With a screech, a dark green Norman Empire military SUV screeched to a halt on the road in front of Zhang Tie's house. The sound was piercing and loud, the solid rubber tires leaving a black trail over two meters long on the pavement. The screech of brakes startled several Black Flame City residents walking on the sidewalk lined with plane trees. When they turned around and saw two Norman Empire officers in the vehicle, they dared not look again, lowered their heads, and quickly walked away. Several gentlemen wearing top hats even took off their hats and gave a fawning salute.
Wearing a pair of brand-new, well-fitting officer's boots, Zhang Tie nimbly jumped off the car, holding onto the door.
Arriving back at his doorstep, even though only a day had passed, Zhang Tie felt like he was dreaming. Yesterday, when he left, he was still a suspect, and now he was back as an officer of the Norman Empire.
"Remember, you have five days of leave. You need to report to the Iron-Blood Battalion's camp in five days. Battalion Commander Reinhardt is not a good-tempered person. In the entire 39th Division, Reinhardt is the only officer who dares to talk back to Colonel Leibniz. If you commit a crime and fall into his hands, even the colonel will not be able to speak up for you!" Staff Officer Visi reminded Zhang Tie.
"Thank you for reminding me!" Zhang Tie thanked Staff Officer Visi. Just as he was about to leave, Zhang Tie suddenly remembered something and asked Staff Officer Visi Xi bluntly, "You should know about my situation. I've been thinking of finding an opportunity to deal with Samira these past few days. That guy has a grudge against me. If I want to get revenge on him, how far should I go?"
Zhang Tie's bluntness slightly surprised Staff Officer Visi, but seeing Zhang Tie ask him such a question so naturally made him feel quite comfortable. After all, Visi Zhang Tie's willingness to seek his opinion on such a matter so openly meant he wasn't treating him like an outsider, at least not wary of him, and not afraid of him complaining to Colonel Leibniz. Having spent the afternoon with Zhang Tie, especially after just presenting Zhang Tie to Leibniz and showing him Zhang Tie in his Norman Empire uniform, Staff Officer Visi understood from the Leibniz's astonished expression that Zhang Tie's future was far more promising. Perhaps some other thoughts had already crossed Colonel Leibniz's mind, but he hadn't voiced them.
In the military, where camaraderie is highly valued, no one would complain about having too many brothers.
"Do you know what the only principle governing the military rule of the Empire in a newly occupied territory like Black Flame City is?" Staff Officer Visi did not answer Zhang Tie's question, but instead asked Zhang Tie a question.
This question made the newly recruited lieutenant of the Norman Empire shake his head.
"In occupied territories, Imperial soldiers are always right, and truth always lies in their hands. This is the only principle followed by the Imperial military control system! A bright and courageous young man of the Empire who has won the attention of the God of War, a potential seed of an Imperial officer, is falsely accused of being an enemy of the Empire, a sabotage with ulterior motives. This in itself is the greatest disrespect to the entire Empire and all Imperial soldiers. It is also disrespect to the God of God of War." Staff Officer Visi told Zhang Tie in a serious tone.
Hearing this answer, Zhang Tie laughed. Who the hell said that Norman Empire soldiers were all barbarians and butchers? Who the hell said that the Norman Empire's class system was inhumane? The Norman Empire was adorable, and the Norman Empire army was adorable too! He looked quite handsome in this uniform, heh... heh... heh...
After waving goodbye to Captain Visi, Zhang Tie carefully checked himself from head to toe, straightening his military cap and the sword at his waist. Then, with a mix of excitement and anticipation, he knocked on his own door.
When Zhang Tie noticed that his family's rice wine shop seemed to have been closed for some time. The shop's exterior door was covered in dust. If the shop were open normally, his mother would clean the exterior door every day.
Today, I drove around Black Flame City for a short while. The atmosphere in Black Flame City definitely felt much more tense than before, and the market was much more deserted. According to Visi, the Iron Horn Legion's more than 300,000 troops are currently facing off against the Sun God Dynasty's Radiant Feather army outside the Machine City Karur. After each side divided up eight cities of the Andaman Alliance, the Norman Empire and the Sun God Dynasty's brief "honeymoon" came to an end. Now, what the two sides are fighting for is the Machine City of Karur, a real piece of meat. It is a wealthy city that gathers more than 30% of the manufacturing power of the entire Andaman Alliance.
Both the Norman Empire and the Sun God Dynasty were determined to conquer it. Compared to the previous blitzkrieg, the current tense standoff between the two armies in Karur was the real reason for the persistent tension in Black Flame City. According to Advisor Visi, the blitzkrieg against the Andaman Alliance was merely a forced march and an armed parade; the Norman Empire army encountered almost no resistance because the two sides were simply not in the same league. Once the Norman Empire army reached the city walls, everyone would make the wisest choice. But the standoff with the Sun God Dynasty's Radiant Feather Legion —that was the real battle.
However, none of this mattered to Zhang Tie at the moment.
Zhang Tie knocked on his own door, then waited with a mix of nervousness and excitement. His parents would be very happy to see him back safely, but Zhang Tie wasn't sure how they would react when they saw him in his Norman Empire military uniform.
In this era, no matter where you are, the military profession has the highest mortality rate. After his bastard older brother Zhang Yong turned himself into ashes, Zhang Tie knew that his parents couldn't bear to suffer the same blow again. In his parents' hearts, his ideal life would be to serve peacefully as a soldier in a small town for a few years, finish his military service, find a way back to Black Flame City, find a stable job there, and finally settle down with a woman, have children, and live a peaceful life. He didn't know if they would accept things like this.
The door opened quickly, and as soon as I knocked, I heard hurried footsteps coming from inside to open it.
The door opened, and there stood Zhang Tie's older brother, Zhang Yang.
Just as Zhang Tie had expected, when Zhang Yang saw Zhang Tie appear at the door in a Norman Empire military uniform, his eyes and mouth widened, and he was stunned for a long time.
However, Zhang Yang's reaction was somewhat unexpected by Zhang Tie.
Without saying a word, Zhang Yang grabbed Zhang Tie from outside and pulled him inside. He then nervously peeked out of the room twice before quickly closing the door.
"Are you out of your mind? Do you know that impersonating Norman Empire soldier in Black Flame City is a capital offense? A few days ago, Black Flame City was in chaos. Some thugs got several sets of the Norman Empire soldier uniforms from the dressing room of the Black Flame City theater to loot, and they were all hanged after being caught!" Zhang Yang's face changed, and he said quickly in a low voice, "Take them off and burn them quickly, before many people see them. Ah... they even got a lieutenant's uniform, with boots and a sword. They're too bold. Don't get into any trouble right now... Take them off and get rid of them. This is no joke..."
The more Zhang Yang looked at Zhang Tie's clothes, the more his expression changed drastically. While he was talking, he was about to take off Zhang Tie Tie's clothes before Zhang Tie could even make a move.
Deeply moved, Zhang Tie quickly grabbed his older brother's hand and looked at Zhang Yang with unprecedented seriousness. "Brother, there's nothing wrong with my uniform. I'm now a second lieutenant in the 30th Division of the Iron Horn Legion of the Norman Empire. I always come back in a car from the 39th Division headquarters."
"What? You're a second lieutenant in the Norman Empire?" Zhang Yang was slightly stunned. Based on the two brothers' understanding of each other for over ten years, he looked at Zhang Tie's tone and expression and knew that Zhang Tie wouldn't lie to him at a time like this. Zhang Yang felt his head was in a mess. He was just arrested by the Norman Empire soldiers yesterday, and how could he be an officer in the Norman Empire today? What kind of joke is this?
"I'll explain the details to you later. Where are Mom and Dad?"
"Inside!"
Hearing voices inside, Zhang Tie patted his older brother's hand and walked into the inner room. Before he even entered, he heard a somewhat familiar voice shouting from inside.
"... Who knows why Zhang Tie was arrested by those red-skinned dogs of the Norman Empire? I heard his crimes are quite serious. If it's really as you say, and he can come back today, that would be great. If he can't, I'll take my daughter back tonight, so she won't be implicated if something happens to you. My daughter hasn't enjoyed any happiness since marrying into your family, and now she has to suffer along with you. We parents won't stand for that. There's chaos everywhere right now, and things can change in an instant. Even the Andaman Alliance ended just like that. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow, so I'm saying all this upfront. Also, even if Zhang Tie comes back, this is the only house your family owns in Black Flame City. The ownership of this house needs to be clarified now. This house will be left to Zhang Yang and my daughter, for the two of them as a couple. Don't let Zhang Tie live here after he gets married. There's no room for two families. I heard the Norman Empire also practices primogeniture. These things need to be sorted out..."
"Dad..." the eldest sister-in-law called out from inside the house, somewhat embarrassed.
"Shut up! You have no right to interrupt when adults are talking. These things can't be left ambiguous. Your belly is getting bigger and bigger, and Zhang Tie is getting older. These things should be made clear, otherwise who knows what nasty things people will say. Also, your marriage with Zhang Yang must be settled by now. We can't delay any longer..."
The voices sounded familiar; they belonged to his sister-in-law's family. Hearing this from outside, Zhang Yang's face flushed crimson with embarrassment. He wanted to rush in, but Zhang Tie grabbed him. Zhang Tie simply smiled at his older brother, shook his head to indicate he didn't mind, then deliberately coughed, lifted the curtain, and stepped into the room...