The Ashes Empire.
The southeast of the Anzeta Great Wilderness is Hector City known as the "Cast Iron Capital".
At four o'clock in the morning, the conveyor belt of the assembly line made a regular clicking sound, and the huge machines were like giant beasts eating steel, breaking the female workers' breathing into a unified rhythm.
"Two-two-seven, 228"
Female worker Erin counted the 230th shell and slid across the palm of her palm, and the copper chips embedded in the cracks of her nails were There was a tiny light flashing under the gas light.
When she put her cracked thumb into her mouth, she tasted the rust of bullet lubricant mixed with blood. She knew that her fingers had been ground, but she still couldn't stop for a moment.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Amid the roar of the steam hammer, the factory manager shouted at the top of his voice: "The indicators that must be completed before dawn! Remember , We are contributing to the empire!
The more bullets we produce, the larger the land the soldiers on the front line can seize, and the Ashes Empire can move towards His Majesty's great blueprint! "< br>
"For the Empire!"
Several young workers raised their hands and shouted hoarsely, with unconcealed excitement in their tired eyes.
The factory manager nodded with satisfaction and said, "It's great, keep it clean, the factory is like a battlefield, you are fighting for the empire!"
Irene also wanted to be like those young workers, Try to show yourself and get the appreciation of the factory manager.
But Erin was so tired that the work on the assembly line had occupied all her mind, making her unable to listen to anything, and could only repeat the movements numbly - and more workers It's like her.
The steam pipe woven a spider-web-shaped cage on the top of the head, and the condensed water mixed with the machine tool cutting liquid and dripped into the back neck, pickling the collar of the tool like blue and black.
Every five seconds passed, a 7.92mm rifle bullet would slide into the pine box at the end of the conveyor belt, and the cover of the box was painted with the words "Special Offer in the South".
The so-called southern border refers to the vast area south of the Anzeta Wilderness. Almost all imperial people know that the southern border is a rich land with milk and honey, with infinite possibilities.
Businessmen can dump and resell them back and forth, earning gold coins piled up in mountains, while soldiers can fight hard there, gain military merits, and become a noble dragon blood noble. But very Unfortunately, Erin is just a poor woman with no financial resources to do business, nor the strength to go to the battlefield.
A few years ago, Erin's husband died in the Abyss War. Although she had no military achievements, she also received a generous amount of T-for-all. Although she had no job, she could still support two people. child.
But the good times did not last long. The war in North Ethel became more and more intense. A large number of people, food and equipment were transferred to the south. The prices of the empire rose rapidly, and Erin's life became increasingly embarrassing and difficult to maintain.
In order to continue to support two children, Erin chose to respond to the empire's call to step into the factory and become a glorious female worker, who can get a salary of five silver coins every month.
"Three Hundred and Seven, Three Hundred and Eight" Erin counted silently, watching the bullets pass through the conveyor belt.
She knew that the empire was going to start another war.
As a female worker, she is particularly aware of this, because emergency orders in ammunition factories are often a sign of the coming of war.
In Hector City, Erin can always get good news from the front lines from newspapers and radio, and learn that the empire has successively occupied the North Ethel, the Shield Dwarf Plateau, and the Ugo Prairie.
As an imperialist, she often stands up and feels pride and joy from the bottom of her heart, but she also occasionally wonders when the war will stop?
Since His Majesty Caesus led all the soldiers to the south, seeking "land under the sun", a series of wars were like the north wind of Anzeta, endless, and seemed to never be Will stop.
"Eileen, what are you doing! He actually made all the deformed bullets appear in the box!"
The supervisor's stern voice came from behind, interrupting Erin's accidental troubles. Her thoughts also made her sweat and she responded quickly.
"Sorry, sir."
The supervisor picked up the deformed bullet in the box and said coldly: "You should not apologize to me, but to the entire factory. Don't you know that the superiors are going to perform military quality. Is it inspection?
If I hadn't discovered it in advance, the entire Thirteenth Factory would have been punished and everyone would have been embarrassed!"
"Sorry"
Irene picked The bullet's fingers were trembling, looking a little panicked.
The supervisor glanced at her, and his tone became more relaxed: "Okay, work hard, don't give me any random thoughts. This time I will deduct your salary of a silver nal. Nothing is allowed."
" Yes, sir."
Irene lowered her head and responded numbly.
A fine of a silver ner doesn't seem to be much, but she needs to work hard for several days to get it.
Next month, I will have a life of squandering food and food.
"The conveyor belt that the bitch has been raised is stuck again!" Martha at work station No. 37 suddenly screamed. Erin watched the semi-finished warheads piled up into hills at the joints of the conveyor belt, and the brass avalanche was buried in Mary in a blink of an eye. Sha's rubber shoes.
When the supervisor's leather boots exploded from the iron stairs, all the female workers' necks tensed again, and sweat spread out from them.
"Damn stupid!"
Amid the angry scolding of the supervisor, the new girl Sophia sat down next to her, half of the banned book was exposed in her work pants pocket, and she whispered: " Because the machine could not recognize the dud, but the hungry female worker could. "
Eileen stared at the bruises on the girl's wrist and didn't say anything more.
"Dang--"
At this moment, a loud bell came from afar, making the workers on the assembly line feel suddenly awakened, and the factory building becomes a little noisy. "What happened?" "It's the bronze bell in the square. It will only be ringed at important moments, such as Coronation Day and Christmas Day!" br>
"But there is no festival today?"
"Then I'm afraid something is going to happen! Could it be--"
Eileen had already guessed what would happen next, and she couldn't help but recall some sad past events. .
The last time the big bell rang during non-festival times was two years ago. His Majesty Caesus gave a speech in person, turning into a huge magical image and appearing over the city, declaring war on the demons of the abyss.
So shortly after that speech, her husband lost news - until Erin learned that he was buried in the mouth of the demon.
Eileen felt a little sad about her husband's death, but also felt pride from the bottom of her heart. After all, her husband died in a battle with the demons, a hero who died to protect the people of the empire. .
At this moment, the crisp footsteps of leather boots stomping on the ground sounded. The factory manager strode into the factory and clapped his hands and said, "Okay, we can stop work!
Today there is a big event to be announced, everyone After half a day off, I went to the city square to gather. "
"That's great!"
"I've worked eleven days in a row, and I can finally take a rest!" "
< br>When the workers heard this news, they were overjoyed, and Erin was no exception. She had not had a rest for a long time since the batch of expedited orders appeared a few days ago.
Until I walked out of the factory and saw the sun in the thick smoke, Erin was still a little dazed, as if she had just walked out of another world.
She boarded the train and headed straight to Hector City District, where she purchased a property in the city with the pension left by her husband and lived with her children over a year ago. Under the heavy work, Erin hasn't been with her children for a long time, and this vacation is a good opportunity.
Hector City.
At the fountain pool in Municipal Square, Erin stroked the silver cross left by her husband on her chest, and clenched the hand of her eldest son, Daniel, little.
Little Daniel looked at the surging crowd in front of him and asked curiously: "Mom, why are everyone here?"
"Because the empire is going to announce a big event."
"What's going on? "
Irene smiled gently: "Mom doesn't know, but I guess the war is about to begin."
Little Daniel lowered his head, and the young actor said: "Since it's true." In this way, will dad not be able to come back? You said that he is a great hero and has been fighting everywhere for the empire."
Erin sighed lightly, stretched out her hand to touch the child's head: "Yes, your father should still be preparing for the battle now, so we should not disturb him."
Little Daniel's voice was a little choked: "Well, that When will we see him? "
No mistakes, one song, one content, one in 6, one book, one bar, one bar, one read!
"Maybe after the war is over, when my father becomes a world-famous general, he will come back to see you."
"So when will the war end?"
Erin shook her head, unable to bear to look at Little Daniel's expectant eyes anymore. She looked into the distance with a confused expression: "Child, I don't know either."
Maybe the war in the empire will never end ——She only knew that her husband would never come back.
"Look!"
"It's a steam tank!"
"Get out of the way, get out of here, don't block the way!"
"Get out of the way, get out of here!"
"Get out of the way," >
The crowd in front of her suddenly became noisy, and then separated like waves, mixed with the anger of the city guards.
The whistle sounded, and twelve steam tanks were slowly driving through the square, and their tracks were rolling over the hard road, making a dull sound.
These steel giant beasts are extremely large, with a height of more than four meters and a length of nearly ten meters. They are like moving hills, giving people a great sense of oppression. The alloy armor that has been polished to be particularly smooth It shines brightly under the sunshine.
"This is the heavy tank produced by Hetok City!"
"Haha, only our cast iron capital can create such a huge war beast!"
" >
People were talking about it, all shocked by its majestic power and were very proud of it.
In the slum two kilometers away, behind a window with the statue of Misha, the eight-year-old boy Thomas was peeking at the monster with his father's monocular.
"It's so beautiful. I will be a tank soldier in the future!"
"Show me!"
"Hmph, you still want to be a little bean sprout!"
"Hmph, you still want to be a bean sprout, a little bean sprout!"
"Hmph Soldier, I want to become a Dragon Knight! “
The friends in the slums were clamoring for the telescope, all wanting to feast their eyes and watch the military parade in the distance.
"Look! "
"What is that?"
"It's the Dragon Knight of the Empire! No, there's a big guy!"
" >The sound of the air being torn apart resounded through the sky, and people looked at the sky together, and saw flying dragons wearing armor flapping their wings.
Immediately afterwards, a scene that shocked them even more appeared. Huge creatures swept through the clouds, like whales wandering in the sea of clouds, covering people.
The belly of these giants is clearly angular, and thick cannon barrels are extended, while the huge balloons on the upper part are sprayed with imperial emblems of vertical pupils and flames.
"Kaisseus is on, and now everyone can fly too!"
"It's an airship! That's the Empire's airship cluster! I've seen it in the military propaganda brochure ! "
Looking at the "giant whales" in the sky, even Erin sighed at the spectacularity and couldn't help but think a lot in her heart - when these giants dropped bombs and poured fire What kind of scene will it cause for the devastation of life?
Little Daniel hugged Erin tightly, trembling under the power of these killing machines.
Eileen felt her son's fear and hurriedly comforted her: "Child, don't be afraid, these are the weapons of our Ashes Empire, which are used to protect us. They are my father's comrades." br>
Little Daniel pointed to the airship in the sky and asked timidly: "Mom, you told me that you work in a military factory, so do you do this thing?"
Eileen smiled and shook her head: "Of course not. Everyone has their own division of labor, and mother is responsible for making bullets."
"So that's how it is." Little Daniel pondered for a moment and looked up again Looking at the sky: "In the future, I will become a glorious soldier and a great hero as mentioned in the newspapers!"
Erin's smile froze on her face. She thought of her dead husband and couldn't help but persuade: "Child, that's too dangerous, and joining the army must pass the strict assessment. Not everyone can become a soldier."
"That's how it's done." Little Daniel lowered his head and thought, then clapped his hands: "Then I want to create a lot of powerful weapons and equipment like my mother, so that my father can fight better on the front line!"
". ”
Looking at the child with innocent expressions, Erin was stunned for a moment, feeling complicated.
She knew very well that what she was doing was a life-threatening thing, and could instantly smash a person's head and stir up mud inside.
Her work is not decent, and she needs to work repetitively day and night in the dark factory until she is exhausted, and she has less than ten hours of rest every day.
Does her child also take this path?
"Keng——"
In the middle of the square in the distance, five hundred trainee officers' swords were unsheathed at the same time, and half-dragon general Hohenzollern knocked with his cane. Reviewing stand.
"Soldiers! The residents of Hetok City! Today, we are about to usher in a sacred and glorious moment - His Majesty the Supreme Master of Caesus, who will give a speech in person!"
"Long live the empire!"
"Long live His Majesty Kesius!"
The people's fanatical cheers resounded throughout the sky. In such an atmosphere, people who were not excited enough became aliens, so Ai Lin also shouted with the crowd.
Even Daniel was infected by this atmosphere, waving his little fists and making a tender childish voice.
"Long live His Majesty Kesius——" (the end of this chapter)