Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Some Revodanians couldn't help but cheer, and the cheerers were the poorest citizens.

Even for the mere millstone tax, they longed for Blood Wolf's victory.

Gradually, everyone started to cheer and shout, and Revodan instantly turned into a boiling ocean.

Anna, Catherine, and Scarlett were also among the crowd.

Revodan had conservative customs, so the three ladies wore large hats, covering their features with thin veils.

Even so, Winters spotted Anna immediately among the vast sea of people.

Their eyes met, and Anna smiled restrainedly, bowing slightly to Winters.

Winters yearned to push through the crowd, forcefully kiss Anna, then lift her up amidst her screams and take her away on his horse.

He also restrained himself and simply winked at Anna.

The scenes to come wouldn't be pleasant, and he didn't really want Anna to witness them.

"But sooner or later, you'll have to see my true face," Winters thought sadly, fearful of disappointing, frightening, or even disgusting her; he looked down at his clean hands: "Sooner or later."

And so, Winters rode his horse far away.

Anna's brow furrowed slightly; she detected a subtle change in her lover's emotions but didn't understand why.

Catherine, on the other hand, was completely carried away by the atmosphere of the streets and became exuberant.

Extremely excited, Catherine suddenly embraced her nemesis, Scarlett, as if intending to dance with her.

This panicked Scarlett, who became both angry and alarmed, disregarding all politeness.

"Fox eyes!" Scarlett struggled to push Catherine away: "What are you doing?!"

"Parade! Triumph! Celebration!" Catherine laughed happily: "Of course, it's a celebration! Wild girl!"

The parade continued to the city square, and the people of Revodan also gathered there.

Soldiers stood in tidy rows, captives were corralled into a small corner, some citizens stood in pairs or groups at the back, while others desperately pushed forward—turning the square instantly crowded.

Only then did many Revodanians realize: apart from the triumphal ceremony, the new garrison had also prepared an execution stage.

There was no grand banquet for the whole city, so the ceremony concluded with the presentation of captives and flags.

Winters, Andre, and Mason stepped onto the platform, and the soldiers threw the captured flags one after another in front of the platform.

The enemy's revered banners thus fell into the dust, each flag representing at least a hundred-strong unit annihilated.

With each flag thrown down, the soldiers would shout in unison, each shout louder than the last, splitting the clouds, piercing the sky.

Following that, the captives were brought forth.

Traditionally, the higher the status of the captives presented, the better. At least one must be executed to spare the others.

Winters hadn't brought the four remaining officers from Vernge County for public humiliation, so the presentation of captives was kept brief, their lives spared, and then they were taken away.

After the presentation of captives and flags, the mood in the square remained highly elevated.

Winters signaled to Xial to proceed to the next phase.

Xial nodded and left quickly.

Soon after, Xial and Heinrich arrived with a team of prisoners—it was time for an immediate public trial.

Yet most people were not afraid but even more excited.

Many Revodanians, although living in the city, had it harder than farmers.

They didn't have Revodanian civic rights, having come to the city for work only because they had no land.

Life was tiring and dull, and watching executions was a rare form of entertainment.

Whenever an execution took place, even without distinguished gentlemen leading, the square would become as lively as a market.

Men, women, the elderly, and children would all don their best clothes to watch the execution.

Ladies, by custom, had to show compassion, so they would watch through the gaps between their covered eyes.

Not to mention that this time, the city council members exerted great effort to collaborate with Winters.

Just as an even more thrilling part was about to begin, the Revodanians, excited, suddenly noticed something unusual.

"Eh? Isn't that my neighbor?" someone shouted: "Bubble eyes?"

"That... the one on the far left! Seems to be my neighbor too!" another person shouted.

Twenty prisoners were brought onto the execution stage, with at least nearly a hundred more below.

The Revodanians in the square tried hard to recognize them and realized that these hundreds of prisoners were all Revodanians.

There were idle ruffians who lived by no trade, as well as those who resided in slums, scraping by with petty theft and odd jobs.

The crowd was abuzz with discussion, some perplexed, some saying "they deserved it," and others loudly complaining.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Following three cannon shots in a row, the crowd suddenly fell silent.

By the execution stage, a man with a red birthmark on his face kicked the still-smoking wooden artillery and gestured to his men to take it away.

"Half a month ago, there was a riot in Revodan," Winters announced as he stepped on the platform, gazing into the dense crowd.

To speak one against thousands, only Winters could do it, and only he was fearless of it.

The square was vast, and echoes caused severe interference.

To ensure everyone could hear him clearly, Winters elongated the intervals between his words: "These people had robbed, committed arson, or even murder during that riot, and the evidence against them was conclusive.

They all wore red ropes on their shoulders, so many believed it was my warriors committing robbery and murder. Therefore, today, they will be tried by military law."

Winters's voice was loud and steady, calm yet imbued with authority and strength, clearly audible to everyone.