Two nights later, a train slowly advanced on the tracks entering the Amelia Region, appearing different from regular trains in the darkness.
At the very front of the train, two railcars carrying some tracks maintained a certain distance from the train to ensure the rails were problem-free.
Since the resistance group began intensive activities, all public facilities throughout the Amelia Region, railways included, had suffered damage.
The internal railway system of the Amelia Region was basically semi-disabled; even if the Gafura managed to repair the rails early in the morning, the resistance group would destroy them by night.
The purpose of this was to prevent the Gafurafrom being able to move quickly in the region, avoiding the resistance group being surrounded during attacks on certain targets.
Without the rapid transportation capability of trains, even if the battles dragged on, reinforcements wouldn’t arrive quickly.
This method had proven effective, so people were more willing to disrupt the railway network between cities.
Interestingly, the railways leading to other regions hadn’t faced large-scale destruction. On one hand, the resistance group’s upper managers weren’t interested in those rails, and on the other hand, destroying them served no purpose.
The Gafura Region was currently facing many issues, such as food shortages.
After the war, the Gafura prioritized the reconstruction of cities over the reconstruction of rural areas, with few regions beginning to restore agricultural production. The main cities still couldn’t be self-sufficient in food supply.
This required reliance on food imports; the smooth operation of railways was essential for preventing hunger, hence no one would destroy this lifeline of the locals unless driven by significant benefits.
The train continued slowly, with Haiyan and his men finding a vantage point nearby to observe the supply train. In the darkness, the occasional flash of light on the carriage allowed them only a rough view.
The tall piled-up carriages were covered with tarps, a basic measure to guard against heavy rain, considering the Amelia Region was coastal, and it rained occasionally in summer.
However, the contents beneath these tarps seemed piled too high, far exceeding normal heights, and the train’s locomotive was particularly noteworthy.
It was larger than any locomotive Haiyan and others had seen before, giving off a powerful impression, and though its wheels turned slowly, each rotation was full of strength.
"There doesn’t seem to be a problem..."
Haiyan observed for a while and voiced his opinion, "Perhaps it’s their new train model."
His tone carried hints of envy and jealousy; without experiencing war and the shame and humiliation of defeat, people wouldn’t feel this urgency—the urgent desire to become stronger!
The locomotive itself represented power, a manifestation of industrial strength, and if its technical prowess surpassed the most advanced locomotives of other nations, Gafura would once again lead other countries in transportation capabilities.
When will we possess such scientific prowess?
Haiyan pursed his lips, looking at the Chief Instructor beside him, who was also unsure. Below the slope, the train crawled forward in the canyon.
Surrounded by many Gafura soldiers escorting it, Haiyan couldn’t find any issues from his perspective, except perhaps the locomotive being too long and large, or the train carrying too many goods seemed odd.
While they were still undecided, whether carelessly by the Gafura or hastily tied by soldiers securing the tarp, a rope abruptly loosened.
In an instant, Haiyan clearly heard gasps around him, but he couldn’t spare the attention to identify those who shared his thoughts; his gaze, along with others’, focused on the first carriage.
A mountain of weapons piled high!
Brand new weapons, and boxes of ammunition along with medical samples!
Even a glimpse of the carriage corner was enough to make hearts race and blood boil!
Within the Amelia Region’s resistance group, almost all weapons used were exclusively Gafura-made, which was ironic.
The resistance group and local rulers used the same standardized weapons, even sourced from the same arsenal.
It is said Emperor Gafura had ordered the imprisonment of two military enterprise owners, including a Viscount, but still couldn’t halt the flood of Gafura standard equipment into the Amelia Region.
This bred an increasingly terrifying trend, as both sides wielded uniform weapons; sometimes, to replenish, they attacked Gafura outposts or armories, escalating mutual hatred.
The people on the hill understood well that every crate marked with a rifle contained ten brand new weapons; each tin marked with bullets held up to two thousand rounds!
And those medical packages, packed with enough supplies to treat three to five moderately wounded soldiers.
These are full of allure for the resistance organization.
The person who seemed to be an officer in the carriage behind leaned out, shouting loudly. The train slowly came to a halt, and the soldiers began tying up the canvas ropes again.
All of this gives an irresistible temptation.
A gunshot shattered the peace of the night, and a Gafura soldier fell to the ground, while others ran about in panic, some even crawling under the train, and a fierce attack erupted from the very beginning.
Some tracer bullets guided people to aim at their targets. Soon, the Gafura soldiers were retreating step by step, eventually disappearing into the darkness.
Haiyan waved his fist, and just as he was about to rush down with his men to enjoy the fruits of victory, the chief instructor suddenly grabbed his collar and pressed him to the ground.
In the next second, the canvas covering the train carriages was lifted, revealing turrets in front of people’s eyes. This was no supply transport train; it was essentially a mobile land battleship!
Several searchlights on the train’s central section suddenly lit up, turning the nighttime mountainside as bright as day, with every detail clearly visible.
People, shocked, raised their hands to shield themselves from the harsh light beams, peering through their fingers in terror at the continually rotating turrets, as the apocalypse descended.
Deep explosions were like the movements of a tragic symphony, and all other sounds vanished in an instant, leaving only the heavy roar of cannon fire.
"Governor, our plan succeeded." Over a hundred kilometers away, the Governor sat in a room with his eyes closed.
The phonograph’s record slowly spun, and "The Roar," a piece composed by Ceres in his mid-to-late years and called a "soul-stirring epic" by Emperor Gafura, resonated throughout the room.
It was not elegant and soothing music. During his mid-to-late years, Ceres was in the darkest stage of his life. His parents, wife, and two children all lost their lives to a plague, leaving only him and a few others to escape.
The whole town was filled with fallen corpses, rotting, stinking, turning to puddles everywhere.
To prevent the plague from spreading beyond the town, the Gafura authorities dispatched an army division to quarantine the entire town, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving.
In this extreme, oppressive, and desperate situation, Ceres, on the brink of collapse, used music to express his anger at fate, his struggle, his questioning, and his roar at life!
The deep bass seemed to be flames trembling from the depths of his throat, from his soul, making one feel small in the face of fate, helpless, and profoundly moved!
The Governor, with eyes closed, slightly tilted his head, occasionally relaxing his hand to trace a soothing rhythm, and occasionally clenching it into a tight fist.
The officer at the door did not dare disturb the Governor, simply standing quietly until the last note disappeared in the air.
"Sigh..." The Governor opened his eyes, sharp and focused, as a servant brought a hot towel. He picked up the towel and placed it over his face, wiping lightly.
This was his habit, to apply a hot compress to his face after enjoying music, allowing him to completely relax.
After a while, he removed the towel, stood up, walked to his desk, sat down, and looked at the officer at the door. "Did we win?"
The officer stood with his legs tightly together, the metal heels of his boots clicking crisply against each other. "Yes, Your Excellency, the front line reported that over 400 incomplete bodies have been found, with only a few enemies escaping."
This might be the first time since the outbreak of the resistance organization that they achieved such a brilliant result, but no joy could be seen on the Governor’s face. He even shook his head slightly, "No, this is not a victory. Our war has just begun..."
He paused for a moment before issuing an order, "Inform all locations to closely monitor the flow of medical resources, strengthen management, and start continuous household inspections..."
This is not a victory, the Governor knew well. They might as well be considered to have lost, for they ended up sending the Empire’s secret weapon to the Amelia Region.
It was a tool originally intended for the next war to advance the front lines, but now it was exposed prematurely!
This is a humiliation, a failure, but there was no alternative.
If the situation here cannot be quickly brought under control, soon the entire region will become even more uncontrollable, and Gafura’s sovereignty may be confined to a few major cities.
After all, this is not Gafura’s homeland. Every non-Gafura person on this land could potentially be an enemy!
They are deep in enemy territory; the real war has just begun!
But he is confident of winning the ultimate victory in this war because behind him stands one of the world’s most powerful military forces. That is his confidence!