Chapter 509 The Future Speakers
Charlize Theron genuinely felt that the word 'fate' was utterly hypocritical.
Whether it was the Green Forest Army, the Salvation Army, or Ellarick with Campbell's guns... they all let him choose his own destiny, but did he really have the chance to choose?
Even when this fire first started burning, His Majesty didn't consult him about setting it on fire.
However, there's one thing Ellaric said that Theron wholeheartedly agrees with.
They really have to take their destiny into their own hands.
And so, this council, named after the Holy Light, was born in a narrow, dark secret room in the governor's mansion of Twilight City.
Although it shares almost the same power model and structure, its fate was sealed from the beginning: it would take a different path from the Thunder City Council.
Born from a "black box," it will become an even larger "black box" after taking root and sprouting. This is like a planted potato that can grow, but it can never grow into wheat or a pumpkin.
But none of that really matters.
While oligarchy has its despicable aspects, it is still far better than feudalism.
Just like a feudal king, better than a cannibalistic chieftain, this is perhaps a kind of progress.
Looking at the four founders of the Duchy of Twilight Council, including himself, Theron felt that the composition of this council was extremely complex.
An Earl of Stillwater Beach whose territory is still in Campbell's hands, a young master who inexplicably inherited the earldom, a governor who is outwardly estranged from His Majesty the King but inwardly flirting with neighboring countries, and... himself, who has been sidelined by the saintess and the New Testament.
Theron couldn't help but feel a sense of desolation for his uncertain future, realizing that a single province could produce so many abstract characters.
Saint Sith above...
Is this also part of your plan?
What made Theron even more desperate than the desolation was that after all four of them raised their hands, the other three of them all turned their gazes to him.
Being stared at by those three pairs of eyes, Theron felt the hairs on his body stand on end.
Baron Eralic's thinking was simple: Mr. Theron Gard's territory was the most powerful, and the future head of the Duchy of Twilight should rightfully be given to him. According to the system that His Majesty the Grand Duke had advised him on, in the Duchy of Twilight without a duke, all power resided in the council, and as a baron, he could simply serve as its speaker.
As for the profit-driven Earl Cormac, he was an extremely cunning man. While the honey in the beehive might be delicious, he wouldn't reach for it himself. He lost because he was forced into it by the Campbellians; if he won, he could become the second Earl.
As for Edd Tully...
He was completely indecisive. The other two looked at Theron, and the young man suddenly realized that this guy was the mastermind!
No wonder Mr. Charlize Theron said that at the beginning—
'Let's have our governor say a few words.'
"Wait a minute, what do you mean by this?" Theron's lips were a little pale, and his large body was squeezed against the back of the chair, making a creaking sound.
He only wanted to be an earl, indulging in food, drink, merrymaking, and women, and then pass on his title, wealth, and honor to his sons generation after generation when he passed away. Being dragged into this council was an accident in itself; he had no desire to be involved in any bigger trouble!
However, the looks in the eyes of those three people told him that this time, he still had no choice.
Ellarik stood up and walked over to him, placing his hands on his broad shoulders and looking at him intently.
"The Twilight Province doesn't have a ducal title, and it's too late to create one now, nor is it necessary! The current problems in the Twilight Province are precisely because there is a king whose power is unchecked!"
"We intend to emulate the free cities along the Whirlpool Sea coast, such as Thunder City and Mist Harbor... We will establish a semi-republican autonomous government with a citizens' council and non-hereditary rule! The future of this province will be decided by the nobles, guilds, and gentry of the countryside, rather than handing our heads over to the king!"
Seeing Theron's lips trembling and unable to speak, he gave the latter no chance to choose and spoke in an irrefutable tone.
"We intend for you to be the head of the Duchy of Twilight!"
...
Night completely enveloped the twilight city, and even the moon seemed ashamed to hide its light as it looked at the blasphemous people on the ground.
Theron thought that Baron Ellarrick was absolutely wicked.
Every single sentence was clearly his own idea, but he insisted on adding "they" at the end.
It wasn't until he was sitting in the carriage returning to the mansion that he realized what was going on and understood that he would have to act like a scoundrel from now on!
From now on, if there are any annoying guys, he will never say "I hate you" again, but will say "We hate you".
No, he wants to improve it further—
We all hate you!
With just a few words changed, a fair duel between two people turned into a massive siege.
Theron decided to include this phrase in his family precepts to educate his descendants.
The word more hypocritical than 'fate' is 'we'.
However, no matter how much he cursed Baron Eralic for being inhuman, he eventually obediently bound himself to the "Holy Light Council."
Whatever.
Since there are already two people riding on his shoulders, one more won't make a difference.
Just as Count Theron was silently praying for the fate of his family, the behemoth sleeping on the northeastern shore of the Whirlpool Sea was opening its sleepy eyes and baring its sharp claws at the arrogant king.
The morning mist condensed into condensation on the windows, and a poorly decorated black carriage rolled over the cinder-strewn road and slowly came to a stop in front of the heavy cast-iron gate of the Punk Armory.
This factory is definitely one of the most impressive buildings in the entire new industrial area, after all, it used to be a warehouse for the Royal Armory.
There's probably only one person in the entire Thunder City who has the power to open another armory right next to the Royal Armory.
After the carriage came to a stop, the young coachman hurriedly got out and opened the door for His Highness the Prince.
Punk was already waiting at the door.
The former groom was no longer as thin as he had been a year or so ago. His slightly plump figure was wrapped in a brown vest, making him look like a narrow barrel. A pocket watch chain hung next to the bronze buttons, and he wore a black bowler hat.
Upon seeing His Highness step down from the carriage, Punk immediately strode forward, smiling as he removed his hat in greeting and gave a slight bow.
"Good morning, Your Highness Colin. Your presence greatly honors this small factory!"
"Mr. Punk, you're too kind. Our factory is quite large; there are probably few chimneys in the entire industrial park that are more magnificent than ours."
Luo Yan made a lighthearted joke, then looked past Punk's shoulder and landed on the slightly reserved man behind him.
"This must be Factory Manager Simon."
The man was about forty years old, tall and thin, and wearing faded work clothes.
His finger joints were large, and there were traces of machine oil still under his fingernails. His focused and bright eyes didn't look like those of a factory owner, but rather like those of a dedicated watchmaker.
The Punk Armory is a place that produces "epoch-making weapons," and it needs this kind of "engineer-type" factory manager.
It's clear that Punk put a lot of thought into this matter.
"Your Highness, good day." Simon bowed slightly, his voice a little hoarse but full of energy. "I am Simon, your loyal servant... Welcome to your visit."
It's clear that this factory manager, Simon, put a lot of thought into it and prepared for today's meeting for a long time.
That impeccable manners were probably practiced in front of a mirror.
“No need for formalities, Mr. Simon.” Luo Yan nodded to him, smiled and shook hands with him. “I have long heard of your great reputation. Mr. Punk has praised you to me quite a bit.”
"Yes, really? Thank you."
Thanks?
Luo Yan was slightly taken aback, then smiled and let go of her hand.
"polite."
Simon felt his cheeks burning, as red as two hot irons, and he felt uneasy, unsure of where to put his hands.
I never expected that His Highness the Prince would be even more approachable than I had heard, actually shaking hands with a commoner like myself!
He secretly hid his hands behind his back, deciding not to wash them for the next two days.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Punk, worried that the honest factory manager he had invited would continue to make things awkward, eagerly led His Highness the Prince deeper into the factory area.
Everyone has things they're not good at; for example, his factory manager Simon isn't good at socializing.
The massive factory buildings stand tall in the factory area, with red brick chimneys spewing dark smoke into the sky.
A female worker with rolled-up sleeves was using a modified "long-handled mop" made from a clothes rack and rag to wipe away the condensation hanging on the second-floor windows. Workers pushing carts jogged along the steel monorail, delivering still-warm castings into the assembly workshop, the clanging and banging sounds filled with busy activity.
Inside the workshop, however, things were even busier. The workers on the day shift had already started work, standing in front of the long table leading directly to the door, checking their tools and waiting for the foreman to assign them tasks.
"Your Highness! Look!"
Standing next to the massive steam pipes, Punk had to raise his voice an octave to barely drown out the noise coming from the next workshop.
"Everything here is state-of-the-art! One hundred skilled workers can assemble fifty Roxay 1053 rifles a day! This efficiency is unmatched in the entire Duchy—no, even the entire continent of Os!"
He had never been to the distant holy city, but he imagined that the situation there must be similar to that of His Majesty the Grand Duke's Royal Armory.
The thought of those arrogant craftsmen in the Royal Arsenal made him smile with a hint of pride.
"That old, outdated Royal Armory next door, even if they had two hundred workers and worked themselves to the bone all day, they could only produce twenty smoothbore muskets! We not only make them faster, but the quality is also many times better than theirs!"
"No wonder the Grand Duke entrusted the order to you; it seems he's thoroughly fed up with them too." Luo Yan chuckled upon hearing this, but offered no further comment.
In fact, if the workers at the Royal Armory were truly working themselves to the bone day and night, in two shifts, the output would certainly be more than just twenty smoothbore muskets.
However, all the servants of nobles had a problem: a job would eventually turn from a "position" into a "benefit".
After all, Edward, who was extremely busy, certainly didn't have time to oversee a factory, and his servants also had to focus their work on the court. Their loyalty was beyond question, far surpassing any emotional bond maintained by money, but their efficiency was inevitably lacking.
Today's imperial chef is tomorrow's factory manager, the day after tomorrow he's a civil servant in the governor's mansion, and the next time you see him, he's gone to the city hall to get a prestigious position.
We should be happy that the gun still fires; if it explodes, we can blame the farmers for pouring too much gunpowder.
Of course, Edward was a wise Grand Duke, and the reliability of the equipment in the Duchy of Campbell was certainly much higher than that in the Kingdom of Ryan.
Moreover, His Majesty the Grand Duke is clearly also learning.
This is why the Punk Armory was able to secure orders from the Duchy, rather than the Royal Armory. Clearly, in His Majesty the Grand Duke's view, it wasn't just the Parliament that needed reform, but also those outdated royal industries.
However, since this involved affecting his own people's interests, he handled it rather tactfully.
Luo Yan and Pang Ke didn't get too close; they just stood at a distance and observed the situation in the factory.
After the foreman finished assigning tasks, the workers quickly began another busy day.
They methodically selected parts from the wooden baskets brought by the porters, carefully sanded them with files from the long table, and then assembled them.
This is a craft.
Due to the limitations of the times, neither the factories in Thunder City nor the factories in North Peak City can produce standard castings that can be "built behind closed doors and still fit the tracks when they are produced".
Most parts need to be adjusted to a usable state by assembly workers using files, scrapers, and grinding before they can be assembled.
Therefore, in addition to regular assembly workers, each assembly line in this workshop is also equipped with a "fitting specialist" who is responsible for checking the fit of parts to prevent someone from forcibly making "moving parts" into "fixed parts".
However, these difficulties are temporary.
When more specialized machine tools are developed, these assemblers will be able to upgrade to experienced fitters, and the assembly work will be handled by real assembly workers.
By then, we might be able to build a true assembly line, and production efficiency could be further improved.
Looking at the finished products displayed at the workshop entrance, Luo Yan casually picked up a "Rocksay 1053 Rifle" named after his father.
The steep barrel feels slightly heavy in the hand, the wooden stock has smooth lines, and the steel parts reflect the cold light of metal, making it look like a work of art.
Luo Yan skillfully pulled the lever, opening the receiver with a smooth and fluid motion, producing a crisp and pleasant metallic clanging sound.
"bite--"
Luo Yan closed the receiver and nodded in satisfaction.
He remembered that at the end of last year, the products produced by this factory were still quite different from those of the factories in North Peak City, but now these "fakes" are no worse than the "real goods" of the Principality of Colin.
It truly lives up to its reputation as a miracle on the northeast coast of the Whirlpool Sea, a place where the "God of Machines," Lint Isaac, once descended.
The industrial heritage here is truly extraordinary!
“…Very good, Director Simon, your work is impressive. I hope you will continue your efforts and contribute even more to Duke Campbell!”
Upon hearing the prince's praise, Simon, who had been following beside him, couldn't contain his joy and said excitedly.
"Thank you for your recognition, Your Highness! This is all thanks to the workers and the engineers' tireless research day and night! Of course... Mr. Punk's high regard for us is also a factor."
“You flatter me, Mr. Simon. I didn’t do anything.” Punk coughed modestly, his humility seemingly imitated from who-knows-who.
“You’ve all made great contributions, I’ve seen it all… Also, how’s the order situation?” Luo Yan put down his rifle and asked casually, “I’d like to know, is there a large demand for our rifles?”
Simon's eyes lit up instantly at the mention of orders, just like the kerosene lamps hanging above the workshop.
"Your Highness, you have absolutely no need to worry about that! Our factory is thriving, with orders booked until next summer, and we're simply overwhelmed! I'm planning to expand with two new workshops in the south, aiming to increase the factory's monthly production capacity to six thousand units within six months! By then, we'll be the Duchy's largest arms supplier!"
Luo Yan smiled.
He wasn't worried; it was just a casual question. This kind of revolutionary equipment would never have trouble selling; buyers were even more eager than sellers.
Currently, the Punk Armory's production capacity is limited and insufficient to meet the Duchy's equipment needs.
Once the production capacity here is up and running, it's entirely possible that we'll become not only the largest arms supplier for the Duchy, but also the arsenal for all the "New Covenant forces" on the entire continent of Os!
However, there was no need to discuss these distant goals with the people beside him.
Seeing that His Highness the Prince's reaction was indifferent, Simon took out a small notebook from his pocket, opened it to a page, and pointed it out to him solicitously.
"...Look, Your Highness, these are some of the recent big orders! And that's not all. Duke Campbell recently ordered a considerable number of Roxay 1053 rifles without any of our factory's markings! In addition, there is another batch of short-barreled rifles customized to the client's requirements, with shorter barrels, making them lighter and more suitable for combat in jungles or narrow terrain!"
Luo Yan nodded with a smile.
"It seems we have more and more customers."
Rifles without branding marks were naturally sent to Twilight Province, most likely to arm the private armies of the counts under the Holy Light Council.
The short-barreled rifles were undoubtedly intended for the Salvation Army, who were undergoing secret training deep in the Wanren Mountains. It seemed that the Principality's intelligence personnel had already made contact with them.
Just as he expected.
Edward's counterattack had already begun, and it was happening much faster than he had anticipated.
It is clear that His Highness the Grand Duke has not forgotten the rebellion of last winter and the blood shed by the Campbellians in the civil war. He has said he will make His Majesty Theodore de Valou pay the price, and that price is on its way.
"Indeed, Your Highness! In addition, the Duchy's army has recently issued a tender notice, which is said to be at the behest of our Marshal Sir Wesley!"
Simon continued speaking with great enthusiasm, his voice filled with anticipation for achieving great things.
“Our lads need a standard-issue rifle with a longer range and higher accuracy to deal with the superhumans rampaging across the battlefield, as well as centurions and drummers who are specifically targeting the enemy!”
"Oh? If such a weapon really exists, I'd be quite interested too. Do you have any ideas on how to take over this project?" Although the Great Tomb already had something similar, Luo Yan still spoke in a friendly tone.
"Of course! Your Highness!"
Simon nodded excitedly and continued.
"We plan to imbue the bullets with magic through alchemy and inscription; the remaining issues to be addressed are accuracy and range!"
"Currently, our engineering team is working on a technical challenge: they plan to replace the metal lever that connects the lever-action rifle to the receiver with a rotating bolt-action mechanism similar to a door bolt! This will greatly improve the receiver's gas tightness, allowing the propellant gases to propel the bullet more fully, thereby increasing range and accuracy!"
"If we can solve the problems of accuracy and range by improving the mechanical structure, we can use more inscription space to improve the power of the bullets!"
Goodness.
A Dreiser needle-fire gun?!
Unexpectedly, these engineers actually figured out how to build a bolt-action rifle. Luo Yan finally showed a genuine interest on his face, instead of just a polite smile.
“That’s a really… creative idea. Mr. Simon, please tell our engineers that I’m really looking forward to their work! If they need funding or equipment, don’t hesitate to ask Mr. Punch.”
As he spoke, Luo Yan looked at Punk.
Almost without Prince Colin's explicit instruction, Punk had already taken it seriously and looked at his factory manager with great interest.
"Go for it, Mr. Simon. I will do everything in my power to support this project!"
Simon's voice trembled slightly with excitement, as he hadn't expected His Highness to value this bold idea so much.
"That's wonderful, Your Highness! I'll definitely pass on your message to those lads! I bet they'll jump for joy when they hear your encouragement!"
With this exciting news in mind, Simon immediately went to a meeting with the engineers at the factory, eager to get things done in front of Prince Colin as soon as possible.
As for Punk, he led Prince Colin away from the noisy workshop and into the relatively quiet office.
He dismissed his secretary and personally poured His Highness a steaming cup of black tea.
The aroma of tea dispelled some of the stuffy smell of coal ash, adding a touch of fragrance to the office air.
Luo Yan picked up the teacup and took a sip. The warm tea was indeed quite good, making him relax his eyebrows with pleasure.
Punk stood respectfully to the side.
This man, who wielded immense power in Thunder City, was as reserved as a secretary in front of His Highness the Prince.
“I heard the industrial park has been quite lively lately,” Luo Yan said with a smile, glancing out the window. “I suddenly remembered something and said casually, “I heard that many factory managers are busy campaigning for seats in the next city council election… Mr. Punk, you don’t seem interested at all. Haven’t you thought about going in for a visit?”
“Your Highness, you are joking,” Punk said with a simple smile and a sincere tone. “I am just a coachman. I was able to do the job you asked me to do with my meager skills, and it was all thanks to your help. I dare not think about such things.”
He adopted a very humble posture, almost placing himself in the position of a servant.
No matter how much respect others showed him, Punk knew perfectly well what was going on.
He was well aware that his current status, his transformation into a pivotal figure in Thunder City, was entirely due to Prince Colin standing behind him.
If it weren't for this man's help, he would still be a stable boy in the suburbs of Thunder City, no different from his neighbor who was farming.
That is why he dared not have the slightest disloyalty, much less try to curry favor with the powerful Duke behind Prince Colin's back.
It must be said that although Punk has improved a lot compared to before, he is still a "chosen one" who was forced to grow up, and his political awareness is not as good as that of a self-made textile factory owner.
Seeing Pang Ke's cautious demeanor, Luo Yan guessed what he was thinking, smiled and shook his head, putting down the teacup in his hand.
“You are too modest, Mr. Punk. I have seen your work and I have never doubted your ability and loyalty.”
A simple, honest smile spread across Punk's face as he tucked his black bowler hat into his chest.
"It is my honor to serve you."
"It is my honor to have a servant like you."
Luo Yan nodded and said in a gentle tone.
“However, sometimes I still hope you can broaden your perspective. For example... think of yourself as a partner in the Colin Group, not Prince Colin’s front man.”
Punk's heart skipped a beat, cold sweat broke out, and he was so frightened by these words that he almost knelt down on the spot.
What... what does this mean?!
His mind raced as he pondered where he had offended His Highness.
Looking at Punk, who was covered in sweat, Luo Yan chuckled and said.
"...Look at you, I'm talking to you about serious matters, and you're still trying to figure out what I'm thinking."
“Your Highness, I…” Punk opened his mouth, stammering and unable to speak.
"Alright, stop standing there. I'm not testing you. Sit down and let's talk."
Luo Yan flicked his index finger, causing the teapot on the table to float up, and poured him a cup of tea as well.
Punk sat down awkwardly, holding the teacup with both hands, and took a careful sip.
Luo Yan looked at him and continued speaking.
"Besides, I meant what I said earlier. Thunder City is like a galloping carriage, with new things being born here every day. I hope you can keep up with the times. If you can't accept my charity, how about this: I'll lend you the money, and you can buy some Colin Group stock back, starting with 1%."
Worldly money was just a number to him; he had never even counted how much money he had.
As a high-level employee, Punk has already risen to the position of "CEO of Thunder City Branch," and he deserves the reward he is given.
Not paying workers is something only slave owners do; the Demon King wouldn't do such a thing.
Of course, not everyone can sit down and talk to the Demon King. For example, when managing the goblins of Blackwind Keep, he had a different way of dealing with them.
As a demon king who understands human nature, he is adept at responding to his demons in the way they desire.
For example, when dealing with succubi, he uses the succubus's methods. When dealing with vampires, he... well, he really doesn't have many options.
Seeing that Prince Colin wasn't testing him, Punk gave a wry smile and remained silent for a moment before speaking.
“Your Highness, I am very grateful for your generous gift, but I feel that I do not deserve so much. I... I am just a stable boy.”
Luo Yan shook his head.
"That's the problem, Mr. Punk. Why do you think a coachman is not worthy of being a gentleman as respectable as an aristocrat? Take Sir Andes, for example. I don't think his ancestors had their own surnames from the very beginning."
Seeing Punk deep in thought, Luo Yan continued.
“I have high hopes for you, and I hope you will be more ambitious, or rather, more driven. I hope that in the future, when the citizens of Thunder City talk about you, they will say that the founder of the Punk family was a remarkable fellow, rather than saying, ‘...Oh, Punk, I know him, Prince Colin’s white glove, he’s nothing without His Highness.’ Do you understand what I mean?”
The silence lasted for a while.
Punk took a deep breath, looked up at Prince Colin, and said sincerely.
“I understand, Your Highness. Thank you for your advice, I will consider it carefully… no, I will definitely do it!”
He had already understood what Prince Colin meant.
His Highness Colin wanted him to have a place on the political stage of the Duchy, rather than just being a subservient servant.
That's not all—
He also placed even higher expectations on himself; the esteemed prince hoped that he could become a true Campbellian!
Seeing that Punk had finally figured it out, Luo Yan nodded in satisfaction. It was worth taking the time out of his busy schedule to guide this guy.
As a demon king, he has no shortage of servants, but he lacks a few intelligent people like Jan Andes.
Furthermore, what's currently listed in Thunder City isn't just the Colin Corporation's stock, but also the thriving Principality of Campbell.
In an unprecedented move, royal history shared royal power with the citizens in order to counterbalance the conservative forces within the royal family.
Many new legends are bound to be born in this process, and it would be a shame not to take a ride on it.
This guy has every chance, in the not-too-distant future, to participate in drafting the "Charter" that the Principality of Campbell will eventually embrace.
He has the potential to go down in history!
"Good that you understand, Punk. Just like Director Simon's 'bolt rifle,' I have high expectations for your performance!"
(End of this chapter)
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