Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Kania also felt that Ryūka had to take this step to fulfill his promise to her. But when it came to forcing his people to go to war, she couldn't help but worry about Ryūka. After all, she had seen all of Ryūka's hard work. Although she wouldn't feel cruel to make Ryūka personally push his beloved people to the battlefield, she understood that it might be a difficult choice for him.

Sensing the complex thoughts of the women, Ryuka finally couldn't help but speak up:

"You've all misunderstood me. I'm neither as arrogant as Hetia and the others think, nor as saintly and compassionate as Kania and Kira think!"

I entered this war willingly! Not because of anyone else, nor forced by circumstances! Whether or not I, Ottus, am involved, the flames of war will eventually ignite! Therefore, I will seize every opportunity to do what I want to do!

That is to go to war! And to win! You will see it all!

Liu Xia, unlike his usual playful self, exuded a strong aura from his still-growing body, which instilled a strange sense of trust in the girls present, causing their expressions to change.

"Wow, he's starting to look more like a man..."

Melanie couldn't help but mutter to herself. Although she and the others didn't know why Ryusha was so confident, they were inevitably influenced by their little lover's aura and began to feel a little expectant.

"Of course~ You all know perfectly well whether I'm a man or not~"

Liu Xia's seriousness didn't last long, and he couldn't help but tease the girls present again, which made them blush and mutter curses under their breath.

Melanie, who had just been praising him, couldn't help but shake her head: "That's what you mean, men..."

At this moment, Megan entered, abandoning her usual obsequious manner, and knelt on one knee before Ryūsha, giving a knightly salute:

"Master, your army is assembled. In addition to those who volunteered, one thousand laborers randomly conscripted from subordinate territories have also been assembled..."

A thousand laborers? The ones demanded by the Anti-Duke Alliance? They couldn't help but look at Ryūka, wondering what he was up to.

Liuxia nodded and, led by Megan, arrived at the training ground. Three hundred soldiers stood in neat rows at the front, while behind them was a dense mass of conscripted laborers. Outside the training ground, the families of these soldiers and laborers watched nervously, the women wiping away tears with their handkerchiefs. The villagers who had not been conscripted watched the spectacle with indifference…

A thousand laborers is almost half of the able-bodied men in the Linhu territory, which has a population of over seven thousand.

Even so, they were unwilling to enlist voluntarily. Even being conscripted for hard labor was better than being sent to the battlefield carrying pitchforks. For a moment, the dejected laborers huddled at the back and the three hundred nervous recruits at the front seemed to belong to two different worlds, both waiting for their commander to speak.

Even the townspeople on the outskirts looked at Liu Xia on the high platform with complicated expressions. This young man had indeed brought them a year of good life. But when it came time to conscript them for the battlefield, they couldn't help but hesitate, and every now and then some would mutter to themselves, "Officials and nobles are all the same..."

The first three hundred recruits were mostly young men, more than half of whom had received basic education at the schools run by the Linhu Territory, thus possessing a slightly higher level of awareness than the average townspeople. Although nervous, they still hoped that the governor, who had changed their lives, would say something inspiring…

However, the words that Liuxia uttered shocked them.

"Hey, you reckless older brothers, unfilial sons, and young men who dream of becoming heroes and joined the army. Now that you're here, you should know what awaits you, right?"

"From today onwards, you are professional soldiers. The enlistment agreement clearly states: desertion, death penalty! Disobedience, death penalty! Dereliction of duty, death penalty! And I'm adding another: your families will also be implicated!"

The new recruits were in an uproar, especially the eighty who had just joined the army, who couldn't help but whisper among themselves. The two hundred or so who had joined earlier, though their expressions changed drastically, still maintained the order they had been trained to maintain.

Even the townspeople on the outskirts were whispering among themselves because of the threat that their families would be implicated, but they dared not step forward under the lances of the regular knights led by Baron and Luke...

Whether it was Kania and the others or the knights like Baron and Luca, none of them could understand why Ryukatsu would say such a thing.

Facing the clamor of the crowd below, Liu Xia drew his longsword, gathered his strength, and unleashed a breathtaking battle aura, carving a deep chasm in front of the recruits' formation!

Mud and sand splattered onto the faces of the first rank of soldiers, and pebbles scratched their cheeks, but under the threat of this sword, no one dared to utter a sound, letting the blood trickle down their faces as they watched their young governor descend the high platform stairs step by step.

Across that chasm, Liu Xia walked step by step in front of them, looking into their still-shaken eyes, and said in a loud voice that could be heard even by those behind her:

"It's so unfair, isn't it? I suddenly added this rule, it's so unreasonable, isn't it?"

"But you can't resist, because I'm stronger and of higher status than you. Anyone who resists me, I can easily cut off their head, make their family do hard labor, and force their sisters and daughters into prostitution..."

The soldiers swallowed hard, their throats churning. They wondered what had happened to the usually kind and gentle governor; why was he acting like this today? Some of them were already regretting joining the army.

Even the previously dejected laborers couldn't help but gloat, thankful that they hadn't acted rashly and volunteered for military service...

Sensing the change in the atmosphere, Ryuka smiled and continued speaking:

"Regret it? Then I can give you one last chance. Anyone who wants to quit now, take off your uniform and crawl out of here in your underwear!"

“That’s right, just like you before, barely clothed and starving, crawling like dogs in the cold wind, exchanging your humble posture for a chance to survive before the lord…”

The new recruits gritted their teeth and began to tremble. Some had already started to think, while their families on the periphery began to plead and call for them to come back quickly.

Their resolve began to waver. Some people still didn't understand what Ryūka was doing. He seemed to have turned into a tyrant, no different from the vicious lords they had known and heard about before...

However, a sense of defiance began to spread among these young people. Some were too afraid to act, while others felt wronged and angry. The pride and unwillingness to back down in the young men's hearts overwhelmed their fear and rational consideration, making them stand firmly on the ground.

Liu Xia raised his eyebrows. The group of young people who volunteered to join the army were naturally the boldest and most adventurous in the entire Linhu Territory. Even so, he was still gratified that no one withdrew.

"Very good, it seems you all have some guts and are worthy of the weapons I have forged for you."

Liu Xia laughed, clapped her hands, returned to the platform, and shouted to one side:

"Anjaberg! You can send the equipment to them now!"

Ryuka's words drew everyone's attention to one side of the training ground, where Anjaberg and the engineers from the Magic Workshop were pushing carts and stopping in front of the new recruits.

The red cloth on the car was lifted, revealing rows of strange stick-like objects neatly arranged on it. The metal fittings and intricate magical circuits made them look like beautiful works of art.

What's this?

Chapter 16 An Unexpected Pre-Battle Mobilization (Part 2)

The fact that these things were neither knives nor swords aroused the curiosity of the new recruits. Only some soldiers who had participated in magical catapult shooting training guessed that they must be brand new magical weapons.

"A magic gun? The one Anjaberg used before?"

Hetia and Melanie looked somewhat familiar, but these new gadgets were much longer and more slender than the Flame Magic Gun that Anyaberg had used before.

Amidst the doubts of the others, these magical guns were handed out to the new recruits one by one, along with a small, square box that shone with the brilliance of magical crystals.

Meanwhile, Ryūka was also holding the same thing and showing it off to the new recruits below the stage:

"Everyone, follow my movements. Insert the 'magic magazine,' this thing, into the groove at the bottom of the magic gun, then press this switch and wait for the magic circuit on the gun to light up..."

"Alright, now, take the same stance as me, point the gun diagonally upwards, keep your arms firmly tucked in, and then gently pull the trigger with your finger..."

Ryūka didn't pull the trigger. Instead, she looked at the soldiers below the stage with great interest, waiting for one of them to foolishly pull the trigger as she had instructed...

Bang! With a burst of flame, a blazing red beam shot from the muzzle of a soldier's gun, soaring into the sky! Passing through the magic circuit, the power of the magic crystal was converted into fire element. The beam dispersed after traveling several dozen meters, finally dissipating in the sky…

The loud explosion made all the soldiers turn to look at the man. They trembled from the sound and looked at his gun barrel, now only slightly smoked, with fear in their eyes. At the same time, their hands, gripping their magic guns, began to sweat slightly.

This is the power of magic! Something only a noble magician could accomplish!

After the initial shock and fear subsided, a second person couldn't resist raising their gun to the sky and pulling the trigger with excitement!

Bang! Bang bang bang!!!

Soon, streaks of crimson light streaked across the sky, like colorful fireworks. Compared to their initial fear, the soldiers quickly developed a different emotion...

This is so much fun...

Like children who have received a toy, they pulled the trigger every ten seconds as their magic circuits charged, showing off their newly acquired power to the sky!

"Alright, alright! Save your magic crystals! They're more expensive than your monthly military pay!"

As Liu Xia laughed and cursed, the soldiers burst into laughter, forgetting the humiliation they had just suffered.

Hetia and Hafren stared blankly at the scene. Each strike resembled a fireball cast by an apprentice mage, though its range was limited and its power not particularly strong. But the one who unleashed them was an ordinary person with absolutely no magical talent…

"It's nothing serious... It's only a few dozen meters in range, and a proper knight can withstand three to five hits. A distance of a few dozen meters can be covered in the blink of an eye..."

Heflian spoke blankly, while Ryuka pulled out something else as she spoke...

A pointed metal bullet...

"Now watch closely, this is another use. Pull this bolt to load the bullet in from here, then lock it, and pull the trigger again..."

Ryūka raised the magic gun and aimed it at the bronze bell at the top of the church in the distance.

Bang! A slightly crisper crackling sound rang out, and the large bell hundreds of meters away emitted a muffled tone. Crows took flight, and a white-haired nun who had been dozing on the roof popped a snot bubble and jumped up in fright.

"What's wrong! What happened!"

The soldiers didn't understand what had happened, but the knights clearly realized that the metal bullet, propelled by the fire element, had shot towards the large bell hundreds of meters away in an instant, and the power of that attack was clearly different...

Some people touched their own armor and couldn't help but become suspicious.

Ryūka quickly pulled back the bolt, loaded the next bullet, and pulled the trigger towards a metal plate in the training field.

After the smoke cleared, a clear bullet hole was visible...

"And now, Miss Heflin?"

Anjaberg appeared on the platform at some point, grinned mischievously at Hefren, and gave Hetia and Melanie a peace sign.

"Senior Hetia~ You still say my invention is unreliable?! And Senior Melanie! Is the Magical Engineering Department still useless? Hmm?"

"Looks like some people want to be hung from a tree again."

Melanie rolled her eyes at Anjaberg's provocation, but she had to admit that Anjaberg had made progress.

This magic gun can switch modes. When there are no projectiles, it provides a 50-meter range of fire element magic scattering. When there are projectiles, it provides a 300-meter range of precise shooting. It is manually reloaded at the rear, one shot at a time.

Anjaberg laughed proudly. Although the fixed ammunition and more complex gun mechanism that Ryusha mentioned were still under development, she was already very satisfied with creating this kind of magic gun while maintaining the main task of cracking and developing the heretical ruins!

After all, she was already very skilled in the application of magic circuits and magic crystals, and the existing magic gun's mechanical structure was also very simple, the main body being just a steel pipe with adequate sealing and material strength.

Rather than having Anjaberg develop gunpowder chemistry and materials processing from scratch, Ryuka felt that utilizing existing magical technology was the quickest way. After all, in a world with magical energy, there was no need to obsess over gunpowder formulas…

However, the mechanical mechanism still needs further development, and the current firing rate is not fast enough. But we'll have to wait until the Magic Workshop's production capacity is fully utilized.

"Your Excellency! What about us! What about us!"

Some questions arose among the new recruits. Not everyone was issued a magic gun; only about one hundred out of three hundred received this new weapon, which made those behind them start to look forward to it.

"Don't rush, it'll all come eventually. And what are you guys called? You're artillerymen for the magical bombardment system, right? You already have this big thing and you still want to fight with others! Do you want to marry one more wife than everyone else?!"

Ryūka's laughter and curses made the soldiers laugh sheepishly, and they all became engrossed in their new weapons. Behind them, the laborers who had just been gloating were now completely bewildered…

What does this mean? These ordinary people, no different from ourselves, have obtained weapons that rival the power of mages and knights?

Although they didn't understand the principles behind it, nor did they understand what kind of battle Ryūka was going to lead them to, they could certainly see the real power in his eyes.

Power equals status and wealth; this is an eternal truth.

"This is power, this is opportunity, this is a reward for the brave..."

Ryuka's voice silenced everything, and everyone was seriously moved by him.

"Many of you were starving before, worrying about firewood for the winter. I changed all that. I did it voluntarily, so I don't need anything in return from you..."

A large army is currently gathering in the north, intending to march south and control the entire Sochi Plain. You've all heard about this, and I understand you don't know why those nobles are fighting, or what interests they're vying for. But the important thing is, you think it has nothing to do with you!

Ryūka's tone gradually became serious. He used simple words that ordinary people could understand to tell the story that was happening, and pointed to the northwest with intense gestures...

"Yes, attacking Sochi Territory and Linhu Territory has nothing to do with each other! When they occupy Sochi Territory and want to annex Linhu Territory, it's just me and Miss Tartu, the lord's wife, who will be kicked out! It has nothing to do with you! You'll just be serving a different lord! After surviving the soldiers' looting, you'll be back to your old lives! You'll continue living that life worse than livestock! Slaves will become slaves again! Peasants will become peasants again! If you're lucky, your lives will just be worse! But that's better than losing your life on the battlefield! Right?!"

Hetia and the others finally understood why Ryukyu had been so harsh on his subjects today, even going so far as to berate and insult the soldiers who had volunteered for the army. He was making these subjects, who were complacent and immersed in the peaceful life he had created, recall the days when they were treated inhumanely, and the feeling of being ordered around by nobles and landowners and having to bow their heads.

Then, he gave the soldiers in the front ranks incredible weapons, letting them feel the power in their hands, and they would naturally want to try to fight against that fate.

And what about the laborers behind the soldiers, those ordinary civilians? Before, they might have just bowed their heads and let Ryūka scold them, adopting a "so what?" attitude as Ryūka performed like a clown on stage. As long as they weren't driven by whips and swords, they would rather be laborers beaten and scolded by other soldiers than be conscripted to fill in the lines.

But now things are different. Seeing ordinary young men, no different from themselves, wielding weapons comparable to those of mages and knights, they seem to realize what they've missed. (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the previous sentences.)

“I don’t blame you, nor am I naively thinking that just because I’ve fed and clothed you for a year, you should willingly risk your lives for me…”

Ryuka noticed the fear in the eyes of the civilians looking at her, and then looked at the magic guns held by the recruits with curiosity and envy. Her tone softened slightly, but quickly became serious again.

"Living a life of ignominy is not shameful... but I can tell you clearly, Linhu Territory! From today onwards! It will be engulfed in war! This is not just a simple war! You can ask the elders in your families! Those who are lucky enough to live to be sixty or seventy years old! Have they ever seen lords and nobles change hands because of war! And how many commoners have become slaves! Or have they been freed from their fate!"

You can call me, the governor who's about to lead Linhu Territory into war, a tyrant! You can continue to live your lives with your heads bowed! But that won't change the fact that's about to happen! And them!

Ryuka pointed to the young soldiers in the front row...

"These reckless, brainless young men in your eyes! These unfilial sons you call risking their lives for a respectable uniform and a few gold coins! Or for a moment of glory! War fanatics! Some of them will die on the battlefield! Their mangled corpses will be buried on the spot! But those who survive will use the magical weapons I give them to kill knights and mages you wouldn't even dare to look at! They will use their heads to earn military merit and rewards!"

They will acquire more land than before! They will have the money to marry the most beautiful girls on the Sochi plain! Even if I die, I will provide enough money to support their families! Simply because they have now volunteered to be my soldiers! This is what they deserve!

At this point, Ryuga looked at the young men, around twenty years old. Their eyes held fear of death, but even more so, a madness and a burning desire. They gripped their magic guns as if they were made of gold, something they wouldn't trade for any amount of exciting pre-battle rewards!

Ryūka looked at them, and finally asked in a calm tone:

"Now, I can give you one last chance. Those who want to leave can lay down their guns and leave with dignity. The rest are gamblers willing to risk their lives for wealth and glory. I will not pity you if you die, after all, it was your own choice..."

The young men laughed. They looked at each other, then turned their gaze to Liuxia. None of them left; instead, they boldly started joking:

"Your Excellency! Even if we have no money, we're willing to follow you now!"

"Your Excellency! You said we can marry the most beautiful girls on the Sochi Plain, including the daughters of landowners and nobles?"

"Let's see what you can do! I won't let my soldiers commit rape and plunder! But I won't be stingy when it comes to promotions and making money! Those guys have a lot of good stuff hidden in their homes, but I'm a frugal person! I don't need that much money!"

If you're wearing an officer's uniform and stuffed with gold coins and still can't win over a girl, you'd better take a good look in the mirror and figure out where you went wrong!

Ryuka laughed and scolded the soldier who asked the question. His friend next to him rubbed his not-so-handsome head and made loud jokes about him, only to be kicked hard in the butt by the young man.

"As for the rest..."