Gunpowder Plate Armor and the Magic Revolution

When this "kicking the cat" chain reaches the recruits at the bottom, they have nowhere to vent their anger but can only silently endure it until their status is improved, at which point they can vent all the humiliation they have suffered, and a new chain is formed.

This unhealthy mentality not only delayed the rewards for the new recruits' humiliation and hardship, but also brought them more unnecessary suffering.

Perhaps decades from now, there will be a group of people who silently endure the pain of bullying, yet still treat new recruits with kindness, thus completely severing this unhealthy chain.

But Norze clearly doesn't have that high level of moral character.

Noze turned and walked back to the guard post, gesturing with his chin to the new students: "Hey guys, do me a favor, keep an eye on my post for a bit, and cover for me if anything happens. I'll go patrol outside with him."

The freshmen looked at each other, not daring to utter a single word of dissent. Besides, it wasn't like they were skipping their posts, so they quickly nodded, "No problem, seniors! You can go without worry!"

Thanks.

Norze smiled, turned around and led Andrew out of the main gate, strolling slowly along the wall.

"Back in Kurt, what do you plan to do first?"

"Let's go home first."

A hint of warmth instantly appeared in Andrew's eyes. "My mother is still waiting for me at home. She's always worried that I'll be mistreated at school. Every time she writes a letter, she asks repeatedly, and then she goes to report to the border guard."

"Border guards? To protect the Federation?"

"Nozer asked jokingly."

"No, it's just to protect my home."

Andrew shook his head. "The Federation has never treated the Kut Province as one of its own, but rather as a buffer zone between the Empire and the barbarians... It was only a matter of time before we were abandoned, everyone knows that."

"The so-called federation is nothing more than a power struggle among the original four republics. Even the province of Cent is just a larger buffer zone that can be abandoned at any time if there is a threat. It is not worth mentioning at all."

Norzer had heard Raymond's analysis before, so he was naturally familiar with this idea.

"Since the Kurts know they will be abandoned, why do they continue to follow the Federation?"

"On one hand, it's hatred for the empire; on the other hand, it's... making amends for the mistakes we made."

"The Battle of the Golden Sword..."

For the first time, Norze felt a sense of calm and composure emanating from Andrew, as if he had been prepared for death all along.

"Blood debts must be repaid with one's own blood; this is a matter of course. Moreover, we were indeed helped by the Federation and liberated from the oppression of the Empire."

"What?! What kind of utter nonsense is this?"

Nozer was somewhat incomprehensible. His tone gradually became agitated, even exceeding the distance that friends should maintain. "Is it worth it for your generation to make such meaningless sacrifices for the mistakes made by our ancestors? Just to show loyalty to the Federation?"

"This is not a political show, Noze Stella. You would never understand. In the hearts of the Kurt, there are always things more important than life itself."

Andrew Hart looked at Knozer earnestly and said, "That is honor and gratitude."

"Of course I don't understand!"

"Honor? Favor? Andrew, tell me, who should pay the debt for the Battle of the Golden Knife? Is it those high-ranking Kut officials who betrayed the Federation and sold out 20,000 soldiers, or you? Or those herdsmen in the Kut province who have never even touched a gun?"

"So many years have passed! Those who made mistakes back then are long dead! Yet you still rush to bear this infamy generation after generation, using your lives to fill a pit that wasn't even dug by you! That's stupid! Foolish! It's utterly meaningless!"

The night wind lifted Andrew's golden hair, revealing his pale face. His lips were pressed into a tight line, but he didn't utter a single word in rebuttal.

Seeing him like this, Noze's anger dissipated almost entirely, leaving only a profound sense of powerlessness.

His tone softened, and he earnestly advised, "I'm not trying to blame you, Andrew. I just feel that you shouldn't risk your life for someone else's mistake. You deserve a better future. With your achievements and abilities, just say the word, and Orentia will always welcome you!"

"I can help you find connections, I can lend you money if you need it, I can write to you if you need someone..."

Norzer's words had completely crossed Andrew's line, he knew it, but he couldn't care less about anything else right now.

"Enough! Noze Stella! You understand absolutely nothing!"

Andrew interrupted Norze sternly, losing his temper with him for the first time.

Noze had a lot to say, but Andrew cut him off, and the two fell into a long silence, with only the rustling of the wind through the weeds.

"Future prospects? What future prospects? People from the buffer zone will never become core officials of the Federation! They'll never participate in the Federation's strategic decision-making! They'll always be sitting on the sidelines! Nozer, haven't you realized that yet?!"

Andrew had to tear open his deepest, most painful secrets and expose them to Norzer. He even swore in front of Norzer for the first time.

"Equality for all, equality for all, they shout that slogan like it's going to shake the heavens! But how do you explain the things I've said?"

"This is discrimination, blatant discrimination, but what good does it do you to know? Because all the procedures are reasonable, the competition is fair, it's all free competition, free competition, fucking free competition!"

"My record certainly justifies my refusal of the appointment from the province of Kut. I can go to Storm, to Fleurs, to Coal Ash Castle, to the Peak District, to any of the constituent republics, but then what?"

"By then, I should be grateful for the regulations of the Federal Army, which stipulate that no officer can be easily discharged from the military."

"And then I'll be relegated to the archives, spending my whole life compiling war history, not even able to do clerical work, living a mediocre life, getting married and having children, and then watching my hometown fall into war while pretending not to care and just continuing to live like that?!"

"Is this the meaning of all the hard work I put into studying at this school?"

After Andrew finished speaking, he took a deep breath, trying to control his overreaction.

He knew that Norze was doing it for his own good, but Norze was too naive, so naive that you couldn't even get angry at his offensive words. All you felt was hatred and helplessness at your own powerlessness in the face of reality.

"Nozer, you say this is a meaningless sacrifice, but for me, it may be the most meaningful thing I can do in my life."

As Andrew finished speaking, silence fell between the two.

"...I'm sorry, Andrew."

Noze spoke first, his voice very soft, "I...I don't know about these things."