This young master truly has the ambition of a hero.

On the current southern front, one of the four major army groups has been lost, and it was the most core and strongest army group, the Western First Army Group. In addition, the fate of the Third Prince is unknown, leaving the other three army groups leaderless.

The Kingdom's tactics were actually not complicated: first, they would feign weakness, and then concentrate their superior forces to defeat each of the separate corps one by one.

No matter how many routes you take, I will only go one way.

In a battlefield that is almost one-way transparent, even though the Imperial Army has a numerical advantage, it is still passively taking hits.

Based on Dick's understanding of the imperial high command, the gentlemen in the court are probably busy shifting blame onto their political enemies right now. At the same time, there will be some unyielding pro-war factions demanding reinforcements be sent to the southern front. It is estimated that a new round of large-scale conscription will begin within the empire, and the coverage will be even wider than the last time.

For the empire, war can be brutal, and the deaths are just numbers, but the result must be victory, otherwise many people will lose their heads!

The last time the army was mobilized, it was mainly the royal guards and the nobles in the nearby southern region. The central and western regions and the more distant northern borders were not mobilized. Therefore, the empire's war potential is still huge. However, increased investment also means that the scale of the war will be further expanded, and there is no guarantee that there will be no risk of it getting out of control.

Dick guessed that the North wouldn't be in the second round, given the geographical distance, but some officials would surely come up with a pretext to ask the nobles and people of the North to donate money.

Dick didn't want to spend a single penny, and he even tried to stop the Northern Alliance's allies.

With this spare money, why don't you join forces with me to build a railway? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

However, this doesn't mean they're completely disloyal; their disloyalty is far too obvious. The empire is currently in a state of teetering on the brink of chaos. The Imperial Guard might not be able to handle the Kingdom's army, but dealing with Ragug would be no problem. The empire's size is what it is; this isn't a gap that can be bridged by a few Saint-level figures.

At this moment, Ruby Eyes made a suggestion: this war in the far south might not be a bad opportunity. With the setbacks at the front, the nobles in the south must be the most anxious right now, because they are closer. If the kingdom's army marches straight across the border, their territories will become battlefields.

At this moment, these guys are either busy running inland or busy arming their troops and improving the defense capabilities of their territories.

Once the public has a clear demand in a certain area, the price of the corresponding goods will definitely soar. Isn't this a golden opportunity for the arms trade?

Laguge is rich in mineral resources. In addition to rare cold iron, there are also huge reserves of ordinary iron ore and coal. Moreover, with the completion of the industrial zone, their production capacity has also been significantly improved. The production of cold weapons in the assembly line mode is far more efficient than that of ordinary small workshops.

Moreover, last year, Ruby Eyes collaborated with local artisans and alchemists, utilizing her advanced knowledge in materials science to achieve a major research result that can be used to generate revenue.

Chapter 246: Door-to-Door Delivery

War is an extremely expensive large-scale team-building activity, and the threshold for spending money is not low. Many problems cannot be solved immediately simply by throwing money at them.

The southern part of the empire is renowned for its wealth; its mild climate has created a land of plenty, and most of the local lords operate on a traditional plantation model. If transportation issues are disregarded, the annual grain production of the south alone would be enough to feed the entire population of the empire, with a surplus.

However, compared to the developed agriculture in the region, the industrial level in the south is far from impressive.

Before the arrival of Earthlings, the old era was alright. Everyone was engaged in small-scale workshops at the medieval level, and there was no real difference in the level between the east, west, south, and north. However, in the "new industrial era" after the arrival of Earthlings, the south was gradually crushed by the "central industrial zone" centered on the capital in the field of general industry.

This included deliberate suppression by the imperial high command through policy, which did not want to see the already powerful south grow further and eventually break away from the central government's control.

There were also many limitations of the southern lords themselves. The smaller lords were willing but unable, lacking the resources to do so, while the larger lords lacked the courage and were afraid of causing serious damage.

Therefore, to this day, only a few large lords in the south have set up some unsystematic small and medium-sized factories on their own territories.

After all, early industrialization also depends on natural conditions. If you don't even have iron ore, how can you build a steel mill?

The reason why Lagug can afford to build coal-steel complexes and industrial zones is that the resources it needs can be mined locally within its territory. This is a gift from nature. Even if the production of some resources is slightly insufficient, they can be purchased from nearby territories.

Dick was quite principled in this regard, offering very fair prices. Given his current standing in the underworld, people were happy to sell to him since he didn't try to rob them. Many minor lords made a small fortune as a result, unknowingly joining the Northern Alliance and becoming Dick's trusted henchmen.

So the current situation is that many small and medium-sized lords in the south have money, manpower, food, and imminent military pressure, but they lack the capacity to produce weapons on a large scale within their territories and can only spend a lot of money to buy them from other places.

This situation was also mentioned in the intelligence sent by Rita. Before the start of the war in the south, the number of orders for several major arms factories in the capital had been increasing, and most of them came from the southern region.

Many lords initially intended to arm their serfs and follow the Imperial Army to seize wealth and military merit on the kingdom's territory, but as the war situation deteriorated rapidly, they are now scrambling to protect themselves.

It must be said that many aristocratic farm owners in the south, though conservative, were also quite courageous! Upon learning that the royal army might be coming, they panicked and were afraid, but very few abandoned their territories and fled. They were truly willing to risk their lives to protect the land their families had lived on for generations!

The demand for weapons in the entire southern region is enormous, so much so that no one can possibly consume it all at once. The key is that the demand is urgent, and everyone is eager to place an order in the morning and receive the goods that evening.

Therefore, for suppliers, the competition is not about production volume, but about delivery speed!

Dick figured he probably wouldn't get the lion's share of this "feast," but if he acted quickly enough, he should be able to eat his fill.

After a moment's thought, Dick asked the Ruby Eyes.

"How much inventory do we have on hand? What is the production capacity of our factories at full capacity? What about our fleet?"

"We have 3,000 sets of equipment in stock. The factory production lines are running at full capacity, and we can produce 300 sets per day. Once the workers become more skilled, doubling that number won't be a problem. The fleet is in the new port and can set sail at any time."

Without needing to consult the inventory ledger, Ruby Eyes had already memorized all the data.

The "set" that Hongyu Zhitong mentioned was based on the standard of the regular army: a set of standard armor, weapons for the corresponding troop type, and various accessories. Moreover, the weapons were divided into three pieces: main, auxiliary, and pre-equipped, with the cost of damage prepared in advance.

In reality, in actual warfare, the attrition rate of weapons exceeds that of people, especially the cheap weapons produced in traditional small workshops, which are particularly fragile. Those that can be passed down through families are extremely rare and exquisite pieces, requiring extremely tedious and expensive maintenance in the later stages, making them beyond the reach of ordinary families.

To improve the quality of its self-produced equipment, Lagug added a small amount of cold iron ore powder and other composite components during the smelting stage, resulting in steel of excellent quality and greater durability.

However, Dick was well-versed in the "Yellow Dog Knife Method," and the best products were for his own use. The products sold to the outside world generally did not contain cold iron ore powder, and their performance was only slightly better than that of his competitors. Moreover, they were divided into several grades.

For this arms sale, Dick plans to personally lead a team to the south, firstly to promote the high-quality military equipment produced in Laguge, and secondly to find trading partners and develop maritime transport.

Limited by natural environment and climate conditions, there are some things that Laguge simply cannot produce on its own, or that its production is insufficient in the short term.

For example, the supply chain for various tropical spices, rubber, and cotton is not reliable enough if it relies solely on third-party caravans, and middlemen often raise prices arbitrarily.

Under Dick's orders, the industrial zone immediately began "wartime production mode" to maximize output, and the existing stock of 3,000 sets was immediately loaded onto ships. At this time of year, the sea was "favorable" from north to south. As long as they didn't run into a storm, even non-powered sailboats could reach the south within a week, let alone their own paddle steamers.

As for the accompanying personnel, the negotiation team consisted of Ding An and Hong Yu Zhi Tong, the intelligence team consisted of Tia, Xia, Ayane, and Qi Gan Te (who could change size at will), the escort team consisted of Belfast, Kael Saint, and Tartu, the guard team consisted of Dongfeng Wu Xi and Bai Qiang Dai, and the post-trip support team consisted of Natasha, Xiao Ai, and Hui Nai Guo. Almost half of the core group was brought along, while the rest stayed behind to guard against any unusual movements from the orcs in the north.

The night before their departure, Black Artoria found Dick, grabbed his arm, and dragged him to her room without saying a word.

"Elbow, come inside with me!"

Dick was used to the woman's tyrannical behavior. Moreover, as a Heroic Spirit, Black Lancer Artoria was different from the other members of the team. She needed a sufficient supply of magic power to maintain her physical existence. If she did not receive a supply of magic power for a long time, she would become weak and have to become a spirit.

Therefore, Dick must leave her enough "food" for this long trip.

To Dick's slight surprise, when he was dragged into Black Gunner's room, he found Black Jeanne d'Arc there, and there were several open bottles of wine on the table.

The two had only known each other for a few days, but they seemed to hit it off unexpectedly.

Jeanne Alter looked at Dick with a bewildered expression.

"You...you weren't supposed to go get the drinks and food, were you? Why did you call him here!"

"Here, these are the snacks to go with the drinks."

"..."

Black Gun pointed at Dick, who looked at him in surprise and asked.

"Hey! You've gone too far!"

"Haha, just kidding, but I really do want to 'eat' you tonight."

Black Gunner gave Black Jeanne a meaningful look, then, oblivious to everyone else, began to French kiss Dick, making very erotic sucking sounds and muffled moans. This erotic scene shocked Black Jeanne so much that she could hardly close her jaw.

Didn't we agree to have a small drink? Why are you drinking this all by yourself?!

Chapter 247: It's really easy to handle.jpg

Magic is essential for Heroic Spirits to maintain their existence, and it is also the intoxicating wine they drink. And Dick's bottle is undoubtedly the finest of the finest. Although it is not very old, its taste is extremely smooth and mellow. Therefore, the bold and unrestrained Black Lancer Artoria's favorite way to drink it is to "chicken it straight from the bottle"!

After a passionate French kiss, Black Gunner licked his still-smooth lips, seemingly wanting more.

For her, this was merely an appetizer before the main event; she was prepared for an unrestrained binge tonight. But Black Jeanne across the table had never seen anything like this before; she stood frozen in place, completely dazed and motionless.

"You...you people...do you do this kind of thing behind people's backs?"

"We're all on the same side, what's there to hide? Besides, we're both Heroic Spirits. Since you've been summoned by your Master to become a Servant, you'll have to experience this kind of thing sooner or later. And don't let our Master's seemingly small position fool you, his physical attributes are anything but small. As the old saying goes, there's no time like the present, so I'll set an example for you in a bit!"

"..."

Dick, who was being held in Black Gun's arms like a body pillow, remained calm. Outside of work hours, he was the "shared body pillow" for the female subordinates, which was considered one of the unspoken internal perks.

After all, resistance is futile! What can a mage do when a warrior grabs him at close range?

LOL, he can't escape Black Gun's grasp at all.

Moreover, he didn't feel the need to defend himself against what the other party had just said, since every word was true!

So don't struggle in vain, just enjoy every moment.

Meanwhile, Black Saber is still imparting her knowledge to the bewildered Black Jeanne, giving a sense of a senior colleague earnestly instructing a new employee on how to adapt to a new environment. The core of the rules is how to seize the opportunity and secure a position as the boss's "promotion tool."

Black Lancer Alter is indeed very experienced in this regard, because apart from Lucoa who created the "legend of the fastest free kill" in the whole team, she is definitely in the first tier who is eager to improve.

So, without further ado, Black Gunner began hands-on practice on the spot!

Under the utterly shocked gaze of Jeanne Alter, Artoria Pendragon (Alter) and Dick became as intertwined as an old tree with gnarled roots. They kissed and caressed each other's bodies, with a particular pair of very prominent body parts of Artoria Pendragon (Alter) receiving special attention, being rubbed, pinched, and sucked with a soft, sucking sound.

This made Jeanne Alter look down at her chest. In terms of size, she was not inferior at all, almost on par. Moreover, because she was a full twelve centimeters shorter than Alter Alter, she actually stood out more in the overall appearance.

In a flash, the image of herself being toyed with by her Master appeared in Jeanne Alter's mind. While she felt embarrassed, she also felt a subtle sense of unease.

After all, Dick's constitution is special. He is not only Jeanne Alter's Master, but also a male succubus who is born with a "special attack on women". The magic power that overflows when he is aroused is enough to make her heart flutter.

At this moment, with the help of Alter Alter, Dick revealed his ultimate weapon, causing Jeanne Alter to gasp in surprise. Compared to Dick's boyish physique, the size of this thing was simply counterintuitive!

Meanwhile, Black Saber polished the "Spear of the End" with her mouth while using her eyes to provoke Jeanne Alter, who was watching the battle from the side.

"How about it? Want to give it a try? There are still seats available."

The two, who were in the middle of a great time, thought that Black Jeanne would pretend to be calm and ignore them, but to their surprise, she gritted her teeth, stomped her foot, and actually came over and squatted down to Dick's left.

"Bring it on! Who's afraid of who!"

Driven by a strange competitive spirit, Jeanne Alter imitated the Serpent Saint Alter beside her, using her mouth to serve Dick's Holy Lance. Although her technique was still quite clumsy, her stubborn gaze pleased Dick greatly.

This made Dick suddenly understand those masochists a little better!

Imagine a beautiful girl like Jeanne Alter, with both stunning looks and a voluptuous figure, looking up at you with disdain while diligently serving you with her soft, sweet mouth. Who could resist such a scene?

Then the giant mushroom burst forth, splattering the two unsuspecting Servants with its fury.

"Hey! You bastard... you should at least have given me a heads-up!"

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself because I was looking at you, Jeanne Alter..."

Hearing Dick's apology, Jeanne Alter was slightly taken aback, a beautiful blush appearing on her fair face. Dick couldn't help but think to himself, "The easiest woman to handle in Chaldea truly lives up to her reputation!"

However, at that moment, while Jeanne Alter was shy and stunned, Alter took the lead and straddled Dick's waist, sitting down steadily and completing the docking first.

Seeing this, Black Jeanne finally came to her senses. Her astonished expression was as if someone had snatched the biggest strawberry from her strawberry cake right in front of her.

"you you……"

"This is called first come, first served. Don't you even know what seniority means?!"

Black Gunner's figure moved up and down like riding a horse, enjoying the continuous flow of magic and pleasure into his body, while casting a smug little glance at the exasperated Black Jeanne. The century-old feud between England and France was vividly displayed at this moment in the form of "workplace bullying".

Seeing that Saber Alter seemed to be having a great time, with her chanting getting louder and louder, Jeanne Alter felt like ants were crawling all over her body, which was extremely uncomfortable.

But then Dick took her hand, pulled Jeanne Alter to his side, and kissed her red lips. This was the first time in Jeanne Alter's life that she had kissed a man. Her mind went blank for a moment, and an unprecedented feeling of happiness almost dispelled the shadow cast by resentment in her heart.

This is what makes the succubus's constitution special; it's not only a special attack against the opposite sex, but also an innate ability to dispel curses.

Although Jeanne Alter was born from hatred and resentment, she is not a vengeful spirit. The resentment accumulated in her body is a torment to her. Therefore, the purification effect brought about by the breaking of the curse will not harm her, but will have the effect of "removing impurities".

This wonderful feeling made Jeanne Alter completely immersed in it and unable to extricate herself.

Jeanne Alter couldn't help but wonder, if a kiss alone could bring such physical and mental pleasure, what a wonderful experience it would be to go all the way to the end like Alter Alter.

Just then, Black Gunner Alter reached his climax, his limbs clinging to Dick like an octopus, extracting a burst of essence.

After finishing, Black Gunner let out a long sigh of relief, then stood up and gave up his seat, waving to Black Jeanne who had been waiting eagerly, and making a gesture of invitation.

"Give it a try?"

"Let's give it a try!"

Chapter 248: The Largest Port in the South

"You might not believe it, but I facilitated a reconciliation between Britain and France last night."

"???" xN

On the paddle steamer slowly departing from the New Port Wharf, Dick looked at the Black Gunner and Black Jeanne d'Arc waving goodbye to him from the shore and made a statement that puzzled everyone around him.

Of course! Some understood, but they were all secretly laughing and pretending to be confused.

"Xiao Ai, what does the BOSS mean?"

Honoka, one of the accompanying staff, curiously asked Ai for advice. As fellow members of the "girls' high school group" who were summoned together, the two were of similar age and had a lot in common, so they had a good relationship in private.

When Ai saw Suixiang ask a question, she mischievously leaned close to her ear and whispered a few words. Suixiang's face visibly flushed red. A girl's innocent nature doesn't mean she's clueless.

"If Miss Honoka is interested, I can talk to the young master for you!"