Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie kept running eastward, except for 6 hours of rest per day, regardless of daytime or night. When he felt thirsty, he would drink a mouthful of all-purpose medicament or water. In this way, he could run 500 km a day.

What guided him was a map of Blackson Humans Corridor and a compass.

On the map, there was a wild area which covered more than 1700 square km. In the south of the wild area was a city Indhart which was one of the 17 stars on the flag of Andaman Alliance. This city was also annexed by Norman Empire and destroyed by demon puppets just like Blackhot City. Besides this city, no more city or people could be seen in the wilderness. Therefore, it looked very desolate.

Zhang Tie’s first destination was not Indhart, but a human country——the Republic of Symbian in the east of this wilderness.

The Republic of Symbian covered about 2 million square km. A small part of this country was connected to Norman Empire. This country had more than 30 cities. Its national strength was a bit weaker than that of Norman Empire; however, it was much powerful than the former Andaman Alliance.

According to Zhang Tie’s plan, after passing by the Republic of Symbian, he would keep moving eastward and pass the territory of Cross Star Commerce Alliance; then, he would pass two smaller countries before reaching the seaside.

The Sun Dynasty had already collapsed in the demon disaster, which meant that the way towards southward from Blackhot City was blocked. Although Zhang Tie was promoted to LV 9 for a couple of years, he didn’t think that he could safely and smoothly survive those demon-stricken areas. He was told that the most powerful armies, the Brilliant Eyes and the Brilliant Fury were demonized, causing Sun Dynasty collapse rapidly. Therefore, a LV 9 fighter was nothing in front of such a great power.

The road towards east looked less dangerous; however, it depended. Because the Republic of Symbian was only over 4000 km away from Golan Empire. 10 months ago, the demon army, which swept all the way towards south from Hurricane Plateau had already collapsed most of countries surrounding Golan Empire. The whole northeast territory of Blackson Humans Corridor had been collapsed. It was hard to say whether the demon’s army had already reached the Republic of Symbian.

After running in the wilderness for three days, during that period, he killed some low-rank magical beasts and enjoyed their flesh for a couple of times. On the 4th day, Zhang Tie saw many airships in the sky, which were as dense as a horde of flies. They passed by this wilderness towards north while covering the sky.

This was the first time when Zhang Tie felt that airships could be as many as a horde of flies. All of them were large and medium-sized airships, more than 1000 in total. Zhang Tie raised his head and watched that cloud passing over him for about 10 minutes.

Watching those airships flying over him, Zhang Tie felt being shocked inside. However, he didn’t stay there but kept running forward. After two hours, Zhang Tie moved another 60 km ahead. At this time, he saw another batch of about 100 war airships flying towards south.

In the next 5 hours, Zhang Tie encountered another 3 batches of war airship, the number of war airships of each batch varied from 300 to 1000. Each batch flew northward in a tidy formation.

At night, when the familiar fury-level war airships flew by Zhang Tie densely, Zhang Tie’s blood almost coagulated. Zhang Tie caught sight of the symbol of cloud dragon which was special for Jinyun Country.

After thinking for a few seconds, Zhang Tie kept running towards east.

After one hour, Zhang Tie saw a railway, two smoking trains and endless contingents of people on the sides of the railway.

One contingent was all underprivileged ones, who were moving from north to south while the other contingent was all armored soldiers, who were moving from south to north. They just passed by each other.

So did the trains on the railway. One train was heading for south from north and was crowded with people. Even its top and head was covered with people. People were climbing on the train like ants. Those passers threw their admirable looks towards those on the train.

The other train was heading for north from south was filled with steam armored vehicles, steam tanks and military materials being tightly covered with green water-proof cloth.

Right in front of Zhang Tie, two trains passed by each other in converse directions with a shocking slogan on each train——Men to the North; Women to the South.

Standing on the roadside, Zhang Tie watched the soldiers walking towards north and the underprivileged ones walking towards south. Many of them glanced at Zhang Tie out of curiosity when they passed by Zhang Tie. Zhang Tie even checked himself and found nothing special, ”But why do they look at me with that curious look?”

Zhang Tie didn’t figure out the reason while a military officer with the rank of captain who was wearing a white armband with the symbol of gendarme walked towards Zhang Tie followed by some soldiers in solemn looks. They surrounded Zhang Tie at once.

That captain watched Zhang Tie with despised and chilly eyes, ”You coward, no matter what your name is or which troop you have escaped from. You have two choices now. First, let me chop off your head right away. Second, go back to the frontier and die like a man. Make a choice!”

After hearing his words, Zhang Tie became stunned. He looked left and right and found nobody else was behind him. Therefore, he pointed at his own nose, ”Are you talking to me?”

”Is there any other army deserter here?” the captain asked with a sneer.

”You might be wrong. I’m not a deserter. I am just passing by here!” Zhang Tie explained sincerely.

After hearing Zhang Tie’s words, not only that captain, even those soldiers started to laugh out loudly. At the same time, their laughter was mixed with a cold sense.

”Sir, although this guy is a coward, he’s humorous. We’ve caught so many deserters these days. But this guy’s lie was the most creative!” a soldier joked as he watched the captain.

”From three years ago, all the countries in the north of Kalay Mountain Range of Blackson Humans Corridor have started the red mobilization decree. All the men ranging from 16 to 60 years old were forcefully recruited to serve the army. They had to fight on the battle field or join the reserve forces and logistics army. This place is close to the battle field of the holy war. All the men within 2000 km have to take the weapons and join the war. The frontier is converging with armies from dozens of countries of Blackson Humans Corridor. All the fighters of the Republic of Symbian had started to converge here. You’re just passing by? From where? Are you here to enjoy the scenery?” Watching Zhang Tie with a cold expression, the captain revealed Zhang Tie’s ”lie” straightforwardly.

After hearing this, Zhang Tie became silent. The captain’s words were reasonable, which Zhang Tie could not refute at all. Zhang Tie could not tell the captain about the truth. Even if he explained it to him, nobody would believe in him.

At the same time, Zhang Tie carefully observed those people moving towards south. He then found that all the men looked old and clumsy with grey hair or had kids. Zhang Tie finally realized how distinctive he was here in such casual clothes.

”If all the countries in the north of Kalay Mountain Range of Blackson Humans Corridor have started the red mobilization decree. I might have a lot of troubles if I want to pass by the Republic of Symbian and the other smaller countries on this route, which might be more troublesome than going southward from Blackhot City.”

”If I went southward from Blackhot City, demon army might chop off my head. If I want to continue to pass by these countries, the commoners and army of these countries might kill me by treating me as a deserter. Do I have to return to Huaiyuan Prefecture by killing a lot of people?”

After thinking it for a short while, Zhang Tie recalled the airships from Jinyun Country. Thus, he deliberately let out a sigh like a captured deserter, ”Well, I will go back to the frontier, just send me back to the encampment of Jinyun Country!”

After watching Zhang Tie seriously, that captain burst out into laughter, ”You should think like that!”

...

After half an hour, that captain drove Zhang Tie to a railway station in the front. When a military train parked there, the captain told something to another military officer on the train before sending Zhang Tie into a carriage.

After a few minutes, the military train started to move. Seeing off the train, a gendarme asked that captain, ”Captain, do you really want to send this coward to the encampment of Jinyun Country?”

”All those dispatched here from Jinyun Country were elites above LV 9 of the six major clans who could defeat demon army. How come such a coward be dispatched there from Jinyun Country? Do you think that I could not identify that he was lying?” that captain sneered.

”Ah, so where do you send him to, sir?”

”Such a coward deserter is most suitable to be a cannon folder in the vanguard of the battle field. If he could kill one demon puppet, his death would be meaningful!”

”What kind of people were those in that carriage?”

”They were all convicts sentenced to death from Cross Star Commerce Alliance. They had just put on the military uniforms. As long as they could survive one year in the vanguard, they could gain freedom!”

”Ah?”

...

When Zhang Tie was sent in the carriage, Lan Yunxi, a major in the military uniform was delivering an order in the flagship command module of the airship fleet while looking in the distance with a solemn look.

”We’re entering the battle field, send the signal, let the fleet change to three layers. Gap, 20m. The first echelon formation releases gliders to spy on the air territory in the front. Watch out the strike of winged demons!”

During the past years, Zhang Tie became a LV 9 fighter in sleep; at the same time, the most brilliant pearl in Huaiyuan Palace also promoted to a great commander of the airship fleet. Her honor shocked the entire Blackson Humans Corridor.

Zhang Tie didn’t know that when he raised his head towards the sky, Lan Yunxi was in the air territory within the reach of his eyes.

...

When Zhang Tie prepared to have a good sleep in the narrow carriage, he found the atmosphere was not right as some guys were gazing at him with malicious looks...