Iron Powder and Spellcasters

  Chapter 493 Rebuilding the Country (8)

  The affiliated church of Fengshi City Town Hall, where all the officers of the "preparatory meeting" were called.

Among them, some are the proud sons of heaven, who stepped into the prestigious Plato Standing Army as soon as they stepped out of the school gate. was redeemed;

Some people are frustrating people who are marginalized, born in poverty, and are admitted to the highest military academy in the alliance with their talent and perseverance. Nowhere to display, finally proved his worth in a retaliatory resistance;

Some people were originally soldiers at the bottom of the army, the most neglected parts of the huge war machine, and were allowed to be used and discarded by the generals at will. The qualification to stand shoulder to shoulder with others in the same temple.

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

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

  Through the reflection of the dome and the buttresses, that person's unique cold and restrained magnetic voice clearly echoed in every corner of the hall, and was added a touch of sacred and ethereal color.

  “…anything, it’s easy to make a bad start, but to get a good result after starting a bad start is tantamount to nonsense.”

  On the pulpit, Winters Montagne, who has explained in detail the causes and consequences of the "question of ownership of command" and the serious differences between the Committee of Four on the issue of "ownership of command", is making a final concluding statement:

   "So, whether to build a country's army or a country with an army has to be decided now."

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

  Winters paused for a moment, scanning the faces in the church sharply:

   "Remember - if ever there was a moment where history will go, it's this very moment! Every one of you is in it!"

  “[Wrong saplings can’t bear the desired fruit]. Whether to stick to the past and repeat the mistakes of history; or self-sacrifice and cut off the old shackles. It will be up to you to decide.”

"I..." Winters slammed his fist on the pulpit: "No! It's not me! It's the sky, the river, and the land under your feet, and every Plato living on this land is counting on you Make the right choice."

  Winters stared directly into the eyes of everyone in the audience: "Don't let them down."

   After the speech was over, Winters took half a step back and raised his hand to salute.

   Seb Carrington, who was sitting in the last row, stood up and applauded first, and then deafening applause erupted under the dome.

  Winters turned his head to look at Matthias Kerwin who was sitting behind him.

  "Lieutenant Colonel." Winters stepped aside from the pulpit and invited politely: "It's your turn."

  Lieutenant Colonel Matthias has an ugly expression, which is rarely seen on the face of the handsome Matthias Kerwin.

  Obviously, Winters' unexpected request for a general officer meeting made him very passive;

  And the other side shown by Winters—the incomparable eloquence, made him lose all hope.

  Finally, Lieutenant Colonel Matthias, who knew that the situation was over, loosened his clenched fists little by little, stood up, and applauded along with the mid-level officers in the audience.

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

  Hearing this, Captain Skool next to him let out a sigh of relief.

  Colonel Skull was relieved that Winters chose to hold an "enlarged meeting" to resolve serious disagreements within the Supreme Council;

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

   So Colonel Skool also stood up and applauded politely.

   "Okay! Then don't talk nonsense!" Colonel Gaisa Adonis, who presided over the meeting, took the speech stick and ordered in a confident voice: "Vote!"

   Colonel Gaisa waved his hand, and the orderly moved the ballot box that had been prepared to the altar.

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

  …

  Time goes back to the night when Colonel Gaisar visited Winters.

"Since Kerwin is using the morale of the army, foreign enemies, and the common interests of all officers as a shield." Colonel Gaisar smiled jokingly and pointed to Winters: "Then, you might as well give him a trick of 'drawing from the bottom', understand? ?”

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

  Colonel Geisar's face was filled with a look of complete satisfaction of "you are still too young".

  He smacked his lips with endless aftertaste, and then let out a long sigh of satisfaction.

   After finishing all this, Colonel Geisar straightened his waist, sat upright with his knees on his back, and said solemnly to Winters:

"Since Kerwin said that changing the ownership of the command power is an infringement of the interests of all officers and will definitely shake the morale of the army. Then, you should ask for an enlarged meeting in the four-member committee, put this matter on the table, and leave it to all officers to decide !"

   Colonel explained calmly:

   "Kerwin never imagined that a young and ambitious guy like you would be willing to delegate the power in his hands;

  Although I cannot directly support your opinion on amending the ownership of the command, I can agree with your request to hold an enlarged meeting—as the final solution to resolve differences. With my vote and yours, even if both Mecklen and Kerwin are opposed to an enlarged meeting, it will not help.

  Major matters related to the interests of all officers should be decided by all officers—this reason is enough to stop Matthias Kerwin's mouth. "

   "That's why I can guarantee it." Geza Adonis clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Kerwin can't fart."

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

   After a while, Winters returned to reality.

  He frowned, and asked the colonel seriously: "What if the general officer meeting doesn't choose the way I expect them to choose... so what?"

   Colonel Gaisa's smile froze.

"So you think so?" The colonel propped his knees, stood up with difficulty, looked down at Winters, and asked sadly: "So you don't trust your classmates, your seniors, and the subordinates you pulled out with one hand? ?"

  The colonel asked again: "Do you think that you are the only one in the world who has a long-term vision, is impartial and hates evil?"

   "You can entrust them with your life, so what is this matter now?"

   Colonel Gaisar put his hands on Winters' shoulders and said firmly, "You—underestimated them."

  …

   Go back to the church attached to the town hall.

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

  There is only one sentence on the paper—do you agree with Commissioner Winters Montagne's proposal;

   There are only two options on the ticket—"Yes" and "No".

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

  First ticket, yes.

  Second ticket, yes.

  The third ticket, yes.

  The fourth...

  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 the voice of Colonel Gaisa singing the votes echoed.

  Colonel Scull Mecklen, who was counting votes, had beads of sweat on his nose; Lieutenant Colonel Matthias Kerwin, who was sitting under the stage, tightly pursed his lips; Winters also remained silent.

  Behind them, every officer present could clearly hear his heart beating "bang bang".

  "The seventy-first ticket." Colonel Gaisa 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 different.

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

  The officers present all looked at the bulletin board when they heard the words.

   On the white paper divided in two by a thick red line, counting symbols are drawn on one side...

   And on the other side, nothing.

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

   There is no one vote against it.

   Which means, even Lieutenant Colonel Matthias Kerwin voted yes.

  Winters walked up to the pulpit, looking at the familiar and unfamiliar faces in the audience, he who had been eloquent just now didn't know what to say at this moment.

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

  Even after witnessing many feats of self-sacrifice and self-sacrifice on the battlefield, Winters never expected that reason would triumph over greed, that nobility would triumph over selfishness, that someone would be willing to cut his own flesh for the benefit of others.

   There is no doubt that Winters is a pessimist.

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

  The officers present, regardless of background, experience, or character, without exception gave up the right to "command themselves" and chose to hand over the reins of their own to others.

   Among them, some people make a decision after careful consideration, and of course some vote blindly, impulsively, and irrationally.

   But in any case, they all chose the path of self-sacrifice.

   And all the members chose the same path.

  When Winters straightened his waist again, applause broke out again from under the dome.

   Colonel Gaisa slapped his hands vigorously, and proudly said to Winters with his mouth:

   "You—underestimate us too much."

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

  While staring at the faces looking eagerly at him in the audience, Winters suddenly remembered the words of Brother Rhett: "What a person is depends on what kind of emotion is aroused in his heart."

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

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

   “Not only because we made the right call.”

  Winters clenched his fists and solemnly declared:

   "Because starting today—we are really standing together!"

   What responded to him was double deafening applause and cheers.

  …

  …

  The successful holding of the All Officers Meeting seems to have undergone a major shake-up for the "preparatory meeting".

  The spirit of the officer corps has been completely renewed, and everyone is full of confidence and energy.

  Soon, the "regularization" of informal officers among the troops of various counties—especially the Tiefeng County Army—was also put on the agenda, and it was pushed forward rapidly.

  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 barracks to be announced to the entire army.

  In front of the bulletin boards in the army camps in various counties, it was crowded with people in an instant.

  Whether they are illiterate or not, whether they are officers or soldiers, everyone is curious about what kind of arrangements the big shots above have made, and everyone wants to get a good position in front of the bulletin board.

  Höder is also one of them.

  Since he is only a reserve officer, the pamphlets distributed to individuals are not yet his turn;

   Also because he is already a reserve officer, the "regularization of informal officers" is closely related to his personal interests, so Houdl can only look at the bulletin board.

  But there are too many people around the bulletin board. Houdel has never seen such a dense "army formation" in Hegu Village.

  Shoulders to shoulders, chest to back, elbows flailing everywhere, people swearing everywhere.

  Holder tried his best, but couldn't squeeze in front of the bulletin board.

  His height has no advantage, he is blocked by others and can't see anything, only the backs of his sweaty heads can be seen.

   "What did you say?" Holder jumped up anxiously, shouting: "I should read it!"

  But there are too many people near the bulletin board, and they are too noisy. No one cares about a little monkey scratching its ears in anxiety, and no one can hear a little monkey shouting.

  Holder cursed helplessly, scratched his head, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

  He decided to go to Captain Peter Burnier to inquire.

   First, because the company commander must know more than himself;

  Secondly, it was because although the champion of the blood wolf had a reputation for viciousness, after actual contact, Holder discovered that Captain Peter Bunier was actually a very talkative person.

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

  Holder could not remember the man's name, but he had seen his face in Mason's tribune's tent.

  Holder immediately stepped forward, grabbed the man's shoulders, and tried his best to help the man who was squeezed and couldn't move, and escaped from the crowd.

  The man's face was flushed, he panted heavily, and looked at Holder gratefully: "Thanks! Dude!"

   "Thank me later." Holder asked impatiently, "Did you see the announcement? What was it written in?"

  The man looked distressed: "Actually... I didn't fully understand..."

   "Huh?" Holder was extremely disappointed.

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

   "Huh?" Holder regained his energy in an instant.

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

   [Sorry for being late]

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  (end of this chapter)