Munitions Empire

"The replication work of the telegraph machine must be completed as soon as possible..." Sofia pondered the issue concerning the Great Tang Group, her expression grave.

She had recently felt that the wrinkles on her face seemed to have increased, after all, thinking of that distant new power made it difficult for her to eat or sleep.

A woman really needs quality of life, worrying about such matters indeed shouldn't fall on women to do.

Using her smooth, delicate fingers that had never been tainted by household chores, she rubbed her cheeks, the elasticity and freshness untainted by age made Sofia forget some of her troubles, if only a little.

The maid stood there, responding to Sofia's order without any emotion: "Understood! My lord!"

Sofia picked up a book about electrical experiments from the desk and flipped it open to where she had been reading, instructing without looking up: "This task is of utmost importance! We must provide the same channels for intelligence transmission, otherwise, we won't be able to compete with this Great Tang Group in any field!"

In fact, there were quite a few pioneers of electrical experiments in this world, but many of them were still stuck in experiments such as generating electricity through friction.

Using electricity on a large scale like the Great Tang Group hasn't been achieved by anyone, nor is there any theoretical foundation for such experiments.

Curious about Great Tang's electrical industry, Sofia simply picked up books related to the fundamental specialties to research.

Unfortunately, the intelligent Sofia had read several such books but hadn't gained any inspiration from them.

On the contrary, she instead used her understanding of Great Tang Group's electrical machinery to corroborate these scientists' experiments...

"I will have people watch those craftsmen closely," the maid responded loyally to Sofia's command.

Feeling that wasn't enough, Sofia added another incentive, "If they can replicate the telegraph machine sooner, I will reward them... 300 Gold Coins each! At all costs!"

"Yes, my lord!" the maid agreed without hesitation.

Sofia, somewhat fanciful and prone to say whatever came to mind unconsciously, was already focusing on studying the electrical experiments in the book.

She mentioned cars out of the blue, "In addition, the procurement of cars mustn't stop, let the surrounding nations all buy them! Even if the price is high or they are old, it doesn't matter! I want cars, the more the better."

"Yes, my lord," the maid complied once again, showing no sign of impatience.

Cars were Sofia's passion; she planned to research her own car, to compete with Tang Mo's Model T.

She believed this new form of transportation, which didn't require laying tracks on the roads, had more potential than trains.

After all, in her view, train tracks were an extremely wasteful construction method, while cars, which obviously didn't require tracks, were more cost-effective.

There was no help for it; she didn't possess a modern strategic outlook, nor could she estimate the transport capacity of railroads, thus she could only rely on her imagination to make judgments.

After some time, Sofia, who had been reading, issued an unrelated command, "Let those idlers take care of copying the munitions! After all, they can only see the immediate benefits."

The maid waiting there continued to comply, "Yes, my lord."

A moment later, as Sofia turned a page in the book, she seemed to remember there was another person in the room and commanded, "You may go."

The maid retreated to the door, curtsied, and then left the room, gently closing the door behind Sofia.

However, just a few minutes later, someone knocked on the door of Sofia's office. It was rare for someone to disturb her at such a time.

After receiving permission, the maid entered Sofia's office once more, placing the prepared breakfast on her desk before beginning her report: "My lord! A new message has just arrived!" ŖάℕоβƐⱾ

"Speak," Sofia said nonchalantly as she picked up a piece of bread, dipped it in jam, and took a gentle bite, chewing and savoring the slightly tart sweetness, while beckoning the maid to continue.

The seemingly plain breakfast was in fact the height of luxury, the fruits used were expensive, and the handmade fresh jam preserved the original aroma and taste of the fruit.

The maid promptly began her report: "The Poplar Kingdom has ceded Osa Military Harbor to the Great Tang Group; it has now become the private property of the Great Tang Group."

Sofia was shocked; she had been closely following the news from the Poplar Kingdom, "It seems the news of the severe blow to the Poplar Kingdom Navy is true..."

The maid looked at the stack of newly arrived intelligence reports and nodded, "Yes, my lord. The message also confirms that the Augustin Family has sold a gold mine and some copper mines... The buyer is also the Great Tang Group..."

She paused and then added, "And... there's something else in the messages that have arrived."

"Hmm?" Sofia had just picked up the milk when she heard the maid say this, raised her pretty eyebrows, and looked towards her subordinate. Her eyelashes were long and beautifully curved, a flawless sight to behold.

The maid immediately produced some witness testimonies and statements, placing them on Sofia's desk: "Some adjectives describing the Great Tang Group's naval warships, including powerful, made of steel, without sails, extremely fast, and with extremely precise cannons... these kinds of adjectives."

Sofia felt she might have underestimated her opponent once again. While she had been striving to catch up with the Great Tang Group, they seemed to have left her even further behind: "Another new type of warship?"

At this moment, she experienced a profound sense of helplessness, because she had been working so hard to close the gap between them, but it all seemed to be in vain.

The maid then took out a replica of a drawing: "They've also sent a copy of a painting... it is said to have been painted by an artist at the coast..."

"Give it to me!" Sofia couldn't wait, she put down the milk and stretched out her hand to take the replicated drawing from the maid's hand.

The ship in the drawing, with its sharp angles and fierce appearance, was breaking through the waves at sea. What was most eye-catching were the two huge smokestacks on the warship and the billowing black smoke coming out of them.

"It seems this is a steam-driven warship, because the two smoking smokestacks are too obvious. It would be impossible to create such a lifelike painting if it hadn't been witnessed firsthand." Sofia was certain of the painting's authenticity after just one glance.

She knew the warship's power must be related to steam engines because she was all too familiar with such smokestacks on the outskirts of distant cities, numerous as they were.

"Yes, and some have confidently claimed that it is an ironclad warship, impervious to our cannons, capable of easily sinking a first-rate warship," the maid continued with the news she brought.

Sofia nodded: "New types of shells and new cannons... that has already been confirmed."

The maid, looking at the thick stack of intelligence reports, concurred: "Yes, my lord."

"Has the reason for the war between the Great Tang Group and the Poplar Kingdom been thoroughly investigated?" Sofia suddenly asked.

The maid promptly answered her question: "It has been clarified, my lord. After you seized our business in the Poplar Kingdom from the Augustin Clan, you specifically instructed us to arrange our forces here, so we easily gathered the information."

"Speak... cut to the chase." Sofia picked up the milk and took a sip.

The maid continued with the information gathered by her intelligence department, which was hardly any secret: "Yes, my lord. Previously, the Elves and the Great Tang Group collaborated, and someone from the Augustin Clan brought back technologies from the Great Tang Group such as the needle-gun, steam engine, cartridge paper bullets, and percussion caps."

"It appears that the Elves' technology is indeed derived from Brunas." Holding the glass with milk, Sofia nodded in agreement.

"That's right. At that time, the Great Tang Group packaged these technologies and sold them to the Augustin Clan for over 200,000 Gold Coins," the maid spoke when she saw her mistress silent and continued.

"Hmm? Only sold for over 200,000 Gold Coins?" Sofia's beautiful brows furrowed slightly.

"Yes! Just that much." the maid confirmed.

Sofia immediately became annoyed and swore with her crisp, pleasant voice: "Gis, that bastard, I knew he was good for nothing and a fool! Why didn't he just properly buy those technologies from the Great Tang Group? Instead, he had his mind fixed on cheating and robbing..."

She felt utter loathing for the former leader of the Shireck Consortium responsible for kingdom affairs within Leite Kingdom: "I'm being ruined by these idiots! Damn it! Go on!"

The maid promptly obeyed: "Yes, my lord. But the head of the Augustin Clan, Leibart, defaulted on paying 100,000 Gold Coins to the Great Tang Group and trampled upon his own honor..."

"Ha! Another shortsighted, foolish fellow," Sofia scoffed, swirling the milk in her hand.

"Exactly, my lord. Later on, the Great Tang Group dispatched their new warships, blockaded Southwater Port, destroyed the harbor there, and sank hundreds of Poplar Kingdom's transport ships."

Stunned for a moment, Sofia immediately burst out laughing: "Hahaha! Hahaha! Interesting! Such revengeful nature is very much to my liking!"

Amid Sofia's laughter, the maid went on: "Then, when negotiations followed, the Great Tang Group demanded 14 million Gold Coins in reparations."

"Pfft..." As Sofia was about to take another sip of milk, she couldn't help but spray it out, choking on it, laughing and coughing at the same time: "Hahaha! Cough cough! Haha! Cough cough cough! Hahaha! I'm growing fonder of that little fellow called Tang Mo!

Hahaha! 14 million, just thinking about it excites me, what a sum! Hahaha! So, did the Elves settle the debt?"

The milk trickled down her mouth, ran down her slender neck, and then dropped into her silky nightgown...

The maid was blushing at the sight, swallowing hard before she looked down, reluctantly moving her gaze away, and nodded: "Yes, my lord! The Poplar Kingdom ceded Osa and compensated with gold and copper mines, as well as a substantial amount of money, finally achieving reconciliation with the Great Tang Group."

Unconcerned with the maid's greedy gaze, Sofia even pushed out her chest, flaunting her proud figure. While her subordinate blushed, she laughed coquettishly: "Such a shrewd child... Tell me, if I am willing to compensate him, would the Great Tang Group reconcile with the Shireck Consortium? Would they... forgive me?" Continue your adventure at m|v-l'e -.net

The maid looked down, hearing her own heartbeat: "I... I don't know, my lord."

"Of course you don't know..." Sofia licked the milk from her lips, squinting her eyes, enjoying the moment, or perhaps pondering.

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