Castle of Black Iron

After Commander Cheng left, Zhang Tie inspected the encampment of Fire-Dragon Corps. He held a meeting with Zhang Su and the other officials such as Liu Xing; by the way, they fixed the military supervision system of Fire-Dragon Corps.

The disciples of Iron-Dragon Sect were absolutely different than the other sects. Most of the other sects’ disciples always cultivated in mountains. they barely went off their mountains unless contingencies. By contrast, disciples of Iron-Dragon Sect would practice and cultivate in the secular world at Zhang Tie’s request. If it were not in the holy war, Iron-Dragon Sect might imitate other sects by having the disciples cultivate on mountains. Now that the holy war was going to break out in a large scale, besides enclosed cultivation in mountains, they should also practice and cultivate in the army and the secular world.

Additionally, they should touch something the earlier the better. In the future, these disciples would be better adaptable to the chaotic world.

Zhang Tie served as the commander-in-chief of Fire-Dragon Corps. All of his disciples above LV 9 held positions in Fire-Dragon Corps, male or female. Male disciples directly entered the combat troops of Fire-Dragon Corps while female disciples directly served in administrative and logistic agencies of Fire-Dragon Corps.

Fire-Dragon Corps was a military unit. Of course, military ranks counted in such a military unit. Besides, all the fighters in Fire-Dragon Corps were divided into two parts, ordinary fighters and disciples of Iron-Dragon Sect, which included Zhang Tie’s indoor disciples and many outdoor disciples, etc..

In some republic or federal countries which were founded by a certain party, in order to prevent armies from being controlled by hostile forces or Three-eye Association, these parties always seized upon the armies. In the army, besides the main battle officer, there were also political officials who were loyal to the party in order to make their armies loyal to them. Sacred Light Empire set pastors, chief pastors and the like to ensure that the armies were in the hand of Sacred Light Church.

The history proved that this was an effective means for human countries to control their armies. Therefore, all the human countries would adopt the same means to control their armies whether they were democratic countries or centralized religious countries. With these experiences, although Zhang Tie was accompanying his wives and kids these days, he had gradually framed up the military supervision system of Fire-Dragon Corps.

Some disciples of Iron-Dragon Sect directly served as battle officials; some served as supervisory officials. To be honest, supervisory officials were used to guaranteeing a country’s leadership about the army. They were similar to political officials in countries which were ruled by parties and pastors in Sacred Light Empire. With the effect of the supervisory officials, the corps would always be loyal to Zhang Tie.

In Zhang Tie’s opinion, members of parties, followers of religions or apprentices of sects were all the same. They were just interest groups with different names. Some names were for political pursuits; some were for religious beliefs. However, in the final analysis, all the interest groups were pursuing meeting people’s demands on different levels, such as living, eating, avoiding from being bullied, gold coins, land, sex, power, battle strength, fame, dreams and the realization of self-worth, etc..

In Fire-Dragon Corps, any excellent fighters could promote to outdoor disciples through approval. After that, they would gain certain resources and higher positions and have chances to learn greater battle skills. Additionally, they could serve as officials in the corps. In the future, they might promote to indoor disciples from outdoor disciples and win the favor of the mountain peaks’ owners even the master of the sect. By then, they would have a promising future.

All the supervisory officials in Fire-Dragon Corps were at least outdoor disciples of Iron-Dragon Sect.

Starting from companies of Fire-Dragon Corps, the lowest supervisory official was supervisory sergeant; the supervisory officer was a bit higher; the supervisory major was higher than a supervisory officer; the supervisory ambassador was the highest supervisory official. Supervisory sergeant, supervisory officer and supervisory major were divided into gold, silver and copper. The supervisory ambassador was corresponding to the commander-in-chief of the corps.

In the conference, Zhang Tie gave them the topic of military supervision system. In order to avoid from the disputes between supervisory officials and main officials in the troops in the future, Liu Xing and the other people suggested to record the functions and responsibilities of supervisory officials on papers in terms of articles and deliver them to all the members of Fire-Dragon Corps so that everybody could be familiar with them. After 2 hours’ discussion, they formulated nearly 100 genuine opinions and suggestions.

Zhang Tie had someone collect those opinions and suggestions. After Zhang Tie’s review, these articles would be delivered to all the people of Fire-Dragon Corps as “Articles for Supervisory Officials”.

After fixing the frame of supervisory officials system, Zhang Tie didn’t care about it anymore. He handed the affairs about Fire-Dragon Corps to Zhang Su and returned to the manor on the bank of Cloudwashing Lake over 60 miles away from Xuantian City in the south before sunset.

This was a large manor. Right on one side of the lake, the villas and courtyards were connected to each other in a classic style. Additionally, there was a universal airport. It was evidently a major clan’s manor. Previously, it was a summer resort built by the magistrate of Gaoping Prefecture in Yanzhou Province for the officials of Gaoping Prefecture. Pitifully, before this project was completed, it had been merged into Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory. In Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory, all the official assets of Taixia Country were transferred to Zhang Tie.

This manor was not far from Xuantian Eighteen Mountain Peaks. Zhang Tie had not been here before. Not until Donder came to Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory to count properties for Zhang Tie did he know that he had a real estate on the bank of Cloudwashing Lake.

On the bank of Cloudwashing Lake, there were many manors and villas of major clans. This manor was in the largest basin around Xuantian Eighteen Mountain Peaks. Additionally, it was in the center of the 10 cities of Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory. It was very convenient to go to Miyun Prefecture in Youzhou Province, Gaoping Prefecture in Yanzhou Province even Xingyuan Prefecture in Tongzhou province from here by airships or airboats. After having people build the highways, it was just 2 hours’ ride from here to Xuantian City and Dashang City.

Before coming to the Sacred Iceland Kingdom, Zhang Tie told Lu Yishan to renovate this place so as to welcome its new owners.

After O’Laura and the other women followed Zhang Tie to Taixia Country, this manor had become the residence of these women and their kids. Zhang Tie knew that these women would never feel relaxed in Jinwu City, he only stayed in Jinwu City for 3 days with them. After they got acquainted with Zhang Tie’s family members, they had been taken to this manor together with Linda, Beverly and Fiona by Zhang Tie.

It was the first official reunion for the entire Zhang family except for Zhang Chenglei , Zheng Chengting and Zhang Chengpei who were still in Heavens Fortune Sect.

Over these days, Zhang Tie accompanied his wives and kids to travel across the entire Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory.

It was the most leisure time in Zhang Tie’s life. During that period, he only showed them around Xuantian Eighteen Mountain Peaks; he didn’t even return to Iron-Dragon Sect.

When he returned to the manor, he found his wives and kids were waiting for him to have supper.

The moment he entered the main hall, Zhang Tie had seen over 10 women chatting something attentively while those kids were playing toys and games in a dollhouse on one side.

“Papa, papa, I will learn how to fly too; I will learn how to fly too…”

The moment Zhang Tie came back, those kids had surrounded him as they looked up at him with smiles, while jumping and exclaiming.

“Hahaha, when you grow a bit elder, I will teach you how to fly step by step, how about that?” Zhang Tie said as he stroked the heads of these kids.

“Great…” Those kids became thrilled. In their eyes, their dad was almighty.

His wives also walked towards him with smiles.

“What’re you talking about?” Zhang Tie asked Olina.

Olina just shook her head with a smile. All the women then exchanged a glance with each other. After that, Beverly said mysteriously, “We’ll tell you in the evening…”

“So mysterious?”

“Certainly!” Ballier replied with an enchanting smile.

Zhang Tie waved his hands as he burst out into laughter, “Well, let’s have supper first. After wandering outside for a few hours, I’m really hungry…”

There were two tables in the dining hall. Each table could hold more than 10 people. Zhang Tie and his wives were at one table; their kids were at the other table. The dining hall was in a festive atmosphere.

Sitting in the dining hall and watching his 10-odd wives and 10-odd cute and vigorous kids, Zhang Tie really felt being the owner of a family and a real man.

It was a bizarre sense of achievement, which made Zhang Tie feel warm, satisfied and happy. Additionally, Zhang Tie could sense his accountability. Watching those beautiful and cute smiles, Zhang Tie suddenly recalled his father’s tender smile whenever he pushed open the door and saw him and his elder brother when in Blackhot City.

When Zhang Tie was young, no matter how tired his dad was, he would always look brilliant when he saw his two kids and wife at home. Additionally, his dad always got up the earliest in his family, who was always diligent in work and never complained about that.

At that time, Zhang Tie could only see his dad at supper. If his dad worked overload, Zhang Tie could not see him for a long time. During the period that his dad worked overload, his dad would not come back until he went to bed; before he got up, his dad had long got up and went to work.

Previously, Zhang Tie always thought that his dad loved his work because he hadn’t seen anyone else being that serious and passionate about their work.

At that time, Zhang Tie didn’t understand it; but now, he suddenly understood that his dad was diligent everyday not for that work but for this home. As that man loved his home so much, he had to be serious about his work. Over 10 gold coins’ annual salary meant the hope and dependence of the home in Blackhot city, the clothes and food of Zhang Tie and his elder brother, the shelter of the family and the calmness when they walked on the streets of Blackhot City without shamelessness and inferiority…

Therefore, that man had more and more wrinkles for all of the above things. Even the hair near his temples turned grey and his straight frame turned humpbacked and obese, his dad had never complained about being tired…

A man couldn’t understand the love of a man and a father until he became a real man and a father. A real man had two chances to become the idol and good example of his sons: first, when his sons were still young; second, when his sons had families and became fathers.

Zhang Tie’s hand suddenly became still in the air as his eyes turned red…

“What’s wrong with you?” All the women stopped what they were doing as they turned around to see Zhang Tie.

“Nothing!” Zhang Tie revealed a smile while his red eyes recovered. He then changed the topic, “Don’t you want to know why Commander Cheng was looking for me?”

Since he returned to the manor, Zhang Tie had been talking with his wives in Hua language. In other places outside Taixia Country, Hua language was widely accepted by the upper class and dignitaries. As for those women from Ice and Snow Wilderness, the 6 women had started to learn Hua language since they were young; after Olina ruled Navyblue Castle Business Group, she also started to learn Hua language; as the princess of the wild bear tribe, Sabrina had started to learn Hua language since young. The old wild bear was far-sighted in educating his children.

Only O’Laura started to learn Hua language after becoming the queen of Sacred Iceland Kingdom. However, after so many years, O’Laura had been able to speak Hua language fluently; she could also read and write. Especially after they followed Zhang Tie back to Taixia Country, they had made great progress in Hua language. They became more adapted to live in Taixia Country too. At the table, they had been adapted to use chopsticks instead of knives or forks. Of course, these women knew clearly about the influence of the commander of the northeast military region in Taixia Country.

“Commander Cheng should be asking for your help!” Olina said with a smile.

“I think it should be related to Fiery Oil!” Sabrina said.

“As Taixia Country is suffering from a large-scale crop failure, only Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory have a bumper harvest this summer; therefore, it should be related to grains!” O’Laura said affirmatively.

“Although hubby has a large undertaking, you also have a lot of wives and kids to feed. I think you would not just let Commander Cheng take away our things for free!” A Spencer woman said as she covered her mouth with a smile.

Zhang Tie was dumbfounded. These women just stayed at home. However, they had already almost known why Commander Cheng was looking for him. Zhang Tie suddenly realized that he had looked down upon his wives. Zhang Tie then looked up at the sky as he let out a long sigh, “You could really be my interior of wives…”

“Ahh, you’ve guessed that?” Fiona suddenly looked at Zhang Tie with widely opened eyes.

“Guess, guess what?”

“Guess what we’ve been negotiating about…” Innocent Fiona immediately exposed the “secret” at the table.

“Do you really want to be my interior of wives?” Zhang Tie became shocked.

“As you’ve got such a big undertaking. Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory covers over 5 million square miles and contains 10 cities; plus your Fiery Oil which has rocked the whole world. Now that you couldn’t take care all of them; neither could Donder alone deal with so many things, our sisters were thinking about helping you deal with the affairs inside Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory in case you’re concerned about the business and the odd jobs in your territory!” Beverly opened her mouth.

Watching these women sitting around the table, Zhang Tie suddenly patted his head forcefully. He was worried about having no reliable assistants these days. He had forgotten that his women could help him a lot.

‘Now that Olina could push Navyblue Castle Business Group into top places across Ewentra Archipelago where males dominate the commercial world, she must be a far-sighted and talented iron lady in commerce. At least, I’ve not seen any woman greater than Olina in the commercial world.’

‘As Sabrina grew up in wild bear tribe, she is also visionary. Now that she could play tricks with old wild bear Dally and cheat those men across Ice and Snow Wilderness for so many years, of course, Sabrina is not an ordinary woman.’

‘Not to mention O’Laura. As the clan head of grey eagle tribe since young, now that she could keep grey eagle tribe from being annexed for so many years, this woman is definitely very smart, diligent and persistent. Additionally, after being the queen of the Sacred Iceland Kingdom for so many years, O’Laura has been more experienced in controlling her power and her subordinates. She could definitely be responsible for something.’

‘When in Ice and Snow Wilderness, O’Laura and Olina didn’t get along well with each other and were always distant of each other. After coming to Taixia Country, the two women forgot about the past resentment and form a close ally. Therefore, they became close to each other at once.’

‘Spencer women are a famous brand over Ice and Snow Wilderness. With the special training, when they are in banquets and balls, they could be powerhouses in social intercourse and dancing; when they are in offices, they could be accountants and actuaries; when they are on the bed…ahem ahem…’

‘Although Linda, Beverly and Fiona couldn’t match Olina and the other women in Ice and Snow Wilderness in experience and insight, they also had two strengths: first, intelligence. They could do whatever well soon after they were instructed; second, tenacity and meticulousness; especially Linda. Although Linda is tender, her tenacity and meticulousness make here especially attractive; third, the relationship between them and me and their loyalty to me. It could be said that they are the last ones who would betray me and the most reliable ones in this world.’

‘Aimei and Aixue are also smart and have an innocent background. They have both promoted to LV 6 at a young age; additionally, they grasp two battle qis with the attribute of water and wood. After so many years’ diligent cultivation, they have both promoted to LV 8. As long as there are opportunities, the two sisters are definitely the most flexible ones among those women.’

Zhang Tie burst out into laughter, “There are two Hua lines, people don’t know the true look of Lushan Mountain because they are in the mountain. After staying with wives so many days, I almost forgot about your talents. You’re qualified to be my good helpers and help me manage many affairs in Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory. A peaceful family will always prosper. It’s my great honor to have you be my assistants…”

“Ahh, you’ve agreed?” Fiona asked with a surprised look.

“Of course, I agree. You could help your husband manage the Master’s Intelligence Center. Starting from the Master’s Intelligence Center, you will further develop your Interior of Wives. With your help, I would not have any concerns…”

…

On the same evening, in Zhang Tie’s huge bedroom, after hours’ sweaty “Pah Pah Pah”, those women finally lay on the huge bed lazily in a crisscrossed manner. As they were in half coma, Zhang Tie had already sat up. Leaning against the bedstand, he quietly watched those beautify, smooth naked bodies under the hazy moonlight which threw into the bedroom through the window…

Commander Cheng’s visit meant an opportunity for Zhang Tie and that the overall situation facing Taixia Country was growing increasingly worse. Even Commander Cheng had sensed a heavy sense of crisis. The previously accumulated crises in Taixia Country were breaking out concentratively. As a result, the world was becoming more and more chaotic…

Over these days, Zhang Tie just stayed with his women and kids and had fun with them as he wanted to compensate them for what he owed them. Therefore, he didn’t pay attention to what happened outside. Zhang Tie didn’t know that whether he could continue to stay with his family members as the most famous knight in Taixia Country if demons arrived at Taixia Country.

However, people could not evade something only by not thinking about it.

‘The fundamental principle of Iron-Dragon Sect is to enable commoners to resist demons with the help of steel and Fiery Oil. If demons really arrived at Taixia Country one day, numerous commoners would face the same miserable fate as those commoners in Waii Subcontinent. By then, will I still stay here and do nothing?’

Zhang Tie didn’t care about fame because he had not thought about pursuing anything at all. However, he should be worthy of his conscience.

‘If you kill one LV 9 demon fighter, it means that you might save 100 commoners’ lives. As an earth knight whose battle strength might match that of a shadow knight and a human fighter who could easily kill tens thousands of LV 9 demon fighters in a battle, do you feel reassured when you watch hundreds of millions of people die miserably? Don’t you fight demons until they arrive at Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory?’

Zhang Tie couldn’t do that.

Some people were born to be unable to tolerate and do something. After being born in Blackhot City and living 16 years among commoners, Zhang Tie felt that some of his temperaments had been fixed, which couldn’t be changed for the rest of his life.

“What are you thinking about…” Olina who made love with Zhang Tie in the end didn’t pass out due to extreme excitement. After a few hours’ rest, she woke up closely after Zhang Tie. After waking up, her hair was disordered while her skin was covered with fine, sweat drops, which gave out the rosy luster. Her hot skin soon turned a bit cold. As Zhang Tie was sitting against the bedstand, Olina leaned against Zhang Tie’s thigh with her head.

“Nothing…” Zhang Tie stretched out his hand and pulled over the thin quilt to cover Olina’s smooth and elegant back. By the way, he helped her smoothen her hair, revealing her face…

“Are you thinking about when to leave us, right?” Olina whispered.

Olina’s words made Zhang Tie’s hand slightly stagnated. Zhang Tie then said, “You’ve guessed that?”

“If not, how could we behave so crazily tonight? Didn’t you want to accompany us more before you leave us?”

Zhang Tie revealed a self-mocking smile, ‘It seems that my women have long discovered my intention.’ The women around him murmured, “Will you blame us?”

“As of now, the best love for you is to have you live without regret!” Olina closed up her eyes as she muttered as if she was going to fall asleep. At the same time, she put her arms around Zhang Tie’s waist.

At this moment, Zhang Tie was completely moved once again.

“Sometimes, I really want to take you to a place where nobody else could find us and live with you. It has been my dream when I was young!”

“We’re in the holy war, we cannot hide anywhere, Ice and Snow Wilderness, Eastern Continent or Western Continent. As long as I’m on your side, I will not feel regretful even if we’re waiting for the whole world to be destroyed. What you need to do now is to give a promising future to Alexander and the other kids. We all support you, have more sleep…”

Olina and the others fell asleep; however, Zhang Tie became spirited all over.

‘Yes, besides those things that I have to do, what I should do now is to give my kids and more kids a promising future…’

‘Nobody could stop me, the Gobbling Party, Three-eye Association, the Heavens-Reaching Church or demons!’

Zhang Tie’s eye light became faintly firm…