Chapter 104: Twelfth Episode: Chapter 4 (2/2)
”Me? I have no opinion. I shall see to your arrangement! But.... I will like to ask Sir Lieutenant General Endorph!” Oscar said as he turned towards the general of the Steinberger family.
”Since you can carry out the exchange this afternoon, then are we able to get on with the journey tomorrow?”
Lieutenant General Endorph looked at the Sukhoi military officer who was responsible for the experimental plan this time. ”You should ask this question to Major Torry. My unit can definitely depart tomorrow, but if problems occur to the cannon, then...”
”There's no need to worry at all!” Torry came forward. ”There will definitely be no problem! My testing unit and I will accompany you on this journey. We will only leave when we have trained the first badge of gunners in Steinberger family. Along the journey, we will solve whatever problem that arises. I will bring my most skilled technicians. They have the ability to deal with any situation!”
Oscar and Lieutenant General Endorph nodded at the same time. At last, it was the Prince that gave the order.
”Then make it this way! After finishing the exchange, all army units prepare for departure. We will depart next morning according to the route originally planned by Lieutenant General Endorph. Then we don't have to waste our time to discuss again. Torry!”
”Yes, Your Highness!” Major Sukhoi replied.
”Your people are very important. They must be cautious!”
”Rest assured, Your Highness!” Torry bowed to Oscar.
”Your Highness!” Duke Roleighanc could not hold it in anymore. ”Your Highness, isn't your arrangement too rash? Maybe you should begin your journey after the cold phase has passed. Could it be that.... My family's hospitality towards you has some problem? We made you leave so hurriedly.”
Oscar waved his hands quickly. He knew that the Duke was testing if there was some sort of problem between Vijdeline and him.
”Sir, you are worrying too much! I have a deep impression of your family. The experience at Grizzly Fortress will be my beautiful memory in the future!”
Duke Roleighanc knitted his eyebrows uneasily. ”Thank God of Light! Hearing this made me surprised yet honored! But.... Can't you stay a bit longer? Your departure plan is truly too rushed!”
Oscar bowed slightly. ”Thank you for your passionate invitation! You know, the transportation of fortress cannons should not be delayed. The low-temperature weather is about to pass. Departing for our journey at this time will allow us to avoid the possible snowstorm just right. There is no better time than now. Moreover.... There's a straight 760 kilometers distance from this place to our destination. If we don't depart soon, it's hard to be sure what will happen on our journey.”
The Duke lowered his head, lonely. ”Alright then.... If you say so! I am truly sorry. I was tied down by all sorts of matters these days. I didn't even prepare a formal ball for you. I....”
”Sir Duke!” Oscar went forward and patted Roleighanc's shoulder. Both of them whispered in each other's ears like children.
”There's nothing regrettable about this. We will surely meet again! When you have the time to visit Dulin, believe me, I will prepare a young men's party for you! You know what? Young men's party!”
Since Roleighanc was not a traditional kind of person, then he naturally knew the meaning behind the Prince's words.
”Yes? If this is a formal invitation, then I shall anticipate this excitedly!”
”Of course!” Oscar nodded his head in certainty. ”I will wait for you in Dulin!”
The high officers of highest tier in the Empire, both old and young, looked at each other and smiled. From the perspective of others, their interaction hinted a sense of collusion.
When everyone had left the testing ground, Lieutenant General Endorph of Steinberger family pulled Torry to one side.
”Young man, we need to talk! I have seen the power of the fortress cannons, but you haven't talked about the precautionary matter when using the cannon.”
Torry patted the Lieutenant General's shoulder. ”Of course we will talk about it. Just as you said, the fortress cannons have a complicated precautionary matter related to its usage! First, when your cannon unit does not plan to use them, you must place them in a clean and dry place. Also, ‘cannon cloth' must be put over them! Dirt and a wet environment will cause danger when using them.”
Lieutenant General had even prepared Kraft paper and quill pen. He used his hands to hold the paper and record what Torry explained in lightning speed.
”Secondly, you must treat them like your own children. They can't get too cold or too hot. They can't come near to fire and can't stand rain and snow.”
”On top of that, firing! Don't think that the firing process is as simple as a few steps. If things go wrong, there's only one result: cannons are destroyed and people die! So you must be extra careful during the firing process! The people carrying the ammunition must not be disabled. The ones who clean the barrel must not be too strong. The people who fill the gunpowder and connect the line must not be a mathematics idiot. If they fell or pushed too hard or made a mistake with the amount of gunpowder.... Hehe. Cannons are destroyed and people die!”
”Next, it is the problem about the distance between each firing! The quality of the barrel can withstand twenty-nine continuous shots. Remember! It's twenty-nine! Not twenty-eight nor thirty! It's the number in between! After this, you must stop firing and wait for the barrel to cool down naturally. You must remember this! Don't think that you can use the snow to cool it since it's winter now. In that way, your cannons are as well as destroyed! If you can't wait that long, then the remaining temperature of the barrel will be too high. When you tried to carry out firing again, I am sorry! Cannons are destroyed and people die!”
”And then, it comes to the problem with the setting of the cannon base. Don't worry about this! Amongst the people that I will bring includes experienced designers and architects. They will tell you at which place the cannon base should be set up and how to build it. There's only one thing you should note here: it is to not move the cannons as you like. They must be fixed on the base. If you move these big guys as you like according to the needs of battle, then once the inner parts of these cannons happen to go out of their place, I am extremely sorry! The next time you fire them, the cannons will be destroyed and people will die!”
Torry who had been talking non-stop could not help but stop when he said this. He finally noticed the expression of Lieutenant General Endorph. Apparently, this General had stopped recording since a while ago. He was simply staring at the major of the Sukhoi family!
”I am sorry! Was I too fast?” Torry scratched his head.
The stunned Lieutenant General Endorph finally came back to his senses!
”Oh no! No! I am just.... To be honest! In your opinion, this thing..... is this thing suitable for actual battle? Its usual maintenance is already a pain! If a war truly broke out, they must have a fixed firing rate and time lag. This.... This all shows that they... will not be a lot of help! They can only make a small impact on the attack units! Moreover... what if it rains or we have to battle in the snow, then..... Am I supposed to hide them in my bedroom and then defend against the enemy?”
Facing the question of a war veteran, Torry began to stutter.
”Oh... Urgh... This..... That..... Ahh... Hmm!”
”Please! What are you trying to say?”
Torry scratched his head. ”What I am trying to say is that..... Except that it is a little unthinkable to hide them in the bedroom, most of the things that you mentioned are all true!”
Endorph lowered his head and sighed. ”I can't believe this! The first badge of cannons that we put so much effort into getting our hands on them from the Army Division is actually a bunch of useless things!”
Torry smilingly held the Lieutenant General's shoulder. He began to express his scoundrel nature.
”Alright alright! This is the first badge of fortress cannons in the military history of the Empire after all. Didn't you say so yourself? You complain to me, so I will complain to my father and my father will complain to the Empire's Army Division of the higher level. Things are just like this. No complaints mean no improvement! You bring these babies home then feed them well! When the time comes, these fatty kids will not disappoint you!”
Endorph looked at the cannons unit base at a distance away. He made a sad expression and sighed again. ”Yes! Yes! Young friend, what more can we complain about? I hope these fatty kids won't have any sudden problems!”
Torry nodded. ”You are right! But I must remind you that there's only one such situation!”
”Don't tell me it's ‘Cannons will be destroyed and people will die'?” Endorph was near to his breaking point!
Torry shrugged and spread his palms. ”You are right. This is the conclusion of testing. There shouldn't be any other situation.”
Endorph could not hold it in anymore. He lay down on the snowy ground.
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Pinehill Peak glowed in the moonlight. From a col a distance away from the peak, if you walked along the curvy mountain roads, you would find numerous caves that were wide open like fierce beasts. They would breathe out a hellish aura at you. If you pause to listen for a while, the mountain wind would screech through the caves, but the sound of ironwork can be easily distinguished. In the far depths of these caves, lies most secretive ironwork factory of the Sukhoi family.
There were numerous crossroads in the caves. Sukhoi did not arrange for guards at the caves because those who were not familiar with the geography would have a hard time looking for the correct route towards the ironwork chamber in the caves. Getting lost was normal here. In these complicated routes in total blackness lay countless bodies of spies and adventurers. So, don't be surprised if you found white bones sometimes because this was not murder. It was simply the give and take of nature. If you had bad luck, you would naturally be abandoned by the God.
This was a solutional cave that was formed by the cooling of lava. At its surface, there was a pool of hot spring water that spewed steam. It also had a circular patio of around ten meters wide in diameter. Moonlight glistened over the area nonchalantly and illuminated the hot spring water, forming a bright, white and thick pillar of light in the steam. This pillar of light pointed straight at the top of the cave. There were strange and alien rocks all around this solutional cave. Only a small crack at the opening allowed a person to pass through.
Oscar followed the light of the fire torch closely. He hesitated for a while in front of the crack. But when the firelight was about to disappear, the young Prince quickly forced his body through this narrow crack.
”How is this place?” Vijdeline made a twirl beside the hot spring water. After flowing in the wind, her beautiful dress fell back nicely to accentuate its master's body curves.
Oscar shrugged. ”This is a good place to have a date, but... My organs are almost squeezed out from the protruding rocks when coming into here.”
Lady Vij laughed. ”It's because your small tummy takes up too much space. Promise me to get rid of that fat quickly!”
Oscar spread his hands nonchalantly. ”Hearing from you! Look at yourself. Your bra is almost worn out. They are the things that truly take up space.”
Vijdeline placed the torch on the ground. She gracefully walked towards the young Prince. The Lady used her hands to cup her breasts. Along with the pressure she applied, the already full breasts were made fuller to a new extent!
Oscar pursed his lips tightly. He admitted that the Lady's action caused an urge in him to commit sins, but no matter what. The Prince was convinced the Vijdeline was a bitch.
”You're saying that..... They are very large?” Lady Vij's voice was extremely light!
Oscar buried his head into the large breasts in front of him. He mumbled something dazedly.
”What did you say?” Vijdeline held the man's head up from her embrace. She lovingly touched the man's hair.
”I said... Why did you lie to me?” Oscar opened his lost eyes. To be honest, even though he had already reached a conclusion about the nature of this Lady in his heart, there was still another voice in him that reminded him that this conclusion was wrong.
”I think.... I am in love with you!” Right after Vij finished her words, she was pushed backward by the Prince in a large force.
”This is not the correct answer to the question! Tell me? About the Hoillanders and Engels. Why did you lie to me about these problems?”
”Did I?” Vij leaned against the wall of the solutional cave. She was not at all angry. ”What I am saying is the development trend that is most correct. The metal reserve of Engels Kingdom was not much. Mining is also very difficult for them. As compared to other resources in the country, it is much more depleted. They must expand their survival space into a foreign country. The fire weaponized navy is the only path for this Kingdom to join in the fight. As for the Hoilland Kingdom, its sea trade has almost matured and is waiting to be further developed. Its problem with Engels and West Percy is increasingly dangerously day after day. If they do not expand the use of fire weapons, Hoilland has no chance of survival surrounded by strong countries!”
The Lady took a breath. ”I want to ask! Your Highness, where have I been wrong? And in what way has I lied to you?”
Oscar stared into Vijdeline's eyes without turning away. ”Time! Time is the most important question! You lied to me on this important question! You let me believe that my family had no room to develop. You let me believe that my family will fall into the dangerous situation of falling apart during the age of war when fire weapon is focused! Lady Sukhoi, I admit that your strategy has succeeded! Even though I have just came to understand this.”
Vijdeline stood in front of O'Neil Andrew Morisette. In her eyes were immeasurable confidence.
”Your Highness! Am I wrong? Even though fire weapons have become popular throughout the whole land, do you think the Morisette Imperial family would still be the strong support for Andrew when the Persian was getting weaker every day? Would they still arm Andrew during that time? Do you think the Morisette Imperial family would be willing to see the Narcissus Knights who have their own cannon units and soldiers armed with fire guns? You are a member of Andrew and also a member of the imperial family. You should be clearer than me about this!”
Oscar could not say anything in return suddenly. This Lady was just as he described. Far-sighted! Intelligent!
After a while, the Prince squeezed a word out of his mouth.
”Andrew.... Still has time!”
Vijdeline nodded. ”Yes! Andrew still, in fact, has time. But can you add a limit to this time? A century? Two centuries? I can see from the change in the number of weapons bought by the Andrew family that the Narcissus Knights are having the upper hands in the war with Persians! How much time do you think the Morisette Imperial family will give your family to arm your soldiers with fire weapons? To be frank! Andrew! From now onwards, they can only maintain their long-winning record through their own effort. The support from the Empire will become less and less just like the attacks of the Persian until there is nothing left!”
Oscar was taking deep breaths! He was managing his muscles and his pulse rate! At the shadows the Lady could not see, this Prince was already holding the small knife that had poison on it in his hands. In front of O'Neil Andrew Morisette was a devil that could destroy both heaven and earth. Even though this devil had the perfect logic and body that brought out infinite imagination by people, but clearing the threat by this devil and forever let her go to hell was not such a difficult thing to do!
Oscar did not understand! Why was he hesitating? He could not completely understand a monster that he could not see through! She could not be allowed to live in this world! This was the truth! For him and the benefit of the family! The woman in front of him was too terrifying! Destroy her! Destroy her! But.... But why would he hesitate now? The young Prince held his knife tightly. He already could not care about the consequence of his murder being known by others! Destroy her! Completely destroy her! This voice finally grasped the whole mind of O'Neil Andrew Morisette!
Vijdeline reached her hand into her large fur jacket. Just when Oscar was about to attack her, the Lady took out an indescribable thing.
Oscar's gaze stopped at this thing that he had never seen before. He could clearly felt his strong heartbeat calming down! The Prince adjusted his stiff expression. His hands had already left that weapon that was held behind his waist! With Vijdeline's intelligence, she would not be completely careless against this dangerous man. The thing in her hands was the best evidence! Oscar believed that that elegantly-made thing was a light-weight fire weapon.
Vijdeline held this light-weight fire weapon in her hands lightly. Oscar did not even dare to move. Would knife be faster than the fire weapon? He did not dare to wage on this! Actually, he believed that even trying seemed stupid and unnecessary.
”I heard that.... You're leaving tomorrow?” The Lady's words hinted a softness that had never shown itself before. ”Look at this!”
Along with Vijdeline's actions, Oscar finally stopped his intention to have a go at it completely. This was, in fact, a light-weight fire weapon. To be more specific, this was a light-weight fire gun! Its outer look was extremely similar to hand cannons that Oscar had seen before. Just that its size was one-fourth of that of the hand cannon. Vijdeline put a lead ball of three to four millimeters in diameter into the barrel of the fire gun. Then, she used a small bottle to fill in the gunpowder at the spring parts at the back part of the fire gun. After that, the Lady pulled the slide to its firing position.
Out of Oscar's expectation, Vijdeline slowly turned the mouth of the gun towards herself after completing all these steps.
”I call it the Delin Type Firearm. You can see that even though its loading process is slower, but you can test its power. You can.... Use this rear sight near the mouth of the gun to aim at the target, then hold the gun just as I did earlier. Lastly, pull the trigger! I believe that you can take a person's life within twenty meters!”
Oscar's movement of taking the firearm was extremely slow. He did not understand, but at the same time seemed to understand something.
”You....” The Prince did not know what he wanted to say.
”This is a good weapon for defense. It has never left my side since I built it. Now I am giving it to you! It is normal for the God-chosen warrior to get into life-and-death battle. I do not want to live a life with no one to lean on in the future!”
Oscar looked at the weapon in his hands and then at the quiet Vij. All of a sudden! The man raised his gun in a sudden movement. Under the surprised gaze of the woman, he pulled the trigger.
The blast woke the group of bats at the top of the cave. These messengers from hell stretched their devil's wings! Along with the screeching noise and the echo of the sound of the gun, the strange yelling of the messengers rose! As if..... it'd taken away the soul that originally belonged to hell!
Oscar stood alone. At his feet lay a beautiful woman. A thin line of blood slowly flowed out from amidst long golden hair. Vijdeline Van Sukhoi had gone completely silent.