Chapter 393: The Military Consortium
Battlefield Wheelchair Man, seeing the man’s hesitation, quickly flashed a sycophantic smile and leaned forward, then opened another black, leather-bound wooden case.
"Have a look at this."
Saxise leaned in curiously.
Inside lay a rifle resembling the Firebreaker—but vastly superior in craftsmanship. The weapon gleamed with intricate golden engravings, and its wooden stock was wrapped in supple, high-grade bullhide.
Battlefield Wheelchair Man spoke with eager enthusiasm:
"A nobleman of your esteemed lineage simply cannot use the same crude composition as cannon fodder."
"That’s why the Empire specially launched the [Firebreaker III (Collector's Edition)]."
"Our model uses rare golden nanmu wood for the stock, hand-carved by Master Daimo himself with a latticed golden casing. The exterior is wrapped in genuine Prime Bullhide—guaranteeing you the ultimate, luxurious experience. Every trigger pull will be as smooth and satisfying as silk."
Holding the rifle in both hands, he delivered the pitch with theatrical flair:
"The Tulip of battlefields, the intimate lover on the frontlines, the symbol of a man’s status and prestige, the very essence of Noble Aura—Firebreaker Collector’s Edition. You deserve nothing less."
"Uh…" Saxise started to speak, but Battlefield Wheelchair Man cut in instantly.
"Since you're a new client, I’ll offer you a special deal—original price: thirty gold coins. Now, only twenty-one."
With that, he slid the rifle back into the box and pressed it into Saxise’s arms.
"..."
"Fine. I’ll take it."
Saxise reached into his robe, pulling out a pouch heavy with gold coins, and tossed it without a word.
As the chief diplomat of the Thrace Kingdom, this was a trivial sum to him. But he had more than just money on his mind—he was keen to study the Empire’s weapons.
"Such generous spending!" Battlefield Wheelchair Man snatched the pouch, feeling its weight and listening to the crisp clink of coins. His grin widened instantly.
The standard Common Rifle orders were official Imperial assignments. But these "collector editions"? That was all personal business—each sale brought him a generous commission. No wonder he was so excited.
"That Thrace fool is such an easy mark!"
He leaned in again, beaming:
"Sir, would you like to hear about the Firebreaker Royal Home Special Edition?"
"Handcrafted by master artisans within the sect, the entire rifle forged from solid gold, inlaid with enchanted diamonds. Rumor has it even the King’s own Treasure Vault holds one just like it. Only nine thousand gold coins!"
"..."
Saxise, still grounded in reason, remembered his mission.
"Do you have other types of weapons?"
"Of course!" Battlefield Wheelchair Man chuckled. "The Empire’s armory will blow your mind."
He waved toward the distance. "Bring over the Thunder Hammers!"
"Yes, sir!"
Heh-yo!
A Heavy Artillery Battalion Ogre lumbered forward, carrying a massive black cannon on his shoulders. With a grunt, he set it down with a thunderous clang.
The Ogre scratched his head, then casually slapped the metal barrel, making it ring like a bell.
"Here’s your field cannon—no, wait, the Thunder Hammer—delivered."
Battlefield Wheelchair Man’s smile faltered for a split second, but he recovered quickly, his expression smooth and confident.
"You’ve come at the perfect time. The Empire Armory has just unveiled its most advanced, most devastating weapon yet—[Thunderhammer III (Commercial Version)]."
"With this weapon, we’ve stormed city after city, conquered the vast lands of Anzeta!"
He swept his arm dramatically, radiating bold confidence. Then he turned to the Ogre.
"You—demonstrate for our guest."
The Ogre stood motionless, staring down at him, silence settling over the air like a heavy fog.
Battlefield Wheelchair Man forced a laugh, pulled a few silver coins from his pocket, and pressed them into the Ogre’s massive hand.
Only then did the creature nod, turned, and began loading a shell into the cannon.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rocked the air. Smoke poured from the barrel. A solid metal cannonball arced through the sky in a perfect curve, striking the distant artillery target range with a devastating crunch.
Dust exploded across the field. Debris flew in all directions. The ground cracked open, leaving a deep, smoking crater.
"...That’s..." Saxise’s jaw dropped once more.
The power of that shot rivaled the standard long-range attacks of the Arcane Legion—on par with spells from the Third and Fourth Circles.
No wonder. No wonder the Ashen Empire’s armies had so easily crushed the Northern Regions.
With weapons like this, it was as if they’d gained an entire spellcaster regiment. Their long-range capabilities far outstripped the "Northern Barbarians," still trapped in a magical wasteland.
Saxise swallowed hard.
"How much does this cost?"
In his memory, the old Spirit Emperor’s kingdom had possessed similar weapons—often engraved with magical runes, prohibitively expensive.
But this? For siege warfare, city defense—this would be decisive in the battle for the City of Solar Radiance. Far more valuable than the rifle.
Battlefield Wheelchair Man just laughed heartily.
"Only thirty gold coins."
"And if you order over a thousand units, we’ll give you a ten percent discount."
"Of course, we also offer a Collector’s Edition of the Thunder Hammer. The golden shells deliver an unparalleled experience—perfect for display in your residence, or bringing to the battlefield."
"..."
Saxise fell silent once more. His lips trembled slightly—words failed him.
What was happening?
Had he misremembered?
When had magical artifacts become so cheap?
This must be reported to the King at once.
The frontlines are desperate. These weapons could turn the tide of war.
Saxise stood frozen, mentally weighing the implications.
Meanwhile, Battlefield Wheelchair Man watched him closely, his inner excitement barely contained. He could feel it—this was shaping up to be an unprecedented, record-breaking sale.
---
Several Days Later
The Empire received a historic order—unprecedented in scale—from the Kingdom of Thrace.
One million units of the [Firebreaker-III Model] Rifle, twelve thousand units of the [Thunderhammer II] Cannon, and an endless supply of ammunition and shells.
Total: over 1.4 million gold coins.
This single order wiped out the entire stock of outdated scrap in the Empire Armory, reactivated twelve dormant assembly lines, and created thousands of new jobs.
A staggering 1.4 million gold coins.
The profit was so immense it sent shockwaves across the nation.
The next day, [Claudew United Military Consortium] was officially established in Isdalia.
Headquartered at the Imperial Palace, controlled directly by the Emperor himself, the company was backed by the Military Bureau and the Science Division—providing technology and funding. Its primary role: mass-producing military equipment, and handling sales through its sister company, [Imperial Southern Continent Company].
Nobles of Noble Rank were granted priority in purchasing shares.
With official promotion and the promise of immense benefits, Dragon-Blooded Nobles rushed to invest. They poured their war spoils into the consortium, quickly snatching up every available share.
They became shareholders of the Claudew-U Military Consortium.
The influx of capital triggered a wave of industrial expansion—new military factories sprouted across the Empire like mushrooms after rain.
The Military Industrial Sector grew rapidly, becoming a lifeline for tens of thousands.
But in just days, under the unseen hand of the Empire’s mysterious power broker, a vast crony syndicate had already begun to take shape—revealing its ruthless, monstrous face.
(End of Chapter)
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