Chapter 393: Military Industrial Group
The Battlefield Wheelchair Man saw the other's hesitation, quickly put on a fawning smile, stepped forward, and opened another black lacquered wooden box.
"Take a look at this."
Sashise curiously leaned in for a look.
Inside lay a rifle similar to the "Fire of Enemy Destruction."
However, this gun looked far more refined than the one previously displayed, with exquisite gilded engravings on the gun body and a leather-wrapped wooden stock.
The Battlefield Wheelchair Man enthusiastically introduced:
"A noble person of your status certainly cannot use the same configuration as mere cannon fodder."
"Therefore, the Empire has specially introduced this [Fire of Enemy Destruction - Type III (Collector's Edition)]."
"This model uses precious nanmu wood for the stock, handcrafted by Master Damo with gilded carvings, and wrapped in genuine natural leather. It offers the most luxurious and ultimate experience, making every trigger pull feel smooth and satisfying."
Holding the gun in his hands, the Battlefield Wheelchair Man solemnly recited the advertising slogan:
"The tulip in the flames of war, the intimate companion on the battlefield, a man's symbol of identity and status, the embodiment of noble temperament—Fire of Enemy Destruction Collector's Edition. You deserve to own it."
"This..."
Before Sashise could finish asking, the Battlefield Wheelchair Man quickly answered:
"Considering you're a new customer, I'll give you a special discount. The original price is thirty gold coins, but now it's only twenty-one gold coins."
Saying this, he placed the gun back into the box and stuffed it into Sashise's arms.
"..."
"Alright, I'll take it."
Sashise pulled a pouch filled with gold coins from his robe and tossed it directly to the man.
After all, as the chief diplomat of the Thrace Kingdom, this amount was nothing to him, and he also intended to study the Empire's weapons.
"You are truly generous!"
"As expected of an important figure from the South!"
The Battlefield Wheelchair Man quickly caught the pouch, feeling its weight and hearing the crisp sound of gold coins, grinning from ear to ear.
Orders for regular firearms were tasks assigned by the Empire, but those so-called "collector's editions" were his private sales. Each one sold earned him a commission, so it was no wonder he was so excited.
"These Thrace people are such suckers!"
Thinking this, the Battlefield Wheelchair Man shamelessly leaned forward again: "Esteemed sir, are you interested in learning about the Royal Exclusive Edition of the 'Fire of Enemy Destruction'?"
"Handcrafted by master craftsmen of the Church, with a gun body made of pure gold and inlaid with magical diamonds. It is said that His Majesty Cassius's treasury contains a model of the same type. The current price is only nine thousand..."
"..."
Sashise still retained some rationality and didn't forget his mission: "Do you have other types of weapons?"
"Of course!"
"The Empire's arsenal will surely amaze you."
The Battlefield Wheelchair Man replied with a smile, beckoning to the distance: "Bring over those 'Thunder Hammers'!"
"Yes."
"Here we go!"
An ogre from the artillery camp carried a black iron cannon over from the distance, striding slowly, and placed it heavily on the ground.
The ogre scratched his head nonchalantly and patted the metallic cannon, producing a clang.
"Here's your earth cannon—no, Thunder Hammer."
The Battlefield Wheelchair Man's smile turned a bit stiff, but he quickly composed himself and introduced without missing a beat:
"You are in for a treat. The Imperial Armory has launched a batch of the most advanced and powerful products—the [Thunder Hammer - Type III (For External Sale)]."
"With this powerful weapon, we conquered city after city, securing the vast territories of Anzeta."
The Battlefield Wheelchair Man swept his hand with pride, exuding an air of grandeur.
Turning to the ogre, he said:
"You, demonstrate it for our esteemed client."
"..."
The ogre stood silently in place, looking straight down at him, creating a heavy atmosphere.
The Battlefield Wheelchair Man forced a smile, took a few silver coins from his pocket, and placed them in the ogre's massive hand.
Only then did the ogre nod in satisfaction, turn to the cannon, and began loading a shell.
"Boom!"
With a deafening roar, smoke filled the air.
A solid metal cannonball drew a graceful arc in the sky, landing in the shattered cannon range in the distance.
Dust billowed, rocks scattered, and the ground was left with a deep crater.
"This is..."
Sashise's mouth dropped open once more.
This level of power already rivaled the common long-range attacks of the Arcane Corps, comparable to the destructive force of third- or fourth-circle spells.
No wonder.
No wonder the Ember Empire's army could so easily devastate the Northlands.
With such weaponry, it was like having an entire spellcaster corps in the military, far surpassing the "Northern Barbarians" still in their magical wilderness in long-range assaults.
Thinking this, Sashise asked:
"How much does this kind of weapon cost?"
He recalled that the former Elven Empire had similar weapons, often inscribed with magical runes and extremely expensive.
Such weapons were of great value in siege and defense battles, perfect for the Sunlit City dispute, far more significant than the firearms just now.
The Battlefield Wheelchair Man simply laughed heartily.
"Only thirty gold coins."
"If you purchase more than a thousand at once, we can even offer a 15% discount."
"Of course, we also proudly present the 'Collector's Edition Thunder Hammer,' with a gilded shell for an unparalleled experience, whether displayed in your residence or brought to the battlefield..."
"..."
Sashise fell silent again, his lips trembling, unable to speak.
What on earth was happening to this world?
Was he remembering incorrectly?
When did magical constructs become so affordable?
"I must report all this to His Majesty."
"With the frontline battles becoming critical, these weapons will play a significant role in the war."
Standing still, Sashise calculated in his mind.
Meanwhile, the Battlefield Wheelchair Man observed Sashise's reaction, barely able to contain his excitement and joy—he felt he was about to close an unprecedentedly massive deal.
...
Days later, the Empire received an unprecedentedly large order from the Thrace Kingdom, its sheer scale causing Langpu to marvel and praise the South's wealth.
One million [Fire of Enemy Destruction - Type III] rifles and twelve thousand [Thunder Hammer - Type II] cannons.
Countless ammunition and shells.
Totaling more than 1.4 million gold coins.
This order not only cleared out the outdated stockpile in the Imperial Arsenal but also reactivated twenty-two abandoned production lines, creating thousands of new jobs.
That was 1.4 million gold coins!
Such massive profits shook the entire nation.
The next day, the [Claudious United Military Industrial Group] was established in Isthalia.
With the Empire Tower as its headquarters, the company was controlled mainly by the Emperor, with the Military and Technology Departments jointly providing technical and financial support, focusing on arms manufacturing and interfacing with the [Imperial South Continent Company] for sales.
Nobles with titles were given priority to purchase shares in the group.
For a time, under the Kingdom's official promotion and the lure of great profits, dragon-blooded nobles eagerly invested, sparking a buying frenzy.
They poured their wartime rewards into it, sweeping up the limited group shares in the market and becoming shareholders of the Claudious Military Industrial Group.
The influx of funds led to the rapid establishment of military factories across the Empire, expanding the military-industrial sector to unprecedented levels, supporting tens of thousands of livelihoods.
In just a few days, under the mysterious hand of the Empire, a colossal interest group began to take shape, revealing its sinister visage.