Iron Powder and Spellcaster

The church attached to Maple City City Hall, where all the officers of the "preparatory meeting" were summoned.

Some of them are the proud ones of heaven. They entered the prestigious Plato Standing Army as soon as they stepped out of school. Their future was bright, but they experienced an unprecedented defeat in an expedition. redeemed;

Some people are marginalized and frustrated people who were born in poverty. With their talent and perseverance, they were admitted to the highest military academy in the alliance. They thought they would change their lives from then on, but they were thrown into a new land where no one cared about them, without any skills. With nowhere to show off, he finally proves his worth in a vindictive rebellion;

There are also people who were originally just soldiers at the bottom of the army, the most neglected parts of the huge war machine. They were allowed to be used and discarded by the generals at will. They withstood far more cruel and ruthless tests than others before they stood out and won for themselves. The qualification to stand shoulder to shoulder with others in the same temple.

These middle-level officers with different origins, experiences, and personalities are the bones and pillars that will support the armed forces of the New Republic in the future.

At this moment, their eyes were all focused on the man on the pulpit.

Reflected by the domes and buttresses, that person's unique cold, restrained magnetic voice clearly echoed in every corner of the hall, adding a touch of sacred and ethereal color.

"...It's easy to get a bad start with anything, but trying to get a good result from a bad start is tantamount to wishful thinking."

On the pulpit, Winters-Montagne, who had already explained in detail the causes and consequences of the "issue of command authority" and the serious differences between the four-member committee on the "issue of command authority", was making his final concluding speech:

"So whether we want to establish a national army or a country with an army must be decided now."

"And we, the Council of Four, believe that the power to define our past, present and future should be given to you - the men who can truly represent the will of the army that will build a new republic."

Winters paused and glanced sharply at the faces in the church:

"Please remember - if there is a moment that really determines the direction of history, it is at this moment! Each of you is in it!"

"[The wrong saplings will not bear the desired fruit]. It will be up to you to decide whether to cling to the old and repeat the mistakes of history; or whether to sacrifice yourself and cut off the shackles of the past."

"I..." Winters punched the pulpit: "No! It's not me! It's the sky, the river, the earth under our feet, and every Platoon living on this earth. You made the right decision."

Winters's eyes were blazing, shining directly into the eyes of everyone in the audience: "Don't let them down."

At the end of his speech, Winters took a half step back and raised his hand in salute.

Seb Carrington, who was sitting in the back row, was the first to stand up and applaud, and deafening applause erupted under the dome.

Winters turned to look at Matthias Corwin sitting behind him.

"Lieutenant Colonel." Winters gave up the pulpit and politely invited: "It's your turn."

Lieutenant Colonel Matthias had an ugly expression, which was rarely seen on the face of the graceful Matthias Corwin.

Apparently, Winters' unexpected request for an all-officers meeting left him passive;

And the other side Winters showed - his unparalleled eloquence, made him despair.

Finally, Lieutenant Colonel Matthias, knowing that the situation was over, gradually loosened his clenched fists, stood up, and applauded along with the middle-level officers in the audience.

He smiled and shook his head gently: "Forget it...no need."

Hearing this, Principal Skull next to him breathed a sigh of relief.

Colonel Scull was pleased that Winters chose to hold an "enlarged conference" to resolve serious differences within the Supreme Council;

Lieutenant Colonel Matthias admitted defeat without losing his grace and accepted the joint decision of all the officers at the "preparatory meeting", which made Colonel Scull's heart drop again.

Colonel Scull also stood up and applauded politely.

"Okay! Stop talking nonsense then!" Colonel Geza Adonis, who presided over the meeting, took over the speaking baton and ordered with great enthusiasm: "Vote!"

With a wave of Colonel Gesa's hand, the orderlies carried the ballot boxes that had been prepared to the altar.

The colonel himself rubbed the back of his head and winked at Winters covertly.

…

Time goes back to the night when Colonel Geza paid a night visit to Winters.

"Since Corwin is using the morale of the army, foreign enemies, and the common interests of all officers as a shield." Colonel Gesar pointed to Winters with a joking smile: "Then, you might as well give him a trick to 'draw money from the bottom of the cauldron,' understand?" ?”

Winters suddenly felt enlightened, but in order to make Colonel Gesar happy, he still lowered his head and asked: "Please clarify."

Colonel Gesa's face showed a look of complete satisfaction that said, "You are indeed too young."

He smacked his lips with endless aftertaste and let out a long sigh of contentment.

After doing all this, Colonel Gesar straightened his back, sat upright with his knees in his arms, and solemnly said to Winters:

"Since Corwin said that changing the ownership of the command will infringe on the interests of all officers and will definitely shake the morale of the military. Then, you will ask for an enlarged meeting in the four-person committee, put this matter on the table, and leave it to all officers to decide !”

The colonel explained calmly:

“Corwin would never have imagined that a young and successful guy like you would be willing to delegate his power;

Although I cannot directly support your opinion on amending the ownership of the commander-in-chief, I can agree with your request to convene an enlarged meeting as a final solution to resolve differences. With my vote and yours, even if both Mecklen and Kerwin oppose an enlarged conference, it will not matter.

Major matters concerning the interests of all officers should be decided by all officers - this reason was enough to stop Matthias Corwin's mouth. "

"That's why I can guarantee it." Geza Adonis held up his palms and smiled: "Korwin can't even let out a fart."

Winters was not infected by the colonel's confidence. He fell into deep thought and did not speak for a long time.

After a while, Winters returned to reality.

He frowned and asked the colonel seriously: "What if the general meeting of officers does not choose the path I expect them to choose... so what?"

Colonel Gesa's smile froze.

"Is that what you think?" The colonel stood up with difficulty, holding his knees, looking down at Winters, and asked sadly: "So you don't trust your classmates, your seniors, and the subordinates you single-handedly promoted. ?"

The colonel asked again: "Do you think you are the only person in the world who has a long-term vision, is selfless, and hates evil as much as he hates it?"

"You can even trust them with your life, so what does it mean now?"

Colonel Gesar put his hand on Winters' shoulder and said decisively: "You - you underestimate them too much."

…

Return to the church attached to the town hall.

The voting session has ended and the counting session is in progress.

There is only one sentence on the ticket - do you agree with Commissioner Winters Montagne's proposal?

There are only two options on the ticket - "yes" and "no".

Each time Colonel Geza Adonis read out a ticket, Colonel Skull Mecklen made a stroke with a graphite strip on the white paper bulletin board.

First ticket, yes.

Second ticket, yes.

The third ticket, yes.

The fourth picture...

As more and more strokes were written on the bulletin board, the atmosphere in the church became more and more solemn.

Under the dome, only Colonel Geisa's voice of calling votes echoed.

Colonel Skull Mecklen, who was counting the votes, had beads of sweat on the tip of his nose; Lieutenant Colonel Matthias Corwin, who was sitting in the audience, pursed his lips tightly; Winters also said nothing.

Behind them, every officer present could clearly hear their own hearts beating.

"Ticket seventy-one." Colonel Geza opened the folded ticket paper and showed it to everyone: "Yes!"

Then he reached into the ballot box again as usual.

But this time, the colonel's expression was a little strange.

"No more." Geza Adonis directly pushed the ballot box down so that everyone could see the empty inner cavity of the front donation box: "Just now was the last vote."

Upon hearing this, the officers present looked at the bulletin board in unison.

The white paper divided into two by a thick red line has counting symbols drawn on one side...

On the other side, there was nothing.

As expected and unexpected, the participating officers unanimously approved Winters Montagne's proposal.

There was not a single vote against it.

This meant that even Lieutenant Colonel Matthias Kerwin voted in favor.

Winters walked up to the pulpit and looked at the familiar and unfamiliar faces in the audience. He had been talking endlessly just now, but now he didn't know what to say.

Finally, he bowed deeply and thanked—and even apologized to—all his comrades in the church.

Even though he had witnessed many feats of sacrifice and self-sacrifice on the battlefield, Winters never expected that reason would overcome greed, that nobility would overcome selfish desires, and that there would be people who would be willing to cut off their own flesh and blood for the benefit of others.

Winters is undoubtedly a pessimist.

But today's vote proved one thing to Winters - people don't always make the most selfish choices.

The officers present, regardless of their origin, experience, or personality, without exception gave up the right to "self-command" and chose to hand over the reins of controlling themselves to others.

Among them, some people make decisions after careful consideration, while others cast their votes blindly, impulsively and irrationally.

But no matter what, they all chose the path of self-sacrifice.

And everyone has chosen the same path.

When Winters straightened up again, applause burst out from under the dome again.

Colonel Geza clapped his hands vigorously and said proudly to Winters:

"You - you underestimate us."

Colonel Skull and Lieutenant Colonel Matthias, who were also applauding, looked around at their subordinates who were almost in a frenzy in the church, and saw deep worry and fear in each other's eyes.

While looking at the faces in the audience looking at him eagerly, Winters suddenly remembered Brother Reed's words: "What a person is like depends on what kind of emotions are inspired in his heart."

"I'm sure." Facing the crowd, Winters expressed his true feelings: "Today will be a day that will be remembered forever by history."

With the help of the church's exquisite sound design, his voice easily suppressed the applause of everyone in the audience.

"It's not just that we made the right call."

Winters clenched his fists and solemnly declared:

"Even more because from today onwards - we truly stand together!"

He was responded to with even more deafening applause and cheers.

…

…

The successful holding of the all-officers meeting seemed to be a major refresh of the "preparatory meeting".

The spirit of the officer corps has been completely renewed, and everyone is confident and motivated.

Soon, the "regularization" of informal officers in various county troops - especially the Tiefeng County Army - was also put on the agenda and quickly promoted.

The specific plan was published in a book, part of which was distributed to officers at all levels, and the other part was posted on the bulletin board of the military camp to be announced to the entire army.

The bulletin board located in the military camp of each county was filled with people in an instant.

Regardless of whether they are literate or not, whether they are officers or soldiers, everyone is curious about what arrangements the big shots have made, and everyone is scrambling to get a good position in front of the bulletin board.

Hodel is one of them.

Since he was only a reserve officer, the pamphlets issued to individuals were not yet his turn;

Also because he was already a reserve officer, the "regularization of informal officers" was closely related to his personal interests, so Hodel could only read the bulletin board.

But there were too many people around the bulletin board. Hodel had never seen such a dense "military formation" in Hehe Village.

Shoulders to shoulders, chests to backs, elbows waving and curses everywhere.

Hodel tried his best but failed to get to the bulletin board.

His height didn't have an advantage either. He was blocked by others and couldn't see anything except the sweaty backs of their heads.

"What did you say?" Houdel jumped up in excitement and yelled, "I should think about it for a moment!"

But there were too many people near the bulletin board and it was too noisy. No one cared that a little monkey was scratching its ears and head anxiously, and no one could hear the cry of a little monkey.

Hodel cursed helplessly, scratched his head, and suddenly had an idea.

He decided to ask Captain Peter Burnier.

First, it’s because the company commander definitely knows more than he does;

Secondly, it was because although the Blood Wolf Champion had a reputation for being ferocious, after actually getting in touch with him, Hodel discovered that Captain Peter Bunir was actually a very easy-to-talk person.

At this moment, Hodel noticed that among the crowd who were desperately pushing to the front of the bulletin board, there was a person who was going against the flow of people and was desperately retreating.

Holder did not remember the man's name, but he had seen his face in the tent of Tribune Mason.

Hodel immediately stepped forward, grabbed the man's shoulders, and tried his best to help the man who was unable to move and get out of the crowd.

The man's face turned red from being suppressed. He panted heavily and looked at Holder gratefully: "Thanks! Brother!"

"Thank me later." Hodel asked impatiently: "Did you see the announcement? What was it written?"

The man looked troubled: "Actually... I don't fully understand..."

"Ah?" Hodel was extremely disappointed.

"But I understand one thing." The man swallowed hard.

"Ah?" Hodel suddenly became energetic.

The man paused for a moment, with a complicated expression: "It's... an exam."

[late, sorry]

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