Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters
Chapter 1057: 77: The Storm (Part 6)_3

Chapter 1057: Chapter 77: The Storm (Part 6)_3

“Cracking Spell!”

The crate was torn apart, and wood shavings scattered everywhere.

“Dig.”

Only inches down, the thing buried in the earth revealed itself.

It was a collection of small linen bags, each the size of a fist, filled with solid objects. They were neatly stacked on top of one another, lying quietly in the soil.

Winters cut open one of them, and the contents shimmered seductively under the firelight.

It was silver coins.

Caman glanced at Winters: “Indeed, they’re ‘not to be erased casually’, ‘no need to be transported’, and yet ‘must be well-preserved’ items.”

Winters said nothing, pulled out a linen bag, checked it, and then moved on to the next.

Caman shook his head and reached out to help. Two guards, coming to their senses, also hurried to assist.

The linen bags contained both gold and silver, over a hundred in total, and were soon all excavated.

When the last linen bag was brought up, a guard exclaimed in surprise and took out a square iron box from the bottom of the pit.

Even Caman’s eyebrows rose, showing a trace of astonishment and skepticism.

The iron box was locked. Winters slid aside the cover and looked at the keyhole, recalling the small set of keys found on the dead body with green eyes.

He took out the set of keys from his carry bag and tried them one by one.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, correct…

The fourth key slid smoothly into the keyhole, and Winters and Caman exchanged glances, firmly turning the key.

As if in response to his call, a “click” sounded from inside the box, and the lid sprang open with ease.

All eyes turned to the contents inside the box: a wilderness-style dagger, a pair of eyes, a handkerchief, a portrait of a woman, an iron ring with a sun insignia, a string of small keys with numbers engraved…

Winters took out the portrait of the woman. Inside the frame, a serene and elegant young lady smiled gently.

Winters silently put the portrait back into the iron box, letting out an almost imperceptible sigh: “Seems like his personal belongings.”

Caman took out the iron ring and stared at it for a long time: “This… this is the insignia of a messenger. That guy really was a messenger.”

“Is that so?” Winters took the iron ring and asked, “Anything special about it?”

Caman shook his head slightly: “I don’t know.”

“It doesn’t seem difficult to forge.”

“They have their own ways of verification.”

While they were speaking, the sound of a ladder echoed from the underground chamber.

Since Winters had already ordered the chamber to be sealed off, a guard immediately questioned: “Who’s there?”

“It’s me,” Xial’s voice was louder than usual by a margin of seven: “Old man Schmid has been waiting outside almost to the point of desperation!”

Winters packed up the iron box and casually picked up two bags of Gold Coins: “Let’s go!”

The four of them filed into the tunnel, leaving the small chamber to return to darkness and silence.

However, just seconds later, Winters turned back. He dashed into the chamber and frantically began digging through the pile of earth.

Caman, as if facing a great enemy, followed him back. Seeing Winters digging through the dirt, he asked through gritted teeth: “What are you looking for now?”

“That damn green-eyed, deceiving at every moment and always playing tricks. Gold, paintings, rings… But if he buried the items this deep, how could they be destroyed? A guy like Green Eyes would definitely place the most crucial item in the easiest spot to destroy.”

“Found it!” Winters suddenly stood, carefully holding a grimy playing card in his hand.

Caman was puzzled.

Winters carefully examined it for a moment, cautiously lifted a corner of the playing card, and as he slowly exerted force, the layer with the pattern and numbers was peeled off, revealing the pale yellow hard paper underneath.

Seeing the still empty back of the card, Caman said, “Still nothing?”

“Not exactly nothing,” Winters paused for a moment, let out a long breath with a slightly dim look in his eyes, and said, “It’s steganography.”

He heated the bottom of the card by the candlelight until brownish, irregular letters appeared.

…

Old Schmid finally saw “Captain Berny” walk out of the courtyard with two bags in hand.

Before the old man could speak, the voice of Captain Berny reached his ears: “How many people have you gathered?”

The Sheriff hurried to answer, “All the freemen from the nearest nine blocks are here, plus your men, there’s about a company’s worth. More people are on their way.”

Old Schmid quickly took over, “But it seems to be getting worse on the Old City side, Your Honor. What do we do next?”

Winters glanced at the city under the night sky; the assassin who fled from the Este Manor had not been found, and there were definitely other secret hideouts for the Empire’s spies in the northern district.

Continuing to search might provide a chance to completely root out the spy network the Oath Breakers had planted in the fortress.

But more urgent matters were at hand—the direction of the Old Town lit up the sky blood-red with fire.

He stuffed the two bags of Gold Coins into the Sheriff’s arms: “You personally guard here, don’t let anyone in or out. Any trespassers can be executed on the spot. Two bags of Gold, one for the family of the militiaman who just died. The other for the injured militiaman and for families whose property was damaged during the search.”

The Sheriff’s eyes widened, he nodded his head and then raised his hand in a salute.

“You come with me.” Winters looked at Old Schmid as he quickly recalled the map of the fortress and its main traffic arteries: “Head to Constitution Street. I’ll set up the first line of defense on Constitution Street. Pick two reliable people to relay the order, have the freemen who arrive later head directly to Constitution Street to muster.”

“I’ll send my son!” Old Schmid hurried toward the line.

Winters leapt onto his horse, galloping through the streets where the armed citizens were lined up, roaring like thunder: “Atten—tion!”

The loosely formed, whispering “freemen” subconsciously obeyed the command, and the street instantly became solemn and quiet.

Thanks to years of winter military training, even the men from Monta who had never been soldiers knew how to use weapons, march in formation, and follow orders.

Winters felt a touch of admiration; it was no wonder that the Empire’s Royal Family used this as a recruiting ground. The average military prowess of the citizens was far above that of the Newly Reclaimed Land.

“I am Captain Aike Berny of the land forces, the highest military commander of Solingen State has appointed me to take over the defense of the North City, and the North District is under curfew effective immediately,” Winters’s stern and commanding voice echoed down the street: “From this moment on, you are under my command; from this point forward, you are subject to martial law; from this moment on, I give the orders, you follow them. In exchange, I will defend your property! Protect your families! Protect your city!”

Winters didn’t give the militiamen time to question and simply waved his hand: “Company—right face!”

“Target—Constitution Street!”

“That will be our first line of defense!

“Ready—forward march!”

After a brief delay and some minor confusion, the militia’s ranks began to move. Once the column was in motion, it was propelled by inertia and unquestioning obedience.

Winters then sped to the crossroads, and per his orders, the militiamen with horses were formed into a separate unit.

The North District was the wealthiest district of the fortress, and there were not a few who could afford to ride horses, let alone keep them.

Winters glanced over and saw nearly fifty militiamen with horses stretching to the next crossroads.

He immediately assigned a small troop of mounted militiamen to the Sheriff to enforce the curfew and prevent the Empire’s assassins from creating chaos behind the lines.

After arranging things at the front and back, he gathered the remaining hundred or so “cavalry” together.

“You will be under my direct command.” Winters showed a rare smile tonight, “Don’t worry if you’re not versed in mounted combat, just stick with me.”

With that, Winters pulled the reins, Longwind lifted its forehooves high, neighing excitedly.

“Gentlemen, there’s a city waiting for you to defend! Let’s go!”

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