Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

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[West Gate Tower of Maplestone City]

"So?" Winters stood on the city wall, playing with the gate key in his hand, casting a glance at the small Priskin: "You've just sold my 'protection' to them like that?"

"It really took a lot of effort, Your Excellency!" Small Priskin was oblivious to the bizarre atmosphere, still immersed in excitement, endlessly claiming credit: "The citizens of Maplestone City initially wanted to tie me up and hand me over to the puppet army commander, but I was fearless in the face of danger and solemnly recounted how you entered Revodan back in the day without causing any harm! I also told them how you forgave me for colluding with the enemy! And how you restored order in Iron Peak County with an iron hand, which moved the representatives of Maplestone City to tears, and they were in utter awe..."

"Alright, alright." Winters waved his hand and asked: "What exactly did you promise them?"

"To pardon their crime of providing services to the puppet army, not to settle scores for any collusion with the enemy during the puppet army's occupation, and to protect their lives and property from the invasion of other county armies..." Small Priskin counted on his fingers and then grinned: "These are all things the people of Iron Peak County already have! It's basically giving away for nothing!"

Winters propped himself up with the sword hilt and stood up; now, not only did his side hurt, but his skull hurt even more. He patted small Priskin's shoulder with force and gritted his teeth as he praised, "You did well! You did really well!"

Small Priskin gasped in pain; he dared not ask His Excellency Montagne and could only pitifully look at the other civil guard officers present.

"Why are you looking at me?" Andre grinned: "In my opinion, you really did great this time! But those two might not see it that way."

Small Priskin looked even more pitiful.

In the end, it was Mason who softened and briefly explained the situation to small Priskin.

Small Priskin was dumbfounded; how could he know that the allied forces already had a gentleman's agreement?

"Then..." Small Priskin stammered, "Then should I go invite Colonel Skool back and hand over Maplestone City to him?"

Winters patted small Priskin's shoulder again: "If you were Colonel Skool and heard this proposal, what would you think?"

"Subordinate... subordinate doesn't know..."

"If I were Colonel Skool," Winters sighed, "I would just think it's a trap—a trap to wipe out Thunder Group County's army."

Small Priskin was about to cry: "Then... what should we do?"

Winters scoffed lightly, without answering.

"Why not ask Colonel Gaisa to act as a mediator?" Mason suggested, frowning thoughtfully: "We could hand over Maplestone City to Colonel Gaisa, and then Colonel Gaisa could hand it over to Colonel Skool?"

"Hand it over?" Winters turned around, holding up the large gate key, conclusive: "The citizens of Maplestone City voluntarily handed this key to us. If we give it away again, it's not just breaking faith with Sirku Mekren, but with the entire Newly Reclaimed Land! Not handing it over!"

"That's right!" Andre clapped his hands once.

Mason shrugged, his expression significantly more relaxed.

The sun slanted westward, and columns of smoke rose from various places within Maplestone City.

"Everything promised by Priskin must be fulfilled." Winters, looking at the largest city under the blue veil in the Newly Reclaimed Land, gradually pieced his thoughts together: "Let Xial bring the Military Police Team into the city, to seal military camps, houses, warehouses, and all legion properties, and assist the city guard in maintaining order."

"Got it." Mason already had his notebook and graphite pencil out.

"Have Bart Xialing bring two companies to take over the defense of the West Gate."

"Only the West Gate?" Mason asked.

"Only the West Gate. The other gates are still temporarily guarded by the militia."

"What about the other units?"

"The other units remain outside the city." Winters' tone turned stern: "Order commanders at all levels to restrain soldiers; no Iron Peak County military personnel are allowed into the city without permission."

"Why?" Andre was puzzled.

"If we strut into the city," Winters sighed, "it would be truly irreparable."

Andre scratched his head, seemingly not understanding.

"Colonel Skool," Mason reminded.

Andre let out a long "oh" and helplessly asked: "We've taken the gate key but aren't stationing troops inside; there must be a reason, right?"

"Isn't the reason right there?" Winters raised his hand, pointing directly at Maple Fort on the high ground outside the city, smiling: "Isn't that the best reason?"

Mason nodded in agreement: "Just right, it can let the troops practice siege tactics. Since we expanded our forces, we haven't experienced a siege battle, and many commanders might have almost forgotten. The Maple Fort garrison is just some old and infirm soldiers, a perfect target."

Andre yawned on the side.

"Call Pierre over; I have something to ask him." Winters, gazing at the Maple Fort still flying the Red Rose banner, began planning the siege arrangements in his mind: "Count the prisoners; I want to know which officers have fled into Maple Fort. If there are prisoners familiar with the structure of Maple Fort, bring them to me as well."

"Okay, noted it all down."

Winters turned around and, with his eyes, caught the small Priskin who was about to slip away.

"Your Excellency." Small Priskin hung his head.

Seeing the fear and dejection on small Priskin's face, Winters couldn't help but feel a hint of mercy. This time, he gently patted small Priskin's shoulder: "Thank you."

Small Priskin finally couldn't hold back, and tears of grievance welled up.

"Don't cry. There's still something that needs you to do." Winters had just praised him, now began assigning tasks: "Find all the dispatches you can gather, and invite the heads of major businesses over. If anyone has recently returned to the Newly Reclaimed Land, invite them as well—I need to know what's been happening outside the Newly Reclaimed Land recently."

"I'll get on it right away." Small Priskin wiped away his tears and left happily.

Winters watched Priskin's back, and thought of Pierre, and his skull throbbed again.

"Colonel Skool's side," Mason reminded: "Should we still send someone to explain?"

Winters rubbed his forehead, pondering: "Also, Colonel Gaisa's side, we need to send someone to explain as well."

"What should we say?"

"What can we say?" Winters chuckled wryly: "Just tell the truth."

"Will they believe it?"

Winters snorted: "Believe it or not!"

This time, it was Mason's turn to chuckle wryly, while Andre came over, throwing a hearty arm around Winters' shoulder, laughing wildly: "This is the real Winters Montagne! This is the Blood of the Wolf! Believe it or not! If you doubt it, come fight, and see the truth on the battlefield!"

"The situation we are now facing is not really good," Winters, gazing towards the southwest in the twilight, slowly voiced his thoughts: "Vernge County isolates us from Iron Peak County 'homeland,' while Thunder Group County and Westwood Province are right beside us—therefore, our current primary goal remains Vernge County unchanged."

"Alright," Mason habitually nodded.

"Andre," Winters also lightly tapped Andre's shoulder, realizing he hadn't done such an intimate gesture with his companions in a while, so he patted it even harder: "Keep an eye on Vernge County."

"Don't worry!" Andre laughed loudly: "If the coward of Vernge County dares to show its head, it's no coward anymore."

"It's easy to choose someone to send to Colonel Gaisa." Mason thought of another matter, filling in the gaps: "But who should we send to explain the situation to Colonel Skool? It seems he will find it hard to trust us again."

This matter posed a temporary difficulty for Winters: "We need to find someone we trust."

The question left Winters stumped for a moment.

Andre smacked his forehead and smiled: "I just thought of a good candidate!"

...

As dusk fell, the procession escorting Seber Carrington's vehicle was departing Maplestone City.

"Hey! There's really no dealing with you!" Seber Carrington intentionally put on a stern face: "Who else but me can support you when you need it?"