Chapter 555: Soldiers at the City Gates

The impact of the steam locomotive lingered for a long time. Nobles who had originally planned to depart immediately after congratulating Roland’s birth now abruptly changed their itineraries.

Though they knew little about trains, they recognized the immense potential in such a machine. Who wouldn’t want this “divine artifact” within their own domain?

For several days thereafter, the nobles flocked to Marshfort, seeking information, inquiring whether they too might construct a train and lay down rail lines across their lands.

These business negotiations were still led by Chakhar, though Luoning was present as well.

Railways required top-down initiation and unified planning. Yet each noble here functioned like a sovereign ruler of a small nation. If a railway passed through Noble A’s territory, and one day he lost his mind and severed the tracks, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Before Luoning had fully unified these regions, he needed to negotiate terms carefully—defining responsibilities on both sides. Any deliberate sabotage would carry severe consequences.

Of course, Luoning did not offer all this freely.

Though he controlled the steam locomotive technology, and other nobles bore no burden in its invention, any railway built within their domains demanded their own investment.

Labor costs, materials like steel and sleepers, plus the professional fees of Wubei’s technical team—altogether, the sum would easily exceed a hundred thousand gold coins.

Beyond that, ongoing operational costs would require continued payments to the Wubei Domain for transportation services.

Once money entered the equation, nine out of ten nobles hesitated.

Luoning had expected this. He never assumed every noble could afford to join such a colossal undertaking.

His focus shifted instead to those whose domains contained mines or had high transport demands.

After days of talks, only Rulans offered full support. The others merely replied with cautious promises to consider seriously and respond soon.

Luoning understood—it was, after all, a monumental project.

Yet he realized that to extend railways across the land, authority must come from above. Once a route was decreed to pass through a noble’s territory, it *would* pass through. Local lords should have no right to refuse.

Fortunately, there was no rush. First, complete the main line from Wubei Domain to Wushan Fortress, along with branch lines en route.

Let the others ponder as long as they wished.

After the festivities faded, Marshfort returned to its usual quiet.

Aside from caring for Roland, Luoning immersed himself in experimenting with concrete. The high-quality clay from Westwind Hill and limestone from Giantstone City blended perfectly, providing new building materials ideal for constructing Wubei City and Wubei Castle.

Besides these tasks, Luoning received letters from other members of the War Council. When Valgis and Iben reported encountering Solar Knights among their enemies, Luoning would appear personally to resolve the threat.

On the central and eastern fronts, though Solar Knights appeared, Radal and Maken were sufficient to handle them.

Through prolonged campaigns, Luoning’s forces suffered minimal losses, while Valgis and Iben endured heavier casualties.

Though they ultimately triumphed, seizing territories once belonging to Ferenzburg and Blackthorn Duchies, their growth paled beside Luoning’s and Rulans’.

Over the next two years of war, Luoning observed that although the Trisia Kingdom still resisted in fragmented pockets, the number of powerful figures on the battlefield dwindled steadily.

He meant eighth- and ninth-rank transcendents.

Now, after entire battles, the enemy’s strongest warrior was often merely a Gold Knight.

There were many Gold Knights, yes—but they stirred no real waves.

Clearly, ever since Selandir’s death, the enemy’s ability to mass-produce elite warriors had sharply declined, unable to keep pace with the attrition across four battlefronts.

Above Bakus City, Luoning and Radal hovered in midair, watching the fierce clash below.

“The Flame Seal Knight over there is nearly approaching Starfall-level power,” Radal pointed toward the combat swirling in the lower right. “But our side needs only one Gold Knight and two Silver Knights forming the Blazing Formation to bring him down.”

Luoning watched. The trio fought in perfect harmony, their movements resonating as if linked by invisible threads.

Special cultivation manuals, external aids, and rigorous training had forged their synchronicity.

Surrounded, the enemy Flame Seal Knight was already at his limit.

“That Gold Knight—isn’t that Joffrey?” Luoning asked.

Radal smiled. “Yes, my lord. Two years of war have propelled Joffrey forward rapidly. He’s now nearing the late Gold tier. The one beside him is Babrin—newly elevated to Silver, but already showing promise as a garrison commander or peacekeeper.”

Both Joffrey and Babrin had risen from savage tribes. Their achievements now amounted to legend.

In truth, thanks to Luoning’s preferential allocation of enhancement elixirs to his loyal subordinates, many had flourished over these two years.

Rogner, Damon, Tom—and strongest of all, Karada, now a Starfall Knight.

As they spoke, the battle beneath concluded.

Thus, three major cities, five medium-sized ones, and over a dozen towns between Mist City and Dragon City fell into Luoning’s grasp.

“South of Bakus lies the Dragon Road,” Luoning said, gazing southward from the heights. “Sixty miles down that path lies Trisia’s capital—the Great Dragon City.”

He could almost make out its silhouette.

In fact, warfare over the past six months had been relatively mild. The enemy army had long lost its morale.

Were it not for Tyro’s bribes and threats against their families, they would have cast down their weapons and surrendered long ago.

Even Bakus City, the bridgehead guarding Dragon City, was defended far more weakly than Mist City had been during its siege.

“My lord, when shall we launch our assault on Dragon City?” Radal asked, anticipation in his voice.

Luoning paused in thought.

His progress as a mage had reached (57,327 / 60,000). In just four months, he would cross into legendary rank and become a Sage.

If he had waited two years, he could wait a little longer.

“Before spring planting next year,” Luoning said. “By then, the war in Vira Duchy should conclude around September or October. We can unite our forces afterward.”

A year prior, Rulans and Maken had seized Vira Castle. Since then, they’d pressed eastward, capturing city after city.

Besides Maken, Karada’s fleet had sailed around the Vira Duchy, landing in southern Trisia. They now held two small cities, with notable success.

Radal nodded. “You remain characteristically cautious toward Dragon City.”

Luoning chuckled.

By now, Hamon’s intelligence network blanketed the capital. Even events within the royal palace reached him with precision.

For two years, he had waited for Yanwing to leave the palace—an opportunity for him and Radal to strike swiftly and decapitate the enemy command.

But Yanwing, whether out of cowardice or prudence, had not stepped beyond the palace gates in two years, remaining sheltered within its protective arrays.

Hamon knew little about Yanwing, so to avoid unforeseen risks, Luoning abandoned aggressive tactics.

This current rhythm—capturing a city, governing it, consolidating—was working well.

Moreover, prolonging the war allowed the fame of Luoning’s elite generals to spread far and wide. His prestige soared, blazing like the noonday sun.

Though the War Council still existed, both Valgis and Iben had ceded full decision-making authority to him.

Unnoticed, the governance of Ordain Kingdom had come to rest entirely upon Luoning’s will.

(End of Chapter)