Castle of Black Iron

Many people were sitting inside the room, including Zhang Tie’s dad and mom, elder sister-in-law, and a man who looked like her but was several years older. At the sight of him, Zhang Tie knew that he was her elder brother.

’Elder sister-in-law’s family members might have come here to pour out their true thoughts when they heard about what happened to me. Its somewhat impulsive. In contrast, dad and mom are silent.’

When such an event had happened to Zhang Tie, although the relatives by marriage put it a bit straightforwardly, it was not completely unjustifiable.

While they were talking inside the room, Zhang Tie opened the curtain and entered. At the sight of him wearing a dark red military uniform of a second lieutenant, everybody was startled. Only dad and mom, hearing Zhang Tie’s cough, became spirited and stood up from the chairs. Of course, as his parents, they could identify Zhang Tie’s voice very well.

Elder sister-in-law’s family members were given a fright, and their faces paled, especially her dad’s, who was just swearing at the red-hide dogs. At the sight of one orthodox ’red-hide dog’ in the room, he almost slid off his chair.

”Dad, mom, I’m back!”

Facing his excited mom and dad, Zhang Tie hurriedly moved forward and hugged both of them. Unlike others, his parents had first noticed Zhang Tie himself before having their eyes fall to his military uniform. Seeing it, his parents reacted similar to his elder brother—they immediately became worried.

”Where did you get this set of clothes from? Take them off right now. It’s not funny at all...”

His dad’s face also turned pale at once.

Zhang Tie hurriedly moved a step back with his heels close to each other. ’Pa!’, he stood at attention and gave a solemn salute to his dad and mom with his right hand at the level of his eyebrows.

”Newly promoted platoon leader of Iron-Blood Camp, the No. 39 Division of the Iron-Horn Army from the Northern Border Military Region Zhang Tie is here to report to you, dad and mom! Your son has become a glorious military officer of the Norman Empire!”

”Stop kidding!”

Zhang Tie’s dad glared at him, looking a bit infuriated.

It was clear to Zhang Tie that he could not make himself understood quickly, so he directly pulled out a Norman Empire’s Military Officer Certificate that he had received today and put it into dad’s palm.

”Here’s the Military Officer’s Certificate that I’ve received in the No.39’s Division’s headquarters this noon. If it’s fake, I will replace it for a true one. Waiting for your check, dad and mom.”

In the Norman Empire, soldiers’ position was superior to all the other people. All of soldiers’ utilities were very fine. As for military officers of the Norman Empire, one could identify their social positions from the fine-making of Military Officer Certificate in Zhang Tie’s hand.

His certificate was a dark green mini book, in the center of which was a dragon-shaped relief of the Norman Empire made of silver. The dragon-shaped relief was very delicate, and under it were two crisscrossing long swords which were surrounded by leaf-like patterns.

Soon after taking the booklet, Zhang Tie’s dad identified that it was true. The cover was mainly composed of a special animal’s bone glue, several special plant fibers, and some minerals. Although looking trivial, it contained very advanced technology. Its craftsmanship was a top secret, which could not be easily obtained by common small nations.

Across the entire Blackson Human Clan Corridor, there were less than five nations which had this technology. Thankfully, the Norman Empire was one of them. The technology called ’all-purpose plasticity in Black Iron Age’ originated from the Eastern Continent. The technology adopted by the Norman Empire was more advanced than that adopted by other nations, making it outstanding in the Blackson Human Clan Corridor.

Zhang Tie’s dad knew how it was produced, so the moment he touched the Military Officer Certificate, he knew that it was true.

Opening it, he saw the same ’all-purpose plasticity material in Black Iron Age’, although being a bit different in color and texture from th one on the cover. The texture inside was more like that of paper. But it was smoother.

The page contained Zhang Tie’s photo, his name, detailed descriptions of his looks and physical features, his job responsibilities, and rank. Above the photo was an embossed stamp, and under the photo was a double-layered watermark. Zhang Tie’s official rank was clearly written on it: Second Lieutenant, platoon leader of Third Platoon, Fifth Company, Iron-Blood Camp, No. 39 Division of the Iron-Horn Army, Northern Border Military Region, Norman Empire.

The Military Officer Certificate couldn’t be more real. Zhang Tie’s dad then became dumbfounded by how his son could become a military officer of the Norman Empire after being taken away by soldiers for treason. That reversal was really too quick!

Zhang Tie’s mom also grabbed the Military Officer Certificate out of curiosity and took a serious look at it.

When his mom was looking, Zhang Tie turned back and smiled at the elder sister-in-law’s family members who had long been standing up at a loss of what to do next.

”Uncle, aunt, elder brother, don’t be that polite, just take a seat.”

”You... you... you... you’re Zhang Tie?” elder sister-in-law’s father, who had been very talkative moments ago, barely stammered out.

”We’ve met the last time when you’ve come here. Uncle we’ve talked to each other at that time!”

When Zhang Tie met his elder sister-in-law’s father last time, he was losing temper and shouted at him, ”None of your Zhang Family is good!”. Reminded of it, the man immediately remembered it. When he came to Zhang’s family to ask for engagement, he truly had met Zhang Tie. Gradually, he connected that Zhang Tie to this one in the Norman Empire’s second lieutenant’s military uniform.

The moment he remembered the boy, he felt his legs go soft, and he almost sat onto the ground. Everybody knew that what he had just said now had been heard by Zhang Tie, including that sentence of ’red-hide dogs’. The first one who had used this sentence in Blackhot City had been hung on the gibbet by those same red-hide dogs. After hanging for several days, the corpses of those people could not even be found anymore.

”Zhang Tie...” The elder sister-in-law with her constantly bigger abdomen hurriedly moved two steps forward. ”My dad was raving just now, please don’t care about that...”

”What did uncle say?” Zhang Tie shrugged his shoulder like knowing nothing. ”Because I was talking with elder brother outside the door just now, I heard nothing at all. I’ve came back to tell dad and mom that I’m okay, and to tell you all that I’ve been given a military officer’s dorm. It has good conditions, much better than those of the attic. Two days later, I’ll move away from home. Additionally, elder brother and elder sister-in-law, your wedding ceremony should not be prolonged anymore...”

Hearing Zhang Tie’s explanation, everybody stared at him with complex expressions. At this moment, even his dad and mom could feel that their son seemed to have grown up.

Afterwards, in about an hour, the atmosphere became more harmonious, and everyone sat around, listening to Zhang Tie’s ’story’.

In survival training, he was favored by Captain Kerlin and was presented with a book called Iron-Blood Fist. In the loner’s survival training, he was struck by a lightning bolt. Not only surviving it, he could also cultivate at a faster speed after that. Additionally, he could form Iron-Blood hidden strength without encountering any obstacles.

With Iron-Blood Fist and Iron-Blood hidden strength, he obtained the nice treatment of the Norman Empire’s army after being caught. After the misunderstanding that he was framed was solved, he was recruited by Colonel Leibniz, the head of No. 39 Division, and joined the army. According to the laws and traditions of the Norman Empire, he immediately became a second lieutenant...

This process was simply a strange adventure. Everybody was struck dumb with astonishment. As to the dangers that he had met in the survival training and the event in the ’club’ last night, Zhang Tie didn’t mention them in case of his parents’ concern.

Finally Zhang family had a dinner with elder sister-in-law’s family members and arranged the marriage on the table. After that, elder sister-in-law’s family members left with satisfaction.

Afterwards, Zhang Tie was immediately grabbed by his mom, and she started to ask him with all seriousness about how he was struck by the lightning bolt and his present physical condition. Only after confirming that he was really okay, did she and his dad become completely reassured.

Once the supper was done, Zhang Tie pretended to be jubilant when he talked about the whole military officers’ dorm thing in the Iron-Blood Camp.

”Dad and mom, I’m telling you, I can even take hot water baths in the military officers’ dorm. That’s just too convenient. There are all sorts of services in there for me. Even special people who will wash clothes for me. A few days later, I’ll move there to register in the Camp...”

Hearing Zhang Tie’s words, his dad and mom forced out their smiles.

”Dad and mom, give me a smile...” Zhang Tie used the old method of hugging his dad and mom as he kissed them on their faces. ”Aren’t you happy about your son’s bright future?”

”Happy, of course, I’m happy. But...”

His dad felt reluctant to say it, yet he couldn’t hide it either.

”I know what you’re worried about. Trust me, your son’s life is most valued. Wherever I go, I won’t show off. Additionally, the No. 39 Division is stationed in Blackhot City. Even if I move away, I can still come back to see you at any time.

”Your son has grown up now. It’s time for me to go out. I have an objective. When I save enough money, I’ll certainly buy a big house for you both. You’ll be able to sit in the balcony and watch the sunset everyday...”

Before going to bed, Zhang Tie kept performing as a cute kid at home, trying to make his dad and mom happy. In that solemn Norman Empire’s military uniform, he looked very attractive, especially when he vividly talked about the funny things in the survival training.

From his performance, his dad and mom, who had been frowning, finally relaxed. Especially when they heard that Zhang Tie had enticed three girls at the same time. His mom then finally burst out laughing and flicked at his forehead.

”You? I will thank the god if you’re not alone. If you’re that able, you should bring the three girls back home one day!”

”Fine, I estimate that, not counting elder brother’s, I alone will bring 50-60 women home to call you mom. Then your daughters-in-law will give birth to more than 100 kids for you. After that, you and dad will do nothing but manage Zhang’s kindergarten!”

Just from how far he went with his joke, his dad himself wanted to kick his butt...

With Zhang Tie’s gag, Zhang house was filled with laughter once again.

After washing himself, Zhang Tie still returned to sleep in his attic. In the three months he attended the survival training, the room was well-kept by his mom. Knowing that Zhang Tie would come back today, she had even placed a new set of quilt and cotton-padded mattress for him. Having been dried under the sun’s light during daytime, they still smelt like sunshine and warmth.

After removing his disguise that he had made for mom and dad, Zhang Tie stood still in this familiar attic for ten minutes. He carefully glanced over everything in this room. Not until then did he finally understand what he could not take with him to the dorms. Once he left this place, his parents’ home, he would still be missing its every inch.

After standing still for quite a while, Zhang Tie took a deep breath. He then comforted himself inside that no matter what, one had to face reality.

Reminded of reality, Zhang Tie locked on the arched door in his mind and disappeared from the room.

...

——Handsome and Magnificent Castle Lord, welcome to the Castle of Black Iron!

——The fourth evolution and mutation of the yeast fluid has been completed. The process has succeeded and you have obtained the basic aura yeast. Please check it!

The moment he entered the Castle of Black Iron, the second tip almost made Zhang Tie jump up. After failing three times in the past three months, that bottle of yeast fluid he had brought had finally completed its first evolution and mutation, resulting in a wholly new bottle of yeast fluid...