Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

The new camps of Thunder Group County and Riverside County forces are located at the border zone between Maplestone City direct jurisdiction and Thunder Group County, guarding the main provincial road leading from Maplestone City to Thunder Group County.

Colonel Skul Meklen didn't hesitate to conscript labor during the busy farming season, and built the camp extremely solid according to the permanent fortress standards.

Even if Colonel Seber Carrington has three thousand cavalry, it would not be easy to capture Colonel Skul's camp.

But Saber Seber doesn't have three thousand cavalry; Saber Seber has only himself.

That's why he is invincible.

The guards are helpless and cannot stop the fierce Major; the duty-assigned officers just abandon the idea of using force after receiving a glare.

Saber Seber, with wolf-like sharp teeth, heroically stands outside the headquarters of the military camp, commonly known as the "Forbidden Palace", and sternly shouts: "Skul! Come out!"

This little commotion draws the attention of some soldiers—limited to soldiers only, as the duty-assigned officers wish they could hide outside the camp.

Even though Colonel Skul has never made an explicit statement, anyone with a bit of sense can see the signs.

Clearly, they've just experienced a bitter battle, with blood stains on clothes still uncleaned, gunpowder in the finger gaps not yet dissipated, and soldiers all exhausted. Yet, Colonel Skul neither rewards the troops nor allows the unit to rest but frequently moves camps and works hard to build fortifications, for only one reason—the Iron Peak County Military.

Yesterday's battle brothers, blood-soaked shoulder to shoulder, now it's getting more and more tense. Who knows which morning they wake up, and "ally army" will again become "rebels".

However, whether or not to fight, and how to fight, doesn't concern the duty-assigned officers much.

Even though the military career is short, it's enough for duty-assigned officers to painfully realize the most important unwritten rule of the Alliance Army system—only those who walked out of the Military Academy are considered human.

Otherwise, even if wearing the same uniform, there's an invisible, untouchable, inexplicable, and incomprehensible wall between duty-assigned officers and Academy officers, indestructible and unbridgeable.

Just like Academy officers can be treated with courtesy when captured, duty-assigned officers can only wait for their kin to ransom them.

In big matters like "fight" or "don't fight", duty-assigned officers have no more say than the tables and chairs attending the meeting.

Rights and duties are disproportionate, input and output don't match, many duty-assigned officers, tossing and turning in tears at midnight, ponder: How were they so fatuous to spend money to become this officer?

Therefore, when discovering that fierce Iron Peak County Officer is here again, apart from the unlucky ones on duty, all other duty-assigned officers consciously avoid—it's human business, humans solve it themselves, we tables and chairs won't get involved.

Thus, Saber Seber moves unimpeded within the camp, directly storming to the "Forbidden Palace" outside.

Finally, it's Lieutenant Luosong, who heard the news and arrived, finally someone who can speak with the Major.

In the Battle of River Valley Village, Luosong was wounded more than ten times, mostly injuring arm and side leg.

So when Luosong, arm hanging and crutch in hand, arrives in front of Major Seber, he looks somewhat embarrassed: "Senior, why do you… Please rest in my quarters for a bit, I'll send someone to find the Colonel for you."

Seber glanced at the Lieutenant, yelling towards the central military tent: "Skul! Come out and talk yourself! Don't push a junior officer out to take the hit!"

Although Luosong is among the top troublemakers in Thunder Group County's army, facing a top troublemaker in Parlatu Army, it's like a leopard meeting a lion, a kitten meeting a big cat—completely outshined.

What's more, according to the principle that allied envoys require high-level reception, Thunder Group County's army only has Colonel Skul qualified to mediate, while Luosong is just a junior officer.

On this side, Luosong is still troubled about how to deal with the Major.

On the other side, Seber already keenly senses anomalies in Thunder Group County's army.

As more officers arrive, Major Seber sweeps his gaze, immediately finger two conspicuous guys out.

"You two." Seber's eyes are like lightning: "Why haven't I seen you?"

The two junior officers glanced at each other, one unassumingly replied: "We enrolled late, so you naturally have no impression of us."

"Yes, senior." Luosong, crutch in hand, walked forward with difficulty, sincerely explained: "When they enrolled, you had already graduated."

Seber did not relax at all. He frowned, walked around the two junior officers, scrutinizing them, suddenly leaned his nose in for a whiff: "No way! You're too clean!"

Seber stepped back half a step, gripped his saber handle, with wolf-like sharp teeth: "You're damn Riverside County folks!"

Luosong and the two junior officers all changed their expressions in shock.

"Alright, Seber Carrington." A clear, pleasant voice came from the central military tent: "Don't bully the little ones."

A well-proportioned officer walked out, his uniform was ironed very flat, and his thick dark hair was carefully groomed.

"Magash Colvin." Seber slowly spoke the officer's name, his hand still resting on his saber: "Major."

"Shouldn't you salute first?" Major Magash teased.

Seber unwillingly raised his hand for a salute, while Major Magash gracefully returned the salute.

Colonel Skul emerged from the tent after Major Magash, nodding toward Lieutenant Luosong, who immediately dispersed irrelevant people near the "Forbidden Palace".