Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Winters watched Caman leave, then turned to Pierre and said humorously, "Come on, give me some good news. I've had enough complaints these days."

Pierre snapped back to reality and immediately sat up straight.

He solemnly placed the package Vashka had given him on the table, deftly untied the strings, and then slowly took out a key from inside.

Next came the second key, the third key...

Ultimately, a total of seven keys were carefully placed in front of Winters.

The seven keys were made of different materials and varied in size. Some had silver bodies with golden coatings, beautifully crafted; others were mere twisted iron rods, requiring a considerable level of understanding to recognize them as keys.

Pierre proudly explained the origin of the keys: "Longbow Bay, Floating Azure Port, Ice Creek Valley... Everywhere your banner reached, the towns of Vernge County surrendered without exception, all voluntarily offering 'city keys' to show submission."

The next moment, Pierre saw the Blood Wolf take out a massive, heavy iron ring from a drawer.

On the iron ring hung all sorts of keys.

"Sometimes, I'm really curious." Winters furrowed his brow, threading the seven keys on the table onto the iron ring: "Among these so-called city gate keys, how many can actually open a specific door?"

"I'm afraid none." Pierre carefully hid his disappointment and replied with a smile: "The town gates don't even have locks, so how could they use keys?"

Winters noticed the forced smile on Pierre's face and suddenly realized that what lay before him were not just seven keys, but also the hard-earned results of Pierre's efforts.

He wanted to pat Pierre's shoulder like a brother and say a few encouraging words. But unfortunately, he wasn't good at such warm exchanges.

He picked up the iron ring, the keys jingling, and smilingly asked, "If the keys are unnecessary, why has it come to this?"

"Because they've heard that any town you capture will avoid looting and extortion as long as they obediently offer up the city gate keys." Pierre pointed to the long, twisted iron rod: "So, even Floating Azure Port, which doesn't even have city gates, hurriedly made a 'city gate key' for you the day I 'visited'."

"Oh?" Winters showed interest and picked out the twisted iron rod representing Floating Azure Port: "This one?"

"Yes." Pierre couldn't hold back a smile: "When it was handed to me, it was still warm."

Winters examined the uneven surface of the key: "They wouldn't have been looted or extorted anyway."

"But they don't believe that." Pierre calmly answered: "They prefer to believe that you are the 'Blood Wolf', keen on demanding city gate keys to assert authority, and that as long as they comply, they can avoid misfortune. Rather than let them be anxious, why not go along with their imagination and let them secretly rejoice?"

Winters found Pierre's idea amusing but felt compelled to seriously ask Pierre, "Is there no way to avoid being the Blood Wolf, but there's an option to pretend to be one?"

"I think we should go further." Pierre bit his lip and honestly answered: "Rather than being misunderstood, it's better to openly become the Blood Wolf. The New Reclamation People are accustomed to the legion's rule, used to being treated harshly and rudely. Excessive mercy will only backfire."

The office fell silent.

Winters thought for a moment and said, "Sounds like something Andrea Cherini would say."

Pierre propped his hands on his knees and lowered his head.

"Why lower your head?" Winters laughed silently: "Agreeing with the Cherini Commissioner's thoughts isn't exactly a negative critique."

Pierre seemed to have made a great decision, raising his head to look at the Blood Wolf, solemnly saying: "Sir, on my way to the garrison, every 'appointed officer' displayed an urgent manner. At first, I thought it was their eagerness for me to meet you. But in the end, I realized it wasn't urgency, but anxiety and fear... They are afraid."

Winters propped up his chin, asking nonchalantly, "Afraid of what?"

Pierre pursed his lips: "Afraid of peace."

This answer plunged the room into silence once again.

This time, Winters didn't need to ask; Pierre himself broke the silence: "Towns can change flags, soldiers can go home, officers in boots can be reaccepted. But the appointed officers—those veterans who have followed you from the start—have no way out. If we ever lose, they will lose everything."

As if racing against Winters' possible response, Pierre spoke rapidly: "Please believe me, each of them is willing to fight for you to the last moment—they never even considered betrayal. It's for this very reason, because they no longer have nothing, because they would never betray you, that the prospect of failure fills them with despair. Even imagining such a possibility makes them shudder."

"Sir, Centurion, Big Brother Monta..." Pierre tried to maintain composure, speaking one word at a time: "Your most loyal subordinates are gradually beginning to feel pessimistic about the future."

"Why?"

"Because they don't know if this is where it ends." Pierre stared intently at the Blood Wolf, his voice trembling as he repeated, "Is this our ending?"

Winters examined Pierre, his face showing a mix of relief and helplessness.

He propped himself against the desk and stood up, calling Pierre to the window with a look of surprise, pointing to the Iron Peak County Soldiers outside, grabbing Pierre's shoulder, and asked: "Do you sense their—your comrades'—hostility towards your subordinates?"

Pierre didn't understand why the Civil Guard Officer was asking this, but he stood motionless for a moment, then answered, "I felt it."

"Allied forces see us the same way." Winters patted Pierre on the back and led him back to his seat: "If we greedily continue to demand, the Newly Reclaimed Land will soon ignite the next war."

Sitting in his chair, Pierre clenched his fists tightly, his head lowered, but when he looked up again, his eyes were alight with fire, and he gritted his teeth to retort, "Wouldn't that be better? It's a good chance for us to take all of the Newly Reclaimed Land."

Winters walked to the corner of the room to a chest of drawers, as if completely ignoring Pierre's hint, casually asking, "And then?"

Pierre was dumbfounded: "I... I don't understand..."

Returning from the chest of drawers, Winters held a bottle of wine and two glasses. He poured a bit of Sunder Major's collection for Pierre, leaning against the desk, looking down at Pierre, "I ask you, take all of Newly Reclaimed Land—then what?"

Pierre felt uneasy under the Blood Wolf's seemingly penetrating gaze. He suppressed his discomfort and answered boldly, "Then it's Kingsfort! Then the Jiangbei Province! Then the Senas Alliance!"

"I'm not asking you to make a decision." Winters couldn't help but laugh, putting the glass into Pierre's hand, "I'm asking you a more practical question."

Winters leaned back against the desk, tapping lightly on the surface and asking one question after another: "How much loss are you willing to bear to annihilate the Three Counties' troops? If the Three Counties refuse to surrender, how much force are you prepared to invest in a siege? After annihilating the Three Counties' troops and taking all of Newly Reclaimed Land, how long do you think it will take for us to fully absorb the gains..."

"Anyway, there will never be a better time than now!" Pierre clenched his fists, his eyes red, answering resolutely: "Since we are destined to fight the New Reclamation Legion, the sooner the better. Blood not shed today will flow like a river tomorrow."

"I haven't finished asking." Winters waited until Pierre had spoken before posing the last question.

He looked directly into Pierre's eyes and asked: "If another civil war breaks out in the Newly Reclaimed Land, will we still have enough strength to face external threats when it ends?"

"External threats." Pierre was first stunned and then fell into unprecedented anxiety. He asked in confusion and anger: "Sir! Kingsfort no longer has any available troops! What are you worried about? Have you forgotten your promise?"

Winters placed his hand on Pierre's shoulder, patiently waiting for Pierre to regain his composure.

"Pierre." Winters distilled countless expectations into a single sentence: "Open your eyes, and look to the long term."

"The enemy is not only in Kingsfort." He said slowly: "Not even only in Paratu."