After a moment of silence, she still said with disbelief, "I never imagined you guys could actually reach Monarch Level, it's truly inconceivable. Just a short while ago, the Fischer family on the East Coast was but a minor family."
The forbidden rare artifact was a small circular shield, No. 8271, named the "Counterattack Shield," capable of releasing a hemispherical protective barrier that could block and reflect incoming attacks, lasting for a few seconds.
The "Counterattack Shield" flaw was that it could only be deployed three times a day, and using it came at the cost of a year of one's lifespan. Another downside was that the "Counterattack Shield" had a limit for the amount of force it could withstand.
At most, it could fully block an attack from a low-level Monarch Extraordinary Exponent, but against stronger extraordinary powers, it couldn't provide complete defense.
In the family meeting that followed, Byrne looked at everyone and said calmly,
"In the coming years, let's devote all our efforts to developing and controlling the East Coast, creating a stronghold completely under Fischer control."
"Try to bring every minor family under our control, and as for the proposal by Lilian to develop new Proselytes..."
He paused for a moment, then continued looking at his daughter,
"I think it's time to put it back on the agenda, let's use the scales to vote again!"
The crowd was instantly fired up, as there were no longer any families on the East Coast that could compete with them, and their relationship with the Tempest Church was excellent.
Everyone understood that from now on, no one could stop the actions of the Fischer family on the East Coast!
The days of uncertainty were completely over!
The steam train slowly started, and the onlookers gaped, holding their breath as they watched the breathtaking scene.
Thick black coal smoke rose from the front of the steam train as the wheels began to turn slowly, the ground started trembling with a grinding noise, followed by the panting and roaring of the steam engine, as the train gradually gained power.
The people exclaimed!
As the furnace was lit, steam applied, and the engine roared, the sound of compressed air being released rapidly and the vibration of the train's body instantly intertwined.
Gradually, the train picked up speed and left the station.
The people at the station were fixated on the scene before them, and at that moment, someone in the crowd shouted out loud!
Then the rest of the people started chanting along!
"Fischer! Fischer! Fischer!"
Hundreds upon hundreds of people called out the name Fischer, feeling a profound sense of pride from the bottom of their hearts; the Fischer family was the honor of everyone in Nasir Town!
On the steam train, Byrne, his white hair full and his figure still erect, stood at the door greeting people with a wave as they grew distant.
"His Excellency Byrne!"
Almost everyone greeted him with a smile, and the people of Nasir Town cheered loudly, with many young people even running alongside the slowly accelerating steam train!
Inside the steam train's carriage, several members of the Fischer family were also seated there, including Christine, Archibald, Vanessa, and Christine's assistant.
They were all a bit unaccustomed since, aside from Byrne who had already gone through numerous tests, it was the first time for everyone else to ride on the steam train.
Chris had already been on the 5th Rank for four years.
Archibald, his face full of beard, laughed heartily inside the carriage; after more than a decade of labor, the railroad finally completely connected Nasir Town and Fein City, the stronghold of the Fischer family!
Christine, seated in a wheelchair, had matured into a woman.
She was dressed in a black gown that resembled the night sky, exuding an intellectual aura, with silver hair that radiated mature charm.
A man with an honest face, dressed in a white military uniform, silently stood behind the wheelchair.
He was one of Bast's grandsons, Andre Leone, with the air of a truly noble knight, now serving as the assistant who helped Christine move around.
Christine flicked her hair, speaking calmly yet with an intellectual demeanor, "We need to build more railroads, yes, more railroads."
Archibald hesitated, then said,
"Miss Christine, it took us over ten years just to build a single railroad. Do we really need to build more? It seems like quite an excessive consumption of time, effort, and money, doesn't it?"
"Is this really good for the family?"
Deep down, he felt that His Excellency Byrne and Miss Christine had been somewhat brainwashed by the priests of the Reforging Church!
One railroad was not enough! They were obsessed with laying more and more track!
Christine, ever calm, looked at Archibald and said, "Over the years, I've read many books and learned a lot about the application of railroads in other countries. They will become lifeblood for cities in the future. If we want to make the East Coast prosperous, building railroads is essential."
"In time, provinces with a network of railroads will be far ahead of those without, and the gap between them will be like that between large and small families."
Archibald, having trouble understanding, also clear in his heart that if he were to debate with the shrewd and calculating Christine, he would lose ten out of ten times!
So he nodded slightly, shaking his head in impatience and spreading his hands, "Alright, I don't quite understand these matters. Anyway, family matters are not for me to vote on."
Christine shook her head. She had always had a poor impression of Mr. Archibald, who was both rude and unwise, especially when he came up with all sorts of bizarre objections.
"Andre, take me to the locomotive. Mother, please wait here for me; I'll be back shortly."
"Yes, Miss Christine."
Andre nodded loyally, pushing the wheelchair to lead Christine away from the carriage.
"In the blink of an eye, Christine has grown up. I still remember how fragile she used to be," Vanessa suddenly spoke up, her tone full of emotion.
As for herself, she was gradually aging.
Christine, along with her wheelchair, arrived at the front of the train, biting her finger lightly, a habit when she was deep in thought.
Andre hesitated for a moment, but then reminded her, "Don't bite through your finger again, being too engrossed in thought isn't good."
Christine smiled, shaking her head slowly and speaking tenderly,
"Andre Leone, what did I tell you before? You just need to listen to me. As my legs and sword, you don't need to think too much."
Andre was momentarily stunned, then nodded, "Yes, I understand... Miss Christine, rest assured, I have long decided to pledge my loyalty to you, to give you my all, as that is my mission!"
"Even if you venture into hell, I will march alongside you!"
After more than a dozen hours, their group finally arrived in Fein City from Nasir Town.
Thousands of citizens at Fein City's train station awaited the arrival of the steam train, and when Byrne and the others of the Fischer family disembarked, the crowd immediately erupted!
Byrne looked calmly at the surrounding people, gesturing for quiet, then loudly announced a "major bombshell."
"War is about to begin!"
"The sea to the east has always belonged to us, the Cyart people! We will exterminate the pirates and heretics, letting the glory of the Cyart people shine upon the sea!"