The Military Industry Department's Creation, the Rain God Tiger-Crouching Cannon!

Brilliant sunlight fell from the dome of the heavens, gilding the bronze cannons until they shone like gold. The rainy season had ended, the sky was cloudless for ten thousand li, yet rolling thunder echoed through the hills like the roar of some colossal beast. The continuous roars kept coming, and villagers for dozens of li around wore expressions of terror. They prayed to the supreme Main God while gazing toward the direction from which the roaring came.

In the nearby villages, the Missionary Priests had just received instructions: soothe the villagers under their jurisdiction and forbid them from going toward the place where the thunder was coming from. Because there, the Divine Inspiration Priesthood was holding a sacred ritual, receiving the divine power bestowed by the Main God! Once they heard the news, the village priests devoutly prayed for several breaths, then hurried off with their apprentices and militia to pacify hundreds upon thousands of villagers.

At the firing ground, Xolotl retreated several dozen paces. Wearing a bronze helmet, he stood behind an earth wall that reached his chest, patiently watching the gunners at work.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Very soon, thunderous roars rang out again! Countless stone shot flew from the muzzles, and clouds of white smoke billowed up. After one round of cannon fire, the gunners began loading in tense haste.

First they inserted half a length of cannon match at the touch hole—that is, the fuse that was about to be lit. The touch hole was located about 6.5 centimeters from the bottom of the cannon, roughly 4 centimeters long and 1.3 centimeters wide. Around the touch hole was a ring responsible for gathering powder. This was a design Xolotl had suggested, to make ignition easier. The Divine Eagle Cannon also had the same sort of touch