Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 996: Section 645: Eastern Observations (Part 1)_3

Chapter 996: Section 645: Eastern Observations (Part 1)_3

"All yours. Now pull out one from your pack." Malin tossed the cigarette box to the Viscount: "You’re a good commander."

"How could I? These are exclusive goods from Carterburg." The Viscount said, looking at Malin.

"Now they’re the Viscount’s cigarettes." Malin said with a grin, then reached out and pulled the Viscount to his feet: "Get ready. Our guests are arriving soon."

Malin was a legend. When he said the guests were coming, that meant the guests were truly on their way. Hence, the Viscount and his men promptly took their positions. Even the soldiers stopped spectating. As Malin moved toward the front lines, some soldiers, who caught sight of him eating wooden-crumb bread, saluted him.

Malin returned each salute and patted their shoulders.

This filled the soldiers with pride and honor. Malin looked at them, knowing the soldiers of this era were unfortunate. They were to face enemies far stronger and more terrifying than them—those Chaos warriors skilled in the art of tearing flesh from bone, far more fearsome than their own kind. Precisely because of this, these soldiers appeared all the more endearing. For they fought for the sake of humanity itself. They feared, they trembled, but they still stood resolutely in the trenches, facing death alongside their comrades.

In front of the defensive line, five cavalrymen advanced on horseback towards the horizon. Before long, they disappeared beyond the edge of the earth.

The Viscount sent out his scouts, waiting nervously for their report. Soon, the five cavalrymen returned—but only three made it back, all wounded. They brought bad news—Chaos forces armed with firearms had arrived.

The good news, however, was that there weren’t many firearm-equipped Chaos warriors in this batch. Most carried cold weapons. It seemed like two distinct groups of enemies. This difference was what allowed the scouts to bring back their news alive.

With both good and bad news in hand, the soldiers instinctively began to seek out their own firing positions.

Malin accepted the firearm handed over by Old Kay—a bolt-action rifle of an early model. In Malin’s workshop, these rifles were now relegated to apprentices for practice. Their hallmark was affordability and reliability.

"Your shooting skills must be excellent, Sir." Old Kay handed over a pouch of bullets.

Malin chuckled, signaling that he already had bullets.

Old Kay took the pouch back, watching Malin skillfully load the rifle. Only then did he assuredly lean against the trench: "No doubt about it, weapons crafted in your factory always prove themselves. You’re clearly an experienced marksman."

"I simply enjoy shooting, that’s all." Malin said as he adjusted the sights, finally setting them to hit targets at a distance of seven hundred meters.

Looking toward the approaching Chaos troops in the distance, Malin gauged the range, then raised his rifle.

"Sir, isn’t that distance too far?" Old Kay asked.

"No problem. Do you see the one in yellow military uniform on horseback?" Malin reassured him, smiling as he glanced over at Kasdoff.

Kasdoff, peering through his binoculars, nodded: "I don’t recognize this Chaos unit, but it’s odd—they seem to resemble Thanan soldiers."

"It’s nothing unusual. Just like good and bad people are all humans. In this multifaceted world, it’s not uncommon for friends and enemies to look almost identical, wouldn’t you agree?" Malin said and then pulled the trigger.

Both Old Kay and Kasdoff saw the distant horseman tumble off his mount.

"Good shooting." Old Kay exclaimed.

Kasdoff held back for a while but finally couldn’t contain himself: "Sir, your marksmanship is nothing short of extraordinary."

Malin smiled, feeling rather justified in his satisfaction.