Castle of Black Iron

On the second early morning, when the sun rose, those knight-level officers of Xuanyuan Fortress were inspecting the battlefield and checking combat readiness on the east bank of Weishui River…

As Weiji General of the theater of operations, Zhang Tie was among the group of inspectors.

Zuoqiu Mingyue was in the front of the team. Zhang Tie stood on his side, followed by some other people. Besides Zhang Tie, all of them were heavenly knights in the Western Theater of Operations. Among them, Zhang Tie, as an earth knight, was a bit special.

Earth knights were great; however, it depended. In such a case, an earth knight was really not something. Because Zuoqiu Mingyue was a sage-level knight, all the other 7 inspectors were heavenly knights.

It was also Zhang Tie’s first time to stay with a sage-level knight and 7 heavenly knights. Although being low in level, Zhang Tie didn’t feel uneasy. Because he knew that these counterparts were the most powerful existences among humans. Such a grand scene could be barely seen even in Xuanyuan Hill. If demons didn’t invade Taixia Country and called for such an occasion, ordinary knights might not see such a grand scene for the rest of their lives, not to mention commoners.

Without exaggeration, any one of them could change the overall situation facing Taixia Country.

Among them, Zuoqiu Mingyue was the chairman of Military Committee of Taixia Country and the Military God of Taixia Country. As for the other heavenly knights, Ye Qingcheng was the former commander of BlackArmor Army. 5 of the other 6 heavenly knights were the incumbent or former commanders of the top 4 armies of Taixia Country. The remaining one was an elder of the imperial household of Xuanyuan Hill.

Besides Zuoqiu Mingyue and Ye Qingcheng, over half of these people were strange to Zhang Tie even though Zhang Tie had come to the theater of operations for almost 2 years.

To be honest, if not Zhang Tie’s duty as Weiji General, the fact that they were checking the combat readiness of the battlefield and the Military God’s insistence, Zhang Tie was not qualified to stay with these people at all.

One could be austere if he had no selfish desires. As Zhang Tie didn’t require their help, he maintained mediocre and relaxed even if he stayed with these most powerful ones in this age. Zhang Tie’s attitude won higher praise from these heavenly knights who had been observing him stealthily. However, these people didn’t know that Zhang Tie had already slept with a heavenly knight for dozens of years in the tower of time. Of course, he wouldn’t feel restrained staying with such a group of heavenly knights.

The biggest achievement that Zhang Tie made in the tower of time was that he had been clear that heavenly knights were also humans who had emotions and mental puzzles. Although heavenly knights were powerful, they still preserved their humanity. Actually, they were more sentimental, such as Yan Feiqing and Zhao Yuan. Some heavenly knights felt eccentric because of their lofty position and the fact that they had long experienced life or death situation and prosperity. What commoners pursued for was not treasured by them anymore. They only treasured something that was out of the imagination of commoners.

Only in one day, the sky over 120 miles away from the west bank of Weishui River had been gloomy, which was caused by the black smoke that those demon war trees were sprouting out. At the same time, in the open land where demon knights and human knights were confronting with each other in the west bank of Weishui River, some battle qi smokes and tornadoes were tangling with each other, which meant that the sentinels and guerrilla knights of both parties were fighting over there. However, compared to the overall battlefield of tens of thousands of elite fighters, these were just normal skirmishes.

It was a mess on the battlefield. Some scorched corpses of iron-armored demons were lying on the ground in front of the group of inspectors. The corpses of iron-armored demons had already shrunk by 2/3 like scorched old trunks while their original looks had been unidentified, leaving a looming scorching taste in the air.

They then passed by those scorched corpses of iron-armored demons leisurely and confidently.

An open land had been created by over 90,000 iron-armored demons yesterday in the minefield in the east bank of Weishui River. Therefore, this early morning, an engineering corps of Taixia Country had already entered this minefield for intense work.

The open field was covered with scorched corpses of iron-armored demons. However, the engineering corps of Taixia Country didn’t move these corpses; instead, they started to deploy mines from the east riverside once again. Although it was a dangerous task, these engineers had a general impression about the distribution of mines here as they were the same engineering corps who buried the first batch of mines here. After entering this region, everybody was pretty meticulous while those engineering fighters were looking for those remaining mines which had not been detonated inch by inch. After that, they set white cordons around the place where there was mine along with a red warning banner. Then, they buried new incendiary mines over the open land and restored the ruined wires. Wires could effectively delay the offensive speed of ground demon forces like a huge quagmire. When demon ground corps bogged down in this quagmire, the airship troops of Taixia country would play their great role…

Zhang Tie knew that heavenly and sage-level demon knights could definitely see how the engineers deployed mines here, though being 240-300 miles away. However, Taixia Country didn’t care about it at all. Even if the commander and heavenly demon knights of demons could see it, they wouldn’t impart that to those demon vanguards whom these incendiary mines were mainly targeted at.

Previously, engineering corps of Taixia Country was just an auxiliary corps; however, the appearance of incendiary mines turned it into a frontline combat corps. They didn’t need to fight demons face-to-face; instead, they only needed to deploy mines in order to kill demon fighters. Yesterday, most of the late 200,000 iron-armored demons were actually killed by these mines. Such a victory raised the morale of the entire engineering corps across the Western Theater of Operations. As a result, these engineers were full of vigor to clear the battlefield and bury new mines. Being not far away, some engineers were singing happily while burying mines, arousing laughter from surrounding people. The victory yesterday improved the atmosphere across the Western Theater of Operations greatly.

“We need to intensify the engineering corps!” Zuoqiu Mingyue said after observing the battlefield seriously for a short while, “As for the rearrangement of the provincial army in the rear end, besides turning a part of them into air cavalries, each rearranged corps should include at least 2 engineering divisions; some special corps could include 3 divisions. Frontline engineering troops should be mechanical. All the vehicles and airships of engineering troops should be allocated according to the standard of Class A corps among the top four armies. Frontline corps might not have to run faster than demon troops; however, frontline engineering troops have to run faster than demon troops!” Zuoqiu Mingyue said as he moved his eyes onto Zhang Tie, “How many incendiary mines are in stockpile in the rear end?”

“By yesterday, there’re still 25 million incendiary mines in the four provinces of Taixia Country…” Zhang Tie answered, “Because too many mines were deployed in the frontline of Weishui River and Helan Mountain, we’ve consumed a large amount of inventory. Additionally, the productivity of those arsenals in the rear end couldn’t catch up with it for the time being!”

When Zuoqiu Mingyue saw Zhang Tie today, he was glassy-eyed; however, at this moment, the moment Zuoqiu Mingyue opened his mouth, Zhang Tie had known that Zuoqiu Mingyue had already forgotten about the quarrel between them yesterday. That decree of pardon finally didn’t take effect.

“Only such a bit?” Zuoqiu Mingyue frowned.

Although over 20 million mines were too many for others, it was too small for the hundreds of millions of demons in the Western Theater of Operations. Actually 2 months ago, Taixia Country had deployed over 170 million mines on both banks of Weishui River and Helan Mountain…

Through yesterday’s battle, the power of incendiary mines had been evident. Everybody had recognized the importance of this sharp weapon. Before this, who could imagine that incendiary mines could kill such a great number of LV 9 demon fighters? In yesterday’s battle, Zhang Tie’s performance was imposing on the battlefield; however, very few people knew that it was Zhang Tie who insisted on deploying incendiary mines on a large scale over the theater of operations before the battle.

“The arsenals in the rear end are gradually expanding their production capacity of incendiary mines. Additionally, after yesterday’s battle, I’ve already had Heavens Fortune Sect distribute a batch of incendiary mines to the theater of operations. They would arrive in about 1 week!”

“How many incendiary mines did you have Heavens Fortune Sect distribute to us?”

“200 million at cost price…”

After hearing Zhang Tie’s answer, besides Zuoqiu Mingyue, all the other 7 heavens knights slightly changed their expression as they all threw a deep glance at Zhang Tie. Besides Zhang Tie, who else could enable Heavens Fortune Sect to distribute 200 million incendiary mines here at the cost price from thousands of miles away even at the request of Zuoqiu Mingyue. After yesterday’s battle, various incendiary weaponry became hot across Taixia Country. Except for the imperial court of Taixia Country, all the major clans and sects started to stockpile such weaponry. Zhang Tie was absolutely providing timely assistance to the theater of operations by having Heavens Fortune Sect distribute 200 million incendiary mines here at the cost price.

Everybody knew that Zhang Tie was cooperating with Fiery-Dragon Bounty Territory on the production of Fiery Oil and various incendiary weaponry. Additionally, Heavens Fortune Sect could even produce Fiery Oil a bit faster than those arsenals in the Western Theater of Operations. However, nobody could imagine that Zhang Tie could influence Heavens Fortune Sect so much.

After hearing Zhang Tie’s answer, even Zuoqiu Mingyue nodded towards Zhang Tie and said, “Thank you so much…”

“It’s my pleasure. In the holy war, it’s my commitment to serve Taixia Country and humans, not to mention that it’s my duty to do that!” Zhang Tie said modestly without any complacent expression.

Even though Zhang Tie “threatened” him in his office for a woman, he instantly had Heavens Fortune Sect distribute 200 million incendiary mines here. It meant that he still had the public interest in mind. Additionally, Zhang Tie was farsighted to expand the productive capability of incendiary mines across the country. Such an elite was really an able assistant of Zuoqiu Mingyue and the pillar of the country. After recalling that his junior couldn’t marry Zhang Tie but be his elder sister-in-law, Zuoqiu Mingyue let out a sigh with emotions inside…

After having a quarrel with Zhang Tie, Zuoqiu Mingyue valued Zhang Tie more inside.

“Air cavalries and wing demons were on even in yesterday’s battle. Undoubtedly, you have made great military exploits in organizing air cavalries in the theater of operations. I will report it to the superior for rewarding you!” Zuoqiu Mingyue ‘comforted’ Zhang Tie while looking at him.

However, Zhang Tie sighed with emotions, “In yesterday’s battle between air cavalries and wing demons, many air cavalries chose to perish together with wing demons after running out of their incendiary bolts or crash the iron-armored demons on the ground by plane. Fewer than half of them baled out. Hopefully, the commander-in-chief could issue an order to have air cavalries survive themselves the moment they lose their combat ability in the air instead of seeking for death…”