Chapter 534: The Machine Soul is Delighted
"You didn't teach me how to change the bullet?"
This sentence made Hodge silent.
To be honest, he couldn't remember whether he taught or not. The situation was too urgent just now. To be honest, he didn't hold much hope. He just asked Gwen to try it. He was already prepared for the expeditionary force to open fire.
In the end, Gwen suppressed an entire wall of bones by himself. "No matter what, this heavy machine gun shouldn't be able to fire continuously like this. Come on, help me fire the gun."
Several expeditionary forces hurriedly helped Hodge lift the Gatling gun onto a special bracket by the window - this train was built for war and had many shooting positions.
Hodge took a brand new magazine, inserted it with familiarity, and then turned the crank. "Hmm?"
The crank seemed to be welded to the machine gun and couldn't turn at all.
"Is the gun broken?"
"No?" Gwen looked puzzled. She was using it just now.
Hodge leaned over to take a look, but didn't see anything stuck. Even if it was stuck, it should have been stuck for a certain part of the journey and then stopped. How could this thing just stop moving?
Gwen reached out and spun around a few times, firing a string of bullets, then she stepped aside.
Hotch gripped the crank—it still wouldn't turn.
Damn, this is a new gun, just taken out of the warehouse, and why am I the only one who can’t turn it?
After hesitating for a moment, Hodge took a can of gun oil from the soldier. This was gun oil used for cleaning. He carefully poured it into the bearing of the revolver along the gap.
Then he shook the crank again, and this time it actually worked. As the wheel turned, gun oil was inexplicably squeezed out and splashed all over Hodge's face.
Now the expeditionary forces around all showed expressions of sudden enlightenment.
I understand. The machine soul is unhappy.
The soldiers patted Hodge's shoulders with sympathy.
Most of the expeditionary forces came from Castells. Who hasn't seen a stoker being chased and scolded by a steam engine?
Knowing how to please the machine spirit is a technical job. Those who do it well can greatly increase the output of the steam engine. Many technical priests have really developed feelings for the machines, and when they are transferred to other places for work, they always hug the steam engine and say goodbye.
It is said that Captain Jeremiah would chat with his Black Pearl for half an hour every day and sit in the captain's room without coming out. He was almost mistaken for having Castells syndrome.
It's just that "Has this gun been consecrated? Isn't this a standard heavy machine gun?"
"Don't talk nonsense. What is a consecration ceremony? It's called awakening the machine spirit. But I've never heard of anyone performing a ceremony on a heavy machine gun."
The expeditionary force whispered among themselves, saying that the steam engine needed to awaken the machine soul because it had to burn the pollution, and it could not burn at all without the suppression of the machine soul.
But what's the point of consecrating a heavy machine gun? It's not like an ordinary machine gun can't be used, so who would have the time to perform a ceremony on it? You know, machine spirits are very difficult to serve.
"Gwen, have you ever done anything to this gun?"
“I’ve fired it.”
"No, I mean something more unique, like performing some rituals. You should know that there is a machine soul in this gun, which is a kind of will, right?"
"Ritual? There was no ritual?" Gwen scratched his head. "But I talked to it before the fight, after I test-fired a few rounds."
"What did you say?"
"Uh, well..." Gwen looked embarrassed and blushed.
"I say you are awesome, come be my friend."
“.”
"And then, how do you summon it?"
"Ah? You still need to summon? I'll just fire at the enemy - this gun is really great, much more useful than a long sword!"
The carriage fell into deathly silence.
The expeditionary forces were stunned. Even Ash's cold expression was broken, and he looked like he had seen a ghost.
Even Monica had to jump and dance for a long time to summon a machine spirit, but you said a word and the machine spirit jumped out by itself? The last time I saw a machine spirit so active was when Tata went to the lighthouse area, and the steam engines in the sunken ship there almost jumped up collectively to attack him.
Hodge pursed his lips. God had mercy on him. He was originally a boilerman. Because he was disliked by the machine spirit, he had to give up burning boilers and join the army. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the gun oil off his face without saying a word. The soldiers next to him patted him on the shoulders.
"Okay, let's leave it at that for now. Gwen, this gun is for you. Treat her well." Hodge took a while to wipe it clean and glanced at the heavy machine gun with a dejected look.
"Where is the conductor? Bring him here, Lord Ash. We should discuss the situation of the White Scourge."
After stepping onto the armored train, the soldiers instantly relaxed a lot. Neither the bones nor the fog could catch up with their train. If they really caught up, the heavy machine guns and dragon-breath cannons on the roof would force them back.
However, before the conductor arrived, the news from the sentry on the roof arrived first.
"White fog spotted on the right!"
Hodge quickly rushed to the observation hole with a few others, squinted his eyes for a while, then turned to look at Ash.
"It is indeed white fog." Ash nodded, "And there are those wriggling white bones ahead."
"The distance is not close, and the direction is also good. It is difficult to pose a threat to the steam train." Hodge rubbed his chin and suddenly turned to ask the conductor who had just arrived.
"What supplies are on the truck?"
"Two wagons of ammunition, one wagon of sundries, one wagon of medicines, seven wagons of various materials, and two wagons of livestock."
"What are cattle?"
"Several cows and pigs, and horses. I can't remember the exact number. Do I need to check?"
"No, but I need the train to cooperate."
In front of the fog, the speed of the train gradually slowed down. Suddenly, the door of a carriage opened and the animals inside were forcibly driven out.
The speed was not very fast. Some animals had broken legs, while some were lucky enough to be unharmed and ran in all directions.
The speed of the train increased slightly, but not too much. It just kept a distance from the animals behind and slowly watched the white bones rushing towards it from the side.
The white bones that had been chasing the train suddenly changed direction and rushed towards the animals.
A large number of animals with broken legs were lying on the ground. When they saw the wriggling bones, they ran around like crazy. Those that were unable to move also let out wailing.
But the speed of the bones was much faster than their struggling. In just a moment, the pigs, cows and other livestock were instantly covered by the bones.
On the train in the distance, Hodge and others looked over here with wide eyes.
"Are they eating the flesh?"
"No, not really. They seem to be dismantling the animals like they would dismantle a gun into parts."
(End of this chapter)
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