Western Continent, Cang Hong Empire (formerly Cang Cui Empire).
From Hanye Territory in the north to Wanghai Territory in the south, bright red notices were posted in thousands of cities and small towns within the empire. Officers carrying command flags traveled to and from various fiefdoms, urging various places to
Preparations for war.
Since the beginning of the year, the imperial ceremonial officials have carried the emperor's orders to all provinces and fiefdoms to mobilize public opinion and tell the poor people that as long as there is war, only war, they can change their destiny and get everything they want.
Whether it is land, wealth, titles, women, etc., waging war is not only for the empire, but also for everyone. As a subject of the empire, you should use your sword to plow out the required land and complete the unfinished achievements of the past.
As a result, the entire country gradually fell into an atmosphere of fanaticism. Even if there were a few voices of opposition and obstruction, they were immediately drowned by the vast sea of people.
"You nobles, do you think you can stop us like this? Do you think you can control your wealth and status forever?"
"I want to tell you, it is never possible, and it is definitely wishful thinking." A man wearing dirty clothes stood on a tall wooden box and shouted loudly at the luxurious building in front of him. In his eyes,
Below him were groups of people from the lower class who were also dressed in simple clothes. They shouted in response to the man, and from time to time they uttered some curse words and spat at the mansions in this wealthy area.
"We can use swords, guns, and blood to get everything we want, instead of hiding in a high attic and shivering like you cowards, hahaha!" He smiled wantonly and arrogantly,
There was also a burst of laughter from below.
"Well said."
"Let those nobles take a good look, haha!"
The group of people linked arms and looked at the closed door of the aristocratic mansion, with happy and proud expressions that could not be concealed.
On the third floor of the mansion, behind a glass window covered by a curtain, a girl of about 18 years old quietly looked at the group of shirtless and dirty-dressed people below through the gap in the curtain. She retracted her head in fear.
Close the curtain.
She took a few steps back, turned to the side, looked at her mother in the room, and asked timidly: "Mommy, these people feel so dangerous, why don't the guards drive them away?"
The lady who was sitting by the fireplace and reading a fashion magazine with glasses raised her head, glanced at her daughter, and then said: "Let them go, in a few days, these people will be taken away
We are on the front line, and it will be quiet then."
"Really?"
"Well, when your father came back from get off work in Parliament yesterday, I heard him say that you should be patient for a while for now. After all, His Majesty the Emperor needs these untouchables to expand our territory for us."
"But aren't wars all about knights? In those stories, heroes always charge forward." The noble girl in a lavender floral dress walked over and sat down next to her mother.
"Child, times have changed." The mother touched her daughter's golden hair.
"Now the muskets are even more powerful, and there are too many untouchables. It's just a good idea to use up a lot of them in battle, so they won't jump around like this."
"The Royal Academy where your brother went to school is now also teaching various tactics of using muskets. It is said that some of the teachers are officers who have experienced the Battle of Cold Star."
"Are they officers from Crancia? I heard they are very powerful and all of them are very handsome." The girl's eyes were full of curiosity.
"No, they were officers from the Frost Alliance. Although they failed, many of them were excellent officers, and they also brought musket-related technologies to the empire." The mother shook her head and explained.
"His Majesty the Emperor attaches great importance to this group of officers and mages, and has specially allocated funds to establish academies and factories to train officers and manufacture muskets."
"Are muskets really so powerful? I heard from my classmates that an elf can easily shoot down a group of musketeers with a bow." The girl recalled what she saw in school. Those elves were indeed powerful.
"I don't know about this. Maybe there are too few elves. Besides, those long ears in the forest are not our own after all." The mother turned the pages of the book.
"But don't you like elf clothes and decorations very much?" The daughter looked at the color magazine in her mother's hand. Such things are not cheap. Each book costs an extraordinary gold coin, and the clothes and dresses in the magazine also have many elf styles.
of.
"People like different clothes. Just like that pure white cat you like to raise, if it eats at the same table as you one day, it will always feel awkward."
"Well, if it's a cat, as long as it doesn't eat what's on my plate, I don't mind that much..." The girl hesitated for a while and then answered.
"But what if it's that big black dog your brother has."
"Absolutely not. It's too ugly. I don't want to eat with it."
"Keke, so it's different after all. They are pets, but we are humans."
The mother smiled and touched her daughter's head. Such ideas and thoughts are now very popular among the upper echelons of the empire. The people of the empire are noble, and humans are also great. Although elves are beautiful, they are from the old era after all.
Outsiders cannot be compared with human beings.
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Cranthia, Apocalypse Fortress.
Under the blue sky, there is a golden field, and the haystacks after the wheat harvest are piled up into small squares, filling this vast field of vision.
On this flat and empty land, a towering and majestic fortress stands on the ground, blocking the passage at the junction of mountains and seas.
In the evening on the fortress, the bricks and stones still retain the warmth of the sun. Soldiers in armor stand upright on the wall, looking to the east. The flag of the golden morning star is flying on the top of the tower, declaring the ownership of this fortress.
.
Since the victory over the Frost Alliance, the Apocalypse Fortress has also surrendered to Crancia. Currently, there are about 200,000 troops stationed in the fortress to monitor the formidable empire in the east.
On a high tower in the fortress, a general wearing heavy armor looked down at the golden field below.
"Has the grain harvest on the Golden Plains been completely harvested?" The general's voice was a little rough.
"The harvest has been completed and is currently being transported back to the fortress by various convoys." The adjutant on the side opened the paper in his hand. These are the recently reported data.
"Is there any new news from the green side?"
"Reporting to your lord, the first batch of the new army trained by Green Green is heading south. After arriving at the Duchy of Baskar, it is expected that it will be repaired for a period of time."
"So, they will launch an attack in the spring of next year." The general analyzed in a deep voice.
"However, at this time, the empire has not yet been fully mobilized, and many local nobles are obstructed. Because the empire recruits troops, their available labor force is reduced..."
"No, you don't understand the emperor's character. He is not the kind of person who grinds and grinds. With his character, he will not wait until everything is ready before taking action...ahem."
The general shook his head, coughed a few more times, turned around, and the other officer beside him quickly handed over some water.
After he finished drinking, he moistened his throat before continuing.
"As long as there is a small victory, the emperor will publicize it in the country, set up a group of models, stimulate the desires of the lower class, carry public opinion, and sweep away those nobles who hinder the recruitment of troops and the launch of war."
"And many small nobles will be jealous of the huge benefits gained from the war, so they will no longer unite and join it. By then, his goal will be achieved."
"With the empire's huge territory and population, it can mobilize soldiers and resources that far exceed ours. Once it is fully operational, it will become a bloodthirsty and terrifying lion. Therefore, we must be on guard."
While several people were discussing, the sound of rapid footsteps came from the corridor nearby, from far to near, and the sound of metal armor rubbing could even be clearly heard.
"Report to Lord Seg, there is a letter from Solander." An elite soldier from War Sequence 4 stood at attention and reported loudly.
"Bring it here."
"Yes!" The adjutant took the tightly wrapped letter, quickly decoded the secret language on it, and then handed the translated text and the original to General Seger.
Sage looked at the paper in his hand for a long time, then handed it to the person next to him.
"Lord Pullman's letter tells us that Falcon's 100,000 cavalry will soon come to support and strengthen the defense of the fortress."
"Will Falcon send someone over at this time?" Several people present looked at each other and then started discussing.
"When we were at war with Frost Rose 6 years ago, Falcon was standing on the opposite side."
"Although they withdrew in time, it is still unknown whether they are worthy of trust."
"Besides, the current rulers of Falcon are still the same people from before."
"Because we stood up in time, we didn't have any good excuse to clean up the original ruler later."
"Ahem, just say it here. Don't talk nonsense outside. This goes against the teachings of the sage." An officer pretended to cough and made a point.
"Of course this is clear. After all, we are all compatriots from the Seven Kingdoms of Xuehua. We still have to maintain friendship." Several other generals replied, but judging from their expressions, they probably regretted the great opportunity at that time.
"The Sanctuary has recently sent many people to Falcon. It is said that all the scepter priests from the Star Orbit Palace have gone."
"What are you going to do there?" an officer asked curiously.
"Within the church, there are so many people who worship His Highness Lorraine Hill. Some people even directly say that His Highness should be enshrined as a Seraph. And the scepter priest of the Star Orbit Palace is the leader of this group of people."
"For this purpose, he specially collected various quotations from His Highness in the past, and then wrote scriptures and spread them within the church. The Wing Clan in the Falcon Kingdom also has many relics and verbal inheritance, indicating that His Highness is the original angel on the murals in the past.
"
"If he proves successful that the two are the same person and lists this book as a recognized book of the church, then His Highness will directly canonize it and make it the main belief of the church."
"In this way, all the countries and races in Crancia will be highly unified. All parties will also have a unanimous belief that is mutually recognized."
"That is, the Crimson Fire Songstress, the Sage of Starlight and Miracles, the Archangel of Winds of the Beginning and the End, His Highness Lorraine Hill."