Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 49 Magic for Everyone

"boom!!!"

A dazzling burst of fire erupted from the tip of the strange cannonball, instantly illuminating the entire courtyard.

The powerful force spread out, causing the sand on the sandbag wall to fall in a flurry.

Everyone instinctively pulled their heads back.

After a brief roar, the courtyard fell into a deathly silence, with only the idling sound of Ludwig's armored knight engine remaining, and a pungent smell permeating the air.

A few seconds later, people cautiously peeked out from behind the cover again.

They could see the huge white armor plate through the smoke, still standing there intact.

Failed?
This thought appeared in the minds of the vast majority of people at the same time.

“I knew it.” An artillery officer shook his head in disappointment. “Wishful thinking.”

Even Andrei of the International Brigades, the chemistry professor, and the workers showed a hint of regret on their faces.

Only Morin showed no disappointment; instead, he wore a confident smile.

Because he heard a familiar notification tone in his ear.

The 'Technology' entry has been unlocked; please check it out.

When Morin opened the cheat interface according to the prompt, he found that one of the tabs on the left, which used to have a question mark, had been changed to 'Technology'.

However, after clicking on it, there is only one major category: [Military Technology], and under this category, there is currently only one technology: 'Hollow Charge Armor-Piercing Projectile'.

There was also a line of smaller print: "Can be improved."

"Lieutenant Colonel, please go over and take a closer look."

Morin's voice finally broke the silence.

Ludwig, in the cockpit, also thought it had failed.

He was about to throw away the useless lump of iron in his hand when he heard Morin's words. Although he was puzzled, he still opened the cockpit and jumped out.

However, when the smoke gradually dissipated, allowing him to see the full extent of the armor plate, he was completely stunned.

In the very center of the seemingly intact armor plate, there was a small, inconspicuous hole.

The hole was only the size of an Imperial copper pfennig, with incredibly smooth edges. The surrounding metal appeared to have been melted and then solidified at high temperatures, and it was still faintly glowing red.

This. This is
Ludwig felt his mind go blank.

He slowly crouched down and gently touched the edge of the hole with his gloved fingers.

A scorching heat was clearly transmitted to his fingertips through the gloves.

Morin: "Lieutenant Colonel, watch out, you'll get burned!"

Ludwig was no longer listening to Morin, because he had seen the other side of the hole.

A beam of light pierced straight through the small hole.

"Holy crap, it actually went right through!"

Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig, who was always known for his elegant manners and was considered by many to be a paragon of nobility, couldn't help but swear at this moment.

The main armor plate of this Garter Knights' main armored knight was cleanly and neatly pierced through from the front by a strangely shaped, handmade product?!
How can this be? !
Ludwig turned around abruptly and stared intently at Morin, who was not far away, with the look of someone looking at a monster.

His lips were trembling. He wanted to say something, but he found that his throat was blocked by something, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Everyone present could now clearly see the 'wound' on the armor plate.

Shock, ecstasy, disbelief.
A variety of complex emotions were reflected on everyone's face.

Immediately afterwards, they erupted in deafening cheers!
"It worked! We succeeded!"

"My God! It really pierced through!"

The workers and the old artilleryman were so excited that they hugged each other, laughing and crying.

The chemistry teacher from Xilucia, adjusting his glasses, muttered to himself, "Incredible! Learning truly has no end."

Amidst the clamor and ecstasy, Ludwig finally rediscovered his voice.

He strode up to Morin, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him violently.

"I swear in the name of the Emperor, Morin! What kind of magic is this?! Are you some kind of archmage hiding your identity?!"

As a nobleman of high birth who received the most orthodox knightly education, Ludwig's world was made up of clear rules.

On one side is the steel and courage of mortals, and on the other side is the mysterious magic controlled by mages, which requires talent and inheritance.

There was an insurmountable chasm between the two. But today, Morin and his hastily assembled men used a pile of scrap metal to create a weapon powerful enough to threaten even the most advanced magical creations.

This completely shattered his understanding.

Morin did not answer the question. His gaze went over Ludwig’s shoulder and landed on the ordinary people from different countries and social classes who were cheering—Saxon artillerymen, workers of the International Brigades, and intellectuals from Western Lucia.

Their faces radiated the same pure joy and hope.

They come from different places, have different identities, and hold different beliefs.

But at this moment, they were all one another, their faces beaming with the same emotion—hope.

Morin suddenly laughed.

It was a genuine, incredibly relaxed smile.

He met Ludwig's bright eyes and slowly shook his head.

"No, Lieutenant Colonel."

"It's not magic."

Molin's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly drowned out all the noise in the room.

He pulled his hand away from Ludwig's, turned around, and pointed to the diverse group of people marveling at the armor plating.

“This is not magic,” Morin repeated.

“This is his knowledge,” he said, pointing to the bespectacled chemistry teaching assistant.

“It’s his skill.” He then pointed to the workers with calloused hands.

"It's their meticulousness and experience." He pointed again to the few relieved veteran artillerymen.

Finally, his gaze returned to Ludwig's face, which wore an unprecedentedly radiant smile.

"It is also you, Lieutenant Colonel. It is your courage to take risks."

"This is science. The lieutenant colonel is a power that does not rely on mysterious bloodlines or divine favors. It is a power that any ordinary person can master as long as they are willing to learn and practice."

He paused for a moment, giving everyone present time to process the subversive meaning behind his words.

He looked at those people, those ragged workers, those soldiers covered in oil, those bookish intellectuals, and on their faces was a radiance called 'enlightenment'.

"But in a sense, I think it is indeed a kind of magic. However, it is a magic that belongs to each and every one of us!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves in everyone's heart.

Ludwig slowly released his grip, and the look in his eyes as he looked at Morin had completely changed.

From initial curiosity, to later appreciation, and then to the shock just now.
Ultimately, it settled into a complex emotion mixed with admiration, and even a hint of barely perceptible fear.

He fully understood the meaning behind Morin's words.

This thing is more than just a weapon.

It will change war, it will change everything in this world.

"Hahahaha! Well said!"

A hearty and loud laugh broke the solemn moment.

Andrei of the International Brigades strode over and slapped Morin hard on the back with his large, fan-like hand, making him stumble.

"What a wonderful 'magic for everyone'! Well said, Comrade Morin! I love that idea!"

His laughter ignited the atmosphere.

The oppressive silence was completely shattered, replaced by a deafening roar of cheers and shouts!
Soldiers and workers lifted Morin high and tossed him into the air.

The despair vanished, and the flame of hope was rekindled in everyone's eyes, burning brighter than ever before.

"Quickly! Mass production! How many shells do we have left? Dismantle them all!"

"Molds! Make a few more molds! Everyone, get moving!"

This makeshift workshop has once again become a frantically operating 'workshop,' and a simple but efficient assembly line has been quickly organized.

With their successful experience, they became faster and faster.

However, the Kingdom's army and the Britannians did not have much time left for them.

Just as everyone was enthusiastically engaged in production, warning whistles sounded from all over the city.

This also means that the enemy has taken new actions.

(End of this chapter)