated, all being Shireck''s obsolete products," Redman also spoke up to exin.


    Li''ao also added: "Qi Country doesn''t ce much emphasis on air defense, and in fact, there are few countries in the world that truly prioritize it."


    Luff also spoke up about the shorings of airships: "Airships are too slow, making them easy targets for anti-aircraft guns. Hence, everyone doesn''t have much faith in our use of airships on a raid against Qi Country achieving any major results."


    Tagg continued: "Because they can only carry out night raids, airships also have a very limited attack range. In fact, it''s confined to about 200 kilometers deep into the frontline, which is also easy to defend against."


    It was at this point that Redman turned to Tang Mo: "Your Majesty! We are very curious to know, is the Air Force''s promise to incapacitate all strategic targets within 400 kilometers of the enemy''s territory for the first day serious?"


    Tang Mo, stroking his chin, had confidence in his Air Force: "More or less, I confirmed the situation with the Air Force beforeing here, they can dispatch over 300 nes to support ground operations on the first day."


    With over a hundred Stuka Dive Bombers together with more than a hundred FW-190s doubling as dive bombers, copsing the enemy''s defense lines shouldn''t be too difficult, should it?


    In fact, Tang Mo was capable of deploying even more nes to join the attack, but once the nes appeared in people''s view, the entire sky would start to look different.


    He also had several hundred transport nes to put into use, as well as deploying fighters, reconnaissance nes, and other aircraft on his own controlled inds and within the country, all of which upied pilots.


    Given the need for pilots to rotate rest, he was truly unwilling to ce all his bets on Qi Country in one go.


    However, ording tomon sense, employing air power to surprise the enemy could indeed yield significant results. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    Thus, Tang Mo assembled 100 B-17 strategic bombers, 120 Stuka Dive Bombers, and 110 FW-190 fighters to support this ground operation.


    Afterunching the world''s firstrge-scale air-to-ground operation, ording to the n, the 500-plus C47 transport nes and airliners, which had been umting over the past year and not put into use, would be fully deployed.


    A few dayster, in the Great Tang maind, taking a ne to the destination would be the most convenient mode of travel. The journey from Tongcheng to Linshui would only take a few short hours, greatly saving valuable time.


    Unbeknownst to many, the efficiency of the entire world was rapidly improving. A war that used to engage only tens of thousands of soldiers now saw forces numbering in the hundreds of thousands assembled by each side!


    Since it was the first time being put to the test inbat, Tang Mo didn''t dare to speak too confidently, but he knew that the power of a modern air force would definitely exceed everyone''s imagination.


    Of course, with the advancement of the war, Tang Mo might deploy more than 500 aircraft¡ªalmost all of his assets or, one could say, all of hisbat aircraft assets.@@novelbin@@


    There was no choice; there were still too few pilots, and because confidentiality had to be maintained previously, they couldn''t train on arge scale, so they had to temporarily endure theck of talent.


    But very soon, with the expansion of the war and the removal of the secrecy surrounding airnes, training pilots would be more convenient, and the scale would no longer be constrained by secrecy, with the training pace bound to increase several-fold.


    "Since the arrow is on the string and must be sent, it is time we consider recalling the ambassadors stationed in the Dahua Empire, as well as the envoys in countries like Chu Country," Roger said to Tang Mo, "and moreover, a war... always needs a reason."


    "A reason is easy toe by, as long as we make sure that Qi Country fires the first shot," Tang Mo didn''t find this to be a difficult task.


    Thus, he turned to look at Li''ao, who was naturally brimming with confidence: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty! I have already arranged for people to create the conflict."


    "You see, Minister Li still has ways to handle things," Tang Mo smiled, looking toward Yulin: "Then let''s recall the envoys from other countries in my name! Have theme back to report!"


    Tang Mo didn''t believe that Dahua would continue to tolerate provocation after provocation. Especially when Dahua found out that the Great Tang Kingdom''s backyard was unsteady and that Laines Empire was already harboring ulterior motives, they would certainly take action to get rid of the nuisance that was Tang Mo.


    Tang Mo had known from the start that this war would evolve into a true world war. The ongoing civil war within the trade union, far from over, was nothingpared to what was ahead!


    The previous conflict had only affected the Eastern Continent of the Endless Sea, but this war could epass both the eastern and western continents, and even spread to the entire Endless Sea.


    However, after umting strength for such a long time, Tang Mo was not afraid of the war; he even wanted to use it to firmly establish the dominance of the Great Tang Kingdom.


    "That''s a good reason. Since Your Majesty hase, it''s natural for them to return and see you," Yulin said with a smile. It had been a long while since she had seen her lover, and her joy was evident throughout the journey.


    "We must ensure the safety of our people! We cannot rely too much on the enemy''s mercy," Tang Mo reminded everyone: "Next, I''ll have to make an appearance in Tongcheng as you''ve arranged, right?"


    "Your Majesty''s efforts are appreciated! Showing up in the Tongcheng industrial area, disying concern for industrial development, will numb the enemy, making them believe we''re not fully prepared for war," Roger said to Tang Mo with a smile.


    Tang Mo nodded; he certainly knew he needed to do this. In fact, the newspapers reporting on his inspection of the industrial area were already printed. The whole of Tang Country would follow this public appearance closely and propagate the news that the King cared for the welfare of the people.


    ording to the next n, Qi Army would "invade" Tang Country, provoking the war, and then Tang Country would strike back.


    As for where this counterattack would stop and when it would end, that would be for the Great Tang Kingdom to decide!


    "Then I shall make a trip to Tongcheng. I too want to see what Tongcheng has be," Tang Mo stated, looking at his somewhat nervous ministers, signaling again for them to rx: "Gentlemen... victory belongs to us! There''s no need to be so tense! The Great Tang Kingdom... shall prevail!"


    "Long live Great Tang! Long live Your Majesty! The Great Tang Kingdom... shall prevail!" Everyone in the room echoed loudly, heads held high.

 Chapter 556 518, a thousand people point at

    Laines Empire, Imperial City Laines, within the majestic pce, Leines I was scrutinizing a telegram from afar.


    "Your Majesty, the Dahua Empire has indeed promised that as long as we are willing to conquer Jade City and Brunas, they will also give us plenty of support," the Prime Minister of Laines, who had also read the telegram, echoed in agreement.


    With the promise of the Dahua Empire to tie down the main force of the Great Tang Kingdom on the Western Continent, Laines could seriously contemte the conquest of Brunas, turning it into a viable option.


    As long as the main force of the Great Tang Kingdom did not return to defend, they would have the opportunity to break through the Jade City defenses and swallow Brunas!


    Leines I felt he would most certainly be the victor of this new war and be the one to reap the greatest benefits!


    The fools of the Dahua Empire certainly wouldn''t realize that Brunas was the most vital part of the Great Tang Kingdom, a pearl atop the crown of the world''s industry!


    Once he seized Brunas, everything would be within his grasp! His empire would be the most industrially developed nation in the world, and he would be the Emperor of the most powerful empire on this!


    By then, what would the Empire of Na matter? What would the Dorne Kingdom matter? They would all be but mere ants.


    "The Gobur side hopes we can wait a bit longer, their fleet is making preparations! Chu Country and Qi Country have also started to make arrangements," the Minister of Foreign Affairs reported with a smile.


    Leines I clenched his fist triumphantly, very satisfied with his own deployment, "Excellent!"


    "Your Majesty, Sir Simon has given up his title and resigned as the Empire''s Minister of Finance, this issue is rather sudden," The Prime Minister recalled something and said to Leines I.


    Leines I''s expression turned slightly darker, disgruntledly stating, "This damned fellow, was not truly with us to the end!"


    "He wouldn''t leak our ns to the Great Tang, would he...?" the Minister of Foreign Affairs asked nervously.


    The Prime Minister shook his head, reassuring his colleague, "He knows nothing! We have sidelined him from all of our ns!"


    "Not just him,, but everyone associated with the Great Tang has been bypassed. We.. are not fools!" Leines I said with pride.


    He inevitably became excited at the mention, as it was his brilliant design¡ªreassigning officials affiliated with the Great Tang Group to irrelevant departments, then having them watched was aplete severing of Great Tang''s eyes and ears.@@novelbin@@


    "Let him go, he might be from the Great Tang Kingdom, but he has always worked diligently and did quite a bit for us; letting him live is my way of saying thanks! But... not his money! He cannot take a single penny with him!"


    "As you wish, Your Majesty!" The captain of the guard standing by revealed a greedy look, well-aware that the task of raiding for the Emperor awaited him.


    "What about Suthers?" After instructing his captain of the guard to raid Sir Simon''s house, Leines I immediately questioned his Minister of Foreign Affairs.


    Upon hearing the name Suthers, the Minister of Foreign Affairs felt utterly aggravated, exining, "That old fox, the King of Suthers, has yet to take a clear stance."


    "I''ve offered such generous terms, and he''s still not interested? Impossible!" Leines I surged with anger and said resentfully.


    The Prime Minister immediately spoke tofort him, "Don''t worry, Your Majesty! It''s natural for them to hesitate on such a significant matter! As long as they haven''t tly refused, there''s still a chance!"


    Leines I, upon reflection, indeed found this made sense. If the other side had agreed too readily, he would have suspected a trap.


    Truth be told, he had offered the King of Suthers an irresistible proposal, and the King of the Suthers Kingdom was indeed tempted.


    The Laines Empire was prepared to cede Northern Ridge to Suthers! This richnd was like sulent meat that the King of Suthers had dreamt of devouring.


    Although the industrial level of Northern Ridge fell short of Brunas, it was still and of great wealth under the backing of the Great Tang Group.


    Should he gain control over this territory, the Suthers Kingdom would be a powerful state, even capable ofpeting directly with the Laines Empire.


    Although acquiring Brunas would also make the Laines Empire a significant threat, if he could ally with Empire of Na, the King of Suthers still believed he could maintain his inheritance.


    Moreover, capturing Northern Ridge wouldn''t be seen as aplete betrayal of the Great Tang Kingdom, and even if the Great Tang desired revenge, they would have no way to execute it!


    Because when the sky falls, the tallest man will hold it up, and Suthers Kingdom wasn''t afraid¡ªthey stillcked a seaport, so there was no fear of retaliation from the Great Tang Group.


    Why fear when your navy can''t reach me, and your army can''te over?


    Therefore, upon hearing that the Laines Empire was willing to cede the Northern Ridge, the King of Suthers was very tempted to agree right away.


    However, he calmed down at thest moment¡ªafter all, his kingdom had risen through political reforms with the assistance of the Great Tang Group, and industrialization was also heavily dependent on Great Tang, so deep down, the King of Suthers was still very wary of Tang Mo.


    Although greed was making him increasingly ambitious, the pressure from the Great Tang Group still prevented him from daring to overstep his bounds.


    Shireck had actually been operating in the shadows recently, getting Sofia to halt Gobur''s fierce attack on Dorne, and even prompting Leines I to offer the King of Dorne an attractive deal.


    Dorne would withdraw from the trade alliance dominated by the Great Tang Group and join the trading circle led by Shireck. Gobur and Dorne would immediately cease hostilities, and Dorne could take back Hotwind Port and Winterless City, which were under the control of the Great Tang Group!


    These two ces were also richnds, and after Dorne acquired them, its shipbuilding industry and other industries could see a huge boost.


    Of course, the most important thing was that the Tang Kingdom would thus lose an important rubber resource, which could seriously dy Tang Mo''s industrial development.


    The King of Dorne was also considering this issue, but he was very reluctant to part with the two sharpest des in his hand, both of whom were graduates of the Tang Military Academy.


    ording to Shireck''s thinking, eliminating Bolton and Strauss was definitely justified, but the King of Dorne was unwilling to give up these two capable generals.


    Therefore, Dorne was also hesitant, torn over whether to bring down its own Great Wall for greater benefits.


    In short, after generously offering benefits that initially belonged to the Great Tang Group, these countries all saw another possibility: to destroy the Great Tang Group and fulfill their own imperial ambitions.


    Even, to get the pearl that was Brunas, Leines I promised to support the Kings of Suthers and Dorne in proiming themselves Emperors!


    Shireck made the same promise, that once the strategic objectives were achieved, both Dorne and Suthers could be empires and receive unconditional support from Shireck.


    To show sincerity, Gobur''s offensive hadpletely stopped recently, and the war state between Dorne and Gobur had be strangely delicate. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    However, the Great Tang Group was keenly aware of a series of changes happening in the various countries recently.


    Harry sent 110 secret telegrams to Dragon Ind and Chang''an in one month, reporting the various movements of surrounding powers.


    Immediately, the atmosphere became very tense, and the troops belonging to the security department of the Great Tang Group in Jade City urgently fortified their defenses. Just under three months of peace had passed, and the cloud of war seemed to hover over the Eastern Continent once again.


    What''s more concerning is that this time, it wasn''t just the Eastern Continent, even the sound of war drums from the Western Continent seemed to be getting louder.


    Qi Country suddenly condemned Tang Country for sheltering border-crossing refugees and trafficking the people of Qi Country, rapidly deteriorating rtions between the two countries, with the majority of their border trade ports closing.


    The Dahua Empire announced its support for Qi Country, demanding a reasonable exnation from Tang Country regarding the refugee issue on behalf of its vassal, Qi Country.


    Along with this statement supporting Qi Country, the Dahua Empire deployed troops at the border, amassing a 30,000-strong army to unt its might.


    Soon after, Tang Mo, the King of Great Tang, made a statement during an inspection in Tongcheng, iming that his country had not harbored Qi Country refugees and angrily announced the recall of the Tang ambassador to Qi Country.


    Following that, both Tang and Qi started advising their merchants to avoid unstable countries for business. Traders from both countries began to sell off their goods to return home, and the economies of both countries experienced some degree of turmoil.


    Subsequently, Dahua also began restricting its merchants from investing in and doing business with Tang, and Tang responded with the same measures within 10 hours.


    Chu Country, which was already amassing troops at the border, suddenly dered the closure of all trade ports between the two countries, a decision that seemed to stir up a ho''s nest.


    For a time, several countries were recalling their ambassadors to the Tang Kingdom, and the Tang Kingdom was also recalling its ambassadors to the various countries, as native border checkpoints werepletely shut down.


    Then, as expected by Tang Mo, the Laines Empire condemned the Tang Kingdom for disregarding the feelings of its neighbors on the refugee issue, acting willfully and stirring up regional tensions.


    The King of Suthers sent Tang Mo a personal telegram, reminding him to exercise restraint and not provoke new conflicts that could affect the friendly rtions between the countries within the trade alliance.


    A dayter, the King of Dorne also sent a telegram to Tang Mo, notifying him of Dorne''s concern regarding the refugee crisis.


    Just when everyone thought those were the only countries involved, the Por Kingdom suddenly took offense, condemning the arrogance of the Tang Kingdom. Almost at the same time, Gobur also announced a temporary suspension of trade with the Tang Kingdom, and at that moment, it seemed as if the whole world was turning against the Tang Kingdom.

 Chapter 557 519 situation changes rapidly

    Despite the loud cries from these countries, the reality was that Qi Country, which was busily preparing for war, was at the forefront.


    Qi Country was not as corrupt as Zheng Country. While leveraging the power of Great Tang to industrialize, they also absorbed many technologies from Shireck.


    Moreover, the country''s leadership keenly sensed the imminent threat of war. They were trying every means to assemble their troops and build as many defense fortifications on the border as possible.


    To withstand the pressure from the Great Tang Kingdom, King Jiang Xian of Qi Country sent his three most valued sons out, each leading troops to block the possible northward advancement of the Great Tang Kingdom''s military.


    Shireck went even further to assist Qi Country by sending arge military advisory group to help the three princes train new troops and set up defenses.


    The entire defense line stretched along the border between Tang and Qi, from the seaside all the way into the mountainous regions near the borders of the Dahua Empire. For the construction of this line, Qi Country mobilized 300,000borers who had been busy since half a year ago until today.


    Initially, the entire line was required to have at least 4 machine gun pillboxes per kilometer for fire support.


    However, afterpletion, and as Great Tang was not yet ready for war, Qi Country continued to crazily strengthen the line, eventually increasing the number of pillboxes to 9 per kilometer!


    In other words, on most of the line, there was about one machine gun pillbox every hundred meters, some reinforced with wood, sandbags, and soil, and some even with concrete.


    Most machine gun pillboxes were fortified with wood on both sides of the trenches, and underground shelters were built at intervals in the trenches, with even hidden camps dug out for troop garrisons.


    To support this meticulously arranged defense line, Qi Country purchased arge number of Maxim machine guns replicas manufactured by Shireck, further increasing the density of machine gun fire.


    The three princes each led 150,000 troops and were deployed in three sections of the defense line. They stayed entrenched and did not need to move, holding in their hands a vast reserve of troops.


    ording to Shireck''s experience in the wars of Dorne and Gobur, the Great Tang Kingdom''s attack might involve more artillery and the deployment of better armored vehicles.


    Combining the analysis of the mark1 tank released by the Great Tang Group, Shireck''s military advisors were sure that the Great Tang Kingdom had more advanced tanks to break through Qi Country''s defenses.


    To prevent their defenses from being breached, Qi Country employed nearly all of Shireck''s avable anti-tank technologies.


    Firstly, on some main positions, Qi Country deployed anti-tank guns modified from anti-aircraft guns supplied by Shireck¡ªa clearly derived experience from Dorne.


    Secondly, Shireck alsoid out mines with heavier charges in some areas, specifically designed to destroy vehicles. These were almost the first anti-tank mines to be used on arge scale in actualbat.


    Then, for added security, Qi Country dug anti-tank trenches and installed stone obstacles in front of some positions, also based on the lessons learned from Dorne''s anti-tank operations.


    Last, in some steep areas, Qi Countryid out barbed wire and other obstacles to hinder the fast passage of the Great Tang Kingdom''s troops.


    To support this defense line and ensure its invulnerability, Qi Country also deployed two thousand cannons of various models and calibers behind the line, with thergest caliber reaching 350 millimeters¡ªthese were heavy guns produced by Shireck.


    This too was an improvement based on lessons learned from the Gobur war, as Shireck believed that only with powerful suppressive artillery could the enemy''s tank advance be stopped.


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    Dahua Empire and the Por Kingdom were also providing more shells for Qi Country''s artillery. Under Shireck''s support, these two countries had established modern military industrial systems and had no problems producing ammunition.


    With plenty of shells at their disposal, Qi Country was quite confident in stopping the advance of the Great Tang Kingdom.


    After preparing the defenses, Shireck considered creating some trump cards for Qi Country! Transporting tanks a great distance to Qi Country might be a challenge, so Shireck provided a sufficient number of airships instead.


    After helping Qi Country to establish an airship intion factory and construct airship base facilities, Shireck almost freely provided 70 airships for Qi Country to form an air force.


    With these airships, the Qi Country Air Force believed they could find an opportunity in the first few days of the war to cripple Tang Country''s frontline battle preparations near the border.


    Moreover, Shireck assured that if Qi Country could hold off the Tang Army''s attack, Shireck would then build factories in the Dahua Empire to produce tanks and other heavy weaponry, helping Qi Country to turn defeat into victory!


    Encouraged by these many promises, everyone in Qi Country took this war very seriously and was optimistic. They believed that with nearly 500,000 troops deployed on the border, they might not be sufficient for an offensive, but were more than enough for defense.


    If the Tang Army dared toe, they would surely be battered and bloodied against Qi Country''s sturdy southern defense line! By then, when the Tang Army would be exhausted from the offense, Qi Country, backed by the Dahua Empire with the support of the whole world, would certainly achieve final victory.


    ...


    Harry pinched the telegram from Tongcheng, and broodingly rubbed his brow. The message was from Tang Mo, and it was quite direct, ordering him to organize an evacuation from Brunas and abandon the industrial zone at a critical moment.


    Although the Great Tang Kingdom had put up a strong front of attacking Qi Country, the reality of their thinly stretched military forces was still a serious issue.


    In the Brunas direction, the Tang Army only had one division of garrison troops; whether they could withstand the onught of the Laines Empire was a question.


    The pressure from the Northern Ridge was equally formidable. In the direction of Ice Crystal City, Northern Ridge''s three divisions had to face threats from both Suthers and Laines. They simply couldn''t spare any troops.


    Considering Dorne had entertained thoughts it shouldn''t have, Tang Mo knew his side probably couldn''t continue to control Hotwind Port and Winterless City with just a small number of garrison troops.


    Losing these two ces, the supply of rubber for Tang Mo became a problem. Luckily, he had a substantial reserve earlier, otherwise, he really would have been put in a passive position.


    The problem was, reserves aside, if the war couldn''t be quickly won, the reserves would eventually run out. Now, all the pressure hade down to the main force of the Tang Army. Only they could swiftly defeat Qi Country and turn things around for Tang Country.


    Simrly, Por Kingdom chose this time to make their move, clearly aiming for Osa Port. Should Tang Mo lose Osa, his supply of rare metals would also decrease.


    The good news was that there were rare metal mines near Tongcheng, and the vastnds of Zheng Country also provided a substantial amount of strategic resources, giving Tang Mo some room to maneuver.


    Finally, having no need to keep up appearances, Tang Mo returned to Chang''an, took charge of the central headquarters, and dered a state of emergency nationwide.


    What followed was time for verbal battles, as various nations took turns warning Tang Mo not to be obstinate and overzealous in his military pursuits.


    They hoped Tang Mo would prioritize the greater good, maintain the precious peace, and not further escte the situation.


    Seeing the condemnation and warnings from these countries, Tang Mo almost thought they were truly standing on the side of justice.


    In reality, while Tang Mo had designs on Qi Country, both Dahua Empire and Laines Empire were plotting against Great Tang. None was better than the other, so why was he the viin and they the saints?@@novelbin@@


    Finding it both boring and amusing, Tang Mo didn''t bother dealing with these verbal attacks and had always expressed his stance through actions.


    As soon as Dahua Empire''s 30,000 troops reached the border, Tang Mo immediately announced military drills involving 10,000 troops near the border.


    Five days after Tang Mo''s return to Chang''an, Laines Empire dered it would gradually phase out the currency issued by Great Tang Group and would adopt "Laines Golden Yuan" as its national currency.


    With the situation reaching this stage, it was clear it had be a dire, do-or-die struggle. Leines I seized the assets of Prime Minister Simon''s family, who were attacked en route to Jade City.


    If it weren''t for the sacrifice of dozens from the underworld forces affiliated with Great Tang Group who provided cover along the way, Simon and his family might have died near the border.


    The scent of gunpowder grew stronger. The Prime Minister of Suthers Kingdom suddenly passed away, his son-inw, also the actual leader of the kingdom''s reforms, disappeared, and the Prime Minister''s granddaughter and her three children vanished as well, which infuriated the Suthers King.


    Suthers announced that the Prime Minister was assassinated by spies with poison, and they were determined to find the murderer. It looked like they were about to pin the me on the Prime Minister''s son-inw.


    At that moment, the wind suddenly shifted again. The actual ruler of Northern Ridge, Earl Alice, suddenly issued a decree to officially relocate the Northern Ridge poption to Brunas.


    Anyone willing to go¡ªmen, women, the elderly, and children¡ªwould leave their Northern Ridge homnd and move to Brunas¡ªthis was tantamount to openly betraying the Laines Empire.


    As a result, around the same time, both Leines I and the Suthers King received a telegram from Northern Ridge, promising that if both would allow passage, the Earl of Northern Ridge pledged not to destroy the industrial facilities there.


    Following that, a mass migration involving nearly a million people began. With trust in their Earl and aspirations for a better future, many joined the migration without a second thought.


    Within a few days, Northern Ridge''s rural cities were almost half empty! And Earl Alice kept her promise not to harm any of Northern Ridge''s industrial facilities.


    As the Northern Ridge citizens started their migration, the civilians from Osa Port, Hotwind Port, Winterless City, Brunas, and Jade City also began relocating.


    The Great Tang Kingdom mobilized all of its transportation capacity to continuously move the poption of these areas to Dragon Ind. They even used warships as transport vessels when necessary.


    While the Great Tang Kingdom''s Navy was busy relocating civilians, the Shireck Navy''s warships, ordered from Gobur, were delivered to the port.

 Chapter 558 520 missing General

    Alice rode on her warhorse, looking at the endless migration of people, unable to hide the joy on her face.


    It seemed she had been anticipating this day for many days now; before, the Northern Ridge had been nothing but shackles to her, a prison.


    For her father, Earl Fisheo''sst wishes, she had no choice but to stay in Northern Ridge, overseeing the work here, tirelessly striving for the rise of Northern Ridge.


    But not long ago, the situation in Northern Ridge had be perilously unstable, with rumors that her territory had been used as a bargaining chip, traded to the Suthers Kingdom.


    Defending thisnd was not impossible, as long as she mobilized the Northern Ridge Troops and sought assistance from the Great Tang Group, with the support of Brunas and the Jade City industrial zone, Northern Ridge seemed capable of holding out for a long time.


    However, she had to consider more problems: Jade City and Brunas seemed to have also be targets, the support from the Tang Kingdom was too distant to quench a near thirst, and if real trouble arose, the fate of Northern Ridge would be uncontroble.


    If she took the initiative topromise, then at least she could preserve the essence of Northern Ridge and secure a better situation.


    The Tang Kingdom had only deployed a division in Jade City, which in truth could notst very long; its significance was more symbolic than practical.


    Once Jade City was lost, Brunas would be nearly defenseless¡ªif Brunas''s port were lost, Northern Ridge would be thoroughly isted.


    By then, struggling in Northern Ridge would no longer be easy, and Alice did not intend to be a hostage that would make Tang Mo hesitate to act.


    Only foolish women would make men choose between saving them or another person from drowning; the truly wise women choose never to fall into the water in the first ce!


    Alice was a smart woman; she knew that if one day the enemy paraded her on the city''s ramparts, forcing Tang Mo to give up the chance for world domination, Tang Mo would undoubtedly choose the most correct option without hesitation.


    Therefore, she naturally consulted the strategists of the Tang Kingdom and ultimately chose the most secure method.


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    She decided to abandon the desperatend of Northern Ridge and lead those willing to migrate away! The Northern Ridge Troops, traveling through the Vicious Forest to Brunas, could not only strengthen the defenses of Brunas but also buy enough time for therge poption transfer.


    "My lord! The additional trains from Brunas have arrived. Even though they only transport people, the capacity is still insufficient. There are too many people wanting to leave, exceeding our expectations," a knight spurred his horse closer to Alice, reporting the details of the personnel transportation.


    Alice didn''t turn around. Looking at the civilians dragging their families along the road, she smiled and said, "Doesn''t this just show that my work in Northern Ridge hasn''t been in vain over all these years?"


    She lightened their corv¨¦e and taxes, always diligent, managing Northern Ridge well, making it far more prosperous than the surrounding areas.


    Today, she finally saw the will of the Northern Ridge people, the most sincere repayment from kind-hearted folks.


    At her singlemand, countless people left the fields they were just tilling, put down the hammers and wrenches in their hands, and abandoned the new houses they had just built.@@novelbin@@


    These people stuffed money into their pockets, shouldered their baggage, carried rations, slung hunting rifles over their shoulders, led cattle and sheep out of their huts, and just like usual, took to the roads in front of their homes, towards the unknown far away.


    So Alice smiled, like a wife, with tears andughter, set out to meet her lover.


    Riding on her horse, she silently vowed in her heart that she would give these people, who had followed her, the best possible future.


    Even if she died, even if she lost everything, she would fight for a bright future for these people, the best and most prosperous life!


    Theplexity of the pre-war arrangements surprised everyone; when hundreds of thousands began crossing the Vicious Forest, serious issues also arose in Qi Country.


    The hastily mobilized artillery and ammunition could not be transported in time to the front line due to logistical and organizational issues, hence Qi Country was not ready for war as expected.


    As a result, several countries began publicly exchanging insults, cursing each other''s ancestors, yet no one intended to fire the first shot.


    There was a slight hitch in the cooperation between the Laines Empire and the Suthers Kingdom, an issue introduced by Alice herself.


    Alice had sent telegrams to both countries at the same time about her withdrawal from Northern Ridge, catching them both off guard.


    Originally, Suthers intended to exploit Northern Ridge in a war of opportunity when the Tang Army was weakened.


    At that time, as long as they defended against the Laines Empire, they wouldn''t have to worry about incurring the Tang Kingdom''s resentment.


    Unfortunately, ns do not keep up with changes. Alice''s proactive departure from Northern Ridge prematurely exposed this piece of cake to two greedy nations, throwing off a series of strategic arrangements made by both countries.


    The Laines Empire began to consider whether they should take a bite of this cake first, contemting the possibility of reaping immediate benefits for themselves.


    Meanwhile, Suthers had already lost a Prime Minister and, with no way to retreat, seemed ready to enter the fray first, stirring up the storm.


    ...


    In the pitch-ck night, on the deste streets, within a camp on Dorne''s southern defense line, a group of officers clutched telegrams in their hands, staring at the empty sses on the table before them.

 Chapter 559 520 missing General_2

    "This order ispletely uneptable! What does it mean?" A Dornish officer waved the telegram in his hand, frustratedly speaking to his peers, "Our King must have been misled by some viin!"


    "Exactly! It''s those scoundrels at the rear that have deceived His Majesty!" Another officer stood up, waving his fist, "We should not carry out such chaotic orders!"


    "But we are soldiers of Dorne! A soldier should follow the orders of His Majesty the King!" A young officer standing on the other side spoke with difficulty, as if referring to something unbearable.


    "What are you saying? How has General Bolton treated you on normal days? How can you, at a time like this..." The brigadier who had spoken first suddenly stood up, ring and scolding at the colonel opposite him.


    "Of course, I remember the kindness General Bolton has shown me! But... my whole family is in King City, what... what can I do..." The young officer said indignantly.


    "My wife and children are in King City too, I¡­ I... I also don''t know what to do." Another brigadier beside the young officer was also struggling.


    "It must be the Prime Minister! And that damned Finance Minister!" Clenching his fists, a bearded brigadier then spoke out.


    "At this point, what''s the use of saying which scoundrel has misled His Majesty¡­ The orders have been issued; now it''s a matter of whether we execute them or not." The leading general''s face was ashen, as though he had just lost a position.


    "Sigh..." A group of officers in the tent let out sighs, many with heads bowed down, seemingly unwilling to make a choice.


    "I''m not afraid! I''m damn well on my own!" The bearded officer suddenly raised his head, looking around at everyone, "I''ve always treated General Bolton as my teacher! I don''t care about your choices, I''m telling you! Whoever dares to touch General Bolton will have to step over my dead body!"@@novelbin@@


    He touched the pistol at his waist, watching everyone present with a cold gaze, "When the timees, you can me it all on me alone!"


    "General!" Just then, a figure parted the curtains and walked into the tent, a man approaching thirty, who walked calmly to the center and found a seat to sit down, then gestured for those standing in a daze to sit as well.


    Almost as if obeying muscle memory, those standing slowly took their seats, staring incredulously at the man before them.


    The man was dressed in the uniform of an admiral from Dorne Kingdom, not even fastened with a military belt, without wearing his sidearm.


    The visitor was none other than Bolton; he spread his hands out and said to everyone, "I know you all have received orders, orders to kill me."


    He gave a bitter smile, then seemed to exhale in relief, "I hold affection for you all, for Dorne; now, it''s over, no need to struggle anymore. I''ve served Dorne for three years; that fulfills my duty, doesn''t it?"


    With that, he shrugged his shoulders as if to lighten the mood, "Look, even the pistol His Majesty the King of Dorne gave me, I left it in my tent, along with my stars. I wore this uniform for so many battles, leaving in these clothes isn''t too much, is it?"


    "General!" The bearded officer''s eyes reddened, ready to stand up and say something, but Bolton stopped him with a hand gesture.


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    Everyone present noticed that Bolton had referred to "His Majesty the King of Dorne," not simply "His Majesty the King" as he used to say.


    "After tonight, you all will be enemies, not allies to me... If we meet on the battlefield tomorrow, I will not show mercy, and I hope you will not disgrace what you have learned from me." He looked around at everyone, naming each individual.


    Those called by name either bowed their heads silently, some wiped away tears, others held a steady gaze, as if responding to Bolton''s words.


    "Think it over, if you let me go today, it might be letting the tiger return to the mountain; in the future, it could be me killing all of you present." After Bolton finished speaking, he stood up and walked towards the door, "This might be the only chance you''ll ever get to defeat me."


    "Forget it, General! I think when we meet on the battlefield tomorrow, you''re sure to be defeated by me!" A brigadier stood up, saluted Bolton at attention.


    "Hahaha! That''s right! That''s all you''ve got, and I''vepletely mastered it!" Another colonel stood up, saluting Bolton at attention as well.


    "To hell with it, I''m quitting tomorrow!" The bearded officer clearly did not want to be an enemy of Bolton, bitterly finished speaking, and also saluted Bolton at attention.


    One after another, officers stood up; most said nothing, merely raising their hands quietly to their chests, performing a salute of Dorne.


    Others stood up without saluting but just stared at Bolton, expressionless, seemingly reluctant to let Bolton go yet also without voicing any objection.


    Bolton thus left the camp and entered a small car, leaning on the back seat.


    These officers, who had shared life and death with him and whom he had personally trained, would be his enemies after tonight.


    Just as he said, from tomorrow they would be enemies, not allies, and the greatest respect they could show each other as soldiers was an honorable defeat on the battlefield.

 Chapter 560 520 missing General_3

    "General," the soldier driving the car turned his head to look at Bolton, "are we really not taking anyone with us? The safety along the way..."


    "Stop the chatter and just drive!" Bolton rubbed his sore eyes, growing impatient with his instructions, "If someone really attacks, no number of people will save us... what are we supposed to tell them? Is betraying one''s country so easy to bear?"


    "I''m from Northern Ridge." The driver muttered under his breath and then pressed down on the elerator; the military vehicle began to shake slightly as it slowly moved toward the camp gate.


    "From now on, we are all Tang People," Bolton wiped his cheeks, then he felt somewhat better. He was a dandelion, a wandering seed.


    Now, he was returning to his homnd, to his mothend, leaving behind everything he knew. But what awaited him was an even more interesting future.


    The car moved slowly within the military camp, the dim headlights illuminating the uneven ground ahead. asionally, one could see sandbags piled up with cold cannons behind them or tents dotted with flickering campfires.


    Soldiers patrolling with weapons at the ready saluted the car as it passed by. The weak moonlight did not allow them to clearly see who was inside the vehicle, but they recognized the model of the car. Surely, anyone driving such a vehicle in the camp had to be a high-ranking officer.


    Soon, they approached a checkpoint, surrounded by soldiers. Normally, an officer with the rank of a junior lieutenant would be on duty here, but now they were met by a colonel.


    Ever since the adoption of modern military ranks by the Great Tang Group''s security troops, Dorne''s officer hierarchy had been structured in such a way that a colonel held a significant position of status.


    In the area lit by the car''s headlights, a soldier stretched out his arm to signal the car to stop, while two marksmen beside the sandbags at the side of the checkpoint had already turned their gun barrels to point their Maxim guns at Bolton''s car.


    At the same time, the other soldiers also raised their weapons, surrounding the car. It seemed that with just onemand from the colonel in the lead, these men would pull the trigger and riddle Bolton''s car with bullets.


    Carrying a shlight imported from the Great Tang Group, the colonel with a stern face walked to the car with his deputy at his side.


    He shone the square shlight, its dazzling light causing the officer in the driver''s seat to squint involuntarily.


    "Sorry, but I''m ordered to set up a checkpoint here... to capture the traitorous enemy spy, Bolton." The colonel exined to the driving officer, "Been standing here for the better part of the night and haven''t seen a soul."


    As he spoke, he moved the light away as if he hadn''t seen Bolton sitting in the back. He walked up to the back door, rambling to himself, "Shame, though. Looks like the officers inside already took the credit."@@novelbin@@


    With that, he waved to the soldiers behind him: "Let them through! It''s just an empty car, no point in this."


    Following his order, the soldiers all lowered their weapons, and moved away the barbed wire and the barriers. Only then did the driving officer notice that the Maxim guns behind the sandbags didn''t even have their canvas ammo belts attached.


    Bolton''s car slowly moved forward, and as they passed the colonel, the officer actually saluted Bolton. He didn''t say anything, and neither did Bolton.


    ...


    Strauss was blindfolded, his hands bound together, and was escorted out of his own headquarters. The soldiers around him were armed to the teeth, and leading them was the Deputy Commander of the northern defense line.


    The old man, with his hands behind his back and a frosty expression, walked in front, followed by his bewildered deputy.


    Standing at the door, a group of officers hade to plead for Strauss, many of whom had also received orders tonight¡ªto deal with Strauss, the traitorous officer.


    "Deputy Commander, Sir! There must be some misunderstanding!" An officer blocked their path, pleading earnestly, "I stake my reputation that Commander Strauss could not possibly betray the Kingdom''s intelligence."


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    "Yes, Sir! You''ve worked with themander for so long, don''t you know his character?" Nearby, a colonel covered in medals, his hand wrapped in bandages, cried out desperately.


    "Out of the way!" the white-haired Deputy Commander shouted coldly, "Don''t you think about your own children and wives, your fathers and mothers?"


    He gestured, and the guards behind him rushed forward, shoving the obstructing men aside. The procession moved on, while the military officers on both sides watched with an air of misery.


    Again, someone blocked the path, protesting Strauss''s innocence, but they were driven away by the Deputy Commander, some even receiving bloody wounds from the butts of rifles.


    "General Strauss is innocent!" Among the soldiers gathering, someone shouted in dissent.


    With this person''s cry, many more soldiers began to make a racket: "Right! It must be the work of a traitor!"


    "Those cowards who won''t go to the front lines, making us die here, now they frame a good general like Strauss to steal his credit!" It didn''t take long for more to add their own "reasonable" interpretations.


    "Those cowards hiding behind, they should be skinned alive!" The disgruntled shouts of more and more soldiers erupted.

 Chapter 561 520 missing General_4

    However, in the end, they were all Dornish, with lives and homes in Dorne, muttering and cursing persisted until Strauss was escorted into an armored vehicle temporarily serving as a prison transport, yet no one was bold enough to approach and free the prisoner.


    The armored car rattled on, and Strauss finally spoke with his eyes closed, "This doesn''t seem to be heading south."


    "Your sense of direction is still very good," said the Deputy Commander sitting opposite Strauss, his voice somewhat aged.


    "Then, are you preparing to execute me right here?" Strauss scratched his forehead with his bound hands and asked casually.


    "The order I received was to do just that... To avoid prolonged nightmares, to deal with you¡ªa huge problem¡ªright here," the old man replied.


    "You''re still the same," Strauss remarked. "Have you thought about the consequences of what you''re doing?"


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    "In this world, there are many who act without considering the consequences. Our King does, and so do I. I must admit, in this regard, I am very much like our King," said the General after an indeterminate amount of time, feeling the armored car slowing down and then speaking to Strauss.


    Soon, the doors of the armored car were pulled open from the outside, the General stood up and crawled out of the vehicle, and then someone helped Strauss out of the car as well.


    "I was ordered to choose a ce to shoot you," the Deputy Commander pulled out a folding knife from his pocket, revealed the de, and cut the rope around Strauss''s wrists.


    Then, he removed the ck cloth blinding Strauss''s eyes and looked at him with a pair of murky eyes.


    A row of Dornish soldiers stood behind the General, saluting Strauss at attention. The General gestured with an invitation, "Go! Leave this ce! Go!"


    "What will happen to you if I go?" Instead of moving, Strauss asked the General.


    "What can I do? I am a soldier; I must follow orders!" the General sighed and waved his hand impatiently, "Go! Hurry up and scram!"


    "Thank you!" Strauss stood at attention, saluted the General with a Dornish military salute, then turned and headed into the darkness to the north.


    This was the border between Dorne and Jade City, and a few hundred meters north one could see the closed trading port.


    "Go!" Watching Strauss''s retreating figure, the General ordered the soldiers behind him, "Strauss has escaped... We pursued him to this point, but we simply cannot cross the border."


    "Yes!" All the soldiers turned around, then climbed back onto the truck behind them, following the armored car slowly back south.


    Just as the King of Dornepletely disregarded his two daughters marrying the Kingdom''s two heroes, preparing to take action against the two generals from the Great Tang Military Academy, Strauss and Bolton strangely vanished in the midst of hundreds of thousands of soldiers.


    All the generals were clueless, and quite a few even resigned from their military positions afterward. To avoid further agitating the military and risking a chaotic mutiny, the King of Dorne had no choice but to begrudgingly ept the story of their disappearance.


    What made him even more frustrated was that his two daughters, after crying, creating a scene, and threatening suicide, actually demanded to live in Brunas, no longer wishing to stay in Dorne. As a father, he was helpless but ultimately hardened his heart and refused his daughters'' request.


    With the mind of a petty man, he feared that someone would use his daughters to ckmail the King, forcing him to concede benefits at critical moments¡ªnot that his daughters'' lives were of much importance, but rather... the face of the Dorne Kingdom was!


    At this moment, his regret wasn''t about the two estranged daughters, but about not being able to take out the once renowned Dual Stars of Dorne...


    -------


    Today is a major chapter update.@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 562 521 telegraph control

    "Are you nning to go back to Shireck, or... stay here?" Harry wiped his wet hair with a towel, gazing at the chief maid, Sofia, whozilyy on the bed, hugging a pillow.


    "My name is Jenny..." The woman''s voice brimmed with satisfaction. She hummed, stretched out her jade arm to fumble on the nightstand, and then the sound of a lighter flicking open filled the room.


    "Huff..." The woman exhaled a puff of smoke, looking at the slender Harry and said, "What do I have to do to make you let your guard down and see me as your real woman?"


    "Isn''t the fact that you can lie here the best proof?" Harry tossed the damp towel aside and took the cigarette from the woman''s hand.


    "If you''re willing, countless women are queuing up for the chance to lie here." Jenny lit another cigarette for herself and lovingly returned to the bedside.


    "Like you said, that''s only if I want it to happen." Harry stared out the window at the endlessly burning bonfires and his subordinates tossing box after box of documents into the mes to be destroyed, his eyelids drooping, seemingly lost in thought.


    "Hahaha!" The womanughed joyfully. It was the first time since she had followed Sofia that she had met such a charming man, or perhaps such a group of charming men.


    In the past, she thought all men were nothing but dogs, and if she was strong enough, those hypocritical and shameless vermin deserved nothing more than to grovel at her feet, begging for mercy.


    Yet since arriving in Brunas, she had met a man whom she did not even dare offer herself to, along with a group of men surrounding him that she would willingly undress for.@@novelbin@@


    Only now did she realize how alluring a true powerhouse was, like a delicious cream cake, making her instinctively lick her lips.


    "I don''t want anything else, just to be by your side. Wherever you go, I''ll follow," Jenny didn''t realize at that moment howpletely her strong-woman image had crumbled, leaving her looking entirely like a devoted little housewife.


    "Follow me... What will youck?" Harry turned his head, ncing at the enchantress sitting on the bed.


    Jennyughed heartily, herughter unrestrained, without inhibitions.


    As for the parts that might be abandoned, be it Brunas or Jade City, both were potential candidates for abandonment. The retreat had already begun at Northern Ridge, and Alice had even for gone her family''s territory just to rush off in search of Tang Mo. Harry knew that as the CEO of the Great Tang Group, he could leave here at any moment.


    However, everything could start anew. The core of Brunas was either in Linshui or on Dragon Ind now.


    As long as his mentor was still there, he had the confidence to rise again and take control of everything, even if all that remained was Dragon Ind!


    ...


    In Chang''an, the pce that was under construction had stopped work altogether, with most of the builders being redeployed to areas where war might break out to construct military facilities.


    To support the front lines, building enough barracks and repair factories in the war zone was evidently far more urgent than constructing one''s own pce.


    Building a magnificent pce was meant to showcase the wealth of the Great Tang Kingdom, and Tang Mo himself had not reached an extreme of luxury where he would divert naval funds to construct his garden.


    The construction of the Dragon Nest had always been a long-term major project. Now, with the approach of war, it hadpletely quieted down here, leaving only some unused stones and wooden posts piled up in the empty courtyard.


    It wasn''t that Tang Mo refused to live in the old pce of Zheng Country; it was simply because it had been sted to rubble during the attack on King City. When Dino came here to oversee the work, he had it dismantled, with much of the material being moved to the new pce outside the city.


    It was necessary, as per the construction requirements of the Dragon Nest, that the new pce be equipped with the most advanced suite of facilities. It had to be connected to an underground defense system and a private subway line, and it needed its own surface train station and a standard airport runway.


    Moreover, there had to be enough space around the structure to deploy security troops, along with positions for anti-aircraft guns...


    To meet these extreme security requirements, the Dragon Nest simply couldn''t be located within Chang''an City, which was for the same reason the Dragon''s Den was also in the suburbs.


    Although the Dragon Nest was not yetplete, Tang Mo still oversaw work there. At least, there was ample open space to amodate his vast andplex leadership team.


    Today''s Tang Mo was no longer alone or a minor character running around the map with Wes and Roger. His secretary team aloneprised several dozen people, including military officers and civil servants, and a multitude of confidential and personal secretaries serving just him personally.


    In addition to the Prime Minister''s team, there was the Staff Department, the guard troops, the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Troops¡­ In short, Tang Mo''s surroundings were practically host to a division. But this division was not a military one, rather a workforce of thousands.


    Within a rtively intact side hall of an under-construction castle, a huge war zone map hung, bustling staff and secretaries carrying a variety of documents weaved amongst groups of military officers.


    "The oil depot is not full yet... Train No. 411 is dyed," a military officer with his arms crossedined to the general beside him, "The Armored Corps hopes we can speed up..."


    "There''s nothing we can do, the priority of the ammunition train is the same as that of the fuel train, and we''re already doing our best to coordinate," replied the major general in charge of wartime train scheduling, who had just turned 30, very young.


    Although he was young, he had studied these subjects in school, and his graduation thesis was about train scheduling, so he might be the most professional train schedulingmander in the world.


    However, due to theck ofputers and limited railway lines, even his most powerful brain could not meet the demands of all the troops at the same time, making rail transport chaotic in the face of imminent battle.


    In another corner, a young general wearing the sky-blue uniform of the Great Tang Air Force, Ibrahim, was nearly bald, this general, who had stood out from thousands of pilots and apprentices, was only 31 this year.


    He had no choice, he was one of the first pilots to train on the FW-190 fighter jet and had also flown various other models, racking up a frighteningly high number of flying hours by the standards of this world.


    Regrettably, although he''d quickly amassed experience, he had also inhaled a bit too much pure oxygen by ident, leading to some hair loss, a trivial price of human flight.


    Thus, Major General Ibrahim appeared somewhat geeky, exhibiting a maturity andposure that belied his age.


    He was confirming with one of his colonels for thest time whether his troops had already set off to assemble in the Great Tang homnd.


    "ording to the estimated time, the aircraft fleet will arrive at Dongwan Ind in 40 minutes... 14 frontline airfields are ready and can receive the nes at any time," his subordinate reported to themander.


    "Spare parts, ground maintenance personnel, ground control center, navigation signal towers... how''s everything prepared?" Ibrahim asked once more, tiresomely.


    "Everything is ready, including the independent field hospital and barracks... I just ran through the rest areas yesterday," the subordinate continued.


    "What''s left... is just to wait..." Ibrahim said, gazing at the hands of the clock on the wall.


    ...


    On Dongwan Ind, an old fisherman on the beach watched as his granddaughter yed with a huge crab. The crab,rger than a palm, brandished its ws as if trying to scare away the girl.


    The girl, no longer gued by poverty and well-fed, had grown into an elegant beauty with sparkling, joyful eyes.


    This kind of life had continued for a long while, and the only regret the old fisherman had was that his son and daughter-inw hadn''t lived to see such a prosperous era.


    Fishermen no longer had to worry about pirate attacks at sea, nor were they oppressed by the ships from the country of mirages.


    Now, he could rent fishing boats from the Dongwan government office and go out to sea. With extensive experience, the old man was even able to take half a month off every year to spend time ying on the beach with his granddaughter.


    "Grandpa! Let''s take this crab to the teacher!" the little girl said as she picked up the crab and waved it excitedly at her grandfather.


    "Alright! Everything''s alright!" the old man replied with a smile, his eyes crinkling into slits as he walked over and watched his granddaughter put the crab into a bamboo basket.


    Just then, the old man suddenly furrowed his brows. Although old, he had sharp senses from years at sea.


    Amidst the sound of sea waves hitting the shore, he heard a continuous buzzing that did not belong to nature.


    He looked up and instantly froze in ce, his eyes widening in shock.


    Normally, fishermen and residents of Dongwan Ind, had seen strange "cross"-shaped objects in the sky from time to time, flying near or far.


    The old fisherman had seen them too and had even witnessed a few aircraft flying over Dongwan Ind at once. He had be ustomed to them and didn''t pay any mind to these irrelevant things.


    But now, at this very moment, what he saw was a swarm of aircraft, like a horde of wasps in formation, flying over Dongwan Ind!


    Not just the old fisherman, more and more people in the fields, on the roads, and on the decking looked up and saw the aircraft fleet covering the sky like dark clouds over Dongwan Ind.


    A few minutester, in the Dongwan Ind Telegraph Office, a female receptionist bowed apologetically to the people in the lobby, "I''m sorry, sirs, due to military control, telegraph services will be suspended for three days... No telegrams can be sent... Sorry... Sorry..." Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 563 What are you waiting for on May 22nd?

    ```


    Some things are just so strange. In the Brunas sector of the Jade City at Northern Ridge, where things were the most chaotic, hundreds of thousands of people had already begun to relocate. Yet, in reality, nobody was prepared to fight a battle here.


    On the other hand, at the quiet and eerily silent border between the Tang Country and Qi Country, where a real war was being prepared for, all trade ports were shut, and envoys from both nations had been called back. Everything seemed to havee to a standstill.


    On both sides of the boundary markers, as troops and generals were being dispatched, the situation had already escted to a do-or-die stance¡ªeven if Qi Country did not want to fight, it had be necessary to carry on with the war.


    No one wouldin that their trenches were too deep or tooplex before a war, nor would anyone think they had too much ammunition in reserve.


    Within the concealed positions of Qi Country, groups of soldiers were moving boxes of bullets. Commanders had already smelled the scent of war and had started organizing the distribution of the bullets to the soldiers on the front lines.


    The ammo was being stockpiled in the trenches, carefully camouged and hidden within the sturdy defensive fortifications.


    Qi soldiers, wearing soft caps and carrying Shireck Model 1 bolt-action rifles, stood guard over the distance. In front of them was a stretch of barbed wire, and beyond that, they could see small mounds on the other side of the border line.


    Compared to them, the soldiers of the Great Tang Kingdom appearedpletely unprepared for war. No fine wireworks were visible from the opposite side, nor were there any signs ofborers digging trenches.


    Although themanders repeatedly warned everyone that the enemy''s defenses might be behind the mounds, no one wanted to believe such ghost stories.


    If the enemy were to build defenses, wouldn''t they take advantage of this high ground? At the very least, shouldn''t they deploy apany of soldiers here? Or have three trenches and a sapper ditch in the front?


    Yet, the Tang Army had none of this; one could only asionally see some Tang soldiers patrolling by¡ªwearing steel helmets, dressed in gray-green military uniforms, and hastening along with their packs and weapons.


    By all ounts, today should still be a calm and ordinary day, unremarkable and waveless. Everyone would continue to dig trenches, build fortifications, casually eat some unsavory military rations, and rest after lights out in the evening.


    But on this peaceful day, there suddenly arose amotion¡ªthe loudspeakers set up on the position for broadcasting suddenly crackled to life with a message that nobody anticipated, echoing throughout the positions.


    "The enemy has opened fire! Return fire! Return fire!" The voice from the speakers, apanied by incessant static, resounded; and then, shortly after, the sound of machine-gun fire really did erupt from a nearby position.


    Thepanymander, who had not even managed to put on his pants properly, burst out of hismand bunker in a fit of anger, loudly demanding what had happened.


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    But nobody knew what had transpired, no one was aware of the specifics. Everyone had only heard machine-gun fire and the news of war''s outbreak repeatedly echoing from the speakers.


    "Who the hell ordered to fire? Who was it!" Thepanymander, having heard the nearby gunfire, finally managed to get his pants on and then, with his guard, stormed toward the position close by with raging momentum.


    It was the neighboring battalion''s position, not under hismand, but it was obvious there was no issue in him going over to see what was happening.


    He had barely taken two steps when the whistling sound of iing shells made him flinch and stop his cursing.


    He could tell that it was the sound of the Shireck 130mm howitzer deployed on the front line, firing from Qi Country toward Tang Country!


    "What''s going on... Wasn''t it just yesterday they emphasized not to fire the first shot?" Thepanymander was bewildered, unsure of what to do.


    Even now he was befuddled, unaware of what had urred. Why had someone fired? Why had the artillery behind start shelling so inexplicably?


    Did the regimentmander know? Did the divisionmander know? The armymander... surely the armymander didn''t know; that guy was probably still in bed with a concubine back in the city...


    "Something''s not right! Something''s amiss..." He keenly sensed that this waspletely different from the spirit conveyed in previous meetings, there had to be a problem.


    But as a merepanymander, how could he pinpoint the issue? He could only stand there, dumbfounded, watching as the war gradually escted.


    At first, it was a single 130mm howitzer; then it became an entire howitzer battery. Nobody knew what exactly was happening, so each began their own performance.


    The machine gun from the neighboring battalion had just stopped its barrage, but then sporadic gunfire came through. Soon, it seemed a bullet flew from the opposite side, and on the Qi armypanymander''s own position, someone fired back.


    It seemed as though war had broken out¡ªif not, why would everything suddenly be so lively?


    ```


    A signalman quickly passed by; he came to inquire if there had been any attacks by the Tang Army. Some said they heard gunfire from the opposite side, others said they didn''t hear anything at all ¡ª the ounts varied greatly, even thepanymander couldn''t be sure whether he had heard the enemy fire or not.


    Because, up until now, it seemed that the Tang Army has notunched any effective artillery counter-strike, one could only hear the Qi Army''s cannons rumbling from time to time.


    This signalman hadn''t left when another one rushed over,ing with orders to prepare all troops for battle. If the Tang Army attacked, they were to retaliate firmly.


    The voice over the loudspeaker had changed and was now broadcasting the news of the Tang Army''s attack in a loop, stating that the Tang Army was attacking a position several kilometers away, which was why they were returning fire.@@novelbin@@


    People quickly realized that despite the fervor of their own side''s fire, the Tang Army''s response didn''t seem to be significant at all.


    Originally, everyone had guessed that behind the earth mounds on the border line must be the Tang Army''s defensive positions, but now it seems that this might not be the case.


    Most of the recent artillery fire hadnded on the other side of the earth mounds, but the Tang Army clearly hadn''t been hurt by it; otherwise, they wouldn''t have remained silent up until now.


    The gunfire thatsted for over two hours, along with the asional artillery fire, was almost exclusivelying from the Qi Army''s side; the Tang Army seemed virtually non-existent.


    By now, even the soldier who had initially assuredly imed to have heard the Tang Army''s counterattack gunfire, wasn''t sure whether he had really seen bullets hitting the ground in front of their position.


    At this point, no one knew for certain whether it was their side that fired first at the Tang Army or it was the other way around. Everyone was at a loss, followed by a series of ridiculous actions.


    The Tang Country issued a statement condemning Qi Country for inciting trouble on the border line, invading Tang Country''s territory, and attacking the Tang Army patrol team.


    Qi Country immediately responded in kind, using the Tang Army of being the first to fire on their defensive positions and disrupting regional peace and stability.


    As if it were just natural, Tang Country dered war on Qi Country, and within minutes, Qi Country dered war on Tang Country. Neither side seemed to bother about who fired the first shot; they didn''t even go through the process andid their cards on the table directly.


    The oue so far still seemed to be within everyone''sprehension, but what happened next was somewhat confusing.


    After dering war on each other, the border quieted down: From the Qi side, there was no longer continuous waste of artillery shelling the Tang Army, and on the Tang side, no subsequent actions were initiated.


    The Qi Army,cking any means of breakthrough, could only stay put in their positions, waiting for the Tang Army''s attack, as their previous ns were defensive.


    After all, the impression that the Tang Army had left on Shireck was one of unpredictable tactical finesse, flexibility, and sharpness. So, the military advisory group from Shireck had prepared the Qi Army generals a tactic of holding their ground.


    Moreover, lessons from thest war suggested that the defensive side always had the advantage, and the offensive side, even with the deployment of new weaponry, could easily suffer losses. Given this context, it was understandable that the Qi Army preferred to stay in their positions and not initiate an attack.


    On the Tang side, because Tang Mo wasn''t quite ready, his reinforcing troops were still gathering along the railway lines, waiting for subsequent transport.


    These newly established units were meant to fill the defensive line. Additionally, Tang Mo''s Air Force hadn''t arrived in its entirety at the war zone yet and needed a few more days for rest and adjustment before he was eager tounch an attack.


    The day after Tang Country dered war on Qi Country, the Dahua Empire announced its condemnation of Tang Country for its arrogance and rudeness; shortly thereafter, Chu Country also condemned Tang Country.


    Amidst these countries'' hysterical condemnations, Tang Army''s B-17 bomber squadrons arrived at the front, beginning their rest and maintenance.


    Another day passed, and two newly formed infantry divisions reached the front, with subsequent heavy weapons and equipment beginning to be put in ce gradually.


    That afternoon, the Laines Empire condemned the Great Tang Group for its support of the Tang Country, demanding that the Great Tang Group cease its arms trade with the Tang Kingdom.


    Afterward, Dorne and Suthers also contacted the Tang Group, expressing hope that the Tang Group would reconsider its rtionship with the Tang Kingdom. They emphasized that if the Tang Group persisted in its actions, it would affect themercial cooperation between the two countries and the Tang Group.


    On the fourth day after Tang and Qi dered war, the battlefield was still quiet. In this war that had the whole world watching a form of quiet sitting, everyone started to believe that the once unconquerable Great Tang security forces were nothing special after all.


    On the fifth day at dawn, as the first light of morning shone over thisnd, Tang Mo received a telegram from Tagg and Redman, iming that they were ready to attack.


    "Give Tagg and Redman the order to attack¡­ We can''t let our enemies wait for too long. It''s been so long, they seem to have forgotten¡­ Great Tang¡­ has never been defeated!" Putting down the telegram, Tang Mo muttered to himself in a voice no one else could hear, "I''m waiting for the tanks and nes to be in ce¡­ What are you waiting for, Jiang Xian?"

 Chapter 564: How can we continue fighting this battle with only 523?

    Chapter 564: How can we continue fighting this battle with only 523?


    The young ground crew member stood at attention and saluted the pilot, who had already climbed onto the wing of the ne. The pilot, after slipping into the cockpit, also returned a standard military salute.


    In front of the slender nose of the FW-190 fighter ne, the propeller slowly began to turn, faster and faster until all its des seemed to vanish.


    Inside the control tower of the airfield, themander reminded the pilots to check the instruments on their nes while holding the talker. On the side of the runway, an officer directing the takeoff waved the gs in his hands.


    Pushing the throttle forward, the FW-190 fighter ne sped toward the end of the runway like an arrow released from a bow, then thending gear detached from the ground and was slowly retracted into the aircraft¡¯s fusge.


    Inside the slightly jostling ne, the pilot leaning back in his seat peered down at the ground growing ever more distant, watching the buildings shrink to the size of matchboxes.


    To support the offensive of the frontline troops, all the field airfields were built less than 30 kilometers from the front lines, so these FW-190s had barely started to climb when they could already see the enemy¡¯s forward positions.


    ¡°Attention to formation! Attention to formation!¡± The pilot of the FW-190, which carried aerial bombs beneath its fusge, circled above their own airfield, contacting his wingmen by radio.


    That¡¯s how he had learned during training¡ªto fly in pairs, covering for each other and using dives to bomb ground targets with as much precision as possible.


    ¡°Radio check! Repeat!¡± Inside the control tower, themander, clutching the walkie-talkie, was nervous because it was his first time directing his troops in actualbat.


    ¡°Instruments normal! Engine temperature normal!¡± Above in the sky, the pilots were also very anxious as they repeatedly checked their instruments, maneuvering their nes intorger flight formations.


    Soon, a force of over thirty fighter nes assembled in the sky for ground attack, densely packed, they flew towards the Qi Army¡¯s position.


    As there was no need to worry about enemy air force interception, all nes were on ground-attack missions, and the fighters were all equipped with bombs instead of drop tanks.


    ¡­


    Shireck, a steward rushed to Sofia with a telegram from the Great Tang Kingdom, his voice trembling nervously as he spoke, ¡°Ma¡¯am, the message just delivered¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sofia frowned at seeing her subordinate¡¯s panic.


    ¡°Two days ago, someone, someone saw, an uncountable number of¡­ strange flying objects arrive at the front line¡­¡± The steward handed the telegram over to Sofia.


    Sofia took the telegram and then asked, ¡°What happened? Something that urred two days ago, why is it being reported only today?¡±


    She had invested a lot of money in her spies ced within the Great Tang Kingdom, using reliable people and offering them frighteningly high remuneration.


    To gather intelligence on Tang Mo, Sofia had indeed spared no expense. She had finally managed to establish an intelligence system targeting Great Tang, only for it to deliver a report two dayste at a critical moment!


    ¡°Ma¡¯am! Tang Country closed all their telegraph offices several days ago, and only lifted the ban today¡­ Our people could only¡­¡± The steward responsible for intelligence hurriedly exined.


    ¡°Damn it! Didn¡¯t I send them a radio? Why didn¡¯t they use it?¡± Sofia was visibly frustrated, clearly unwilling to ept the exnation.


    ¡°In ordance with your arrangements, that radio was set up in Tongcheng¡­ But those, those aircraft, at that time, they didn¡¯t go through Tongcheng.¡± The steward quickly defended himself, ¡°It was a spy in Linshui who saw them and immediately sent a message to Tongcheng. The message was then sent from there.¡±


    ¡°Flying machines¡­ Airnes¡­ It seems that not just us, but Tang Country is also developing airnes¡­ and they¡¯re advancing faster than us,¡± Sofia said grimly, realizing things were getting out of hand.


    She had provided the Qi Country with 70 airships, hoping they would be useful at critical moments.


    But now, it seemed that Qi¡¯s airships might be at a significant disadvantage: The enemy had airnes, and by the looks of it, not just a few.


    Taking into ount the rumors that one could see dragons and such near Dragon Ind and Dongwan Ind, Sofia finally confirmed that Tang Country¡¯s work on airnes started very early and was progressing rapidly.


    If Tang Army really had that many airnes, the oue of the war would not be as easy to predict. Sofia narrowed her eyes, feeling the pressure of the unknown for the first time.


    ¡­


    ¡°What is that thing?¡± Pointing at a small ck dot in the sky, a Qi Country soldier asked hisrade in confusion.


    Obviously, hisrade did not know what it was either. They had only heard the humming of engines and seen some ck dots at the edge of the sky steadily approaching their position.


    Then, everyone saw those strange weapons flying in the sky, resembling the Chinese character ¡°Ê¿¡±.


    Qi Country soldiers, who had no idea what was happening these days, looked up foolishly as the ck dots approached, and then one after another began to dive from the sky.


    ¡°Besides airships and balloons, what else have you seen that can fly?¡± A Qi Army regiment leader lifted his binocrs to look at those ck dotsing from the direction of the Tang Country.


    The officer standing next to this regiment leader shook his head, he also had no idea what could fly so naturally, so swiftly in the sky.


    As those ¡°knight-shaped¡± ck dots got closer andrger, the roar of the engines also became clearer.


    Unfortunately, none of these Qi soldiers, seeing airnes for the first time, responded in any way. They just stood in the trenches, foolishly looking up at the sky, watching the nes fly over their heads.


    ¡­


    ¡°Dive! Dive!¡± Inside the headphones, the voice of the lead pilot roared loudly; the ne shuddered violently due to the turbulence of the air flow, and below the nose, all over the enemy¡¯s positions, Qi soldiers were panicking.


    ¡°Tat-tat-tat-tat!¡± Without any hesitation, just like during training, the pilot pulled the trigger, and the wing-mounted cannons roared, sweeping a row of tracer bullets to the ground.


    A series of white smoke twisted lines connected on the ground, and all the Qi soldiers nearby were thrown to the ground.


    The pilot, who was quite familiar with everything, pulled up his fighter, and the bulky body of the bombden fighter slowly leveled out amidst the howling, then slowly climbed.


    For these Tang Country pilots, they had be numb to such attacks; ever since they were equipped with these new fighters, they trained every day in simr attack drills.


    How to cut into the angle of attack, how to open fire at the optimum altitude, and how to pull up the ne at a safe height had all be muscle memory for them.


    ¡°Buzz¡­¡± Due to the intense maneuvering, the engine¡¯s sound suddenly shifted, and two FW-190 fighter nes, covering each other, climbed one after the other, speeding away like lightning bolts.


    ¡°Drop bombs!¡± On the other side, the second batch of FW-190 fighter nes entering the battlefield found a high-value target on the ground. The pilot in the cockpit gave loud orders, then simultaneously hit the bomb release switch.


    Apanied by the dive of the ne, the aerial bombs hung on the racks were released from the ne¡¯s body due to inertia, smashing toward the ground in the direction the ne was flying.


    The FW-190 fighter ne that suddenly felt lighter, like a butterfly, lightly pulled up, and under all eyes, flew away swiftly.


    The wingman following this FW-190 didn¡¯t waste any ammunition, and after strafing the ground again, also pulled up the nose, avoiding the fireball that had already exploded on the ground.


    Under the same weight conditions, an aerial bomb contains far more charge than a shell, and the bombs carried by the FW-190s hit the ground and exploded instantly, throwing up a huge me.


    A ck column of smoke rose into the sky, and a 200mm caliber heavy cannon nearby the st was caught in the shockwave, tipping to one side.


    ¡­


    Ground troops from Qi Country, unable to react at all, werepletely dumbfounded by the scene before them. They had been fighting wars all their lives, or rather their ancestors for hundreds of years, but had never heard of anything that could fight in the sky.


    They had previously thought that airships were about the most terrifying aerial weapon in the world; only today did they realize what true terror was!


    Those things that came and went like the wind were simply undefendable; the anti-aircraft guns prepared for shooting balloons werepletely unable to aim.


    The precision-adjusted cradle had to be turned three circles before the barrel tilted up a few millimeters; how could such slow adjustments aim at these roaring objects?


    The now desperate Qi soldiers suddenly began to unravel, because these nes from the Tang Country were not only dropping bombs to destroy gun emcements and barracks, but even asionally strafing the soldiers on the ground.


    These demons in the sky looked like vultures, circling over people¡¯s heads, diving down to peck at their flesh.


    ¡°They¡¯reing again!¡± A Qi soldier ran with his head in his hands, crying out in despair. And he was just one of the thousands of Qi soldiers already in chaos.


    They had waited for the opponent for five days; they thought they were waiting for the enemy¡¯s artillery and soldiers toe up and die.


    What they got instead was something they had never seen themselves, strange birds that could fly over their heads and drop bombs!


    ¡°How¡­ how are we supposed to fight this?¡± Looking at one strange bird after another diving down to bomb and strafe his position, the Qi Army regiment leader turned to his deputy, his tone filled with despair.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± His assistant was equally dazed as if his soul had been sucked out.


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 Chapter 565: 524 sharp sound

    Chapter 565: 524 sharp sound


    ¡°`


    The regimentalmander actually had no idea that his position was not the unluckiest or the most miserable one today!


    Because his position was not the main target of the Tang Army¡¯s assault, the bombings on his position were actually performed by fighter nes in a makeshift manner.


    The Qi Army positions that stood in front of the Tang Armored Corps were being ravaged by Stuka Dive Bombers right now; those soldiers were the true embodiment of despair.


    The Qi soldiers crammed in the trenches hadpletely lost their minds by now, covering their ears and screaming in terror.


    Each dive of the hovering vultures above them came with a despair-inducing, piercing drone, a shrill sound that prated deep into the soul, as if the Grim Reaper himself was singing.


    The shrill noise echoed miles high in the sky, persisting, drawing ever closer, followed by the sound of machine gun strafing that made the curled up soldiers in the trenches shudder with fear.


    They did not understand why there were such cruel war machines in this world that made such noises while killing, terrorizing people¡¯s minds hundreds of times over.


    Every time a Stuka Dive Bomber made its steep dive, the deliberately installed sirens would start working amid the airstream disturbance, emitting long, deadly whistles.


    For the soldiers waiting to be ughtered on the ground, every approaching whine that grew closer and closer was tormenting their already shattered will.


    These Qi soldiers, who had long lost their fighting will, were like little girls hiding under beds, watching a velociraptor¡¯s wed feet stomp in front of their faces, those scythe-like talons repeatedly tapping on the floor by their noses.


    If they had just died, turned into chunks of flesh by a single st, perhaps it would have been a better oue¡ªat least they¡¯d be dead, without having to be tormented by such repeated intimidation.


    But it was this incessant hovering between life and death that most tortured the soldiers¡¯ morale. When everyone copsed, the whole battlefield was not much different from hell.


    ¡°Ah!¡± A Qi soldier, holding his ears, crouched in the trench screaming in despair, his cry echoing with the devil-like scream of the diving Stuka Bomber above the battlefield.


    ¡°It¡¯sing! It¡¯sing! It¡¯s here!¡± Finally, the mad soldier stood up regardless of everything, turned around to run, but had only taken a few steps before being shot through the back by an officer enforcing discipline.


    But as the mad soldier fell, more soldiers scrambled, hundreds of them on the position scattering like startled gazelles.


    The Stuka Dive Bomber, having found its targets, dived and began strafing the fleeing soldiers. A series of white smoke trailed across the crowd, and in an instant, dozens were shredded.


    The carefully arranged artillery position was now bombarded beyond recognition; the top-down attack turned the shelters into a joke.@@novelbin@@


    The massive cannons were simply sitting ducks, clearly visible from the sky, just like targets in a drill, looking exactly alike.


    In this era, aside from the Tang forces, who would think of something like anti-aircraft camouge? Camouges simply didn¡¯t exist! Next to the big guns, it was impossible to find an anti-aircraft machine gun setup.


    Above in the sky, in the square cockpit of a Stuka Dive Bomber, the pilot looked through the edges of the seagull-shaped wings toward the ground.


    He was looking for high-value targets worthy of dropping his bombs on, feeling that strafing the alreadypletely copsed soldiers on the ground was pointless.


    Soon, he spotted something interesting¡ªa cluster of barracks with many vehicles parked nearby, and crucially, on the other side of the barracks, there was even a railway connected!


    Clearly, this was a front-line supply station; many materials would be transported here first and then distributed to the troops at the front.


    Thus, the pilot immediately contacted his wingman: ¡°Target spotted! Target spotted! Look at 1 o¡¯clock! A supply station!¡±


    ¡°I see it! 1 o¡¯clock! Aplex of buildings¡­¡± The wingman responded a few secondster.


    The radio environment in this era was still very good, far from the severe interference known inter times, so the radiomunication inside the aircraft was clear, with little electric interference.


    ¡°I¡¯m diving in! Cover me!¡± Since the target had been found, the lead aircraft¡¯s pilot no longer wasted time. He was eager to drop his bombs and then return to strafe ground targets for fun.


    He opened the dive brakes, pushed his control stick forward, and the Stuka Dive Bomber sensitively pitched down, beginning its long dive.


    That piercing noise that spelled despair echoed in the sky again, as the pilots driving towards the ground enjoyed this romance that belonged exclusively to them.


    For the enemy, the sound of despair was a beautiful symphony to their own ears! Apanied by such pleasing sounds, the pilot of the Stuka Dive Bomber saw the red lines painted diagonally across his cockpit canopy gradually align with the distant horizon.


    ¡°`


    This was the warning line, indicating that the bombers had entered the maximum dive angle, and any further risk could cause the aircraft to disintegrate.


    The body of the Stuka dive bomber, plummeting towards the ground at nearly a forty-five-degree angle, began to shake slightly, the airbrakes were deployed, and the ground seemed to rush toward them.


    Such an exhrating process was simply the favorite of thrill-seekers chasing the extreme, the sight of the increasingly magnificent grounding at them could make anyone shriek.


    With his back against the pilot, the machine-gunner loudly reminded of the altitude showing on the altimeter, he couldn¡¯t see the ground, only the wingman diving down with him in the distance.


    Suddenly, he felt his aircraft shake, signaling the change brought by the bombs detaching from the fusge.


    Then his falling body pressed against his seat, he knew the pilot had released the bombs and was rapidly pulling up.


    Right after, he saw the wingman also dropping bombs and leveling out, and the next second he saw the distant horizon. Thend grewrger, and the sky smaller, he grabbed the machine gun in front of him and began to wildly strafe the targets on the ground.


    The next second, he saw a huge me erupt within a residential area. The shockwave, like an invisible iron fist, shattered the walls of all houses nearby, blew off the rooftops, and crushed everything nearby.


    ¡°Wow!¡± the shooter whooped loudly, swinging his fist and feeling the air currents p against his arms high up in the sky.


    While he was cheering, the bombs dropped by the wingman also hit the ground, turning into a billowing me and sting into a towering column of smoke.


    Soon, the two pull-up bombers realized they might have hit an ammunition storage as the secondary explosions of the ammunition lit up, engulfing the houses below in a series of sts.


    ¡°Hey! That might be an ammunition depot!¡±, the lead ne¡¯s gunner shouted loudly at his pilot, watching the exploding mes behind.


    ¡°No fool would store ammunition in such an obvious ce!¡±, the pilot turned his head, also saw his impressive achievement, and yelled back, ¡°It must be the ammunition that hadn¡¯t been transported to the depot yet!¡±


    ¡°Anyway, that sight is too spectacr!¡± The wingman¡¯s pilot also saw his own battle results and became excited: ¡°Hahaha! They¡¯re done for!¡±


    ¡­


    Behind the Qi Country¡¯s defense line, the First Prince looked up at the sky, his face pale with no color, terribly ashen.


    Above his head, more than 60 B-17 bombers flew in a neat formation, heading majestically towards King City of Qi Country.


    As a prince, he was powerless to stop these enemy aircraft heading for King City, not even able to bluff the opponents.


    Because the altitude at which these airnes were flying was beyond the threat range of any weapon in his hands, all he could do was watch helplessly, anger being of no help.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± He turned back, looking at Shireck¡¯s military advisor standing by him, demanding, ¡°What on earth are those things?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness! We don¡¯t know either, but they seem very much like airships!¡± A military advisor from Shireck reassured him, his voice firm.


    ¡°Very much alike? Our anti-aircraft guns¡­ can¡¯t hit such small, fast-moving targets! For these things, King City, where my father resides, is undefended!¡±, the First Prince yelled, pointing at the B-17 bombers in the sky.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we wille up with countermeasures as quickly as possible! Or, expedite the production of weapons to fight them!¡±, another advisor from Shireck also had to say.


    ¡°You better be quick! If anything really goes wrong! It will all be toote!¡±, the First Prince did not yet know that at this very moment, his younger brothers¡¯ positions were under attack by these objects flying in the sky.


    Right in front of the ravaged Qi Army defense line by the Stuka, no one was paying attention to this area anymore. Behind a small grove and bushes, a number of Panzer IV tanks were slowly moving forward.


    Zhao Guozhu stuck out half his body, looking at the Stuka dive bombers screeching down in the distance with envy in his eyes. If possible, he too wanted to soar in the sky like a bird.


    Without warning, the Tang Army artillery behind the tank corps started causing trouble. Hundreds of artillery guns that had been assembled roared almost simultaneously, a sound so fierce it even startled the advancing Tang infantry.


    Countless shells tore through the air, screaming as they fell into the Qi Army¡¯s position, and then the entire Qi position was engulfed in thick smoke.


    Seeing this scene, the advisors from Shireck then realized thatpared to the concentrated firepower of their artillery in Gobur, the firepower of the Tang Army was truly earth-shattering!


    On the sixth day after Tang Country dered war on Qi Country, when everyone following the war thought that the Tang Army would consider casualties and just sit and wait for the situation to change, the Tang Army¡¯s attack began so abruptly in an unimaginable and unprecedented manner.


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 Chapter 566: 525 Tang Army charges the battle formation

    Chapter 566: 525 Tang Army charges the battle formation


    Liu Guozhu felt like a mackerel hiding in a can, with a giant outside trying to pry open the protective tin, yearning to swallow him whole.


    The gunfire and barrage outside were so intense they made people¡¯s scalps tingle, with bulletsing from everywhere and explosions resounding all around.


    However, the No. 4 tank he was driving remained incredibly sturdy, its thick armor blocking attacks from all directions.


    Bullets banged against the tank¡¯s armor like raindrops hitting a roof, with one bullet striking the armor and ricocheting off, sparking a shower of sparks.@@novelbin@@


    The sheer volume of iing ammunition even wore away the paint on the tank, obliterating its original appearance and indicating bullet impacts so dense that some bullets hit exactly the same spots.


    Seated in themander¡¯s position, Liu Guozhu thought that for infantry to charge in such an environment was sheer madness; even with armor protection, it required immense courage to break through such defenses.


    Peering through the slender gap at themander¡¯s spot, Liu Guozhu saw a bunker ahead continuously spewing mes, with bullets shooting out incessantly from the small firing holes.


    ¡°One o¡¯clock, one o¡¯clock! Machine gun bunker! Do you see it? Do you see it?¡± Liu Guozhu shouted loudly to his gunner.


    The gunner was operating the turret¡¯s rotation and, upon hearing Liu Guozhu¡¯s reminder, immediately started to align the turret¡¯s scale in his field of vision.


    He worked hard to align the turret scale to the direction of one o¡¯clock and then observed the smoke-filled battlefield through the scaleden sighting scope.


    ¡°I see it! I see it! Loader! High-explosive shell loading! High-explosive!¡± He had spotted the target, then yelled at his loader.


    The loader responded swiftly, pulling out a shell marked with ¡®high-explosive¡¯ from the ammunition rack and pushed it into the cannon breach without hesitation.


    The next second, the breech block closed automatically, and then the gunner heard the loader¡¯s ready shout. Instinctively stepping on the firing pedal, the shell shot forth from the barrel.


    Apanied by a violent tremor, the shell flew out of the 75mm short-barreled cannon, heading straight toward the distant target, narrowly missing flying directly into the machine gun bunker¡¯s firing hole.


    Even so, the shell exploded right next to the firing hole, the enormous st engulfing much of the bunker, instantaneously silencing the firing hole.


    Qi Army soldiers hidden in the bunker were not intimidated by the Stuka bombers; they stood their ground, trying to halt the Tang Army¡¯s advance.


    But when the Qi Army awaited the Tang forces¡¯ assault, they discovered that the advancing Tang Army was equipped with a weapon they had never seen before.


    This weapon was fast, fitted with a rotatable turret, had two machine guns and a cannon, full of firepower and extremely strong in defense.


    Driving this new weapon, the Tang Army quickly got close to the Qi Army¡¯s front lines. These steel monsters tore through the barbed wire, then began rampaging through the forward positions of the Qi troops.


    In the midst of the Qi Army¡¯s gunfire and shelling, follow-up Tang infantry braved the barrage to fill the wide trenches obstructing the tanks¡¯ path, with sandbag-carrying Tang soldiers being shot down one after another beside the trench.


    Soon the Tang Army¡¯s artillery barrage swept in, starting to suppress the Qi positions. In a sh, the Qi fortifications were swamped by explosions.


    Tang troops were exhrated, hurling sandbags into the trench one by one, even using the bodies of theirrades to pack it further.


    Then, as soon as it was barely passable, a No. 4 tank crushed the sandbags and bodies in its eagerness, surmounting the only barrier that could have stopped its advance.


    Liu Guozhu directed his tank toward the filled-in trench with reluctance, then ordered the driver to navigate briskly across.


    He felt the tank¡¯s nose suddenly dip, indicating that the filling in the trench was still slightly lower than the edges.


    But that didn¡¯t matter at all because the No. 4 tank¡¯s off-road capability was formidable, unmatched by any other tanks of the era.


    With the engine roaring, Liu Guozhu felt the tank¡¯s nose hit something, followed by the vehicle regaining bnce. Within two seconds, he felt the nose lift high, clearly having crossed to the other side of the trench.


    He firmly gripped the handhold beside him, then let the nose crash down as the tank regained bnce, once again able to see the Qi Army position so close at hand.


    ¡°Direct front! Direct front! Enemy machine gun position! Aim! Aim!¡± Liu Guozhu saw Qi soldiers in the trench ahead, operating a Maxim machine gun and firing.


    ¡°Tatatatatata!¡± The tank¡¯s coaxial machine gun began firing, with the electromechanical operator aiming his gun, sweeping bullets across the edge of the enemy trench.


    The shooter behind the Maxim gun was struck by a bullet and fell backward, while his assistant gunner was simrly mangled beyond recognition.


    Near the machine gun emcement, a white fog of bullet-driven smoke had cleared out, and that Maxim gun itself was damaged by bullets, tilting over to one side.


    The nearby three or four machine gun positions had all been removed, the supportive fire from the Qi Army ceased instantly, and what little resistance remained sounded like feeble gasps and moans.


    The Qi Army soldiers in the trenches, watching those massive steel-made beasts approach their position, had already begun to copse.


    Their will to fight had already been shaken by the Stuka Dive Bombers, and now, seeing this kind of new weapon they have never encountered before, they lost even the thought to counterattack.


    As a Type 4 tank rolled over the trench, breaking the reinforced wooden nks on the edge of the trench, the Qi Army soldiers within immediately panicked and fled in all directions, shouting, ¡°The enemy ising! Save us! They¡¯re firing at us!¡±


    On the crater-filled battlefield, Liu Guozhu¡¯s Type 4 tank first crossed over a huge crater relentlessly before aligning its turret at a machine gun bunker not far away.


    ¡°Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!¡± The coaxial machine gun roared, ejecting a stream of tracer bullets toward the Qi Army¡¯s position.


    The machine gun ports on the other side fell silent; perhaps frightened, the Qi Army soldiers inside fled out and, along with the soldiers from the nearby cover bunker, began to frantically escape.


    ¡°Fire! Fire! They are retreating! Aim¡­,¡± Liu Guozhu reminded his gunner as he saw some panic-stricken Qi soldiers scrambling away through the observation window.


    The gunmander immediately continued operating the coaxial machine gun to strafe, sending another volley of tracer bullets into the crowd, toppling all the Qi soldiers who had left their trenches.


    On the bare position, Qi Army¡¯s artillery shells soon fell, but there were not many of them, and their uracy was terribly off.


    Seven or eight shells fell behind the Tang Army tanks, while another two or three shells fell onto the Qi Army¡¯s own positions, and those in full retreat were blown into bitter joy.


    Just then, Liu Guozhu saw a Red Dragon g passing over his own tank¡ªit was the Tang Army Infantrying up to upy the trenches and positions near the tank.


    The battle continued, but the situation had be one-sided. The Qi Army, already disheartened by the Tang Country¡¯s air assault, was nowpletely scattered by the impact of the tanks and had withdrawn from the first line of defense.


    However, before they could recover, or rally on the second line of defense, Tang Army¡¯s artillery once again rolled over them.


    ¡°Whoosh!¡± Howling shellsnded on the Qi Army¡¯s positions, causing the already terrified Qi soldiers who hadn¡¯t caught their breath to once again break into a cry for their fathers and mothers as they fled in disarray.


    ¡°How can their artillery fire be so fast?¡± A Qi soldier who didn¡¯t even care for his weapon beside him, started running, crying andining as he ran.


    ¡°Stop talking! Save your energy!¡± An experienced soldier ran along the trench without looking back, reminding the rookie beside him as he ran.


    ¡°Where is our artillery?¡± Another Qi soldier had in his mind already desecrated his own artillerymen¡¯s ancestry.


    He had barely finished speaking when he saw a 130mm howitzer lying inside a hidden position. Next to it was a smoking crater, and bodies scattered around that had not been dealt with in time.


    This was the handiwork of the Stuka Dive Bomber, with a bomb urately hitting this gun emcement, advancing all the artillerymen inside, and the gun itself.


    Staring wide-eyed, his pace slowly slowing down, thisining Qi soldier foolishly looked at the artillery parts scattered beside the bodies and those iplete corpses, and in an instant, he even forgot to run.


    During his daze, a sound pulled him back to the harsh reality: that long, increasingly mournful sound from hell echoed over his head again.


    ¡°Buzz¡­ woohoo¡­ woo!¡± Apanied by that distinct, terrifyingly sharp buzz, a Stuka Dive Bomber returning to the battlefield dropped bombs once again.


    The sound utterly devastated the already retreating Qi Army, and they fell to their knees, raised their hands high, and cried out to the Tang Army for surrender: ¡°Stop firing! We surrender! Please, we beg you! We surrender! Stop firing!¡±


    Following that, they saw the tracks churning as the hefty Type 4 tanks drove past them, rolling over their trenches, rushing towards the distant beyond.


    And the Tang Army soldiers following the tanks began to take over trenches and positions, escorting prisoners, and filling in some trenches and obstacles.


    The noise gradually faded away; it was only at this point that the Qi Army realized the border defense line they had solemnly promised to hold for half a year seemed to have been almost breached by the Tang Army in just one morning!


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 Chapter 567: 526 identifies themselves

    Chapter 567: 526 identifies themselves


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the messenger we sent oute back yet? Where¡¯s the radio operator? Where¡¯s the radio operator? Battalion 1, how are things going with Battalion 1? Who knows? Who actually knows what¡¯s happening over there?¡± Inside a concealedmand post, a frustrated general of the Qi Army interrogated his subordinates.


    But his subordinates were almost as confused as he was: they had no idea what was going on, and to this point, the entire troops had not regained control.


    In the beginning, there were these screaming nes continuously circling and attacking overhead, each dive delivering a massive bomb.


    Being utterly unable to resist, his division had almost lost all its heavy artillery, and its positions were leftpletely riddled with holes.


    To make matters worse, as soon as those bizarre aircraft finally left, their positions were swamped by the Tang Army¡¯s artillery fire.


    It was truly overrun! The enemy had assembled nearly 500 guns focused solely on bombarding his position. The shells fell like they were free,pletely destroying his defenses.


    In order to have his troops continue fighting, as a divisionmander, he had dispatched all the officers and radio operators he could find to pass on orders and fortify the trenches for defense on the spot.@@novelbin@@


    As a result, few of the personnel he had sent out had returned to report back. And those who did were messenger runners or radio operators from second or third-line positions.


    The news they brought back was almostughable: some said the front line had been breached by the enemy, others saw a kind of tank they had never seen before wreaking havoc on the battlefield, and yet others imed that the enemy had broken through the second line of defense.


    He didn¡¯t believe any of these reports. Because he couldn¡¯t ept that the enemy could break through two defense lines so swiftly¡ªit meant his defense hadpletely failed.


    So, he immediately sent out radio operators again, hoping to gather genuinely useful information. But this time, not a single radio operator returned, all having disappeared without a trace.


    ¡°Boom!¡± Not far away, another explosion urred, this time visible without the need for binocrs, the rising ck smoke clearly seen.


    The general frowned and moved to the window to look in the direction of the explosion: ¡°Isn¡¯t that the number 10 main bunker of the third-line defenses? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, by the look of it, it must have been directly hit by artillery fire,¡± the adjutant approached and said with a grave expression.


    ¡°Is the enemy¡¯s artillery that urate?¡± Mentioning this made the Qi Country general¡¯s headache terribly.


    His artillery positions had beenpletely altered beyond recognition by the Stuka dive bombers, and they were still not operational, making it impossible to join the battle.


    Thus, when the Tang Armyunched their ground attack, there was only sparse fire support on his section of the defense line. Most of the explosions were from Tang Army shelling, causing him immense frustration.


    What further irritated him was that a nearby supply station connected by railroad tracks had been bombed, destroying all the ammunition that hadn¡¯t been transported to him in time.


    This meant that nearly all of the uing supplies might not reach him on time. For this divisionmander, this was definitely bad news.


    Communication had copsed, and now supplies had been destroyed, and with the enemy choosing this precise moment to attack, the situation had deteriorated to the extreme.


    Now, his only reliance was that His Royal Highness the Third Prince would react swiftly and immediately dispatch support troops to assist.


    ¡°Send our reserves forward! Whether or not they¡¯ve breached the first-line defense, reinforce the second-line positions! At all costs, we cannot lose the main positions of the second-line defense!¡± The Qi Army divisionmander gritted his teeth, deciding tomit his reserves without knowing anything about the actual situation.


    There was simply no other choice; the scene was too chaotic. If something went wrong with the positions, his tenure as a divisionmander woulde to an end.


    Just a few minutes before the Qi Country divisionmander gave his order, in front of the main position of the number 10 bunker on the Qi Army¡¯s third line of defense, Liu Guozhu¡¯s Tank 4 had cleared its spot.


    An improved Tank 2 chassis outfitted with a 105mm caliber self-propelled howitzer crept into position under the cover of the infantry.


    Inside the open square-shaped turret, the artillery loaders shoved a shell into the breech and closed the breech block.


    Just now, Tank 4¡¯s 75mm cannon hadn¡¯t managed to breach the robust concrete bunker, and that machine-gun position was still firing non-stop at the Tang Army.


    Bullets sparked off the armor of Liu Guozhu¡¯s Tank 4. With so many rounds iing, the paint on the tank¡¯s front section was no longer discernible.


    Yet, Liu Guozhu still ordered his gunner to keep firing,unching one high-explosive shell after another towards the machine-gun bunker¡¯s firing ports far away.


    This strong suppression did indeed reduce the casualties on the Tang side. Meanwhile, the 105mm self-propelled howitzer had finished loading and was given the chance to fire.


    ¡°Fire!¡± The gunmander, covering his ears, shouted themand to attack. The artilleryman triggered the firing mechanism, and the whole carcass of the gun recoiled as a shell was shot directly toward the distant machine-gun bunker.


    ¡°`


    The forceful artillery shell hit the brash machine gun bunker directly, sting the concrete bunker to pieces.


    A plume of ck smoke soared into the sky, and the Qi Country divisionmander, inside his ownmand bunker, saw the dark column of smoke¡ªit was the explosion here.


    After this bunker was destroyed and silence fell, the Tang Army troops once againunched a charge, countless soldiers shouting loudly as they stormed the high ground in the distance. Qi Army soldiers abandoned their helmets and armor, copsing en masse, with innumerable hands raised in surrender.


    One Tank IV after another was active on the battlefield, covering the Tang Army soldiers as theyid siege and took fortifications. The troops of Qi Country had already lost two lines of defense, and theirst border defense line was also on the brink of copse.


    Located between the third and second line of defense was the main heavy artillery position of the Qi Army, which was surrounded by ammunition depots of various sizes, small barracks, and field hospitals.


    Anyway, on the first day of the Tang Army¡¯s offensive, all these facilities had been lost. Whether the Qi Army¡¯sst line of defense could hold was no longer of much consequence.


    In a trench, trembling Qi Army soldiers had no idea what was happening. From time to time, messengers and officers rushed past them, all in confusion without knowing what to do.


    Those who poked their heads out could see the ck smoke rising from the main position not far away; some even saw Tang Army tanks rolling over the barbed wire.


    But themanders still could not believe that their two defensive lines in front had been breached by the Tang Army in just one morning.


    The superior officer next to them was still clutching the cor of a messenger, loudly demanding what had happened, when Tang Army soldiers already leapt into the trenches and began firing.


    These charging Tang soldiers, armed with Thompson submachine guns, were like tigers in the trenches. They pressed forward along the trenches, knocking down dazed Qi soldiers one by one.


    ¡°Tang Army! The Tang Army ising!¡± A Qi Army soldier had just shouted in rm when a grenade exploded among the crowd.


    The dust thrown up blotted out the sun; in an instant, Qi soldiers in the trench were left sprawling. All they could hear was a ringing in their ears, and their eyes could see nothing.


    Touching his chest, a Qi soldier found his palm covered in blood. Before he had time to scream, a Tang soldier, carrying a submachine gun, hurried past him.


    ¡°Tatatatata!¡± Before the dust from the explosion settled, the continuous sound of gunfire began to echo in the trench. Some were hit and screamed, some begged loudly for mercy, but these sounds were no longer clear to the Qi soldier lying in the corner.


    In the divisionmand post, the Qi divisionmander who had just sent someone to check what exactly happened on the main position 10, had yet to receive definite news when gunshots rang out outside hismand post.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The divisionmander angrily questioned his subordinates, and at the same time, a Qi officer tumbled into themand post, pointing outside and shouting, ¡°Tang Army! The Tang Army ising!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense¡ª¡± The divisionmander wanted to scold his subordinates and tell them to stay calm. But before he could finish his first sentence, a bullet flew in from outside.


    The bullet hit the wall, then ricocheted at an odd angle, striking the kerosenemp hanging from the roof beam.


    ¡°Dang!¡± With a crisp sound, the bullet shattered the kerosenemp, startling everyone who instinctively ducked.


    Just as they were reaching for their weapons at their waists, a Tang soldier holding a submachine gun burst into the room.


    He shouted, pointing the dark muzzle of his gun at the high-ranking officers of Qi Country in the room: ¡°Don¡¯t move! Raise your hands!¡±


    These divisionmanders and officers, who thought they were in the far rear, away from danger, looked at each other, not knowing what to do immediately.


    ¡°Tatatatata!¡± The somewhat nervous Tang soldier squeezed the trigger, releasing a dozen bullets.


    Suddenly, people were tossed around the room, some knocking over tables and chairs, some crouching and scurrying, and others instinctively raising their hands.


    ¡°All of you, put your hands up for me!¡± The Tang private, not sure how he had be the father of a bunch of Qi divisional officers, shouted again.


    This time, all the Qi officers, now mentally prepared, cooperatively lifted their hands without hesitation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shoot! Don¡¯t shoot! I¡¯m the divisionmander!¡± Fearing the young man would shoot him dead, the Qi divisionmander, his hands raised high, quickly added, rifying his identity.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Thanks to book friend: Reader 1545598039260299264 for the reward¡­ I¡¯ve seen your message, sorry this book did not appeal to you~ it¡¯s Dragon Spirit¡¯s fault, T-T


    ¡°`


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 Chapter 568: 527 King City of Qi Country

    Chapter 568: 527 King City of Qi Country


    In the King City of Qi Country, King Jiang Xian was holding a military meeting with a military advisor from Shireck and the generals who stayed behind, discussing how to continue sending reinforcements to the front line to ensure an impregnable defense.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the most dangerous situation is with the Third Prince. His troops are the least equipped, so we should prioritize providing reinforcements to the Third Prince,¡± a veteran general reminded his king with a worried expression.


    ¡°The veteran general¡¯s suggestion is sensible. Although the Third Prince¡¯s defense line is near the border of the Dahua Empire, it¡¯s quite possible that the Tang Army might indeed venture out from there¡­¡± the advisor from Shireck agreed, nodding his head.


    ¡°Tomorrow, new supplies from Shireck will arrive at the port. I will immediately allocate the supplies to reinforce the Third Prince,¡± King Jiang Xian, seeing everyone¡¯s agreement about aiding the Third Prince, readily consented.


    As everyone was discussing, a servant rushed into the meeting room, and before Jiang Xian could reprimand him, he handed a telegram to Jiang Xian, ¡°Your Majesty, an urgent telegram from the First Prince requesting presentation to Your Majesty immediately¡­¡±


    Jiang Xian¡¯s face darkened as he snatched the telegram and skimmed through it, his expression suddenly turning panicky, ¡°What does this mean? What is he talking about?¡±


    The advisor from Shireck cast a puzzled look at the telegram in Jiang Xian¡¯s hand, which shockingly stated, ¡°Some extremely fast flying objects are heading for King City. I hope father can prepare in advance and take cover immediately.¡±


    No wonder Jiang Xian was here asking what it meant; the device mentioned in the telegram was too bizarre that even this military advisor from Shireck couldn¡¯tprehend the true implication.


    What do ¡°extremely fast flying objects¡± mean? Are they airships that fly very quickly? Even if airships could fly fast, how fast could they go?


    Besides, if it were airships, intercepting them would be the solution. What then, was the point of sending such a cryptic telegram? Wait! That¡¯s not right! The telegram didn¡¯t mention airships, but ¡®flying objects¡¯! If they were airships, the First Prince would surely recognize them and would have directly said airships. Why emphasize ¡®flying objects¡¯?


    With this realization, the advisor from Shireck suddenly understood! The Tang Army must have introduced some new type of weaponry that flew at such high speeds they couldn¡¯t be intercepted, prompting the First Prince to send this rming telegram.


    But how fast is ¡°extremely fast¡±? This fast? That fast? Or so fast? Is this testing my imagination or myprehension skill?


    The advisor from Shireck felt as if his head was swelling, and at that moment, a Qi Country general took the telegram from King Jiang Xian¡¯s hands and began to analyze it carefully.


    Almost guessing the same as the advisor from Shireck, this veteran general from Qi Country also roughly understood the meaning behind the First Prince¡¯s telegram.


    Only to hear the veteran general say to Jiang Xian, ¡°Your Majesty! This matter is grave! If this old servant¡¯s judgment is correct, we should immediately seek refuge outside the city¡­¡±@@novelbin@@


    Because there was no way to calcte the speed of B-17 bombers, the telegram simply used the vague adjective ¡°extremely fast,¡± leaving Jiang Xian and others unable to determine the exact timing of the enemy attack.


    What they didn¡¯t know was that when these B-17 bombers flew over the First Prince¡¯s head toward King City, they were less than two hours away from Qi Country¡¯s King City.


    To be precise, it was less than an hour and a half! While this lengthy duration might have allowed civilian evacuation, Jiang Xian and his group were unaware of it.


    They didn¡¯t know when the enemy would arrive or what destructive power the iing enemy had, so their reaction was quite sluggish.


    To ensure Jiang Xian¡¯s absolute safety, both the royal family and the advisor team from Shireck began their evacuation. They had quite a few cars and, at worst, carriages for transportation. Plus, since they hadn¡¯t evacuated the civilians in time, there was no congestion, allowing these individuals to quickly reach a manor outside the city that had been prepared in advance.


    Next, everyone in the manor, which offered a view of King City amidst the woods, waited quietly yet with some tension for the arrival of these extremely fast flying objects.


    About 40 minutester, the B-17 bombers that had flown over the First Prince¡¯s head appeared in everyone¡¯s line of sight.


    The faces of the Shireck advisor group turned unsightly at once, for they certainly knew how far King City of Qi Country was from the border. These flying objects that could cross over 800 kilometers in less than two hours were terrifyingly more advanced than airships.


    What they didn¡¯t know at that moment was that even more shocking events were to follow. Under their gaze, those B-17 bombers, havinge from afar, began to lower their altitude and roared past Qi Country¡¯s King City.


    Onboard the shaky B-17 bombers, the pilot was reminding the bombardier that they had arrived over the target.


    As there were no enemy fighters to defend against, the first batch of B-17 bombers manufactured by Tang Mo didn¡¯t have any self-defense weaponry installed. All gun stations on the fusge were just reserved for weapon instation and did not equip any weapons or operators.


    Thus, the B-17 bombers could carry more bombs while eliminating the need for many gun operators.


    As the aircraft swept past the city, the turbulent airflow caused the ne to quiver slightly. The bomb bay doors were already open, and the bombardier, sighting through the bombsight, spotted smoke rising from the chimneys of suburban factories.


    ¡°Perfect!¡± the bombardier pressed the bomb release button, and a bomb detached from its rack and plunged rapidly toward the ground.


    Following closely was the second bomb, the third bomb¡­ The aircraft behind this one weren¡¯t idle either, it too dropped a series of bombs without hesitation.


    Because of this era¡¯s grotesquely uneven development, there were too many houses built of wood or simply stacked stone, so the B-17s carried small aerial bombs, allowing them to carry an abnormally high quantity of explosives.


    These small bombs, like raindrops, detached from the nes, one after another, scattering across the sky to create a dazzling trail of light wherever the aircraft passed.


    ¡°I¡¯m following you! Drop the bombs! Drop the bombs!¡± dered the bombardier excitedly on the trailing ne, peering through the bombsight at the dense buildings below.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to drop bombs! I¡¯m starting to drop bombs!¡± Another bombardier in the formation pressed the bomb release button.


    Apanied by the shouts over the radio, the bomb bay doors of the B-17 bomber opened as it swept across the city, scattering all the bombs it carried.


    The explosions, one after another, covered the suburban factories, spreading continuously from these buildings up to the walls of King City, then beyond the walls to the wealthy district inside, only stopping when they reached the Royal Pce.


    Then, the nes, one by one, slowly climbed higher, crossing the entire city before turning around at a higher altitude to fly back the way they came¡ªslowly and steadily.


    The nes arrived quickly and departed just as swiftly, like a gust of wind that vanished in the blink of an eye. If not for King City still aze and erupting with explosions, one might have thought everything that just happened was nothing but a dream.


    Even from this distance, Jiang Xian could feel the earth trembling beneath his feet, seeing the golden spires of his own Royal Pce copsing in the sts, his favorite gardens being devoured by the fires of the explosions.


    Of course, he also saw the mansions of his ministers crumbling in the explosions. He saw his own city walls of King City being sted with gaping holes.


    What made him feel as if he was choking on blood was the fact that his hard-earned ammunition factory, the military factory capable of producing Shireck Type 1 rifles, and the workshops capable of assembling cannons had all been reduced to nothing by the sts!


    Jiang Xian could even feel his heart bleeding. His entire King City was smoking! His King City was burning! Exploding! Copsing! Bing¡­ unrecognizable!


    This was only the first official day of the war! Just three hours ago, he had only just received a telegram from the front lines, the telegram announcing the Tang Army¡¯s initial attack!


    And yet now, his Royal Pce had been bombed! His military factories deep within his territory had been bombed! He, himself, had almost been bombed!


    He looked at the Shireck advisors next to him with rage in his eyes. His gaze said it all without words¡ªwhy didn¡¯t you tell me about such powerful weapons?


    The Shireck advisors also wore bitter expressions. They too were unaware that the Great Tang Kingdom had quietly developed such a terrifying weapon of war in just over a year!


    ¡°Hurry and get production back up!¡± Jiang Xian managed to say, suppressing the fury in his heart after a long struggle.


    Almost immediately after, Jiang Xian realized a grave problem: he was helpless against these ¡°incredibly fast aircraft¡± that came without a trace and disappeared just as quickly.


    The anti-aircraft guns he had prepared for defense against airships, which could only target fixed objects, were so powerless against these nes.


    Just now, there were only a couple booms from the anti-aircraft guns on the ground at the very beginning. After that, only the performance of the bombers remained, leaving the ground anti-aircraft guns collectively silenced.


    If these nes came again tomorrow, what was he to do? If they came the day after tomorrow, what then¡­?


    ¡°Think of something¡­ Quickly¡­ Think of something¡­¡± Jiang Xian, feeling powerless, turned to look at the embarrassed Shireck advisors again, his voice weak and almost pleading as he muttered over and over.


    He had no good solution. Now, the only thing he could think of was to hope that these Shireck advisors had some kind of countermeasure.


    But at this moment, even the advisors from Shireck were at a loss,cking even the courage to speak.


    With that, the first wave of attacks by the Tang Air Force wasplete. The tactical air force had destroyed most of the enemy¡¯s supply points and heavy artillery positions in the front lines, while the strategic air force attacked the Qi Country King City, decimating the industrial district of the Royal City.


    The results were glorious.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Here is an additional chapter, I will continue tomorrow.


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 Chapter 569: The village in front of 528

    Chapter 569: The vige in front of 528


    The battle on the ground was still raging on, and Liu Guozhu felt the slight jolts atop his own tank. Peering through the cracks of themander¡¯s view window, he saw the vige ahead and the routed soldiers crowded on the road.


    The Qi Country¡¯s troops had beenpletely defeated, and these retreating soldiers from the Qi Army finally showed their so-called true colors.


    At least one-fifth of these units were even equipped with Shireck Flintlock Guns, they had no steel helmets, and some weren¡¯t even fully equipped with individual gear.


    The troops of the Third Prince were known to have the worst equipment, which is why they neverpleted their rearming before the outbreak of the war.


    The original n was that, with the support of strong defensive fortifications, it wouldn¡¯t matter much if the troop¡¯s equipment was slightly inferior.


    But who could have known that the positions would bepletely lost on the first day ofbat, exposing the Qi Country¡¯s troops in the open field and revealing their outdated equipment.


    Now, the Qi Army couldn¡¯t even think of organizing a counterattack, they couldn¡¯t even muster enough to reorganize their defenses.


    Liu Guozhu looked at the Qi soldiers blocking his path and felt that wasting time on these enemies, who had long since lost their will to fight, was a crime.


    To him, these men had been frightened out of their wits by the bombers, they would only surrender or flee,pletely devoid of any will to resist.


    He thus ordered his driver to drive the tank directly forward, since more Tang Army soldiers were catching up behind him.


    At the rumbling of the engine, the Qi soldiers began to panic. A Tang tank burst through the trees, shot out, and terrified them into a scattered flight.


    ¡°The Tang Army ising!¡± A soldier screamed at the top of his lungs as he scattered, prompting those around him to start running in chaos as well.


    ¡°Tat-tat-tat!¡± The coaxial machine gun began firing bursts, and the attack from mere dozens of meters away caused countless deaths and injuries among the Qi soldiers who had just settled down to camp.


    These Qi soldiers wereters; they had not heard the sound of the tank engines because Liu Guozhu and his men had already stopped here for a rest before they decided to pause in this clearing.


    In fact, thebat quality of the Qi Army was really poor, it could even be said theycked proper training and didn¡¯t know whatbat was all about.


    Before setting up camp, these men had not even sent out patrol squads to scout the perimeter, nor had they arranged for sentries.


    They were merely fleeing and had not anticipated that the enemy¡¯s attack would be faster than their retreat.


    So when Liu Guozhu burst forth, the Qi soldiers panicked once again; they ran out of habit, and some even raised their hands in surrender.


    No one noticed that only one tank,manded by Liu Guozhu, had broken out of the woods, and nobody saw that there weren¡¯t even any Tang soldiers behind it.


    Yes, nearby there was only Liu Guozhu¡¯s Tank No. 4. He had contacted his toon leader just minutes ago, and thetter with another tank were currently waiting for supplies in the next vige.


    Unknowingly, Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank had moved to the very front of their forces, and not far ahead was another small vige.


    ¡°Tat-tat-tat-tat!¡± The coaxial machine gun kept firing, mowing down those Qi soldiers who turned their backs to the enemy.


    One after another, the Qi soldiers fell,pletely breaking thest line of psychological defense.


    They began to give up running, surrendering en masse, all raising their hands high and waiting for the judgment of that steel beast on their lives or deaths.


    Thank God, as soon as Liu Guozhu saw that the situation was under control, he immediately ordered a cease-fire.


    The sound of machine gunfire stopped, and the battlefield fell silent again. Liu Guozhu opened the hatch and poked his head out, looking down at the Qi soldiers within arm¡¯s reach.


    ¡°Stack your weapons over there! No tricks!¡± Liu Guozhu shouted loudly, surrounded by vast numbers of Qi soldiers.


    The Qi soldiers never expected the driver of the terrifying tank to be a child; they looked somewhat stunned at the young figure before them, and eventually resigned to their fate, stacking their weapons on the cleared ground beside the tank.


    Soon, a squad of Tang Army soldiers arrived. They had a truck with them, carrying ammunition and various assorted items.


    The Tang soldiers that arrived consisted of roughly two squads. The reason for their scattered arrival was that they encountered arge number of fleeing Qi soldiers along the way and had to allocate a substantial number of troops to guard these surrendering enemies.


    ¡°The road is pretty much blocked by these captives. You guys with the tanks got here fast, but the following infantry had a tough time,¡± said the toon leader, lighting a cigarette, to Liu Guozhu.


    In front of him, his men stood with weapons held, continuing to disarm the Qi soldiers. He raised the cigarette pack in his hand, Liu Guozhu shook his head and raised his hand to signal a decline to the kind offer.


    Tank soldiers weren¡¯t allowed to smoke on the tanks, and Liu Guozhu was just a kid who hadn¡¯t grown his full set of hair yet, so he didn¡¯t smoke at all.


    ¡°Thanks! Our tank toon is in the next vige over! We¡¯re in need of manpower to have a look at the vige ahead!¡±


    ¡°With tank cover, I don¡¯t mind! Twelve people, and me¡­ that¡¯s about all we have¡­ the truck will have to stay behind; it¡¯s just dead weight if we bring it along,¡± the infantry toon leader was willing to follow and pointed at the truck behind him as he spoke.


    ¡°Get ready, we¡¯re moving out now! We¡¯ll take that vige so we can rest there for the night,¡± Liu Guozhu¡¯s tactical n was crystal clear.


    ¡°No problem at all! Your nk is my responsibility!¡± the infantry toon leader delegated tasks, ¡°Squad leader 1, take a few men to upy the edge of the forest on the nk! Find a ce with a good view and set up the machine gun!¡±


    After finishing his instructions, he pointed to another direction, ¡°The rest of Squad 1 will be under mymand! Follow the tank and keep to the right nk for guard! Keep low! And keep an eye on any movements on the sides of the vige!¡±


    Liu Guozhu pressed his throatmunicator, reminded his driver to start the vehicle, and then continued to remind the infantrymen, ¡°I¡¯ve opened fire before, so they¡¯re definitely aware of us in the vige! They¡¯ve probably prepared themselves, so don¡¯t let your guard down!¡±


    ¡°Got it! Old Zhang! Old Zhang! Get the mortar down from the truck! Set it up! Ifbat breaks out, aim at the vige and fire! Suppress the enemy¡¯s firepower!¡± The more cautious infantry toon leader turned back to the group that stayed behind and shouted.


    An old soldier raised his arm; he was once a man from Zheng Country, but now he was a man of Tang Country, without much talent, he just muddled along in the military¡­


    Under his direction, a few from Squad 2 who stayed behind to watch the prisoners came to assist, lifting a 60mm caliber mortar from the truck; a piece of support weaponrymonly equipped bypany and toon level units.


    Because of its small size and ease of instation and operation, it was particrly favored by the frontline troops. In this battle, the mortar seldom had a chance to demonstrate its capabilities and thus was left on the truck, following the advance.


    Now, with the indirect fire support ready, Liu Guozhu felt more assured, and hemanded his tank to turn around, leaving behind a group of puzzled Qi soldiers, and charged towards the nearby vige.


    The rumble of the tank¡¯s engine burst forth along with plumes of ck smoke. The leading infantry, carrying MG43 machine guns, had already entered the forest, while the remaining troops had spread out, taking attack formations along the road.


    Liu Guozhumanded his tank to brazenly drive down the highway, charging straight toward the vige of Qi Country.


    Soon, gunfire echoed from the vige ahead. Liu Guozhu quickly retracted his head and stretched his hand to close the hatch above.


    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his own infantry lowering their bodies, their advance slowing down.


    All the men skillfully sought cover; it must be said that thebat aptitude of the Tang Army was much higher than that of the Qi Army¡¯s.


    ¡°Attention! Enemy attack! Locate the enemy¡¯s fire source! Can you see the shooter¡¯s position?¡± Liu Guozhu asked his gunner, as he searched through themander¡¯s observation window for the enemy¡¯s firing location.


    The gunner, peering through his own scope, couldn¡¯t make out the target either, since his view was even more restricted. Although it was clearer, he could only see buildings within the vige.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Liu Guozhu had to once again lift the hatch above him, peeked out quickly, then ducked back in toin.


    He saw Qi soldiers scattered throughout the vige, along with Qi Army trucks, startled warhorses, and a mess of supply boxes piled haphazardly along the roadside.


    ¡°Machine operator! Fire the hull machine gun! Don¡¯t bother aiming, just strafe! Suppress the people in the vige!¡± Liu Guozhu loudly issued the firing order.


    Then he ordered his gunner and loader in front, ¡°Load the high-explosive shell! Open fire when you have a target! Don¡¯t wait for mymand!¡±


    The loader quickly pulled out a shell from beside him and adroitly slid it into the cannon¡¯s breech. By then, Tank No. 4 was still advancing, but because it was driving on the road without much jostling, the loader was able to operate smoothly.


    Only then did Liu Guozhu btedly order a halt, and the tank shook slightly before it stopped in the middle of the road.


    The machine operator, who had just hung the drum on the machine gun, pulled the trigger, and the hull-mounted machine gun began its relentless roaring.


    Simultaneously with the machine gun¡¯s ceaseless strafing, the short barrel 75mm caliber cannon on the turret of Tank No. 4 belched a thick cloud of smoke,unching a shell!


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 Chapter 570: 529 assault on the village

    Chapter 570: 529 assault on the vige


    The Qi Army, which had been prepared, was somewhat flustered but still persisted in fighting. On the temporary Qi Army position stationed at the entrance of the vige, a row of Qi soldiers were crazily firing their Shireck Model 1 rifles towards the direction of the Tang Army tanks.


    After just hearing the sound of the machine-guns firing next door, the Qi Armymander here issued the order to defend the vige to the death.


    The Qi troops then began preparing, choosing the hedges at the head of the vige and some mud walls as cover, deploying soldiers and also arranging machine-gun positions.


    Additionally, relying on the vige, at both sides of the vige, the Qi Army had also deployed some soldiers, and even behind these soldiers, two cannons had been set up.


    These were not the routed soldiers of Qi Country but aplete Qi Army force that hadn¡¯t yet engaged in the battle! They were somewhat morebat-ready than those at the positions, as one could clearly tell by the equipment!


    Usually, if they were not main Qi Army forces, they wouldn¡¯t be equipped with novel contraptions like automobiles. Not to mention, after equipping a lot of automobiles, these Qi Army soldiers also had arge number of horses.


    The battle had just begun when Liu Guozhu felt that his attack this time seemed a bit rash. Because when he peered out to observe the enemy, he saw an endless number of Qi soldiers.


    Just by looking at the sheer number of enemies, it wasn¡¯t something his dozen Tang soldiers plus a tank could handle.


    But since the battle had already started, it was toote to say anything. Liu Guozhu knew that now he could only probe and attack first, and if that didn¡¯t work, cover the infantry while they retreated.


    The machine-gun directly in front of the tank was continuously firing, and the gunner had not actually seen any real targets but was simply following orders, wastefully depleting his ammunition.


    Suppressive fire did have some effect though, confused as the Qi Army was, their actual casualties were almost zero, but the incessant gunfire did indeed create considerable psychological pressure on them.


    Next to the tank, the Tang Army infantry had a somewhat better view; they quickly noticed that arge number of enemy forces were moving inside the vige, so they immediatelyunched their counter-attack.


    After the riflemen found cover, they began aiming and firing at Qi soldiers, with rather exquisite marksmanship, striking down some Qi soldiers still in search of cover.


    At this moment, Tank No. 4 suddenly boomed, firing its gun, startling the surrounding Tang soldiers. Everyone looked towards the firing tank, and they saw a cloud of white smoke continuously billowing around the barrel of the tank¡¯s gun.


    The heavy and forceful shell hit the wall of a mud house in the vige, creating a big hole directly in it, the massive explosion lifting the roof off, with tiles falling down and ttering on the ground.


    Because there were so many of them, the Qi Army filled the entire vige, and in the house hit by the shell, there was also a group of Qi soldiers stationed.


    As a result, this terrifying shell blew more than a dozen Qi soldiers into the air, burying them under the ruins.


    ¡°Tat-tat-tat-tat!¡± Finally unable to hold back, a hidden Maxim machine-gun on the Qi Army position began to sweep fire.


    Bullets hit the severely bullet-marked Tank No. 4 and sparked, but such an attack was obviously not capable of damaging Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank.


    After firing a shell, Liu Guozhu ordered the tank to continue moving forward, getting closer to the vige to exert greater pressure on the enemy.


    He knew that if his tank did not keep advancing, the Tang soldiers following beside his tank would be unable to approach the vige amidst the hail of bullets without it.


    Only if his tank drew the enemy¡¯s attention, would the following infantry find the opportunity to continue advancing, getting close enough to the right positions to continue firing.


    Just at that moment, a cannon shell whistled past, flying over their heads, and also over Tank No. 4, before exploding far, far away.


    ¡°What weapon is that?¡± The infantry toon leader, hugging his rifle and listening to that piercing sound of slicing through the air, looked in astonishment at the soldier next to him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either!¡± The infantryman beside him fired a bullet and drew back, while cycling the bolt and responding.


    ¡°It¡¯s aiming at our tank! Where is it? Find it! Find it out!¡± The toon leader desperately ordered loudly.


    If the tank covering them was destroyed here, then none of them could escape. Without the cover of the tank, how were they to withdraw from thebat and return to their starting point?


    So he had no choice but to risk poking his head out, ceaselessly searching for the location where the enemy¡¯s weapon had just fired from on the bullet-ridden battlefield.


    ¡°Where is it¡­ where is it¡­¡± he muttered quietly, and as he watched the vige interior bustling with shadows, finally, on the other side of the vige, he saw a patch of dissipating blue smoke.


    ¡°There!¡± he just excitedly shouted when a bullet struck next to him, soil sttering and burning painfully against his neck.


    The sudden attack frightened him so much that he shrunk his head back, and upon touching his neck with his hand, he saw some blood on his fingertips.


    It was just a graze¡­ He spat on his fingertip with relief, then rubbed it against the corner of his clothes.


    At this moment, Liu Guozhu, who was on the tank with a radio headset, was still inside the tank, and hadn¡¯t heard a fatal shell that had just flown past his tank.


    He was still focused onmanding his loader to find an opportunity to load another shell and then fire another round at the Qi Army in the vige.


    Soon, his tank stopped again, and then the loader began to insert a new shell, while the gunner searched for a new target.@@novelbin@@


    Almost the next second, he stepped on the firing pedal, and the 75 gun fired once again, blowing up a low wall in the vige and flipping the Qi Army soldiers behind it head over heels.


    Liu Guozhu had to poke his head out again to check the results of his shot, but this time, just as he stuck his head out, a shell struck the body of his number 4 tank directly.


    The shell coincidentally hit the upper right corner of the body of tank number 4, striking the exact point where the top armor and the front and side armors met!


    The powerful impact created a blunt angle at that spot and then deflected at a bizarre trajectory, flying upward.


    All of this happened in the blink of an eye, startling Liu Guozhu, who didn¡¯t even have time to react before he just saw a sh of gold pass before his eyes.


    However, even with his headset on, he still heard the sound of the shell and felt the tank¡¯s vibration.


    He knew something had hit his tank, but he was lucky that it didn¡¯t prate.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Realizing something in the vige could threaten his tank, he forgot to take cover and instead looked out, slightly stunned but frantically searching for the target that had fired at him.


    As he searched for the threat, a figure rushed onto the tank, scrambled on top in an instant, and shouted loudly while pointing at a distant target, ¡°Over there! Where the white smoke is! There¡¯s a big gun over there!¡±


    The person was the infantry toon leader, who, disregarding the bullets flying everywhere, climbed onto the tank to report his observations to Liu Guozhu.


    Liu Guozhu followed the direction of his pointing and indeed saw a cannon aimed directly at him. He immediately held down the talk button, alerted his driver to start moving, and ordered the gunner to rotate the turret.


    The gunner frantically turned his turret while themander suddenly started moving tank number 4. Caught by surprise, the infantry toon leader cursed and rolled off the tank.


    Another shell came flying in, but this time the enemy apparently didn¡¯t expect tank number 4 to suddenly move forward; the shell just sted away, whistling past tank number 4 once again.


    The Qi Army soldiers in the vige seemed to be petrified by the Tang Army¡¯s reckless momentum, as they had never encountered an enemy whomunicated amid a hail of bullets.


    Yet, amid the shouts of their officers, they still gathered themselves and began to fire more densely to block the continuing advance of the Tang Army.


    The anti-aircraft machine guns had already suppressed the constantly firing machine-gun positions inside the vige, and Liu Guozhu had his turret aligned with the enemy¡¯s cannon that was still firing.


    Just now, to cover tank number 4 as it adjusted its turret, a Tang Army soldier opened fire on the Qi Army¡¯s hidden artillery, exposing his own position and taking a bullet in the shoulder.


    His sacrifice was valuable, as his shot hit a Qi Army soldier operating the cannon, which had not been able to fire another round yet.


    In that brief period, tank number 4 had aligned its turret toward the hidden artillery and fired the third shell.


    The shell hit the artillery position where the Qi Army¡¯s cannon was located, instantly lifting the barrel and sting the surrounding Qi Army soldiers into the air.


    The battle was still ongoing, and Liu Guozhu didn¡¯t have time to savor his victory. He ordered his tank to continue moving forward, thenmanded the turret to realign and aim at the vige for another shot.


    The Qi Army had realized they couldn¡¯t stop this tank¡¯s advance, and their defensive line started to waver instantly.


    The Qi Army soldiers positioned at the edge of the vige began to retreat towards the interior, abandoning the Maxim machine gun that had been suppressing them, while the Qi soldiers around had already cleared out.


    Startled horses ran wildly through the streets and alleys, as the Qi Army¡¯smanders seemed to realize that they no longer had control over the situation.


    So they began to regroup their troops, preparing to continue their resistance by relying on the remnants and ruins within the vige. They didn¡¯t dare to retreat, for this was a Qi Country armymand post nearby, and they dared not abandon so many documents and pieces of equipment to escape like that.


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 Chapter 571 530 is lost

    "Get off the highway! Move to the right!" Liu Guozhu didn''t know if there were any of those hidden cannons nearby, so he decided to choose a safer attack route.


    Anyway, the infantry following the tank were all on the right side of the road, so moving there at this time would provide good cover for these soldiers.


    Thus, Tank No. 4 gracefully turned and charged off the road, its tracks rolling and churning the mud in its wake.


    With its dash down from the roadbed, the soldiers of the Qi Army on the other side could hardly see the iron behemoth. They had lost their target and, at the same time, posed no further threat.


    For a moment, the Qi troops on this side rallied, gathered the dead, and hastily repaired their defenses, managing to stabilize their position.


    But, on the other side, the Qi troops suddenly felt a great pressure. The co-axial machine gun on the tank, which had been targeting the other side, now turned and opened fire towards them, abruptly forcing them to face the fire of two machine guns.


    The main reason Liu Guozhu made this choice was to repay the favor of the infantry toon leader who had risked his life to inform him of the threat.


    Under such perilous circumstances, he knew that if he couldn''t quickly find and neutralize the threat, both he and his tank were in grave danger.


    Since the other party had climbed onto the tank to deliver the message regardless of the risk to their own life, it naturally followed that he would cover the infantry advancing on the vige to minimize unnecessary casualties.


    Of course, there was another reason: Liu Guozhu wasn''t sure if there was another ambush cannon on the left side of the vige; since there was one on the right, it was hard to tell about the left.


    By driving off the roadbed like this, the potentially hidden Qi artillery on the left would be obstructed by the embankment and unable to aim properly, thus he had avoided a threat!


    Bullets pinged off the earthen wall as Qi soldiers wailed and scrambled toward the vige. With the tank''s cover, the Tang soldiers suddenly found an opportunity to advance; they leapt out from cover and, crouching, moved to positions further ahead.


    At this point of the fight, emotionspletely took over, with adrenaline crazily surging; no one considered retreating anymore.


    Liu Guozhumanded the tank off the road, and his tank jolted abruptly as it moved, obviously precluding reloading while in motion. However, it wasn''t a big deal to stop, reload, and open fire again after.


    "Boom!" The fourth shell was fired, and another house in the vige suffered the brunt. Shards of flying debris rose high and then crashed down hard, leaving the surrounding Qi soldiers in a pitiful state.


    By then, Tank No. 4 had reached the edge of the vige. The surrounding Qi troops could no longer hold their ground and started to retreat, sharply reducing the pressure on the Tang soldiers following up.


    "Attack! Attack!" Liu Guozhu shouted excitedly, then gripped the handrail beside him, "Charge into the vige! Split them apart!"


    He knew that once they broke into the vige, they''d avoid the enemy''s artillery fire¡ªno sane person would set up a cannon pointing at their own people, at least not in most cases!


    Secondster, the tracks of Tank No. 4 collided with the outer earthen wall of the vige, breaking through the wall and knocking down the top half.


    As the tracks continued to roll relentlessly, the tank crushed the remaining half-wall, raising its front high and then, as its center of gravity shifted, the front crashed down heavily beyond the wall.


    This aggressive way of crashing through not only terrified the Qi soldiers who saw it, causing an even more frenzied copse, but it also boosted the morale of the following Tang infantry.


    Almost simultaneously, two Tang soldiers armed with submachine guns followed the tank into the interior of the vige, and then two more with hand grenades joined them.


    "Ratatat!" From behind a hedge still adorned with the bodies of Qi soldiers, a submachine gunner sprayed bullets at the retreating Qi troops, then efficiently changed his magazine while scanning for enemy movement.


    It was only upon breaching the vige that they realized just how much material and equipment had been stored there.


    Trucks and wagons parked haphazardly were nearly all full. Some were loaded with munitions, while others were piled with food supplies.


    A Tang grenadier tossed one of the grenades in hand, and a grid-lined grenade rolled under a parked vehicle.


    The next second, a huge explosion lifted the vehicle, which in turn detonated the ammunition stored on it.


    The tremendous st made the earth itself shudder; shredded pieces of the vehicle even struck Tank No. 4manded by Liu Guozhu, creating a metallic tter upon impact.


    The utterly disarrayed Qi troops were now confused beyond measure. They hadn''t anticipated the Tang Army''s swift breach into the vige and had severely misjudged the strength of the Tang forces.


    Believing they were facing at least a battalion, or perhaps even a regiment of the Tang army, themanders on the other sides of the Qi army made a bold decision to hold the vige.


    In a desperate move, the Qi soldiers, who had recently stabilized their position on the other side of the vige, were ordered to counterattack, nning to circle around and disrupt the Tang forces from behind.


    ```


    Thus, surrounded on all sides, the Tang Army might very well have opted to reverse direction and break out of the vige, potentially buying enough time for the soldiers of Qi Country within the vige to reconstruct their defenses.


    However, the Qi troops'' counterattack was soon bewildered by a hail of bullets from the nking assault! They hadn''t expected that in the woods across the highway, another Tang unity in ambush, the ominous and terrifying sound of an MG43 machine gun opening fire, tearing through the air like fabric and in one fell swoop iming the lives of dozens of Qi soldiers.


    The botched counterattack threw the Qi Army intoplete disarray, and although their officers still urged them to return to the battlefield, the tide of defeat was clearly evident.


    Ironically, just then, the support artillery fire from the Tang Army arrived, and in a stroke of misfortune almost hit their own men.


    A 60mm caliber mortar behind the linesunched several shells, all of whichnded in the vige, indeed causing considerable chaos.


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    Unfortunately, at this time Liu Guozhu had led his tank into the vige, so a 60mm mortar shell fell less than twenty meters away from his tank, startling Liu Guozhu, who was peeking out to survey the area.


    Seeing the situation had descended into chaos, and not many of the Qi soldiers were continuing to fight, Liu Guozhu gritted his teeth and pressed the inte button,manding, "Stop the tank! Maintain suppressive fire! I''m going tomunicate with the infantry! Make sure Qi soldiers don''t get close to the tank!"


    After giving themand, he took off his headset and propped himself up to climb out of the hatch, flipping over to jump down from the tank.


    The moment his feet hit the ground, he unexpectedly came face-to-face with a Qi soldier passing right in front of him. They stood there frozen, looking at each other, then the Qi soldier scrambled away in a panic.


    Liu Guozhu instinctively reached for the pistol at his waist, but seeing that the Qi soldier had already run off, he quickly dashed towards the cover where the Tang soldiers following his tank were located.


    The entire process urred without the Qi Army firing a single shot in his direction, as if the battle there had already ended.


    Bending over and adjusting his cap, he vaulted over a copsed courtyard wall and saw the infantry toon leader who had just climbed onto his tank.


    The toon leader had just taken a fall from the tank but thankfully was uninjured, though he was covered in dust and looking quite dishevelled.


    "Sorry!" Liu Guozhu knew he had driven too hastily and seemed to have shaken off this braverade, he shouted apologetically.@@novelbin@@


    "Cut the chatter!" The other man peeked across the street, where the Qi Army''s position was still in ce: "Are you crazy? Running over here like that?"


    "Didn''t you just go mad yourself?" Liu Guozhu retorted with a smile, then quickly continued, "Quick, send someone back with a message! Your mortar might identally hit your own men!"


    "I''ve already sent someone! I have no idea about the situation on the other side!" the toon leader said somewhat gloomily: "We''re down to 5 men now!"


    The entire operation n initially only called for one infantry squad plus the toon leader, amounting to 13 men at most.


    During the recent assault, one soldier was hit in the head and killed midway, and another was wounded in the shoulder and couldn''t continue fighting.


    Rushing into the vige, close-quartersbat imed another injury, this one less fortunate¡ªthe wounded lost his mobility and had to be carried away by another soldier.


    Moreover, a squad leader had taken a machine gun team to establish a machine gun position on another side, which had effectively split off four more people.


    So now, including the toon leader, only four infantrymen remained, covering Liu Guozhu''s Panzer IV.


    "Should we retreat?" Liu Guozhu knew if they continued fighting, they might face a disaster. The soldiers'' ammunition was limited, and such intensebat would quickly deplete it. His tank had also used up most of its ammo after fighting its way here.


    "Reluctantly, but I think, pulling out of the fight might be a good idea now," the toon leader told Liu Guozhu.


    "toon leader! toon leader! They... they''ve surrendered!" A Tang soldier holding a submachine gun shouted excitedly at that moment.


    "What?" The toon leader craned his neck to look at the street, just in time to see crowds of Qi soldiers raising their hands high, their eyes wide with fright as they stared at the Panzer IV blocking the road.


    The battlefield fell silent, a few dispirited Qi officers stood in the midst of the crowd; minutes before, they had been engaged in a battle to the death with this steel beast, and now they were ordered to hand over their weapons.


    "Phew¡­" Liu Guozhu exhaled, relieved but still shaken, and looked at the four dusty, grimy infantrymen beside him, then broke into a silentugh.


    The toon leader who had just been contemting retreat nced at Liu Guozhu andughed along, disying a row of yellow teeth. Skilled in his motions, he fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette, ced one in his mouth, but couldn''t find a match on his person: "Damn... lost my lighter."


    ------


    Well, paying debts¡­


    ```

 Chapter 572 The war in which not a single shot was fired on May 31

    ```


    At the deste entrance of the military camp, an old man leisurely puffed on a hand-rolled cigarette under the shade of a tree, with a teapot and small cups neatly arranged on a stool in front of him.


    When a Dorne officer arrived at the scene with dozens of his men, he was greeted by this somewhatical sight.


    The Great Tang Group''s security forces had evacuated Hotwind Port three days earlier, not even attempting to put up a brief resistance or fire a couple of shots before vacating the barracks.


    Now, only empty buildings remained, undamaged and bearing no signs of destruction. Even the old gatekeeper would water the parade ground every day.


    "Where are the people?" the Dorne officer asked the tea-drinking old man.


    "They''ve all left," the old man answered straightforwardly, flicking ash from his cigarette before taking another contented sip.


    "When did they leave?" The Dorne officer looked again at the quiet barracks nearby and continued his inquiry.


    "Three days ago! They''ve all left," the old man answered again, without a hint of concealment.


    "Did they take all their weapons with them?" The Dorne officer signaled his soldiers to approach the barracks for a closer look.


    "Not exactly, they''ve sealed their weapons in storeroom number three inside the barracks," the old man shook his head as he continued, adding "All the keys for thepound are hanging on the wall in the dispatch room."


    After saying this, the old man even lifted his arm to point, roughly indicating the location of the dispatch room.


    "Thank you, sir," replied the Dorne officer, courteously nodding his thanks before quickly leading the remaining men away.


    Sure enough, the Dorne soldiers found the keys on the wall in the barracks'' dispatch room, and in storeroom number three, they saw the neatly stored Great Tang K3 rifles and Maxim machine guns.


    Boxes of shiny, well-oiled bulletsy in the corner, ready for use as if specially reserved for the invading Dorne troops.


    The situation was the same in the port of Hotwind Port; the docks were empty, thepleted ships had vanished, but the equipment used to build them stayed in ce, even regrly maintained and oiled.


    The cranes were still there, and some fishing boats continued to ply the waters of the harbor as usual. The remaining locals watched calmly as Dorne''s troops entered the city and then retreated again.


    Since they had found no trace of the Great Tang Group''s forces, what was meant to be a street battle-ready Dorne military embarrassingly withdrew from a city that needed no fighting to be taken.


    Latterly, officials rushing to their respective offices found documents that had been burned, along with data and files left behind for them.


    Everything seemed so natural, as if devoid of any bitterness. The Great Tang Group had thus quietly departed, leaving behind Hotwind Port after five years of operation.


    The machinery in the factories was all well-preserved, simply awaiting the removal of protective tarps and the return of sufficientbor to resume production immediately. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    With the most gracious manner, the Great Tang Group ensured the city''s preservation andpleted the transition, fulfilling their promise.


    As for Dorne, it seemed they had to maintain their dignity as well. They could only watch helplessly as civilians lined up at the dock to board the great ships destined for distant Dragon Ind.


    They didn''t dare to stop such departures because the quiet men and women standing at the dock seemed to hold an unchallengeable power within them.


    Even the Dorne soldiers didn''t dare to approach and interrogate, only watching from a distance as cars loaded with people drove into the port,cking the courage to even attempt a blockade.


    Aboard the bridge of a passenger ship converted from a freighter, the captain looked down at the throng below ready to board and asked his first officer, "Is this thest group?"


    "Yes, this is thest group! There are 2000 people... It seems there are a few who changed their minds at thest minute, so we might go slightly over 2100," the first officer answered calmly.


    Standing on a ship flying the g of the Great Tang Kingdom imbued him with boundless strength. He had no concerns about Dorne''s soldiers daring to board, such was the confidence that came with power.


    "We won''t be needing the cars anymore; let''s leave them for them," the captain said as he looked toward the end of the dock where cars, now out of fuel, were parked haphazardly.


    "The guns are abandoned, and so are the cars; we simplyck the transport capacity. There''s nothing we can do," the first officer replied with a wry smile.


    If there had been a chance, he certainly would not have left ammunition and weapons for the enemy, but there was simply no way to transport such extraneous items any longer.


    Over the past month, they had been traveling day and night at full speed, transporting countless people to Brunas.


    ording to ounts, the Great Tang''s maritime department had moved a total of 100,000 people from Hotwind Port! It was nothing short of a miracle!


    ```


    In order to achieve this goal, they left behind firearms and ammunition, machinery, and even clothes and luggage...


    What they moved, were merely people, nothing but people!


    Here, I must particrly thank the private fleets; many fishermen even took the initiative to sail their vessels directly to Brunas with their friends and families¡ªwithout this, the number of people transported could have been reduced by one third!


    In Winterless City, the local nobility who had been suppressed finally celebrated openly, because the outsiders who loomed over them had atst scrammed!


    King Dorne, in order to stabilize the situation in Winterless City, extensivelymissioned former Taren nobility, who reced the local administrators, then they carried out a remarkable counter-calction.


    The originally low rubber tax was tripled, as rubber production and cultivation both take time, causing the local rubber farmers to suffer greatly.


    However, these feelings were still suppressed, because before the Great Tang Group left, they nearly took all the local rubber with them, and the money from this would keep the rubber farmers quite stable for many years.


    Simrly, in Northern Ridge, when Suthers''s troops entered Ice Crystal City, which they had lost over five years ago, they barely saw anyone in the streets.


    Most of the people had moved away, and amongst those that remained, very few reminisced about Suthers''s rule. There was no one lining up to wee them, no petals thrown, no apuse offered.


    For Suthers''s troops entering Ice Crystal City, the ce was almost no different from a dead city¡ªstreets deserted, the factories that used to operate day and night were now utterly silent.


    Nevertheless, Earl Northern Ridge kept her promise; she didn''t destroy a single bridge nor took a single machine when she left. All factories were left as they were, simply without workers.@@novelbin@@


    This migration, unprecedented in world history, swept away a poption of over a million from Northern Ridge, leaving behind mostly elderly who did not wish to abandon their homesteads, and some who believed there were still opportunities to be had by staying.


    The rail tracks were still there, stretching all the way from Ice Crystal City to Wolf City. But all the train engines had vanished, because after all, transportation required engines, so Northern Ridge took them all.


    The busy station remained busy, with the trains heading south from Suthers arriving on time. The ones dismounting from the trains were Suthers''s soldiers, who had finally achieved their dream of taking back thend that was upied many years ago.


    The impatient Suthers''s soldiers gathered in the square of Ice Crystal City, united in toppling a statue of Count Fisheo.


    The marble shattered upon hitting the ground; Count Fisheo''s head rolled far away, and at that moment, no one cared.


    Almost at the same time, the Por Kingdom''s soldiers entered Osa, once again betraying their trust, tearing up the treaty they had to cede Osa.


    What Sir Leibart and his sovereign did not expect was that over fifty thousand elves chose to leave their homnd and temporarily reside on Dongwan Ind.


    The Ice Cold Empire reimed Eternal Winter City, thisrge port''s deste appearance was heartbreaking. Lacking the fleets from Brunas, Dragon Ind, and Dongwan, its scale seemed to serve no purpose except decoration.


    Nevertheless, the Ice Cold Empire regained theirrgest port and also seized an important industrial area.


    Already strong in industrial capabilities, the Ice Cold Empire, in this global feast of dividing up the Great Tang Group, also got a delicious slice of the cake.


    As the Tang Kingdom and Qi Country went to war, the Laines Empire''s troops entered Jade City, simrly without encountering any resistance, and simrly secured everything they desired.


    Millions left their homnds, some heading to Dragon Ind, some to Linshui and Dongwan, Jade City... was essentially left with just a shell.


    Even if it was just a shell, Leines I was satisfied; after all, this was his former King City, where he was born and spent most of his life.


    Now that he had reimed it, he also wanted to take back one of the most important cities in the world: Brunas!


    With possession of Brunas, even if it was just the machinery and equipment there, Leines I was certain he would obtain untold wealth and a staggering technological advantage.


    On the same day the Laines Empire''s troops entered Jade City, Leines I announced the renaming of Jade City to Leite, restoring the city''s old name.


    Meanwhile, to celebrate his imminent bloodless conquest of Brunas, he also hosted a grand feast for his ministers in Laines City.


    Of course he had to celebrate; under his nning and leadership, the Great Tang Group had be amb to the ughter, everyone''s target.


    Even if the Great Tang Group was to stabilizeter on, with the world against them, it would be impossible to seek revenge on everyone¡ªas long as the Great Tang could not carry outprehensive retaliation, he could ensure he himself remained invincible!


    Isn''t this worth celebrating? Isn''t this a cause for wild joy?

 Chapter 573: 532 when a warning becomes a threat

    Chapter 573: 532 when a warning bes a threat


    ¡°Your Majesty is truly a divine being!¡± The Prime Minister of Laines, holding a wine ss, walked up to Leines I and smiled as he raised his ss to honor his own Emperor.


    ¡°Prime Minister, your dedication and efforts for the nation aremendable. This sess naturally includes your contribution!¡± Leines I, in a great mood, also raised his ss and took a sip.


    The banquet was filled with beautiful women everywhere, dressed in magnificent attire, singing and dancing, bringing the atmosphere to its peak.


    Many nobles, with their arms around the slender waists of women, holding wine sses andughing heartily, as if they had already secured their victory.


    Indeed, in their eyes, they had already grasped their victory: they had taken Jade City and were about to capture Brunas!


    ¡°Have you heard? This morning, that Tang Mo from Tang Country sent a telegram to our Emperor. I bet he was crying when he sent it,¡± a noble bragged pridefully after nting a kiss on his youngpanion¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Really? Is that true? Hahaha!¡± Another noble, handily roaming over a woman¡¯s body andughing boisterously, basked in the bashful shoving of thedy in his arms, tipsily asked.


    ¡°Guess what he said?¡± The noble with a face smeared with thedy¡¯s rouge kept everyone in suspense and didn¡¯t spill the beans.


    ¡°Out with it! My old man at home is the Minister of Construction and not as well-connected as your lord father,¡± a drunken noble joined in the conversation.


    ¡°That Tang Mo said, ¡®I leave everything intact for you now, in the hope that when you¡¯re defeated, you could at least do it with some dignity!''¡± The noble in the know scoffed after revealing the message, ¡°Just like a sore loser! Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± The noble with his arms around a woman joined in the loudughter.


    Simrly, the drunk noble also burst into raucousughter, ¡°Wooh¡­ Hahaha!¡±


    It seemed as though they wanted to use this frenziedughter to vent the frustration they had been feeling for many years from being oppressed by the Great Tang Group.


    These peopleughed unrestrainedly, as no one would find it inappropriate today ¡ª they had just captured Jade City! That prosperous, opportunityden city of the Great Tang Group!


    ¡°Did he really send this telegram to Your Majesty?¡± A minister, who had just heard about this, looked toward his Emperor.


    ¡°Yes, just like a sore loser.¡± For the first time, Leines I felt that his rival Tang Mo was so childish, to send such a telegram at the time of a crushing defeat, warning his adversary like a child.


    The question was, whether it was a threat or a warning, did it really have any effect? At the end of the day, doesn¡¯t everything still depend on strength?


    As long as one¡¯s fists are big enough, what can the Great Tang Group do but obediently cede their richestnds?


    The music grew louder, and the corners of the hall became even more chaotic and filthy. It was at this moment that an officer with a grave expression entered the hall and quietly made his way behind Leines I.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Leines I was quite displeased, feeling that the military¡¯s interruption of his victory celebration was no different from making a scene.


    But the officer seemed not to notice his Emperor¡¯s dissatisfaction and whispered into Leines I¡¯s ear, ¡°Thetest news from the front line with Qi Country¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Leines I nced at the officer, then instructed. After saying this, he looked towards his Prime Minister and two close advisors, gesturing them to follow him to a corner.


    Soon, they stepped out of the great hall into a quiet corner, where a group of people awaited the officer¡¯s message.


    The officer immediately produced a telegram and reported, ¡°Thetest message just arrived, the Tang Army has broken through the Qi Army¡¯s border defenses¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Leines I, an expert in military matters, was shocked to hear the news. He had always believed that even the valiant and battle-hardened Tang Army would be at a loss in trench warfare, which is why he had been so confident in sparking this wave of partitioning the Great Tang Group.


    But the Qi Country defense line, set up with the help of the advisor Shireck, supposedly stronger than the northern defenses of Gobur, had been breached in just one day!


    What¡¯s left to fight? Engage in mobile warfare with the Tang Army? Didn¡¯t the incident of Suthers¡¯ several thousand men being chased by a mere eighteen hundred happen just a few years ago? Of course, Leines I remembered it vividly.


    Without even mentioning distant history, just the recent years alone, his Laines Empire¡¯s founding battles, the half-month war that obliterated the Kingdom of Gemalin, were all directed by the Northern Ridge troops of Great Tang¡­


    How embarrassing¡­


    Leines I, with a face already filled with mortification, continued to stare at the messager ¨C or rather the harbinger of doom ¨C dragging his words with gritted teeth, ¡°What else is there! Out with it! Dammit!¡±


    The officer, also aware of the awkward timing, feltpelled by duty to continue his report despite the difort.


    ¡°¡±


    He had only angered His Majesty the Emperor, but if he were to dy important military affairs, he could well be a national criminal; he was very clear about the distinction.


    So, he continued, ¡°The war report says that the Great Tang Kingdom used a new type of aircraft tounch a surprise attack on the Qi Army position, even bombing the Qi Country King City during the daytime¡­¡±


    ¡°A new aircraft?¡± A military-dressed officer at his side sensitively caught the new term and asked.


    ¡°The report says it¡¯s called an airne, a secret weapon of the Tang Army! It was only deployed to the front after the war began, so for the past few days¡­ the Tang Army has been inactive, waiting for these new weapons to be in ce,¡± the officer replied, swallowing hard.


    It was only then that Leines I realized they hadpletely misunderstood the situation¡ªassuming the Tang Army did not dare to attack; they were waiting for their big move¡¯s cooldown, while the Qi Army was waiting for death¡­


    ¡°What does Shireck say?¡± An unresigned Leines I turned his gaze to an advisor from Shireck at his side.


    The advisor from Shireck was also in a state of shock, having just heard of the matter. What opinion could he have?


    But since he had been asked, he could only bite the bullet and reply, ¡°I haven¡¯t been notified yet¡­ However, I¡¯m sure Lady Sofia must have a n¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t say he had no solution, so he resorted to using a stalling tactic. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Laines had already started considering the next countermeasures.


    ¡°Your Majesty! If Qi Country cannot hold on, on our side¡­¡± He looked anxiously towards Leines I, only to find the once triumphant and calcting Emperor now had a sullen face and looked ready to kill.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! Even if the Great Tang Kingdom truly defeats Qi Country, they will still have to deal with the pressure from Chu Country and the Dahua Empire. They won¡¯t have time to target us for a while,¡± said Leines I after a few seconds of silence, speaking to steady the morale of his army.


    ¡°Besides, Suthers has taken Northern Ridge, we¡¯ve taken Jade City and Brunas, Dorne has devoured Hot Wind and Winterless City, Por has seized Osa, and the Ice Cold Empire has imed Eternal Winter. Why should he pick on us alone?¡± Leines I forcibly calmed himself down, ¡°When the timees and so many of us nations form an alliance, will he dare to make a move?¡±


    The more he thought about it, the more Leines I believed in his own reasoning, speaking more fluently as if he had everything under control, ¡°So, all we need to do is stick to the n and take it step by step!¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ should we still take over Brunas?¡± The military man dressed as a general looked towards his Emperor to confirm.


    ¡°Of course! We must take it! Not giving them a foothold means they¡¯ll have a harder time counterattacking! Leaving Brunas would be inviting trouble for ourselves, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± insisted Leines I.


    After speaking, he looked towards the advisor from Shireck again, ¡°Find a way to get Shench Country to join the battle quickly! Stir the waters! Escte the war! Otherwise¡­ if the Tang Country gains control of the situation, we will all be very passive!¡±


    ¡°Understood! I will convey your intentions to Lady Sofia,¡± the advisor from Shireck quickly replied.


    ¡°Send¡­ a telegram back to Tang Mo¡­¡± Though reluctant, Leines I still recalled the telegram he received from Tang Mo that morning, ¡°Just say¡­ say that there will be reciprocity, and I will maintain the dignity and decency of the Laines Royalty.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± the Prime Minister replied softly. After all, isn¡¯t everything still dependent on strength? As long as the Tang Kingdom¡¯s de is swift enough, a naive warning bes a naked threat¡­


    After a brief pause, Leines I took a few of his confidants back to the banquet hall. He had to continue the banquet because it was a matter of his face.


    Despite the Great Tang Kingdom having shown its de, the various nations on this side that had taken advantage of the situation had also lost their options. They could only forge ahead on the path they chose, even if the end of that path was a coffin.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°He actually dares to threaten our Emperor! Ahahaha!¡± Inside the banquet hall, people were still joking about the telegram.


    ¡°Who does he think he is? Just a foolish boy, ha ha ha ha!¡± another nobleughed along.


    To the ears of Emperor Leines I, theseughs were painfully piercing!


    Feigning decorum, he approached the group of nobles and rebuked them coldly, ¡°Not even the semnce of nobility! Where are the manners? The decency? Get out and reflect on yourselves! Each of you is fined 1000 Gold Coins!¡±


    The nobles who had just beenughing carelessly looked at each other, and the general standing beside the Emperor shouted, ¡°Get lost, now!¡±


    Upon hearing this, they scattered like birds and beasts, suddenly unaware of what had happened. Obviously, after the Emperor left the banquet and returned, hisplexion had worsened considerably.


    His mood seemed very bad¡­ very bad indeed¡­


    This Tang Mo, why didn¡¯t he just lie down and wait for death? Why couldn¡¯t he just die?


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Two chapters today


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 Chapter 574: 533 Hold the Flank

    Chapter 574: 533 Hold the nk


    Forward! That was the thought in the minds of all the Tang Army soldiers who had broken through the Qi Army lines. They rushed forward recklessly, seizing vige after vige, capturing one pass after another.


    Behind them, the Qi soldiers, nowpletely without a foothold, faced an extremely awkward situation: they seemed unable to plug the holes that the Tang Army kept expanding, round after round.


    No matter how many troops they gathered on both nks of the Tang Army, they could not make the Tang soldiers retreat an inch; indeed, the numerous assaults by the Qi forces did not even touch the edge of the Tang positions.


    The irony was that most of the defensive works the Tang Army relied on had been built by the Qi Army. The Tang Army had simply modified them a little and used them directly.


    ¡°Those damn Tang Country Air Force! Every time there¡¯s an attack, theye over to mess things up!¡± The Third Princeined angrily in his shelter.


    Right before his eyes, Tang Army Stuka Dive Bombers descended from the sky once more, dropping a bomb among the Qi Army¡¯s assembling troops, instantly causing a massive number of casualties.


    An infantry regiment that had just gathered to prepare for an offensive dispersed in an instant, their courage to attackpletely vanquished.


    In fact, the casualties inflicted by the Air Force weren¡¯t significant; even that recent bomb had only killed twenty to thirty soldiers.


    But it was this kind of desperate killing, the passive beating without the ability to fight back, that drove every Qimander to despair. No matter how they encouraged their soldiers, they could not rouse them again.


    The persistent wailing from hell, like an incurable ulcer that couldn¡¯t be shaken off, became a curse. Whenever it sounded on the battlefield, the Qi soldiers would break down and flee without looking back.


    Even though such bombings could actually only cause a few casualties, who would want to be among that unlucky few?


    ¡°We don¡¯t really have any good solutions either; almost all of our heavy artillery in the war zone has been destroyed. The enemy forces are advancing into our hintend, and we cannot stop their advance!¡± An officer reported to the Third Prince of Qi Country.


    The Third Prince clenched his fists, furious with the situation before him, yet unable toe up with any good solutions.


    Just moments ago, he had learned that the divisionmander of the Qi infantry division at the breached segment had been captured, and a military headquarters behind the lines had lost contact.


    Just looking at the map, the Qi defenses had been pierced through by the Tang Army, and the Tang forces were even advancing further.


    Those areas hardly had any Qi troops stationed. If the Qi main forces could not stop the Tang advance, what else could make the Tang Army stop?


    The answer was supplies!


    The majority of the Tang Army¡¯s forces had actually been forced to halt their advance, with the fastest-advancing Armored Corps waiting for their fuel and ammunition, waiting for the following infantry to catch up.


    Along the roads were piles of Qi prisoners of war¡ªsome groups so vast that one couldn¡¯t see the end at a nce. Everywhere, they tallied the numbers of prisoners, estimated to be upwards of 30,000.


    Most of these prisoners hadn¡¯t even been disarmed; some were even still living in the barracks they had originally been stationed in.


    However, they had surrendered, given up the fight, and numbly watched the Tang soldiers riding in automobiles, passing grandly through their defensive lines.


    Previously, there had been sporadic artillery fire from Qi Country harassing the breakthrough point, but as the gap widened, the ce became quieter and more bustling.


    A convoy of Tang soldiers, together with trucks of ammunition and fuel, advanced forward, while the Engineer Corps worked at full power, filling in trenches and building roads as if they were opening mountains and building bridges across water.


    Within two hours of breaking the defense line, a road had already cut through Qi¡¯s defenses, and a constant stream of supplies started pouring over the border chasing after the advancing Armored Corps.@@novelbin@@


    Despite this, due to the poor condition of the roads, inurate maps, and sporadic unorganized resistance encountered along the way, most of these supplies were stillte.


    All the supplies originally estimated to arrive were almost an hour or more behind schedule, and that was after the logistics troops strained themselves to keep up with the progress.


    To ensure the front-line Armored Corps had enough fuel and ammunition to continue their rapid advance, at least one-fifth of the logistics vehicles broke down along the way.


    In many ces, they had to drive the Qi forces that were blocking the roads into the fields to barely ensure the passage of the Tang mechanized forces.


    Watching self-propelled artillery and a variety of vehicles drive past, the surrendered soldiers of Qi Country realized the stark difference in equipment between the two sides.


    The war had barely begun, yet the Tang Army had already shown the world apletely different mode of operation. Under the cover of aircraft, thousands of Tang troops were entering Qi territory in a manner that was chaotic andpetitive.


    On the night the battle erupted, the 1st Armored Division of the Tang Army advanced 110 kilometers, a pace akin to marching speed.


    At the same time, the 2nd Armored Division also pushed forward 100 kilometers. With one division on the left and one on the right, they were already threatening Nanye, a strategic town in the southern part of Qi Country.


    What¡¯s even more shocking is that not only these two armored divisions were rapidly advancing; the 3rd Armored Division ughtered its way 95 kilometers north,pletely shielding the side nk from the direction of the Dahua Empire.


    The 4th Armored Division also charged 81 kilometers east, and although they covered a shorter distance, this division was clearly about to close the encirclement on the entire defense area of the Third Prince.


    Along with these three divisions entering the battle zone were two mechanized infantry divisions and two regr infantry divisions, which were now scattered in disarray throughout the entire battle area.


    It might seem there were only eight divisions attacking, but these troops had already prated deep into the hintend of Qi Country. The war had turned into a dynamic mode, a pattern unfamiliar to countries around the world.


    No one knew how to fight such a war, nor did anyone know how to stop the Tang Army that had picked up speed.


    The Second-hand Tang Army that had started running two years ago, namely the main force from Northern Ridge, the Kingdom of Gemalin, had already been unstoppable, let alone the real Tang Army now equipped with more vehicles and tanks and protected by the Air Force.


    Although the specific situation of his own troops was still unclear, the Third Prince of Qi Country had some capability, after all.


    He knew that after the Tang Army had broken through the defense lines, it was highly unlikely they would ignore the hundreds of thousands of Qi Army soldiers on the border, so it was very likely that they were already threatening his rear nk.


    While he did not believe he could be encircled and annihted, if his supply lines were cut, the tens of thousands of main forces left in his hand on the western front would suffer.


    Therefore, while organizing troops to try reiming the breached defense line and closing the gap, the Third Prince was also deploying troops and issuing orders, preparing to stop the Tang Army that threatened his side nk.


    ¡°Bring out our most elite troops! Yes, the tank corps that Shireck assisted us with! Order them to block the east-advancing Tang Army at Luo Town! It must be here!¡± the Third Prince instructed several generals in front of him while looking at the map.


    ¡°These tanks were given to us to break through the enemy¡¯s lines¡­¡± a general began to remind him.


    ¡°I know! But what other troops can stop these damned Tang Army? If I lose another headquarters, what else do I have to fight with? Huh?¡± the Third Prince retorted in a fit of rage.


    The general closed his mouth, but another suggested, ¡°Your Highness! Just those dozen or so tanks might not be enough¡­ Shall we send some infantry to support them?¡±


    ¡°Pull one more battalion from the east¡­ No matter what, hold Luo Town at all costs! Not a step back!¡± the Third Prince, left with no choice, had to pull another battalion from the eastern front.


    Although he was also worried about the possibility of another frontal breakthrough by the Tang Army, he was more concerned that the situation at the already-breached location would continue to deteriorate.


    Thus, he had to risk mobilizing defense troops from other sections of his front to reinforce the critical direction.


    In fact, he was worried for nothing, because the Tang Army truly no longer had the capacity for another frontal assault. All troops had been redeployed near the breach, and the numbers at the front were insufficient for offense but adequate for defense.


    After giving his orders, the Third Prince looked at the map again. As long as he could hold Luo Town, at least he could buy enough time for his nk.


    Then, reinforcements either from the direction of King City or from the First Prince from behind could reach the battlefield, reversing the current adverse situation.


    The key factor now was whether he could hold Luo Town, whether he could hold out until these reinforcements arrived, and whether he could drag the war back to a rhythm of holding positions.


    What he did not know, however, was that the real target of Redman, themander of the Tang Army¡¯s offensive, was actually Nanye, the strategic town to the south! While the Third Prince was carefully trying to secure his minor side nk, Luo Town, the Tang Army was already eyeing the entire main nk of the Qi Army.


    Because therey the railway that connected to various parts of Qi Country, as well as the rail line stretching to the front lines at the border between Tang Country and Qi Country! Taking control of this railway would improve the logistical support environment for the Tang Army.


    Moreover, by capturing Nanye, they could cut off the supply lines of the First Prince¡¯s main forces and destroy or take the vast stockpiles of strategic materials in Nanye, weakening the fighting capability of the Qi Country¡¯s main forces.


    All in all, Redman¡¯s ambitions were muchrger than the Third Prince imagined, or else he wouldn¡¯t have assembled the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions in the direction of Nanye.


    With hundreds of tanks and support from at least one mechanized infantry battalion, capturing Nanye seemed to be no difficult task.


    As long as the Tang Armypleted resupplying and kept their tank units in motion, Nanye, this almost undefended strategic location, could fall in one fell swoop.


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 Chapter 575: Loss has reached one third

    Chapter 575: Loss has reached one third


    In a small vige filled with captives, beside a number 4 tank, riddled with bullet holes, Liu Guozhu received the Third ss Cavalry Medal that belonged to him.


    This medal was exclusive to the tank forces, personally designed and established by His Majesty Tang Mo of the Great Tang Kingdom.


    Being able to receive such a medal on the first day of the war, Liu Guozhu could be said to have stood out among the many armored troopsmanders.


    He stood at attention and saluted, then shared a warm embrace with the infantry toon leader who had also received the Third ss de Medal¡ªtheir grueling fight in the afternoon had not been in vain, as soon as the regiment headquarters arrived and took over the prisoners, they immediately received the medals issued by the division headquarters.


    Tomend these valiant frontline soldiers, the division headquarters specifically sent a car to transport the chief of staff to them, who personally awarded the medals to both men.


    For higher honors, such as the Second ss Medals, they would need to be reported to the higher-level military headquarters or the frontlinemand for approval, which would be much slower.


    ¡°Thank you for bravely fighting for the Great Tang! His Majesty will not forget your merits!¡± the equally young chief of staff stood at attention and saluted, smiling as he spoke to the two heroes who had received the medals.


    ¡°Long live the Great Tang! Long live the King!¡± Liu Guozhu shouted, feeling that all the hardships of the previous battle were worthwhile.


    After the small award ceremony was over, Liu Guozhu could finally take a rest. As evening fell, they had to wait for the fuel supply, for the ammunition vehicles to arrive, and to take their meals, so there was basically no need to continue the attack.


    The reconnaissance troops had already spread out to scout the nearby enemy situation. Aside from the newly arrived regiment headquarters in the vige, there was also a battalion headquarters of the infantry and some engineers who were preparing to build a supply station there.


    Everyone had a good meal because the Qi Military really had umted a lot of good things. There were military tins produced by Qi Country, fresh vegetables, and even beef and alcohol among the war spoils.


    All took the time to rest because after a day of fighting, they were truly exhausted. Some corners were already filled with the sounds of soldiers¡¯ snoring, and copsed houses inside and out could be seen crammed with sleeping soldiers.


    Liu Guozhu walked to the corner of the vige, where he saw the enemy artillery that had threatened the safety of his tank crew and which he had taken out.


    It was a knockoff 76mm caliber anti-aircraft gun, originally meant to defend against airships. It posed almost no threat to aircraft, but obviously, it still had some effectiveness when firing horizontally at tanks.


    The good news was that it had no armor-piercing rounds at all, merely managing with high-explosive shells. The bad news was that even with high-explosives, it could threaten a number 4 tank.


    Since Liu Guozhu had actualbat experience against an ¡°anti-tank gun,¡± the regiment headquarters¡¯ staff hoped he would quickly write up some summary of his experiences and share as much of this knowledge as possible with the other tank crew members in the regiment.


    So that night, Liu Guozhu could stay at the regiment headquarters, enjoy a room with lighting all to himself, and let the clerical officers of the regiment help him polish his manuscript.


    Some said that each of the regiment¡¯s clerical officers was as beautiful as a flower, with ample bosoms and shapely behinds, but Liu Guozhu didn¡¯t see what was so special¡ªafter all, he was still young and somewhat na?ve.


    Liu Guozhu strolled along the vige pathway, where he could still make out mortar shell craters and even found the low wall his tank had crushed.


    Some bloodstains on the bricks and tiles hadn¡¯t yet been cleaned up, and from time to time, vehiclesden with petrol or ammunition would arrive, slowly driving into the vige.


    The signal corps were busy erecting a long antenna; with this equipment, the regiment headquarters would be able to timely convey orders to every battalion headquarters.


    Scrawny recruits were carrying the heavy cables, connecting the generator to the equipment, while telephone lines were also extended into some of the intact buildings.


    Those ces were brightly lit, without any concern for light discipline¡ªafter all, even though there were explicit regtions to control light, nobody paid attention to these details when it came to practice.


    Especially when the enemy forces were either toote or too weak to counterattack, viting battlefield safety procedures became a kind of taken-for-granted bad habit.


    The staff officers of the regiment and some clerical personnel had to work overnight to sort through and analyze the Qi Army¡¯s documents. The useful and very important ones had to be sent to the division headquarters promptly, while the rest could be tidied up a bit, to get an understanding of the Qi Army¡¯s deployment.


    This ce used to be the Qi Army¡¯s headquarters, so naturally, there was an abundance of files and materials. The Tang Army even captured more than twenty wireless radio sets here, as well as arge amount of gasoline and generator sets.


    The captured officers from the Qi Country also provided much valuable intelligence, such as the locations of nearby field hospitals, ammunition and arms depots, barracks, and checkpoints.


    The overnight interrogations and analysis of documents allowed the advancing Tang Army to finally gain an approximate understanding of Qi Country¡¯s hintend situation.


    Unknown until investigated, but once understood, themanders of the Tang Army realized that they seemed¡­ damned well on the verge of victory!


    Indeed, the hintend of Qi Country was almost an undefended existence. With nearly 500,000 troops stationed at the border, how could there be any forces left to guard the rear?


    Previously in the war design, the Qi Army had not prepared to engage in breakthrough battles with the Tang Army but was ready to engage in mutual attrition with the Tang Army along the border.


    Since there was no preparation for the current situation, it would be impossible for Qi Country to make corresponding adjustments based on the changes on the battlefield in a short time.


    This was inevitable; how could the Qi Army,cking automobiles and armored corps, possibly conduct mobile operations against the Tang Army in the wilderness?


    ¡°Almost all the viges nearby are undefended,¡± said themander of the 1st Armored Regiment while looking at the map and marking some positions. ¡°Just allocate a tank with a few dozen men, and we can secure the viges on the nk; at least we don¡¯t have to worry about the security of our nk anymore.¡±


    ¡°What if the Qi Army counterattacks?¡± a staff member at the regimental headquarters pointed to the map, where the Third Prince still clung to the border defense line, and reminded.


    ¡°The infantry following up will reinforce these defenses,¡± the 1st Regimentmander remained full of confidence, believing that he could continue to advance toward the objective: ¡°By tomorrow morning! We must get as close as possible to Nanye!¡±


    ¡°To take Nanye by tomorrow?¡± The staff officer was bewildered, he did not at all believe that the Qi Army would deploy arge number of troops in Nanye; they could be heading into a fierce battle if they charged over like this.


    The tanks they had were treasures, the guarantee of the Tang Army¡¯s invincibility in battle, and also the basis for the Tang Army¡¯s ability to win despite being outnumbered.


    If there were unnecessary losses, it would definitely affect the subsequentbat ns, which was obviously a problem that had to be considered.


    In fact, the Tang Army¡¯s mad dash had already paid a considerable price: along the way, about one-third of their entire tank regiment had been left behind.


    The 1st battalion should have had 47 Type 4 tanks, but two suffered mechanical failures and did not participate in the battle that morning. During the subsequent fighting to break through the positions, three more were hit and could not continue forward.


    Then there was the continuous breakthroughs while moving forward; during this process, another seven tanks were immobilized due to engine failure or track breakage.@@novelbin@@


    Yes, you read that right! The number of tanks that had to stop midway awaiting repairs from the logistics maintenance troops was greater than those destroyed by the Qi Army.


    As of now, of the 47 tanks in the 1st battalion, only about 30 could proceed normally forward by tomorrow.


    In fact, this was already an incredibly good maintenance rate¡ªwhen World War II began, the German Army might not have had such a high operational readiness rate.


    Simrly, the situation for the 2nd battalion was not much better. They also had only about 30 tanks remaining, with even two of the battalion headquarters¡¯mand tanks broken down.


    The 3rd battalion was in even worse shape, as they were initially only equipped with a little over 30 tanks and were never at full strength¡ªnow, only 15 remained battle-ready.


    A regiment that should have had about 150 tanks now had only about half that numberbat-ready.


    Even if we include the tanks repaired and returned to the ranks tomorrow, the best-case scenario would be a restoration of about two-thirds of thebat strength.


    Simrly, trucks from the regimental and divisional headquarters had their share of destruction, mechanical failures, and blockages on the roads¡­ about one-third were of no use.


    This is an inevitable problem for mechanized troops inbat; no matter how reliable the machinery, when it umtes to a certain quantity, the rate of failure will still be enough to make one¡¯s scalp tingle.


    Not to mention automobiles, even the horse-drawn carriages of the Tang Military¡¯s transport units experienced axle breakages and other malfunctions, as overloading was verymon. Some units carried twice the ammunition in order to maintain continuousbat operations.


    Thankfully, these losses had their rewards. After the battle erupted, the Tang Army broke through the line and sprinted a hundred kilometers deep into Qi Army territory.


    This had left all attempts at remedy and adjustment by the Qi Army far behind. Likewise, this pace of advancepletely disrupted the preparatory movements of the Dahua Empire¡¯s border troops.


    They originally nned to enter Qi Country in marching formation to assist, but before they could act, the Tang Army was already in front of them.


    This waspletely different from the n: safely entering Qi Country and the preparations needed to breach the Tang Army¡¯s defensive line are not the same concept. Themanders from the Dahua Empire dared not lightly engage in a positional war; their tens of thousands of men could not withstand such attrition.


    The Tang Army, which encountered virtually no significant resistance, stopped that evening; the Qi Army, finding themselves in a disadvantageous and desperate situation, took advantage of the precious night and began to prepare for a counterattack.


    In the eyes of the Qi Countrymanders, only by making good use of this precious night to turn the unfavorable situation around could they stabilize their front line before dawn and regain the initiative!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    There will be no additional chapters today; everyone should rest early.


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 Chapter 576: 535 forgot

    Chapter 576: 535 forgot


    ¡°What the hell¡­ We¡¯ve been bombing all day, deployed over a thousand sorties of airnes¡­ and now you¡¯re telling me we forgot such an important target?¡± Tang Army Commander Ibrahim grimaced as he tapped the document in his hand, ring at his subordinates.


    A colonel, red in the face with restraint, finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up in exnation, ¡°General, every one of our pilots has flown at least two sorties. There are just too many targets on the ground; we simply can¡¯t hit them all¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand, but your eagerness to achieve is also a fact,¡± Ibrahim interrupted his subordinate, fully aware of how things worked. ¡°Everyone knows that as soon as they drop bombs, they get credit, so they all prefer to attack targets close to the border to return quickly, then rearm with bombs and strike again!¡±


    ¡°But how could key targets be overlooked? Hm? If this dys His Majesty¡¯s ns, what use is chopping off your heads in apology?¡± He paced back and forth in front of his officers with his hands behind his back.


    It was only after organizing the day¡¯s attack targets that they realized a serious oversight. The Qi Army¡¯s airship base, which had long been marked by ground reconnaissance, had not been hit by any troops¡­


    This was obviously a bit too much. The main forces of the Air Force bombing units, the main ground attack forces, were all deployed on the western front, with strategic bombers targeting King City in Qi Country,


    The forces executing the bombings on the Qi Country troops in the central front, where the First Prince was stationed, were actually the fighter squadrons of Tang Country. These squadrons were equipped with FW-190 fighters, which had a limited bomb load and were assigned quite vague missions.


    The orders given to these fighter pilots were to disrupt the First Prince¡¯s potential reinforcements moving west. Thus, these pilots also focused their attacks on the Qi Army¡¯s front line positions.


    They merrily strafed and dropped bombs as if there was no one to stop them, achieving significant sesses. However, since they were not specialized enemy attack units, some oversights were inevitable.


    It wasn¡¯t until now, as the light faded, that these fighter squadron leaders noticed, whilepiling their attack reports, that they had missed a very important target.


    Indeed, that target was the Qi Country Air Force¡¯s most important airship base, located behind the defensive line overseen by the First Prince.


    The base housed more than 40 airships and could be considered the most significant offensive airship base at the front, storing massive amounts of gas as well as some bombs.


    An attack here would amount to the destruction of Qi Country¡¯s Air Force¡ªor at least it could be said to have destroyed more than half of Qi Country¡¯s bombing airship units.


    And now everyone had just realized there was such an important target that they hadn¡¯t attacked!


    This was freaking embarrassing¡­


    ¡°Notify the ground troops to be on guard¡­ Have them deploy the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Troops for interception as soon as possible,¡± Ibrahim sighed and instructed the officers in front of him, ¡°First thing tomorrow morning, destroy that base! Send out at least 30 nes!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± All the officers stood at attention and saluted, promising loudly.


    ¡­


    ¡°I knew these winged bastards couldn¡¯t be trusted!¡± grumbled a ground anti-aircraft troopmander, coated in dust and dirt, as he received the orders.


    Next to him, a six-wheeled heavy truck was parked beside the road, with soldiers frantically unloading ammunition from the truck.


    In a clearing further away, there stood a Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun already deployed for action. This weapon was now considered the most advanced and formidable anti-aircraft gun in the world.


    Featuring a more stable and efficient ammunition feed design and a maximum range exceeding 3,000 meters, it could easily threaten the fragile bodies of airships.


    What was more frightening was that, due to its not-sorge caliber, it had a faster firing rate and could quickly adjust both firing angle and height, making it capable of intercepting faster aircraft in the future.


    Tang Mo did not believe thatmitting to an 88mm caliber ¡®do everything¡¯ anti-aircraft gun was worth it at this point, given the weapon¡¯s excessively high maximum range which seemed unnecessary for shooting down balloons.


    Moreover, to call the 88mm caliber anti-aircraft gun a ¡®do everything¡¯ gun seemed a bit of a stretch, as it was mostly used as a battle defense gun.


    In other words, it would be more urate to consider the 88mm caliber anti-aircraft gun not as a dedicated anti-aircraft weapon, but rather as a tank and battle defense gun that could also perform as an anti-aircraft gun if needed.


    Down the line, the German Army even began using the 88mm guns for indirect fire support of infantry. The majority of the 88mm anti-aircraft guns produced didn¡¯t evene equipped with anti-aircraft sights orputing devices.


    Qi Country didn¡¯t have strategic bombers or even airnes, so investing inrge-caliber anti-aircraft guns was aplete waste of time.


    Just like with the choice of fighter aircraft: good weapons are forged throughbat. Germany, badly bruised by the British and American air forces, and the United States Navy, harried by Japanese kamikaze attacks, naturally had more impressive anti-aircraft guns.


    After much consideration, betting on German half-track vehicles and ying with globe sphere lightning was too expensive. It was simpler and more straightforward to produce the Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun.


    Tang Mo had no intention of strengthening his ground anti-aircraft defense forces. In his view, anti-aircraft operations were better left to the Air Force.


    The idea of firing twenty thousand anti-aircraft shells to bring down a single enemy aircraft was something Tang Mo simply couldn¡¯t do¡ªhe wasn¡¯t that foolish. Therefore, he prepared to faithfully follow the route taken by American tycoons.


    That¡¯s right, use the Air Force to take down the enemy¡¯s Air Force, and the ground troops wouldn¡¯t need to prepare anti-aircraft guns, right? Heh, it saves money, no problem!


    The gunners operating the anti-aircraft guns were cranking handles, causing the muzzles of the anti-aircraft guns to rise rapidly¡ªthese were professional anti-aircraft gun mounts, far more advanced than the 76mm caliber anti-aircraft gun mounts previously sold by the Great Tang Group.


    ¡°Get ready! Nightfall is approaching!¡± the lead anti-aircraft gunmander nced again at the truck on the other side and continued to shout, feeling downcast.


    On that truck, soldiers were connecting generators with searchlights from a third vehicle.


    As equipment essential for night-time anti-air operations, searchlights could be considered the eyes of the anti-aircraft guns. Without these, the anti-aircraft guns would be incapable ofbat in the dark.


    Night-time Anti-Aircraft Artillery Troops were always organized inplementary groups, with one searchlight guiding four anti-aircraft guns inbat. The four anti-aircraft guns were positioned around the searchlight, and if the searchlight spotted a target, they wouldmence the attack.


    Of course, relying solely on searchlights seemed utterly inadequate to cover the entire skies over the war zone. Mainly, they depended on another set of equipment to spot airships.


    Having ample experience with airship use, Tang Mo naturally wouldn¡¯t fail to equip his anti-aircraft troops with sound ranging devices.


    This apparatus was like arge gramophone, with several horns aimed at the pitch-ck sky.


    With this device, vignt soldiers just had to press their ears against it to hear the approaching engines of airships.


    Once they confirmed the approach of an airship, they couldmand nearby searchlights to turn on, illuminating and searching for the target.


    Once a target was found, the anti-aircraft guns were able to open fire in the night, bringing down thoserge Hardshell Airships.


    The nights of this era were still pitch dark, and the silent darkness wasn¡¯t necessarily the best camouge for military operations. The Tang Army was not the only one reluctant tounchrge-scale military operations at night¡ªthe Qi Army was also unwilling to deploy troops for major counterattacks in the darkness.


    The primary reason was the constraints of themand system. Once the troops were dispersed, they couldn¡¯t even locate themselves¡ªwhat¡¯s the point of fighting then?


    The Tang side was also distressed; Tang Mo knew the potency of night infiltration because he had seen the mightiest light infantry in action.


    The problem was that the Tang Army wasn¡¯tposed of light infantry, but of an Armored Corps built upon weaponry and equipment. Such troops had lost the ability to conductrge-scale night operations, so Tang Mo was reluctantly forced to give up the sweet spot of night warfare.


    After night fell, the Qi Army began tounch their airships, preparing for a night counteroffensive¡ªbut unlike what the Tang Army expected, the Qi Army¡¯s targets were not the Tang¡¯s frontline airfields or munitions depots.


    In fact, the Qi Army didn¡¯t even know the exact locations of these Tang military facilities; the Tang had concealed them too well for the Qi to start an attack.


    Under these circumstances, the Qi Army¡¯s battle n appeared very interesting: the assembling airship forces aimed to bomb the city of Anpu in the northern part of Tang Country.


    This could be considered an important strategic node for the Tang Army too, after all, since it had railways, roads, and some vital industrial facilities.


    However, its importance wasn¡¯t as high as the frontline airfields constructed by the Tang or the hidden fuel and ammunition depots.


    Unfortunately, the Qi Armycked detailed intelligence, so they could only fly blind toward what they believed to be the most important direction, approaching Anpu step by step.


    Around ten at night, an alert sentry from the Tang front lines clearly heard a buzzing sounding from the distance through the sound locator.


    At first, he didn¡¯t pay attention, but as the sound of the engines became clearer, he suddenly realized it was the noise of enemy airships.


    Hurriedly, he pulled the nearby air raid rm, cranking its handle and making the circr siren wail, the sound startling everyone who heard it.


    Everyone nearby looked up at the sky, and through the dim moonlight, they all saw those huge, dark shapes floating in the air.


    ¡°Airships! Enemy airships!¡± a soldier yelled nervously, and as his cry rang out, a beam of light suddenly lit up, as if trying to pierce the entire sky.


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 Chapter 577: 536 splits the light of the night

    Chapter 577: 536 splits the light of the night


    On the ground, a huge searchlight more than a meter in diameter suddenly charged up, emitting a brilliant light that instantly pierced the entire sky.


    It was like a holy sword, slicing through the darkness and then gradually tilting, as if to cleave the night itself in two.


    Aboard a Qi Country airship, the airshipmander from Shireck was startled by the light before him; he had not expected the enemy to install such a bright bulb in such a godforsaken ce.


    ¡°Maintain course! They shouldn¡¯t have that many anti-aircraft¡­¡± the Shireck captain hadn¡¯t even finished speaking when he saw the beam of light starting to tilt, until it was pressing down on his own airship.


    The light shone on the huge Qi Country emblem on the side of the airship against the background of the night, making the mark look so clear, so dazzling.


    What he wanted to say was that Tang Country couldn¡¯t possibly deploy so many anti-aircraft guns in a ce with no defensive value.@@novelbin@@


    But before he could finish, the anti-aircraft guns deployed on the ground by Tang Country sounded, a session of tracer bullets rushed into the sky, like a constantly ascending golden spot.


    Before themander from Shireck could even react to what had happened, he felt a slight vibration beneath his feet in the airship¡¯s cabin.


    Something had prated the thin shell of the airship¡¯s cockpit, piercing through the floor beneath their feet and everything it encountered.


    Turning his head, themander saw one of his subordinates operating the airship torn to shreds by a shell from below.


    Literally to shreds, as the shell had blown off one of his legs, then ripped through the man¡¯s shoulder, turning the poor guy into an unrecognizable, bloody mess in an instant.


    ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s fine¡­ they couldn¡¯t possibly¡­¡± the airship captain tried to speak tofort his crew, wanting to tell them that the anti-aircraft guns couldn¡¯t continuously hit their airship without pause.


    Unfortunately, before he could finish, another shell from below pierced the cockpit of the airship, apanied by a series of clinking sounds that seemed to fly even higher.


    The pale-faced captain looked up to see the fire erupting above his head. To simplify production, the airships produced by Shireck used hydrogen gas, unlike the inert helium gas that Tang Mo insisted on using.


    Hit by specialized tracer bullets, the hydrogen gas filling the airship¡¯s envelope became unstable, some of the gas ignited, beginning to torment the inner framework of the airship.


    Due to the high temperature of the mes, these frameworks began to melt and deform. As they copsed and destroyed, more air poured into the envelope, in turn igniting more hydrogen gas.


    It was a vicious cycle, with everything virtuallypleted within five seconds. By the time the Shireckmander looked up at the fire above his head, it had already turned into an inferno of explosions.


    Then the st wave engulfed the entire cockpit, and the Shireckmander only managed to let out a hysterical scream before beingpletely swallowed by the mes.


    On the ground, the anti-aircraft gun crew that had just been pouring tracer bullets into the airship saw it catch fire.


    They saw their target fully ignited, and in the light of the mes, even the framework structure supporting the airship¡¯s envelope was clearly visible.


    Even at a distance of more than a kilometer, they could clearly see the frameworks of the airship burning, breaking, and melting in the zing fire.


    Everyone on the ground could also see the twisted wreckage of the devoured cockpit as it plummeted to the ground from the sky.


    The mes in the sky illuminated everything around them and then attracted more, denser gunfire¡ªin the sky brightened by the burning airship, the silhouettes of seven or eight other airships became strikingly clear.


    In just an instant, the anti-aircraft guns on the ground targeted their mark, and once again began their assault, sending one shell after another into the sky, igniting one new airship after another.


    Not far away, the second Qi Country airship immediately burst into mes, then in a moment turned into a brazen fireball, struggling and exploding in the sky.


    As the third airship was hit, and before the searchlight even had the chance to reach its body, it began burning to illuminate others.


    A battery of four anti-aircraft guns, along with a searchlight, managed to shoot down all of Qi Country¡¯s airships that were closest to their defensive position in just a few minutes.


    As the fourth Qi Country airship exploded, shattered, and crashed burning to the ground, the first airship that had been shot down finally mmed into the earth, setting off even more violent explosions.


    The result was due to the detonation of aerial bombs aboard the airship; the violent secondary explosions made the ground tremble slightly.


    The airships,den with bombs, were like small munitions depots, with the huge mes from the exploding weapons shockingly brightening the faces of the Tang Army soldiers nearby.


    This night was destined not to be peaceful, and at this moment, the Qi Country airship troops finally realized they seemedpletely unable to cross the border and reach their chosen target, Anpu.


    And then, no one knew who issued the retreat order, but the airships began to slowly turn around in the night sky, illuminated by the light.


    In the face of the Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns designed specifically for intercepting nes, such maneuverability was akin to an olddy trying to dodge bullets.


    The officer standing beside the ground anti-aircraft guns once again signaled with his arm, and the gunner stepped on the firing pedal. The Bofors anti-aircraft guns spewed mes again, emptying all the shells in the ammo chamber.


    A series of tracer bullets once again flew towards their target, as using tracer bullets could not only improve uracy in the pitch-ck night but also ignite the target.


    At this moment, the Qi Army airships that were barely starting to turn were once again aze. The airshipmander of the Qi Army in the cockpit could only close his eyes in despair.


    He couldn¡¯t stop the enemy¡¯s attack from the ground, nor could he prevent the explosion and burning of hydrogen above his head, so he could only wait for death, tragically awaiting his fate.


    Compared to the infantry on the ground, he didn¡¯t even have the option to surrender¡ªdamn it, even if he now ordered someone to hoist the white g, who could see it clearly?


    Besides, with their appearance, practically streaking without armor, with a defense close to zero, how many chances did they have to hoist a white g?


    As he was lost in these thoughts, the airship he was on exploded, and he was swallowed by the mes, not even feeling the pain before he waspletely incinerated.


    In just 10 minutes, seven of Qi Country¡¯s airships burnt and crashed to the ground, turning into fiery heaps, with another five airships exploding in the sky and evidently about to crash to the ground as well.


    The remaining Qi Country airships turned around in desperation, finally managing to escape the attack range of the anti-aircraft gun battery.


    The airshipmanders from Shireck, along with a few Qi Country flightmanders who were there to make up the numbers, were now scared out of their wits by the fierce ground fire of the Tang Army.


    They didn¡¯t even look back at theirpanions, fleeing helter-skelter back to the Qi-controlled region.


    An even more tragic event was destined to happen amidst the chaotic escape, as two Qi Country airships collided in the air.


    The huge collision destroyed the hard shell of the airships, directly causing both to crash. The moment they hit the ground, the aerial bombs detonated, literally transforming the Qi Army¡¯s ground positions into unrecognizable ruins.


    The bright mes from the terrible explosion were even seen by the First Prince at themand post, causing the morale of the entire Qi Army to falter, sinking all the soldiers¡¯ spirits.


    The battle thus ended in a way that wasughably tragic¡ªother anti-aircraft gun batteries deployed by the Tang Army didn¡¯t even see the shadow of Qi Country¡¯s airships that night.


    All the glory belonged to the sole participating anti-aircraft gun battery¡ªtheir skill had nothing to boast about, but what was enviable was their luck.


    Probably all the luck of the Qi Country Air Force¡¯s airship troops was taken by this anti-aircraft gun battery, as most of Qi Country¡¯s airships didn¡¯t even manage to cross the border defense line that night, being forced to turn around and return.


    Shireck didn¡¯t expect the Tang Army¡¯s anti-aircraft firepower to be so fierce, not even giving them a chance.


    During the return journey, the Qi Country Air Force started to me each other for the responsibility: the pot was too big for anyone to carry!


    Fourteen airships, carrying over 300 precious aviation talents, and the price of these fourteen airships was also shockingly high.


    The result was a loss of so many expensive weapons and equipment in less than 20 minutes ofbat, without even a glimpse of the target they were supposed to attack¡ªhow could anyone ept such a loss?


    An enraged Qi Country Air Force Commander even sent a telegram during the return journey, furiously using Shireck¡¯s advisors of harboring ulterior motives and sending them to their deaths.


    The Tang Army was also very unhappy, having deployed 10 anti-aircraft gun batteries that night, not to mention the field airport air defense troops waiting in earnest.


    You must know that moving these troops to defend positions and standing by costs fuel! So the seniormanders of the Tang Army were also very unhappy that night.


    Especially when Tagg and Redman learned that the Qi Army airships had actually set out at night, attempting to attack the Tang Army, they subtly expressed their dissatisfaction to the Air Force.


    Ibrahim, humiliated and indignant, was determined tounch a counterattack with fighter troops at dawn the next day, hoping to regain their honor.


    In a show of fury, the Tang Army artillery units fired at the Qi Army positions throughout thetter half of the night, and the Qi artillery had to fire back in response, both sides thus making noise throughout the entire night.


    However, everything stopped abruptly with the sunrise of the following day¡ªdaylight brought the technological and equipment advantage of the Tang Army to the forefront once again, returning them to their home ground!


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 Chapter 578: 537 Artery

    Chapter 578: 537 Artery


    As the first rays of dawn touched the airstrip, Tang Army fighter pilots rushed out of their barracks at the sound ofmand aftermand.


    The ground crew had long been prepared; they had inspected the airnes before daybreak, aided by the lights of floomps.


    This time, every FW-190 fighter that took off had two 250-kilogram bombs mounted beneath its fusge; their mission was topletely paralyze the target they had forgotten the day before.


    Soon, the engines of these nes began to roar, propellers spinning rapidly, the leading aircraft already aligning its nose with the runway.


    The first FW-190 fighter screamed down the runway and soared into the sky, followed closely by the second and third.


    All the nes formed up in the sky and then majestically advanced toward the distant Qi Army defenses.


    The Qi Army ground troops, having just woken up, were stunned; they had barely risen from their beds when they saw the scene that had terrorized them the day before.


    Dozens of nes swarmed over their heads, each with the telltale ¡°cross¡± of their engines roaring as they raced past their location.


    Everyone silently prayed that these nes wouldn¡¯t suddenly lower their altitude and circle back to their position.


    Thankfully, it seemed their prayers had been effective. Those Tang Army nes, emanating a killing intent so early in the morning, apparently had no intention of attacking their position.


    Whizzing toward the horizon, the nes disappeared from view, to the quiet relief of all in the Qi Army.


    ¡°Those damn guys¡­ where are they off to bomb now?¡± a Qi Country soldier said, clutching his weapon with a shaking heart.


    ¡°Why bother about that,¡± another Qi Country soldier spoke up, ¡°As long as they¡¯re not bombing us, let them go bomb wherever they want.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I heard our main forces are preparing a counterattack. The Tang Army is going to be finished soon!¡± the squad leader of the Qi Country position confidently reassured his subordinates as he watched the Tang Army nes growing distant.


    ¡­


    Some were lucky, others were about to face misfortune. Behind the Qi Country positions, an airship had just dropped its ropes and begun to lower its altitude.


    Clearly, the previous night¡¯s attack hadn¡¯t been sessful, so the returning airship wasnding cautiously. It carried arge amount of ammunition and had a significant volume of hydrogen in its canopy, making it extremely fragile and dangerous.


    The ordeal ofnding such a contraption was quite troublesome, often taking more than 40 minutes for an airship to descend.


    The good news was that much of the hydrogen had already been released, as the airship needed to lower its altitude and gradually dock next to a specially constructed building in coordination with the ground crew.


    Inside the building, there were machines for generating hydrogen and stacks of raw materials, with a power nt and munitions depot nearby.


    In short, this was a veryplex and specialized ¡°dock,¡± an essential base that had to be constructed for the use of airships.


    At this moment, the entire base was a hive of activity. Even though the airship had returned ahead of schedule, it still took a substantial amount of time to process the return of these huge vessels.


    During the bustle, a sentry post deployed around the outskirts of the airship caught sight of Tang Army nes that had already sped across the sky.


    To maximize the potential for deep strikes into enemy territory, airship bases were often built very close to the front lines. In fact, this base was less than 60 kilometers from the main Qi Army defenses.


    Adding the distance between the Tang Army airfield and the defenses, along with the skewed flight path, the actual distance between the two sides was only about 150 kilometers or so.


    The high speed of the FW-190 fighters meant that covering 150 kilometers would take less than 20 minutes. In truth, the Qi Army could hardly react before the Tang Army nes were practically upon them.


    ¡°Is that? Tang Army nes?¡± The previous attack had spread the word about nes throughout the Qi military force, with those who had seen them and those who hadn¡¯t now discussing this impressive piece of war equipment.


    ¡°Enemy raid! Enemy raid!¡± another Qi Army soldier began shouting loudly, alerting hisrades to get ready forbat.


    But as he turned his head, a scene of despair filled his vision: The huge airship was still hovering in midair, its ropes dangling and swaying.


    The vulnerable factory waspletely exposed, its roof even deliberately painted bright red to avoid collisions during the airship¡¯s descent.


    No joke, apart from a few anti-aircraft and anti-balloon guns, and some machine guns from the ground alert troops, there was next to nobat power here at all!


    ¡°Quick! Get the machine gun positions ready!¡± The duty officer of the Qi Army, already in despair, hastily ran over and shouted the orders as he arrived.


    Just at that moment, the Tang Army¡¯s fighters had already swooped down, simultaneously adjusting their formation, diving one by one toward their target.


    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­ it¡¯s all over¡­¡± The Qi Country officer murmured to himself, looking up at the enemy nes in the sky with no thought of struggle left.


    ¡­


    In the sky, inside the cramped cockpit of the fighter ne, the Tang Army pilot steeply banked and surveyed the targets on the ground.


    He saw the bright red roofs and the slender white airships that seemed to be docked along the quay.@@novelbin@@


    So, without hesitation, he began his attack, then reminded his wingman via radio to follow his lead: ¡°I¡¯m starting my dive bombing! I¡¯m starting my dive bombing! Follow me! Watch for ground fire! You handle the suppression!¡±


    ¡°Wingman understood!¡± came the response over the headset, and then the two nes swung their noses down, diving toward the ground: ¡°I¡¯m following you! Watch your altitude!¡±


    In a sh, the two nes had found their targets. They pulled the bomb release at a critical low altitude, and two 250kg bombs detached from their racks, carried by momentum toward the ground targets.


    Ground fire rang out in response, but sadly, the 76mm caliber anti-balloon gun shells couldn¡¯t keep up with the nes and were lost in the distance.


    If at this time a ne were shot down by a 76mm caliber anti-balloon gun, it wouldn¡¯t be because the enemy¡¯s gunnery was superior, but rather a stroke of extreme misfortune for the pilot.


    ¡°Machine guns! Machine guns! Someone¡¯s strafing!¡± shouted the lead bomber pilot as he pulled up, warning his wingman.


    He had just seen the enemy¡¯s tracer bullets, a dense swarm streaking across the sky, creating some trouble for the dive-bombing FW-190 fighter squadron.


    To speak frankly, the FW-190 fighter actually didn¡¯t perform very well at low altitudes. The pilots were trained primarily in airbat, and ground attack was only a makeshift role for them. Therefore, most FW-190 pilots were reluctant to linger at low altitudes.


    So when machine gun fire came their way, most pilots would immediately pull up to change their flight path, avoid the attack, and quickly regain altitude.


    In terms of anti-air defenses, ten defenses might be in vain nine times. The existence of ground fixed anti-air firepower was mainly to force the attacking enemy nes to abandon their targets, thereby preserving the strategic targets they were ordered to protect.


    Put inly, the purpose of anti-air firepower is not so much to shoot down enemy nes as to disrupt them, preventing them from hitting their targets.


    As long as airfields, factories, and bridges were preserved¡­ the anti-aircraft guns could im victory, regardless of how many enemy nes were shot down.


    Therefore, judging from the results, the few machine guns hastily deployed on the periphery by the Qi Army as temporary anti-aircraft defenses did manage to somewhat disrupt the Tang Army¡¯s bombing.


    Unfortunately, these peripheral anti-aircraft machine guns were too far away and didn¡¯t provide real coverage over the airship base, so their effect was extremely limited.


    After locating, or probing for the locations of these few machine guns, the Tang Army fighter squadrons began to skirt around these fixed points of fire and continued to attack the conspicuous airship base.


    By this time, the first bombs dropped had already reached the airships and the airship base, exploding on impact and destroying everything around them.


    The massive explosions instantly brought down the already not-so-sturdy, and never intended-to-be-sturdy workshop buildings, crushing the machinery insidepletely under the rubble.


    This was just a temporary frontline airship base¡ªinting airships and performing minor repairs were its primary functions. Shireck didn¡¯t have time to build sturdy structures here, nor did he have any emergency repair ns.


    After the first explosion tore off the roof, everyone in the vicinity from Qi Country knew they were done for, that this ce was about to be a living hell.


    As expected, a second bomb hit an airship just outside the workshop, causing it to burst into mes instantly, bing a massive fireball.


    In the interest of cost-saving and mass production, Shireck¡¯s choice to use hydrogen instead of helium to fill the airships proved fatal as the airship detonated almost instantaneously, destroying the entire base.


    The following FW-190 fighter pilots werepletely taken aback, realizing that the explosives were so intense that they could no longer find a path to continue their dive bombing.


    mes engulfed everything, explosions urred everywhere, and burning updrafts swirled about. The air currents near the airship base were now too unstable, causing the nes to tremble violently each time they approached due to the churning air.


    It¡¯s no exaggeration¡ªthe pilots of the nes that had just dive-bombed suspected they had hit a giant ammunition depot. The continuous explosions beneath them had be a vast fearsome spectacle.


    That feeling was like plunging a knife into a major artery; blood gushing uncontrobly, not only taking the life of the adversary but also terrifying the criminal wielding the knife¡­


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 Chapter 579: 538 Ways to Turn the Tide of Battle

    Chapter 579: 538 Ways to Turn the Tide of Battle


    On the ground, the word ¡°tragic¡± could no longer describe the scene: Qi Army¡¯s airships were burning one after another, instantly turning the entire base into a zing inferno.


    There were at least a few thousand workers inside the base, all serving the airships. Some were preparing hydrogen gas, others were repairing equipment, generating power at the electric nt, or cooking in the canteen¡­


    These thousands of workers, plus the pilots, pilot apprentices,manders, and other support personnel, amounted to nearly ten thousand!


    Now, they were all engulfed by the great fire, roasted into jerky, burnt into charcoal.


    The soldiers on the outskirts hadn¡¯t suffered heavy losses, but nearly everyone in the core area had no chance of escape. The fire was simply impossible to quench, and people didn¡¯t even dare to approach it.


    If the wind direction changed even slightly, those in the downwind would be in grave danger. They would be burned to death by the mes before they could flee, or would simply suffocate as the fire consumed all the oxygen.


    ¡°Retreat! Leave this ce!¡± Seeing that the target they were supposed to protect had turned into a sea of fire, themander from Qi Country said to his subordinates.


    He was unwilling to let his men die here. Seeing the fire grow so massive, it was time to leave, or what, wait till they were cooked?


    Thus, the Tang Army on the outskirts immediately began to retreat, while the Tang Air Force fighter units up in the sky were utterly bewildered.


    They still had four-fifths of their bombs undropped, and now their target had been utterly destroyed. Were they supposed to keep dropping their bombs madly into the mes?


    Clearly, that was impossible. So, they could only pilot their nes back, preparing to take out their frustration on the Qi Army frontline positions by dropping all their remaining bombs during the return flight.


    If the Qi Army in the frontline defensive positions knew this, they would surely be speechless. Their Qi Country¡¯s target was too fragile to exhaust the enemy¡¯s ammunition, so all the enemy¡¯s bombs were left over¡­


    The airship units of Qi Country had been on high alertst night, barely sleeping, only to be annihted within the span of a few short minutes.


    Literally annihted¡ªall the airships were reduced to ashes, then the unexploded munitions in the airship¡¯s ammunition storage exploded in sympathy, sting the already molten frames of the airships into the sky.


    The workers inside the instantly ignited factories didn¡¯t even get the chance to escape before they were turned into medium-rare steaks, and then into charred corpses, eventually being burned into white ash.@@novelbin@@


    The airship unit that Shireck had supported Qi Country with waspletely wiped out, millions of Gold Coins down the drain, along with numerous casualties on both sides¡­ Qi Country¡¯s Air Force was effectively out of the war.


    ¡­


    On the western front of Qi Country, it was already broad daylight. The Tang Army¡¯s offensive kicked off once again, and Liu Guozhu¡¯s tanks received the order to continue advancing, starting their forward push.


    Originally, the attack on Luo Town was supposed to be the task of the 4th Armored Division, but Redman decided to pull back the units that had suffered heavy losses on the first day and arrange for them on a less intense front.


    So, Liu Guozhu, who had received the Cavalry Medal Third ss on the first day of battle, was ordered along with his troops to march towards Luo Town and seize the position threatening the safety of the Third Prince¡¯s rear.


    The tank units, just like during training, filled up with fuel, loaded up with ammunition, and set out, except that this time, they were followed by even more supply trucks and arge number of infantry who had just arrived the night before.


    They were now going to switch defense zones with the 4th Armored Division, so there was no chance of battle at the onset. They would pass through areas already upied by their own troops, and only then would they encounter the temporary defensive lines hastily constructed by Qi Country.


    The Qi Army had been busy all night; it was impossible they had done nothing. They would have built defensive fortifications in the areas they upied, at least digging trenches or the like.


    ¡°Get ready! The radio is filled with voices from the Air Forcemunication officers! They¡¯re trying to identify ground targets!¡± Liu Guozhu, half out of his tank, looked at the road infantry had just managed to clear the night before and heard the voiceing through his headphones.


    His tank followed right behind another, advancing along a road nked by wheat fields. Here and there on the roadbed, they could still see overturned carts and the corpses of dead soldiers.


    There had clearly been a brief skirmish here. The Qi Army had left behind about seven or eight bodies and then most likely surrendered.


    Because Liu Guozhu saw arge number of tents and misceneous items discarded beside the corpses, and even two 90mm caliber Shireck howitzers.


    These were designed specifically to counter the Tang Army¡¯s 75mm caliber infantry guns, with arger caliber aiming to outgun the products of the Great Tang Group.


    Unfortunately, these cannons were too heavy and could only be dragged by horse carriage, which made them inconvenient to maneuver and use.


    ¡°Roger that! I understand!¡± Seeing the tank in front had stopped, Liu Guozhu also switched hismunication channel and instructed his driver, ¡°Stop the tank!¡±


    His tank had also stopped by the roadside, with cars asionally whizzing past on the other side. He, the gunner, and the loader all climbed out of the tank, and then the three of them frantically rummaged through the clutter box on the side of their tank to find a huge Dragon Banner.


    They were going to cover the engine deck with this Dragon Banner to provide a recognition signal for the friendly forces above, so that the Air Force could distinguish between the retreating Qi Army and the advancing Tang Army troops.


    ¡°Next time we can just paint the national g on top of the tank! That way we wouldn¡¯t need to go through all this trouble,¡± the loaderined while securing the wrinkled Dragon Banner.


    ¡°All right! At least this way we can avoid getting killed by our own people!¡± Liu Guozhu said as he tucked one corner of the Dragon Banner into a gap on the engine hatch cover.


    The entire tank unit was busy providing identification signs for the aircraft above, with the red Dragon Banner also draped over the engine covers and the rear storage boxes of vehicles.


    Just at that moment, there were squadrons of Stuka Dive Bombers roaring past in the sky. Like flocks of seagulls, these nes crowded the sky and headed towards the Qi Army¡¯s frontline positions.


    ¡°Got to say, with these guys, they¡¯re pretty reliable,¡± Liu Guozhu looked up at the sound of engines, and watched the Stuka Dive Bombers heading into the distance with admiration.


    These aircraft would crush the enemy¡¯s defensive will before the tank units even began their attack, and could even directly shatter the enemy forces.


    They could rece artillery, providing support that was both more urate and more timely, smashing any attempts by the enemy to regroup and counterattack.


    With their support, the ground troops¡¯ advance was lightning-fast. Most of the infantry sang songs all the way, taking prisoners without even having a real fight break out, and reached the areas they needed to upy.


    Each dive of these formidable aircraft came with a terrifying sound, and every bomb dropped would urately hit the most crucial spots, immediately destroying important enemy targets.


    While Liu Guozhu watched these Stuka Dive Bombers disappear into the distance, he saw even more nes flying over his location.


    It was his first time seeing these nes; they wererger and the noise of their engines was even louder.


    The B-17 bomber fleet, after bombing the King City of Qi Country and Nanye on the first day, received orders early that morning to begin carrying out tactical missions.


    Qi Country actually didn¡¯t have many strategic targets to offer, and there were not many ces worth bombing repeatedly¡ªby the time the industrial district of King City would recover production, it would likely be seven or eight dayster.


    And nearly 100 B-17 bombers couldn¡¯t just be left idle, so it was only natural for them to continue taking off to bomb the Qi Army¡¯s frontline defensive troops.


    Though the uracy of level bombing was doubtful, its impact in terms of sheer power was definitely ten thousand times that of the Stukas. Dropping bombs like raindrops on Qi positions, the deterrent effect was not much less than the screaming Stukas.


    ¡°What kind of nes are those?¡± A curious Liu Guozhu asked, not really knowing who to. Obviously, neither his gunner nor his loader would recognize the highly ssified B-17 bombers.


    ¡°Who knows, but¡­ definitely our nes, that¡¯s for sure,¡± the gunner looked up at the departing B-17 bombers and replied with augh.


    On another road, the 2nd Armored Division had already begun its rampant charge towards Nanye. They broke through the hastily constructed defense lines of the Qi Army in just 30 minutes, without any dy.


    The steel tide of 50 tanks crushed 4,000 Qi soldiers, then pushed the surrendering Qi troops, dozens of Qi artillery pieces, and supply wagons and trucks off the road, advancing forward with the infantry trailing behind.


    Only after breakfast did the third prince of Qi Country hear the news that his defensive line had been breached once again.


    Another shocking piece of news was that the Tang Army¡¯s troops were closing in on Nanye, and it seemed that the retreat routes for both him and his older brother were about to be cut off.


    ¡°Your Highness! We must consider retreating now! Staying here brings no advantage anymore,¡± a general spoke up, reminding the third prince.


    With the border defense line thoroughly breached and the gap in danger of widening with little hope of closure, continuing to hold their positions after the breakthrough was tantamount to waiting for death.


    ¡°Then what do we do?¡± The idealess third prince looked to his subordinates, asking in destion.


    He had lost here, and his im to the throne was almost certainly slipping away, how could he not feel despair and despondency?


    ¡°Retreat! Retreat towards Nanye from Luo Town! Now¡­ if we can hold Nanye, there might still be a chance to turn the tide of the war!¡± The general spoke up directly in response, ¡°Though Nanye is unfortified, it still has 10,000 defending troops! If we can take 30,000 elite troops there promptly, we can reverse the unfavorable situation and stabilize the defense lines anew¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± The third prince grabbed onto this lifeline eagerly, quickly agreeing, ¡°Retreat! Retreat at once!¡±


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 Chapter 580: The 539 is stuck.

    Chapter 580: The 539 is stuck.


    Atop a steed, a nimble Knight carried a Thompson Submachine Gun on his back. mping his legs against the horse¡¯s sides, he dashed forth along the road, a dark green armband with three eyes arranged in a triangle on his sleeve.


    As he spotted the advancing Tank Troops, he tightened the reins in his hand, and then raised his arm.


    ¡°Luo Town ahead! Arge number of enemy tanks spotted, guarded by Infantry! The number is unknown!¡± His warhorse pirouetted on the road, and the Knight, turning back around, shouted toward the tankmander who had poked his head out of the tank turret.


    Tank No. 4 had its turret side hatches open at this moment, allowing fresh air for the gunner and loader, thus reducing the heat inside the stuffy tank and increasing their field of vision.


    ¡°One kilometer from Luo Town! Prepare for battle!¡± the lead tankmander called out to themanders behind him after he ryed the scout¡¯s report.


    The scout squeezed his horse¡¯s sides and moved counter to the convoy, loudly repeating the intelligence he had gathered: ¡°Luo Town ahead! Arge number of enemy tanks! Guarded by Infantry! Numbers unknown!¡±


    ¡°Spread out! Set up firepower in concealed positions on both nks!¡± Infantrymanders waved their arms, directing their Troops into battle readiness.


    On the trucks following behind the tanks, groups of Soldiers jumped from their vehicles, some grabbing extra ammunition from the ammunition trucks.


    The artillery following the convoy pushed forward, and the modified 105mm howitzer built on the Tank No. 2 chassis, with its massive open turret, shook as it moved off the roadbed, raising its short, thick barrel in an open space.


    To reduce the recoil and ensure that Tank No. 2 could bear it, the vehicle-mounted 105mm howitzer had lowered chamber pressure and shortened the barrel, thereby reducing its range. These were the necessary sacrifices to install the artillery on a vehicle and enhance the mobility of the gun crews.


    After a quick formation, the Infantry had distributed their ammunition and left their baggage in the vehicles. Organizing into fire teams and toons, they quickly advanced past the tank units still deliberating their battle n.


    ¡°The enemy¡¯s tanks are all gathered inside Luo Town, posing the greatest threat to us! Their turrets are equipped withrge-caliber cannons; these must be our priority targets!¡± The toon leader nced at Liu Guozhu and briefly exined the situation.


    Then he continued with his orders, ¡°Liu Guozhu and I are responsible for advancing into the vige quickly! Remember, avoid prolongedbat! Destroy all enemy tanks you see! Don¡¯t give them a chance to counterattack!¡±


    ¡°What about the tanks we can¡¯t see inside the vige?¡± Liu Guozhu pointed at the map showing only a town marker for Luo Town and asked.


    They didn¡¯t have a detailed map. While the nearby map was fairly urate, its precision left much to be desired.


    It was already a feat that the cartography spies had managed to produce something this good at the risk of their lives. If they had used the outdated maps, they might not even have been able to locate Luo Town.


    ¡°That will depend on our ability to adapt on the spot! We cannot determine where all the enemy tanks are deployed,¡± replied the toon leader, ncing again at Liu Guozhu. ¡°Prepare to attack! Dismissed!¡±


    Liu Guozhu jogged back to his own tank, by which time the tanks nearer to the meeting point had already started up.


    ¡°Start engines! Check fuel gauges! Radio test! Position the Armor-Piercing Rounds where they¡¯re handy!¡± He climbed into his tank turret, put on his headset, pressed the transmitter switch, and ordered.


    ¡°All systems normal!¡± the driver reported loudly on the status of the tank¡¯s power system.


    ¡°No problems on my end either!¡± the electrician-mechanic confirmed.


    Consequently, Tank No. 4 came to life. Following the previous tactical arrangements, Liu Guozhu ordered his tank to keep pace with the toon leader¡¯s tank, charging down the highway toward Luo Town ahead.


    ¡°Luo Town ahead! They seem to have spotted us too!¡± As Liu Guozhu passed his own Soldiers and saw the town ahead, the Qi Army on the other side appeared to be frantically preparing forbat too.


    ¡°See the tanks on the outskirts of the town? Pick a target! Fire!¡± The toon leader¡¯smand came through the headset, prompting Liu Guozhu to immediately give the order, ¡°Stop! Load the shells! Gunner, have you acquired the target?¡±


    ¡°I have the target in sight! Didn¡¯t even need to search!¡± The gunner had already spotted a Shireck Mark I tank in the distance through the gunsight.


    That behemoth stood tall andrge, draped in steel ck, with no consideration of concealment whatsoever. It sat there, as if afraid that no one would notice it.


    ¡°Loadplete!¡± the loader shouted. The breech locked, followed by the gunner stepping on the firing pedal.


    ¡°BOOM!¡± The short-barreled 75mm cannon spit out a puff of white smoke. At a distance of around 500 meters, the shell flew straight at the target and effortlessly prated the armor of the Shireck tank.


    ¡°Phew,¡± Liu Guozhu inhaled the smell of gunpowder burning within his tank cabin. The Tank No. 4¡¯s exhaust fan couldn¡¯t clear the residualbustion gases inside the tank, making the crew¡¯s experience duringbat far from pleasant.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Armor-piercing rounds! Load!¡± Liu Guozhu peered through the gap and saw a Shireck tank catch fire after being hit, and he also spotted another Shireck tank nearby that had been struck.


    The explosion of such colossal beasts was a spectacr sight. mes spewed out from the six machine gun ports surrounding the Shireck tank, as if it were a giant alchemy furnace.


    ¡°Ding!¡± At this moment, the Qi Army began to counterattack. The troops dispatched to defend Luo Town were elites, so theirbat effectiveness was formidable. A bullet struck Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank, producing a crisp sound.


    Unfortunately, using rifles to attack tanks was an utterly futile act. Besides the noise, the shot had no effect.


    Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank remained stationary and continued to fire, coolly destroying another Shireck tank parked at the edge of the town.


    Next to the fourth Qi Army¡¯s Shireck tank, crew members of the Qi Country were scrambling into their own tank when they were hit by the toon leader¡¯s shell, turning into a burst of fireworks.


    The smoke from the four fiery explosions started to obstruct the view on the battlefield, and by then, the Tang Army infantry had already reached a corner of the town under the cover of their tanks.


    In this era, the towns didn¡¯t have buildings of three stories or taller. Overall, it was quite t, so thebat was less three-dimensional.


    There was no need to be cautious of machine gun positions on high grounds, nor to worry about the enemy throwing a grenade from above.


    It was merely a matter of climbing over the walls to see groups of Qi Country soldiers running around chaotically like headless flies.


    Then the Tang Army soldiers began firing their guns, shooting down every Qi Army soldier in sight. The dense gunfire erupted, and the Qi Army soldiers, realizing they were under attack, began to return fire blindly.


    At this time, Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank broke through the smoke outside the town and found a new target in front of it.


    The tank came to a stop on the road with a slight shake, and the gunner aimed effortlessly before firing. Another Shireck model 1 tank that wasn¡¯t ready for battle disintegrated in an explosion, sending up billowing smoke beside the road.


    ¡°My view is blocked! I can¡¯t see anything!¡± Liu Guozhu pressed his throat mic and loudly reported to his toon leader.


    If he chose to move forward now, he would have to plow through the Shireck model 1 tank he had just destroyed.


    However, such reckless behavior could lead to a series of problems. It might cause tank number 4 to stall or even damage it.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see either. I might be stuck!¡± the toon leader shouted in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m trying to get over the wall, damn it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m reversing! I¡¯ll cover you, get out of there!¡± Liu Guozhu immediately ordered his tank to reverse. ¡°Do you have enemy troops over there?¡±


    ¡°Right outside my hatch, they¡¯re everywhere! They¡¯re firing at me! Damn it! Bloody hell!¡± the toon leader cried out desperately over the channel.


    ¡°I¡¯ming!¡± Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank reversed a dozen meters and then saw the toon leader¡¯s number 1 vehicle deep in enemy territory.


    ¡°Coaxial machine gun! Fire! Nine o¡¯clock! Sweep them! Sweep them!¡± While loudlymanding his gunner to fire rapidly, Liu Guozhu lifted his own hatch.


    He needed to see clearly what was happening on the other side to make a further judgment. As he poked his head out, the coaxial machine gun on the turret of his tank number 4 roared to life.


    ¡°Tat-tat-tat-tat!¡± A hail of bullets hit the steel tes of the toon leader¡¯s number 1 vehicle, sparking a shower of sparks.


    The Qi Army soldiers climbing on number 1 vehicle were instantly torn apart, their flesh shredded by the relentless gunfire. The vehicle was quickly cleared of the dense crowd surrounding it.


    ¡°toon leader! Can you hear me? toon leader!¡± Liu Guozhu pulled his head back in and pressed the throat mic, shouting loudly, but no matter how loudly he called, there was no response.


    ¡°Goddamn it¡­ Gunner, cover me! Keep firing! I¡¯m moving over to check on the toon leader!¡± Liu Guozhu cursed, then tore off his headset. He climbed out of his turret and jumped off the side of his tank.


    Fortunately, a burning Shireck model 1 tank on the other side of the street was producing a thick cloud of smoke, concealing the Qi Army¡¯s view from the other side; otherwise, Liu Guozhu¡¯s actions would have been tantamount to suicide.


    He drew his M1911 pistol used for self-defense from his waist, crouched, and ran towards the toon leader¡¯s tank with the pistol in hand.


    Behind him, the coaxial machine gun on the turret of tank number 4 kept firing non-stop, sttering the armor with bullets that flung off the tattered bodies thaty on top.


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 Chapter 581: 540 hurry up and roll back

    Chapter 581: 540 hurry up and roll back


    Liu Guozhu didn¡¯t know where he got the courage from, or perhaps he was beguiled by the memory of earning a medal in thest battle when he had fought outside his tank.


    So there he was, holding his pistol and rushing to the front. As soon as he crossed the low wall by the roadside, he saw a Qi Army soldier shivering and hiding there.


    The other soldier was startled by his appearance, and Liu Guozhu hadn¡¯t expected to find someone hiding here either. He raised his pistol and pulled the trigger, the recoil causing his hand to jerk slightly upward.


    The bullet struck the Qi Army soldier square in the face, blood sttered instantly, some even reaching Liu Guozhu¡¯s own face.


    The suddenness of it all stimted Liu Guozhu¡¯s nerves, snapping him back to reality. This was a genuine battlefield where any decision might cost him his fragile life.


    But in the current situation, Liu Guozhu couldn¡¯t just ignore everything and run back to his tank; he had to pluck up his courage and continue forward, climbing onto the tank that was within arm¡¯s reach.


    The closer he got to the number 1 tank, riddled with bullet holes from machine gun fire, the more corpses Liu Guozhu discovered under his feet. Just as he was about to touch the treads of the number 1 tank, he stepped on a mutted ¡°corpse¡±.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The corpse suddenly grabbed Liu Guozhu¡¯s ankle, screaming loudly, blood all over its face. This person had only one arm left or, rather, one breath left in him.


    Liu Guozhu was startled by this person, but just as he was about to shoot this enemy who was clearly about to die, he noticed another Qi Army soldier nearby pulling his bolt.


    The enemy chambered a round and then aimed his gun at Liu Guozhu. Of course, Liu Guozhu couldn¡¯t bother with the flesh beneath his feet anymore; he directly raised his hand to aim his gun at the enemy.


    ¡°Bang!¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Both men fired almost simultaneously. A bullet from the Qi Army soldier tore away Liu Guozhu¡¯s shoulder strap, and his entire body staggered half a step backward in the direction of his shoulder.


    The bullet fired by Liu Guozhu struck the man¡¯s chest; the Qi Army soldier dropped his weapon, clutched the hole in his chest, and doubled over on the ground without further movement.


    Only then did Liu Guozhu remember that someone was still grabbing his ankle, so he looked down and saw that the person holding his ankle waspletely dead.


    After shaking off the powerless hand, Liu Guozhu climbed onto the chassis of tank number 1, whereupon the gunner, seeing Liu Guozhu, ceased firing to avoid identally shooting the fearless tankmander.


    From atop the tank, Liu Guozhu could see the situation on the other side, where seven or eight terrified Qi Country soldiers were hiding.


    Without hesitation, he raised his gun and fired, emptying his magazine at the group. Two or three Qi Army soldiers fell as they were hit, while the others awkwardly raised their hands, shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me! I surrender! I surrender!¡±


    Liu Guozhu didn¡¯t bother with these scoundrels. He drew another magazine from his waist, flung away the empty magazine from his M1911 pistol, reloaded, and chambered a round.


    The next second, the Qi Country soldiers, realizing Liu Guozhu was reloading his pistol, reacted instantly, pulling their bolts and aiming their guns at him.


    Ignoring the Qi Army soldiers who were still operating their weapons despite loudly dering their surrender, Liu Guozhu once again began to pull the trigger. He didn¡¯t dare to test whether the enemy would keep their word; he wanted to keep on living.


    ¡°Bang!¡± Liu Guozhu shot down an enemy soldier who had raised his gun. Another enemy soldier fired at Liu Guozhu, but the bullet flew off who knows where. Due to nervousness, he had not aimed properly, and at such a short range, it was clearly not easy to hit the target with a rifle.


    Liu Guozhu didn¡¯t give him a chance to fire a second shot. As the Qi Country soldier was pulling his bolt again, Liu Guozhu fired another shot, hitting him.


    While Liu Guozhu was on a killing spree atop the number 1 tank, the tank suddenly started to move. A jolt knocked Liu Guozhu off bnce, and he tumbled off the tank,nding on a heap of corpses and body parts.


    Though unhurt, Liu Guozhu was disoriented from the fall. It was then that he realized how badly the infantry toon leader must have been hurt when he threw him to the ground.


    Before he could react and struggle to his feet, a shadow pounced on him. It was a Qi Country soldier who pressed his rifle across Liu Guozhu¡¯s neck, growling ferociously like a wild beast.


    Liu Guozhu¡¯s throat was constricted, and for a moment, he couldn¡¯t catch his breath. He struggled, trying to flip off his enemy, only to find he had less strength than his adversary.


    Fortunately, even though he had fallen, he had not let go of his pistol. The weapon in his hand was the only thing that could save him now.


    So he bent his arm and pressed his pistol against the enemy¡¯s ribs. The next second, without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.


    ¡°Bang!¡± A muffled gunshot rang out, and Liu Guozhu felt the heavy recoil in his hand as the bullet tore through the enemy¡¯s body, bringing out chunks of flesh and blood as if from a fountain.


    The enemy¡¯s body shuddered, yet still continued to press down on Liu Guozhu as if trying to take him down with hisst bit of strength.


    Liu Guozhu, whose consciousness was already starting to blur, pulled the trigger once again, and another bullet, carrying fresh blood, flew out from the enemy¡¯s body, spraying flesh and blood all around.


    This Qi Country soldier was still exerting all his strength, and Liu Guozhu clenched his teeth and used all his might to pull the trigger once again.


    As the third shot rang out, the Qi Country soldier finally lost his strength, copsed to the side, and the weight of the gun pressing on Liu Guozhu¡¯s neck was lifted.


    Air entered Liu Guozhu¡¯s lungs once more, bringing a sudden rity to his mind. He greedily gasped for air, grateful that he had escaped death yet again.


    If he could choose again, he swore he would never again leave the safety of his tank to take such a risk! He would stay put inside his own tank, enjoying the feeling of being protected by the armor, and kill these damned enemies without any danger!@@novelbin@@


    With some effort, he pushed the man off of himself, sat up, and looked at the blood-soaked M1911 pistol in his hand.


    How many shots had he fired just now? Five? Or six? He couldn¡¯t recall how many bullets he had actually fired.


    To be safe, he immediately pressed the magazine release button between the trigger and the grip, and the magazine dropped to his side.


    He drew hisst magazine from his waist and inserted it into the grip of the pistol, then chambered another round.


    These seven bullets were his final reliance. If he could not get out of danger before the magazine was empty, he might lose his life here.


    Just then, in a half-copsed building in front of him, a group of Qi Army soldiers yelled and charged out.


    The Qi Army infantry, already prepared for battle, had their bays fixed to the rifles, gleaming menacingly.


    ¡°It¡¯s over! In the end, I¡¯m still going to die a foolish death here,¡± thought Liu Guozhu. Regret, resentment, helplessness.


    He raised his pistol, aimed at the enemies who were only inches away, ready to fight to the death with hisst magazine.


    As Liu Guozhu desperately pulled the trigger to fire the first bullet, a rapid burst of gunfire came from not far away.


    A Tang Army soldier holding a Thompson Submachine Gun vaulted over the wall, raised his gun, and began firing at the Qi Army soldiers.


    Another Tang Army soldier raced over and soon raised his rifle, firing shot after shot without stopping.


    Quickly, more Tang Army soldiers vaulted over the wall, some with hand grenades and some with submachine guns.


    ¡°Charge!¡± a Tang Army officer waved his arm, urging his soldiers over the obstacles andunching an attack on the enemy.


    The Qi Army soldiers who had been charging at Liu Guozhu were instantly decimated; some raised their hands to surrender, some knelt on the ground, and others retreated backward. The battle here ended in an instant.


    A Tang Army soldier holding a rifle came to check and was startled by the blood-soaked Liu Guozhu, eximing, ¡°Holy sh*t! Big brother, are you okay? Are you hurt? Should I call a medic?¡±


    Clutching his pistol, Liu Guozhu moved his gaze sluggishly and cast the soldier a nce. The butcher-like look in his eyes immediately made the other man mp his mouth shut.


    He slowly got to his feet, staggered, and climbed back onto Tank No. 1, knocking on the hatch: ¡°toon leader! toon leader! Are you still alive? toon leader!¡±


    The hatch was lifted from the inside. Themander of Tank No. 1, who was also their toon leader, emerged from the tank, startled by the sight of Liu Guozhu: ¡°You¡¯re injured? How did you get over here? Did you man the machine gun on your tank and hit my tank?¡±


    ¡°You scared me to death, not responding¡­ Why didn¡¯t you answer?¡± Sitting on the turret of the tank, Liu Guozhuined,pletely exhausted.


    ¡°My radio went silent just now¡­¡± the toon leader exined, then noticed themunication antenna on the outside of his tank had been shot off: ¡°Damn it¡­ it¡¯s been damaged¡­ no wonder.¡±


    Realizing everything, the toon leader smiled and looked at Liu Guozhu, as if he had crawled out of a sea of blood: ¡°You did good, kid! You knew toe rescue me! I haven¡¯t taken care of you for nothing¡­ Now roll back! I¡¯m fine!¡±


    Wiping the blood off his face, Liu Guozhu silently waved his hand, then stood up, climbed over Tank No. 1, and headed towards his own tank without a word.


    Seeing the loader emerging from the turret and the gunner with a pistol in hand, Liu Guozhu grinned and said, ¡°Now go back! I¡¯m fine!¡±


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 Chapter 582: 541 The Town Under Surveillance

    Chapter 582: 541 The Town Under Surveince


    The Tang Army¡¯s northern frontlinemand headquarters, housed within a manor built by old nobility on the outskirts of Anpu, was dotted with erected wirelessmunication antennas.


    Officers hustled to and fro, and many female secretaries crowded around a long table, heads bent organizing various documents and intelligence from the front line.


    In the vastmand hall, a map of Qi Country hung on the wall, and a woman officer wearing a tilted boat-cap was climbing adder to update the positions of the opposing troops disyed on the map.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Our military has essentially paralyzed the enemy¡¯s airship bases, destroying over 50 of Qi Army¡¯s airships. The enemy¡¯s Air Force should havepletely lost itsbat capabilities,¡± reported the liaison officer from the Air Force, hands behind his back, briefing Tang Mo on the front line¡¯s situation.@@novelbin@@


    The achievements of the Air Force were nothing short of astounding; over 300 nes which flew for the first time already logged 2000 sorties, nearly destroying all the significant material nodes of Qi Army¡¯s front line, and also paralyzing Qi Country¡¯s Air Force.


    Just yesterday, they bombarded King City in Qi Country, causing massive destruction to Qi Country¡¯s strategic material production, supply, transport, and mobilization.


    One could say that they exceeded their own mission, providing ground forces with an unimaginably strong support.


    The Armored Corps were not to be outdone; Luff immediately reported thetest battle situation: ¡°On the ground, our Tank troops have upied Luo Town an hour ago, cutting off Qi Army¡¯s western group¡¯s retreat path to the north.¡±


    The Armored Corps led by Liu Guozhu had crushed the Qi Army forces that arrived earlier in Luo Town and positioned themselves there, ensuring the safety of the 2nd Armored Division and the 4th Armored Division advancing on Nanye.


    Of course, now that Luo Town had changed hands, Qi Army¡¯s logistical support waspletely severed, particrly for the Third Prince, who was in a very passive situation.


    Gesturing roughly on the map, Luff said to Tang Mo, ¡°If the enemy wishes to retreat north to Nanye, they must recapture Luo Town¡­¡±


    Tang Mo, pinching his chin while looking at the massive map, could see, even as a militaryyman, that the battlefield situation was highly advantageous to the Tang Army.


    The attacking Tang Army was like a scythe, on the one hand shielding against potential reinforcements from the Dahua Empire advancing from the east, while on the other extending its tentacles around the rear of the Qi Army.


    The sharpest de of the scythe was already at the Qi Army¡¯s neck; the 1st Armored Division that reached Luo Town had two railways extending from their position, one heading southwest into the Third Prince¡¯s territory and the other southeast towards the First Prince¡¯s territory.


    This area was roughly the middle between the two princes¡¯ territories and also the only railway lifeline connecting to their rear homnd.


    After all, the railway mileage in Qi Country was not extensive; it did not have many railway lines offering more options.


    Therefore, cutting off Luo Town meant that the railway supply lines of the First and Third Princes had beenpletely severed.


    Watching the female officer ce a tank symbol representing the 1st battalion of the 1st tank regiment of the 1st Armored Division at Luo Town¡¯s position, Luff confidently assured Tang Mo, ¡°Luo Town is now defended by a tank battalion and a grenadier battalion from the 1st Armored Division, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡±


    ¡°If Luo Town is lost and if Redman also takes Nanye, then the First Prince¡¯s Troops must take action,¡± remarked a logistics department general, following with his analysis.


    He analyzed this issue entirely from a logistics supply perspective: ¡°If the First Prince holds his position, his materials mightst for a while, but if he intends to recapture Luo Town, he won¡¯t be able to afford the expenditure.¡±


    ¡°So, logically speaking, the First Prince¡¯s main force must now take action. If he doesn¡¯t retake Luo Town, in a few days, he¡¯ll start worrying about what his troops will eat!¡± Luff continued.


    ¡°How can he move?¡± Tang Mo was an arms dealer; although he could see his first phase of military operation had the advantage, he was not a professional soldier, so he preferred to consult with the professionals around him.


    Luff immediately answered, ¡°There are essentially two choices: first, join forces with the Third Prince, attack Luo Town, and then break through Nanye. The second, retreat to the east, take a long detour around the territory of the Second Prince.¡±


    Tang Mo continued to stare at the map, then asked, ¡°What do you all think? Which option will he choose?¡±


    A staff officer expressed his thoughts: ¡°Going through Nanye is risky. Does the Qi Army have what it takes to break through our two defensive lines? So the First Prince might well take a detour.¡±


    In his view, the matter was simple: Does the opposition have the confidence to break through Tang Army¡¯s defense? Probably not. Since they can¡¯t break through the defense, why not detour rather than waiting for death?


    But sometimes things are not so simple, as another staff officer voiced his differing opinion: ¡°But if we capture Nanye and he dares not reinforce but instead retreats eastward, he¡¯ll miss the chance to support King City!¡±


    Luff looked at his subordinate and agreed, ¡°Exactly, we go straight from Nanye to the north, attack King City of Qi Country, and if the First Prince retreats east, he loses his only chance to rescue King City.¡±


    Sometimes, the decisions of front-linemanders are not made solely based on the battlefield situation; they must also consider higher-level strategic intentions and orders.


    For example, sometimes, a single aircraft dropping down a set of orders can disrupt all the tactical deployments made by the generals on the battlefield, and even directly decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of troops.


    ¡°So whether the First Prince moves to Nanye or not depends on how King Jiang Xianmands his eldest son,¡± Tang Mo also thought of this and nodded with a somewhat mocking tone.


    Upon hearing Tang Mo say this, Luff agreed and said, ¡°Your Majesty speaks true. For the foundation of Qi Country, Jiang Xian will probably order all three princes to support Nanye at any cost.¡±


    ¡°We are still not sure whether the princes dare to pull out all the troops they have for a fight here,¡± Tang Mo said, staring at the map and observing the Qi Army¡¯s main forces under the First Prince that had hardly moved.


    Luff immediately said, ¡°That depends on whether we can hurt them, scare them, and beat them so badly in Luo Town that they dare not take one step beyond the boundary!¡±


    Tang Mo nodded and then looked towards Luff, ¡°Order themander of the 1st Armored Division to hold Luo Town at all costs! Provide them with maximum support, do not give the Qi Army any opportunity!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone present stood at attention and saluted.


    ¡­


    In a secluded manor in the suburbs of the Qi Country¡¯s King City, King Jiang Xian was also looking at the map in front of him, while an advisor from Shireck described the current state of the war with a grim face.


    He had just received news that the Qi Army¡¯s Air Force had beenpletely destroyed. Seventy airships provided by Shireck, along with Qi Country¡¯s own assets, had almost all been lost at the front lines.


    The Tang Army fighters were like the wind, clearly more powerful, and the airships were as vulnerable asmbs to the ughter in the eyes of the enemy¡¯s nes.


    The handful of surviving airship forces dare not be dispatched to the frontlines anymore, as it would be akin to forcing their precious airshipmanders to march to their deaths.


    The enemy¡¯s new anti-aircraft weaponsbined with airnes forming a defensive left no room for the airship forces to operate, indefinitely dying the n to bomb Anpu.


    In reality, even if there were brave souls willing to continue the airship bombing missions, the Qi Army no longer had any airship bases at the front to use¡­


    ¡°The Tang Army has approached Luo Town, and we have already telegraphed the Third Prince, telling him to hold Luo Town at all costs and ensure the safety of our supply routes,¡± a general said, focusing on Luo Town while briefing Jiang Xian.


    Seeing Jiang Xian¡¯s gaze fixed on Luo Town on the map and not moving away, the general hastily added, ¡°The Third Prince previously telegraphed back saying he had dispatched an additional battalion of soldiers to Luo Town and sent all the tanks he had there¡­¡±


    ¡°Originally one battalion¡­ now it¡¯s two battalions and fewer than twenty tanks?¡± Jiang Xian said with a frown, unconsciously confirming it out loud.


    The Third Prince had 150,000 troops. A third of them had lost contact in the head-on shes with the Tang Army, and some of the remaining troops were still stationed at the original border defense positions.


    Thus, the forces that the western front troops could now spare numbered around thirty thousand. Deploying 3,000 soldiers to Luo Town, a location that was not at the forefront of defense, and reinforcing it with tanks and artillery, seemed quite a generous expenditure.


    But as a monarch, Jiang Xian instinctively felt a hint of danger. So he lifted his head and looked at the ministers and the Shireck military advisor around him, saying, ¡°That location is critical for the supply operations of hundreds of thousands of troops; we must strengthen the garrison forces!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, should I have the Third Prince continue to send reinforcements to Luo Town?¡± the officer proposed cautiously.


    ¡°Send the First Prince with the 1st Army over there! In addition, move the Third Prince¡¯s most elite 3rd Army to hold position in Luo Town!¡± Despite his concerns, Jiang Xian personally issued orders to deploy the troops.


    Although the most logical counteroffensive would be to strike back along the border defense line, cut off all supplies for the Tang Army forces invading Qi Country, encircle these troops and annihte them.


    Jiang Xian was aware, counting on the not-so-elite troops under the Third Prince, such a strategy was virtually impossible to realize. Even if he decided to deploy the elite forces under the First Prince, it would likely take three or even four days to reach the battlefield.


    He looked at the direction of the Tang Army¡¯s advance reported from yesterday, which was clearly aiming towards Luo Town and Nanye.


    He had already ordered the Imperial Guards stationed in King City to reinforce Nanye and strengthen Luo Town¡¯s defenses, which was clearly essential.


    Due tomunication dys andgging reactions, although Jiang Xian realized that Luo Town and Nanye might face dangers, he waspletely oblivious that the Tang Army had stirred up chaos in his rear on the very next day of the battle outbreak.


    The King had not anticipated that Luo Town, which he intended to secure, had already been lost, nor did he realize that his forces deployed along the border, now numbering in the hundreds of thousands, had their supplies mostly cut off, with the significant risk of being encircled.


    ¡°Yes! I will go send the telegram immediately¡­¡± After hearing his king¡¯smand, the officer turned and rushed to the telegram room.


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 Chapter 583: 542 Clumsy Dispatch

    Chapter 583: 542 Clumsy Dispatch


    The Third Prince was in the process of mobilizing his troops, but due to disconnection inmand and the chaos of the war zone, his troop mobilization was extremely slow.


    No one dared to mobilize arge force under the harassment of Tang Country¡¯s Air Force, yet without grouping, there was no way to deploy and move the troops, essentially trapping the Qi Army in a vicious cycle.


    Relying entirely on messengers formunication, their efficiency couldn¡¯t possiblypete with that of the Tang Army, which was equipped with radios.


    The outdatedmand system of the army forced Qimanders not to let their troops leave the camp in small groups.


    If they did so, then the Qi Army wouldn¡¯t even need to fight the Tang Army; they would copse on their own.


    Therefore, two hours after the order was issued, the Third Prince found that most of his troops were still dawdling on the spot with not the slightest sign of moving.


    With the way things were going, he couldn¡¯t expect these troops to leave their positions and camps by tonight.


    Most likely, many units were hoping to have a good night¡¯s sleep in the safety of their camps or positions, and then to consider any action the next morning.


    ¡°They are defying orders! They¡¯re sabotaging me!¡± The Third Prince fumed inside hismand post as he furiously threw a teacup to the ground.


    He had intended to retreat quickly, lead his troops northward, and adopt the posture of returning to defend Nanye, which, at the very least, could stabilize the nk near King City.


    But the dy in troop mobilization was driving him to the edge of panic. Judging by the time, the Tang Army would have almost reached Nanye by now, and if he didn¡¯t move fast, should any issues arise in Nanye, he would really get trapped in Luo Town.


    ¡°Your Highness! The 3rd Army is already moving northward. With them, we still have hope,¡± said a general, attempting to console the Third Prince as he saw him throw the teacup on the ground.


    ¡°Finally, there arepetent men.¡± The Third Prince felt slightly better upon hearing that his elite 3rd Army had perfectly executed his orders and praised them.


    He was very anxious now because the situation he faced waspletely different from what he had envisioned, making him feel very insecure.


    The previous tactical n had been that the Tang Army would seek to break through along the entire front. No matter where the Tang Army attacked, they would be bogged down by defensive positions, which would then allow the Qi Army to hold their ground and await reinforcementsfortably.


    The most likely target for attack was the central war zone guarded by the First Prince. In actuality, the western front where the Third Prince was located was the safest!


    Because this area bordered the Dahua Empire, if the Tang Army couldn¡¯t break through after a prolonged siege, reinforcements from the Dahua Empire would arrive in time. Then, when the two forcesbined, the Tang Army would immediately find themselves at a disadvantage.


    However, this seemingly perfect defensive n was utterly disrupted on the second day of battle when the Tang Army breached the Third Prince¡¯s defense line and then cut off the connection between Dahua and Qi Country from the side.


    What was even worse was that the Tang Army surging into the hearnd of Qi Country was unstoppable. It seemed increasingly apparent that they had upset all the Qi Army¡¯s arrangements and were set on a rapid resolution.


    ¡°Rest easy, Your Highness! With the 3rd Army here, we have a foothold in Luo Town. By moving up to Nanye, we will soon be on invincible ground,¡± the general continued to reassure him.


    ncing at his subordinate who had given him plenty of good advice, the Third Prince meaningfully repeated his earlier words, ¡°Finally, there arepetent men indeed.¡±


    After expressing his feelings, and before he could say anything more, an officer rushed into themand post, anxiously calling out, ¡°Urgent message from King City! His Majesty¡¯s orders! The 3rd Army must move north immediately and hold Luo Town.¡±


    ¡°It seems my father and I are on the same page,¡± the Third Prince eximed with delight,ughing heartily, ¡°With my father¡¯s order, our actions are even more justified.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, Your Highness! It seems that His Majesty has also recognized the peril of Luo Town, dispatching the 3rd Army there to stabilize the situation¡­¡± The general clearly felt relieved as well and promptly offered his ttery.


    The Third Prince¡¯s mood lifted considerably, proud as though he had orchestrated the strategy and outdone his father¡¯s foresight by making the tactical deployment in advance. He haughtily dered, ¡°Send word back to Father, tell him I had already ordered the 3rd Army to head north and station themselves at Luo Town.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The officer immediately went to send the message after receiving the order.


    No more than two minutes had passed since the officer left when another officer burst into themand post, his face ashen, crying out, ¡°Your Highness! Bad news! Luo Town, Luo Town has fallen!¡±


    The words shocked the Third Prince, and the general by his side was startled too, asking in a high-pitched voice, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? How could Luo Town, Luo Town possibly be lost?¡±


    At that moment, the Third Prince also came to his senses. He had preemptively sent his Armored Corps to support Luo Town; it couldn¡¯t possibly have fallen so easily.


    So he also raised his voice and demanded, ¡°Reporting false military intelligence! Shaking the morale of our troops! How could Luo Town be lost! There, there are two regiments of soldiers!¡±


    Considering the tanks that had been sent over, it was as if the area around Luo Town had deployed nearly a division¡¯s strength. With so many men holding a small town, how could it possibly fall within just one day!


    ¡°3,000 infantry, relying on the town¡¯s structures, and the enemy attacking head-on, how could they not hold out for even a few hours? Huh?¡± A general standing next to the Third Prince also joined in the questioning.


    ¡°Your Highness, this¡­ this¡­ I really don¡¯t know,¡± in a rush of anxiety, the military officer started to stutter, ¡°The message from the telegraph station in Luo Town, I¡¯m just the one delivering the telegram!¡±


    As a transportation hub and an important rear supply town, Luo Town did have a telegraph station.


    However, even without enough time to call for reinforcements, the Qi Army stationed at Luo Town was defeated by the Tang Army. The radio station in Luo Town could only send a telegram to the Third Prince when the Qi Army was copsing to report the fact that Luo Town had been lost.


    ¡°Get out! Get out of here!¡± The Third Prince waved his hand forcefully, as if he was unwilling to ept reality, he shouted. The military officer, as if pardoned, quickly left themand center.


    ¡°What should we¡­ what to do?¡± The Third Prince, out of ideas, turned to the generals by his side, asking them in despair for a n.


    The general was also somewhat panicked, but he still forced himself to calm down. He thought for a few seconds, then spoke, ¡°We have no choice, Your Highness! We must take back Luo Town! Otherwise, this army of a hundred thousand¡­ is finished.¡±


    In fact, the number of troops they could muster at the moment was far from a hundred thousand; scraping together seventy or eighty thousand was already the limit. But it had to be put that way; who would willingly ept the cruel reality of having lost more than half their strength?


    ¡°Can we¡­ can we take it back?¡± the Third Prince asked with some doubt in his voice¡ªalthough the 3rd Army was his elite force, thebat prowess of the Tang Army had truly frightened His Highness the Third Prince.


    ¡°Your Highness, if we cannot clear the line between Luo Town and Nanye, we can only wait for death,¡± the general exined, ¡°Losing Luo Town, the First Prince will also lose rail support, and he will surely need to solve his own supply problems.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± The Third Prince did not speak; he looked at the other party, waiting for them to make things clearer.@@novelbin@@


    The general did not keep him in suspense and continued to exin, ¡°The only retreat route that can provide supplies for the army along the way is now the rail line under the Second Prince.¡±


    He pointed on the map, ¡°This railway line, the Second Prince needs it to take his troops back to King City, the First Prince also needs it for his return, but when will it be our turn?¡±


    The Third Prince suddenly realized that if he wanted to flee, ording to the order of distance, he could only be the one to cover their retreat! What it meant to be thest to run was clear even to a fool.


    Never mind whether his two brothers would let him run, whether the Tang Army would even give him a chance was questionable by then.


    Having grasped this crucial point, the Third Prince gritted his teeth and decided to bet his fate on recapturing Luo Town¡ªafter all, there was no escaping now. If they fought here, perhaps they might win.


    ¡°Order the 3rd Army to continue marching north! At all costs! Retake Luo Town!¡± The Third Princemanded hysterically, betting everything he had, ¡°As soon as the follow-up troops are ready, march out! Launch a fierce attack on Luo Town! Whoever retakes Luo Town, will be my lifesaver!¡±


    ¡°I shall head to the front now to supervise the battle! If Luo Town is not retaken, I shall die there in battle!¡± The Qi Country general donned his military cap and promised the Third Prince.


    ¡°You go first, I will follow soon! Hope when next we meet, it will be in Luo Town!¡± The Third Prince, also spurred by a surge of ferocity, dered sternly.


    When the Third Prince ordered his loyal 3rd Army to march north, the First Prince also began mobilizing the 1st Army as soon as he received orders from Jiang Xian.


    At the same time, he reinforced the 1st Army with 100 of the Shireck Model 1 tanks that Shireck had supported him with. The purpose was to ensure that his elite 1st Army would have the capability to break through enemy lines upon arriving at Luo Town.


    Meanwhile, in Luo Town, the Tang Army was also busy preparing for defense, as the 1st Armored Division was ordered to hold Luo Town at all costs.


    The grenadier units were reinforcing the defense positions built by the Qi Army within the town, and they were also constructing new defensive works on the outskirts of the town.


    Besides increasing the machine gun fire support on both nks, the Tang Army also deployed artillery behind the town. In addition to the 105mm caliber self-propelled guns that apanied the tanks in the attack, there were also newly arrived 155mm caliber howitzers that could be towed by trucks.


    For the Tang Army, these were thergest caliber support artillery they had: long-ranged and powerful, and could be towed by trucks.


    On another front, to support the ground troops, the Tang Country Air Force also stopped aiding the Tang Army attacking towards Nanye, and instead focused their attention on the 1st Armored Division.


    Hundreds of airnes were loaded with bombs, waiting for takeoff, and for a while, everyone¡¯s attention seemed to converge on Luo Town.


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 Chapter 584: Since Im here already

    Chapter 584: Since I¡¯m here already


    In fact, the battle at Luo Town had notpletely ended when the 3rd Army of Qi Country was assembling. When Liu Guozhu climbed back onto his tank, the defensive forces of Qi Country had not yet given up their resistance.


    Fierce gunfire continued within Luo Town, stretching from the train station all the way to the power nt in the east, with Qi Army soldiers persisting inbat.


    Their resistance was ultimately suppressed by the 1st Armored Division, though. Wherever the tanks went, the troops of Qi Country simply had no ability to retaliate.


    Tank No. 4, brought to a battlefield of World War I caliber, was just too powerful. The military of Qi Country basically had no way to counter this weapon and could only rely on valor to meet the enemy with their flesh and blood.


    Even though at the train station, a Qi Country soldier armed with explosives ultimately managed to destroy one of the 4thpany¡¯s tanks, his efforts could not change the defeat and surrender of the Qi forces.


    The 3,000 soldiers stationed at Luo Town from Qi Country were almost entirely wiped out, and the soldiers who barely survived chose to surrender honorably. They handed over their weapons and were then escorted by the Tang Army to the rear.


    Immediately after, the Tang Army did not dare to ck off, judging from thebat effectiveness of the Qi soldiers who defended Luo Town and from the interrogation of Qimanders, they learned that Qi Country had already begun to notice the importance of Luo Town.


    Or rather, the Qi Army had realized that Luo Town was in grave danger and was trying every possible means to send reinforcements there.


    All signs indicated that the Qi Army would certainly attempt to recapture Luo Town, so the Tang Army had to set up a sturdy defense line here to meet the imminent enemy forces.


    ¡°Move quickly! We have no time to waste!¡± a Tang Armymander urged while shoveling dirt, reminding his subordinates.


    In the uing battle, aplete and robust line of defense was their only reliance to maintainbat effectiveness or, in other words, to save their own lives.


    Fortunately, every Tang grenadier was equipped with a standard Engineer Corps shovel, enabling them to construct the defense line rapidly.


    Each soldier dug a foxhole, which would soon be connected as construction progressed, forming trenches.


    Real trenches differ from those in movies; to avoid artillery bombardment, they are often contorted and twisted, rarely straight.


    Why don¡¯t movies urately reproduce real trenches? The reason is simple: real trenches offer poorteral visibility, affecting filming, and theyck the imposing presence of straight trenches, so they make artisticpromises.


    After connecting the foxholes to form trenches, the Tang Army began to construct more solid machine gun nking positions on both wings of their trenches.


    These nking positions appeared to be unremarkable individual soldier positions when viewed from the front, but hidden machine gunsy in wait at a nt across from their own positions.


    Once the enemy approached their main positions, the hidden machine guns would open fire from the nk, suppressing the enemy¡¯s advancing forces and inflicting heavy casualties.


    The crossfire from both wings is a tried-and-true ssic setup, so most of the lower-levelmanders graduating from the Great Tang Kingdom¡¯s military schools would adhere to the book as much as possible.


    Quickly, behind the copsed buildings, mortar support fire from thepany level had already determined firing angles and sectors.


    Those with no immediate tasks were helping to unload ammunition from trucks, then distributing it as much as possible to the participating units.


    Inside the train station, the Tang Army made some discoveries: they found an undestroyed Qi Army lotive with a train car attached, filled with grain.


    Clearly, it was a train that hadn¡¯t been unloaded in time, carrying supplies of food intended for the front lines.


    Everyone also found gasoline and ammunition in the warehouses of Luo Town¡ªsadly, the Qi Army¡¯s ammunition couldn¡¯t supplement the Tang Army¡¯s consumption.


    Even the gasoline wasn¡¯t quite the same: The Tang Army¡¯s gasoline was clearly of higher quality and purity, burning better naturally.


    However, the captured inferior gasoline of the Qi Army was not useless; it could be mixed with the Tang Army¡¯s gasoline and used reluctantly.


    Unfortunately, this method would cause carbon buildup in the engine, a short-term solution that could lead to increased engine failure rates for the Tang Army, potentially aiding their sustainedbat capability in the short run.


    Such is war, where everyone does things that seem irrational but are very much based in reality.


    While defending, Tang tanks could only serve as fire support points. The tankpany that suffered the loss of one tank was left in the town with orders to act as artillery and machine-gun pillboxes to support the entire position.


    Meanwhile, the other twopanies of tanks from the 1st Battalion were ordered to move out of town, concealed in a depression north of the town, ready to counter-attack the Qi forces¡¯ lines if necessary.


    After setting up defensive positions, the Tang Army¡¯s reinforcements were the first to arrive at Luo Town, boosting the morale of the Tang soldiers there significantly.


    Although only a follow-up light infantry unit had arrived, their presence still strengthened the defensive force of the Tang Army.


    The originally stretched thin two battalions of grenadiers had suddenly turned into four battalions, which filled the frontlinemanders of the Tang Army defending this location with immediate confidence.


    The alert troops had already dispersed, and they quickly sent back news of a Qi Army counterattack. Arge contingent of the Qi Army was advancing towards Luo Town along the highway, the specific number of which was unknown.


    Shortly afterward, the battle erupted, and the Tang Army units responsible for the perimeter alert created some minor troubles for the Qi Army during their retreat. The Qi Army suffered seven to eight casualties, which forced them to slow down their advance.


    By evening, the artillery units of the Qi Armyunched an attack on Luo Town. They fired hundreds of shells, damaging a train loaded with food that had not been dealt with in time.


    The long-range artillery of the Tang Army didn¡¯t bother to return fire, and as night fell, the Qi Army quieted down as well. Taking advantage of the darkness, the 3rd Army of Qi Country regrouped their forces and prepared for an attack at dawn the next day.


    The Tang Army rested all night, and the Qi Army, having trekked all the way here, also rested for most of the night. Both sides were in a rtively well-rested state as they entered thebat of the following day.


    Early on the third day, the two forces immediately became entangled. Forty Stuka Dive Bombers of the Tang Army arrived as scheduled, greeting the brash Qi Country artillery from the day before.@@novelbin@@


    That ghost-like screaming sound echoing in the sky made the defending soldiers of the Tang Army listen with terror in their hearts.


    Before the first wave of Stuka Dive Bombers had even departed, the second wave of B-17 bombers had already reached the battlefield.


    These warnes of the Tang Army seemed endless, circling above the Qi Army like a nightmare that refused to dissipate.


    They kept dropping bombs, scattering the Qi Army troops trying to gather andunch a ground assault, hindering the enemy¡¯s advance.


    Because of the presence of these nes, the numerical advantage of the Qi Army¡¯s artillery waspletely nullified; half of their dozens of artillery pieces were either in hiding or destroyed.


    The remaining half fared no better in the face of Tang Army fire. Themanders of Qi Country had not anticipated that the artillery of a single Armored Division of the Tang Army could exchange fire with all the artillery of their two or three infantry divisions.


    For Qi Country, this wasn¡¯t even the most troubling issue. The most troubling issue was their first exploratory attack had not beenunched by noon.


    After the fifth wave of Tang Army Stuka Dive Bombers arrived on the battlefield, the leaders of the Qi Army finally realized that the nes overhead might truly never leave.


    Without havingunched a single attack and already suffering over a thousand casualties, themander of the 3rd Army of Qi Country finallymenced the first fierce offensive, gritting his teeth.


    Ignoring their casualties, the Qi Army artillery once againunched an artillery assault. They fired dozens of rounds, enveloping Luo Town in thick smoke.


    Afterward, the 3rd Division of the 3rd Army of Qi Country threw in an infantry regiment, a human wave surging towards the Tang Army¡¯s position.


    ¡°Charge! The first to breach Luo Town will be rewarded with 50 gold coins!¡± A Qi Armymander waved his Mauser Bolt-Action Rifle, rallying the Qi Country soldiers moving forward with bays at his side.


    It was easy to distinguish the soldiers of Qi Country without helmets; they looked quite different from the Tang Army soldiers wearing M35 steel helmets. The Tang Army soldiers were all equipped with tactical vests, while the Qi Army soldiers only had the most basic gear belts.


    At the forefront of the position, the decoy machine gun nest enticing the Qi Army troops opened fire first. The MG42 machine guns, with their distinctive and menacing sound of tearing fabric, roared to life.


    A barrage of bullets met the Qi Army soldiers head-on, and they fell in droves, unprepared. The remaining Qi soldiers immediately spread out further, hunched over as they inched forward.


    ¡°Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!¡± The Maxim machine guns covering the advance of the Qi soldiers also roared angrily, fiercely spraying bullets towards the origin of the tracer rounds.


    The 3rd Army, under the third prince, truly was an elitebat unit. From the outset of the engagement, theirbat discipline showed to be far superior to other Qi Army troops.


    Their attack was more methodical, with machine gun cover and artillery support, clearly well-trained, and theirmanders fully understood the performance of their weapons and equipment,bining them effectively to unleash greater power.


    However, as impressive as they were, their performance was only exceptionally good by the standards of the First World War.


    Very soon, the Tang Army¡¯s mortars deployed in the town began to give the attacking Qi soldiers a taste of hardship. They were broken up by a barrage of fire, and the first probing attack quickly copsed into a rout.


    It was only at this point that Qi Armymanders seemed to remember, the Tang Army¡¯s ease of prating defenses, slicing through them like cutting melons and vegetables, did not mean everyone could easily break through well-prepared defenses.


    Without the cover of Air Force and Tanks, it seemed ¡­ the Qi Army couldn¡¯t breach the defensive positions of the Tang Army the same way.


    But they no longer had the option to retreat; after all, there¡¯s a saying: since we¡¯re here¡­


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 Chapter 585: 544 Crazy Demon

    Chapter 585: 544 Crazy Demon@@novelbin@@


    ¡°These bastards! Even after being bombed like that, they still have so many cannons!¡± a Tang Army soldier, hiding in the trench, grumbled as he shook the loose soil off his body, holding his rifle.


    A shell had justnded near his position, raising a cloud of dust and nearly burying him alive.


    Debris from the sky ttered against his M35 helmet, creating a cacophony of clinks and ngs, and now and then, medics ran past, dashing toward the cries for help.


    Even if the trenches were dug well, there would still be unlucky ones hit by shells. Some would be blown to pieces instantly, while others with severed arms or legsy on the ground wailing loudly.


    There were also the less fortunate who suffered grazing shrapnel wounds¡­ These were the unluckiest, too lightly injured to be pulled from the line, bleeding yet continuing to fight.


    The most merciless aspect of war is that, whether you¡¯re brave or cowardly, whether you¡¯re a soldier or a civilian, everyone dies eventually.


    The first one to stand up and charge might be struck down by a bullet, or he might emerge unscathed. Simrly, the second soldier who jumps out of the trench to follow might also be hit, or he might escape harm.


    If you¡¯re too scared to advance, squatting in the trench with your eyes closed won¡¯t necessarily keep you alive; it¡¯s possible that a shell willnd and you¡¯ll peacefully go to another world. But if you move, there¡¯s also a chance you¡¯ll be hit and die.


    Bullets don¡¯t have eyes, nor do they distinguish between good and evil, and they certainly don¡¯t show mercy. As they leave the barrel, there are only two oues: hit or miss.


    In the sky, a Stuka dive bomber swooped down with a bone-chilling screech, dropping a bomb close to the ground.


    At the Qi Army¡¯s position in the distance, another muffled explosion was heard, and a plume of smoke shot skyward, the object of the st unknown.


    The Qi Army was not about to show weakness either, as another shellnded near the Tang Army¡¯s position, the massive explosion lifting a curtain of dust into the air, filling the atmosphere with the choking scent of burning.


    Huddled against the edge of the position, a toon leader peered through his binocrs at the Qi Army¡¯s position. Then he ducked back, loudly warning his subordinates, ¡°They¡¯reing again! Prepare for battle! The Qi Army is starting their assault! Get ready!¡±


    Everyone began checking their ammunition, the sound of rifle bolts being drawn back filled the air. Then another shell from the Qi Armynded, this time striking Luo Town behind them.


    A low building copsed with a crash, throwing up a cloud of dust. At this point, no one even bothered to look back, as they had all be desensitized to the destruction.


    In fact, some Tang Army soldiers with time to jest even started a betting pool on how many buildings in Luo Town would remain after the battle.


    ¡°Here theye!¡± With everyone ready, the Qi Army soldiers had already advanced, stepping over the bodies of theirrades, inching closer to the Tang Army¡¯s defensive position.


    The battle erupted immediately, as the Tang Army¡¯s machine gun hidden in the front position once again roared into action. That annoying sound of tearing cloth once again tormented the ears of the Qi soldiers, who had evenined about the Tang Army always having uniquely irritating and noisy weapons and equipment units.


    The MG42 machine gun had a high rate of fire, so most of the Tang Army chose to use ammo belts. This means Tang Army¡¯s logistics support was quite good, and the generals ced high importance on it; otherwise, they would not have been able to afford using a weapon that spent bullets like water.


    After the sound of the tearing-cloth machine echoed in the position, the Qi Army¡¯s advance was temporarily halted. But this time, they didn¡¯t retreat as usual but kept gritting their teeth and moving closer to the Tang Army¡¯s position.


    The Tang Army soon realized the problem¡ªthe enemy had more troops entering the battlefield behind them. This time, the Qi Army had deployed not just one battalion but two or even more.


    The densely packed Qi soldiers entered the battlefield, nearing the Tang Army¡¯s position. Even after being sprayed by machine gun fire, they managed to cling to the Tang Army¡¯s position.


    This time, despite dozens of mortar shells fired into the densest part of the Qi forces, the heavily wounded Qi soldiers did not retreat but continued their advance, heedless of everything.


    It seems that after a few probes, the Qi Army was unwilling to waste any more time; they intended to recapture Luo Town today and open up the road to Nanye.


    ¡°Bang!¡± Tang Army marksmen began joining the fight, aiming their K3 rifles at the enemies approaching their position, then firing withposure.


    After firing a single shot, they didn¡¯t bother to check their results but withdrew into the trenches, pulling back the bolt to reload.


    With the addition of these marksmen, the Tang Army¡¯s firepower suddenly became three-dimensional and even denser.


    The dispersed Qi soldiers immediately felt the pressure. Even though they had spread out their formation, the pinpoint shooting of the enemy still took them down.


    Advancing over the bodies of fallenrades was not an easy task. Although there was no troublesome barbed wire in front of the Tang Army¡¯s positions, this did not mean the journey was any easier.


    Bullets came head-on, and not many of the Qi Army soldiers had the courage to keep moving without stopping. Most of the time, they were crawling over corpses, and for them, thest hundred meters or so was like an endless torment.


    However, the Qi Army did have a numerical advantage. Not to mention that all of Qi Country¡¯s western troops were converging on Luo Town, even just the 3rd Army alone consisted of three infantry divisions, a force close to 25,000 men.


    The infantry divisions of Qi Country weren¡¯t like Tang Country¡¯s, which did not have a huge establishment of 20,000 men. Qi¡¯s infantry divisions were very traditional, the smallest beingposed of 4,500 men, patched together during formation with old military corps.


    Elite main forces, such as the 3rd Army, oversaw three divisions, so their establishment wasrge, all reinforced, configured with six to seven thousand men each.


    Together with the artillery and various misceneous troops directly under Army headquarters, the total strength of the 3rd Army exceeded 20,000, close to 25,000 men. This was roughly the size of a single division on the Tang side, with fairly simr firepower configurations as well.


    However, there were great disparities between Qi and Tang in terms of training, performance of weapon equipment, andmanders¡¯ abilities, ultimately affecting the battlefield performance of both forces.


    The Qi Army deployed more troops in this offensive because reinforcements were arriving. Over 30,000 troops had already been gathered nearby.


    With so many troops crowded together, space was clearly running short. If they didn¡¯tmit more troops to the attack, they would just have to huddle together and wait for the Tang Country Air Force to bomb them.


    Thus, the Qi Army dispatched three infantry regiments in one breath, an entire division¡¯s worth of forces, andunched a relentless assault, regardless of the cost.


    The mass of Qi soldiers, holding their bays, charged with the most primitive tactics towards the Tang Army¡¯s positions. As they approached, the previously hidden Tang Army nking cross-fire finally began to roar.


    At that moment, the Qimanders at the front realized that the Tang Army they had been continuously fighting had not been truly serious.


    Now with the hidden firepower joining the battle, the Tang Army¡¯s three-sided cross-fire made Qi Army casualties double instantly.


    The blood-enraged Qi soldiers did not retreat. With their enforcement squads pushing forward, they recklessly forced their own troops to continue the assault.


    Five to six thousand men were thus squeezed onto the battlefield, innumerable dead or wounded remained staunch, unable to advance an inch or allowed to retreat even half a step.


    As time passed, ammunition at the Tang Army positions began to run low. One soldier lifted the ammunition box under his feet only to find it more than half empty.


    ¡°Ammunition! I need ammunition over here!¡± Almost at the same moment, a soldier on another side pulled thest magazine for his Thompson submachine gun from the pouch on his chest and yelled loudly.


    ¡°The reserves are almost out! Ammunition delivery will take another ten minutes¡­¡± The toon leader, while loading new ammunition into his K3 rifle with a stripper clip, shouted loudly.


    ¡°The Tank Corps should counterattack now! If they don¡¯t get a move on, we¡¯re not going tost!¡± After all, it was a hastily built defensive position. Qi Army¡¯s reckless charge had caused quite some trouble for the Tang Army. A battalionmander, lowering his binocrs, spoke to the liaison officer beside him.


    ¡°The battalionmander has already sent the message to the Armored Corps, but I don¡¯t know why there¡¯s still no movement,¡± the liaison officer, raising his own binocrs to observe the enemy troops now closely approaching their positions, said anxiously.


    ¡°No choice! We wait¡­ If something really goes wrong, they¡¯ll pay dearly with their lives!¡± The infantry battalionmander was clearly irritated; he didn¡¯t want to lose the outer defenses of Luo Town on the first day of battle.


    If the Qi Army were truly let into Luo Town for street fighting, their numerical advantage would be fully utilized. Though it wasn¡¯t certain that Tang Army would lose, falling into a passive situation was an inevitable result.


    On the other side of the battlefield, the Tang Army¡¯s Armored Corps had already received orders to leave their hidden reverse slopes. Even though they were already some distance from the battlefield, at this moment, they did not charge toward the side of Tang Army¡¯s defense position.


    After a discussion, 1st Company decided the payoff would be meager if they merely repelled the Qi Army. Revealing the carefully hidden positions would be a loss-making business.


    Thus, they decided to go big: raid the Qi Army¡¯s rear, destroy their artillery positions, and turn the assembly points upside down!


    This n took advantage of the speed of the Armored Corps. If sessful, the rewards would be greater than a direct attack on Qi front-line troops.


    So, after leaving 2nd Battalion¡¯s 3rd toon of 4 tanks to attack the Qi Army¡¯s offensive nks ording to the original n, the remaining five toons, a total of 18 tanks, circled around with great momentum from another side to the nk of the Qi 3rd Army.


    While the Tang Army infantry waited desperately for their own tanks to make a nking attack to relieve their pressure, the 1st Battalion of the 1st Armored Division of the Tang Army charged wildly once again.


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 Chapter 586: Ask for Directions 545

    Chapter 586: Ask for Directions 545


    Liu Guozhu was certain that the map in his hands must be fake. Hepared it with all thendmarks in front of him, yet he couldn¡¯t find his exact location.


    It wasn¡¯t just Liu Guozhu, the entire 1st Armored Corps had been thrown into confusion; they didn¡¯t know where they had reached or how far they still were from the enemy troops they were searching for.


    To avoid being detected by the Qi Army¡¯s outer sentry units, they had to take a huge detour. But after making such a detour, they couldn¡¯t find the road on the map anymore.


    In the beginning, they could still hear the booming sounds of artillery fire from the battlefield, but now they could hardly hear it distinctly. There were no viges around, and the roads were not quite what they had expected.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this road be a first-ss highway?¡± After looking at the map he was holding, then raising his head to look at the road ahead, Liu Guozhu asked the toon leader next to him with frustration.


    The toon leader, also frustrated, bowed his head to check the map he was holding and became puzzled as well: ¡°Yes, shouldn¡¯t it be a first-ss highway?¡±


    Previously, the toon Liu Guozhu was in had participated in the battle of Luo Town. Themander¡¯s vehicle had problems; itsmunication system¡¯s antenna had been broken, and it seemed the equipment had malfunctioned as well.


    Therefore, entirely deprived ofmand capabilities, the toon leader had no choice but to stay behind in Luo Town to wait for the repair troops to catch up and fix the fault, as well as his radio equipment.


    As a result, themand of Liu Guozhu¡¯s toon was handed over to him¡ªhe was, after all, abat hero and the only person in the entire toon who had been awarded the third-ss Cavalry Medal.


    At this very moment, Liu Guozhu wasmanding three tanks: Tank No. 2 and Tank No. 5. Tank No. 4 had broken down halfway due to a transmission system failure during an earlier fight and had not returned to the unit yet.


    ¡°Could the map be wrong, and we¡¯re actually here?¡± Liu Guozhu asked with some uncertainty.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s possible, but shouldn¡¯t we have made contact with the Qi Army from here? What are we doing, not even seeing a shadow of the Qi Army?¡± The toon leader raised his head and expressed his confusion.


    They judged their position based primarily on two pieces of information: first, theparison of the terrain andndmarks around them with the map, and second, based on the strength of the Qi Army units they encountered and the confessions of captured prisoners.


    But now, it seemed they were truly lost. The frustrated Liu Guozhu had to climb onto the tank once more and adjust their direction again, ording to what he and the toon leader had discussed.


    ¡°Cross this dirt road and take a look, then advance vertically for 3 kilometers along this road! If we don¡¯t run into the Qi Army¡¯s sentry units, then we¡¯ll think of something else,¡± was roughly the conclusion drawn by the toon leader after consulting with thepanymander.


    After Liu Guozhu climbed onto his own tank, he immediately issued thebat orders. He instructed Tank No. 2 to cover his left nk and Tank No. 5 to cover his right as the three tanks crossed the ¡°highway¡± in front of them.


    Soon, the three tanks had crossed the road and began to advance in the direction perpendicr to the road. They quickly passed through the fields on the other side of the road, then broke through the shrubs and crossed a patch of forest.


    Before they hadpletely crossed the forest, they spotted Qi Army troops at the edge of the woods. These soldiers showed no intention of constructing fortifications; instead, they were cooking food there.


    ¡°Tank No. 2! Do you see the enemy troops straight ahead? That white tent!¡± Liu Guozhu shouted his question while advancing.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ see it¡­¡± There was some electrical interference in the radio, as it wasn¡¯t themander¡¯s vehicle, but since the distance was close enough, Liu Guozhu could still hear very clearly.


    ¡°toonmand! toonmand! We have spotted Qi Army troops! At the edge of the forest! We must have been spotted! Requesting attack! Requesting to initiate an attack!¡± Liu Guozhu switched channels to report his sighting of the enemy.


    ¡°¡­ Granted¡­ ttack¡­¡± Due to the long distance from the toon leader¡¯smand vehicle, this time Liu Guozhu couldn¡¯t make out what the orders were.


    But he knew that opportunity knocks but once; if he stopped at that moment, it was very possible that he would let the enemy in front of him escape and allow the enemies behind to prepare for battle.


    So, after confirming twice that he couldn¡¯t hear the toon leader¡¯s orders clearly, he immediately issued themand to begin the attack.


    ¡°Tank No. 2! Watch your nk! Cover me! Tank No. 5! Machine gun cover! Fire at will! Fire!¡± After giving orders to the two friendly tanks, he loudlymanded his own crew: ¡°Advance, advance! elerate! Prepare the coaxial machine gun to fire! Load the high-explosive rounds!¡±


    ¡°High-explosive round, loaded!¡± Before the tank began to elerate, the loader deftly loaded a shell into his tank, and then Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank began to bounce violently.


    The road wheels of the tank bounced up and down with the undtions of the terrain, and the tracks of the tank rolled over the loose soil, kicking up dposed leaves.


    Trees as thick as a wrist were being snapped off by the tough body of Tank No. 4, producing a crisp cracking sound. The Tang Army troops on the edge of the woods had also noticed the imminent danger.


    Unfortunately, they were ultimately notbat troops and hadn¡¯t expected to encounter Tang Army tanks here, so they immediately fell into chaos, screaming and running wildly towards the open space far away.


    ¡°Tang Army! The Tang Army ising!¡± A Qi Army soldier dropped the big iron pot he was holding and started running back, shouting as he ran to alert his obliviousrades around him.


    Another Qi Army soldier, who was chopping vegetables, still had a kitchen knife in hand. It seemed dangerous to either drop it or keep holding it, so he stood there, unsure what to do.


    Out of a white tent, an officer emerged, his face one of shock as he watched Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank roll over the shrubs, its dark cannon barrel pointing in his direction.


    ¡°How could there be tanks from Tang Country here?¡± the officer from Qi Country asked instinctively, but then he realized no one was there to answer his question.


    Because everyone around him was sprinting towards the fields behind them. It was no joke; that was the Tang Army! If they ran slowly, wouldn¡¯t they be killed?


    They were all cooks from the supply unit, and that too from the military headquarters. Cooking a meal was no problem for them, butbat? That was a bit too much to ask.


    The Qi Army soldiers didn¡¯t even have guns issued to them; their weapons were iron pots, kitchen knives, spades, and stoves¡­ How was using these any different from courting death inbat?


    ¡°Run fast! The Tang Army is here!¡± Some of the Qi Army soldiers hadn¡¯t even put on their upper garments as they fled, looking utterly disheveled.


    Before the officer from Qi Country could react, Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank was upon him. It circled around the white tent and stopped beside the Qi Country officer.


    Lifting the hatch of the tank, Liu Guozhu stuck out his head, looking down at the officer from Qi Country and pointed ahead, asking, ¡°Is that the artillery position over there?¡±


    The Qi Country officer shook his head instinctively.


    ¡°Then where is the headquarters?¡± Liu Guozhu asked again.


    The officer from Qi Country raised his hand, trembling, and pointed in a certain direction far away. He reacted instinctively, then just as instinctively recoiled his pointing finger a little.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Liu Guozhu waved his hand, almost giving the Qi Country officer a military salute. He did salute, just not in a standard way.


    And, funnily enough, the officer from Qi Country, also subconsciously, returned a salute to Liu Guozhu¡ªthe Qi Country military salute.


    Sometimes things just happen in the most miraculous ways, with the nearly impossible urring on the battlefield in the most unbelievable manner.


    An officer from Qi Country was pointing the way for a Tank soldier from Tang Country, then suddenly snapped back to reality and began to sprint into the distance. The Tang Army soldiers didn¡¯t even have the heart to open fire and kill this most cooperative muddle-headed ally.


    The three tanks of the Tang Army that had burst out of the woods chased one another towards the nearby Qi Army camp, filled with tents and innumerable soldiers.


    The sentries of the Qi Army had noticed the disturbance on the outskirts, but before they could issue a warning, Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank had already reached them.


    The scene turned chaotic in an instant. The Qi Army soldiers, who had no inkling that the Tang Army might counterattack and strike here, were utterly unprepared forbat.


    The first to suffer were the camps that had just been set up. After the Qi Army had attacked all morning without sess, themander of the 3rd Army finally started considering the prospect of spending the night in the fields.


    So, he ordered the rear guard troops to set up camp, but barely had the tents been erected when the Tang Army tanks arrived at their doorstep.


    Thus, the troops from Qi Country, in their haste and unable to even locate their weapons, could only do as theirrades before and shout at the top of their lungs, ¡°The Tang Army ising!¡± before fleeing aimlessly towards more distant grounds.


    The brave Qi Army soldiers who attempted to return fire could hardly do anything. What did they expect, to take up the Shireck model 1 rifles in their hands and fire at the Tang Army¡¯s No. 4 tanks?@@novelbin@@


    When Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank rolled over a white tent, like a tiger descending the mountain, rushing past a group of Qi Army soldiers crouching and surrendering, he didn¡¯t even know which unit of the Qi Army he was attacking.


    Equally bewildered were the attacked rear guard troops of the 3rd Qi Army. They, too, did not have the faintest idea where this Tang Army troop hade from, slicing into their defensive area from the nk.


    This area housed a newly set up Qi Country field hospital, numerous military vehicles, and carts for transportation, and even the Qi Country headquarters and the artillery positions.


    In short, this ce was pretty much the Qi Army¡¯s rear base, stacked with valuables but guarded by pitifully few men. And even these sparse defensive troops weren¡¯t prepared forbat.


    Because a significant number of Qi Country troops were engaged in battle with the Tang Army for the outskirts of Luo Town, they had never imagined that the Tang Army, already stretched to its limits in defense, would have the spare capacity to send an Armored Corps to disturb their rearguard.


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 Chapter 587: 546 Silent gunfire

    Chapter 587: 546 Silent gunfire


    In fact, Liu Guozhu was also a bit stunned; he hardly knew what to do anymore. The sheer number of Qi Army troops before him had left him feeling undecided.


    He didn¡¯t know whether to stop and wait for reinforcements or to continue the offensive. Both options carried enormous risks for him.


    If he chose to stop, he and his two remaining tanks would be unable to control the at least 1000 Qi Army captives before them. Worse still, the surrounding Qi troops might realize they were only facing three Tang tanks and immediately counterattack.


    If such a situation were to ur, they would be inplete danger. Venturing deeply into enemy territory, isted and unsupported, even a retreat might not shake off the pursuit of the Qi Army¡ªit would be no different from death.


    But if Liu Guozhu chose to press on with the attack, it would mean continuing to charge deep into the Qi Army¡¯s territory, essentially throwing themselves into encirclement. If the Qi Army snapped to and began striking back from all directions, retreat from the fight would be even harder.


    However, Liu Guozhu didn¡¯t have much time to ponder, as he couldn¡¯t afford to stop now. If he did, at least a few hundred Qi soldiers around him would certainly slow him down.


    ¡°Continue forward! We can¡¯t let these prisoners trip us up! Otherwise, we¡¯re finished!¡± Liu Guozhu, driven to desperation, ordered his driver, ¡°If they don¡¯t make way, run them over! The machine gun is ready to fire at any time!¡±


    The driver also realized that if they stopped here, surrounded by thousands of Qi soldiers, they were in for trouble.


    So, he elerated, with the tank¡¯s tracks spinning rapidly and the engine roaring, scaring off the surrounding Qi soldiers as they hurriedly made way.


    ¡°That¡¯s a field hospital! Do you see those tents over there?¡± Liu Guozhu eximed as if he had discovered a new continent, noticing another camp at the far end of the site.


    It was a field hospital newly established by the Qi military, which was essentially just a ce to house the wounded.


    Due to its provisional setup, there was a severe shortage of staff and even doctors and nurses were scarce. Obviously, in these details, the Qi military was in no wayparable to that of Tang Country.


    In Tang¡¯s infantrypanies, there were military medics aplenty; so many that each toon was allocated at least one, sometimes even two!


    In contrast, a Qi infantry battalion would be considered well-off with two doctors, while most units might have only one, or they might be avable only at the regiment level.


    Clearly insufficient forbat needs, the proportion of Qi soldiers receiving medical treatment was pitifully low.


    Previously, when fighting trench warfare, the pre-constructed field hospitals with some medical equipment managed to alleviate some of the medical pressure.


    But now, having abandoned the trenches to engage Tang forces in open ground, this shoring became starkly apparent. The Qi¡¯s military logistics and supply system for field operations was simply too fragile.


    Countless wounded crowded the hastily constructed encampment, with woefully few tents avable, forcing many injured soldiers toy in the open fields awaiting aid.


    Yet instead of Qi doctors they were waiting for, it was theirrades from a nearby camp running around like headless chickens who arrived.


    Some of the severely wounded were trampled to death by the fleeing troops, and even some of those with minor injuries who managed to get up were knocked down again and stomped to death.


    The Qi wounded, finally grasping the situation, no longer had the luxury toin about theirrades¡¯ scoundrel behavior as they too heard the rming news from the shouts that the Tang Army wasing.


    ¡°The Tang Army ising!¡± A Qi soldier, still with fresh blood on his arm, had already been scared out of his wits by the Tang forces and immediately started running.


    They hadunched an attack on the Tang positions that morning but failed to even reach the edges of the Tang entrenchments after suffering heavy casualties, thoroughly demoralized.


    Seeing defeat was already unfolding, they turned and ran without hesitation, not even making a token attempt to resist.


    Sure enough, other wounded men began shouting, as if the calls could vent the fear in their hearts: ¡°The Tang Army ising!¡±


    ¡°The front has fallen! It¡¯s lost!¡± Meanwhile, more Qi soldiers started yelling, frantically scrambling up the other side of the embankment, trying to escape the view of Tang tanks.


    A Qi doctor, covered in blood from amputating a soldier¡¯s limb, poked his head out of the tent upon hearing the shouting and immediately saw Liu Guozhu¡¯s No. 4 tank.


    He was startled, stumbled, and fell to the ground, pointing at the approaching tank and shouting, ¡°Tank! A Tang tank!¡±


    The Tang tank, which was nearly upon him, merely rolled past, flinging mud in his face with its tracks, then carried on without a pause.


    In this manner, Liu Guozhu¡¯s No. 4 tank chased after at least 1000 fleeing Qi soldiers, crossing the very highway they had been seeking all along.


    They had not expected the military of Qi Country to be on such a grand scale, already covering the road they had been searching for, with many Qi Army forces actually having arrived along this road.


    Now, Liu Guozhu had found this road and, with a single shot, had blown up a horse-drawn cart that was parked on it,den with ammunition, before hurriedly crossing over the road.


    What was frustrating was that Liu Guozhu found he couldn¡¯t make contact with his ownmand tank, number 5. The radio only responded with Tank 2, and amidst the chaos of the battlefield, he could not see where Tank 5 was.


    Liu Guozhu was no War God; he had almost lost his life due to recklessness during the battle of Luo Town. Therefore, this time he had learned from his lesson and did not n to open his hatch and look for Tank 5 amidst a sea of Qi soldiers.


    In his view, under such circumstances, it was like a y Buddha crossing a river, barely able to save himself, let alone Tank 5, whose fate was now left to destiny.


    It was simply impossible for him to turn back and search for the unresponsive Tank 5, because the moment he crossed the road, Liu Guozhu beheld a terrifying sight.


    There were Qi Country soldiers scattered across the hills and fields, enveloping at least 20rge-caliber howitzers with their barrels raised. Parked trucks loaded with ammunition were everywhere, and ammunition boxes covered the ground as far as the eye could see.


    Clearly, this was the Qi Army artillery position that their Armored 1st Battalion had been searching for, the most important target that they needed to destroy for their counterattack.


    The sacrifice of Tank 5 didn¡¯t ount for much if it meant they could destroy this position. Then the situation at Luo Town would essentially be decided.


    ¡°Move forward! Move forward!¡± Liu Guozhu ordered excitedly over the radio, then he switched channels and shouted toward the battalion headquarters, ¡°I¡¯ve found the Qi Army¡¯s artillery position! I¡¯ve found them!¡±


    ¡°Tat-tat-tat-tat!¡± Without waiting for Liu Guozhu¡¯smand, the gunner manning the course-aimed machine gun began firing, and tracer bullets plunged into the crowd of Qi soldiers, causing those still in shock to topple over.


    They had just heard someone shouting that the Tang Army tanks wereing, and before they could understand what was happening, they saw a Tang tank descend from the embankment and start firing.


    Qi Country¡¯s artillerymen who were bombarding Tang positions had never imagined that Tang forces would appear here; some Qi Army loaders were still holding shells, standing there stupefied.


    The Qi Army artillery position had been under severe strain all morning. Since dawn, they had been continuously harassed by Tang aircraft above them.


    Bombs fell from time to time, destroying their cannons, killing theirrades¡ªthis was the primary reason why Qi forces had not yet been able topletely overpower the Tang artillery fire.


    Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank maneuvered around a massive crater left by a Stuka, firing bullets that sparked against the barrel of a Qi artillery piece.@@novelbin@@


    At that moment, the Qi Army was truly in disarray; they fled in all directions, with only a few alert squads futilely attempting to fire back with their rifles.


    Unfortunately for them, their attacks could not stop Tank 4,manded by Liu Guozhu, from rampaging through the Qi positions, not even slowing it down.


    ¡°Boom!¡± After aiming at a target close at hand, the gunner in front of Liu Guozhu stepped on the fire pedal, and a shell sted out, hitting a Qi Army 250-millimeter caliber mortar directly.


    The thing, nearly asrge as a water tank, lost its barrel in the explosion, tumbling to the ground like a huge bell.


    More Qi soldiers raised their hands high, not knowing how many Tang troops had attacked; they chose the safest surrender to save their lives.


    Everything had fallen into chaos, and the artillery fire of Qi Country had abruptly ceased. The Qi Army¡¯s 3rd Army soldiers, who had been advancing, were suddenly panicking.


    Previously they had had relentless artillery suppression, which gave them the opportunity to barely approach Tang defensive positions. Now that this supportive fire had stopped, as they were under Tang firepower, what were they to do?


    Retreat? It was hard enough to have advanced to this stage, and they were on the verge of breaking through the Tang defensive line, pushing Tang forces back into Luo Town. How could they give up?


    Continue the attack? Without artillery support, relying solely on human lives to fill the Tang firepower traps, how many would need to be sacrificed?


    Probably, even if all of them died here, it was doubtful they would force Tang forces to retreat half a step, right?


    Thinking this, a Qi frontlinemander became angrily embarrassed, turned back, and looked behind him, ¡°What the hell are those damn artillerymen doing? Keep firing!¡±


    No one answered him, because the Qi artillery position was still silent, as if they had used up all their shells.


    ¡°Cowards! Don¡¯t they know victory is within reach?¡± After waiting another few seconds and finding that his own artillery fire was still silent, the Qi officer drew his pistol from his waist, ¡°Forget it! Brothers! Today we fight those Tang people to the end!¡±


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 Chapter 588: 547, the madman on the ground

    Chapter 588: 547, the madman on the ground


    Onboard a Stuka dive bomber carrying out a mission at the front line, the pilot gazed down at the earth beneath his feet. He was like an eagle soaring in the sky, surveying his territory.


    The Stuka, originally designed solely for dive bombing with its moderate flying speed andckluster flight performance, was not really suitable for bombing missions alone.


    Such an aircraft had virtually no self-defense capability when attacked by enemy nes¡ªof course, that didn¡¯t apply to ace pilots like R¨¹deler.


    But now, in the skies, aside from the Tang Army¡¯s aircraft, there were only birds left, so it was only natural for the Stuka dive bombers to carry out missions alone.


    Given the enemy¡¯s inability to reach the sky, the Stuka¡¯s poor flying performance was more than adequate, even superior¡­ At this point in time, using Stuka as a fighter ne was not a problem at all.


    Two Stuka dive bombers, one trailing the other, entered the war zone air space. Below them, they could see various points of burning smoke, some caused by artillery shell explosions, others left as scars by aerial bombs.


    Although the previous attacks had indeed obstructed some of the visibility, the view from the sky was still crystal clear. Everywhere, the Qi Army was preparing to assemble, crowding on the already narrow roads.


    ¡°Do you see that road full of horse-drawn wagons? 11 o¡¯clock ahead,¡± the pilot in the lead aircraft reminded his wingman from behind thepartment divided into sections by iron bars, preparing to select a target to attack.


    At this time, the enemy had no awareness of air defense; they didn¡¯t even practice basic dispersal and concealment. It might be the easiest era for pilots to achieve distinction¡ªjust dive, pull up, and they could establish their own merits.


    The only threat was the possibility of encountering Maxim machine guns temporarily raised to fire at the air.


    As long as they avoided these machine guns, they could easilyplete their attack and achieve glorious results, blowing the crowded wagons and soldiers into midair.


    ¡°I see it! Very clear!¡± the wingman¡¯s voice came through the radio, apanied by a bit of static noise.


    ¡°You drop the bomb!¡± The lead aircraft pilot maneuvered his ne to clear the attack path, decelerated calmly, and ceded the main attack to his wingman.


    This was a set of attack experience that the pilots had summarized after several bombing runs: the ground targets were too numerous to bombpletely, so everyone would find high-value targets to attack. However, if the lead aircraft attacked first, then the wingman was often left to engageter-discovered high-value targets, which could lead to the awkward situation of missing the target without the chance for a corrective strike.


    Therefore, it was logical to have the less experienced wingmen initiate the attack first. If they missed, the lead aircraft could make a corrective attack.


    After adjusting, the wingman began his attack. As he pushed his control stick, he loudly reminded the aircraft behind him, ¡°I¡¯m starting my dive! I¡¯m diving! Keep up with me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right behind you!¡± Almost simultaneously, the lead aircraft pilot also pushed down his control stick, and the two nes began their dive towards the ground, one after the other.


    The speed of the Stukas suddenly increased, and the air began to frantically disturb the fan near thending gear, causing the whistle inside to spin and produce that distinctive, piercing sound.


    Thereupon, all the Qi soldiers who were bustling on the ground ceased their mor. The coachmen pulled on the reigns, soldiers held their lunch boxes, and everyone looked up in unison, turning their eyes toward the familiar yet foreign sky.


    Two dark silhouettes plunged rapidly through the azure sky, that familiar yet terrifying sound rising once again, intimidating the soul of every living being.


    It was as if fear itself was knocking on the door again and again, and no matter how much the little girl inside cried and screamed, it kept on knocking¡­


    ¡°Enemy attack!¡± Finally, a Qi Country officer came to his senses, calling out in a voice full of destion and tragic determination, ¡°Run! Quick¡­¡±


    Before his cry could end, the dark spots above were already within close reach. Before the confused crowd could start dodging, the Stukas¡¯ wings lit up with fire.


    ¡°Ratatatat!¡± The 20mm cannons inside the wings began to roar, tracer bullets streaking toward the ground, leaving behind two jagged lines of white smoke amidst the Qi Army¡¯s pathways.


    In an instant, the ground forces of Qi were thrown into chaos, crying out in terror as uncontrolled wagons plowed into the crowd, and the air was filled with screams and the neighing of warhorses.


    Following closely, the aircraft in the wingman position, now the lead, also began its strafing run, creating two more jagged lines cleaved by cannon fire, just as deadly and efficient.


    The two Stuka dive bombers did not drop bombs; they merely used their cannons to strafe these Qi soldiers who were of little tactical value.


    But this brief touch-and-go attack had already exacted a heavy toll on the Qi forces crowded on the march route.


    At least onepany of soldiers was wiped out instantly, and anotherpany likely suffered injuries that rendered thembat ineffective.


    The supply wagon overloaded with provisions overturned at the roadside, and from its machine gun-shattered carriage, food spilled out and scattered everywhere, with starving Qi Army soldiers crowding around it to snatch up the food, heedless of their own lives.


    Another wagon carrying misceneous goods lost control and charged into the crowd, resulting in simr lethal effects: at least seven or eight people were injured by the collision, and one unlucky man was outright trampled to death.


    Because they were carrying bombs, the two Stuka dive bombers dared not get too close to the ground, lest they be unable to pull up and risk crashing directly into the terrain. This allowed their strafing runs to be very brief, sparing the Qi Army some loss of life at least.


    As the two Stuka dive bombers rapidly climbed upwards, the second round of attacks began, with the gunners behind the cockpits of the nes once again opening fire on the ground targets.


    During the strafe, the lead ne¡¯s defensive gunner suddenly saw an unbelievable scene.


    He yelled in shock over the radio, ¡°Look! Look there! My God! Have our ground troops already reached this position?¡±


    The shout caught the attention of the lead pilot, and after the ne regained altitude, he began searching for ground targets: ¡°I don¡¯t see our troops! Wingman! Do you see any ground recognition marks?¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°I don¡¯t see them either! I¡¯m following you, we can circle around to confirm!¡± The wingman pilot tilted his head and scoured the earth below for a while, but couldn¡¯t find any conspicuous ground recognition signs.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not identally bomb our own forces¡­ or we¡¯ll be punished to death when we get back,¡± the lead pilot searched anxiously, unwilling to bear the stigma of attacking friendly forces.


    ¡°I think I see something¡­¡± At that moment, the wingman¡¯s voice came again: ¡°Seven o¡¯clock direction! Let¡¯s circle back and confirm!¡±


    ¡°Heard! Lead the way!¡± the lead pilot jostled the control stick in his hands and followed the wingman who seemed to have spotted the mark, as the two nes circled around and approached the suspicious target.


    ¡°I see it! I see it!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the lead ne to locate the target on the ground that his gunner had seen earlier, which was two advancing Panzer IV tanks amidst a field pocked with craters and gun smoke.


    On the engine deck of the tanks, a blood-red Dragon Banner was draped. The two tanks were pushing through the Qi Army¡¯s artillery positions, with Qi Army soldiers running in every direction, a sight that was quite spectacr.


    ¡°Only two tanks? You¡¯ve got to be kidding! How did they get here?¡± The wingman pilot was amazed to see the two friendly tanks deep in enemy territory.


    ¡°What¡¯s so curious about that, we¡¯re here too!¡± the lead pilot prepared for the attack, thenmanded, ¡°No bombs! Stick close to me! Dive and strafe! Scatter the Qi Army troops in front of them!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± The wingman tightened up behind the lead ne, and the two aircraft once again tilted downward, descending into a dive from an altitude of two thousand meters.


    For the pilots, the entire diving action was as thrilling as riding a roller coaster. All the ps of the airne were lowered in order to decrease the speed of the impact with the ground.


    That annoying, battle-disrupting screech sounded once again, echoing over a battlefield already in utter chaos.


    The Qi Army, already disoriented by the Tang Army tanks on the ground, could not pay attention to the terror overhead and continued to run forward wildly, allowing the two nes to close in.


    What followed was a hail of ammunitions unleashed from the sky, which made a thudding impact as they hit the ground, ricocheting into dense crowds and slicing through flesh and bone.


    Therge-caliber aerial guns swept through, leaving behind nothing but limbs and pervasive gun smoke, followed by the roar of the ne¡¯s engines as they whizzed by overhead and gradually faded into the other mor.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear now! They¡¯re our tanks! And there are more to the north¡­ Why aren¡¯t they moving together?¡± As they pulled up, the wingman pilot nervously asked his lead pilot.


    ¡°How would I know! These lunatics are even more brash than us! Damn!¡± the lead pilot cursed while keeping an eye on his altimeter as it slowly restored altitude.


    They had prated deep behind enemy lines because they were flying in the sky, but those ground lunatics who had prated this deeply, did they no longer want to live?


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± the wingman pilot continued to gaze at the ground and asked.


    ¡°What can we do? What else can we do?¡± the lead pilot resumed his search of the ground, looking for nearby high-value targets: ¡°See that group of tents? Drop bombs! Create chaos and cover them! A bunch of madmen who don¡¯t care for their own lives!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± the wingman pilotughed excitedly: ¡°I like them, total maniacs!¡±


    ¡°Shut it! Keep up with me! Prepare for the dive!¡± the lead pilot ordered: ¡°Drop bombs simultaneously! Ensure the target is destroyed!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± the wingman pilot stoppedughing and responded solemnly.


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 Chapter 589: The tank riddled with bullet holes 548

    Chapter 589: The tank riddled with bullet holes 548


    ¡°Why has the artillery fire stopped?¡± In the tent, themander of the 3rd Army raised his head and looked toward his aide.


    The aide was also puzzled and turned to another officer, ordering, ¡°Go see what¡¯s happened! Why are there issues at such a critical moment? Tell them to continue the shelling! At all costs¡­¡±


    The officer nodded slightly before rushing out of the tent. There, Tian Heng, the confidant of the third prince and the actualmander of the Qi Army¡¯s western front, looked tense and kept his eyes on the map.


    He promised to recapture Luo Town before the third prince arrived, and now, at the most crucial juncture of the battle, the artillerymen of the 3rd Army had failed.


    ¡°The enemy¡¯s air force is always destroying our artillery¡­ It might be because of the recent bombing¡­¡± themander of the 3rd Army exined helplessly.


    nes of the Tang Army had been active the whole time, wreaking havoc everywhere, with Qi Army¡¯s vehicles and artillery being their primary targets, which indeed troubled the Qi artillerymen.


    Qi Country¡¯s artillery fire was intermittent, faltering at the most critical times when their beleaguered infantry needed support.


    This was also why, after several fierce attacks, the Qi Army always fell short, often being driven back when they were close to the Tang Army¡¯s positions.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the reasons! Luo Town is the essential route for us to go north! We must break through here at all costs¡­¡± Tian Heng, the confidant of the third prince and Qi Country general, insisted.


    He could not let down the third prince¡¯s trust in him; he had to lead the troops to break through Luo Town and allow the third prince to journey north back to Nanye.


    ¡°The third prince has arrived!¡± At that moment, outside the great tent, the guards announced loudly. As their voices faded, the tent ps were pushed aside, and the third prince burst in, dusty from the road, and threw his gloves to his attendant as he entered.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t we taken it yet?¡± The impatient third prince, with a grim expression, went over to the map and immediately asked his confidant Tian Heng.


    ¡°Your Highness! The enemy¡¯s aircraft have been harassing us constantly, making troop assembly difficult, thus wasting some time,¡± Tian Heng immediately replied: ¡°Please, Your Majesty, be patient. By tonight, I shall recapture Luo Town¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hearing his trusted subordinate¡¯s assurance, the third prince¡¯s expression slightly improved.


    The journey here hadn¡¯t been easy for him either, with Qi troops crowding the roads; his speed by car barely exceeded walking.


    What was even more frustrating was the asional need to avoid attacks from Tang Army aircraft¡ªwhile other troops might not have been used to taking cover from air assaults, his guards were experienced and quickly learned how to y hide and seek.


    Therefore, along the way, they often had to disembark and hide, dragging their feet until now, finally reaching the front-linemand post.


    ¡°The follow-up troops are arriving, and we have a numerical advantage by several times! As long as we attack with full force¡­ we will definitely recapture Luo Town!¡± Tian Heng was full of confidence, and indeed, the situation seemed favorable for him.@@novelbin@@


    Besides the 3rd Army, several battalions had gradually caught up. Though these troops were not elite, they could still add fuel to the fire at the critical moment without a problem.


    When the time came, they could rotate in and out ofbat; the Qi Army could rest while the Tang Army had no time to rest, and in the end, the Qi Army would undoubtedly hold the advantage.


    Not to mention, at night, Tang Army nes would not be able to harass them, allowing the Qi artillery to fire continuously, pestering the Tang Army all night long.


    Just hold on until the next day, and the weary, demoralized Tang Army would surely copse under the Qi Army¡¯s fierce charge.


    No matter how you calcted it, he held the winning cards, didn¡¯t he?


    But just then, the officer who had left earlier hurried back into the tent, clearly startled upon seeing the third prince.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t the artillerymen started firing?¡± Tian Heng looked at the returning officer, demanding an exnation.


    The officer stammered, struggling before finally saying, ¡°Report! The artillery position has been ambushed by the enemy, there¡¯s fighting everywhere, it¡¯s chaos¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tian Heng leaped up in fury, grabbing the officer by the cor: ¡°What do you mean ambushed by the enemy! Where are they? Where did¡­ the enemye from?¡±


    It was imperative to understand that the artillery position was about 1 kilometer away from their location¡ªif there were enemy forces there, then even themand post here was not safe.


    If it were just the generals and officers, that might be manageable, but the third prince had just arrived; if something were to happen, these soldiers would be inexcusably at fault!


    ¡°Impossible! How could the enemy bypass Luo Town to attack our nk? We¡¯re attacking Luo Town! They left it toe out and fight us? Are they insane?¡± themander of the 3rd Army asked angrily.


    ¡°Yes, it seems unlikely¡­ but¡­ but when I went to ask, everything was already in disarray. Some said the Tang Army broke through, some said they saw Tang tanks¡­¡± The officer, still caught by Tian Heng¡¯s cor, exined with difficulty.


    ¡°It must be a small group of Tang soldiers raiding us! That must be it!¡± Tian Heng, realizing the situation, immediately guessed its general nature.


    ¡°The Tang Army has tanks! They definitely used their tank troops to circle around to our nk. The enemy has no supplies, so they can¡¯t possibly hold out for long!¡± The more he thought about it, the more he convinced himself he had pinpointed the key point, and he spoke excitedly.


    ¡°Yes! It must be just a small group of Tang troops!¡± Themander of the 3rd Army agreed with Tian Heng¡¯s view, ¡°Organize the troops for a counterattack immediately! At all costs, we must annihte this Tang counterattacking force!¡±


    ¡°Right! It would be best if we could capture a few of the Tang Army¡¯s tanks!¡± The otherwise inconspicuous advisor Shireck also added excitedly at this moment.


    Ever since the outbreak of the war until now, Shireck¡¯s advisory team had been led around by the nose by the Tang Army, and it was indeed extremely frustrating.


    The main reason was that the Tang Army had introduced two new types of weapons, tanks and nes, into the war whichpletely changed the face of warfare and made the war experience Shireck¡¯s side had slowly umted obsolete all at once.


    Now, the top priority was to quickly master the Tang Army¡¯s new weapons and strive to replicate them on their own side. Otherwise, they would continue to be at a disadvantage in this war.


    ¡°Have the rearguard troops¡­ Forget it! You take the guards here to hold the line! Have the infantry battalion that just arrived here counterattack! At any cost¡­¡± Tian Heng looked towards themander of the 3rd Army, preparing to use the military headquarters¡¯ guard troops to reorganize the defense.


    This was also a measure ofst resort. The rearguard troops had already copsed, and the only immediatebat force they had at hand now was the nearby guard forces.


    Anyway, these guard troops wouldn¡¯t need to hold out for long. As long as they could slow down the enemy¡¯s advance, these few Tang Army tanks would sooner orter be overwhelmed by the Qi Army¡¯s sheer numbers.


    But just at that moment, just as they fantasized about how to counterattack and how to annihte those Tang tanks that had prated deep into their territory, the unique, chilling shriek of Stuka dive bombers suddenly came from overhead.


    Several men furrowed their brows, for they had all heard such a sound before, and when it got closer, it often heralded disaster.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Tian Heng cursed under his breath and then quickly passed by several officers, rushing toward the Third Prince, who was still unaware of what was about to happen.


    He tackled the Third Prince to the ground, and then the massive explosion erupted behind him, tearing open the tent they were in and flinging everyone inside through the air.


    The officers who were still standing were instantly torn apart by the shockwave, their bodies shattered and sent flying into the sky. The few officers who had been lying down were instantly silenced, leaving only devastation behind.


    The explosion blew away the tent and did not spare the tables inside; maps were swept into the sky, then burst into mes and turned to ash.


    All the surrounding tents were affected by the st and instantly blown away. The generator and radio in a nearby tent were destroyed, and the bodies of the signalmeny scattered and broken beside the ruined equipment.


    Tian Heng felt a burning pain in his back, and instinctively reached to touch it, only to see his hand smeared with blood when he looked at it groggily.


    He knew something had pierced his back, or at least left a long, deep wound behind.


    He couldn¡¯t concern himself with his wound now, for he saw that the Third Prince beneath him had his eyes tightly shut, apparently unconscious.


    So, he quickly pped the prince¡¯s cheeks, calling out non-stop, only to realize in shock that he couldn¡¯t hear any sound at all.


    His ears rang, and he couldn¡¯t even hear his own shouts. But he had no other choice, and kept shouting relentlessly, calling out against all odds.


    He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before he finally faintly heard his own voice. He could dimly hear his own cries, which sounded somewhat broken, ¡°Third Prince! Your Highness! Your Highness!¡±


    Eventually, guards parted the rolling smoke and approached, and an officer kneeled on one knee, supporting the blood-covered Tian Heng, ¡°General! Are you alright, General?¡±


    ¡°Quick! Call a doctor! Save His Highness! Save the Third Prince! Hurry!¡± An almost frantic Tian Heng shouted hoarsely.


    With his cries, the Third Prince finally opened his eyes, still dizzy and unsure of what had happened.


    But soon, he realized that he had nearly been killed by the bomb. Frantically, he clutched Tian Heng¡¯s arm, ¡°General! Save me, General! I¡­ I might be injured! I¡¯ve been injured!¡±


    When he saw the fresh blood on his hands, he was terrified to death. He thought he was done for, though in truth that blood was mostly Tian Heng¡¯s¡­


    While he was shouting, a huge dark shape burst through the smoke, its rolling tracks crushing overturned furniture.


    It was a No. 4 tank, covered in bullet marks!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Thank you, Your Majesty the Emperor, for the reward! The first leader of this book is born! Dragon Spirit updates too slowly, my apologies for any anxiety caused¡­ anxiously.


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 Chapter 590: 549 The Miserable Third Prince

    Chapter 590: 549 The Miserable Third Prince


    His Royal Highness the Third Prince was utterly bewildered. Throughout his life, he had been clothed in silk and fed with jade, growing up in the Royal Pce and enjoying the sustenance provided by the nation, practically one of the most fortunate few in the world.


    Although the court curriculum was extremely strict, and his father was very stern, his life was undoubtedly happierpared to those who couldn¡¯t afford enough food or clothing.


    If he wished, there would be beauties willing to undress for him every night. If he so desired, treasures of inestimable value would be presented to him with both hands.


    In fact, from a traditional standpoint, the three princes of Qi Country were still quite capable. At least, they were much stronger than the few ipetent fools in the royal family of Zheng Country.


    This was also the reason why King Jiang Xian had always relied heavily on his three sons. From the perspective of cultivating sessors, he was clearly excellent and a victor.


    All three of his sons were quite impressive, having studied military knowledge, possessed a certain level of tactical experience, and capable of leading troops on behalf of his royal father to alleviate his worries.


    And the Third Prince thought so too; he felt that he was apetentmander. He had always believed that even on the most brutal battlefield, he would have the courage to face the fiercest enemy.


    Just now, the injured Tian Heng, who was holding the Third Prince, made him recall his life, and he felt that he should not die here, absolutely not!


    But at this moment, as the pampered Third Prince truly faced the enemy close at hand for the first time, the thing beneath him almost gave way, nearly leaking all the liquid stored in his dder.


    This was the first time the Third Prince had seen Tang Army¡¯s tanks up close, and also the first time he saw them from such a short distance. The enormous vehicle was right before him, its tracks rolling, drawing ever closer.


    The terrifying pressure made the Third Prince finally understand why his position had been breached in a single day. He finallyprehended how his soldiers, mere flesh and blood, could stop such steel behemoths?


    So he wanted to shout, to surrender, to turn and run. But he was still sitting on the ground, held by a bloody damn fool.


    ¡°Your Highness! Are you alright, Your Highness?¡± The Third Prince¡¯s guard anxiously asked the bloodstained prince while watching the Tang Army¡¯s tanks charge over.


    The Third Prince didn¡¯t know if he indeed was injured, so he could only shout at Tian Heng, ¡°Let go of me! Let me up! Let me up!¡±


    Tian Heng, enduring the severe pain in his back, rolled over and moved his body aside. It was only then he saw a Tang Army¡¯s tank less than ten meters away from them.


    He, too, was seeing an enemy tank at such a close distance for the first time, and he could clearly see the dense bullet marks on this tank.


    For a moment, as amander, Tian Heng¡¯s mind shed with a thought: How long would one have to fight on the front lines to get hit by so many bullets?


    It¡¯s a pity that now was not the time to dwell on these things. He struggled to get up, propped himself with one hand while shouting to the people behind him, ¡°Take the Third Prince away! Get him out of here! Quick! Get him out quickly!¡±


    As amander, he truly dared not imagine how troublesome it would be if the Third Prince of Qi Country were to be captured on the battlefield.


    Once the Third Prince was captured, the Tang Army could make a big deal out of his identity, then use this royal rtive as a bargaining chip in the subsequent peace negotiations to demand massive benefits.


    What was even more frightening was that the capture of themander of the western front would deal an unimaginable blow to the morale of the Qi Army. The Qi Country¡¯s western front would be leaderless and unlikely to recover within five days.


    Given the Tang Army¡¯s rate of advance, they might even conquer Nanye and secure victory after five days!


    In fact, the Tang Army¡¯s determination to attack Nanye was greater than Tian Heng imagined, and their advance was also much faster than he envisioned.


    The 4th Armored Division, with ample supplies, was now less than 20 kilometers away from Nanye. The vanguard troops had even reached the outskirts of Nanye and engaged inbat with the local Qi Army sentries.


    Surrounding the Third Prince were the guards from the Royal Pce. Their duty was to ensure the safety of the royal family members. So upon hearing Tian Heng¡¯s order, this guard officer immediately began to drag the Third Prince, trying to get him to leave this damned ce as soon as possible.


    The Third Prince also hurried to cooperate. Having been scared witless by the Tang Army¡¯s tanks, he allowed his guards to drag him away, retreating awkwardly in the opposite direction of the tanks.


    Liu Guozhu knew that the officials from Qi Country were in front of his tank, as anyone not blind could recognize the mboyant clothes they wore.


    Although the explosion¡¯s dust made the brilliant fabric look bedraggled, their attire still set these mboyant individuals noticeably apart from ordinary soldiers.


    At that moment, Liu Guozhu wanted to go out and capture these Qi Country officials who looked very important. But before he could lift the hatch of his tank, several brave Qi guards charged over without fearing death.


    Bullets hit Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank one after another, which brought back some not-so-fond memories of fighting in the civil strife at Luo Town.


    ¡°Hull-mounted machine gun fire! Fire! Take down everyone around us!¡± Liu Guozhu ordered his electronics operator to continue firing.


    Since there was no possibility of taking prisoners, then they decided to eliminate all these officials from Qi Country right here. Liu Guozhu certainly couldn¡¯t let go of this chance, and he immediately gave another order, ¡°Gunner! Coaxial machine gun! Kill them all!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± After pressing the button to rotate the turret, the gunner began to control his coaxial machine gun, firing in another direction.


    Tracer bullets instantly sliced through the fading dust and smoke, weaving through flesh and leaving behind only overturned bodies and the desperate screams of the dying.


    Almost instantly, the sound of bullets hitting the tank was greatly reduced, leaving only the roar of the machine gun continuing. Liu Guozhu watched with his own eyes as tracer bullets flew by, hitting a Qi Army officer right in front of him.


    While firing, Liu Guozhu¡¯s Tank No. 4 did not stop. The tank rolled over the copsed tents, and the caterpir tracks screeched as they pressed over the wooden poles supporting the tents.


    Themander of the 3rd Army of Qi Country had just been stunned by the st of an aerial bomb and was only nowing to his senses. But when he opened his eyes, he saw a solid mass of steel bearing down on him.


    He didn¡¯t even have time to scream before his head was crushed into the mud by the caterpir tracks of Tank No. 4.


    Blood instantly sttered, spraying onto the slightly yellowed, muddy canvas of the tents, a ring crimson shocking to see.


    On the other side, the bullets from the coaxial machine gun blew away a Qi Country royal guard who was firing a Mauser pistol nearby.


    These guards were all issued with the Shireck Model 1 pistols, which were the Mauser bolt-action rifles that Tang Mo had given to Shireck.


    At this distance, such a weapon was essentially a rapid-fire weapon, very powerful and capable of continuous shooting.


    These Qi Country guards, holding their weapons, fired at the tanks; even knowing that their weapons could not damage the target, they could not stop.


    In battle, whatever weapon you have, you use. What sense does it make to not fight just because the weapon in your hand isn¡¯t suitable?


    Moreover, they were protecting the Third Prince! It was their duty, the most important mission they had toplete!


    Like mowing grass, these guards who had not fled were one by one knocked down by bullets, as if they were wheat sheaves cut down by the scythe formed by tracer bullets.


    In front of Liu Guozhu¡¯s Tank No. 4, the bullets from the coaxial machine gun showed no mercy as they swept across the targets directly ahead.


    Tian Heng watched in despair as the mes burst from the machine gun on the left side of the Tang Army tank in front of him, Then, as darkness swept over him, he copsed straight onto the ground.


    His head was prated by a tracer bullet, and the blood spurting from the back of his head flowed everywhere. Until his death, this Qi Country general hadn¡¯t closed his eyes.


    The very next second, the Third Prince, whom he was devoted to serving, had his chest pierced by bullets and stumbled, falling onto the body of a guard.


    That guard had been vigorously pulling the Third Prince, hoping he would get up quickly. But suddenly, the prince jerked backwards, and the excessive force used by the guard made him tumble to the ground.


    When he stood up and saw the Third Prince, with his chest cavity shattered by bullets, lying there, he knew he was finished. Jiang Xian would not let him off, and not just him, but his family as well.


    But he no longer had a life to wait for Jiang Xian¡¯s disposals, because in the next second, another bullet arrived, shattering his head as well.


    The vehicle electrician, operating the machine gun, would not miss such a clear target so close by. He too had thought about taking prisoners because he knew they only had two tanks.


    There was no point talking about taking prisoners; if it weren¡¯t for the fact that the enemy had voluntarily stayed behind, fleeing in all directions, these people from Qi Country couldn¡¯t have been caught or finished off.


    Moreover, taking prisoners requires some kind ofmunication, right? How would the enemy know whether you wanted to take prisoners if you kept firing and charging forward without stopping?@@novelbin@@


    Pop open the hatch and loudly dere, ¡°Throw down your weapons, and don¡¯t kill, surrender quickly?¡± Stop joking¡­ Try sticking your head out and see! Even the tankmander, who¡¯s such a ¡°stubborn¡± guy, wouldn¡¯t dare, let alone anyone else¡­


    So he obeyed the orders and continued firing,pleting his task ¡ª killing enemy officers was no small feat either, and safety first, right?


    And so they continued firing and advancing until all the Qi Country guards in front of them werepletely wiped out. Only then did an excited shout finallye through the headphones from the toonmander of the 2nd Company: ¡°1st Company, 1st Company! Where are you? Where are you?¡±


    Thank God, in such a chaotic battle, the unstable radio¡­ it finally worked!


    ¡°I¡¯ve passed the Qi Army¡¯s artillery position! I¡¯ve just ambushed a section of the Qi Army¡¯s artillery!¡± Liu Guozhu was overjoyed and, pressing the throat microphone, responded loudly.


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 Chapter 591: Born in the late 1950s

    Chapter 591: Born in thete 1950s


    ¡°Thank God this damn radio is finally working!¡± The excitement in the toon leader¡¯s voice came through. Themunication had been poor before, and finding the first toon hadn¡¯t been easy for him.


    Liu Guozhu also sighed with relief and pressed the talk button, ¡°My tank isn¡¯t amand vehicle, and I can¡¯t find tank number five, repeat, I can¡¯t find tank number five.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you care about yourrades in tank number two?¡± came a resentful voice from the headset. ¡°There are at least a hundred Qi Army prisoners in front of me¡­ a big, dark mass.¡±


    ¡°Want a suggestion for tank number two?¡± Liu Guozhu grinned andughed.


    ¡°What suggestion?¡± Themander of tank number two was immediately curious.


    Liu Guozhu, smiling, responded with a press to his throat microphone, ¡°I suggest you make them throw away their weapons!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Themander of tank number two was almost amused: ¡°Do you think everyone is as foolish as you, daring to open the hatch and go out?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± The sudden silence on the battlefield made Liu Guozhu rxed, and heughed without any reservations.


    ¡°Hold your position! We¡¯re right on your nk! I can even see your tank!¡± The toon leader of the second toon shouted excitedly over the channel.


    ¡°Over here, I can see some Qi Country military officers wearing different uniforms! They might be their headquarters!¡± Liu Guozhu reported, peering through the gaps of the viewing window at the tents scattered around, as well as maps and chairs.


    ¡°You¡¯re really damn lucky!¡± The toon leader of the second toon cursed enviously, and then Liu Guozhu saw a number four tank bursting through a wooden cart and appearing to the north of his tank.


    By this time, the Qi troops hadpletely copsed, with hardly anyone returning fire. The only sounds were the faint gunfire and the piercing screech of the Stuka dive bombers in the distance.


    ¡°The battalionmander means, since we¡¯ve paralyzed their artillery positions, retreating now is our best option,¡± the second toon¡¯s tanks approached, making the radiomunication a bit clearer.


    Apanied by the interference of electrical current, Liu Guozhu agreed, ¡°Leaving here is indeed a good idea. If the people from Qi Country knew we only had so few forces, they would definitelye back at us.¡±


    ¡°Without infantry cover, we can¡¯t sustain a prolonged fight here,¡± the toon leader of the second toon continued. ¡°We¡¯ve run out of machine gun bullets, and we¡¯ve used up a third of our shells.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Liu Guozhu wasn¡¯t a fool, and he was aware of the fact that his tank¡¯s machine gun ammunition was running low.


    The machine gun atop tank number four wasn¡¯t an MG-42 but its predecessor, the MG-34T with a circr barrel jacket. This machine gun was moreplex to produce than the MG-42. Its advantage was that it could be mounted inside a tank.


    This machine gun had no cooling holes on the barrel, and the barrel was thicker and cooled slightly better, ensuring that the machine gun could fire continuously for longer periods. Since it was mounted on a vehicle, the weight wasn¡¯t much of a concern.


    Inside the tank, the machine gun couldn¡¯t use a belt feed, so the MG-34T used drum magazines. Total ammunition reserves inside the tank ranged from 3,000 to 3,500 rounds. Given the MG-34T¡¯s rate of fire, it was easy to run out quickly.


    To be able tobat continuously, armored troops always carried extra ammunition. Originally, tank number four was designed to carry 3,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition, but everyone tried to cram in as much as possible, sometimes carrying over 4,000 rounds.


    Still, the roughly 3,500 rounds that Liu Guozhu and his crew had brought were now down to less than 500.


    At this rate, if the Qi Army counterattacked, they would probably have to pull out of the fight due to ack of ammunition.


    Now that he had the protection of the surrounding tanks, Liu Guozhu could finally open his hatch and climb out of his tank to search for the war trophies he had secured earlier.


    The several Qi Country high-ranking officers in their splendid uniforms were certainly dead, but their bodies were undoubtedly useful.


    Soon, Liu Guozhu and the toon leader of the second toon were standing in front of his spoils of war, next to a copsed white tent, which was easy to recognize.


    However, the sight of the bodies on the ground made the toon leader of the second toon a bit ufortable. The sight of brain matter scattered everywhere and the blood-soaked flesh was indeed visually shocking and quite bothersome.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite something¡­¡± with a hand over his mouth, still able to smell the blood and the scent of gunpowder, the pale-faced toon leader of the second toon gave his verdict.


    He didn¡¯t mind killing in a tank, but facing so much carnage was still disturbing for him.


    ¡°If it¡¯s no good, just leave it here,¡± Liu Guozhu also thought handling the bodies would be disgusting, so he generously prepared to give up this merit.


    ¡°Are you crazy? Get these bodies on the vehicles, one on each! We¡¯ll take them back for identification by the prisoners, take photos¡­¡± The toon leader of the second toon nced at Liu Guozhu and suggested, ¡°Hurry up and move. We¡¯ll set off in five minutes.¡±


    ¡°My tank can¡¯t fit anymore¡­ How many are you taking?¡± Liu Guozhu looked at thepanymander of the 2nd Company, somewhat reluctant to put those bodies on his own tank¡­ because it was disgusting.


    ¡°Fine! The ones we haul away count as ours,¡± thepanymander of the 2nd Company said, grinning, ready to take advantage of the situation.


    ¡°No problem then,¡± Liu Guozhu felt he was very good at dealing with people.


    So a few minutester, holding back their urge to vomit, the armored troops of Tang Country loaded a pile of bodies with smashed heads and rotten chests onto their tanks and then, taking advantage of the time before the Qi Army¡¯s counterattack arrived, retreated along the same route out of the battlefield.


    The surprise attack had thus ended, and the chaos in the 3rd Army of Qi Country persisted. One division was engaged in a tough battle ahead; most of another division had already copsed, and yet another division was still setting up camp, utterly unaware of what had happened.@@novelbin@@


    Following forces of the Qi Army were still converging on Luo Town, but the fierce artillery fire from the Qi Army that had filled the skies had eerily vanished.


    ¡­


    Lack ofmunication, and the inability to extend it to all troops, sometimes had its advantages. At least most of the Qi Country¡¯s troops still did not know that their headquarters had been taken.


    They were each diligently carrying out thest orders they had received, like advancing or continuing the attack.


    However, as more and more retreating troops passed on detailed intelligence to additional units, the Qi Country¡¯s military still descended into confusion and wavering.


    ¡°What are these fleeing soldiers saying? A few deserters spouting nonsensical things, how can I believe them?¡± a Qi Country officer mmed his hat onto the hood of the car, irritatedly questioning.


    ¡°Commander, we¡¯vee a long way, without resupply and no new orders. We¡¯re just blindly rushing to Luo Town¡­¡± His subordinate nced at the disheveled, message-bearing deserters, then looked at his ownmander and began to plead.


    ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡± Themander, who had a fiery temper, stared at his subordinate and directly cut off his rambling.


    ¡°Commander¡­ the messengers we dispatched haven¡¯t returned, I think it¡¯s necessary to confirm what¡¯s going on with the 3rd Army,¡± the officer cautiously suggested, afraid of angering his superior.


    After a few seconds of silence, the Qi Army¡¯smander, who appeared to have a bad temper, also felt helpless and exined, ¡°What can I do? I¡¯ve sent out two messengers, none have returned. What can I do? Change orders on my own? Do I not want to live anymore?¡±


    Sometimes, following the rules doesn¡¯t guarantee that problems won¡¯t arise. The battlefield is ever-changing, and anything can happen. Every decision amander makes is their responsibility.


    When their regiment set off, they had orders to reach Luo Town by nightfall, and at that time, the news of Luo Town¡¯s loss had not yet reached the Qi Army.


    Then the troops began to move, andmunication became erratic: tens of thousands of troops were either still in their positions or on the move, and everywhere was chaos.


    For their regiment, for example, since they started moving, they had basically lost contact with the western frontline headquarters. The headquarters couldn¡¯t locate them, and they couldn¡¯t find the headquarters.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped. The third prince was supposed to stay put, but he rushed to the front lines in a panic. As soon as he left, he left behind a huge mess.


    Their regiment had not yet made contact with the headquarters since they departed. As themander, he had sent out five messengers, none of whom had found their superior units.


    The headquarters of their division also couldn¡¯t be located, and even when trying to find the third prince¡¯smand, there was no sess.


    Thus, he could only proceed toward Luo Town ording to the original orders, and then encountered another regiment from a different division. They crowded together on the road, and it took them a whole morning to cover less than 7 kilometers.


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to make contact, but he genuinely didn¡¯t know where the hell themanding officers were! His messengers could only ask around, groping blind in search, and whether they found anything or not, they would eventually be embarrassingly alerted to the fact that they did not know where their own troops had advanced to¡­


    On the way, they were blindly searching. On their return, they couldn¡¯t even find their way back¡­ This was also why he was reluctant to send messengers¡ªthe more he sent out, the more were lost. What was the point of sending them if it was of no use?


    ¡°So,mander, we need to understand what¡¯s happening. Are we just going to keep heading to Luo Town like this?¡± The officer under hismand was bing anxious, imploring with a sense of urgency, ¡°If it¡¯s been recaptured, all is well, but if not¡­¡±


    ¡°Then aren¡¯t we just in time to recapture it?¡± Themander red at him, then looked dissatisfied at the two deserters, ¡°You said the Tang Armyunched a surprise attack on the rear guard of the 3rd Army from the nk and broke into the artillery positions. Where is this happening?¡±


    ¡°¡­The north, about 4 kilometers¡­¡± One deserter vaguely pointed in the direction he had fled, not giving a clear answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m just a loader. When someone told me to retreat, I just ran,¡± the other deserter answered honestly.


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 Chapter 592: 551 things have gotten serious

    Chapter 592: 551 things have gotten serious


    In fact, very few of the Qi soldiers who witnessed the Tang tanks survived, because those who actually saw them rarely made it out alive.


    Most of them had fled following other deserters, simply running in a daze at the cries they heard; if they ran too slowly, their lives would be at risk¡­


    ¡°After all this, you haven¡¯t even seen the Tang Army and you¡¯re already deserters?¡± The group leaderughed bitterly, his tone full of dissatisfaction.


    The two deserters did not know that theirmand post had been overrun by the Tang Army; right now, Tang tanks were rampaging through the Qi Country¡¯s 3rd Army headquarters. Actually, it made sense¡ªthey had no way of knowing what was happening behind them.


    At this moment, only those Qi soldiers who had fled from the vicinity of the headquarters might know that the 3rd Army¡¯smand post was finished.


    But even among those who had been near the 3rd Army headquarters during the defeat, very few truly knew that themand post was gone¡ªeven those who saw it with their own eyes wouldn¡¯t dare spread rumors.


    What if they were wrong, or what they said didn¡¯t match reality, and it unsettled the soldiers¡¯ hearts or disrupted the deployment, affecting the battle? Wouldn¡¯t that be an unforgivable mistake?


    So unless someone had seen with absolute certainty that the Tang Army had leveled the headquarters, and seen the First Prince¡¯s head chopped off with their own eyes, who would dare speak recklessly?


    At times like these, it was safest and most secure to simply say one didn¡¯t know or wasn¡¯t clear¡­


    After some thought andcking the mood to execute two deserters from other troops, the Qi Army group leader didn¡¯t bother to do such thankless work and waved his hand, telling the two deserters to scram.


    Then he had his subordinates spread out a map to carefully examine the markings, trying to figure out exactly where he was and what exactly he should be doing.


    ¡°If we cross over here, we should be at the 3rd Army¡¯s headquarters¡­ The distance shouldn¡¯t be too far¡­¡± Looking at the markings on the map, the Qi Army group leader tentatively figured out his approximate location.


    Their military maps were not precise; in fact, over the past hundred years or so, they had no need for precise maps.


    ¡°That should be about right. Should we head over there?¡± His subordinate officer nodded and then asked.


    ¡°Head over there to do what? Just a few of us, let¡¯s ride over to take a look!¡± Looking at the congested mass of people, carts, cattle, and horses from the two infantry regiments around them, the group leader signaled his men to find some war horses.


    Clearly, being behind had its advantages; most of the high-ranking officers in the Qi Army retained the skill of horseback riding, much like officers from the Northern Ridge faction in the Tang Army, such as Tagg, were adept at riding.


    Several war horses were thus led over, and the Qi Army group leader rode off with seven or eight guards, leaving his troops behind and charging toward the rough direction mentioned by the deserters.


    The journey was not easy, as they encountered many disoriented and scattered troops from Qi Country and gathered more and more information from these soldiers.


    First, they learned that the Tang Army tanks had indeed attacked the 3rd Army¡¯s headquarters¡ªthis information was more or less confirmed.


    After confirming this news, the Qi Army group leader realized that this offensive was probably not going so smoothly.


    With the 3rd Army¡¯s headquarters under attack and the extent of the losses still unclear, if the 3rd Army was in chaos and copsed, then simply rounding up these deserters could take over two days.


    But to remain in such an inhospitable ce for two days could mean that the entire troop¡¯s logistical supplies might have issues, right?


    Be aware, both Luo Town and Nanye were key locations for material reserves, and now that these ces had been cut off or lost, the difficulty the Qi Army¡¯s supply lines faced was evident.


    Then, they heard that the 3rd Army¡¯s artillery positions had beenpletely destroyed; the dozens of heavy artillery that had been brought with great effort to participate in the battle were all lost. Now, the Qi Army had almost no heavy fire support left.


    This was yet another piece of bad news: the Qi Army, already at a disadvantage in terms of firepower, had now lost even the means to bluff their enemy.


    If they were to attack enemy positions with just infantry and light artillery, it would be no different from a suicide mission.


    The enemy¡¯s machine guns could wreak havoc indefinitely, and their heavy artillery could suppress every charge¡­ Under such circumstances, if the Qi Army could make a triumphant advance by storming fortifications, why were they still fighting the Tang Army? It would be much morefortable to go and eradicate the Dahua Empire and unify the world in one fell swoop¡­@@novelbin@@


    When they arrived at the former location of the 3rd Army¡¯s headquarters and saw the scene before them, they finally understood the catastrophe they faced.


    Although the Tang Army had already retreated, what they left behind was utter disarray. Nearly all the senior officers of the 3rd Army were killed in action, with hundreds of bodies found.


    Some regimental and divisional officers belonging to the 3rd Army were tearfully looking for and identifying their superiormanders. Some guards of the First Prince stood by with ashen faces; they hadn¡¯t found the First Prince¡¯s body yet¡­


    It wasn¡¯t just the First Prince¡¯s body that was missing; the body of Tian Heng, themander of Qi Country¡¯s western front, was also unounted for, as was the body of the 3rd Army¡¯smander¡­


    The situation was utterly desperate; the entire western frontmand system of the Qi Army had been wiped out, nothing left to spare.


    Now the 50,000 leaderless Qi soldiers, like headless flies, were cornered in the wilderness with hardly any decent supplies, not many heavy artillery left, and bombarded daily by enemy aircraft.


    Even more desperate was the fact that over 50,000 Qi soldiers were advancing toward them along positions and roads, led by Qi Country¡¯s famous General Qin Xiong, with none other than the First Prince assisting him!


    Thanks to the help of the 2nd Company, the 1st Armored Battalion had transported away dozens of bodies dressed in slightly different military uniforms that they could find.


    There were even some guards among them; because their attire was also different, Liu Guozhu and his men were seeing the Qi Country guards for the first time, and of course, they couldn¡¯t distinguish them.


    At this very moment at the outer defensive line of Luo Town, the relentlessly attacking 3rd Army of Qi Country finally couldn¡¯t hold up any longer.


    After losing artillery support, the Qi troops fought bitterly for over an hour under the fierce fire of the Tang Army but ultimately had to retreat due to heavy casualties, back to their starting position.


    ¡°Those damned cowards in the rear! If they had fired a few more rounds, the outer positions would have been ours!¡± the Qimander clenched his fist and smashed it against the wall of a temporary observation trench, making lumps of dirt fall off.


    ¡°There must be some problem in the back, otherwise¡­ it shouldn¡¯t be¡­¡± the officer¡¯s adjutant started exining by his side.


    Logically speaking, even if the artillerymen were afraid of death and ceased firing due to fear of the Tang Air Force¡¯s bombing, the army headquarters right next to the artillery position would send someone to urge the artillery to continue firing.


    Even taking ten thousand steps back, if the enemy¡¯s attack truly made the artillery untenable, the headquarters should have issued orders for them to stop the offensive and withdraw to avoid more senseless casualties.


    But neither of these things happened, which seemed very strange. Neither the armymander in charge of the elite 3rd Army of Qi Country, nor General Tian Heng, were fools; it was impossible for them to make such a basic error.


    Clearly, the divisionmander responsible for directing the offensive had also figured out the reason behind it.


    He furrowed his brows and muttered to himself, ¡°Something is not right! Why hasn¡¯t the messenger I sent for contact returned yet? Send someone else! Figure out¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, the messenger rushed back in a flurry and stood at attention before him, ¡°Sir!¡±


    ¡°Speak!¡± the divisionmander urgentlymanded.


    ¡°Ourmand post was attacked, and the rear troops are in disarray. I couldn¡¯t find General Tian Heng nor the armymander¡­¡± the messenger reported.


    ¡°What?¡± The divisionmander in charge of the frontlinebat was taken aback, his eyes widening.


    The officer beside him promptly asked, ¡°Were they bombed? Attacked by enemy aircraft?¡±


    ¡°The fleeing soldiers said, said there were Tang tanks¡­ The scene was in chaos, he said he didn¡¯t see it¡­ but I asked several people, and they all mentioned Tang tanks,¡± the messenger continued his report.


    ¡°That¡¯s bad!¡± The divisionmander finally realized the severity of the situation and cried out in despair. After his cry, he immediately ordered, ¡°Retreat! Take the organized troops and recapture themand post first!¡±


    The officer didn¡¯t dare to dy and immediately sent out several messengers, ordering the troops that hadn¡¯t engaged in the assault to assemble and quickly fall back toward the direction of the army headquarters.


    Meanwhile, the Qi Army regimentmander who returned to his own headquarters with bad news became even more perplexed. He had not found Tian Heng, nor had he received his new orders as he hoped.


    He was unsure whether he should continue to march towards Luo Town and thenunch an attack upon encountering the Tang Army, to keep attacking Luo Town.


    Nor did he know where to camp, then where to ce his troops¡ªthe Qi troops were umting more and more, clearly requiring a vast open space for encampment.


    If he hesitated for a moment longer, the Qi soldiers arriving in the aftermath would almost have upied all usable spaces.


    Upon this realization, he finally decided to immediately move his troops off the road and set up tents in a spot that looked suitable, waiting for definitive orders before considering the next course of action.


    Just as he was organizing his troops to rest on the spot and unloading the baggage from the wagons, he finally received definitive news: someone had witnessed with their own eyes that General Tian Heng and the Third Prince had been killed in battle!


    This shook the morale of the entire Qi Army; everyone looked bewildered. And at this very moment, a thought of despair rose in the minds of the Qimanders, ¡°It¡¯s over! Things have escted!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª


    Adding an extra chapter, will continue tomorrow


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 Chapter 593: The Melancholy of the First Prince 552

    Chapter 593: The Mncholy of the First Prince 552


    The First Prince of Qi Country received a frontline report from Luo Town while he was still in his headquarters, unmoved.


    He was not as anxious as the Third Prince, and had more experience too¡ªhe knew that rashly moving could causemunication chaos, so he simply decided to remain in ce.


    However, he didn¡¯t just stay put idly; he sent his confidant Qin Xiong to lead troops ahead and provide support to the battlefield at Luo Town as swiftly as possible.


    In order to ensure his troops could resolve the issue upon arrival, the First Prince spared no expense, tasking the 1st Army to lead the charge.


    The First Prince¡¯s thinking was straightforward, he believed that only by having Qi Country¡¯s most elite troops pave the way, there was a possibility to breach Tang Army¡¯s defenses and recapture Luo Town.


    By the time Qin Xiong set out with the troops, the First Prince had already received news that Luo Town had fallen. Still, he believed that with the 3rd Army there and his own 1st Army reinforcing, Luo Town could still be retaken.


    His rationale was that Tang Army hade from afar and was not yet firmly established, without a solid defensive line to rely on, and with Qi Army¡¯s advantage in numbers, it should be possible to retake Luo Town and repel Tang Army.


    However, after seeing Tang Army¡¯s aircraft, the First Prince was not so blindly optimistic.


    He felt that if Tang Army could break through Qi Country¡¯s border defenses within a day, Luo Town was likely lost.


    Thus, he had his trusted 1st Army at the forefront for a reason: after recapturing Luo Town, he nned to swiftly move his main forces north to Nanye to stabilize the front.


    Frankly put, rather than considering the march of the First Prince¡¯s main forces northward as a determination to retake Luo Town, it¡¯s better described as a determination to break through and escape!


    Originally, the First Prince thought that by the time his troops reached Luo Town, the Third Prince¡¯s 3rd Army would have already reimed it, allowing his own trusted main forces to quickly pass through Luo Town and continue fleeing north.


    But reality pped his face hard: his 1st Army had only left its base for one day when the Third Prince¡¯s 3rd Army copsed!


    Qi Country¡¯s top three main forces, a massive army of tens of thousands, had been routed by the enemy after just one day ofbat!


    The 3rd Army was on the offensive! The enemy was on defense! Under these circumstances, the 3rd Army was actually shattered by the enemy¡¯s defending forces!


    What was even more unbelievable was that themander of the 3rd Army, along with Qi Country¡¯s high-ranking General Tian Heng, and his beloved brother, had all gone missing!


    The First Prince did not believe that the simultaneous disappearance of these seniormanders was a coincidence; in his view, they were surely done for!


    The best-case scenario was that they all died in battle, and the worst-case scenario was that they had been captured! For Qi Country, the capture of a prince was nothing short of a great humiliation!


    But he could no longer afford to worry about how to handle the situation of his brother being captured. What he needed to consider was the fate of the 150,000 troops under hismand.


    Relying solely on fragile highways and severely insufficient horse-drawn carriages was not enough to support such arge military force.


    Therefore, if the First Prince wanted to preserve his troops and bring them back to defend King City, he had to consider the feasibility of recapturing Luo Town.


    Although the 3rd Army had copsed, he still had the 1st Army in hand, and a hundred thousand soldiers willing to fight. Together with the remnants from the western front, he could almost muster an army of over 100,000 near Luo Town!


    He could not believe that 100,000 troops couldn¡¯t take back a small Luo Town, so he didn¡¯t even consider the option of taking a detour.


    ¡°Your Highness! A telegraph from His Majesty.¡± An officer walked into the headquarters, stood before the First Prince, and handed him a telegraph, ¡°Ordering you to retake Luo Town at all costs.¡±


    King Jiang Xian had already heard the news that Luo Town was upied by the Tang Army, but he was not yet aware that his third son had gone missing.


    Those below did not dare to report rashly, and those who knew did not wish to speak carelessly¡ªwhat if it was just a disappearance? Could you bear the consequences if you frightened His Majesty the King?


    Communicationgs and battlefield chaos made summarizing and reporting on the situation extremely troublesome. Tang Army was somewhat chaotic, but Qi Country¡¯s situation could only be described as a joke.


    If Qi Country werepared to a person, this person¡¯s reflexes would be so slow they would only start yelling for help after they were already dead. If Qi Country werepared to an online game, then itsg was so severe you¡¯d still be in the semi-finals when the champion was already receiving the prize¡­@@novelbin@@


    The First Prince learned about his brother¡¯s disappearance through the message delivered by a messenger. And by the time he received the message, it was already the next day.


    And so, Qi Army wasted yet another entire night in the crucial battle for the control of Luo Town.


    This evening, the people of Qi Country were gathering their scattered soldiers, clearing the bombed and destroyed roads, and taking the opportunity to let the bulk of their troops, who had been on the move all day, get a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Including the night wasted by the 3rd Army earlier, it meant that the Tang Army had essentially fought for only about 9 hours over the three days since upying Luo Town.


    On the fourth day, the Qi Army was still not ready forbat, continuously harassed by Tang nes and forced to be on guard against a potential Tang counterattack.


    No one wanted to be the nextmander of the 3rd Army, so the remainingmanders of the Qi Army on the western front were very cautious in setting up their headquarters.


    On the fifth day, the Qi forces on the western front, including the remnants of the 3rd Army, numbering a full 40,000 men, crowded around Luo Town, nearly eating up all the dry food they had brought with them.


    What was more tragic was that because follow-up troops were still crowding into this direction, the logistics teams bringing food could not get through, creating a new problem with the supply of rations.


    It had taken the Qi Army a full half-year to mobilise troops to the border, and now they were attempting toplete such arge scale mobilisation andbat operation in just seven to eight days, which was a test for the entire army¡¯smand and coordination.


    In fact, everything the Qi Army disyed was a failure! They nearly copsed themselves.


    By the sixth day, without evenunching an offensive, the hungry vanguard nearly mutinied, almost beating the Qi military officers whomanded them to death.


    And even at this point, the First Prince¡¯s heavily relied upon elite Main Force, Qi Country¡¯s finest 1st Army, was still stuck on the road, more than 40 kilometers away from Luo Town.


    On the Tang side, they hadn¡¯t wasted any precious time. While the Qi troops were dawdling, the Tang Army was busy reinforcing their defenses in the direction of Luo Town methodically.


    First, the Tang Army¡¯s Armored Corps stationed in Luo Town reinforced the defensive lines, not only constructing two outer perimeters but also repairing Luo Town¡¯s train station! The restored roads and railways ensured the transport capabilities of the Tang Army.


    Secondly, the Infantry troops that arrivedter fortified the defenses of Luo Town¡ªby the fifth day of the battle of Luo Town, there were 3 Infantry regiments, over 6,000 men, with reinforced artillery providing fire support!


    Last but not least, after repairs and replenishment, the 1st Armored Division¡¯s Tank units had essentially regainedbat effectiveness, with over 200 tanks ready for battle, a disparity of force that the Qi Army could not bridge with numbers alone.


    To put it bluntly, the Tang Army had also amassed a formidable force at Luo Town, and had even surpassed the Qi forces in terms of artillery.


    Of course, all this was unknown to the Qi side. That¡¯s why the First Prince remained confident, believing his troops could retake Luo Town and clear the supply lines.


    ¡°Order the follow-up troops to continue advancing! Push along the railway and the road!¡± the First Princemanded as he took the telegram.


    Because the Tang Air Force had focused on bombing the Qi troops near Luo Town, the scale of the Tang Air Force faced by the First Prince was very small, posing little threat.


    That was the main reason he still had the confidence to assemble his forces and continue to reinforce Luo Town: many units of the Qi Army on the western front copsed at the mere sound of Stuka dive-bombers, without the need for Tang nes to even drop bombs.


    ¡°Additionally¡­ Your Highness¡­ There¡¯s still no news from the westernmand,¡± reported the officer who had brought the telegram, not yet departing.


    He was the officer in charge of telegrams, so the task of locating the westernmander and restoringmunication also fell to him. He had not managed to contact the Third Prince or Tian Heng up to now, so he had to brace himself to speak up.


    ¡°I¡­ understand! Send a telegram to General Qin Xiong in my name, ordering him to ensure his own safety upon arrival at the front line¡­¡± worried that his confidant would meet the same fate as Tian Heng, the First Prince added, ¡°Tell him to do his best to find my brother and General Tian Heng and the others¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes! I understand!¡± The officer saluted sharply and then turned to leave the headquarters. He didn¡¯t believe that there could be any sort of miracle from the Third Prince¡¯s side at this point. In his view, the Third Prince was likely captured or, worse, killed outright.


    After watching his subordinate leave, the First Prince looked around the undergroundmand bunker situated behind the central defense line.


    Though not aesthetically pleasing, it boasted safety and solidity with reinforced concrete ceilings, electric lighting inside, and appeared quite modern. At least here, one could shower daily, enjoy electric lighting, and avoid sleeping in tents.


    ording to the n, he would have to leave here before long. As soon as Qin Xiong set up camp, the First Prince was to begin his journey, relocating his headquarters to where Qin Xiong had established his.


    A temporarymand post was neither safe norfortable¡­ Thinking again of his missing brother, the First Prince felt a pang of mncholy.


    His own trip to Luo Town would be a blessing or a curse, depending entirely on whether his 1st Army could deliver the results he was expecting.


    Meanwhile, the Second Prince, who had been stationed on the eastern front without sustaining major losses, received a telegram from King City.


    The message was brief, ordering him to immediately withdraw troops and take the train to retreat at the fastest speed possible. Qi Country¡¯s next move was happening earlier than anticipated.


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 Chapter 594: 553 Battle Situation Changes

    Chapter 594: 553 Battle Situation Changes


    No one is a fool, and King Jiang Xian of Qi Country, who had been diligently managing state affairs for over twenty years, was certainly not one either.


    He had previously detected that the likely directions of the Tang Army¡¯s attack were Luo Town and Nanye, so he began to consider how to deal with the current situation immediately.


    Right now, Qi Country could be said to be very passive, their hintend was extremely empty, essentially devoid of defensive forces.


    To reinforce Nanye, Jiang Xian had even dispatched thest troops guarding King City, leaving the capital of Qi Country empty and defenseless like an unfortified city.


    Jiang Xian was far from naive enough to believe that his mere force of over 20,000 imperial guards could achieve any miracle in Nanye, because if there were any miracles to be had, they would have happened already.


    From start to finish, the one Jiang Xian ced his hopes on was the defense by the frontline troops, breaking through Tang Army¡¯s defense from behind, and forcing them to abandon their n to capture Nanye.


    In other words, Jiang Xian was relying on the Third Prince and the First Prince to fall back; he believed his two sons could seize back the initiative on the battlefield with one brilliant counterattack.


    However, as a king, he couldn¡¯t naively pin all his hopes on a military operation with an uncertain oue.


    Therefore, while giving the Third Prince and the First Prince strict orders to break through the railway between Luo Town and Nanye at any cost, Jiang Xian also issued an order to his second son.


    This order was for the Second Prince on the eastern front to immediately pull out his elite forces and move along another railway to reinforce King City.


    Knowing the emptiness of Qi Country¡¯s King City, Jiang Xian couldn¡¯t allow this dangerous situation to continue. He would certainly choose the most secure and quickest method to redeploy troops back to King City.


    Currently, it seemed that going through Luo Town might not be the fastest option. If the First Prince and the Third Prince failed to retake Luo Town, then everything would be an illusory reflection, like a castle in the air.


    So the shrewd Jiang Xian almost immediately ordered the elite 2nd Army from the eastern defense zone to return to King City.


    The Tang Army was on the move, and so was the Qi Army. Both sides were mobilizing troops and dispatching generals, hoping to strangle the enemy with their own arrangements.


    ¡°Report!¡± A shouted response jolted the King of Qi awake from his seat.


    Inside a manor on the outskirts of Qi Country¡¯s King City, Jiang Xian¡¯s eyes were so tired that he could barely keep them open. He was nearing fifty this year, and his body no longer allowed him to overexert himself.


    But the war prevented him from rxing. He had been staying up all night for several days, and his whole body had grown thinner.@@novelbin@@


    With dark circles under his eyes and a face marked by creases, the wrinkles seemed toe alive with the movement of his lips, curling and wriggling as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    If Jiang Xian had gone to sleep, his attendants would never have let him be woken up like this. But in order to keep control of thetest intelligence, Jiang Xian adamantly refused to rest, which is why he fell asleep in his seat.


    ¡°Our forces deployed on the outskirts of Nanye for surveince¡­ have beenpletely wiped out.¡± The officer looked somewhat grim as he stood straight and answered.


    In fact, these forces were not numerous; the Qi troops deployed near Nanye consisted of only a division, a mere three regiments at most.


    These forces could not all be ced outside, so in reality, the Tang Army had severely damaged only about one to two regiments of Qi forces.


    But sometimes, things were so mysterious: Qi Army really had only that many troops, so they truly couldn¡¯t bear the fact of having one or even two regimentspletely annihted.


    Before the imperial guards could reach the front lines, almost half of the forces guarding Nanye had been wiped out by the advancing Tang Army.


    ¡°¡­¡± Since it was to be expected, Jiang Xian was not surprised. He just looked toward the general waiting for him to fully awaken and then inquired, ¡°Where are the imperial guards?¡±


    ¡°It is estimated that it will take another day to reach Nanye.¡± The officer delivering the message answered with some trepidation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope they make it in time.¡± Jiang Xian sighed, feeling as if he were about to die there. He hadn¡¯t had a proper rest for several days, and his face was worn with fatigue.


    He also knew that his own forces¡¯ movements were slow and there was no good solution in the short term, so after speaking, he sighed helplessly again, ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Then, as if he remembered something, he turned his head to look at a minister, ¡°The things said by the Tang people on the radio¡­ are they actually true?¡±


    Just a few hours ago, the Tang Army¡¯s broadcasting station announced a great victory: during the battle at Luo Town, they even imed to have killed at least two high-ranking officers of the Qi Army.


    Whether this was true or false remained to be determined, but it was a fact that Jiang Xian could not contact the western frontmand.


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing but Tang people¡¯s propaganda, Your Majesty! It¡¯s to shake you, to make you make a mistake in judgment!¡± A minister quicklyforted him.


    ¡°Check! Send a telegram to the First Prince! Tell him to find his younger brother, and¡­ find Tian Heng! No matter what, as soon as they are located, reply to me at once!¡± Jiang Xian insisted stubbornly. He did not believe that his trusted sons and officers could simultaneously be in trouble.


    ¡°Yes!¡± The minister quickly bowed his head, saying no more.


    ¡­


    ¡°Have the identities been confirmed? A mix-up would greatly affect morale,¡± Luff discussed the same matter with several of his staff officers at the Great Tang Army¡¯smand post on the outskirts of Anpu.


    The bodies of the Third Prince and Tian Heng, among others, had already been dealt with and loaded onto a train bound for Tang Country. The Tang Army would definitely make good use of this victory for their military propaganda.


    Eyeing the photos, one staff officer confidently stated, ¡°The uniform styles definitely match. I believe that at least these two generals¡­ should be real.¡±


    The Tang Army had previously acquired the uniform styles of Qi Country¡¯s high-ranking officers through intelligence agencies, making it easy for them to discern that the military uniforms on these bodies indeed belonged to Qi Country¡¯s high-ranking officers.


    What another staff officer cared about was the body of the Third Prince: ¡°Are we not going to publicize the royal military uniform?¡±


    When it came to verifying the battle results, the Tang Army was very meticulous and cautious¡ªTang Mo certainly didn¡¯t want to see his troops make a blunder like iming to have sunk the royal gship in jest.


    Therefore, when they saw the Third Prince¡¯s body dressed in the royal uniform, the Tang Army¡¯s propaganda department didn¡¯t publicize it immediately.


    They even reported the killing of two high-ranking Qi officers and didn¡¯t even mention the killing of the Qi Third Prince.


    ¡°Are you kidding? How could we not publicize it? What a great victory this is! What glorious honor!¡± Luff snorted with augh as he spoke.


    Of course, the propaganda had to be disseminated vigorously, and in an unprecedented manner, to proim the glory of the Great Tang Kingdom to the entire world.


    Indeed, the Great Tang Kingdom¡¯s propaganda department nned to directly publish photos of the Third Prince¡¯s body, using a previously unparalleled color printing method.


    Though it was somewhat gruesome, the visual impact was simply off the charts. Once the evidence was conclusive, they would announce the killing of the Third Prince.


    At this moment, another staff officer asked his colleagues, his tone full of envy, ¡°A second-ss Cavalry Medal?¡±


    That was a second-ss medal! With such a medal, one need not kneel to officials and would also receive a subsidy. So far, not a single one had been awarded throughout the entire army!


    The staff officer sitting next to him felt as if his mouth was full of sourness: ¡°General Redman suggested awarding the first-ss Cavalry Medal¡­¡±


    ¡°Liu Guozhu, that lucky guy!¡± Luff couldn¡¯t help but sigh upon hearing the conversation. As Chief of Staff, he was not able to charge into battle at the front lines.


    In fact, when Luff, one of the veterans of the Great Tang Group, used to lead troops, Tang Mo only had around a hundred guards under hismand. Thus, Luff could never have a de Medal or Cavalry Medal, which was a regret for him.


    The other staff officers all echoed in agreement: ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    ¡°But I still have to criticize him! If only we had caught one alive, that would have been great,¡± a staff officer interjected, somewhat reluctantly.


    Luff gave the officer a nce, feeling that he was ungratefully longing for more: ¡°What are you thinking? What are you thinking? In that situation, it¡¯s a bit much to expect the armored troops to capture someone alive, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The officer was also a straightforward guy and, spreading his hands, still felt some regret: ¡°Ah, I know, but I still feel a sense of pity¡­ After all, if we had really caught someone alive, that would have been great.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth¡­ So about that medal? Are we still awarding it as a first-ss one?¡± The opinion of their Staff Department was very important for the awarding of medals.


    Luff waved his hand and gave his view: ¡°Wait, wait for the newspapers¡­ or rather, wait for His Majesty¡¯s decision.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Seeing the boss speak, everyone immediately agreed.


    On the nk of Luo Town, within the 1st Battalion 1st Company of the 1st Armored Division, Liu Guozhu¡¯s crew was still scrubbing their tank.


    Even though they had already washed the intake grilles on the rear upper hull of their tank turret, they could still smell a stench of decay.


    They didn¡¯t know if it was misperception or something else, but despite havingid something beneath the bodies during transport, it didn¡¯t seem to help. Everyone felt the smell lingered, so they could only wipe it down once more¡­


    ¡°Boss, do you think¡­ we could get another medal for this?¡± an ammo loader curiously asked while vigorously scrubbing the grille seams with a cloth.


    ¡°How would I know¡­¡± Liu Guozhu too was continuously wiping down his beloved vehicle: ¡°That¡¯s not for me to decide¡­¡±


    As he talked, the oil from the wiping smeared on his hands, and at that moment, he instinctively wiped his cheek.


    Then he ended up with a big oily streak across his face,pletely unaware of it.


    The returning electrician immediately burst into hriousughter, unreserved and carefree.


    Amidst theirughter, another squadron of ten Stuka Dive Bombers roared overhead, flying toward the distant Qi Army positions.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Not feeling well today, just two updates. I¡¯ll make up for it tomorrow.


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 Chapter 595: General Qin Xiong, age 554

    Chapter 595: General Qin Xiong, age 554


    As Jiang Xian called his 2nd Army back from the eastern front to reinforce the defenses of King City, inhabitants within Nanye witnessed a sight they would never forget.


    Hiding behind the windows of their homes, they saw a No. 4 tank rush past the deserted streets.


    Soon after, vehicles filled with Tang soldiers and trucks towing artillery followed suit, sweeping through the streets of Nanye without stopping.


    The 4th Armored Division didn¡¯t waste time on the peripheral Qi troops and, upon learning of Nanye¡¯s weak defenses, charged straight into the city area without hesitation.


    Despite having city walls, the remaining defending infantry battalionmander ultimately chose to surrender with dignity.


    The small Qi force stationed there, even if they engaged in street fighting, to be honest, it wasn¡¯t really enough to make a significant attrition.


    Moreover, with thebat effectiveness of the Qi Army, if they really spread out for street fighting, how long they could hold out was a huge question mark.


    In order to increase his bargaining chips for surrender, the Qimander and local officials handed over all the supplies stockpiled in Nanye to the Tang Army without causing any form of destruction, not even entertaining the thought of it.


    By the time the 4th Armored Division entered the city, there were enough supplies stockpiled there to feed 100,000 people for four months, as well as a variety of ammunition, and even aplete train station was preserved intact.


    What came as a pleasant surprise to the Tangmanders was that, for fear of being attacked and bombed en route to the front line, 20 lotives were still parked here with over 100 rail cars stored.


    These trains instantly filled the transportation void for the Tang Army within Qi territory, while also saving a significant amount of time in the transportation of supplies.


    Thanks to the grain captured in Nanye, the Tang Army could now continue fighting in Qi territory for at least a month, ensuring the food supplies for their troops.


    Jiang Xian was still unaware that Nanye had already changed hands by this time, nor that the Tang Army tanks were already crossing Nanye, headed for his King City.


    The battle for Luo Town continued under these circumstances, with the Qi Army still preparing to retake the vitally important Luo Town, unaware of Nanye¡¯s loss.


    Only after the loss of the 3rd Army and the arrival of General Qin Xiong at the front line did the Qi forces regain their spirits and began organizing a proper offensive.


    But by this time, the Qi Army discovered that the Tang forces blocking their path had fortified their defensive positions, reinforced their troops, and arranged their armored corps on the nks.


    Reaching this stage, Qin Xiong also knew it was unlikely to break through the defense ahead. Therefore, the first thing he did upon arriving at the front was to send a telegram to the First Prince, advising him to take a detour from the eastern front and lead his troops to retreat.


    ¡°Now, to continue reinforcing Luo Town is futile,¡± he said in the telegram, ¡°A position that cannot be reimed by 100,000 troops will not be reimed by 150,000 either! Continuous troop inflow will bring logistical pressure, which is clearly unwise.¡±


    Qin Xiong suggested to the First Prince, ¡°I will press the attack here, and if a breakthrough is possible, it would at best reach Nanye to aid King City. Your Highness taking a detour on the eastern front will lead to the same King City, with no difference.¡±


    After sending the telegram to the First Prince, Qin Xiong made a detailed inquiry about the circumstances surrounding the attack on the 3rd Army¡¯s headquarters. Upon confirming that the Third Prince and Tian Heng¡¯s group were likely annihted, he immediately began organizing the subsequent troops for an offensive.


    Two regiments of Qi troopsunched another probing attack on the Tang positions, only to be met with Tang artillery fire for over ten minutes, forcing the two attacking Qi regiments to retreat.


    Apart from leaving behind more than two hundred corpses, this offensive achieved almost no effect. Observing the battle from a concealed trench on the front line, Qin Xiong finally understood thebat strength of the Tang forces he was facing.


    ¡°Well-trained¡­¡± He put down his binocrs and turned to a Qi officer at his side, sharing his assessment, ¡°They are very restrained before we enter the killing zone, with almost no machine gun nests revealing themselves, and no rifles firing. This is a sign of experienced troops.¡±


    ¡°Their artillery fire is continuous, showing that the enemy is not under logistical pressure, and they have plenty of ammunition without the need to conserve,¡± Qin Xiong mused, running his hand over his binocrs as if talking to himself.


    The binocrs he held were imported from Tang Country, considered a luxury item in the military for their price. They were much better in quality and higher in precision than the ones provided by Shireck¡¯s aid.


    Qin Xiong cherished these binocrs, often hanging them around his chest. Another item he was reluctant to part with was an export version of a collectible PPK pistol from the Great Tang Group.


    Whenever he inspected his troops or took part in significant events, he liked to carry these two items.


    ¡°Shall weunch an attack with our tanks?¡± asked a Qi officer, somewhat anxiously, ¡°We don¡¯t have much fuel left, and time is tight¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter how anxious we are, we cannot just recklessly push all our chips onto the gambling table! Child,¡± Qin Xiong smiled and shook his head, ¡°Give the 3rd Army a chance for vengeance. Inform them that they will be responsible for the attack this morning. If they can¡¯t take it, they will face military justice!¡±


    ¡°At the very least, we should know the enemy¡¯s firstyer of firepower deployment. Sending in tanks rashly will only lead to more losses,¡± he said as he once again picked up the binocrs to observe the Qi Army artillery bombarding the Tang Army positions, ¡°The impact points are too scattered, wasting ammunition!¡±


    The artillery currently firing belonged to the Qi Army¡¯s second-line troops. The gunners were undertrained, and the models of the cannons were quite old, mostly second-hand goods given away for free by Shireck, so you can imagine their quality.


    Yet, even these second-hand guns that were given away for free by Shireck were far more formidable than the old muzzle-loading cannons that the Qi artillerymen had used previously.


    An extensive barrage of 130mm howitzers bombarded the Tang Army¡¯s positions on the battlefield like an outpouring of pent-up hatred.


    Qin Xiong was a veteran general with extensive experience, a background as an artilleryman, and deep familiarity with artillery operations. With the help of Shireck¡¯s advisors, he deeply understood modern artillery warfare.


    It could be said with absolute certainty that among all the Qi generals, Qin Xiong was the most capable, with Tian Heng being slightly less so. Sadly, the capable Tian Heng had passed away and could no longer fight for Qi Country.


    Qin Xiong, arriving from the central line, soon experienced what the western troops had described as the ¡°howling of the reaper.¡± Suddenly, an ear-piercing whistle sounded above his head.


    ¡°Woo¡­ Buzz¡­¡± The continuous, grating noise made Qin Xiong frown. He instinctively looked up, only to discover that above his head was a roof made of round logs.


    But in the next second, a massive explosion made the roof shake, dust trickling down, causing Qin Xiong to narrow his eyes.


    ¡°Quick,e and help!¡± A guard unhooked his canteen to help wash Qin Xiong¡¯s face. By the time these men had clumsily rinsed his eyes, the marauding Stuka dive bombers overhead had already departed.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±ined a Qi officer who had witnessed such a thing for the first time, looking discontentedly at the Qi regimentalmander beside him.


    With an embarrassed expression, themander promptly reported, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s always like this with Tang Country nes. We¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡±


    Qin Xiong, who had been fortunate enough not to encounter Stukas along the way, now realized that their disregard for Tang Country¡¯s air force stemmed from the fact that the Tang air force had never considered them a primary target.


    If such howling were to ur on the central battlefield, Qin Xiong believed that his own troops would fare no better than the western allies.


    ¡°We must attack right away¡­¡± Qin Xiong uttered grimly. After a pause, he continued, ¡°Add another regiment! For the next assault, at least three regiments! No retreat until we¡¯ve touched the Tang Army¡¯s positions!¡±


    Before long, the Qi Armyunched another assault. Waves of infantry mbered out of makeshift trenches to advance, braving the continuous artillery fire from the Tang Army and stepping over the bodies left from earlier, in a scene of tragic grandeur.


    They had no other choice but to use their lives to gauge the strength of the Tang Army. They were quickly enveloped in artillery fire, with the Tang Army¡¯s mortar fire joining the fray, making the barrage imprable.


    Amidst the smoky battlefield, it was getting hard to see even silhouettes. The Tang Army¡¯s artillerymen obviously possessed precise range card parameters, allowing them to methodicallyy down fire based on firing charts.


    In stark contrast to the Qi Army¡¯s artillery that was constantly harassed and whose traininggged seriously behind, the Tang Army¡¯s artillery corps was professional and advanced, demonstrating a fighting capability that was on a whole other level.


    The Tang Army¡¯s 155mm howitzers, with their long-range and powerful sts, were nothing short of a nightmare for the attacking Qi forces.


    Just three rounds of concentrated fire, and the infantry on the battlefield from Qi Country had already lost their will to attack. The supervising officers fired a few shots haphazardly before retreating, failing once again to assess the Tang Army¡¯s weaknesses and strengths.


    ¡°The western troops¡¯ morale has copsed. Relying on them is probably just wasting time,¡± Qin Xiong¡¯s aide-de-camp remarked anxiously after seeing their retreating forces.


    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Qin Xiong also knew that depending on these rattled fellows wouldn¡¯t aplish anything, so he had to readjust his deployment, ¡°Let¡¯s send the armored corps to try! At the very least, to give the enemy a different challenge.¡±


    He tried to lighten the mood with a joke, ¡°If we keep fighting like this, those damn Tang people will probably fall asleep.¡±


    However, as the Qi military officers in themand post were preparing to join their superior in augh to alleviate the tension, the untimely howl of the Stuka dive bombers resounded once more.


    This was quickly followed by the trembling of the earth and a deafening explosion¡­ Without question, another unfortunate artillery position had likely just been sent sky-high by a 500-kilogram aerial bomb.


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 Chapter 596: 555 Qi Army Tank

    Chapter 596: 555 Qi Army Tank


    This time, Qin Xiong finally witnessed the strange aircraft with inverted seagull wings, named the Stuka Dive Bomber.@@novelbin@@


    In fact, very few within the Tang Army understood this name, and generally, they just thought it was the designers at the Great Tang Aviation Group¡¯s idea of a bad joke.


    In reality, these designers were merely continuing with the naming convention set by the chief designer, Tang Mo. When Tang Mo presented the design concept for this aircraft, he had scribbled the odd word ¡°Stuka¡± in a corner of the blueprint.


    After the project was green-lighted, the engineers of the Great Tang Group simply started calling this type of aircraft Stuka, just as they would call the FW-190 fighter butcher.


    It¡¯s unlikely that Tang Mo would ever name his own fighter FW-190, nor did he wish to carry on with the name butcher bird¡ªso he decided to simply drop a character, renaming it to Butcher.


    The imposing force of the Stuka Dive Bomber swooping down from the sky was much more powerful than that of the Butcher, watching the Stuka plunging down sharply from afar, Qin Xiong felt the muscles in his body tense up.


    That kind of disheartening noise left such a deep impression on him; he slightly understood why the Western Front troops hated these enemy nes so much.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just shoot that damn ne down from the sky?¡± Qin Xiong, annoyed, asked from within the trench while watching the Stuka dropping its bombs.


    The Qi Armycked an officer specifically in charge of anti-aircraft defense, and the man in charge, while wiping the sweat from his forehead, exined with equal frustration, ¡°General¡­ we don¡¯t have the appropriate weapons¡­¡±


    It¡¯s hopeless to rely on Maxim guns raised for anti-air defense; they are truly not very effective. Not to mention, the Stuka itself has steel armor protection, and when it dives and pulls up, its machine guns and cannons suppress anti-aircraft fire. Relying on not-so-professional machine guns for anti-air defense is simply inadequate.


    Moreover, the anti-balloon guns purchased from Shireck couldn¡¯t rotate fast enough to keep up with the Stuka, and were nearly as good as decorations.


    ¡°¡­¡± Qin Xiong fell silent, he just stared at the enemy aircraft climbing back up, his eyes filled with envy.


    If he had such weapons at his disposal, wouldn¡¯t breaking through the defense line in front of him be much more likely? Of course, he didn¡¯t know that on the second line of defense of the Tang Army, there were already four Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns set up perpany¡­


    After preparing all morning, and being harassed by nes all morning, the tank forces of Qi Country that followed the 1st Army of Qi to the front lines of Luo Town, were finally ready tounch their attack and appeared before the battle formation of both armies.


    After a long wait of several days, the Tang Army grenadiers, who were dozing in the trenches, faced some new changes.


    A soldier on guard duty rubbed his eyes, took another look at the distant enemy position, then shrank back and started calling out with joy, ¡°They¡¯reing! The enemy ising again!¡±


    ¡°So what if they¡¯reing, why the hell are you so happy?¡± An old soldier, sleepy amid the booming cannon fire, retorted with his eyes closed.


    ¡°Tanks! Their tanks are advancing!¡± The sentry exined eagerly. Hearing his exnation, the surrounding Tang Army soldiers immediately perked up.


    Not as a joke at all, theyy full of anticipation at the edge of their position, gazing towards the distant enemy.


    Indeed, they saw the enemy tanks, looking likerge ships, slowly moving their massive bodies closer to the Tang Army¡¯s defensive line.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± The Tang Army soldiers, ustomed to their own tanks, couldn¡¯t help but frown. To them, the tanks from Qi Country were¡­ well, quite ugly.


    ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± After being excited for a while, the Tang Army soldiers stationed on the position once again withdrew into the trenches, looking listless and drained.


    Because they knew this time it probably wouldn¡¯t be their turn to take action again¡ªthemanders wouldn¡¯t let these tankse close enough to harm them, the infantry without anti-tank weapons. The Armored Corps would surely take action.


    It would almost certainly not be their turn, the grenadiers, to go up and fight the enemy¡¯s tanks as soon as the nk tank forces engaged.


    Indeed, upon sighting the Qi Army¡¯s tanks, the Tang Armymanders immediately informed the 1st Armored Division.


    Following that, the tanks of the 1st Armored Division were ordered to engage, with the experienced 1st Armored Battalion once again taking the lead in this counter-assault.


    Liu Guozhu was ordered to mobilize the tanks, then once again moved with his forces to the depression near the reverse slope where they had started thest time.


    ¡°Testing! Testing!¡± The radio operator tested the recently repaired radio and then heard the irritating static of radio interference.


    As more units were equipped with radios, the interference became more pronounced. Previously duringbat, the issue went unnoticed due to quick dispersion, but now withrge-scale assembly of the Tang Army tanks, such radio interference became more frequent.


    ¡°I¡­can¡­hear¡­you¡­¡± Barely discerning hispanymander¡¯s voice amidst the static, Liu Guozhu was still somewhat nervous.


    In these past few days, he had not been idle¡ªhe had written two reports, one on the Armored Corps¡¯ experiences in piercing through the enemy¡¯s rear, and another on analyzing encounters with enemy anti-tank gun attacks.


    To be honest, both reports were of great significance, perhaps even more important than the fact that he had killed a third prince.


    The higher-ups also highly valued these two reports, ordering them to be promoted throughout the army and distributed as tactical manuals as soon as possible.


    ¡°Keep adjusting! If there¡¯s another issue, our crew will be a negative example for the entire army!¡± Liu Guozhuined to his radio operator.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying my hardest! These damn workers, every batch of equipment is different!¡± The voice of the electromechanical operator came through the inte inside the tank, clear and frustrated.


    The radio, another piece of equipment continuously improved during mass production, had many different functions added to meet the needs of actualbat.


    After learning from experience, the first improvement the Great Tang Group made was to themunication antennas that the soldiers most oftenined about.


    The antennas on tanks were frequently broken when crashing through woods or could be cut off by stray bullets, seriously affectingmunication.


    Therefore, subsequentmunication antennas could be folded down, and all had spring buffers at the base, which affectedmunication quality to some extent due to the immature technology at the time.


    ¡°Check the ammunition! The enemy tanks are approaching our front defense position! We¡¯ll enter the battlefield from the side! Cut off their retreat and sweep across¡­¡± Thepanymander¡¯s voice was clearer this time, indicating that the adjustments were effective.


    ¡°Check the ammunition!¡± Liu Guozhu reminded the loader, then heard themand to attack: ¡°Advance! Follow tank number 1! Keep themunication clear!¡±


    ¡°Speed up! Speed up!¡± Excited shouts of tankmanders came over the radio. Following these orders, Tang Army tanks entered the battlefield, officially beginning the sh with the enemy¡¯s armored corps.


    ¡°Stop the tank!¡± Less than two minutes after advancing and cresting the small rise ahead, Liu Guozhu shouted in shock upon seeing the dense Qi Country tank forces ahead.


    He really hadn¡¯t expected the enemy to have so many tanks, and these tanks¡­ they looked extraordinarily ugly¡­


    After spotting these tanks, he ordered a halt, then continued to give orders to his gunner: ¡°Open fire once you have a target! No need to ask for my permission!¡±


    Following hismand, the gunner didn¡¯t hesitate to press the pedal, and the 75mm short-barreled cannon of tank number 4 fired, sending a shell directly at a Shireck Type 1 tank, which was engulfed in mes.


    With a gasoline engine, thousands of rounds of bullets, dozens of shells, and more than a dozen men crowded together above a massive fuel tank, the likelihood of an explosive demise for Shireck tanks was astonishingly high.


    ¡°Ha!¡± After blowing up a tank with a single shot, Liu Guozhu had no intention of ordering his tank to advance any further.


    In this situation, firing from the high ground seemed a better way to achieve results than charging forward.


    Next to Liu Guozhu¡¯s tank, the toon leader¡¯s vehicle seemed to have the same idea. Both tanks did not continue to advance but kept firing from their position.


    The loader, sweating profusely, once again pulled a shell from the ammunition rack, pushed it into the breech, and closed the breech block.


    Almost immediately, the cannon in the turret recoiled violently backward, and a spent shell casing was ejected.


    An odious smell of burning hung in the air of the tank once more, making every breath Liu Guozhu took an urge to cough.


    He opened the hatch above his head, allowing more air to circte into the vehicle. Just then, his gunner fired the third shell.


    ¡°Missed!¡± the gunnerined sullenly. There was no helping it; with the current level of technology, even the best gunner could hardly guarantee a 50% hit rate.


    ¡°Get us closer!¡± Liu Guozhu felt they should improve their hit rate, otherwise, if they ran out of ammunition too soon, it would be very awkward.


    ¡°Fire the high-explosive! No worries! I think the HE rounds can take them out too.¡± As they moved forward, Liu Guozhu suggested ideas to his gunner and loader despite the jolting of the tank.


    At this time, the Qi Army tankmanders, who were attacking the Tang Army positions, seemed to have noticed the Tang tanks nking them.


    After a moment of panic, many small turrets on Qi tanks began to rotate, and countless side-mounted machine guns on their hulls started to fire at the approaching Tang tanks.


    But Liu Guozhu and his men had closed the distance between them to the extreme! Just now, the number 4 tank that was ahead of them had charged past the zing wreck of a Shireck Type 1 tank!


    Soon, Liu Guozhu¡¯s own tank also burst through the rolling smoke and passed the iron coffin glowing red from the fire.


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 Chapter 597: 556 doesnt distinguish between friend and foe

    Chapter 597: 556 doesn¡¯t distinguish between friend and foe


    ¡°Stop! Fire! Reload!¡± Liu Guozhu peered through the slit in the observation window and saw a Qi Army tank in the distance rotating its turret.


    The hunk of metal opposite them looked incredibly bulky, with short legs and a small head, almost like a clown. Inparison to the Tank No. 4, the Shireck Type 1 tank indeed seemed quite bizarre.


    It had a turret as well, but it was very small. Mounted on it was a 75mm gun, also a short barrel, designed to destroy the enemy¡¯s fortifications.


    The difference was, this cannon was aimed directly without an optical sighting system¡ªits uracy, basically depended on lottery luck.


    From the very beginning, this gun was not meant to fight enemy tanks, so it was iparable to the simr weapon on Tank No. 4.


    Even though the short-barreled 75mm cannon on the Tank No. 4 was also a low-pressure gun with weak armor-prating capability, it was still equipped with an optical sight, allowing it to fire at targets from a longer distance.


    Continuousmands flowed from Liu Guozhu¡¯s mouth. The Tank No. 4 paused briefly, and a shell was fired.


    Taking advantage of this brief pause, the loader had already reloaded another shell. By the time Liu Guozhu shouted themand ¡°Advance,¡± the gunner was already selecting his fifth target.


    All along their route, they had really resembled cavalry of ancient times, slicing into the battlefield, disrupting the enemy¡¯s formation, and breaking through the enemy¡¯s square formations.


    Every enemy tank they encountered received a shell from them, transforming the opponent into an explosion of mes.


    At this moment, the gunner was at the pinnacle of exhration, for he had just used nine shells to take out five tanks!


    For him, this was already an extraordinary performance. After all, this was on the battlefield; to achieve better results than during regr training was something to be proud of.


    ¡°Ahead! An enemy tank! Aim!¡± Liu Guozhu spotted an enemy tank not far ahead and loudlymanded.


    As he issued themand, the enemy tank¡¯s little cannon fired a shell, spewing a st of me.


    ¡°It¡¯s firing! It¡¯s firing!¡± The gunner had just pointed the sight at this Qi Army tank and was startled by the spouting me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not attacking us! Don¡¯t panic! Stop! Aim at it! Fire!¡± Liu Guozhu loudly reminded his crew, then immediately followed with themand.


    His tank came to a stop once again; the vehicle wobbled slightly beforeing to a rest.


    After a simple adjustment to the turret angle, the gunner fixed the crosshair of the sight on the Qi Army tank that had just fired.


    The next second, he pressed the pedal, firing a lethal shell. Tank No. 4¡¯s short barrel, too, ejected a burst of me, and right then the Qi Army tank on the opposite side exploded.


    The feeling was incredibly satisfying; the tenth shell allowed the gunner to score his sixth kill of the day! And at that moment, the tanks of Qi Country on the battlefield seemed to be dwindling.


    ¡°Retreat! Get out of here! Quick!¡± On the other side, in a Qi Country tank, amanding Qi officer ordered loudly.


    Right next to his tank, a Shireck Type 1 tank had already exploded and was burning, billowing thick smoke.


    The burning tank obstructed his view and also made him realize it was time to retreat quickly.


    They hade to break through the Tang Army¡¯s position, yet they¡¯d only advanced a few hundred meters when they encountered peers who were several times more formidable than themselves.


    Without radio equipment, these Qi Army tanks had failed to detect the group of grim reapersing from the nk.


    They were advancing with single-minded dedication, intending to overrun the Tang Army¡¯s positions and clear the way for the infantry that would follow.


    But as one after another Qi Country tank was destroyed, some did spot the danger that suddenly appeared on the nk.


    Regrettably, these tankmanders had no way of sharing what they saw with theirrades-in-arms.


    They could only deal with whatever they encountered on their own, unable to notify others. This was the sorry state of tank crews without radios: by the time they knew everything, it was toote.


    So, one by one, Qi Country tanks were destroyed, the remaining ones advancing like fools.


    ¡°Tell them to retreat quickly!¡± Qin Xiong, observing everything from his position, felt that his country¡¯s tanks were blind.


    Watching as the nks were almostpletely ughtered, the remaining tanks continued to blindly advance, executing their pre-nned operations.


    ¡°Someone has been sent to make contact¡­ I¡­ I¡¯ve also signaled with gs on my side¡­¡± The officer in charge ofmanding the tanks was ashen-faced, his voice clearly trembling as he spoke.


    He knew the moment he saw the threat to the nk that his troops were about to be finished today.


    The one who knew his troops best realized there were no good means to control the direction of these steel monsters of Shireck. Once they were deployed into battle, they could only rely on their instincts to fight.


    Still, he struggled a few times: he ordered the signal corps to risk their lives going from one tank to another to deliver messages, while he also began to signal with gs on his own position.


    This was the most reliable method ofmunication, using the most primitive method tomand the most advancednd weapon: all Shireck tanks had observation windows at the back, for the purpose of observing g signals from their own positions.


    Just now, the attacking Qi Country tank unit saw the g signal for retreat being frantically waved on their own positions.


    And the Qi Country tank unit, which had lost more than half of its force, saw the Tang Army tanks attacking their nk and about to ughter them after spotting the retreat signal.


    Watching his own tanks slowly retreating through a battlefield filled with smoke and debris, Qin Xiong¡¯s face became extremely somber.


    Looking at the situation on the battlefield, he realized that his so-called trump cards and secret weapons seemed to have be a joke.


    At this moment, he felt like a baby waving its fists in front of an adult,ughably and even endearingly clueless.


    Finally, he decided to do something, even if it was just to make things difficult for the opposing Tang Army, to disgust them if nothing else.


    With that thought in mind, he suddenly looked at the aide-de-camp beside him andmanded, ¡°Order the artillery to fire! Cover thebat area!¡±


    ¡°General!¡± Upon hearing this order, themander of the embattled Qi Army tank unit on the battlefield blurted out with a pale face.


    ¡°My lord, our troops are still in thebat zone¡­¡± Another General came out to help, ncing at the already desperate tank unitmander and said, ¡°Recklessly firing¡­ might affect the morale¡­¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to say, but in this situation, can those tanks of ours¡­ make it back?¡± Qin Xiong asked angrily, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°This¡­¡± The General who tried to intervene paused, looking embarrassed, and hung his head in acquiescence without saying anything more.


    ¡°Chased by Tang Army tanks, our tanks probably can¡¯t even return! It¡¯s better to take the chance while the enemy and our forces are intermingled, to take down the enemy tank units¡­¡± Qin Xiong made up his mind, andmanded fiercely, ¡°Fire! Cover the battle zone!¡±


    The Qi Army tank unit fighting fiercely on the battlefield had no idea they had already been abandoned by theirmanders. The Tang Army Armored Corps that had broken into the battlefield also did not know that their enemies had prepared a nasty surprise for them.


    Just as Liu Guozhu was preparing to stop and fire another shot to send a reversing Shireck Type 1 tank to the heavens, a 130mm howitzer shellnded on the ground in front of him and exploded, lifting up a curtain of dust that hid the sky.


    ¡°Damn! Artillery fire!¡± Liu Guozhu was startled by the sudden explosion, then quickly realized someone was bombarding his area.


    ¡°Artillery! Watch out for artillery!¡± He grabbed the inte, and as the second shellnded, he shouted hoarsely.


    Meanwhile, a Type 4 tank advancing was hit directly by a shell, and the huge explosion blew off its turret, leaving only the burning hull paralyzed in the position.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time a Type 4 tank had been destroyed, but it was the first time Liu Guozhu had witnessed it with his own eyes.


    ¡°Turn right! Turn right! Head towards our own position! Get out of here! Get out as fast as possible!¡± Amidst the chaos, themand from the battalion headquarters timely reached all the tankmanders¡¯ ears.


    ¡°Turn right! elerate! Charge towards our own defensive position! Fast!¡± Liu Guozhu also realized this was the quickest and shortest path out of the artillery fire.


    Almost all the Type 4 tanks began to turn at once, then sped away without a second thought, leaving behind a battlefield that resembled hell, littered with the remains of tanks, to escape the fire zone.


    In the distance, on the Qi Army¡¯s position, the Qi Army tank unitmander, who responded a hundred times faster than his own troops, was now in tears without tears.


    He didn¡¯t understand how they managed to manipte these steel behemoths so exactly, so he could only watch as the shells fell in the midst of the battlefield now upied only by Qi Army tanks.@@novelbin@@


    A few secondster, he suddenly remembered something, burst forth, and grabbed Qin Xiong¡¯s arm, ¡°General! Stop the artillery fire! Stop it now!¡±


    Seeing the Tang Army escape, leaving behind a few destroyed Type 4 tanks, Qin Xiong also felt it was meaningless to continue the bombardment. He sighed, and with some regret,manded, ¡°Send the order to stop the artillery fire¡­¡±


    In his view, the loss of his own tank unit was not a pity; the real regret was not being able to take down the formidable Tang Army Armored Corps with them.


    If he had a choice, he would prefer to have both sides¡¯ armored corps wiped out together. At least then, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about someone taking out his headquarters¡­


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


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 Chapter 598: 557 Awkward Retreat

    Chapter 598: 557 Awkward Retreat


    Liu Guozhu was in a shabby state, and as he had his tank turn around, another shell dropped, nearly flipping his tank over.


    The massive explosion made him feel the vibration inside the tank, a mix of relief from a narrow escape and terror.


    ¡°Speed up! Full speed! Quick!¡± Liu Guozhu, wanting to leave this wretched ce as soon as possible, didn¡¯t want to stay here for another minute.


    Not far from his side, a No. 4 tank that had been hit directly by a shell had its hull torn apart, a horrible sight to behold.


    The shell had smashed the No. 4 tank¡¯s turret directly, the deformed turret flew far away, and the remaining body immediately caught fire, with the tracks ceasing amidst the mes. Due to the intense heat, the road wheels were detached from the body and rolled away to the side.


    The road wheels of the No. 4 tank were surrounded by rubber rims, and these mmable materials were all consumed in the raging fire.


    Everything from the tank¡¯s headlights to the paint riddled with bullet holes was peeling off and breaking apart in the fire and then gradually disappearing.


    When everything finally came to a stop, only the rusty armor of the tank remained, barely showing the original contours of the body, nothing more.


    As for the crew members inside, they had long been burned to ashes, leaving nothing behind. They would turn into charred remains, and over time crumble into dust.


    ¡°There are our trenches up ahead!¡± The driver, while steering the tank forward in a mad rush, shouted to Liu Guozhu.


    ¡°I know! Don¡¯t mind it! Just go over it!¡± Liu Guozhu figured that as long as the soldiers weren¡¯t blind, they¡¯d definitely notice them barreling towards them.


    Sure enough, in the trenches, the grenade-throwing soldiers of the Tang Army, who had seen the artillery hitting their own tank units, also saw their tanks swiftly turn and charge towards them.


    ¡°Tanks! Tanks areing! Bend down! Get down! Get down!¡± An infantry toon leader, seeing his own tanks frantically approaching, immediately turned and shouted to his soldiers.@@novelbin@@


    Upon hearing his cry, the soldiers of the Tang Army in the position immediately started to dodge, some bending down, some simply running off to the distance.


    In no time, the first approaching No. 4 tank rolled over their own trench, as if it was charging at them.


    The tracks crushed the edges of the trench, continuing to move with the soil, then flung the mud clinging to it onto the steel helmets of the Tang Army soldiers, nging noisily.


    After the first tank rumbled past their own trench, the second tank charged over recklessly, rushing past everything.


    Without the time to look back at the tanks that had passed, the grenade-throwing soldiers of the Tang Army, who had not yet encountered the Qi Army tanks, were once again rolled over by their own.


    ¡°Hey! You bunch of cowards! You only know how to pick on your own kind, eh?¡± One of the soldiers, discontented, knocked the mud off his helmet, turned back, and cursed at the passing tank loudly.


    Before he could finish his curse, a veteran soldier next to him reached out, grabbed his neck, and pushed him back into the trench.


    The next second, the No. 4 tank of Liu Guozhu, with its not-so-wide tracks, collided over. It almost hit the back of the reckless soldier¡¯s head.


    The colossal body of the No. 4 tank swept past over the soldier¡¯s head. If he had looked up, he could have seen the maintenance hatch reserved on the bottom of the tank.


    The roar of the engine and the screeching metal friction were deafening, apanied by the sound of exploding shellsnding far away, like a heavy metal concert.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± The veteran soldier, holding down the recruit¡¯s neck, felt the falling mud roll into his cor.


    He cursed, thinking that the tankers of the 1st Armored Division were all bastards born of whores, ¡°Damn it! These family-damned bastards!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, thank you¡­¡± The young soldier, whose view of the sky was blocked by the tank¡¯s body above him, turned his head with a frightened thanks.


    But before he could finish, his mouth was filled with falling dirt. He cursed quietly, cursing Liu Guozhu¡¯s entire family.


    At this very moment, he really wanted to climb onto that damned tank, open the hatch on top, then take out his grenade, pull the pin, and ask the bastard inside, ¡°You know what this is? Do you recognize this?¡±


    However, those were friendly tanks; he couldn¡¯t do that. All he could do was to mock them for their cowardice and timidity the next time he ran into these guys.


    Soon, the battlefield became quiet again. The Qi Army, having realized that their shelling was ineffective, stopped firing and the retreating armored corps of the Tang Army passed by Luo Town and began to tally their losses.


    In the recent shelling, they had lost six tanks, two of which had been disabled by near misses and were paralyzed in between the two armies¡¯ fronts, and four werepletely destroyed, still burning.


    The tank losses of Qi Country were even more severe. During their attack, they hadmitted 70 tanks, only to have 67 tanks destroyed by the Tang Army and by themselves!


    Indeed, it was almost a total annihtion: 70 tanks had set out grandly, and only 3 riddled with bullet holes were left when they returned.


    Of these, more than 50 were destroyed by Tang Army tanks at distances of less than one hundred meters; others were paralyzed by malfunctions and abandoned halfway, and a few were destroyed by their own artillery fire during retreat.


    After this battle, it could almost be said that Qi Army¡¯s Armored Corpsmander was out of a job: he barely had any troops left to use.


    Originally, the 1st Army of Qi Country only had 110 Shireck 1 model tanks avable to use, and 40 were damaged along the way due to malfunctions and other issues.


    With great difficulty, they managed to preserve 70 tanks by cannibalizing parts from each other, only to lose 67 of them in the recent battle.


    The three tanks that made it back were also unable to participate inbat, as their power transmission systems, having been used once on the brutal battlefield, were 80% likely to be faulty. Forcing them back into battle would easily lead to their paralysis on the battlefield.


    If it had not been for Qin Xiong¡¯s subsequent relentless shelling, carrying out indiscriminate attacks, the Tang Army might not have lost a single tank.


    The gap between them was so clear that evenymen could see it clearly: Qi Army¡¯s Armored Corps was simply not in the same league as the Tang Army¡¯s Armored Corps.


    Whales are not fish! Little Jap¡­ they¡¯re not human! Although both are called Armored Corps, theirs in Qi Country isn¡¯t a real Armored Corps!


    While the Qi Country Armored Corpsmander was incessantlyining inwardly, the Tang Army¡¯s 1st Armored Division was also assessing the damage.


    Liu Guozhu only realized when he climbed down from his tank that its mudguard seemed to have been blown off by a shell fragment.


    The hinge that could flip upward was hanging there, lonely, while the mudguard had vanished without a trace. The paint on his tank, already full of bullet marks, was further ravaged beyond recognition.


    Actually, he was very lucky, because some returned home with problems in their clutches, and the engines of some tanks were not working steadily.


    Tanks, after all, are a new type of weapon and equipment, and it¡¯s more thanmon for them to have some issues on the battlefield. For an Armored Division with several hundred tanks, being able to maintain two-thirds of them in battle-ready condition was already a very high level ofbat readiness.


    ¡°They¡¯re really ruthless, beginning the indiscriminate bombardment while their own men were still out there,¡± a tankmander, who had a bandage wrapped around his head,ined to Liu Guozhu while leaning against a tank.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Liu Guozhu pointed at his own head and asked the other party.


    ¡°The tank shook violently, and I hit the handrail¡­¡± The tankmander was too embarrassed to admit that he was running too eagerly, and gave a vague reply.


    ¡°You¡¯re actually lucky,¡± said the toon leader as he came over, carrying a map and some documents, and said after looking in the direction of the third toon, ¡°One of the tanks from the third toon was destroyed¡­ter on¡­ all the tankmanders will have to go there for a memorial service.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± The tankmander, still leaning on the tank with a bandage on his forehead, stood at attention and saluted.


    Liu Guozhu also stood at attention and saluted, ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, Liu Guozhu, the regimentalmander has read your report, and he¡¯s very satisfied! The matter of you killing the third prince of Qi Country has been confirmed, and the division will send someone tomend you, so don¡¯t worry,¡± the toon leader seemed to remember something and said to Liu Guozhu, ¡°The second toon leader specifically asked me to thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank me for what?¡± Liu Guozhu looked genuinely puzzled.


    The toon leader showed a smile and pointed in the direction where Liu Guozhu was, ¡°At such a young age, where did you learn so much about the ways of the world? Get out of here!¡±


    Although it was a rebuke, there was no dissatisfaction to be heard, and it seemed that the toon leader was very pleased with Liu Guozhu, his subordinate.


    The Tang Army¡¯s retaliation was swift and decisive. In the afternoon, countless bombers visited the area where Qi troops were stationed.


    This time it was not just three or five nes carrying out bombing missions as a matter of routine, but an all-out deployment of 50 Stukas, plus 60 FW-190 ¡°Butcher¡± fighters.


    Qin Xiong had never seen so many aircraft deployed by the Tang Army before. He hid in hismand post and watched helplessly as his troops were bombed to the point of screaming for their fathers and mothers.


    With more than a hundred nes dropping bombs in rotation, Qi Country¡¯s ground troops failed to organize a single attack until darkness fell.


    The unique sound of the Stukas echoed in the sky all afternoon, their continuous howling sapping the fighting spirit of the Qi Army. No matter how much themanders urged, the troops were unwilling to leave their hiding ces to assemble andunch an attack on the Tang Army defenses.


    As the chiefmander of Qi Country, Qin Xiong had no good solution either. Although he was seen as a rather professional seniormander in the Qi military, he was indeed helpless against the Tang Army of another caliber.


    After witnessing the power of the Tang Army, what upied Qin Xiong¡¯s mind now was how to get away from the cursed ce of Luo Town.


    At this time, the news of the loss of Nanye also reached Qin Xiong¡¯s ears. Clearly, recapturing Luo Town had be undisputedly superfluous for the Qi Army.


    Because their n to open a line of transport between Luo Town and Nanye had utterly failed with the fall of Nanye.


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 Chapter 599: Wait in place at 558

    Chapter 599: Wait in ce at 558


    When the First Prince saw the telegram sent by Qin Xiong, he waspletely dumbfounded. He no longer knew what to do.


    His father had ordered him to immediately recapture Luo Town, but Qin Xiong had a pessimistic attitude toward the recapture of Luo Town. As Qin Xiong¡¯s partner, the First Prince believed in the judgment of this renowned general from Qi Country, so he was reluctant to ¡°wade into muddy waters¡± at Luo Town.


    However, Jiang Xian¡¯s orders were very clear, which was to assemble the troops and attack towards Luo Town to recapture this vital stronghold.


    Developments often go beyond people¡¯s expectations: the First Prince hadn¡¯t yet made up his mind to go to Luo Town when Qin Xiong sent him news that the Armored Corps had been almostpletely lost.


    Combined with the earlier disappearance of the Third Prince near Luo Town¡­ the First Prince felt that Luo Town was hell, a dangerous zone that should not be easily entered.


    Looking at a newspaper from the Great Tang Kingdom in his hands, the First Prince was even more conflicted now. The newspaper was Chang¡¯an Daily from Tang Country, dropped by the thousands by B-17 bombers of the Great Tang Kingdom onto the frontlines of Qi Country.


    By now, many of the officials and soldiers of Qi Country had already seen these papers that fell from the sky, and had seen the enormous photo on the paper.


    One photo was of a row of neatly arranged corpses, among which strikingly were the Third Prince, Tian Heng, and themander of the 3rd Army.


    All three were in their military uniforms, but the Third Prince had several holes in his chest, Tian Heng was a grisly sight, and themander of the 3rd Army had been beheaded.


    Even though the photo was somewhat blurred due to the printing, it was still clear enough to recognize the military uniforms on these corpses.


    Everyone now knew why the Third Prince and his men could not be found, because they were already dead, in by the Tang Army!


    Below that photo, there was another picture, of Nanye. On the picture, the g of Tang Country¡¯s dragon hung on the walls of Nanye.


    Anyone who saw this newspaper would probably waver¡ªtheir cities in the rear had already been upied by the Tang Army! Their generals had already died in battle!


    Even the First Prince was scared senseless because he dared not imagine the tremendous impact the loss of Nanye would have on the defenses of Qi Country.


    King City was practically defenseless now, and the troops on the eastern front had yet to engage in battle, and it was estimated the war would be over before they could.


    He even wanted to send a telegram to his father, he really wanted to persuade Jiang Xian to find an excuse to negotiate while there was still a chance.


    Making an enemy out of such a formidable country was aplete mistake. Against an opponent of this caliber, even the Dahua Empire might not fare well if it directly intervened.


    ¡°Organize these¡­ messages¡­ and send them to His Majesty,¡± the First Prince released the newspaper from his hand, letting it fall on the table, andmanded the person beside him.


    The guard next to him quickly bowed his head, taking a pile of files that had been gathered together and left. Here, were intelligence reports from various sources.


    Some were about the loss of Nanye, some were about the disappearance of the Third Prince, and others described the Mark 3 Tanks and the Butcher Fighters.


    The most detailed were the descriptions of the Stuka Dive Bombers¡ªespecially the special, terrifying sound they made.


    ¡­


    Jiang Xian saw the B-17 bombers on the outskirts once more, as they bombed the industrial zone of Qi Country¡¯s King City again, destroying some factory facilities and dropping many leaflets and newspapers.


    At that moment, the telegram from the First Prince also arrived. When Jiang Xian saw the telegram, he couldn¡¯t help but spit out a mouthful of blood.


    He swayed slightly, then was steadied by the Prime Minister of Qi Country, barely avoiding fainting.


    This not-so-old monarch¡¯s will copsed, and it took a good while before he opened his mouth to the Prime Minister supporting him and said, ¡°The Third Prince¡­ I¡¯m afraid, I¡¯m afraid he has met with a grim fate.¡±


    ¡°The Third Prince has his own fortunate destiny to rely on¡­¡± the Prime Minister tried to offer somefort, but at that moment, someone delivered a newspaper that had fallen into the city.


    The city on the other side was still emitting thick smoke, the diligently constructed industrial zone factories had already copsed, and fires and explosions were everywhere.


    In such circumstances, Jiang Xian snatched the newspaper from the hands of the neer and closed his eyes after one nce.


    He had lost Nanye, his Third Prince was dead, and his general Tian Heng¡­ had also died for the country! The western front had copsed, and even the decision to attack Luo Town seemed to havegged behind.


    By now, the support from the Dahua Empire had been cut off; if the Dahua Empire did not dere war on Tang Country, the promised supplies from Dahua could no longer reach Qi Country.


    The reinforcementsing from the sea had to go through Beiyuan City, which was too far from King City, and the assistance from the Shen Country was a case of too little toote¡­


    The industrial foundation of Qi Country had been almostpletely wiped out by the bombers of the Tang Army, and Nanye, which had been rtively well-preserved, was now under the control of the Tang Army.@@novelbin@@


    Lacking modern industrial support, Qi Country had basically fallen into an overall disadvantage by the 15th day of the war.


    To fight this war, Jiang Xian had assembled troops of over 500,000, one-tenth of whom had already be prisoners of the Tang Army, another tenth had been annihted, and the majority of the rest had no choice but to engage inbat with the Tang Army¡ªa type of warfare they were not familiar with.


    It was Qi Country¡¯s n to have these troops hold their positions in their permanent defensive fortifications, so there wouldn¡¯t be significant casualties or the need forplex maneuvers.


    Field battles, which Qi Army wanted to avoid desperately due to ack ofmand andmunication equipment and training, had unfortunately be a cruel reality. The Tang Army had lured more than half of the Qi Army out of their trenches, and the war had quietly changed its form.


    The war experience that had been umted on the Eastern Continent waspletely inapplicable to the Qi-Tang war on the Western Continent¡ªQi Army¡¯s trench warfare had not been given any room to unfold, as over 200,000 troops had beenpelled to leave their trench defenses.


    The elite 3rd Army had already lost much of its fighting power, the 1st Army now had to switch from defense to offense on the outskirts of Luo Town, and the 2nd Army had even left its post to head north towards King City.


    Those carefully designed trenches and defenses turned out to be useless, while the fragile railway and supply lines were left exposed to the Tang Army¡¯s strikes, hanging by a thread.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please ept my condolences,¡± the Prime Minister had to swallow his own words about the Third Prince having a charmed life and quickly consoled Jiang Xian after learning of the Third Prince¡¯s death.


    ¡°He has destroyed my legacy! Led my 150,000 troops on the western front to disaster! His death is of little consequence!¡± Jiang Xian clenched his fists, summoning his spirits, and cursed angrily.


    Although he was heartbroken over the loss of his son, he also needed to give an exnation to the soldiers on the western front. Thus, he cursed out loud, assigning all the me for the copse of the western front to his deceased son.


    ¡°Right now, we must order the First Prince to lead his troops north, recapture Luo Town, and thenunch a fierce attack on Nanye in order to ensure the security of King City¡­¡± one general suggested.


    King City was defenseless, and the Tang Army could attack at any moment. Under these circumstances, if pressure wasn¡¯t created behind the Tang Army, they would certainly focus their attention on King City.


    Jiang Xian understood this perfectly, but the first thing he needed to do was to recall the Imperial Guard he had sent out to strengthen the defenses of King City.


    So, he immediately gave his order to the generals in front of him, ¡°Order the Imperial Guard to retreat immediately! Quickly!¡±


    Now that Nanye had been lost, the Imperial Guard dispatched there were like lost souls in deste wilds. If they were surrounded by the Tang Army, they would be annihted in an instant.


    As the monarch of Qi Country, Jiang Xian no longer had faith in the field capabilities of Qi Country¡¯s troops. If the Qi troops could actually make a difference in the field, the situation would have taken a different turn.


    Only then did Jiang Xian start a series of troop mobilizations andmands: ¡°Send a telegram to the Second Prince! Ask where the 2nd Army has reached! Tell them to speed up! Tell them to join me as soon as possible!¡±


    After urging the 2nd Army, Jiang Xian began sending telegrams to the First Prince: ¡°Telegraph orders to the First Prince¡¯s troops, tounch a fierce attack on Luo Town at all costs! At any cost!¡±


    He spoke with the most severe and firm tone to the officer sending the telegram: ¡°Find a way to tell him! The survival of the kingdom hinges on this battle, he is a prince of Qi Country, he must shoulder the responsibility befitting a prince!¡±


    Following that, Jiang Xian sent a telegram to Qin Xiong, ordering him to takemand of the remaining troops on the western front and lead the troops from both the central and western fronts to recapture Luo Town by any means necessary.


    The First Prince, who had been ready to lead his troops in a great detour along the eastern railway to retreat as per Qin Xiong¡¯s advice, was packing up when he received another telegram from his father in King City.


    In the telegram, his father forbade him to retreat, instead issuing him a do-or-die order to beid to rest in Luo Town if necessary.


    This put the First Prince, who had prepared to flee to the northeast, at a loss, and he ended up spending another day unsessfully at the central frontmand post.


    He had yet to understand that waiting in ce was not only a waste of time but also left the troops under hismand stranded on the spot, unable to move an inch.


    While the Qi Army at the front line was wasting time marching in ce, Jiang Xian¡¯s Imperial Guard was encircled north of Nanye by the pioneering forces of the 4th Armored Division.


    The only sizable Qi troop near King City was thus wiped out by the Tang Army on their retreat.


    And on the same day, Qi Army still stationed at the western front stopped resisting,id down their arms, and chose to surrender with dignity.


    The Tang Army epted their surrender and also took over the defensive positions of the Qi Army. The western bulge of Qi Country, the only threat to the supply line of the Tang Army, had been ttened by the Tang forces.


    The next day, the Tang Army did not continue their offensive but waited for further supplies to arrive. Both the 4th Armored Division and the 2nd Armored Division needed a replenishment of fuel and ammunition.


    That day, the First Prince was still in hismand post, neither advancing to the front line at Luo Town nor retreating towards the northeast.


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 Chapter 600: 559 Accidental Fall

    Chapter 600: 559 idental Fall


    Above the sky, the Stuka Dive Bombers of the Great Tang Kingdom were howling towards the ground. Then, without any attempt to pull up, they mmed into the earth and became a dazzling ze of fire.


    There was no warning, nor any interference from anti-aircraft fire. This was the second aircraft the Air Force troops of the Great Tang Kingdom had lost in these days.


    The first aircraft crashed on the runway on its return flight due to improper operation; it was an FW-190 fighter. The pilot, with broken bones, was pulled out from the slightly deformed cockpit by ground personnel and sent to the hospital.


    This time, the two pilots aboard the crashed Stuka Dive Bomber were not so lucky. They were unable to parachute out in time, crashing with the aircraft and exploding in a fiery st.


    It wasn¡¯t only encounters with enemy interceptors or being hit by ground artillery that could result in aircraft losses.


    Even in peacetime, it wasn¡¯t so unthinkable for amercial airliner, which had been subjected to countless inspections, to suddenly experience a mechanical failure.


    Moreover, this was a time of war. All aircraft, even if they had minor issues, wouldn¡¯t affect their deployment.


    Some pilots would even volunteer, preferring to fly into battle with an aircraft that had a minor malfunction. This was considered a sign of bravery.


    Now, the Great Tang Group had lost their first aircraft in war, along with two heroic and fearless pilots.


    The remaining covering aircraft circled in the sky for a long time, as if it had lost its partner, not reluctantly leaving until its fuel ran low.


    On the ground, surrounded by parts scattered from the explosion around the still not fully extinguished mes, the charred bodies of the Tang pilots were utterly beyond recognition. Outside the severely deformed cockpit, countless Qi Country soldiers timidly surrounded the wreckage.


    They observed the devil that had fallen from the sky with terror, clueless about how the thing could have flown into the heavens.


    They looked at the thin, burnt, and deformed sheet metal, the half of the propeller that had been blown off, and the engine that was now unrecognizable.


    To them, these items, including the broken wings, the snapped long-wave radio antenna, and the twisted metal bars on the cockpit canopy, were beyond theirprehension.


    They viewed this object in much the same way as a group of Earthlings would gather around to observe a UFO. Their meager knowledge made it impossible for them to understand whaty before their eyes.


    Imagine, if you will, a person from the year 1980 encountering an iPhone 13 ¡ª they might not even have the courage to disassemble it for study.


    Engineers would not recognize the battery that¡¯s about the size of a piece of chewing gum, nor would theyprehend the mysterious vibrating module, or the CPU¡ªabout the size of a little fingernail¡ªwhose processing power rivals that of a massiveputer¡­


    But in front of these soldiers from Qi Country was a Stuka Dive Bomber! Just a minute ago, it had been soaring through the sky, ready to drop a 500-kilogram bomb on the heads of these very soldiers from Qi Country!


    ¡°There¡¯s someone inside that!¡± pointed out one of the Qi Country soldiers who had first gathered around the unrecognizable cockpit, saying to the officer who had arrived.


    ¡°There is another one behind! I saw it very clearly when it was burning, I saw his face! A face covered in blood!¡± Another soldier also chimed in, their curiosity about the crashed aircraft evident.


    ¡°This is something from that aircraft!¡± Holding out a small piece of metal as if offering treasure, a Qi Country soldier handed it to the Qi Country officer who had approached, nervously beginning to exin.


    The Qi Country officer, looking baffled, took the nondescript piece of metal from the soldier, with its two rivet holes, not knowing what to say.


    The aircraft had been unrecognizable from the moment it crashed, the entire frame already damaged, with parts already detached.


    Since it crashed directly while diving, the explosion was particrly fierce, and the aviation fuel that hadn¡¯tpletely burned up evaporated most of the aircraft¡¯s skin.


    And because the entire incident was so severe, other Tang pilots, after confirming that this ne had crashed, didn¡¯t bother with a coup de grace using bombs to destroy the remains of the aircraft.


    The first reason was that bombing was inurate, and the results would not be very good¡ªthe current bombs didn¡¯t have a hit rate for targets the size of an aircraft. It was easy to destroy a cannon; shrapnel could damage the gun carriage or kill personnel, but to expect shrapnel to destroy an already scrapped aircraft was unrealistic.


    The second reason was that it wasn¡¯t necessary, as the crashed aircraft had been destroyed in the explosion, and the technology worth studying had been nearly obliterated. Only a box was probably left of the radiomunication device, while the bombing sight was gone without a trace, and the engine had likely been reduced to a frame.


    The delicate and precious transmission systems and cable arrangements had beenpletely destroyed by the explosion and fire, and even the aircraft¡¯s overall frame had been severely damaged¡ª even if the wreckage was transported back for study, it was unlikely to hold any value.


    Even so, the people of Qi Country still believed that the object had value. At least the soldiers of Qi Country thought that the thing was evil and powerful and that one could acquire some special powers by getting a touch of its demonic aura.


    No one knows who first came up with this idea, or perhaps these naive soldiers of Qi Country just wanted to keep some valuable battlefield souvenirs.


    Therefore, nearly all the parts scattered around the airne were picked up by the onlookers and pocketed.


    Some took a rivet, others a piece of sheet metal¡­ Once other people who werete to the idea caught on, the wreckage of the airne, which had only just stopped burning, gradually ¡°evaporated,¡± losing much of itself.


    By the time Shireck¡¯s men arrived at the scene, all that was left was something resembling a skeleton and an immovable, scrapped engine.


    But even this scrapped engine had all its pistons emptied, and the spark plugs and connecting rods inside had been burned away or taken by someone.


    ¡°What about the other parts?¡± asked an advisor from Shireck, turning his head in annoyance to inquire of the Qi Country officer who had followed them.@@novelbin@@


    The officer from Qi Country wore an apologetic face and began to exin, ¡°We also didn¡¯t have the equipment to put out the fire, so many parts burned.¡±


    ¡°Was this also burned?¡± the advisor from Shireck asked, pointing to a screw hole clearly missing a portion, indicating it had been removed, ¡°It doesn¡¯t show any signs of having been burned around it! It is obvious it was dismantled by someone!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± the officer from Qi Country shrugged off the responsibility, showing an attitude of ¡®I¡¯ve done all I can¡¯.


    Meanwhile, another advisor from Shireck was continuously snapping photos of the scant remains of the airne, not sparing his film at all.


    In his hand was a camera produced by the Great Tang Group,pact and precise, clearly very valuable.


    ¡°Do you see the perforations here? They¡¯ve made progress in materials science¡­¡± While photographing the wreckage of the Stuka Dive Bomber, the advisor from Shireck remarked.


    ¡°Yes, and the machining precision has improved as well¡­ Even though it¡¯s burned like this¡­ The perforations are uniform, the sheet metal that¡¯s left¡­ We probably couldn¡¯t manufacture it, it¡¯s too thin,¡± the other advisor from Shireck, who had just been ring at the Qi Country officer, agreed.


    Despite the wreckage being only a shadow of its former self, these experts, who have been studying this field for years, could instantly spot certain advancements.


    It was a shame that most of Shireck¡¯s advisors were focused on militarymand, so these two technical experts had been temporarily brought in from a distant location.


    It was precisely because they were waiting for their arrival that two days were dyed, during which the wreckage of the Stuka Dive Bomber suffered unimaginable destruction.


    ¡°And the weapons? There should have been weapons!¡± Knowing from previous reports that this type of aircraft was obviously armed, the photographer advisor from Shireck suddenly realized something and asked.


    ¡°During the dive, there should have been two 20mm caliber autocannons! We have collected their bullets!¡± Another expert from Shireck turned again toward the Qi Country officer, filled with dissatisfaction.


    They might have arrived two dayste, but those parts would only be of use in their hands¡ªwhat use could Qi Country make of simr wreckage fragments? After all, they couldn¡¯t even manage their own basic industry, let alone copy an airne; they couldn¡¯t even produce a car.


    The current industry in Qi Country was at a level where they could produce some bullets and shells and repair cars made by countries like Shireck.


    ¡°This¡­ I really don¡¯t know,¡± said the Qi Country officer, who in fact knew exactly what was going on but still pretended ignorance.


    He was of course aware of where the two autocannons that had been burned on the ne and the simrly burned and deformed MG-34 machine gun had gone, but he could not say.


    Some of these weapons had been ordered to be taken to King City, and one of the autocannons seemed to be desired by some dignitaries from the Dahua Empire, along with some fragments and parts, all of which were being prepared to go to the Dahua Empire.


    In short, there were too many people in Qi Country whom they could not afford to offend; many coveted the military technology of Great Tang, even if it was just a glimmer of hope, even if it was just an ephemeral wish, they wanted it! They wanted it badly!


    ¡°¡­¡± Although frustrated, the advisor expert from Shireck still held back from losing his temper because he needed the cooperation of the others, to somehow transport all the wreckage to Beiyuan City.


    These items would then be shipped from there to Shen Country, transported from Shen Country back to the south controlled by Shireck, with the final destination being me Castle.


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 Chapter 601: 560 Confidential

    Chapter 601: 560 Confidential


    ¡°General! The battle damage assessment is in, and it¡¯s confirmed that one ne did not return¡ªStuka Dive Bomber number 80095 has crashed,¡± an officer reported to Ibrahim within the bustling Air Force headquarters.


    ¡°Has the wreckage been dealt with?¡± Ibrahim¡¯s first reaction was the issue of technical leakage of the aircraft! This was a matter of grave secrecy, and he did not want his enemies to be able to build fighters capable of flying in the sky so soon.


    Even if it was the outdated camel model fighter, it was still a tangible threat! Once these damned old nes appeared in the sky, the fighters under Ibrahim¡¯smand would most likely not be able to be deployed for ground attack missions.


    Nevertheless, despite his subconscious concern for the wreckage of the crashed ne, Ibrahim immediately followed up with another question, ¡°Which pilot was sacrificed?¡±


    ¡°Lieutenant Durman and Flight Trainee Sergeant Faraday were the ones killed in action,¡± the officer reported. ¡°Wingman Pilot Halsey and his apanying flight trainee Braco confirmed that the aircraft waspletely destroyed in a fire and explosion.¡±


    ¡°Has the cause of the ident been investigated and rified?¡± Ibrahim asked next.


    ¡°It has been rified. The dive brake was damaged during the dive and the ps malfunctioned during the pull-up, causing the aircraft to plummet to the ground,¡± the officer immediately responded.


    It had been two or three days since the people below had been handling this matter. They investigated the testimonies and dispatched nes for reconnaissance and confirmation.


    After dropping two bombs in a low-altitude dive and finding the results mediocre, the pilots of these nes also brought back definite news: the wreckage of that aircraft had been destroyed beyond further destruction.


    Of course, the ident investigation was also very thorough. The engineers checked their design drawings, and the ground crew checked over the more than 160 Stuka Dive Bombers at the front line.@@novelbin@@


    Only after confirming that there were no issues with these aircraft did the Stuka Dive Bomber units resume their duties.


    Yes, that¡¯s right. After nearly a month ofbat, the number of Stuka Dive Bombers in the Tang Army did not decrease but instead increased by nearly forty.


    The main reason was that there were almost nobat losses, coupled with arge number of reinforcements from the rear. The number of pilots at the Tang frontline was also increasing, so the size of the squadrons was expanding ordingly.


    If you include the B-17s, which had been expanding production like mad recently, the more than 300 aircraft that the Tang Army had at the frontline had increased to over 440.


    The B-17 bombers had increased from the initial 100 to now 150, making them the model with the most significant increase in numbers.


    On the other hand, the Butcher Fighter, which hardly had anybat escort missions, had increased by fewer than 30 because it had always been used as a bomber, which was clearly somewhat inappropriate.


    The Tang Country Air Force, in dire need of weapons for ground attacks, most desired the B-17 and Stukas, and were not very enthusiastic about the Butchers.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed not a design issue, it should be just an idental malfunction,¡± the officer concluded after a brief introduction to the ground crew¡¯s fault investigation process.


    Since the aircraft provided by Tang Mo were mature models, there definitely wouldn¡¯t be any problems with their design, therefore, these weapons and equipment had been quite mature since their induction.


    Tang Mo¡¯s golden touch effectively helped the designers at the Great Tang Group to avoid the risks of exploration and test, greatly shortening the time for technological umtion and adaptation.


    Thus, the Great Tang Group was able to continuously introduce new weapons and equipment while ensuring technological maturity and reliability.


    ¡°We must be even more careful and cautious! Prevent our aircraft technology from leaking out!¡± Ibrahim reiterated.


    He knew that even if he put out something like the twin-winged camel fighter on the market for sale, there would be countless eager buyers.


    The aviation technology of the Great Tang Group was too advanced, at least two generations ahead of the rest of the world! Such a technological edge was his guarantee of invincibility as an Air Forcemander, so he was particrly concerned about the possibility of his advantage disappearing inexplicably.


    ¡°Also, how far along are the engineers¡­ We need to build an airport in Nanye and it has to be fast! Don¡¯t get stuck without a forward base by the time the war is over!¡± he paused before moving on from the crash to focus on another issue, discussing airport construction with his subordinates.


    ¡°Rest assured, as long as our engineering and ground crews arrive in Nanye, the airport there can be used in just two or three days,¡± another Air Force officer in charge of the matter immediately replied.


    Prior to the outbreak of the war between the two countries, Tang Country¡¯s intelligence department had secretly purchased a manor in the outskirts of Nanye and quietly begun leveling thend.


    After all, even if someone saw the construction, they wouldn¡¯t guess that leveling thend was for building an airport runway because back then, nobody within Qi Country even knew what an airport runway was.


    Owing to the pre-emptive construction, the Nanye airport only needed a simplepletion of some buildings to be usable, which was very convenient.


    It was precisely because of such prior arrangements that the person in charge of constructing the air force base could assure Ibrahim so easily and confidently that his subordinates would be able to swiftlyplete the construction tasks.


    ¡°Very good! This is indeed good news,¡± Ibrahim¡¯s expression brightened somewhat as he turned to the officer who had brought the pursuit analysis report earlier, ¡°Continue with the n as before.¡±


    ¡°Do we still need to cancel today¡¯s bombing of the eastern railway line this afternoon?¡± the officer asked a question of personal concern.


    ¡°No, proceed with the n! We are using the Flying Fortress, anyway,¡± Ibrahim waved his hand and spoke. The Flying Fortress was the Tang Army¡¯s official designation for the B-17 bomber, a name coined by Tang Mo himself.


    As the suprememander of the air force, Ibrahim knew that his troops were now major consumers of oil, with these B-17 bombers consuming a substantial amount of aviation fuel every time they took off inrge formations.


    This fuel was far more precious than what tanks and automobiles burned, with a different mixture of substances blended in it, making it exorbitantly expensive.


    If it were not for a wealthy country like the Great Tang Kingdom, sponsors might not be willing to deploy air power on such a grand scale so boldly. Most countries might not even spare their armored corps.


    ¡°Understood! I will deliver the message immediately!¡± his subordinate said and went off to send the message. The bombers needed to prepare in a few minutes if they were to bomb the eastern railway line.


    Thousands of bombs had to be mounted on the bomb racks inside the aircraft belly, the ground crew needed to check the nes, refuel them, and the nes had to take off in formation. It would take time to reach the bombing area¡­


    The railway lines in Qi Country were actually not extensive, generally shaped like the Chinese character ¡°ÃÅ¡± (gate). Starting from the bottom left in sequence were Luo Town, Nanye, King City, and Beiyuan.


    King City was roughly at the ¡°dot¡± of the character ¡°ÃÅ¡±, and the encircled Imperial Guards were heading towards the ¡°vertical¡± middle to rescue Nanye.


    Beiyuan Port was roughly at the intersection of the cross and the hook of the ¡°ÃÅ¡± character, with the railway extending southward from Beiyuan representing the ¡°hook¡±, which was the eastern theater of operations and the location of the Second Prince¡¯s station.


    It was because this ¡°vertical¡± of the ¡°ÃÅ¡±, the section from Luo Town to Nanye, had been cut off by the Tang Army from west to east that King Jiang Xian of Qi ordered the distant Second Prince to lead the 2nd Army around Beiyuan to rush to the aid of King City.


    Now, Ibrahim nned to use a bombardment to cut off Qi Country¡¯s railway south of Beiyuan to create some trouble for the retreating Qi eastern group.


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, in Anpu City, the headquarters of the Tang Army in the northern stronghold of Tang Country, Tang Mo was listening to Luff¡¯s report: ¡°Your Majesty, the 4th Armored Division has already captured Nanye; they have encircled the Qi Army¡¯s Imperial Guards. If we can continue north along the railway, our forces can threaten the enemy¡¯s King City.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, our military operations in Qi Country are quite sessful. If the 2nd Armored Division can maintain the supply line along the railway, then the 4th Armored Division can advance to Qi¡¯s King City and capture it,¡± the general in charge of logistics added.


    ¡°The following troops are moving north, everything is going smoothly, although there was a bit of chaos at the outset,¡± the infantry general immediately said.


    Tang Mo, stroking his chin, listened to his subordinates¡¯ briefing. He had been studying battlefieldmand recently and had finally developed some understanding and viewpoints of his own on the war.


    At that moment, the liaison officer from the air force also spoke up: ¡°On the air force side, we have bombed Qi¡¯s industrial district in King City once again. Now the only thing they can rely on is the coastal Beiyuan City.¡±


    ¡°The production capacity of Beiyuan is nothing for us to covet,¡± Tang Mo continued to stroke his chin, sharing his own views: ¡°Leaving it to Qi Country won¡¯t have any impact on the war. But once Qi Country capittes, we can immediately put it to use, so there¡¯s no need to bomb it.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a n to cut off the railway leading north to Beiyuan City?¡± Tang Mo raised his head as he said this, looking towards Luff.


    ¡°Yes, ording to the n, the Flying Fortresses will take off today to bomb and destroy the railway,¡± Luff replied.


    Tang Mo nodded in satisfaction: ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s enough! Letting some of Qi¡¯s troops escape won¡¯t change the situation; what I want is to paralyze the vast majority of Qi¡¯s troops at their original border defense positions.¡±


    As he spoke, he pointed on the map: ¡°The more Qi troops are stuck at the border defense line, unable to move, the easier it will be for our armored corps.¡±


    As the founder of the Tang Army, Tang Mo was in no way worried about the 2nd or 1st Armies of Qi Country causing trouble for his troops. The only thing he didn¡¯t want to face was Qi Country¡¯s hundred-thousand-strong army entrenched in King City engaging him in urban warfare!


    As long as the Qi troops were exposed in the open, as long as they did not resort to the most primitive scorched earth policies, Tang Mo was not worried that the war would slip out of his control.


    Having said that, he ced his palm on Qi¡¯s King City on the map: ¡°Now, only this issue remains! Take down Qi¡¯s King City, and end this war!¡±


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 Chapter 602: 561 returns to the team

    Chapter 602: 561 returns to the team


    After a bumpy journey, a C47 finally came to a steady halt in the middle of the runway at Anpu¡¯s military airport. The cabin door opened, and two people dressed in the uniform of major generals, carrying briefcases and holding their hats, descended the gangway.


    ¡°Wee, both of you!¡± Luff said with a smile to the neers.


    The guards on either side stood to attention and saluted, holding their Mauser 98K rifles in front of their noses. The two major generals returned the salute and then followed Luff to a campsite filled with radio antennas.


    The campsite was right next to the airport, and one could see Bofors anti-aircraft guns erected nearby. Cars were parked everywhere, with Rolls-Royces not being umon.


    ¡°His Majesty is in the base. Now that you two have returned safely, I have someone I can use here,¡± Luff said as he led the way.


    Strauss, who hade a long way, had a somewhat paleplexion as it was his first time flying, and he had flown all the way from Dragon Ind to Anpu.


    Although the agony was considerably shortened in time, the degree of suffering had not lessened in the slightest. Despite being decent, the C-47 transport ne was still an old aircraft from the World War II era, and the riding experience was rather ufortable.


    General Bolton was also not in good spirits, having little experience with flying. In the turbulent airflow, he had thrown up more than once throughout the journey.


    ¡°I heard that the 4th Armored Division¡­¡± Strauss began to inquire while following Luff, ¡°is advancing quickly toward Nanye?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve just got off the ne, so the news might be a bit slow. They¡¯ve already taken Nanye and are now attacking near King City,¡± Luff said, updating Strauss with a smile.


    ¡°So fast?¡± Bolton was startled by the speed of the advance. When he boarded the ne, the Tang Army was still near Nanye; now that they had captured it, the speed was indeed formidable.


    If one looks at the bigger picture, after seizing Nanye, the situation was greatly in favor of the Tang Army: The Qi Army could no longer maneuver on arge scale and had be meat on the chopping block.


    ¡°His Majesty means that we can speed up even more,¡± Luff spoke without turning around. ¡°And indeed, we have sped up.¡±


    ¡°Faster still?¡± Strauss was startled by the answer, his steps faltering momentarily as he nearly tripped over himself.


    Both he and Bolton had previously conducted rapid attack operations and had shocked the world with their actions in Dorne.@@novelbin@@


    However, back then, they faced much weaker enemies, with both sidesmitting at most a few hundred thousand troops to battle.


    The situation was nowpletely different since all countries had a certain industrial base, and armies often involved hundreds of thousands of soldiers. In such circumstances, to achieve a swift and decisive victory was clearly even harder.


    Therefore, neither Strauss nor Bolton had ever contemted that they or anyone else couldunch such a lightning-fast offensive to end a war.


    In their view, the war that Redman fought years ago, which led to the obliteration of the Kingdom of Gemalin within just over ten days, was a ssic that seemed impossible to replicate.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we always been creating miracles? Or should I say, hasn¡¯t His Majesty¡­ always been leading us in creating miracles?¡± Luff stopped, turned his head back, and said to the two men.


    ¡­


    In themand center, Tang Mo prepared to put into practice the tactical knowledge he had learned. Although he still did not quite understand logistics, supplies, and other quantifiable matters, he could now understand the changes in the entire battlefield.


    The Tang Army, having taken Nanye, had in fact gained absolute initiative on the battlefield. Even if they stopped now, the war was already decided.


    Now, the Tang Army had two choices: the first was to stop here and wait for Qi Country to seek peace. Since the oue was clear, Qi Country would surely show sincerity in peace negotiations. A little bargaining at the negotiation table would allow Tang Country to reap significant benefits.


    The second option was to push on and capture the nearby King City of Qi Country¡ªperhaps by then, there would be no need to negotiate. The total absorption of Qi Country by Tang Country would mark the end of the war with theplete annihtion of Qi Country.


    However, no matter which option Tang Mo chose, he had to face an issue: whether Qi Country would cease to exist was no longer important; the question was whether other countries would insist on continuing the war.


    To be frank, the Tang Army¡¯s strategic reserves were still adequate, so Tang Mo was not overly concerned that the war might drag on.


    However, war is war, and it would inevitably dy construction, economic development, and people¡¯s livelihoods¡­


    For a businessman, or rather, for a former businessman like Tang Mo, he did not wish the war to persist indefinitely¡ªit interfered too much with his development ns and earning money.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s proceed with the n! New kinds of troops, new units¡­ they always have to be blooded,¡± Tang Mo said, looking at the map with Qi Country¡¯s King City on it and speaking to the officers beside him.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± A group of generals stood to attention and saluted, concluding the meeting before Strauss and Bolton entered the room.


    ¡°Long live the King!¡± The two major generals stood at attention and saluted in front of Tang Mo, chanting loudly in response.


    ¡°Ah! Strauss, Bolton!¡± Tang Mo saw his former students and a smile appeared on his face, ¡°It¡¯s really great to see you two.¡±


    After speaking, he looked at his secretary, ¡°Is there any wine?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, we have Brunas of four years,¡± the secretary answered with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, open a bottle!¡± Tang Mo was very happy, ready to celebrate the return of his two trusted generals, ¡°Have you decided?¡±


    ¡°On the way here, I made up my mind, I¡¯m ready to continue my service in the Navy,¡± Strauss answered, holding his chin up.


    Bolton also immediately answered Tang Mo¡¯s question, ¡°Your Majesty! I¡¯ve made up my mind too, ready to continue serving in thend forces for Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, as long as you¡¯ve decided,¡± said Tang Mo, smiling and patting the shoulders of the two, ¡°Yulin will definitely be very happy to see you.¡±


    He took a wine ss from the secretary¡¯s hand and then gestured for the secretary to hand the remaining two sses to them, ¡°Strauss, Bernard over there really needs people, once you get there, you should help him share the load.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Strauss took the wine ss and nodded in agreement. When he heard the name Yulin, he seemed to recall the terror of being dominated by the she-devil at school.


    ¡°Bolton, the Armored Corps on the northern front are left to Redman and Tagg, you go to the south! Chu Country is our next target for attack! I need you to train the troops quickly and get ready for mountain warfare!¡± Tang Mo made no attempt to hide the meaning of his ambition.


    If Qi Country fell and Dahua still epted their defeat honestly, then he wouldn¡¯t mind maintaining a superficial prosperity for a few more years.


    But if the other side really lost their shame, then he wouldn¡¯t mind wiping out another country, to teach those fools a lesson.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Bolton snapped his legs together, making a clicking sound, ¡°I will do my utmost!¡±


    While the three of them were reminiscing, a tall and burly bartender in charge of intelligence walked over. He slightly bowed his head and whispered into Tang Mo¡¯s ear, ¡°Your Majesty, there is intelligence from within the Ice Cold Empire.¡±


    ¡°Speak,¡± Tang Mo said, not intending to hide anything; he still trusted the dandelions he had carefully cultivated.


    ¡°Shireck has copied our Type 4 Tank and produced the Shireck Type 2 Tank, and sent the blueprints unconditionally to the Ice Cold Empire and the Laines Empire¡­¡± the bartender spoke a little louder as he reported.


    Then he continued, ¡°Just over an hour ago, the King of Dorne proimed himself Emperor, and the Laines Empire along with the Ice Cold Empire and other countries dered recognition of the Dorne Empire¡­¡±


    ¡°So they were prepared all along,¡± Tang Mo revealed a meaningful smile as he looked at Strauss and Bolton in front of him.


    The two generals were somewhat embarrassed; after all, they each had a hand, more or less, in Dorne¡¯s rise to power.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be constrained! It¡¯s not your fault! I won¡¯t bother about how Dorne jumps around, we will settle this score sooner orter,¡± Tang Mo reassured them, allowing them to rx a bit.


    ¡°My debt is not so easily owed!¡± Tang Mo turned his head to look at the bartender, ¡°Get the specifications of the Shireck Type 2 Tank sorted out!¡±


    ¡°Your subordinate understands!¡± The bartender bowed slightly and then retreated.


    After having a drink with the two, Tang Mo began to ponder over the Shireck Type 2 Tank. It seemed the enemy could save a lot of time by mimicking his actions.


    Shireck already had experience in manufacturing tanks and after witnessing Tang Mo¡¯s Type 4 Tank, they yed the game of copying.


    Making an exact replica was obviously unlikely; however, copying the basic outline of the tank was certainly no problem.


    The Shireck Type 1 Tank already had a small turret, copying a slightlyrger one wasn¡¯t difficult. Since the Shireck Type 1 Tank already had tracks, mimicking them wasn¡¯t a challenge either.


    So Tang Mo had already guessed what the Shireck Type 2 Tank might look like, but this kind of copying didn¡¯t affect him much.


    Copying the appearance is easy, but copying the soul is the key: without the support of wireless radio, the Type 4 Tank is just junk.


    Without the cooperation of the air force, without the so-called Blitzkrieg system, even if Shireck produced a Maus Tank, what of it? It¡¯s just a target.


    Moreover, Tang Mo didn¡¯t dislike such copying, because only with continuous copying could the more advanced weapons and equipment in his mind have the possibility of seeing the light of day again.


    It would be too boring if only weapons like the Stuka Dive Bomber were to be used; Tang Mo was nning to sell some A-10s for fun¡­ ore up with some F-5s, F-16s, and Mirage 2000s to sell.


    Then, ying target practice with his Hongqi-9 or ying a Turkey Shoot game with the J-20, wouldn¡¯t that be interesting?


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 Chapter 603: 562 paratroopers set out

    Chapter 603: 562 paratroopers set out


    ¡°Have you all handed in your letters?¡± a military officer shouted to the soldiers seated in two rows inside the cramped cabin of the jostling ne, his hand resting on the bulky reserve parachute strapped to his chest.


    Due to poor soundproofing, they could clearly hear the roar of the airne¡¯s engines on the wings. They could see the clouds streaming by near the wing and the deep blue sky above.


    Streaming through the round portholes, the sunlight illuminated the crowded cabin. Each person could see the faces of theirrades, and on every face were expressions of both nervousness and excitement.


    This was their first mission, so they were very nervous. It was also their first mission, so they were excited.


    Compared to regr soldiers, each one of them could be said to be armed to the teeth. Each soldier was equipped with a Thompson Submachine Gun, with at least seven magazines carrying over 210 rounds of ammunition.


    Beneath their feet, in their packs, were another four spare magazines; if these packs were not lost during the parachute drop, they would have an additional 120 rounds of reserve ammunition.


    In addition, each paratrooper was equipped with an M1911 pistol and three extra magazines, with another three magazines¡¯ worth of ammunition stored in their packs.@@novelbin@@


    Beyond that, they each had a smoke grenade, three hand grenades, and there were machine-gun weapon boxes to be dropped with them containing essible MG-42 machine guns.


    In terms of individual equipment, they could be considered the strongest infantry in the world. And these elite troops would also be fighting on the most dangerous battlefield in the world.


    They would fly directly into the heart of the enemy territory on nes, parachuting from thousands of meters above the enemy-controlled area tomencebat in enemy territory.


    ¡°All done!¡± the paratroopers, with their hands on the weapons fixed in front of them, responded in unison to their officer¡¯s question.


    Like the German Army of World War II, the Tang Country Paratroopers¡¯ helmets were specially made with even rims to prevent the parachute cords from snagging and injuring their necks.


    These paratroopers, who had been through countless grueling trainings and had each been kicked out of a ne, were nowpletely ustomed to the insane game of parachuting.


    ¡°Remember your targets! Everyndmark building! Recall all the photos you¡¯ve seen before! Assemble immediately afternding! Carry out the operational n!¡± the lead officer at the front of the turbulent ne yelled out, reminding everyone of each detail.


    Before leaving, they had all repeatedly confirmed their targets. Their mission was to destroy a bridge east of King City of Qi Country,pletely cutting off transport to the east side of King City, and then wait for the support of the 4th Armored Division on the ground.


    The bad news was that they might have to hold their position for more than three days, with just two battalions, over 900 soldiers.


    The good news was that, just like during their regr training, the enemy had virtually no anti-aircraft fire, so they wouldn¡¯t encounter much danger beforending.


    As themanders tirelessly reminded the soldiers of various things to be mindful of afternding, the indicator light above their heads lit up, suddenly heightening the tension in the cabin to a fever pitch.


    Seeing the red warning light shing, themanding officer ceased his incessant instructions and, raising his arm high, barked the order, ¡°Check your parachutes!¡±


    ¡°Check your parachutes!¡± All the soldiers began to assist theirrades in checking their parachute equipment and then started checking their own. Each paratrooper raised an arm as a signal that they were ready.


    The navigator slid open the cabin door behind him and shouted to the paratroopers inside, ¡°One minute to the marked location!¡±


    ¡°Our undercover agents will signal with a fire at the designated spot!¡± he said, while holding up his map: ¡°When you see the target, the green light wille on!¡±


    Nodding at the navigator, the leading paratroopermander shouted, ¡°Stand up!¡±


    Upon hearing themand, all soldiers stood up inside the shaking cabin. Laden with heavy equipment, moving even one step was a major effort.


    But they couldn¡¯t afford to leave anything behind, for every piece of equipment they carried was essential to their ability to continue fighting behind enemy lines.


    The green indicator light overhead suddenly lit up, and the leading officer hooked his parachute release cable onto the steel cable above: ¡°Get ready! Secure your release cables!¡±


    All the soldiers almost simultaneously hooked their release cables onto the steel wire, ensuring each was secured properly after a thorough check.


    Themanding officer pulled open the hatch, and cold air rushed into the cabin, causing the aircraft to shake even more violently.


    ¡°Long live Great Tang!¡± The first paratrooper, bracing himself on both sides of the door, shouted at the vast expanse of sky before him.


    With his shout, he pushed hard with both hands, kicked with his legs, and jumped out of the ne. His parachute, pulled by the release cord, deployed, and he was left trailing behind the ne.


    Immediately after, the second paratrooper also shouted ¡°Long live Great Tang!¡± as he jumped from the aircraft, leaving only the release cord fluttering in the door, swaying in the draft.


    Then came the third and fourth paratroopers, one after another, they leapt from the ne without the slightest hesitation.


    This was a drill they practiced nearly every day, and they had long since be ustomed to it. They were used to the howling wind by their ears, and they were also used to the sight of the ground rushing up to meet them.


    Unfortunately, what had be routine for them was, in the eyes of others, iprehensible terror.


    When 50 C-47 transport nes flew in neat formation, dropping clusters of pristine parachutes that covered the sky, the soldiers of Qi Country on the ground were so frightened they couldn¡¯t even speak.


    They saw one person after another jump from the ne, and then they saw these people bloom one white parachute after another above their heads, a sight that robbed them of their courage to fight.


    In fact, they soon realized that even if they wanted to fight, it seemed there was no opportunity to do so¡ªthe parachutes that appeared so close were actually very far from where theynded!


    However, there was one thing that the soldiers of Qi Country were very clear about: the Tang Army was now very close to them, and these Tang Army soldiers¡­ were damn descending from the sky!


    The Tang Country paratroopers who hadn¡¯t yetnded found that there seemed to be a slight error with their intelligence.


    Because the Qi Army soldiers on the ground began firing at them while they were still floating in the air, something they should not have encountered ording to their intel.


    This threw off the Tang Army¡¯s operational deployment, and one Tang paratrooper clutching his parachute lines cursed loudly, ¡°Fuck! Weren¡¯t we told there¡¯d be no attack?¡±


    A bullet whizzed past his face, puncturing the parachute above him and leaving a hole.


    But he soon hit the ground. The moment his feet mmed into the earth, a tremendous force sent him tumbling.


    This was possibly his most undignifiednding yet, and before he had time to gather up the parachute behind him, he heard the sound of machine gun fire.


    ¡°Damn Maxim,¡± he cursed inwardly, and then reached for the Thompson submachine gun strapped to his chest.


    ¡°Enemy attack! Enemy attack!¡± Not far away, the fear-filled voices of Qi soldiers rose steadily, followed by the sounds of grenade explosions.


    ¡°Who the hell tied this?¡± He found he couldn¡¯t unstrap the Thompson submachine gun fixed to his chest despite his efforts and cursed inwardly out of urgency.


    In fact, he had tied it himself, fearing the weapon would not be secure and might fall off mid-air, so he wrapped it with extra binding wire deliberately.


    The previous n had assured that they wouldn¡¯t encounter any significant forces from Qi uponnding. Who would have thought they¡¯dnd right near the military positions of Qi Country?


    ¡°The intelligence guys should be killed!¡± After he virtually cursed all the generals in the intelligence department of the Tang Army, he finally managed to get hold of his Thompson submachine gun and held it in his hands.


    With a weapon in hand, he finally felt a bit more confident. By then his parachute hadpletely touched down, and he quickly removed the parachute pack from his back and tossed it aside.


    ¡°Tat-tat-tat-tat!¡± About 40 meters away, the continuous sound of machine gun fire erupted, the unmistakable sound of the Qi soldiers¡¯ Maxim machine guns.


    Peeking from the grass, he took one nce and could see a Maxim machine gun pointed towards the sky, with seven or eight Qi soldiers around it, shouting and firing into the air.


    With so many targets in the sky, the enemy might not have noticed that some of the Tang Army had alreadynded. Feeling lucky, the paratrooper retracted his head, untied his spare pack from his feet, and tossed it aside.


    Unable to fight with the pack on, he left these unnecessary items at the spot. He also removed the spare parachute pack from his chest, which immediately made him feel a lot lighter.


    Now, having freed himself, the paratrooper began to crawl forward. He moved past the little pit that was his cover, silently approaching the incessantly firing Qi machine gun position.


    Just then, through the gaps between the leaves, he saw a Qi soldier pointing in his direction.


    It was clear that the man had seen his parachute; indeed, it was difficult not to notice such arge expanse of white.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Knowing he might have been exposed, the paratrooper immediately aimed his submachine gun at the Qi soldier who was pointing and pulled the trigger.


    ¡°Tat-tat-tat!¡± A burst of gunfire peppered the target, and blood spurted out¡ªthe distance was too close, and the sudden attack left the surrounding Qi soldiers bewildered.


    They had not expected the enemy to suddenly emerge around them, and amidst their nervousness and confusion, they initially could not locate where the attack came from.


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 Chapter 604: 563 Xiang Ziyu

    Chapter 604: 563 Xiang Ziyu@@novelbin@@


    ¡°What the hell is going on? There shouldn¡¯t be any Qi soldiers nearby!¡± Pondering this question, the Tang Country paratrooper raised his weapon and began firing.


    The Qi soldier opposite didn¡¯t react in time; still pointing in the direction of the Tang Army, he was hit in the chest by bullets sweeping towards him.


    The Qi soldier screamed as he fell, and even as he dropped, he was still pointing towards the position of the Tang Country paratrooper.


    Many of the surrounding Qi soldiers realized the danger at that moment; they all looked towards the Tang paratroopers nearby, one after another, raising their weapons.


    ¡°Bang!¡± A Qi soldier, in his panic, fired a shot, but it missed the Tang paratrooper.


    In his panic, the Qi soldier began pulling on his rifle¡¯s bolt, but the Tang paratrooper certainly wouldn¡¯t give him a chance to shoot again.


    ¡°Tatatata!¡± The Tang paratrooper pulled the trigger, firing bullets at the Qi man who had shot at him, watching as flowers of blood blossomed on the soldier¡¯s body.


    Inside the sandbag fortification, seven or eight Qi soldiers had discovered the threat beside them. The machine gunner had stopped firing into the sky and instead aimed the muzzle of his gun at the enemy to his side.


    The paratrooper, with blood in his eyes, certainly wasn¡¯t going to give these men a chance to kill him in turn. He advanced while firing, recklessly moving closer to the enemy.


    Seeing the enemy charging towards them like a god of death, the Qi soldiers panicked. Some wanted to run, while others pulled repeatedly with trembling hands at the bolts of their Shireck rifles.


    At such a distance, the bolt-action rifles clearly weren¡¯t as useful as submachine guns. Before they could aim at the paratrooper, he had already reached the edge of the sandbag fortifications.


    He fired wildly, bringing down all the enemies before him, until there were no more bullets left in his chamber, then he stopped.


    By then, the only ones left standing in the fortification were the assistant gunner of a Qi machine gun position, awkwardly standing on the other side of the gun, dumbfoundedly looking at the Tang paratrooper with an empty gun.


    Both men paused for a moment, then suddenly, the next second, they both reacted. The Qi soldier immediately reached for the bay at his waist, while the paratrooper reached for the pistol at his.


    The Qi soldier with a bay shouted as he charged past the machine gun, while the Tang soldier drew his pistol and aimed its dark muzzle at the target, pulling the trigger.


    ¡°Bang!¡± A single, crisp shot rang out, and the Qi soldier screamed as he fell to the ground. He seemed to try to struggle to his feet, but the paratrooper didn¡¯t give him another chance.


    Whether to vent or to make sure the other man was dead, he shot twice more, sttering blood from the body on the ground.


    Then, he rolled into the trench and, stepping on the blood of corpses, slipped and fell inside the fortification, his face nearly nting onto a dead man¡¯s face.


    At that moment, another Qi soldier rushed into the circr fortification, panicking and shouting, ¡°Why has the firing stopped? Why¡­¡±


    He cut off halfway when he saw the bodies all over the ce and then he saw the Tang paratrooper struggling to stand.


    Almost instinctively, he raised his rifle, but the Tang paratrooper was clearly faster.


    ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The paratrooper fired four shots at the newly arrived Qi soldier, emptying his magazine in one breath.


    The other man was riddled with bullets, his body falling backward. Finally having a chance to breathe, the paratrooper began to reload before the other man hadpletely fallen.


    He threw away his M1911 pistol and removed the empty magazine from his submachine gun, tossing it aside as well. He then pulled a new magazine from his chest and inserted it into the gun, pulled the bolt, and re-chambered a round.


    After getting his submachine gun ready for battle again, the paratrooper picked up his pistol from the ground and reced its magazine as well.


    He then slipped the pistol back into the holster at his waist and picked up the empty magazines from the ground to stuff them into the pocket on the side of his clothing.


    Once he had taken care of everything, he leaned against the cover to observe the situation around him.


    The battlefield was still chaotic, and not far from where he was, another Qi machine gun position was continuously firing into the sky.


    There shouldn¡¯t be so many machine gun positions here! ording to their n, they were supposed to be air-dropped into an open area with fewer enemy forces and then regroupfortably beforemencingbat.


    But now, Qi troops were everywhere, even with densely packed machine gun positionspletely different from the n.


    Even the frontal Qi Military didn¡¯t have such a high density of firepower, the Qi Troops stationed here were definitely elite, and extremely elite at that.


    After cursing inwardly, he suddenly realized that the Qi Country machine gun position not far off seemed oblivious to the problem next door, still relentlessly firing at targets in the distance.


    He estimated the distance visually, the enemy position spitting mes was about 50 meters from his location. Due to the chaotic scene, the enemy hadn¡¯t noticed that their machine gun position had gone entirely silent.


    With his submachine gun in hand, the paratrooper stepped over the Qi Army corpses on the ground and crawled out of the circr position through themunication trench in the rear. At the T-junction, he looked both ways and saw Qi soldiers firing their rifles.


    After taking a deep breath, he extended his weapon and pulled the trigger on one side, his submachine gun¡¯s crisp sound ringing out like a typewriter, bullets storming the trench from the side.


    Clearly, the Qi soldiers hadn¡¯t expected an attack from their nk, and in an instant, five or six soldiers were shot down.


    The remaining soldiers stood frozen, foolishly felled by bulletsing from behind. Blood sttered everywhere for a moment, along with the screams of Qi soldiers.


    He pulled his head back in, changed another magazine, knowing his attack had drawn the enemy¡¯s attention, and that moving forward along the trench would be disastrous.


    So, he decisively flipped out of the trench and hunched over as he ran towards another Qi Country machine gun position.


    40 meters, 30 meters, 20 meters, 15 meters¡­ 10 meters! When he could see the side face of the Qi shooter in the trench clearly, he dove forward to the ground, then pulled out a grenade and yanked off the safety pin.


    Releasing the lever, he heard a crisp click, tossed the hand grenade straight into the Qi machine gun position, then curled up to wait for the st a few secondster.


    ¡°Boom!¡± The explosion didn¡¯t disappoint him, sending dirt flying, with some gravelnding near him, clinking against his helmet.


    Without waiting for the dust to settle, the paratrooper got up and rushed towards the trench. He didn¡¯t dare pause for even a second, as without any cover, one shot could likely leave him dead right there.


    As if he could hear his own breathing, he passed through the green smoke of the explosion, choking on the burning smell that irritated his lungs, his heavy equipment making his movements appear clumsy.


    But still, he made it to the edge of the trench, and without hesitation, rolled into it. He saw Qi soldiers struggling on the ground and others turned into indistinguishable messes by the grenade.


    He fired two shots at the screaming Qi soldiers on the ground, then heard something flip into the trench behind him.


    At thest moment, he spun around ready to shoot, only to hear the person who flipped into the trench shout, ¡°Friendly! Don¡¯t shoot!¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡± After realizing that the person who flipped into the trench was also a Tang Country paratrooper, he cursed instinctively while still holding his submachine gun.


    ¡°You should use the code word!¡± The paratrooper, who had taken two machine gun positions, leaned against the trench¡¯s edge, nced in the direction of themunication trench: ¡°Blue Sky.¡±


    ¡°White Cloud!¡± The neer looked at him as if he were an idiot, then after they confirmed the code, he continued, ¡°There¡¯s something off with these Qi troops!¡±


    ¡°Of course I know something¡¯s off! There are too many of them, at least 300 people from Qi Country! They¡¯ve set up two machine guns on a 50-meter-long position! Bastards!¡± The paratrooper who knocked out two machine gun positions gestured, ¡°They have continuousmunication trenches and ample ammunition; this position has been established for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Two? I only saw one¡­¡± The neer paratrooper was surprised and paused briefly before speaking.


    ¡°Over there! There¡¯s another one, I took it out.¡± The cautious paratrooper pointed roughly in the direction: ¡°Someone¡¯sing!¡±


    He readied his submachine gun, preparing to fire; secondster, three Qi soldiers with bays charged in.


    The Qi soldiers who entered were immediately flipped by the side¡¯s gunfire, submachine gun versus bolt-action rifle, in such narrow confines, it was a total rout.


    Seeing another three enemy soldiers go down, the new paratrooper moved to the other side of the trench: ¡°We need to get to the other side of the trench! Otherwise, we risk getting hit by grenades!¡±


    They didn¡¯t know if the Qi soldiers had grenades, so they couldn¡¯t take chances. Moreover, they had to clear a safe zone for the buddies behind them.


    ¡°Cover me!¡± The neer shouted and then rushed forward, his submachine gun zing, turning the remaining seven or eight Qi soldiers in the trench into sieves.


    ¡°Blue Sky!¡± While they were clearing the trench, more paratroopers came together; they immediately spoke the password as they approached, bringing seven or eight more people and livening up the ce all at once.


    ¡°Xiang Ziyu!¡± Finally, a paratrooper squad leader flipped into the trench and recognized the paratrooper who had just taken out two Qi machine gun positions.


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 Chapter 605: 564 has a big fish.

    Chapter 605: 564 has a big fish.


    Xiang Ziyu was loading the third new magazine into his weapon when he saw his squad leader and was very happy, ¡°Squad leader!¡±


    ¡°When did you get here?¡± The squad leader leaned at the edge of the fortification, observing the Qi Army soldiers moving through the trees, and asked his subordinate.


    ¡°Me? When Inded, the machine gun position over there wasying down suppressing fire. After I took out that position, I found another machine gun nest¡­ It¡¯s that one over there!¡± Xiang Ziyu replied.


    The squad leader looked at Xiang Ziyu, genuinely not expecting that this one subordinate had single-handedly taken down such arge defense position, ¡°Two machine gun positions, did you kill more than thirty people all by yourself?¡±


    ¡°More or less, but someone helped me outter. He¡¯s not from our toon; I don¡¯t recognize him,¡± Xiang Ziyu honestly answered.


    ¡°You really did well, kid! You¡¯ve made me proud!¡± The squad leader grinned and then saw more paratroopers gathering nearby.


    After all, there were no gunshots here, so it seemed to be rtively safe. Some paratroopers whondedter naturally gravitated here to find theirrades.


    ¡°Did you find anything? There¡¯s something off about the Qi Army here!¡± The squad leader took another nce at the Qi troops in the forest behind the position, who seemed to still be maneuvering, and continued to question Xiang Ziyu.


    ¡°They have too many machine guns, and theirbat will is pretty tenacious!¡± Xiang Ziyu looked down at the bodies at his feet and said, ¡°No one surrendered. They fought fiercely and were eager to engage in baybat.¡±


    As he spoke, he remembered the three Qi soldiers who had charged in with bays, desperate to fight. These Qi soldiers didn¡¯t retreat and attacked recklessly, clearly not ordinary Qi soldiers.


    ¡°I think so too, they shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± The squad leader pulled back his head and said to Xiang Ziyu, ¡°We¡¯re some distance from Donghe Bridge, and far from King City of Qi Country. Hiding a force in a ce like this is obviously not reasonable!¡±


    ¡°And this Qi force is too elite. So there must be a reason worthy of deploying so many troops here!¡± Xiang Ziyu added.


    ¡°We need to figure out the reason!¡± The squad leader frowned and then gestured, ¡°Are you willing to risk your life?¡±


    ¡°I am not.¡± Xiang Ziyu replied very straightforwardly.


    ¡°Good! You have three minutes to collect ammo. We¡¯re going to have a look in the woods and see what¡¯s really going on!¡± The squad leaderpletely ignored his subordinate¡¯s answer and directly issued the order.


    Xiang Ziyu immediately dashed along the trench to where he hadnded, where his discarded parachute and rucksack were located, along with spare ammunition; he had to retrieve these supplies.


    By the time Xiang Ziyu returned to the trench and found his squad leader again, he saw two otherrades.


    The squad from the neighboring section had taken another stretch of trench not far away, and this time they had captured two prisoners, finally clearing up the situation.


    The toon leadering over from the other side was excited. He had gathered all of his soldiers and announced shocking news, ¡°Stationed here are the Imperial Guards of Qi Country! Behind them in the forest is a manor! King Jiang Xian of Qi has been hiding from the bombing there all along!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a big fish!¡± Xiang Ziyu¡¯s squad leader got excited too, feeling that this must be an opportunity given by the heavens for them to make a significant aplishment.


    ¡°The Company Commander and I both think this is an opportunity!¡± The toon leader pointed his finger in the direction of the manor, ¡°The Company Commander wants us tounch an attack and take that manor as soon as possible!¡±


    ¡°Are there enough hands for the attack on Donghe Bridge?¡± The squad leader knew their mission was to destroy the bridge, so he asked with some trepidation.


    He didn¡¯t want to miss out on this big catch, yet he didn¡¯t want to miss the real objective because of greed for merit.


    ¡°The 2nd Battalion is closer to Donghe Bridge; let them go first. We here, whether sessful or not, will retreat within two hours to help them!¡± The toon leader exined.


    ¡°Xiang Ziyu?¡± After speaking, he looked at the young soldier standing nearby, a smile on his face.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Xiang Ziyu immediately responded.


    ¡°Well done! Truly my soldier,¡± The toon leader pped Xiang Ziyu on the shoulder, as if applying a thickyer of gold to his own face.


    ¡°What do you think about us trying to snatch up King Qi? How about it?¡± The toon leader praised himself and then asked Xiang Ziyu.


    Xiang Ziyu was quite sober, saying immediately, ¡°If we ignore this elite Qi force here, they mighte after us from behind after we seize Donghe Bridge. A fight here would be good; hurt them and our rear will be secure.¡±


    ¡°Look at that! Our toon really has talent!¡± The toon leader grew even more proud and turned to Xiang Ziyu¡¯s squad leader, instructing him, ¡°Train him well! This kid definitely has a future!¡±


    Yes, anyone would know, after this battle, as long as anyone survived, they were bound to have a future! The squad leader couldn¡¯t help but scoff to himself.


    ¡­


    On the other side, within the forest and close to the manor, the Qi soldiers were still in disarray at this moment. They could never have dreamed that their enemies would descend from the sky, appearing right beside them.


    Originally, what concerned the Qimanders the most was the threating from the direction of King City. They were worried that the Tang Army might charge towards King City at all costs, hoping to end the war as quickly as possible.


    However, despite all the precautions taken by these guards¡¯manders, they never imagined that their enemy would appear right above their heads, throwing all their ns into disarray.


    Since the bulk of the military had already been deployed to defend King City, only a battalion of Imperial Guards was left to protect the suburban estate where King Jiang Xian was located.


    This guarding battalion was not small, with a total of 2,000 troops. However, they were spread out in four directions since they were stationed in the suburbs.


    Ironically, the Tang Country Paratroopers hadnded right along the periphery of the guard¡¯s defensive line, and a fierce battle had ensued with the guards.


    ¡°Quick! Quick! They¡¯re on the east side! We lost the machine gun position there!¡± A Qi officer, holding a pistol, yelled to his subordinates: ¡°Recapture the position we lost!¡±@@novelbin@@


    While he was organizing his troops, another Qi officer stared dumbfounded as maids screamed chaotically, and numerous Ministers frantically asked passing soldiers what on earth had happened.


    ¡°The Tang Army¡­ The Tang Army¡­ They¡¯ve attacked us!¡± exined a Qi officer. ¡°They descended from the skies, attacking us on the eastern side!¡±


    In the midst of the chaos, a Minister panicked, surrounded by servants and followers, grabbing a passing officer and asking incessantly, ¡°Where¡¯s His Majesty? Where¡¯s His Majesty?¡±


    That was actually one of the better reactions; at least he thought to ask about the condition of his King. Others had lost allposure and were shouting, ¡°Why still fight? Quick, cover our retreat back to the city!¡±


    ¡°Where is Captain Ma? Where the hell is Captain Ma?¡± Nearby, a Minister who had been terrified by the sound of gunfire was pacing aimlessly, much to the annoyance of the surrounding officers.


    But they dared notin about these high-ranking officials they ordinarily revered, and instead kept exining that the enemy was still far away.


    Watching as the Prime Minister walked out with some officials, several bewildered Ministers immediately surrounded him: ¡°Prime Minister! Ensure His Majesty returns to the pce at once!¡±


    ¡°Prime Minister! What should we do now?¡± another Minister stepped forward, clutching at the Prime Minister¡¯s sleeve, asking anxiously.


    On another side, a Minister, no longer concerned about appearances, directly urged in disheveled clothing, ¡°We should return to the city! It¡¯s safer there!¡±


    ¡°Step aside, I must see His Majesty. You all wait here for the time being!¡± Though the Prime Minister tried to appear calm, it was clear he was also nervous.


    At the manor¡¯s gate, soldiers with rifles slung over their shoulders were pulling on the reins of warhorses. Beside them, an officer was gesturing to his subordinates: ¡°Get the carriage ready! Hurry, prepare the carriage!¡±


    Cars were avable, plenty of them. But at a time like this, many still believed carriages to be more reliable; at least they wouldn¡¯t break down halfway¡­


    While some were preparing carriages to escape, others were thinking of repelling the Tang Army. On the outskirts of the courtyard, Qi officers, armed with guns, were directing their subordinates to quickly set up a new defensive line: ¡°Don¡¯t panic! Don¡¯t panic! Set up the defenses by the courtyard wall! Don¡¯t let the Tang people infiltrate!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s my official hat? Where¡¯s my official hat?¡± Ironically, amid all thesemands, some incongruous voices could be heard.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The shrill screams of maidens pierced the sky as the distinctive rat-a-tat sound of Tang Army Thompson Submachine Guns grew increasingly intense, gradually drowning out the turmoil.


    ¡°Is it safe to return to King City?¡± Jiang Xian¡¯s face looked dreadful as he eyed a group of generals in the room and asked.


    ¡°Your Majesty! It¡¯s uncertain how this will turn out,¡± replied the head of the guard battalion, Captain Ma, his face contorted with distress. ¡°Previously, I could guarantee safety, but¡­ but the Tang forces outside have descended from the heavens. I cannot be certain now, especially if we encounter Tang people on the way¡­¡±


    ¡°So, the travel back to the city might not be safe either?¡± Jiang Xian squinted his eyes; he felt a suffocating pressure in his chest.


    ¡°I am willing to sacrifice my life to ensure Your Majesty¡¯s safety,¡± dered Captain Ma solemnly, bowing to Jiang Xian.


    Jiang Xian, feeling unwell, clutched his chest and ordered, ¡°Then hold the ground first! Find out how many enemies there are, and where they are!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Captain Ma quickly bowed and then prepared to leave the room.


    Just at that moment, the Prime Minister entered through the door. He bowed to Jiang Xian before saying, ¡°Your Majesty! The situation is critical; shouldn¡¯t we head back to the pce first?¡±


    Jiang Xian found a seat to sit down and waved his hand, ¡°The enemy situation is unclear; the Imperial Guards believe it¡¯s inadvisable to act rashly¡­¡±


    The Prime Minister understood upon hearing this: with unclear enemy intelligence, being attacked on the road would be even more troublesome. It might be better to stay put for now, especially since they had well-fortified defensive structures, didn¡¯t they?


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 Chapter 606: Attack of the 565 Paratroopers

    Chapter 606: Attack of the 565 Paratroopers


    ¡°Xiang Ziyu, cover our retreat!¡± the squad leader called out to Xiang Ziyu beside him after assigning the tasks.


    He was protecting this soldier in the best way he could. This soldier had already performed exceptionally well during thending, having earned much merit.


    Under such circumstances, medals would be awarded at the end of the battle to recognize his achievements; such an outstanding soldier should not be put at risk again.


    Xiang Ziyu understood the squad leader¡¯s care for him and had no objections. On the contrary, he thought that it wouldn¡¯t be fair for one person to take all the credit¡ªwhat about hisrades?


    So Xiang Ziyu nodded, picked up his Thompson submachine gun, and followed behind the other paratroopers, climbing out of the trench that had already been captured for some time.


    Inside the trench, paratroopers from twopanies were assembling the equipment that had been dropped with them. It was a simple telegraph machine with an independent and advanced power supply.


    Yes, this device was very reliable and secure. It consisted of two asymmetrical crank handles¡­ a hand-crank generator.


    To ensure a stable power supply, there was another identical device, and they worked together to power the entire telegraph machine, requiring four people to operate simultaneously.


    That¡¯s right! Four people operating at the same time! Two people were responsible for holding down the two hand-crank generators to keep them from shaking.


    The other two put effort into cranking the handles hard, making the device start generating electricity¡ªthen the real telegraph operator could use the telegraph machine to send messages, establishing contact with other troops.


    ¡°Are we through yet?¡± thepanymander of the paratroopers looked anxiously at his men operating this very primitive-looking device from within the trench.


    Actually, it was very advanced: To make it portable for the paratroopers, the set was made aspact as possible while still being stable and reliable, almost a marvel of technology.


    ¡°We¡¯re sending messages now, but it¡¯s going to take time for the other side to respond!¡± the telegraph operator, holding the headphone to his ear, lifted his head to exin, ¡°Gunfire might interfere with the transmission!¡±


    ¡°Stopining! I can¡¯t make the Qi Country troops put away their guns!¡± thepanymander impatiently pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, took one, put it in his mouth, and then struck a match to light it, continuing to ask anxiously, ¡°Did they receive the message?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sending it for the fifth time! No feedback, I really don¡¯t know if they got it or not!¡± the frustrated telegraphist exined again.


    Xiang Ziyu, following behind a paratrooper from his squad, both of them crouching, passed through a thicket of bushes and were startled by the sight ahead¡ªa deer carcass lying on the ground, apparently dead for two or three days given the state of decay.


    The smell of rot was all around, and swarms of flies were buzzing chaotically. The two had to squint as they moved through this grim scenery.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to end up like this if I die,¡± the leading paratrooper said to Xiang Ziyu behind him. ¡°If I¡¯m gone, I hope someone buries me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not die!¡± Xiang Ziyu followed behind, as the sound of gunfire grew clearer. They were nearing the outskirts of the manor and saw some Qi Country troops mounting an attack on the Tang Country paratroopers across from them.


    The Qi Country soldiers charged into the woods only to be repelled by the paratroopers, who had set up defenses using the woods and shrubs.


    Neither side had the support of heavy firepower, so the paratroopers, equipped with arge number of submachine guns, clearly had the advantage in firepower, and the enemy couldn¡¯t even get close.


    The Qi Country troops weren¡¯t even supported by Maxim heavy machine guns anymore; those weapons had been stationed on the outskirts and had just been taken out by the paratroopers.


    There was no way, after all, that any genius would dare to pile up sandbags on the king¡¯s rooftop and mount a Maxim heavy machine gun there¡ªthat would be asking for trouble.


    To ensure the king¡¯s safety, under normal circumstances, automatic weapons and heavy firepower were stationed around the perimeter. The closer you got to the central circle, the lighter the weapons like handguns became, and even in the most central areas, carrying weapons at all was not allowed.


    This led to a serious problem: the machine guns in other directions couldn¡¯t be moved for fear of an attack from other Tang forces, while the machine gun positions in the direction already attacked by the Tang Army had just beenpletely lost.


    Without machine gun cover, the Qi Army soldiers, armed only with Shireck Model 1 rifles, could only engage in closebat with the Tang Army troops equipped with Thompson submachine guns.


    The most despairing thing was that, over time, the Tang Army¡¯s heavy firepower arrived! At the other end of the woods, the sound of the MG-42 ¡°buzzsaw¡± suddenly erupted, instantly quieting the shouts of the Qi Army.


    ¡°Tatatatata!¡± After a brief pause, the distinctive sound of the ¡°buzzsaw¡± started again, bullets breaking branches, stripping bark, andpletely suppressing the Qi Army.


    ¡°Now¡¯s the time! Go!¡± the squad leader whispered the attackmand to his men.


    He waved his hand and the seven or eight soldiers who had already spread out followed him in a charge forward. Xiang Ziyu also began to run; as he took strides, the distant manor walls came into his line of sight.


    Xiang Ziyu could even hear his own heavy breathing. He wore grenades and cartridge belts, and the weighty Thompson Submachine Gun firmly in his hands, the backpack on his back swinging with each step of his run.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Straight ahead, a Qi Country soldier spotted the approaching Tang Country Paratroopers and screamed in terror, attempting to alert his nearbyrades.


    Providing cover fire, Xiang Ziyu knelt on one knee, raised his submachine gun, and aimed at the Qi Country soldier who had spotted them.


    He pulled the trigger, a short burst of fire, two bullets flew out of the barrel, passing over the paratroopers in front, and struck the Qi soldier in the chest.


    The enemy fell back, nearly at the same moment, the paratroopers at the front began to scatter. Two on the left started veering left, two on the right started heading right.


    ¡°Ratatat!¡± Xiang Ziyu took aim with his weapon, suppressing the Qi Country soldiers who had climbed up on the wall to open fire.


    One unfortunate head burst open, the rest shrunk back, it was unclear if they had fled.


    The squad leader of the paratroopers who had neared the wall raised his fist, gesturing a throwing motion. Then he raised his weapon, keeping watch over the wall.


    The paratrooper beside him pulled out a grenade, removed the pin, released the safety, and after pausing for a second, gently tossed the metal objects over the wall.


    Not far away, another group of paratroopers did the same, they were far too familiar with such an assault rhythm¡ªone person aiming a gun for covering fire, another pulling out grenades to deal with problems.


    ¡°Grenades!¡± Backpedaling two steps, the squad leader knelt with his back against the enemy, sharply reminding his subordinates.


    Everyone slightly moved away from the wall, taking a simple protective stance. The next second, on the other side of the wall, two consecutive, massive explosions sent dust flying into the air.


    The situation was pretty good, at least the wall was sturdy, blocking the grenade st and not copsing from the shockwave.


    ¡°Ratatat!¡± Another group of Tang Army soldiers cleaned up five or six Qi Country soldiers who had rushed over from the nk as the grenades exploded.


    By now, Qi soldiers near this side of the manor walls had mostly been taken out. The gunshots were some distance away, and amidst the chaos, it seemed the enemy had not realized the Tang Country Paratroopers hade so close to the walls.


    ¡°Breach the wall!¡± The squad leader shouted to the cover team that had caught up.


    The paratrooper previously left by Xiang Ziyu to handle the situation sprang forward, digging at the wall¡¯s corner with his dagger, then stuffed a stick of dynamite into the hole and lit the fuse.


    ¡°Dynamite!¡± All paratroopers retreated to either side of the wall, everyone knew this was far more dangerous than the grenades.


    Moreover, if the wall got damaged by the explosion, flying debris was inevitable, and no amount of caution was too much. So everyone gave a wide berth, much more cautious than when using the grenades.


    ¡°Boom!¡± Apanied by a thunderous st far more severe than the previous grenade explosions, a section of the wall shattered, filling the air with dust, and reducing visibility at the breach.@@novelbin@@


    However, such smoke was excellent cover for the attacking force. Squinting their eyes, all Tang Country Paratroopers shouldered their weapons and charged forward.


    It was no joke¡ªbefore setting off, their mission had already been made clear: the King of Qi Country was hiding inside! Capturing him would be a great achievement. Who didn¡¯t want to be famous and receive promotions? Everyone had joined the army, risking their lives for the chance of winning battles and earning glory for themselves and their families.


    ¡°Kill!¡± A Tang Country paratrooper with his submachine gun at the lead, stepped on the surrounding rubble and charged into the breach in the garden wall.


    The ground was littered with fallendders, shattered jars, and chairs and tables tossed aside¡ªthe Qi soldiers must have relied on these to climb the wall.


    All the Qi soldiers here had already been killed by the two grenades and the subsequent dynamite explosion.


    The second paratrooper who charged through the breach tripped over a Qi Army corpse, stumbling nearly to the ground. He struggled to regain his bnce, barely managing to stay on his feet.


    The paratrooper following him saw his awkwardness, but before he could mock, a bullet flying straight at him struck his head, and he fell down stiffly.


    ¡°Ratatat!¡± The fourth paratrooper to enter saw his fallenrade and immediately started firing in the direction of the iing bullet.


    More paratroopers poured in, some darting to the sides as they entered, clearing space, others began firing right away, covering their iingrades.


    Xiang Ziyu leaned against the wall at the breach, continuing his cover fire. He would wait for all hisrades to charge inward before following up to finish the job.


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 Chapter 607: Inside Manor 566

    Chapter 607: Inside Manor 566


    King Jiang Xian of Qi sat in the room, his face already full of displeasure as he listened to the gunfire outside. He had never imagined that one day, his enemies would be so close to him.


    He had always thought of himself as a good king, and took pride in controlling the court, leaving his ministers without the slightest ambition.


    He really never dreamed that one day he would be driven to such a sorry state by the southern neighbor, because just over a year ago, that neighbor was the weak Zheng Country!


    That Zheng Country, which had been ground into the dust by the Shen Country, its national strength exhausted and its people suffering, was on the verge of being divided between his Qi Country and the more southern Chu Country.


    But now, in less than two years, this weak Zheng Country had just changed its national title and damn it, turned from weak Zheng into strong Tang!


    How could anyone ept this? How could that ipetent King of Zheng bepared to him, Jiang Xian?


    Just as his head was full of these thoughts, a sudden explosion nearby almost knocked him off his chair.


    But before he could steady himself, another explosion sounded, frightening him once again into trembling all over.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Already feeling oppressed in his chest, he could not bear it any longer and shouted angrily. He wanted to mask his fear with rage, but no matter how one listened, there was a strong undercurrent of cowardice in his voice.


    Before anyone could answer him, an even more brazen explosion shook the earth, making Jiang Xian feel like even the stool beneath him trembled with the ground.


    His face turned the color of y, and his breathing felt heavy. He clutched his chest, his icy and cruel eyes fixed on the door like a wild beast.


    No one knew what had happened. The Prime Minister standing beside Jiang Xian was also panicked. He hadn¡¯t expected that those detestable Tang People could attack so near the estate.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty!¡± Captain Ma, responsible for the estate¡¯s security, stumbled into the room with a pistol, looking somewhat disheveled.


    His actions frightened the maids hiding in the corner and the eunuchs to tremble with fear, and some of the more cowardly had already begun to cry out.


    Realizing that he might look intimidating, Captain Ma quicklyposed himself and knelt on one knee before Jiang Xian: ¡°Your Majesty! The enemy has blown up the garden wall, and the pce guards are almost unable to hold on, you must leave now!¡±


    ¡°Would the road be definitely safe?¡± The Prime Minister also wanted to leave, but what he feared most was that Jiang Xian would not be able to return to King City.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether the road is safe or not, but I do know that if we dy here much longer, it will surely be unsafe!¡± Captain Ma replied with a gloomy face.


    He had been quite sure that they could hold the ce for a while, at least for a few hours to see the situation clearly before deciding on the King¡¯s departure.


    But he had never imagined that the enemy forces would be so formidable, reaching near the garden wall in less than 20 minutes.


    What was more terrifying was that the Tang Army had machine guns with ferocious firepower and exceptionally good individual soldier quality; he felt they were the elite of the Tang Army.


    In fact, he had guessed right. These paratroopers were indeed the precious ones of Tang Mo; they were all highly educated recruits withplex and intricate training, selected ording to the standards of officers.


    Were it not for the intention to train the troops and block the bridge to end the war quickly, Tang Mo would not have even been willing to send this unit into battle.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Your Majesty should set out quickly!¡± The Prime Minister, with gritted teeth, decided he must live up to Jiang Xian¡¯s trust and cultivation: ¡°I will stay here, no matter what, and ensure that the troops do not pursue Your Majesty!¡±


    Jiang Xian was moved by the words of the Prime Minister. There¡¯s a saying that adversity reveals true friendship, and for the Prime Minister to step forward to take responsibility and make ast stand during such a crisis was truly the act of a loyal minister.


    So, Jiang Xian took the Prime Minister¡¯s hand, his voice choked with tears, ¡°There¡¯s no need for this! This ce is dangerous, leave a general¡­¡±


    His words made all the officers around him tense up; being appointed to stay behind to cover a retreat usually meant a likely death for the nation.


    Seeing many officers avoiding his gaze, Jiang Xian felt even more that the Prime Minister¡¯s action to face the difficulty was truly precious.


    Sometimes, such things are awkward; those willing to stay behind aren¡¯tmanding enough to reassure him, and those truly valuable and capable generals he was reluctant to lose if they volunteered to stay¡­


    As Jiang Xian agonized over the decision, closer gunfire rang out. It seemed that the nearby area would soon be a battlefield.


    ¡°Captain Ma! Go and hold them off! Do not let the Tang People get close to His Majesty!¡± The Prime Minister, in turn, grasped Jiang Xian¡¯s hand and tugged him toward the exit with force.


    A group of officers and ministers surrounded Jiang Xian on both sides, and seven or eight Guards pulled out their Thompson submachine guns, produced by Shireck, creating an extremely chaotic scene.


    On the other side of the estate, Xiang Ziyu had already crossed the garden wall. Clutching his submachine gun and moving step by step forward, he then saw a paratrooper kneeling on one knee, checking a fallenrade.


    ¡°Shot in the head, there¡¯s no saving him.¡± The paratrooper stood up and saw Xiang Ziyu, shaking his head.


    The paratroopers who had burst in had already taken control of the courtyard; nearby were the corpses of Qi Army soldiers everywhere, with the squad leader guarding the gate and the rest of the men organizing their ammunition.


    ¡°It¡¯s chaos outside! I¡¯m not sure how many Qi soldiers are there! In any case, be ready for battle!¡± The squad leader caught sight of Xiang Ziyu andmanded, ¡°It¡¯s going to get very messy, just stick with me!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Xiang Ziyu nodded and picked up his weapon, signaling that he was ready for battle!


    ¡°Kill!¡± The squad leader, holding a Thompson submachine gun, charged out of the courtyard and began to spray bullets towards the Qi soldiers outside.


    The Qi soldiers who were prepared began to return fire. Bullets hit the wall behind the squad leader, leaving marks and sparking.


    Xiang Ziyu and the other paratroopers also rushed out, holding their weapons and firing, their firepower instantly overwhelming the Qi soldiers on the other side, who fled in disarray, some even raising their hands to surrender.


    Xiang Ziyu ignored the surrendering Qi soldiers and charged forward, while another paratrooper who passed by shot one of the surrendering Qi soldiers, killing him on the spot.


    Charging further, Xiang Ziyu suddenly had a clear view; there were military vehicles parked around, with maids, servants, officials, and their families crowded next to them.


    There were many Qi soldiers, and everyone was in disarray; some were moving valuable things onto the trucks, while others, deemed lowly, were being forcibly dragged down from the vehicles by soldiers.


    At that moment, a few Qi soldiers carrying arge wooden box happened to pass by; they saw Xiang Ziyu with his submachine gun, and he saw them too.


    ¡°Tang People!¡± The Qi soldiers were startled, shouting as they dropped the wooden box. The wooden box shattered on impact, and Gold Coins scattered about, many rolling on the ground.


    Xiang Ziyu didn¡¯t even nce at the ring Gold; he pulled the trigger and began to open fire at everyone in front of him.


    He knew that in situations like this, mercy was not an option¡ªwho knew which of these officials ordies might have a pistol hidden in their pockets for self-defense?


    He feared death, so he insisted on making the enemy die first, allowing him to live just a little longer!


    ¡°Tatatatat!¡± The submachine gun¡¯s muzzle spit out tongues of fire, and the Tang people in front fell chaotically.


    The officials who were just fighting over a car screamed like pigs being ughtered, clutching their chests. The once arrogant Qi officers toppled over, crashing heavily to the ground off the trucks.


    The scurrying servants bloomed with crimson flowers of blood, and the screaming maids were instantly silenced as the bullets hit them.


    The scene instantly changed from one kind of chaos to another, and as more Tang Army paratroopers joined in the firing, there were hardly any people from the Qi Country left.


    Xiang Ziyu, having emptied his magazine, flung it away and pulled a new one from his chest to insert into the gun. This time he didn¡¯t bother to pick up the spent magazine, knowing that if they really won this battle, they¡¯d have plenty of time to retrieve their dropped gear.


    ¡°Advance the attack!¡± The squad leader, holding his weapon, stepped over the body of a Qi soldier and headed toward the gate on the other side.


    The paratroopers, having reloaded, immediately followed suit, and Xiang Ziyu also trampled over bodies to get through the courtyard bloodied with deaths and corpses.


    Passing by a car imported from the Ice Cold Empire with the Ice Cold brand, the driver sat in the driver¡¯s seat with his eyes wide open, a gaping wound in his chest still bleeding.


    The car was riddled with bullet holes, and many maids¡¯ bodiesy haphazardly beside it. Just before, many Qi soldiers had used them as human shields.


    Xiang Ziyu went all the way to the doorway without finding any survivors; he leaned against the wall and could hear even moremotion from the courtyard next door.


    What he didn¡¯t know was that just a few walls away, King Jiang Xian of the Qi Country was being helped to flee by the Prime Minister, heading toward the carriages. The straight-line distance between them was actually less than fifty meters.


    ¡°There are a lot of people next door too!¡± Xiang Ziyu said to the squad leader on the other side of the door, ¡°They are waiting for us!¡±


    ¡°Then let the grenades take a look first!¡± The squad leader pulled out a hand grenade, and Xiang Ziyu did the same.


    The paratrooper facing the gate also pulled out a grenade, the three of them exchanged nces, simultaneously pulled the pins, and then released the safeties.


    Xiang Ziyu stepped back two paces, and with a bit of force, threw the grenade to a further distance. The paratrooper facing the gate took a running start and threw his grenade as far as possible.


    The squad leader didn¡¯t throw hard, just lobbed the grenade over the other side of the wall; they tried to spread out the three grenades to cover more ground.


    ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The three grenades exploded almost simultaneously on the other side, and at the same time, both the squad leader and Xiang Ziyu kicked the wooden door open.


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 Chapter 608: 567 Desperate Call

    Chapter 608: 567 Desperate Call


    Near the border with Qi Country, at a Tang Army field airfield, Air Force Commander Ibrahim was looking at the officer who hade to deliver the telegram.


    The officer reported to Ibrahim the message sent back by their paratroopers from the front line, ¡°Our paratroopers have encountered the Imperial Guards! Jiang Xian¡¯s location has been found, he is in a manor near the drop zone!¡±


    Upon hearing this news, Ibrahim was shocked. The paratroopers were there to carry out the mission to take control of Donghe Bridge, yet they were dropped haphazardly and managed to locate the hiding ce of Qi Country¡¯s King?


    After he got over his shock, he couldn¡¯t help but enviously mutter to himself, ¡°What kind of luck do they have?¡±


    An officer on the other side grabbed the telegram, nced at it, and quickly spoke up to remind, ¡°General! Never mind that, the paratrooper division¡¯s n has changed! They want to capture Jiang Xian alive if possible!¡±


    ¡°Not a bad idea, but can they take out Qi¡¯s Imperial Guards?¡± Ibrahim asked incredulously.


    The officer continued to remind, ¡°General! I¡¯m not sure exactly how many Imperial Guards there are, but the paratroopers are under themand of our Air Force. If the losses are heavy, Your Majesty might have a certain opinion of you.¡±


    Ibrahim subconsciously hadn¡¯t considered the paratroopers as a real part of the Air Force, so it took a moment for him to react.@@novelbin@@


    However, after his subordinate¡¯s reminder, he immediately realized that those paratroopers behind enemy lines were also under hismand as ground forces of the Air Force!


    So he immediately gave the order, ¡°Almost forgot they are our Air Force men too! Command all nes that can take off to prepare for bombardment on the new coordinates! Inform the paratroopers to deploy ground identification markers to avoid friendly fire!¡±


    ¡°Yes, General!¡± Several Air Force officers stood at attention, saluted, and left with his orders.


    Soon, pilots on their way to various targets all heard the change of attack orders through their headsets.


    Commanders of various regiments issued orders to the nes closest to King City of Qi Country to go and support the paratrooperbat operations.


    ¡°Bluebird Bluebird! Calling Bluebird! Alter course! Target adjustment! Target adjustment! 4 kilometers east of Qi Country¡¯s King City! Search for areas with obvious groundbat! Mission: Support our ground forces inbat! Mission: Support our ground forces inbat!¡±


    ¡°Understood, Bluebird!¡± High in the sky at an altitude of over six thousand meters, in the cramped cockpit of a Stuka Dive Bomber, the pilot, wearing an oxygen mask, responded with a constrained voice.


    After he responded, he pulled on his control stick, and his ne responded to his maneuver, nimbly deviating from its course.


    ¡°Bluebird 2, follow me!¡± As he altered his course, he called out to his wingman with a roaring sound.


    ¡°Bluebird 2 understood!¡± The wingman¡¯s pilot also pulled the control stick and followed his leader, racing toward the distant target.


    On the other side, eight Butcher FW-190 fighters that had just crossed the border also received orders to change their attack targets.


    These nes had already lowered their altitude, and now they began to climb again. In the radio, all pilots were excited because this time¡¯s attack target was the King of Qi Country!


    In the newly activated field airfield in Nanye, about a dozen Air Force pilots were putting on their gear and running toward their nes on the other side of the runway.


    Rows of Stuka Dive Bombers were parked there, and the ground crew had already loaded them with 500-kilogram aerial bombs at the fastest speed.


    ¡°The fuel is topped up!¡± One ground crew member, standing next to the ne, called out to the pilot as he climbed aboard.


    Behind the pilot, the gunner who had opened the cockpit door, gave a thumbs up to the ground crew, ¡°Thanks! Is the hydraulic system okay?¡±


    ¡°All good!¡± Another ground crew member replied, already gesturing with both hands that the ne was clear to start its engines.


    Apanied by intense vibrations, the propeller began to spin rapidly, with the ne in front now aligning with the runway, the wind blowing through the grass, creating waves.


    ¡­


    ¡°Tat tat tat!¡± The smoke had not yet cleared when Xiang Ziyu once again charged into the courtyard filled with Qi Army. This was a garden, surrounded by numerous rooms.


    Originally, the nearby rooms were prepared for ministers, and Jiang Xian could not possibly be hiding here by himself. He needed arge machine to maintain his effective control over Qi Country.


    The Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Works¡­ Ministers of various departments, or at least the second-inmands, were residing here, ready to report the operation of the state to Jiang Xian at any time.


    In addition, there were King Shireck¡¯s advisors, the senior officers of various military departments, and the aides, adjutants, and secretaries of these officials and officers¡­


    They were all here, but not necessarily in this courtyard. Some lived elsewhere, some who lived here had already fled.


    Those who remained were both men and women, all panicked and clueless about what to do. They didn¡¯t even know how far things had gone, only that the Tang Army was attacking.


    ¡°Stop¡­¡± The Minister of Revenue of Qi Country, who was in charge of finances, had barely opened his mouth to speak when bullets sprayed by Xiang Ziyu knocked him to the ground.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡± On the other side, another Qi minister clutched his head and scurried away, seeking cover while shouting, ¡°I am the Vice Minister of the Qi Ministry of Justice! I surrender! Don¡¯t shoot!¡±


    He did have the chance to finish his plea, but bullets are not discerning. The women in hispany had not caused any additional firing, yet they had been shot dead, lying there spewing blood.


    ¡°Murder!¡± A maidservant screamed, but before she could start running, bullets hit her, and she stumbled to the ground.


    Before she could get up, she was stepped on¡ªfleeing had already begun, and trampling was just a minor detail.


    The official who stepped on the woman didn¡¯t fare much better himself; he stepped on a soft, squishy body, lost his control, and too fell down.


    Then someone else stepped on him, and like that, a once high-ranking official of the Qi Ministry of Personnel was trampled to death by the living.


    ¡°Kill!¡± Xiang Ziyu, knowing there was no chance of taking prisoners, bellowed amand and charged forward. His objective was simple: to find and capture Jiang Xian and thoroughly end the battle here!


    What he didn¡¯t know was that at the same time, Tang parachutists had already breached the courtyard wall. These paratroopers entered the estate from another direction, further throwing the Qi troops into chaos.


    The estate hadpletely lost control now. The Qi battalionmander responsible for the house couldn¡¯t restrain his own troops, nor could he mobilize the remnants of his force.


    In fact, by now, the remaining strength of the Qi army was not insignificant. Including the unbudged perimeter sentries, the Qi had at least 1300 soldiers left.


    However, these troops were either still on the outskirts and not gathered or were in such disarray within the estate that they couldn¡¯t stop the advancing Tang paratroopers.


    Explosions of grenades were everywhere, as were the typewriter-like crisp sounds of Tang submachine guns, and the Qi soldiers¡¯ screams of agony filled the air, with no one able to step forward to end this chaos.


    Even the guards surrounding King Jiang Xian were somewhat disorganized. Hindered by the cluster of ministers and generals, they couldn¡¯t even form a proper defensive formation.


    They were only responsible for protecting Jiang Xian, but now they had to safeguard dozens of generals, ministers, princesses, maidservants, servants, and menials.


    There was no choice, for having hidden here for so long, Jiang Xian had also summoned several concubines, who could have imagined that favoritism would ultimately doom these women?


    ¡°Get His Majesty on the carriage! Quick! Get His Majesty on the carriage!¡± Finally, after passing through a scenery spot, the Prime Minister saw the waiting carriage and excitedly started shouting.


    He finally saw hope, as long as he could get the King back to King City, they might have a chance! Although King City was also vulnerable, it was still easy to muster a couple of thousand misceneous soldiers. Besides, this suddenly appeared Tang force, parachuting from the sky, might not dare to storm into the city!


    With this thought, the Prime Minister finally rxed. He helped Jiang Xian onto the carriage, tried to look back, but was held back by Jiang Xian.


    King Jiang Xian, clutching his chest and deathly pale, mustered all his strength to say, ¡°Go with me! Back to King City! Back to King City¡­¡±


    Just then, a round iron ball flew over the courtyard wall. This grenade, at least twenty meters away from the carriage,nded and rolled to the feet of a Qi general.


    Amidst the chaos, no one noticed this object flying in, and of course, the general had no idea of the tragedy about to befall him.


    He tried to push forward, hoping to use the excuse of protecting the King to escape with the carriage.


    The next second, the grenade exploded, its shrapnel piercing and tearing his lower body, and the st wave sent his mutted upper body skyward.


    Everyone nearby was hit, and instantly there were dead and wounded all around. Following closely, another grenade flew in and exploded near the carriage.


    Jiang Xian, startled by the explosion so close by, shuddered, and then felt a searing pain in his chest as if he had been struck by a shrapnel fragment.


    The Prime Minister realized something was wrong, quickly climbed on the carriage, disregarding the crowd behind, and exhaustedly shouted to the coachman, ¡°Go! Hurry!¡±


    The recent explosion had terrified the horses, which were already whinnying uncontrobly, and the coachman, already scared out of his wits, was jolted by the Prime Minister¡¯s order. With a shake of the reins, he spurred the pained horses, and the carriage began to lurch forward.


    Guards at the front were unexpectedly knocked down by the carriage, and in panic, others followed running alongside it. The abandoned ministers chased after the carriage, cursing, while the forsaken women trailed behind, crying as they ran.


    On the carriage, the Prime Minister could no longer be concerned with that. Clinging to Jiang Xian¡¯s hand, he desperately called out to his sovereign, ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Wake up, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    An additional update¡ªI truly apologize for the regret but the inevitability.


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 Chapter 609: Ive been playing 568 for quite some time.

    Chapter 609: I¡¯ve been ying 568 for quite some time.


    Donghe Bridge, or Donghe Grand Bridge, was a modernized megabridge newly constructed by Qi Country this year. It was made of reinforced concrete, with its mainponents ordered from Tang Country, constituting a double-track railway bridge of considerable spectacle.


    This great bridge spanned the Donghe River and served as the most vital transportation chokepoint in Qi Country as well as the gateway to the eastern side of the King City.


    During its construction, to ensure the absolute safety of the bridge, defensive fortifications were built on both sides of the bridge, the most impressive of which were the four five-story bastions at each end.


    The construction of such colossal bastion towers was in part for aesthetics and also had practical value.


    These four massive bunkers could house troops tasked with guarding the bridge, maximizing the security of Donghe Bridge.


    Qi Country had stationed fourpanies here, an entire battalion¡¯s worth of troops, to ensure the bridge would not be sabotaged by infiltrating Tang Army.


    And this ce was the primary objective of the Tang Country Paratroopers¡¯ operation. They aimed to seize control here, ensuring that Qi Troops could not pass through Donghe Bridge to reinforce the vulnerable King City.


    ¡°Were those Tang Army nes dropping people or bombs just now?¡± a Qi Military officer stationed at the bridge questioned, as he had witnessed the airborne threat from several kilometers away but was uncertain how to react.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°They probably weren¡¯t bombs. If they were, there¡¯d be no need for white parachutes,¡± the responding soldier obviously didn¡¯t know the correct term for ¡°parachute.¡±


    There was no helping it; Tang People hade up with far too many novel contraptions in recent years, and the most entertaining daily activity for those from Qi Country was to gather together to learn these new terms.


    Their previous ignorance even extended to not knowing the correct terms for radio and concrete; only in the past few days had they finally picked up words like ¡°airne¡± and ¡°tank.¡±


    In short, the people of Qi Country had grown ustomed to seeing strange devices they couldn¡¯t identify, then btedly learning the new terminology to appear less ignorant.


    ¡°Could it be they dropped something to sabotage the railway?¡± onepanymander asked somewhat nervously.


    They were stationed at this bridge because of the railway, weren¡¯t they? Sabotaging the bridge was theoretically the same as sabotaging the railway.


    ¡°We¡¯re not railway guards. It¡¯s not our job to deal with a broken railway!¡± The battalionmander snorted, indicating that other matters were none of his concern, ¡°Tell the men to hold the bastion! As long as we don¡¯t lose this position, we can¡¯t go wrong!¡±


    As of now, the Qi forces stationed here remained unaware that part of the Tang Army¡¯s paratroopers had initiated an attack in the opposite direction and were close to capturing the King of Qi Country.


    ¡°Damn Tang People, how do they always manage toe up with such muddled contraptions?¡± the irritated battalionmanderined to thepanymander standing beside him.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me! I heard that the front line¡­ seems to be in a rough spot,¡± thepanymandermented in agreement.


    He had a friend on the southern defensive line who had died a few days ago. The death notice was sent directly to him because that man¡¯s wife had already run off with someone else¡­


    ¡°When the enemy has pushed this far, how could the front line be anything but troubling?¡± the battalionmander was resigned, with an air of having seen through it all.


    As they chatted casually, the muzzle of a G43 semi-automatic rifle peeked out from behind distant shrubs, silently taking aim at the Qi gunner within the machine gun emcement.


    The nearby grass trembled slightly, as one paratrooper after another cautiously advanced, inching ever closer to the position of the bastion.


    As time ticked by, it was only when the Tang Troops could almost hear the Qi Soldiers¡¯ faint conversations that they were finally spotted.


    ¡°Who goes there!¡± a Qi Soldier shouted instinctively upon seeing a Tang Country Paratrooper approaching his position. The response was the crisp sound of gunfire, reminiscent of a typewriter, and bullets whizzing towards him.


    ¡°Enemy attack!¡± the surprised Qi Soldiers shouted to alert theirrades. As Qi marksmen at the rear machine gun emcement tried to turn their guns towards the enemy they spotted, their heads were shattered by a bullet from afar.


    The Qi Soldierscked something like a steel helmet; they merely had cloth caps, and officers even liked to adorn the side with a perfectly straight feather.


    Unprotected, they were practically defenseless against stray bullets and shrapnel; without appropriate tactical gear, the Qi Soldiers were starkly disadvantagedpared to the Tang Army, looking no different from beggars.


    Like in the past, their scarce ammunition hung on either side of their belts, alongside a bay, a canteen, and a food pouch dangling behind them.


    All sorts of clutter like mess tins, tents, cups, and more were stuffed into their backpacks, swinging wildly with every movement¡­


    The Qi Soldier whose head had been blown off fell backward onto the ground, while the remaining Qi Troops scrambled to locate the enemy attackers.


    In fact, the enemy was already upon them! Several grenades flew into the Qi trenches, the brutal explosions scattering limbs and body parts throughout.


    Before the smoke had dissipated, the Tang Country Paratroopers had charged into the trenches, mercilessly sweeping through the remnants of the Qi Army soldiers.


    The crisp sound of a typewriter continued without end, as one after another, the wails of fallen Qi soldiers filled the air. It wasn¡¯t until they had lost several trenches that some of the Qi soldiers realized the enemy seemed to be entangled with them.


    ¡°Blow up the bridge! Blow up the bridge!¡± the toon leader shouted, seeing his position descend into chaos, with the Tang Army possibly breaking through to the bridgehead at any moment.


    Thepanymander from Qi Country beside him wound up his arm and delivered a p across his face, spinning him around with the force: ¡°What¡¯s all the racket for! Idiot! Hurry up and get out there, block the enemy! Don¡¯t let them get near the bridgehead!¡±


    After that, thepanymander hurriedly shouted to the Qi country machine gunner firing next to him, ¡°Hit them hard! Hit them hard! Suppress them! Suppre¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, the Tang Army¡¯s MG-42 machine guns deployed on the perimeter began to roar, their distinct uninterrupted sound immediately drowning out the Maxim machine gun¡¯s growl.


    A hail of bullets hit near the firing ports of the bridgehead bunker, pocking the cement walls with marks and chipping away the ster on the walls.


    At once, the machine gunners inside the ports were too afraid to fire. Due to the narrow field of vision, they simply couldn¡¯t find the enemy machine guns pouring ammo on them. They felt that if they kept firing, they¡¯d likely be killed by the enemy.


    For a time, all Qi Army machine gun fire facing the Tang Army went silent, leaving only the relentless echo of Tang gunfire on the battlefield.


    The discarded Maxim heavy machine guns by the Tang Army were hotmodities among other nations¡¯ militaries, as they were important indicators of a unit¡¯sbat effectiveness.


    Under normal circumstances, a Qi Army infantrypany should be equipped with four heavy machine guns, with elite units often having five or six.


    But the reality was that by the time war broke out, the Qi Army hadn¡¯tpleted the full rearmament, and in the western part of the southern defenses under themand of the third prince, a portion was still equipped with Shireck Flintlock Guns.


    So most Qi Army infantrypanies were only equipped with one Maxim heavy machine gun, and it was considered not bad to be allocated two.


    Some of the main force units, like the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Armies, could barely get three heavy machine guns perpany (additional machine guns on the defensive line not included).


    Since many machine guns were installed on the southern defensive line as points of fire support, Qi Country had always been short on machine guns.


    At this moment, the Qi Army stationed here was suffering the same shortage. Though it appeared they had fourpanies, each was only equipped with two machine guns.


    The Tang Army paratroopers were different, however, as each of their squads had their own machine gun teams, and almost every member was equipped with automatic weapons. The firepower density was on apletely different level.


    Now that the two sides were embroiled together, the Tang paratroopers¡¯ superior firepower density immediately became evident. They rampaged through the trenches, the Qi Army, no matter how hard they tried, couldn¡¯t get the Tang soldiers to pause even for a moment.


    ¡°Hold the line! Hold the line!¡± outside the bridgehead bunker, a Qi Armypany leader waved his arms, hoping his men would be even braver.


    However, he was quickly taken down by iing bullets, and the Qi soldiers around him immediately scattered. Interestingly, because of the chaos on the battlefield, the Qi soldiers on the other side of the railway bridge, unaware of what was happening, were firing at theirpatriots taking hits.


    In the confusion, some Qi soldiers mistook theirrades for Tang soldiers, firing incessantly, and forcing those holding their positions to face enemies on both fronts.


    Consequently, a downright absurd scene unfolded: the Qi soldiers being fired upon waved at their distantrades, signaling them not to shoot, but they were quickly taken down by the Tang Army from behind.


    Yet when those caught in the crossfire turned to engage the Tang soldiers, their allies behind them shot them in the back of the head¡­


    This back and forth ignited the fire in these embattled Qi soldiers, who turned their guns towards theirpatriots on the other side of the railway and started firing back.


    The whole scene was in utter chaos, to the extent that even the Tang Army had a hard time figuring out what was going on.


    Thinking the Qi people were in-fighting, they ignored the Qi soldiers firing at each other and charged toward the bridgehead bunker, which was within arm¡¯s reach.


    The Qi soldiers on the outskirts of the bunker were so frightened they dove inside, while those inside had to take on the role of executioners, firing at the Qi soldiers outside¡­


    At this moment, the Tang Army paratroopermanders were bewildered, watching from the safety of their trenches as Qi soldiers beat up on their own, the fight raging fiercely.


    ¡°Have they gone mad?¡± Thepanymander of the 2nd Paratrooper Battalion of Tang Country, leaning on the edge of a trench, watched the Qi soldiers continually firing at their own and incredulously asked those around him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, it¡¯s been going on for a while now¡­ but it does save us the trouble,¡± one toon leader replied, checking his magazine as he spoke.


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 Chapter 610: 569 come out quickly

    Chapter 610: 569e out quickly


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± the Prime Minister of Qi Country, gripping Jiang Xian¡¯s hand, ceaselessly called out on the rocking carriage. Behind them, the sound of guns from the Tang Country Paratroopers had already begun to ring.


    ¡°There are a lot of officials here!¡± a Tang Country Paratrooper observed Jiang Xian¡¯s carriage and also the disorderly crowd following behind it.


    Among them were Qi Country¡¯s high-ranking officials, as well as the Princess of Qi Country, and there were also pce maids and attendants¡­ With colorful attire, it was obvious that there were VIPs present.


    Since there were VIPs, naturally, they were targets to either be killed or captured. Their forces were limited; they only needed Jiang Xian.


    As for the lives of these others, they might as well be dog lives¡ªuseless to kill with one bullet, or maybe two.


    ¡°Chase them down!¡± Xiang Ziyu, who had unconsciously charged ahead, held his submachine gun and ran forward, throwing caution to the wind.


    Ahead of him was Jiang Xian¡¯s carriage, and if he could catch up, he might capture the King of Qi Country!


    While the idea of capturing Jiang Xian alive was running through his head, a bullet flying straight towards him suddenly yanked him back to reality.


    The sound of bullets whizzing past his ears made Xiang Ziyu stagger, and he fell forward to the ground.


    The bullets that zipped past him also startled the squad leader running beside him; only then did he remember that those around the King were guarded.


    The equipment of these Qi Country Guards wasn¡¯t the Shireck Model 1 rifles that required one to pull the bolt after each shot!


    These Qi Country Guards were armed with the infamous Shireck Model 1 semiautomatic pistols¡ªalso known as box cannons, breechloaders! The renowned Mauser pistol, capable of semiautomatic firing!


    Clearly, the Qi Guards, now with no evident disadvantage in terms of firepower, had finally made the Tang Country Paratroopers realize the danger.


    Many Tang Country Paratroopers who had been charging forward without any care were now frantically searching for cover¡ªthey were all human, how could they not fear death?


    ¡°Ratatat!¡± While dodging, a Tang Army Paratrooper continued to spray bullets. He drew the attention of the Qi Guards, with several of them aiming and firing at him.


    Bullets hitting near his feet kicked up a cloud of white smoke. Others whizzed close by, striking the distant courtyard wall behind him, leaving a trail of bullet marks.


    But these masters of contouring the human target with at least a dozen bullets, managed not to hit the paratrooper, allowing him to finally find a flowerbed to hide behind and slide to avoid the rest of the attack.


    Having tumbled to the ground, Xiang Ziyu had finally managed to fire again. Lying t on the ground, he used the body of a Qi official as cover and emptied his magazine at the carriage not far away.


    Bullets hit the wheels of the carriage, and the splinters that flew up ripped off the mudguard, while a ricochet hit a nearby Guard.


    The Guard was hit in the ribs, his breechloader falling from his grasp. Clutching his wound, he looked towards Xiang Ziyu, the one who had injured him.


    At that moment, Xiang Ziyu was busy reloading his magazine. His squad leader was right behind him and took the opportunity to fire another round at the unfortunate Qi Guard.


    The Qi Guard was hit by a bullet in the chest. He reached out to lean on the carriage, but as it slowly moved forward, he stumbled and lost his bnce, falling to the ground.@@novelbin@@


    Having reloaded, Xiang Ziyu opened fire again at the distant carriage. This time, he didn¡¯t aim for the carriage but instead swept his gun across the group of people beside the carriage.


    A group of Qi concubines and maids were struck by the bullets and fell in heaps, along with the officials¡¯ female family members and some attendants.


    Of course, there were also men d in Qi official robes¡ªwhen struck by the bullets, they lost all their usual schrly refinement and pride.


    The people hit screamed in misery as they fell upon those in front of them; blood sttered everywhere amid the crowd, some people ran for cover while others knelt begging for mercy, the noise chaotic like a marketce.


    The courtyard had be a true battlefield, not the kind where attractive girls in sailor uniforms amiably brandish knives.


    Here, everyone was armed with guns, and at the slightest disagreement, they might even pull out a grenade to resolve the issue. Although there were women present, they were essentially human shields or merely props for ughter.


    Xiang Ziyu, unwilling to let the carriage so close within his grasp escape, got up from the ground once again. His squad leader shared the same sentiment and thus led the charge forward.


    A Paratrooper following behind them was struck by a bullet and shuddered before copsing. However, he didn¡¯t die immediately, as the bullet had only hit his shoulder.


    No one had the time to tend to him now; everyone was seeing red. The Qi Guards fought fearlessly, constantly firing near the carriage while also being taken down one after another by the iing bullets.


    Compared to Tang Country Paratroopers who could find cover to take shelter, the Qi Country Guards were clearly more passive, for they had to protect the carriage behind them and thus could only stand in front of the carriage to serve as flesh shields.


    If possible, they really wanted to pull the women and officials trailing behind the carriage forward to serve as human sandbags, but they didn¡¯t dare to, nor did they have time to do so.


    So, they quickly began to thin out, from dozens of Guards originally surrounding the carriage, now only three or five remained, barely returning fire.


    ¡°Shoot the horses! Take down the horses!¡± Finally realizing they should disable the carriage¡¯s ¡°engine¡± first, the squad leader shouted loudly.


    Xiang Ziyu didn¡¯t hesitate, emptying another magazine in the direction of the carriage¡¯s horses. Over a dozen bullets hit the high-headed horses pulling the carriage from a nted rear angle, the noble steeds, obviously of great value, neighed and fell in the bloody mist.


    With this, the carriage, which was already not moving fast due to traveling within the courtyard, came to aplete stop. Around the carriage, the Qi Country Ministers at this moment were few and far between.


    Most were shot dead on the road, some had taken cover in other corners of the courtyard, and the road was littered with the bodies of Guards, while the coachman, terrified, had dropped the reins and run towards the gate.


    He had only run halfway when a Guard shot him in the back through the heart, copsing in front of the gate where many Qi Country Soldiers were rushing in with rifles, trying to block the Tang Country Paratroopers who were approaching the carriage.


    ¡°Stop them! Take His Majesty away! Take His Majesty away!¡± Among the remaining few Guards, one covered in blood shouted loudly at the iing Qi Army.


    He knew that now, with just their Guard¡¯s strength, it was impossible to safely escort King His Majesty out of this dangerous ce.


    While he was still desperately shouting, a Tang Country Paratrooper had already rushed up behind him and shot through his head.


    The Qi Country Guard fell straight down, the remaining Guards having basically run out of the bullets they carried; now they were merely targets to be ughtered before the Tang Army.


    There was no way around it; who could carry hundreds of bullets in their pockets while on duty beside King His Majesty? Everyone was neatly carrying a revolver, and including the bullets hidden in their pockets, they had, at best, thirty or forty rounds in total.


    Such a quantity of ammunition was barely enough for a brief engagement. To their deaths, these Guards never imagined they would one day face enemies equipped with submachine guns in a head-on firefight.


    The disparity in firepower between semi-automatic pistols and submachine guns was fully demonstrated in this battle: in close-rangebat, submachine guns are always stronger than pistols.


    ¡°Bang!¡± A Qi Country Soldier rushed to the side of the carriage, raised his rifle, and took a shot at the distant Tang Country Paratroopers.


    A Tang Country Paratrooper fell, shot in the abdomen, losing hisbat ability instantly.


    But Xiang Ziyu, who had already reached the carriage, immediately fired seven or eight bullets at the Qi Army hiding behind another horse.


    Some bullets hit the horse, some hit the Qi Country Soldier, and in the end, both man and horse struggled and fell, while the remaining Qi Country Soldiers recklessly charged forward, seeming determined to recapture the carriage that was of such importance to them.


    The Tang Country Paratroopers were not to be outdone, pressing in with their submachine guns. The clear sound of the Chicago Typewriter rung out, and the Qi Soldiers who had charged over instantly fell.


    ¡°Listen up, those inside! You¡¯re surrounded! Come out and surrender!¡± Seeing the carriage was now under his control, the squad leader excitedly shouted to the people inside.


    Apanying his shouts, the few remaining paratroopers had already rushed to the front of the carriage, taking position on either side of the courtyard gate, on guard at the perimeter.


    Xiang Ziyu cautiously held his submachine gun at the other side of the carriage, truly worried that the people inside would start firing out without notice.


    The carriage already had its share of bullet holes, including ones from Xiang Ziyu and the Tang Country Paratroopers who hadn¡¯t deliberately avoided the carriage. They weren¡¯t special forces trained for hostage rescue and hadn¡¯t undergone such training.


    What they drilled every day, ingrained in their muscle memory, was to eliminate all threats, kill all enemies capable of firing, protect their lives as much as possible, and aplish the core mission after parachuting!


    So, to them, capturing King Jiang Xian of Qi alive and killing King Jiang Xian of Qi made no difference at all. Even when it came to being recognized for their achievements, there would be no difference.


    ¡°Come out quickly! Or I¡¯ll start shooting!¡± While shouting, Xiang Ziyu wisely changed positions. He had called out to the enemy during training before and was ¡°shot¡± through the door by the enemy.


    The instructor eventually ruled he had been killed through an obstacle, a lesson he remembered vividly and dared not forget. It was such experiences that made him even more cautious.


    ¡°Creak¡­¡± Apanying Xiang Ziyu¡¯s shouting, the carriage door was slowly pushed open from the inside.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Happy Mid-Autumn Festival. Two chapters today, updates will continue tomorrow.


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 Chapter 611: 570 two bodies

    Chapter 611: 570 two bodies


    The person inside the carriage did not speak but simply pushed open the door. Because they were unsure if the person inside was armed, Xiang Ziyu and his squad leader did not dare to approach carelessly.


    ¡°I am the Prime Minister of Qi Country!¡± At this moment, an elderly man¡¯s voice came from the carriage. He spoke slowly, stepping out of the carriage as he spoke.


    There were bloodstains on his body, and fresh blood had dyed his official robe red. His movement exiting the carriage was somewhat sluggish, and his eyes were full of bloodshot threads.


    ¡°Where is the King!¡± Upon seeing the old man emerge from the carriage, the paratrooper squad leader asked with his weapon ready, ¡°Is he inside?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is certainly inside.¡± The old man smirked bitterly and answered, ¡°He is already dead ¡­¡±


    Long before Tang Country¡¯s paratroopers reached the carriage, Jiang Xian of Qi Country had already died. Something had been amiss when he boarded the carriage; in fact, at that time, His Majesty, the King of Qi Country, had already passed away.<div>


    He had been suffering from a serious illness for some time and had been taking medicine. Just now, he had been frightened and jolted for a long while, and his illness had finally worsened, leading to his death before he could be captured.


    ¡°Squad leader! He¡¯s injured!¡± Upon seeing the bloodied Prime Minister of Qi Country, Xiang Ziyu noticed the Prime Minister¡¯s wounds.


    Whether he failed to evade in time or was trying to protect Jiang Xian, the Prime Minister had several bloody holes in his body, which at that moment were still oozing blood, staining half of his body red.


    The old man was merely holding on, standing in front of two enemy paratroopers, maintaining thest vestiges of his country¡¯s dignity.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, whether you are the Prime Minister of Qi Country or its King ¡­ you will not be capturing any of us.¡± The Prime Minister shivered, nearly losing his bnce.@@novelbin@@


    In reality, he should have been dead by now, but he was still insisting, standing there stubbornly, unwilling to fall.


    In the end, after an indeterminate amount of time, he finally lost all his strength and copsed heavily onto the ground tiles, closing his eyes.


    Only at this moment did Xiang Ziyu and his squad leader approach, cautiously peering through the wide-open carriage door to see the scene inside.


    Inside the carriagey a man dressed in splendid attire, motionless on the floor with bloodstains and bullet holes in the seat next to him.


    Xiang Ziyu climbed into the carriage, knelt on one knee, and looked down at the man lying on the ground. It was indeed Jiang Xian, an exact match to the photograph previously circted among the Tang Army.


    ¡°It should be him.¡± Xiang Ziyu said to his squad leader outside the carriage, ¡°He¡¯s definitely dead, and there are no gunshot wounds on his body.¡±


    The squad leader furrowed his brow, then hopped onto the carriage, pushed Xiang Ziyu aside, and emptied the magazine of his firearm into Jiang Xian¡¯s body, ¡°Now he has gunshot wounds!¡±


    He lifted his head to look at Xiang Ziyu, ¡°Your credit is already substantial. Remember, this is the honor of our squad, our toon, ourpany, even our battalion! You know what to say!¡±


    ¡°I understand! Squad leader.¡± Xiang Ziyu knew the credit wasn¡¯t his, so he epted everything quite frankly.


    Their squad had killed the Prime Minister and the King of Qi Country! This was a collective honor for their squad! Or rather, it could be an honor for their entire paratrooper troops!


    ¡°Round up the other Qi Country people in the courtyard, take away those you can quickly! Look around on the way back to see if there¡¯s anything that can prove the King¡¯s identity, take that too!¡± the squad leader said, waving at the paratroopers in front: ¡°Our objective has been achieved, we can retreat now!¡±


    ¡°Jiang Xian has been killed! The King is dead! Retreat!¡± The remaining paratroopers began to shout as they followed, they did note here to fight to the death with Qi Country¡¯s defenders.


    Since the target had been aplished, retreating was their best option. To break contact with the Qi Army and regroup at Donghe Bridge with the 2nd Battalion was what they should be doing now.


    Sure enough, soon a paratrooper, holding his weapon, ran over panting heavily. It took him a while to catch his breath before asking, ¡°Thepanymander from the 2nd sent me to confirm, was Jiang Xian, the King of Qi, really killed by you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! We¡¯re preparing to retreat! He¡¯s over there in the carriage!¡± the squad leader pointed to a carriage not far away, ¡°You can go have a look for yourself.¡±


    Indeed, the soldier ran over with his weapon and took a look before running back, standing at attention to salute, ¡°I have confirmed it! It is indeed Jiang Xian!¡±


    ¡°Then tell yourpanymander to retreat! We¡¯re leaving this ce too! There¡¯s no reason for us to continue fighting here.¡± The squad leader reced his magazine, checked his remaining spare ammo, and with a wave of his hand, prepared to lead his men away.


    ¡°Yes!¡± The soldier saluted sharply and ran off, disappearing over the courtyard wall. He was quick, and his wall-scaling maneuvers were adept.


    As the paratroopers began to retreat, a sharp shrieking sound came from the sky. Two Stuka Dive Bombers descended from the heavens, howling as they dropped two 500-kilogram Aerial Bombs on the smoke-filled estate.


    The massive explosion frightened the paratroopers who had started to retreat from the estate. They could distinctly feel the ground beneath them shudder.


    This was a sensation absent from their drills, as they had never actually had Stuka Dive Bombers supporting them in battle.


    Following that, two Stukasmenced a dive and strafing attack, unwilling to spare anything around the manor as they continuously poured their ammunition onto the Qi Army below.


    During the assault, these two Stukas spotted the Red Dragon gid out on the ground and thus avoided those marked areas as much as possible.


    However, the next pair of Stuka Dive Bombers arriving were unable to see the red gs on the ground due to the thick smoke.


    Not wanting to let the King of Qi Country escape, these pilots had to take the risk of dropping bombs, once again smashing them into the interior of the manor.


    The good news was that all the Tang Country Paratroopers inside the manor had already withdrawn, so there were no cases of friendly fire.


    The bad news was that the aerial bombings from above rendered all the efforts of the Tang Army to capture prisoners futile. To ensure their own safety, the slow-moving prisoners were all abandoned or killed along the route of retreat.


    ¡°I see the thick smoke on the ground! I see the thick smoke! Preparing to continue the attack! Cover me, cover me!¡± over the radio, the pilot aboard the Stuka excitedly yelled to hisrades.


    Another two Stuka Dive Bombers turned sharply in the air and plummeted, dropping a 500-kilogram aerial bomb onto the Qi Army¡¯s position from close to the ground.


    The two bombs exploded one after the other, blowing away the other end of the still-confused Qi troops. Unaware that their Majesty the King had already died from a heart attack, these Qi soldiers were desperately hoping to recapture the manor to stabilize the situation.


    Ignoring the aircraft overhead, they rushed into the manor, searching for any survivors. But in the midst of chaos, no one knew what exactly had transpired.


    ¡°Strafe them! Do you see that group of Qi people? Fire! Fire!¡± Inside the cockpit of the trailing FW-190 Butcher Fighters, the pilots were also screaming excitedly.


    Four fighters swept over in turn, their machine guns firing and raising clouds of dust and dirt, sending the scrambling Qi soldiers into disarray.


    Just like the Qi troops, none of the Tang nes circling above the manor knew that the King of Qi Country was already dead.


    They continued with the attack n, dropping one heavy bomb after another, as if money was no object.


    At the same time, the all-out counterattack from the Qi troops on the ground further convinced them that the King of Qi was still inside the manor at that moment.


    So they kept dropping bombs, one after another, onto the small manor obscured by thick smoke, disregarding visibility.


    Soon, a pilot inside a Stuka noticed something different. He saw Tang paratroopers retreating, and those Dragon Banners, serving as friend-or-foe identifiers, seemed to be moving back as well.


    So, holding down themunication button, he reported, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening, but I see our gs retreating!¡±


    Below him, paratroopers on the ground had retreated to their drop zones, where their identifying Dragon Banners were even more conspicuous.


    After confirmation, the pilot continued to report over the radio: ¡°Repeat, I see the Dragon Banner retreating!¡±


    Soon, another Stuka Dive Bomber pilot also confirmed the news: ¡°That¡¯s right! I also see the paratroopers retreating! I don¡¯t know why, but they¡¯re moving towards the open area!¡±


    At that moment, the voice from headquarters came through the headset: ¡°I order you to cover our forces, cover the retreating paratrooper troops! Repeat! Cover the retreating paratrooper troops! Block the Qi Army¡¯s pursuit!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± replied the pilot of the circling Stuka Dive Bomber immediately.


    However, after the two Stukas made a wide circle around the manor, they still didn¡¯t see the Qi troops chasing from the thick smoke.


    It seemed the Qi Army had no intention to pursue, so the Tang paratroopers retreating from the battle did so at their leisure; they even managed to find and take with them almost all of their bags and gear.


    So, after circling twice to confirm the situation, the pilot of the Stuka Dive Bomber assigned to cover the ground troops spoke again: ¡°Beehive! Beehive! This is Wasp One! This is Wasp One! I do not see Qi troops in pursuit! Repeat! I do not see enemy troops in pursuit!¡±


    Another pilot from a different ne also reported: ¡°This is Wasp Four! I also do not see enemy troops in pursuit!¡±


    ¡°I do not see them either!¡± said another pilot through the radio.


    ¡°Keep watching, keep watching!¡± came the somewhat resigned reminder from headquarters over the radio: ¡°Subsequent forces, continue bombing the target! Ensure that the manor ispletely destroyed!¡±


    ¡°Acknowledged, Sir!¡± replied the pilot who had just arrived at the battlefield, still excited. After responding, he pushed his control stick down: ¡°Starting my dive now, cover me!¡±


    His wingman followed, shouting excitedly, ¡°I¡¯m right behind you!¡±


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 Chapter 612: Long live the 571 Tank

    Chapter 612: Long live the 571 Tank


    Near Donghe Bridge, the paratrooper 2ndpany¡¯s troops were inexplicably spectating. They truly didn¡¯t understand why two forces of the Qi Army were fighting each other.


    By the time these Qi Country troops finally figured out what was going on and realized they had targeted the wrong enemy, the Tang Army already had their guns pointed at their foreheads.


    In the bridgehead bunker where the Qi Country¡¯spanymander was located,cking in automatic weapons and without grenades, the Qi Army quickly lost the outer positions and even lost the first floor of the bridgehead bunker in the process.


    The Qi soldiers still holed up on the second floor tried to struggle, but their efforts turned to naught with the explosion of a grenade.


    The Qi soldiers, who were knocked about by the st, hadn¡¯t reorganized their defenses when the charging Tang soldiers riddled them with bullets.


    Soon they lost the second floor, then the third.<div>


    With nowhere left to hide, the Qi Country¡¯spanymander was indeed a tough nut to crack. He nced at his own men guarding the stairwell, but in the end, he took off his feathered cap.


    ¡°Stop fighting! We surrender! Don¡¯t shoot! As long as you guarantee not to kill us, we surrender!¡± he shouted downward.


    Quickly, the voice of the Tang Army came from below: ¡°Throw down your arms; no killing! Ourpanymander has said, as long as you surrender, your lives will be guaranteed!¡±


    Hearing this, the Qi Countrypanymander immediately agreed: ¡°We surrender! Come on up!¡±


    After shouting this, he ordered his subordinates, ¡°Put down your weapons! Continuing to fight is just delivering ourselves to death, there¡¯s no need.¡±


    Upon hearing theirmander speak thus, those Qi soldiers hidden in the bridgehead bunker cooperated andid down their weapons.


    They were already in disarray; having someone lead the way in surrendering matched their hopes.


    With almost no opposition, the Qi soldiers one by one handed over their rifles, then discarded their bays hung at their waists, and walked down the stairs one after the other.


    Below the stairs, the Tang soldiers holding submachine guns also avoided the danger of storming the building. Their grenades were limited and they were worried about the bridgehead bunker being destroyed by grenades, so they too were happy to see the Qi Army surrender.


    When the Qi Army chose to surrender, the Tang paratroopers did not opt for a ruthless ughter but instead let the disarmed Qi people roll out of their defenses.


    On the other side of the railway, the Qi Country troops that had just brutally killed their own did not show weakness this time; they continued firing, trying to stop the Tang Army from crossing the railway.


    Unfortunately, their Maxim machine gun deployed outside soon fell silent. The Tang snipers, like invisible demons to these Qi soldiers, devoured the lives of each one.


    The Qi soldiers, unaware of who was attacking them, dared not go operate that Maxim machine gun any longer, feeling as if a devil was lurking next to it.


    Without the support of that machine gun, the firepower of the Qi troops visibly dropped a notch. The sporadic rifle shots were drowned out by the crisp sound of typewriters, almost inaudible.@@novelbin@@


    Originally, on the battlefield, the Qi Army always overwhelmed the Tang forces with numbers, sometimes even reaching a ratio of ten or even fifteen to one.


    Even so, the Qi Army often suffered losses, suppressed by the firepower. Now, the Tang force of over 400 soldiers from a single battalion was fighting less than 300 men from two Qipanies, with the Tang Army surprisingly bing the side with numerical superiority.


    With the advantage in troop numbers, the Tang attack was fierce. At the cost of losing seven or eight men, they managed to cross the railway and prate the Qi Army¡¯s defenses.


    The battle once again became a one-sided ughter, with the Qi troops retreating steadily, and some soldiers even started to flee toward the railway bridge.


    The Tang Army didn¡¯t give them a chance, blocking them from the other side with firepower and forcing them back. Those determined to flee fell on the bridge, some corpses even lying across the railway tracks.


    Seeing no hope of escape, the remaining Qi forces began to surrender as well. They dropped their weapons, waiting for the Tang Army to arrive.


    True enough, the Tang gunfire ceased, and the battle seemed to end just as dramatically as that. Over 250 Qi soldiers from twopanies, after losing more than 70 men, chose to surrender.


    They were but Qi Country¡¯s second-line troops, with littlebat power; in their ranks were many who had just been recruited as fresh troops.


    These individuals hadn¡¯t undergone rigorous military training, had barely handled modern weapons for a few days, and expecting them to fight against the elite Tang paratroopers was a bit too optimistic.


    So, after sustaining about a third in casualties, it was only natural for them to hand over their weapons and give up the bridge they had to defend.


    In truth, they had done their best because before this battle erupted, no one could have guessed that the enemy would descend from the sky andunch a surprise attack on a critical facility in the hintend. Suchbat wasn¡¯t just something they hadn¡¯t experienced in person; it was unheard of.


    Under normal circumstances, isn¡¯t itmon sense to station second-line troops on the second line? Even the most inept militarymander wouldn¡¯t see a problem with that setup.


    But after today, after this battle, when stationing second-line troops on the second line, one would have to think carefully about how to deal with enemy paratroopers dropping from the sky.


    Just a few minutes after the battle here ended, the second battalionmander was still contemting how to get across the bridge to deal with the Qi Country troops defending the other side when the first battalion¡¯s troops arrived.


    Although they looked somewhat disheveled and had suffered considerable losses, the news the first battalion brought invigorated everyone.


    ¡°We¡¯ve crushed the Qi Army near the manor; our rear should be temporarily safe,¡± the first battalionmander, exhausted from the march, sat down at a position to rest.


    Looking at the group of Qi Country soldiers being held captive on the other side, he said with some emotion, ¡°You¡¯ve captured prisoners on this side too?¡±


    ¡°We had no choice; they surrendered. It did less damage to the bridgehead, at least leaving us some cover.¡± The second battalionmander pointed to the bridgehead and said, ¡°We couldn¡¯t reach the other side of the bridge, and we need this bridgehead as a position to hold this side.¡±


    ¡°Shall we give it a try? Together, we have at least 800 men; it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to fight our way across,¡± the first battalionmander said to the second battalionmander, looking at the numerous bodies still lying on the bridge.


    ¡°The casualties will be huge. Just getting there would cost at least 20 lives¡ªthat¡¯s too painful a loss,¡± the second battalionmander sighed.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, since we¡¯ve already eliminated the King of Qi Country and the Qi Country¡¯s Prime Minister. Even if we lose another 20 men, it¡¯s worth it,¡± the first battalionmander said with a smile, proudly.


    ¡°Really?¡± The second battalionmander was stunned, then suddenly became ecstatic, ¡°Then this time, our paratroopers hit the jackpot!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®our paratroopers¡¯? That was my first battalion, okay?¡± The first battalionmander teased his old friend.


    ¡°Get lost! Aren¡¯t you a paratrooper? Aren¡¯t you a paratrooper?¡± The second battalionmander, clearly annoyed and embarrassed, retorted, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been so good-natured and let you take the opportunity, killing the King of Qi Country would have been our second battalion¡¯s doing, got it?¡±


    ¡°Your face is really thick,¡± the first battalionmander, who had expected such a response,ughed and punched his friend, then looked again towards the other end of the bridge.


    ¡°Stop looking; I¡¯ve had the explosives nted. If the enemy tries to force their way across with a train, we¡¯ll blow up the bridge. If they try to cross with men, we¡¯ll turn this ce into a river of blood!¡± the second battalionmander pointed to the paratroopers who had nted the explosives between the two bridgeheads.


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to do it,¡± the first battalionmander considered the idea for a moment and felt that the second battalionmander¡¯s n was sound. They might as well leave the bridgehead on that side alone, as they couldn¡¯te across anyway.


    Although the enemy would asionally fire a shot or two to intimidate, with snipers watching through scoped rifles on this side, the shooters on the other side of the bridge didn¡¯t dare show their faces after several were killed.


    The Tang Army used paratroopers to capture this strategic point so that the subsequent troops could quickly utilize this railway bridge.


    Otherwise, they could have just bombed and destroyed it; it wasn¡¯t worth the cost in human lives. The paratroopers¡¯ mission was to hold the bridge until the following troops arrived.


    However, if it came to a dire situation where the Qi Army¡¯s main force reached the bridge before the Tang Army¡¯s reinforcements, then the paratroopers would have to consider blowing up the bridge.


    At the same moment, aboard the turret of a No. 4 tank, themander of the first unit of the 4th Armored Division of Tang Country put down his binocrs.


    He had seen the towering walls of King City of Qi Country and the industrial zone of King City, still billowing thick smoke.


    There, hundreds of towering chimneys, some of which were still emitting thick smoke: many factories were still working, striving non-stop to support the Qi Country¡¯s war machinery.


    ¡°Those unrepentant bastards!¡± he re-entered the tank turret, exposing only half his upper body, and said, ¡°Forward! Let General Redman spend the night in King City of Qi Country tonight!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t first battalion quicker than us? Can we still make it to King City now?¡± The gunner, picking his nose, said in the shaking tank.


    ¡°Hahaha! They advanced too quickly and got redirected to support the madmen on the right nk,¡± themander said with pride, ¡°Rest assured, this time, the honor of being the first into King City will be ours; no one can snatch it away!¡±


    ¡°Long live Great Tang!¡± Shouts of excitement came from other tankmanders over the radio, and soon, even more followed with their own cheers, ¡°Long live Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Long live Tanks!¡± Unconsciously, someone suddenly shouted out, ¡°Long live the Tank Crews!¡±


    Through the forest, tank after tank of No. 4 Tanks emerged, followed by self-propelled guns converted from No. 2 Tanks.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Manymandersughed along, and then more joined in the cheering, ¡°Long live Tanks! Long live the Tank Crews!¡±


    These tanks broke through branches, crushed shrubs, and with their bodies marred by mottled shell marks and stains of blood that couldn¡¯t bepletely wiped off, charged toward the distant city shrouded in dust and smoke.


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 Chapter 613: 572 Qi Armys Logistics

    Chapter 613: 572 Qi Army¡¯s Logistics


    The King of Qi, Jiang Xian, was dead, more dead than one could imagine. When an officer of Qi Country found the carriage overturned by the explosion of an aerial bomb, all he could see was the bullet-riddled corpse of the King of Qi inside.


    He held the corpse and wept bitterly, and many soldiers of Qi Country gathered around, silently witnessing everything that was happening.


    The airnes of Tang Army continued to circle overhead, asionally diving to strafe the crowd.


    The terrifying missiles had left huge craters in the estate, sting the ce beyond recognition, with houses copsed and structures shattered.


    Everywhere there were corpses, some once untouchably noble, some powerful enough to sway the court, and others just like them, simply the most ordinary soldiers.


    Now, less than half of the Imperial Guard regiment was still alive, but those alive had already lost the target they were supposed to protect.<div>


    The entire central mechanism of Qi Country had been destroyed by the attacks from the sky in just the past two hours, with almost nothing left.


    Had it not been for the convenience of some people staying in King City, perhaps the entire governmental affairs of Qi Country would have been paralyzed at that moment.


    Anyway, the Prime Minister of Qi Country was dead, his body lying next to the carriage. The King of Qi was dead, his body had just been carried out of the carriage.


    Several of Qi¡¯s important generals were dead, some bodies recoverable, others blown to pieces beyond recognition.


    A whole host of Qi¡¯s important ministers were dead, some beside the carriage, some in the corners of the courtyard, including one who was a bit more fortunate, crushed under the body of one of His Majesty¡¯s concubines.


    As time went on, more ministers were found; they had all died, killed in haste by the Tang Country Paratroopers as they tried to escape in another courtyard.


    Captain Ma was also dead, he had taken his own life¡­ It¡¯s not just that he couldn¡¯t escape me with the King dead, but with so many court officials dead at once, he had virtually no hope of living on.


    Any family from anyone who died here, if they decided to pursue the matter, he as the captain of the Imperial Guard would have had his family exterminated.


    So he chose to die with dignity, giving himself and those seeking vengeance that dignity.


    By the time his men heard the gunshot, it was toote; Captain Ma had shot himself in the head, and the bullet had gone through his temple, presenting a horrific sight.


    This made things even worse, as everyone nowckedmand and leadership, especially after the spiritual totem, His Majesty, had just died, and almost all state ministers were annihted¡­ The remaining lower-ranking soldiers had no heart to fight under the harassment of the airnes.


    They found some stretchers, carried the bodies of the Prime Minister and His Majesty the King, and then, without caring for the remaining corpses, they just left.


    Nobody realized that the Donghe Bridge, the eastern gate of King City, had already been upied by the enemy, nor did anyone think of counterattacking or searching for the Tang Country Paratroopers. The Qi soldiers retreated like this, abandoning the smoking, burning estate, taking a few corpses and fleeing back to the King City of Qi Country in disarray.


    What they didn¡¯t know was that a Tang Army Armored Corps was already en route to the estate, and another Tang Army Armored Corps was advancing towards the King City of Qi Country.


    In short, they knew nothing, intending only to bring back the news of the death of the King of Qi to the King City, and then find someone with authority to take over everything.


    ¡­


    On the southern battlefield, the outskirts of Luo Town, which always seemed hellish, saw the Qi soldiers flooding towards the Tang Army¡¯s position like a tide once again.


    Qin Xiong quietly observed through his binocrs as his troopsunched an attack on the Tang Army¡¯s positions; he personally witnessed young lives cut down en masse by the roaring machine guns of the enemy, like wheat being harvested.


    With no artillery preparation, this tactic of using human lives to storm enemy machine gun positions was no different from sending people to their deaths.


    However, Qin Xiong had no choice but to use this inefficient method, forcing his soldiers to attack the increasingly fortified lines of the Tang Army over and over again.


    He truly had no other option, as the artillery shells he had brought were all spent. The Qi military now had a numerical advantage butcked the capability to continuebat.


    The soldiers had enough bullets; after all, in an offensive there weren¡¯t many opportunities to shoot, and the number used by machine guns was a minor matter no matter howrge.


    But those supporting the artillery¡ªthose shells were not so easily transported: each weighing several dozen or even hundreds of pounds, one vehicle could not carry many.


    The mechanization level of the Qi military was already low, and there were not many ox or horse carts either, so the amount of artillery shells they brought into battle was not substantial.


    This was a significant reason why the Qi generals were unwilling to move away from the railroad: their logistics depended too heavily on the railway to the extent that without it, they could hardly maneuver their forces.


    Modernrge military units are supported by logistical services. Without transport and supplies, without fuel and ammunition, suchrge units be the nightmare of generals, a ck hole that devours everything.


    A hundred thousand people crammed together, how much food would they need every day? To maintain their consumption, how many people would have to hustle along the roads, transporting food and other supplies?


    Even drinking water was a problem: being blocked outside Luo Town, the Qi troops needed to transport drinking water for several kilometers, which was simply a logistical nightmare.


    To maintain the 1st and 3rd Armies, along with the surrounding units¡¯ food consumption, Qin Xiong had no choice but to reduce the replenishment rate of ammunition.


    Because there were only a few roads behind them, which had either been destroyed by the Tang Army¡¯s nes or congested by their own military, they were already overwhelmed.


    Relying on these inferior dirt roads to transport the food stored in the southern defense lines to the vicinity of Luo Town was also a major project for the Qi transport teams.


    Wasn¡¯t the Qi Army stationed at the border in need of food? What must they feel as they watched thest of their supplies in the warehouse being carted off?


    Simply coordinating these contradictions, transporting various reserves, and distributing frontline materials, Qin Xiong was nearly exhausted.


    Now, that he could still make the time to visit the front line was only achieved by sacrificing sleep. But watching his troops march up there to their deaths, Qin Xiong felt he might as well get some sleep.


    The First Prince on his end, still had no intention of leaving his station. It seemed this prince was waiting to see the oue of Qin Xiong¡¯s side before deciding on his own next move.


    Qin Xiong knew that the Second Prince had already led the 2nd Army to retreat toward Beiyuan City via the eastern railway, but as for how quickly the retreat was proceeding, that was not for him to know.


    It seemed King City might have the 2nd Armying to the rescue, and whether they would arrive in time was known only to the heavens, so Qin Xiong wasn¡¯t anxious about it.


    He decided that what he needed to do was to keep fighting here, maintaining the situation, and buying more time for the rear.


    Whether it was to seek help from other nations or to ask the Tang Country for peace, time was needed. The more stable he could keep the battle here, the better it would be for Qi Country.


    As for the logistics behind him that were on the verge of copse, Qin Xiong had chosen to selectively forget about it. It was as if by not actively mentioning these problems that tormented him through the night, they didn¡¯t exist.


    You have to understand that now, every shell he used had to be transported from the permanent defensive positions dozens of kilometers to the south.


    The food his troops ate also came from there, and the stored food and ammunition there were not infinite, either.


    Originally, the food stockpiled at the southern front was thought to be enough for about a month and a half of defense on site. The thinking was that there was no need to hoard so much since the supply lines could continue to be supplemented via railway.


    On paper, the numbers were sufficient tost three months, but in reality, because Tang Country had gone mad buying up grain in the previous two years, many astute individuals had diverted some strategic reserves, enriching their own purses first.


    The war had been raging for over a month now, and with several granaries and ammunition depots on the southern front having been destroyed or captured, the supply situation was close to hitting rock bottom.


    If the hundreds of thousands of troops found out they were out of food and ammunition, there would be no reason to continue the war¡­


    ¡°General, the Tang Army¡¯s tank units have advanced far enough to threaten our nk,¡± an officer rushed back with a message that rmed everyone in themand bunker.


    After receiving reinforcements and rest, the 1st Armored Division of Tang Countryunched an offensive on the nks of the main Qi forces near Luo Town.


    Since the Tang forces inside Luo Town already had ample troops, they didn¡¯t have to worry about their defense lines being breached anymore.


    The 1st Armored Division of Tang Country, free from worries of rear defense, quickly resumed the role of an offensive force and began an encircling attack that threatened the nks of the Qi forces attacking Luo Town from the north.


    Having cleared several nearby viges, they took up positions that were quite troublesome for the 1st Army.


    ¡°We must think of a solution,¡± another officer, ncing at the silent Qin Xiong, voiced his thoughts.


    Waiting here was definitely a dead end; they were almost out of capacity to keep assaulting Luo Town. If they didn¡¯t n an escape now, were they actually preparing to dig their own graves here?


    Qin Xiong also knew that he couldn¡¯t continue to hold out here and, with a sense of dreary resignation, he closed his eyes and finally gave the order, ¡°Command the 1st Army to retreat 10 kilometers to the rear, vacate the positions, and hand over the defense zone to the 19th Division.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Upon hearing this, everyone understood that Qin Xiong was preparing to first withdraw the First Prince¡¯s family assets, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.


    Qin Xiong then continued tomand, ¡°Stop the offensive, pull the troops back, and construct defensive works on the spot¡­¡±


    As a renowned general of Qi Country, Qin Xiong still had his pride: even if he was preparing to flee, he wanted to appear as if he were still holding on firmly¡­


    There was no way around it. From any perspective, he could not abandon the positions near Luo Town: He had to put on a show of intending to break through Nanye south of Luo Town and march all the way to King City to rescue His Majesty the King. Otherwise, how could he exin himself to Jiang Xian?


    ¡ª¡ª-


    Here¡¯s another update


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 Chapter 614: 573 Dahua Court Council

    Chapter 614: 573 Dahua Court Council


    Zhao Kai stood in the great hall, staring at the group of ministers in front of him, his face so frosty it seemed one could scrape off the frost with a knife.


    He was incredibly sullen, his anger apparent to anyone who looked. In the center of the great hall, there was an enormous table, upon which a map was spread.


    This map was of Qi Country, and it included part of Dahua¡¯s territory; on another side, there was a corner of Tang Country.


    Underneath this map, another map peeked out, showing just a corner¡ªit was a full map of the Dahua Empire.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®impossible?¡¯ Huh? What do you mean, ¡®can¡¯t be done?¡¯ Over two years, I¡¯ve spent money building hundreds of kilometers of railway! And now you¡¯re telling me that it¡¯s impossible to dispatch a hundred thousand troops to the border of Qi Country?¡± Zhao Kai red at Minister of Works, Chen Jing, and rebuked him harshly.


    Chen Jing kept his head down, unfazed as if a dead pig in face of boiling water. Whether these railways were useful or how useful they were couldn¡¯t be negated by just a few words from Zhao Kai, so he didn¡¯t bother to defend himself.@@novelbin@@<div>


    Everyone knew that, at present, the transportation throughout the north, south, east, and west of the Dahua Empire relied on these railways and the highway systems built around them.


    Without these highways and railways, the Dahua Empire would be at least ten times behind where it was now! Chen Jing¡¯s contributions had long been recorded in history, and they had nothing to do with Zhao Kai¡¯s reproach.


    All present knew that the current passive situation was not due to a waste of money spent on railway construction, but rather because not even more money had been wasted on it!


    The current railwork of the Dahua Empire was desperately scarce. ording to estimates, the total mileage of railways and highways needed to increase to five times the current distance to barely meet basic requirements.


    If they wanted to continue developing, then the total length of the railways would need to be increased by tenfold! That was the consensus of everyone from the Ministry of Works to the Ministry of War and other departments.


    ¡°Your Majesty! There are too few railways at the border, and our troops are slow to mobilize and difficult to manage. The Ministry of Works has indeed done its utmost,¡± Minister of Revenue, Wang Yuc¨¢i, who knew the difficulties of the Ministry of Works, had no choice but to stand up and exin at this moment.


    ording to the Ministry of War, railways should be built between borders and military strongholds to facilitate troop movements.


    However, railways built in border areas during peacetime are liabilities, unused and requiring money for maintenance.


    Therefore, railway construction should be as beneficial to people¡¯s livelihood as possible and consider maintenance costs. Thus, after a meeting withpromises on all sides, the current Dahua railwaywork was established.


    The railways of Dahua were built around the main north-south and east-west lines, which then extended out to most cities.


    This type of railwaywork was primarily focused on passenger and freight transport during peacetime, making it profitable and very lucrative.


    It was because of these profits that the Ministry of Works had the means to continue extending these railways, creating a virtuous cycle, which was the main reason why Dahua was able to build such arge-scale railwaywork in a short time.


    However, railways built with a focus on civilian use were not as convenient for military purposes: the radial railway lines spreading from the core of the Dahua capital were too rushed to include ring lines, so horizontal transport at the ends of these lines was actually impossible.


    This resulted in inconveniences for the military¡ªeven though transporting supplies from central production areas to border regions was convenient, the adjacent troops on the borders faced a lot of difficulties in movement.


    This was simr to the situation with Qi Country¡¯s railways: once a problem arose, moving troops required a long detour. This is the difference between a railwaywork and individual railway lines.


    Everyone knows that a railwaywork is advantageous, but constructing it requires time and money. Those iron tracks, to a country with insufficient production capacity, felt like golden bars lying on the grounds.


    The Dahua Empire wasn¡¯t short of money; they were short of time. Given another ten years, they might have been able to construct a barely functional railwaywork.


    To be frank, Dahua¡¯s Ministry of Works had done an excellent job already. They not only built numerous railways but also encouraged the establishment of various factories, their efficiency and strategy far surpassing those of the officials involved in the Self-Strengthening Movement by who-knows-how-many times.


    The industrial level of the Dahua Empire was actually not bad at present, at least they could be said to have a certain industrial base. Quite a few machines could be manufactured domestically; they were truly in full pursuit of progress.


    ¡°Every time, you all brush me off with such excuses!¡± Zhao Kai looked discontentedly at Minister of Revenue, Wang Yuc¨¢i. He now viewed these ministers as if each one of them were a wastrel purposely opposing him.


    Prime Minister Chu Muzhou also knew that this was not the time to discuss these matters, so he spoke up to persuade, ¡°Your Majesty, our current situation has improved vastlypared to two years ago. This is the result of Your Majesty¡¯s diligent governance; you¡¯ve done well enough.¡±


    I damn well know I¡¯ve done well enough! Right now, I¡¯m damn annoyed by this group of wastrels, aren¡¯t I? Zhao Kai cursed inwardly in frustration, but his face betrayed none of it.


    As the Minister of War, Shen Chuan was the main protagonist of this conference. Seeing the situation, he hurriedly spoke up, taking over the conversation from Prime Minister Chu Muzhou, ¡°Your Majesty, although a month ago we had already deployed the 5th Army to support the north, it ultimately was still a bit too slow.¡±


    As he spoke, he traced the position of the 5th Army on the map, ¡°Three divisions, nearly thirty thousand men, had just arrived at the border of Qi Country when the roads were sealed off by the attacking Tang Army.¡±


    ¡°At the end of the day, it was the fact that Qi Country¡¯s defenses were breached too quickly. Such an event was unforeseen by anyone.¡± He deftly pushed the me onto those who were beyond reproach.


    Such a graceful deflection of me! Even Prime Minister Chu Muzhou quietly praised him in his heart. The ministers also nodded in agreement, endorsing this exnation.


    ¡°Utter trash! All of them in Qi Country are trash! Jiang Xian, that fool, couldn¡¯t even defend his own borders! Bastard! Worthless!¡± Zhao Kai, beside himself with anger, had no outlet for his frustration except to keep cursing, his voice filled with rage.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the situation in Qi Country is beyond salvage. Now, what we need to consider is what to do next¡­¡± Prime Minister Chu Muzhou once again stepped in to remind Zhao Kai.


    Zhao Kai clenched his fists. He had been preparing to avenge Zheng Country two years ago, but these ministers disagreed, and the situation indeed did not allow for it, which made him abandon the thought.


    Back then, Tang Country was also paying tribute and giving face to Dahua. Dahua desired technology, and Tang Country provided it in varying amounts, which was the main reason for Dahua¡¯s technological progress in the past two years.


    At times, Zhao Kai even felt that Tang Country had truly submitted to him, so he didn¡¯t continue to press down on or make any preparations against Tang Country.


    But now, he realized how right he had been back then. If not for these ipetent officials holding him back, Tang Country would have been eradicated long ago.


    It was toote for regrets now, so Zhao Kai decided to once again consider the possibility of obliterating Tang Country, ¡°Continue to reinforce troops at the Qi Country border, pressure Tang Country! Warn them that if they continue to invade Qi Country, the elite forces of Dahua will advance east into Qi and catch Tang Army in a pincer movement!¡±


    It was a move to strategically intimidate Tang Country¡ªeveryone present thought that verbal intimidation was the lowest-cost option and wouldn¡¯t have any issues, so they all nodded in agreement.


    Mobilizing troops northward to reach the Dahua-Qi border was the necessary course of action; even if they weren¡¯t attacking the Tang forces, they could still defend the existing Qi-Dahua border section, which was killing two birds with one stone.


    However, such mobilization should have been swift, yet now it was excruciatingly slow¡ªthe mere dispatch of the 5th Army had already overwhelmed the already inadequate border road system.


    ¡°On the other hand, Your Majesty, we should also contact Shin Country and Chu Country! If both are willing to deploy troops and broaden the scope of this war, then we will still hold absolute advantage.¡± Speaking purely from a strategic standpoint, Minister of Personnel Zhou Qiang suggested.


    ¡°Chu Country is fine, but contacting Shin Country¡­ is that appropriate?¡± Great General Feng Kezhi frowned, voicing his doubts, ¡°Goblins are not of our kind to begin with, and they once rampaged through Zheng Country. Now, taking them as allies, we might breed trouble for the future¡­¡±


    ¡°This Tang Country is already a tiger or wolf. If we don¡¯t drive the tiger to devour the wolf, our Dahua borders will never know peace!¡± Zhou Qiang continued to exin his strategy.


    In his view, Tang Country was the true menace, so even if it meant allying with the despised Goblin dwarves, they should first contain Tang Country.


    Why was he so opposed to Tang Country? Because Tang Country had implemented a series of agricultural reforms internally and was systematically abolishingndlords, destroying the traditional schr-gentry ss.


    In Zhou Qiang¡¯s eyes, destroying a country was no big deal, but reforming the traditional social order threatened the very livelihood of the Nobility and schr-gentry ss, which was uneptable.


    Therefore, Zhou Qiang would rather join forces with the Goblin dwarves, whom he usually despised, than allow a Tang Country that disregarded the schr-gentry Nobility to rise.


    ¡°Carry out Minister Zhou¡¯s n! Jiang Run!¡± Zhao Kai made up his mind and turned to the Minister of Rites, who had a low profile, andmanded.


    ¡°Your servant is here!¡± Minister of Rites Jiang Run, in charge of foreign affairs, stepped forward and responded with a bow, ¡°Your servant will arrange it at once.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡± Finally encountering a minister who was not evasive, Zhao Kai¡¯s expression lightened somewhat. ¡°Besides, contact Shireck and the Laines Empire! Make trouble for Tang Country on the other side as soon as possible! Otherwise, if this gets ugly, no one will be able to escape the consequences!¡±


    ¡°Your servant understands!¡± Jiang Run continued to respond.


    After all, he was only responsible for diplomatic affairs, and executing the decree when it came would not entail much cost, so there was no need to question anything.


    ¡°Also, reach out to Chu Country to discuss the feasibility of attacking the southern part of Tang Country!¡± Lastly, the Emperor of Dahua added this instruction.


    ¡°Your servant obeys the order! Your servant will do everything possible to relieve Your Majesty of your worries,¡± replied Minister of Rites Jiang Run, assuming the role of the agreeable official.


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 Chapter 615: This matter is entrusted to you.

    Chapter 615: This matter is entrusted to you.


    Just at that moment, an official rushed into the grand hall, clutching a telegram and approached Zhao Kai.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± asked Zhao Kai, his face clouded with displeasure as if the entire world owed him money.


    ¡°Your Majesty! A telegram just came from Qi Country¡­ King Jiang Xian, he has passed away,¡± the official replied in a low voice.


    ¡°What?¡± Zhao Kai was taken aback, quickly snatching the telegram to examine the words, his face full of disbelief, ¡°Idiot, could there be a mistake?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely. They used the agreed upon cipher,¡± the minister replied at once, wash his hands of responsibilitypletely.


    There was no time to delve into his subordinate¡¯s attitude of passing the buck, as Zhao Kai read the telegram once more, then tried as best he could to ept such a terrible truth.<div>


    Jiang Xian was not particrly old, and in Zhao Kai¡¯s mind, the man could have lived at least another twenty years.


    But what he never expected was that the otherwise in the prime of his life, King Jiang Xian of Qi Country, would exit the stage of history in such an undignified manner.


    ¡°Does the telegram say how the King of Qi died?¡± Zhao Kai looked to the minister bringing the news, his expression shifting continuously as he asked.


    He no longer knew which expression was appropriate for handling these ridiculous mishaps that left him not knowing whether tough or cry. If you say Qi Country was ying him, Zhao Kai, even the King of Qi yed himself in it, wasn¡¯t that a bit too dedicated?


    But if you say Qi Country wasn¡¯t acting, they¡¯ve just started the war, lost Nanye, with hundreds of thousands of troops trapped, seemingly on the brink of copse¡­ How could there be no actors in a war that turned out like this?


    ¡°The telegram mentioned it, said there were troops from Tang Country that descended from the sky andunched a surprise attack on the King¡¯s camp; the King led his troops in a bloody battle and unfortunately sumbed to his injuries,¡± the minister replied immediately, producing another telegram and handing it to Zhao Kai.


    Zhao Kai took the telegram, scrutinized it for a long while, and then handed it to General Feng Kezhi beside him, ¡°You have a look too!¡±


    Now, Zhao Kai felt like murdering the King of the Laines Empire and Shireck¡¯s witch Sofia.


    Could the intelligence report be any less reliable? Before the battle, they talked it up with all sorts of grand promises. But once the fighting started, not a single word proved true!


    Initially, they said that as long as Qi Country resorted to scorched earth tactics and strictly defended their lines, even after half a year Great Tang would achieve no victory.


    But now, well, including the initial week of both sides sitting idle, it took less than 10 days for Great Tang to breach Qi Country¡¯s border defenses!


    Those were the defenses that Qi Country had meticulously constructed over more than half a year, with a triple line of defense and reinforced bunkers as permanent defensive works!


    The defenses werepletely breached within two days of the start of the battle, and then Qi Country¡¯s southern stronghold, Nanye, was lost, leaving Qi on the verge of copse without time for Dahua to provide support.


    When they started their diplomatic ckmail against Tang Country, Zhao Kai had no idea that Tang had a new weapon called an airne.


    It wasn¡¯t until about ten days ago that the military intelligence department of the Dahua Empire officially confirmed that Tang Country possessed terrifying airnes that dive and screech; with each bombing run, their precision munitions could create a crater with a radius of tens of meters!


    Simrly, it was only about twenty days ago that he, the Emperor of Dahua, learned about the existence of a weapon called a tank in the Tang military arsenal¡ªmighty at destroying fortifications and seemingly indestructible!


    Also, it was only recently that he became aware of another weapon called a flying fortress¡ªa huge aircraft that can carry many bombs, travel rapidly over hundreds of kilometers, and strike the industrial hearnd of the enemy.


    It was only by then that Zhao Kai realized that what he and his ministers thought to be the utterly secure Imperial City, the major industrial areas across the country, and the nationwidework of railways and roads, were, in fact,pletely exposed to Tang Country¡ªas if running naked and undefended.


    And only then did Zhao Kai understand how fearsome the war machine of Tang Country truly was. It ughtered Qi Country as if ughtering chickens, and destroying the Dahua Empire might not be much more difficult¡­


    To address this issue, the Dahua Empire waspelled to urgently produce 500 Shireck anti-balloon cannons, barely managing to deploy them in key areas to maintain a semnce of possessing anti-aircraft capabilities.


    Meanwhile, they rushed to design new types of anti-aircraft weaponry, hoping to be able to fend off future Tang airne attacks.@@novelbin@@


    He had barely calmed down and made appropriate preparations against Tang¡¯s airnes and tanks, only for now this unimaginable type of soldier to appear from the skies¡­ Who could hold out against this?


    ¡°Why do they always have this and that kind of bizarre thing! Ah?¡± Zhao Kai had a breakdown, cursing uncontrobly.


    Actually, this was because, upon seeing the telegram about the death of the King of Qi, a surge of fear and a chill emerged from the depths of his heart.


    He was scared!


    Although he possessed an empire, he was scared!


    He feared that one day while sleeping in his pce, Tang¡¯s soldiers would fly into his bedroom. He was afraid that he would be assassinated any time, anywhere, by killers from the sky, the ground, or the water.


    If a person can descend from the heavens and kill the King of Qi, wouldn¡¯t it be just as simple to kill the Emperor of Dahua?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to think about it? If one day, they kill their way to my presence! To you, and you, and the side of your beds! Who among you could escape death?¡± When Zhao Kai shouted these words, his voice was sharp and had already gone off pitch.


    A group of ministers finally understood what had happened; the enemy described in the telegram, who supposedly descended from the heavens, indeed left these ministers dumbstruck.


    ¡°Your Majesty! We should strengthen the capital¡¯s defenses,¡± Chu Muzhou said, bowing his head and suggesting to Zhao Kai.


    Following his suggestion, several Chief of Staff also quickly bowed their heads and said in unison, ¡°Your servant seconds the motion!¡±


    ¡°The Prime Minister¡¯s words are extremely apt, your servant also believes it should be so,¡± on the other side, the Minister of War Shen Chuan also chimed in.


    No kidding, they were genuinely worried about the Imperial City being in jeopardy: all their families were here, and if the Tang Army overwhelmed them in one fell swoop, they would truly have no tears left to cry.


    ¡°Had we known this would happen, we should not have rashly allowed Qi Country to go to war with Tang Country,¡± several ministers whispered to each other on the side, expressing their opinions.


    But hindsight is 20/20, and the ability to foresee the situation is the true skill. By this time, Zhao Kai had also calmed down somewhat and started to ponder how to eliminate the serious threat of Tang Country.


    He had decided not to give Tang Mo any more chances to creep and grow. He wanted to strike while Tang Mo¡¯s wings were not yet fully grown and eradicate the problem once and for all.


    ¡°General Feng Kezhi!¡± he suddenly looked to his Great General.


    ¡°Your servant is here!¡± General Feng Kezhi bowed his head in response.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t mobilize troops but directly attack Tang Country from the eastern border, what are the odds of victory?¡± With the mindset of full-scale war, Zhao Kai asked a question that made everyone present palpitate with fear.


    General Feng Kezhi was silent for a moment, then he raised his head and replied, ¡°Your Majesty, your servant believes the odds of victory are about thirty percent.¡±


    ¡°Only thirty percent?¡± Zhao Kai was obviously dissatisfied with this response.


    General Feng Kezhi exined, ¡°Your servant and colleagues have also analyzed the battle reports provided by Advisor Shireck. Your servant believes that without the support of new weapons like tanks and nes, it is indeed hard to breach the enemy¡¯s defenses with just infantry.¡±


    ¡°This is also why we previously thought Qi Country could hold out for over half a year! Gauging by our own military¡¯s capabilities, to break through Qi Country¡¯s border defenses would indeed take half a year or even longer,¡± he spoke logically, as Zhao Kai listened without saying a word.


    The veteran of Dahua continued, ¡°So, conversely, attacking Tang Country¡¯s border defenses would also require about half a year, and it¡¯s uncertain whether we could even break through.¡±


    Then, General Feng Kezhi analyzed thebat effectiveness of the Tang Army from various angles: this army molded by Tang Mo had stronger individual firepower, more advanced machine guns, and their squad- and toon-level fighting capabilitiespletely overpowered those ofparable Dahua units.


    Simultaneously, the Tang Army had a clear advantage in artillery, both in quantity and quality, surpassing Dahua, another unfavorable factor.


    Even more vexing was the fact that the Tang Army also had a massive number of automobiles and an ample supply of fuel reserves, meaning their troops could maneuver faster and had more abundant logistical support.


    Furthermore, Tang Country¡¯s infrastructure was better developed, with more railways, stronger transportation capabilities, and higher productivity¡ªthese were all advantages Dahua could not match.


    Additionally, the Tang Army¡¯s self-propelled artillery, tanks, and nes, along with various modern weapons, were continuously emerging, changing some of the tactical rules. Engaging inbat with the Tang Army under such circumstances was no different from courting death.


    Having summarized up to this point and seeing that Zhao Kai¡¯s expression had turned very gloomy, General Feng Kezhi concluded, ¡°Your Majesty, your servant believes that if we engage in directbat with Tang Country at the border, the odds of victory are only thirty percent!¡±


    ¡°However!¡± Just as Zhao Kai was trying to suppress the anger in his heart, General Feng Kezhi suddenly changed his tone and uttered this word.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhao Kai nced at him, puzzled.


    ¡°Your Majesty! If Chu Country engages Tang Country in the south to draw some of their attention and Sheng Country stalls Tang forces in the north with Qi Country, and Laines and Dorne take action on another front, once they all begin to wage war, we dere war on Tangst, our odds of victory can be increased to seventy percent,¡± General Feng Kezhiid out the scenario he thought had the highest chance of sess.


    Upon hearing his general put it that way, Zhao Kai was somewhat satisfied. It seemed that the situation was not impossible, only that it required some maniption.


    As long as it was feasible, it was a better prospect for Zhao Kai than just sitting and watching Tang Country consume Qi Country.


    He had already watched the extinction of Zheng Country; this time he did not want to watch helplessly as Qi Country met the same fate.


    Thus, he looked toward Jiang Run of the Ministry of Rites again and ordered, ¡°Minister Jiang, you¡¯ve heard, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Your servant has heard everything,¡± Jiang Run bowed his head, knowing his work seemed to have be very important. He immediately assured, ¡°Your servant will not let Your Majesty down and will strive to achieve the situation needed by General Feng for the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Good! Minister Jiang, I entrust this matter to you!¡± Zhao Kai nodded in satisfaction.


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 Chapter 616: 575 as long as you dare

    Chapter 616: 575 as long as you dare


    ¡°I say, just how many people are you nning to take away, hmm?¡± Standing on the docks of Brunas, a Laines military officer looked impatiently at the Tang Country military officer beside him and asked.


    He had been here to take over the defense for three days already, but the docks were still crowded every day with all sorts of people, apanied by bags and luggage of various sizes, ready to leave what was once the wealthiest city in the world.


    In his view, it was entirely an enigma: there was aplete and advanced water supply, as well as electricity and lighting systems; countless factories outside the city offered employment opportunities, and the municipal management was so perfected it was astounding.


    Why would anyone want to leave such a ce that was like a paradise? Two months ago, every house here was worth a fortune!


    Yet, just because the Great Tang Group left, just because the Laines Empire was about to upy it, it seemed as if overnight, the ce had turned into hell.


    The stock market in Brunas had plummeted overnight ¨C from a crowdednd of fortune to a deste, empty building.@@novelbin@@<div>


    Countless people sold off their shares; stocks that were once worth ten or more Gold Coins each were dumped for just two silver coins!


    Two months ago, an 80-square-meter house here could sell for an exorbitant price of 30,000 Gold Coins. Just one month ago, no one would touch it for 4,000 Gold Coins. Yesterday, that same house would sell for only 500 Gold Coins, and today, just 300¡­


    At the height of Brunas¡¯ prosperity, if the Great Tang Group had sold it, they could have bought an entire Kingdom.


    But now, it seemed as if overnight the ce had reverted to some insignificant fishing vige, that worthless, impoverished little town of the past.


    ¡°As long as there are people willing to leave, they can board the ships. That was the agreement between us, wasn¡¯t it?¡± The young Tang Country military officer, with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face, watched the civilians leaving for Dragon Ind and said to the Laines Empire officer beside him.


    He paused for a moment and then continued, ¡°You are getting so much for free; it would be unjust if you didn¡¯t give us this form ofpensation, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    When the Great Tang Group left, they didn¡¯t take anything with them ording to the agreement: including the countless factory facilities outside the city, including power nts and water works, including the docks for shipbuilding and the enormous gantry cranes.


    The entire Brunas City¡¯s excellent electrical system, the plumbing, the sewage, and themunicationworks¡­ all were left for the Laines Empire.


    They didn¡¯t even destroy the telephone system, which was an advanced technology not yet widespread in Laines City.


    Moreover, when the Tang Country troops withdrew, they left behind all their weapons and equipment. Including original cannons, machine guns, rifles¡­ as well as ammunition for these weapons.


    They took nothing! The weapons were neatly stacked in the barracks, even the steel helmets were left behind. The soldiers¡¯ bedding, even the basins they used to wash their faces, were all left in ce.


    Even the receiving Laines Empire military couldn¡¯t believe that the opposing side would really leave everything behind. The Great Tang Group upheld their reputation to a faultless extent,pelling the Laines Empire forces that were taking over Brunas to likewise adhere to their prior agreements.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already moved at least half a million people! Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± the Laines Empire officer emphasized dejectedly as he watched Brunas nearly empty out.


    At its peak, Brunas had a poption of over a million. Before the Laines military marched in, the poption had already decreased to below a million.


    Now, only a few hundred thousand were left. The 500,000 people the Laines officer mentioned were just those they had seen depart, not including those who had left before.


    In fact, just from Northern Ridge, the number of people who had left exceeded one million; Tang Country had imperceptibly undertaken a mass migration at the level of a million people.


    To amodate these people, the Great Tang Group had cultivated arge amount ofnd on Dragon Ind, and they had also settled a considerable poption on the inds between Dragon Ind and Dongwan Ind.


    At the same time, the previous inhabitants of Dragon Ind moved en masse to Dongwan Ind and Linshui Port, and by now they had taken root along the east coast of Great Tang.


    The five divisions from Northern Ridge had also arrived at Linshui, and ording to the n, they would soon fill the gaps in the western and southern defenses.


    To carry out such massive transportation, the Great Tang Group had used almost all the passenger liners avable and even called into action almost all their cargo ships.


    Tang Mo had chartered the entire fleet of merchant ships on the Endless Sea, offering them irresistible wages, having them join in the transportation of people as well.


    At the most exaggerated point, the sea from Brunas to Dragon Ind was so full of passing ships they nearly formed a straight line, and the ships in different fleets could even see each other.


    Due to the urgent demand for transportation vessels, even sailing ships were pressed into service right from the start. Any ship that could navigate was brought in for transportation, and all were given payment.


    What did this shipping route look like in terms of busyness? It was so busy that if a ship sank, before its hull couldpletely submerge, the crew who fell overboard would be rescued by passing vessels.


    Upon reaching Dragon Ind, the means of transportation diversified: a portion of civilians arriving at the port of Dragon City would be directly transported to Weigang via car or train.


    The indigenous inhabitants of Dragon Ind, on the other hand, would take flights to other inds or fly to Dongwan Ind before continuing their journey to Linshui.


    This was also an important reason why Tang Mo¡¯s airnes were seldom spotted by ships at sea: most vessels were now running routes on the eastern side of the Endless Sea, while Tang Mo¡¯s nes were flying through the skies on the western side.


    ¡°Everyone can only bring two sets of clothes!¡± At the dock, a female soldier holding a megaphone walked alongside the line of civilians queuing to board the ship, loudly shouting continuously.


    Some people threw their suitcases out of the crowd, letting them smash onto the ground. Some broke open, spilling clothes all over.


    ¡°Carry your documents on you! Keep an eye on the children! Documents! Identity documentation is all you need to board the ship!¡± On the other side, simrly a female soldier with a megaphone, her voice slightly hoarse, yelled.


    ¡°Throw away your luggage! You won¡¯t be able to bring all of your luggage on board! You¡¯re only allowed to bring valuables! I repeat, you¡¯re only allowed to bring valuables!¡± Amid the noisy crowd, a soldier with an assault rifle strapped to his back shouted hoarsely.


    Only a very small number of soldiers carried firearms, their duty simply to maintain order, nothing more. And docked at the pier was none other than a Wolf-ss cruiser.


    This type of warship was initially designed for long voyages, with ample cabins and strong cargo capacity, so amodating some civilians wasn¡¯t any trouble at all.


    However,pared to therger, more stable Freedom-ss ships, the experience aboard a warship wasn¡¯t as pleasant as one might imagine.


    Children might be excited, as they could get up close to therge cannons on the deck, which would definitely be a novel experience.


    But adults were less inclined to travel on such slender military vessels, with their poor seaworthiness, cramped quarters, and often restricted movement, making long voyages quite oppressive.


    ¡°If everyone wishes to leave, we will transport everyone.¡± An officer from Tang Country nced at an officer from Laines and smirked without warmth in his reply, ¡°It¡¯s the agreement!¡±


    ¡°We have received orders that in three days, if you haven¡¯t left by then, we have the right to shut down the entire port,¡± the Laines officer warned.


    ¡°That¡¯s your concern.¡± The officer from Tang Country replied indifferently, ¡°You can shoot me at any time, as long as you dare.¡±


    The Laines officer snorted coldly, extremely dissatisfied but still shut his mouth. Although he was ordered to threaten the remaining staff of the Great Tang Group, both military and civilian authorities had warned him not to start a fight.


    These people either regrly received bribes from the Great Tang Group or had witnessed the might of the Tang Army. They were as cautious as possible when taking advantage of the Great Tang Group.


    Having obtained what they wanted, they certainly wouldn¡¯t cause unnecessaryplications. Leines I did not wish to engage in a firefight with Tang Army warships in the ports of Brunas during the handover.


    Even if he were foolish, he wouldn¡¯t make the blunder of smashing his own bowl: he wanted to peacefully see off the Great Tang Group and then develop Brunas into one of Laines¡¯s most important port cities.


    ¡°The Laines Empire will protect all those who stay! We will reduce taxes, secure workers¡¯ rights, and recognize the property ownership of every individual who remains¡­¡± At the dock¡¯s main gate, Laines soldiers also with megaphones, kept advertising the policies of the Laines Empire.


    Their propaganda indeed had a certain soothing effect on the people, and many chose to stay. After all, the area still buzzed with life and prosperity.


    Many opted to purchase real estate offered at low prices and stayed there. For them, this choice was a gamble that, if won, would ensure easy living for the rest of their lives.


    Despite some looking back with reluctance, and others deciding to stay while in the queue, the docks remained wide open, and the line of boarders was still impressively long.


    In the second month of the war between Qi and Tang, Brunas was still in the process of a peaceful handover. Although Northern Ridge had be a part of the Suthers Empire, and in fact, Brunas already belonged to Laines, they all abided by their agreement, not restricting the freedom of immigrants.


    Today, there were still those from Northern Ridge who had been indecisive but finally made up their minds, rushing to Brunas to board a ship and leave the continent for the new territories of Countess Alice.


    There were also a few who regretted their decision and took ships from Dragon Ind back to Brunas¡ªreturn voyages had plenty of spots avable, so getting back to Brunas was very convenient.


    And on the Endless Sea, even though the ship fleets continued toe and go ceaselessly, behind this prosperity, everyone could feel that the long-suppressed storm seemed about to arrive.


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 Chapter 617: 576 wise allies

    Chapter 617: 576 wise allies


    Leines I pinched the telegraph in his hand, his expression flickering. He handed the telegram to the Prime Minister and then muttered to himself furiously, ¡°Are they all idiots? Are they all fools?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening with Qi Country? The King was killed?¡± After receiving the telegraph, the Prime Minister also mumbled with a simrly ugly expression.


    In their eyes, a country¡¯s King or Emperor is heavily protected and a key defensive focus; how could they be killed so easily?


    ¡°So he¡¯s dead! But how could they spread the news of this incident so carelessly? Now the whole world knows. Haven¡¯t they thought about the consequences?¡± Leines Iined to the Prime Minister, utterly despondent.


    The Prime Minister also realized the gravity of the situation, he took another look at the telegram in his hand, and then said to Leines I with some uncertainty, ¡°Your Majesty! This, Qi Country is probably in chaos!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not probably, it should already be in chaos.¡± Leines I closed his eyes wearily, rubbing the bridge of his nose and said tiredly, ¡°No choice, the telegram says, Qi Country¡¯s Prime Minister is dead too, most of the Ministers are gone, there¡¯s really no one with a brain to take charge of the situation.¡±<div>


    This was actually the most important reason Leines I deduced that Qi Country was already in chaos: Qi Country no longer had a leader.


    King Jiang Xian of Qi Country was dead, his Prime Minister was dead too, and within the ranks of the government, nearly all the significant officials who held any sway were gone.


    In such a scenario, with no leader and everyone having their own agenda, it was as if headless dragons¡ªor better said, demons dancing chaotically¡ªit¡¯d be impossible to expect them to handle any real affairs.


    The telegraph they held in their hands was probably concocted by some treacherous scoundrels with ulterior motives.


    Logically, the death of a monarch, with the heir apparent being distant, should at least be kept secret for a while, as they should hurry to arrange for a candidate to seed, and find a respected sessor to take control.


    But now Qi Country had broadcast the death of their monarch to the whole world, clearly there was impurity in their intentions.


    ¡°Your Majesty, in my opinion, this is clearly a fallout between those supporting the Second Prince and those supporting the First Prince of Qi Country.¡± The Prime Minister, no stranger to political struggles, immediately assessed the domestic situation of Qi Country upon hearing Leines I¡¯s words.


    Indeed, just as he had guessed, the Ministers supporting the Second Prince wished to keep the death a secret until the Second Prince, who was already on his way to King City, could return and take control.


    Bearing in mind the logistics, it was obvious that the Second Prince was closer to King City and was the most likely candidate to seed.


    However, the Ministers supporting the First Prince felt otherwise; they wanted to inform the First Prince, who was far away on the southern front, to blow the lid off this affair and urge the First Prince to prepare early.


    Of course, in practice, this involved telegraphing the First Prince while also urgently notifying the Dahua Empire to seek legal support for the ¡°eldest legitimate son¡±¡ªa two-pronged approach¡­


    As a result of sending out this telegraph, the Dahua Empire knew, then someone informed Leines Empire and Chu Country, Chu Country secretly told Qin Country, Leines Empire quietly sought consultation with Dorne Empire, Suthers heard some rumors, Ice Cold Empire and Meng Country would probably know by now too.


    ¡°Nearly so.¡± Leines I felt none of his pigheaded allies were reliable; it was bad enough they didn¡¯t help him, but they were essentially digging him into a hole.


    All these damned idiots, one and all, failed to let events unfold as scripted; working with them, Leines I felt truly exhausted.


    If Qi Country could hold the defense line, if Meng Country¡¯s Navy could move southward, if Chu Country could attack the southern part of Tang Country from the north, if Dahua Empire could advance east to threaten the western part of Tang Country¡­


    So many ¡°ifs,¡± and if just one of them happened, Tang Country would be very passive. But over a month has passed, and none of these favorable ¡°ifs¡± have materialized!


    Instead, Tang Country created a series of miracles on their side, and now with the monarch of Qi Country dead, the situation was very passive, yet still no country stood up to make a change that could turn the tide of war!


    He was selectively blind,pletely forgetting his own performance and shifting the me onto the so-called allies.


    It¡¯s a pity that these countries, which had joined forces to carve up Great Tang Group¡¯s territory, were enemies in an incessant fight a few months ago. Even it was the Great Tang Group that mediated for them to shake hands and make peace.


    After cursing these ineffective Sea Kings in his heart, Leines I continued to discuss with the Prime Minister the telegrams from Dahua, ¡°Dahua Empire wants us to take action in Brunas to put some pressure on Tang Country.¡±


    The Prime Minister immediately tensed up upon hearing this and prepared to speak cautiously, ¡°Your Majesty, this matter requires careful consideration¡­¡±


    Leines I waved his hand dismissively, showing dissatisfaction, and said to the Prime Minister, ¡°Of course, I know to be careful! Ridiculous! Zhao Kai is cunning, but I am no fool! Brunas has already fallen into my hands; how could I possibly stir up trouble there!¡±


    He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to start a war in his most prized Brunas region over a mere telegram from the Dahua Empire.


    As Emperor, he had offended the mighty Great Tang and snatched Brunas from the jaws of danger ¨C wasn¡¯t it all to make Brunas a goose thatid golden eggs? If he killed the goose now, what was all his effort for?


    Seeing that his leader wasn¡¯t experiencing a rpse of folly, the Prime Minister promptly started ttering him while outlining the stakes, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Your Majesty! If we were to fall out with Tang Country over Brunas, the Tang navy might attack Brunas¡­ At that point, Tang Country fighting on two fronts might not be too bad for them since their navy might remain unaffected. But our loss¡­ would be the actual port and docks of Brunas.¡±


    Leines I also felt that it was time to let his allies take the hit, and he would just follow up with a ¡®C¡¯ ¨C that was the correct way to engage in a team battle, ¡°Therefore, let Dorne, Suthers, and the Ice Cold Empire along with the Mirage Kingdom worry about this headache.¡±


    ¡°Brilliant, Your Majesty,¡± the Prime Minister immediately bowed his head and offered another round of ttery.


    Flushed with the Prime Minister¡¯s praise, Leines I felt radiant. He believed he was exceedingly wise ¨C to remain calm at such a time and offer his allies up for sale, ¡°But we need to make more effort! We must ensure that each of those kingdoms knows, if they don¡¯t pull their weight now, when Tang Country conquers Qi Country¡­ it will be time for revenge.¡±


    ¡°What does Your Majesty suggest?¡± It was here that the Prime Minister¡¯s savvy came through. Though he knew it all, he deliberately asked, giving Leines I the opportunity to divulge his n.


    True to form, Leines I, who relished showcasing his own strategems, responded with unbridled satisfaction, as naturally as if he¡¯d entered a restroom without needing to linger, ¡°Send the Foreign Minister to arrange for envoys to visit the neighboring countries, and at the same time, send telegrams to the distant ones¡­ requesting they dere war on Tang Country!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± the Prime Minister bowed slightly once more, concluding the conversation.


    Elsewhere, within the still frigid realm of the Ice Cold Empire, in the capital Furnace Fortress, boilingva collected into scorching pools, bubbling incessantly.


    Next to this zing pool, the robust Dwarf King Binghan the First looked down upon the churning mes and scoffed to his confidant, ¡°Ridiculous. Do they take us Dwarves for fools? Dering war on Tang Country now, what would we fight with? Rely on our Dwarf navy? Hmph¡­ if wepare it to the Tang people¡¯s warships, ours can hardly be called a navy¡­¡±


    The confidant began toin, ¡°Tang Mo has always had a formidable navy. If we rashly go to war, those massive warships previously seen at sea might just destroy our Eternal Winter Port. They¡¯ve always been reluctant to provide us with advanced warships, always on guard against us.¡±


    Binghan the First kept his eyes on the roilingva, ¡°It¡¯s not a possibility, but a certainty. Although it looks like Leines got Jade City and Brunas, we¡¯ve torn up many more treaties. Steel and copper, as well as precious metals ¨C we¡¯ve halted all supply to Tang Country; they must absolutely detest us to the bone!¡±


    He paused, then turned and walked toward the distant pce, ¡°That¡¯s why we shouldn¡¯t add to the hatred. It would be detrimental to us in making future decisions! If there¡¯s further warfare toe, we shouldn¡¯t be the battlefield, nor the primary target for Tang¡¯s aggression!¡±


    The confidant asked knowingly, ¡°Then what should we do, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°First, let¡¯s watch and see which other countries are eager to step forward! In any case, we won¡¯t be the first,¡± Binghan the First said without looking back as he walked, ¡°Wait for the reaction of the Mirage people, they¡­ are much more anxious than we are.¡±


    In the southern part of Qi Country, the First Prince looked at the telegram in his hand but could not muster a shred of sadness. His father had died, yet all he felt was excitement and rage.


    Excitement because he might soon be the King of Qi Country, even though the kingdom seemed on the verge of copse ¨C atst, he had the chance to be a king!


    Rage because his younger brother, that damned Second Prince, dared covet the throne and was now leading troops towards King City! This was utterly unforgivable!


    ¡°Where¡¯s Qin Xiong? What¡¯s taking him so long? I, the King of Qi Country,mand him to report to me immediately, right now!¡± he said discontentedly, looking up and sternly ordering a servant beside him.


    ¡°Your Highness! We¡¯ve already sent a telegram to Qin Xiong, but he¡­¡± The officer hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he was silenced by the prince¡¯s fierce re.


    The stern General rebuked, ¡°Get out!¡±


    After dismissing the foolish subordinate, the General continued, ¡°Your Majesty! We¡¯ve sent a telegram to General Qin Xiong.¡±@@novelbin@@


    The First Prince¡¯s face brightened instantly ¨C he liked this new title. Hearing it made the throne seem almost within reach.


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 Chapter 618: 577 Ordinary Morning

    Chapter 618: 577 Ordinary Morning


    Waking up, Tang Mo opened his eyes on a bed with little sticity. He was used to sleeping on hard beds because in both worlds, he spent most of his time sleeping on them.


    In his previous life, he was always traveling around the world, spending most of his time on the road, whether on a cargo ship escorting arms or on an airne, the beds were not so soft.


    In this world, at first, he was sleeping in his office; there were no so-called conditions, a bed and bedding were all he had. Even now, he preferred to sleep on a hard bed, and he would find it difficult to fall asleep on a soft mattress.


    He rubbed his face, then sat up on the bed, took a ss from the bedside table, drank a sip of the cool boiled water inside, and finally woke uppletely.


    On a table not far awayy an unfinished drawing, weighed down by the technical manual he was still working on.


    Even during wartime, he had to ensure more than 2 hours of ¡°technical development¡± time every day. With these technological reserves and guidance, the Great Tang Group could always lead the world, bing the most technologically advanced entity on this.<div>


    What time did he work untilst night? He forgot. Anyway, he went to sleep on the bed as soon as he felt tired.


    As a king, his life was quite boring. What he did every day and at what times were basically fixed, as pitiful as a wage earner.


    The most tragic part was that he even had to hope that every day would be this boring and monotonous because any disruption to his routine meant that something big, which his subordinates couldn¡¯t handle, had happened.


    So, while he boringly arranged his work every day, he dared not pray for any major changes.


    This morning, no servant hurriedly woke him, which meant at least there was no major incidentst night. Or at least, there was no major incident that others couldn¡¯t handle.


    What a beautiful day it was. Tang Mo twisted his neck, stretchedzily, and pressed the electric bell beside his bed.


    ¡°Good morning, Your Majesty!¡± The servant, who had been waiting outside, immediately opened the door, helped Tang Mo make the bed, and opened the curtains and windows.


    ¡°Good morning.¡± Tang Mo walked to the washroom and took the toothbrush from the maid¡¯s hand to start brushing. When he walked out with a clean face, his breakfast was alreadyid out on the dining table.


    This might be the kind of treatment he did not have in his past life, and it was one of the benefits of being a king. He had countless people to serve him and hardly needed to do anything himself.


    The white bread was stacked obliquely on the te, and the milk beside it radiated the fragrance of nature. The fried slices of meat were adorned with the most luxurious spices, even the maid standing by, awaiting orders, was so pleasing to the eye.


    ¡°Good morning. Did you sleep wellst night?¡± Tang Mo asked as he sat down while the man apanying him also took a seat.


    Wes nodded while spreading jam on his bread, ¡°Of course, I slept well. If I didn¡¯t, there wouldn¡¯t be many people in the world who did.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, here¡¯s the morning briefing of headlines from all domestic newspapers,¡± his personal secretary wheeled in a cart and nodded slightly to Wes, then reported to Tang Mo.


    ¡°Is there anything worth paying attention to?¡± Tang Mo gestured with his hand, beckoning for something, as he spoke.


    The secretary, used to his habits by now, knew that if Tang Mo was interested in the newspapers, he would let her read some, and if he wanted to see important telegrams, he would reach out his hand.


    So she immediately took outst night¡¯s telegram records from the bottom of the cart and handed them to Tang Mo, ¡°Reporting to Your Majesty, there¡¯s nothing in the news that requires your special attention.¡±


    The maid by his side had also be familiar with the king¡¯s habits and immediately stepped forward to start spreading the rich, red strawberry jam on Tang Mo¡¯s bread with her calloused hands.


    When the king reached out to take the documents, he couldn¡¯t handle the food himself. That was when she would step in to help and make the food ready to eat for His Majesty.


    The maids serving Tang Mo were selected from the graduates of the Great Tang Military Academy, known for their unquestionable loyalty.


    Don¡¯t be fooled by this maid standing there feeding Tang Mo; she was a junior trained by Yulin herself, skilled inbat and an excellent markswoman.


    The way Tang Mo and Wes interacted with each other increasingly resembled a family. This added a touch of warmth to the room¡¯s morning atmosphere, something that Wes liked as it helped him rx.@@novelbin@@


    Once a Ranger, he now had less freedom, but he had found something he never had before: the warmth of a family.


    ¡°Xiang Ziyu, when the paratroopers were expanding recruitment from Tongcheng¡­¡± Tang Mo noticed a name and became interested in this paratrooper.


    He read in a battle report that this paratrooper was brave inbat, firing the first shot that killed the fleeing Prime Minister of Qi Country.


    Although the credit for killing the King of Qi was attributed to the entire 1st Paratrooper Battalion, this little guy was also among those closest to the carriage at the time.


    Compared with the soldiers from other troops, there tended to be more young people among the paratroopers, armored troops, and the air force. Because these troops required some level of cultural education, most of them were schooled young people.


    Tang Mo keenly noticed that more and more Chinese names, like Liu Guozhu, Xiang Ziyu, and even the previous sniper Cao Fei, were appearing before him.


    Although themand structure still mainly consisted of Brunas¡¯s old guards at the higher levels, excellent individuals had already started to stand out among the lower-ranking officers and soldiers.


    ¡°Before it was always names like Tony, William, Mike, but now it¡¯s changed to Liu Guozhu, Xiang Ziyu¡­ it really takes some getting used to,¡± Wes mused while chewing, ¡°In a few years, you probably really won¡¯t need an old guy like me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Come on! If you want to bezy, just say it, but saying you¡¯re old is a bit much,¡± Tang Mo, holding a document in one hand and taking bread from a maid with the other, said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, bread intermingling with the soft and sweet jam, delighted the taste buds on Tang Mo¡¯s tongue, bringing a sense of happiness that made him squint his eyes.


    ¡°We should give these young fellows medals, better medals!¡± Tang Mo appraised, making sure his secretary took note of it.


    He then ced the documents on the dining table, took away the topmost report about the paratroopers, and picked up the second sheet to continue reading.


    It was a construction report from the rear, indicating that a newrge copper mine was built in the Tongcheng area, this time using the most advanced technology, which was expected to increase copper production.


    This was good news, as such arge mine could potentially provide jobs for over 10,000 people, while also promoting local economic development and providing more production materials for the country.


    Another piece of news came from the Empire of Na; Susan, the fashion doyen who had been mingling in high society of the Empire of Na, had broken contact with her handler and sought refuge with the Na Royal Family.


    Tang Mo didn¡¯t feel the least bit surprised, as for him, Susan was just a peripheral figure, someone who could be reced at any time.


    So he looked towards his personal secretary and instructed, ¡°Let Princess Yue¡¯er choose someone suitable to take over Susan¡¯s work, and¡­ if there¡¯s a chance, deal with the traitor. We can¡¯t let others think that we are so weak that we can¡¯t hold a knife¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the personal secretary noted down Tang Mo¡¯s orders once again.


    Tang Mo¡¯s thinking was simple, he hadn¡¯t soothed his women in a long time, and not giving something for Yue¡¯er in Dragon Ind to do meant that he would probably be drained dry the next time they met.


    Thinking of Yue¡¯er made him think of Yulin, who was holding down Chang¡¯an, and then of Alice who had reached Dongwan Ind¡­


    Women, ah, so many women, it¡¯s really a bit much for his old waist to bear¡ªfortunately, after the war broke out, he had moved to Anpu, where he had been able to recuperate and regain some vitality.


    Men, ah, it¡¯s not easy¡­


    After finishing breakfast, Tang Mo went with Wes to the neighboring headquarters. The duty officers were still busy, and the female officers werepiling telegrams from the front lines, registering and archiving them.


    Upon seeing Tang Mo, Luff immediately stood up to greet him, ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Morning,¡± Tang Mo casually waved his hand, signaling the staff officers not to be so tense, ¡°How¡¯s it going at Donghe Bridge?¡±


    ¡°The paratroopers have secured the bridgehead, and there are no signs of arge-scale counterattack from the enemy. We expect ground troops to reach the paratroopers¡¯ area by this morning,¡± Luff replied.


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s good news,¡± Tang Mo said, walking over to the map table and looking at the situation of the two armies. It was too early; the huge map hanging still hadn¡¯t had the positions of the troops updated yet.


    After casually inquiring about Anpu, Nangong Hong spoke, ¡°Your Majesty. Qi Country is surely in turmoil by now, should we pull back the paratroopers to allow the Second Prince to safely reach King City?¡±


    Tang Mo looked at the map, feeling that taking King City was a more appealing idea, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, I think it makes more sense for us to just take King City directly.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, we don¡¯t need toplicate matters. As long as we follow the original n to capture King City and end the war quickly, that¡¯s enough,¡± Luff, too, looked askance at Nangong Hong¡¯s proposal to relinquish a clear advantage just to set someone up.


    ¡°Following the previous n, troops on the front line of Qi Country that surrender will all be treated as civilians. If they refuse toy down their weapons, they will be taken as prisoner ves and sent to the mines,¡± Tang Mo was already considering the issue of how to utilize those prisoners of war.


    Nangong Hong reminded, ¡°Your Majesty. The First Prince of Qi Country still controls at least two hundred thousand troops. He remains a threat to us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, in a few days, he¡¯ll be worrying about what to feed his army of two hundred thousand,¡± Luff said with a smirk, having just learned about the food shortage in the Qi Army from the interrogation of prisoners ryed from the front.


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 Chapter 619: 578th return to King City

    Chapter 619: 578th return to King City


    Tang Mo also felt that it was about time to stop worrying about the war in Qi Country, ¡°All we need to do now is wait, they might start fighting among themselves! Qi Country is already mine for the taking, it¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±


    Indeed, from the moment the Tang Army had breached the border defenses and captured Nanye, they had already achieved strategic victory.


    Or rather, from the moment the Tang Army revealed aircraft and tanks, dragging warfare into the era of three-dimensionalbat akin to World War II, the oue was already determined.


    ¡°What if the Dahua Empire gets involved?¡± Nangong Hong was still somewhat worried.@@novelbin@@


    However, Tang Mo was very confident in his military forces, ¡°If they get involved, we will devour as many as they send! My mines and construction teams are in dire need of ves, I can even ept 200,000 POWs.¡±


    One should know that the disadvantage, or rather the weak point, of the Tang Armyy in itsck of manpower, unable to rapidly expand its forces to the desired scale.<div>


    But now things were different. With the five divisions that had withdrawn from Northern Ridge, plus one division from Jade City and Brunas, the Tang Army now possessed the mobility of six divisions.


    Previously, these troops could not be mobilized forbat. But now, as Alice¡¯s dowry, they had been fully integrated into themand structure of Tang Country.


    With these troops, whether it was defending against Chu Country to the south or withstanding the attacking pressure from the Dahua Empire, there was plenty to spare.


    The five divisions from Northern Ridge were no improvised army of peasant ves; they were elite forces trained by instructors from the Great Tang Group.


    They already possessed formidable fighting capabilities, a powerful presence that could easily crush the military forces of other countries. They would be more than capable in field battles, let alone simply stationed at the permanent defense lines along the border.


    Not just any country had the formidable breakthrough and fieldbat capabilities of the Tang Army. Therefore, simply filling the fixed positions with twenty thousand men would make an attack by one hundred thousand elite troops from the Dahua Empire akin to throwing their lives away.


    ¡°I thought our Tang Country had no more ves,¡± Wes said with a chuckle, teasingly.


    Tang Mo wasn¡¯t embarrassed andughed heartily, ¡°Hahaha! Indeed, we don¡¯t, but I¡¯m not a good man. I¡¯ll still make use of ves from other countries.¡±


    ¡°I know, neither am I a good man,¡± Wes nodded and reaffirmed his stance.


    ¡­


    In the southern part of Qi Country, at the border defense line, an officer looking at the empty granary knew the day would be incredibly long.


    ¡°We have run out of food,¡± he turned to his superior. The general¡¯s face turned pale, aware of the consequences if the thousands outside discovered they had no food left.


    ¡°Quickly send someone to inform¡­ His Highness the First Prince! Fast! Have him think of something!¡± Finally, with no other options, he ordered his subordinates, ¡°Calm the soldiers down by telling them there will definitely be dinner.¡±


    Not far off in the First Prince¡¯smand center, under the dim light, a very dusty Jiang Xian strutted to the First Prince and carelessly tossed his feathered military cap onto the table.


    He exhaled deeply and then said to the First Prince, ¡°Your Majesty! Matters have be extremely difficult, we need to reconsider our strategy.¡±


    On the road, Jiang Xian had already heard the news of King Qi¡¯s death, and after much thought, he decided to stand with the First Prince. This also meant that Jiang Xian¡¯s family left in King City might have rough times ahead.


    ¡°Summoning the General back was also for this reason,¡± upon hearing this ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ from Jiang Xian, the First Prince¡¯s mood immediately lifted.


    He disyed a gesture of profound respect for talent, patting Jiang Xian¡¯s hand infort, ¡°Since the General stands with me, I will naturally treat the talented well. From now on, we shall share both adversity and prosperity!¡±


    Jiang Xian didn¡¯t dwell on such matters, knowing that glory and wealth were concerns forter; solving the current predicament was his priority.


    So, he said to the First Prince, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that our food supply is almost exhausted, we need to think of a solution.¡±


    The subject clearly agitated the First Prince, ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s not much surplus food left, I¡¯ve gathered what¡¯s left to distribute it collectively, and I n to reduce the rations further¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty! This matter requires more consideration,¡± Jiang Xian, as someone whomanded troops, was aware of some of the ¡°bad habits of the military¡± that the First Prince wouldn¡¯t consider.


    He continued to exin, ¡°Your Majesty! Please hear my exnation¡­ What we can rely on now is the military strength we have! Without the army, everything is over.¡±


    He stood up while speaking, ¡°If Your Majesty withholds food and the troops starve, such soldiers will neither be willing to serve nor have the heart to fight! By doing this, we would essentially be destroying our own foundation!¡±


    ¡°Then¡­what should we do?¡± The First Prince caught on immediately, realizing that without his two-hundred-thousand-strong army, he would lose his advantage in the struggle for the throne, so he asked anxiously.


    Qin Xiong quickly spoke, ¡°Right now, our only option is to seize this one path!¡±


    After saying this, he walked over to the map and pointed out the surrounding area to the First Prince, ¡°There are still some civilians in the hintends, a thorough search might yield enough food for a few days.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ a few days¡­ what¡¯s the use?¡± The First Prince became somewhat timid upon hearing this. If King Jiang Xian of Qi were here, plundering the civilian¡¯s food would certainly be a death sentence.


    ¡°Your Majesty! With these few days¡¯ worth of food, we can make our way eastward! To seize the Second Prince¡¯s food supplies!¡± Qin Xiong darkly offered his solution.


    It should be known that it was only the Third Prince and the First Prince whose supply lines had been cut off; the Second Prince still had a railway supply line! Therefore, while the First and Third Prince¡¯s troops were suffering from food shortages, the troops left behind on the Second Prince¡¯s defense line were livingfortably.


    As long as they retreated eastward along the defense line, they could seize the food supplies of the troops left behind in the Second Prince¡¯s defense area, thus solving the famine problem.


    The First Prince suddenly saw the light, ¡°Right! We can take his food supplies! But¡­¡±


    He raised his concerns as he spoke, ¡°Do we abandon our current defensive area then?¡±


    ¡°Abandon it! We have no choice! If we¡¯re slow, we might be surrounded!¡± Qin Xiong had returned from the front line and knew all too well the strength of the Tang Army in Luo Town.


    If they leftte and the Tang Army¡¯s Armored Corps from Luo Town advanced, they would be trapped and unable to escape¡ªThe Tang Army¡¯s ability to supply their forces in the field was far superior to that of the Qi Army, and they could sustain an offensive relying on the not-so-reliable highways.


    The First Prince continued with another concern, ¡°But what if he orders his troops to resist?¡±


    ¡°Then we fight!¡± Qin Xiong was resolute. He feared the Tang Army but not the mix-matched troops under the Second Prince. Especially since he was attacking along the defensive line without the need for a stronghold, he was confident of victory.


    ¡°General Qin, I¡¯mpletely at a loss and have be disoriented. I fear my brother might reach King City first and be enthroned by the people. What should I do?¡± Full of worries, the First Prince asked for advice.


    Qin Xiong smiled and spoke, ¡°The Tang Army forces thatunched a surprise attack on thete king¡¯s manor might not necessarily have aimed for the king; they are likely targeting Donghe Bridge!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The First Prince¡¯s eyes widened, as if grasping at a lifesaver.


    ¡°Thete king¡¯s manor is extremely hidden, and the Tang Army might not be aware of it.¡± Qin Xiong spected, ¡°That force is very likely trying to seize Donghe Bridge! Their goal is to block our army¡¯s reinforcements and then capture King City!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The First Prince felt like he had an epiphany.


    ¡°Therefore, that Tang Army unit should be near Donghe Bridge right now. They cannot retreat, nor do they have the means to retreat!¡± Qin Xiong exined, ¡°Thus, your brother¡¯s return to King City might not be as smooth as expected.¡±


    ¡°Our pursuit of the Second Prince is met by the Qi Country¡¯s military behind us, and they may not truly dare to fight against Your Majesty with all their strength! But the Tang Army is in front of the Second Prince. Can he win against them?¡±


    A smile began to spread across the First Prince¡¯s face: If both his First Army and the Third Prince¡¯s Third Army couldn¡¯t break through the Tang Army¡¯s defense line, what chance did his younger brother¡¯s Second Army have?


    ¡°So¡­ is it possible that by the time we reach Beiyuan, the Second Prince will still be blocked at Donghe Bridge?¡± The First Prince asked Qin Xiong with a crafty smile.


    ¡°Exactly, Your Majesty! By the time we pursue him all the way to Beiyuan City, King City might already have been upied by the Tang Army, and You will be inmand at Beiyuan while the Second Prince is still out in the field¡­¡± Qin Xiong continued.


    ¡°Haha! Good! Hahaha! Excellent!¡± The First Prince, havinge to a realization, pped his hands and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do as you suggest, General! Order the troops to requisition food locally!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Qin Xiong quickly bowed and then summoned themanders, beginning to issue orders.


    The Qi Country¡¯s troops near Luo Townmenced their retreat, then halted almost all attacks against the Tang Army, immediately easing the pressure on the Tang forces.


    Supplies began to be abundant, with the frontline troops receiving more food and ammunition, as well as plenty of fuel.


    Meanwhile, the Tang Army paratroopers stationed at Donghe Bridge, on that very morning, were finally joined by the vanguard of the Fourth Armored Division. With tank cover, the paratroopers took the bridgehead on the other side of the bridge, securingplete control of the important crossing.


    At the same time, the Qi Country¡¯s Second Army, which was returning to defend King City, also arrived at Donghe Bridge andunched an attack on the nearby Tang forces at noon.


    However, their probing attack was swiftly repelled. Though theycked artillery support, the paratroopers were shielded by tanks. The Qi forces had traveled a long distance, and, simrly, their artillery had fallen behind and were not able to catch up, leaving them without artillery support as well.


    In a context where both sides only had infantry firepower, the Qi forces, intent on storming the position, were clearly unable to capture it. Therefore, they could only station their forces there, waiting for follow-up troops to advance.


    It was at this moment that the Second Prince, who was eager to return to King City to im the throne, learned that Donghe Bridge had been seized by the Tang Army.


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 Chapter 620: 579 is the one we killed

    Chapter 620: 579 is the one we killed


    On the eastern side of Donghe Bridge, the dense masses of Qi Country troops crowded the road, where an officer caught up with his own troops and loudly questioned why these stationary soldiers remained in ce: ¡°Why have we stopped? Huh?¡±


    ording to the n, his troops should have crossed Donghe Bridge and headed west, and by this afternoon they could have reached King City. But now it was almost noon, and they were still wasting time near Donghe Bridge, which was absolutely ridiculous.


    Who didn¡¯t know that during wartime, every minute and second was precious, and each hour could very well determine the oue of a war?


    An flustered junior officer ran over, stood at attention, and reported: ¡°Sir! The garrison inside the fortress at the end of Donghe Bridge opened fire on us, and we had to pull back.¡±


    He was alsopletely baffled. There was supposed to be a battalion of Qi Army stationed here, which by all ounts should be as imprable as a fortified wall.


    With such solid defensive fortifications, even if the troops of Tang Country really came over, they should not have lost their position so quickly.<div>


    Upon hearing what his subordinate said, the general who hade to ask about the situation furrowed his brow in disbelief: ¡°The garrison at Donghe Bridge opened fire on you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they killed over eighty of our men.¡± The officer nodded and pointed in the direction of the bridgehead. He was indeed not lying; the advance troops had naively walked over and the enemies began firing indiscriminately, sending them scrambling for cover¡­


    The Qi soldiers, not understanding the situation, were thrown into disarray, and those in front were killed while the remaining men rolled and crawled along the railway embankment, looking for cover as they retreated. Upon returning and checking, they found that the front toon had been nearly decimated.


    ¡°Impossible! We¡¯re already close to King City, how could there be enemies here!¡± The general was even more incredulous upon hearing his subordinate¡¯s words.


    This ce was Donghe Bridge, and just a bit further ahead was King City. If Tang Army appeared here, did that mean King City was lost?


    For him, this was simply inconceivable. Although he had heard the news of Qi King Jiang Xian¡¯s death, he still didn¡¯t believe such arge contingent of Tang¡¯s military could be here.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know either.¡± Faced with his superior¡¯s questioning, the Qi officer was just as confused. What he knew was probably not even as much as his superior.


    Suddenly, the loyal officer of the Second Prince realized the key point: those blocking their return to King City might not be the Tang troops at all, but could very well be people of the First Prince!


    It was possible that the First Prince, knowing he couldn¡¯t return to King City faster than the Second Prince, deliberately notified his confidants inside King City to take troops and block Donghe Bridge!


    Coming to this conclusion, he suddenly understood.


    This damn well was a battle for session!


    Immediately, he looked wisely at his subordinates and firmlymanded: ¡°It¡¯s definitely not the enemy! It¡¯s very likely the First Prince¡¯s confidants causing trouble! They want to prevent His Majesty from returning to King City!¡±


    Fighting Tang¡¯s troops was one thing, but battling his own people in a session struggle was quite another; while he may not have had the guts to fight Tang¡¯s troops, he had more than enough courage to engage in a fight for the throne¡­


    His men also came to their senses and seemed less frightened: ¡°You¡¯re right! It must be so!¡±


    As soon as their leader spoke, it made them forget that the unique sound of firing they had heard, which resembled that of a cloth-ripping machine, was not something the Qi Army had!


    Slightly displeased, he pushed aside his cowardly subordinate, the Qi officer took up his binocrs and looked towards the distant fortress at the bridgehead: ¡°Move! Idiots!¡±


    After looking through the binocrs, he put them down and ordered: ¡°Rally the troops! Charge for me! I want to see what they¡¯re really up to!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± The officers, having heard themand, immediately began to direct their forces. The Qi infantry waiting on either side of the railway gathered at the sound of orders, and, bristling with weapons, once again charged towards the fortress at the bridgehead.


    They still had no heavy fire support, since their artillery was still en route; they could only rely on their numerical advantage to confront the machine guns that had already been set up on the fortress.


    Inside the stronghold, a paratrooper toon leader of Tang Army looked through the firing ports and saw a dense mass of approaching Qi troops, immediately warning his men loudly: ¡°Attention everyone! Qi Army¡¯sing up!¡±


    Bracing the MG-42 machine gun with his shoulder, the paratrooper gunner grinned, revealing his prominent front teeth: ¡°Hehehe, moreing to die! Get ready for battle!¡±


    He cocked his weapon, pressed his face against the gunstock, and looked through the sight, aiming at the Qi troops who had already crossed the broken section of barbed wire.


    In the trenches set up by the Qi, a toon leader holding a submachine gun advised in a hushed voice: ¡°Don¡¯t fire yet, let them get closer! Take out more of them!¡±


    Some Qi troops had already crossed the barbed wire, cautiously moving towards the trenches lined with sandbags, their weapons ready.


    ¡°Hold steady! Hold steady!¡± A paratrooper battalionmander with his face pressed against the sandbags, peering through gaps in the rear line of defense at the advancing Qi troops, muttered incessantly.


    The next second, the paratrooper toon leader next to the machine gunner barked the order to fire: ¡°Frontal machine guns! Fire away!¡±


    Their ammunition supply was limited, despite receiving some replenishment; they still had to conserve their rounds.


    So they held fire until the enemy was at a considerably close distance, confident in the density of their firepower and not worried in the least that the people from Qi Country could overrun the trenches due to the short distance.


    A second after the firemand was issued, the sound of tearing fabric reverberated through the position.


    ¡°Tat-tat-tat-tat!¡± The distinct sound continued unbroken, and bullets instantly rushed into the crowd, and everywhere, bodies were pierced and fresh blood spurted out.


    The marksmen covering the machine gun position also poked their heads out, brandishing Thompson Submachine Guns and pulling the trigger toward the distant Qi Army.


    The intensity of the gunfire immediately doubled, and the Qi Country soldiers trying to get past the barbed wire fell down in droves.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The screams then began, wounded on the ground cried out in pain, more and more people instinctivelyy down, and no one moved forward anymore.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Retreat! Retreat!¡± The Qi Country officers, scared out of their wits by the head-on firepower,y on the ground and loudly ordered their troops to leave this death zone.


    But as easy it was to shout, who would dare to stand up and run back at such a moment? Everyoney on the ground, using corpses as makeshift cover.


    Regrettably, from the bunkers on both sides of the bridge, the concealed machine gun positions of the Tang Army had a clear view of the Qi Army soldiers lying on the ground.


    It was as if they were at target practice, one after another, they killed the Qi Country soldiers whoy on the ground, too afraid to move.


    Qi Country soldiers, boiling with rage at the thought that they were being shot at by their own men, cursed one after another from the ground, ¡°Damn it, they¡¯re still firing! Sons of bitches! Fire back! Kill them!¡±


    It was only after hearing the cursing that the Qi Countrymanders realized what was happening, and immediately, some began loudly calling for surrender, ¡°Men of the First Prince, listen up! Resistance is futile! Surrender! His Majesty guarantees amnesty!¡±


    They thought, everyone was fighting for wealth and glory, and what the First Prince could offer, the Second Prince could provide as well.


    As long as they let them through, returned to King City, and helped the Second Prince ascend the throne, everything could be negotiated. Was it just money they wanted? Positions of power? They would give it.


    ¡°The Second Prince will soon be His Majesty! With the Second Prince, wealth and honor will be abundant! Let us pass! Rewards for everyone!¡± They initially shouted ¡°His Majesty,¡± afraid the other side wouldn¡¯t understand, they exined a bit more.


    The Second Prince, though not yet enthroned, had already taken to calling himself ¡°His Majesty,¡± just like the First Prince.


    At first, the soldiers of the Tang Army were confused by the shouting, but after listening a bit more, they finally understood the Qi Army¡¯s calls.


    This misunderstanding was better left unclear, for once they understood, the paratroopers who had been fighting for so many days immediately burst into insolentughter, ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°What are they shouting?¡± The Tang Army¡¯s paratrooper battalionmander didn¡¯t hear clearly what the other side was shouting and looked toward arade with good hearing.


    The soldier, amused, looked at hismander and said, ¡°They¡¯re shouting that His Majesty guarantees amnesty! And promises us wealth and honor.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty?¡± Themander was somewhat bewildered¡ªwasn¡¯t the King of Qi killed by them?


    ¡°They¡¯re talking about some Second Prince, about to be His Majesty,¡± the soldier exined further.


    Themander could barely contain himself, his face full of malice: ¡°Get someone with a loud voice to tell them, their former king Jiang Xian was killed by us!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Hearing theirmander say this, a few paratroopers beside him immediately joined in with the maliciousughter. Theirmander really had a wicked sense of humor.


    ¡°Soldiers of Qi Country! Surrender! We¡¯re the Great Tang paratroopers! Your King Qi, Jiang Xian, was killed by us!¡± Soon, above the bridgehead, there was someone shouting with a booming voice.


    When he shouted, even the gunfire seemed to stop, and his slightly hoarse voice echoed over the battlefield, causing the Qi Army soldiers lying on the ground to tremble.


    ¡°What!¡± The Qi Country officer who heard the shouts turned deathly pale. He had heard everything clearly but still couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    ¡°What are they shouting?¡± Farther away, a Qi Army generalmanding the operations asked someone near him.


    Soon, all Qi Army attacking soldiers were in disarray, now realizing that it was these Tang forces who had killed their former king!


    A Qi Country officer, desperate, got up and ran back, ¡°Retreat! They are Tang Army, not our own!¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡± The remaining Qi Country soldiers also started running.


    The machine guns roared behind them, but these Qi soldiers had no care for that anymore, running desperately, running recklessly, just wanting to get away, far from the demons behind them.


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