Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters
Chapter 1117 - 96: Monsoon (End)_4

Chapter 1117: Chapter 96: Monsoon (End)_4

...

[Monta Republic]

[Steelfort]

Representative John Servette pushed open the window and gazed out from his new office. The South Bank district of Steelfort, currently undergoing intensive reconstruction efforts, spread out before his eyes.

He glanced at the sky.

"It’s going to rain."

...

[Republic of Palatu]

[Rainbow Creek]

The news of a military coup in Guidao City had reached Rainbow Creek.

As for the impact of the coup, the military government leaders had yet to reach a consensus. When it came to how to respond to the coup’s effects, the leaders were even more divided.

The military commissioners from the Palatu-United Provinces border demanded reinforcements, while military commissioners stationed on the North Bank of Ashen Stream River were reluctant to weaken the river’s defenses.

The surrender faction made subtle overtures, while the radical younger faction shouted calls for a preemptive strike against the United Provinces.

Listening to the never-ending arguments of his "subordinates" in the meeting room, General Alpad Duyome stared expressionlessly out the window.

"It’s going to rain."

...

[Republic of Palatu]

[Kingsfort]

Grof Magnus, the Speaker of the Second Republic of Palatu, had just completed compiling a list.

News of the coup in Guidao City had already reached Kingsfort.

Upon hearing the success of their "allies" in the United Provinces, Grof Magnus immediately pushed forward the plan he had long prepared.

After much deliberation, he crossed out one name from the list.

"This person is a coward," he thought. "No need to eliminate him for now."

A strong wind blew open the window, sending the curtain flying outside. An aide rushed into the office and clumsily closed the window again.

Grof Magnus stared at the ominous clouds gathering in the sky.

"It’s going to rain."

...

[United Provinces Republic]

[Guidao City]

[Army Headquarters Auditorium]

A celebration was underway, attended mostly by officers, with a few junior officers present as well.

Colonel Cornelius was delivering a speech: "For the past twenty-nine years, the people of various republics have mocked us, saying, ’The United Provinces Republic is not a nation with an army, but an army with a nation.’"

Cornelius looked at the officers in the audience, their eyes brimming with either excitement or ambition, and raised his glass: "Well then! Let them truly understand the power of the United Provinces Army!"

In the next moment, the auditorium was filled with cheers.

The vibration from the cheers even reached the detention room beneath the auditorium.

Inside the detention room, Brigadier General Balenz, under house arrest, stared at the narrow, gloomy sky framed by iron bars.

"It’s going to rain."

...

[Iron Peak County]

[Revodan]

"Excuse me." Richard Mason squeezed past a hallway packed with senior classmates, carefully carrying a big stack of files while trying not to step on anyone’s toes. "Excuse me."

As he reached the end of the hallway, "Sabre" Seber rasped out, "Mon—"

"I’ll be right back!" Mason interrupted before Seber could finish. "Don’t worry, I’ll be right back! Are you thirsty? Should I bring you something to drink? Or maybe—"

"No need." Sabre Seber waved his hand, then looked at Mason deeply and sighed: "You’ve had it hard lately... Sorry for that."

Hearing these words, Mason suddenly felt his eyes sting. He turned his head to look out the window and, smiling, said:

"It’s going to rain."

...

[Iron Peak County]

[Revodan Suburban Pastures]

"Tulin!" Andre, mounted on horseback atop a hill, shouted at the top of his lungs. "Tulin! Where the hell are you?!"

Startled awake from his nap, Tulin emerged from the woods in a panic. "Here! I’m here!"

"Idiot!" Andre cursed. "Where’s your horse?"

Tulin froze, scratching his head. "In the woods. I let it graze."

Trembling, Tulin shrank his neck as Andre raised the whip in fury.

But the whip ultimately didn’t fall—Tulin knew well enough that as long as he acted scared, he’d escape Lieutenant Cherini’s punishment.

Andre spat out harshly, "Lose a horse, and I’ll give you twenty lashes!"

"Don’t worry, boss." Tulin patted his chest with confidence, grinning ingratiatingly. "I take better care of those army horses than I do my own mother! Sure, this winter was tough, but we got through it! Not one horse died! And now they’ve all recovered! You don’t need to worry, trust me!"

"Cut the nonsense." Andre’s face darkened. "Get the horses rounded up and take them back to the stable."

"Why take them back to the stable?" Tulin asked, confused.

"Are you blind?" Andre pointed at the sky. "It’s going to rain! If any horse gets sick from the rain, I’ll whip you half to death!"

...

[Iron Peak County]

[Blackwater Town]

Having just inspected the return of winter wheat at Blackwater Town’s refugee farm that morning, Bard was now galloping toward Wolf Town.

"Lieutenant!" Anglu suddenly called out. "Wait a moment."

Bard slowed his horse and raised an eyebrow. "What’s wrong?"

"It’s going to rain." Anglu caught up and pointed at the sky. "Let’s find somewhere to take shelter first."

Bard shook his head, whipped his reins, and resumed riding: "We’ll deal with it when we reach Wolf Town."

...

[Iron Peak County]

[Shovel Port]

"Mr. Alpha" stared gloomily at the disorganized and sloppily disciplined militia standing on the training ground.

Since winter began, Revodan’s government had started sweeping-scale anti-bandit operations across Iron Peak County—yet they conspicuously refrained from deploying forces to Shovel Port Town.

As a result, cornered bandits and thieves fled into Shovel Port en masse. The town mayor took advantage of the situation to incorporate them as militia under Mr. Alpha’s training.