When Lu Chen arrived at the Hall of Political Affairs, apart from those responsible for patrols, nearly all important military figures were already present.
Upon seeing Lu Chen's arrival, everyone uniformly saluted and said, "Greetings to the Prince, long live the Prince!"
After the salutations, Mu Jingwu immediately spoke up, "Prince, the Artillery camp has already completed its assembly."
Lu Chen nodded, his gaze resting on Mu Changtian who then spoke, "Prince, the thousand new recruits you requested are ready as well. They have all been trained exactly according to the methods you provided."
Lu Chen said, "Since everything is ready, let's set out."
Then, under the lead of the Jinyiwei Guards, everyone proceeded to the military strategic area near the munitions factory.
This was a place Mu Changtian and the others had never been to before. They only knew that it was shrouded in mystery, guarded solely by the Black Cavalry; ordinary soldiers were not allowed to enter, not even Mu Changtian himself.
After the Artillery camp and the new army had arrived at the designated spot, Lu Chen then addressed Mu Changtian and the others, "You should know that I've brought you here today mainly because the army is about to be equipped with new-style weapons."
"These new weapons are similar to howitzer cannons. Although their power is not as great as that of the howitzer, they boast a much larger quantity. Moreover, these are weapons that the North Country is now able to mass-produce."
Upon hearing this, a jolt went through Mu Changtian and the others.
Wouldn't that mean the military strength of the North Country could soon surpass other dynasties?
The last time they saw the howitzer, it made a profound impression on everyone. Back then, they were thinking that if such weapons could be mass-produced, then Lu Chen's ascension to the supreme position would be utterly effortless.
However, at the time, people thought they were using Immortal weapons, which would not be available in large numbers and would be gone once used up.
It had been a while since the Artillery camp's soldiers last touched a howitzer, and Mu Jingwu even wondered if the camp might be disbanded. Unexpectedly, the North Country had already started manufacturing similar weapons, which meant that the Artillery camp would play a crucial role on the battlefield in the future.
At this moment, Lu Chen said to Mo Xing, "Let the Jinyiwei Guards bring out the weapons."
"As you command, Prince."
With the assistance of the Black Cavalry, soon three hundred cannons and over a thousand mortars were presented before the soldiers.
Seeing such a vast arsenal, Mu Changtian and the others were stunned. At that time, Lu Chen said to Mu Jingwu, "Captain Mu, starting today, the Artillery camp will train with live ammunition. I need you to become thoroughly familiar with these new cannons within two months."
Mu Jingwu immediately replied, "As you command, Prince!"
The Artillery camp's soldiers had long been eager to handle the real McCoy. Ever since the howitzer ammunition was used up, they had primarily been studying theoretical knowledge, which, no matter how thoroughly taught, does not compare to hands-on learning.
At that moment, Li Feng noticed the stick-like weapons placed on the wooden boards, and his mind instantly conjured the scene where Lu Chen used a Barrett to kill a high-quality warrior.
Li Feng couldn't help thinking, could these stick-like weapons be the same type of formidable arsenal that Lu Chen had previously used?
With this thought, Li Feng immediately asked, "Prince, are these stick-like weapons also considered cannons?"
Before Lu Chen could respond, Mo Xing answered from the side, "General Li, these are not cannons, they are muskets."
Lu Chen said, "From now on, the new army should gradually abandon bows and arrows and switch to using muskets. Mo Xing, demonstrate the use of the musket for them."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Xing picked up a musket, efficiently loading the primer and a steel ball bullet.
Next, he raised the musket and pulled the trigger at a distant tree. With the sound of a gunshot, the steel ball was shot out, instantly embedding itself into the tree.
Witnessing this, Li Feng and the others were taken by surprise; the weapon indeed resembled the mysterious black weapon previously used by the Prince.
However, it seemed to be less powerful than that mysterious weapon of Lu Chen's.
After Mo Xing demonstrated the use of the musket, he told everyone, "The musket's bullet and primer are smaller in size, making them more convenient to carry than arrows."
"In battle, a soldier can easily carry several hundred bullets on his person."
"Of course, that's not the most critical aspect. The most important thing is that even an ordinary person can use this musket, and the musket's bullets can easily penetrate armor."
Hearing this, those present were again stunned.
If they were using bows and arrows, soldiers without training might not even be able to draw the bow, and even if they could, the arrows lacked force and certainly couldn't pierce an enemy's armor.
But once equipped with muskets, it meant that from then on, any ordinary person could join the army of the North Country; all they needed to learn was how to use a musket.
An average person proficient with a musket would possess a strength comparable to that of a Second Grade warrior.
Mu Changtian sighed inwardly.
Indeed, the era of warriors was coming to an end.
After Mo Xing finished speaking, Lu Chen reminded them from the side, "These are training guns; the bullets and primers are separate, and not yet convenient for carrying. I have already instructed the craftsmen to improve the muskets and produce ammunition that combines the primer and bullet."
"Such muskets will be more powerful, and not even a Ninth Grade warrior can withstand their bullets."