Castle of Black Iron

When the military officer fetched the item that had been placed here for a long time, he introduced himself to Zhang Tie. "Karak, first lieutenant of the Logistics Base of No. 39 Division. My position is medium-ranked. Since I neither had any contacts among big figures nor could be promoted by battle experience, so I ended up as a bad luck civil official who can only defend the warehouse and deal with the chores in the Logistics Base."

As for his kind hint, of course Zhang Tie could hear it. So he also made an official introduction to first lieutenant Karak and that slippery Calvin , expressing his thanks for their help today.

Afterwards, the atmosphere became more harmonious.

Standing aside, adviser Vessie changed his opinion of Zhang Tie as the boy’s quick-mind completely overthrew the advisers notion of those who had formed Blood-Iron hidden strength. Across No. 39 Division, all the guys who had formed it were violent maniacs with cruel personalities. They were either bad-tempered or as hard and icy as stones. People who had formed Iron-Blood Fist skill yet were as kind as Zhang Tie were rarely seen—how could the Battle God favor such people?

Adviser Vessie couldn’t understand it, however, this didn’t prevent him from having a good impression of Zhang Tie. Perhaps such a guy could really become famous in No. 39 Division.

Calvin finally fetched something out of the piles of items using a hand-pushed forklift that was used to transport items in the warehouse. He pulled it in front of them.

At the sight of this item, Zhang Tie’s eyes also popped out as this weapon was way too exaggerated.

It was a truly huge sword in a terrifying shape. Compared with it, all the long swords that Zhang Tie had seen, even the largest one that he had seen, were like toothpicks before a chopstick.

This sword was as large as a weapon used by giants. Lying on the forklift, it was definitely longer than 2 m, which meant if it was put down point first on the ground, it’d be taller than Zhang Tie.

"This super-heavy battle sword is a non-uniformed lieutenant-level main battle weapon made by weapon craftsmen when blood rushed to their heads. It weighs 358 kg. Nobody can wave it among all the lieutenants of No. 39 Division!" First Lieutenant Karak introduced the weapon.

"If lieutenants can have it, then higher ranked military officers can definitely have it too?" Zhang Tie asked out of curiosity.

"Field officers’ weapons would be made of superior materials. When you are promoted to a field officer, if you like this kind of heavy main battle weapon, you can definitely have one made using better materials. This is the privilege of imperial field officers. This weapon is mainly made of LV 2 tungsten-manganese alloy steel, while imperial field officers are entitled to use LV 3 special alloy!" Adviser Vessie explained. "When you enter the army, you will gradually understand these things!"

Staring at that battle sword of 358 kg, Zhang Tie felt his blood boiling. If Karak and Vessie knew why it did so, they would pass out right away.

’Donder said that if there’s a benefit to be gained, and you didn’t take it, you’d be a bastard. As for such a special weapon, even if I don’t use it, it’s still worth a lot of money if I sell it in an emergency! LV 2 tungsten-manganese alloy steel shouldn’t be average!

This was what Zhang Tie really considered at this moment. Such a super-heavy battle sword was a great benefit waiting for him to pick it up. If he did that, he would own it.

Therefore, Zhang Tie felt his blood boiling in his body. He then put the cylinder of lances to the side. After taking a deep breath, he walked in front of the hand-pushed forklift. With his hands, he took hold of the handle of the 358 kgs’ battle sword.

The handle was like a stout stick composed of compressed dough-like ducks’ eggs. As the four sides of the handle were covered with wavy grains, it was definitely anti-slippery. It was roughly 40 cm in length which could be grasped by two hands.

The blade part was designed much simpler. The armguard that connected the handle and the blade of the sword was a square steel alloy board which was as large as a small shield. It alone would weigh at least 30 kg, having over 20 cm of blade inside.

One side of the blade was plain and sharp-edged, undergone anti-rust treatment, while the other was saw-toothed and glittering with icy lights. Besides that, the blood grooves on the blade were as wide as a person’s thumb. If one was slashed by such a fierce weapon, it was easy to imagine the outcome.

The only problem now was who could use it.

When Zhang Tie took hold of that super-heavy battle sword, Karak, Vessie, and Calvin’s hearts started pounding.

One reason that Karak had fetched this super-heavy battle sword was to check Zhang Tie’s real strength.

With the handle in his hands, Zhang Tie gradually increased the output of his strength...

When those 358 kg of the battle sword started leaving the forklift with the sound of ’Ge zhi’ from the spring and hydraulic supporting the rod beneath the forklift, Karak, Vessie, and Calvin’s eyes immediately popped out.

It was heavy, very heavy, but it was still within Zhang Tie’s physical limit. If he tried to hold it only using one hand, that would be too presumptuous. So he brought it up with both hands and wove it in the air as if slashing someone. Right, slashing someone.

Seeing Zhang Tie slashing with the super-heavy battle sword, the three guys were really scared, hurriedly jumping away.

Zhang Tie moved so fast that a killing wind could even be felt when he raised it to the top of his head and slashed down before steadily stopping it half a feet above the ground, causing the dust on the ground to be blown away by the air flow produced by the blade.

He burst out laughing. Since he ate the nine Wild Wolf Seven-Strength Fruits, he had not been as cool as today.

This battle sword was heavy, able to completely make use of the nine wild wolves’ strengths in Zhang Tie’s body. Slashing with, Zhang Tie felt like doing a very interesting physical exercise. Although it was a bit hard, he found it very fun and pretty cool, especially when he saw the other three people’s faces turn pale.

All men longed for great strength. With the powerful sword in his hands, Zhang Tie found it very interesting to exert his strength. It brought him a sense of achievement.

"Hu...hu...hu..."

Zhang Tie slashed with the huge sword of 358 kg, causing continual weird sounds. The other people hurriedly moved a couple more steps back.

After slashing for about half a minute, Zhang Tie intended to put down that battle sword. After loosening his grip, it fell to the ground, making a small pit and several cracks on the cement ground.

"I feel this battle sword is very proper!"

When Zhang Tie hefted the battle sword of 358 kg and walked out of the arsenal, he attracted the attention of all the passers-by in the Logistics Base. Adviser Vessie helped him by carrying the container of the lances which weighed more than 100 kg, while Karak and Calvin aided in loading the packages and that crate with the set of Sharp-Arrow Type-B Light Armor on the the back seats of the vehicle.

These items, in total, would weigh more than half a ton. After putting them in the vehicle, the chassis seemed even lower than before.

At this moment, Zhang Tie felt like he’d robbed several stores on the street. The sense of free selection was really cool.

He started to feel really well about being a citizen of the Norman Empire...

After thanking Karak and Calvin, Zhang Tie bid farewell to them and got on the vehicle. Afterwards, he left the Logistics Base along with adviser Vessie.

"Officer, I feel that this brat will become someone great one day!" the short and slippery Calvin said to Karak after seeing off Zhang Tie.

Karak nodded, feeling that what he did today would bring him great returns. As for freaks like Zhang Tie, it would be weirder for them not to become outstanding.

"Where are we going?" Zhang Tie asked adviser Vessie, who was driving.

"To register in the Iron-Blood Camp, then coming back to the Headquarters. I’m sure Colonel Leibniz will want to know how you look in an imperial military uniform.

"Can you tell me something about the Iron-Blood Camp?" Zhang Tie asked.

"Have you seen those idiot senior fighters who just stand still with arms crossed behind big gang-like brothers, exposing their tattooed and developed muscles to others?" Adviser Vessie turned his head and asked Zhang Tie. "There should also be gangs like this in Blackhot City."

"Yes, I’ve seen them?"

"Iron-Blood Camp is full of those kind of fighters, those who would even perform as part-time dare-to-die corps..."

Zhang Tie became speechless...

Most of the barracks left by the City Guard, who’d been given a holiday to wait for updates at home, had been occupied by the No. 39 Division. The barracks of Iron-Blood Camp were in the east of Blackhot City. Coincidentally, it was where Zhang Tie’s elder brother’s regiment had been stationed.

Besides the soldiers standing guard outside the entrance, when Zhang Tie arrived at the headquarters of Iron-Blood Camp, he saw few people walking about. Those he did see inside presented two extremes.

One pile of careless-looking people were lazily lying around the grassland with sunglasses on. Some of them had even fastened soft beds between trees; sleeping in them, they stretched their hairy legs outside the hammocks.While others were playing cards and exclaiming under trees, seemingly gambling. They were like playboys from rich families enjoying a holiday.

In contrast to these scenes, some guys were training extremely hard on the training ground. Zhang Tie saw dozens of tough guys practicing Lying-Tiger Move with sweat running down their backs in torrents; the skin on their backs had also peeled off from the scorching rays of the sun and must have felt like it was on fire.

The guys here didn’t seem to care about anything as the arrival of Zhang Tie and adviser Vessie didn’t attract their attention whatsoever.

Adviser Vessie seemed to have seen this scene numerous times, so he didn’t find anything weird about it. Taking Zhang Tie into an office, he briefly explained his reason for coming to an on-duty military officer and gave Zhang Tie’s file to him. After that, he introduced Zhang Tie to that officer before giving the youth two keys for his officer’s dorm and a pass card. By then, Zhang Tie had finished his registration in the Iron-Blood Camp.

"The holiday of Iron-Blood Camp will end in five days. You have to come here then to greet boss Reinhardt. During these days, you can do whatever you want. You can also stir up trouble if you’re not afraid of being caught by those bastards of the military police or being remembered by others who’ll find you here!"

Here, even the on-duty officer looked lazy.

The lieutenants’ dorm was not bad. It was located in a six floor building beside the training ground. There was a small garden underneath it. Outside the entrance of the officers’ dorm building was sentry box with soldiers watching inside.

Each floor was matched with a service platform and servicewomen. Zhang Tie’s dorm was in Room No. 508, floor 5. It was a single room with less than 30 square meters, wooden floor, and matched with an independent washing room where he could take a bath. There was also a steam-heated system, a bed, a table, a wardrobe, a shoe rack, a safe, and a weapon and helmet hanger.

Zhang Tie had place enough to leave all of his luggage in here; it was surely like a hotel. As for the two keys, one was for the door, the other was for the safe inside the room.

The status of a military officer of the Norman Empire was fully displayed here.

Adviser Vessie and Zhang Tie ran two rounds before taking up all of his belongings upstairs and placing them inside the room.

When leaving the Iron-Blood Camp together with adviser Vessie, Zhang Tie suddenly felt that there was something weird with the service platform. He remembered that no female workers could be seen in the military officers’ dorms of the City Guard of Blackhot City. If women were thrown into the pile of tough guys, it would be no different from throwing a lamb into a pack of wolves.

"What are the servicewomen there for?"

"Servicewomen?"

Vessie stared at Zhang Tie with a puzzled look, not sure what he had meant.

"I mean those women standing behind the service platforms on each floor!" Zhang Tie explained himself.

Adviser Vessie then finally understood.

"I was confused there for a moment. Those women are not servicewomen. They’re guilty slaves that stay with the army. The Norman Empire gave them a chance to reduce their guilt by providing manual labor and other services!"

After saying that, adviser Vessie glanced at Zhang Tie. "As a military officer of the Norman Empire, if you do not wish to play them to death, you can order them to do everything you want. Remember, everything. This is also welfare for the Norman Empire’s military officers."

Zhang Tie was not a kid any more, so he immediately understood adviser Vessie’s words. These guilty slaves that lived with the army were playing two roles: living servants and military prostitutes. They had no dignity at all.

Zhang Tie’s heart pounded as he thought of the women. Today’s fantastic experience almost made him forget that the Norman Empire was a hierarchical monarchy which had its icy and hard side...

Just moment ago, he had become a member of the huge and hard system of this empire.

Adviser Vessie seemed to understand that Zhang Tie would have trouble adapting to some aspects of the Norman Empire’s system. After all, there was a great difference between the one he had lived his whole life with and the one he found himself in now.

"I wonder, have you heard a proverb of Emperor Felix?" adviser Vessie asked Zhang Tie while driving the car.

"What proverb?"

"Hierarchy is order, order is beauty!"

The steam-driven car drove Zhang Tie away through the streets of Blackhot City, leaving dust flying in the air...