Castle of Black Iron

After passing the fortress, Zhang Tie found that the terrain in front suddenly became open. There were many well-paved broad roads leading to all directions. However, those broad roads were covered with black-green military vehicles and soldiers at this moment.

Fiery oil was an important strategical material, which could only be used at critical moments. In order to relieve stress facing fiery-oil supply, many military vehicles being responsible for communicating and freight were driven by steam engines like before. These steam engines were not picky. They could run with burning coal or firewoods and some water. They had very high adaptability and were convenient for maintenance. They were still useful on the battlefields.

Of course, some fiery-oil vehicles were also driving rapidly on the roads, leaving dust rising in the air. However, those fiery-oil vehicles were all exclusive to senior officers of troops. Zhang Tie met two fiery-oil vehicles on the way. All the officers in the fiery-oil vehicles were colonels.

The roadside fertile farmland had been deserted. If not war, the roadside farmland should be filled with gratifying maizes or wheat in July. At this moment, walking on the road, Zhang Tie found all the farmlands were filled with weeds. Many fields had been built into training grounds, camps or temporarily field airports. It was busy all over. Air cavalries would fly over those fields by airplane towards Coldwater City every once in a while. Those field airports were most busy.

When Zhang Tie walked on the road alone, many passing-by vehicles and soldiers took a glance at him. After that, they would just pass by. After a few minutes, a truck parked beside Zhang Tie with a full load of vegetables and some twigs on the broken fishing net over the vehicle.

An uncle with a brandy nose and unkempt beard in flaxen military uniform which smelt like coal ash exposed half head out of the window and shouted at Zhang Tie, “GI, do you need a lift? I’m heading for Feinan City…”

Zhang Tie turned around and took a glance at that middle-aged man. Then, he nodded silently and came to the other side of the driver’s cab. After opening the door, he entered it.

The middle-aged man was fat. He occupied two seats in the driver’s cab alone, leaving only one position close to the door to Zhang Tie. However, even that seat was already occupied by a cage which contained a big white goose.

“Just put that white goose on the back seat. Those privileged figures don’t forget to enjoy the taste of goose liver wherever they are, even on the battlefields!” the middle-aged man mumbled. Zhang Tie then put that cage on the back seat and closed the door. The driver then took another glance at Zhang Tie before pulling the brake and starting the truck, causing loud noises.

“You’re from Holy Light Empire?”

“Yes!”

“Why are you alone…”

“The others are dead!”

“Erm…”

After being choked by Zhang Tie’s reply, the driver took another look at Zhang Tie. Then, he mumbled some words and started to drive attentively.

Fred’s personality was solemn and distant. Actually, all the fighters in the legion Sword of Brilliance were like him. Therefore, it was nothing strange for Zhang Tie to behave like that.

…

10 minutes later, the truck passed a crossroad outside Feinan City. That crossroad led to a town nearby. At this moment, Zhang Tie uttered, “Let me out.” The driver then pulled over the truck. Zhang Tie then got off the vehicle and closed the door. He didn’t even appreciate the driver; instead, he just slightly nodded towards the middle-aged man. He then walked inside the town.

This town was the encampment of the third military unit of Sword of Brilliance of Holy Light Empire in the Hicks Peninsula. All the aborigines in the town had gone, leaving all the houses empty. Even though over 2,000 fighters of Sword of Brilliance of Holy Light Empire were living inside, it still looked empty here. However, it was also for the sake of air defense. If they scattered over the town, even though this town suffered the air attack of the air cavalries of Sacred Alliance Empire, they would also not suffer a great casualty.

After presenting his nameplate to the guards at the pass, Zhang Tie entered the town.

Compared to the other camps, this town that gathered the fighters of Sword of Brilliance of Holy Light Empire looked such tranquil; it was even a bit depressed. Besides some sounds from the training grounds, this town was as quiet as a remote area. All the fighters walking in the town were silent and barely communicated with each other. Those troops gathering around Feinan City were afraid of this town.

Zhang Tie didn’t know what kind of church was in this town before. After the third unit arrived here, the mark of the former church on the roof had been replaced by the mark of Holy Light Church. After that, this church became the temporary headquarters of the third unit of Sword of Brilliance of Holy Light Empire.

After coming here silently, Zhang Tie introduced himself to those guards outside the headquarters. A guard then entered it to make a report. In less than half a minute, that guard had come out. After taking a look at Zhang Tie with admiration, he took him in.

…

A grey-haired elder in noble red robe embroidered with the pattern of brilliant golden sun and golden priest’s crown similar to a fish head observed Zhang Tie with exploratory eyes.

“My respect to you, Your Honor Saguli. I’m Fred, the captain of the No. 76 squad. Wish your holy light remains brilliant forever…”

Zhang Tie made a bow towards that elder politely before greeting him calmly.

This elder was responsible for the 3rd unit of the legion Sword of Brilliance of Holy Light Empire in Hicks Peninsula, Fred’s immediate superior and a brilliant priest of Holy Light Empire who had already promoted to a battle spirit. If this man could promote to a knight, he would become a truncheon chief priest, which meant that he would be one of the powers of the Holy Light Empire.

“You said you’ve sensed the god’s favor?” Saguli asked Zhang Tie calmly.

“Yea, therefore, I return to the encampment in advance!”

“Prove it!” Saguli didn’t test Zhang Tie’s words himself; instead, he just implied a retinue to give a piece of red crystal in front of Saguli to Zhang Tie.

After taking that piece of red crystal, Zhang Tie inputted a wisp of battle qi into it. Closely after that, that piece of crystal gave out dim redlight.

After the retinue took away the piece of crystal, Saguli nodded. However, he still didn’t reveal any smile on his stuffy face. He spoke reservedly, “Not bad, it seems that you’ve indeed got the God’s favor. From now on, you don’t need to execute tasks anymore. Take a rest in the encampment for a few days. Someone will pick you here!”

“Thanks, Your Honor!”

The brilliant priest then waved his hand, having people take Zhang Tie out of the room…

Saguli didn’t ask Zhang Tie about his pals at all as if it had nothing to do with him…

…

After leaving the church for a few minutes on foot, Zhang Tie came to his rest place in his encampment. It was a two-storey common civilian building with a small courtyard covering over 30 square meters. Some firewoods were left in the courtyard by the former owner. There were some rooms in the house, which were previously the “dorms” of Fred and his pals. However, at this moment, only Zhang Tie lived in this house. Therefore, it looked deserted here.

After closing the gate of the civilian building, Zhang Tie came to the front of a room on the second floor near the staircase. He then took out a key through the chink on the doorframe. He then opened the door and entered it. After closing the door, Zhang Tie shook his head with a bitter smile.

There was no curtain in the room. The window was directly covered with a piece of wood. Only some slim sunlight penetrated through the chink on the wood. A simplified military sleeping bag was lying on the floor on the left of the door. Besides, nothing else could be seen inside the room.

After taking off his cloak, leather belt, luggage and long sword and hanging them over a hook, he took out a piece of remote-sensing crystal from a portable space-teleportation finger ring. After that, he sent a very simple message to Ockham——Fred.

Soon after receiving Zhang Tie’s message, Ockham had replied——owner, please wait for a few days patiently. I’ve already arranged it well. Everything will go well…

After taking his remote-sensing finger ring, Zhang Tie sat on the ground with crossed legs and started to recover himself.

In the eyes of outsiders, the legion Sword of Brilliance of Holy Light Empire was an frightening force; because all the members of this legion were above LV 6. Most of them were LV 7, LV 8 and LV 9. Although this legion couldn’t match that of a demon legion which was completely composed of LV 9 fighters, it was already powerful enough among human forces.

The fundamental reason that Holy Light Empire could have such a legion lay in that all the fighters of this legion were accelerated to be “mature” with an odd medicine by Holy Light Empire.

Previously, Fred was just a LV 5 soldier, which was even a bit distance from fighter. However, after bathing the favor of the God of Brilliance, he promoted to a LV 9 fighter in only half a year.

At that time, 50 common soldiers of the Holy Light Empire bathed the favor of the God of Brilliance with Fred. However, only 6 of them survived in the end. All the other 44 soldiers were summoned back to the heavenly kingdom by God after bathing the favor of the God of Brilliance.

Even though some of them could survive it. Most of them couldn’t light any more surging point for the rest of their lives. They could at most promote to LV 9 fighters. Additionally, their life expectancy was very short. They could barely live longer than 70 years old…

However, there were very few exceptions among them. About one of 700-800 people could continue to light their surging points for further cultivation; additionally, they would make a spurt of progress in cultivation. Those exceptions would be taken care of by Holy Light Empire in special and be dispatched out of the legion Sword of Brilliance. As lucky dogs, they would own different destinies.

Very few people knew that one of the most important targets for the Holy Light Empire to dispatch Sword of Brilliance to the frontline was to select people like Zhang Tie besides fulfilling the obligation of defending demons.

As long as this defense line was not collapsed, fighters like real Fred would enter this encampment constantly and serve as fresh cannon fodder on the battlefields…

According to Ockham’s plan, Zhang Tie would disguise himself as such a special person being favored by the God of Brilliance. Then, he would be dispatched out of Sword of Brilliance and get a new identity that could have a chance to touch the tower of time. Later on, it would be easy to deal with…

This plan was simple and effective. It could cover Zhang Tie’s real identity well. Therefore, Zhang Tie agreed.