Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 160 - 122: Pre-War Preparations (Part 2)

Chapter 160: Chapter 122: Pre-War Preparations (Part 2)

Pushing open the small wooden door, Casaman glanced at the situation inside the shop—the gnome shopkeeper was sitting behind the counter, just as he had been during previous visits. If it weren’t for the bell on the door, the gnome might still be asleep.

"Casaman, aren’t you preaching tonight? Why are you coming to my place at this time?" the gnome yawned. He was one of the fences for the Order of the Loving Father, hence his acquaintance with Casaman.

"I’m here to buy some gear. I’m not in charge of tonight’s sermon; I have things to do." Casaman said while pulling out his wallet and slapping it onto the counter: "One hundred and twenty rounds of 11mm caliber rifle bullets; a semi-automatic carbine, military issue; and a 357 Revolver, sixty rounds."

"Whoa, you want so much gear, are you planning to rob a bank or something? I warn you, if you’re going crazy, I won’t sell to you. I don’t want to be thrown into a dark cell by the national security agency," the gnome said, eyeing his ’partner’ with caution.

But Casaman shook his head, taking out another wad of cash bound with rubber bands from his pocket: "Another thing, a short-barreled Shotgun, 12-gauge, lever-action, plus forty rounds."

"...Hey, man, what’s going on?" Looking at Casaman’s ashen face, the gnome pulled a long, boxy case from under the counter, opened it, and took out a somewhat old rifle: "A military rifle, no need for you to operate the bolt, just pull the trigger. This is my shop’s treasure."

"That’s the one!" Casaman extended his hand.

The gnome held his hand down: "You still haven’t answered my question, Casaman."

"...I had a very good friend who died. People from the Master of Wisdom killed him, and Grey Hair died helping me escape the police chase... I must avenge them." With his left hand held by the gnome, Casaman’s right hand now held a Revolver: "Old Gold Eyes, you must help me with this, otherwise, I don’t mind shooting you and taking it myself."

"Damn, you’re ruthless, take the money, I’ll give you everything you want." The gnome, called Old Gold Eyes, quickly handed over the items Casaman needed, then he looked at him: "Can you carry all of this by yourself?"

Answering him, Casaman opened his coat to reveal the leather Breastplate underneath, which was fully equipped with six rows of bullet pouches. He took out the rifle bullets and stuffed them in one by one, then placed the shotgun shells in the ammunition pouches around his waist.

"Is it useful for you to go alone?" Old Gold Eyes asked, looking at the big man.

Casaman shook his head: "I’m definitely going to die, but I will kill as many followers of the Master of Wisdom as I can before I do." After saying this, Casaman placed the revolver bullets into the bullet pouches on both sides of his waist, then tucked the Revolver behind him, and slid both long guns into the violin case he had picked up.

"Should I get your change?" Old Gold Eyes counted the money and then looked up to ask.

"Consider it a tip." Casaman turned and walked to the shop door, then turned his head to look at Old Gold Eyes: "I thought you would draw a gun and shoot me."

"You’re already a dead man, you little punk, I’m not going to waste a bullet on a dead man," Old Gold Eyes said irritably. He then took a small bag from behind the counter and threw it to Casaman. When he caught it, the old gnome smiled: "Four military grenades. If you’re going to die, remember to take a few with you. And when you die, die thoroughly, don’t rat me out."

"...I know." Casaman smiled, then pushed open the door and left.

Old Gold Eyes sat for a while longer, then got up, walked to the door, and after making sure no one else was coming in to spend money, hung the closed sign, headed to the back of the shop, and began to undress from his shopkeeper coat. In the small room at the back, he changed into another set of clothes, applied a fake beard to his face, and then stepped out the back door into the alley.

Carrying a lantern that lit up the alley, the gnome walked past the corner, passing through the bodies of the burly men coming his way.

Watching them turn the corner of the alley toward his little shop, the gnome licked the corner of his mouth, then, without looking back, he headed to the end of the alley and burst through the wall.

Breaking free from the Spiritual Body state, Old Gold Eye raised his hands to the Church guards aiming their revolvers at him, "I am Old Gold Eye, affiliated with the Church of Justice’s intelligence collection department. I have important information to convey; please protect me on my way to the Church of Justice."

The Bishop protected by the guards, the Divine Master of Wealth, pushed his guards away, "I recognize you, you’re the owner of the nearby gun shop, aren’t you."

"Yes, Your Excellency, I use my gun shop as a cover, specifically tasked with contacting members of the Chaos Cult to confirm their weapons trafficking and movements. Just now, Priest Casaman from the Order of the Loving Father came to my shop and took away a large number of weapons, claiming he was going to war with another sect, the Master of Wisdom!"

"I see, well, come with me. Get on the carriage; we will head to the Church of Justice right now." The old man nodded, then he signaled for the guards to lower their guns, "A few of you go and tell the carriage team to prepare two carriages for me."

"Yes, Your Excellency." A guard left.

Old Gold Eye heaved a sigh of relief; he walked forward and bowed to the Bishop.

The Bishop watched the gnome bow with a smile, took a revolver from the hand of a nearby guard, and pulled the trigger at the gnome’s head.

By the time Old Gold Eye fell into a pool of blood, the Bishop frowned, "Someone, drag him away and dispose of him."

"Yes." A guard came over and dragged Old Gold Eye away.

At this time, the Bishop had already shed his kindly smile and turned his head toward the other side, "Your people are slow!"

"We did our best, we couldn’t catch that Casaman fellow, but no matter, he’ll fall into our trap on his own." A monstrous figure in a long robe emerged from the darkness of the corridor, its face covered in countless pustules, "This traitor, we will round him up along with those parroting wastes."

"I hope so, and remember our agreement." The Bishop looked at the monster before him, and his once immaculate Church began to show signs of filth.

"Rest assured, the Father’s Love will never disappoint His faithful." And with that, the monster smiled and retreated back into the shadows.

.........

"This is going to be a long night," Malin mused as he watched the sun slowly yet steadfastly set in the west.

Although the mages thought those madmen would likely start activating the Array after sunrise tomorrow, Malin felt that these lunatics and crazies might begin activating the Array even before tomorrow’s dawn.

The element of surprise is a virtue that should be possessed by a conspirator.

And for Malin, waiting was truly a torment.